CFW Week 6 Forecast - Arch comes to The Swamp

 CFW Week 6 Forecast – Arch comes to The Swamp

There’s a Hurricane headed for Tallahassee

 

October has always been my favorite month during college football season. September is to warm for college football – and too many weather delays. November is often too cold – and too many gray days. October is the heart of the college football season. The weather is generally ideal – the air smells right. October is the most common of the three months for schools to schedule their homecomings.

 

Saturday is the first October weekend of the 2025 college football season. We had five weekends of football in September. There will be the final five weekends to the regular season in November. The heart of this season begins this weekend with the first of four weekends in October – Week 6, Week 7, Week 8 and Week 9. Some of the best games are always played in October. And October is generally the month when we separate the good teams from the not so good teams. October just feels like football.

 

Aside from Miami at Florida State, there aren’t any blockbuster games this week. However, that being said, there are plenty of interesting engagements that are likely to have some wild, exciting and blockbuster endings. After all, it’s October.

 

Yeah, the biggie this week is Miami (4-0) at Florida State (3-1). The Canes were off last week, while the Noles stumbled at Virginia. Is there an upset pending in Tallahassee? Or will the Noles stumble again.

 

Miami at Florida State is one of two potentially good ACC games this week. The other one is Virginia (4-1) at Louisville (4-0). This contest has the makings of a thriller. Which team will be thrilled?

 

The SEC has three dandies, beginning with Vanderbilt (5-0) at Alabama (3-1). Can Vandy win two in a row over Bama? Diego Pavia vs. Ty Simpson.

 

Next up in the SEC is Mississippi State (4-1) at Texas A&M (4-0). Last week, Miss State took Tennessee to overtime before losing. Will the Bulldogs perform as well against the Aggies? Or will Texas A&M remain undefeated?

 

The third SEC encounter is an intriguing one – Texas (3-1) at Florida (1-3). Following a week off, will the Gators be rejuvenated? Will D.J. Lagway break out of his slump? And how about the exalted one – Arch Manning? Will he suffer from Swamp fever?

 

By the way, Arch’s uncle Eli was 2-0 against Florida, including a 20-17 Ole Miss win over Florida in The Swamp in 2003. Rockledge Gator, Bootsie, Swamp Mama and I were at that game. Conversely, Arch’s uncle Peyton (Tennessee) was 0-4 against Florida, losing twice in The Swamp – 1995 and 1997. Meanwhile, Grandfather Archie never played against Florida during his three years (1968-1970) quarterbacking Ole Miss.

 

The Big Ten has three games to keep an eye on. The first of the bunch is Minnesota (3-1) at Ohio State (4-0). I don’t think the Gophers will go for many touchdowns. Still, they could make the game interesting.

 

Washington (3-1) at Maryland (4-0) should be an interesting affair. The Huskies played reasonably well against Ohio State. We’re not really sure how good Maryland is – or isn’t. I don’t think anybody else is either. Maybe, we’ll know after this game.

 

And finally, in the Big Ten, Nebraska gets another shot at home against a team from Michigan – it’s Michigan State (3-1) at Nebraska (3-1). I think it’s time for Dylan Raiola and crew to put the pedal to the metal – put the butter on the Corn.

 

We finish up in the Big 12 where there are two games popping up on the radar. For starters, how about Texas Tech (4-0) at Houston (4-0). Is Houston for real? We know Texas Tech is. But we’re not sure about Houston. Can the Cougars step up to the occasion?

 

Perhaps more interesting is Iowa State (5-0) at Cincinnati (3-1). This is a dangerous road game for the Cyclones. Rocco Becht and Brendan Sorsby could put on one heck of a show. Which one will come out on top?

 

As we said at the beginning, Miami at Florida State may be the only blockbuster, but each of those other nine games could end up knocking our socks off.

 

Two other games I am curious about this week are Boise State at Notre Dame and Clemson at North Carolina. No doubt, Notre Dame will beat Boise State. But can the Broncos hang with the Irish and make it an exciting game? Clemson and Dabo Swinney have had their share of problems. Bill Belichick has had his share of problems too at North Carolina. Who will have the least amount of problems in this game?

 

ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the Vanderbilt-Alabama game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Wisconsin-Michigan game. SEC Network’s SEC Nation will be in Gainesville, Florida, for the Texas-Florida game. ACC Network’s ACC Huddle will be in Tallahassee, Florida, for the Miami-Florida State game. Enjoy the shows.

 

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

 

Have a good weekend and enjoy the games.

