CFW Week 14 Forecast - North Carolina fires Mack Brown

 CFW Week 14 Forecast – North Carolina fires Mack Brown

Family, friends, food, fun and football

make for an ideal Thanksgiving

 

There is nothing like Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday. Every year, Thanksgiving Week is full of family, friends, food, fun and football. You can’t beat that combination.

 

Princess Gator and Gator Babe arrived Sunday. Since they have been here, we have had a lot of fun. Gator Gabe arrived yesterday. More family and more fun.

 

Today, the five of us will be having Thanksgiving dinner with friends. We’ll be at the home of Stephanie Stein. Joining the table will be Stephanie’s daughter, Julia, and her boyfriend, Nick, Stephanie’s son, David, and his girlfriend Olivia, along with Olivia’s parents, sister and her aunt and uncle. The dinner group is complete with our next-door neighbors, Dieter and Deb Gum. Now that’s a tableful – lots of family and lots of friends. Lots of food and lots of fun.

 

For my contribution to the meal, I baked two of my cast-iron skillet apple pies.

 

Following Thanksgiving Day, we have two full days of football – Friday and Saturday. Watching football while eating Bizzarro pizza. More fun, more food, plenty of football all combined with family. As I said, you can’t beat that combination.

 

And speaking of football, there are some good games on tap this weekend. Lots of good games and many will not only have an impact on the conference championship games, but also on the 12-team playoff. Who’s in and who’s out?

 

For starters, we’re in the SEC with the “Game of the Week” – No. 3 Texas (10-1) at No. 20 Texas A&M (8-3). A spot in the SEC championship game is on the line. Wild! It will be.

 

There are more potential wild games in the SEC. How about No. 8 Tennessee (9-2) at Vanderbilt (6-5). Can Vandy pull off another upset this season? Then we have Arkansas (6-5) at No. 21  Missouri (8-3). It could be a barnburner.

 

Oklahoma (6-5) at LSU (7-4) has potential. Can the Sooners make it two surprises in a row? And finally, the Iron Bowl – Auburn (5-6) at No. 13 Alabama (8-3). Until last Saturday, this game was a laugher. But Auburn came out of nowhere and beat Texas A&M, while Alabama went into nowhere, losing to Oklahoma.

 

Wondering, just wondering. We had three, not one but three, big upsets in the SEC last week. Could three more upsets be looming this week?

 

The big encounter in the ACC is No. 6 Miami (10-1) at Syracuse (8-3). Miami has to win for a spot in the ACC championship game. Otherwise, the Canes are out. And if the Canes lose, they could be out of the 12-team playoff too. Such angst.

 

Also, in the ACC, SMU has a chance to finish the season undefeated in conference play in the Mustangs first year in the ACC. That’s an accomplishment. California (6-5) at No. 9 SMU (10-1). It could be Mustang mania in Dallas.

 

Pitt (7-4) at Boston College (6-5) has potential. Pat Narduzzi has the Panthers on the down escalator, while Bill O’Brian has the Eagles on the up escalator. And finally, there is the “Bowl Eligibility Bowl” – Virginia (5-6) at Virginia Tech (5-6). The winner goes to a bowl game. The loser stays home. The Hokies never lose to the Cavaliers.

 

Every year, at the end of the season, there is the “superfecta” – the same four ACC teams against the same four SEC teams. The head honcho in this year’s “superfecta” is No. 15 South Carolina (8-3) at No. 12 Clemson (9-2). A lot is riding on the outcome of this game. Clemson wants to remain in the 12-team playoff. South Carolina wants to make the 12-team playoff. The excitement is building.

 

The remaining three “superfectas” are over before they start, according to some people. But there is always an upset out there somewhere. Here goes – Georgia Tech (7-4) at No. 7 Georgia (9-2). Watch out for those stingers. Florida (6-5) at Florida State (2-9). Chief Osceola says, “I’m not Sammy Seminole, I’m Chief Wampumstompum.” But Albert says, “No, you’re Chief Fullabull.” (A brief history of the FSU mascot names over the years.) The fourth superfecta has Louisville (7-4) at Kentucky (4-7). Who’ll be the thoroughbred in that game?

 

The best game in the Big 12 pits No. 24 Kansas State (8-3) at No. 18 Iowa State (9-2). Believe it or not, both teams have a shot at the Big 12 title game. Iowa State has the best chance, but only if the Cyclones win.

 

In the Big Ten, it’s a case of more interesting encounters instead of big encounters. We begin with Washington (6-5) at No. 1 Oregon (11-0). It is a rivalry. Strange things can happen in rivalries. We move on to Michigan (6-5) at No. 2 Ohio State (10-1). It’s been a tough year for the Wolverines. It could get tougher. Perhaps the most intriguing game in the Big Ten this weekend is Nebraska (6-5) at Iowa (7-4). Have the Huskers found a new life? Is the Corn popping? Stay tuned!

 

A good AAC encounter takes place tonight in New Orleans – Memphis (9-2) at No. 17 Tulane (9-2). Tulane, already guaranteed a spot in the AAC title game, wants a spot in the 12-team playoff as the highest-ranked Group of Five team. It could happen.

 

Marshall controls its destiny in the Sun Belt Conference – Marshall (8-3) at James Madison (8-3). If Marshall wins, the Herd are in the Sun Belt title game. Should Marshall lose, another game plays into the picture – Appalachian State (5-5) at Georgia Southern (7-4). If Marshall loses to JMU and Georgia Southern beats App State, then Georgia Southern, not Marshall, is in the Sun Belt title game. But if Georgia Southern loses, Marshall is in the title game win or lose.

