College Football Week 2 – Duck blind in East Lansing
You don’t know what you’ve got,
until you lose it

Oh yeah, uh-huh-huh. Oh yeah, oh-oh yeah.

Often is the case, at the start of the season, a coach doesn’t know what he’s got – how good his team is or isn’t. That is until he loses his first game. Then he knows.

Some coaches find out real quick. They lose the first game of the season – often when they weren’t necessarily supposed to lose. That’s what happened to David Shaw, Mike Riley, Todd Graham, James Franklin, Mike Leach and George O’Leary on opening weekend. Stanford, Nebraska, Arizona State, Penn State, Washington State and UCF all lost – unexpectedly.

Heavily favored Stanford failed to score a touchdown, as the Cardinal were upset by Northwestern, 16-6. This a Stanford offense that had eight returning starters, including experienced quarterback Kevin Hogan.

Nebraska struggled all game with BYU. But the Huskers, up by 1 with only six seconds remaining, appeared to have the game won. However, on the final play, BYU connected on a 42-yard Hail Mary pass to pull off the upset. The Cougars beat Nebraska 33-28.

In Houston, the Arizona State-Texas A&M game was considered to be a tossup. The Aggies were slightly favored, but many forecast the Sun Devils to win. Regardless, it was supposed to be a tight game. It was for three quarters. Then the Aggies, who had dominated the game, poured it on in the final quarter to win by 21 points – 38-17.

Penn State hadn’t lost to Temple in 74 years. After Saturday, it was supposed to be 75 years. But the Owls pulled off the upset – big time, beating the Nittany Lions, 27-10. Temple held Penn State scoreless in the second, third and fourth quarters. The Owls defense sacked Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg 10 times.

You gave me your love but I misused it
I never knew how lonely loneliness could be
And now I need the fans as they once needed me

Out in the great Northwest, it wasn’t so great for Mike Leach – yet again. FCS Portland State knocked off Washington State, 24-17. The Vikings scored with 2:19 remaining in the game to pull off the upset. In his fourth year with the Cougars, Leach has only won 12 games over the previous three seasons. I just have to ask: Has Washington State fired Mike Leach yet?

And finally, in Orlando, UCF was heavily favored to beat intrastate foe Florida International. But the Panthers from FIU had upset on their minds. And upset they did, beating UCF, 15-14. That had to be a hard pill for George O’Leary to swallow.

Last year, Ohio State lost its second game of the season. Virginia Tech upset the Buckeyes in Columbus. But then Ohio State reeled off 13-straight victories to win the national championship.

Stanford, Nebraska, Arizona State, Penn State, Washington State and UCF aren’t likely to win 13-straight games. But it will be interesting to see how they respond to the season-opening loss – unexpected as it was.

You don’t know what you’ve got, until you lose it.

Five more teams – North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Washington and Texas – weren’t necessarily expected to win over the weekend – and they didn’t. But there were hopes for each of them. Nobody was quite sure what they had.

Some thought North Carolina might knock off South Carolina in its opener. The Gamecocks weren’t favored by much. But the Tar Heels came up short – 17-13. Twice in the game, North Carolina was knocking on the door and both times Tar Heel quarterback Marquise Williams was picked off in the end zone.

A few years ago, James Franklin took over the reins at Vanderbilt and turned the Commodores into a competitive program. Franklin left for Penn State after the 2013 season and Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason was hired in Nashville. Vanderbilt was nothing short of a disaster in 2014. After the season, Mason fired his coordinators.

You gave me your love, but I abused it.
And now I’m sorry for the plays I didn’t call
’Cause I know now, I acted in a foolish way

Mason decided to run the defense himself. Andy Ludwig was brought in to strengthen the offense. Thursday night, Vandy hosted Western Kentucky. The Commodores were slight underdogs, but many thought Vandy could win. Vanderbilt lost, 14-12. The defense was much improved, but the Commodore offense is still a disaster.

Under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan had high hopes going into Salt Lake City to face Utah. The Utes were favored, but barely. The Wolverines played well at times, but were hurt by interceptions. Quarterback Jake Rudock, looked good at times, but threw three picks. Michigan came up short, 24-17.

In his second year at Washington, Chris Petersen took his Washington team to his old stomping grounds – Boise, Idaho. The Huskies were playing Boise State and the Broncos were solid favorites. But Washington made a game of it. The Huskies lost 16-13, but kept Boise State scoreless in the second half.

In a similar situation, second-year Texas coach Charlie Strong took his Longhorns to South Bend for a game against Notre Dame. The Irish were heavily favored. But many thought Texas could make a contest out of it. Not so. Notre Dame and Irish quarterback Malik Zaire pounded the Longhorns, 38-3.

It will be interesting to see how North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Washington and Texas respond to their losses.

You don’t know what you’ve got until you lose it.

There was nothing unusual about Kansas State beating South Dakota Saturday night. The Wildcats won big, as expected, 34-0. What was unusual was the performance of the Kansas State Wildcat band at halftime. It was so unusual that Kansas State president Kirk Schulz had to publically apologize for the band’s performance.

The K-State band entertained the crowd with a routine that had the University of Kansas Jayhawk performing fellatio. Half of the band formed the Kansas Jayhawk logo on the field. The other half formed what looked like an erect penis, complete with testicles, entering the mouth of the Jayhawk. Videos of the performance went viral on the Internet.

The K-State band is excusing itself by saying that the formation entering the Jayhawk’s mouth was supposed to be the Starship Enterprise. Huh? And you thought the Stanford band was bad. I wonder if the K-State band will be banned.

Remember when the Stanford band was the Best Banned Band in the Land? That was after the Stanford musicians put on a halftime show at a Notre Dame game in South Bend, spoofing the Irish potato famine all while the Stanford drum major was using a crucifix for his baton.

You don’t know what you’ve got until you lose it.

Speaking of banning things, how about banning drones from stadiums. Saturday night, a drone crash-landed inside Kentucky’s Commonwealth Stadium. The drone crashed during pregame activities prior to Kentucky’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette. Just two days earlier, a drone crashed into some seats at Louis Armstrong Stadium, during the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

Getting back to football, did you see where FCS Fordham beat Army, 37-35? I thought, “Was Vince Lombardi playing?” This sounds like the days of the “Seven Blocks of Granite.”

Hats off to Charlotte! The 49ers won their first game, playing as an FBS team. Charlotte beat Georgia State, 23-20. The 49ers, members of C-USA, made the jump from FCS to FBS this year.

There was a lot of good quarterback play over the weekend, but two quarterbacks in particular grabbed my attention – UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Notre Dame’s Malik Zaire. Rosen, a true freshman, passed for 351 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Bruins over Virginia, 34-16. Zaire, a sophomore, passed for 313 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Irish over Texas.

In the “how many points can we score” category: Ole Miss 76, UT Martin 3; California 73, Grambling State 14; Middle Tennessee 70, Jackson State 14, and Georgia Tech 69, Alcorn State 6.

In the “was it a basketball game” category: Texas Tech 59, Sam Houston State 45 and Oregon 61, Eastern Washington 42.

Baylor racked up 723 total yards, beating SMU, 56-21.

In the only overtime game during the weekend, Tulsa outlasted Florida Atlantic, 47-44, in one OT.

So are we going to be seeing more washouts on opening weekend? Last year, the Idaho-Florida game was canceled after several hours of lightning and rain kept the game from being played. This year, three games were washouts over the opening weekend. Two games – Stony Brook-Toledo and McNeese State-LSU – were canceled, while one game – Kent State-Illinois – was postponed to the next day. Illinois won 52-3. Why weren’t the other two games played the next day? Someone said LSU was afraid of McNeese State.

And finally, the Labor Day Weekend came to an end last night with Ohio State’s 42-24 win over Virginia Tech. I think Urban Meyer knows what he’s got. But will he lose it?

Swamp Mama and I had dinner with Bootsie and Rockledge Gator last week before they were off to Atlanta for the Louisville-Auburn game. In Atlanta, they hooked up with sons Ryan and Andy and grandson Connor for the game. Four Yawn men and Bootsie at the game. You just know that was a rowdy group. I feel sorry for any Louisville fans who may have been sitting near them.

So, what will the Kansas State Wildcat band do for an encore this week?

Oh yeah, uh-huh-huh. Oh yeah, oh-oh yeah.

Touchdown Tom
September 8, 2015
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S. “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got, Until You Lose It”
Written by George Burton and Paul Hampton
Recorded by Ral Donner
The song spent 12 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 4 in the late summer of 1961


Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Dance with me, Henry – Alabama 35, Wisconsin 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Wisconsin 20). Bama’s Derrick Henry was too much for the Wisconsin defense. Henry ran for 147 yards, averaging 11.3 yards-per-carry. The game was close in the first half, but the Badgers couldn’t keep abreast in the second half. The Tide amassed 502 total yards. It was the second year Wisconsin lost its opener to an SEC team in Texas. Attendance in Arlington: 64,279

RUNNER-UP: Scarletsburg – Ohio State 42, Virginia Tech 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Virginia Tech 17). The game was worse than the score indicates. Virginia Tech scored a “who cares” touchdown with 1:55 left in the game. Actually, the Hokies made it an interesting affair in the first half. VT led at the break, 17-14. Then the Buckeyes came out in the second half and reeled off 28 unanswered points. Ohio State had 573 total yards – 361 of those rushing. Ezekiel Elliott and Cardale Jones combined for 221 yards rushing. Attendance in Blacksburg: 65,632

REST OF THE BEST: Petrino flunked Clock Management 101 – Auburn 31, Louisville 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 34, Louisville 17). Halfway through the third quarter, Auburn led 24-0. Then Louisville decided to play football. Either that or Will Muschamp’s defense was sucking air. The Cardinals scored 24 points in the final 23 minutes to make it an exciting game. That is until Bobby Petrino didn’t know how to manage the clock. Still, when it was over, Louisville had more passing yards, more rushing yards and more first downs than Auburn. But the Tigers had more points. Attendance in Atlanta: 73,927

What a difference John Chavis makes for the Aggies – Texas A&M 38, Arizona State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 33, Texas A&M 32). Who said the Pac-12 South is better than the SEC West? Oh, that was Danny Kanell. Texas A&M started Kyle Allen at quarterback, but may have found a new starter in Kyler Murray. Murray provided a spark for the Aggies in the second half. This was a close game for three quarters, before A&M ran away from the Sun Devils in the final period. And thanks to John Chavis, the Aggies now have a defense. Attendance in Houston: 66,308

A good night for Kermit – TCU 23, Minnesota 17 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 27, Minnesota 13). Trevone Boykin looked good but the rest of TCU didn’t. Boykin passed for 246 yards and rushed for 92. That’s not a bad Heisman start. But TCU could be vulnerable. Minnesota looked good and could be a threat in the Big Ten West. Boykin’s streak of touchdown passes in 16 consecutive games is the longest in FBS. Attendance in Minneapolis: 54,147

