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College Football Awards, Week 1 (2025) September 2, 2025

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Ryan Day, Ohio State

Glad I’m not him: Steve Sarkesian, Texas

Lucky guy: Brent Key, Georgia Tech

Poor guy: Deion Sanders, Colorado

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Chris Klieman, Kansas State

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Mike Norvell, Florida State

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Jeff Monken, Army

Desperately seeking … anything:  Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Illinois (defeated Western Illinois 52-3)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Kansas State (defeated North Dakota 38-35)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Marshall (lost to No. 5 Georgia 45-7)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Toledo (lost to Kentucky 24-16)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Temple (defeated UMass 42-10)  

Dang, they’re good: Ohio State
Dang, they’re bad:  UMass

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  N/A

Did the season start?  Kansas State
Can the season end?  Army

Can the season never end? Florida State

GAMES
Play this again:  No. 3 Ohio State 14, No. 1 Texas 7

Play this again, too: No. 9 LSU 17, No. 4 Clemson 10

Never play this again: BYU 69, Portland State 0

What?  No. 3 Ohio State 14, No. 1 Texas 7

Huh?  No. 9 LSU 17, No. 4 Clemson 10

Are you kidding me??  Florida State 31, No. 8 Alabama 17

Oh – my – God:  Tarleton State 30, Army 27 (2OT)

NEXT WEEK

rankings are current AP (week 2)
Ticket to die for:  Michigan @ Oklahoma

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: James Madison @ Louisville

Best non-Power Four matchup: North Texas @ Western Michigan

Upset alert: UConn @ Syracuse

Must win: UCLA @ UNLV

Offensive explosion: Kansas @ Missouri

Defensive struggle: Miami (OH) @ Rutgers

Great game no one is talking about: Iowa @ No. 22 Iowa State

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Frank Reich of Stanford vs Kalane Sitake of BYU

Who’s bringing the body bags?  San Jose State @ Texas

Why are they playing? Florida International @ Penn State

Plenty of good seats remaining: Bryant @ UMass

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Eastern Washington @ Boise State

Week 1 Thoughts:

The 2025-’26 college football season has launched for real, and a few good games have helped the season launch more than respectfully.  Indeed, in one of the greatest opening games in living memory, No. 1 Texas came to Columbus to play No. 3 (and defending national champ) Ohio State.  Adding even more drama and poignancy to this already-historic matchup was the fact that this was legendary ESPN football commentator Lee Corso’s last appearance on the network’s College Gameday show.  In a very classy farewell gesture, Corso, 90, wore a tuxedo for his farewell appearance.  The Ohio State band formed the letters “CORSO” on the field right before kickoff, and he was joined by the Gameday crew a the 50 yard line of Ohio Stadium to deliver his final “headgear” stunt.  Appropriately, he donned the Brutus Buckeye head.  How could he not?  Twenty-nine years ago, his first ever big-game outcome prognostication vis-à-vis donning the team’s mascot head was born at Ohio State, where he likewise put on Brutus’ head.  It was more than fitting that he bookended his legendary body of work at ESPN by doing the same thing, in fitting tribute to the place where the cherished tradition began.

The game itself was incredible, with huge defensive plays abounding throughout the game.  Ryan Day’s overall strategy of bringing in Matt Patricia from the NFL paid off handsomely.  Patricia used his vast NFL experience to call up defensive schemes to make inexperienced Texas QB Arch Manning uncomfortable, and it showed in the Longhorns’ lack of offensive output throughout all but the last drive of the game.  Still, Manning managed to exploit the occasional crack in the Buckeyes’ defense, and Texas was thus one pass completion away from taking the game into overtime.

In a larger sense, this loss on the part of the Longhorns shall not tank their season.  Should Texas effectively regroup and make the playoffs come season’s end, surely their path shall cross that of Ohio State yet again.  Should they do so, it is almost always impossible to beat the same formidable opponent again in the same season, as the Buckeyes demonstrated with devasting effectiveness against Oregon in the most recent Rose Bowl.

The Broader Line-up of Games

In what might become an annual tradition for the first week of college football awards each season, it is worth noting the many poor matchups among a few really great games.  Once again, most of the matchups scream “[W]hy are they playing?”  To wit (final scores indicated in parentheses): 

Louisville vs EKU (51-17); Arizona State vs Northern Arizona (38-19); SMU vs East Texas A&M (42-13); BYU vs Portland State (69-0); Tulsa vs Abilene Christian (35-7); North Texas vs Lamar (51-0); Ole Miss vs Georgia State (63-7); Texas Tech vs Arkansas Pine Bluff (67-7); USC vs Missouri State (73-13); Florida vs Long Island University (55-0); Arkansas St. vs SE Missouri State (42-24); W. Kentucky vs North Alabama (55-6); Oklahoma vs Illinois State (35-3); Iowa vs Albany (34-7); James Madison vs Weber State (45-10); Memphis vs Chattanooga (45-10); Arkansas vs Alabama A&M (52-7); Oregon vs Montana State (59-13); Penn State vs. Nevada (46-11); Georgia vs Marshall (45-7); Iowa State vs South Dakota (55-7); Air Force vs Buckness (49-13); Boston College vs Fordham (66-10); West Virgina vs Robert Morris (45-3); UConn vs Central Conn. St. (59-13); Pittsburgh vs Duquense (61-9); Navy vs VMI (52-7); Illinois vs Western Illinois (52-3); Kansas vs Wagner (46-7); Florida International vs Bethune-Cookman (42-9); SDSU vs Stony Brook (42-0); Houston vs Stephen F. Austin (27-0); Missouri vs Central Arkansas (61-6); Oklahoma State vs Tennessee-Martin (27-7); Duke vs Elon (45-17)

I would add other games as well to the above litany, except that the intended punching bags managed to make the games somewhat respectable, such as Indiana vs Old Dominion (27-14); Wisconsin vs Miami (OH) (17-0); Minnesota vs Buffalo (23-10); Wyoming vs Akron (10-0); UNLV vs Idaho State (38-31); Kentucky vs Toledo (24-16) and Michigan vs New Mexico (34-17).  The joke was truly on Army, who lost to lowly Tarleton State in the second overtime, 30-27.

As far as college football has evolved (e.g., the new playoff format), further evolution is clearly in order.  To be sure, these absolutely atrocious lineups are likely a holdover of the recent time when one loss could potentially tank a team’s entire season.  That is no longer the case, however, so going forward, it is not unreasonable for us fans to expect more marquee matchups such as the aforementioned Texas vs Ohio State, or Virginia Tech vs South Carolina, or Alabama @ Florida State, or Miami (FL) vs Notre Dame, and especially LSU @ Clemson, a memorable game in its own right.  Likewise with Notre Dame @ Miami (Fla.), which turned out to be another fantastic game.  More of these top-ten matchups, please!  Moreover, Monday night matchup of TCU @ North Carolina, which happens to also be Bill Belichick’s college coaching debut, holds much promise as well.

Just do not expect to see such needed evolution take place next week, which shall deliver too many “why are they playing?” matchups as well.

The Lee Corso Era Ends September 1, 2025

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The 2025-’26 college football season has launched with one of the greatest opening games in living memory.  No. 1 Texas came to Columbus, Ohio, to play No. 3 (and defending national champ) Ohio State.  Adding even more drama and poignancy to this already-historic matchup was the fact that this was legendary ESPN football commentator Lee Corso’s last appearance on the network’s College Gameday show.  In a very classy farewell gesture, Corso, 90, wore a tuxedo for his final appearance.  The Ohio State band formed the letters “CORSO” on the field right before kickoff, and he was joined by the Gameday crew at the 50 yard line of Ohio Stadium to deliver his final “headgear” stunt.  Appropriately, he donned the Brutus Buckeye head.  How could he not?  Twenty-nine years ago, his first ever big-game outcome prognostication vis-à-vis donning the chosen team’s mascot head was born at Ohio State, where he likewise donned Brutus’ head.  It was more than fitting that he bookended his legendary body of work at ESPN by doing the same thing, in fitting tribute to the place where the cherished tradition began.

