CFW Week 5 Forecast – “The Mullet” is gone
Oregon-Penn State, Ole Miss-LSU, and
Alabama-Georgia: buckle your seats belts,
it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Wow! What a weekend we have to look forward to. It just doesn’t get any better than this – Oregon at Penn State, Ole Miss at LSU, Alabama at Georgia and more. Buckle your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!
The Big Ten and the SEC each have four dynamic games. Add to that two dynamic Big 12 games and you have euphoria. The ACC is the only Power Four conference lacking a meaningful game this weekend.
Beginning with the Big Ten, we have Oregon (4-0) at Penn State (3-0). The Ducks hope to pull off an upset in University Park. Add to that, Ohio State (3-0) at Washington (3-0). Can the Huskies knock off the No. 1 team in the country?
Next up is Indiana (4-0) at Iowa (3-1). The Hoosiers put 63 points on the board against Illinois last week. But the Hawkeyes are thinking upset. And finally, USC (4-0) at Illinois (3-1). The Trojans have an explosive offense, but a leaky defense. Illinois has to be angry.
The SEC has four barn burners, headed by Ole Miss (4-0) at LSU (4-0) – Lane Kiffin taking on Brian Kelly and Trinidad Chambliss challenging Garrett Nussmeier. Can’t wait. Then we have Alabama (2-1) at Georgia (3-0). The electricity will be at high voltage in Athens.
How about Auburn (3-1) at Texas A&M (3-0)? Five games into the season, will Auburn suffer its second loss? Last, but not least, in the SEC is Tennessee (3-1) at Mississippi State (4-0). The Vols can’t afford to overlook the Bulldogs. Quarterback Blake Shapen has been on target. But so has Joey Aguilar.
The Big 12 adds to the excitement with Arizona (3-0) at Iowa State (4-0), and TCU (3-0) at Arizona State (3-1). A surprising Arizona team has Noah Fifita. Iowa State counters with Rocco Becht. Explosive TCU provides the excitement of Josh Hoover.
Those 10 games are going to be amazing.
Additionally, I am interested and curious about the outcomes of Florida State (3-0) at Virginia (3-1), Notre Dame (1-2) at Arkansas (2-2), Louisville (3-0) at Pitt (2-1), and Cincinnati (2-1) at Kansas (3-1). Is there an upset or two in that batch of games?
ESPN’s College GameDay will be in University Park, Pennsylvania, for the Oregon-Penn State game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in Champaign, Illinois, for the USC-Illinois game. SEC Network’s SEC Nation will be in Athens, Georgia, for the Alabama-Georgia game. ACC Network’s ACC Huddle will be in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the Georgia Tech-Wake Forest game. Enjoy the pregame shows.
Surprise! Surprise! After bouncing back and forth for several days, the ACC made it official earlier this week. The conference will commence playing a nine-game conference schedule next year. Like the other Power Four conferences, the ACC teams will use a 9-1 format – nine conference games and at least one non-conference game against a Power Four team.
My, my, they are dropping like flies. First, just three weeks into the season, Virginia Tech’s Brent Pry and UCLA’s DeShaun Foster were fired. Now, after four weeks, Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy “The Mullet” has been fired. In his 21st season with the Cowboys, Gundy was 170-90 – 1-2 this season and 3-9 last season (0-9) in Big 12 play. Who will be next – Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell, Florida’s Billy Napier or Arkansas’ Sam Pittman? Stay tuned!
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy, is out with a thumb injury. Mateer received the injury during OU’s win over Auburn last week. He underwent surgery on the thumb. Mateer is expected to return before the season is over. However, it is unknown at this time when that will be. Oklahoma is off this week. The Sooners play Kent State on October 4, before their big game with Texas on October 11.
The Top 5 teams in the FCS Coaches Poll are 1. North Dakota State (3-0), 2. South Dakota State (3-0), 3. Tarleton State (5-0), 4. Montana (4-0), and 5. Illinois State (3-1).
Former Appalachian State head football coach Shawn Clark died on September 21. Clark coached App State for five seasons from 2020 to 2024, with a 40-24 record (3-1 in bowl games). Most recently, he was the offensive line coach at UCF. A native of Charleston, West Virginia, Shawn Clark was 50.
