O5 Bowl Games on Dec 16

 Myrtle Beach Bowl: Georgia Southern(SBC) vs. Ohio(MAC)

I'm going roll with the Bobcats. GS hasn't won since October. Ohio 20 GS 17

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Jacksonville State(CUSA) vs. ULL(SBC)

Malik Jackson will rush for 100 yards for Jax in a 27-23 win.

Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State

MAC vs SBC. Aguilar returns to form and tosses two TD passes for Appy in a 24 16 win.

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico State(CUSA) vs. Fresno State(MWC)

Pavia will return to for NMST in a 30-27 win.

LA Bowl

UCLA(Pac12) vs. Boise State(MWC)

Boise is on a nice high, but UCLA will have enough pride to avoid the upset and stop Jeanty who has rushed for 1263 yards this season. Bruins 24  Broncos 20

Dec 17, 2023

Sole incorrect pick yesterday was NMSU. 

Ohio came out and stayed in control. Rickey Hunt RB - OHIO 17CAR 115YDS 4TD. Plus a receiving TD. Bobcats didn't appear to miss all those portal departures.

R. Wiggins RB - JVST 27CAR 126YDS 1TD in a 34-31 OT win over ULL. ULL D scored 3TDs in the loss.

R. Amos RB - M-OH 33CAR 180YDS 1TD and his team lost to Appy 13-9

Keene threw 3 TD passes for Fresno in a blowout of NMSU.

G. Holani RB - BOISE 17CAR 138YDS 2TD in a loss to UCLA

Dec 17 evening: Going with SBC tomorrow afternoon. ODU 24 Wku 17 is my hunch.

Dec 18 evening: Turn on the TV after work and ODU is up 28-14, then its 35-14. I turn off TV. WKU wins 38-35. There goes my hot streak.

Week 13 in the O5

 AAC: How about UTSA (8-3 7-0AAC)  @ Tulane (10-1 7-0AAC).  Green Wave D will slow down Frank Harris. TUL 24 UTSA 17.

SMU is also 7-0 in conference play and has too much O for the improving Midshipmen D. SMU 27 Navy 13

CUSA: Two experienced head coaches: Kill's Kids win at home over  Rich Rod's Gamecocks. NMSU 24 Jax St 19

MAC: Little Miami owns the tiebreaker over Ohio and will face Toledo in the title game next week. Their rushing attack will do the job Saturday Miami(OH) 20 Ball St 13.

MWC: San José State (6-5 5-2 MWC) @ UNLV (9-2 6-1 MWC). Rebs will make sure they are in the title game. UNLV 28 SJST 23.  I'm just tossing a coin on their opponent next week.  Boise St /AFA, each 5-2,  play Friday.

Sunbelt: Troy is in the title game. CCU hosts JMU and needs a W to get to the title game. I don't see the Chants sealing the deal. JMU 31 CCU 24. McCloud, the JMU QB, will have a big game.

Nov 25, 2023

Good start for my picks: Tulane 29 UTSA 16. Green Wave D slowed down: F. Harris QB - UTSA 198YDS 1TD 2INT. 

I called this one a coin toss.  Boise 27 AFA 19. Boise gets into the MWC title game if UNLV beats SJST.  

Nov 26, 2023

SMU crushed Navy. Little Mami blocked a FG attempt to hold off Ball St 17-15.

JMU crushed CCU. McCloud threw 5 TD passes. Appy, not JMU(ineligible). plays Troy in SBC title game.

San Jose State beats UNLV 37-31; MWC ends in 3-way tie for first. Computer is sorting out which two teams land in the title game.

NMSU edged .JX St 20-17 and plays Liberty in the CUSA title game.

Nov 27, 2023

Boise State, San Jose State, and UNLV finished the season tied at 6-2 in the MWC standings. None of the three teams appeared in the College Football Playoff Rankings, SJST lost out in the second tiebreaker an average of computer rankings from Anderson & Hester, Colley Matrix and Massey and Wolfe, several of the computers used for the old BCS system. 

Boise St will play at UNLV.

Delaware is moving up to 1A and joining the CUSA.  Blue Hens are about 75 minutes away from me by car. Joe Flacco left Pitt for DE and made it to the NFL.

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

Week 7 in the O5

 Tuesday and Wednesday football started earlier this season, but I don't get to my weekly blog until Thursday so no CUSA games left to pick.

AAC:  Big respect for Tulane but can't go against Henigan and the Tigers at home. MEM 31 TUL 30.

