College Football Week 8 - First coach fired

And then there were eight

My how the mighty have fallen.

Well, I’m not so sure how mighty some of them were, but the unbeaten list was reduced from 11 to eight over the weekend. Three teams took a tumble for the first time – Georgia, West Virginia and Colorado.

Yes, three unbeatens went down, eight unbeatens remain. The nation’s longest winning streak was extended to 19 games, but it was in serious jeopardy for a while. Alabama and Ohio State kept rolling along. Chip Kelly won for the first time, Scott Frost almost did and Jeremy Pruitt notched his first SEC win, as college football experienced another interesting weekend. Never a dull moment.

The action began early last week. Tuesday night, Appalachian State (4-1), the cream of the crop in the Sun Belt Conference, polished off Arkansas State, 35-9. But Appalachian State’s star running back Jalen Moore, suffered a broken and dislocated ankle in the game. Moore will be out for the rest of the season.

Wednesday, Hurricane Michael struck Florida’s eastern Gulf Coast, moved across Georgia and continued up the East Coast. With 155mph winds and a 10 to 14-foot storm surge, Michael devastated a quaint and beautiful stretch of Florida’s Gulf Coast from St. Marks on the east to Panama City on the west. The area is known as the Forgotten Coast.

Football resumed Thursday night. In a mild upset in Fort Worth, the Red Raiders of Texas Tech (4-2) downed TCU, 17-14. There’s life in Kliff yet.

Friday night, it was déjà vu for South Florida, as the Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Tulsa, 25-24. Trailing Tulsa, 24-10, with less than 8 minutes to go in the game, South Florida scored two touchdowns and a field goal in 7 minutes and 8 seconds to beat Tulsa by one point. Rallying in the fourth quarter to win games has been commonplace for South Florida this season. The Bulls remained unbeaten, improving their record to 6-0.

I always thought Tulsa was a strange school. I mean, any school that calls itself the Golden Hurricanes has to be strange – maybe sick. Believe me, there is nothing golden about a hurricane. And besides, based on Tulsa’s location, if the school really wants to go down that path, then they should be the Golden Tornadoes. Tulsa is a strange school.

In another game Friday night, Utah (4-2) pounded Arizona, 42-10. The Utes have scored 82 points in their last two games.

Then it was Saturday. Georgia was the first of the three unbeatens to fall. And a hard fall it was. LSU (6-1), losers for the first time last week, regrouped. The Tigers whipped the Dawgs, 36-16.

The game wasn’t close. LSU held Georgia scoreless in the first half, as the Tigers took a commanding 16-0 lead. The Dawgs challenged in the third quarter and trailed LSU 19-9 at the start of the fourth quarter. But the game only became worse for Georgia in the final quarter, as the Dawgs were outscored by the Tigers, 17-7.

Down went the No. 2 team in the country.

West Virginia was the second unbeaten to fall. And the Mountaineers fell hard, too – 30-14 to Iowa State (3-3). WVU has been in a funk since the second half of the Texas Tech game on September 29. In that game, the Mountie offense failed to score a point in the second half, while the defense gave up 24 points.

Last week, WVU’s offense and defense stumbled through a win over hapless Kansas. The Mountie offense suffered four turnovers.

Except for a brief moment, early in the game Saturday, when WVU scored the opening touchdown on an 18-yard pass, the Mountaineers were flat – offense and defense. Iowa State went on to outscore WVU, 30-7. WVU’s only other score was the return of a blocked field goal for a touchdown.

That’s 10-straight quarters the West Virginia offense and defense has failed to produce. Who knows if and when the Mountaineers will snap out of their funk.

Down went the No. 6 team in the country.

Colorado was the third and final unbeaten team to lose Saturday. The Buffaloes lost to USC, 31-20. Like West Virginia, Colorado scored first and took a 7-0 lead over the Trojans. But that was the last we would hear from Colorado until late in the fourth quarter. Trailing 7-0, USC scored four unanswered touchdowns and took a commanding 28-7 lead late in the third quarter.

Down went the No. 18 team in the country.

The nation’s longest winning streak was in jeopardy Saturday. UCF, winners of 18-straight games, was trailing Memphis 30-14, with less than 3 minutes to go in the second quarter. Just before the half, UCF kicked a 44-yard field goal to close the gap to 13 points – 30-17.

In the second half the Knights offense scored two touchdowns while their defense held Memphis scoreless. UCF pulled out a 31-30 win to extend their winning streak to 19 games.

Meanwhile, Alabama and Ohio State continued their winning ways. The Crimson Tide put down Missouri, 39-10. For one quarter, at least, it looked like Missouri might make it a game. Alabama led the Tigers, 13-10, at the end of one. But then the Tide proceeded to score 26 unanswered points.

It took Ohio State a half, but eventually the Buckeyes pulled away to beat Minnesota, 30-14. Nearing the end of the second quarter, Minnesota was leading Ohio State, 14-10. The Buckeyes got a late first half touchdown and led the Gophers, 17-14 at the break.

In the second half, Ohio State outscored Minnesota, 13-0.  

Ohio State has the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 12 games followed by Alabama with a 9-game winning streak

Last week, UCLA played its best game of the season, losing to Washington, 31-24. That loss extended the Bruins record to 0-5, but there was light at the end of the tunnel. Saturday, UCLA found that light. The Bruins beat California, and did they ever, 37-7.

Yes, Chip Kelly got the monkey off his back. UCLA’s debut coach got his first win. But another winless coach didn’t get the monkey off his back. Scott Frost came close, but no banana, as Nebraska lost to Northwestern 34-31 (OT).

Not that Nebraska didn’t have its chances. The Huskers led the Wildcats, 28-14 early in the fourth quarter, and 31-21 late in the fourth quarter. Northwestern scored 10 points in the final 2:27 of the game and won in overtime.

Nebraska extended the nation’s second-longest losing streak to 10 games. Ouch!

In the day’s only other overtime game, Oregon slipped by Washington, 30-27 (OT). The Huskies had a chance to win. But Washington missed a 37-yard field goal attempt, as time expired at the end of regulation.

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt found happiness Saturday. The Vols’ debut coach won his first SEC contest of the season, as Tennessee surprised Auburn, 30-24.

No team made the “70s Club” over the weekend, but Louisiana came close. The Rajin’ Cajuns thrashed New Mexico State, 66-38.

Saturday was a big day for the Michigan teams in the Big Ten. The Wolverines plastered Wisconsin, 38-13, while the Spartans upset Penn State, 21-17. Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Purdue, Iowa and Maryland all romped to victories. The Boilermakers blasted Illinois, 46-7, the Hawkeyes pummeled Indiana, 42-16 and the Terps shelled Rutgers, 34-7. The Scarlet Knights were a tragic 2-for-17 passing for 8 yards.

In the ACC, Virginia upset Miami, 16-13. In the Big 12, Texas survived Baylor, 23-17, while Kansas State came out of nowhere and beat Oklahoma State, 31-12. It was the Wildcats first Big 12 win of the season.

Whenever, Arkansas and Ole Miss play, it’s always a wild and crazy game. Last year Arkansas won a dilly, 38-37. Saturday, Ole Miss beat the Hogs, 37-33. Trailing 33-31, Ole Miss scored a touchdown with 42 seconds left in the game.

There were two escapes in the SEC. First, Florida escaped Nashville, beating Vanderbilt, 37-27. Then Texas A&M got out of Columbia alive. The Aggies beat South Carolina, 26-23.  

Notre Dame is back to playing like the Irish did in their first three games of the season – winning by a touchdown or less. Saturday, Notre Dame got by Pitt, 19-14.

Utah State and Fresno State were the big winners in the MWC. Utah State toppled UNLV, 59-28, while Fresno State beat Wyoming, 27-3.

So, with seven weeks down and seven weeks to go, eight teams remain unbeaten – Alabama (7-0), Clemson (6-0), NC State (5-0), Ohio State (7-0), Notre Dame (7-0), and the three Group of Five teams UCF (6-0), Cincinnati (6-0) and South Florida (6-0).

At least one of those eight teams will lose this week, possibly two. Clemson and NC State clash at Clemson. Someone has to come out a loser. Cincinnati makes a dangerous trip to Temple (4-3).

The remaining teams should be safe. Ohio State visits Purdue (3-3) and Alabama travels to Tennessee (3-3). UCF has an easy road trip to East Carolina (2-4), and South Florida has an easy home encounter against Connecticut (1-5). Notre Dame has the week off.

Former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze has been named to be the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Hotshots of the new Alliance of America Football League. The AAFL will debut in February, with eight teams playing a 12-game schedule. The Hotshots are coached by Rick Neuheisel.

The Kansas Jayhawks fired offensive coordinator Doug Meacham on Wednesday. Meacham was previously offensive coordinator at TCU. Kind of strange cause Kansas head coach David Beaty will most likely be fired at the end of the season if not sooner.

Former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant took a recruiting visit to North Carolina over the weekend. Stay tuned!

Sunday, Bowling Green fired head coach Mike Jinks, following a 1-6 start to the season. Jinks, in his third season with Falcons, was 7-24. He was 5-14 in MAC play. BG’s defensive coordinator Carl Pelini will be the Falcons interim coach for the rest of the season. Jinks becomes the first head coach fired this season.

It was good to see and visit with Alex Vamosi, Tim Muth and others Thursday night. Swamp Mama and I attended Florida Tech’s homecoming party at Meg O’Malley’s in downtown Melbourne. A good time was had by all. 

