2025 Non -P4 conference title games

 Four on Friday, MAC on Saturday

Kennesaw State 24  Jacksonville State 20: A. Odom, the KENN QB, is an explosive player.

JMU 27 Troy 19: Troy will have trouble slowing down Barnett, the Dukes QB.

UNLV 31 Boise St 24: BSU will focus on stopping the Rebs passing game led by Colandrea so J.Thomas will rush for 100 yards

NTX 24 Tulane 23: Retzlaff is the key for the Green Wave. and NTX will find a way to slow him down in a nailbiter.

WMU 20 MOH 17:  Broncos have won 4 in a row. Lowry will do enough to get them the W.

Dec 5, 2025

I get Neal Brown to NTX and not so sure on Napier to JMU-back in the SBC but not seeing the fit in Harrisonburg , VA

Mora has West coast connection so I get the CSU Rams' hiring.

I've seen Huff mentioned for Tulane. He fled Marshall and his USM squad wiltered at the end of the season.

UAB is  elevating Mortensen from IC to HC, probably the best move.

Dec 6, 2025

Split last night. Correct on KENN and JMU. Odom tossed the winning TD for KENN with 57 seconds remaining on the clock. W. Knight RB, JMU:21CAR,212YDS,1TD 

wrong on NTX and UNLV Retzlaff scored two TDs with his legs for TUL. Broncos slowed down the Colandrea aerial show.

Dec 7, 2025

Two 60+ yards TD runs for Jalen Buckley fueled WMU to 23 -13 win over MOH and the MAC title.  3-2 for the weekend.

JMU and Tulane have a chance for the CFP. Noteworthy that Retzlaff may make it as the TUL QB while BYU , may not. He left the Cougars after an honor code violation

Dec 8, 2025

First glance. KENN vs WMU  , looks like a solid bowl matchup of conference champs in Myrtle Beach. BSU/UW, and UNM/MINN look interesting.. 

Dec 12, 2025

I'll toss my first bowl pick in Mewe bowl Mania chat. UW 28 Boise St 24. Demond Williams , the Huskies QB, has a solid game.

Dec 13, 2025

I'm confused that Charles Huff's USM squad sputtered down the stretch in the SBC, and he got the Memphis HC gig. Blake Anderson, who has a decent resume from HC stints at Ark St  and USU. was elevated to HC.

Dec 14, 2025

Rough day for the Blue Turfers. UW 38 BSU 10.  It was 31-3 after 3Q. D. Williams tossed 4 TD passes.

Early December non power hoops

 Delaware may have moved to the CUSA but Iona , an AAC school in upstate NY gave them a lesson last night. C. Anthon scored 26 for the Gaels in an 89-66 win. 

T. Alston (19pts, 8reb) for MTSU(CUSA) in a 76-61 win over an erratic UAB(AAC) squad

Dec 4, 2025

I thought Cal Baptist(WAC) would do a little better BYU 91 CBU 60

Nice win for UNA(ASUN) over San Fran(WCC)  Bacchus scored 20 for UNA in the 65-63 win. 

BTW San Fran beat MINN who beat Indiana last night

Dec 6, 2025 

Ike ,28pts, 10reb, for the Zags in a 94-59 blowout of UK 

ETSU(Southern) rolls South Bama(SBC) 91-65. M.Johnson scored 29 for the Buccaneers

Dec 10, 2025

MAC: BUFF struggled with UMBC(AMEAST) and escaped with an 83-79 W.  Garry(15,7,8) for SDST(Summit) in a 68-64 W over Ball St.

It's been a long time since UMBC upset UVA at the Dance.

Dec 14, 2025

USM(SBC) gave Ole Miss a scare but fell 71-67. 

MACTION: MOH remains undefeated with a 79-69 W over EKY . Atlason scored 19 for the RedHawks. DHS (27pts, 10reb) for UMASS in a 103- 95 over  Florida St

Zags(WCC) beat UCLA.

Dec 19, 2025

LBSU(BIG WEST) edged PEPP(WCC) 81-78. Sykes scored 23 for the 49ers.

TEM(AAC) beat DAV(A10) 68-63.  D. Ford(23,9, 2) for the Owls.

Dec 21, 2025

Nice win by the Flames  Z. Cleveland (16 reb, 7ast)  was solid for LIB in a 64-61 W over Dayton. DAY blew out Florida St on the 16th.

Howard upset UNCW 67-66, B. Harris(18pts, 11reb) for the Bison.

Dec 28, 2025

Checking in on some hoops: Stanford needed a big second half to beat CSN(Big West) 88-80 in OT. L. Hughes scored 26 for the Matadors.