UAB and UTSA are coming off much needed wins. Zeno will return to his birthplace San Antonio Saturday and toss two TD passes for the Blazers. UAB 30 UTSA 27

MWC: Both teams are coming off blowout losses. SDST to AFA and Hawaii to UNLV. Aztecs steal one on the road with Mayden tossing a TD pass. SDST 22 Hawaii 20

MAC: Brown has a good game running the ball for NIU, but home field won't be enough. Ohio 24 NIU 20

SunBelt: Brin has some big passing stats and will lead the GA Southern to a huge road win in Harrisonburg. GA S: 27 JMU 24

Oct 14, 2023

M. Hughes RB - TULN 26 CAR130YDS 1TD, and the Green Wave D shut down Memphis in the 4Q for a 31-21 win.  I'm 0-1 to start the week.

Oct 15, 2023

Let's see if I got any right yesterday. Just one!

 Terribly wrong on GA SO who were pummeled by JMU. UAB didn't do much better against UTSA. Ohio lost to NIU. 

However, I was right on San Diego St who beat Hawaii 41-34. Lucky Sutton ran for 2 TDs, and McCuin added pick-6 to help for the Aztecs. In other MWC news. Colorado St beat Boise St as the clock expired. UNLV (5-1 2-0 MWC) pounded Nevada and is a team to keep your eyes on.

I thought the #herd were coming back when Ali scored on a long pass play to end the 3Q to narrow its deficit to 27-24, but GAST outscored them 14-0 in the 4Q.

Oct 17, 2023

I'll toss in a Tuesday game here.  Rich Rod's Jax St squad ekes out a 24-23 win over WKU tonight. Players to watch: A. Reed QB - WKU 1665 YDS 14 TD 3INT

RUSH: M. Jackson RB - JVST 104CAR 578YDS 4TD

Well, it was Z. Webb QB - JVST (28CAR 146YDS 1TD) who was a big factor in a close game, JAX 20 WKU 17.  

Liberty beat MTSU and South Bama demolished USM.

Warming up for the 2023 O5 season

 Aztecs pay some legal fees to stay in the MWC another year while they wait for the Pac12  to get a deal with Apple or anyone. SDST host Ohio(MAC) in its opener

Funbelt  usually pull some upsets early, but I don't see many serious possibilities except Coastal Carolina beating UCLA at the Rose Bowl. McCall returns at QB for CCU, and Coach Chip Kelly's teams often stumble out of the blocks. Of course, Coach Chadwell is at Liberty U and Tim Beck is running the Chanticleers.

Rick Rod is back as a Head Coach and his JaxSt squad host UTEP in the season CUSA opener. 

Rice (AAC) will likely get spanked in Austin by the Horns, but I like seeing ex-SWC matchups.

 Tulane finished ahead of UCF in the AAC last season and beat USC in the Cotton Bowl. Coach Fritz has a good thing going. Sincere Haynesworth anchors a solid OL. Green Wave hosts South Bama in its opener

CUSA:  I noticed a lot of "love" for WKU in pre-season CUSA polls. I'm still wondering about their D. It was OK until the loss to Auburn then weaker until the end of the 2022 season.

July 26, 2023

 Tyrice Knight, who led UTEP(CUSA) with 95 tackles last year, skipped a portal move to a P5 team. "I'm more of a loyal guy... I couldn't walk out on them." Big hit on twitter and its fits our group posts. BTW, the Miners may be sniffing upset of Northwestern scandalCats on Sept 9.

July 30, 2023

Week Zero: Intrigued by games 2 and 5

UMass vs New Mexico State(CUSA) 

Ohio(MAC) vs San Diego State(MWC)

Hawaii(MWC vs Vanderbilt

San Jose State(MWC) vs USC

FIU vs Louisiana Tech: CUSA game

Aug 1, 2023

Seems like a longshot and that's if the Pac 12 gets in gear soon:   ULNV joining the P12. Rebels play at the new Raiders-owned Allegiant Stadium, and the A's are bringing the MLB to town.

Aug 5, 2023

Well gang, looks like I may be chatting about Cal, Wazzoo, Stanford, and Oregon St next year in non p5 sports. Crazy day yesterday with the death of the Pac 12.

I'm looking at week 1 and thinking UCF better prepare well for Kent St(MAC). Not a good look getting upset in game 1 as a member of the P5.

I was looking at the FIU /La Tech game in week Zero, and if Coach MacIntyre can get to .500 this season. Looked back at FIU coaching tree. Don Strock, the ex-Dolphins back QB, was its first HC.

Aug 16, 2023

reading some amusing tweets: NMST /Umass game on ESPN will get more eyes than San Jose St/USC on P12N on week 0.

Dae Dae Hunter (Liberty) will sit out the 2023 season and transfer for 2024 season. That stings!

Announcers should have fun on Nov 4 when Jax St plays South Carolina. Both teams are Gamecocks.

Aug 27, 2023

I thought FIU would play LA Tech close, but hard way to lose by being outscored 9-0 in the second half LT 17-FIU 13.