 

In the MAC, Miami (7-4) at Bowling Green (7-4) will determine a spot in the MAC title game. The winner goes and the loser stays home. It’s anybody’s guess.

 

And finally there are two good contests in C-USA, among the four best teams in the conference. Liberty (8-2) at Sam Houston (8-3) and Jacksonville State (8-3) at Western Kentucky (7-4). Jax State is already in the Sun Belt title game. Most likely, the winner of Liberty-Sam Houston will be the opponent. Western Kentucky has an outside chance.   

 

With all those games, I can feel the heartburn now from the Bizzarro pizza.

 

Here’s a look at the remaining games for each of the teams in the latest college football playoff rankings. Who is in danger? Who is not?

 

No. 1 – Oregon (Remaining games: 2) Oregon hosts Washington on Saturday. Plays Ohio State in the Big Ten title game on December 7.

No. 2 – Ohio State (Remaining games: 2) Ohio State hosts Michigan on Saturday. Plays Oregon in the Big Ten title game on December 7.

No. 3 – Texas (Remaining games: 1 or 2) Texas plays at Texas A&M on Saturday. If Texas beats Texas A&M, the Longhorns will play Georgia in the SEC title game on December 7. If Texas loses to Texas A&M, the Longhorns’ regular season is over.

No. 4 – Penn State (Remaining games: 1) Penn State hosts Maryland on Saturday.

No. 5 – Notre Dame (Remaining games: 1) Notre Dame plays at USC on Saturday.

No. 6 – Miami (Remaining games: 1 or 2) Miami plays at Syracuse on Saturday. If Miami beats Syracuse, the Hurricanes will play SMU in the ACC title game on December 8. If Miami loses to Syracuse, the Hurricanes’ regular season is over.

No. 7 – Georgia (Remaining games: 2) Georgia hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday. Plays Texas or Texas A&M in the SEC title game on December 7.

No. 8 – Tennessee (Remaining games: 1) Tennessee plays at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

No. 9 – SMU (Remaining games: 2) SMU hosts California on Saturday. Plays Clemson or Miami in the ACC title game on December 7.

No. 10 – Indiana (Remaining games: 1) Indiana hosts Purdue on Friday.

No. 11 – Boise State (Remaining games: 2) Boise State hosts Oregon State on Saturday. Plays Colorado State or UNLV in the MWC title game on December 6.

No. 12 – Clemson (Remaining games: 1or 2) Clemson hosts South Carolina on Saturday. If Miami loses to Syracuse, Clemson will play SMU in the ACC title game on December 7.

No. 13 – Alabama (Remaining games: 1) Alabama hosts Auburn on Saturday.

No. 14 – Ole Miss (Remaining games: 1). Ole Miss hosts Mississippi State on Saturday.

No. 15 – South Carolina (Remaining games: 1) South Carolina plays at Clemson on Saturday.

No. 16 – Arizona State (Remaining games: 1 or 2) Arizona State plays at Arizona on Saturday. If Arizona State beats Arizona, the Sun Devils may play in the Big 12 title game on December 7.

No. 17 – Tulane (Remaining games: 2) Tulane hosts Memphis on Saturday. Plays Army in the AAC title game on December 6.

No. 18 – Iowa State (Remaining games: 1or 2) Iowa State hosts Kansas State on Saturday. If Iowa State beats Kansas State, the Cyclones may play in the Big 12 title game on December 7.

No. 19 – BYU (Remaining games: 1 or 2) BYU hosts Houston on Saturday. If BYU beats Houston, the Cougars may play in the Big 12 title game on December 7.

No. 20 – Texas A&M (Remaining games: 1 or 2) Texas A&M hosts Texas on Saturday. If Texas A&M beats Texas, the Aggies will play Georgia in the SEC title game on December 7. If Texas A&M loses to Texas, the Aggies’ regular season is over.

No. 21 – Missouri (Remaining games: 1) Missouri hosts Arkansas on Saturday.

No. 22 – UNLV (Remaining games: 1 or 2) UNLV hosts Nevada on Saturday. If UNLV beats Nevada, the Rebels may play Boise State in the MWC title game on December 6.

No. 23 – Illinois (Remaining games: 1) Illinois plays at Northwestern on Saturday.

No. 24 – Kansas State (Remaining games: 1 or 2) Kansas State plays at Iowa State. If Kansas State beats Iowa State, the Wildcats may play in the Big 12 title game on December 7.

No. 25 – Colorado (Remaining games: 1 or 2) Colorado hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday. If Colorado beats Oklahoma State, the Buffaloes may play in the Big 12 title game on December 7.

 

North Carolina fans were relieved this week when it was announced that head coach Mack Brown had been fired. Until last week, everyone was assuming that Brown was going to retire at the end of the season. However, Brown announced he was going to coach another year. That statement from Brown upset Tar Heels fans. So on Tuesday, North Carolina fired Brown, effective at the end of the season. Brown will coach the final game Saturday against NC State. The Tar Heels are 6-5.

 

Upon hearing the news, West Virginia fans were quick to point out, “They fired the wrong Brown.”

