CFW Week 3 Forecast - Dolly Parton is GameDay's guest picker

 CFW Week 3 Forecast – Dolly Parton is GameDay’s guest picker  

Can Tennessee keep the score close?

 

Week 3 promises to provide us with another weekend full of exciting games. Perhaps even more so than Week 2. And we sure had our share of thrilling games in Week 2.

 

For starters, there are four key SEC battles this weekend – three of which involve undefeated teams. The SEC quartet of games is led by Georgia (2-0) at Tennessee (2-0). The Dawgs have owned the Vols for the past eight years. Most of the encounters have not even been close. Tennessee has won the last eight games 31-17, 38-10, 27-13, 41-17, 44-21, 43-14, 38-12 and 41-0. But Tennessee stands a good chance of ending Georgia’s domination this year.

 

Arkansas (2-0) takes on Ole Miss (2-0) in Oxford. The Magnolias are favored but many predict the Hogs will pull off an upset. Vanderbilt (2-0) visits South Carolina (2-0). Are the Commodores for real? They appear to be. The Gamecocks can’t take them lightly.

 

The fourth SEC affair has LSU (2-0) hosting Florida (1-1). Last year, the Gators upset the Tigers in Gainesville. Florida coach Billy Napier needed that win  to save his job. Following last week’s loss to South Florida, Napier needs to beat LSU this year to save his job. Billy never seems to get the message.

 

Speaking of South Florida, the Bulls have their hands full this week – South Florida (2-0) at Miami (2-0). Can the Bulls pull off another shocker?

 

After losing to Miami in Week 1, Notre Dame (0-1) hosts Texas A&M (2-0). The Irish were off last week. They should be prepared for the Aggies.

 

The ACC has a doozy for us, a big doozy – Clemson (1-1) at Georgia Tech (2-0). Will the Tigers suffer their second loss of the early season?

 

The Big Ten will be involved in a couple of interesting battles. First, in an interconference affair Wisconsin (2-0) is at Alabama (1-1). The Badgers are undefeated, but a weak undefeated. The Tide are still rebuilding from their Florida State disaster in Week 1. The other Big Ten battle is a conference affair – USC (2-0) at Purdue (2-0). The pressure is on Trojans coach Lincoln Riley this season. The Boilers are undefeated but like Wisconsin, a weak undefeated. Can Purdue cause problems for Riley?

 

Ah, the shenanigans and theatrics – it’s Pitt (2-0) at West Virginia (1-1). There’s rarely a dull moment when these two get together. But it could be pretty dull for the Mountaineers this year.

 

Look for Duke (1-1) at Tulane (2-0) to be an interesting game – exciting too. Tulane is looking to be the Group of Five team in the CFP. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah will be playing against his old team. Mensah transferred to Duke during the offseason.

 

Three other games, all  involving undefeated teams, which have my curiosity this week are Minnesota (2-0) at California (2-0), NC State (2-0) at Wake Forest (2-0), and Utah (2-0) at Wyoming (2-0).

 

The Minnesota-California game is truly up in the air. Either team could win. It could be a wild one. NC State-Wake Forest kicks off Week 3 tonight. The Wolfpack are favored but are the Demon Deacons possibly better than expected? Utah is not only favored but the Utes will beat Wyoming. The game is at Wyoming and I’m wondering if the Cowboys can make it a contest.

 

ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the Georgia-Tennessee game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in Evanston, Illinois, for the Oregon-Northwestern game. SEC Network’s SEC Nation will be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the Florida-LSU game. The ACC Network’s ACC Huddle will be in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Clemson-Georgia Tech game. Dolly Parton is the guest picker on College GameDay. Maybe Dolly will bring the Vols some luck. Enjoy the pregame shows.

 

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy hasn’t been fired yet, but The Sporting News says these are the Top 6 candidates to replace Gundy: 1. Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson; 2. South Florida head coach Alex Golesh; 3. Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall; 4. Texas A&M OC Collin Klein; Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki, and Chicago Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy. Stay tuned!

 

Florida coach Billy Napier hasn’t been fired yet, but an awful lot of college football analysts are predicting that Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will be the next coach at Florida, replacing Napier. Stay tuned!

