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 11 in the O5

 AAC:  Navy lost to Temple last week while Zena and UAB have been putting some points on the scoreboard. UAB wins at home. UAB 31 Navy 20

CUSA: Kill's Kids go on the road this week to WKU. New Mexico St D creates some turnovers in a 24-23 win over the Hilltoppers.

MAC: Toledo looks like a lock in the MACW while Little Miami, Bowling Green, and Ohio battle it out in the East. Those four teams won games earlier this week.

MWC:  Does AFA rebound from being upset by Army last week? Yep, they'll find a way. Hawaii. AFA 21 HAW 17

SunBelt: Texas St heads east to face Coastal Carolina, who's won four in a row. CCU D will slow down Finley. CCU 30 TX ST 24.

Nov 11, 2023

Not among my picks but worth noticing. SMU rolled NTX in AAC play. 

MWC:  UNLV beat Wyoming 34-14: Jayden Maiava threw a touchdown pass and ran for two TDs.

Nov 12, 2023

Wrong: UAB- Coach Dilfer's O was weak. AFA got strafed by B. Schager QB - HAW(176YDS 2TD)

Correct: NMST   Mekhi Miller scored on a pick6. CCU, and I got damn close on the final score. CCU 31 TX St 23

BTW, I noticed 3TDs from Ali in the # herd W.

 Brady Hoke will retire from San Diego St after the season and rumors are flying that TAMU is coming for Cignetti, the James Madison football HC.

Also hearing, but not buying, Chadwell leaving Liberty for Miss. St.

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

Peeking at non-p5 baseball-Carolina style

 ECU(AAC) is 30-6: Josh Moylan, a first baseman, leads the team in RBIs with 39

CCU(SunBelt) is 23-11 and its team batting average is .318

Campbell (Big South) is 30-8:  Bryce Arnold, a SS, leads the teams win Home Runs with 14.

Elon (Colonial) is 24-14.  took down # 2 Wake Forest(ACC). 

April 26, 2023

Rough night for most of the teams I listed. Wake Forest rolled CCU 11-1. Duke edged Campbell 4-2. ECU lost to NC St 5-4. Wake Forest has a killer lineup. I watched some of the game on the ACCN.

April 28, 2023

Not much D1 baseball action last night so I took a peek at the WCC.

BYU (18-21) defeated Portland (22-18) by a score of 9-8.  It's going to be rough for BYU in Big 12 baseball next season.

Tulane 's was leading ECU 9-6 when the game was suspended because of lightning. It will be finished today in AAC action. BTW UTSA(CUSA), who is AAC bound next season, has made it to the top 25.

May 2, 2023

Simon Miller earned his ninth save on Sunday for UTSA, keeping UAB scoreless in the final three innings.

May 4, 2023

Campbell beat Elon 5-2 in a matchup of Carolina teams. Jake Murray is now 3-0.

May 9,2023

Yesterday: Campbell rolled UNC-Asheville 10-3.

CCU 6 App St 5

ECU 11 Cincy 5: Justin Wilcoxen knocked in 5 runs for the Pirates.

May 13,2023

I forgot DBU left the MVC for the CUSA this season. Dallas Baptist got the better of host UTSA in both games yesterday, 11-7 and 11-9

May 15, 2023

A couple of pigskin-like scores in D1baseball yesterday. CCU 15 South Bama 10 in Sunbelt action.

I rarely look at Horizon baseball, but Youngstown St beat N Kentucky 17-13. Andre Good went 4-5 with 3 HR and 4 RBI for the YSU Penguins.

May 18, 2023

Off the beaten path: I wonder how often these teams have played: Miami O 14 McNeese St 8 in a MAC /Southland game.

May 19, 2023

Army may make the NCAA TOURNAMENT. they won the Patriot League regular season and face Bucknell in the conferenceT finals

Kind of surprised to UNC-Wilmington is on the bubble for D1 baseball tournament. Elon has slipped. CAAT starts May 24 with winner getting the one ticket.

May 21, 2023

Brutal day for the Herd: CCU 19 Marshall 1 then CCU 10 MU 9. ECU beat USF 7-1, Campbell beat USC-Upstate 12-9. Why is Oregon St(Pac12) playing Western Carolina(21-32 , 8-12 Southern Conference) a few days before conference tournaments? Oregon St 8 WCU 4.

May 23, 2023

Army and Penn are in the 64. Kinda funny that Rice(21-34), a one -time powerhouse, gets to host the CUSAT this season. CUSA shifted away from Biloxi as the host during Covid. I'll start a new blog as the conference tourneys kick into gear.

