CFW Week 18 Results/19 Forecast - CFP quarterfinals up next

 CFW Week 18 Results/19 Forecast – CFP quarterfinals up next

A wild, crazy and dizzy three days

 

The three days from December 26 to December 28 were three of the wildest, craziest and dizziest days of college football. The 16 games gave us a combination of madness and happiness. They were thrilling, exciting and nail biting. The games were wacky, and they were record-breaking. There was a little bit of everything. And we finally got to the bowls where more than a handful of people were in attendance.

 

The madness began with a kick-2 in the first game on the first of the three days – a blocked extra point kick returned for 2 points. It continued with a second kick-2 on the third day. Not one, but two kick-2s in three days. How many times, during the season, do you see a kick-2? Maybe none?

 

That first game, between Toledo and Pitt, had more weirdness than the kick-2. The game ended in 6 overtimes. Six overtimes broke the record for the most overtimes in an FBS postseason bowl or playoff game. The previous record – 5 overtimes – was just set two days earlier in the South Florida-San Jose State game. Prior to this bowl season, the record was 3 overtimes in postseason play.

 

We still have 16 games to play. Will there be a third kick-2 or more than 6 overtimes. Stay tuned!

 

Navy quarterback Blake Horvath went wild again. He was wild enough in the Army game. Against Oklahoma, Horvath set a Navy football record when he ran for 95 yards and a touchdown – the longest touchdown run in Navy history. And if that wasn’t enough, Navy upset Oklahoma. That was a shocker.

 

Lightning delaying a bowl game? When was the last time you heard of lightning delaying a bowl game in December? Probably never. The Vanderbilt-Georgia Tech game was stopped with 7:17 left in the fourth quarter due to lightning in the area. The game resumed about 30 minutes later.   

 

Speaking of record breakers, how about Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord? Passing for 453 yards in the Holiday Bowl, McCord surpassed Deshaun Watson’s ACC season passing record of 4,593 yards. McCord finished the season, passing for 4,779 yards.

 

Then there was Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green. Green’s throwing, running, touchdowns and maneuvers in the Liberty Bowl were enough to make you dizzy. And he’ll be back again next year to make you dizzier.

 

Speaking of dizziness, how about the second half of the USC-Texas A&M game. Trailing Texas A&M 24-7 late in the third quarter, USC scored 21 unanswered points in 14 minutes to go up 28-24. Then, two and a half minutes later, Texas A&M retook the lead, 28-24. But it wasn’t over. USC scored with 0:08 remaining and beat the Aggies, 35-31. If that doesn’t make you dizzy, I don’t know what will.

 

And while we are on USC, this is stranger than science. First, the Trojans ended the season in the same stadium, on the same neutral field, where they began their season – Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Second, USC ended the season in Allegiant Stadium against an SEC team – Texas A&M. The Trojans began their season in Allegiant Stadium against an SEC team – LSU. Third, in both games, USC scored a touchdown with 0:08 remaining on the clock to win – 27-20 over LSU and 35-31 over Texas A&M. Now, how weird is that?

 

There was much happiness for Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Huskers were playing in their first bowl game since 2016. And Nebraska won its first bowl game since 2015. The Big Red are back.

 

You’ve heard of players opting out of a bowl game. How about opting out of the second half of a bowl game? That’s what Miami (Florida) quarterback Cam Ward did. Ward played the first half of the Pop-Tarts bowl. Then he made a business decision to opt out of the second half. What more could he prove? In the first half Ward set the record for career touchdown passes – 156. The 156 surpassed Case Keenum’s 155 career touchdown passes. Miami fans trashed Ward for his decision to opt out. At halftime, Miami was beating Iowa State. At the end of the game, Iowa State beat Miami.

 

While we are on Iowa State, the Cyclones, at 11-3, set a record. Eleven wins is the most in a season in Iowa State history. The same goes for Army, who finished at 12-2. Twelve wins are the most in a season for the Cadets.

 

And speaking of Army and records, in the Independence Bowl, quarterback Bryson Daily broke the record for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season at 32.  

 

Sadly, there was the brawl that came near the end of the East Carolina-NC State game. It halted the game for eight minutes. Oh well, the two teams get to resume their brawl on August 30 when they begin their 2024 seasons against each other. Stay tuned!

 

Yes, it was a wild, crazy and dizzy three days. Among the 16 games, there was a little bit of everything.

 

The post-Christmas bowl games began Thursday, with three contests. In Detroit, it took six overtimes to settle the first of the three games. Yes, six! And you thought South Florida-San Jose State was extreme with five overtimes. What’s with these overtimes? Three of the first 11 bowl games have been settled in overtime periods.

 

Back to Detroit, Toledo outlasted Pitt, 48-46 (6OT) in the Sports Bowl. With less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Toledo trailed Pitt, 30-20. The Rockets scored a touchdown at the 7:49 mark to cut Pitt’s lead to 30-27. With 1:45 on the clock, Toledo kicked a 51-yard field goal to tie things up at 30-30. Then the overtime binge began.

 

Next up, Kansas State and Rutgers gave us a lot of points, but all in regulation. The Wildcats beat the Scarlet Knights, 44-41, in the Rate Bowl. Trailing Rutgers 41-29 in the fourth quarter, Kansas State scored two touchdowns in the final seven minutes of the game. The second of the two touchdowns came with 4:15 left on the clock.

 

And finally on Thursday, we had another high-scoring affair. Arkansas State won the Ventures Bowl, beating Bowling Green 38-31, all in regulation time.

 

The first of five games on Friday began with the upset of the day – maybe the upset of the bowl season. Navy stopped Oklahoma on a two-point conversion attempt at the end of the game and beat the Sooners, 21-20. Trailing Navy 21-14, Oklahoma scored a touchdown with 0:06 remaining in the game. With the score 21-20, OU went for two and failed.

 

In the rain in Birmingham, Vanderbilt ran away from Georgia Tech. Then the Commodores had to hold off a Yellow Jacket rally. Late in the third quarter, in the Birmingham Bowl, Vandy led Tech by just one point, 14-13. That all changed when the Commodores scored 21 unanswered points to take a 35-13 lead. Tech rallied with two touchdowns, but fell short, 35-27.  

 

It was all Taylen Green in the Liberty Bowl. The Arkansas quarterback passed for 341 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 81 yards and another touchdown. The Razorbacks put down Texas Tech, 39-26.

 

Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord set an ACC passing record in the Holiday Bowl. McCord passed for 453 yards, as the Orange topped Washington State, 52-35. He surpassed Deshaun Watson’s season passing record of 4,593 yards. McCord finished the season passing for 4,779 yards.

 

In Friday’s fifth and final game, USC needed a second half rally in the Las Vegas Bowl to overcome Texas A&M, 35-31. Trailing the Aggies 24-7 late in the third quarter, the Trojans scored three-straight touchdowns to take a 28-24 lead with 4:30 left in the game. At the 1:49 mark, Texas A&M scored to recapture the lead at 31-28. USC wasn’t done. With just 8 seconds remaining in the game, the Trojans scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass to win the game. Between them, USC and Texas A&M scored 14 points in the first half. In the second half, the two teams combined for 52 points. I’m still dizzy.