 

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

 

“….It was an early morning yesterday. I was up before the dawn. And I really have enjoyed my stay. But I must be moving on….” English musician, singer and songwriter Rick Davies died on September 6. Davies was the founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp. Between 1975 and 1985, Supertramp landed 11 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, nine of which became Top 40 songs. Their biggest hit was “The Logical Song” which charted during the spring and summer of 1979, peaking at No. 6. Other hits included “Give A Little Bit,” “Goodbye Stranger,” “Take The Long Way Home,” and “It’s Raining Again.” A native of Swindon in Wilshire, England, Richard Davies was 81. “….Goodbye stranger, it’s been nice. Hope you find your paradise. Tried to see your point of view. Hope your dreams will all come true….”

 

Actress Polly Holliday died on September 9. Holliday is best-known for her portrayal of the sassy waitress “Flo” on the 1970s sitcom Alice. Her catchphrase was “Kiss my grits.” She was the last surviving member of the original cast of Alice. A native of Jasper, Alabama, Polly Dean Holliday was 88.

 

Beat the hell out of Pitt!

 

Touchdown Tom

September 11, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

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

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #6 Georgia (2-0) at #15 Tennessee (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Neither team has been really tested. However, Tennessee’s game against Syracuse was more of a testing than Georgia’s two games against Marshall and Austin Peay. They will be tested Saturday. Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar appears to be a better quarterback than many thought. Is he better enough to handle the Georgia defense? After Georgia’s first two games, Dawgs quarterback Gunner Stockton is still an unknown. But he was tested at the end of last season when Georgia played and lost to Notre Dame in the CFP. Georgia has had its way with Tennessee for several years. The Dawgs have won the last eight games. Tennessee last beat Georgia in 2016 – 34-31. It’s about time for the Vols to win again. They do – Tennessee 27, Georgia 24.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #18 South Florida (2-0) at #5 Miami (2-0) – (AC vs. ACC) – 4:30 pm ET, Saturday, CWN – David against Goliath again. Last week the Goliath was Florida. South Florida won. This week the Goliath is Miami. Miami is a bigger Goliath than Florida. USF won’t slay Miami. Still, the Bulls should be able to give the Canes a good game. USF’s offense relies on the play of quarterback Byrum Brown. If he is having a good day, the Bulls will have a good day. Miami has several weapons in its offense. But the main weapon is quarterback Carson Beck. If he is having a bad day, then the running game can take over. If they’re having a bad day, then the Canes can rely on their defense. They’ll get you one way or another. The Bulls get hit by a Cat 5 – Miami 30, South Florida 19.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #16 Texas A&M (2-0)  at #8 Notre Dame (0-1) – (SEC vs. Ind.) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – After losing to Miami in Week 1, Notre Dame had Week 2 off. The Irish are rejuvenated. Quarterback C.J. Carr has a game under his belt. In two games, Texas A&M hasn’t exactly been spectacular. The Aggies struggled a bit to beat UTSA. They did look better the following week, beating Utah State. The defense has been a little suspect, giving up 23 points a game. If Notre Dame wants to make the CFP again this year, the Irish can’t afford a second loss the second game into the season. The Irish step dance over the Aggies – Notre Dame 30, Texas A&M 21.

 

4. #29 Florida (1-1) at #3 LSU (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – This could either be the continuation of the end of Billy Napier. Or it could be a new beginning for Napier. If Florida loses, the Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin will begin writing Napier’s epitaph. If Florida wins, Stricklin will compose a hymn of praise for Napier. What will it be. After the struggle and tough win over Clemson in Week 1, LSU cooled its heels in Week 2. In beating Louisiana Tech 23-7, the defense played well, the offense was so-so. Perhaps they were holding back for the Gators. Florida definitely needs to get its act together – and fast. Last year the Gators upset the Tigers. Tigers have good memories – LSU 27, Florida 17.

 

5. #12 Clemson (1-1) at #28 Georgia Tech (2-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Is Georgia Tech as good as the Jackets appear to be? We’ll find out soon. The Tigers are off to a rough start. They lost to LSU and had to pull off a second-half rally to beat Troy. I would think Dabo Swinney will have the Tigers plenty mad when they meet Georgia Tech. Quarterback Cade Klubnik should be fired up. If Clemson loses, Klubnik can forget the Heisman Trophy. The status of Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is iffy. He suffered a lower body injury against Colorado in Week 1 and didn’t play last week. Backup quarterback Aaron Philo stepped in. Philo had an excellent game. However, the competition was Gardner-Webb. This is going to be a tough game. Buzz gets his sting on – Georgia Tech 21, Clemson 20.