 

Touchdown Tom

October 2, 2054

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #3 Miami (4-0) at #18 Florida State (3-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Was Florida State’s win over Alabama a fluke? Or was Florida State’s loss to Virginia a fluke? We’ll find out this weekend. One thing appears certain – FSU does not have a defense. Virginia revealed that problem. However, on the bright side, FSU does have an offense. You can thank Gus Malzahn for that. Malzahn masterminded that win over Alabama. And FSU’s offense played well against Virginia. Again, it’s the FSU defense that is hurting. And that’s where Carson Beck and Miami have an advantage over the Noles – a big advantage. Beck will pick FSU’s defense apart. To counter that, FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos has to pick Miami’s defense apart. That won’t be an easy task. Still, it’s a rivalry game. Anything can happen. The Canes blow Tallahassee – Miami 34, Florida State 27.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #16 Vanderbilt (5-0) at #10 Alabama (3-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – How shocked we all were when Vanderbilt beat Alabama last year. I’m still pinching myself. Obviously, there will be a revenge factor in this game. The Tide will be out for revenge. I’m thinking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is on a roll. That’s not good for Vandy. But Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia will be out to prove that last year was no mistake. The Commodores can score but their defense is shaky. The Tide offense should roll. Not a good day to have your anchor down – Alabama 38, Vanderbilt 20.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #28 Mississippi State (4-1) at #6 Texas A&M (4-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – At preseason, Mississippi State was supposed to be the worst team in the SEC. The Bulldogs haven’t been playing like the worst team in the SEC. But they are up against a team that is playing like one of the best, if not the best, teams in the SEC. Texas A&M was supposed to be good. But not this good. Still, the season is early. The Aggies defense will be too much for Miss State. Marcel Reid and Le’Veon Moss have a good day. Blake Shapen hopes to have a good day. But he doesn’t – Texas A&M 27, Mississippi State 9.

 

4. Minnesota (3-1) at #1 Ohio State (4-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – Minnesota has been playing pretty good football, but not good enough to compete with Ohio State. The Gophers want to win. Realistically, they want to make a good showing. Washington held the Buckeyes to 24 points last week. Ohio State will want to exceed 24 points this week. And the Buckeyes will – Ohio State 31, Minnesota 9.

 

5. #11 Texas Tech (4-0) at Houston (4-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Texas Tech is definitely a good football team. Just how good, remains to be seen. But the Red Raiders are good. Houston is undefeated. Not so sure how good Houston is. The Cougars did have a good win over Colorado. They were shaky last week, beating Oregon state in overtime. Texas Tech is stacked at the quarterback position – Behren Morton and Will Hammond. Houston has a good quarterback too – former Texas A&M QB Connor Weighman. Home field will help the Cougars, but not enough – Texas Tech 35, Houston 17.

 

6. #14 Iowa State (5-0) at Cincinnati (3-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Can you believe Cincinnati is favored in this game? Just by 2 points, but still the Bearcats are favored. That surprises me. At preseason, many had Cincinnati as one of the bottom feeders in the Big 12. Both teams had excellent quarterbacks – Rocco Becht for Iowa State and Bredan Sorsby for Cincinnati. Both have passed for more than 1,000 yards this season. The Cyclones probably have the better running game. Cy makes the Bearcats go sigh – Iowa State 33, Cincinnati 28.

 

7. #24 Virginia (4-1) at #30 Louisville (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Both teams had close wins last week. Virginia upset Florida State in overtime. Louisville rallied to beat Pitt by a touchdown. Virginia’s fate depends on how well quarterback Chandler Morris plays. If he is on, watch out. Louisville has a good quarterback too – Miller Moss. Louisville’s close win last week may have been a wake up call for the Cardinals. Virginia may still be celebrating its win last week. The Cardinals fly high – Louisville 34, Virginia 30.

 

8. Washington (3-1) at #33 Maryland (4-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) –  3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Maryland has been a surprise. When will their luck run out? It won’t, as long as quarterback Malik Washington keeps playing well. He has passed for more than 1,000 yards. Washington has a good quarterback too – Demond Williams. The Huskies probably have the better running game. Washington sacks Washington – Washington 30, Maryland 28.

 

9. Michigan State (3-1) at Nebraska (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – What’s with all the Michigan’s? Nebraska just played Michigan at home. Now Michigan State comes calling. There was a week off between the two. That was probably a good thing for the Huskers. Time to get their act back together following the loss to the Wolverines. Nebraska should find the Spartans easier than the Wolverines. Michigan State’s defense is giving up 29 points a game. Nebraska’s offense should have a heyday. In Nebraska, that’s a fodder day. The Huskers fodder the Spartans – Nebraska 34, Michigan State 17.