Touchdown Tom

October 15, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK: Fired up – LSU 36, Georgia 16 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 23, Georgia 20). Quite simply, LSU was fired up and Georgia wasn’t. The Tigers amassed 475 total yards, while holding the Dawgs to 113 yards rushing. Four turnovers – two fumbles and two interceptions – didn’t help Georgia any. Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm completed less than 50% of his passes. LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 145 yards. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 102,321

RUNNER UP:  No contest – Michigan 38, Wisconsin 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 30, Wisconsin 22). Close at the half – Michigan led 13-7 – the Wolverines ran away from Wisconsin in the second half – outscoring the Badgers 25-6. Wisconsin had no passing game – 7-for-20 and two interceptions. Michigan had 320 yards rushing. Attendance in Ann Arbor: 111,360

REST OF THE BEST:  Quack, quack! – Oregon 30, Washington 27 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 32, Oregon 27). Washington missed a field goal attempt at the end of regulation and Oregon won in overtime. The teams were very even in the stats. Oregon running back C.J. Verdell rushed for 111 yards. Attendance in Eugene: 58,691

No blues for the Knights – UCF 31, Memphis 30 (Touchdown Tom said: UCF 36, Memphis 26). The UCF defense stepped up in the second half and held Memphis scoreless. The teams were pretty even in the stats, but Memphis controlled time of possession – more than 35 minutes. UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton passed for 296 yards. Memphis running back Darrell Henderson rushed for 199 yards. Attendance in Memphis: 38,831

Another day at the office – Alabama 39, Missouri 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 45, Missouri 22). It was just another day at the office for the Tide. Alabama had 564 total yards to 212 for Missouri, and 25 first downs to 13 for Missouri. The Tide defense held the Tigers to 70 yards rushing. Missouri quarterback Drew Lock threw two interceptions. Attendance in Tuscaloosa: 101,821

Trojans rule – USC 31, Colorado 20 (Touchdown Tom said: USC 28, Colorado 26). Neither team could run the ball and Colorado wasn’t much better passing. Colorado controlled the clock, but the Buffs couldn’t control the score. Colorado suffered its first loss of the season. Attendance in Los Angeles: 57,615

Let down – Texas 23, Baylor 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Baylor 24). Texas had a big first half, scoring all 23 of its points in the first two quarters. Then the Horns held on to win. Actually Baylor only scored 7 of its points in the second half. Texas held Baylor to 88 yards rushing. Texas running back Keaontay Ingram rushed for 110 yards. Attendance in Austin: 93,882

Downgraded – Virginia 16, Miami (Florida) 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Miami 30, Virginia 25). All the scoring by both teams was in the second and fourth quarters. Virginia only had 231 total yards and only 92 yards passing. Both teams threw three interceptions. With less than 4 minutes left in the game, Virginia led 16-6. Attendance in Charlottesville: 42,393

Surprise – Michigan State 21, Penn State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Penn State 32, Michigan State 14). Michigan State came to play, and Penn State didn’t. Trailing the Nitts 17-14, the Spartans scored a touchdown on a 25-yard pass play with 19 seconds left in the game to win. Penn State running back Miles Sanders had 162 yards rushing. Attendance in University Park: 106,685

Closer than the stats – Texas A&M 26, South Carolina 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 28). Texas A&M jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead. The Aggies led 16-0 late in the third quarter. Then South Carolina woke up. Before the third quarter was over the score was 16-16. Then the Aggies scored 10 unanswered points. The Aggies dominated the stats and controlled the clock for more than 41 minutes. The Gamecocks only had 76 yards rushing. A&M quarterback Kellen Mond passed for 353 yards. Attendance in Columbia: 76,871

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Kliff-hanger – Texas Tech 17, TCU 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 29, TCU 27). Trailing TCU, 14-10, halfway through the fourth quarter, Texas Tech scored a touchdown with 7:02 on the clock and held on to win. The lead changed hands four times in the game, with neither team holding more than a four-point lead. TCU suffered three turnovers in the game. Texas Tech quarterback Jett Duffey passed for 190 yards and rushed for 83 more. Attendance in Fort Worth: 44,387

Failure – Iowa State 30, West Virginia 14 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 37, Iowa State 28). Except for its opening touchdown, the game was a disaster for West Virginia. Iowa State had 498 total yards to 152 for WVU. The Cyclones had 25 first downs to nine for WVU. The Mounties only had 52 yards rushing. And Will Grier only had 100 yards passing. Iowa State running back David Montgomery had 189 yards rushing. The Cyclones maintained the clock for more than 37 minutes. Attendance in Ames: 56,629

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Late wake up – Florida 37, Vanderbilt 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 33, Vanderbilt 15). The Gators definitely got off to a rough start. Vanderbilt led 21-3 late in the second quarter. Florida took its first lead at 27-21 early in the fourth quarter. The Gators never looked back. But Vandy cut it to 27-24 just two minutes later. Florida had 576 total yards and a strong running game with 292 rushing yards. Gator running back Lamical Perine had 121 yards rushing and running back Jordan Scarlett had 113 yards. Three turnovers – two by Feleipe Franks – hurt the Gators. Attendance in Nashville: 40,350

So close – Northwestern 34, Nebraska 31 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 26, Nebraska 18). Trailing Nebraska 31-24, Northwestern scored a touchdown on a 12-yard pass play with 12 seconds left of the clock to tie the game at 31-31. In total yards, first downs and time of possession, the teams were roughly even. But Northwestern had 455 yards passing and only 32 yards rushing. The Huskers were balanced in their rushing and passing. Nebraska running back Devine Ozigbo rushed for 159 yards. Attendance in Evanston: 47,330

Dookies can engineer – Duke 28, Georgia Tech 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia Tech 33, Duke 25). From week to week, you never know what Georgia Tech team is going to show up. Obviously, the wrong one showed up against the Dookies. Tied 7-7 at halftime, the Dookies scored three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter. Both teams suffered three turnovers. Duke only had 98 yards rushing. The Jackets maintained possession for more than 36 minutes. Attendance in Atlanta: 41,709

Pour it on – Purdue 46, Illinois 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 33, Illinois 21). Illinois scored first and never again. Purdue had 611 total yards to 250 for Illinois, and 29 first downs to 14 for the Banned Indians. The Boilers maintained time of possession for almost 38 minutes. Illinois just had 69 yards rushing. Purdue quarterback David Blough passed for 377 yards. Boiler running back D.J. Knox rushed for 150 yards. Attendance in Champaign: 41,996

Week 7 Results:  11 correct picks, 5 fumbles (68.8 percent)

For the Season:   72 correct picks, 34 fumbles (67.9 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida 25, Tulsa 24 – Attendance in Tulsa: 16,142

FIU 24, Middle Tennessee 21 – Attendance in Miami: 16,002

Florida A&M 22, North Carolina 21 – Attendance in Greensboro: 15,418

Bethune-Cookman 28, South Carolina State 26 – Attendance in Orangeburg: 12,213

Marist 20, Jacksonville U. 17 – Attendance in Jacksonville: 2,533

Stetson 23, Drake 21 – Attendance in Des Moines: 1,439

Valdosta State 51, Florida Tech 21 – Attendance in Melbourne: 3,679

West Georgia 27, West Florida 7 – Attendance in Pensacola: 6,838

Superlatives

Impressive Passers: 

Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson – 41-64-2 for 455 yards (3TDs); Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins – 33-44-0-412 (3TDs); Ole Miss’s Jordan Ta’amu – 26-35-1-387 (2TDs); Bowling Green’s Jarret Doege – 21-34-1-379 (3TDs); Purdue’s David Blough – 25-36-1-377 (3TDs), and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond – 25-37-0-353 (1TD).

Impressive Rushers: 

Memphis’ Darrell Henderson – 199 yards (1TD); Marshall’s Tyler King – 195 yards (2TDs); Iowa State’s David Montgomery – 189 yards (1TD); Kansas State’s Alex Barnes – 181 yards (4TDs), and Northern Illinois’ Marcus Childers – 169 yards (1TD).

Also, North Carolina’s Michael Carter – 165 yards; Penn State’s Miles Sanders – 162 yards (1TD); Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo – 159 yards (2TDs); Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim – 158 yards (2TDs), and UCLA’s Joshua Kelley – 157 yards (3TDs).

Quotes of the Week

“Tua is okay. He got the same injury as he had before. We just didn’t put him back in the game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, on the status of his quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“I would like to apologize to Kevin Pendleton, the Missouri Tigers, their fans, Alabama fans and my teammates and coaches for my actions during tonight’s game. I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and that’s unacceptable. Again, I’m sorry and it will never happen again,” Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis, on throwing a series of punches at Kevin Pendleton in the fourth quarter of the Missouri game. 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. NC State (5-0) at Clemson (6-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Both teams took a pause last week to prepare for this game. NC State will hang its hopes on quarterback Ryan Finley and its defense. Clemson will hang its hopes on running back Terry Etienne and its defense. The Tigers have the best hopes, especially with the home field advantage. Dabo does them – Clemson 30, NC State 22.

RUNNER UP:  2. Oregon (5-1) at Washington State (5-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Last week Oregon got by the other Washington team in overtime at home. This week, the Ducks are on the road. It can be tough for a visitor to win in Pullman. The Ducks don’t like the puddles in Pullman – Washington State 32, Oregon 30.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Colorado (5-1) at Washington (5-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams lost last week. The Huskies lost a heartbreaker. It’s back to back road games for the Buffs. The Huskies will be prepared for this one – Washington 30, Colorado 20.