Ohio gave SDSY a tough game but fell 20-13

Rich Rod wins first game as Jax St HC. Jax 17 UTEP 14

NMST lost to UMass 41-30- tough loss.

Hawaii hung with Vandy but lost. Vandy 35-Hawaii 28. Next up possible upset against Stanford.

aug 16au

Early look at 2022 CUSA pigskin

Bill Clark, who stuck with UAB after the program was temporarily shuttered in 2014 and won two CUSA titles, is stepping down on Aug 1 to get a spinal infusion for an ailing back. I'm guessing UAB will keep him on the payroll in some role.

OC and assistant head coach Bryant Vincent will assume interim coaching duties. Running backs DeWayne McBride and Jermaine Brown Jr, who combined for 2,002 yards last season, anchor the CUSA's top backfield  

I'm real curious if Fran Healy's Charlotte squad can back in the mix.

June 28, 2022

FAU :9/24/22: @  Purdue . I'm nearly certain this is the first time these schools have met on the gridiron. A real test for HC Willie Taggart, who's been hanging on in 1A football since he blew his shots for the big time at Oregon and at Florida St.

July 5, 2022

West Virginia transfer Jarret Doege is the front-runner to replace Zappe as the WKU starting QB. Hilltoppers open at Hawaii(MWC) on 9/3/22.

C-USA was founded in 1995 by the merger of the Metro Conference and Great Midwest Conference, two 1A conferences that did not sponsor football.  The merger EXCLUDED Great Midwest member Dayton and Metro members ,VCU and Virginia Tech. 

July 10, 2022

Rich Rod doesn't have much of a 1A schedule in 2022. Tulsa(AAC) is Jacksonville St s only 1A opponent.  2023 will be a big wake up call when they get into CUSA action.

July 15, 2022

Sat 9/10 Maryland @ Charlotte - hope my Terps are careful in CUSA land

July, 19, 2022

UTSA HC Jeff Traylor told Texas Longhorns fans and Baylor Bears fans on Monday:" Rep the Roadrunners in San Antonio – or nothing at all."  Hey, Traylor has them on the move up to the AAC. His statement is goofy but gave me a morning chuckle"

O5 tourney time in March 2022

 Sunbelt tournament tipped off in Pensacola, FLA last night with some mild upsets. Ark-LR(3-11) knocked off South Bama(9-7) 75-71 and Georgia Southern (5-11) knocked off CCU(8-8) 70-64.  In other action ULL beat UTA and Ark St beat ULM.

No upsets in AAC action as its tourney nears Memphis, Houston, SMU, and Tulane won last night.

NTX beat UTSA and should be the 1 seed in the CUSAT.

San Diego St needed two OTs to edge Fresno St 65-64 and will not catch Boise St for the top seed in the MWCT.

March 5, 2022

Heading toward the MACT: I was impressed at how Kent St held off a hot Buffalo squad. Toledo rolled Bowling Green, and I haven't forgotten Akron who edged CMU last night.

March 6, 2022

And just like that, TX St ain't Dancin. Jordan Brown scored 31 to lead ULL to an upset of TX St. The other SBCT winners yesterday were: Troy over Ark-LR, App St over Georgia Southern, and GA St over Ark St. Today's matchups Ga St/ULL, App St/Troy.

In the CUSA North Texas was upset by UTEP yesterday, but they 'll still be the top seed in the CUSAT ahead of UAB.

March 7, 2022

Penny has the Memphis Tigers in high gear. They owned Houston yesterday and their only loss in the last eleven games is to SMU who now sits on the bubble.

March 8, 2022

Georgia St is the Sunbelt Dance ticket holder. Corey Allen scored 29 points for GA St in an 80-71 win over ULL.

March 11, 2022

MACT: I'm surprised that CMU(7-23) took Toledo to the brink before losing 72-71. Others advancing: Ohio, Akron, and Kent St

CUSA: LA Tech beat WKU which is a minor upset. NTX, UAB, and MTSU advance.

MWCT:  Boise St survived a battle with Nevada(13-17). Colorado st, Wyoming, SDST keep playing.

March 12, 2022

CUSA: What a difference in games. UAB 102 MTSU 98 in 3OTs. NTX only scored 13 points in the 1st half and lost 42-36 to LA Tech.

MAC:  I've been tracking Akron who beat Toledo and thought it would be interesting to see Coach Cooper face his former team Ohio in the MACT final, but Kent St knocked off Ohio.

MWC: SDST knocked off # 23 Colorado St and Boise St beat Wyoming. I don't see the MWC getting four Dance tickets.

AAC:  Houston vs Tulane. Memphis vs SMU. I think Memphis and Houston are Dancing, but Tulane and SMU need to win the AACT for a Dance ticket.