 

10. #9 Texas (3-1) at Florida (1-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Last year, following a week off, Florida was 4-5 and up against LSU. The Tigers were heavily favored. Florida not only beat LSU, but also went on to win four-straight games. The last team the Gators played before that week off was Texas. This year, following a week off, Florida is 1-3. And who is up next for Florida – Texas. The Longhorns are heavily favored. Can this be the start of a four-game winning streak for the Gators? Well, probably not. But maybe, just maybe Billy Napier and the Gators got their act together over the break. Do you believe in coincidences? Sometimes, but not this time – Texas 27, Florida 20.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

West Virginia (2-3) at #23 BYU (4-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 10:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN – The Mountaineers got beat by one team from Utah last week. This week they are going to get beat worse by another team from Utah. Out of failure, injury and desperation, the Mountaineers are on their third quarterback. Maybe the third time will be a charm. I doubt it. BYU plays better offense and better defense than WVU. That’s not a good sign. WVU is 0-2 in Big 12 play and both opponents scored 41 or more points on the Eers. How many points will BYU score? How about – BYU 45, West Virginia 14.

 

Duke (3-2) at California (4-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Somebody lit a fire under the Dookies last week. They beat Syracuse, 38-3. The Dookies are on the road again this week. They hope that fire is still going. Cal is off to a good start. Duke has had tougher competition. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is one of the top passing quarterbacks in the country. Cal can be dangerous at home. The Devils love danger – Duke 31, California 24.

 

Kentucky (2-2) at #12 Georgia (3-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Georgia got spanked last week. This week, it’s the Dawgs who should do the spanking. Plain and simple, Kentucky is not a good team. The Wildcats have no offense. Georgia will use Kentucky as a scrimmage game to prepare for Auburn. Uga loves to chase Cats – Georgia 30, Kentucky 10.

 

#22 Illinois (4-1) at Purdue (2-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, BTN – Illinois won a close game last week – very close. Purdue had the week off. The Boilers may be rejuvenated, while the Banned Indians may be worn out. An upset could be on the horizon. Illinois already lost to one team from Indiana. That was a bad loss. They don’t want to lose to another team from Indiana. The Boilers overheat – Illinois 31, Purdue 20.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Charlotte (1-3) at #26 South Florida (3-1) – (AC vs. AC) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN2….

Davidson (1-3) at Stetson (1-4) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

West Florida (4-0) at Northeastern State (2-2) – (Gulf South vs. MIAA) – 2 pm ET, Saturday….

Bethune-Cookman (2-3) at Alabama State (3-1) – (SWAC vs. SAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

 

Florida A&M (1-3) at Mississippi Valley State (0-4) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….

FIU (2-2) at Connecticut (3-2) – (C-USA vs. Ind) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN….

 

Florida Atlantic (1-3) at Rice (3-2) – (AC vs. AC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Kansas (3-2) at UCF (3-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 –

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“In my opinion, the dynasties are over. Alabama with Coach Saban and then Kirby at Georgia, where they had those rosters year in and year out and there would be a bunch of wins by 30 points in the conference (SEC), those days are gone. You’re going to have really good teams going 8-4 because we’re going to play nine conference games, including five on the road. The conference has never been this balanced and it never used to have Texas and Oklahoma, two top teams and two of the hardest places in the country to play. My concern for the programs and for the coaches is that fans aren’t going to be able to get used to the numbers being different, the wins and the losses, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, on the impact of the larger SEC and the nine-game conference schedule.

 

“I don’t know what they’re doing. I just focus on us. But I know we’ve got to bring it. That’s for sure. If we play our game, it won’t be close,” Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, on the upcoming Alabama game.

 

“Bill Belichick is back-page news,” CBS Sports writer Brad Crawford.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next posting of CFW – CFW Week 6 Results – will be released on Monday morning, October 6.

CFW Week 5 Results - Arkansas fires Sam Pittman

 CFW Week 5 Results – Arkansas fires Sam Pittman

Oregon-Penn State, Alabama-Georgia

headline wild rollercoaster weekend

 

The ups and the downs were non-stop.

 

College football took us on an unbelievable rollercoaster ride over the weekend. The rollercoaster ride was like one we have rarely experienced. The excitement, the disappointment, the emotional highs, the emotional lows, the thrills and the chills all made for a wild and crazy weekend. But it was college football at its best.