 

Saturday was a busy day with eight games on the docket, the first two of which were played in baseball stadiums – Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium. Before the game in Fenway Park, Connecticut coach Jim Mora agreed to a new contract, extending his time at UConn through 2028. That must have inspired the Huskies. Connecticut won the Fenway Bowl, beating North Carolina, 27-14. 

 

Meanwhile, down I-95 in Yankee Stadium, Nebraska was playing in its first bowl game since 2016. That must have inspired the Huskers. Nebraska won the Pinstripe Bowl, beating Boston College, 20-15. That was the Huskers first bowl win since the 2015 season.

 

The third game on Saturday was the first mismatch of the bowl season. TCU clobbered Louisiana, 34-3, in the Albuquerque Bowl. TCU deserved a better opponent. A better matchup would have been TCU-Army in the Albuquerque Bowl and Louisiana-Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.

 

In Orlando, it was a wild first half in the Pop-Tarts Bowl – 59 points were scored. Miami (Florida) led Iowa State at the break, 31-28. The two teams cooled off in the second half. Only 24 points were scored. And the lead was reversed. Iowa State beat Miami, 42-41.

 

In the Arizona Bowl, Colorado State kept stepping on its foot. The Rams had four turnovers. The Rams trailed by 6 at halftime. But when the game was over, Colorado State trailed by 26. Miami (Ohio) trashed Colorado State, 43-17.

 

It was better late than never in the Military Bowl. East Carolina won the game on an 86-yard touchdown run by Rahjai Harris with 1:33 left in the game. East Carolina upset NC State, 26-21. In the closing seconds of the game, a brawl broke out that resulted in eight players being ejected and a referee with a bloodied face. The two teams can continue the brawl next year when they open the season against each other on August 30 in Raleigh.

 

In the stunner of the three days, BYU put a hurtin’ on Colorado. The Cougars beat the Buffaloes 36-14 in the Alamo Bowl. BYU’s defense smothered Colorado, holding Shedeur Sanders to only 208 yards passing and Travis Hunter to only 4 receptions.

 

And finally, and as expected, Army shutdown Louisiana Tech, 27-6 in the Independence Bowl. With his 32^nd touchdown, Army quarterback Bryson Daily broke the record for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season. 

 

Coming up during the next three days are five bowl games, plus the four quarterfinal games of the College Football Playoff. This round of the playoff will be played in bowl games – one on New Year’s Eve and the other three on New Year’s Day.

 

Of the four playoff games, two are marquee games – Ohio State-Oregon in the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame-Georgia is the Sugar Bowl. Both games are on New Year’s Day. Ohio State-Oregon is a rematch. The Ducks beat the Buckeyes during the season, 32-31. With Notre Dame-Georgia, the big question is how the Dawgs’ offense will perform without Carson Beck.

 

The other two quarterfinal games are Penn State-Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl (New Year’s Eve) and Texas-Arizona State in the Peach Bowl (New Year’s Day). Penn State and Texas are heavy favorites. Can Boise State stand up to the Nittany Lions? Can Arizona State hold its own against Texas.

 

The five bowl games will be played on December 30 and 31. Three of the games involve ranked teams – Iowa-Missouri in the Music City Bowl, Alabama-Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl and South Carolina-Illinois in the Citrus Bowl.

 

South Dakota State football coach Jimmy Rogers has been named the new head coach at Washington State.

 

Somebody needs to tell Bevo that he has some complaining to do. I say this because I saw Ralphie on the field at the Alamo Bowl. Obviously, Ralphie is not banned from the games. Why is Bevo? Ralphie must have more influence.

 

Television sportscaster Greg Gumbel died last week. Gumbel was best known for his various assignments with CBS Sports. He was the older brother of news and sportscaster Bryant Gumbel. Greg became the first African American to call the play-by-play of a major sports championship when he called Super Bowl 35 for CBS in 2001. A native of New Orleans, Greg Gumbel was 78.

 

Rest in Peace James (Jimmy) Earl Carter, a true humanitarian and our nation’s 39^th President. Carter was the longest-lived president in U.S. history and the first to live to 100 years of age.  

 

Swamp Mama and I always like to stay up till midnight to celebrate the new year. I usually break open a bottle of bubbly. Except for a few minutes when they get ready and drop the ball in Times Square, I don’t watch those so-called rockin’ New Year’s shows. Once upon a time I did, but these days I’ve never heard of most of the groups performing.   

 

Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!

 

Touchdown Tom

December 30, 2024

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

(The next CFW – Week 19 Results/Forecast – will be posted Thursday morning, January 2, 2025.)

 

 

Review of the Last 16 Bowl Games

 

Holy Toledo, Rocket man – (in the Sports Bowl) – Toledo 48, Pitt 46 (6OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Toledo 27, Pitt 24). Toledo looked good at first, taking a 20-12 halftime lead. Pitt came on strong in the third quarter. As the fourth quarter began, the Panthers led the Rockets, 23-20. Early in the fourth quarter, Pitt increased its lead to 30-20. Toledo rallied to tie the score at 30-30. Then the overtime marathon began. Through the first five overtimes, both teams managed to score. Finally, in the sixth overtime, Toledo scored, and Pitt didn’t. Pitt running back Desmond Reid rushed for 165 yards and one touchdown. Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason passed for 336 yards and two touchdowns. Toledo receiver Junior Vandeross had 12 catches for 194 yards and one touchdown. Pitt was the running team with 301 yards. Toledo was the passing team with 336 yards. Pitt dominated ball possession 36:12 to 23:48. It was a sloppy game. There were five turnovers and 20 penalties. Toledo was undisciplined with 12 penalties many of which were for unsportsmanlike conduct. Attendance in Detroit: 26,219

 

The Knights’ armor wasn’t shining – (in the Rate Bowl) – Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas State 27, Rutgers 18). Rutgers took the early command, leading Kansas State at the half, 27-17. Midway through the third quarter, the Knights extended their lead to 34-17. Kansas State came back, closing the gap to 34-29. Rutgers shot back up, 41-29. Then Kansas State got hot with two touchdowns to win the game. Kansas State racked up 546 total yards. Rutgers was the passing team, while K-State was the passing team. The Wildcats’ running back Dylan Edwards rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas State ended its season at 9-4. Attendance in Phoenix: 21,659

 

Bowling was looking green – (in the Ventures Bowl) – Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Bowling Green 28, Arkansas State 20). Arkansas State took an initial 3-0 lead and never trailed for the remainder of the game. But Bowling Green kept it close. The Falcons trailed 24-21 at halftime and 31-24 with 6:14 to go in the third quarter. Bowling Green had 479 total yards, but only 46 rushing yards. Bowling Green quarterback Connor Bazelak passed for 390 yards and three touchdowns. Falcons’ receiver Harold Fannin had 17 catches for 213 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in Mobile: 19,582

 

The Middies sink Boomer – (in the Armed Forces Bowl) – Navy 21, Oklahoma 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Navy 21, Oklahoma 20). As the first quarter came to an end, this game looked like it was going to be a romp for Oklahoma. The Sooners led the Middies, 14-0. OU had no problem scoring in the first quarter. But as it turned out, the Sooners wouldn’t see the end zone again until the end of the fourth quarter. Navy scored a touchdown in the second, one in the third and one in the fourth quarter. With 4:34 to go in the game, Navy scored its third touchdown. The Middies led Oklahoma 21-14. The Sooners responded, scoring a touchdown with 0:06 on the clock. OU went for two and failed. Navy quarterback Blake Horvath was 7-12-0, passing for 92 yards. Horvath rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns, including a 95-yard touchdown run. Navy ended its season at 10-3. Attendance in Fort Worth: 50,754