Zaire doesn’t sound Irish – Notre Dame 38, Texas 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 30, Texas 20). Notre Dame has a bright star – quarterback Malik Zaire. The sophomore passed for 313 yards, completing 87% of his throws. The Irish defense held Texas to 163 total yards – only 60 rushing. Longhorn quarterback Tyrone Swoopes completed a measly 32% of his passes – 7-for-22. Big-time Texas boosters can’t be pleased. Charlie Strong must be feeling the pressure. Attendance in South Bend: 80,795

Hard ball for Harbaugh – Utah 24, Michigan 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 28, Michigan 24). Neither team could muster a running game. Utah’s Devontae Booker was a disappointment. But both quarterbacks looked good. Michigan’s Jake Ruddock just needs to settle down. Ruddock threw three interceptions. By the end of the season, the Wolverines could be good. Utah will be a spoiler in the Pac-12 South. Attendance in Salt Lake City: 47,825

A star is born – UCLA 34, Virginia 16 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 34, Virginia 17). And his name is Josh Rosen, UCLA’s freshman quarterback. Rosen passed for 351 yards, competing 80% of his lobs. Virginia kept the game close for two quarters, trailing 17-9 at the half. But the Bruins led 31-9 after three. Attendance in Pasadena: 68,615

It’s never over until the fat lady sings Hail Mary – BYU 33, Nebraska 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 32, BYU 30). And Mike Riley was muttering Hell Mary. The life of Riley may be short lived in Lincoln – especially if he has many more games like that one. BYU won the game on a 42-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired. The pass was thrown by 22-year-old freshman Tanner Mangum. Mangum, who replaced Taysom Hill late in the game, had not played competitive football in three years. The Cougars had more passing and rushing yards than the Huskers. On the bright side for Nebraska, Tommy Armstrong passed for 319 yards. Attendance in Lincoln: 89,959

Horse sense – Boise State 16, Washington 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 29, Washington 22). A game of two entirely different halves – Boise State won the first half 16-0; Washington won the second half 13-0. Both teams looked good on defense. Both looked bad on offense. Washington only had 29 yards rushing. Attendance in Boise: 36,836

Jimmy Hoffa must be buried under Ryan Field – Northwestern 16, Stanford 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 28, Northwestern 16). This was a real stunner in Evanston. Neither team looked that good on offense – Northwestern was better. Both teams looked good on defense – Northwestern was better. Stanford coach David Shaw has to be scratching his head. The Trees were 3-for-15 in third down efficiency. Attendance in Evanston: 36,024

No Wings for the Heels – South Carolina 17, North Carolina 13 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 26, North Carolina 24). I think South Carolina is going to be playing two, maybe three, quarterbacks for a few more games if not longer. The Gamecocks offense was inconsistent at best. But the South Carolina defense was much improved. The Tar Heels have a runner in Elijah Hood (138 yards). But the Heels are inconsistent at quarterback. When he’s good, Marquise Williams is really, really good. But when he’s bad, he’s really, really bad – three interceptions, two at crucial times. Attendance in Charlotte: 51,664


…AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

74 years – Temple 27, Penn State 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 30, Temple 20). That’s how long it has been since Temple last beat Penn State (1941). Christian Hackenberg needs to start taking his offensive line out for steak dinners. Last year, he was sacked like crazy. Saturday, Hackenberg was sacked 10 times. Or maybe James Franklin needs to find an offensive line coach. Ironically, Penn State started out with a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Nitts never scored again. The Lions only had 180 total yards – just 77 yards rushing. Penn State was 2-for-15 in third down efficiency. Attendance in Philadelphia: 69,176

They’re back – Marshall 41, Purdue 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Marshall 24, Purdue 17). The Herd may be picking up where they left off last season when they finished with a 13-1 record. This was a close game throughout. The lead changed hands five times. Marshall took the lead for good with 2:54 left in the game. Purdue quarterback Austin Appleby threw four interceptions. Purdue should join its fellow conference member Illinois and go ahead and fire its coach – Darrell Hazell – now. Hazell has no business coaching a Power Five football team. Or Purdue has no business being in the Big Ten. Attendance in Huntington: 38,791


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Defense! – West Virginia 44, Georgia Southern 0 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 41, Georgia Southern 25). The Mounties held the Eagles to 29 yards passing. West Virginia ended Georgia Southern’s scoring streak at 242 games. The last time the Eagles had been shut out was in 1995. Meanwhile, WVU piled up 554 total yards. Skyler Howard’s passing accounted for 359 of those yards. WVU safety Karl Joseph had three interceptions. The Mounties got off to a slow start – only up 16-0 at the half. Then they added 28 more points in the second half. Attendance in Morgantown: 55,182

Two heads are better than one – Florida 61, New Mexico State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 49, New Mexico State 3). And for Florida, two quarterbacks are better than one. Treon Harris and Will Grier were both good, combining for 379 yards passing – collectively 29-for-36 and no interceptions. Florida piled up 606 total yards in Jim McElwain’s debut. Attendance in Gainesville: 90,227

Way down yonder in New Orleans – Duke 37, Tulane 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 31, Tulane 17). The Dookies held Tulane to 33 yards rushing, while Blue Devil quarterback Thomas Sirk passed for 289 yards. The Dookies piled up 530 total yards. Tulane’s only score came with 11 minutes left in the game. Attendance in New Orleans: 25,470

They grow running backs in Athens – Georgia 51, Louisiana-Monroe 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 52, Louisiana-Monroe 10). Nick Chubb ran for 120 yards, averaging 7.5 yards-per-carry, as the Dawgs were never challenged in the abbreviated game. Keith Marshall added 73 yards, also averaging more than seven yards-a-carry. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

Week One Picks: 14 correct, 4 wrong (77.8%)


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida International 15, UCF 14 – Attendance in Orlando: 39,184….
Tulsa 47, Florida Atlantic 44 (OT) – Attendance in Tulsa: 24,001….
Miami 45, Bethune-Cookman 0 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 43,467….
South Florida 51, Florida A&M 3 – Attendance in Tampa: 30,434….
Florida State 59, Texas State 16 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 80,917

Jacksonville U. 20, Delaware 14 – Attendance in Newark: 17,472….
Stetson 42, Webber International 13 – Attendance in Deland: 3,842….
Newberry 31, Florida Tech 28 – Attendance in Melbourne: 4,768


Superlatives

Weekend’s Best Passers:

Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes – 33-53-1 for 425 yards; Tulsa’s Dane Evans – 21-33-2-424; Bowling Green’s Matt Johnson – 27-49-0-424; Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield – 23-33-0-388; Baylor’s Seth Russell – 15-30-1-376; Western Michigan’s Zach Terrell – 33-50-2-365, and Northern Illinois’ Drew Hare – 21-26-0-360.

Also, West Virginia’s Skyler Howard – 16-25-0 for 359 yards; UCLA’s Josh Rosen – 28-35-0-351; Indiana’s Nate Sudfeld – 19-32-0-349; Ball State’s Jack Milas – 34-52-1-338; Middle Tennessee’s Brent Stockstill – 23-29-1-336; UTSA’s Blake Bogenshutz – 25-43-1-332; Wake Forest’s John Wolford – 20-27-0-323; UNLV’s Blake Decker – 21-39-1-319, and Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong – 24-41-1-319.

Also, Notre Dame’s Malik Zaire – 19-32-0 for 313 yards; Southern Miss’ Nick Mullens – 30-44-2-311; California’s Jared Goff – 24-32-1-309; Arkansas’ Brandon Allen – 14-18-0-308; Florida State’s Everett Golson – 19-25-0-302; Georgia State’s Nate Arbuckle – 25-43-1-299; Duke’s Thomas Sirk – 27-40-0-289; Washington State’s Luke Falk – 27-41-0-289, and Colorado State’s Nick Stevens – 20-28-0-289.


Weekend’s Best Rushers:

Old Dominion’s Ray Lawry – 223 yards; Pitt’s Quadree Ollison – 207 yards; Georgia Tech’s Marcus Marshall – 184 yards; Oregon’s Royce Freeman – 180 yards; Kansas’ Ke’aun Kinner – 157 yards; Florida State’s Dalvin Cook – 156 yards and Fresno State’s Marteze Waller – 154 yards.

Also, East Carolina’s Chris Hairston – 154 yards; Oregon State’s Seth Collins – 152 yards; Maryland’s Brandon Ross – 150 yards; Alabama’s Derrick Henry – 147 yards; Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara – 144 yards, and Army’s Ahmad Bradshaw – 143 yards;


Quotes of the Week

“Every now and then when I listen to your show, I know the SEC fans are a little upset at Ohio State’s schedule and rightfully so to tell you the truth. But that’s just the way it is and how it works out for all of us. I remember several years ago, Texas A&M had four gimme games outside the conference. There are four of us that have in-state rivalry games from another conference. We’ve got a pretty tough schedule,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, talking to Paul Finebaum.

“If we can beat Florida, we’ll have a great year,” a Tennessee fan, calling into “The Paul Finebaum Show.”

“Tim Tebow’s only hope at this point is Chip Kelly’s stubborn pride,” ESPN’s Skip Bayless, on Tim Tebow making the cut.

“I called some lousy plays tonight. I’m going to try to get better as a play caller,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, after the win over North Carolina.

“Nothing says ‘college football’s back’ like Jesse Palmer rambling on about his days at UF, while wearing a suit that’s two sizes too small,” Jason Silah tweet.

“Jesse Palmer is the most risk adverse announcer. He’s that coach that never goes for it,” Josh Shiben tweet.

“Jesse Palmer’s shirt is so tight that it’s squeezing nasty hair out of the pores on his face,” Hair Bot tweet.

“Somebody fire Jesse Palmer, please. I’m offended by his friggin stupidity,” bh tweet.

“We apologize for anyone offended by our halftime performance,” the Kansas State marching band.

“I am sorry if anyone was offended by the performance at halftime,” Kansas State president Kirk Schulz.

“Can you imagine being in the K-State band and calling your parents about tonight’s performance? “Hi mom! Look for me. I’m the left ball,” Aimee Patton tweet.

“We’re just starting to climb a mountain and we’ve taken one step,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, after the win over Wisconsin.


Signs of the Weekend

Saban Has Deflated Balls

Superman Wears Bielema Pajamas


Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
This Week’s 12 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games.…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Oregon (1-0) at Michigan State (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Neither team had tough competition last week. It wasn’t the worst competition, but it wasn’t the best either. Oregon has a potent offense again. No doubt about that. But the Ducks defense looks suspect. The Spartans aren’t as showy, but they will take advantage of that suspect defense. The Spartans have good decoys – Michigan State 30, Oregon 27.