4. Mississippi State (4-2) at LSU (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Let down? That could happen to LSU after the big win over Georgia. Look for the Tigers to get off to a slow start. Then they put the boosters on – LSU 27, Mississippi State 19.

5. Michigan (6-1) at Michigan State (4-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Both teams had big wins last week. Something tells me Jim Harbaugh is on a roll. This is one of those rivalry games where anything can happen. The Wolverines win, that’s what happens – Michigan 26, Michigan State 24.

6. Cincinnati (6-0) at Temple (4-3) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Cincinnati is undefeated, but I’m not sure the Bearcats have been tested. Temple will give them a proper test. The Bearcats pass – Cincinnati 26, Temple 25.

                                                        

7. Maryland (4-2) at Iowa (5-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Iowa is playing very well this season. Maryland isn’t bad. Both teams can explode on offense. The Hawkeyes play better defense – Iowa 33, Maryland 18.

8. Virginia (4-2) at Duke (5-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – This could be a letdown for Virginia, following the big win over Miami. Duke is not a team you want to play when you have a letdown. This will be a tricky game. But the Cavs say, “tricks are for kids.” They  get a treat – Virginia 22, Duke 21.

9. Buffalo (6-1) at Toledo (3-3) – (MAC vs. MAC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday – First big game of the year in the MAC between two of the conference’s better teams. Buffalo may be the best team. Toledo is better than its 3-3 record. But the Rockets have been disappointing. They disappoint again – Buffalo 29, Toledo 25.

10. Oklahoma (5-1) at TCU (3-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – This is Oklahoma’s first game since the Sooners 48-45 loss to Texas. It’s also OU’s first game since defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was fired. TCU has been struggling this season, mostly on offense. But the Frogs’ defense has been up and down too. Something tells me Oklahoma is rejuvenated. Boomer plows through Cowtown – Oklahoma 31, TCU 17.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. North Texas (6-1) at UAB (5-1) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday – It’s not often a C-USA game makes the Top 12 picks. But this one merits a spot among the 12 best games. Both teams are having good seasons. North Texas has a top-notch quarterback – Mason Fine. But the Blazers are all-around good – UAB 30, North Texas 27.

12. Stanford (4-2) at Arizona State (3-3) – (Pac-12 vs, Pac-12) – 9 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – Both teams are coming off losses – Stanford, a bad one, to Utah, and Arizona State, a close one, to Colorado. Stanford running back Bryce Love is questionable. The Trees are headed in the wrong direction. The Sun Devils are headed in the right direction. The Devils do some chopping – Arizona State 33, Stanford 28.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Minnesota (3-3) at Nebraska (0-6) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – All right, okay. The drought comes to an end this week. I feel it in my bones. Scott Frost will be feeling it in his bones too if Nebraska loses. After a long absence, victory comes to Lincoln – Nebraska 28, Minnesota 27.

Ohio State (7-0) at Purdue (3-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – After a slow start to the season, Purdue has been playing fired-up football lately. Question is are the Boilers fired up enough to knock off the Buckeyes? Not this year – Ohio State 29, Purdue 17.

West Virginia (5-1), Florida (6-1), Georgia (6-1) and Texas (6-1) are off this week.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Wake Forest (3-3) at Florida State (3-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2…. 

UCF (6-0) at East Carolina (2-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

Connecticut (1-5) at South Florida (6-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN….

Florida Atlantic (3-3) at Marshall (4-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 2:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN....

Rice (1-6) at FIU (4-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday….

North Carolina A&T (5-2) at Bethune-Cookman (4-3) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Florida Tech (5-2) at West Florida (5-2) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….

Jacksonville U. (1-4) at Stetson (4-1) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Miami (5-2) and Florida A&M (5-2) are off this week.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there were four passings of note last week – Scott Wilson, Tex Winter, George Taliaferro and Jim Taylor.

Scott Wilson, who played criminals in films like “In Cold Blood” and more recently played a figure of kindness in the hit AMC series “The Walking Dead,” died last week in Los Angeles. He was 76. Wilson’s breakout role was the murderer in “In Cold Blood,” a 1967 adaptation of Truman Capote’s book. More recent audiences know Wilson as a veterinarian and farmer on “The Walking Dead.” Scott Wilson was born in Atlanta on March 29, 1942. He studied architecture at Georgia Tech but dropped out before completing his degree. Wilson hitchhiked to California where he studied to become an actor. His first movie role was in “In the Heat of the Night” (1967). He played a murder suspect. Wilson appeared in several more films, including “The Great Gatsby” (1974), “The Right Stuff” (1983), “Dead Man Walking” (1995) and “The Last Samurai” (2003). He also had recurring parts on the CBS show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

Tex Winter, the innovator of the “triangle” offense used by teams that won 10 of the last 19 NBA championships, died last week. He was 96. Winter spent nine seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers as an assistant coach and consultant. After compiling a resume as a college basketball coach, Winter joined the Chicago Bulls in 1985 as an assistant coach and began a decades-long partnership with head coach Phil Jackson. Winter followed Jackson to the Lakers in 1999. He gained a reputation as a basketball whiz – a professor with a clipboard. Morice Fredrick Winter was born on February 25, 1922, in Wellington, Texas. After his father died, his mother moved the family to Huntington Park, California. After high school, Winter went to Oregon State University on a track scholarship. He left school and served in the Army during World War II. After the war, he enrolled in the University of Southern California where he played basketball alongside future Lakers coach Bill Sharman and learned the triangle offense under USC coach Sam Barry. Winter took his first coaching job as an assistant at Kansas State and eventually became the Wildcats’ head coach from 1954 to 1968. He took Kansas State to the Final Four in 1958. He still holds a school record with a .691 winning percentage. Winter also coached college basketball at Northwestern, Marquette, Washington, Long Beach State and LSU, and in the NBA for the Houston Rockets.

George Taliaferro, an All-American football player at Indiana and a trailblazer for African-Americans in football, died last week. He was 91. A cornerstone of the 1945 Indiana football team, the only team in program history to go undefeated, Taliaferro starred at running back for the Hoosiers. He was the first African-American ever drafted by an NFL team. The Chicago Bears picked him in the 13^th-round of the 1949 draft. Taliaferro played for the Bears from 1949 to 1955. George Taliaferro was born on January 8, 1927, in Gates, Tennessee, but grew up in Gary, Indiana.  

Jim Taylor, the Hall-of-Fame fullback who embodied the Green Bay Packers’ unstoppable ground game during the Vince Lombardi era and helped the team win four NFL titles and the first Super Bowl, died last week at a hospital in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was 83. Taylor was the NFL’s most valuable player in 1962. He scored the first rushing touchdown in Super Bowl history. Taylor spent 10 seasons in the NFL after being drafted in the second round out of LSU in 1958. He joined the backfield that featured Paul Hornung. Taylor finished his Green Bay career after the 1966 season. He played his final season in 1967 with the expansion New Orleans Saints. James Charles Taylor was born on September 20, 1935, in Baton Rouge. At LSU, he was an All-American in 1957, when he shared the backfield with Billy Cannon, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1959. After his NFL career, Taylor retired to Baton Rouge where he remained close to the LSU football program.

College Football Week 7 – Winningest college football coach dies

The first loss is the deepest

Baby, I know. The first loss is the deepest.

Three teams found out Saturday just how deep that first loss can be. All three – Oklahoma, LSU and Kentucky – lost a game for the first time this season.

When you start out 5-0, you begin dreaming about an undefeated season. Then, just like that, all your dreams are vanished.

For Oklahoma, the first loss was even deeper – the Sooners lost to none other than Texas. The annual meeting between OU and Texas was the “game of the week.” And just like last week’s “game of the week” between Ohio State and Penn State, it lived up to its hype.

The game began as a thriller – for two and a half quarters. At the end of the first quarter, the Longhorns led the Sooners, 10-7. At halftime, Texas was up over Oklahoma, 24-17. Halfway through the third quarter, the Longhorns still clung to a 7-point lead – 31-24.

Then Texas took command. In the final six minutes of the third quarter, the Longhorns scored back-to-back touchdowns. At the end of three, Texas led OU, 45-24. As the fourth quarter began, it appeared the game was over for Oklahoma. Even with less than nine minutes to go in the game, Texas still led, 45-24.

But within a six-minute span, from 8:28 left on the clock to 2:38 remaining in the game, Oklahoma scored three-straight touchdowns. Game tied, 45-45. Wow! What a comeback!

But hold your wagons. Bevo ain’t done yet. Following the kickoff, Texas began its final drive on its own 25-yard line. From the 25, the Longhorns executed a 9-play, 52-yard drive in two minutes and twenty-nine seconds. Then before 92,300 fans, with 9 seconds left in the game and the ball on the Oklahoma 23-yard line, freshman kicker Cameron Dicker nailed a 40-yard field goal for Texas.

Longhorns win, 48-45. You just know how deep that loss was for Oklahoma.

The Florida-LSU game wasn’t the “game of the week,” but let me tell you, it had all of the emotion, excitement, enthusiasm, nail-biting and noise of a “game of the week,” even more. I can testify to that because Bootsie, Swamp Mama, Rockledge Gator and I were at the game.

At the end of the first quarter, the Tigers led the Gators, 7-0. At the halftime break, Florida was up by four, leading LSU, 14-10. LSU added a field goal in the third quarter and at the end of three, trailed by one point – 14-13.