The fact that he predicted correctly was but an ancillary benefit to the proper tribute to the spirit of the moment and to the theatre of the ritual as a whole.  But beneath the theatrics of it all, Corso was 286-for-430 over his 29 years of headgear picks, making for a 66.5 percent “winning” percentage of such colorful prognostications.  Most college coaches would kill for such a winning percentage.  Ironically, Corso himself certainly “won” more such predictions than he did winning games at the University of Louisville or Indiana University, wherein he went 73-for-164, or 44.5 percent from 1969 to 1984 (including a one-year stint at the end at Northern Illinois). 

But that coaching winning percentage aside, he became a legend at ESPN in particular and in college football commentary in general, a larger-than-life face of the game.  A painting of Corso has just been unveiled at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, to remain on permanent display.  Even though the Ohio State-Texas game itself was broadcast on FOX and not ESPN, even FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff show (their own equivalent to ESPN’s College Gameday) made their own tribute to this legend in the sunset of his 70-year career in college football.  And yes, both Gameday and Big Noon were at Ohio Stadium that day — what an experience that alone had to be for the fans in attendance!

Two generations of football fans have enjoyed his presence around ESPN college football broadcasts, joining the likes of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, later Rece Davis, and much later, Pat McAfee to create an enticing, tailgating atmosphere that became must-see TV for college football fans before the opening kickoff of games at noon, Eastern Time.  Corso, with his strong resemblance to filmmaker and comic genius Mel Brooks, surely lived up to the coincidental semblance by providing for the panel a juxtaposed combination of the wise old sage with animated antics.  His famous catchphrase of “[N]ot so fast, my friend!”, signaling to the audience that he was about to offer a prediction of outcome for an upcoming game that day that would be contrary to that of another member’s of the panel, was further accented with his handling of a pencil or some other writing implemenet.  In fact, that gesture was further enhanced when he began to use Ticonderoga pencils, which no doubt must have swelled that company’s bottom line and stock value upon the release of that information.

An era that has lasted more than three decades at ESPN and has influenced the college football landscape in a broad sense has now come to a close.  As lamentable as that may be, discerning fans can acknowledge that the time had come for a while.  He suffered a small stroke in 2009, but still managed to return to the Gameday panel later that year. The last two seasons or more gave fans cause for notice in terms of Corso’s decline in mental acuity and animation that made the legend he became in the first place.  Even during his last appearance on the program yesterday, his presence was inconsistent.  When he was present that day, however, it was a pleasure to see him in the tux, even with his verbal articulation in further decline. 

Now as a nonagenarian, may he enjoy his remaining years in prosperity, peace, and everything else that would equate to success in his mind.  We shall miss his presence on Gameday, but shall cherish the memories of his insights and antics – and mascot headgear-donning – as we gear up for kickoff every Fall Saturday. 

College Football Awards, Week 14 (2024) December 3, 2024

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Steve Sarkesian, Texas

Honorable mention: Sherrone Moore, Michigan

Glad I’m not him:  Mike Elko, Texas A&M

Lucky guy: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

Poor guy: Matt Rhule, Nebraska

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Mario Cristobal, Miami (FL)

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Fran Brown, Syracuse

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Ryan Day, Ohio State

Desperately seeking … anything:  Ryan Walters, Purdue

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Indiana (defeated Purdue 66-0)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Georgia (defeated Georgia Tech 44-42)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Kent State (lost to Buffalo 43-7)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  USC (lost to No. 5 Notre Dame 49-35)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Colorado (defeated Oklahoma State 59-0)

Dang, they’re good: Oregon
Dang, they’re bad:  Purdue

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Ohio State

Did the season start?  Miami (FL)
Can the season end?  Florida State

Can the season never end? Indiana

GAMES
Play this again:  Michigan 13, No. 2 Ohio State 10

Play this again, too (told you so):  Iowa 13, Nebraska 10

Never play this again: Indiana 66, Purdue 0

What?  Memphis 34, No. 17 Tulane 24

Huh?  No. 15 South Carolina 17, No. 12 Clemson 14

Are you kidding me??  Syracuse 42, No. 6 Miami 35

Oh – my – God:  Michigan 13, No. 2 Ohio State 10

NEXT WEEK

(rankings are current AP (week 15)
Ticket to die for:  No. 2 Texas @ No. 5 Georgia in the SEC championship game

Honorable mention:  No. 1 Oregon vs No. 4 Penn State in the B1G championship game

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: (none)

Best non-Power Four matchup: No. 17 Tulane @ Army

Upset alert: No. 12 Clemson vs No. 9 SMU in the ACC Championship game

Must win: All championship games, but especially the No. 16 Arizona State vs No. 18 Iowa State in the Big XII championship game

Offensive explosion: No. 22 UNLV vs. No. 11 Boise State

Defensive struggle: Ohio vs Miami (OH)

Great game no one is talking about: Western Kentucky @ Jacksonville State

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Dan Lanning of Oregon vs James Franklin of Penn State

Who’s bringing the body bags? N/A

Why are they playing?  N/A

Plenty of good seats remaining: N/A

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  N/A

Week 14 Thoughts:

Let us confront the 800-lb. gorilla in the room.  It was all set for Ohio State.  All they had to do was win the game.  But the game turned out to be “The Game”, and in “The Game”, the Buckeyes choked massively.  QB Will Howard failed to seek out his marquee weapons.  The receivers dropped key passes. 

While we can lay this massive failure at the feet of the offense, perhaps we should be more specific and lay the failure at the feet of Ryan Day and the offensive tactics he chose by wanting to prove how tough his team was by winning “tough”, that is, winning by battling out in the trenches running the ball between the tackles.  That’s all well and good, but when your strengths are at the perimeters, not on the line (remember, Ohio State was working with a patchwork line-up on the o-line due to injuries), then the smart play is to play to those strengths.

This tactical failure on the part of Day is all the more stark when one considers that while Ohio State has an unbeatable receiving corps, Michigan was “patchwork” in the secondary.  Such is the magnitude of the missed opportunity.  My lingering question is, to what extent did Chip Kelly influence the offensive tactics for this game?

No more B1G championship berth for Ohio State:  that now goes to Penn State instead.  At least they have retained a No. 7 ranking in the polls, which should, in all likelihood, help them clinch a spot in the playoffs anyhow.  But this loss will smart, especially since Ryan Day is now 1-4 against their hated rival, “that school up north”.  One takeaway is that Day’s tenure in Columbus just became much more tenuous.  He can consult John Cooper on the “why”.

Elsewhere, Miami (FL) had a golden opportunity to make it to the ACC championship and clinch a spot in the playoffs.  All they had to do was beat Syracuse, but then they blew a three-TD lead to Syracuse in the second half.  Now, not only are the Hurricanes out of the ACC championship, their potential bid for the playoffs is very much in doubt.  Funny how one game can do that, but this reminds us that November is for everything.

One team that did rise to the occasion, barely, was Texas.  The Longhorns and the Aggies renewed their rivalry on Saturday, playing for the first time since 2011.  The Horns were ranked No. 3, but the Aggies were also ranked and No. 20.  Sounds like advantage, Longhorns…except that the game was at nighttime in Kyle Field, a bona fide hostile place to play.  Nevertheless, despite some hiccups on offense (Ewers threw a pick-six, for example), Texas still prevailed, 17-7.  Were it not for the pick-six, the game could have ended 24-0 or better in Texas’ favor.  Give the game ball to the Longhorns’ D for shutting down A&M’s offense.  Meanwhile, Sark has work to do on offense when they take on Georgia in Atlanta for all the marbles in the conference.  To that end, is Ewers dealing with a more serious injury than we are led on to believe?  If so, Sark would be well-served to deploy Manning at the drop of a hat in Atlanta next week.

One interesting development is that South Carolina defeated in-state rival Clemson in Death Valley (no small feat), but since the Tigers’ loss was not in-conference, they still get to play SMU for the ACC championship.  Looks like that loss to Louisville earlier in the season did not mortally wound their chances for the playoffs after all.  But how might they fare against the Mustangs?  The potentially lone ACC representative hangs in the balance of that game’s outcome.

