O5 Week 13

 AAC: Tulane visits Cincy to determine who hosts the title game next week against UCF if they beat USF. Bearcats have re-grouped since a loss to UCF three weeks ago. Tulane lost to UCF two weeks ago and crushed SMU last week. Bearcats nip the Green Wave 24-23.

CUSA: WKU will win at FAU and stay in contention with North Texas for a chance at the CUSA title game against UTSA. Austin Reed will toss three TD passes. WKU 31 FAU 23

MWC:  If Fresno St beats Wyoming, they'll face Boise St in the MWC title game. Jordan Mimms rushes for 125 yards for the Bulldogs. Fresno St 24 Wyoming 20.

Sunbelt: James Madison(5-2) survived a rough 3 game loss stretch to remain in contention with Coastal Carolina(6-1) in the East. CCU's veteran QB McCall hangs tough. CCU 27 JMU 24.  Troy U and South Bama are tied for first in the West.

Nov 26, 2022

A split yesterday. Wrong on Cincy, correct on Fresno St. Spears rushed for 181 yards and 2 TDs for Tulane in a 27-24 win over Cincy. Tulane will host the AAC title game. If UCF wins, it holds the tiebreaker with Cincy and heads to Tulane.

 I'm a bit surprised that Fresno blanked Wyoming 30-0.

Nov 27, 2022

It feels like I've been wrong on JMU since October. JMU 47 CCU 7

WKU went for two in OT to defeat FAU 32-31 in OT. There's never a dull moment when Austin Reed is in the game. I went 2-2 in this blog.

What a wild day of football. I found the UTSA/UTEP game on the Stadium channel in time for the 4th Q. UTSA kicked a FG in overtime to take its only lead of the day and also win the game.

Nov 28, 2022

Fickel to Wisky. I thought Cincy would've made sure they kept him for the move to the Big 12. I'm not surprised Tulsa fired Montgomery.

Nov 30, 2022

Trent Dilfer, the head coach at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville and a former quarterback at Fresno State and in the NFL, is new HC at UAB, which is moving to AAC.

O5 week 12

 AAC: I'm taking ECU at home against Houston, a future B12 member, in a battle of productive QBs, Ahlers(ECU)/Tune (HOU). Houston gave up 77 points to SMU two weeks ago, while ECU is 2-1 against future Big 12 teams, after beating BYU and UCF, and losing 27-25 to Cincy.   ECU 34 HOU 31

CUSA: Frank Harris, the UTSA QB, will remain in high gear @ Rice, in an intrastate matchup and keep the Roadrunners undefeated in CUSA play. UTSA 40 Rice 27

MAC: I couldn't get to all the early MAC games so this is the one I have to pick. Snow is coming to the Buffalo area this weekend, but will only keep the final score lower. BUFF 16 Akron 6.

MWC: Boise State(7-3 6-0 Mountain West) @ Wyoming(7-3 5-1 Mountain West). Cowboys kick 5 FGs and survive. WYO 22 BSU 20

SunBelt: If the NFLN can travel to Hattiesburg, MS to televise a game, so can I. Carter Bradley will toss 3 td passes to keep South Bama on pace with Troy u in the West. USA 27 USM 20

Nov 18

I didn't pick this game, but Tulane crushed SMU 59- 24 last night. 

Nov 20, 2022

MAC game canceled, and I split on the other four.

Correct: UTSA jumped out to a big lead early and never looked back in a 41-7 win. USA withstood a mild late threat from USM, and holy sh^t I guessed the correct final score.

Wrong:  ECU got crushed 42-3 by Houston. The E stands for erratic. Wyoming went up 10-0. but Boise worked its way back slowly and won 20-17.

Nov 21, 2022

If Ohio wins this weekend, than they take the East. Will the MAC re-schedule the Buffalo /Akron game if Ohio loses? 