 

Buzz walked the plank – (in the Birmingham Bowl) – Vanderbilt 35, Georgia Tech 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 27, Vanderbilt 21). Two turnovers by Georgia Tech got the Yellow Jackets off to a bad start. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia did the rest of the damage to Georgia Tech. Pavia threw three touchdown passes and rushed for 84 yards and two more touchdowns. Georgia Tech actually won the battle of the stats – first downs, total yards, passing yards and rushing yards. But Vandy won the battle of the points. Attendance in Birmingham: 33,840

 

How ’bout them Porkers – (in the Liberty Bowl) – Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 31, Arkansas 28). At the outset, Arkansas took command of this game. The Razorbacks jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter. Texas Tech rallied in the second quarter. The Red Raiders trailed Arkansas at the half, 24-19. Revitalized at halftime, Arkansas took control again in the third quarter. As the fourth quarter began, the Razorbacks led Texas Tech 34-19. In the fourth quarter, Arkansas increased its lead to 39-19. The teams combined for 1,058 total yards. Arkansas had 561 of those yards – 220 rushing and 341 passing. Attendance in Memphis: 37,764

 

McCord wasn’t bored – (in the Holiday Bowl) – Syracuse 52, Washington State 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 33, Washington State 20). Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord had a heyday. McCord was 24-34-0, passing for 453 yards and five touchdowns. After one quarter, Washington State led Syracuse 21-14. The Orange took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Cougars 21-0. Syracuse led at the break 35-21. In the second half, Syracuse increased its lead to 24 points – 52-28. The Orange racked up 607 total yards. The two teams combined for 1,079 total yards. Syracuse receiver Darrell Gill had 4 catches for 145 yards. Washington State receiver Kyle Williams had 10 catches for 172 yards. Syracuse ended its season at 10-3. Attendance in San Diego: 23,920

 

What a rally! – (in the Las Vegas Bowl) – USC 35, Texas A&M 31 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 30, Texas A&M 27). USC overcame two deficits in the second half to pull out the win. First, the Trojans turned a 24-7 deficit into a 28-24 lead. Then, trailing 31-28, USC got its and the game’s final score with just 8 seconds on the clock. It was quite a comeback. The Trojans also had to overcome three interceptions thrown by quarterback Jaden Maiava. Maiava finished at 22-39-3, passing for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Texas A&M suffered from two interceptions. Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed was 26-42-2, passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns. USC receiver Ja’Kobi Lane had 7 catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Las Vegas: 26,671

 

Where’s Bill Belichick when you need him? – (in the Fenway Bowl) – Connecticut 27, North Carolina 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Connecticut 30, North Carolina 28). North Carolina will have to wait until next year for Belichick. The Tar Heels definitely needed help from someone. Connecticut jumped out to a 24-7 first half lead and led 27-7 as the third quarter ended. UConn running back Mel Brown rushed for 96 yards. As a team, North Carolina only had 96 yards rushing. The Tar Heels only had 206 total yards. Belichick chose not to attend the game. Connecticut ended its season at 9-4. Attendance in Boston: 27,900

 

At last! – (in the Pinstripe Bowl) – Nebraska 20, Boston College 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Boston College 20). Nebraska led 13-2 at halftime and 20-2 as the third quarter came to an end. In the fourth quarter, the Huskers held on to win. Boston College quarterback Grayson James passed for 301 yards. But the Eagles had no running game – only 47 yards rushing. Nebraska distributed its running between Emmett Johnson (68 yards) and Rahmir Johnson (59 yards). Attendance in The Bronx: 30,062

 

Frogs went a courtin’ – (in the Albuquerque Bowl) – TCU 34, Louisiana 3 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 33, Louisiana 14). TCU led 27-0 at halftime and 34-0 as the fourth quarter began. Then the Frogs went into cruise control. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover passed for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Louisiana had 95 yards rushing and 114 yards passing. TCU ended its season at 9-4. Attendance in Albuquerque: 22,827

 

Second half opt out – (in the Pop-Tarts Bowl) – Iowa State 42, Miami (Florida) 41 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 34, Iowa State 33). Yes, Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who passed for 190 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, made a business decision to opt out of the second half. Backup quarterback Emory Williams only passed for 26 yards in the second half. Williams was 5-for-14 and tossed one interception. Trailing Miami 41-35, the Cyclones scored their winning touchdown with 0:56 remaining in the game. Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was 22-36-0, passing for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Cyclones’ receiver Jaylin Noel had 8 catches for 117 yards. Miami had three turnovers and Iowa State had none. Miami running back Damien Martinez rushed for 179 yards. Iowa State ended its season at 11-3. Attendance in Orlando: 38,650

 

These Rams aren’t tough – (in the Arizona Bowl) – Miami (Ohio) 43, Colorado State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado State 24, Miami 21). This was a game of two entirely different halves. The first half was full of defense and turnovers. The second half was full of offense and turnovers. A total of 12 points – all field goals – were scored in the first half. A total of 48 points – all touchdowns – were scored in the second half. And, by the way, there were 6 turnovers in the game. Colorado State quarterback Braden Fowler-Nicolosi passed for 321 yards. But he threw two interceptions. Attendance in Tucson: 40,076

 

Pirates smile – (in the Military Bowl) – East Carolina 26, NC State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: NC State 34, East Carolina 23). After trailing East Carolina throughout the game, NC State finally took its first lead at the 9:49 mark in the fourth quarter. The Wolfpack went up 21-20. But NC State’s lead was short lived. About 8 minutes later, East Carolina retook the lead and never gave it up. ECU running back Rahjai Harris all but kept NC State out of the game. Harris rushed for 220 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown run near the end of the game. NC State running back Hollywood Smothers (is he related to the Brothers?) rushed for 139 yards. Attendance in Annapolis: 23,981

 

Stunner – (in the Alamo bowl) – BYU 36, Colorado 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado 31, BYU 30). BYU started fast and never slowed down. The Cougars led 10-0 after one quarter and 20-0 at the halftime break. By midway through the fourth quarter, BYU had extended its lead to 36-7. Colorado was overwhelmed by BYU’s defense. The Buffaloes were limited to 9 first downs, 210 total yards and 2 rushing yards. Cougars’ running back L.J. Martin rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns. BYU dominated ball possession 35:56 to 24:04. The game was an emotional one for Colorado coach Deion Sanders who was coaching his sons Shedeur and Shilo for the last time. BYU ended its season at 11-2. Attendance in San Antonio: 64,261

 

He’s back – (in the Independence Bowl) – Army 27, Louisiana Tech 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Army 35, Louisiana Tech 15). Following a bad game against Navy two weeks earlier, Army quarterback Bryson Daily returned to his “Captain America” form. Daily passed for 65 yards and rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Twenty-four of the game’s 33 points were scored in the first half. Army had 26 first downs to 11 for Louisiana Tech. The Cadets had 321 rushing yards. The Bulldogs had 49 rushing yards. Army dominated ball possession 40:08 to 19:52. Army ended its season at 12-2. Attendance in Shreveport: 34,283

 

Last 16 Bowl Game Picks:         9 winners, 7 fumbles (56.3 percent)

Total Bowl Game Picks To Date:  17 winners, 9 fumbles (65.4 percent)

 

 

Superlatives

 

Impressive Passers

 

Syracuse’s Kyle McCord – 24-34-0 for 453 yards (5TDs); Bowling Green’s Connor Bazelak – 32-49-0-390 (3TDs); Washington State’s Zevi Eckhaus – 31-43-2-363 (3TDs); Arkansas’ Taylen Green – 11-21-0-341 (2TDs), and Toledo’s Tucker Gleason – 26-50-1-336 (2TDs).