 

6. #41 Vanderbilt (2-0) at #11 South Carolina (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN –  I know you cannot compare scores in college football but is Vanderbilt better than we thought. And is South Carolina not as good as we though. Vanderbilt beat Virginia Tech, 44-20. And that was at Virginia Tech. South Carolina beat Virginia Tech, 24-11. And that was on a neutral field in Atlanta. This week Vanderbilt and South Carolina face off at South Carolina. This is going to be a better game than we thought. It could come down to the quarterbacks – Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. Or it could come down to the defenses. Cocky pecks a hole in the Commodores boat – South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 27.

 

7. Arkansas (2-0) at #17 Ole Miss (2-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN –  Arkansas has looked good so far. Quarterback Taylen Green has looked really good. But the Hogs haven’t faced any real competition to date. Ole Miss faced some competition last week. Kentucky almost upset the Magnolias again. But Ole Miss survived. The Magnolias have a good quarterback too – Austin Simmons. He threw two interceptions against Kentucky. That’s not good. Green threw two interceptions against Arkansas State. But he made up for it by rushing for 151 yards. Looks like Ole Miss will have to stop Green on the ground. They do, but barely – Ole Miss 28, Arkansas 24.

 

8. Wisconsin (2-0) at #19 Alabama (1-1)– (Big Ten vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Alabama is still rebounding from that devastating loss to Florida State. Last week, the Tide took out their frustrations on ULM – 73-0. This week they will continue to take out their frustrations – on Wisconsin. (I know, that’s the Badgers fight song.) But you won’t hear “On Wisconsin” at this game. You’ll be hearing “Yea, Alabama.” Unless Wisconsin gets better during the season, Badgers coach Luke Fickell is looking to get fired. They won’t get better against Alabama – Alabama 31, Wisconsin 10.

 

9. #30 USC (2-0) at Purdue (2-0) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – How good is Purdue? Probably not that good. But you never know. The Boilers are under a new coach – Barry Odom. The Boilers are off to a good start. But the competition has been weak. The competition gets tough this week – USC. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley is out to prove something this season. Prove he can keep his job. Like Purdue, USC is off to a good start. Like Purdue, the competition has been weak. We’ll know a lot about both teams after the game. The Boilers fizzle – USC 30, Purdue 17.

 

10. Pitt (2-0) at West Virginia (1-1) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – It’s always fun when these two rivals get together. It’s probably going to be more fun for Pitt this year. The Mountaineers were embarrassed last week against Ohio. No offense. No quarterback. No offensive line. The only hope for the Mounties is that Pitt is a bit of an unknown. The Panthers have two wins but two wins over nobodies. Pitt has a good quarterback – Eli Holstein. The Panthers have a good running back – Desmond Reid. We’ll find out of WVU has a defense. It may be a sunny day, but it will be a “dark and dusty” game for the Mountaineers – Pitt 24, West Virginia 17.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMOPING GROUNDS:

 

Houston Christian (1-1) at #35 Nebraska (2-0) – (Southland vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – Since the opening game, it seems like Nebraska’s schedule has been getting easier and easier. Last week Akron, this week Houston Christian. Quite frankly, I’ve never heard of Houston Christian. Is it a real school? Does anybody go there? Well, I guess the football players do. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be playing football for HC. There’s not much you can say about a game like this. Obviously, the entire Nebraska team should see action. Herbie might even get into the game. Corn festival in Lincoln – Nebraska 48, Houston Christian 0.

 

Duke (1-1) at #36 Tulane (2-0) – (ACC vs. AC) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2 – It all came crumbling down for the Dookies last week. Illinois put it to them. There was some good news from the game. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah had a good game – 334 yards passing and two touchdown passes. But the Dookies lack a running game. Tulane appears to have both a passing and running game. Jake Retzlaff does the passing and Zuberi Mobley and Javin Gordon do the running. Still, this should be a close game. Mensah was Tulane’s quarterback last year. The Wave turns the Dookies green –   Tulane 24, Duke 20.

