Week 8 Five- pack -Other5

Temple travels to SMU in a key AAC matchup. Russo, the Temple QB , is having a solid season and will give SMU  a tough game, but look for SMU QB, Shane Buechele, to win the aerial show in 38-35 SMU win.
USM travel to LA Tech in a battle for the top spot in the CUSA West. J'Mar smith, LT's QB, and J. Abraham,USM QB, may each toss some TDs, but look for  Justin Henderson to  rush for over 100 and lead LA tech to a 31-27 home victory.
Toledo 's O vanished in a loss to Bowling Green last week so it's time to get Koback  another 100 yard+ game, but it could be tough  @Ball St. where their QB Drew Pitt is doing it on ground and by air. Ball St 23 Toledo 20
AFA head coach , Troy calhoun,  was whining about being in the MWC last week. Beware of Hawaii's air attack led by Cole McDonald. Hawaii 33-AFA 29
ULM  travels to App St in a battle of 2-0 Sunbelt teams. AppSt wins a low scoring game 19-17. Darrynton Evans will get back in gear for Mountaineers and rush for 100+

Oct 19

 I didn't pick this one : He!! of a game for Knox (220 yards, 2 TDs) in the #herd win over FAU last night .  Lane Kiffin's ain't doing so well.

 oct 20

Buechele tossed six TDS  for SMU in a 45-21 win over Temple.
Henderson rushed for 111 yards  and two TDS in La tech's 45-21 win over USM
Don't look now but Ball St is undefeated (3-0) in MAC play . Drew Pitt tossed for 206 yards and three TDs in in 52-14 win over Toledo.
Thomas by air and Evans by ground for App St who crushed ULM 52-7
And for my sole incorrect pick of the week: Hawaii was blown out by Air Force 56-21
#MikeSchmidt came off the bench and rushed for 120 yards and three TDs Also he completed 5 of 6 passes for 147 yards and one TD.

Week 7 Other five Conference time

CUSA: It appeared that  ODU was turning the corner after hanging tough in a loss to UVA but then they lost to ECU and WKU. Marshall will increase Knox's workload and edge  the visiting Monarchs 17-12
MAC: MIAMI(ohio) is coming off a solid conference win over Buffalo and will need a big game from rushing game from Jaylon Bester to win at WMU, led by the big arm of J. Wassink. Miami(O) 31 WMU 30.
Sunbelt: ULL hosts App St in a battle of two teams off to nice starts. Ragas/Mitchell lead a potent rushing attack for the home team, but I'll roll with Zac Thomas  to have a300 yard passing game in an App St 34 -32 win.
MWC: I'm taking Josh Love and the Spartans  to get a home win over the sluggish Wolfpack. San Jose St  29 NEV 22
AAC: Navy looks like they're back in  contention and Tulsa has been erratic. Tulsa will feed Brooks more carries and win a close one at home 23 20
Oct 9-  San Diego St football coach Rocky Long opinion on  JJ Justice, the son of former MLB star David Justice,  placing his name into the NCAA transfer database.  "He’s got a full-ride scholarship, he doesn’t have to play for it and he gets to finish out the semester."
Oct10- I was correct on App St but it was a low scoring game. Zac Thomas had two rushing TDs in the 17-7 App St win over ULL. 

Oct 13

I was way off on Tulsa, wrong on  Miami O  and San Jose St, and spared from going 0fer for saturday by  Marshall.
 Tulsa couldn't contain M.Perry, Navy's QB, who rushed for 218 yards and three TDs in a 45-17 win over Tulsa.
Gabbert threw three INTs, including a pick 6, in the Miami O 30-16 loss to W.Michigan. Bellamy rushed for two TDs and Wassink tossed two TDs for the Broncos.
Love threw for 405 yards but the his Trojan teammates rushed for only 34 yards in a 40-37 last play, Talton's 40 yard FG, loss to Nevada who were led by Taua's 160 rushing yards.
Knox rushed for 104 yards and a TD in the #herd's win over  ODU.
Here's what caught my eye in some other games. W.Kentucky(CUSA) held Army to 8 points in a 17-8 win..The MWC is definitely a rocky road. Wyoming got tripped by SDST, FresnoSt couldn't handle Air Force, and UNLV pounded Vandy of the SEC.
NIU got a game ending field goal in a wild 4th quarter to edge Ohio 40-37 in MAC play.
oCT14:   MWC geography and caliber of opponents fits AFA. ODD COMMENT from Air Force coach,Troy Calhoun,  who questions Air Force’s placement in the Mountain West: “I don’t know if it’s really a match”

