CFW Week 17 Results/18 Forecast – Steve Belichick to join father at UNC
The Big Ten was the big winner
in a first round of blowouts
Penn State and Ohio State were the big winners, winning by 28 and 25 points respectively in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame and Texas won big too, as none of the first-round games were close. The average victory margin of the four games was 19.25 points.
Now we know, what some people suspected all season, Indiana and SMU were frauds pretending to be good football teams. The Hoosiers only played two teams all season – Ohio State and Notre Dame. Indiana lost to both. Friday night, in the first game of the four first-round playoff games, Notre Dame downed Indiana, 27-17. The game wasn’t as close as the score looks. The Irish led the Hoosiers 27-3 with less than 2 minutes to play in the game. Indiana scored two touchdowns in the final 1:27 of the contest.
SMU only played three teams all season – BYU, Clemson and Penn State. SMU lost to all three. Saturday, in the second game of the four first-round playoff games, Penn State terrorized SMU, 38-10. The game wasn’t as close as the score looks. The Nittany Lions led the Mustangs 38-3 with less than 8 minutes to play in the game. SMU scored its one and only touchdown at the 7:31 mark in the fourth quarter.
In the SMU-Penn State game, the most valuable player for the Nittany Lions was SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings. Jennings was mistake prone all game. On a 4th down, early in the first quarter and deep in Penn State territory, Jennings made the mistake of throwing the ball when he had an open field to easily run for the first down. Jennings’ pass was incomplete, and the ball turned over to Penn State. Then, before the first half was over, Jennings threw not one but three interceptions. The first two of the inceptions were returned for Penn State’s first two touchdowns of the game. Jennings never should have gotten out of bed Saturday morning.
Finally, we got a good contest in the third game of the four first-round playoff games. Texas led most of the way but Clemson kept it exciting. The Longhorns beat the Tigers, 38-24. Texas was leading 31-10 with less than 4 minutes to go in the third quarter. It was looking good for the Horns. But just a little more than 3 minutes into the fourth quarter, Clemson cut the gap to 7 points – 31-24. One minute later, Texas scored on a 77-yard touchdown run by Jaydon Blue.
The fourth game of the four first-round games was another rout, just like the first two games. Tennessee couldn’t win for losing, as Ohio State pummeled the Vols, 42-17. The game was worse than the score looks. Ohio State led 42-10 early in the fourth quarter. Tennessee scored a “who cares” touchdown with 1:56 left on the clock. That score prevented Ohio State from having the largest victory margin of the four first-round games.
Three of the first-round games – Indiana-Notre Dame, SMU-Penn State and Tennessee-Ohio State – were played in sub-freezing temperatures that were in the mid to low 20s. Three of the first round games drew crowds of more than 100,000 spectators. It was a good first round for the Big Ten – 2-1, so-so for the SEC – 1-1 and a disaster for the ACC – 0-2.
Round Two of the CFP (the Quarterfinals) will be played on December 31 (one game) and January 1 (three games). On New Year’s Eve, Penn State and Boise State tangle in the Fiesta Bowl. On New Year’s Day, Texas and Arizona State go at it in the Peach Bowl, Ohio State and Oregon meet in the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame and Georgia face off in the Sugar Bowl.
Yeah, the committee got it wrong. Alabama and Ole Miss should have been in the playoff instead of Indiana and SMU. And Tennessee apparently was an overrated team this season.
The bowl season continued last Thursday night with the New Orleans Bowl. Sam Houston took advantage of Georgia Southern’s five turnovers to beat the Eagles, 31-26.
Friday afternoon, in the Cure Bowl, Ohio had a halftime lead of 27-7 and an early fourth quarter lead of 30-14. Then the Bobcats struggled to hold on and beat Jacksonville State, 30-27. Jax State quarterback Tyler Huff passed for 366 yards.
Later the same day, Florida ended its season on a four-game winning streak. The Gators beat Tulane, 33-8, in the Gasparilla Bowl. In the first half, Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway was D.J Passaway, as the Florida quarterback threw two interceptions. But Lagway got his act together in the second half.
Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is joining his father’s staff in Chapel Hill to be North Carolina’s defensive coordinator.
Washington State is the only school still looking for a new football coach. As it stands now, 27 schools will have new head coaches next season.
“Waiting for the train that goes home, sweet Mary, hoping that the train is on time. Sitting downtown in a railway station, one toke over the line….” Remember that song? “One Toke Over the Line.” It was on the Billboard hot 100 chart for 14 weeks in the late winter and spring of 1971, peaking at No. 10. The song was written and sung by Michael Brewer and Tom Shipley of the folk-rock duo Brewer & Shipley. Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead played steel guitar on the recording of the song. Charles Michael Brewer died last week. A native of Oklahoma City, he was 80. “….One toke over the line, sweet Jesus, one toke over the line.”
Former Major League Baseball left fielder Rickey Henderson, the “Man of Steel,” died last week. Henderson played 24 seasons in the majors for nine different teams – 1979 to 2003. Fourteen of those seasons (non-consecutive) were with the Oakland Raiders, his original team. He is widely regarded as baseball’s greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. He holds MLB records for career stolen bases, runs, unintentional walks and leadoff home runs. Henderson won the American League MVP award in 1990. A native of Chicago, Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson was 65.
Swamp Mama and I are leaving later today, driving to the Panhandle to share Christmas with Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe. It’s going to be chilly but not too bad.
Happy Holidays.…..Merry Christmas……Happy Hanukkah……Season’s Greetings
Touchdown Tom
December 23, 2024
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Review of the Last Three Bowl Games
Turnover Bowl – (in the New Orleans Bowl) – Sam Houston 31, Georgia Southern 26 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Southern 27, Sam Houston 20). Georgia Southern could have won the game. Georgia Southern should have won the game. But you can’t win games when you have five turnovers – one fumble and four interceptions. It was a frustrating game for the Eagles. Sam Houston ended its season with a 10-3 record. Attendance in New Orleans: 13,151
Each had a half – (in the Cure Bowl) – Ohio 30, Jacksonville State 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio 31, Jacksonville State 27). Ohio had a good first half (27 points) and a lousy second half (3 points). Bobcats’ quarterback Parker Navarro, who passed for 256 yards and rushed for 110 yards, got most of those yards in the first half. Ohio running back Anthony Tyus rushed for 102 yards. Most of his yards were in the first half too. Ohio receiver Coleman Owen had 11 catches for 141 yards – most in the first half. Jax State had a bad first half (7 points) and a good second half (20 points). Jax State quarterback Tyler Huff, who usually gets most of his yards rushing, was 21-35-1, passing for 362 yards. Huff only had 2 yards rushing. As a team, Jax State only had 43 yards rushing. Gamecocks’ receiver Cam Vaughn had 10 catches for 183 yards. Ohio had 487 total yards. It was a sloppy game – 16 penalties and four turnovers (2 for each team). Ohio ended its season at 11-3. Attendance in Orlando: 10,518
Four straight – (in the Gasparilla Bowl) – Florida 33, Tulane 8 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 34, Tulane 20). Florida got off to a slow start. Only six points in the first half – two field goals. But Tulane had a worse first half – 0 points. Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway contributed to that slow start, throwing two interceptions. But Lagway found his groove in the second half. He ended up passing for 305 yards. In the second half, the Gators built up their lead to 33-0. Tulane scored its lone touchdown with 11 seconds left in the game. The Green Wave were playing with their backup quarterback. Florida totally dominated the stats – 529 total yards and 26 first downs. The Gators controlled ball possession 38:57 to 21:03. Tulane only had 194 total yards and only 69 yards rushing. Florida ended its season on a positive note with 4-straight wins and an 8-5 record. That’s an encouraging sign for next season. Attendance in Tampa: 41,472
Last Three Bowl Game Picks: 2 winners, 1 fumble (66.7 percent)