 

UTEP (1-1) at #7 Texas (1-1) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – 4:15 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Like Nebraska, since the opening game, it seems like the Texas schedule has been getting easier and easier. Last week San Jose State, this week UTEP. I have heard of UTEP. These type of games are like scrimmages for Arch Manning. He’ll only play three quarters at the most. Then it’s time for the backup. Bevo  yawns – Texas 45, UTEP 3.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Stetson (1-1) at Chattanooga (0-2) – (Pioneer vs. Southern) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Bethune-Cookman (0-2) at South Carolina State (1-1) – (SWAC vs. MEAC) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

Florida Atlantic (1-1) at FIU (1-1) – (AAC vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

 

West Florida (2-0) at Shorter (0-2) – (Gulf South vs. Carolinas) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

Albany State (2-0) at Florida A&M (0-2) – (SIAC vs. SWAC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“If we continue like this, we won’t win very many games. We’ve got to get in rhythm on offense,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, after Week 2.

 

“By taking down Boise State and Florida, South Florida already has a playoff resume. That assumes, of course, they go on and win the American Conference,” USA Today sportswriter Eddie Timanus.

 

“Oregon should be ranked ahead of Penn State,” USA Today sportswriter Eddie Timanus.

 

“He completely blew it. This is the same problem we’ve been seeing from Billy Napier in terms of game management from the beginning. And at this point, there is no reason for optimism. Last year was a roller coaster – terrible at first, great at the end. And you just can’t keep playing with the fans’ emotions. You have to take control of your program. And he clearly has not. So, I think the end is near for Billy Napier,” ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum.

 

“The bottom line is Arch Manning is not playing like an elite quarterback. He’s barely playing like a pedestrian quarterback. I think we all jumped the gun,” ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum.

 

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next posting of College Football Week – CFW - Week 3 Results – will be Monday morning, September 15.

 

CFW Week 2 Results - Florida drops out of Top 25

 CFW Week 2 Results – Florida drops out of Top 25

From the nailbiters and thrillers

to back on the hot seat again

 

We had it all Saturday – the good, the bad and the ugly. Through it all, we had the thrillers, the nailbiters, the barn burners, the donnybrooks, the stunners and more.

 

Trailing SMU, 38-24, with less than six minutes to go, Baylor scored two touchdowns to tie the score at 38-38. Overtime. After one overtime, the score was 45-45. After the second overtime, Baylor, who had never led throughout the game, beat SMU, 48-45.

 

At halftime, Iowa State led Iowa, 13-10. After three quarters, the score was tied, 13-13. In the fourth quarter, with 1:52 on the clock, Iowa State kicked a 54-yard field goal. The Cyclones held on to beat Iowa, 16-13.

 

Hold onto your seat. Underdog Mississippi State jumped out to an early 17-0 lead over Arizona State. The Bulldogs led the Sun Devils, 17-3, at halftime. But Arizona State scored a touchdown in the third quarter to cut Mississippi State’s lead to 17-10. Then the Sun Devils scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17-17. Following a 12-minute stalemate, Arizona State kicked an 18-yard field goal with 1:38 on the clock to take its first lead in the game, 20-17. It turned out to be a briefly held lead. With just 30 seconds remaining, Mississippi State scored a touchdown on a 58-yard pass from Blake Shapen to Brenen Thompson. Mississippi State won 20-17.

 

In Raleigh, North Carolina, Virginia and NC State were in a donnybrook. For two and a half quarters, the game was tied twice and Virginia held leads of 3, 7 and 10 points. NC State never led. Finally, with 6:39 to go in the third quarter, the Wolfpack took its first lead at 28-24. One and a half minutes later, Virginia retook the lead at 31-28. Four and a half minutes later, NC State went back up 35-31. After all of that scoring, neither team scored in the fourth quarter. NC State beat Virginia, 35-31.

 

Early in the second quarter, Kentucky led Ole Miss, 10-0. At halftime, Ole Miss led Kentucky, 17-13. Late in the third quarter, the game was tied 20-20. As the fourth quarter came to an end, Ole Miss beat Kentucky, 30-23.

 

Four minutes into the game, Missouri led Kansas 6-0. Eight and a half minutes later, still in the first quarter, Kansas led Missouri 21-6. Then the fight began. At halftime, the game was tied, 21-21. Late in the third quarter, Kansas went up 24-21. Even later in the third quarter, Missouri went up 28-24. Midway through the fourth quarter, Kansas retook the lead at 31-28. Four and a half minutes later, Missouri went back up 35-31. The Tigers scored again with less than two minutes left in the game. Missouri beat Kansas, 42-31.

