CFW Week 6 Forecast – James Madison, the cradle of coaches
Take your pick: It’s Georgia-Alabama
and Texas-Oklahoma weekend
LSU-Kentucky, UCLA-Oregon and Indiana-Nebraska will be exciting too
Among the Top-10 games this week, the SEC and the Big Ten equally share eight of the spots. The two conferences have four games each in the Top 10.
The “Game of the Week” belongs to the SEC. And man, what a game it is – Georgia at Alabama. Earlier this week the game looked iffy. There was talk of moving it to another location, moving it to another day or moving it to another time. But as of last night, it looks like Hurricane Uga….I mean….Hurricane Isaias will be well north of Tuscaloosa, somewhere in Tennessee, by Saturday evening – having passed over Tuscaloosa Saturday morning.
It still may be a little rainy and/or a little windy during the game, but heck, teams like Georgia and Alabama are used to playing in a little rain and/or a little wind. The important thing is how will the quarterbacks adapt to it.
The second of the four SEC games is LSU at Kentucky. With a 4-1 record, Kentucky is riding a high. The Wildcats are some kind of fired up. Lane Kiffin, on the other hand, wants to keep LSU’s playoff chances alive. After the loss to Ole Miss, a loss to Kentucky could damage those chances.
The third of the four SEC Top-10 games is the battle in Dallas for that good Texas State Fair food – like “blackened-shrimp baked potato,” “berry me in matcha,” “chocolate corny dogs,” “cowboy brisket nachos,” “pickle bacon ranch grilled cheese,” “deep-fried sweet tea,” “deep-fried latte,” “fried sriracha balls,” and more. This is none other than the Red River Rivalry – Texas vs. Oklahoma. I guess the winner gets the pick of the food.
The fourth game takes place in Columbia, Missouri – Texas A&M at Missouri. We know what happened in Columbia last week. It wasn’t pretty. Who will be ugly this week – the Aggies or the Tigers?
The first of the four top Big Ten games is the “Runner-Up” to the “Game of the Week” – UCLA at Oregon. We know UCLA is for real, but this is when we find out if the Bruins are really for real.
Next up among the top Big Ten games is a match between two undefeated teams – Indiana at Nebraska. It should be exciting times in Lincoln. Can the Huskers get it done?
Happy Valley hosts the third Big Ten game – USC at Penn State. The pressure is on USC coach Lincoln Riley. Some say he is on the hot seat. Penn State is in a funk. Somebody has to end up happy in Happy Valley when the game is over.
The fourth of the top Big Ten matchups is Iowa at Washington. Iowa likes to run and play defense. Washington likes to do whatever they have to do to win. Makes for an interesting game.
The Big 12 and the ACC have one game each in the Top 10. In the Big 12, it’s Houston at Kansas State. The Cougars could be seeing purple after this one. In the ACC, it’s Bill Belichick at Pitt….I mean….North Carolina at Pitt. The Panthers are undefeated.
Speaking of undefeated, going into Week 6, there are 15 undefeated teams – 13 Power Four teams and 2 Group of Six Teams. The two Group of Six teams are James Madison and North Dakota State.
And speaking of James Madison, do you know that JMU’s current coach and previous two coaches are undefeated? They are Billy Napier at James Madison (5-0), Bob Chesney at UCLA (4-0) and Curt Cignetti at Indiana (5-0). They used to call Miami (Ohio) the cradle of coaches. Soon they will be calling James Madison the cradle of coaches. When I was in college, James Madison was an all girl’s school. Times have changed.
There are a number of other crucial games to keep an eye on this week. They are North Dakota State at UNLV, South Florida at UTSA, Florida State at Louisville, Iowa State at BYU, UCF at Oklahoma State, Wake Forest at NC State and Boise State at Fresno State. Their outcomes will be interesting.
The Top-12 teams in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll are 1. South Dakota State (5-1), 2. Tarleton State (5-0), 3. Montana (5-1), 4. Stephen F. Austin (6-0), 5. Lehigh (6-0), 6. Montana State (5-1), 7. North Dakota (5-1), 8. Austin Peay (5-1), 9. Youngstown State (4-2), 10. Lamar (4-1), 11. UC Davis (4-2), and 12. South Dakota (4-2).
This week’s Saturday morning pregame shows: ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the Georgia-Alabama game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in Lincoln, Nebraska, for the Indiana-Nebraska game. SECN’s SEC Nation will be in Dallas, Texas, for the Oklahoma-Texas game. And ACCN’s ACC Huddle will be in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the North Carolina-Pitt game.
Former college football coach Dennis Franchione died on October 6. He was a head coach for 27 seasons at an assortment of schools, including Texas State, New Mexico, TCU, Alabama and Texas A&M. Franchione’s final head coaching job was a second stint at Texas State from 2011 to 2015. He was previously the head coach at Texas State from 1990 to 1991. In Franchione’s 27 seasons as head coach, he won eight conference championships. His overall record was 213-135-2. A native of Girard, Kansas, Dennis Wayne Franchione was 75.