Total Bowl Game Picks To Date: 6 winners, 1 fumble (85.7 percent)
Review of the College Football Playoff (First Round)
A good night to be Irish – (in the College Football Playoff) – Notre Dame 27, Indiana 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Indiana 28). On offense and defense, Notre Dame was too fast for Indiana. The Irish had the speed and the Hoosiers didn’t. The game was over at halftime when the score was 17-3. It got worse, as ND extended its lead to 27-3 in the second half. A big difference was in the rushing game. Notre Dame had one and Indiana didn’t. The Irish had 193 yards on the ground. The Hoosiers had 63 yards. The temperature was 28° at kickoff and 24° at the end of the game. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622
The Mustangs were put out to pasture – (in the College Football Playoff) – Penn State 38, SMU 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 30, SMU 24). Penn State came to play, and SMU didn’t. It was as simple as that. The Nittany Lions led 28-0 at halftime. Actually, SMU’s defense put up a pretty good fight. Two of Penn State’s touchdowns were pick-sixes. And a third interception set up a third Penn State touchdown. Penn State’s running game was too much for the Mustangs. The Nittany Lions had 189 yards rushing. SMU only had 58 yards rushing. Penn State running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen had 90 yards and 70 yards rushing respectively. Singleton had one touchdown and Allen had two touchdowns. SMU kept stepping on its foot and never could get its act together. The temperature was 24° at kickoff and 23° at the end of the game. Attendance in State College: 106,013
Bevo toots his Horns – (in the College Football Playoff) – Texas 38, Clemson 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 33, Clemson 20). Clemson looked impressive on its opening drive, moving down the field with ease to score and take a 7-0 lead. Texas responded, tying the score at 7-7. Texas responded again and again. Before you knew it, the Horns were up 21-7 over Clemson. Texas led 28-10 at the halftime break. Midway through the third quarter, Texas extended its lead to 31-10. It didn’t look good for the Tigers. But Clemson came roaring back, scoring two unanswered touchdowns. The Texas lead was a precarious 31-24. The Longhorns quickly added another touchdown and then held on to win. This game had an excitement to it the other two games lacked. Clemson was a passing team, and Texas was the running team. Tigers’ quarterback Cade Klubnik passed for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Clemson receiver T.J. Moore had 9 catches for 116 yards. Texas running backs Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 146 yards and 110 yards respectively. Texas racked up 494 total yards – 202 yards passing and 292 yards rushing. Clemson only had 76 yards rushing. The temperature was 61°at kickoff and 55° at the end of the game. Attendance in Austin: 101,150
A Scarlet smackdown – (in the College Football Playoff) – Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 27, Ohio State 24). With the blink of your eye, Ohio State was up 21-0. Tennessee couldn’t stop the Buckeyes in the first quarter. Just a little over two minutes into the game, Ohio State scored its first touchdown and went up 7-0. By the time the first quarter was over, the Buckeyes were up 21-0. Tennessee recovered in the second quarter. The Vols outscored the Buckeyes 10-0. Ohio State led 21-10 at the halftime break. But the third quarter was similar to the first. It was all Buckeyes. Ohio State outscored Tennessee 14-0. Early in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes added another TD and went up 42-10. It was all over but the shouting. While Ohio State executed with ease, Tennessee’s offense struggled. And the Vols’ defense was just as bad. For a 6-6 quarterback, I was surprised at the number of passes Nico Iamaleava had blocked. Will Howard had 311 yards passing. TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 80 yards and Jeremiah Smith had six receptions for 106 yards. Ohio State finished with 473 total yards. Tennessee had 256 total yards. The temperature was 25° at kickoff and 21° at the end of the game. Attendance in Columbus: 102,819
First Round CFP Picks: 3 winners, 1 fumble
Superlatives
Impressive Passers:
Jacksonville State’s Tyler Huff – 21-35-1-362 (1TD); Clemson’s Cade Klubnik – 26-43-1-336 (3TDs), and Ohio State’s Will Howard – 24-29-1-311 (2TDs).
