Week 6 , already Tuesday football

 Troy scored 55 points in a win over USM last night.

Tonight, I'll go with FIU at home in a 24-20 win over NMSU. Maybe Kohl doesn't toss an INT for the Panthers?

Oct 8, 2026

Correct on FIU getting the W but surprised they  held NMSU to a FG in a 22-3 win. FIU kicked 5 FGs

Tonight, I'll go with USA winning a close one at Ark St

Hollins will toss 2 TD passes for the Jags in a 24-21 win.

Oct 9 2026

A lot more points than I expected and  I was correct on USA

K. Phillips 19 CAR 157 YDS, 4 TD for the Jags in a 56-49 win over Ark St

Hollins tossed 3 TD passes for the winners

Owens tossed 4TDs 418 yards, 2 INTs for the Red Wolves

Oct 10, 2026

Vezza, the CMU QB, leads the team in rushing. Bobcats will slow him down enough for a home victory. Ohio 24 CMU 20

Week 4 along 29S etc

 Nearly neighbors JMU visits LIB in Lynchbirg. Vashko , the JMU QB, will be the difference for JMU in a 21-19 nail-biter W

UTSA steals won 24-23 at CSU led by R.Henry(480yds 6TDs rushing).

Raynor, the Ark St  QB, does enough for a 24-17 win at Kenn St.

Undefeated UNLV  travels to MOH. Colandrea tosses 2 TD passes  for the Rebs in a 27-20 win.

Delaware surprised UConn but won't defeat Kejon Jones(322 rushing yards and 4 TDs )and FIU. FIU 28 DEL 21.

Sept 21, 2025

So-so week in picks.  Correct on JMU, UNLV, UTSA

Wrong on Ark St, FIU

UTSA survived 17-16. Another great week for R.Henry  21 CAR 144 YDS, 2 TD, 2 REC 76 YDS, 2 TD

Can't deny that the AAC is having solid season> MEM upset ARK(SEC),Tulsa knocked off OK St(Big12), and  UTSA  survived CSU(MWC) who failed on a 2pt conversion in the final minute of the game.

The Herd scored 42 on MTSU in a W.

Gotta admit I didn't foresee KENN St and DEL getting off to decent starts in the CUSA

Sept 22, 2025

APPY  was off this weekend after the spanking from USM  and  plays @ Boise St

Sept 23, 2025 

Golesh (USF) or Silverfield (Memphis)  would UCLA be a step up? Not at this moment.

O5 bowl games three more in 2024

 I skipped a few score guesses lately. I'm thinking about tossing a nickel on the USF(AAC)/SJSU(MWC) game. Ok, SJSU beat Stanford,while USF lost to Rice in their respective final, regular season games. SJSU 24 USF 19

I'm taking BGSU(MAC) over Ark St(SBC)   because the Falcons have Fannin, who I consider the best TE in college football. BGSU 27 Ark St 24.

Not sure Toledo(MAC) has enough firepower to upset Pitt(ACC). Pitt 30 Toledo 23. Schools are about 3 hours apart if you're driving on I-80.

It took 5 OTs, Eget had a solid second half for the Spartans, but it wasn't enough. USF 41 SJSU 39

Wrong on pick 1

Dec 27 2024

Well,Toledo had enough firepower to outlast Pitt in six OTs  in a 48-46 win

Fannin 17rec , 213 yards, 1TD  wasn't enough for the Falcons.  Ark St 38 BGSU 31

0-3 this blog

Let's see if I can get one right. Oklahoma  31 Navy (AAC) 20

Dec 28, 2024

0-4 this blog. OK went for two the 2pt conversion with 14 seconds remaining in regulation and failed. Navy 21 OK 20 Nice win for the AAC squad.

Saturday hunches for better or worse on O5: ULL loses to TCU. Army beats LA Tech, MO beats CSU,  and ECU beat NC St in an intrastate matchup.

Dec 29, 2024

Finally made a few correct picks. Right on MO but surprised the RedHawks blew out CSU 43-17. Davis rushed for 148 yards and 2 TDs .

Rahjai Harris(ECU) rushed for an 86 yard touchdown, the game winning score. ECU 26 NC St 21

Army 27 LA Tech 6.  TCU 34 ULL 3 

Aug 7, 2025

"I don't want to just win that game. I want to beat the sh^t out of that team," NCST HC Doeren on week 1 game vs ECU. Memories of the Military Bowl brawl last December linger.