 

As last season came to an end, Florida coach Billy Napier was back in the saddle again. Florida won its last four games and finished the season 8-5. After the second game of this season Saturday, Napier was back on the hot seat again. Florida lost to South Florida, 18-16. The Bulls kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to pull off the win. Florida fans were chanting “Fire Billy” as they exited Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

 

You’ve heard of Helen of Troy. How about Hell of Troy? That’s who Clemson coach Dabo Swinney almost met – Hell of Troy. Midway through the second quarter Saturday, Clemson trailed Troy, 16-0. At halftime, Troy led Clemson 16-3. It wasn’t looking good for the Tigers. Fortunately for Swinney, Clemson woke up in the second half, outscoring Troy, 24-0. The Tigers beat the Trojans, 27-16. Clemson had the turnovers in the first half – 2. Troy had the turnovers in the second half – 3.

 

That’s just a sampling of the donnybrooks, barn burners, knock-down drag outs, nailbiters and thrillers we experienced on Saturday. There were more. Trailing Kansas State 21-14 in the fourth quarter, Army scored 10 unanswered points to beat K-State, 24-21. Trailing Connecticut 17-6 in the fourth quarter, Syracuse scored 12 unanswered points and went on to beat UConn in overtime, 27-20 (OT). In a game that was tied on six different occasions, Michigan State outlasted Boston College 42-40 (2OT).

  

College football Week 2 began Friday night with four games. In the first of the four games, Louisville rallied in the second half to beat James Madison, 28-14. In the final game of the night, Boise State got back on the winning track, beating Eastern Washington, 51-14.

 

Two Big Ten teams were victorious in the other two games – Northwestern squashed Western Illinois, 42-7, and Maryland got by Northern Illinois, 20-9. Northwestern’s offense racked up 526 total yards.

 

The best passer Friday night was Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen with 307 yards. The best rusher was Boise State running back Dylan Riley with 123 yards. Boise State had the best total offense with 637 yards.                                                                      

 

There were the thrillers on Saturday. Then again, there were the other extremes. What you might call the non-thrillers. For example, Florida State 77, East Texas A&M 3; Texas Tech 62, Kent State 14; Minnesota 66, Northwestern State 0; Ohio State 70, Grambling 0, and Oregon 69, Oklahoma State 3.

 

Also, Tennessee72, East Tennessee 17; Utah 63, Cal Poly 9; UCF 68, North Carolina A&T 7; Nebraska 68, Akron 0; Alabama 73, ULM 0, and Washington 70, UC Davis 10.

 

Dan Mullen is 3-0. UNLV beat UCLA, 30-23. Virginia Tech is 0-2. Vanderbilt downed the Hokies, 44-20. And Bill Belichick won his first game as a college coach. North Carolina beat Charlotte, 20-3.

 

After you went to bed Saturday night, Arizona beat Weber State, 48-3; Washington State downed San Diego State, 36-13; BYU conquered Stanford, 27-3, and Hawaii beat Sam Houston, 37-20.

 

In this week’s AP Poll, Ohio State (2-0) is the #1 team, followed by #2 Penn State (2-0), #3 LSU (2-0), #4 Oregon (2-0), and #5 Miami (2-0). South Florida (2-0) at #18 is the highest-ranked and only Group of Five team in the AP Poll. Florida dropped out of the Poll.

 

The NCAA Oversight Committee has voted in favor of a single transfer portal window, replacing the current two transfer window portals. The winter portal would be retained. The spring portal would be eliminated. The winter portal would begin on January 2 and run for 10 days through January 11. The NCAA Administrative Committee is expected to approve the single portal system by October 1, 2025. The new single portal system would go into effect on January 1, 2026.

 

“One toke over the line, sweet Jesus. One toke over the line….” Singer-songwriter Tom Shipley died on August 24. Shipley was a co-member of the folk-rock duo Brewer & Shipley. They enjoyed their peak success in the late 1960s and 1970s. Their greatest commercial success was the song “One Toke Over The Line” from their 1970 album “Tarkio.” “One Toke Over The Line” peaked at No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1971. A native of Mineral Ridge, Ohio, Tom Shipley was 84. “….Sitting downtown in a railway station. One toke over the line.”