 

Four of the 16 games involving Top 25 teams required overtime for a settlement – double overtime for two of them. Another game was a one-point decision. Three games were decided by three points. Two games were five-point victories, and one game was a six-point decision. All were decided by a touchdown or less.

 

The overtime games all went down to less than two minutes left in regulation to put them into overtime – two seconds remaining for one of them. The lead changed at least once in all but two of the games – several times in many of the games. The score was tied at least once in most of the games – several times in many of them. The outcome of the non-overtime games went down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter – as time expired in one of the games.

 

The two prime time (7:30 pm ET) games – Oregon at Penn State on NBC and Alabama at Georgia on ABC lived up to their billing in more ways than one. There was never a dull moment in either game. No. 6 Oregon upset No. 3 Penn State 30-24 (2OT). Oregon led throughout most of the game. Trailing 17-10, Penn State scored a touchdown with 0:30 remaining to put the game into overtime.

 

No. 17 Alabama upset No. 5 Georgia 24-21. The Crimson Tide never trailed, but the Dawgs kept it close. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was the difference in the game. Simpson threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another touchdown.

 

In Oxford, No. 13 Ole Miss overcame an early LSU lead in the second quarter and held on to beat No. 4 LSU, 24-19. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss passed for 314 yards and rushed for 71 yards.

 

Virginia upset No. 8 Florida State 46-38 (2OT). The lead in the game changed hands twice and the score was tied on three occasions. Florida State scored a touchdown with 0:36 remaining to tie the score at 35-35 and put the game into overtime.

 

No. 9 Texas A&M downed Auburn, 16-10. The Aggies defense held the Tigers to 177 total yards.

 

With the score tied 13-13 and 1:28 remaining in the game, No. 11 Indiana scored on a 49-yard touchdown pass to beat Iowa 20-15.

 

No. 15 Tennessee downed Mississippi State 41-34 (OT). The lead changed hands six times Trailing 34-27, the Vols put the game into overtime scoring a touchdown with 1:55 remaining.

 

Trailing Wake Forest 23-20, No. 16 Georgia Tech kicked a 33-yard field goal with 0:02 remaining to put the game into overtime. The Yellow Jackets beat Wake Forest 30-29 (OT). The final score was Georgia Tech’s first lead in the game.

 

No. 23 Illinois upset No. 21 USC 34-32. With 1:55 remaining, USC took its first lead in the game at 32-31. But as time expired, Illinois kicked a 51-yard field goal to win the game.

 

Arizona State knocked off No. 24 TCU 27-24. Midway through the second quarter, the Sun Devils trailed the Horned Frogs 17-0. With 1:14 on the clock in the fourth quarter and the score tied 24-24, Arizona State kicked a 23-yard field goal. The final score was Arizona State’s first lead in the game.

 

And finally, No. 25 BYU scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to beat Colorado 24-21. Late in the first quarter, Colorado led BYU 14-0. The lead in the game changed hands three times.

 

College football Week 5 began Thursday night in Greenville, North Carolina. East Carolina took advantage of a strong first quarter to beat Army, 28-6. The Pirates scored 21 of their 28 points in the first quarter.

 

College football Week 5 continued Friday night with three games. It was in the first of the three games that Virginia surprised Florida State. The Cavaliers beat the Seminoles, 46-38 (2OT). In the next game, Arizona State rallied in the fourth quarter to beat TCU, 27-24.

 

While you were sleeping early Saturday morning, Houston rallied with 10 points in the final 6 minutes of regulation to tie Oregon State, 24-24. Then in overtime, the Cougars kicked a 24-yard field goal to beat the Beavers, 27-24 (OT).

 

After beginning the season at 0-2, Notre Dame is bouncing back in a big way. Now 2-2, The Irish trounced Arkansas, 56-13. It’s the second week in a row that Notre Dame has scored 56 points. Irish quarterback C.J. Carr is looking better and better. Carr passed for 354 yards and four touchdowns.

 

In the ACC, Duke clobbered Syracuse, 38-3, and Louisville edged Pitt, 34-27. Virginia Tech upset NC State, 23-21.

 

In the Big 12, Cincinnati beat Kansas, 37-34, and Kansas State downed UCF, 34-20. Cincinnati and Kansas combined for 1,200 total yards.

 

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia passed for 321 yards and five touchdowns. Pavia also rushed for 79 yards and another touchdown. Vandy beat Utah State, 55-35.