RUNNER-UP: 2. LSU (0-0) at Mississippi State (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 9:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – The Tigers didn’t get their scrimmage game in last week. It was called off due to persistent bad weather. That could be a problem for the Tigers. They could still have some wrinkles going up against the Bulldogs. Miss State did play and has a game under its belt. But LSU will be tougher than Southern Miss. The Mad Hatter throws a tea party in Starkville – LSU 24, Mississippi State 20.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Oklahoma (1-0) at Tennessee (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Tennessee fans are expecting a lot out of the Vols this year. They are hyped – maybe overhyped. If the Vols don’t come through, the fans are going to be disappointed – big time. The Sooners are revamped this year on offense. Bob Stoops brought in a new offensive coordinator. Sooner Baker Mayfield passed for 388 yards last week. The Vols gave up a lot of passing yards to Bowling Green – 424. Mayfield picks Smokey to the Bones – Oklahoma 29, Tennessee 23.

4. Boise State (1-0) at BYU (1-0) – (MWC vs. Ind.) – 10:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Big battle in the Rockies. Both teams got super wins last week. But something will have to give in this one. Boise State has the better defense. BYU has the better offense. The Cougars don’t need a Hail Mary this week – BYU 24, Boise State 21.

5. Utah State (1-0) at Utah (1-0) – (MWC vs. Pac-12) – 9 pm Friday ET, ESPN2 – Good intrastate rivalry here. The Utes looked pretty good in their win over Michigan. The Aggies looked bad in their win over Southern Utah. Aggies look bad again this week – Utah 28, Utah State 16.

6. Kentucky (1-0) at South Carolina (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Until last year, Steve Spurrier had never lost to Kentucky, at Florida or South Carolina. But the Cats got their first win ever over Spurrier in 2014. He’ll get his revenge this year. Kentucky didn’t look that good against Louisiana-Lafayette. The Cats almost lost. Paybacks are hell – South Carolina 28, Kentucky 21.

7. East Carolina (1-0) at Florida (1-0) – (AAC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – The pressure is off Jim McElwain. He got his first win as a Florida coach last week. But the game this week will be tougher. East Carolina is a better team than New Mexico State. These are the same Pirates that the Gators beat 28-20 in the end of the season bowl game last year. East Carolina will have a little revenge on its mind. But the two-headed monster pillages the Pirates – Florida 34, East Carolina 17.

8. Iowa (1-0) at Iowa State (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big 12) – 4:30 pm ET, Saturday, Fox – This is always a fun game between these intrastate teams. Often the underdog wins. Iowa State has nothing to lose. So the Cyclones will be playing without any pressure. But the Hawkeyes turn out to be rude visitors – Iowa 27, Iowa State 23.

9. Notre Dame (1-0) at Virginia (0-1) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ABC – Big win for the Irish last week over Texas. But Notre Dame lost running back Torean Folston – out for the season with a torn ACL. Virginia looked good at times against UCLA, but not that good. Still, the Cavs should give the Irish a tougher game than Texas did. But not tough enough – Notre Dame 28, Virginia 18.

10. Georgia (1-0) at Vanderbilt (0-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – The Dawgs head up to Music Row this week to test their skills on the Commodores. Vandy appears to be playing better defense this season. But the Dores offense is still nowhere to be found. Smooth sailing and picking for the Dawgs – Georgia 28, Vanderbilt 9.

11. Oregon State (1-0) at Michigan (0-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Both coaches, in their first year at Oregon State and Michigan, have a big rebuilding job on their hands. But Jim Harbaugh should get his first win as a Michigan coach this week. What better place than in Ann Arbor? Hail to Harbaugh – Michigan 30, Oregon State 17.

12. Houston (1-0) at Louisville (0-1) – (AAC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ACCN – I hope Bobby Petrino has learned how to read a clock this week. Houston could give the Cardinals some trouble. The Cougars are a feisty bunch. But they aren’t as feisty as Auburn. The Cards are stacked – Louisville 33, Houston 22.


…AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

13. UCF (0-1) at Stanford (0-1) – (AAC vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – Something has got to give for one of these two in this game. Both were supposed to win big-time last week, and both lost. Both showed capability on defense, but neither showed much on offense. Neither one was picked to win its respective conference, but both were considered to be contenders. Both have veteran quarterbacks. The Knights give, give in that is – Stanford 28, UCF 16.

14. Washington State (0-1) at Rutgers (1-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Both of these coaches may be gone at the end of the season – maybe before the end of the season. Kyle Flood is in trouble at Rutgers for misbehaving. And Mike Leach is in trouble at Washington State for never winning. Flood survives this battle – Rutgers 30, Washington State 16.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Liberty (1-0) at West Virginia (1-0) – (Big South vs. Big 12) – 3 pm ET, Saturday, RSN – Compared to Georgia Southern, this should be an easier contest for the Mountaineers – much easier. William Crest should get to play more in this game. Liberty is often referred to as Jerry Falwell State Preachers College. They say you can study just about everything there except science. How many interceptions will Karl Joseph get this week? There is no liberty in Liberty as the Mountaineers Cruz past Falwell State – West Virginia 49, Liberty 3.

South Alabama (1-0) at Nebraska (0-1) – (Sun Belt vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, BTN –Look for the Huskers to vent their frustrations on South Alabama – big time. But out of precaution, no one named Mary will be allowed in Memorial Stadium this week. Against the Jaguars, the Huskers don’t have to worry about Mary – Hail or not. The Corn is golden – Nebraska 38, South Alabama 14.

North Carolina Central (1-0) at Duke (1-0) – (MEAC vs. ACC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3 – After partying in New Orleans last week, the Dookies take a breather this week. The Blue Devils defense looks good and quarterback Thomas Sirk is a winner. It’s in the Book….I mean….the Dook – Duke 45, North Carolina Central 10.

Indiana State (1-0) at Purdue (0-1) – (MVC vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPNEWS – This is going to be a long season for the Boilers. In his third year, Coach Darrell Hazell isn’t showing any improvement. The Boilers may struggle to beat the Sycamores. But they get to let off some steam – Purdue 35, Indiana State 26.

Rice (1-0) at Texas (0-1) – (C-USA vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, LHN – After the pounding Texas took from Notre Dame last week, the Longhorns need an opponent like Rice. This should allow the Horns to collect themselves. But someone may need to take up a collection for Charlie Strong. Bevo goes on a grain diet – Texas 27, Rice 16.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

South Florida (1-0) at Florida State (1-0) – (AAC vs. ACC) – 11:30 am ET, Saturday, ESPN….
FIU (1-0) at Indiana (1-0) – (C-USA vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, BTN….
Miami (1-0) at Florida Atlantic (0-1) – (ACC vs. C-USA) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FS1….

Jacksonville U. (1-0) at Newberry (1-0) – (Pioneer at South Atlantic) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….
Florida A&M (0-1) at Samford (1-0) – (MEAC vs. Southern) – 3 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….
Stetson (1-0) at Mercer (1-0) – (Pioneer vs. Southern) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….
Bethune-Cookman (0-1) at Grambling State (0-1) – (MEAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….
Florida Tech (0-1) at SE Louisiana (1-0) – (Gulf South vs. Southland) – 8 pm ET, Saturday….


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football …. Coastal Carolina will join the Sun Belt Conference beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year, participating in all sports but football. The Chanticleers will begin participating in football in the Sun Belt in the 2017-2018 academic year. The addition of Coastal Carolina will give the Sun Belt 12 football members and allow the conference to split into divisions and have a season-ending conference championship game.

North Carolina and South Carolina have agreed to two more matchups to be played in Charlotte in 2019 and 2023…. Elijah Holyfield, a running back at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, and son of Evander Holyfield, committed to Georgia over the weekend. Elijah chose Georgia over Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Tennessee…. The SEC signed a new 10-year contract that will keep the SEC championship game in Atlanta through 2027.

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there were three passings of note last week – Dean Jones, Martin Milner and Judy Carne.

Dean Jones, an actor and singer who made his name in a string of popular Disney films in the 1960s and 1970s, notably in the “Love Bug” series, died last week. He was 84. Jones became a stage actor, and he and Jane Fonda made their Broadway debuts together. But it was not until the mid-1960s that he found his niche in a series of family comedies produced by Walt Disney, beginning in 1965 with “That Darn Cat.” Prior to the Disney connection, Jones, a Navy veteran himself, had the title role in the 1962-63 NBC sitcom “Ensign O’Toole.” In addition to “That Darn Cat,” Jones other Disney movies included “The Ugly Dachshund” (1966), “Monkeys Go Home” (1967), “The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit” (1968), “The Shaggy D.A.” (1976) and the “Love Bug” movies. Dean Carroll Jones was born Decatur, Alabama on January 25, 1931. Jones first credited film was the 1956 drama “Those Wilder Years,” which starred James Cagney and Barbara Stanwyck. He followed that with the 1957 Elvis Presley movie “Jailhouse Rock;” the comedy “Imitation General” and the war drama “Torpedo Run,” both in 1958 (and both starring Glenn Ford); and another war drama “Never So Few,” with Frank Sinatra. He played a law student in “Handle With Care” (1958). Jones made his Broadway debut in February 1960 in “There Was a Little Girl.” Jane Fonda was his co-star. He appeared in the Broadway farce “Under the Yum-Yum Tree,” and went on to appear in the film version with Jack Lemon and Carol Lynley.

Martin Milner, an actor who achieved television stardom as one of two road-hungry bachelors in “Route 66” and later as a veteran police officer in “Adam 12,” died Sunday at his home in Carlsbad, California. He was 83. “Route 66” ran from 1960-1964 on CBS. His partner on the show was George Maharis. “Adam 12” ran on ABC from 1968 to 1975. Martin Sam Milner was born in Detroit on December 28, 1931. His family moved to Seattle and then to Los Angeles while he was growing up. Milner appeared in more than 40 films, including “Valley of the Dolls.”

Judy Carne, a British actress and comedian who rocketed to pop culture fame as the “sock it to me” girl on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In,” died last week in Northampton, England. She was 76. Carne was the first wife of Burt Reynolds. She made guest appearances on westerns, including “Bonanza” and “Gunsmoke,” and dramas like “12 O’Clock High” and comedies, including “Gidget” and “The Patty Duke Show,” before landing a starring role in “Love on a Rooftop.” She was born Joyce Audrey Botterill in Northampton on April 27, 1939.

College Football Week 1 – Many Quarterback battles still unsettled
Play on, play on autumn game

In the stadium
I ain’t had no football
Since January, February, June or July

But that’s about to change. In just three days’ time, it’s the beginning of a new season – four-plus months of football. Hallelujah!

However, for Tim Beckman, the season ended before it began. Can you believe it? The season hasn’t even started and already the first coach has been fired. Late last week, Illinois fired Beckman for alleged mistreatment of players.

Frankly, I think Illinois was just getting a head-start on finding a new coach. Beckman, in all likelihood, was going to get fired at the end of the season anyway. He was on the hot seat – 12-25 in three years with the Banned Indians.