Same goes for Iowa State playing Arizona State for the Big XII title, unless the playoff committee chooses Colorado to be within the bubble for a playoff bid.  Speaking of the Buffaloes, they certainly make a strong case to be considered by crushing Oklahoma State 52-0.

Two teams that quietly get things done:  Notre Dame and Boise State.  We can debate about strength of schedule for these two teams, especially that of the latter, but in the beauty contest that is college football, the pollsters and the playoff committee alike seem to like what the Broncos are selling.  Perhaps we will all need a dose of truth serum should Boise State make the playoffs and get embarrassed in the first round.  Tuesday’s latest round of revised rankings will give us a better idea of where these teams stand regardless.

Both Alabama and South Carolina are on the bubble for a playoff berth.  Should the Gamecocks be favored over the Tide?  It’s a fair question when one considers that Alabama laid an egg to a sub-par Oklahoma team, while South Carolina beat their ranked, hated rival on said rival’s home turf, no less.  Clearly the better momentum is with the ‘Cocks.  Will the playoff committee consider these as they release their updated rankings come Dec. 3?

College Football Awards, Week 13 (2024) November 25, 2024

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Ryan Day, Ohio State

Glad I’m not him:  Curt Cignetti, Indiana

Lucky guy: James Franklin, Penn State

Poor guy: P.J. Fleck, Minnesota

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Deion Sanders, Colorado

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

Desperately seeking … anything:  Kalani Sitake, BYU

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Tennessee (defeated UTEP 56-0)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Penn State (defeated Minnesota 26-25)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: UMass (lost to Georgia 59-21)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Minnesota (lost to No. 4 Penn State 26-25)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Louisville (defeated Pitt 37-9)

Dang, they’re good: Ohio State
Dang, they’re bad:  UTEP

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Alabama

Did the season start?  Ole Miss
Can the season end?  Mississippi State

Can the season never end? Kansas

GAMES
Play this again:  Auburn 43, No. 15 Texas A&M 41 (4OT)

Play this again, too:  No. 4 Penn State 26, Minnesota 25

Never play this again: No. 11 Tennessee 56, UTEP 0

What?  No. 21 Arizona State 28, No. 14 BYU 23

Huh?  Florida 24, No. 9 Ole Miss 17

Double-Huh?  Auburn 43, No. 15 Texas A&M 41 (4OT)

Are you kidding me??  Kansas 37, No. 16 Colorado 21

Oh – my – God:  Oklahoma 24, No. 7 Alabama 3

NEXT WEEK

rankings are current AP (week 14)
Ticket to die for:  No. 3 Texas @ No. 20 Texas A&M

Honorable mention No. 1:  No. 16 South Carolina @ No. 12 Clemson

Honorable mention No. 2:  Michigan @ No. 2 Ohio State

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: Stanford @ San Jose State

Best non-Power Four matchup: Memphis @ No. 18 Tulane

Upset alert: Kansas State @ No. 17 Iowa State

Must win: All Big XII games involving Iowa State, BYU, Arizona State, and Colorado

Offensive explosion: West Virginia @ Texas Tech

Defensive struggle: Nebraska @ Iowa

Great game no one is talking about: Navy @ East Carolina

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Hugh Freeze of Auburn vs Kalen DeBoer of Alabama

Who’s bringing the body bags? Purdue @ Indiana

Dishonorable mention:  Kent State @ Buffalo

Why are they playing?  Wyoming @ Washington State

Plenty of good seats remaining: UTEP @ New Mexico State

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Kennesaw State @ Louisiana Tech

Week 13 Thoughts:

In perusing through some of the interesting games from this week, just as we began with a game involving Louisville last week, it seems fitting that we do so again.  The Cardinals have given major Jekyll-and-Hyde vibes lately.  They hang tough with Miami, only losing by a touchdown.  Only two weeks later, they embarrass Clemson in Death Valley, thus mortally wounding the Tigers’ bid for the ACC crown.  Then a week later, they lay an egg in the 4th quarter to Stanford, giving the Cardinal (notice the lack of the plural) a rare win for their dismal year.  Apparently that embarrassment woke something up inside of them, for they turned things around the following week and ripped a potentially dangerous Pittsburgh team, 37-9.  If that team shows up in Lexington this upcoming week, the Governor’s Cup could likely come back to Louisville.

What most of us thought to be the main event of the day – at noon EST, no less – was the Indiana @ Ohio State game.  Finally, a chance to prove themselves against a top five team.  After getting licked by the Buckeyes 38-15, clearly Curt Cignetti & Co. have further developing and growth to undertake in order to be a legit top-five team themselves in the future.  But if the most recent, updated AP rankings are of any indication, it is still likely that IU could make the playoffs.

Speaking of potential playoff teams from the Big Ten, can we legitimately call Penn State the No. 4 team in the land after narrowly escaping a loss to unranked Minnesota?  Yes, P.J. Fleck’s teams are never to be underestimated, and they can make a team pay if said team lets down its guard.  But after such an impressive win on the part of the Nittany Lions, it raises the question of maybe the current rankings are some degree of wishful thinking than that of objective reasoning.  To broaden the scope of the matter at hand, are we truly going to say with a straight face that the three of the top five teams are all in in the B1G?  Are we trying to convince ourselves that No. 4 Penn State is somehow better than No. 6 Georgia?  Same question applies to Notre Dame, at No. 5, to be sure.  I offer this as food for thought as one last week in the regular season remains.

Meanwhile, with Kansas upsetting Colorado and with Arizona State escaping their matchup with BYU with a win, the race for the Big XII crown has been officially knocked on its ear.  As many as four teams could vie for the title – Colorado and BYU still, along with Iowa State and Arizona State, the latter of whom seems to have the strongest momentum of the pack.  Should all four teams win this upcoming week, how to sort out who plays for the conference title?  My personal choice would be to select the explosive combination of pizzazz and momentum, thus Colorado and Arizona State.  But let’s see how these teams fare in their regular season finales in the meantime.

All that said, despite the deserved hype of the Indiana-Ohio State game earlier in the day, the best game of the day turned out to be Texas A&M at Auburn at night.  The Aggies might have been looking past the Tigers, understandably as that program seems to have lost its way this year.  Nevertheless, Hugh Freeze managed to get the War Eagles prepared and focused, and it showed as they took they led the Aggies most of the the game, tied it up at the end of the regulation, then outlasted them in overtime in a wild thriller of a matchup in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

But if one upset in the SEC with title race implications is great, why not double our pleasure with another such upset?  Raise your hand if you had not given up Oklahoma for dead?  Then Alabama comes calling, only to come out flat the entire game.  The Sooners inexplicably held the Crimson Tide to three points the entire game, while Oklahoma scored far more than that.  Don’t look now, but Bama has three losses for this season.  And yet, is anybody going to deny, with a straight face, that they could not beat half the teams currently in the AP Top Ten?

Bottom line:  the Playoff Committee has their work cut out for them in sorting out this week as Rivalry Week is about to unfold.

College Football Awards, Week 11 (2024) November 11, 2024

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

Honorable mention:  Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Glad I’m not him:  Kirby Smart, Georgia

Lucky guy: Kalani Sitake, BYU

Poor guy: Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Mario Cristobal, Miami

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Manny Diaz, Duke

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Matt Campbell, Iowa State

Desperately seeking … anything:  Brian Kelly, LSU

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Notre Dame (defeated Florida State 52-3)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Indiana (defeated Michigan 20-15)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Purdue (lost to Ohio State 45-0)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Kansas (defeated No. 17 Iowa State 45-36)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Texas (defeated Florida 49-17)

Dang, they’re good: Texas
Dang, they’re bad:  Kent State

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Miami (Fla.)