 

After you went to bed Saturday night, South Carolina crushed Kentucky, 35-13, Louisiana topped Marshall 54-51 (2OT), Washington State beat Colorado State 20-3, Boise State downed Appalachian State, 47-14, and Stanford edged San Jose State, 30-29.

 

So, was Florida State’s win over Alabama a fluke? The Seminoles have no defense.

 

After five weeks of football, the Top 5 teams in this week’s AP Poll are 1. Ohio State, 2. Oregon, 3. Miami, 4. Ole Miss, 5. Oklahoma.

 

Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr is the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr.

 

They don’t wait around till the end of the season anymore. Arkansas fired Sam Pittman yesterday. He is the fourth coach fired this year, and we are just five weeks into the season. In his sixth year with the Razorbacks, Pittman was 32-34 (2-3 this season). Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was named the interim coach.

 

Touchdown Tom

September 29, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Weekend Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Dante’s inferno – Oregon 30, Penn State 24 (2OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 24, Oregon 20). Tight game in the first half, the score was 3-3 at halftime. Then Oregon jumped out to a 17-3 lead before Penn State rallied. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was 29-39-0, passing for 248 yards and three touchdowns. Oregon’s defense held Penn State to less than 200 yards rushing and less than 200 yards passing. Oregon had a 7-minute edge in time of possession. In his 12^th season at Penn State, head coach James Franklin is 4-21 against Top 10 teams – 1-18 against Top 10 Big Ten teams. Attendance in University Park: 111,015

 

RUNNER-UP: Kiffin’s daughter is crying – Ole Miss 24, LSU 19 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 23, Ole Miss 20). Ole Miss took charge in the second quarter and LSU played catch up for the rest of the game. The Ole Miss defense held LSU to 59 yards rushing. This was a mistake ridden game with 21 penalties for 187 yards. Attendance in Oxford: 67,737

 

REST OF THE BEST: Uga’s daddy – Alabama 24, Georgia 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 28, Alabama 21). Alabama jumped out to a 14-0 second quarter lead and then held on to win. Alabama had an 11-minute edge in time of possession. From the Florida State game to the Georgia game, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson looked like two entirely different people. Simpson was confused and uncertain against FSU. He was king of the road against Georgia. Alabama broke Georgia’s 33-game home winning streak. The Dawgs last lost at home six years ago. Since 2008, Alabama is 10-1 against Georgia. Attendance in Athens: 93,033

 

Aubie couldn’t run – Texas A&M 16, Auburn 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 27, Auburn 24). Texas A&M never trailed in the game. But the Aggies only led 13-10 through most of the fourth quarter. Texas A&M running back Le’Veon Moss rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown. Auburn only had 9 first downs. A&M had a 9-minute edge in time of possession. Auburn only had 52 yards rushing. Auburn is 0-2 in SEC play. Attendance in College Station: 108,449

 

Buckeyes do battle in Seattle – Ohio State 24, Washington 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Washington 20). This was a tight game in the first half. Ohio State led 7-3 at the break. Then the Buckeyes opened it up in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was 22-28-0, passing for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Washington only had 61 yards rushing. Attendance in Seattle: 72,485

 

Hoosiers continue to win – Indiana 20, Iowa 15 (Touchdown Tom said: Indiana 30, Iowa 15). The game was tied 10-10 at halftime, after Indiana led 7-3 and Iowa led 10-7. Iowa took a 13-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Indiana then scored 10 unanswered points. Indiana defense limited Iowa to 92 yards rushing. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the current leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Attendance in Iowa City: 69,250

 

Bulldogs ain’t no pushover – Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 33, Mississippi State 19). Mississippi State was supposed to be the worst team in the SEC. But the Bulldogs haven’t been playing that way. The lead really went back and forth in this game – six lead changes. Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar passed for 335 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for another touchdown. But he threw two interceptions. There were five turnovers in the game – Tennessee had three and Miss State had two. Attendance in Starkville: 60,417

 

Trouble in Troy – Illinois 34, USC 32 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 30, Illinois 21). Big day for the quarterbacks. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava was 30-43-1, passing for 364 yards and two touchdowns. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmeyer was 20-26-0, passing for 328 yards and two touchdowns. Altmeyer also rushed for a touchdown. The teams combined for 993 total yards. USC coach Lincoln Riley continues to have problems with his defenses. Attendance in Champaign-Urbana: 60,670

 