English novelist and politician Jeffrey Archer died on October 5. Archer was a Member of Parliament from 1969 to 1974. His novel “Kane and Abel” (1979) remains one of the all-time, best-selling books in the world. An estimated 34 million copies sold globally. Overall, Archer’s books have sold more than 320 million copies worldwide. Other best-selling and well-known novels by Archer include “Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less,” (1976), “The Prodigal Daughter” (1982), “First Among Equals” (1984) and “Honour Among Thieves” (1993), along with many others. He wrote more than 30 novels. Over the years, I read a lot of Archer’s books. A native of London, England, Jeffrey Howard Archer was 86.
She starred in some of Hollywood’s greatest films – “On the Waterfront” (1954), “Raintree County” (1957), “North by Northwest” (1959), “Exodus” (1960), “The Sandpiper” (1965) and more. Actress Eva Marie Saint died on October 6. Her performance in “On the Waterfront” earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. “North by Northwest” is one of my all-time favorite movies. A native of East Orange-Newark, New Jersey, and a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Eva Marie Saint was 102.
Enjoy your weekend!
Touchdown Tom
October 8, 2026
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. #2 Georgia (5-0) at #6 Alabama (5-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – We know Georgia and Alabama are both good teams. We just don’t know how good they are. We’re not sure either of them has played anybody yet. This could be the first real test for both teams. We do know that Alabama has improved as the season has progressed. So, Saturday night should give us a lot of answers. Depending on how the rest of the season plays out, the loser of this game could still be in the running for everything. In all likelihood, Georgia and Alabama could meet again on December 5 in the SEC championship game. And/or they could meet again in the CFP. Now here’s the kicker – a tropical depression or tropical storm could be moving overhead during the game. That means it could be pretty windy and pretty rainy. So, which quarterback plays better in the wind and rain? Which defense plays better in the wind and rain? That could be the deciding factor. Recent reports have the center of the storm north of Tuscaloosa during the game. Gunner Stockton is the more experienced quarterback – Georgia 28, Alabama 24.
RUNNER-UP: 2. #21 UCLA (4-0) at #13 Oregon (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – Has UCLA been playing over its head. The Bruins haven’t had the toughest competition, but they have looked impressive. UCLA will have tough competition this week. Oregon hosts the Bruins in Eugene. Oregon has already been upset once this season. That was on the road at Oklahoma State. It’s rare for the Ducks to be upset in Eugene. UCLA is definitely facing a challenge. It will be interesting to see how head coach Bob Chesney and the Bruins hold up. Chesney has been amazing as a head coach. Dan Lanning isn’t a bad coach either. Oregon won’t have quarterback Donte Moore for the matchup against UCLA. Moore is still ruled out after taking the hit to the head against USC two weeks ago. Dylan Raiola will quarterback the Ducks against the Bruins. The Bruins can’t waddle – Oregon 33, UCLA 30.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. #10 LSU (4-1) at #26 Kentucky (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – After that overtime win against South Carolina last week, I’m not sure Kentucky has enough energy left for LSU. While the Wildcats were working hard, the Tigers were cruising over McNeese. Basically, LSU should be well rested. I’m thinking something wild will happen in this game because Lane Kiffin hasn’t been a headline news topic for a while. The Tigers steal the scene in Lexington – LSU 37, Kentucky 24.
4. #1 Texas (4-0) vs. Oklahoma (2-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Oklahoma has looked downright awful this season. Many seem to think quarterback John Mateer is the problem. The Sooners have had no offense. One would think that OU coach Brent Venables will come up with something new. He has nothing to lose. Texas could enter the game overconfident. If so, and if OU is fired up, it could spell problems for the Longhorns. The game is a big rivalry, after all. Bevo has a big time in the “Big D” – Texas 27, Oklahoma 19.
5. #7 Indiana (5-0) at #31 Nebraska (5-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – There are 15 undefeated teams left and Indiana and Nebraska are two of them. Which one won’t be undefeated after Saturday? Both teams are 5-0 but obviously the pollsters have a lot more faith in Indiana. Two weeks ago, Northwestern gave the Hoosiers a scare. The Wildcats lost by only 6 points to Indiana. And that was on Indiana’s home field. That should give Nebraska encouragement. Herbie will need more than encouragement. The Cream and Crimson beats the Scarlet and Cream – Indiana 34, Nebraska 28.
6. Texas A&M (3-2) at #14 Missouri (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – What happened to Ole Miss two weeks ago and what happened to Florida last week will happen to Missouri this week. Two weeks ago, Ole Miss was still hungover from its win over LSU and the Magnolias lost to Florida. One week ago, Florida was still hungover from its win over Ole Miss and the Gators lost to Missouri. This week, Missouri will still be hungover from its win over Florida, and the Tigers will lose to Texas A&M. For two weeks, the Aggies were in a slump. They had no offense and dropped two games. The Aggies got out of that slump last week, returning to their winning ways. Truman enters the slump this week – Texas A&M 31, Missouri 30.