 

In two stints at North Carolina, Brown was a combined 113-78-1. He first coached the Tar Heels for 10 seasons from 1988 to 1997, compiling a 69-46-1 record. Brown retuned to North Carolina in 2019 and coached for six more years through 2024, compiling a 44-32 record. North Carolina is the first Power Four school to fire its coach this season.

 

Rice announced that Davidson head coach Scott Abell has been hired as the Owls next football coach. Abell is 47-28 since arriving at Davison in 2018 and has had seven consecutive winning seasons. Abell went 39-24 at Washington & Lee before arriving at Davison.

 

East Carolina named interim coach Blake Harrell the new full-time head coach of the Pirates. Harrell coached East Carolina to four-straight wins after he took over from coach Mike Houston, who was fired five weeks ago. During the four-straight wins under Harrell, the Pirates have averaged 46 points and 535 total yards a game.

 

In this week’s FCS Coaches Poll, Montana State (12-0) is No.1, followed by 2. South Dakota State (10-2), 3. South Dakota (9-2), 4. North Dakota State (10-2), 5. UC Davis (10-2) and 6. Incarnate Word (10-2). The 24-team FCS playoff begins this weekend.

 

This week. ESPN’s College GameDay is in College Station, Texas, for the Texas-Texas A&M game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is in Columbus, Ohio, for the Michigan-Ohio State game. The SEC Network’s SEC Nation is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the Auburn-Alabama game.  

 

Hats off to CFW readers and friends Tim Muth and David Stein who are running in the Space Coast Turkey Trot this morning in downtown Melbourne, Florida.

 

I hope your Thanksgiving is full of family, friends, food, fun and football.

 

Happy Thanksgiving college football fans!

 

Touchdown Tom

November 28, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Texas (10-1) at Texas A&M (8-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – The old rivalry resumes. It couldn’t come at a better time, as the winner will advance to the SEC title game. The Aggies come into the game off a loss. In fact, A&M has lost two of its last three games. The Aggies may not be at their peak. Texas, on the other hand, has won four-straight games. But Quinn Ewers hasn’t been playing at his best. However, to compensate, the Texas defense has been playing well. Better than the Aggies defense which is giving up 22 points a game. Bevo says, “Atlanta, here I come,” – Texas 27, Texas A&M 20.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. Miami (10-1) at Syracuse (8-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Now this could be some game. Both teams can score. Both teams allow their opponents to score. We could be looking at a lot of offense and very little defense. The game has the top two passing quarterbacks in the country. Kyle McCord of Syracuse is No. 1 with 3,946 passing yards. Cam Ward of Miami is No. 2 with 3,774 passing yards. Sounds like a shootout to me. Miami shoots a tad better – Miami 34, Syracuse 33.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Memphis (9-2) at Tulane (9-2) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Tulane enters the game on an eight-game winning streak. The Green Wave have playoff stars in their eyes. Memphis has spoiler stars in its eyes. Win or lose, there are no more games for the Tigers, except for a bowl game. But Tulane is looking at moving on up the ladder with a win here and another one in the AAC title game. Both teams score pretty good. Tulane has the better defense of the two. And Tulane has the home field. Pumpkin pie for the Green Wave – Tulane 30, Memphis 24.

 

4. South Carolina (8-3) at Clemson (9-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – A lot is on the table in this game, in addition to the fierce rivalry. We’re talking the possibility of making the playoff. That’s serious stuff. Both teams began the season a little shaky. Clemson was blown off the field by Georgia in its opener. Then the Tigers won six straight. The Gamecocks were no better than 3-3 after six games. Then they won five straight. South Carolina had problems getting its offense going. But the Gamecocks’ offense is running on a full tank now. No doubt about it this will be a hard-fought game. A true struggle. Cocky sharpens his spurs – South Carolina 28, Clemson 24.

 

5. Kansas State (8-3) at Iowa State (9-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – The Big 12 has been wild this season. The teams have been beating each other up. It’s a well-balanced league. Kansas State got off to a smart 7-1 start. Now the Wildcats have lost two of their last three. Iowa State got off to a good start too – 7-0. Now the Cyclones have lost two of their last four. Both teams are similar in many ways. Iowa State’s offense and defense are a tad better. On offense, Iowa State is better at passing; Kansas State is better at running. Passing wins – Iowa State 33, Kansas State 27.

 

6. Washington (6-5) at Oregon (11-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – This used to be a big game in the Pac-12. Now it’s a big game in the Big Ten – although not as big as in recent past years. Washington was a little down this year. Still, if the opponent is Oregon, the Huskies can play tough. But with Dillon Gabriel and crew, the Ducks play tougher – Oregon 27, Washington 16.

 

7. Liberty (8-2) at Sam Houston (8-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 3:30 pm ET, Friday, CBSSN – Liberty wasn’t quite the team they thought they were going to be this year. The Flames suffered a couple of bumps along the way. But Liberty can still make amends and get to the C-USA title game. Sam Houston got off to a good start – 5-1. The Bearkats seem to have lost their offensive punch in recent games. Liberty began 5-0, then lost two straight. The Flames come into this one on a three-game winning streak. And they still have their offensive punch. But the defense can be a little wobbly. The Bearkats get burned by the Flames – Liberty 27, Sam Houston 17.

 

8. Marshall (8-3) at James Madison (8-3) – (Sun Belt vs. Sun Belt) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Marshall was so-so for a while. The Herd began the season at 3-3. Now they have won five straight. Marshall’s offense is good. The defense isn’t so good. This has been a disappointing season for James Madison. They were hot for a while. JMU beat North Carolina, 70-50. And the Dukes scored 63 points the following week. But it has been up-and-down since then. You never know which JMU team is going to show up. They show up good this week, but the Herd shows up better – Marshall 30, James Madison 29.