O5 Bowl Games Saturday Dec 23

Arkansas State Red Wolves(SBC) vs Northern Illinois Huskies(MAC) Can you say erratic.? Ark St 28 NIU 27

Troy(SBC) vs Duke (ACC) Both teams head coaches have moved on. I'll take Troy in a 24-23 upset.

 Georgia St(SBC) vs Utah St(MWC). Georgis St hasn't won since October and that won't change. Utah St 23 GAST 16

James Madison(SBC) vs Air Force(MWC) McCloud, the JMU QB, will play despite entering the transfer portal. .JMU 30 AFA 22

South Alabama(SBC) vs Eastern Michigan(MAC). EMU doesn't have enough O. South Bama 20 EMU 13

Coastal Carolina(SBC) vs San Jose State(MWC). Ok, I'll ride with Cordero and the hot SJST Spartans

Dec 24, 2023 

1-5 yesterday.  South Bama pummeled EMU 59-10J. Pritchett WR - USA 8REC 127YDS 2TD

Now for my incorrect picks: Duke stymied Troy's O. NIU kicker scored a TD. 

F. Brock RB - GAST 24CAR 276YDS 1TD

E. Michel FB - AFA 35CAR 203YDS 2TD

Vasko tossed 3 TD passes for CCU.

Feb 15, 2024

Georgia State postponed the rest of its spring practices and its spring game on March 7. Panthers started spring practice on Tuesday Feb 13,  two days before coach Shawn Elliott stepped down to become an assistant at South Carolina. Flip side of the NIL portal!

Feb 24. 2024

Dell McGee  is the new G ST HC 

Auburn (2013) Analyst

Georgia Southern (2014) RB coach

Georgia Southern (2015)

Assistant HC & RB coach

Georgia Southern (2015)

Interim head coach

Georgia (2016–2018)

Assistant HC & running backs coach

Georgia (2019–2023)

Run game coordinator & RB coach

Georgia State (2024)Head coach

Week 12 in the O5

 AAC: UTSA is undefeated in conference play and hosts USF. A healthy Frank Harris at QB has been the key.  UTSA 31 USF 24

CUSA: Jax St make it to 6-1 in conference play with a win over La Tech. JAX 27 LT 20. Rich Rod has done a nice job.

MAC:  Toledo and Little Miami sits atop their respective divisions after the mid-week games. Only game left to pick: Ball St 23  Kent St 16

MWC: San Jose St is coming off a big upset of Fresno St and remains in the race for the title game. K Robinson rushed for 200 yards for the Spartans. in that game.  SJST 28 San Diego St 17

SunBelt: A lot of OOC action for the SBC. this week, but this conference game looks close to even. TX St 23 Ark St 20. I'm not quite sure how Ark St HC Butch Jones has the Red Wolves(5-5, 3-3 SBC)

Nov 18, 2023

UTSA 49 USF 21

PASS F. Harris QB - UTSA 411YDS 3TD ,RUSH 10CAR 112YDS 3TD

Nov 19, 2023

Correct:  Jax St 56 La Tech 17. Ball St 34 Kent 3, SJST 24 SDST 13

Really Wrong:  Ark St 77 TX St 31. Ja'Quez Cross rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns and returned a kickoff 93 yards for TD for Arkansas State, who also got three touchdowns from its D.

Kill's Aggies win over Auburn tops O5 news yesterday.

Appy handed JMU its first loss.

UNLV sits alone atop the MWC at 6-1

Vegas to Diamondhead- those players' first names part2

 Just my way of keeping track of odd player names. The prior blog ran for four years.  Sion James scored 30 points for #Tulane in an AAC win over Memphis 96-89 last night.  Don't confuse it with Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans (NBA).

A buddy sent me this one Earthland Moreland, a former PAT among many of his NFL teams played his college ball at Georgia Southern while it was still in DII. His HC was Paul Johnson who later went on to coach at NAVY and Ga Tech.

Jan 19, 2023

Umoja Gibson, a kid from Waco, TX, scored 22 in DePaul's upset of Xavier in Big East action. His teammate, Yor Anei from Overland Park, Kansas, scored two points. Hearing the word your often in daily conversation must be interesting for this kid.