Week 6 heavy AAC and one MAC

OOC matchups are still filling the schedule,  but  there are some intriguing conference matchups so I'll detour to the AAC this weekend.
UCF travels to Cincy in an AAC East matchup. Knights nip the Bearcats at Nippert 24-23 behind a strong rushing attack led by McCrae and Killins. Ridder, the Cincy QB, will keep this a close game.
Evans and Johnson  will keep the Warhawks(Sunbelt) in the game for a half but Memphis behind the passing of Brady White will get the road win. Memphis 30 ULM 20.
Navy 's QB, Malcom Perry, is having a solid season, and he'll do enough for the Midshipmen to to prevail over the visiting AFA Falcons (MWC). Remsberg and Birdow are a nice one-two punch in the AFA rushing attack and will keep this game close.
In MAC play I look for NIU to recover from a tough OOC schedule and beat Ball St 26  to 19. May Bowers, the NIU QB, will out-perform his QB opponent , Drew Plitt.

oct 5

 I was close on the score but wrong on the winner. UCF QB Dillon Gabriel threw three INTs and the last one a Pick 6 by Ahmad Gardner cost them the game . CU 27 UCF 24

oct 6

I nailed the rest of the AAC games . Perry rushed for 111 yards and 2 td in the Navy 34-25 win over AFA. Kenneth Gainwell's last name fit (14 CAR ,209 yards, 2 TDs)for Memphis in it's 52-33 win over ULM.
I was close on the score but wrong on the victor in MAC game.  Caleb Huntley (35 CAR, 157 yards, 2TD) had a solid game for Ball St in a 27-20 win over NIU.

Dropping a dime on Independents Week 5

  #Byu Cougars and #utah Utes have agreed to take a two-year "Holy War" break in 2022 and 2023, allowing Utah an opportunity to schedule a home-and-home series with an SEC opponent.
This weekend an erratic BYU squad visits Toledo(MAC), who got a monster game from Bryant Koback (228 yards rushing) last weekend . Toledo 29 BYU 28
Notre Dame  will recover from a tough loss to UGA and defeat the visiting UVA Cavs 30-20. Cavs were not impressive in a 28-17 win over ODU (CUSA)
UMass hosts Akron(MAC) in a battle of bad defenses. Perhaps an aerial show AKR 36 Umass 35
Liberty will contain Tuioti, the Lobos QB, and pull out a close one at home. LIB 20 UNM 19
New Mexico St scored  55 last week at UNM and lost. Fresno  St (MWC)has played power 5 schools, USC and Minnesota, tough in losing efforts Fre 34 UNM 22

Sept 27:

Tying into this blog: UCF(AAC) football schedules future non-conference games with Boise State (MWC ) and  BYU(Independent)

Sept 29

 Koback was ok (88yds, 1TD) and Toledo got a late pick which led to rushing TD from Seymour to beat BYU 28-21
T. Jones Jr rushed for 131 yards and 3 TDs in Notre Dame's 35-20 win over UVA
I was wrong  on the outcome but close on the score Umass 37 Akron 29. It wasn't much off an aerial show. Z. Gibson (Akron)173 YDs, TD M Curtis Umass 173YDS 2TDs ,INt
Not too far off: Liberty 17 UNM 10 . S. Calvert threw form306 yards and 3TDs for the vistors.
J Cropper rushed for 118 yards and a TD on eight carries  for Fresno St in their 30-17 win over NMST.

oct 17, 2019

 Army will survive a visit to Atlanta this week (8) and edge Georgia St in the battle of rushing QBs. Hopkins (Army) , Ellington (Ga St)

oct 21

It was Ellington's arm with three TD passes, and then a final stand by the Panthers D that held off Army for a 28-21 win .