Cy cruises – Iowa State 39, Arizona 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa State 33, Arizona 20). Iowa State jumped out to a 22-0 lead and cruised for the remainder of the game, increasing their lead to 36-7. Arizona suffered its first loss. Iowa State is 5-0. Attendance in Ames: 61,500

 

Frogs had no legs – Arizona State 27, TCU 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 40, TCU 33). TCU took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter and never trailed until 1:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. That’s when Arizona State kicked a 23-yard field goal to take its first lead in the game at 27-24. The Sun Devils then held on to win. TCU actually led 17-0 late in the second quarter. But ASU fought back to tie the score at 17-17 midway through the third quarter. ASU fought back again and tied the score at 24-24, with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter. Thirty-six second later, TCU quarterback Josh Hoover fumbled, which set up ASU’s winning field goal. Hoover also threw two interceptions. ASU’s Sam Leavitt was 27-39-0, passing for 291 yards and two touchdowns. ASU running back Raleek Brown rushed for 134 yards. The Sun Devils racked up 500 total yards, balanced between rushing and passing. TCU suffered from three turnovers and only 12 yards rushing. Attendance in Tempe: 53,774

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Mountaineers can’t shoot straight – Utah 48, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 34, West Virginia 17). West Virginia’s troubles continue to grow. For the second week in a row, the Mountaineers lost by 31 or more points. Utah led 35-0 before WVU scored. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier was 21-26-1, passing for 237 yards and four touchdowns. Dampier also rushed for a touchdown. WVU only had 85 yards passing. Utah racked up 532 total yards and 33 first downs. Attendance in Morgantown: 53,965

 

What got into those Dookies? – Duke 38, Syracuse 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Syracuse 33, Duke 31). Syracuse kicked a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter and the Ornge never scored again. Meanwhile, Duke seemed to score at will. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah was 22-28-0, passing for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Duke running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Duke tallied 504 total yards. Syracuse only had 85 yards rushing. Attendance in Syracuse: 44,451

 

Week 5 Results:  7 winners, 5 fumble (58.3 percent)

For the Season:  49 winners, 24 fumbles (67.1 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Virginia 46, Florida State 38 (2OT) – Attendance in Charlottesville: 50,107

Kansas State 34, UCF 20 – Attendance in Manhattan: 53,013

 

Dayton 48, Stetson 14 – Attendance in Dayton: 5,262

Bethune-Cookman 41, Alabama A&M 34 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 5,630

 

Alabama State 42, Florida A&M 14 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 13,515

Memphis 55, Florida Atlantic 26 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 17,733

 

 

Superlatives

 

Weekend’s Best Passers:

 

San Jose State’s Walker Eget – 36-58-0 for 473 yards (3TDs); Hawaii’s Micah Alejado – 35-47-0-457 (3TDs); Kansas’ Jaylon Daniels – 19-28-0-445 (4TDs); Stanford’s Ben Gulbranson – 29-43-0-444 (2TDs); Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson – 24-35-0-393 (4TDs); Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby – 29-43-0-388 (2TDs); USC’s Jayden Maiava – 30-43-1-364 (2TDs); Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr – 22-30-0-354 (4TDs), and Louisville’s Miller Moss – 33-51-1-339 (3TDs).

 

Weekend’s Best Rushers:

 

Memphis’ Greg Desrosiers – 204 yards (3TDs); NC State’s Terion Stewart – 174 yards; Boston College’s Turbo Richard – 171 yards (2TDs); Duke’s Nate Sheppard – 168 yards (2TDs); Kansas State’s Dylan Edwards – 166 yards (1TD); Rutgers’ Antwan Raymond – 161 yards (2TDs); Jacksonville State’s Caden Creel – 161 yards (1TD), and James Madison’s Wayne Knight – 151 yards (1TD).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“I’m mad at me,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, after the loss to Notre Dame.

 

“I think we’ve got the best quarterback in college football,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning on his QB Dante Moore.

 

“We have a passionate fan base. When we win, there’s nothing better. When we lose, there’s nothing worse,” Penn State coach James Franklin.

 

“This is a really cool story. I like good stories. Here’s a little short kid from Division II going against Garrett Nussmeier and the mighty Tigers,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin on his quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next posting of CFW – CFW -Week 6 Forecast – will be released on Thursday morning, October 2.

 

CFW Week 5 Forecast - "The Mullet" is gone

 CFW Week 5 Forecast – “The Mullet” is gone

Oregon-Penn State, LSU-Ole Miss, 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 LSU (4-0) at Ole Miss (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 21^st 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.