Impressive Rushers:
Texas’ Jaydon Blue – 146 yards (2TDs).
FCS Semifinals
North Dakota State 28, South Dakota State 21 – Attendance in Fargo: 17,849
Montana State 31, South Dakota 17 – Attendance in Boseman: 20,557
Division II Championship
Ferris State 49, Valdosta State 14 – Attendance in Valdosta: 3,228
Division III Semifinals
Mount Union 45, Johns Hopkins 37
North Central 66, Susquehanna 0
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for the Next Three Bowl Games
Coastal Carolina (6-6) vs. UTSA (6-6) – (Sun Belt vs. AAC) – Myrtle Beach Bowl (Brooks Stadium – Conway, South Carolina) – 11:00 am ET, Monday, ESPN – Nothing like playing a bowl game on your home field. That’s what Coastal Carolina will be doing. The Chanticleers got off to a great start this season. They were 3-0, including a 55-27 win over Jacksonville State. Then it all turned around for Coastal. They lost 6 of their next 9 games and none of the losses were close. The Chanticleers’ offense averaged 30 points a game, but the defense gave up 31 points a game. UTSA had a disappointing season. The Roadrunners were supposed to contend for the AAC championship. They weren’t anywhere close. UTSA did end the season on a positive note. The Roadrunners won 3 of their last 4 games, including a 44-36 win over Memphis. UTSA was one of only two teams to beat Memphis. UTSA’s offense and defense are similar to Coastal Carolinas. The Roadrunners averaged 32 points a game and gave up 31 points a game. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown passed for 3,170 yards. It’s all Beep, Beep in Conway – UTSA 34, Coastal Carolina 31.
Northern Illinois (7-5) vs. Fresno State (6-6) – (MAC vs. MWC) – Idaho Potato Bowl (Albertsons Stadium – Boise, Idaho) – 2:30 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – Northern Illinois has the distinction of being the only team to beat Notre Dame this season. Other than that, the Huskies don’t have much to brag about. NIU does have a decent defense. Actually, one of the best in the country. That’s a good thing because the offense, other than the running game, is pretty bad. Fresno State, meanwhile, is hurting because the Bulldogs’ quarterback Mikey Keene has entered the transfer portal. Keene was one of the few good things about Fresno State this season. The Bulldogs have no running game. The defense is not good. Fresno State averages 27 points a game and gives up 25 points a game. The Huskies twice bake the Bulldogs – Northern Illinois 27, Fresno State 20.
South Florida (6-6) vs. San Jose State (7-5) – (AAC vs. MWC) – Hawaii Bowl (Ching Athletics Complex – Honolulu, Hawaii) – 8 pm ET, Tuesday, ESPN – South Florida had a disappointing season. The Bulls were supposed to contend for the AAC championship. They didn’t. South Florida mixes an average offense with a bad defense. USF gave up 29 points a game. San Jose State is a strong passing team – 5th in the country with 325 yards a game. The passing is handled by quarterback Walker Eget. Eget is good. The pressure is on Eget because the Spartans don’t have a running game. They don’t have much of a defense either. The Spartans win the Bullfight – San Jose State 27, South Florida 21.
Quotes of the Week
“Indiana’s inclusion in college football’s postseason tournament was a monumental mistake,” USA Today sportswriter Matt Hayes.
“Ryan Day continues to prove he’s one of the best coaches in the country, as long as the Buckeyes aren’t playing Michigan,” USA Today sportswriter Paul Myerberg.
“Big talk, little walk from Curt Cignetti,” FOX Sports Michael Cohen.
“We don’t just beat Top 25 teams, we beat the shit out of them,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti before the game against Notre Dame.
“One thing you didn’t learn from me is talking all the shit you talk,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban to Indiana coach Curt Cignetti. (Note: Cignetti was on Saban’s staff for four seasons from 2007 to 2010.)
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
(The next CFW – Week 18 Results/Forecast will be posted Thursday morning, December 26, and CFW’s annual holiday bonus “What Year Was It?” will be posted Saturday morning, December 28.)
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