 

Impressive Rushers

 

East Carolina’s Rahjai Harris – 220 yards (1TD); Kansas State’s Dylan Edwards – 196 yards (2TDs); Miami of Florida’s Damien Martinez – 179 yards (1TD); Pitt’s Desmond Reid – 165 yards (1TD); Navy’s Blake Horvath – 155 yards (2TDs), and Miami of Ohio’s Kevin Davis – 148 yards (2TDs).

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for the Next Five Bowl Games and Four Playoff Games

 

Iowa (8-4) vs. Missouri (9-3) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tennessee) – 1:30 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – Iowa finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten with a 6-3 conference record. As usual, the Hawkeyes are better on defense than they are on offense. Two of Iowa’s four losses were by 3 points or less. Missouri finished tied for 3^rd in the SEC with five other teams.  The Tigers had a 5-3 conference record. For a while, Missouri was a contender for the SEC title game and for the CFP playoff. The Tigers are better on defense than on offense. This encounter has the potential to be an exciting game. Truman says, “The buck stops here.” – Missouri 24, Iowa 17.

 

Alabama (9-3) vs. Michigan (7-5) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Florida) – 11 am ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Like Missouri, Alabama is one of the six teams that finished tied for 3^rd in the SEC, with a 5-3 conference record. The Tide came close to making the CFP. But Oklahoma ruined that opportunity. Alabama is good on offense and good on defense. On offense, it’s generally as Jalen Milroe goes, so goes the Tide. Bama doesn’t have a particularly strong running back this season. Michigan pulled off a surprise against Ohio State. Can the Wolverines do the same against Alabama? Probably not. But the Wolverines should make it a good game. Michigan finished tied for 6^th in the Big Ten with a 5-4 conference record. The Wolverines are hurting on offense. They rely on their defense. Milroe is on a quest – Alabama 30, Michigan 20.

 

Louisville (8-4) vs. Washington (6-6) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas) – 1 pm ET, Tuesday, CBS – Louisville lost 4 games by a combined 24 points. All 4 of the Cardinals losses were by 7 points or less. They were in every game they played. Louisville finished tied for 4^th in the ACC, with a 5-3 conference record. The Cardinals have a good offense. The defense is so-so. Washington had a 4-5 record in Big Ten play. Washington had a down year after playing for the national championship last year. The Huskies’ problem is its offense. The defense is decent. El Paso will be too warm for the Huskies – Louisville 32, Washington 24.

 

South Carolina (9-3) vs. Illinois (9-3) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – Citrus Bowl (Orlando, Florida) – 2 pm ET, Tuesday, ABC – South Carolina was an amazing team this season. The Gamecocks finished strong, winning their last six games. Two of their three losses were by a combined 5 points. They were contenders for the SEC title game and also to make the CFP. South Carolina’s defense is very good. The offense is weaker, but got better as the season went along. Coach Bret Bielema has done a good job at Illinois. The Banned Indians exceeded expectations this season. The defense is pretty good. The offense is not so good. They take advantage of opportunities. Cocky is cocky – South Carolina 26, Illinois 21.

 

Baylor (8-4) vs. LSU (8-4) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – Texas Bowl (Houston, Texas) – 2:30 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – Baylor turned around its season. The Bears began 2-4 and finished 6-0. Coach Dave Aranda saved his job this season. Baylor officials had him on the chopping block. The Bears have a good offense. The defense is not so good. LSU was the reverse of Baylor. The Tigers started out strong at 6-1. They finished 2-3. The LSU offense is fair, generally good. The defense is not so good. Coach Brian Kelly is not a real popular man in Baton Rouge these days. A win over Baylor will improve his standing. The Bears can’t hold the Tigers – LSU 30, Baylor 27.

 

 

Penn State (12-2) vs. Boise State (12-1) – (Big Ten vs. MWC) – College Football Playoff Quarterfinal – (Fiesta Bowl – Glendale, Arizona) – 6:30 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – I’m thinking Boise State never should have received a first-round bye. However, the Broncos can’t play any worse than SMU. Boise State’s big threat is running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty came in 2^nd in the Heisman Trophy balloting. So, if Penn State shuts down Jeanty, does that make Boise State helpless? Boise State’s one loss this season was by 3 points to Oregon at Oregon – 37-34. The best thing Boise State has going for it may be its record in the Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos are 3-0 in the Fiesta, with wins over Oklahoma, TCU and Arizona. But Penn State is even better. The Nittany Lions are 7-0 in the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State also lost to Oregon this season. The score was 45-37 in the Big Ten title game. Both of these offenses scored well on Oregon, while both defenses gave up a lot of points to Oregon. The Broncos aren’t bucking – Penn State 30, Boise State 25.

 

Texas (12-2) vs. Arizona State (11-2) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – College Football Playoff Quarterfinal – (Peach Bowl – Atlanta, Georgia) – 12 noon ET, Wednesday, ESPN – Texas lost twice this season and both losses were to Georgia. Had the Longhorns not played Georgia, they might be undefeated. Texas raises some doubts because quarterback Quinn Ewers has not been the sharpest. He’s had injuries. The Texas running game has been up-and-down. For the most part, Texas has lived up to its expectations. The Longhorns were supposed to be here, and they are. Arizona State is the wonder team – wonder how they got here. The Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference. They finished first. ASU is also riding a 6-game winning streak. ASU relies a lot on running back Cam Skattebo. As Cam goes, so goes ASU. Skattebo will obviously be a focal point of the Texas defense. Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt got better as the season progressed. ASU has to play a near perfect game. We don’t need no Bevo – Texas 27, Arizona State 20.

 

Ohio State (11-2) vs. Oregon (13-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – College Football Playoff Quarterfinal – (Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California) – 4 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – Is this the rematch of the century? It is to Oregon and Ohio State. The offenses are very strong and very similar. Oregon has the better quarterback in Dillon Gabriel. Ohio State is stronger at running back. Although, when these two met earlier, Oregon shut down the Buckeyes’ running game. Ohio State has the edge on defense. Neither team can afford to make a mistake. Mistakes are costly in a game like this. But the outcome could come down to a mistake or two. The pressure is on Ohio State coach Ryan Day. He can’t afford to lose. There is already a factor of Buckeye fans who want Day’s ouster. Kirk Herbstreit calls them the “fringe element.” The Duck is not a Nut – Oregon 30, Ohio State 28.

