Week 4 Forecast - The Ivies kickoff this week

 Week 4 Forecast – The Ivies kickoff this week

Key games in the Big 12, Big Ten and SEC

 

Three of the Power Four conferences – Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC – each have an important game this week. The three games are matching undefeated teams. Only the ACC is lacking a key game in Week 4.

 

The biggest of the three games is in the Big Ten – Illinois (3-0) at Indiana (3-0).  Bret Bielema has turned around the program in Champaign-Urbana. Curt Cignetti has done likewise in Bloomington. Indiana made the College Football Playoff last year, his first with the Hoosiers.

 

In the Big 12, Texas Tech (3-0) and Utah (3-0) do battle. The game is in Salt Lake City.  It matches a passing quarterback – Texas Tech’s Behren Morton – against a running quarterback – Utah’s Devon Dampier.

 

The SEC’s big game is Oklahoma’s chance to make some noise this year. Auburn (3-0) takes on Oklahoma (3-0) in Norman. This contest should give us a good indication if Hugh Freeze’s Tigers are for real or if Brent Venables’ Sooners are ready to play some football in 2025. OU already has a good win over Michigan. Likewise, Auburn has a good win over Baylor. The rest of the story: Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold was Oklahoma’s quarterback last year.

 

In addition to Illinois at Indiana, the Big Ten has three other games the outcomes of which will be interesting. Michigan (2-1) at Nebraska (3-0) will give us a good indication of just how good the Huskers are this year. Michigan State (3-0) at USC (3-0), another battle of undefeated teams, will let us know if the Spartans or the Trojans should be taken seriously.

And finally, Iowa (2-1) at Rutgers (3-0) is not a game to be taken lightly. It will give us answers about the Scarlet Knights.

 

Next to Texas Tech at Utah, the best game in the Big 12 is Arizona State (2-1) at Baylor (2-1). Baylor bounced back from its loss to Auburn, beating SMU. This could be a sink or swim game for the Sun Devils. Lose, and Arizona State’s season is gasping for air. Win, and the Sun Devils are back in the saddle gain.

 

Next to Auburn-Oklahoma, the best game in the SEC is South Carolina (2-1) at Missouri (3-0). The Gamecocks unexpectedly stubbed their toe last week against Vanderbilt – big time. So, this is really an important game for South Carolina. Behind Beau Pribula and Ahmad Hardy, Missouri has been flying high.

 

Then there are two big interconference games this week – Tulane (3-0) at Ole Miss (3-0) and SMU (2-1) at TCU (2-0). Tulane will most likely suffer its first loss this week. But the Green Wave could give Ole Miss a good fight. SMU-TCU is a great rivalry in Texas.  

 

I am curious about the outcomes of Arkansas (2-1) at Memphis (3-0), Maryland (3-0) at Wisconsin (2-1) and North Carolina (2-1) at UCF (2-0). Can Memphis hang with the Razorbacks? How good (or bad) is Maryland? We know Wisconsin is not that good. And Bill Belichick versus Scott Frost in Orlando.   

 

The Ivy League begins play this week. We have to pay them homage for getting our great game of football off to a rousing start back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The eight-member league is not what it used to be, but they are still playing football. The games are fun too. I went to a Princeton-Dartmouth game in Hanover, New Hampshire back in 1974. Princeton won, 14-7.

 

Columbia gets the action started this year on Friday night – Columbia at Lafayette. The remaining seven games are on Saturday. Four home games – Georgetown at Brown, New Hampshire at Dartmouth, San Diego at Princeton and Holy Cross at Yale. Three Ivies are on the road – Cornell at UAlbany, Harvard at Stetson and Penn at Stonehill.

 

Iconic actor, producer and director Robert Redford died on September 16. Redford starred in several of the best movies ever made, including many of my favorite movies – “The Chase” (1966), “Barefoot in the Park” (1967), “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), “The Candidate” (1972, “The Sting” (1973), “The Way We Were” (1973), “Three Days of the Condor” (1975), “All the President’s Men” (1976), “The Electric Horseman” (1979); “The Natural” (1984), “Out of Africa” (1985), and “Up Close and Personal” (1996). He directed the movie “A River Runs Through It” (1992). In Van Nuys High School (California), Redford was a classmate with baseball pitcher Don Drysdale. He hit tennis balls with Poncho Gonzalez to help Gonzalez warm up for matches. Out of high school, Redford attended the University of Colorado, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. After a year and a half in Boulder, he left Colorado to travel in Europe, living in France, Spain and Italy. He later received an honorary degree from Colorado in 1988. He also received honorary degrees from Brown and Colby College. A native of Santa Monica, California, Charles Robert Redford was 89.

 

Touchdown Tom

September 18, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #9 Illinois (3-0) at #19 Indiana (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – Saturday, NBC – For several years, whenever Illinois and Indiana got together it was typically two of the worst teams in the Big Ten playing each other. Not so anymore. The Banned Indians and the Hoosiers are two of the better teams in the Big Ten. Little-by-little, coach Bret Bielema has been elevating Illinois. Last year coach Curt Cignetti brought Indiana out of the doldrums in his first year coaching the Hoosiers.  Both teams have experienced quarterbacks – Luke Altmeyer for Illinois and Fernando Mendoza for Indiana. Illinois is more experienced at the other positions. Curt bows to Bret – Illinois 31, Indiana 28.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #17 Texas Tech (3-0) at #16 Utah (3-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – It’s not unlikely that these two teams could be meeting again in the Big 12 championship game. At this stage of the season, I’m thinking Tech has the stronger offense, Utah has the better defense. Both have capable quarterbacks – Behren Morton for Texas Tech and Devon Dampier for Utah. Morton is a good passer (901 yards this season). Dampier is a good runner (198 yards this season). Utah has the home field and therein lies the difference. Whittingham outwits McGuire – Utah 28, Texas Tech 27.