Feb 6 2023

I'm unsure how I missed this one. Probably cuz he was a UFA from Auburn and landed on the Saints IR in August. Quindarious "Smoke" Monday.

March 4, 2023

Tywone Malone scored a run for Ole Miss in the second inning, but La Tech roared back for a 6-5 win. First La Tech win over Ole Miss in baseball since 1989. I got no idea what Tywone parents were thinking when spelling his name on his birth certificate.

March 11, 2023

Just having some fun: Ark St left-fielder, CROSS JUMPER, went 1-4 in in his team's 11-8 loss to E.Illinois in college baseball.

April 2, 2023

Ryan John "Rowdy" Tellez, Toronto Blue Jays (2018–2021). Milwaukee Brewers (2021–present). 

Got me thinking of Rowdy Yates, played by Clint Eastwood on the Rawhide TV series.

May 4, 2023

 Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro were known as 'Thunder and Lightning' for the Miss St 1985 baseball team. I watched some of a 2015 documentary with same title, and was surprised that they showed Will Clark on hunting trips, and Raffy discussing his transition from Cuban emigre in Miami' FLA to Miss St w/o bashing Starkville' Mississippi.

These players were drafted by the MLB. Will Clark  - Rafael Palmeiro - Bobby Thigpen - Jeff Brantley - Gator Thiesen - Dan Van Cleve - Gene Morgan. By now Gator is probably a common southern first name.

June 17, 2023

Curious first names: Blaze Brothers, second baseman for Oral Robert U.

August 3, 2023

Those first names: Bake McBride, a decent OF with the Phillies, Cards, etc.

Sept 23, 2023

Pig Cage, an LB for UTSA. Quite a name! His team plays the Vols today.

Nov 18, 2023

Bullets Walson, born in Austria-Hungary, played QB for the Washington Senators of AFPA, which later became NFL. Record -keeping was shaky.

Dec 28, 2023

I'm reading a book about the St Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles history and came across  the name Baby Doll Jacobson, a solid outfielder for the Browns and other teams.

 On opening day of the Mobile Sea Gulls of the Southern Association 1912 season, the band began playing, "Oh, You Beautiful Doll", as Jacobson came to the plate. and he led off with a home run on the first pitch. A lady sitting behind the plate jumped up and shouted, 'You must be that beautiful doll they were talking about.' The nickname stuck.

Feb 6, 2024

Blaze Brothers from Oral Roberts to the Cleburne Railroaders(AA_IND). He batted around .230.

April 7, 2024

Indiana St baseball 23-7 (7-2 MVC). How about this first name, Josue Urdaneta, starting 2B.

May 30, 2024

Rare first name: LEBARRON JOHNSON Jr. , pitcher for Texas U baseball team which is in the same 2024 bracket with TAMU.

June 10, 2024

you can't beat this last name and the jersey number.  Clemson RHP : Drew Titsworth #00.

Aug 29, 2024

1933 Cards: Dizzy Dean's teammate was Dazzy Vance, who pitched for a few teams in a 20 year MLB career.

July 18, 2025

Harry (Klondike) Kane played for the St. Louis Browns, the Tigers, and the Phillies between 1902 and 1906. Unsure how he got the nickname.

Aug 12, 2025

"Icicle" Reeder played six games in the OF in the major leagues in 1884, three with the Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association and three with the Washington Nationals of the Union Association. 

Reeder died in 1913 in Cincinnati, Ohio, of general paralysis of the insane , a polite way of saying late-stage syphilis .

Sept 6, 2025

First name Telly had me thinking of Kojak. When I saw Telly Johnson's 74YD TD run for NIU, I thought my Terps were going to crumble. M Washington, the Terp QB, led us to another score. MD 20 NIU 9

MW shouldn't wander from the pocket too much. That one fumble was bad.