 

Notre Dame (12-1) vs. Georgia (11-2) – (Ind. vs. SEC) – College Football Playoff Quarterfinal – (Sugar Bowl – New Orleans, Louisiana) – 7:45 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN – New Orleans will be rockin’. That’s for sure. You can’t keep Georgia and Notre Dame fans down. Notre Dame is looking sharp – offense and defense. It’s hard to find a fault. Quarterback Riley Leonard is not sensational, but he is dependable. I’m thinking the two offenses might not be able to score. There could be a lot of field goals. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton will be under a lot of pressure. Can he handle it? The Dawgs haven’t played since December 7. That will be 25 days. The Irish last played on December 20. That’s a gap of 12 days. Does the longer time off help or hurt? It’s got to help Georgia, getting Stockton prepared. But they could be out of their rhythm. Uga doesn’t sound Irish – Notre Dame 30, Georgia 24.

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“I think one of the most important things we can do is, let’s get a commissioner of college football that is waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night making decisions that’s in the best interest of college football. I think Nick Saban would be the obvious choice if we made that decision. Now Nick will probably call me tonight and say, ‘Don’t do this.’ But I think he’s the obvious choice, right?” Penn State football coach James Franklin.

 

“If I’m going to get my butt kicked, I’d rather get my butt kicked by that coach. I love him to life. He’s a good man,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders, on BYU coach Kalani Sitake, after Colorado’s loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

P.S.

 

Not exactly college football related, but as the year was about to come to an end and college football fans, still in the midst of bowl games, were about to celebrate New Year’s Eve, the number one song in the country…

 

…80 years ago, this week in 1944, was “Don’t Fence Me In” by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters

 

…75 years ago, this week in 1949, was “Mule Train” by Frankie Laine

 

…70 years ago, this week in 1954, was “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes

 

…65 years ago, this week in 1959, was “Why” by Frankie Avalon

 

…60 years ago, this week in 1964, was “I Feel Fine” by The Beatles

 

…55 years ago, this week in 1969, was “Someday We’ll Be Together” by Diana Ross and The Supremes

 

…50 years ago, this week in 1974, was “Angie Baby” by Helen Reddy

 

…45 years ago, this week in 1979, was “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes

 

…40 years ago, this week in 1984, was “Like A Virgin” by Madonna

 

…35 years ago, this week in 1989, was “Another Day In Paradise” by Phil Collins

 

College Football Week Holiday Extra - What Year Was It?

 College Football Week Holiday Extra – What Year Was It?

I hear a song blow again and again

 

A fast-food chain opened its first restaurant in a country run by a communist government. In women’s tennis, it was the year of Steffi Graf. In men’s tennis, it was the year of Sweden.

 

Two pop stars died and a third almost died. A well-known entertainer became the Mayor of Palm Springs, California. “Magnum P.I.” with Tom Selleck aired for the last time on television, while “Roseanne” made its debut on television.

 

The year had its firsts – The first night game was played at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The term “global warming” was first used, and the first computer worm was distributed on the Internet.  

 

What year was it?

 

The first day of the year was a Friday. On the third day of the year, the music special “Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night,” recorded at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, was broadcast on television.

 

On January 15, after wandering around the Atlantic Ocean for 16 months, the cargo ship Khian Sea deposited 4,000 tons of toxic waste in Haiti. Five days later, the Beach Boys, The Beatles, the Drifters, Bob Dylan and the Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 

“I hear your name whispered on the wind

It’s a sound that makes me cry

I hear a song blow again and again

Through my mind and I don’t know why”

 

On the last day of January, the NFC champion Washington Redskins beat the AFC champion Denver Broncos, 42-10, to win the Super Bowl. The game was played at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The Redskins were coached by Joe Gibbs and the Broncos were coached by Dan Reeves. Washington quarterback Doug Williams was named the game’s MVP. Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf announced the game on ABC TV. The pregame festivities included a tribute to Bob Hope. Trumpeter Herb Alpert performed the National Anthem. Chubby Checker and the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes performed at halftime. The cost of a 30-second TV commercial was $645,000.

 

Halfway through February, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel William R. Higgins, serving with a United Nations force monitoring a truce in southern Lebanon, was kidnapped and later killed by his captors.

 

On March 2, Billy Crystal hosted the 30^th Annual Grammy Awards held in New York City. U2’s “The Joshua Tree” won Album of the Year. Paul Simon’s “Graceland” won Record of the Year, and Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram’s “Somewhere Out There” won Song of the Year.  

 

A week later, and just five days after his 30^th birthday, pop star Andy Gibb died at a hospital in Oxford, England.

 

In the Iran-Contra affair, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter were indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States. On the same day, March 16, the First Republic Bank of Texas failed and entered FDIC receivership. It was the largest FDIC assisted bank failure in U.S. history.

 

The following day, a Colombian Boeing 727 jetliner, Avianca Flight 410, crashed into the side of a mountain near the Venezuelan border, killing 143 people.

 

On March 19, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, two British Army corporals were abducted, beaten and shot dead by Irish Republicans. Five days later, the first McDonald’s restaurant, in a country run by a communist government, opened in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. 

 

April 4 saw Kansas beat Oklahoma, 83-79, to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The other two teams in the Final Four were Arizona and Duke. The Final Four was played at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas was coached by Larry Brown. Oklahoma was coached by Billy Tubbs. The Jayhawks’ Danny Manning was named the tournament’s MVP.

 

The following day, Kuwait Airlines Flight 422 was hijacked while en route from Bangkok, Thailand to Kuwait. The hijackers demanded the release of 17 Shiite Muslim prisoners held by Kuwait. Kuwait refused to release the prisoners, leading to a 16-day siege across three continents. Two passengers were killed before the siege ended.

 

“I wish I didn’t feel so strong about you

Like happiness and love revolve around you”

 

On April 7, Alice Cooper almost died on stage when one of his props malfunctioned. Three

Days later, the Masters Golf Tournament was won by Sandy Lyle. Lyle beat out runner-up Mark Calcavecchia by one stroke. It was Lyle’s second major title.

 

The 60^th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Chevy Chase, was held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, on April 11. “The Last Emperor” won the Best Picture Award. Michael Douglas won the Best Actor Award for his performance in “Wall Street.” Cher won the Best Actress Award for her performance in “Moonstruck.”

 

A few days later, the USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine in the Persian Gulf, during the Tanker War phase of the Iran-Iraq War. On the same day – April 14 – at Wembley Stadium in London, Wimbledon beat Liverpool, 1-0, to win the FA Cup.

 

On April 16, in a surprise attack, Israeli commandos killed the PLO’s Aba Jihad in Tunisia. Then, just two days later, the United States Navy retaliated for the USS Samuel B. Roberts mining, with a day of strikes on Iranian oil platforms and naval vessels.

 

Sonny Bono was sworn in as the mayor of Palm Springs, California, on April 19.

 

As April came to an end, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 safely landed after losing part of its roof in midair. A flight attendant was killed and 65 people were injured. On the final day of the month, the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Dublin, Ireland. Switzerland’s entry, “Ne Partez Pas Sans Mor,” sung by Celine Dion, won the Best Song Award.

 

On the first of May, the TV show “Magnum P.I.” broadcast its two-hour series finale on CBS. A week later, Winning Colors, ridden by jockey Gary Steves, won the 114^th running of the Kentucky Derby. The following day, Francois Mitterrand was reelected President of France.

 

Near the end of May, the Edmonton Oilers beat the Boston Bruins, 4-matches-to-0, to win the NHL’s Stanley Cup.