And the prospects for this season weren’t bright – picked to finish 6th in the Big Ten West. Maybe the alleged mistreatment of players made it opportune for Illinois to go ahead and get rid of Beckman now. Why wait for the inevitable?

Bill Cubit, Beckman’s offensive coordinator, was named the interim coach for the season at Illinois. Cubit is a former head coach at Western Michigan. Ironically, one of the two names that have been mentioned as Beckman’s replacement is the current coach at Western Michigan – P.J. Fleck. The other name is Greg Schiano, the former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach.

Yeah, the season hasn’t even begun and already the fireworks are popping. Or in Steve Sarkisian’s case, the beer cans (or was it champagne bottles) are popping. Play on, play on autumn game.

Before we can play on, there are a few rules changes in college football this season you need to know about:

1. An eight-person officiating crew will be allowed if a conference or school chooses.

2. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty will be called on players who push or pull opponents off piles, typically seen after fumbles.

3. Instant replay reviews will be allowed to see if a kicking team player blocked the receiving team before the ball traveled 10 yards on onside kick plays.

4. Non-standard/overbuilt facemasks will be prohibited.

I ain’t had no football since January, February, June or July. Yeah, but there’s going to be more football this year – one more bowl game, that is. What?

Can you believe it? The last thing we need is another bowl game, but we got one. The Cure Bowl will be played December 19 in Orlando, Florida, matching an American Athletic Conference team against a team from the Sun Belt Conference. That’s three bowl games (Cure, Russell Athletic and Citrus) in Orlando.

So the Cure Bowl gives us a total of 40 bowls (39 plus the championship bowl) for the 2015 season – 78 of the 128 FBS teams will be going bowling at the end of the season. And speaking of the championship bowl, it will be played in Glendale, Arizona, on January 12, 2016.

The two bowls serving as the semi-final games in the playoffs this season are the Cotton and Orange Bowls, both played on December 31. In addition to the four playoff teams, the participants in the Sugar, Rose, Fiesta and Peach bowls also will be chosen by the playoff selection committee.

Speaking of the playoffs, the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 3 on ESPN. Then, the rankings will be announced weekly, every Tuesday evening through December 1. The final rankings and bowl pairings will be announced on Sunday, December 6.

There are no membership changes in the Power Five conferences this season. The Power Five consists of 65 teams – the ACC (14), Big 12 (10), Big Ten (14), Pac-12 (12), SEC (14) and independent Notre Dame.

There are three changes in the Group of Five conferences. The Group of Five consists of 63 teams – the AAC (12), C-USA (13), MAC (13), MWC (12), Sun Belt (11) and independents BYU and Army.

The changes in the Group of Five are in the AAC (one) and C-USA (two). For the first time in history, Navy gives up its status as an Independent in football. The Middies begin competing in the AAC this season. Meanwhile, in C-USA, UAB is out and Charlotte is in. UAB terminated its football program, while Charlotte moved up from FCS to FBS. Note: Since terminating football, UAB has since announced that it will revive the program in 2017, resuming play in C-USA.

Here’s a rundown of the conferences, revealing the favorites, the contenders and the dark horses.

Among the Power Five conferences:

In the ACC, it’s a tossup between Florida State and Clemson for the conference championship. Both will have to first battle it out for the Atlantic Division title. Also in the Atlantic, Louisville is a contender and NC State the dark horse. In the Coastal Division, it’s a tossup between Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Duke and North Carolina are contenders, while Miami and Pitt dark horses. Wake Forest and Virginia are picked to finish last in the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions respectively.

TCU is the solid favorite in the Big 12. Baylor is a serious contender and Oklahoma is the dark horse. Iowa State and Kansas are forecast to finish at the bottom.

It’s all Ohio State in the Big Ten – hands down. In the Buckeyes’ division – East – Michigan State is a contender and Penn State and Michigan are the dark horses. Indiana will finish last. In the Big Ten’s West Division, Wisconsin is the solid favorite. Nebraska is the contender, while Minnesota and Iowa are the dark horses. Purdue should finish at the bottom.

In the Pac-12, it’s a tossup between Oregon and USC, as both are picked to win their divisions – Oregon in the North and USC in the South. Elsewhere in the North, Stanford is the contender and California and Washington are dark horses. Arizona State and UCLA are the contenders in the South and Arizona is the dark horse. Oregon State and Colorado should be the last place finishers in the North and South respectively.

Alabama is the pick to beat Georgia for the SEC championship. But the SEC West will be the wild, wild west again – crazy. Auburn and LSU are contenders and Arkansas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, all three, are dark horses. There’s not much hope for Miss State. In the East, Tennessee and Missouri could challenge Georgia, while South Carolina and Florida are weak dark horses. Vanderbilt is the bottom feeder.

Among the Group of Five conferences:

Cincinnati is the favorite to win its division – East – and the conference title in the AAC. Temple and UCF could challenge the Bearcats and East Carolina is the dark horse. In the AAC West, Memphis is the general favorite and Houston is a serious contender. Navy is the dark horse. Connecticut will be the big loser in the East, and in the West, it’s a tossup between SMU and Tulsa for the worst team.

Western Kentucky is forecast to beat Louisiana Tech for the C-USA championship. Challenging the Hilltoppers in the East will be Marshall and Middle Tennessee is the dark horse. Newcomer Charlotte will finish at the bottom. In the West, Rice is the contender, while UTEP and Southern Miss are weak dark horses. UT-San Antonio will sit at the bottom.

In the MAC, Toledo and Northern Illinois are equally favored to win the conference title. But first, they must battle one another to win their division – the West. Western Michigan is a contender, while Ball State and Central Michigan are dark horses in the West. Bowling Green is the solid favorite to win the MAC East crown. Ohio and Akron will contend. Massachusetts and Buffalo are dark horses. Miami in the East and Eastern Michigan in the West are the bottom feeders.

Boise State is the clear favorite to win its division – Mountain – and take the MWC championship. Utah State is the contender and Colorado State is the dark horse in the Mountain Division. New Mexico is the loser. In the MWC West, San Diego State is the favorite for the division crown. Fresno State is the contender and Nevada and San Jose State are dark horses. It’s a tossup between Hawaii and UNLV for the worst of the West.

And finally, in the Sun Belt, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are expected to battle it out for the conference crown. Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette are serious challengers. Texas State and South Alabama are dark horses. Georgia State will finish at the bottom.

That’s the conference rundown. You have everything you need to know. Now you can sit back and see if the forecasters are right. Perhaps, you hope they are wrong. It’s going to be fun.

As the Rolling Stones sang, “Wild horses couldn’t drag me away. Wild, wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

Five-straight days of football begin Thursday evening. North Carolina-South Carolina from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte kicks off the season. The game is basically a tossup. Before the night is over, there are two more games worth viewing – Michigan at Utah and TCU at Minnesota. Jim Harbaugh makes his debut with the Wolverines. Can TCU run the table this season?

The best game Friday night is Washington at Boise State. Huskies coach Chris Petersen returns to his old stomping grounds.

Five games top the fare on Saturday – Louisville-Auburn from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, BYU at Nebraska (Mike Riley’s debut with the Huskers), Arizona State-Texas A&M from NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas at Notre Dame (Charlie Strong’s second season with the Longhorns) and Wisconsin-Alabama from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Sunday, check out Purdue at Marshall. Marshall’s offense is never dull.

Then the five-day weekend comes to an end on Labor Day night – Ohio State at Virginia Tech. Can the Hokies beat the Buckeyes again?

Bootsie and Rockledge Gator will be at the Louisville-Auburn game, along with grandson Connor Yawn. Everybody has at least one vice. For Bootsie, it’s cheering for Auburn – her only weakness. I’m not sure where she went wrong. But we’ll let it pass for this game.

After the game, Bootsie and Rockledge will meander their way up to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for Bootsie’s high school reunion. I won’t say which one, Bootsie.

Our friend Tim Muth wanted to take Swamp Mama to a Florida State kickoff party. But there was one stipulation. Swamp Mama had to dress up like a Seminole. There are some things Swamp Mama won’t do – ever. Tim has a strange sense of humor. Don’t all Noles?

Yeah, play on, play on autumn game.

As the Rolling Stones sang, “I’m just waiting on a friend.”

Touchdown Tom
August 31, 2015
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


Quotes of the Week

“I don’t think Pat Haden has a clue about being an athletic director,” Paul Finebaum, on the USC athletic director.

“The way I acted was irresponsible. There are things we are going to work on for me, moving forward,” USC football coach Steve Sarkisian, on his behavior and inappropriate language at a kickoff event for USC boosters.

“You’re not going to change my heart to make me love Michigan, are you?,” 10-year-old Ivan Applin to the doctors at the University of Michigan Hospital before surgery to repair his heart. Ivan is a big Ohio State fan.

“Beckman’s firing was a long time coming. His antics might have been entertaining to outsiders, but he was simply an embarrassment for the Fighting Illini,” ESPN Staff Writer Josh Moyer, on the firing of Illinois coach Tim Beckman.

“Probably doesn’t need to be said how much I hate Auburn,” Arkansas coach Bret Bielema.

“Football is different. It’s not like Fortune 500 companies that don’t tell their secrets. We share ideas, probably too much,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez, on college coaches discussing offenses and defenses with each other.

“When I hear ‘spread offense’ I kind of chuckle a little bit. It means evolving. To me, that’s what ‘spread offense’ means. The days of the spread offense 100% of the time are long, long gone,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen.

“The spread offense in college, which is one back and four receivers, and the pro-style offense, that you used to see in the NFL, have merged,” West Virginia coach Dan Holgorsen.

“Good news was I didn’t pull a Sark after dark,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, tweeting with a reference to USC coach Steve Sarkisian’s intoxicated behavior.


Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
Opening Weekend’s 12 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games.…and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Wisconsin vs. Alabama – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – The last time Alabama went up against a Big Ten team, you know what happened. It wasn’t pretty. Not for Alabama, it wasn’t. So the Tide will be out to make amends for that game. There will be a sort of revenge factor against the Big Ten. That says Wisconsin could be in trouble. And the Badgers have a brand new coach too. It may not be a pretty debut for Paul Chryst. In fact, it could be a downright ugly debut. The game is being played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If there is any battle at all, it could be between the two running backs – Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Wisconsin’s Corey Clement. Alabama finished last season against a Big Ten team. The Tide opens this season against a Big Ten team. Instead of On Wisconsin, it will be Poor Wisconsin – Alabama 28, Wisconsin 20.