 

RESRT OF THE BEST: 3.#22 Auburn (3-0) at #11 Oklahoma (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Both teams have a good win. Auburn looked good against Baylor. Oklahoma looked good against Michigan. The interesting thing about this game is the Auburn quarterback – Jackson Arnold. Arnold transferred to Auburn from Oklahoma. He didn’t work out as a quarterback in Norman. Coach Hugh Freeze is hoping he works out at Auburn. OU has a transfer quarterback too – John Mateer. He came to Norman from Washington State. Mateer is an accomplished passer. He has already passed for 944 yards this season. Hugh has a brain freeze – Oklahoma 31, Auburn 27.

 

4. #32 Tulane (3-0) at #11 Ole Miss (3-0) – (AC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Tulane, who could finish the season as the highest-ranked Group of Five team, has a tough one this week. Probably too tough. The Green Wave are undefeated, but they struggled the past two weeks, beating South Alabama, 33-31, and Duke, 34-27. The best thing Tulane has going is quarterback Jake Retzlaff. He quarterbacked BYU last year. Retzlaff can pass and run. Ultimately, Ole Miss has much more talent than Tulane. And as we learned last week, Ole Miss has two good quarterbacks – Austin Simmons and Trinidad Chambliss. If there is a weakness for Ole Miss, it is the defense. A good day to be in The Grove – Ole Miss 34, Tulane 24.

 

5. #28 South Carolina (2-1) at #23 Missouri (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – South Carolina took it on the chin last week – and from Vanderbilt at that. The Gamecocks will need to step up their game this week – big time.  That means they need to have quarterback LaNorris Sellers playing. Sellers suffered a head injury against Vanderbilt. He may or may not play against Missouri. The Tigers are a big threat on offense with the quarterbacking of Beau Pribula and the running of Ahmad Hardy. They are a double threat. Truman loves the taste of chicken – Missouri 30, South Carolina 20.

 

6. #21 Michigan (2-1) at #34 Nebraska (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This game could be epic. Both teams are solid in the Big Ten. Michigan’s loss was a non-conference game against Oklahoma. The Wolverines will be fighting to remain undefeated in Big Ten play. Michigan is so-so at quarterback, but the Wolverines have a solid running back in Justice Haynes. He has already rushed for 388 yards this season. Nebraska, on the other hand, has a quarterback and a running back – Dylan Raiola and Emmett Johnson. Raiola has passed for 829 yards and Johnson has rushed for 326 yards. The Huskers defense is playing good too. No justice for the Wolverines – Nebraska 28, Michigan 24.  

  

7. Michigan State (3-0) at #25 USC (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 11 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – How good are these two teams. Both are undefeated, but both are untested. The Spartans struggled to beat Boston College earlier in the season. The Trojans looked pretty good at Purdue last week. Both teams are weak on the ground. Michigan State is weak through the air. USC, on the other hand, has a good passer in Jayden Maiava. Maiava has passed for 989 yards this season. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley is out to keep his job. His players give him a boost – USC 38, Michigan State 24.

 

8. #31 Arizona State (2-1) at #35 Baylor (2-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams lost to an SEC team. Baylor dropped its opener to Auburn. Arizona State lost in the final 30 seconds to Mississippi State. ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt has been disappointing so far this season. He needs a breakout game. On the other hand, Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson has been outstanding. And Baylor probably has the better running game. The game is in Waco. It’s not looking good for the Sun Devils. The Bears have a picnic – Baylor 27, Arizona State 24.

 

9. #37 SMU (2-1) at #30 TCU (2-0) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – SMU lives and dies on the play of quarterback Kevin Jennings. Jennings has been so-so this season. The Mustangs have no running game. TCU has only played two games, but quarterback Josh Hoover has looked good in both games. The Horned Frogs could be a surprise team this year. SMU has already lost to one Big 12 team – Baylor. It looks like the Mustangs are going to lose to another Big 12 team – TCU 31, SMU 28.

 

10. Iowa (2-1) at Rutgers (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – We’ll find out this week which of these two teams is for real. Iowa had a tough loss to Iowa State. Otherwise, the Hawkeyes haven’t been tested. Rutgers is undefeated, but untested. As is typical, Iowa has no offense. The Hawkeyes win their games on defense. Rutgers has an offense, but it is not overwhelming. The Scarlet Knights have no defense. But do you need to have a good defense against Iowa? If you like offense, this isn’t your game. The Knights turn off Iowa’s lights – Rutgers 18, Iowa 17.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

West Virginia (2-1) at Kansas (2-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – Saturday, FS1 – I guess we’ll find out this week if WVU’s win over Pitt last week was a fluke. You gotta figure Kansas is probably no better or no worse than Pitt. But the game is in Lawrence. The Mountaineers defense has been playing well. It’s the offense that is a big question mark. You don’t know if the offense will show up or not. If the offense does show up, will it establish consistency. West Virginia may have found a running back last week – Tye Edwards, filling in for the injured Jahiem White, had 141 yards rushing against Pitt. As Jalon Daniels goes, so goes Kansas. The Jayhawks quarterback is up and down. If he’s up, he can be dangerous. I should have faith, but I don’t – Kansas 27, West Virginia 24.