 

“Trying to catch your heart

Is like trying to catch a star

So many people love you

That must be what you are”

 

No sooner had June begun and Germany’s Steffi Graf defeated Russia’s Natalia Zvereva, 6-0, 6-0, to win the women’s singles title at the French Open Tennis Tournament. Graf won the match in 32 minutes. The next day, Sweden’s Mats Wilander beat France’s Henri Leconte, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1, to win the men’s singles title at the French Open.

 

Summer was underway, and while not yet able to listen to the games on the radio, college football fans were listening and singing along to “Pink Cadillac” by Natalie Cole; “Dreaming” by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark; “Strange But True” by Times Two; “I Don’t Want To Live Without You” by Foreigner; “Shattered Dreams” by Johnny Hates Jazz; “Kiss Me Deadly” by Lita Ford; “I Still Believe” by Brenda K. Starr; “The Flame” by Cheap Trick; “Together Forever” by Rick Astley; “Circle In The Sand” by Belinda Carlisle; “Everything Your Heart Desires” by Daryl Hall & John Oates; “Make It Real” by The Jets, and “One More Try” by George Michael.

 

On June 18, Depeche Mode played for a crowd of 60,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Two days later, at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, Curtis Strange defeated Nick Faldo in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open Golf championship.

 

Within a couple of days, NASA scientist James Hansen testified to the U.S. Senate that human-made global warming had begun. Hansen became one of the first environmentalists to warn of the problem. On June 25, the Netherlands won the EUFA Euro soccer tournament.

 

Meantime, the preseason college football magazines were on the shelves, while the radio stations were playing “Hands To Heaven” by Breathe; “Pour Some Sugar On Me” by Def Leppard; “Foolish Beat” by Debbie Gibson; “Nothing But A Good Time” by Poison; “The Valley Road” by Bruce Hornsby and The Range; “Alphabet St.” by Prince; “Dirty Diana” by Michael Jackson; “Mercedes Boy” by Pebbles; “Lost In You” by Rod Stewart; “Rush Hour” by Jane Wiedlin; “Paradise” by Sade, and “New Sensation” by INXS.

 

As June was coming to an end, the Gare de Lyon rail accident occurred in Paris. A commuter train headed inbound to the terminal crashed into a stationary outbound train, killing 56 and injuring 57. Two days later – June 27 – Motown Records was sold to MCA for $61 million.

 

All on the same day, just three days into July, Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down by a missile launched from the USS Vincennes, killing all 290 people on board. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, was completed. The new bridge provided the second connection between the continents of Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus. And finally, Germany’s Steffi Graf defeated America’s Martina Navratilova, 5-7, 6-2, 61, to win the women’s singles tennis title at Wimbledon. The following day, Sweden’s Stefan Edberg defeated Germany’s Boris Becker, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2, to win the men’s singles tennis title at Wimbledon. 

 

Still in the first week of July, the Piper Alpha oil production platform in the North Sea was destroyed by explosions and fires, killing 165 oil workers and two rescue personnel. Sixty-one oil workers survived.

 

“Waiting for a star to fall

And carry your heart into my arms

That’s where you belong

In my arms, baby, yeah”

 

As the summer air grew warmer and thicker, the DJs were playing and college football fans were listening to “Make Me Lose Control” by Eric Carmen; “Parents Just Don’t Understand” by D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince; “Hold On To The Nights” by Richard Marx; “The Colour Of Love: by Billy Ocean, and “Rag Doll” by Aerosmith.  

 

Later in July, at the Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lytham St. Annes, England, Seve Ballesteros won the British Open Golf Championship. In the first-ever Monday finish of The Open, Ballesteros beat out runner up Nick Price by two strokes.

 

The summer airwaves continued to be filled with good music, including “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman; “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love” by Chicago; “Roll With It” by Steve Winwood; “I’ll Always Love You” by Taylor Dayne, and “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” by Elton John.

 

One week and one day into August, thousands of protesters in Burma, now known as Myanmar, were killed during anti-government demonstrations. On the same day – August 8 – the first night game in history was played at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs beat the New York Mets, 6-4.

 

Three days later, a meeting of Islamic Jihad leaders, including Osama bin Laden, led to the formation of Al-Qaeda. And three days after that, at the Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma, Jeff Sluman won the PGA Golf Championship. Sluman beat out runner-up Paul Azinger by three strokes.

 

As summer was coming to an end, college football fans could not wait for the season to begin. In the preseason polls, the Florida State Seminoles were the No. 1 team in the country. The top songs on the radio were “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses; “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts; “Please Don’t Go Girl” by New Kids On The Block; “Here With Me” by REO Speedwagon; “All Fired Up” by Pat Benatar; “Love Will Save The Day” by Whitney Houston, and “When It’s Love” by Van Halen. 

 

In mid-August, a ceasefire effectively ended the Iran-Iraq War, with an estimated one million lives lost. Near the very end of the month, seventy people were killed and 346 were injured in one of the worst air show disasters in history. At Ramstein Air Base in Germany, three jets from the Italian demonstration team, Frecce Tricolori, collided, sending one of the aircraft crashing into the crowd of spectators.

 

“I’ve learned to feel what I cannot see

But with you, I lose that vision

I don’t know how to dream your dream

So, I’m all caught up in the superstition”

 

Just days before the first games of the season, college football fans were grillin’ and chillin’ to “If It Isn’t Love” by New Edition; “Simply Irresistible” by Robert Palmer; “Nobody’s Fool” by Kenny Loggins; “Monkey” by George Michael; “It Would Take A Strong, Strong Man” by Rick Astley; “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy) by Information Society, and “Perfect World” by Huey Lewis and The News.

 

Opening weekend of the college football season began with a bang in Miami, Florida. On September 3, in the Orange Bowl, No. 1 Florida State lost to No. 6 Miami, 31-0. It would turn out to be Florida State’s only loss of the season. Three days later, Miami was named the No. 1 team in the country.

 

On September 10, Germany’s Steffi Graf beat Argentina’s Gabriela Sabatini, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, to win the women’s singles tennis title at the U.S. Open. The next day, Sweden’s Mats Wilander won the men’s singles title at the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, beating Czechoslovakia’s Ivan Lendl, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. The match lasted four hours and 55 minutes. It was Wilander’s 7^th and last career Grand Slam title. And his first U.S. Open title.

 

Two days later, Hurricane Gilbert devastated Jamaica.

 

Meanwhile, the college football season was underway and fans were tailgating to “One Good Woman” by Peter Cetera; “Don’t Be Cruel” by Bobby Brown; “Another Part Of Me” by Michael Jackson; “Time And Tide” by Basia; “A Nightmare On My Street” by D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince; “Chains Of Love” by Erasure, and “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.

 

Later in September, the North Sea drilling rig, Ocean Odyssey, suffered a blowout and fire, resulting in one death.

 

College football fans were celebrating their wins and mourning their losses to “Fallen Angel” by Poison; “Don’t Be Cruel” by Cheap Trick; “Staying Together” by Debbie Gibson; “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart; “What You See Is What You Get” by Brenda K. Starr; “Love Bites” by Def Leppard; “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS, and “Red, Red Wine” by UB40.

 

In South Bend, Indiana, on October 15, No. 1 Miami lost to Notre Dame, 31-30. It would turn out to be Miami’s only loss of the season. Three days later, UCLA (6-0) was named the No. 1 team in the country.