About four minutes into the fourth quarter, LSU scored a touchdown. Failing on their two-point conversion attempt, the Tigers were ahead of the Gators, 19-14. But less than three minutes later, Florida scored a touchdown. The Gators were back in the lead 20-19. Like LSU earlier, Florida failed on a two-point conversion attempt. For the next seven minutes, the score remained, Florida 20, LSU 19. Then with just 1:45 left in the game, Florida cornerback Brad Stewart returned an intercepted pass 25 yards for a touchdown.

LSU got the ball back with 1:45 left in the game, but Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow was picked off again, this time by Florida safety Donovan Stiner. Game over.

Gators win, 27-19. The loss was deep for LSU, very deep.

Kentucky has been on a roll. With a 5-0 record, including wins over Florida, Mississippi State and South Carolina, the Wildcats have been the darlings of the 2018 season. After all, we are talking about football, not basketball.

The Kentucky-Texas A&M game was like two mules fighting over a turnip – a defensive struggle. Neither team could muster much offense, especially Kentucky. The Wildcats managed to score first and led 7-0 at the end of one. The Aggies scored second, and the score was tied, 7-7, at halftime.

Neither team could reach the goal line in the third quarter – still 7-7 after three. With 10:13 to go in the fourth quarter, Texas A&M scored on a 46-yard pass play. The Aggies were up 14-7. Six minutes later, Kentucky safety Darius West recovered an Aggie fumble and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown – 14-14.

At the end of regulation, the score remained 14-14. Overtime. The Wildcats had first possession. But after quarterback Terry Wilson was sacked, the Wildcats missed on a 43-yard field goal attempt. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced back. Texas A&M, however, took advantage of its first overtime possession. Trayveon Williams scored on a 10-yard touchdown run. Game over.

Aggies win, 20-14 (OT). Kentucky’s bubble was burst.

So after the losses by Oklahoma, LSU and Kentucky, 11 teams remain unbeaten – eight Power Five Teams and three Group of Five teams. The undefeated 11 are Clemson (6-0), NC State (5-0), Ohio State (6-0), West Virginia (5-0), Colorado (5-0), Alabama (6-0), Georgia (6-0) and Notre Dame (6-0). The three Group of Five teams are Cincinnati (6-0), South Florida (5-0) and UCF (5-0) – all from the AAC.

Four of the teams are in jeopardy this week and all four are on the road. West Virginia plays an improving Iowa State in Ames. Colorado meets USC in the Coliseum, Georgia tangles with LSU in Baton Rouge and UCF is at dangerous Memphis. Georgia may be in double jeopardy. Nothing worse than playing a wounded Tiger in Baton Rouge.

Ohio State, Alabama and Notre Dame have no chance of losing and all three are at home. Ohio State entertains Minnesota, Bama hosts Missouri and Notre Dame has Pitt in South Bend. South Florida should be safe, playing at a 1-4 Tulsa.

The two ACC unbeatens – Clemson and NC State – are off, preparing for their meeting on October 20. Cincinnati also has the week off.

With its 48-20 win over SMU, UCF extended the nation’s longest-winning streak to 18 games. The Knights are followed by Ohio State with 11-straight wins. The Buckeyes downed Indiana, 49-26. Meanwhile, UTEP extended the nation’s longest-losing streak to 17 games. North Texas beat UTEP, 27-24. The Miners are followed by Nebraska with 9-straight losses. Wisconsin beat the Huskers, 41-24.

Ole Miss was the only team to make the “70s club.” The Sharks beat ULM, 70-21. Coming close were Georgia Tech, Alabama and Clemson. The Yellow Jackets beat Louisville, 66-31, while the Tide beat Arkansas, 65-31. Clemson downed Wake Forest, 63-3.

Aside from Texas A&M-Kentucky, the only other overtime game during the weekend occurred in Pittsburgh. Pitt edged Syracuse, 44-37 (OT).

Virginia Tech unveiled a bronze statue honoring former coach Frank Beamer before the Notre Dame game. The statue is located at the southwest corner of Lane Stadium. But the Irish beat the Hokies, 45-23.

Reports say that the three most likely teams to lure in former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant are Louisville, UCF and Oklahoma. Stay tuned.

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was fired following the Sooners 48-45 loss to Texas. Stoops has been Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator since the 2012 season.

John Gagliardi, college football’s winningest coach, died over the weekend. See Passings of Note below.

Yes, Bootsie, Rockledge Gator, Swamp Mama and I attended our first of two Florida games in Gainesville over the weekend. We stayed at the Laurel Oak Inn (www.laureloakinn.com), where we have stayed every year since 2007. But we weren’t sure what to expect this year.

At the end of May, innkeepers Monta and Peggy Burt sold the Inn. We were very fond of Monta and Peggy and had become close to them. Well, I have to tell you, the Laurel Oak Inn is still in good hands with two wonderful innkeepers Dave and Nan Charland. The four of us took to Dave and Nan like moths to a flame. They are full of energy and full of friendliness. We had another delightful stay.

And I have to tell you, the atmosphere in Florida Field Saturday was electric. We haven’t seen it like that in a long time. The fans and the Gators were fired up – super fired up. It was just incredible.

Touchdown Tom

October 8, 2017

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Texas 48, Oklahoma 45 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 29, Texas 23). These teams were pretty evenly matched in the stats – first downs, passing yards, rushing yards and total yards. But Texas did a better job controlling the clock and holding onto the ball. Oklahoma had three turnovers to none for the Horns. Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger passed for 314 yards, while OU quarterback Kyler Murray passed for 304 yards. Attendance in Dallas: 92,300

RUNNER UP:  Florida 27, LSU 19 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 23, Florida 20). The teams were about as closely matched in the stats as you can get. But LSU had three turnovers to one for Florida. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow threw not only his first interception, but his first two interceptions of the season. Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks is getting better, but Feleipe is still a little flippy. Attendance in Gainesville: 90,283

REST OF THE BEST:  Notre Dame 45, Virginia Tech 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 28, Virginia Tech 19). This was a tight game in the first half. ND led at the break by only one point – 17-16. But the Irish poured it on in the second half, scoring three-straight touchdowns to take a 38-16 lead early in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame running back Dexter Williams rushed for 178 yards. Attendance in Blacksburg: 65,632

NC State 28, Boston College 23 (Touchdown Tom said: NC State 35, Boston College 26). NC State dominated this game early and held a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter. Then BC scored three-straight touchdowns to close the gap to 5 points. The Wolfpack had 34 first downs to 12 for the Eagles. NC State controlled the clock for more than 41 minutes. The Wolfpack had 533 total yards. Attendance in Raleigh: 57,241

Texas A&M 20, Kentucky 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 26, Kentucky 20). Texas A&M really dominated the game in first downs, passing yards, rushing yards and time of possession. But the Aggies had two turnovers to none for Kentucky. Aggie running back Trayveon Williams rushed for 138 yards. Attendance in College Station: 99,829

Michigan 42, Maryland 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan 32, Maryland 18). Michigan was dominant with 24 first downs and 465 total yards. Maryland had 11 first downs and only 220 total yards. The Terps just had 73 yards passing. Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson passed for 282 yards. Attendance in Ann Arbor: 109,531

San Diego State 19, Boise State 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Boise State 31, San Diego State 16). In a big game in the Mountain West, San Diego State beat Boise State on the Broncos blue carpet. Neither team mustered much offense – 267 total yards for the Aztecs to 229 total yards for Boise State. The Broncos only had 51 yards rushing. Boise State also had four turnovers. Attendance in Boise: 36,629

Iowa 48, Minnesota 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa 27, Minnesota 23). Iowa defense held Minnesota to just 86 yards rushing. The Gophers were crippled by four turnovers. Hawkeye quarterback Nate Stanley passed for 314 yards and four touchdowns. Attendance in Minneapolis: 48,199

Colorado 28, Arizona State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado 30, Arizona State 27). This was a tight game throughout. The score was 7-7 at the end of the first quarter and 14-14 at the half. Colorado led 28-21 at the end of the third, while neither team scored in the fourth. Colorado did dominate the stats. CU quarterback Stephen Montez passed for 328 yards, Buffaloes running back Travon McMillian rushed for 136 yards. Attendance in Boulder: 52,681

Mississippi State 23, Auburn 9 (Touchdown Tom said: Auburn 20, Mississippi State 19). Miss State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald may have finally snapped back. Fitzgerald rushed for 195 yards. He’s been rather disappointing this season up until this game. Meanwhile Auburn’s offense and its quarterback Jarrett Stidham remain off track. Miss State maintained time of possession for an amazing 42 minutes. Auburn hardly ever had the ball. In addition to Fitzgerald, Bulldogs running back Kylin Hill rushed for more than 100 yards – 135. Attendance in Starkville: 60,635

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

Miami (Florida) 28, Florida State 27 (Touchdown Tom said: ns: 30, Florida State 23). Florida State led Miami 27-7 early in the third quarter. Then the Canes scored three-straight touchdowns. The Noles only had 200 total yards and only 70 rushing. Miami quarterback N’Kosi Perry threw four touchdown passes. Attendance in Miami Gardens: 65,490

Utah 40, Stanford 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Stanford 26, Utah 22). Utah only led 27-21 at the end of the third quarter. Then the Utes outscored Stanford 13-0 in the fourth quarter. Stanford only had 42 yards rushing. The Trees also had four turnovers. Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello passed for 381 yards. Utah running back Zack Moss rushed for 160 yards. Attendance in Palo Alto: 37,244