Late Dec 2022 O5 coaching hires and bowl games

  Kenni Burns (Minnesota running backs coach) takes over at Kent St for Sean Lewis, who joined Neon Deion's staff at Colorado. He was also at W.Michigan with Fleck so he's familiar with the MAC.

    Eric Morris (Washington State OC) takes over at North Texas and has plenty of experience as an assistant coach in the state of Texas, including at Houston (2010-11), Texas Tech (2013-17) and Incarnate Word (2018-21).

   Lance Taylor (Louisville OC) takes over at W.Michigan.

  I've had a rough picking season with the Bowl Games but will toss in a few words on the remaining O5.

TUE 12:00pmESPN

Ga. Southern/Buffalo: Former USC HC Todd Helton wins the Kyle Vantrease bowl. KV was the starting quarterback at Buffalo last season, and this year he starts for Georgia Southern against his former team. GS 34 Buff 24

Camellia Bowl, Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL

TUE 3:15pm ESPN

Memphis/Utah St: Ags hoops has been hot so maybe it will spread to the pigskin squad. Utah St 31 Memphis 28

First Responder Bowl, Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX

TUE 6:45pmESPN

C. Carolina/East Carolina: McCall/Ahlers QB battles. I'll go with Ahlers, the ECU lefty. ECU 35 CCU 31

Birmingham Bowl, Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama

WED 2:00pmESPN

UCF/Duke: I know Duke has exceed expectations, but I'll go with Malzahn. UCF 27 Duke 24

Military Bowl, Navy - Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD

Dec 30 4:30pm Barstool Sports

Ohio/Wyoming: Cowboys rope in the Bobcats with a final minute FG. WYO 19 Ohio16

Arizona Bowl @ Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ

Jan 2 @ 1:00pm ESPN

Tulane/ USC: Green Wave subsides against the Trojans. USC 38 TUL 31

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

Dec 28, 2022

I finally got an assessment correct. Ahlers threw 5 TDs for ECU in a 53-29 win over Coastal Carolina. He's a gutsy QB and may find a place in the NFL as a backup

Wrong picks: Utah St and Georgia Southern!

Dec 29, 2022

Wrong on UCF who didn't score in the middle of the game. Coach Gus has some work to do with the Knights going to the Big 12. Duke 30 UCF 13

I missed this hire. GJ Kinne is the new HC at Texas St. His Incarnate Word squad averaged 52.9 ppg last season, but the Sunbelt is a big step up.

Dec 31, 2022

Wrong on the Cowboys who didn't have enough rope to slow down S. Bangura RB - OHIO 25CAR 138YDS 1TD.  Ohio 30 WYO 27

Jan 2, 2022

Well, folks guessed McCall, a well-liked player at CCU entered the portal, only to follow Coach Chadwell to Liberty U.   New CCU HC Tim Beck, formerly an asst at NCST, must've had a chat with him and he's exited the portal.

Wow. I thought the Trojans D was shaky but what a complete meltdown. Props to Tulane(AAC).  Has Lincoln Riley ever  been the HC of a team with a decent D. Tulane 46 USC 45. Spears ' stats for the Green Wave

Jan 4, 2022

Petrino's stint at UNLV (MWC) lasted a month. Texas A&M hired Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator today.

Jan 7, 2023

Steve Spurrier Jr. is the new Tulsa(AAC) offensive coordinator and will also coach QBs. He worked as an asst for Mike Leach at Wazzoo and Miss St.

Jan 27, 2023

Speaking of head coaches if SDST keeps Hoke for a few more years, he 'll be back in the P5. "There are more bars in that stadium(Snapdragon) than there are in most cities," said Aztecs coach Brady Hoke. 

There's an assumption  the Pac-12 has no choice but to plug up its Southern California hole with SDSU.

Feb 7, 2023

 Tulane defensive coordinator Lance Guidry is heading to Miami U to replace Kevin Steele, who is headed to Bama to take the DC job

Guidry spent the 2022 season at Marshall and took the Tulane job last month. Tulane is owed $500,000 in buyout money for Guidry's departure, and the payment is due to the school in the next 60 days

Feb 14, 2023

The U hired Houston U OC Shannon Dawson 

I'm torn on this. Kevin Sumlin, co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for the Maryland Terrapins. Previous gigs: 

2008–2011 Houston

2012-2017 Texas A&M

2018-2020 Arizona

Feb 16 2023

Tulane raids the SunBelt and hires Troy's DC Shiel Wood as its new defensive coordinator.