 

During the third week of October, the pilot episode for the TV sitcom “Roseanne” was broadcast on ABC. Then, on October 20, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics 4-games-to-1 to win the World Series. The Dodgers were managed by Tommy Lasorda. The Athletics were managed by Tony La Russa. Los Angeles pitcher Orel Hershiser was named the Series’ MVP.

 

With Halloween approaching, college football fans were carving their pumpkins, while listening to “Wild, Wild West” by The Escape Club; “True Love” by Glenn Frey; “Don’t You Know What The Night Can Do” by Steve Winwood; “The Loco-Motion” by Kylie Minogue; “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” by Cinderella; “Groovy Kind Of Love” by Phil Collins; “The Promise” by When In Rome; “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys; “How Can I Fall?” by Breathe; “One Moment In Time” by Whitney Houston; “Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley” by Will To Power; “Waiting For A Star To Fall” by Boy Meets Girl, and “A Word In Spanish” by Elton John.  

 

“I want to reach out and pull you to me

Who says I should let a wild one go free”

 

In the Rose Bowl, on October 29, No. 1 UCLA was upset by Washington State, 34-30. Three days later, on November 1, Notre Dame (8-0) was named the No. 1 team in the country.  

 

The price of a first-class postage stamp was 24 cents, and the price of a gallon of gas was $1.31. A loaf of bread cost $1.28, a gallon of milk was $1.89, while a dozen eggs were 65 cents. The inflation rate was 4.08%.

 

On November 2, the Morris worm, the first computer worm distributed on the Internet, was launched from MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The worm was created by Robert Tappan Morris.

 

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 12, New Mexico beat Colorado State, 24-23, on the last play of the game. Lobos’ receiver Tony Jones caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jeremy Leach.

 

At Thanksgiving, college football fans were stuffing themselves with turkey and pumpkin pie, while listening to “Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi; “Giving You The Best That I Got” by Anita Baker; “Look Away” by Chicago; “Desire” by U2; “Spy In The House Of Love” by Was (Not Was); “Walk On Water” by Eddie Money; “Small World” by Huey Lewis and The News; “Kissing A Fool” by George Michael; “Domino Dancing” by The Pet Shop Boys; “Finish What Ya Started” by Van Halen, and “Not Just Another Girl” by Ivan Neville.

 

The first day of December saw Carlos Salinas Gortari take office as the President of Mexico. The very next day, Benazir Bhutto was sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to head the government of an Islam-dominated state.

 

West Virginia (11-0) and Notre Dame (11-0) were the only Division I teams to finish the regular season undefeated.

 

“Trying to catch your heart

Is like trying to catch a star

But I can’t love you this much

And love you from this far”

 

The consensus All-American first-team offense consisted of wide receiver Jason Phillips – Houston (5-9, 175) Houston, TX; wide receiver Hart Lee Dykes – Oklahoma State (6-4, 220) Bay City, TX; tight end Marv Cook – Iowa (6-4, 243) West Branch, IA; lineman Tony Mandarich – Michigan State (6-6, 315) Oakville, Ontario, Canada; lineman Anthony Phillips – Oklahoma (6-3, 286) Tulsa, OK; lineman Mike Utley – Washington State (6-6, 302) Seattle, WA; lineman Mark Stepnoski – Pitt (6-3, 265) Erie, PA; center Jake Young – Nebraska (6-5, 260) Midland, TX; center John Vitale – Michigan (6-1, 273) Detroit, MI; quarterback Steve Walsh – Miami (Florida) (163, 195) St. Paul, MN; quarterback Troy Aikman – UCLA (6-4, 217) Henryetta, OK; running back Barry Sanders – Oklahoma State (5-8, 197) Wichita, KS; running back Anthony Thompson – Indiana (6-0, 205) Terre Haute, IN; running back Tim Worley – Georgia (6-2, 216) Lumberton, NC, and place kicker Kendall Trainor – Arkansas (6-2, 205) Fredonia, KS.

 

The consensus All-American first-team defense consisted of lineman Mark Messner – Michigan (6-3, 244) Hartland, MI; lineman Tracy Rocker – Auburn (6-3, 278) Atlanta, GA; lineman Wayne Martin – Arkansas (6-5, 263) Cherry Valley, AR; lineman Frank Stams – Notre Dame (6-4, 237) Akron, OH; lineman Bill Hawkins – Miami (Florida) (6-6, 260) Hollywood, FL; linebacker Derrick Thomas – Alabama (6-4, 230) Miami, FL; linebacker Broderick Thomas – Nebraska (6-3, 235) Houston, TX; linebacker Michael Stonebreaker – Notre Dame (6-1, 228) River Ridge, LA; defensive back Deion Sanders – Florida State (6-0, 195) Fort Myers, FL; defensive back Donnell Woolford – Clemson (5-10, 195) Fayetteville, NC; defensive back Louis Oliver – Florida (6-2, 222) Bell Glade, FL; defensive back Darryl Henley – UCLA (5-10, 165) Ontario, CA, and punter Keith English – Colorado (6-3, 215) Greeley CO.

 

Still in the first week of December, Roy Orbison performed for the last time at a concert in Akron, Ohio. He died two days later – December 6 – from a massive heart attack. Orbison was 52.

 

Oklahoma State running back Barry Sanders was named the winner of the Heisman Trophy. In the balloting, Sanders (1,878 points) finished ahead of USC quarterback Rodney Pete (912 points), UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman (582 points) and Miami (Florida) quarterback Steve Walsh (341 points).

 

Sanders also won both the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award as the nation’s most outstanding college football player.

 

The Outland Trophy, for the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman, went to Auburn defensive tackle Tracy Rocker. Rocker also won the Vince Lombardi Award, for the nation’s most outstanding lineman or linebacker.

 

The Dick Butkus Award, for the nation’s best linebacker, was won by Derrick Thomas of Alabama. The Jim Thorpe Award, for the nation’s best defensive back, went to Deion Sanders of Florida State. And the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, for the nation’s top senior quarterback, was won by Rodney Pete of USC.  

 

“Waiting for a star to fall

And carry your heart into my arms

That’s where you belong

In my arms, baby, yeah”

 

Some of the best albums of the year were “Tracy Chapman” by Tracy Chapman; “Green” by R.E.M.; “I’m Your Man” by Leonard Cohen; “The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1” by The Traveling Wilburys; “Rattle And Hum” by U2; “Watermark” by Enya; “Introspective” by The Pet Shop Boys; “Lovesexy” by Prince; “New Jersey” by Bon Jovi; “Naked” by Talking Heads; “Look Sharp” by Roxette; “Lucinda Williams” by Lucinda Williams, and “The Raw And The Cooked” by The Fine Young Cannibals.

 

Also, “Delicate Sound Of Thunder” by Pink Floyd; “Greatest Hits” by Journey; “Irish Heartbeat” by Van Morrison; “Living Years” by Mike & The Mechanics; “Melissa Etheridge” by Melissa Etheridge; “Greatest Hits” by Fleetwood Mac; “The Seventh One” by Toto; “Shadowland” by K.D. Lang; “Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm” by Joni Mitchell; “Dream Of Life” by Patti Smith; “Eponymous” by R.E.M., and “Out Of This World” by Europe.

 

The first bowl game was played on December 10. Fresno State beat Western Michigan, 35-30, in the California Bowl.