Did the season start?  Georgia
Can the season end?  Florida State

Can the season never end? Oregon

GAMES
Play this again:  No. 24 Missouri 30, Oklahoma 23

Play this again, too:  No. 9 BYU 22, Utah 21

Never play this again: Tulane 52, Temple 6

What?  UCLA 20, Iowa 17

Huh?  Virginia 24, No. 18 Pitt 19

Double-Huh?  Kansas 45, No. 17 Iowa State 36

Are you kidding me??  Georgia Tech 28, No. 4 Miami 23

Oh – my – God:  No. 16 Ole Miss 28, No. 3 Georgia 10

NEXT WEEK

rankings are current AP (week 12)
Ticket to die for:  No. 6 Tennessee @ No. 11 Georgia

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: (N/A)

Best non-Power Four matchup: Tulane @ Navy

Upset alert: Arizona State @ No. 20 Kansas State

Must win: No. 17 Clemson @ Pittsburgh

(See also:  “ticket to die for”)

Offensive explosion: No. 21 Washington State @ New Mexico

Defensive struggle: Sam Houston @ Kennesaw State

Great game no one is talking about: No. 24 Missouri @ No. 23 South Carolina

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Kyle Whittingham of Utah vs Deion Sanders of Colorado

Who’s bringing the body bags? New Mexico State @ No. 14 Texas A&M

Why are they playing?  Mercer @ No. 9 Alabama

Plenty of good seats remaining: Florida Atlantic @ Temple

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Murray State @ Kentucky

Week 11 Thoughts:

Some contending teams were eliminated from playoff consideration at the same time that the list of contenders for ACC and Big XII respective championships is starting to get quite crowded.

Iowa State @ Kansas

As stated a number of times previously, the “offensive explosion” is typically the most difficult matchup to predict on this award list template.  Thus, who had the Cyclones vs the Jayhawks as this week’s offensive explosion on their bingo card?  Hands?  Well, it was certainly not on mine.  Meanwhile, is Iowa State in freefall?  They lost back-to-back nailbiters to Texas Tech and Central Florida, and now they lost to a reeling Kansas team.  What black hole has opened up in Ames that has sucked the lifeforce out of the Cyclones?

Iowa @ UCLA

While the Cyclones are in freefall, the Bruins seem to have gotten a second wind.  First, they upset a heavily favored Nebraska squad, then they follow up by upsetting Iowa.  Better yet, they did so wearing those sweet mid-1960s (think:  Gary Beban era) uniforms.  How I miss those uniquely stylish jersey numbers!

Colorado @ Texas Tech

After surviving a challenge in Lubbock, the Buffaloes are now in position to play for the Big XII championship.  That said, they have yet to play Utah (who took BYU down to the wire), and Kansas (who upset Iowa State), before closing out against Oklahoma State as they experience a down year.  So by no means is it a given that the Buffs play the Cougars in the Big XII championship, but it would be a grand game if they did.

Miami @ Georgia Tech

We all feared the day would come.  Now we can exhale that Miami was upset.  To Mario Cristobal’s credit, be owned up to what went wrong during the postgame presser, which merits much respect.

Alabama @ LSU

We all knew this was a big-time elimination game, and Alabama showed up ready to fight to stay in contention for the playoffs.  LSU’s offensive woes continue to persist under QB Garrett Nussmeier, while, conversely, Alabama’s QB Jalen Milroe put on a clinic for how to, er, negotiate a top-flight SEC defense.  It’s quite rare to run up 42 points in Death Valley, and with LSU eliminated from playoff contention, to say that Brian Kelly and his program are at a crossroads would be quite the understatement.

BYU @ Utah

If you managed to stay up late for this one, you were in for a treat.  First of all, it was a visual feast for the eyes for both teams to wear their home jersey colors.  Such was easy to get away with, when the opposing teams offer such a color contrast in their Utah Crimson and BYU Blue.  As an aside, the metallic red in Utah’s helmets is the best red helmet color around, and BYU’s metallic royal blue shells are not too shabby, either.  Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this game, aside from the close competition throughout it, was the context going into it.  The Utes have had a less-than-stellar year compared to recent achievements, while the Cougars were undefeated and ranked in the top 10.  But it’s “The Holy War”, and in such an intense rivalry game, strange things can happen.  Fortunately for us fans, the strange thing this time manifested in a great contest, with BYU emerging still controlling their destiny.

Oklahoma @ Missouri

The Tigers are likely still overrated, but apparently, the Sooners remain unranked at the moment for a reason.  Nevertheless, both teams gave fans a great game to watch, so good on both sides.

College Football Awards, Week 8 (2024) October 21, 2024

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Kirby Smart, Georgia

Honorable mention:  Josh Heupel, Tennessee

Glad I’m not him: Steve Sarkesian, Texas

Ditto:  Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Lucky guy: Kalani Sitake, BYU

Poor guy: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Shane Beamer, South Carolina

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Lincoln Riley, USC

Desperately seeking … anything:  Mike Norvell, Florida State

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Oregon (defeated Purdue 35-0)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Vanderbilt (defeated Ball State 24-14)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Charlotte (lost to No. 25 Navy 51-17)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Rice (lost to Tulane 24-10)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Indiana (defeated Nebraska 56-7)

Dang, they’re good: Georgia
Dang, they’re bad:  Kennesaw State

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Texas

Did the season start?  Nebraska
Can the season end?  Auburn

Can the season never end? Indiana

GAMES
Play this again:  No. 5 Georgia 30, No. 1 Texas 15

Play these again, too:  No. 11 Tennessee 24, No. 7 Alabama 17

Never play this again: No. 16 Indiana 56, Nebraska 7

What?  UCLA 35, Rutgers 32

Huh?  No. 11 Tennessee 24, No. 7 Alabama 17

Are you kidding me??  Maryland 29, USC 28

Oh – my – God:  No. 5 Georgia 30, No. 1 Texas 15

NEXT WEEK

rankings are current AP (week 9)
Ticket to die for:  No. 8 LSU @ No. 14 Texas A&M

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: Oregon State @ California

Best non-Power Four matchup: No. 17 Boise State @ UNLV

Upset alert: No. 24 Navy @ No. 12 Notre Dame

Must win: No. 5 Texas @ No. 25 Vanderbilt

Offensive explosion: New Mexico @ Colorado State

Defensive struggle: Auburn @ Kentucky

Great game no one is talking about: Syracuse @ No. 19 Pittsburgh

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Dan Lanning of Oregon vs Bret Bielema of Illinois

Honorable mention:  Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Bill O’Brien of Boston College

Who’s bringing the body bags? Florida State @ No. 6 Miami (Fla.)

Why are they playing?  Liberty @ Kennesaw State

Plenty of good seats remaining: Utah State @ Wyoming

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Southern Miss @ James Madison

Week 8 Thoughts:

Last week was a tough act to follow.  This week nevertheless delivered some good ones. 

Let us address the 900-pound gorilla in the room by taking a look at the Georgia-Texas game.  The Longhorns are still good, but the Bulldogs bested them last night anyhow.  One takeaway is that neither team was able to handle its opponents’ front seven in the second half.  The problem was, Texas was also unable to handle Georgia’s in the first half.  Both teams have work to do to improve, with Georgia still probably having the bigger problem to deal with in terms of limitations of their own quarterback.  Nevertheless, it was a good game.

Perhaps more of a thriller was Tennessee defeating Alabama at home.  Nico Iamaleava seems to have marginally improved from the previous couple of games (he completed a monster pass with 1:33 left in the first half, for example, and made a clutch TD pass with 5:52 left in the game), but the real salvation for Tennessee came in their running game.  The tradition of the fans of the winning team lighting cigars materialized in such a way to see a smokey haze ascend out of Neyland Stadium upon the conclusion of the game.  As an aside, Alabama is 0-2 against teams from Tennessee this year.  That cannot sit well among the Crimson-clad faithful in the Yellowhammer State.

Don’t look now, but Indiana University is now 7-0 after dusting Nebraska 56-7.  At this rate, a projected record of 11-1 is not an unreasonable prognostication for the Hoosiers.

In other news, seeing Illinois don their 1920s-era throwback uniforms in honor of the 100th anniversary of Red Grange’s senior season there was a sheer delight to see.  Yes, before the Galloping Ghost become the first superstar in the NFL, he was tearing it up on the gridiron for Illinois.  Further props to Illinois for being able to recreate the vintage leather helmet graphic pattern on their modern-day Riddells.