Nov 22, 2022

I might as well make my MAC week 13 pick here since a few MAC games are being played tonight. Bowling Green rolls into Athens, Ohio tonight. I'll ride with Rourke, Ohio's QB. Ohio 27 BG 17

Nov 23

Ohio started N Harris at Qb because Rourke was still dinged up from last week and didn't miss a beat Ohio 38 BG 14. Ohio clinches the East and will likely face Toledo from the West next week in Detroit for the MAC title. EMU has a chance of tying depending on Friday's outcomes. 

Nov 27, 2022

Toledo meets Ohio in the MAC title game, while Akron travels to Buffalo to make up the snow game.  Who knows with the MAC?

Countdown to less Independents - nearly over.

 Notre Dame may not ever give up its Independent football status, and it continues to keep Navy(AAC) on its schedule. They meet at M&T stadium in Baltimore City today. ND 30 Navy 20 in an old-fashioned rushing slugfest.

#Army travels to Bama to face a tough Troy(SunBelt) Defense.   Troy 19 Army 12

#Liberty crosses the Mason-Dixon line to face UConn. The Flames lost Dae Dae Hunter to injury last week but Freeze's O will be still be too much for Mora's Huskies. LU 31 UConn 17

UMass visits Ark St(SunBelt). Both teams are having bad season. Home team wins Ark St 20 UMass 17

New Mexico St host Lamar(1AA). NMST is eading to the CUSA while Lamar doesn't know what 1AA conference it wants to be in, (Southland or WAC). NMST 24 Lamar 13.

Nov 12  in the PM

Notre Dame allowed Navy to get damn close after controlling the game for three quarters. ND 35 Navy 32

Troy took its time but survived. Troy 10 Army 9

Liberty was missing some key players on O, and UConn upped its game. I'm still a bit surprised at the Huskies O, and it was my sole incorrect pick,.  UConn 36 LU 33 

Ark St  survived the Minutemen's late rush. Ark St 35 UMass 33

NMST 51 Lamar 14

Nov 18, 2022

UMass travels to TAMU. If the Minutemen prevail, the oil men will find a way to get Jimbo deported from the state of Texas

Mizzou will handle NMST, and BYU will take care of Utah Tech, formerly known as Dixie State before the woke crowd invaded Utah.

Don't look now but Mora's Huskies will beat Army to get UConn its 7th W.

Notre Dame should handle BC, but there have been some close ones in this series. BC lost to UConn and then beat NC St

Liberty lost to UConn last week and looks beat up. VA Tech hasn't won since mid-September and that continues. Flames flicker but hang on in a 20-17 squeaker.

Nov 20, 2022

Wrong on UConn who lost 34-17, and Liberty who lost 24-23.  I'm a bit surprised that BC got shutout. It was hilarious to see the TAMU twitter fans freaking out when the Ags were only up 10-3 on UMass at halftime. TAMU 20 UMass 3

Nov 22, 2022

Can Notre Dame keep playing the vampire? Their Ws over Clemson and UNC did some damage, but they don't have enough O to win against USC in LA. USC 31 ND 24. 

BYU gets back on track with a 23 17 win at Stanford. Army stops the Minutemen, and Liberty gets back on track hosting New Mexico St.

Nov 26, 2022

Liberty is losing to New Mexico St 42-7 in the 3Q. Freeze is staying in Falwell country and not headed to Auburn. NMST(5-6) scored 51 on Lamar and 45 on Hawaii, but never got above the 20s against any other opponent and are not bowl worthy. It doesn't look like NMST/SJST game will be made up next week.

Army crushed UMass and needs to beat Navy to get win number 6.

ND lost to USC

BYU saved face and beat Stanford.

Nov 28, 2022

  well I was wrong about Freeze- Auburn is hiring him.  The bad Liberty loss to NMST was irrelevant.

Dec 4, 2022

Liberty didn't waste time: Jamey Chadwell left Coastal Carolina for Falwell U.