Aug, 2, 2026

Lucky Sutton RB SDSU(PAC12) is back for 2026 season. He rushed for 1297 yards  for the Aztecs last season.

those players names      earlier blog

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

Week 6 O5 conference play

 AAC: I'm keeping my eyes on UCF but missed out on picking that game in which they played a he!! of second half and rolled SMU 41-19. ECU nearly upset NC St, but lost to Navy, while Tulane beat Houston and Kansas St but lost to S.Miss. I'll go with Ahlers tossing 3 TD passes for ECU in a victory over Tulane. ECU 27 Tulane 24

CUSA: In a battle of productive QBs, I'll give Frank Harris(UTSA) the edge at home in the Alamodome over  Austin Reed(WKU) . UTSA 41 WKU 38

MAC: E.Michigan beat Arizona St but struggled to victory of UMass and W. Michigan has been dull. I want to call this one a tie, but EMU will pull out a 17-16 win.

MWC: The passing Rebs have been lighting up the scoreboard this season. I'll roll with Doug Brumfield leading UNLV to a 30 -27 win over San Jose St.

SunBelt:  The Stun Belt has lost some of its shock appeal, but James Madison, the new 1A kid in town,  won at Appy, so I think Centeio and the Dukes pull out a 23 -19 squeaker at Ark St this week.

Oct 8, 2022

I was wrong on the passing Rebs. SJST 40 UNLV 7. Cordeiro, the SJST QB, threw for two TDs and ran for two TDs. 

 Tune woke up late for Houston and they outscored Memphis. 26-12 in the 4th for a 33-32 W.

Oct 9, 2022

I finished 3-2.  I was wrong on ECU who couldn't figure out Tulane's D. UTSA won a shootout over WKU. I was correct on EMU and JMU but guessing they would be low scoring games was off by a mile.

Surprises. Appy lost to TX ST. NIU  keeps losing, yesterday it was 52-32 to Toledo.

Oct 11, 2022

James Madison jumped into the AP top 25.  They're at Georgia Southern this week. Dukes beware of road road life in the StunBelt.

Rest of O5 play in week 12

 AAC: It's sure looks like it will be a Cincy/Houston AAC final, so I'll take a look at Navy who's been playing better in conference during November. Perhaps Navy FB Carlinas Acie will have an 80 yard game against ECU this week like he did in the Tulsa win . It will still won't be enough. Ahlers will toss two TD passes for ECU in a 27-22 win over Navy.

CUSA: Frank Harris UTSA ( 190-284, 2306 YDS, 20 TD and Sincere McCormick UTSA

(230 CAR, 1150 YDS, 11 TD) will be too much for UAB  and win 31-23 to lock up the CUSAW

MWC: L. Bonner(193-315, 2749 YDS, 25 TD, 10 INT)  will lead Utah St  to a hard fought 26 22 win over pesky Wyoming and move closer to winning the MWCM.

SunBelt: Most of the conference is playing OOC games, so I'll go with Grainger leading Georgia St to a 20 17 win over Ark St.

nov 21, 2021

AAC: My totals were off, but I but my assessment was on target in in ECU's 38-35 win over Navy. Ahlers and Acie had big stats for their respective squads.

CUSA: UTSA outscored UAB 17-7 in the second half  for a 34-31 win. Another solid game for Harris, but the UTSA'D had difficulty stopping McBride who  rushed for 144 yards and a TD.

MWC: I blew this pick big time.  Titus Sven finished with 15 carries for 169 yards for Wyoming in a 44-17 win over Utah St.

Sunbelt: Ga St, RB Jamyest Williams rushed got 125 yards and 2 TDs in a 28-20 win over Ark St.

I was correct on 3 out of 4 this week.

Quick note on football in the Carolinas: CCU struggled a bit while beating Texas St, and Charlotte collapsed in a loss to Marshall.

Cincy's big win over SMU and Oregon's loss to Utah keeps the pressure on the CFP.

O5 Conference play in week 8

 A late start this week spared me from picking Coastal Carolina, who was upset 30-27 in SunBelt play   last night by App St.. Appy made some corrections after being crushed by ULL last week.

Sunbelt: So, I'll roll with ULL  to remain undefeated in conference play with a 34 -20 win over Ark St.

MAC:  Jay Ducker won't repeat  go for 210 yards like he did last week for NIU but he'll get over a 100 to keep NIU undefeated in MAC play. NIU 26 CMU 23

MWC: The undefeated SDST Aztecs are coming off a shaky win over SJST and should slow down Air Force RB Brad Roberts enough for a 20-16 win.