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

West Virginia 38, Kansas 22 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 49, Kansas 17). Early in the fourth quarter WVU held a 38-14 lead. Kansas scored its final touchdown as time expired. It was a mistake-prone game. The Mounties had four turnovers and Kansas had three. WVU had 509 total yards to 286 for the Jayhawks. Will Grier passed for 332 yards – four touchdowns, but three interceptions.  Attendance in Morgantown: 57,419

Wisconsin 41, Nebraska 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 30, Nebraska 13). Nebraska couldn’t run the ball, but the Huskers passed for 407 yards. Quarterback Adrian Martinez was responsible for 384 of those yards. Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 221 yards. Attendance in Madison: 80,051

Georgia 41, Vanderbilt 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 35, Vanderbilt 12). Georgia totally dominated the game with 28 first downs and 560 total yards. The Dawgs led Vandy, 41-6 early in the fourth quarter. Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm passed for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

Week 6 Results:  10 correct picks, 5 fumbles (66.7 percent)

For the Season:   61 correct picks, 29 fumbles (67.8 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida 58, Massachusetts 42 – Attendance in Springfield: 7,988

UCF 48, SMU 20 – Attendance in Orlando: 40,856

Florida Atlantic 52, Old Dominion 33 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 18-204

Florida A&M 17, Norfolk State 0 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 26,045

Bethune-Cookman 41, Mississippi Valley State 27 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 10,278

Davidson 44, Jacksonville U. 37 – Attendance in Davidson: 3,524

Florida Tech 31, Mississippi College 24 – Attendance in Melbourne: 2,543

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:  

Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins – 33-44-2-455 (6TDs); Washington State’s Gardner Minshew – 30-40-0-430 (6TDs);New Mexico State’s Josh Adkins – 34-51-0-402 (4TDs), and Old Dominion’s Blake LaRussa –39-51-2-390 (2TDs).

Also, Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez – 24-42-0-384 (2TDs); Stanford’s K.J. Costello – 26-41-2-381 (1TD); Ole Miss’s Jordan Ta’amu – 21-24-0-374 (3TDs); Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson – 31-47-2-373 (3TDs), and Liberty’s Stephen Calvert – 31-54-1-365 (2TDs).    

Impressive Rushers:                                                

Jordan Cronkrite – 302 yards (3TDs);  Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor – 221 yards (3GTDs); Pitt’s Qadree Ollison – 192 yards (1TD);  Louisiana’s Elijah Mitchell – 191 yards (3TDs); Wyoming’s Nico Evans – 192 yards; Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams – 178 yards (3TDs), and Georgia Tech ‘s TaQuon Marshall – 175 yards (2TDs).

Also, Memphis’ Darrell Henderson – 174 yards (3TDs) ; Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary – 168 yards (2TDs); Clemson’s Travis Etienne – 167 yards (2TDs); Buffalo’s Kevin Marks – 167 yards (1TD); Marshall’s Tyler King – 165 yards; Liberty’s Frankie Hickson – 155 yards (1TD), and Missouri’s Damarea Crockett – 154 yards.

Quotes of the Week

“I want to be on the field with Trace McSorley. Why? Because he’s a winner,” FOX college sports commentator Joel Klatt.

“I don’t care if UCF goes undefeated for the next 100 years. They’ll never be in the playoffs,” ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum.

“Will Grier would be the third string quarterback at Alabama,” ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum.

“I can honestly say I was a little disappointed there weren’t more students at the last game. I think we’re trying to address that. I don’t think they’re entitled to anything, either. Personally, I think it should be first come first served. If they don’t want to come to the game, they don’t have to come. But I’m sure there are enough people around here who would like to come to the games and we’d like for them to come, too, because they support the players. I’ve never said anything about them before. Now, they don’t even cheer. They introduce our players and they don’t even cheer. Maybe I’ve already talked about it more than I should. You all can beat me up for it if you want. Our players work too hard. They deserve to have everything and people supporting them in every way,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, on the half-filled student section at Alabama football games.

“I don’t think you really beat the other team when you give up 31 points, like we did today,” Alabama coach Nick Saban after the Arkansas game.

Touchdown Tom’s predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Georgia (6-0) at LSU (5-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This game will be a real test for Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm. LSU has the best defense he has faced this season. The Tigers will be mad too. However, if Georgia’s defense can do what Florida’s defense did against LSU, then the Dawgs could pull it out. Regardless, this should be a classic game. Joe Burrow doesn’t throw any interceptions this week – LSU 23, Georgia 20.

RUNNER UP:  2. Wisconsin (4-1) at Michigan (5-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Both teams have a loss, but Michigan’s loss was to a good team. Wisconsin’s was to a bad team. I think the Badgers are overrated, except for Jonathan Taylor. He could make a difference. But he won’t – Michigan 30, Wisconsin 22.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Washington (5-1) at Oregon (4-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC/ESPN2 – A big battle among North Division teams in the Pac-12. There could be a lot of scoring. Both teams are capable of putting points on the board. But the Huskies put up more points in this one – Washington 32, Oregon 27.

4. UCF (5-0) at Memphis (4-2) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Possibly the first test for UCF this season. Memphis isn’t as good as last year, but the Tigers can play some good ball, especially at home. McKenzie Milton saves the day – UCF 36, Memphis 26.

5. Missouri (3-2) at Alabama (6-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Another blowout for Alabama. The Tide doesn’t have any competition – not in this game. But I’m sure Nick Saban will find something to be mad about. A Tua takeaway – Alabama 45, Missouri 22.

6. Colorado (5-0) at USC (3-2) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – Tough test for unbeaten Colorado. The Trojans already have two losses and they don’t want any more. Not any time soon. Ralphie can’t outrun the Trojans – USC 28, Colorado 26.

7. Baylor (4-2) at Texas (5-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Look for a Texas letdown after the big win over Oklahoma. This could be an upset alert. But Bevo pulls it out – Texas 27, Baylor 24.

8. Miami (Florida) (5-1) at Virginia (3-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Miami got a scare last week. The Canes should have learned from that lesson. Virginia can play tough at times. But not this time – Miami 30, Virginia 25.

9. Michigan State (3-2) at Penn State (4-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – Michigan State was overrated coming into the season. The Spartans will be no match for the Nitts. McSorley prevails – Penn State 32, Michigan State 14.

10. Texas A&M (4-2) at South Carolina (3-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – The Gamecocks had a big scare from Missouri last week. The Aggies will give them a bigger scare – Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 28.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

11. Texas Tech (3-2) at TCU (3-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN – This is a tough call. Both teams have looked good at times. Both have looked bad. Home field may give the advantage to the Frogs. But Kliff likes to gig – Texas Tech 29, TCU 27.

12. West Virginia (5-0) at Iowa State (2-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – WVU can’t get sloppy like the Mounties did against Texas Tech and Kansas. Iowa State will take advantage if they do. The Cyclones are getting better. But not better enough – West Virginia 37, Iowa State 28.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Florida (5-1) at Vanderbilt (3-3)  -- (SEC vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – After that tussle with LSU last week, the Gators get to relax this week. Vandy will probably have a new coach when next season begins. The Gators contribute to that – Florida 33, Vanderbilt 15.

Nebraska (0-5) at Northwestern (2-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Northwestern is up and down, but even when the Wildcats are down they should be up for Nebraska. Although the Huskers showed some promise last week against Wisconsin. Clayton Thorson beats the Huskers – Northwestern 26, Nebraska 18.

Duke (4-1) at Georgia Tech (3-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 :20 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – Georgia Tech looks great one week and bad the next. But so does Duke. The Jackets put the sting on the Dookies – Georgia Tech 33, Duke 25.

Purdue (2-3) at Illinois (3-2) – (Big Ten at Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – The Boilers need this win to even their record. Illinois looked good against Rutgers, But, then again, everybody looks good against Rutgers. Boilers up – Purdue 33, Illinois 21.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida (5-0) at Tulsa (1-4) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Friday, ESPN….

Middle Tennessee (3-2) at FIU (3-2) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday….

Florida A&M (4-2) at North Carolina A&T (5-1) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Bethune-Cookman (3-3) at South Carolina State (1-4) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 2 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Marist (1-4) at Jacksonville U. (1-3) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

Stetson (3-1) at Drake (3-1) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 2 pm ET, Saturday….

Valdosta State (6-0) at Florida Tech (5-1) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

Florida State (3-3) and Florida Atlantic (3-3) are off.

Touchdown Tom

www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but in the autumn of October as the college football season approached its halfway point, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1943 was “Sunday, Monday or Always” by Bing Crosby and The Ken Darby Singers

…70 years ago this week in 1948 was “A Tree In The Meadow” by Margaret Whiting

…65 years ago this week in 1953 was “St. George And The Dragonet”

 by Stan Freberg, and “You, You, You” by The Ames Brothers

…60 years ago this week in 1958 was “It’s All In The Game” by Tommy Edwards

…55 years ago this week in 1963 was “Blue Velvet” by Bobby Vinton, and “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs

…50 years ago this week in 1968 was “Hey Jude” by The Beatles

…45 years ago this week in 1973 was “Half-Breed” by Cher

…40 years ago this week in 1978 was “Kiss You All Over” by Exile

…35 years ago this week in 1983 was “Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler

…30 years ago this week in 1988 was “Love Bites” by Def Leppard

…25 years ago this week in 1993 was “Dreamlover” by Mariah Carey

Not exactly college football related, but there were three passings of note last week – Charles Aznavour, Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham and John Gagliardi.