Friday the 20th football slate

FIU at La Tech- The Panthers were crushed by Tulane and lost to WKU and will lose 22-16 to La Tech. I expect J"Mar  Smith, the Bulldogs QB, to have a good game.
Utah at USC- Doubts that Helton can lead the Trojans back to their glory years are firmly entrenched. Trojans D will wilter against the Utes QB/RB combo of Huntley/Moss. Utah 34 USC 23
AFA at Boise St I'm tempted to roll with Air Force, who had a nice win against Colorado last week, but Bachmeier , the Broncos QB, will do enough for his team to win 26 24.

Sept 21 wrapup- 

 J'Mar Smith was outgunned by Panthers QB James Morgan, but Justin Henderson rushed for 141yards and 3 Tds in LA Tech's 43-31 win.
 Pittman Jr had a hell of a game for USC 10 rec , 232 yards, 1td. Backup QB Fink sparkled of the bench . USC D held Moss to 20 yards rushing in a 30-23 win.
Bachmeier tossed for 263 yards and 2 TDs in a 30-19  Broncos' win over AFA

Week 4 Other5 OOC matchups

Wyoming(MWC) @ Tulsa(AAC) Two solid RBs ,Brooks of Tulsa and T.Smith of Wyoming, will each go over 100 yards rushing. Home team will win 24-23 and hand the Cowboys their first loss this season
South Alabama(SunBelt) @ UAB(CUSA) This intrastate matchup may turn into an aerial show beat the Jags Johnson and the Blazers Johnstston.  UAB 41 USA  33
Toledo(MAC) @Colorado St (MWC). Rams  get in gear and win 20 17 at home. look for Collin Hill to have a big aerial day for CSU at home.
sept 19- I'll stick with #CSU rams despite just learning that Hill suffered his third torn ACL since 2016 during last week's loss to Arkansas. Coach Bobo  will likely start Patrick O’Brien, a transfer from Nebraska.
sept 20: Meanwhile in AAC play Tulane stunned Houston  38-31 on a 53 yard reception by Mcleskey. 

sept 21 review

Tulsa blew a 17 point lead but got it together late with a Brooks' 19-yard touchdown run and a fumble recovery at the 3-yard line during the final minute in a 24-21 win over Wyoming. 
Johnston threw for 313 yards and 3 Tds in the Blazers 35-3 win over South Bama.
OBrien threw for 405 yards and 1TD and Marvin Kinsey Jr. rushed for 246 YDS, 2 TD
but it wasn't enough to stop Toledo who got  228 rushing yards, 3 TD from Bryant Koback and 119 rushing yatds and 1TD from Mitchell Guadagni. TOL 41 CSU 35

sept 23

 How about San Jose St grabbing five INTs and  winning 31-24 at Arkansas? The last time SJST beat a power conference opponent was in 2006 when the Spartans beat Stanford. 

Friday the 13th Football, Mumme and more

Yesterday morning I scanned the sports TV schedule and focused on the two games involving ACC teams , UNC/Wake Forest and BC/Kansas(B12). It's been five years since the Terps divorce from the ACC went into effect for the 2014/15 marriage with the Big 10, and I still forget from time to time.
Jamie Newman led the Deacons to a 21-0 halftime lead, and they hung on for a 24-18 win over UNC that oddly doesn't count in the ACC standings. They're in different ACC divisions and haven't met since 2015, and many wonder why this long time rivalry hasn't been made a part of the ACC schedule .
Kansas stunned BC 48-24 for its first road win over a Power 5 school in nearly 11 years. Carter Stanley tossed three TD passes for the Jayhawks.
In a game matching Hal Mumme coaching disciples, Leach and Holgorsen, Washington St (pac12) survived 31 -24 over Houston (AAC). #AnthonyGordon threw for 440 yards and three touchdowns for his third straight 400-yard game for WSU. BTW, Hal Mumme was on the sidelines and was interviewed during the TV broadcast.