CUSA: C. Reynolds,  who has passed for 1314 YDS and 15 TD, will lead Charlotte a 34 29 win over FAU.

AAC: The "Tuned" up Cougars will handle the  Pirates this week.  HOU 37 ECU 31 Clayton Tune will toss a few TD passes for Houston.

Oct 22, 2021

Off to a rocky start 1-1. Charlotte was outplayed by FAU who was too fast for them everywhere  in a 38-9 win. I was right on ULL but it took a he!! of a rushing performance from these two Cajuns: C. Smith 24 carries 238yards 2 TDs . M. Johnson 17 carries 150 yards 2 TDs. ULL 28 Ark St 27

Oct 24, 2021

I finished 4-1. NIU get a last minute FG to get by CMU  39-38. Houston need a defensive TO to survive ECU 31-24 in OT. SDST held off AFA 20-14.

MWC is back and more O5 picks for week ending Oct 24

 Can App St shed the rust  and beat Arkansas St on a Thursday night? Yes, I'll take Zac Thomas, the App St QB, over the Bonner/Hatcher platoon  of Ark St. APP 26 Ark St 20.

Wyoming behind its QB Sean Chambers pulls out a 20-17 road victory at Nevada. 

Cincy travels to SMU in a battle of two top 25 teams. Cincy has enough D to rope in the Mustangs O and win 24-23.

Taggart's Owls won't  slow down the Wells/Knox show in Huntingdon, WVA. Marshall 30 Fau 20 

Oct 23

The rust flew off APP St in a 45-17 victory of Ark St. App St QB, Zac Thomas, tossed four TD passes and ran for one. 

Oct 24

I didn't pick this game but needed to mention that #ChrisSmith ran a kickoff back 100 yards for a ULL(Sunbelt) TD in a 24-20 win over UAB(CUSA).

Oct 25

Heck of  battle in Nevada with  Charlie Strong tossing for 420 yards nd 4 TDs including the game winner in OT. NEV 37 WYO 34. BTW, Chambers, the Wyoming QB, went down early with a bad fibula injury.

SMU's D was weak, as expected , and could not contain Cincy QB, Desmond Ridder who tossed one TD pass and ran for 3TDs while gaining 179 yards on eight carries. Cincy 42 SMU 13.

#herd got it done again. Wells tossed two TD passes and Knox rushed for 101 yards in 20-9 win over FAU.

3-1 this weekend. I was wrong on Wyoming.

Force four O5 picks for Oct 3

 I'm unsure as to how Air Force gets to start it's season against Navy(AAC) when it's conference, the MWC, doesn't start  play until Oct 24 and hasn't produced a schedule. Navy should win by 10 against the rusty Falcons.

 Arkansas St  lost to Memphis and beat Iowa St(Big12) while CCU beat Kansas(Big12) this season. Jamal Jones will rush for a 100 + in a 24 19 Ark St win over CCU in Sunbelt action.

Can any team slow down UAB RB Spencer Brown? I don;'t think UTSA will this week in a CUSA matchup. UAB 34 UTSA 22

App St gave Charlotte a reality check two weeks ago and will rely on Chris Reynolds, their QB, to shift into high gear against Taggart's crew at FAU in a CUSA matchup. This will be the Owls first game this season. CHAR 24 FAU 16

Oct 4

UAB win over UTSA was my sole correct pick.  Navy was the rusty military crew and were held to under a 100 yards rushing by Air Force. McCall(20/29 for 322 yards and 4 TDs) had a great game at QB for CCU in a 52-23 win over Ark St. Nick Tronti rushed for a TD and tossed two TD passes in third quarter for FAU in a 21 -17 win over Charlotte.

I didn't pick the game or see it coming but props to Tulsa for a huge AAC victory over UCF.

Will the Sunbelt shine against B12 on Sept 12? Or others?

Three Sunbelt team will get close but not get a cigar against the Big 12 on Saturday. Coastal Carolina upset Kansas last season but Les Miles won't let that occur again. Pooka Williams will rush for 150 plus  in a KU win. ULL will give Iowa St (Big 12) a difficult time and lose a close one. Purdy's arm will win the day for ISU. Arkansas St will have a tough time containing Skylar Thomphson of Kansas St .