Charles Aznavour, one of France’s most celebrated singers of popular songs as well as a composer and film star, died at his home in Mouries, in southeastern France, last week. He was 94. His accomplishments were prodigious. He wrote more than 1,000 songs and sang them in French, Armenian, English, German, Italian, Spanish and Yiddish. He sold close to 200 million records. He appeared in more than 60 films. Charles Aznavour was born in Paris on May 22, 1924. His Armenian parents came to France, fleeing Turkish oppression, when they were denied visas to America. They opened a restaurant near the Sorbonne and made Paris their home. Aznavour spent nearly eight years in Edith Piaf’s entourage, as a song writer and secretary. He accompanied her to New York in 1948 and stayed for a year. Aznavour broke out on his own as a star in 1956. In 1963, he performed before a full house at Carnegie Hall in New York. Among those in the audience was Bob Dylan. A triumphant world tour followed. He later performed with Liza Minnelli and became a fixture in Las Vegas for a time.   

Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham, who became Buddy Holly’s circle of friends as a teenager and long reveled as having her name used as the title of one of his biggest hits, died last week in Lubbock, Texas. She was 78. Rackham’s boyfriend, Jerry Allison, was the drummer in Buddy Holly’s band, The Crickets. The song, “Peggy Sue” was originally “Cindy Lou,” but Allison persuaded Holly to change the song’s lyrics and name. “Peggy Sue” was released in 1957 and it rose to No. 3 on the Billboard charts. Rackham and Allison married in 1958, but the marriage ended in divorce in the 1960s. She toured with The Crickets for a while after Holly’s death in a plane crash in 1959. Peggy Sue Gerron was born on June 15, 1940, in Olton, Texas.

John Gagliardi, who won more games than any other college football coach at a small Minnesota university, died over the weekend. He was 91. Gagliardi retired in 2012 after a record 64 seasons as a head coach, 60 of those at St. John’s, an all-male private university with 2,000 students. He retired with 489 victories, 138 losses and 11 ties, winning four national championships with the Johnnies. The major college leader in wins is the late Joe Paterno who finished with 409 at Penn State. John Gagliardi was born on November 1, 1926, in Trinidad, Colorado. He got his degree from Colorado College. At 22, he was hired as football coach at Carroll College in Montana. After four years he moved to St. John’s. Saturday’s eventually became an event on the serene, secluded campus as the team thrived under Gagliardi’s leadership.

Football Week 6 – Sooners-Longhorns butt heads in Dallas

Five weeks down, nine to go

The fun is just beginning.

When I left you last week, Swamp Mama and I were leaving Valley Head, West Virginia, on Monday morning, heading back to Florida.

We drove South on Highway 219 to Princeton, West Virginia, where we picked up I-77 South. From Princeton, we retraced our trip up, going back through Charlotte and Columbia. Just across the South Carolina-Georgia border, we stopped for the night at an Embassy Suites off I-95 near Savannah.

As I went to bed Monday night, I could only imagine what the overhead digital message boards on I-95 in Georgia might be saying this time, as we headed South. Maybe something like: “Avoid Florida. All major roads are covered with love bugs. Take Highway 82 or Highway 84 West to Mississippi.” Or some such.

But to my surprise on Tuesday morning, Georgia wasn’t trying to mislead travelers, heading to Florida. Not this time, at least. Swamp Mama and I arrived home shortly after noon, with plenty of time to start thinking about and preparing for the week’s upcoming football games. Yes, I have a one-track mind this time of the year.

At mid-week, Clemson took center stage when Tigers coach Dabo Swinney announced the demotion of his starting quarterback Kelly Bryant. In spite of leading Clemson to a 4-0 start this season and 16 victories in the Tigers last 18 games, Swinney decided to bench Bryant, a senior, for freshman Trevor Lawrence. As expected, Bryant announced he would transfer from Clemson. A handful of SEC schools were mentioned as possibilities for Bryant’s future home. Stay tuned.

Thursday night, Miami (Florida) plastered North Carolina, 47-10. Add Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora to the “out of here” list with Lovie Smith and Chris Ash.

Friday night, Tulane upset Memphis, 40-24, while Colorado (4-0) remained undefeated and UCLA (0-4) remained winless. The Buffaloes beat the Bruins, 38-16. Chip Kelly is 0-4.

Saturday, the “game of the week” lived up to its hype. That is until the last play call in the game. Ohio State (5-0) edged Penn State (4-1), 27-26, in a back-and-forth thriller in University Park.

The first half belonged to Penn State, for the most part. Late in the second quarter, the Nittany Lions led the Buckeyes, 13-0. Then, with less than two minutes to go before the half, Ohio State scored to pull within six. The Buckeyes trailed the Nittany Lions 13-7 at the break.

Ohio State maintained its momentum as the second half began. The Buckeyes scored early in the third quarter to grab a one-point lead, 14-13. The third quarter belonged to Ohio State as the Buckeyes kept Penn State scoreless.

But, as the fourth quarter began, the momentum switched back to Penn State. Early in the final quarter, the Nittany Lions scored not one, but two touchdowns to take a commanding, and what appeared to be secure, 26-14 lead over Ohio State, with eight minutes to go in the game.

Then the momentum changed, yet again. In the latter half of the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes scored not one, but two touchdowns to take a one-point lead, 27-26. The second of the two touchdowns, the result of a 96-yard drive, came with 2:03 remaining in the game.

With one chance left, Penn State advanced the ball to the Ohio State 43-yard line, where the Nittany Lions were faced with a fourth-and-5. Penn State coach James Franklyn called not one, but two timeouts, deliberating over the play to run on fourth-and-5.

He ended up with a strange and questionable call, as quarterback Trace McSorley handed off to running back Miles Sanders on an off-tackle option read. Sanders was smothered by Ohio State defenders way short of the first down. One would have thought that McSorley would have been given the option to run or pass. The Nittany Lions quarterback was having a sensational game with 286 yards passing and 175 yards rushing. One would have thought.

Franklyn made a couple other weird calls earlier in the game which didn’t make sense. That’s why many are saying today that Franklyn is a better recruiter than he is a coach.

Now, as luck would have it, Clemson’s new starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, was knocked out of the Tigers game against Syracuse late in the second quarter with a concussion. Lawrence was replaced by former third-string quarterback Chase Brice. Trailing the Orange 16-7 at the half and 23-13 early in the fourth quarter, Clemson (5-0) rallied to beat Syracuse (4-1), 27-23, scoring two touchdowns in the final 11 minutes of the game.

The Stanford-Notre Dame game was basically a bust. It was good in the first half and okay through three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame (5-0) poured it on, beating Stanford (4-1), 38-17. The Irish had 550 total yards to only 229 for Stanford. The Trees only managed 55 yards rushing, as running back Bryce Love left the game with an injury.

In what may have been the strangest game of the day on Saturday, West Virginia led Texas Tech 35-10 at halftime. Then the Mountaineers went into a coma. The Red Raiders outscored WVU 24-7 in the second half, as West Virginia (4-0) held on to win, 42-34. After throwing three touchdown passes in the first half, Will Grier and the Mountie offense failed to reach the end zone in the second half. WVU’s only second half touchdown was scored by its defense on a pass interception.

As Week 5 began, 21 teams stood undefeated. When the action was over on Sunday morning, only 14 teams remained unbeaten. The seven who suffered their first loss were Penn State, Syracuse, Stanford, Duke, California, Buffalo and North Texas.

Virginia Tech bounced back from its embarrassing loss to Old Dominion last week. Saturday, the Hokies ended Duke’s undefeated run, 31-14.

Bouncing back from its first loss last week, Oregon tarnished Cal’s perfect record, beating the Bears, 42-28. Army vanquished Buffalo, 42-13, and Louisiana Tech burst North Texas’ bubble, 29-27. North Texas actually led La Tech, 21-6, at the end of the first quarter. But the Mean Green couldn’t overcome a 20-0 outburst by the Bulldogs in the second quarter.

Of the 14 undefeated teams, 11 are Power Five teams and three are Group of Five teams. The three Group of Five teams – Cincinnati (5-0), South Florida (4-0) and UCF (4-0) – are all from the same conference – the AAC.

UCF continued to roll, flattening Pitt, 45-13. Cincinnati was impressive too, downing Connecticut, 49-7. UCF, by the way, continues to have the longest winning streak in the nation at 17 games. Ohio State is second with 10-straight wins.

Kentucky just ain’t a basketball school anymore. The Wildcats (5-0) took care of South Carolina, 24-10. But Kentucky has a tough encounter this week. The Wildcats play Texas A&M in College Station.  

As expected, undefeated Alabama, Georgia and LSU all won big. The Crimson Tide (5-0) pelted Louisiana, 56-14. Georgia (5-0) conquered Tennessee, 38-12, and LSU (5-0) throttled Ole Miss, 45-16.

NC State kept its record spotless. The Wolfpack (4-0) downed Virginia, 35-21.

The suffering continues in Lincoln. Nebraska (0-4) lost to Purdue, 42-28. The Huskers have now lost eight-straight games – the nation’s second-longest losing streak. UTEP continues to hold the longest-losing streak at 16 games. Saturday, the Miners lost to UTSA, 30-21.

No one made the “70s Club” in Week 5, but three teams came close. SMU beat Houston Baptist, 63-27, while Georgia Tech downed Bowling Green, 63-17. Coming the closest was Oklahoma (5-0). The Sooners creamed Baylor, 66-33.