Dec 6, 2022

Army plays Navy(AAC) in Philly this Saturday, and neither is headed to a Bowl game. My hunch: Navy 16 Army 13

New Mexico St will play Bowling Green(MAC) @ Ford Field in Quick Lane Bowl. Two very erratic teams. BG 23 NMST 20

Liberty will play Toledo(MAC) in the Boca Raton Bowl. Spark is out of the Flames with Freeze gone TOL 27 LIB 20

UConn in a Myrtle Beach Bowl game against Marshall(SunBelt). I'll take #herd -hoping Leborn plays. MAR 26 UConn 17

Dec 11. 2022

I was wrong on my final regular season pick. Army edged Navy in the 2nd OT : 20-17

Dec 19, 2022

I got home from work and the Herd was up 28-0 in the 3Q. A few minutes later and its 28-14. Ali/Laborn is a nice #herd RB combo. MU 28 UConn 14

Dec 21, 2022

I was correct on Toledo and the MAC went 2-0 yesterday. Flames flickered in the 2nd half, and Toledo RB, JACQUEZ STUART had solid game rushing for 111 yards on 23 carries. Toledo 19 Liberty 17

Dec 23, 2022

I saw the name Earl Weaver, the name of late Orioles baseball manager, and did a double take while reading the Chicago St basketball box score. This Weaver scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 55-53 loss to Minnesota of the Big 10. Chicago St has improved but won't survive as an Independent

Hartford, the other hoops Independent which is in the process of going to a lower division, got crushed by San Francisco 85-53 last night.

Dec 26, 2022

New Mexico St will play Bowling Green(MAC) @ Ford Field in Quick Lane Bowl. Two very erratic teams. BG 23 NMST 20

The Lou Holtz Bowl is in Jacksonville on Dec 30. Rattler will have a good day for the Gamecocks in 30 -27 win over Notre Dame.

Dec 27, 2022

Good thing my picks are made with Monopoly money. I was wrong on NMST(7-6) who led 14-0 at the half and held on for a 24-19 win over Bowling Green. The Ags started the season 0-4. Off to the CUSA for the 2023 season.

Dec 31, 2022

In a wild game, the Irish got the best of the Gamecocks and handed me another incorrect pick. ND 45 SCar  38

Jan 14, 2023

Are you kidding me? A committee will study the potential for football at Chicago State. The school can barely sustain its hoops 1A program after parting ways with the WAC and could not find a conference in the Midwest to join. Ain't no way they get 1A  FOOTBALL unless there is some billionaire alumnus out there. Maybe at a lower level, but that's still a he!! of a dream.

Jan 24, 2023

Wow, Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 21 points as Chicago State defeated Coastal Carolina(Sunbelt) 74-70 in a road win last night. I'm sticking to the Summit Conference as a possible landing place move for them.

Jan 26, 2023

Wow, Chicago St played well but fell short at Stanford(PAC12).  Cardet scored 31 in a 72-65 loss to the Cardinals. Yes, I know Stanford is having a bad season, but Chicago St struggled to beat anybody in the WAC last season, let alone anyone else.

Jan 31, 2023

Chicago St raids the The Citadel(Southern) and picks up another win in the state of South Carolina. Cardet Jr scored 21 points in the Cougars 76-75 win.

Feb 4, 2023

Rees to Bama to replace O'Brien. Is ND cheap or is he not working well with Freeman?  He turned down Brian Kelly's offer to go with him to LSU last year.

Feb 14, 2023

Neither Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig nor Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein are taking the ND OC gig. BTW, Ludwig's first stint at Utah as OC included the Utes' undefeated 2008 season and a Sugar Bowl win over Bama.

Feb 19, 2023

Since some may view this as a quirky blog: Chicago St(10-18) hosts Hartford(5-22) in hoops today.  Cougars won at Hartford on Feb 4. I think some Independents in football played home/away series in pigskin during one of the Covid seasons. Hartford is dropping to a lower division so this may be the last of this matchup. Chicago St is talking of adding football which is crazy. School needs to join the Summit conference and calm down.