However, the non B12 matchups will  result in some wins. App St hosts an improving Charlotte(CUSA) squad in a matchup that may cement a growing regional rivalry. App St won 56-41 last season, but this game will be lower scoring.  App St DBs will make some big plays in a 23-19 win. South Alabama will upset Tulane(AAC) behind the Trotter to Tolbert connection.

Texas St played ok in a loss to SMU last week but will fall to UTSA(CUSA) in a nailbiter .

ULM faces an Army squad that rolled MTSU 42-0 last week. Warhawks will score some points but  will not have enough D  to muster a victory.

sEPT 13, 2020

I'm here to eat crow. Those three Sunbelt teams, CCU, ULL, and Ark St  had a great games in knocking off Big 12 squads. South Bama crumbled in the final 20 minutes and lost to Tulane 27-24. T. Spears rushed for 105 yards on eleven carries for the Green Wave.

I was correct on App St, UTSA,  and Army, but TX St forced OT before losing, and I thought Coach Traylor of UTSA was going to blow a gasket on the sidelines. UTSA RB, Sincere McCormick, rushed for 197 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.

Sept 14, 2020

 ULL Ragin' Cajuns in first college football rankings since 1943 They're ranked 19 in this week's AP Top 25.

Dec 21 O5 Bowl Games

NEW MEXICO BOWL SDST(MWC) has found various ways to put together a solid season. CMU has been erratic . Aztecs D get a pick 6  and a narrow 19-17 win
FBC MORTGAGE CURE BOWL- Tough call . Can  Flames D contain Werts, the Georgia Southern QB? Nope! I'm looking for a wild won with Hickson of Liberty rushing for two TDs in a 36-34 win
CHERIBUNDI BOCA RATON BOWL Kiffin is gone so FAU falters to SMU(AAC)  34-22. Shane Buechele will strafe the  Owls D for three TD passes.
CAMELLIA BOWL You never know which FIU(AAC) teams will show up. Arkansas St(SunBelt) QB Hatcher will have a solid day.  Ark St 29 FIU 26
MITSUBISHI MOTORS LAS VEGAS BOWL: Harsin has Boise St(MWC) nearing the heights it was at Peterson left for UW.  Peterson goes out on a winning note at UW with 23-22 win. Ahmed rushes for 100  + and a TD for the Hiskies
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL UAB's (CUSA) offense tends to disappear. App St(Sunbelt) survives losing another HC. App St 20 UAB 16

dec 22 review

Five out of six. Only incorrect pick was SMU (AAC). Robison tossed for 305 yards and two TDs for FAU in a 52-28 win.. I thought UAB was going to make it a big day for the CUSA, but App St with Boynton rushing for 157 yards and two TDs roared back for  the 31-17 win. Then FIU(CUSA) couldn't slow down Hatcher, the  Ark St QB, and lost 34-26 giving the Sunbelt a 2-0 day against the CUSA.
Another Sunbelt squad , Georgia Southern , fell to Liberty 23 to 16. Calvert's 57 yards TD pass to a wide open Huntley was a huge play for the Flames.
MWC got a split. Aztecs controlled CMU the entire game  in a 48-11 win. Boise got rolled by UW 38-7.

Jan 8:

It turns out the Aztecs win over CMU was HC Rocky Long's last victory. He was 81-38 as head coach at SDSU and before that 65-69 in eleven seasons at New Mexico which makes him the winningest HC in MWC history. Brady Hoke, the man he replaced at SDSU nine years ago, is the new HC.

Jan 27

And  Rocky Long returns  to be the Lobos DC. Man, WTH happened at SDSU? I thought he'd retire or go to a different conference as a consultant.

May 21, 2020

 Props to UAB: Georgia is on their schedule in 2021 and 2023 and LSU in 2022. UAB is 2-25 versus SEC schools. In 2000 they beat Saban's LSU squad, and they beat Miss St in 2004.

July 14, 2020

Four-star QB Shedeur Sanders, son of Deion Sanders, commits to FAU (CUSA). Big nab for Coach Taggart.