 

MLB player and manager Davey Johnson died on September 5. Johnson played second baseman from 1965 to 1978, most notably with the Baltimore Orioles. He also played briefly with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. Johnson was an MLB manager from 1984 to 2000, most notably with the New York Mets. A mathematics major in college, he attended Johns Hopkins University, Texas A&M and graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. A native of Orlando, Florida, David Allen Johnson was 82.

 

“Imagine me and you. I do. I think about you day and night. It’s only right….” Vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Mark Volman died on September 5. He is best known as a founding member of the 1960s rock band The Turtles. The Turtles had nine Top 40 hits in the mid and late 1960s. Their biggest hit was “Happy Together,” which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1967. Other hits by The Turtles include “It Ain’t Me Babe” (1965), “You Baby” (1966), “She’d Rather Be With Me” (1967), “You Know What I Mean” (1967), and “Elenore” (1968). A native of Los Angeles, California, Mark Randall Volman was 78. “….To think about the girl you love. And hold her tight. So happy together.”

 

“College football, it’s a pepper thing.”

 

Touchdown Tom

September 8, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next posting of College Football Week – CFW – Week 3 Forecast – will be released Thursday morning, September 11.

 

 

Week Two Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Boomer is back – Oklahoma 24, Michigan 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 28, Michigan 24). Oklahoma coach Brent Venables needed this win, and he got it. OU is a much improved team over last year. The Sooners jumped out to a 14-0 first half lead and held off Michigan in the second half. OU maintained its lead in spite of two turnovers to none for Michigan. OU’s defense all but shut down Michigan’s offense, holding the Wolverines to 12 first downs. The Sooners had 22 first downs. OU was 9-for-17 in third down efficiency. Michigan was 3-for-14. Attendance in Norman: 84,107

 

RUNNER-UP: Spitiful – South Florida 18, Florida 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 30, South Florida 20). And spit awful. The Gators looked awful and defensive lineman Brandon Bett was ejected from the game for spitting on a South Florida player. Florida coach Billy Napier is not only on the hot seat again, but also, he needs to go back and teach Discipline 101 to his players. Florida had 11 penalties. South Florida’s offense was led by their quarterback Byrum Brown who was 23-36-0, passing for 263 yards, and 66 yards rushing. Florida had a 9-minute edge in time of possession. But the Gators couldn’t reach the end zone. Florida led and never trailed in the first half. The score was briefly tied. USF took the lead in the third quarter, going up 13-9 and then 15-9. Florida regained the lead at 16-15, early in the fourth quarter. The Bulls game-ending field goal clinched the victory for South Florida. After two games, Florida is an enigma. Attendance in Gainesville: 89,909

 

REST OF THE BEST: Turnover Devils – Illinois 45, Duke 19 (Touchdown Tom said: Illinois 31, Duke 20). Through three quarters, this was a good game. Illinois 14-13 at the half and 28-19 after three. Then all hell broke loose. The Banned Indians outscored the Dookies 17-0 in the fourth quarter. Duke actually had more total yards – 438 to 423. But the Dookies only had 82 yards rushing. Illinois was more balanced on offense. And the Banned Indians had a 13-minute edge in time of possession. But the big difference was turnovers. Duke had 5 and Illinois had none. You can’t win when you have 5 turnovers. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmeyer was 22-31-0, passing for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Attendance in Durham: 23,893

 

It ain’t over till it’s over – Mississippi State 24, Arizona State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Arizona State 27, Mississippi State 26). Just when you thought Arizona State had come back and pulled this game out, Mississippi State scored on a 58-yard pass play with 30 seconds on the clock. Sloppy defense for ASU. Miss State had no running game – 72 yards. ASU had no passing game – 82 yards. Miss State quarterback Blake Shapen was 19-33-0, passing for 279 yards and three touchdowns. The Sun Devils had a 15-minute edge in time of possession but couldn’t capitalize. Poor play calling prevented ASU from getting a touchdown on the Miss State goal line in the closing 90 seconds. The Sun Devils had to settle for a field goal. But the field goal was good, but not good enough insurance. Attendance in Starkville: 50,808

 

Bears rebound – Baylor 48, SMU 45 (2OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Baylor 30, SMU 28). This game was literally a shootout. The teams combined for 1,059 total yards. Baylor had 601 of those yards. Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson was 34-50-0, passing for 440 yards and four touchdowns. Baylor receiver Josh Cameron had 9 receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Dallas: 34,852

 