Forget the last week’s prognostications:  the actual offensive explosion this week turned out to be Miami at Louisville.  The No. 6 Hurricanes triumphed in the end, 52-45.  Imagine if the Cardinals had a slightly better defense.  Not only would the outcome of the game likely been different, but their current record of 4-3 would likely be better as well.

College Football Awards, Week 7 (2024) October 14, 2024

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Steve Sarkesian, Texas

Honorable mention:  Dan Lanning, Oregon

Glad I’m not him: Brent Venables

Ditto:  Ryan Day, Ohio State

Lucky guy: Bret Bielema, Illinois

Poor guy: Ryan Walters, Purdue

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Jedd Fisch, Washington

Desperately seeking … anything:  Trent Dilfer, UAB

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Army (defeated UAB 44-10)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Georgia (defeated Mississippi State 41-31)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: UMass (lost to No. 25 Missouri 45-3)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Purdue (lost to No. 23 Illinois 50-49)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Iowa (defeated Washington 40-16)

Dang, they’re good: Texas
Dang, they’re bad:  UMass

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Utah

Did the season start?  Washington
Can the season end?  UTEP

Can the season never end? Oregon

GAMES
Play this again:  No. 3 Oregon 32, No. 2 Ohio State 31

Play these again, too:  No. 8 Tennessee 23, Florida 17

                                      No. 4 Penn State 33, USC 30

                                      No. 7 Alabama 27, South Carolina 25

                                      No. 13 LSU 29, No. 9 Ole Miss 26

Never play this again: No. 11 Notre Dame 49, Stanford 7

What?  Arizona State 27, No. 16 Utah 19

Huh?  Iowa 40, Washington 16

Are you kidding me??  No. 13 LSU 29, No. 9 Ole Miss 26

Oh – my – God:  No. 3 Oregon 32, No. 2 Ohio State 31

NEXT WEEK

rankings are current AP (week 8)
Ticket to die for:  No. 5 Georgia @ No. 1 Texas

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: Wake Forest @ UConn

Best non-Power Four matchup: UNLV @ Oregon State

Upset alert: No. 11 Notre Dame @ Georgia Tech

Must win: No. 7 Alabama @ No. 11 Tennessee

Offensive explosion: New Mexico @ Utah State

Defensive struggle: UCLA @ Rutgers

Great game no one is talking about: Nebraska @ No. 16 Indiana

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Josh Heupel of Tennessee vs Kalen DeBoer of Alabama

Honorable mention:  Jeff Brohm of Louisville vs Mario Cristobal of Miami

Who’s bringing the body bags? No. 2 Oregon @ Purdue

Why are they playing?  Ball State @ Vanderbilt

Plenty of good seats remaining: Kennesaw State @ Middle Tennessee

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Wyoming @ San Jose State

Week 7 Thoughts:

We said, on this blog, that this week was going to be grand.  Not to be self-congratulatory in the least, but we were more right than we realized.

This week was one of the most epic for college football in ages.  To wit:

Friday evening started the weekend off interestingly, delivering an upset of No. 16 Utah at the hands of unranked Arizona State.  Lesson learned:  take the Sun Devils lightly at one’s own peril.

South Carolina, battered by Ole Miss the week prior, came off the mat to threaten Alabama within an inch of its life, taking the Crimson Tide down to the wire and losing only 27-25.  Had the Gamecocks not botched a two-point conversion attempt, it is unlikely that Bama could have escaped intact.

Texas avenged its unexpected loss from last year, trouncing Oklahoma gradually over the course of 60 minutes of play, triumphing most convincingly 34-3.  The Sooners’ only three points came early in the first quarter before the Longhorns’ defense and offense settled into their respective rhythms.  In the process of this most ripping victory, Texas has, for now, vindicated its current standing as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Even the lesser-regarded teams got in on the act and delivered incredible games in their own right.  Cal ventured across the country to Pittsburgh, and gave a valiant effort, only losing 17-15 to the No. 22 Panthers.  Despite the loss, I am left convinced that Justin Wilcox is the best coach nobody has heard of.

Iowa decided to find this new thing called an offense, and blew out an unsuspecting Washington squad at home, 40-16.  This blew more than a few minds, given that the Hawkeyes have been in more than a few defensive struggles as of late.

Purdue, earning its reputation as a punching bag, what with its hitherto dismal performances, suddenly found an offense as well.  The timing was perfect, since the Boilermakers have become Illinois’ nemesis or sort in recent years.  The Boilers took the 23rd-ranked Illini into overtime before coming up short in an expected thriller, 50-49.

Louisville, having had something of a “Virginia problem” as of late, likewise rebounded after a tough loss to SMU and picked up the win on the road, in comeback fashion, no less.

Penn State ventured out to Los Angeles to take on USC in the Coliseum.  The legendary venue showed up beautifully on TV, what with a packed house creating a “sea of cardinal”; the east stands decked out in full Trojans banner-regalia; the 4th quarter tradition of the lighting of the Olympic torch; it all blended together as a symphonic feast for the eyes.  Better yet, the game surpassed the outward aesthetics.  The Trojans came through on big plays to maintain a lead most of the game.  But the Nittany Lions are nothing if not tenacious, gnawing away at the opposition throughout regulation, waiting to capitalize on the inevitable mistake.  Penn State’s comeback was enough to take the game into OT, where they won by a field goal.  On a grander scale, such a thriller of a game personified the amazing potential of new conference matchups made possible by the recent west coast additions to the B1G.  Yes, it still feels like we’re in the Twilight Zone with the Big Ten having expanded this way, but such games make question whether being in such a “Zone” is so bad after all.

All these games listed, and we still have yet to note the night game thrillers!

To start off that segment, Tennessee finally got a major money off its back by defeating Florida in a close one, 23-17.  Pundits have speculated on the inconsistent offensive output on the Volunteers’ part since they beat Oklahoma earlier this season.  While those concerns are not unfounded, what made this game more of a nailbiter than considered ‘on paper’ is that Florida continues to improve as a team under the much-maligned Billy Napier.  Perhaps giving Napier the ax so soon would be unnecessarily hasty.  Regardless, the Volunteers have little time to celebrate, as the Crimson Tide comes calling next week.  That matchup between Tennessee and Alabama shall be easily the most epic clash of those two teams in easily 30 years, if not more.

In another massive game, LSU took on Ole Miss in Death Valley.  The level of play and intensity of rivalry directly harkened back to the high-stakes matchups between the two teams of the late 1950s when legendary coaches Paul Dietzel and Johnny Vaught helmed the respective squads.  The Tigers’ huge, come-from-behind win is no doubt a monkey off Brian Kelly’s back, who still has yet to prove himself to everyone’s satisfaction in the most brutal of conferences.

Finally, the perhaps the biggest thriller of them all took place in Eugene, where No. 2 Ohio State ventured out to the west coast to take on conference newcomer, No. 3 Oregon.  Not only was this matchup massive on paper, but teams’ performances lived up to the hype.  In the end, the Ducks overcame the Buckeyes thanks to the latter’s clock mismanagement in the final seconds.  But to zoom out the proverbial lens, this game’s outcome is not the end, only the beginning.  Between the new 12-team playoff format, and the reformatted conference championship, if the two teams continue to live up to their potential, it is very likely their paths may cross again.  Should that come to pass, perhaps that should favor the Buckeyes, who now have luxury to examine what went wrong and to take corrective action in anticipation of the next time.  But in the meantime, they had better prepare to meet still-undefeated Penn State come Nov. 2.

Finally, Deion Sanders & CO (see what I did there?) delivered a highly competitive night cap.  Seriously, the game kicked off at 8:15 local [Mountain] time:  who in their right mind starts a game that late?  Say what you want about Coach Prime, but after the first few games which were a comedy of errors, the team has suddenly gotten serious, having steadily improved during the last few games.  This improvement has developed to the point where they almost triumphed, on the road, over consistently tough No. 18 Kansas State.  Let us not give the Buffaloes up for dead yet, as they have a slate of challenging but winnable games throughout the remainder of their schedule.