RUNNER UP: 2. Ohio State at Virginia Tech – (Big Ten vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Monday, ESPN – What more could you ask for to top off the Labor Day weekend? It’s the perfect scenario – the reigning national champions going up against the only team that beat them 2014. Ohio State finished last season 14-1. That one loss was to Virginia Tech – 35-21 – in Columbus. This year, the game is in Blacksburg. It’s the only tough road game the Buckeyes have all season. Virginia Tech is the toughest game Ohio State will play until the Buckeyes meet Michigan State on November 21. And that game is in Columbus. Frank Beamer is in his 29th year, coaching the Hokies. Some Hokie fans think Beamer should be thinking about retirement. They’re getting impatient. Some think next year will be Beamer’s final one in Blacksburg. Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller lost to Virginia Tech last year. This year, Miller is a receiver. Quarterbacks J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones or both will not lose to the Hokies. But it will be close – Ohio State 28, Virginia Tech 17.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Louisville vs. Auburn – (ACC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – During his first stint at Louisville, way before his Steve McQueen days in Arkansas, Bobby Petrino almost became the coach at Auburn – in a back-handed way. Remember that? Tommy Tuberville does. It was called Jetgate. Now Petrino is in his second stint at Louisville. Gus Malzahn is in his third year at Auburn. And Malzahn might finally have a defense this year. Auburn fans are giddy singing Muschamp Love. Yes, the same Will Muschamp, who was Will Mustake at Florida, is Auburn’s new defensive coordinator. That’s why Auburn fans are singing Muschamp Love. It’s been a while since Auburn knew what a defense was. The game is being played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Just as it is Petrino’s second stint at Louisville, it is Muschamp’s second stint at Auburn. Will was the defensive coordinator for the Tigers in 2006 and 2007. And, of course, Petrino was offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2002. It’s a small world, isn’t it? And it will be a smaller world for Louisville when Auburn gets through with the Cardinals – Auburn 34, Louisville 17.

4. Arizona State vs. Texas A&M – (Pac-12 vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Like Auburn, Texas A&M has been another one of those schools with a good offense and a bad defense. And like Gus Malzahn, Kevin Sumlin got himself a defensive guru. Enter John Chavis at College Station. Sumlin went out and hired Chavis away from LSU. Chavis first established himself as a defensive guru under Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee. Some say Arizona State could be one of the most underrated teams in the country. And the Sun Devils are ranked in the Top 20. The game is being played in NRG Stadium in Houston. That means it will be a home game for the Aggies. But the visitors win – Arizona State 33, Texas A&M 32.

5. TCU at Minnesota – (Big 12 vs. Big Ten) – 9 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Is this the year of the Frog? Or is TCU overrated? The Frogs ended last season (42-3 over Ole Miss) with a bang. They could get this season started with a bang against Minnesota. TCU has the nation’s premier quarterback – Trevone Boykin. He’s one of the favorites for the Heisman. Minnesota is coming off back-to-back 8-5 seasons. That’s almost unheard of in the land of lutefisk. Usually, the Gophers are coming off back-to-back 5-8 seasons. The Gophers are diggers, not giggers – TCU 27, Minnesota 13.

6. Texas at Notre Dame – (Big 12 vs. Ind.) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – This is Charlie Strong’s second season at Texas. It’s still a rebuilding one. Regardless, the pressure is already on Charlie. After all, it is Texas. In South Bend, Notre Dame is sporting a new offensive coordinator this season. Mike Sanford, the former OC at Boise State, will be running the Irish offense. And Sanford’s offense is likely to run through Texas’ defense. Sorry Charlie – Notre Dame 30, Texas 20.

7. Michigan at Utah – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12) – 8:30 pm ET, Thursday, FS1 – The wait is over for Wolverine fans. The Harbaugh era begins at Michigan. Jim Harbaugh makes his long awaited debut. This is Harbaugh’s second stint at Michigan. The first stint was at the quarterback position. This stint is at the coaching position. Harbaugh may need a stint, or two, when this one is done. Yeah, the wait is over for Wolverine fans, but they may have to wait another week before they have a win. Utah beat Michigan in Ann Arbor last year and looks to make it two in a row this year. Jim is no gem – Utah 28, Michigan 24.

8. Virginia at UCLA – (ACC vs. Pac-12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Fox – Talk about a hot seat, that’s what Virginia coach Mike London is sitting on. And when UCLA gets done with the Cavaliers, London’s seat will be hotter. And if you notice Penn State fans cheering for the Bruins, that’s because Tom Bradley is the new defensive coordinator at UCLA this season. London’s bridge is falling down – UCLA 34, Virginia 17.

9. BYU at Nebraska – (Ind. vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, ABC – The Mike Riley era begins in Lincoln. Believe me, it won’t be anything like the Bo Pelini era. Not that Mike will necessarily win, or lose, any more games than Bo. That remains to be seen. It’s just that Mike’s disposition is somewhat different than Bo’s – completely different. Mike is more like Clark Kent – mild mannered. I’m not sure that you could label Bo as mild mannered. Mike will be more like Tom Osborne in that respect. Regardless, Mike still has to win games if he wants to reside in Lincoln for any length of time. BYU is a dangerous opener for Mike. The Cougar duo of quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Jamaal Williams can be scary. But the Huskers Riley….I mean….rally – Nebraska 32, BYU 30.

10. Washington at Boise State – (Pac-12 vs. MWC) – 10:15 pm ET, Friday, ESPN –
Washington coach Chris Petersen returns to his old stomping grounds. At Boise State, Petersen would have looked forward to this game with great anticipation. At Washington, Petersen is dreading this game. And rightfully so. The Broncos are loaded. The Huskies aren’t. Petersen gets no respect on his return. The Broncos are rude to him – Boise State 29, Washington 22.

11. Stanford at Northwestern – (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – So, I’m wondering. When the Northwestern players take the field, will they be singing, “Look for the union label?” Or maybe the Strawbs’ “I’m a Union Man.” But alas, the Wildcats weren’t awarded the right to unionize by the NLRB. The players aren’t employees of Northwestern. Still, when Justin Jackson is running with the ball, he may be singing to the Stanford defenders, “Oh, you don’t get me, I’m part of the union….you don’t get me, I’m part of the union.” Stanford is a right to work team – Stanford 28, Northwestern 16.

12. North Carolina vs. South Carolina – (ACC vs. SEC) – 6 p.m. ET, Thursday, ESPN – So Steve Spurrier has a Twitter account now and come this time next year, North Carolina may have a probation account – big time. Yeah, Spurrier got on Twitter and then got upset when everyone referred to him as the “Old Ball Coach.” He quickly reminded everyone that he is the “Head Ball Coach” – not the “Old Ball Coach.” Spurrier even related that at his recent physical, the doctor said he was a 70-year-old man in a 55-year-old body. Fifty-five….that’s how many years probation North Carolina might get. No….it won’t be that bad. The game is being played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Both teams are question marks. Tar Heel coach Larry Fedora is on the hot seat. North Carolina has a potentially hot quarterback – Marquise Williams. But if Williams is going to have a breakout season, this is the game where he needs to breakout. Never underestimate the Old….I mean….Head Ball Coach – South Carolina 26, North Carolina 24.


…AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

13. Penn State at Temple – (Big Ten vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – This is always a curious little affair. Temple never beats Penn State. Where is Rocky when they need him? But the Owls often come pretty damn close. And this is one of those times the Owls could come close again. Or they could come more than close. They could win. Penn State is still technically rebuilding. And Temple is a challenger for the East Division title in the American Athletic Conference. But with Christian Hackenberg quarterbacking the Nittany Lions, it is hard to see Penn State losing. The Lions put the cheese on the steaks – Penn State 30, Temple 20.

14. Purdue at Marshall – (Big Ten vs. C-USA) – 3 pm ET, Sunday, FS1 –
Last year, Marshall was one loss away from an undefeated season. The Herd was also one loss away from representing the Group of Five conferences in the Selection Committee’s New Year’s Day bowls. Boise State got that spot when Marshall lost to Western Kentucky 67-66 (OT) in the final game of the regular season. A win over Purdue would get Marshall back on track for that goal this season. Purdue coach Darrell Hazell is on the hot seat. A season opening loss at Marshall would be devastating for Hazell. The Boilers are considered to be the worst team in the Big Ten. That means they are 14th out of 14. Where are Bob Griese and Drew Brees when they need them? – Marshall 24, Purdue 17.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Georgia Southern at West Virginia – (Sun Belt vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FSN – Yes, I know….Georgia Southern is supposed to be a patsy. This is supposed to be a cupcake game for WVU. Well last year, Georgia Southern darn near beat NC State and Georgia Tech. The Wolfpack had to stage a fourth quarter rally to win 24-23. The Yellow Jackets had to stage a fourth quarter rally to win 42-38. And that was the Eagles only two losses all season. Two years ago, Georgia Southern beat Florida. Yeah, I know….everybody beat Will Muschamp – everybody that is except Tennessee and Kentucky. But I digress. The danger of Georgia Southern lies in its offense. The Eagles run a spread-option. WVU’s defense will be challenged. The Eagles have a crafty little running back in Matt Breida. He can drive a defense crazy. So what was supposed to be a cupcake could spread icing all over Dana Holgorsen’s face. On the upside, WVU’s offense should have no trouble scoring on Georgia Southern. So this could be a high-scoring game. We’ll see how improved the WVU defense is. Mountaineers do better than a birdie; they get an Eagle – West Virginia 41, Georgia Southern 25.

New Mexico State at Florida – (Sun Belt vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Last year, Florida’s opener was a washout – literally. And Florida was opening then against a Sun Belt Conference team from the West – Idaho. After two failed attempts to get the game going and what seemed like several inches of rain, the game was eventually called around midnight. So Florida and Idaho never got to play. Let’s hope this one doesn’t get rained out. After all, it’s Jim McElwain’s debut. And McElwain needs to see who performs better at quarterback – Will Grier or Treon Harris. Problem is – they’ll both look good against a team like New Mexico State. It may take another week for McElwain to decide. Albert gives the Aggies a bath – Florida 49, New Mexico State 3.

Duke at Tulane – (ACC vs. AAC) – 9:30 pm ET, Thursday, CBSSN – The days of making fun of the Dookies are over. It has been for a few years now. David Cutcliffe has turned the Dookies into a legitimate and competitive team. Now Tulane is a different story. The Green Wave haven’t seen a decent season since Tommy Bowden and Rich Rodriguez left Tulane for Clemson several years ago. The Dookies are on a streetcar named Desire – Duke 31, Tulane 17.

Louisiana-Monroe at Georgia – (Sun Belt vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, SECN – A few years ago, ULM was scaring big teams right and left. The Warhawks beat Arkansas and darn near beat Auburn. But that was a few years ago. The Warhawks haven’t done that in a while. They aren’t about to start it again either. Not against Georgia, they’re not. The Dawgs will score at will on the Warhawks. Uga will be bored. He may not even bother to come out of the doghouse. After all, isn’t the doghouse air conditioned? Chubb feasts on Warhawk grub – Georgia 52, Louisiana-Monroe 10.


ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida International at UCF – (C-USA vs. AAC) – 6 pm ET, Thursday, CBSSN....
Florida Atlantic at Tulsa – (C-USA vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN....
Bethune-Cookman at Miami – (MEAC vs. ACC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3....
Florida A&M at South Florida – (MEAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3
Texas State at Florida State – (Sun Belt vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNEWS….