 

Florida (1-2) at #4 Miami (3-0) – (SEC vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC –  Billy Napier’s days are numbered – maybe even more so after this week. It doesn’t look good for Billy. Miami wasn’t kind to Notre Dame or South Florida. The Canes can’t be expected to be kind to Florida. After throwing five interceptions against LSU, Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway could use some breaks against the Canes. The Gator defense needs to step up. That’s Florida’s only hope. Miami quarterback Carson Beck beat Florida when he was at Georgia. He'll continue to beat Florida while he is at Miami. It’s crying time again for Napier – Miami 24, Florida 13.

 

#38 NC State (3-0) at Duke (1-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 –  Duke has dropped two-straight games to Illinois and Tulane. Needless to say, the Dookies are hurting. Their passing game is respectable. Darian Mensah has passed for 1,036 yards. But the running game is atrocious. It doesn’t exist. NC State’s passing game has been weak. C.J. Bailey has been a disappointment. But the Wolfpack running game has been decent. So what’s up? NC State is undefeated, and the Wolfpack are likely to maintain an unblemished record. Duke loses three straight – NC State 30, Duke 27.

 

Sam Houston (0-3) at #8 Texas (2-1) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – After losing that big game to Ohio State, Texas has played two cupcakes. The third cupcake is coming up this week. Arch Manning not only didn’t look good against Ohio State, but also, he didn’t look good against the two cupcakes – San Jose State and UTEP. During the UTEP game, the Texas fans were booing him. Maybe that will shake him out of his funk. He’s definitely in a funk. Regardless how Manning plays, this will be a win for Texas. It’s only a matter of how big of a win. Bevo says, “No sweat” – Texas 45, Sam Houston 17.

 

Purdue (2-1) at #24 Notre Dame (0-2) – (Big Ten vs. Ind.) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – I really feel sorry for Purdue. You know the Irish are angry – very angry. They should be after losing their first two games. The Irish will take out that anger on the Boilermakers.  Purdue’s only hope is to keep the score decent. It’s doubtful the Boilers can do that. The Irish get their first win of the season – Notre Dame 38, Purdue 13.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

South Carolina State (2-1) at #27 South Florida (2-1) – (MEAC vs. AC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Harvard (0-0) at Stetson (1-2) – (Ivy League vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

Edward Waters (3-0) at Bethune-Cookman (0-3) – (SIAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

Kent State (1-1) at #7 Florida State (2-0) – (MAC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN….

North Carolina (2-1) at UCF (2-0) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX….

 

Delaware (2-1) at FIU (2-1) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

West Florida (3-0) at North Greenville (1-1) – (Gulf South vs. Carolinas) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“We’re not set up to win a national championship. I’ll just be brutally honest with that. But I think we’re set up to compete really well in the Southeastern Conference,” Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek, on the Razorback’s football program.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

CFW Week 3 Results - UCLA and Virginia Tech fire head coaches

 CFW Week 3 Results – UCLA and Virginia Tech fire head coaches

A quintet of epic games

made for a classic weekend

 

Whether you were happy or not about the outcome of these games, you have to admit they were epics.

 

One was decided by a 55-yard field goal as the time expired. Two required overtime to settle the outcome. One was clinched by a fourth-down touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining. One gave us eight touchdowns and a field goal (59 points) and four ties, all in the first half.

 

Trailing Georgia Tech 13-0 midway through the second quarter, Clemson fought back and took a 14-13 lead over the Yellow Jackets late in the third quarter. Less than a minute later, Georgia Tech retook the lead at 21-14. With 3:26 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, Clemson tied the game at 21-21. Then with no timeouts left and the clock running with 19 seconds left to play, Georgia Tech rushed its field goal team onto the field. Aidan Birr nailed a 55-yarder. The clock was down to 2 seconds when he got the kick off. Georgia Tech upset Clemson, 24-21.This is the same Aidan Birr who kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give Georgia Tech a 24-21 win over Florida State last year in Dublin, Ireland.

 

For the first two and a half quarters, in what was billed as the “Game of the Week,” Georgia trailed Tennessee – other than a very brief 7-7 tie in the first quarter. As the first quarter ended, the Dawgs were down 21-7. Georgia trailed 21-17 at halftime. Then, midway through the third quarter, Georgia took its first lead in the game, 24-21. In the next 11 minutes, the lead would change hands three times. As the third quarter came to an end, Tennessee retook the lead at 28-27. Early in the fourth quarter, Georgia went back up 30-28. Less than two minutes later, Tennessee grabbed a 35-30 lead. With 6:40 remaining, the Vols extended their lead, 38-30. Then with 2:32 on the clock, the Dawgs scored a touchdown and nailed a two-point conversion – 38-38. Tennessee then blew its chance to win the game. With just seven seconds remaining, the Vols lined up to kick a 38-yard game-winning field goal. However, a false start penalty on Tennessee moved the ball back five yards. So, now it was a 43-yard field goal attempt. Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert missed the kick, which forced the game into overtime. In overtime, Tennessee made a 42-yard field goal. It was up to Georgia, and the Dawgs scored a touchdown – Georgia 44, Tennessee 41 (OT).

 

In Morgantown, it was the 108^th edition of the “Backyard Brawl.” Early in the second quarter, West Virginia took a 7-0 lead over Pitt. At halftime, WVU led 7-3. Midway through the third quarter, the Mountaineers extended their lead to 14-3. Two minutes later, Pitt closed the gap to 14-11. Late in the third quarter, the Panthers tied the game at 14-14. In the fourth quarter, Pitt continued its run. The Panthers took their first lead at 17-14. Five and a half minutes later, Pitt extended its lead to 24-14. With 5:03 remaining, WVU kicked a field goal. The Mountaineers trailed, 24-17. As the clock was winding down, West Virginia mounted an 87-yard drive. WVU scored a touchdown with 11 seconds remaining – 24-24. Overtime! In overtime, the Mountaineers scored a touchdown and Pitt failed to score – West Virginia 31, Pitt 24 (OT).