College Football Awards, Week 6 (2024) October 7, 2024

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

Glad I’m not him: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Lucky guy: Mario Cristobal, Miami

Poor guy: Justin Wilcox, Cal

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Lincoln Riley, USC

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Jeff Monken, Army

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri

Desperately seeking … anything:  Ryan Walters, Purdue

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Tulane (defeated UAB 71-20)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Clemson (defeated Florida State 29-13)
Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Purdue (lost to Wisconsin 52-6)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  Vanderbilt (defeated No. 1 Alabama 40-35)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  Texas A&M (defeated No. 9 Missouri 41-10)

Dang, they’re good: Ohio State
Dang, they’re bad:  Purdue

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Alabama

Did the season start?  Missouri
Can the season end?  UAB

Can the season never end? Indiana

GAMES
Play this again:  No. 4 Alabama 41, No. 2 Georgia 34

Play this again, too:  Washington 27, No. 10 Michigan 17

Never play this again: Wisconsin 52, Purdue 6

What?  Minnesota 24, No. 11 USC 17

Huh?  Washington 27, No. 10 Michigan 17

Double-Huh?  No. 25 Texas A&M 41, No. 9 Missouri 10

Are you kidding me??  Arkansas 19, No. 4 Tennessee 14

Oh – my – God:  Vanderbilt 40, No. 1 Alabama 35

NEXT WEEK

rankings are current AP (week 7)
Ticket to die for:  No. 1 Texas vs. No. 18 Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout

Ticket to die for, runner-up:  No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 3 Oregon

Best non-Power Four vs. Power Four  matchup: N/A

Best non-Power Four matchup: Coastal Carolina @ James Madison

Upset alert: Arizona State @ No. 16 Utah

Must win: Florida @ No. 8 Tennessee

Offensive explosion: No. 9 Ole Miss @ No. 13 LSU

Defensive struggle: Washington @ Iowa

Great game no one is talking about: California @ No. 22 Pittsburgh

Intriguing coaching matchup:  James Frankin of Penn State vs Lincoln Riley of USC

Who’s bringing the body bags? Army @ UAB

Why are they playing?  Missouri @ UMass

Plenty of good seats remaining: Ball State @ Kent State

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Akron @ Western Michigan

Week 6 Thoughts:

Upsets abounded this weekend.  On paper, this was not supposed to happen.  Most of the matchups appeared to be middling at best, without any top-ten, high-stakes slugfest.  Yet the games delivered some good contest and interesting results anyhow.  Things started in such an interesting manner Friday night, when Syracuse ventured out to Las Vegas to take on UNLV.  The Runnin’ Rebels had been on something of a hot streak lately, but the Orange played them closely throughout regulation, even took the game to overtime, where they went on to triumph with a touchdown after UNLV’s field goal.

Nor would UNLV be the only undefeated team to bite the dust suddenly and unexpectedly.  Missouri went down to ignominious defeat to Texas A&M, losing 41-10.  In so doing, the Tigers proved our suspicions that they were grossly overrated at No. 9. 

Louisville might not have been undefeated, but they were ranked before going down to defeat at home to SMU.  The Cardinals were unable to contain the Mustangs’ offense the whole game, and that lack of defense cost them dearly in the end.

USC appears to still struggle to get its sea legs under them in the B1G, for they lost to unranked Minnesota on the road, 24-17.  Clearly “rowing the boat” paid off for P.J. Fleck this week.

Arkansas’ defense showed up in a massive way at home on a night game when No. 4 Tennessee came calling, and the Volunteers went home with their first loss of the season, 19-14.

But the most jaw-dropping upset of them all, even, likely, the most jaw-dropping upset of the decade thus far, was without a doubt No. 1 Alabama losing to Vanderbilt in Nashville.  To put things in perspective, this monumental win marked the first time that the Commodores defeated a No. 1 team, ever.

If all these upsets are not enough, though, we almost had another one late at night…almost.  The [No. 8] Miami Hurricanes ventured out to Berkeley to play California.  The Golden Bears led most of the game.  Even in the middle of the 3rd quarter, they led 35-10.  Finally, in the 4th quarter, the ‘Canes decided to live up to their potential, and scored three touchdowns in 10 minutes of play to eventually, almost inexplicably, triumph, 39-38.

So much for middling matchups.

That notwithstanding, next week we have Texas playing Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout; No. 2 Ohio State vs No. 3 Oregon, and No. 9 Ole Miss vs No. 13 LSU.  It’s going to be grand.  Buckle up.

2023-2024 Bowl Games Preview December 18, 2023

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Bowl game season is now upon us again.  While the bulk of the first day of games are not exactly eyeball-grabbing, there are a couple of potential interest, and many more that will keep us glued to the screen over the next couple of weeks.  So, without further ado, let us sort out the good, the really good, the so-so, and the downright ugly.  Note that the times of games are given in Eastern Standard Time.  Note also that not all bowl game are listed below:  some are so boring or pointless, it’s a waste to mention them.

Tickets to Die For:

No. 1 Michigan (13-0) vs No. 4 Alabama (12-1) in the Rose Bowl, Jan 1, 5:00 PM ESPN

Let us address the elephant in the room (see what I did there)?  This game is going to be epic.  Jim Harbaugh leads a Michigan team that is even stronger than the last Wolverine squad that won the national championship (1997).  In the opposing corner is Nick Saban’s Alabama team, which has grown stronger and more formidable with each passing week.  This game obviously doubles as an intriguing coaching matchup.  No, it is not the first time that these coaching legends have faced off, either.  The 2020 Citrus Bowl pitted the two together, with the Crimson Tide pounding the Wolverines 35-16.  But that was then, this is now.  Bama is not quite the juggernaut it was then, but could potentially return to that level.  Conversely, the Wolverines are considerably stronger since then, leading to an irresistible force meeting an immovable object.  Grab your snack food of choice and leave your belts behind, folks.  This one could be a ‘dandy’ to remember in the Granddaddy of Them All!  Also, can we please bring Brent Musburger out of retirement for this one?

No. 2 Washington (13-0) vs No. 3 Texas (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl, 8:45 PM ESPN

Let us not overlook this other matchup for the playoffs.  In contrast to the above listed playoff game, this one is likely to be high-octane on both sides of the ball.  Michael Penix Jr. leads an incredibly potent offense (they took down an incredibly strong Oregon squad not once, but twice with it).  Meanwhile, Texas is no offensive slouch, either, with playmakers in their receiving corps that an also light up the scoreboard.  Is there a potential mismatch?  Sadly, yes, what with the Longhorns’ secondary being a potential gap in their otherwise strong defensive armor.  Yet the Horns are bigger up front, on both sides of the ball.  That potential for their front seven to make sufficient pass rushes to contain Penix might explain why Texas is favored by four points.  Regardless, this matchup has the third-highest over-under of any bowl game this season at 63, and is an obvious double for an offensive explosion.   

No. 5 Georgia (12-1) vs No. 6 Florida State (13-0) in the Orange Bowl, Dec. 30, 4:00 ESPN

Perhaps we are to call this the Consolation Bowl?  How about the Spurned Contestants Bowl?  Both teams had reasonable claims to be in the playoffs, if not the best claims compared to other teams.  At any rate, on paper this matchup is very juicy.  In reality, things are more complicated (aren’t they always)?  The reason why the Seminoles got left out of the playoffs was not due to their record, but rather due to their recent performances.  Yes, the reason behind that is a tragic one:  their star QB, Jordan Travis, had a season-ending injury, in another illustration of the potential cruelty of November in the college game.  Since then, their offensive output has plummeted.  This leads me to predict, with a giant asterisk, that the Bulldogs could crush the Seminoles.  The asterisk comes in the form of a mitigating factor:  how motivated is Georgia to play up to their potential?  This is more than a valid concern for college football postseason games in recent years, what with sit-outs (departing seniors not wanting to risk injury and thus risk NFL draft capital), players entering the transfer portal, etc.  Perhaps those mitigating factors might even the odds after all.