Jacksonville U. at Delaware – (Pioneer vs. Colonial) – 7 pm ET, Friday....
Webber International at Stetson – (Sun vs. Pioneer) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3....
Newberry at Florida Tech – (South Atlantic vs. Gulf South) – 7 pm ET, Saturday


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Louisville announced a $55 million stadium expansion that will add 10,000 seats to 17-year-old Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. The expansion will bring the stadium’s capacity to approximately 65,000…. Colorado State and Florida have contracted for a game to be played in Gainesville in 2018…. LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron revealed last week that he was treated for prostate cancer but plans to coach this season….

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but as the Labor Day weekend approached and college football fans were stoked for the start of another great season, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1940 was “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

…70 years ago this week in 1945 was “On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe” by Johnny Mercer

…65 years ago this week in 1950 was “Goodnight, Irene” by Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers

…60 years ago this week in 1955 was “Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets

…55 years ago this week in 1960 was “It’s Now Or Never” by Elvis Presley

…50 years ago this week in 1965 was “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher

…45 years ago this week in 1970 was “War” by Edwin Star

…40 years ago this week in 1975 was “Get Down Tonight” by KC and The Sunshine Band

…35 years ago this week in 1980 was “Sailing” by Christopher Cross

…30 years ago this week in 1985 was “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis and The News

…25 years ago this week in 1990 was “If Wishes Came True” by Sweet Sensation


Not exactly college football related, but there were six passings of note last week – Charlie Coffey, Justin Wilson, Melody Patterson, Daryl Dawkins, Lou Tsioropoulos and Marvin Mandell.

Charlie Coffey, who brought a potent passing attack to Virginia Tech during his three seasons as the Hokies’ coach in the early 1970s (1971-73), died last week. He was 81. In the three years guiding the Hokies, Coffey led them to a 12-20-1 record. His 1972 team was quarterbacked by Don Strock. Prior to Virginia Tech, Coffey was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas for five seasons and was an assistant coach at Tennessee from 1963 to 1965. Coffey played football at Tennessee where he was an offensive guard and a defensive tackle. Following his last year at Virginia Tech, Coffey entered the trucking industry. In 1981 he founded Nationwide Express, a trucking company his two sons run today.

Justin Wilson, an Indy Car driver died last week after he sustained a head injury during a crash at the Pocono Raceway. He was 37. Known as the “Gentle Giant” of racing (he was 6ft-4), Wilson got his start racing Go-Karts at the age of nine at his home in England. He raced in the European Formula One series in 2003 and then moved to the United States, where he raced in the Champ Car and Indy Car circuits. Wilson was born in Sheffield, England, and brought up in Woodall, a village in South Yorkshire.

Melody Patterson, an actress best-known for playing Wrangler Jane on the sitcom “F Troop” in the 1960s, died last week in Hollister, Missouri. She was 66. “F Troop,” a comedy set in the Old West that was seen on ABC from 1965 to 1967, Patterson played a feisty postmistress and storekeeper at Fort Courage. Her character was the love interest of the fort’s captain, played by Ken Berry. “F Troop” also starred Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch. After “F Troop” ended, Patterson appeared on “The Monkees,” “Green Acres” and other TV shows. She met actor James MacArthur when they were cast in the movie “The Angry Breed” and they later married. She appeared in a few episodes of the CBS crime drama “Hawaii 5-0,” on which MacArthur played detective Danny Williams. Melody Patricia Patterson was born on April 16, 1949, in Inglewood, California.

Daryl Dawkins, who arrived in the NBA as a teenager and became one of the games fiercest dunkers known to fans as Chocolate Thunder from Lovetron, died last week in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was 58. In the 1975 NBA draft, Dawkins was selected 5th in the first round and first by the Philadelphia 76ers. He became the first NBA player drafted straight out of high school. Dawkins played a total of 15 years in the NBA – the first seven with the 76ers. He also played for the New Jersey Nets, the Utah Jazz and the Detroit Pistons. Daryl Dawkins was born in Orlando, Florida, on January 11, 1957. After his NBA career ended, Dawkins played professionally Italy and spent a year with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Lou Tsioropoulos, who played on Kentucky’s 1951 NCAA basketball championship team and two Boston Celtics squads that went on to win NBA titles, died last week in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 84. Tsioropoulos played three seasons at Kentucky under Adolph Rupp. The 1951 team included Frank Ramsey and Cliff Hagan. After graduating from Kentucky in 1953, Tsioropoulos spent three years in the Air Force before joining the Celtics in 1956, where he played for three seasons. Louis Charles Tsioropoulos was born on August 30, 1930, in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Marvin Mandel, a former governor of Maryland whose record of modernizing the state’s government was overshadowed by a messy divorce and a fraud conviction for helping associates profit from a racetrack deal, died yesterday in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. He was 95. Mandell was born in Baltimore on April 19, 1920 and grew up in the city. He served in the U.S. Army after graduating from the University of Maryland Law School in 1942.

College Football Week – Preseason 2: Ten days and counting
The odds are against Ohio State

Ten days and counting. Yes, 10 days to the first kickoff. Ten days and another season begins. Little-by-little, the questions will be answered. The mysteries will be solved. The unknown will be known.

The good news at this point: Every team is undefeated. Everybody has a right to believe their team will be No. 1 at the end of the season. That’s one of the beauties of college football – at preseason, everybody thinks their team will go undefeated. That is until reality sets in – when the first games are played.

But even with one loss, everybody thinks their team can still make the playoffs. That is until reality sets in again – when the second loss occurs.

If you follow the preseason polls, then you know that some people – Ohio State fans in particular – have more reason than others to believe their team will be No. 1 at the end of the season. The last of the preseason polls – AP – was released yesterday. Again, Ohio State was No. 1 – just as the Buckeyes have been in all the other preseason polls this season.

But wait. Maybe Buckeyes fans should be concerned – really concerned. Only two times in the past 20 years has the No. 1 team at preseason been the No. 1 team at the end of the season – Florida State in 1999 and USC in 2004. And the Trojans later had to vacate that 2004 title due to violations.

So the odds aren’t good for Ohio State. The Buckeyes only have a 10 percent chance of finishing the season at No. 1. Based on the past 20 years, Ohio State only has a 10 percent chance of winning the national championship again this season. But time will tell. The unknown will be known.

The preseason polls have revealed a few interesting things. TCU and Baylor have their highest-ever preseason rankings. Michigan State has its highest preseason ranking since 1967. And, this year is the first time since 1957 that the preseason polls are without Florida, Nebraska or Texas in the Top 25. Imagine that.

Yes, the AP preseason poll was released yesterday. And today, my annual preseason Consensus Top 40 poll is posted below.

All the preseason polls are out, but all the coaches don’t know yet who their starting quarterback is going to be. If they do, they aren’t letting on. Not yet at least. Quarterback battles are still going on at several schools, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, South Carolina and UCLA, among others.

Florida coach Jim McElwain said the competition between Will Greer and Treon Harris is so tight that he just may rotate the quarterbacks in the first couple of games to determine which one should become the starter.

At Ohio State, quarterbacks Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett both said they are against the rotation system. They would rather Urban Meyer pick and start with one as opposed to rotating them.

When the decision is made in Tallahassee, Everett Golson may have wished he transferred somewhere else other than Florida State. Then again, maybe not.

Oh well, the questions will soon be answered. The unknown will be known.

Speaking of Florida State, my Seminole friend Tim Muth said he hopes Jimbo Fisher keeps his players out of bars and jails this fall. And Swamp Mama reminded Tim that Jimbo better keep them out of Publix too.

Swamp Mama and I went out to dinner with Bootsie and Rockledge Gator Friday night. Rockledge Gator is chomping at the bit for the season to start. At dinner he was chomping on a plate full of wings. He was chomping so aggressively on those wings you would have thought Florida was on the eve of playing South Carolina.

But then what do you eat when you’re about to play a team called the Aggies – cabbage, carrots, corn? Somehow, I can picture Rockledge Gator chomping on that. Hell, he won’t even chomp on tomatoes. He saves those for me – tomatoes, onions, cucumbers.

Meanwhile, Bootsie and Swamp Mama have been busy buying their new Gator glitter, garb and paraphernalia for the fall. Just call them the glitterazzi. Or the glam Gators.

Yes, 10 days. Ten days and counting!

Touchdown Tom
August 24, 2015
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


Quotes of the Week

“We didn’t score touchdowns in the red zone. We should have put 60 on them, and we didn’t. That was the most disappointing thing, when you have a chance to do something special, and don’t, and then we gave up all those fourth quarter points. We let them off the hook, but we’ve got them at home this year,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, on last year’s Alabama game.

“I don’t think it would be as efficient. I don’t think it would be the best idea,” Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett on a rotating quarterback system.

“I don’t think it’s a great idea. I don’t think you could get in a rhythm. Only one of us can play,” Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones on a rotating quarterback system.

“I definitely believe I am the best corner in the Big 12,” Oklahoma cornerback Zack Sanchez.

“We still got a whole bunch of coachin’ to do. A whole bunch of coachin’,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, after practice on Wednesday.

“History could be against Ohio State. Of the six previous teams to get 90% or more of the AP preseason No. 1 votes, none won titles, including Alabama in 2013 and Florida State in 2014,” ESPN’s Chris Fowler.


The Teams – 2015 (Touchdown Tom’s Consensus Top 40)

Who’s No. 1? Who’s No. 2? And will those teams be the top two teams at the end of the season? Only time will tell – 20 weeks of time.

The preseason polls are all out. The last one – AP – was posted yesterday. That means Touchdown Tom has come up with his annual preseason Top 40 poll. Every year, I combine the results of all the legitimate preseason polls – 14 this year – to come up with my Top 40.

After doing the math, this year’s preseason Consensus Top 40 has 1 – Ohio State and 2 – TCU as the top two teams in the country. The remainder of the Top 10 consists of 3 – Alabama, 4 – Baylor, 5 – Oregon, 6 – Auburn, 7 – Michigan State, 8 – USC, 9 – Florida State and 10 – Georgia.

Ohio State is a unanimous No. 1. The Buckeyes were ranked first in all 14 of the preseason polls. TCU was ranked 2nd in 12 of the 14 polls. Sports Illustrated ranked the Horned Frogs 3rd and Athlon ranked them 5th.

Each of the Power Five conferences is represented in the Top 10. The SEC has three teams, the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 have two each and there is one team form the ACC – Florida State.

Continuing down the Top 40, the second 10 consists of 11 – Notre Dame, 12 – Clemson, 12 – LSU, 14 – UCLA, 15 – Ole Miss, 16 – Arizona State, 17 – Stanford, 18 – Arkansas, 19 – Georgia Tech and 20 – Wisconsin.