 

For most of the first half, Notre Dame was having its way against Texas A&M. The game remained close, but the Irish had leads of 7-0, 14-7, 17-7, 17-14, 24-14 and 24-21. However, with 1:11 to go before the break, Texas A&M took its first lead at 28-24. Midway through the third quarter, Notre Dame went back up at 31-28. As the third quarter was coming to an end, the Aggies tied the game at 31-31. Just one minute into the fourth quarter, Notre Dame was back on top at 34-31. Texas A&M came right back and tied things up at 34-34. Then an interesting thing happened. First, the Irish scored a touchdown with 2:53 remaining on the clock. Notre Dame was up 40-34. But on the extra point attempt, the Irish botched the snap. That kept the Notre Dame lead at just six points. Then another interesting thing happened. On the ensuing kickoff, Texas A&M returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. But the touchdown was negated by a holding penalty on the Aggies. No problem – Texas A&M drove down the field to the Notre Dame 10. Then the Aggies were hit with back-to-back penalties. Down to one play left – fourth and goal – Texas A&M connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining. Texas A&M beat Notre Dame, 41-40.

 

The fifth of the five epics took place in Oxford, Mississippi. Ole Miss and Arkansas gave us more than we could ask for in the first half. In the first two quarters, the game was tied four times. In the first two quarters, Ole Miss scored four touchdowns and a field goal – 31 points. Arkansas scored four touchdowns – 28 points. Ole Miss led Arkansas 31-28 at the break. The second half was a complete opposite of the first half. The offenses calmed down and the defenses stepped up. Both teams only scored one touchdown in the second half. Ole Miss added a field goal to their touchdown. In the end, Ole Miss beat Arkansas, 41-35.

 

Those five games made Saturday a terrific day in college football. Not because of who won or who lost, but because the games were epic. They could not have been more exciting. It was 11 hours of intense drama.

 

College football Week 3 began Thursday night in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In the only game Thursday night, NC State rallied in the second half to beat Wake Forest 34-24. Trailing the Demon Deacons 24-17 at halftime, the Wolfpack outscored Wake Forest 17-0 in the second half. The Deacons ran out of steam. NC State running back Hollywood Smothers rushed for 164 yards.

 

College football Week 3 continued Friday night with a slate of five games. The first two games were full of offensive fireworks. Indiana demolished Indiana State, 73-0, and Syracuse powered over Colgate, 66-24.

 

The Hoosiers racked up 33 first downs and 680 total yards in their win over the Sycamores. Indiana receiver Omar Cooper had 10 receptions for 207 yards and four touchdowns. Syracuse and Colgate combined for 1,044 total yards, with the Orange having 622 of those yards. Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli passed for 417 yards and five touchdowns, while Orange receiver Darrell Gill had six receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

 

In the third game, Houston beat Colorado, 36-20. The Cougars had a balanced attack of running and passing. The Buffaloes had no running game. The next game was also a Big 12 encounter. Arizona improved to 3-0, edging Kansas State, 23-17. Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi rushed for 189 yards.

 

The Friday night finale saw UCLA fall to 0-3. The Bruins lost to New Mexico, 35-10. New Mexico running back Damon Bankston rushed for 154 yards and one touchdown.

 

 

There were other close games on Saturday. Buffalo scored a touchdown with 1:03 remaining to beat Kent State, 31-28. Delaware kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to put its game with Connecticut in overtime. In the extra time, Delaware beat UConn, 44-41 (OT).

 

Then there were the other extremes – the 60-plussers: Michigan 63, Central Michigan 3; Rutgers 60, Norfolk State 10; Cincinnati 70, Northwestern State 0; Toledo 60, Morgan State 0, and Mississippi State 63, Alcorn State 0.

 

From Parton to Parker – Dolly Parton turned down ESPN’s offer to be the guest picker on College GameDay. Former Tennessee basketball player Candace Parker filled in as the picker. Dolly backed out because GameDay is just 9-to-12 and Dolly works 9-to-5.

 

On a positive note: Iowa State is the only 4-0 team in the country. Vanderbilt is 3-0. California is 3-0. On a negative note: Notre Dame is 0-2 and Clemson is 1-2.

 

UCLA fired head coach DeShaun Foster and Virginia Tech fired head coach Brent Pry on Sunday. Both UCLA and Virginia Tech are 0-3. Foster was in his second year with the Bruins. His record was 5-10. Pry was in his fourth year with the Hokies. His record was 16-24.

 

Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell and Florida’s Billy Napier will be fired by the end of the season.

 

Following the loss to Texas A&M, Notre Dame fans flocked to social media to trash Irish defensive coordinator Chris Ash. A few postings: “Chris Ash is just awful.” “Chris Ash needs to be fired tomorrow.” “Fire Chris Ash if you care about this program.”

 

Texas fans booed Arch Manning during the Longhorns’ game with UTEP. Texas won 27-10.

 

After three weeks of football, the Top 5 in the AP Poll this week are 1.Ohio State (3-0), 2. Penn State (3-0), 3. LSU (3-0), 4. Miami (3-0) and 5. Georgia (3-0). There are no Group of five teams in the Top 25 this week.

 

The ACC has approved a nine-game conference schedule, commencing in 2026. With the ACC announcement, all four Power Four conferences will be playing nine-game conference schedules next year. The SEC announced its move to nine games a few months ago. The Big 12 and Big Ten have been playing nine-game conference schedules for several years.