Best Power Five vs. Non-Power Five Matchup

No. 8 Oregon (11-2) vs No. 23 Liberty (13-0) in the Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1, 1:00 ESPN

This designation/categorization could not be more obvious.  Too bad that the Ducks’ level of competition is orders of magnitude greater than that of the Flames.  So, on paper, Oregon might crush Liberty, but it nevertheless could provide a nice laboratory experiment of what happens when a playoff-potential team pits itself against a stronger-than-normal mid-major team.  Oh, and with an over-under of 65.5, this clearly doubles as an offensive explosion, too.

Best non-Power Five Matchup:

Toledo (11-2) vs Wyoming (8-4) in the Arizona Bowl, Dec. 30, 4:30 PM ESPN

The MAC champ butts heads with the Mountain West champ.  Speaking of lab experiments, this one is interesting, too.

Upset Alerts:

No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) vs No. 9 Missouri (10-2) in the Cotton Bowl, Dec. 29, 8:00 PM ESPN

On paper, the respective rankings alone should make for a good game.  But the sit-outs and transfers on Ohio State’s part leaves the game in Mizzou’s favor, but only by 2.5 points.  On the other hand, many fans remain skeptical about the Tigers’ actual strength, since many their 10 wins came against under-performers in the SEC East.  Can the remaining personnel for the Buckeyes overcome that narrow margin?

No. 22 Clemson (8-4) vs Kentucky (7-5) in the Gator Bowl, Dec. 29, 12:00 PM ESPN

Sure, Clemson has a decent record, but the ACC proved weak this year.  Yes, Kentucky took its fair share of lumps, but they did so in the SEC.  Do not be surprised if the Wildcats overcome the Tiger’s 5.5 point favoring margin.

No. 16 Notre Dame (9-3) vs No. 19 Oregon State (8-4) in the Sun Bowl, Dec. 29, 2:00 PM CBS

In a rematch of the 2000-’01 Fiesta Bowl (another intriguing coaching matchup that pitted Bob Davie against Dennis Erickson), this time a blowout in Oregon State’s favor is not likely, as Notre Dame is favored by 6.5 points.  But this game also pits Marcus Freeman, who has led the Irish to a respectable 9-3 year, against Trent Bray, whose team has performed brilliantly by Oregon State standards.  Not only does this double as an intriguing coaching matchup, but one where the strength of the Pac-12 could be a bigger factor than the oddsmakers have initially considered.

Offensive Explosions:

No. 12 Oklahoma (10-2) vs No. 14 Arizona (9-3) in the Alamo Bowl, Dec. 28, 9:15 ESPN

When was the last time we saw a boring Alamo Bowl?  Surely this one is likely to be anything but that.  Oddsmakers give the over-under for this game at 62.5.  On one side of the ball, this is Arizona squad is the strongest it has been since they beat Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl 25 years ago.  On the other side is the only team that [barely] took down a tough Texas team.  Then again, the Sooners also lost twice to weaker competition.  Regardless, their ceiling is/was sky-high.  But perhaps not anymore, since their QB, Dillon Gabriel, is now transferring to Oregon.  Perhaps that accounts for the Wildcats being favored by three points.  After, they have more than held their own in the Pac-12, which in turn has been at its strongest in recent memory.

Kansas (8-4) vs UNLV (9-4) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Dec. 26, 9:00 PM ESPN

Yes, UNLV has played light years better this season than their typical annual performance.  But Kansas has likewise played far more strongly then their respective typical performance, and against stiffer competition.  Thus, the Jayhawks are favored by 12.5 points.  One of two things could happen;  either Kansas barely covers the spread, or, their superior line play truly takes over in the second half, leading to a gradual blowout.  The over-under is 64.5, one of the highest of the bowl season, so expect some fireworks.

Georgia Tech (6-6) vs UCF (6-6) in the Gasparilla Bowl, Dec. 22, 6:30 PM ESPN

This game has the highest over-under of them all at 66.5, with UCF favored by 4.5 points.  This is another example of two mediocre teams, when pitted against each other, giving fans a good game.

Defensive Struggles:

No. 17 Iowa (10-3) vs No. 21 Tennessee (21) in the Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1, 1:00 ABC

Once again Tennessee plays in their winter home (according to Steve Spurrier), this time against Iowa.  The latter has made a name for itself with a stringy defense with hardly any offense.  Perhaps this accounts for one of the lowest over-unders of this bowl season at only 36.5.  The intriguing question becomes, can a mediocre SEC offense overcome what is considered a strong defense by B1G standards?  Conversely, how much of mismatch occurs between a mediocre SEC defense and a pitiful B1G offense?  That latter point likely accounts for why the Vols are favored by 8.5 points.  That said, a nice bonus is the intriguing coaching matchup between Josh Heupel and Kirk Ferentz.

Great Games no one is Talking About:

California (6-6) vs Texas Tech (6-6) in the Independence Bowl, Dec. 16, 9:15 ESPN

The Independence Bowl is one of those reliable bowls that almost always delivers with a good bowl game.  While traditionally a late December bowl game, this time they moved it up to nine days before Christmas.  Regardless, when two mediocre teams get together, sometimes a great game happens.  The Red Raiders are favored by only 3.5 points, so on paper, this game might deliver, too.

Georgia State (6-6) vs Utah State (6-6) in the Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 23, 3:30 PM ESPN

Speaking of close games going either way, the Panthers will certainly be out of their element playing in Boise, Idaho in late December, but Aggies should feel right at home in those Nordic climes.  The latter factor might account for Utah State’s slight favoring by 1.5, but with an over-under at 62.5, hello potential offensive explosion despite the cold!

Miami (FL) (7-5) vs Rutgers (6-6) in the Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 28, 2:15 PM ESPN

Perhaps the only reason that the Hurricanes are favored by only 1.5 points is because they are not used to playing in chilly NYC winter weather.

Utah (8-4) vs Northwestern (7-5) in the Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 23, 7:30 PM ABC

In what looks like a bargain-basement Rose Bowl (Pac-12 vs B1G), this game could deliver good value nonetheless, if only for the wrong reasons.  Utah started off strongly but weakened with injuries, while all of us gave up Northwestern for dead earlier this year, only to see the Wildcats surge down the stretch.  That Utah is favored by slightly less than a touchdown is a testament to how much Northwestern has improved throughout the season.

No. 18 NC State (9-3) vs No. 25 Kansas State (8-4) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Dec. 28, 5:45 PM ESPN

Yes, like the 68 Ventures Bowl, the Pop-Tarts Bowl is actually a thing (played in Orlando, Fla., FYI).  The oddsmakers favor Kansas State by three points, implying a close game throughout.  The tenacity of both squads assures the reader that it will be hard-fought throughout as well.

Think There is Enough Red and Black?

Arkansas State (6-6) vs Northern Illinois (6-6) in the Camellia Bowl, Dec. 23, 12:00 PM ESPN

The Red Wolves are favored by only 1, with an over-under of 53.5.  This is a game that could go either way, and stay close throughout regulation.

Intriguing Coaching Matchups:  

James Franklin of No. 10 Penn State (10-2) vs Lane Kiffin of No. 11 Ole Miss (10-2) in the Peach Bowl

Dec. 30, 12:00 PM ESPN

The contrasting styles of these respective coaches notwithstanding, what adds to the intrigue is that Franklin himself used to coach in the SEC, leading Vanderbilt to successes undreamed of in the modern era of college football.  On the other side of the ball, Kiffin has led Ole Miss to a solid season, albeit one with an inexplicable loss to Texas Tech early in the season.  Perhaps it is Penn State’s consistency that has led the oddsmakers to favor the Nittany Lions in this matchup by 3.5 points.

Jeff Brohm of No. 15 Louisville (10-3) vs Lincoln Riley of USC (7-5) in the Holiday Bowl

Dec. 27, 8:00 PM FOX

Jeff Brohm has certainly made a smash debut in his first year at his alma mater, leading the Cardinals to their first ACC championship game.  He faces off against Lincoln Riley, an offensive mastermind who nevertheless has not properly addressed his issues on defense.  Oddly enough, even with an underperforming offense, Louisville is still favored by 7.5 points, which leads us to another question:  is USC’s defense truly that bad?