The Top 20 is made up of six teams from the SEC (five from the SEC West), five teams from the Pac-12, three teams each from the Big Ten and ACC two teams from the Big 12 and one Independent – Notre Dame.

The next 10 is made up of 21 – Oklahoma, 22 – Boise State, 23 – Tennessee, 24 – Arizona, 25 – Missouri, 26 – Texas A&M, 27 – Oklahoma State, 28 – Virginia Tech, 29 – Mississippi State and 30 – Utah.

The Top 30 reflects 10 teams from the SEC (seven from the SEC West), seven teams from the Pac-12 (five from the Pac-12 South), four teams each from the ACC and Big 12, three teams from the Big Ten, one Independent and one team from the Mountain West – Boise State.

The final 10 teams in the Consensus Top 40 include 31 – Penn State, 32 – Nebraska, 33 – Louisville, 34 – Texas, 35 – Kansas State, 36 – West Virginia, 37 – Miami (Florida), 38 – Michigan, 39 – NC State and 40 – Florida. Just missing the Top 40 was Minnesota.

The Consensus Top 40 consists of 11 teams from the SEC, seven teams each from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12, six teams from the Big Ten (four from the Big Ten East), one team from the Mountain West and one Independent. Boise State is the only team from a Group of Five conference ranked in the Top 40.

The highest ranked teams from the other four Group of Five conferences are Cincinnati (42nd) from the American Athletic, Marshall (53rd) from Conference USA, Northern Illinois (54th) from the Mid-American and Georgia Southern (79th) from the Sun Belt.

Last year, the Top 5 teams in the preseason Consensus Top 40 were 1 – Florida State, 2 – Alabama, 3 – Oregon, 4 – Oklahoma and 5 – Ohio State. At the end of the regular season, the Top 4 playoff teams were 1 – Alabama, 2 – Oregon, 3 – Florida State and 4 – Ohio State.

Ohio State won the national championship, beating Oregon in the title game. In the final polls, it was 1 – Ohio State, 2 – Oregon, 3 – TCU and 4 – Alabama. TCU was ranked 33rd in the preseason Consensus Top 40. Florida State finished the season ranked 6th and Oklahoma was not even ranked in the Top 25 at the end of the season.


The Running Backs – 2015

Running backs don’t rule in college football. Or at least they haven’t for 13 of the past 14 years. Since 2000, only one running back has won the Heisman. (Note: The Trophy was vacated in 2005).

However, there was a time when the running backs ruled. There were two times. From 1940 to 1961 a running back won the Heisman 18 of those 22 years. Then from 1972 to 1988 a running back won the Heisman 14 of those 17 years.

Maybe a running back will start a new streak in 2015. Like the quarterbacks this preseason, there are five running backs who are leading the pack – two juniors and three sophomores. And like the quarterbacks, two of the five are way out in front of the pack – Ohio State junior Ezekiel Elliott (6-0, 225) and Georgia sophomore Nick Chubb (5-10, 220).

Along with TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, the Buckeyes’ Elliott is the other favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this year. Last year, Elliott rushed for 1,878 yards, scored 18 touchdowns and averaged 6.9 yards-per-carry. Ohio State won the National Championship and finished with a 14-1 record.

Should Elliott win the Heisman, he would become the eighth player from Ohio State to win the Trophy – the last being quarterback Troy Smith in 2006.

Meanwhile, down in the Peach State, Georgia’s hopes are running high with the return of Nick Chubb. In 2014, Chubb rushed for 1,547 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, while averaging 7.1 yards-a-carry.

The other three running backs attracting major attention at preseason are LSU sophomore Leonard Fournette (6-1, 230), Alabama junior Derrick Henry (6-3, 242) and Pitt sophomore James Conner (6-2, 250).

Last season Fournette averaged 5.5 yards-per-carry, as he rushed for 1,034 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Henry scored 11 touchdowns, as he rushed for 990, averaging 5.5 yards-a-carry. In Pittsburgh, Conner rushed for 1,765 yards, averaging 5.9 yards-a carry and scoring 26 touchdowns.

Elliott, Chubb, Fournette, Henry and Conner are pegged at preseason to be the five best running backs in the country. But the conferences are loaded with a ton of good running backs.

Although Chubb, Fournette and Henry are the cream of the crop in the SEC, the league has some other good runners. Arkansas was looking good with the returning tandem of senior Jonathan Williams (6-0, 224) and junior Alex Collins (5-11, 224). But last week, Williams suffered a foot injury that will keep him out for the season. Collins, who rushed for 1,100 yards last year, will have to pick up the slack.

Tennessee is hanging its hopes on sophomore Jalen Hurd (6-3, 230), as is Florida with junior Kelvin Taylor (5-10, 209). Taylor had 899 yards rushing last season.

Oklahoma has one of the country’s most outstanding backs in sophomore Samaje Perine (5-11, 237). Last year, Perine rushed for 1,713 yards, scored 21 touchdowns and averaged 6.5 yards-a-carry. Elsewhere in the Big 12, Baylor junior Shock Linwood (5-9, 195), Texas Tech senior DeAndre Washington (5-8, 198) and TCU senior Aaron Green (5-11, 202) are among the best.

Last season, Linwood rushed for 1,252 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. Washington averaged 5.9 yards-per-carry, rushing for 1,103 yards. Green rushed for 922 yards, averaging 7.1 yards-a-carry.

Texas hopes that senior Johnathan Gray (5-11, 208) has a marquis season. He’s capable. West Virginia is looking for a dual threat at the running back position with junior Rushel Shell (5-10, 221) and junior Wendell Smallwood (5-11, 201). Both rushed for more than 700 yards each last season.

The Pac-12, always known for its quarterbacks, has a slew of good running backs this season. The top two at preseason are Utah senior Devontae Booker (5-11, 212) and Oregon sophomore Royce Freeman (5-11, 230). In 2014, Booker rushed for 1,512 yards. Freeman rushed for 1,365 yards, scoring 18 touchdowns. Another Duck, junior Thomas Tyner (5-11, 215), makes Oregon a bigger threat at the running back position.

UCLA is looking strong with junior Paul Perkins (5-11, 198). Last year Perkins rushed for 1,575 yards. Two more Pac-12 backs to keep an eye on are Arizona sophomore Nick Wilson (5-10, 199) and Oregon State senior Storm Woods (6-0, 205). Wilson tallied 1,375 yards rushing in 2014.

Outside of Pitt’s James Conner, the ACC is not looking strong at preseason at the running back position. The best of the rest may be Florida State sophomore Dalvin Cook (6-0, 203). Cook, currently suspended from the Florida State team, rushed for 1,008 yards last season.

Two others in the ACC who could break through in 2015 are NC State senior Shadrach Thornton (6-1, 205) and Boston College sophomore Jon Hilliman (6-0, 215). Thornton racked up 907 yards rushing last year.

Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott rules the field in the Big Ten, but Wisconsin junior Corey Clement (5-11, 217) is not far behind. Clement rushed for 949 yards in 2014. Two others in the Big Ten to watch out for are Northwestern sophomore Justin Jackson (5-11, 185) and Illinois senior Josh Ferguson (5-10, 195). Jackson had 1,187 yards rushing last season.

Among the Group of Five conferences, Marshall senior Devon Johnson (6-1, 243) is one of the best and possibly the best in Conference USA. Last year, Johnson averaged 8.6 yards-a-carry, rushing for 1,767 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns.

But C-USA is loaded with good running backs, including Western Kentucky senior Leon Allen (6-0, 235) and Louisiana Tech senior Kenneth Dixon (5-10, 212). Last year Allen rushed for 1,542 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, while Dixon rushed for 1,299 yards, scoring 22 touchdowns.

And we’re not finished. Yet, two more good backs in C-USA are UTEP junior Aaron Jones (5-10, 185) and Rice junior Jowan Davis (5-7, 200). In 2014, Jones rushed for 1,321 yards and Davis tallied 956 yards.

The Mid-American is in good shape at the running back position. The MAC is led by Western Michigan sophomore Jarvion Franklin (6-0, 220) and Toledo junior Kareem Hunt (5-11, 215). Franklin rushed for 1,551 yards and scored 24 touchdowns last season, while Hunt averaged 8.0 yards-per-carry, rushing for 1,631 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Two more good backs in the MAC are Buffalo senior Anthone Taylor (5-10, 207) and Bowling Green senior Travis Greene (5-10, 183). Last year, Taylor rushed for 1,403 yards, while Greene grounded-out 949 yards.

The Mountain West Conference has one of the country’s top running backs in San Diego State junior Donnel Pumphrey (5-9, 170). In 2014, Pumphrey scored 20 touchdowns, rushing for 1,867 yards and averaging 6.8 yards-a-carry. Another star back in the MWC is Fresno State senior Marteze Waller (5-11, 209). Last season, Waller rushed for 1,368 yards, averaging 6.1 yards-per-carry.

UCF junior William Stanback (6-1, 225) is the only star running back in the American Athletic Conference at preseason. Likewise for the Sun Belt Conference with Georgia Southern junior Matt Breida (5-10, 185) being the sole leader at preseason. Last year, Breida rushed for 1,485 yards, averaging 8.7 yards-a-carry and scoring 17 touchdowns.

Among the Independents, the best running back is BYU senior Jamaal Williams (6-0, 206).


TT’s Top Ten Favorite Running Backs at Preseason:

1. Ezekiel Elliott – Ohio State
2. Nick Chubb – Georgia
3. Samaje Perine – Oklahoma
4. Derrick Henry – Alabama
5. Royce Freeman – Oregon
6. Shock Linwood – Baylor
7. James Conner – Pitt
8. Devon Johnson – Marshall
9. Donnel Pumphrey – San Diego State
10. Marteze Waller – Fresno State


And keep an eye on:

Corey Clement – Wisconsin; Nick Wilson – Arizona; Matt Breida – Georgia Southern; Leonard Fournette – LSU; Devontae Booker – Utah; Kenneth Dixon – Louisiana Tech, and Jamaal Williams – BYU.


The Other Positions – 2015

Wide Receivers

They say the wide receiver has become the most popular position in college football, maybe all of football. Baylor is the most envied school at preseason with a pair of outstanding receivers – junior Corey Coleman (5-11, 190) and sophomore K.D. Cannon (6-0, 175). Elsewhere in the Big 12, watch out for Oklahoma senior Sterling Shepard (5-10, 191) and TCU senior Josh Doctson (6-3, 195).

The SEC has three clutch receivers in Ole Miss junior Lequon Treadwell (6-2, 229), South Carolina junior Pharoh Cooper (5-11, 208) and Auburn senior Duke Williams (6-2, 224).

In the Big Ten, Ohio already had a good receiver in junior Michael Thomas (6-3, 210). Now the Buckeyes may have another one in former quarterback and senior Braxton Miller (6-2, 215). Rutgers had a top-notch receiver in senior Leonte Carroo (6-1, 205).