 

Touchdown Tom

September 15, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Week Three Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Missed field goal – Georgia 44, Tennessee 41 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 27, Georgia 24). Yes, sadly for Tennessee, a blown 43-yard field goal cost the Vols the game. The same kicker – Max Gilbert – made a 48-yard field six minutes prior to the missed field goal. The two teams combined for 999 total yards. Georgia held a 17-minute edge in time of possession. Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar passed for 371 yards and four touchdowns. Aguilar also threw two interceptions. Vols receiver Chris Brazzell had six receptions for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Knoxville: 101,915

 

RUNNER-UP: The run is over – Miami 49, South Florida 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, South Florida 19). Yes, the running of the Bulls has ceased. After knocking off Boise State and Florida, the Bulls ran out of gas against Miami. Miami totally dominated the game – 27 first downs and 576 total yards. The Canes had a 13-minute edge in time of possession. South Florida only had 40 yards rushing. Miami quarterback Carson Beck was 23-for-28, passing for 340 yards and three touchdowns. Beck also threw two interceptions. Attendance in Miami Gardens: 66,591

 

REST OF THE BEST: Irish are 0-2 – Texas A&M 41, Notre Dame 40 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Texas A&M 21). Notre Dame, who played in the national championship game last season is off to a 0-2 start. The Irish defense gave up 488 total yards to A&M. Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed was 17-37-1, passing for 360 yards and two touchdowns. A&M receiver Mario Craver had seven receptions for 207 yards and one touchdown. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in South Bend: N/A

 

Five picks – LSU 20, Florida 10 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 27, Florida 17). Yes, Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway threw five interceptions. Florida had more first downs – 23-10, and more total yards – 366 to 322. The Gators even had a 15-minute edge in time of possession. But the five interceptions kept Florida from winning. How much longer does Billy Napier have? Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,158

 

Jackets are 3-0 – Georgia Tech 24, Clemson 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 21, Clemson 20). As the score indicates, the teams were pretty even in the stats. Tech quarterback Haynes King was 20-28-0, passing for 211 yards. King also rushed for 103 yards. Clemson receiver Bryant Wesco had seven receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown. It was Georgia Tech’s first win over Clemson after nine straight losses. Attendance in Atlanta: 48,059

 

Vandy ain’t no candy – Vanderbilt 31, South Carolina 7 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 27). South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson, who was ejected for targeting. South Carolina had four turnovers – two fumbles and two interceptions. Vanderbilt had an 11-minute edge in time of possession. After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, the Gamecocks were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Attendance in Columbia: 79,873

 

Backup QB comes through – Ole Miss 41, Arkansas 35 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 28, Arkansas 24). The teams combined for 1,007 total yards. Ole Miss was quarterbacked by backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Quarterback Austin Simmons was sidelined with a foot injury. Chambliss stepped up to the challenge. He was 21-29-0, passing for 353 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green was 22-35-0, passing for 305 yards and one touchdown. Green also rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. Attendance in Oxford: 65,068

 

Recovery’s over – Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 31, Wisconsin 10). This doesn’t look like the same Alabama team that lost to Florida State. Either that or Wisconsin is even worse than we thought. Bama quarterback Ty Simpson was 24-29-0, passing for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Tide receiver Ryan Williams had five receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Wisconsin only had 209 total yards. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 100,077

 

Mistake-makers – USC 33, Purdue 17 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 30, Purdue 17). The lack of a running game hurt Purdue – only 52 yards rushing. Three interceptions hurt the Boilers too. Aside from that, Purdue played USC on fairly even terms. After three quarters, USC led Purdue 30-10. Attendance in West Lafayette: 58,065

 

Well, what do you know – West Virginia 31, Pitt 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 24, West Virginia 17). West Virginia played three quarterbacks. Nicco Marchiol started at QB but was replaced by Scotty Fox who was replaced by Jaylen Henderson. Ultimately, Marchiol returned to the game to pull it out for the Mountaineers. Fox threw two interceptions while he was playing. Marchiol was 19-25-0, passing for 192 yards and one touchdown. WVU running back Tye Edwards rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns. WVU defense held Pitt to 47 yards rushing. Attendance in Morgantown: 62,108

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

This was a laugher – Nebraska 59, Houston Christian 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 48, Houston Christian 0). Nebraska knocked the holy crap out of Houston Christian. The Huskers had 30 first downs to 11 for HC. Nebraska had 554 total yards to 160 for HC. The Huskers played three quarterbacks. Nebraska’s rushing was shared by Kwinten Ives (85 yards) and Emmett Johnson (78 yards). Attendance in Lincoln: 86,292

 

Tulane was too much – Tulane 34, Duke 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Tulane 24, Duke 20). Tulane jumped out to a 24-3 lead. Little-by-little, Duke worked its way back into the game. The teams were fairly close in the stats. Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff was 15-23-0, passing for 245 yards. Retzlaff rushed for 111 yards, scoring all four of Tulane’s touchdowns. Attendance in New Orleans: 30,000

 

Arch was booed – Texas 27, UTEP 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 45, UTEP 3). Texas won but the Longhorns didn’t look all that good in winning. Arch Manning completed less than 50% of his passes. He was 11-for-25, passing for 114 yards. He threw an interception. The Texas fans booed him. Texas had a 15-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in Austin: 102,025

 

Week 3 Results:   9 winners, 4 fumbles (69.2 percent)

For the Season:  33 winners, 13 fumbles (71.7 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Chattanooga 63, Stetson 0 – Attendance in Chattanooga: 7,144

South Carolina State 55, Bethune-Cookman 41 – Attendance in Orangeburg: 9,026

 

FIU 38, Florida Atlantic 28 – Attendance in Miami: 17,638

 

West Florida 42, Shorter 20 – Attendance in Rome: 5,038

Florida A&M 33, Albany State 25 – Attendance in Tallahassee: N/A

 

 

Superlatives

 

Week Three’s Impressive Passers:

 

Texas Tech’s Behren Morton – 23-35-1 for 442 yards (4TDs); Syracuse’s Steve Angeli – 24-32-0-417 (5TDs); Alabama’s Ty Simpson – 24-2 9-0-382 (4TDs); Charlotte’s Conner Harrell – 26-30-1-382 (3TDs), and Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar – 24-36-2-371 (4TDs).