 

9. Georgia Tech (7-4) at Georgia (9-2) – (ACC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Friday, ABC – You just know Georgia will have its mind on the SEC title game. After all, this is just Georgia Tech. The Dawgs don’t lose to the Yellow Jackets. But this is an improved Georgia Tech team. However, the Jackets weak point has been defending the pass. Enter Carson Beck. Beck could have a heyday against Georgia Tech. Uga gets out the insect spray – Georgia 30, Georgia Tech 23.

 

10. Jacksonville State (8-3) at Western Kentucky (7-4) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Jacksonville State has already qualified for the C-USA title game. Western Kentucky’s chances are slim, but there is a chance. The Hilltoppers have to beat Jax State and Liberty has to lose to Sam Houston. WKU hasn’t been playing its best lately. The Hilltoppers have lost their last two games. Meanwhile, Jax State has won its last eight games. The Gamecocks began the season 0-3 but haven’t lost since. They are averaging 37 points a game, with a quarterback – Tyler Huff – who runs better than he passes. The Gamecocks turn the Hilltoppers into Hill Floppers – Jacksonville State 23, Western Kentucky 20.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

West Virginia (6-5) at Texas Tech (7-4) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – Although West Virginia won last year, Neal Brown has a serious problem with Texas Tech. He can’t beat the Red Raiders, especially not in Lubbock. This contest has the potential to be a wild game because Texas Tech is averaging 37 points a game, but the Red Raiders are giving up 36 points a game. Last week, Texas Tech beat Oklahoma State, 56-48. That means WVU should have no trouble scoring on Texas Tech, but the Mountaineers won’t be able to keep Texas Tech from scoring on them. It sounds like it’s going to be a basketball score to me. Tech relies on the arm of quarterback Behren Morton and the running of Tahj Brooks. WVU is similar. The Mounties are averaging 30 points a game but giving up 29 points a game. Both teams are 5-3 in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders become 6-3 – Texas Tech 31, West Virginia 30.

 

Florida (6-5) at Florida State (2-9) – (SEC vs. ACC) – Saturday, ESPN2 – This is supposed to be an easy game for Florida. And it should be. But there is a little thing called rivalry here and that means a lot when these two get together. Florida became bowl eligible last week. The Gators may be content. FSU won last week. The Noles may be fired up. FSU’s problem has been the offense. There is none. With recent wins over LSU and Ole Miss, Florida appears to be a vastly improved team. Freshman D.J. Lagway is a more experienced quarterback now. The FSU defense will be keying on him. Albert does the scalping – Florida 24, Florida State 17.

 

Nebraska (6-5) at Iowa (7-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Friday, NBC – After Nebraska’s 44-point output last week, this has become a tough game to call. You get the feeling the Huskers are a new team. Something changed and that change was definitely on offense. The Huskers seemed to find something they didn’t know they had. Maybe quarterback Dylan Raiola has come into his own. He does have a season of experience behind him. And maybe Nebraska found a running back in Emmet Johnson. Iowa has been an up-and-down team all season. The Hawkeyes were up last week. That means they should be down this week. As Kaleb Johnson runs so runs Iowa. He has rushed for 1,492 yards, averaging 136 yards a game. Iowa has the home field advantage. That may be the difference. The Hawkeyes have the better corn this year – Iowa 30, Nebraska 28.

 

Duke (8-3) at Wake Forest (4-7) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ACCN – Under first-year coach Manny Diaz, Duke is about to finish an amazing season. The Dookies could end up 9-3. They should. Although quarterback Maalik Murphy needs to keep his middle fingers to himself this week. Simply put, Wake Forest has had a terrible season. And it’s probably not going to get any better against Duke. The Demon Deacons have given up 33 points a game. And they have lost their last three games. Wake has a decent quarterback in Hank Bachmeier. But Bachmeier has no offensive line. And Wake has no defense. The Dookies are no turkeys – Duke 31, Wake Forest 20.

 

Purdue (1-10) at Indiana (10-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – What can you say about Purdue? Not much. That’s for sure. The Boilermakers have lost ten-straight games. Eight of those 10 losses have not been close. The Boilers are giving up 38 points a game. Indiana is averaging 41 points a game. That spells trouble for Purdue. The Hoosiers want to make amends for last week. And Indiana is currently a playoff team, and the Hoosiers want to keep it that way. They do – Indiana 38, Purdue 17.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Utah (4-7) at UCF (4-7) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX….

South Florida (6-5) at Rice (3-8) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

Middle Tennessee (3-8) at FIU (3-8) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Florida Atlantic (2-9) at Tulsa (3-8) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“We know what’s at stake. We’ve felt what it’s like to not win this game, and it’s bad. It’s one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life quite honestly. So we can never have that happen again, ever. And that’s been the approach all season, Ohio State coach Ryan Day, on the upcoming Michigan game.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 14 Results – will be posted Monday morning, November 2.)

 

CFW Week 13 Results - Alabama, Ole Miss may be out of the playoff

 CFW Week 13 Results – Alabama, Ole Miss may be out of the playoff

Blowouts, upsets and –

‘Are you kidding me?’

 

That pretty much sums up Week 13.