Dec 31, 2025

WSU falls to SEA in WCC action. Maldonado scored 15 for the Redhawks.

UMass falls to 0-2 in MACtion with a loss to EMU, who were led by C. Hart with 23pts,12 reb

I'll close the blog with a local CAA score. I visit extended family frequently in Hampton ,VA where last night's game was played.  Towson U(0-2), a short ride from my house,  got close but no cigar in a 63-62 loss to Hampton(2-0). Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt scored 15 points for the Pirates.

I've stayed at hotels not far from  the Hampton Coliseum

Week 14 is it Navy blue

 WMU will finish the regular season with a narrow road win over EMU to finish atop the MAC. Broncos will contain N. Kim who has tossed for 16TDs and 2490 yards for the Eagles. WMU 20 EMU 19

AAC: Navy is in a three way tie with TUL and NTX for first place and visits Memphis. B. Lewis will get his passing skills back into gear. MEM 28 Navy 24.

other three picks later this week.

Nov 26, 2025

N. Kim got his usual numbers for EMU, but Lowry and McMillan rushed for 203 yards for WMU. WMU 31- EMU 21. Broncos finish with best conference record in the MAC.

Nov 28, 2025

Navy was trailing 17-14 and fumbled away a scoring chance near the goal line  in the 3Q  Memphis went nowhere  after its recovery ,and Navy went on to outscore the Tigers 14-0 in the second half for a 28-17 W. I was wrong on this one and am  1-1 so far.

CUSA: WKU needs to beat Jax St to stay on pace with KENN. Tisdale will toss 2 TD passes  for the Tops win .  WKU 24 JAX 17

MWC: SDSU D has re-grouped since the blowout loss to HAW. Lobos are hot. and are at home for this  game.  UNM 24  SDSU 23

SBC: Troy 20 USM 17.  Goose Crowder is back for the Trojans. He'll be the difference for Troy to win the SBCW.

Nov 29, 2025

Up to 2-1. UNM 23 SDSU 17. Laubstein,  the backup UNM QB rushed for 70yards, 40 on a TD run in the 1Q.  Layne the starting QB , tossed the winning TD pass.

If UNLV wins today it's a four way tie for for 1st place and UNLV did not play SDSU  and lost to BSU and UNM.   Metrics will likely make it BSU/UNM

Nov 30, 2025

Wrong on the Tops, correct on Troy.  3-2 for the weekend

Some big stats in the KENN OT win over LIB.

E. Dickens 43 CAR 267 YDS, 4 TD for the Flames

A. Odom(KENN) 14/23, 240 YDS, 4 TD,  13 CAR 72YDS, TD

Random memos . I'm  impressed TXST became bowl eligible, JAX St didn't miss a beat losing Rich Rod to WV. Charles Kelly  has them in the CUSA title game against KENN.

Week 13 MAC time

 WMU needs this game to stay atop the MAC. NIU may want to exit the MAC winning.

Broc Lowry tosses a late TD pass for the Broncos to seal the W. WMU 17 NIU 16 

More picks later in the week.

Nov 19, 2025

WMU TCOB with NIU ast night in a 35-19 win. Broncos scored 5 rushing TDs, Lowry(3) and Buckley(2) 

WMU moves to 6-1 in MAC play. It's only conference loss was to MOH.

1-0 so far

Nov 20, 2025

MWC:  Friday night visit by the Rainbow  to Vegas. Mullen's Rebs in a nailbiter. UNLV 23 HAW 21

AAC: NTX travels from Denton to Houston to play Rice . Owls will hang tough for awhile. Hawkins has a good for rushing game for the Mean Green. NTX 30 Rice 20

CUSA: Jaz St is 6-0 in conference play. They'll make that 7-0.  Cook will rush for 100 yards for the Cocks. JAX 27 FIU 20

SBC: Must win for USM after the beatdown by TXST, Braxton may not play. I'll go with USA at home in a close one. USA 20 USM 17

Nov 22, 2025

I thought HAW would score more but UNLV found some D.  A. Colandrea tossed 3 TD passes for the Rebs. UNLV 38 HAW 10. 2-0 so far

Nov 23, 2025

Wrong on Jax St  despite Cook rushing for 138 yards. Owens rushed for 125 for FIU. FIU 27 JAX 21

Correct on:  NTX  who crushed Rice, and USA who beat USM thanks to K. Bullock(23 CAR 187 YDS, 3 TD). 4-1 for the week.