 

Also, Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss – 21-29-0 for 353 yards (1TD); Ohio State’s Julian Sayin – 25-32-2-347 (3TDs); UConn’s Joe Fagnano – 28-38-0-346 (2TDs); UAB’s Jalen Kitna – 30-45-1-341 (2TDs); Miami’s Carson Beck – 23-28-2-340 (3TDs), and TCU’s Josh Hoover – 21-27-0-337 (4TDs).

 

Week Three’s Impressive Rushers:

 

Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy – 250 yards (3TDs); Arizona’s Ismail Mahdi – 189 yards; Delaware’s Jo Silver – 179 yards (2TDs); FIU’s Kejon Jones – 173 yards (1TD); NC State’s Hollywood Smothers – 164 yards, and Navy’s Blake Horvath – 159 yards (1TD).

 

Also, Stanford’s Micah Ford – 157 yards (1TD); New Mexico’s Damon Bankston – 154 yards (1TD); Ball State’s Qua Ashley – 154 yards (2TDs); Virginia’s Harrison Waylee – 151 yards (3TDs), and North Carolina’s Demon June – 148 yards (1TD).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“I’ve got to play better. All my life I’ve been an accurate passer. I’ve just got to get back to it,” Texas quarterback Arch Manning after the UTEP game.

 

“Blacksburg will always hold a special place in our hearts. We leave with wonderful memories and lifelong friendships. We will forever be cheering for the Hokies,” fired Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry.

 

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

CFW Week 3 Forecast - Dolly Parton is GameDay's guest picker

 CFW Week 3 Forecast – Dolly Parton is GameDay’s guest picker  

Can Tennessee keep the score close?

 

Week 3 promises to provide us with another weekend full of exciting games. Perhaps even more so than Week 2. And we sure had our share of thrilling games in Week 2.

 

For starters, there are four key SEC battles this weekend – three of which involve undefeated teams. The SEC quartet of games is led by Georgia (2-0) at Tennessee (2-0). The Dawgs have owned the Vols for the past eight years. Most of the encounters have not even been close. Tennessee has won the last eight games 31-17, 38-10, 27-13, 41-17, 44-21, 43-14, 38-12 and 41-0. But Tennessee stands a good chance of ending Georgia’s domination this year.

 

Arkansas (2-0) takes on Ole Miss (2-0) in Oxford. The Magnolias are favored but many predict the Hogs will pull off an upset. Vanderbilt (2-0) visits South Carolina (2-0). Are the Commodores for real? They appear to be. The Gamecocks can’t take them lightly.

 

The fourth SEC affair has LSU (2-0) hosting Florida (1-1). Last year, the Gators upset the Tigers in Gainesville. Florida coach Billy Napier needed that win  to save his job. Following last week’s loss to South Florida, Napier needs to beat LSU this year to save his job. Billy never seems to get the message.

 

Speaking of South Florida, the Bulls have their hands full this week – South Florida (2-0) at Miami (2-0). Can the Bulls pull off another shocker?

 

After losing to Miami in Week 1, Notre Dame (0-1) hosts Texas A&M (2-0). The Irish were off last week. They should be prepared for the Aggies.

 

The ACC has a doozy for us, a big doozy – Clemson (1-1) at Georgia Tech (2-0). Will the Tigers suffer their second loss of the early season?

 

The Big Ten will be involved in a couple of interesting battles. First, in an interconference affair Wisconsin (2-0) is at Alabama (1-1). The Badgers are undefeated, but a weak undefeated. The Tide are still rebuilding from their Florida State disaster in Week 1. The other Big Ten battle is a conference affair – USC (2-0) at Purdue (2-0). The pressure is on Trojans coach Lincoln Riley this season. The Boilers are undefeated but like Wisconsin, a weak undefeated. Can Purdue cause problems for Riley?

 

Ah, the shenanigans and theatrics – it’s Pitt (2-0) at West Virginia (1-1). There’s rarely a dull moment when these two get together. But it could be pretty dull for the Mountaineers this year.

 

Look for Duke (1-1) at Tulane (2-0) to be an interesting game – exciting too. Tulane is looking to be the Group of Five team in the CFP. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah will be playing against his old team. Mensah transferred to Duke during the offseason.

 

Three other games, all  involving undefeated teams, which have my curiosity this week are Minnesota (2-0) at California (2-0), NC State (2-0) at Wake Forest (2-0), and Utah (2-0) at Wyoming (2-0).

 

The Minnesota-California game is truly up in the air. Either team could win. It could be a wild one. NC State-Wake Forest kicks off Week 3 tonight. The Wolfpack are favored but are the Demon Deacons possibly better than expected? Utah is not only favored but the Utes will beat Wyoming. The game is at Wyoming and I’m wondering if the Cowboys can make it a contest.