March 4, 2023

San Diego St is looking for a new associate head coach/running backs coach again after the LA Rams hired Ron Gould.  

Maryland is planning to hire former Texas State DC Zac Spavital as its Safeties Coach.  Locksley has been raiding the southwest USA  for coaches, a lot lately.

April 2, 2023

I think Navy (AAC) should've kept HC Ken Niumatalolo, and he's moved on to be Director of Leadership for UCLA Football, a job title that baffles me.

O5 regular season winds down

 Cincy visits a decent ECU squad and will not cover the 14 point spread but will remain undefeated. The Bearcats D held Mordecai(SMU) in check last week and will slow down Ahlers. CIN 30 ECU 20. Next week Cincy will face Houston, whose only loss this season was to Texas Tech(B12), in the AAC title game.

Zappe (WKU) has tossed 48 TD passes, and Ali has scored 20 rushing TDs for Marshall. I don't think the Herd D will be able to contain Zappe. WKU 31 MAR 23 in a game that decided who plays UTSA in the CUSA title game next week.

I'll take the Gabbert to Sorenson connection to lead Miami (O) to a 27 -25 win over Kent St and a ticket to Detroit to face NIU in the MAC title game.

Air Force, Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State have a shot to play in the MWC title game next Saturday. SDST wins and they're in. The Aztecs D will take charge in a 19-16 win over Boise St .

ULL Ragin' Cajuns will play App St in Sun Belt championship game next Saturday. Coastal Carolina's mid-season stumble kept them out of next week's game, but look for McCall to toss a few TD passes in a 31-10 win over South Bama this Friday.

Nov 27, 2021

Cincy took its time getting in gear while ECU played some fired up D early. Cincy 35 ECU 13.

SDST O played the first half against Boise St like they were hungover but found enough caffeine in the second half for a 27-16 win. They better bring more against Utah St in the MWC title game.

Nov 27, 2021  evening

Wells injury was obviously a factor, but that was brutal second half for Marshall who got zapped 53-21 by WKU.   Miami O lost to Kent St in OT 48-47 in a wild one. Gabbert and Sorenson were great for M(O), but Cooper and Williams rushed for close to  to 300 yards for Kent St. McCall and CCU needed OT to beat South Bama 27-21. 4-1 on my picks. 

BTW what happened to UTSA who got clobbered by NTX

Nov 29, 2021

Jax State to hire Rich Rodriguez, ULM OC, as head football coach ahead of 2023 FBS move to the CUSA

Fresno has a HC opening with the departure of Kalen DeBoer to UW(PAC12). Most of his resume is 1aa and NAIA then this:

2017–2018 Fresno State (OC/QB) 2019 Indiana (OC/QB) 2020–2021 Fresno State (HC)

Dec 1, 2021

La Tech hired Texas Tech's interim HC Sonny Cumbie as its next football coach, but Cumbie will coach TT in the bowl game.

O5 conference play in week 10

 All the chatter in my Mewe O5 group this week has been about Marshall and Georgia Southern so I can't ignore either team this week.

CUSA: Coach Taggart has FAU trending upward, but I'm going with Coach Huff's #herd who has found a rising star in Rasheed Ali (149 CAR, 808 YDS, 15 TD)  MU 27 FAU 23

SunBelt: Coach Helton just started and he won't have Eagles soaring against Coastal Carolina who will continue its recovery after the Appy loss. CCU 31 GS 19

AAC: I don't think Memphis gets a healing W against SMU . Mordecai will toss a few TD passes for the Mustangs. SMU 31 Memphis 24

MWC: Aztecs will survive an aerial scare from C. Cordeiro (124-224, 1706 YDS, 10 TD, 7 INT)  on Warriors turf .  SDST 36 HAW 34

Since the MAC slate is over this week before my prognostications, I'll go with a military matchup.  It will be ground warfare when  Air Force(MWC) lands to face Armyat Choctaw Stadium in Arlington TX this Saturday. AFA RB ,B. Roberts(185 CAR, 845 YDS, 8 TD) will lead the Falcons to a W. AFA 23 Army 22

Nov 6, 2021

3-2 this weekend: Correct on  the #herd , chanticleers, and #aztecs. Wrong on SMU and Air Force.

Who can figure out Memphis? And a running back had this stat line for Army, Tyrell Robinson (2 REC, 118 YDS, 1 TD).

Don't ignore  Utah State (4-1) in the Mountain division of the MWC. and the tie in the CUSA East with Marshall and WKU each at 4-1