Italian actress Claudia Cardnale died on September 23. In 1957, she won the “Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia” competition. The prize quickly led to film contracts in Italy, where she became one of the best-known actresses in the country. In the early 1960s, she went to Hollywood where she appeared in a number of American films in the 1960s – “The Pink Panther” (1963), “Blindfold” (1966), “Lost Command” (1966)’ “The Professionals” (1966)’ “Don’t Make Waves” (1967)’ “The Hell with Heroes” (1968), “A Fine Pair” (1968), “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968), and “The Red Tent” (1969). Jaded with Hollywood and not wanting to become a cliché, Cardinale returned to the Italian and French cinema. She appeared in one other American film in 1981 – “The Salamander.” A native of Tunis, Tunisia, Claude Josephine Rose Cardinale was 87.
Touchdown Tom
September 25, 2025
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
Week Five’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #6 Oregon (4-0) at #3 Penn State (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – These two teams last met in the Big Ten championship game last year. Oregon won 45-37. It was a closely contested game in the second half. Both teams are undefeated. However, neither team has really played anyone. Until now. This is a powerhouse game. They don’t get much bigger. Will the game live up to its billing? Oregon appears to be the better passing team. Penn State appears to be the better running team. But again, neither team has faced any real competition to date. So, it’s hard to compare. Keep an eye on Oregon’s Dante Moore and Makhi Hughes. Keep an eye on Penn State’s Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. They are the playmakers. They are the ones who can be effective in this game. Moore and Hughes are new to Oregon. Allar, Singleton and Allen played in this game last year. Nittany Lion dines on Duck breast – Penn State 24, Oregon 20.
RUNNER-UP: 2. #4 LSU (4-0) at #13 Ole Miss (4-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – This is the powerhouse game in the SEC. Last year, LSU won in overtime – 29-26 (OT). It could be another game like that again this year. Ole Miss has two strong quarterbacks – Trinidad Chambliss and Austin Simmons. Either one could lead the Magnolias to a win. LSU has the best quarterback – Garrett Nussmeier. Plus, LSU has a defense. Ole Miss doesn’t have a defense. That’s why LSU will win. It doesn’t look good for Lane Kiffin. Even his daughter is dating a LSU player. The Tigers drive Lane insane – LSU 23, Ole Miss 20.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. #17 Alabama (2-1) at #5 Georgia (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Had Alabama not lost to Florida State, this would be a powerhouse game. It may still be a powerhouse game. Was Alabama’s loss to FSU a fluke? We’ll find out soon. Georgia has the one good win over Tennessee. Alabama’s best win was over Wisconsin, and the Badgers are pretty bad this year. Both teams should be able to rely on their quarterbacks – Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Gunner Stockton (Georgia). The key in this battle is the running game. Which team’s running game will show up? The one that shows up will win. Alabama won last year, 41-34. Uga turns the Tide – Georgia 28, Alabama 21.
4. #26 Auburn (3-1) at #9 Texas A&M (3-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Auburn stumbled last week. The Tigers should be fired up this week. They could catch the Aggies a little complacent after their big win over Notre Dame. But that was two weeks ago. The Aggies should have their complacency out of their system. Of the two, Auburn may have the better defense. That could give the Tigers an advantage. But they will be tested by A&M quarterback Marcel Reid. He is good. Auburn counters with Jackson Arnold. This could be a shoot out like the Texas A&M-Notre Dame game. The Aggies win the shoot – Texas A&M 27, Auburn 24.
5. #1 Ohio State (3-0) at Washington (3-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This is Ohio State’s biggest test since the opening game against Texas. Don’t really know how much of a test Washington will be for the Buckeyes. This could be a tricky game for Ohio State. Washington is definitely a good team. And the Huskies have the home-field advantage. The better side of Washington is its offense. The better side of Ohio State is its defense. Huskies can’t stomach Buckeyes – Ohio State 28, Washington 20.