 

ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the Georgia-Tennessee game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in Evanston, Illinois, for the Oregon-Northwestern game. SEC Network’s SEC Nation will be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the Florida-LSU game. The ACC Network’s ACC Huddle will be in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Clemson-Georgia Tech game. Dolly Parton is the guest picker on College GameDay. Maybe Dolly will bring the Vols some luck. Enjoy the pregame shows.

 

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy hasn’t been fired yet, but The Sporting News says these are the Top 6 candidates to replace Gundy: 1. Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson; 2. South Florida head coach Alex Golesh; 3. Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall; 4. Texas A&M OC Collin Klein; Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki, and Chicago Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy. Stay tuned!

 

Florida coach Billy Napier hasn’t been fired yet, but an awful lot of college football analysts are predicting that Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will be the next coach at Florida, replacing Napier. Stay tuned!

 

The Top 5 teams in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll are 1. North Dakota State (2-0), 2. South Dakota State (2-0), 3. Tarleton State (3-0), 4. Illinois State (1-1), and 5. Rhode Island (2-0).

 

“….It was an early morning yesterday. I was up before the dawn. And I really have enjoyed my stay. But I must be moving on….” English musician, singer and songwriter Rick Davies died on September 6. Davies was the founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp. Between 1975 and 1985, Supertramp landed 11 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, nine of which became Top 40 songs. Their biggest hit was “The Logical Song” which charted during the spring and summer of 1979, peaking at No. 6. Other hits included “Give A Little Bit,” “Goodbye Stranger,” “Take The Long Way Home,” and “It’s Raining Again.” A native of Swindon in Wilshire, England, Richard Davies was 81. “….Goodbye stranger, it’s been nice. Hope you find your paradise. Tried to see your point of view. Hope your dreams will all come true….”

 

Actress Polly Holliday died on September 9. Holliday is best-known for her portrayal of the sassy waitress “Flo” on the 1970s sitcom Alice. Her catchphrase was “Kiss my grits.” She was the last surviving member of the original cast of Alice. A native of Jasper, Alabama, Polly Dean Holliday was 88.

 

Beat the hell out of Pitt!

 

Touchdown Tom

September 11, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #6 Georgia (2-0) at #15 Tennessee (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Neither team has been really tested. However, Tennessee’s game against Syracuse was more of a testing than Georgia’s two games against Marshall and Austin Peay. They will be tested Saturday. Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar appears to be a better quarterback than many thought. Is he better enough to handle the Georgia defense? After Georgia’s first two games, Dawgs quarterback Gunner Stockton is still an unknown. But he was tested at the end of last season when Georgia played and lost to Notre Dame in the CFP. Georgia has had its way with Tennessee for several years. The Dawgs have won the last eight games. Tennessee last beat Georgia in 2016 – 34-31. It’s about time for the Vols to win again. They do – Tennessee 27, Georgia 24.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #18 South Florida (2-0) at #5 Miami (2-0) – (AC vs. ACC) – 4:30 pm ET, Saturday, CWN – David against Goliath again. Last week the Goliath was Florida. South Florida won. This week the Goliath is Miami. Miami is a bigger Goliath than Florida. USF won’t slay Miami. Still, the Bulls should be able to give the Canes a good game. USF’s offense relies on the play of quarterback Byrum Brown. If he is having a good day, the Bulls will have a good day. Miami has several weapons in its offense. But the main weapon is quarterback Carson Beck. If he is having a bad day, then the running game can take over. If they’re having a bad day, then the Canes can rely on their defense. They’ll get you one way or another. The Bulls get hit by a Cat 5 – Miami 30, South Florida 19.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #16 Texas A&M (2-0)  at #8 Notre Dame (0-1) – (SEC vs. Ind.) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – After losing to Miami in Week 1, Notre Dame had Week 2 off. The Irish are rejuvenated. Quarterback C.J. Carr has a game under his belt. In two games, Texas A&M hasn’t exactly been spectacular. The Aggies struggled a bit to beat UTSA. They did look better the following week, beating Utah State. The defense has been a little suspect, giving up 23 points a game. If Notre Dame wants to make the CFP again this year, the Irish can’t afford a second loss the second game into the season. The Irish step dance over the Aggies – Notre Dame 30, Texas A&M 21.

 

4. #29 Florida (1-1) at #3 LSU (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – This could either be the continuation of the end of Billy Napier. Or it could be a new beginning for Napier. If Florida loses, the Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin will begin writing Napier’s epitaph. If Florida wins, Stricklin will compose a hymn of praise for Napier. What will it be. After the struggle and tough win over Clemson in Week 1, LSU cooled its heels in Week 2. In beating Louisiana Tech 23-7, the defense played well, the offense was so-so. Perhaps they were holding back for the Gators. Florida definitely needs to get its act together – and fast. Last year the Gators upset the Tigers. Tigers have good memories – LSU 27, Florida 17.

 

5. #12 Clemson (1-1) at #28 Georgia Tech (2-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Is Georgia Tech as good as the Jackets appear to be? We’ll find out soon. The Tigers are off to a rough start. They lost to LSU and had to pull off a second-half rally to beat Troy. I would think Dabo Swinney will have the Tigers plenty mad when they meet Georgia Tech. Quarterback Cade Klubnik should be fired up. If Clemson loses, Klubnik can forget the Heisman Trophy. The status of Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is iffy. He suffered a lower body injury against Colorado in Week 1 and didn’t play last week. Backup quarterback Aaron Philo stepped in. Philo had an excellent game. However, the competition was Gardner-Webb. This is going to be a tough game. Buzz gets his sting on – Georgia Tech 21, Clemson 20.