SBCW: Troy is tied with USM

Minor league baseball tales

 In the last two years I've been reading short books on the history of minor league baseball in the USA. I'm reading 

I came across some interesting first names:  

Judy Cline , a dude who hit a 457' homer out of Merchants Park in Denver, CO. His legal name was William Cline Jr

Ed (Bears Track) Green played in the Western Association.  While doing a deeper dig on this  the searchh engine kept taking to me Ed  Bearss, Chief Historian of the National Park Service.

So much information is not on the internet because it hasn't been entered into any data system.

I'll keep having fun.

Nov 17, 2025

Marty Marion, the Cards SS won 1944 NL MVP the award for the St. Louis Cardinals for mostly his  defense. He hit .267  with 6 HR , 63 rbi.

He played  his minor league baseball in Huntington, WV of the Middle Atlantic League, then a few seasons in the International League for Rochester,NY, before moving up to the Cards.

Nov 27, 2025

OKC Indians had purchased a pitcher named Collins for the 1927 season, but he was playing as FayThomas  for NY Giants(NL). Commish Landis punished him with fines and an MLB ban . He didn't return to the MLB until 1931.

Dec 20, 2025

I noticed Earl Weaver, a 2B, had some decent stats for  Omaha, the Cardinals A team in the Western League, and wondered why he never got a shot to play in the MLB. At that time A ball was the highest minor league level. The levels were A, B, C, & D. 

I did some research  and  the Cardinals new manager, Eddie Stanky, chose himself over Weaver for the final roster spot on the 1952 opening day roster.

Jan 7, 2026

Spades Wood was a left-handed pitcher for Wichita, Tulsa, and St Joseph in the Western League in the 1930s . I wonder if his nickname came from playing cards.

Older blog disturbing july5

Week 12 Mackin early

 In 2026 the NIU football team will join the MWC, while all other sports will move to the Horizon League.  They 're going out on a weak note , but perhaps they can get their second MAC win of the season at UMass(0-9, 0-5). NIU's only win is vs Ball St.

 Chavon Wright and Telly Johnson Jr. combo will do enough rushing the ball to give NIU a road W tomorrow night at UMass. 

NIU 19 UMass 13. other four picks later in the week.

Nov 13, 2025

Correct on NIU,but UMass barely showed up. Late FG saved them from being shutout.  NIU 45 UMass 3

AAC: Houser has tossed  for 2469 yards and14 TD passes . I smell a home upset for ECU. ECU 28 MEM 27

CUSA: Odom avoids tossing INTs and leads KENN to road win over Jax St . KENN 24 JaxSt 20

MWC: Rebs eke out a 23-20 win over Utah St

SBC: CCU escapes with a 31 -27 win @ Georgia Southern. Collier ,once again , is the man for the Chanticleers.

Nov 16, 2025

L. Montgomery rushed for 102 yards and 2 TDs in ECU's upset of MEM

KENN lost 35-26 to Jax St

UNLV needed OT to defeat USU

GASO prevailed over CCU.

Wrong on KENN  & CCU. Correct on UNLV & ECU 3-2 for the weekend.

TXST  got its first conference win of the season in a 41-14 rout over USM.  B. Jackson  tossed for 192 YDS, 3 TDs for the Bobcats. 

Week 11 MAC Tuesday etc

 It's crowded atop the MAC. Two (5-3) teams, MOH & Ohio, meet tonight in Athens, OH. I'll go with Bangura having a good game running the ball for the Bobcats. Ohio 27 MOH 21.

Other 4 picks later in the week.

Nov 5, 2025

Ohio 24 MOH 20: Bongura rushed for 102 yards and a TD for the Bobcats.  1 for 1 this week. 

Nov 7, 2025

AAC: Retzlaff will put up good numbers  again, but it won't be enough at MEM. MEM 34 TUL 28

CUSA: LA Tech 24 DEL 20  Thevenin  gets 100 yards rushing for  the Bulldogs in a road win.

MWC: Aztecs slow down Alejado, the Hawaii QB , and win a road game. SDSU 21 HAW 16

SBC: USM goes on the road and wins a close one at Ark St. Another solid game for Braxtion, the Eagles QB. USM 31 Ark St 30

Nov 8, 2025

Wrong on Memphis. My gut  was screaming Tulane , but I didn't think Retzlaff was enough. He was. 4TDs, 3 passing. TUL 38 Memphis 32. 1 -1 for the week.

Nov 9, 2025

Wrong on La Tech, Wrong on SDSU, I thought Hawaii would give them a tough game and lose , but the Rainbows blew out the Aztecs 38-6, wow. Hawaii QB :M. Alejado 22/34, 256 YDS, 3 TD. MWC regular season title is wide open

Right on USM, but Ark St gave them a scare late.

2-3 for the week