CFW Week 18 Results/Forecast – Who will be named the Michigan coach?
Bobby Petrino surfaces in Chapel Hill,
Dan Mullen flops at the end, while
the Holidays have been merry and bright
“So this is Christmas
And what have you done”
Christmas Week got off to a good start for Washington State. The Cougars beat Utah State 34-21 in the Idaho Potato Bowl. Nothing like some warm French Fries on a cold day in Boise.
The next day, Tuesday, Swamp Mama and I got off to a good start too. We hit I-95 around 10:00 a.m. ET for our drive North. The traffic was moderate. The skies were mostly sunny, and the temperature was in the low-to-mid 70s. It was a nice day for driving.
Greetings college football fans from Julington Creek Plantation in Fruit Cove, Florida. We’re in the Jacksonville/St. Augustine area, all settled in for a few days of Christmas joy with Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe. And a few days of football, of course.
First up Tuesday afternoon was the Boca Raton Bowl, featuring Louisville against Toledo. The Cardinals kept the Rockets at bay throughout most of the game. Toledo put in a bit of a rally in the fourth quarter, but it came up short. Louisville downed Toledo 27-22.
He just won’t go away. Bobby Petrino, recently the offensive coordinator and interim coach of Arkansas, is now Bill Belichick’s offensive coordinator at North Carolina. For Petrino’s sake, I hope Jordan Hudson doesn’t like motorcycles.
Princess Gator made us the best appetizers. Sliced cherry tomatoes, little mozzarella balls and basil on top of a slice of salami. Prior to assembling the appetizers, the salami slices are baked in the oven for eight minutes at 375°. The baking process makes the salami slices curl, forming a little basket-like cup for the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Before serving, drizzle some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with a sprinkling of sea salt on top of the salami appetizers. I must say, they are outstanding.
She also put out a bowl of Trader Joe’s rosemary nuts. I over indulged.
When Arkansas coach Sam Pittman was fired and Bobby Petrino became the Razorbacks’ interim coach, Arkansas fans were hot on the prospect of Petrino becoming the full-time head coach. However, when Petrino failed to win a game, going 0-7, Arkansas fans couldn’t chase him out of Fayetteville fast enough.
In the New Orleans Bowl, Western Kentucky had three turnovers but still managed to beat Southern Miss, 27-16. The Hilltoppers had a big fourth quarter.
Michigan and Ohio remain the only two schools still looking for a coach. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm surfaced as a possibility for the Michigan job. Brohm joined Utah coach (soon to be stepping down) Kyle Whittingham as two coaches Michigan is interested in.
Meanwhile, if interim Ohio coach John Hauser leads Ohio to a victory over UNLV in the Frisco Bowl, word is Hauser may be named the full-time head coach of the Bobcats. He has been the defensive coordinator at Ohio.
Dan Mullen began the season on a high note. UNLV won its first six games, going 6-0. But Mullen ended the season on a low note. UNLV lost its last two games. Sounds like Mullen still coaches like he did at Florida – good sometimes, bad sometimes. In the Frisco Bowl, Ohio downed UNLV, 17-10.
So, it looks like Ohio interim coach John Hauser may become Ohio’s full-time head coach.
ESPN/ABC is covering almost all of the bowl games. The network has covered all of the first 12 games. ESPN/ABC will be covering 24 of the remaining 27 bowl games – plus the national championship game. CBS, FOX and the CW Network are covering the other three bowls.
The problem is, ESPN/ABC is covering so many games, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with sports commentators to cover all the games. As a result, we get some pretty bad commentators calling some of the games on TV. Some are so bad, I don’t know where ESPN/ABC gets them. They must drag them in off the street.
Swamp Mama, Princess Gator and I enjoyed Christmas Eve lunch at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant on San Jose Boulevard in the Mandarin section of Jacksonville. For Swamp Mama and me, it was our first time at a Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant. We really enjoyed our lunch. I especially liked the Drunken Shrimp appetizer.
According to reports on Christmas Eve, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz and Washington coach Jedd Fisch have joined Utah coach Kyle Whittingham as the three current hottest prospects to fill the Michigan vacancy. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm is no longer considered to be a candidate.
It wouldn’t be Christmas Eve without that bowl from Honolulu. In a back-and-forth ending, Hawaii beat California, 35-31 in the Hawaii Bowl.
And to all, a good night.
Do you remember the song “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)?” It peaked at No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 1978. British singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer Chris Rea, who wrote and sang that song, died on December 22. Rea recorded 25 studio albums. He also wrote and sang “Driving Home For Christmas,” a song other artists have recorded. A native of Middlesbrough, in North Riding Yorkshire, England, Christopher Anton Rea was 74.