7. #19 USC (5-1) at Penn State (3-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – This isn’t an easy game to pick. Yeah, USC has the better record and is the ranked team of the two. But you always have these uneasy feelings with a Trojan team coached by Lincoln Riley. Generally, the Trojans can score. But a Lincoln Riley defense always leaves you scratching your head. Meanwhile, first-year Penn State coach Matt Campbell seems to be madder than hell. The Nittany Lions have lost two-straight games. Penn State’s competition during the first three games was about as weak as you can get. So, we are still not sure if the Nittany Lions have anything. But when you are playing against a Lincoln Riley defense, your offense always has something. Tommy Trojan fights on, the Nittany Lion doesn’t – USC 33, Penn State 31.
8. #20 Iowa (4-1) at Washington (3-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 9 pm ET, Friday, FOX – Like Penn State, Washington has fallen into a slump. The Huskies have lost back-to-back games by a combined 7 points. Iowa lost its first game last week, but the Hawkeyes have an excuse. They lost to Ohio State. Neither of these teams have been dynamic on offense. Both have played good defense. Iowa has played better defense. The Huskies sleep in Seattle – Iowa 20, Washington 14.
9. #22 Houston (4-1) at Kansas State (3-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Last week, Houston was down 17-0 in the second half. The Cougars came back to win, 27-17. I think that made me a believer in Houston. Kansas State is still too much of an unknown. The Wildcats could be pretty good. Then again, they could be pretty bad. I’m going with pretty bad – Houston 27, Kansas State 23.
10. North Carolina (2-2) at #25 Pitt (5-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – In its two losses, Bill Bellichick’s Tar Heels have put up a good fight. They lost by 11 points to Notre Dame and 8 points to Clemson. That’s respectable. Pitt lost its quarterback last week in its win over Virginia Tech. Mason Heintschel is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. His replacement is Holden Geriner. Geriner played well against the Hokies. North Carolina will make this another close one. But the Tar Heels come up short – Pitt 24, North Carolina 20.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
South Carolina (2-3) at #16 Florida (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Can Florida pick itself back up after last week’s debacle in Columbia, Missouri? South Carolina needs to pick itself back up too. Both teams are going to be mad, coming into this game. The Gamecocks are desperate. They really don’t want to become 0-4 in SEC play. South Carolina will be out to try anything. Anything that can get the Gamecocks a victory. The Gators need to find a defense and get their offense recharged. The defense has been suspect all season. The Gators’ offense disappeared during the Missouri game. This contest will be a battle. Albert roasts a Chicken – Florida 30, South Carolina 21.
#29 Duke (4-0) at Georgia Tech (1-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – The Dookies continue rolling under coach Manny Diaz. They should continue rolling this week. Quarterback Walker Eget and running back Nate Sheppard have contributed to the Dookies success. With 644 yards, Sheppard is the 3rd leading rusher in the country. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech has been having its share of problems this season. The problems continue – Duke 31, Georgia Tech 17.
#32 Minnesota (4-1) at Purdue (2-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Minnesota is on a hot streak. In the past two weeks, the Gophers have defeated Washington and Michigan. The opposition should be a little easier this week. However, Purdue knocked off Illinois last week. So, the Gophers can’t take the Boilers for granted. Purdue may have the better offense, but Minnesota definitely has the better defense. Defense wins – Minnesota 24, Purdue 23.
#33 Arizona (4-1) at West Virginia (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, TNT – West Virginia generally has no problems scoring on other teams. The problem is West Virginia’s opponents have no problem scoring on them. The last two weeks, against Big 12 competition, WVU has given up 85 points. Arizona’s offense is averaging 32 points a game. Something tells me there will be a lot of touchdowns and field goals in this game. WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins is the No. 1 rushing quarterback in the country. WVU running back Cam Cook is the No. 2 rushing running back in the country. Arizona counters with quarterback Noah Fifita, who is the No. 11 passer in the country. Mountaineers outscore the Wildcats – West Virginia 34, Arizona 33.
ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:
New Mexico State (2-3) at FIU (2-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Wednesday, ESPN2….
South Florida (4-1) at UTSA (4-1) – (AC vs. AC) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN….
Florida State (3-2) at Louisville (2-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN….
UCF (3-2) at #18 Oklahoma State (3-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2….
Stetson (1-4) at St. Thomas (4-2) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 2 pm ET, Saturday….
Florida A&M (1-4) at Alabama State (3-2) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….
Northeastern State (3-3) at West Florida (3-2) – (UAC vs MIAA) – CANCELED….
Bethune-Cookman (3-2) at Alabama State (4-2) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….
Quotes of the Week
“If they’re not starting, they’re departing,” ESPN sports columnist Max Olson, on today’s college quarterbacks.
“Oh, I think it’s impossible. I don’t think anybody anywhere is recruiting depth out of the portal. I don’t think there are EC level players in the country who are trying to go places where you have an established starter. I don’t think that’s a real thing,” Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, on recruiting quarterback depth behind an established starter.
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
The next CFW – Week 6 Results – will be posted Monday morning, October 12.
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