 

All week, everyone was focused on the Indiana-Ohio State and Notre Dame-Army games. They were the two biggest games of the week. Or so we thought. The two biggest games of the week ended in blowouts. They weren’t even close.  

 

Indiana-Ohio State was close for all of one quarter. Indiana led 7-0 after the first 15 minutes. After that it was all Ohio State. The Buckeyes (10-1) scored 38 unanswered points, beating the Hoosiers (10-1), 38-15. Trailing 38-7, Indiana scored a “who cares” touchdown with 1:53 remaining in the game.

 

Notre Dame-Army wasn’t even close for one quarter. Notre Dame led 14-0 after the first 15 minutes. Army did squeeze in a touchdown early in the second quarter and trailed the Irish, 14-7. After that, Notre Dame (10-1) scored 35 unanswered points, beating the Cadets (9-1), 49-14. Trailing 49-7, Army scored a “who cares” touchdown with 0:22 remaining in the game.

 

So much for the games of the week.

 

Not a game of the week, but to add insult to injury, South Florida (6-5) vented its season’s frustrations, blowing out Tulsa (3-8), 63-30. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, South Florida led Tulsa, 63-22. Now that’s a blowout. 

 

How about the upsets of the week? There were three big ones in the SEC and a big upset in the Big 12.  

 

The first of the three upsets in the SEC occurred Saturday afternoon in Gainesville, Florida. Ole Miss and Florida were tied 14-14 at the halftime break. The teams were tied 17-17, as the fourth quarter began. Midway through the final quarter, Florida scored a touchdown to go up by seven. The Gators (6-5) held on for the remaining 7:40 to upset Ole Miss (8-3), 24-17.

 

The second upset was the biggest of the three. I mean, it was a shocker. No one was expecting it. No one was expecting Alabama to finish the game with only 3 points. The Crimson Tide kicked a field goal in the first quarter and led, 3-0. Alabama never scored again for the remainder of the game. But Oklahoma did. The Sooners (6-5) scored 10 points in the second quarter and 14 points in the third quarter to beat Alabama (8-3), 24-3.

 

Oklahoma fans were so happy, they rushed the field with 28 seconds still on the clock. The field had to be cleared for Oklahoma to take a final knee. Then the OU fans stormed the field a second time. This time they remained on the field. I’m sure the SEC will fine Oklahoma $100K for the first rush and $250K for the second rush. The conference fined Ole Miss twice for storming the field two times in the Georgia game. And Alabama is making out like a bandit this season with opponents’ fans rushing the field. Earlier in the season, The Crimson Tide got $100K from Vanderbilt and $250K from Tennessee. Add Oklahoma to the list and Alabama makes $700K. Not bad.   

 

The third upset required four overtimes for the game to be settled. It looked ominous for Texas A&M when Auburn went up 21-0 on the Aggies early in the second quarter. But Texas A&M came back and tied the game at 21-21 midway through the third quarter. Auburn wasn’t going to quit. The Tigers went back up 28-21 late in the third quarter. The Aggies said enough of this. Texas A&M took a 31-28 lead with 4:01 remaining in the game. Auburn wasn’t finished. The Tigers kicked a 29-yard field goal with just 0:05 left on the clock. Overtime.

 

How about four overtimes. In the first overtime, both teams scored a touchdown – 38-38. In the second overtime, both teams kicked a field goal – 41-41. In the third overtime, both teams were scoreless – neither were successful on their two-point conversions from the three-yard line. But in the fourth overtime, Auburn was successful, and Texas A&M wasn’t. Auburn (5-6) upset Texas A&M (8-3), 43-41 (4OT).

 

Last but not necessarily least in the upsets, there was a shocker in the Midwest. Kansas (5-6) knocked off Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and Colorado (8-3), 37-21. The Jayhawks never trailed in the game, racking up 522 total yards on the Buffaloes. 

 

And then there were the “are you kidding me” games. Three of them.

 

Arizona State (9-2) knocked off BYU (9-2), 28-23. That in itself wasn’t so much of a shocker. It was the “are you kidding me” ending to the game that was. The Oklahoma fans weren’t the only ones who rushed the field twice. But the Arizona State fans take the prize.

 

In the closing seconds of the game, Arizona State, up 28-23, had the ball and was running out the clock. On fourth down and what should have been the final play of the game, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt got carried away. Instead of taking a knee, Leavitt threw the football into the stands. The ASU fans thought the game was over and stormed the field. They not only stormed the field, but also, they tore down one of the goal posts. The referees, however, determined that there was still one second on the clock, with the ball turned over to BYU. It took 13 minutes to get the field cleared and the goal post erected.

 

BYU had one play. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw a Hail Mary pass from around midfield. Amazingly, BYU receiver Chase Roberts caught the ball on the two-yard line, but was tackled before he could cross the goal line. The pass, however, was strangely ruled incomplete. Arizona State fans rushed the field for a second time.  

 

Nebraska Huskers, “are you kidding me,” – 44 points? Against Wisconsin. Who or what lit a fire under the Huskers’ butts? Nebraska had not scored 44 points against a Power Four team all season. The Huskers were averaging 23 points a game. They haven’t scored 44 points against a Power Four team for three years. Not since 2021 when Nebraska beat Northwestern 56-7. Saturday, Nebraska (6-5) beat Wisconsin (5-6), 44-25 – “are you kidding me?”