 

6. #41 Vanderbilt (2-0) at #11 South Carolina (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN –  I know you cannot compare scores in college football but is Vanderbilt better than we thought. And is South Carolina not as good as we though. Vanderbilt beat Virginia Tech, 44-20. And that was at Virginia Tech. South Carolina beat Virginia Tech, 24-11. And that was on a neutral field in Atlanta. This week Vanderbilt and South Carolina face off at South Carolina. This is going to be a better game than we thought. It could come down to the quarterbacks – Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. Or it could come down to the defenses. Cocky pecks a hole in the Commodores boat – South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 27.

 

7. Arkansas (2-0) at #17 Ole Miss (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN –  Arkansas has looked good so far. Quarterback Taylen Green has looked really good. But the Hogs haven’t faced any real competition to date. Ole Miss faced some competition last week. Kentucky almost upset the Magnolias again. But Ole Miss survived. The Magnolias have a good quarterback too – Austin Simmons. He threw two interceptions against Kentucky. That’s not good. Green threw two interceptions against Arkansas State. But he made up for it by rushing for 151 yards. Looks like Ole Miss will have to stop Green on the ground. They do, but barely – Ole Miss 28, Arkansas 24.

 

8. Wisconsin (2-0) at #19 Alabama (1-1)– (Big Ten vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Alabama is still rebounding from that devastating loss to Florida State. Last week, the Tide took out their frustrations on ULM – 73-0. This week they will continue to take out their frustrations – on Wisconsin. (I know, that’s the Badgers fight song.) But you won’t hear “On Wisconsin” at this game. You’ll be hearing “Yea, Alabama.” Unless Wisconsin gets better during the season, Badgers coach Luke Fickell is looking to get fired. They won’t get better against Alabama – Alabama 31, Wisconsin 10.

 

9. #30 USC (2-0) at Purdue (2-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – How good is Purdue? Probably not that good. But you never know. The Boilers are under a new coach – Barry Odom. The Boilers are off to a good start. But the competition has been weak. The competition gets tough this week – USC. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley is out to prove something this season. Prove he can keep his job. Like Purdue, USC is off to a good start. Like Purdue, the competition has been weak. We’ll know a lot about both teams after the game. The Boilers fizzle – USC 30, Purdue 17.

 

10. Pitt (2-0) at West Virginia (1-1) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – It’s always fun when these two rivals get together. It’s probably going to be more fun for Pitt this year. The Mountaineers were embarrassed last week against Ohio. No offense. No quarterback. No offensive line. The only hope for the Mounties is that Pitt is a bit of an unknown. The Panthers have two wins but two wins over nobodies. Pitt has a good quarterback – Eli Holstein. The Panthers have a good running back – Desmond Reid. We’ll find out of WVU has a defense. It may be a sunny day, but it will be a “dark and dusty” game for the Mountaineers – Pitt 24, West Virginia 17.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMOPING GROUNDS:

 

Houston Christian (1-1) at #35 Nebraska (2-0) – (Southland vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – Since the opening game, it seems like Nebraska’s schedule has been getting easier and easier. Last week Akron, this week Houston Christian. Quite frankly, I’ve never heard of Houston Christian. Is it a real school? Does anybody go there? Well, I guess the football players do. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be playing football for HC. There’s not much you can say about a game like this. Obviously, the entire Nebraska team should see action. Herbie might even get into the game. Corn festival in Lincoln – Nebraska 48, Houston Christian 0.

 

Duke (1-1) at #36 Tulane (2-0) – (ACC vs. AC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – It all came crumbling down for the Dookies last week. Illinois put it to them. There was some good news from the game. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah had a good game – 334 yards passing and two touchdown passes. But the Dookies lack a running game. Tulane appears to have both a passing and running game. Jake Retzlaff does the passing and Zuberi Mobley and Javin Gordon do the running. Still, this should be a close game. Mensah was Tulane’s quarterback last year. The Wave turns the Dookies green –   Tulane 24, Duke 20.

 

UTEP (1-1) at #7 Texas (1-1) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – 4:15 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Like Nebraska, since the opening game, it seems like the Texas schedule has been getting easier and easier. Last week San Jose State, this week UTEP. I have heard of UTEP. These type of games are like scrimmages for Arch Manning. He’ll only play three quarters at the most. Then it’s time for the backup. Bevo  yawns – Texas 45, UTEP 3.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Stetson (1-1) at Chattanooga (0-2) – (Pioneer vs. Southern) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Bethune-Cookman (0-2) at South Carolina State (1-1) – (SWAC vs. MEAC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

Florida Atlantic (1-1) at FIU (1-1) – (AAC vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

West Florida (2-0) at Shorter (0-2) – (Gulf South vs. Carolinas) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

Albany State (2-0) at Florida A&M (0-2) – (SIAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“If we continue like this, we won’t win very many games. We’ve got to get in rhythm on offense,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, after Week 2.

 

“By taking down Boise State and Florida, South Florida already has a playoff resume. That assumes, of course, they go on and win the American Conference,” USA Today sportswriter Eddie Timanus.

 

“Oregon should be ranked ahead of Penn State,” USA Today sportswriter Eddie Timanus.

 

“He completely blew it. This is the same problem we’ve been seeing from Billy Napier in terms of game management from the beginning. And at this point, there is no reason for optimism. Last year was a roller coaster – terrible at first, great at the end. And you just can’t keep playing with the fans’ emotions. You have to take control of your program. And he clearly has not. So, I think the end is near for Billy Napier,” ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum.

 

“The bottom line is Arch Manning is not playing like an elite quarterback. He’s barely playing like a pedestrian quarterback. I think we all jumped the gun,” ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum.

 

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next posting of College Football Week – CFW - Week 3 Results – will be Monday morning, September 15.