 

Some of the more popular movies of the year were “Die Hard;” “Rain Man;” “Beetlejuice;” “Big;” “A Fish Called Wanda;” “Coming To America” “Mississippi Burning;” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels;” “Bull Durham,” and “Beaches.”

 

In mid-December, A train crash at Clapham Junction in London killed 35 people and injured 132.

 

The best reads of the year included “The Bonfire Of The Vanities” by Tom Wolfe; “The Tommyknockers” by Stephen King; “Presumed Innocent” by Scott Turow; “Patriot Games” by Tom Clancy; “Sarum” by Edward Rutherford; “Lightning” by Dean R. Koontz; “Mortal Fear” by Robin Cook; “The Shell Seekers” by Rosamunde Pilcher; “The Icarus Agenda” by Robert Ludlum; “Love In The Time Of Cholera” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; “People Like Us” by Dominick Dunne, and “Tapestry” by Belva Plain.

 

Also, “The Charm School” by Nelson DeMille; “Crimson Joy” by Robert B. Parker; “Alaska” by James A. Michener; “To Be The Best” by Barbara Taylor Bradford; “Timothy’s Game” by Lawrence Sanders; “The Cardinal Of The Kremlin” by Tom Clancy; “Doctors” by Erich Segal; “Till We Meet Again” by Judith Krantz; “The Silence Of The Lambs” by Thomas Harris; “Shining Through” by Susan Isaacs; “Koko” by Peter Straub; “Mitla Pass” by Leon Uris; “The Sands Of Time” by Sidney Sheldon, and “Peachtree Road” by Anne Rivers Siddons. 

 

With Christmas and bowl games in the air, college football fans were doing their holiday shopping to “In Your Room” by The Bangles; “I Don’t Want Your Love” by Duran Duran; “The Way You Love Me” by Karyn White; “I Remember Holding You” by Boys Club; “My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown; “Welcome To The Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses; “Early In The Morning” by Robert Palmer; “Little Liar” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts; “Silhouette” by Kenny G; “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison; “Don’t Rush Me” by Taylor Dayne; “The Love In Me” by Sheena Easton; “All This Time” by Tiffany, and “When The Children Cry” by White Lion.

 

Just four days before Christmas, Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up in the skies over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 270 on board.

 

“Waiting, however long

I don’t like waiting, but I’ll wait for you

It’s so hard waiting, don’t be too long

Seems like waiting

Makes me love you even more”

 

Two days before Christmas, Southern Miss beat UTEP, 38-18, in the Independence Bowl. On Christmas Eve, Alabama won the Sun Bowl, beating Army, 29-28.

 

Christmas Day, Washington State beat Houston, 24-22, in the Aloha Bowl.

 

Well-known people who were born during the year included Matthew Stafford; Stephen Curry; Haley Joel Osment; Julianne Hough; Kacey Musgraves; Kevin Durant; Emma Stone, and Russell Wilson.

 

Famous people who died during the year included Pete Maravich; Trevor Howard; Andy Gibb; Kim Philby; Chet Baker; Ella Raines; Louis L’Amour; Barbara Woodhouse; Gert Frobe; John Houseman; Christina Onassis; John Caradine; Roy Orbison, and Hal Ashby.

 

On December 28, Indiana won the Liberty Bowl, beating South Carolina, 34-10. Two bowl games were played the following day. Florida beat Illinois, 14-10, in the All-American Bowl, and BYU downed Colorado, 20-7, in the Freedom Bowl.

 

Two days later, Oklahoma State beat Wyoming, 62-14, in the Holiday Bowl.

 

The most popular TV shows of the year were “The Cosby Show;” “Roseanne;” “Cheers;” “The Golden Girls;” “Who’s The Boss;” “Murder She Wrote;” “Matlock;” “L.A. Law,” and Growing Pains.”

 

During the last few days of the year and on New Year’s Eve, college football fans were partying, drinking, celebrating, dancing and singing to “I Wanna Have Some Fun” by Samantha Fox; “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson; “Two Hearts” by Phil Collins; “Armageddon It” by Def Leppard; “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” by New Kids On The Block; “Born To Be My Baby” by Bon Jovi; “What I Am” by Eddie Bickell; “Walking Away” by Information Society; “Holding On” by Steve Winwood; “When I’m With You” by Sheriff, and “Straight Up” by Paula Abdul.

 

“Waiting for a star to fall

And carry your heart into my arms

That’s where you belong

In my arms, baby, yeah”

 

On the last day of the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 2,168. The year-end Federal Reserve Interest Rate was 10.50%.

 

New Year’s Eve saw NC State beat Iowa, 28-23, in the Peach Bowl. And on the final night of the year, the 17^th Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on ABC TV featured performances by Natalie Cole, Taylor Dayne, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Richard Marx, Reba McEntire and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

 

New Year’s Day, Georgia won the Gator Bowl, downing Michigan State, 34-27.

 

With January 1 falling on a Sunday, seven of the year-ending bowl games were played on January 2. Syracuse took the Hall of Fame Bowl, beating LSU, 23-10, while Clemson beat Oklahoma, 13-6, in the Citrus Bowl.

 

UCLA captured the Cotton Bowl, beating Arkansas, 17-3. Florida State downed Auburn, 13-7, to win the Sugar Bowl.

 

In Pasadena, Michigan beat USC, 22-14, to take the Rose Bowl. Miami (Florida) topped Nebraska, 23-3, to win the Orange Bowl.

 

And finally, in what was billed as the national championship game, Notre Dame beat West Virginia, 34-21, in the Fiesta Bowl.

 

Notre Dame (12-0), under coach Lou Holtz, was crowned the national champion. The Irish finished No. 1 in the AP, UPI and USA Today/CNN Polls. Only three of Notre Dame’s 12 games were close: 19-17 over Michigan on September 10, 30-20 over Pitt on October 8 and 31-30 over Miami (Florida) on October 15.

 

“I wish I didn’t feel so strong about you

Like happiness and love revolve around you”

 

“Waiting For A Star To Fall” is a song by the American pop music duo Boy Meets Girl. It was written by the duo’s members Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill. They wrote the song after witnessing a falling star at a Whitney Houston concert. Rubicam and Merrill originally offered the song to Houston, having written her previous hit “How Will I Know.” However, Arista Records CEO Clive Davis rejected it. The song was then offered to and recorded by Brenda Carlisle for her album “Heaven On Earth.” But Carlisle disliked it and refused to include it on her album. So, Rubicam and Merrill decided to record and release the song themselves.

 

“Waiting For A Star To Fall” entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart on September 10, near the start of the college football season. Following a long, slow, but persistent climb up the chart, it peaked at No. 5 on December 17, where it remained for three weeks before beginning its slow descent down the chart. The song was on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for 25 weeks, throughout the football season and beyond, until March 4.

 

“Waiting For A Star To Fall” was the second single from Boy Meets Girl’s second album “Real Life,” which was released June 10. The song became a hit in several other countries, reaching No. 2 on the charts in Canada, No. 5 in Ireland and No. 9 in the UK. Since the song’s release, it has been covered by many other artists. Johnny Loftus of AllMusic said the song was “a classic,” and that “the urgency as it drives towards its chorus is a clinic for durable songwriting.”

 

The year was 1988.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Touchdown Tom

December 28, 2024

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