Also in the Big 12, TCU needed a late-game field goal to beat Iowa State, 17-14. Meanwhile,  since its season opening loss to Maryland, Texas has now won four straight. Saturday, the Longhorns beat Kansas State, 1914.

Two teams from Utah both went to the State of Washington and both lost. BYU lost to Washington in Seattle, 35-7, and Utah lost to Washington State in Pullman, 28-24.

In what, perhaps, was the wildest game of the week, Hawaii beat San Jose State, 44-41, in no less than five overtimes. In the only other overtime game of the weekend, a multiple OT one too, Northern Illinois beat Eastern Michigan, 26-23, in three overtimes. In regulation, Eastern Michigan kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3 seconds on the clock to put the game into overtime.  

And finally, Florida coach Dan Mullen went back to his old stomping grounds over the weekend. The Gators played Mullen’s former team Mississippi State in Starkville. It was a victorious return for Mullen. Florida beat Miss State, 13-6. 

This weekend, Bootsie, Rockledge Gator, Swamp Mama and I will be partying in Gainesville. We’re headed up to The Swamp for the LSU-Florida game and staying at the Laurel Oak Inn. I’ll try not to forget the tickets.

Touchdown Tom

October 1, 2018

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

Weekend Recap

GAME OF THE WEEK:  Miscall – Ohio State 27, Penn State 26 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 28, Penn State 26). For the second-straight year, Ohio State rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Penn State. The lead changed hands three times in the game. Penn State dominated the stats, but not overwhelmingly so. James Franklin’s play calling, especially on what became Penn State’s final play, will always be questioned. Attendance in University Park: 110,889

RUNNER UP:  Loveless – Notre Dame 38, Stanford 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 28, Sanford 25). Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book was 23-for-33 passing for 278 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Irish running back Dexter Williams rushed for 170 yards, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Notre Dame outscored Stanford 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Attendance in South Bend: 77,622

REST OF THE BEST:  Orange scare – Clemson 27, Syracuse 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Clemson 30, Syracuse 23). Clemson pretty much dominated this game, but the Tigers were plagued by three turnovers which helped to keep Syracuse in the game. The Orange only had 61 yards rushing. Clemson running back Travis Etienne rushed for 203 yards, mostly in the second half. Attendance in Clemson: 80,122

Karma chameleons – West Virginia 42, Texas Tech 34 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 40, Texas Tech 31). Texas Tech rallied in the second half, but WVU held on to win. It was a good road win for the Mounties, even though they looked ugly in the second half. Will Grier was 27-for-41 passing for 370 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Attendance in Lubbock: 55,283

No Shark attack – LSU 45, Ole Miss 16 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 37, Ole Miss 18). LSU put on an offensive show, racking up 573 total yards – 281 rushing and 291 passing. The Tigers defense wasn’t bad either. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was 18-for-25 passing for 292 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Burrow also rushed for 96 yards. The Tigers controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes. Attendance in Baton Rouge: 100,224

For real – Kentucky 24, South Carolina 10 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 26, Kentucky 21). Kentucky built up a 24-3 first half lead and went into cruise control in the second half. Meanwhile, South Carolina kept shooting itself in the foot with four turnovers – one fumble and three Jake Bentley interceptions. Kentucky running back Benny Snell rushed for 124 yards. Attendance in Lexington: 63,081

Hokie High – Virginia Tech 31, Duke 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 29, Virginia Tech 27). Neither team could run the ball – only 152 rushing yards between them. But both passed well, especially Virginia Tech. The Hokies passed for 332 yards on the arm of Ryan Willis – 17-for-27 with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Attendance in Durham: 32,117

Ducks unlimited – Oregon 42, California 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Oregon 30, California 20). By the third quarter, Oregon built up a 35-10 lead and then coasted after that. Turnovers killed any opportunity Cal had. The Bears suffered five miscues – one fumble and four interceptions. Two Oregon running backs rushed for more than 100 yards each. Cal running back Brandon McIlwain rushed for 124 yards. Attendance in Berkeley: 43,448

You can go home again – Florida 13, Mississippi State 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Mississippi State 29, Florida 23). Florida’s defense was the champion of this game, holding Miss State to 104 yards rushing and 98 yards passing. Bulldogs senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald had one of the worst games of his career. Attendance in Starkville: 61,406

Huskie power – Washington 35, BYU 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 28, BYU 22). BYU scored its only touchdown with 41 seconds to go in the game. The Huskies the Cougars to just seven first downs and only 34 yards rushing. Washington quarterback Jake Browning was 23-for-25 passing for 277 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.  Attendance in Seattle: 70,155

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

We don’t need no running game – Washington State 28, Utah 24 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington State 28, Utah 26). Trailing 24-21, Washington State scored a touchdown with 4:14 to go in the game and then held on to win. The lead in the game changed hands three times. Amazingly, the Cougars only had 13 yards rushing. But they made up for it with 445 yards passing thanks to quarterback Gardner Minshew. Attendance in Pullman: 30,088

Bevo gets defensive – Texas 19, Kansas State 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 27, Kansas State 20). Texas scored all 19 of its points in the first half. K-State scored all 14 of its points in the second half. Neither team displayed much offense. Texas won on its passing game. K-State had 107 yards rushing and 110 yards passing. Attendance in Manhattan: 49,916

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Steam power – Purdue 42, Nebraska 28 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 28, Purdue 27). Purdue jumped out to a 27-7 third quarter lead and then the two teams proceeded to trade touchdowns back-and-forth for the rest of the game. The Boilers maintained possession of the ball for more than 36 minutes. Both quarterbacks passed for more than 300 yards. But Nebraska was clearly the better running team. Huskers running back Devine Ozigbo rushed for 170 yards.  Attendance in Lincoln: 88,911

Uga was on top of ole Smokey – Georgia 38, Tennessee 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 35, Tennessee 17). Georgia scored in each of the four quarters, handing Tennessee its third loss of the season. The Dawgs defense held the Vols to only 209 total yards – 66 rushing and 143 passing. Georgia controlled the clock for more than 37 minutes. The Dawgs had 26 first downs to 11 for Tennessee. Attendance in Athens: 92,746

Week 5 Results: 10 correct picks, 4 fumbles (71.4 percent)

For the Season:  51 correct picks, 24 fumbles (68 percent)

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

Miami 47, North Carolina 10 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 60,843

Florida State 28, Louisville 24 – Attendance in Louisville: 52,798

UCF 45, Pitt 14 – Attendance in Orlando: 44,904

Middle Tennessee 25, Florida Atlantic 24 – Attendance in Murfreesboro: 17,299

FIU 55, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9 – Attendance in Miami: 14,937

Drake 41, Jacksonville U. 9 – Attendance in Jacksonville: 1,738

San Diego 49, Stetson 10 – Attendance in San Diego: 1,471

Florida A&M 55, North Carolina Central 14 – Attendance in Durham: 8,451

Bethune-Cookman 35, Savannah State 20 – Attendance in Savannah: 5,018

Florida Tech 26, Wingate 23 – Attendance in Wingate: 2,172

Superlatives

Impressive Passers:

San Jose State’s Josh Love – 28-49-0 for 451 yards (3TDs); Washington State’s Gardner Minshew – 31-56-1-445 (3TDs); Western Michigan’s Jon Wassink – 27-42-0-439 (5TDs); Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray – 17-21-0-432 (6TDs); Liberty’s Stephen Calvert – 24-41-1-417 (3TDs), and Ball State’s Riley Neal – 30-50-1-402 (4TDs).

Also, Baylor’s Charlie Brewer – 38-60-0 for 400 yards (2TDs); Arkansas State’s Justice Hansen – 38-50-0-376 (1TD); West Virginia’s Will Grier – 27-41-0-370 (3TDs); Fresno State’s Marcus McMaryion – 24-31-1-368 (4TDs), and Massachusetts’ Andrew Ford – 27-38-1-355 (4TDs).

Impressive Rushers:

Arizona State’s Eric Benjamin – 312 yards (3TDs); Oregon State’s Jermar Jefferson – 254 yards (2TDs); Clemson’s Travis Etienne – 203 yards (3TDs); Oklahoma State’s Justice Hill – 189 yards (1TD); Ohio’s Nathan Rourke – 189 yards (1TD), and Penn State’s Trace McSorley – 175 yards.

Also, USC’s Aca’Cedric Ware – 178 yards (2TDs); Temple’s Ryquell Armstead – 171 yards (4TDs); Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo – 170 yards (2TDs); Rice’s Austin Walter – 165 yards (1TD); Boston College’s A.J. Dillon – 161 yards (2TDs), and Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams – 161 yards (1TD).

Quotes of the Week

“Kentucky is a football school. John Calipari, go get some shoulder pads,” CBS college football commentator Rick Neuheisel.

“I feel like I haven’t done anything to not be the starter. I’ve been here. I’ve waited my turn. I’ve done everything y’all have asked me to do, plus more. I’ve never been a distraction. I’ve never been in trouble with anything. To me it was kind of a slap in the face,” demoted Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant, on his relegation to the second team.

“He was always a great bullshitter, so none of this surprises me,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, on his former quarterback Greg McElroy becoming a successful commentator and broadcaster.

“Trace McSorley at quarterback is tougher than woodpecker piss,” ESPN college football commentator Marty Smith. 