 

And finally, in the “are you kidding me” games, Illinois (8-3) scored a touchdown and a safety in the final 4 seconds of the game to beat Rutgers (6-5), 38-31. With the ball on the Rutgers 40, and trailing the Scarlet Knights, 31-30, Illinois scored a touchdown on a 40-yard pass play from quarterback Luke Altmeyer to receiver Pat Bryant, with 4 seconds remaining in the game. The two-point conversion attempt failed. On the ensuing kickoff, the Rutgers players, passing the ball around hoping for a miracle, threw the ball out of bounds in the end zone, resulting in a safety for Illinois. Another wild and crazy ending.  

 

Blowouts, upsets and “are you kidding me?”

 

College football Week 13 began Tuesday night with three Mid-American Conference games. In the first encounter, Akron (3-8) thumped Kent State (0-11), 38-17. Akron quarterback Ben Finley passed for 250 yards and one touchdown, as the Zips racked up 529 yards of total offense.

 

In the second encounter, Central Michigan (4-7) slipped by Western Michigan (5-6), 16-14. The Chippewa defense held the Broncos to 184 total yards – 50 yards rushing. The nightcap saw Miami (7-4) down Northern Illinois (6-5), 20-9. Miami running back Keyon Mozee rushed for 91 yards. Watching Northern Illinois’ ineptness, I couldn’t help but wonder how NIU ever, ever beat Notre Dame.

 

Two more MAC games were played on Wednesday night. In Ypsilanti, Michigan, Buffalo (7-4) outscored Eastern Michigan (5-6), 37-20. Buffalo quarterback C.J. Ogbonna passed for 260 yards and three touchdowns. In Toledo, the Bobcats of Ohio (8-3) got the best of Toledo (7-4). 24-7. Ohio running back Anthony Tyus rushed for 125 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Parker Navarro rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns. The Bobcats held the Rockets to 194 total yards – 21 yards rushing.

 

Thursday night, NC State and Georgia Tech gave us a boring first three quarters and an exciting fourth quarter. Georgia Tech (7-4) edged NC State (5-6), 30-29, in a game where 36 of the 59 points were scored in the fourth quarter.

 

The Yellow Jackets led throughout the game until 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. That’s when the Wolfpack took its first lead in the game at 29-23. But Georgia Tech only gave up its lead for about one minute. With just 0:22 left on the clock, Tech scored the winning touchdown on an 18-yard run by quarterback Aaron Philo. Philo passed for 265 yards and rushed for 57 yards.

 

Under the lights of Friday night, three games were played. In the first of the three encounters, UTSA (6-5) racked up 529 total yards, beating Temple (3-8), 51-27. Roadrunners running back Robert Henry rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Next up, Michigan State (5-6) stubbornly beat Purdue (1-10), 24-17. The Spartans won the first half, 24-3. The Boilermakers won the second half, 14-0. Purdue was held to -4 yards rushing. Boilers quarterback Hudson Card passed for 342 yards and one touchdown.

 

In the final game under the Friday night lights, UNLV (9-2) kept its MWC championship game hopes alive, beating San Jose State (6-5), 27-16. The UNLV defense held the Spartans to 114 total yards – 33 yards rushing. Rebels running back Jai’Den Thomas rushed for 135 yards and one touchdown.

 

There were several interesting games Saturday, many of them in the ACC. Duke (8-3) held on to beat Virginia Tech (5-6), 31-28. SMU (10-1) breezed by Virginia (5-6), 33-7. Boston College (6-5) stunned North Carolina (6-5), 41-21. In a good interconference game involving an ACC team, Syracuse (8-3) got by Connecticut (7-4), 32-24. Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord passed for 470 yards and two touchdowns.

 

In the Big 12, Iowa State (9-2) held off Utah (4-7), 31-28, while West Virginia (6-5) downed UCF (4-7), 31-21.

 

In the SEC, LSU (7-4) got by Vanderbilt (6-5), 24-17. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier passed for 332 yards and one touchdown.

 

Marshall put itself in the driver’s seat for a spot in the Sun Belt Conference championship game. The Herd (8-3) beat Old Dominion (4-7), 42-35.

 

And in the “Big Game,” California (6-5) rallied to beat Stanford (3-8), 24-21. Trailing Stanford 21-7 late in the third quarter, Cal scored 17 unanswered points to pull out the win.

 

After you went to bed Saturday night, USC (6-5) beat UCLA (4-7), 19-13, Air Force (4-7) downed Nevada (3-9), 22-19 and Freson State (6-5) got by Colorado State (7-4), 28-22.

 

The Ivy League wrapped up its season on Saturday. In “The Game,” Yale (7-3) beat Harvard (8-2), 34-29. In the other three final games, Dartmouth (8-2) downed Brown (3-7), 56-28, Columbia (7-3) beat Cornell (4-6), 17-9, and Princeton (3-7) edged Penn (4-6), 20-17. Harvard, Dartmouth and Columbia tied for the Ivy League championship with identical 5-2 conference records.

 

Tulsa fired head football coach Kevin Wilson yesterday after he fell to 7-16 in his two seasons at the school. Saturday, Tulsa lost to South Florida, 63-30. Wilson’s teams lost nine games by more than 30 points over two seasons. Wide receivers coach Ryan Switzer was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Tulsa is 3-8 (1-6 in AAC play) this season, with one game remaining against Florida Atlantic. Wilson was the sixth AAC coach to be fired this season.