Cyclones are 3-0 – Iowa State 16, Iowa 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Iowa State 20, Iowa 17). This was a typical low-scoring, close Cyclones-Hawkeyes ball game. Combined, the teams only had 452 total yards. Iowa only had 83 passing yards. The hero of the game for Iowa State was quarterback Rocco Becht. Becht was 18-27-0, passing for 134 yards and one touchdown. Becht was steady, stable and made no mistakes. Attendance in Ames: 61,500

 

No cigar for the Wildcats – Ole Miss 30, Kentucky 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Ole Miss 30, Kentucky 15). Last year, Kentucky upset Ole Miss. The Wildcats nearly did it again this year. The second quarter was the Magnolias winning quarter. Scoring 17 points, they outscored Kentucky by 11 points. Ole Miss had two turnovers. Quarterback Austin Simmons threw two interceptions. Kentucky had no turnovers. Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy rushed for 138 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in Lexington: 58,346

 

Second-half Cardinals – Louisville 28, James Madison 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Louisville 30, James Madison 21). James Madison led Louisville 7-6 at halftime. The Cardinals rallied in the second half, outscoring JMU, 22-7. JMU was hampered by penalties – 12 for 95 yards, and turnovers – 2. The Dukes had a 17-minute edge in time of possession. They also had 7 more first downs than Louisville. Louisville running back Isaac Brown was the leading rusher in the game with 104 yards. Attendance in Louisville: 48,717

 

Truman didn’t pass the buck – Missouri 42, Kansas 31 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 34, Kansas 33). It looked like Kansas was going to run away with this game. Before you could say Jayhawk, Kansas had a 21-6 lead. Then Mizzou got into the ball game. The Tigers totally dominated the stats. Mizzou had 28 first downs to 13 for Kansas. Mizzou has 595 total yards to 226 for Kansas. The Jayhawks had a big 19-minute edge in time of possession. Kansas hardly had the ball. The Jayhawks only had 3 yards rushing. Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula looks good – darn good. He was 30-39-0, passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Mizzou running back Jamal Roberts rushed for 143 yards and one touchdown. Attendance in Columbia: 57,321

 

Howling in Raleigh – NC State 35, Virginia 31 (Touchdown Tom said: NC State 28, Virginia 27). Virginia had an early edge, but the Cavs couldn’t break away from the Wolfpack. NC State hung in there and it paid off. Virginia was an impressive 13-for-19 in third-down efficiency. Virginia running back J’Man Taylor rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns. NC State running back Hollywood Smothers rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance in Raleigh: 56,919

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Sad day for the Eers – Ohio 17, West Virginia 10 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 31, Ohio30). This may be a long season for the Mountaineers. I mean a long, long season. It’s hard to tell what WVU has and what the Eers don’t have. But I have a feeling they don’t have a lot. WVU came out and took an early 7-0 lead. Then the Mounties went to sleep. A deep sleep. By halftime, Ohio had put 17 points on the board. All the scoring, except for a single WVU field goal, was done in the first half. Ohio had a big second quarter, scoring 14 points. Except for a spurt or two here and there, neither team looked all that good. Ohio had a 21-minute edge in time of possession. WVU could never maintain a drive. Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro threw three interceptions. WVU couldn’t take advantage. Attendance in Athens: 26,740

 

The Zips got zipped – Nebraska 68, Akron 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 38, Akron 6). Nebraska literally crushed, I mean crushed, Akron. The Huskers led in first downs – 31 to 13. In total yards – 728 to 175. Nebraska played three quarterbacks. Dylan Raiola was 24-31-0, passing for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Backup T.J. Lateef was 6-7-0, passing for 128 yards. Huskers running back Emmett Johnson rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Nebraska receiver Jacory Barney had 7 receptions for 132 yards. It was a red letter day in Lincoln. Attendance in Lincoln: 86,439

 

Uga’s mind was elsewhere – Georgia 28, Austin Peay 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 49, Austin Peay 9). This game suffered from a weather delay. Georgia suffered from having its head on next week’s game – Tennessee. The Dawgs defense played well. The Dawgs offense was taking a vacation. Austin Peay was held to 45 yards rushing. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton was 26-34-0, passing for 227 yards. All four of Georgia’s touchdowns were rushing touchdowns. Attendance in Athens: 93,033

 