“We obviously didn’t make the right call in that situation, and that’s on me, nobody else,” Penn State coach James Franklyn, on his failed final play call in the Ohio State game.

“We look like one of the most undisciplined teams in the country. I’m tired of coaching an undisciplined team,” Nebraska coach Scott Frost.

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

GAME OF THE WEEK:  1. Oklahoma (5-0) vs. Texas (4-1) – (Big12 vs, Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – This could be a high-scoring affair. Oklahoma is averaging 523 yards per game. And the Sooners are giving up 405 yards per game. Meanwhile, Texas isn’t as strong on offense. But the Longhorns are better on defense. OU hasn’t faced a team as tough as Texas this season. The Longhorns will be a challenge for OU quarterback Kyle Murray. The pressure will be on Texas coach Tom Herman. Bevo gets taken for a ride on the wagon – Oklahoma 29, Texas 23.

RUNNER UP:  2. LSU (5-0) at Florida (4-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – This could end up being a defensive struggle. Both teams have highly ranked defenses. Florida’s is good defending the pass and in points allowed – 14 per game. LSU’s defense is good defending the run and in points allowed – 15 per game. LSU has two good wins to its credit – over Miami and Auburn. Give the Tigers another good win – LSU 23, Florida 20.

REST OF THE BEST:  3. Notre Dame (5-0) at Virginia Tech (3-1) – (Ind. vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – For three games into the season, Notre Dame was just barely winning. In their last two games, the Irish have come on strong. ND has a new look with quarterback Ian Book. Virginia Tech’s quarterback Ryan Willis looked good in his first start against Duke last week. The Hokie defense is good against the run. So the Irish will pass. That’s what Old Dominion did. The Irish will have an early Thanksgiving dinner – Notre Dame 28, Virginia Tech 19.

4. Boston College (4-1) at NC State (4-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12:30 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN – BC will be a good test for NC State. The Eagles are averaging 42 points a game. But they are giving up 27 points a game. Neither team has faced a real tough opponent yet. NC State’s defense is good against the run and is only allowing 15 points a game. Wolfpack quarterback Ryan Finley has passed for 1,313 yards and NC State is 9^th in the country in passing yards. The Eagles get passed silly – NC State 35, Boston College 26.

5. Kentucky (5-0) at Texas A&M (3-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Kentucky is for real. The Wildcats have put down Florida, Mississippi State and South Carolina. Running back Benny Snell has rushed for 664 yards. The Kentucky defense is holding opponents to 12 points a game. But Texas A&M’s defense is good against the run. The Aggies are holding opponents to 80 yards a game on the ground. It should be fun. The Wildcats aren’t for real this week – Texas A&M 26, Kentucky 20.

6. Maryland (3-1) at Michigan (4-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Michigan’s defense is ranked in the Top 10 in the country in total yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and passing yards allowed. And they are 11^th in points allowed – 11. Maryland has looked good in its games, except for the Temple game. The Terps really fell apart in that one. They’ll fall apart again in Ann Arbor – Michigan 32, Maryland 18.

7. San Diego State (3-1) at Boise State (3-1) – (MWC vs. MWC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU – Boise State is 4^th in the country in passing yards. Quarterback Brett Rypien has already passed for 1,389 yards this season. The Broncos are strong on offense, but a little weak on defense. San Diego State has a problem – actually two problems. The Aztecs defense against the pass is 110^th in the country. Additionally, San Diego State has lost it top running back, Juwan Washington, to injury. Still, the Aztecs should give the Broncos their toughest MWC game so far this season. The Broncos won’t be sacrificed – Boise State 31, San Diego State 16.

8. Iowa (3-1) at Minnesota (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Iowa plays great defense and lousy offense. On defense, the Hawkeyes are in the Top 10 in the country in total yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and points allowed. Minnesota is like Iowa on offense – lousy. The Gophers are better on defense, but not as good as the Hawkeyes. It’s going to be a long day for Goldie Gopher – Iowa 27, Minnesota 23.

9. Arizona State (3-2) at Colorado (4-0) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, PAC-12N – Arizona State is sloppy on defense and so-so on offense. But the Sun Devils did beat Michigan State. They are capable of beating Colorado. The Buffaloes are averaging 40 points a game and holding opponents to 18 points a game. This could be a wild one. There is no Sun in Boulder for the Devils – Colorado 30, Arizona State 27.

10. Auburn (4-1) at Mississippi State (3-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – Miss State is a good, strong defensive team. But the Bulldogs are lousy on offense. Auburn’s strength is its defense too. The Tigers offense has been disappointing.  This game could be a doozy. Two mules fighting over a turnip.  It’s hard to believe that Miss State could lose three games in a row. But they do – Auburn 20, Mississippi State 19.

….AND TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON: 

          

11. Florida State (3-2) at Miami (Florida) (4-1) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Florida State got off to a rough start, but the Noles have won their last two games. There may be light at the end of the tunnel. The Noles defense is one of the worst in the country against the pass and one of the best against the run. The offense has been sluggish. Except for its opening game against LSU, Miami has played well. The Canes defense is one of the best in the country. They are first in passing yards allowed and 2^nd in total yards allowed. Not bad. This could be a classic FSU-Miami game. It’ll be classic for the Canes – Miami 30, Florida State 23.

12. Utah (2-2) at Stanford (4-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Stanford is lucky to be 4-1. The Trees are just average on offense and defense. And running back Bryce Love has not been healthy this season. He may or may play against Utah. The Utes are lousy on offense but have one of the best defenses in the country – 4^th in total yards allowed. If the Utah loses to Stanford, the Utes will be 0-3 in Pac-12 play. A tough season for the Utes get tougher – Stanford 26, Utah 22.

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS: 

Kansas (2-3) at West Virginia (4-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – West Virginia quarterback Will Grier has passed for 1,487 yards in four games this season. The Mountaineer offense is unbalanced. Very strong in the passing game; not so strong in the running game. WVU’s defense is good, not great, but good. Kansas is weak on both offense and defense. This is probably coach David Beaty’s last year with the Jayhawks. His departure papers may already have been drawn up. WVU’s offense has fallen asleep in the second half for two straight games. Coach Dana Holgorsen needs to give them some No Doz at halftime. Eers perk up – West Virginia 49, Kansas 17.

Nebraska (0-4) at Wisconsin (3-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Wisconsin has a good defense, allowing opponent sonly 14.5 points a game. The Badgers have an awesome running game on offense, averaging 266 yards per game. Nebraska’s defense has lots of problems. The offense isn’t much better. It’s going to be a long season for the Huskers. It’s a good thing Bethune-Cookman is on the schedule. This one could hurt, for the Huskers – Wisconsin 30, Nebraska 13.

Vanderbilt (3-2) at Georgia (5-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Georgia doesn’t have a weak spot anywhere on its defense. The Dawgs are 6^th in the nation in points allowed – 13. Georgia is good on offense but not the best. There is room for improvement. Vandy on the other hand is hurting on both offense and defense. I suspect this will be Derek Mason’s last season in Nashville. The Dawgs offense doesn’t need any improvement for Vandy – Georgia 35, Vanderbilt 12.

Duke (4-1) and Purdue (2-3) are off.

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA: 

South Florida (4-0) at Massachusetts (2-4) – (AAC vs. Ind.) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday….

SMU (2-3) at UCF (4-0) – (AAC vs. AAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU….

Old Dominion (1-4) at Florida Atlantic (2-3) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 5 pm ET, Saturday….

Norfolk State (3-1) at Florida A&M (3-2) – (MEAC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Mississippi Valley State (0-3) at Bethune-Cookman (2-3) – (SWC vs. MEAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN3….

Jacksonville U. (1-2) at Davidson (4-1) – (Pioneer vs, Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday….

Mississippi College (2-2) at Florida Tech (4-1) – (Gulf South vs. Gulf South) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

FIU (3-2) and Stetson (3-1) are off.

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

P.S.

Not exactly college football related, but there were two passings of note last week – Tommy McDonald and Marty Balin.

Tommy McDonald, a small, speedy receiver who teamed with quarterback Norm Van Brocklin to help the Philadelphia Eagles win the 1960 NFL championship, died last week. He was 84. McDonald was a two-time All-American from Oklahoma who played 12 NFL seasons for five teams. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. McDonald was traded to Dallas in 1964 and dealt the next season to the Los Angeles Rams. Thomas Franklin McDonald was born in Roy, New Mexico, on July 26, 1934. He graduated from high school in Albuquerque. At the University of Oklahoma, where he played under Hall of Fame coach Bud Wilkinson, McDonald was an All-American in 1955 and 1956. He never experienced a loss with the Sooners, winning 31 straight games. In 1956, McDonald finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Paul Horning of Notre Dame and Johnny Majors of Tennessee. But he won the Maxwell Award for college football’s most outstanding player. McDonald was drafted by the Eagles in 1957.

Marty Balin, a patron of the 1960s “San Francisco Sound” both as founder and a lead singer of Jefferson Airplane and co-owner of the club where the Airplane and other Bay Area bands performed, died last week in Tampa, Florida. He was 76. Balin formed the Airplane in 1965. In the mid-1970s, Airplane regrouped as the more mainstream Jefferson Starship. Balin sang lead on such hits as “Miracles,” “With Your Love” and “Count on Me.” Airplane was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Balin was born Martin Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1942. His family later moved to the San Francisco area. He dropped out of San Francisco State University to pursue his music career. Later in life, Balin acknowledged that he was jealous of Gracie Slick, Airplane’s other lead singer.