 

Bootsie was a happy camper Saturday night when Auburn beat Texas A&M. She was so loud and boisterous that Swamp Mama and I could hear her gleeful cheering, shouting and yelling. And we live 15 miles from Bootsie. Rockledge Gator will tell you that Bootsie can be pretty loud and boisterous too when Auburn loses – not that you want to hear the words coming out of her mouth when the Tigers lose.   

 

Yes, it was a blowout, upset and “are you kidding me” weekend!

 

Touchdown Tom

November 25, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Weekend Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: O-H-I-O – Ohio State 38, Indiana 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Indiana 20). Indiana made it exciting for all of one quarter. After the first quarter, the Hoosiers couldn’t keep up with the Buckeyes. Indiana had less than 100 yards rushing and less than 100 yards passing. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard was 22-26-1, passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Now the question is: Will Indiana fall out of the 12-team playoff? It will be close – barely in or barely out. Attendance in Columbus: 105,751

 

RUNNER-UP: The Irish were wearing the Pinstripes – Notre Dame 49, Army 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Army 22). Army controlled the ball – 39:49 to 20:11. But Notre Dame controlled the score – 49-15. Army quarterback Bryson Daily rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard passed for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love rushed for 130 yards. Assuming the Irish win next week against USC, Notre Dame is safely in the 12-team playoff. Army still has a shot at being the highest ranked Group of Five team. The Cadets need to win out. Then they have to hope that Boise State stumbles. Attendance in The Bronx: 47,342

 

REST OF THE BEST: The post-game show was better than the halftime show – Arizona State 28, BYU 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 31, BYU 30). Arizona State took charge early and led 21-3 at the half. BYU took charge in the second half, outscoring ASU, 20-7. But BYU’s rally fell short. The fans took charge at the end of the game – not once, but twice. BYU had two turnovers; ASU had one. Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns. Sun Devils receiver Jordyn Tyson had 9 catches for 125 yards. The Big 12 championship game is still up for grabs between Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State. Attendance in Tempe: 55,400

 

The Lion is breathing a sigh of relief – Penn State 26, Minnesota 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 30, Minnesota 23). Penn State never led in the game until 3:43 to go in the third quarter when the Nitts went up 23-22. They never relinquished the lead after that. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was 21-28-0, passing for 244 yards and one touchdown. Minnesota had two turnovers; Penn State had none. Attendance in Minneapolis: 44,266

 

Ground game – Jacksonville State 21, Sam Houston 11 (Touchdown Tom said: Jacksonville State 33, Sam Houston 28). This was a ground game all the way. Neither team was much in passing. Jax State quarterback Tyler Huff rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Huff only passed for 54 yards. Sam Houston quarterback Hunter Watson rushed for 105 yards and one touchdown. Watson only passed for 84 yards. The win guarantees Jax State a spot in the C-USA championship game. Attendance in Jacksonville: 16,312

 

Premier team in their premier season – SMU 33. Virginia 7 (Touchdown Tom said: SMU 28, Virginia 21). SMU continues to tear their way through the ACC to the conference title game. On defense, the Mustangs held Virginia to 164 total yards. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns. If Miami beats Syracuse this week, SMU will play the Canes in the ACC title game. If Miami loses, SMU will play Clemson for the ACC championship. Attendance in Charlottesville: 36,305

 

Too Swampy for Magnolias – Florida 24, Ole Miss 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 26. Florida 23). Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart passed for 323 yards, but Dart threw two interceptions. Dart was also Ole Miss’s leading rusher with 71 yards. The Gators D.J. Lagway passed for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Florida’s Montrell Johnson rushed for 107 yards. In total, Ole Miss had three turnovers. Florida became bowl eligible with the win. Attendance in Gainesville: 89.942

 

Pitt-iful – Louisville 37, Pitt 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 27, Pitt 24). Louisville took charge of this game early and cruised in the second half. The Cardinals led Pitt 27-0 at halftime. Louisville led 34-0 in the third quarter. The Cardinals racked up 507 total yards – 214 rushing and 293 passing. Tyler Shough had two touchdowns passing. Pitt only had 75 yards rushing. The Panthers also had three turnovers. Attendance in Louisville: 49.441

 

The Rebels knew the way – UNLV 27, San Jose State 16 (Touchdown Tom said: UNLV 34, San Jose State 23). After a scoreless first quarter for San Jose State, the Spartans scored 16 points in the second quarter and the Spartans led UNLV at halftime, 16-10. Then the Spartans went scoreless again in the second half, while UNLV scored 17 points. UNLV dominated all the stats, including ball possession 40:42 to 19:18. Rebels' receiver Rocky White had 7 receptions for 98 yards. Attendance in San Jose: 13,671

 

Low Tide in Norman – Oklahoma 24, Alabama 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Oklahoma 19). Hats off to Oklahoma coach Brent Venables. He finally got the victory he’s been looking for and his defense played like a Venables’ defense. The OU defense totally shutdown Alabama. Alabama only had 13 first downs and only 80 yards rushing. Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe threw three interceptions. OU only had 68 yards passing. Sooners’ quarterback Jackson Arnold rushed for 131 yards. OU running back Xavier Robinson rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Norman: 84,053

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

The Gus bus runs off the road – West Virginia 31, UCF 21 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 31, UCF 30). Sometimes the good WVU team shows up. Sometimes the bad WVU team shows up. Against UCF, the good WVU team showed up. The Mountaineers jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and never trailed throughout the game. UCF running back R.J. Harvey rushed for 130 yards. He was the only bright spot for the Knights. WVU controlled ball possession 37:50 to 22:10. The Mounties became bowl eligible with the win. Attendance in Morgantown: 40,722