March 13, 2022

"Jelly'' Walker sunk 11 of 11 from the free-throw line and scored 27 points for UAB in an 82-73  win over La Tech  in the CUSAT final

Freeman (23 PTS 8 REB 2 AST) led Akron to a 76-55 win over Toledo in the MACT final and a Dance ticket.

Boise St edged SDST 53-52 in the MWCT final

In the AACT Houston rolled Tulane and Memphis beat SMU 72-63 setting up a Houston/Memphis game today. SMU hung tough and may be on the bubble but  it depends on how deep the Dance Committee goes in the SEC and Big 12. Plus Va Tech upset Duke in the ACC final. 

Frank Haith resigned from Tulsa and Dooley is out at ECU.

March 14, 2022

Jax St (future CUSA) gets Auburn in an intrastate matchup. UAB(CUSA) gets Houston(AAC).

March 25, 2022

The chip is getting bigger for Houston who beat Zona last night. Man was I wrong on them in the Dance. Picking UAB over HOU in rd1 haunts me.

Sunbelt 2023 or 2022 expansion reverberates

 Ark-Little Rock, a non-football member of the Sun Belt since 1991, is going to the Ohio Valley Conference on July 1st, 2022.

 UT Arlington, another non-football member is is a candidate to join the Missouri Valley Conference.

James Madison HC Curt Cignetti announced the hire of Matt Transue as the new Senior Director of Football Operations.

 Transue joins the Dukes with five-plus years of experience at the FBS level as it relates to the day-to-day operations of a football program. He spent five years in various positions at Va Tech from 2017-21 then was the DFO at Ga Southern last season. I'm sure Helton, the HC at Georgia Southern, ain't digging losing him to a future SBC opponent.

Division travel shouldn't be bad in the Sunbelt East: Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Marshall, Old Dominion and James Madison.

Jan 15, 2022

Sunbelt will let #herd, USM, and ODU, know on Jan 26 if they can join for 2022 instead of 2023.

Jan 22, 2022

UTA is set to join the WAC, not the MVC, on July 1, in time for the 2022-23 athletic season. The WAC is getting Texas-heavy. 

Feb 2, 2022

Various news outlets reports that JMU will be joining the Sunbelt in all sports starting in the fall of 2022, and the Dukes are slated to open their football season against MTSU on September 3.

Feb 5, 2022

America East bans Stony Brook Seawolves from conference tournaments because it's moving to the CAA, who did the same thing to James Madison for their move to the Sunbelt. Both schools will need to get at large bids to NCAA tournaments.

Feb 23, 2022

Marshall is suing C-USA in Cabell County, WV in a bid to exit early for Sun Belt and are claiming that the current bylaws on arbitration were not in effect when they joined the conference in 2003.

CUSA may want to move Liberty(Independent in football) in earlier than the planned 2023 date.

March 30, 2022

#herd, USM, and ODU got their wish and will join the SunBelt for 2022 football season. Conference USA will play with 11 members next season and has petitioned the NCAA for health and safety reasons, a lack of bye weeks, to play two football games in Week 0 in 2022.

April 23, 2022

Well, if the Sunbelt schedules more games against division opponents than travel should be reduced.

May 4, 2022

Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF are negotiating a settlement with the AAC to leave the league early and make their Big 12 membership official on July 1, 2023 . And watch the AAC try to speed up bringing in these CUSA teams: Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB.

May 21, 2022

Sad news for Jax St , who's transitioning to 1A while it on its way to the CUSA in 2023. Assistant head football coach Calvin Magee(59) died after suffering a heart attack. He was an assistant to HC Rich Rod at several schools over the years and played four seasons at TE for TBay Buccaneers.

May 31, 2022

Georgia Southern (40-18) of the Sun Belt Conference will host a Baseball regional for the first time. East Carolina(AAC) and S.Miss (CUSA) are also hosting. BTW, ECU opens against Coppin St (MEAC), a small inner-city schooi in Baltimore, my home town.

June 10, 2022

It's official on July 1, 2023 :Cincinnati, Houston, UCF will join the Big 12 The Big 12 will field 14 teams in 2023 . The three schools will each pay the AAC $18 million over a 14-year period to leave the conference early. As an FBS independent, BYU will only have to pay $500,000 to leave the WCC for other sports, Six CUSA schools six schools will now officially join the AAC :Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB. and UTSA CUSA will also add four schools: Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State. and Sam Houston State.

July 21, 2022

I took a nap on the Sunbelt. JMU's Homecoming Weekend October 22: The Dukes will face Marshall, a team they’ve only played to twice in the 1990s. Marshall won both matchups.

July 29, 2022

Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall signed an NIL deal with Darlington Raceway( “Too Tough To Tame”). I can see this one working out well.

When I went to a few Nascar races at Dover around from 1998-2000, a lot of the long- time fans told me that Darlington was a track I should visit.