“And so this is Christmas
“I hope you have fun”
Merry Christmas
Touchdown Tom
December 25, 2025
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Review of the Last Five Bowl Games
The Aggies got mashed – (in the Potato Bowl) – Washington State 34, Utah State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah State 26, Washington State 25). Playing under an interim coach, Washington State got the best of Utah State. The Cougars held the Aggies scoreless until 2:27 mark in the third quarter. Trailing Washington State 20-0, that’s when Utah State got its first points. The score became 20-7. Both teams added two more touchdowns. But Utah State never could catch up. Washington State quarterback Zevi Eckhaus passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions. The Cougars had an amazing 628 total yards and 30 first downs. The Aggies only had 254 total yards and 13 first downs. The Aggies also only had 60 yards rushing. Washington State had an 11-minute edge in time of possession. Attendance in Boise: 17,031
The Red Birds were singing – (in the Boca Raton Bowl) – Louisville 27, Toledo 22 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 27, Toledo 21). A low scoring contest for three quarters, this game opened up in the fourth quarter. Louisville led 7-3 at halftime. The Cardinals led 14-3 after three quarters. Louisville increased its lead to 21-3 early in the fourth quarter. Then Toledo decided to play some football. The Rockets cut Louisville’s lead to 21-14. Louisville upped its lead to 27-14. Toledo cut that lead to 27-22 and that’s how the game ended. Louisville had two running backs rush for more than 100 yards. Keyjuan Brown rushed for 112 yards, and Isaac Brown had 102 yards. Brown also had two touchdowns. Louisville receiver Caullin Lacy had 6 catches for 88 yards. Toledo was guilty of 14 penalties. Thirty-two of the game’s 49 points were scored in the fourth quarter. Attendance in Boca Raton: N/A
Southern missed – (in the New Orleans Bowl) – Western Kentucky 27, Southern Miss 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Western Kentucky 28, Southern Miss 26). Except for a brief 3-point lead in the first quarter, and a brief 13-13 tie in the third quarter, Western Kentucky was always trailing Southern Miss. But the Hilltoppers went up 20-16 in the fourth quarter and they never trailed again. WKU receiver Matthew Henry had 7 catches for 126 yards. There were 20 penalties in the game – 8 on WKU and 12 on Southern Miss. Attendance in New Orleans: 16,693
Rebels retreat – (in the Frisco Bowl) – Ohio 17, UNLV 10 (Touchdown Tom said: UNLV 31, Ohio 29). This was a pretty dull and boring game in the first half. Ohio led at the break, 6-0. It picked up a bit in the second half. Early in the fourth quarter, Ohio kicked a 45-yard field goal and went up 17-3. With 4:55 remaining in the game, UNLV scored its first touchdown and trailed 17-10. That’s the way the game ended. The difference in the game was Ohio running back Sieh Bangura. He rushed for 149 yards. The Bobcats had 207 rushing yards in the game compared to 97 yards for the Rebels. There were five turnovers in the game – three by UNLV. Ohio won the game under an interim coach. The Bobcats head coach had been fired for inappropriate behavior. Attendance in Frisco: 6,521
Wild ending – (in the Hawaii Bowl) – Hawaii 35, California 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Hawaii 28, California 24). California came out strong, building up a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. But Hawaii scored 10 points in the final four minutes of the second quarter. Hawaii added 11 more unanswered points, and the game was tied 21-21 early in the fourth quarter. Then the game went back-and-forth. Cal went up 24-21. Halfway through the fourth quarter, Hawaii took its first lead, 28-24. At the 1:57 mark, Cal went back up, 31-28. But Hawaii wasn’t finished. The Rainbow Warriors scored a touchdown with 0:10 remaining in the game. Hawaii won 35-31. Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele passed for 343 yards and one touchdown. Cal receiver Jacob De Jesus had 9 catches for 137 yards. Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado threw three touchdown passes. Hawaii receiver Pofele Ashlock had 14 receptions for 123 yards. Cal dominated the stats – more first downs, more total yards, more passing yards and more rushing yards. Attendance in Honolulu: 15,194
Last Five Bowl Game Picks: 3 winners, 2 fumble (60 percent)
Total Bowl Game Picks To Date: 6 winners, 6 fumbles (50 percent)
Superlatives
Impressive Passers:
California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele – 28-39-0 for 343 yards (1TD).
Impressive Rushers:
Ohio’s Sieh Bangura – 149 yards (1TD).