Out West, the Pac-12 is in good shape with Colorado senior Nelson Spruce (6-1, 195), USC sophomore Juju Smith (6-2, 215) and Arizona State senior D.J. Foster (5-11, 195). The ACC’s two best receivers are looking to be Pitt junior Tyler Boyd (6-2, 190) and Clemson junior Mike Williams (6-4, 210).

One of the best receivers in the country is Colorado State junior Rashard Higgins (6-2, 188). Two more top receivers are Notre Dame junior Will Fuller (6-0, 180) and Western Michigan junior Corey Davis (6-3, 205).


Tight Ends

Four of the nation’s six best tight ends are from the SEC. They are Ole Miss junior Evan Engram (6-3, 227), Arkansas junior Hunter Henry (6-5, 250), Vanderbilt senior Steven Scheu (6-5, 245) and Alabama junior O.J. Howard (6-6, 242).

The other two are Stanford sophomore Austin Hooper (6-4, 249) and Virginia Tech Bucky Hodges (6-6, 249).


Centers

The SEC has three of the top eight centers in the country. They are Missouri senior Evan Boehm (6-3, 320), Alabama senior Ryan Kelly (6-5, 297) and Texas A&M senior Mike Mathews (6-2, 290).

The Big Ten and the Pac-12 combine for four of the top centers. From the Big Ten are Michigan State senior Jack Allen (6-2, 295) and Wisconsin junior Dan Voltz (6-3, 311). The two from the Pac-12 are USC senior Max Tuerk (6-6, 285) and UCLA senior Jake Brendel (6-4, 290).

And finally, Notre Dame has an outstanding center in senior Nick Martin (6-4, 301).


Offensive Guards

Three conferences each have two of the best seven offensive guards. From the Big Ten are Ohio State junior Pat Elflein (6-3, 300) and Indiana junior Dan Feeney (6-4, 305). Representing the Pac-12 are Arizona State senior Christian Westerman (6-4, 301) and Stanford senior Joshua Garnett (6-5, 325).

From the SEC are Georgia junior Greg Pyke (6-6, 313) and Auburn junior Alex Kozan (6-4, 300). The remaining top guard is North Carolina senior Landon Turner (6-4, 325).


Offensive Tackles

The SEC has five of the top offensive tackles in the country. They are Ole Miss junior Laremy Tunsil (6-5, 305), Alabama sophomore Cam Robinson (6-6, 326) and LSU senior Vadal Alexander (6-6, 320). Also from the SEC are Arkansas junior Denver Kirkland (6-5, 320), Auburn junior Avery Young (6-6, 305).

Two of the top tackles are from the Big 12. They are Baylor senior Spencer Drango (6-6, 310) and Texas Tech senior Le’Raven Clark (6-6, 316). The Big Ten also has two top tackles. They are Ohio State senior Taylor Decker (6-8, 315) and Michigan State junior Jack Conklin (6-6, 317).

Two other top tackles are Notre Dame senior Ronnie Stanley (6-5, 315) and Oregon senior Tyler Johnstone senior (6-6, 295).


Defensive Ends

The SEC has four of the top defensive ends on the country. They are Texas A&M sophomore Myles Garrett (6-5, 255), Auburn sophomore Carl Lawson (6-2, 257), Tennessee senior Curt Maggitt (6-3, 248) and Tennessee sophomore Derek Barnett (6-3, 268).

The Big 12 is represented with three of the top defensive ends. They are Baylor senior Shawn Oakman (6-9, 280), Oklahoma State junior Emmanuel Ogbah (6-4, 275) and Texas Tech senior Pete Robertson (6-3, 238).

From the Big Ten are Ohio State junior Joey Bosa (6-6, 275) and Michigan State senior Shilique Calhoun (6-5, 250). The remaining two on the top defensive end list are Oregon senior DeForest Buckner (6-7, 290) and Virginia Tech senior Dadi Nicolas senior (6-4, 236).


Defensive Tackles

Among the best defensive tackles, the SEC has four. They are Ole Miss junior Robert Nkemdiche (6-4, 280), Alabama junior A’Shawn Robinson (6-4, 312), Missouri junior Harold Brantley (6-3, 280) and Mississippi State junior Chris Jones (6-5, 308).

The Big Ten has three of the best in Ohio State senior Adolphus Washington (6-4, 230), Penn State senior Anthony Zettel (6-4, 278) and Nebraska junior Maliek Collins (6-2, 300). The Big 12 has one of the best in Baylor junior Andrew Billings (6-2, 300).

The remaining three top defensive tackles are Notre Dame senior Sheldon Day (6-2, 285), UCLA junior Kenny Clark (6-3, 308) and Louisiana-Monroe senior Gerrand Johnson (6-1, 290).


Linebackers

There are several top linebackers, including six out of the SEC. They are Alabama senior Reggie Ragland (6-2, 252), Florida senior Antonio Morrison (6-1, 225) and Georgia junior Leonard Floyd (6-4, 231). Also, Georgia senior Jordan Jenkins (6-3. 253), Auburn senior Casanova McKinzy (6-3, 253) and LSU junior Kendell Beckwith (6-2, 245).

Ohio State is “Linebacker U.” this season with three of the best. They are sophomore Raekwon McMillan (6-2, 240), sophomore Darron Lee (6-2, 235) and senior Joshua Perry (6-4, 254). The Pac-12 has four of the top linebackers. They are Arizona junior Scooby Wright (6-1, 246), UCLA junior Myles Jack (6-1,232), USC junior Su’a Cravens (6-1, 225) and Stanford senior Blake Martinez (6-2, 247).

The Big 12 has three of the best in Oklahoma junior Dominique Alexander (6-0, 229), Oklahoma senior Eric Striker (6-0, 223) and West Virginia senior Nick Kwiatkoski (6-2, 235).

Two more top linebackers are form the ACC. They are Duke senior Kelby Brown (6-2, 230) and Florida State senior Terrance Smith (6-4, 231). The remaining two among the best linebackers are Notre Dame junior Jaylon Smith (6-2, 235) and Temple senior Tyler Metakevich (6-1, 235).


Cornerbacks

The SEC leads with five of the best cornerbacks in the nation. They are Florida junior Vernon Hargreaves (5-11, 198), Tennessee junior Cameron Sutton (6-1, 189) and Auburn senior Jonathan Jones (5-10, 181). Also, Ole Miss junior Tony Conner (6-0, 217) and Mississippi State senior Will Redmond (6-0, 185).

The ACC is strong at the cornerback position with three of the best. They are Florida State junior Jalen Ramsey (6-1, 201), Virginia Tech junior Kendall Fuller (6-0, 197) and Clemson sophomore Mackensie Alexander (5-10, 190).

The Big 12 comes in with two. They are Oklahoma junior Zack Sanchez (5-11, 175) and Oklahoma State senior Kevin Peterson (5-11, 190). The Pac-12 also has two of the best in UCLA junior Ishmael Adams (5-8, 190) and USC sophomore Adoree Jackson (5-11, 185).

The remaining three top linebackers are Maryland junior Will Likely (5-7, 175), Houston senior William Jackson (6-1, 185) and Notre Dame senior KeiVarae Russell (5-11, 190).


Safeties

Among the best safeties in the country, three are from the Big 12. They are West Virginia senior Karl Joseph (5-11, 197), Kansas State senior Dante Barnett (6-1, 186) and Oklahoma State junior Jordan Sterns (6-1, 205).

Three more are from the ACC. They are Duke senior Jeremy Cash (6-2, 205), Duke senior DeVon Edwards (5-9, 175) and Virginia sophomore Quin Blanding (6-1, 215). And three are from the SEC – LSU sophomore Jamal Adams (6-0, 206), LSU senior Jalen Mills (6-0, 194) and Alabama junior Eddie Jackson (6-0, 194). Mills suffered an ankle injury last week and will miss the first half of the season.

The three remaining top safeties are Ohio State junior Vonn Bell (5-11, 205), Notre Dame junior Max Redifield (6-1, 198) and Washington sophomore Budda Baker (5-10, 176).


Kickers

Two of the top six kickers in the country are from the Big 12. They are West Virginia junior Josh Lambert (5-11, 215) and TCU senior Jaden Oberkrom.

The other four are Florida State junior Roberto Aguayo (6-1, 204), Maryland senior Brad Craddock (6-0, 189), Utah junior Andy Phillips (5-10, 205) and Memphis junior Jake Elliott (5-10, 165).


Punters

Two of the seven best punters in the country are from the SEC. They are Alabama sophomore J.K. Scott (6-5, 195) and Texas A&M senior Drew Kaser (6-3, 210). Two more of the best punters are Utah senior Tom Hackett (5-11, 195) and Idaho junior Austin Rehkow (6-3, 215).

The remaining three top punters are Arizona senior Drew Riggleman (6-4, 213), Minnesota senior Peter Mortell (6-2, 191) and West Virginia senior Nick O’Toole (6-3, 228).


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and Miss State coach Dan Mullen joined Archie Manning, John Grisham, Jimmy Buffet and Morgan Freeman, calling for the state of Mississippi to remove the Confederate flag symbol from the Mississippi state flag. The six ran a full-page ad in the (Jackson) Clarion-Ledger, saying the Confederate symbol should be removed. Freeze has been an outspoken proponent for the removal of the symbol for some time, but this was the first time Mullen supported the removal of the symbol. Previously, Mullen had always sidestepped the issue when asked about it.

Carter’s Jewelry Store in Petal, Mississippi, is offering customers a full refund of their money for purchases made in the month of August if, and it’s a big if, Southern Miss beats Miss State on September 5…. Former Florida running back Adam Lane has transferred to Eastern Kentucky.

Ricky Town, one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in the 2015 class who signed with USC announced last week that he will transfer to Arkansas. Town is expected to start classes at Arkansas this week. The four-star, pocket passer out of Ventura, California, originally committed to Alabama before signing with the Trojans. He fell to third string in fall camp at USC and decided to transfer. Town will redshirt this season and be eligible to play for the Razorbacks in 2016.

The nation’s No. 1 pro-style quarterback for the class of 2017 committed to Tennessee yesterday. Hunter Johnson of Brownsburg (Indiana) High School committed to Tennessee over Notre Dame and Penn State.

Touchdown Tom
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com


P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there was one passing of note last week – Yvonne Craig

Yvonne Craig, the actress best known as Batgirl on the hit 1960s television series “Batman,” died last week at her home in Pacific Palisades, California. She was 78. Her many TV credits besides “Batman” included “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “Kojak,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Mod Squad,” “77 Sunset Strip,” “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” “Star Trek,” “Love, American Style” and “Emergency.” She also appeared in a number of movies, including two that starred Elvis Presley – “It Happened at the World’s Fair” (1963) and “Kissin’ Cousins” (1964). Yvonne Joyce Craig was born on May 16, 1937, in Taylorville, Illinois, and grew up in Ohio.