Bevo is happier this week – Texas 38, San Jose State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 45, San Jose State 3). This game was marred by six turnovers – 4 by San Jose State and 2 by Texas. The Spartans only had 85 yards rushing. Arch Manning was 19-30-1, passing 295 yards and four touchdowns. Attendance in Austin: 100,841

 

Boilers looking steamy – Purdue 34, Southern Illinois 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 30, Southern Illinois 10). I know the competition has been weak, but I’m thinking Barry Odom has the Boilers looking up. Purdue did give up 14 points to SIU in the first quarter. The score was 14-14 after one. Then the Boilers kept SIU out of the end zone for the remainder of the game, except for a field goal in the fourth quarter. Purdue had a good running game, which is saying something for the Boilers. Attendance in Champaign-Urbana: 54,663

 

Week 2 Results:   12 winners, 3 fumbles (80 percent)

For the Season:   24 winners, 9 fumbles (72.7 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Florida State 77, East Texas A&M 3 – Attendance in Tallahassee: 65,430

Penn State 34, FIU 0 – Attendance in University Park: 103,818

 

West Florida 28, Kentucky Wesleyan 7 – Attendance in Owensboro: 400

Stetson 59, Warner 13 – Attendance in Deland: 1,617

Florida Atlantic 56, Florida A&M 14 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 21,029

 

UCF 68, North Carolina A&T 7 – Attendance in Orlando: 44,009

Miami 45, Bethune-Cookman 3 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 60,617

 

 

Superlatives

 

Week Two’s Best Passers:

 

Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson – 34-50-0-440 (4TDs); Syracuse’s Steve Angeli – 33-53-1-417 (2TDs); Boston College’s Dylan Lonergan – 34-45-0-390 (4TDs); Georgia Tech’s Aaron Philo – 21-28-1-373 (1TD); Oregon State’s Maalik Murphy – 31-48-2-371 (4TDs), and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola – 24-31-0-364 (4TDs);.

 

Also, Missouri State’s Jacob Clark – 21-31-1-359 (3TDs); Arizona’s Noah Fifita – 17-22-0-353 (5TDs); Liberty’s Ethan Vasko – 19-29-335 (2TDs); Missouri’s Beau Pribula – 30-39-0-334 (3TDs); Duke’s Darian Mensah – 23-34-1-334 (2TDs), and Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby – 17-24-0-333 (2TDs).

 

 

Week Two’s Best Rushers:

 

Jacksonville State’s Cam Cook – 195 yards (2TDs); Appalachian State’s Rashod Dubinion – 194 yards; Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne – 193 yards (3TDs); Navy’s Blake Horvath – 168 yards (1TD); USC’s Waymond Jordan – 167 yards (1TD); Toledo’s Chip Trayanum – 163 yards (2TDs); UTSA’s Robert Henry – 159 yards (2TDs); UCF’s Jaden Nixon – 156 yards (2TDs); Arkansas’ Taylen Green – 151 yards (1TD), and Virginia’s J’Man Taylor – 150 yards (3TDs).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“I am a Mountaineer at heart. They are who I grew up watching. I’m all for the Mountaineers,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban.

 

“There is a rivalry between the Big Ten and the SEC. That cannot be denied,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban.

 

“Most people picking Texas to win the SEC. They’ve got Arch Manning already winning the Heisman Trophy. My question is: If he was this good, how come they let Quinn Ewers play all that time last year? And Ewers was a 7^th round pick,” former Florida coach Steve Spurrier, on Arch Manning.

 

“Not good enough. And it’s my responsibility,” Florida coach Billy Napier, after the Gators loss to South Florida.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

P.S.

 

Not exactly college football related, but in mid-September as the college football season was underway, the number one song in the country…

 

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

 

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

 

…75 years ago, this week in 1950, was “Goodnight Irene” by Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra

 

…70 years ago, this week in 1955, was “The Yellow Rose Of Texas” by Mitch Miller

 

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

 

…60 years ago, this week in 1965, was “Help” by The Beatles

 

…55 years ago, this week in 1970, was “War” by Edwin Starr

 

…50 years ago, this week in 1975, was “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell

 

…45 years ago, this week in 1980, was “Upside Down” by Diana Ross

 

…40 years ago, this week in 1985, was “St. Elmo’s Fire” by John Parr

 

…35 years ago, this week in 1990, was “Blaze Of Glory” by Jon Bon Jovi