6. #11 Indiana (4-0) at Iowa (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Peacock – Both teams won last week against Big Ten competition. Indiana really won, scoring 63 points against Illinois. And Iowa actually scored 38 points. That’s about the total points the Hawkeyes scored all last season. Indiana is good on offense and defense. Iowa is good on defense. Hoosiers’ quarterback Fernando Mendoza is considered a strong Heisman Trophy candidate. The Hawkeyes have cataracts – Indiana 30, Iowa 15.
7. #15 Tennessee (3-1) at #27 Mississippi State (4-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 4:15 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Most likely, Tennessee will roll over Mississippi State. The Bulldogs were supposed to be the worst team in the SEC this year. And they may be. But the Bulldogs are off to a good start. The key for Miss State has been quarterback Blake Shapen. He has played well. Tennessee has an outstanding offense. Joey Aguilar has passed for 1,124 yards. But the Vols’ defense has been suspect. Shapen will try to take advantage. Bully gets Smoked – Tennessee 33, Mississippi State 19.
8. #21 USC (4-0) at #23 Illinois (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – This is a tricky game. Indiana exposed Illinois last week. The Trojans still don’t appear to have a decent defense. But USC does have a good offense. Jayden Maiava has passed for 1,223 yards this season. And USC has a good running back in Waymond Jordan. Illinois seems to have a decent passing game. But there is no running game. And the defense isn’t up to Bret Bielema’s standards. The Trojans break out the champagne in Champaign – USC 30, Illinois 21.
9. Arizona (3-0) at #14 Iowa State (4-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – It’s really unknown just how good Arizona is. The Wildcats probably aren’t that good. The best part of Arizona is quarterback Noah Fifita. And the defense hasn’t been all that bad. Iowa State has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Rocco Becht. The Cyclones have not shown a running game. And the Iowa State defense could be suspect. The Wildcats get revealed – Iowa State 33, Arizona 20.
10. #24 TCU (3-0) at #30 Arizona State (3-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 9 pm ET, Friday, FOX – This one is a real question mark. Both teams have played well. Arizona State had the one slip up at Mississippi State. But the Sun Devils bounced back and beat Baylor in Waco. ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt had been a little disappointing. And the defense is leaky. TCU could be a monster. Quarterback Josh Hoover is averaging 342 yards a game with his passes. He is sharp. This could become a basketball game. The Frogs get gigged with a pitch fork – Arizona State 40, TCU 33.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
#29 Utah (3-1) at West Virginia (2-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams fell apart last week – West Virginia to Kansas and Utah to Texas Tech. WVU has so many problems on offense, it’s hard to know where to begin. The quarterbacking has been bad, the running backs have been injured and there is no offensive line. The WVU defense is okay, but with an offense that can’t score, the defense can only hold on for so long. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier is the Utes leading passer and leading rusher. He’s about all the Utes have on offense. If Dampier is having a good day – watch out. If he’s having a bad day, there is hope. Utah’s defense is so-so. The Utes get out of Morgantown with a win – Utah 34, West Virginia 17.
Duke (2-2) at Syracuse (3-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ACCN – The Dookies could be catching Syracuse at the right time. The Orange may still be celebrating last week’s win over Clemson. But the Dookies had a good win last week too – over NC State. Syracuse lost its quarterback last week – leg injury. He is out for the remainder of the season. But replacement quarterback Ricky Collins is a good one. The Orange do have a porous defense. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is having an outstanding season. He is averaging 332 yards per game passing. It’s a good thing because Duke has no running game. And the Duke defense is very suspect. The Devils don’t look good in an Orange dress – Syracuse 33, Duke 31.
ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:
#8 Florida State (3-0) at Virginia (3-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN….
#35 UCF (3-0) at Kansas State (1-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1….
Stetson (1-3) at Dayton (2-1) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, YouTube….
Alabama A&M (3-1) at Bethune-Cookman (1-3) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….
Alabama State (2-1) at Florida A&M (1-2) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….
#31 Memphis (4-0) at Florida Atlantic (1-2) – (AC vs. AC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….
Quotes of the Week
“It felt like for the good of the program it was time to make this decision so that we could start the process of getting the program to where we want it to be,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg, on the firing of Mike Gundy.
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
The next posting of CFW – CFW – Week 5 Results – will be released on Monday morning, September 29.
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