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for The Next 11Bowl Games
Central Michigan (7-5) vs. Northwestern (6-6) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – Sports Bowl (Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan) – 1 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – Central Michigan is not a flashy football team. The Chippewas just gut it out and hope to end up on the positive side of things. CMU is one of the worst passing teams in the country. The running game is so-so. Northwestern is somewhat similar to Central Michigan. The Wildcats are one of the worst passing teams with a running game that is unpredictable – sometimes good, sometimes not so good. The Wildcats are led by quarterback Preston Stone. He passed for 2,174 yards. His favorite receiver is Griffin Wilde. He caught 61 passes for 783 yards. Playing wise, this could be a boring game. Scoring wise, this could be an exciting game. But don’t hold your breath. The Wildcats cash in their Chipps – Northwestern 24, Central Michigan 22.
New Mexico (9-3) vs. Minnesota (7-5) – (MWC vs. Big Ten) – Rate Bowl (Chase Field – Phoenix, Arizona) – 4:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – New Mexico comes into the game on a six-game winning streak. The Lobos last lost on October 11. They have been an amazing football team. The Lobos are led by quarterback Jack Layne. He passed for 2,398 yards. His favorite receiver was Keagan Johnson. Johnson had 57 catches for 730 yards. It’s interesting that Minnesota finished as well as they did. The Gophers were one of the worst passing and rushing teams in the country – 129th in the nation. They gave up more points than they scored. The best part of the Minnesota offense is quarterback Drake Lindsey. He passed for 2,235 yards. The Gophers don’t score much, but they can be stingy on defense. The Gophers put the Lobos in a hole – Minnesota 23, New Mexico 20.
FIU (7-5) vs. UTSA (6-6) – (C-USA vs. AC) – First Responder Bowl (Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas) – 8 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – FIU turned its season around. The Panthers began it 3-5. They ended the season on a four-game winning streak. FIU is led by quarterback Keyone Jenkins. Panthers running back Kejon Owens rushed for 1,298 yards. Receiver Alex Perry had 53 catches for 816 yards. The Panthers are one of the better running teams in the country. UTSA was supposed to have a better season. But the Roadrunners never quite got their act together. They are led by quarterback Owen McKown. He passed for 2,700 yards and 27 touchdowns. When McKown is on, he is really good. Running back Robert Henry rushed for 1,045 yards. The Roadrunners generally score a lot of points. But their defense generally gives up a lot of points. Panthers can’t catch the Roadrunners – UTSA 31, FIU 30.
Pitt (8-4) vs. East Carolina (8-4) – (ACC vs. AC) – Military Bowl (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, Maryland) – 11 am ET, Saturday, ESPN – Pitt was a strange football team in 2025 – winning some games they should have lost and losing some games they should have won. They switched quarterbacks early in the season. Mason Heintschel took over and passed for 2,098 yards. Pitt is a dangerous passing team and a weak running team. The offense scores a lot of points, but the defense gives up a lot of points. East Carolina had a strong finish to its season – winning five of its last six games. The Pirates success is attributed to quarterback Katin Houser. He passed for 3,300 yards. Receiver Anthony Smith had 60 catches for 897 yards. ECU plays good offense and defense. It’s a Pirates delight – East Carolina 30, Pitt 27.
Penn State (6-6) vs. Clemson (7-5) – (Big Ten vs. ACC) – Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium – Bronx, New York) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – This should be called the Disappointment Bowl. Two of the country’s most disappointing teams going against each other. Or maybe the Let Down Bowl. Two teams who had a major let down in 2025. At one point during the season, Penn State had a six-game losing streak. Then the Nittany Lions won their last three games. Penn State’s coach was fired mid-season. The best part of the Lions offense is running back Kaytron Allen. Allen rushed for 1,303 yards, scoring 15 touchdowns. Penn State’s passing game is weak. Clemson finished its season on a 4-game winning streak. They were 3-5 prior to that. Quarterback Cade Klubnik, a Heisman Trophy candidate in the preseason, was generally a disappointment. He passed for 2,750 yards. Clemson receiver T.J. Moore had 46 receptions for 754 yards. The Tigers are a strong passing team, and they have a pretty good defense. Lions are better than Tigers – Penn State 26, Clemson 24.
Connecticut (9-3) vs. Army (6-6) – (Ind vs. AC) – Fenway Bowl (Fenway Park – Boston, Massachusetts) – 2:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – This should be an interesting game. It should be close with a fair amount of scoring. UConn comes in on a four-game winning streak. UConn will be without their starting quarterback – Joe Fagnano – and their top running back – Cam Edwards. Both opted out of the bowl. The Huskies also lost their coach. Jim Mora went to Colorado State. So the Huskies are a mystery in this game. Army had an up-and-down season. The quarterback is Army’s best runner. Cale Hellums rushed for 1,178 yards and 16 touchdowns. Army doesn’t have the best offense. The defense can be pretty good. The Huskies prevail – Connecticut 30, Army 24.
Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. BYU (11-2) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – Pop Tarts Bowl (Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Georgia Tech started out strong. The Yellow Jackets won their first eight games. Then they lost three of their last four games. Quarterback Haynes King is the Jackets best passer and runner. He passed for 2,697 yards and ran for 922 yards. Georgia Tech has a good offense and a weak defense. BYU only lost two games all season. Both losses were to the same team – Texas Tech. BYU has an exciting quarterback in Bear Bachmeier. He passed for 2,708 yards. Bachmeier is a pretty good runner too. Unfortunately for the Cougars, their star running back L.J. Martin opted out of the game. That hurts. BYU has a good receiver in Parker Kingston. He had 61 catches for 848 yards. The Cougars have a good offense and a good defense. Cougars swat the Jackets – BYU 28, Georgia Tech 25.
Miami (Ohio) (7-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4) – (MAC vs. MWC) – Arizona Bowl (Arizona Stadium – Tucson, Arizona) – 4:30 pm ET, Saturday, CWN – Miami had a swing season. The RedHawks lost their first three games. Then they won five-straight games. They ended up losing three of their last five games. The RedHawks best player is receiver Kam Perry. He had 42 catches for 966 yards. Miami has a weak offense – passing and running. Fresno State began the season at 5-1. The rest of the season was mixed. The Bulldogs are led by quarterback E.J. Warner. He passed for 1,811 yards. In general, Fresno State was not a very exciting team on offense. The Bulldogs turn the RedHawks into Blue Birds – Fresno State 23, Miami (Ohio) 21.
North Texas (11-2) vs. San Diego State (9-3) – (AC vs. MWC) – New Mexico Bowl (University Stadium – Albuquerque, New Mexico) – 6:45 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – When they were clicking, North Texas was one of the most exciting and explosive offenses in the country. They were first in the country in scoring – averaging 47 points a game. The Mean Green have one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the country. Drew Mestemaker passed for 4,139 yards and had 31 touchdown passes. North Texas has a stable running back in Caleb Hawkins. He rushed for 1,236 yards and 23 touchdowns. The best receiver is Wyatt Young. He caught 63 passes for 1,209 yards. The Mean Green offense is awesome. But their defense is suspect at times. Speaking of defense, that is what San Diego State is best at. The Aztecs were 4th in the country – only allowing 13 points a game. On offense, the Aztecs are best at running. Running back Lucky Sutton had 1,237 yards rushing. San Diego State is one of the worst passing teams in the country. The Mean Green really gets mean – North Texas 28, San Diego State 27.
Virginia (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4) – (ACC vs. SEC) – Gator Bowl (EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Virginia had an unexpectedly good and exciting season. At one point in the season, the Cavaliers won 7-straight games. They are led by quarterback Chandler Morris. He passed for 2,802 yards. Virginia has a good running back in J’Mari Taylor. He rushed for 1,062 yards and 14 touchdowns. Receiver Trell Harris caught 59 passes for 847 yards. Virginia has a good offense and a good defense. Missouri started the season at 5-0. The Tigers finished it at 3-4. Missouri has a problem in the Gator Bowl. Quarterback Beau Pribula has opted out of the game. The Tigers do have running back Ahmad Hardy. He is a good one. Hardy rushed for 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns. Missouri has a good offense and a good defense. The Tigers are Hardy – Missouri 26, Virginia 25.
LSU (7-5) vs. Houston (9-3) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – Texas Bowl (NRG Stadium – Houston, Texas) – 9:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – These are two teams whose seasons went in reverse. LSU was supposed to have a strong season. It turned out to be a sour one. Houston was supposed to have a bad season. It turned out to be a good one. LSU began the season at 4-0. Then the Tigers only won three of their last eight games. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite. He turned out not to be. Nussmeier passed for 1,927 yards. LSU was one of the worst teams in the country in rushing. The Tigers strong point is their defense. They were 14th in the country in points allowed. Houston is led by quarterback Conner Weighman. He passed for 2,475 yards and 21 touchdowns. His favorite target is Amare Thomas. Thomas had 59 catches for 906 yards. Houston has a problem – LSU 24, Houston 20.
Quotes of the Week
“Why would anyone want that job? There’s simply no leadership there, there’s no alignment, and the stench of the Harbaugh regime permeates the air in Ann Arbor,” ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, on Michigan’s difficulty finding a coach.
“He’s a real important part of my journey. I learned a lot from Coach Saban in terms of organization and standards. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time under Nick. My family really enjoyed Tuscaloosa,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti. (Cignetti was the wide receivers coach at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2007 through 2010.)
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
The next CFW – Holiday Bonus: What Year Was It? – will be posted Saturday morning, December 27. You don’t want to miss it. Can you guess the year?
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