J. Corbett CHST (23PTS 7REB)  CHST 75 HART 53 

May 15, 2023

While NMST mens' hoops remains a mess from various scandals, football HC Jerry Kill finally signed a contract, which calls for paving parking lot near the football offices. Ags are coming off a bowl win as they head for the CUSA.

I was looking at NM St 2023 schedule this season and it includes two MWC teams:

Sept. 16 NMSU at New Mexico(love the intrastate rivalry)

Sept. 23 NMSU at Hawaii

June 8, 2023

Kind of getting a chuckle from all the twitter kids promoting UConn to B12. UConn showed that re-connecting with the Big East and focusing on hoops and the northeast was the correct call. If it needs a conference for football, try the MAC. I never understood why it didn't remain in the AAC for football only like Navy does.

Chicago St remains a mystery, and there must be something amiss if the MEAC, a 1a hoops conference of schools with a majority of black students, nixed inviting Chicago St to join it. Possibly it was due to east coast schools not wanting to increase travel costs.

July 21, 2023

Down to four 1A Independent FOOTBALL SCHOOLS: Army ,Notre Dame, UConn, and UMass who visits Army.

Army will spend some time in Louisiana.

Sat. Sept. 2.      at Louisiana-Monroe

Sat. Sept. 9      DELAWARE STATE

Fri. Sept. 15     at UTSA

Sat. Sept. 23     at Syracuse 

Sat. Oct. 7        BOSTON COLLEGE

Sat. Oct. 14      TROY

Sat. Oct. 21       at LSU

Sat. Oct. 28      UMASS

Sat. Nov. 4        at Air Force*

Sat. Nov. 11     HOLY CROSS

Sat. Nov. 18     COASTAL CAROLINA

Sat. Dec. 9        NAVY^

July 29, 2023

I've been saying for years this kid Demario Douglas was a decent WR. Hear he's moving up BB's depth chart.  COLLEGE Liberty DRAFT INFO 2023: Rd 6, Pk 210 (NE) 

Aug 14, 2023

UMass guys in the NFL. I thought Isabella(Bills) might have staying power in the NFL, but did not see Merriweather(Saints) who carried the ball 150 times for 575 yards for the Minutemen in 2022, possibly making the NFL.

No invite to the Horizon for Chicago St hoops, but they secured commitments from Matt and Ryan Bewley, 5* recruits.

Previous blogs

 https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2021/01/1a-ncaa-independents-and-geography-2021.html  

https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2022/05/1a-independents-start-to-dwindle-in-2023.html

O5 - Week 11

 Well, MAC was early this week so here's 4 picks..

AAC: Gus has the UCF(7-2 4-1 AAC) looking sharp. Plumlee will toss two TD passes at Tulane (8-1 5-0 AAC). UCF-24 Tul 20

CUSA: FAU (4-5 3-2 C-USA) at FIU((4-5 2-3 C-USA) in an intrastate battle. Nkosi Perry is having a decent year at QB and had a good game in last week's big win against UAB. FAU 21 FIU 20

MWC: San José State (6-2 4-1 MWC) visits Snapdragon to take on San Diego State (5-4 3-2 MWC). I'll ride with Cordeiro, who has tossed for 2,224 yards and 11 TDs for the Spartans. SJST 28 SDST 23

SunBelt: App St visits Marshall and the erratic teams have identical (5-4 2-3Sun Belt) records. Laborn carries the rushing load for #herd at home. MU 17 APP St 16

Nov 13, 2022

Pratt threw more TD passes than Plumlee but that wasn't enough for Tulane. UCF 38 TUL 31

Nkosi Perry accounted for 4 TDs and FAU rolled FIU 52-7. 

Wrong on SJST. Cordeiro did plenty, but Jalen Mayden threw three touchdown passes and Jordan Byrd returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD for San Diego State. SDST 43 SJST 27

Marshall U blocked a punt for TD and Fancher tossed two TDs in a 28-21 win over App St

3-1 for the weekend

Nov 16, 2022

Virginia canceled its game against Coastal Carolina this coming weekend after 3 football players  were killed earlier this week in an on campus shooting.