Week 14 O5 picks -divsions at stake

MAC: WMU and CMU are tied for first  at 5-2 in the MACW. Central Michigan barely survived Ball St last week while Toledo got crushed by Buffalo. Koback rushed for 99 yards and 1TD and looks to be getting back in gear and will lead Toledo to an upset of CMU 26 -22.
AAC: Navy is tied with Memphis in the West after upsetting  SMU last week and faces a Houston team that found some D   last week in a win over Tulsa and will  contain Malcom Perry, the Navy QB, enough to  win 20-19.
CUSA: Three way tie  in CUSAW with UAB, La Tech, and USM at 5-2. UAB D was strong in a big win over La Tech last week and will handle North Texas who fell to Rice last week.
MWC: Air Force(6-1) will get a narrow 27-26 win thanks to 2 TD passes from DJ Hammond at home over Wyoming ,but that won't be enough for them to catch  the MWC Mountail leader Boise St (7-0) who will beat Colorado St.
SunBelt: Layne Hatcher will have huge day in a 33 -19 Arkansas St (5-2) win over South Bama and hope for ULM to upset ULL (6-1) the  West leader.

Nov 28

I'll stick with my Toledo pick despite  CMU's opportunity the West with a win since WMU lost to NIU in the fierce wind and  the rain on Tuesday night.

nov 30

Off to a rough (0-2) start with my picks. Koback scored the lone TD for Toledo and only rushed for 22 yards in a 49-7 loss to Central Michigan, the winner of the West who faces the East champ, Miami (Ohio), next week. Kobe Lewis rushed for 131 yards and 2 TDS for CMU.
In the SunBelt , Hatcher(23-38, 342 YDS, 2 TD )  had another big day  for Ark St, but it wasn't enough to prevent Desmond Trotter(20-31, 279 yards , 4TDs) and Jaguars of South Bama from getting  their first conference win this season. USA 34 Ark St 30

dec 1

I was wrong on Houston's D and ended up 2-3 this week. Navy 56 HOU 41 .

• Jamale Carothers NAVY 18 CAR, 188 YDS, 5 TD and Perry rushed for 144 yards and a TD

And here's my two correct picks: TD Marshall provided  a pick 6 and Spencer Brown carried the ball 19 times for 111 yards and a TD for UAB in a 26-21winover North texas
Donald Hammond scored both of AFA's TDs, on the ground, one by air, in 20-6 win over Wyoming.

Week 13 O5 picks- division time

MACW has two idle teams  tied at 5-2( WMU and CMU)  so I'll roll with a MAC East game .  Miami O owns H2H tiebreakers with the rest of the East including Ohio who will  get back on the winning track against Bowling Green tonight 27-19 behind  another solid all-around game game from their QB  O'Rourke.
AAC: I'm not sold on Temple's two QB, Russo and Centeio, system and don't think they have enough O to stay with Cincy who lock up the East with a win.   Cincy 34 Temple 22
CUSA: Chris Reynolds, Charlotte's QB, has been putting up big numbers, but the herd D will find a way to keep them in the game and get Marshall to a narrow 24-23 road win and keep them on pace with FAU in the East.
MWC: Utah St moves in to tie with Boise for the Mountain with a win.  Home field and Jordan Love's arm will be the keys in a 44-43 shootout win over Boise St.
Sunbelt: Ark St trails ULL by a game in the Wesr , and Georgia Southern trails App St by a game in the East. Hatcher's a hot QB and he'll the Red Wolves to a 30-29 over  another solid QB- led team  GSU Eagles who will get big numbers from Werts.

Nov 20

 Wow,  Ohio 66 BG 24. O’Shaan Allison rushed for 175 yards which included touchdown runs of 54, 7 and 53 yards, Nathan Rourke accounted for four TDs, three passing, one rushing.
Nov 24
Saturday split leaves me 3-2 for the week
Well, Reynolds was the man and the #herd went limp in the second half . Char 24 MU 10
Less than I expected, and a blocked extra-point attempt turned into Cincinnati's decisive points in 15-13 win over TU.
I was way off Boise.  Holani (16 CAR, 178 YDS, 2 TD) led the way in the BSU 56-21 blowout of USU.
 Ark St 38 Ga SO 33- Huge Game from Hatcher

Layne Hatcher ARST 19-24, 354 YDS, 4 TD
Shai Werts GASO 18 CAR, 151 YDS, 1 TD

• Hey how about Butch Davis' Panthers beating Miami FL. FIU (CUSA) 30 The u 24