Sept 15

Big Saturday for the Big 12: TCU over Purdue(B10). KST over Miss St(SEC). WV over NCST(ACC) .
UCF (AAC) rolled Stanford (PAC 12)

Oct 4

It's been a rough time for Mumme's disciples, Holgorsen and Leach, since their Friday the 13 matchup. Holgorsen's star QB King took a healthy redshirt, and Leach called his players sloppy and soft after a 67-65 loss to UCLA.

Jan 14, 2020

 King graduated in Dec and entered the transfer portal yesterday. Leach is now in charge at Miss St

Jan 21

West Virginia RB #MartellPettaway opts for grad transfer to #MTSU (CUSA) In 2019 he rushed 19 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns. When he played for Holgorsen in 2018, he rushed for 623 yards, six touchdowns. 
King leaves Houston for Miami U

jan 22

Hawai'i hires Todd Graham ,ex-ARIZ St  HC (2011-17 ), to be HC.  He started his coaching career on Rich Rodriguez's staff at West Virginia as linebackers coach in 2001

april 5

Times have changed  #mikeleach, Miss St football coach tweeted about a woman knitting her husband a hanging rope during the quarantine got slapped by the PC internet cops. In 1992 #jackiesherill, then the Mississippi St coach, allowed a bull to be castrated in front of his team  and got less flack. 

april 19, 2020

  I saw this headline : Miami's D'Eriq King is poised to have a Joe Burrow-like impact for the Miami Hurricanes in 2020 and laughed. He!!, If the Canes average two TDs a game on O, that would be an improvement.

MAY 10, 2020

I was looking around at transfer news and saw Tyler Carr, TE from Texas Tech,  was headed to Hawaii and his OC would be GJ Kinne who was a low level asst on the Eagles(NFL) staff last season. When I read more of Kinne's bio , I learned that he was once put into protective custody when his father , who was also his high school football coach was shot in the chest by the disgruntled parent of one of the team's players at Canton HS in Mesquite,TX.

June 4, 2020

RIP Johnny Majors who had 185-137-10 lifetime record at three stops : Iowa St, Pitt, and Tenn. He ended his career in 2007 as Asst AD at Pitt. He led Iowa St (Big Eight) to its first   bowl game, the Sun Bowl in 1971, in which they were crushed by LSU 33-15.

Jackie Sherill replaced Majors at Pitt in 1977.

June 5, 2020

Marinos's statistics dipped during his senior year, which saw Pitt transition from head coach Jackie Sherrill to new coach Foge Fazio. Sherill took the Texas A&M job in 1982.

June 29, 2020

 I found this while reading an article on Rolovich , who left Hawaii(MWC) for Wazzoo. Hawaii's athletic budget of 46M is smaller than East Carolina (AAC), UMass(Independent) and James Madison (1AA)

June 24, 2021

Mumme just took a job in a developmental football league called “The Spring League” . Don't know WTH that is!!!!!!

March 1, 2022

Art Briles, who lasted four days at Grambling after Hue Jackson hired him.   S. Miss considered hiring Briles as an asst in 2019. Shawn Oakman, one of the Baylor players involved in that mess, was eventually exonerated. One a side issue, I noticed Mumme is a Tarleton St grad, and wonder if he chats with Gillepsie, their hoops HC.

May 3, 2022

D'eriq King jumped from the Houston Cougars to the Miami Canes in 2020 looking for an eventual big NFL  payday. Pats signed him as a UFA.

Dec 12, 2022

Mike Leach, the Miss St HC, is in the hospital and reports are that he's been fighting pneumonia for months. Zach Arnett, the Dawgs DC, is running the team heading into the bowl matchup against Illinois