 

What a pleasant surprise – Nebraska 44, Wisconsin 25 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 20, Nebraska 17). This was a big offensive output for Nebraska – 44 points. Was Dana Holgorsen responsible for this? He may have been. The Huskers had 29 first downs off of 180 rushing yards and 293 passing yards. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola was 28-38-0 passing, with one touchdown. Running back Emmett Johnson rushed for 113 yards. Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke was 20-30-1, passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Lincoln: 86,923

 

Lucky to win – Duke 31, Virginia Tech 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 24, Virginia Tech 22). Early in the third quarter, Duke had a 31-17 lead. Then the Hokies scored 11 unanswered points. The Dookies had to scramble to hold onto their lead. Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy passed for 332 yards, but he also threw three interceptions. In total, Duke had four turnovers. The Dookies only possessed the ball for 21:34. The Hokies had the ball for 38:26. Attendance in Durham: N/A

 

Uga turned the Minutemen into minute men – Georgia 59, Massachusetts 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 45, Massachusetts 12). Uga racked up 550 total yards and 34 first downs. UMass had 14 first downs. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was 20-31-0, passing for 297 yards and four touchdowns. Georgia running back Nate Frazier rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Athens: 93,033

 

Routine game for the Horns – Texas 31, Kentucky 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 30, Kentucky 15). Texas had an interesting game with Kentucky. The Longhorns seemed to struggle at times, although they always appeared to have control of the game. Texas led 24-7 at halftime. But only led 24-14 as the fourth quarter began. The Texas defense held the Wildcats to 232 total yards – just 21 yards rushing. Texas had 29 first downs to 14 for Kentucky. Quinn Ewers was 20-31-0, passing for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 158 yards and one touchdown. Arch Manning did not play in the game. I think the Horns were keeping it cool for Texas A&M next week. Attendance in Austin: 102.811

 

Boilers saw green – Michigan State 24, Purdue 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 24, Purdue 23). Michigan State had a big first half and then held on in the second half to maintain its lead over Purdue. Two turnovers hurt Purdue’s chances. The Boilermakers lost their 10^th-straight game. Attendance in East Lansing: 57,558

 

Week 13 Results:  13 winners, 3 fumbles (81.3 percent)

For the Season:   129 winners, 54 fumbles (70.5 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Miami 42, Wake Forest 14 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 64,210

Drake 49, Stetson 10 – Attendance in Deland: 1,244

 

Florida State 41, Charleston Southern 7 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 43,711

Kennesaw State 27, FIU 26 – Attendance in Kennesaw: 6,210

Charlotte 39, Florida Atlantic 27 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 15,066

 

Florida A&M 41, Bethune-Cookman 38 – Attendance in Orlando: 56,453

South Florida 63, Tulsa 30 – Attendance in Tampa: 27,623

 

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers:

 

Syracuse’s Kyle McCord – 37-47-0-470 (2TDs); Charlotte’s Deshawn Purdie – 16-30-1-396 (3TDs); Texas Tech’s Behren Morton – 35-50-1-366 (4TDs); Eastern Michigan’s Cole Snyder – 24-33-2-351 (3TDs), and Purdue’s Hudson Card – 26-46-1-342 (1TD).

 

Also, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier – 28-37-0 for 332 yards (1TD); Oklahoma State’s Maealiuaki Smith – 26-36-1-326 (2TDs); SMU’s Kevin Jennings – 25-31-1-323 (2TDs); Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart – 24-41-2-323 (2TDs), and Louisiana’s Chandler Fields – 18-24-0-323 (2TDs).

 

Impressive Rushers:

 

Kansas’ Devin Neal – 207 yards (3TDs); ULM’s Ahmad Harvey – 204 yards (2TDs); UTSA’s Robert Henry – 178 yards (2TDs); Jacksonville State’s Tyler Huff – 177 yards (3TDs); Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty – 169 yards (1TD); Liberty’s Quinton Cooley – 166 yards (2TDs), and Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson – 164 yards (1TD).

 

Also, UAB’s Lee Beebe – 161 yards (2TDs); Texas’ Quintrevion Wisner – 158 yards (1TD); Old Dominion’s Cotton Joseph – 158 yards (2TDs) Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon – 156 yards (3TDs); Florida Atlantic’s C. J. Campbell – 150 yards (1TD); Fresno State’s Bryson Donelson – 150 yards (1TD), and Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo – 147 yards (3TDs).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Is that a serious question? I’m not even going to answer that one. The answer’s so obvious,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, when asked if Indiana still belongs in the 12-teraqm playoff, after the Hoosiers lost to Ohio State.

 

“We’re just getting started. This is part of the big picture journey. Belief is the most powerful thing in the world,” Florida coach Billy Napier, after the Gators beat Ole Miss.

 

“We started smelling ourselves a little bit. We got intoxicated with the success. We got intoxicated with the multitude of articles and the assumption that we’re this and the assumption that we’re that. Therefore, we got our butts kicked. It is what it is,” Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, after the loss to Kansas.

 

“Let me cut to the chase. It was simply inexcusable. And you can blame anyone you want, but you would be smart to start at the top. That team did not look prepared. They did not look focused,” ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum, on Alabama losing to Oklahoma.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 14 Forecast – will be posted Thanksgiving morning, November 28.)