Jerry Kill of New Mexico State (10-4) vs Jeff Tedford of Fresno State (8-4) in the New Mexico Bowl

Dec. 16, 6:00 PM ESPN

Jerry Kill has led the Aggies to some amazing, memorable wins this season, and to a rare (for the program) bowl game, one where they are practically on home turf.  Meanwhile, Jeff Tedford has brought his unique offensive philosophy into Fresno to help revitalize the Bulldogs.  This could likewise be a great game no one is talking about.

Luke Fickell of Wisconsin (7-5) vs Brian Kelly of No. 13 LSU (9-3) in the ReliaQuest Bowl

Jan. 1, 12:00 PM ESPN

It’s a good thing this is an intriguing coaching matchup, because, despite both teams underperforming this year (within the context of their respective capacities, that is), on paper, this game is mismatch.  Yes, the last time these two met up was on Sept. 3 of 2016, and the Badgers won that one, 16-14.  But these teams are different now.  Whereas the Badgers are not as strong as there were then, the Tigers, under Kelly, could be, in time, poised for another championship run.  These current trajectories add up to the logic behind LSU being favored by 8.5 points.  That aside, what is even more intriguing than the coaching matchup is the pitting of the fan bases.  Both sets of fans are the most obnoxious in their respective conferences, so it’s always fun to see them bounce off each other in a game like this!

What Could Have Been

Texas A&M (7-5) vs No. 20 Oklahoma State (9-4) in the Texas Bowl, Dec. 27, 5:30 PM ESPN

If the powers that be at Texas A&M did ax Jimbo Fisher so soon, we could have had one of the most intriguing, entertaining coaching matchups of the season, what with Mike Gundy on the other side of the ball.  As things now stand, the Aggies are still favored by two points, which also makes it a great game no one is talking about.

North Carolina (8-4) vs West Virginia (8-4) in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Dec. 27, 5:30 PM ESPN

Speaking of what could have been, remember when North Carolina started out as a top-ten team?  Seems like the might have sadly fallen.  Now they have to settle to play in their own backyard, and yet, West Virginia is still favored by 6.5 points.

Why Are They Playing?

South Alabama (6-6) vs Eastern Michigan (6-6) in the 68 Ventures Bowl (no, really)

Dec. 23, 7:00 PM ESPN

Looks like a rather even matchup on the surface…until you find out that South Alabama is favored by 15.5.

UTSA (8-4) vs Marshall (6-6) in the Frisco Bowl, Dec. 19 9:00 PM ESPN

The Roadrunners are favored by 12 in this matchup.  It might take a monumental effort on Marshall’s part, should UTSA show up in this game staged in the fourth-largest city within the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country.

Ohio (10-2) vs Georgia Southern (6-6) in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, Dec. 16, 11:00 AM ESPN

This game simply has mismatch (in the Bobcats’ favor) written all over it.

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Tulane (11-2) vs Virginia Tech (6-6) in the Military Bowl, Dec. 27, 2:00 PM ESPN

So let us get this straight:  Tulane has an 11-2 season, and has a team almost as strong as the one that went undefeated in 1998, and yet:  Virginia Tech, who was lucky to even qualify for a bowl game this year, is still favored by 7.5 points?  To add insult to injury, let us not forget that the ACC is particularly weak with year.  Is the American Athletic Conference that much weaker still?

No. 24 SMU (11-2) vs Boston College (6-6) in the Fenway Bowl, Dec. 28, 11:00 AM ESPN

In another head-scratcher, SMU (also in the AAC), who is ranked, plays BC (also in the AAC), in what is the latter’s home turf, in chilly New England winter weather, and yet the Mustangs are still favored by 11 points. 

Bowling Green (7-5) vs Minnesota (5-7) in the Quick Lane Bowl, Dec. 26, 2:00 PM ESPN

To quote the great Yogi Berra, “It’s déjà vu all over again”.  These same two teams, with the same respective records, played each other in this very same bowl game eight years ago.  I can hear FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd mock this matchup and laugh at the irony of it all at the same time.

College Football Awards, Week 13 (2019) November 25, 2019

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COACHES
Wish I were him:  Ryan Day, Ohio State

Glad I’m not him: James Franklin, Penn State

Lucky guy: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

Poor guy: Gary Patterson, TCU

Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Sonny Dykes, SMU

Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Nick Rolovich, Hawaii

Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Mario Cristobal, Oregon

Desperately seeking … anything:  Tom Herman, Texas

TEAMS
Thought you’d kick butt, you did: Auburn (defeated Samford 52-0)

Thought you’d kick butt, you didn’t: Georgia (defeated Texas A&M 19-13)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you did: Maryland (lost to Nebraska 54-7)

Thought you’d get your butt kicked, you didn’t:  TCU (lost to No. 9 Oklahoma 28-24)

Thought you wouldn’t kick butt, you did:  USC (defeated UCLA 52-35)

Dang, they’re good: Alabama

Dang, they’re bad:  Troy

Can’t Stand Prosperity:  Oregon

Did the season start?  Texas

Can the season end?  UMass

Can the season never end?  Ohio State

GAMES
Play this again:  Arizona State 31, No. 6 Oregon 28

Never play this again: No. 5 Alabama 66, Western Carolina 3

What?  Colorado 20, Washington 14

Huh?  Hawaii 14, San Diego State 11

Are you kidding me??  Navy 35, No. 25 SMU 28

Oh – my – God:  Arizona State 31, No. 6 Oregon 28

NEXT WEEK

(rankings are current AP (post-week 14, pre-week 14)
Ticket to die for:  No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 13 Michigan

Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five  matchup: none

Best non-Power Five matchup: No. 19 Cincinnati @ No. 18 Memphis (Friday, Nov. 29)

Upset alert: Kansas State @ No. 22 Iowa State (hon. mention:  No. 5 Alabama @ No. 15 Auburn)

Must win: No. 12 Wisconsin @ No. 10 Minnesota

Offensive explosion: No. 9 Oklahoma @ No. 21 Oklahoma State

Defensive struggle: inconclusive

Great game no one is talking about: Wyoming @ Air Force

Intriguing coaching matchup:  Kevin Sumlin of Arizona vs Herm Edwards of Arizona State

Who’s bringing the body bags?  No. 4 Georgia @ Georgia Tech

Why are they playing? Rutgers @ No. 8 Penn State

Plenty of good seats remaining: Texas State @ Coastal Carolina (dishon. mention:  Rice @ UTEP)

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?  Charlotte @ Old Dominion

Week 13 Thoughts:

Baylor vs Texas

Once again the Longhorns disgraced themselves with tepid outputs on both offense and defense.  The Longhorns had such high expectations going into the season.  Now, they sit at 6-5.  What happened?  For starters, they graduated lots of experienced players after their Suger Bowl win.  This year, they have a young team, made younger with lots of injuries on defense and at running back.  For that, they need time for the injuries to heal.  Much more systemic are the questions of Texas’ identity on offense.  For that, they cannot excuse injuries.  Nor can they excuse their lack of player development despite good recruiting classes during Tom Herman’s tenure.  So how can they do better?  Three things:  develop an offensive identity; do better at developing your players; also, learn to get out of your own way.  Oklahoma and A&M have figured out how to do so:  what is Texas’ excuse?

Ohio State vs Penn State

The game was a good game, and it should not have been as good as it was.  Some key mistakes, namely turnovers in the 3rd quarter, allowed for Penn State to come within less than a touchdown of the Buckeyes.  Ohio State will have to button things up better if they expect to defeat their bitter rival up north come rivalry weekend.  Such urgency for discipline is even greater for the B1G championship game in Indianapolis, be it Wisconsin or Minnesota.  This is a reminder that the road to the playoffs still has a critical amount of potholes that only vigilance shall help avoid.

All that said, on to Rivalry Weekend!