And some Baltimore -related news. Charlotte has hired Michigan associate head coach Biff Poggi as its next HC 

Poggi was a longtime successful high school coach in Baltimore ,Maryland with  Gilman School and  then powerhouse, St. Frances Academy, before joining Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan. He  sent  Blake Corum and other St Frances stars to Michigan.

Top dogs in the 05 -week 10

 Ok, I covered the MAC so now I'll focus on conference leaders in the other four conferences.

AAC: Tulane may get a battle at Tulsa for a while, but Spears will rush for over 100 yards and keep the Green Wave undefeated in conference play. Tulane 34 Tulsa 24

CUSA: No team has slowed down UTSA(4-0 in CUSA) QB Frank Harris for long. UTSA 30 UAB 27

MWC:  Boise St  (5-0-MWC) plays an OOC game against BYU, who is desperate to beat someone. Taylon Green has been solid since becoming the starting QB. and I'd love to call this one a tie if they were still allowed.  BYU 26 Boise St 24 at the buzzer.

SunBelt: Coastal Carolina and Troy are each 4-1 and lead their respective divisions. Troy Trojans will march into ULL and come out with a 17-14 win with the help of a pick6.

CCU hosts App St and survives a scare 24-21. McCall looks solid again for the Chanticleers.

Nov 4, 2022

 Lot more points scored than I guessed in last night's CCU  35-28 win over Appy. McCall threw 2 TD passes and no picks.

Nov 5, 2022

5-0 for the weekend

Spears was a beast again for Tulane in a 27-13 win over Tulsa.

UTSA needed double OT to defeat UAB 44-38. Harris had another great game for the victors.

Hall to Nicau connection saved the day for BYU in a 35-28 win over Boise ST. 

Troy outscored ULL 16-0 in the 4Q for a 23-17 win.

Week 10 early MAC slate

 It's November so we have Tuesday and Wednesday games.

Buffalo(5-3 4-0 MAC) got off to a rough OOC start but has feasted in MAC play. and will get a narrow road win at Ohio(5-3 3-1 MAC). Cole Snyder is on a roll for the Bulls, and I'm not overlooking Rourke'

s season for the Bobcats. Buff 31 Ohio 30

• Ball State(4-4 2-2 MAC) gets back to winning at Kent State(3-5 2-2 MAC). Paddock tosses 2 tds for the 
• Cards in a win. Ball St 24 Kent 17

Central Michigan(2-6 1-3 MAC) at Northern Illinois(2-6 1-3 MAC). NIU 17 CMU 16. Whoever has the ball last wins

Western Michigan (3-5 2-2 MAC) at Bowling Green(4-4 3-1 MAC) Jaison Patterson, a big RB from Jacksonville, FLA has been getting into gear for BG. BG 27 WMU 19

Nov 2, 2022

Tuesday split: Wrong on Buffalo who lost to Ohio 45-24, but Ball St roared back from a 13-0 first quarter deficit to beat Kent St 27-20. Carson Steele rushed for 192 yards and a TD, and Paddock tossed 2 Tds for the Cards in the victory 

Nov 3, 2022

Wednesday split: Wrong on NIU who didn't score until the second half. WMU 35 NIU 22

Bowling Green won a low-scoring game. BG 13 WMU 9. The Falcons move into a 3-way tie for first in the East with Buffalo and Ohio

Ball St trails Toledo by a game in the West.

Nov 8, 2022

Week 11 and full slate of early games has me scrambling. I under-valued Ohio last week but not this week. Rourke will toss two TD passes for Ohio in a 28 -20 win over Miami(Ohio)

Nov 9

Rourke tossed 3 TD passes in Ohio's 37-21 win so I got that one. In other news, Toledo got a big 28-21 win over Ball St, despite Steele rushing for 198 yards and 3 TDs for the Cards.

Nov 11, 2022

Ohio has a one game lead over Buffalo and Bowling Green in the East,while Toledo has a two game lead over three teams.