"Fansville" is right... This season will be nuts! (2022 CFB season follow-along thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 8 Predictions

Sorry I didn't give you guys any "Honorable Mentions" for the week. But if you take away the 18 games I gave out on those 2 lists, there's really not much else worth stopping for. Anyway, let's get to the predictions for this week (FBS vs. FCS games doesn't count):

Iowa 6 @ (2)Ohio State 42
(14)Syracuse 20 @ (5)Clemson 28
(24)Mississippi State 27 @ (6)Alabama 41
(7)Ole Miss 30 @ LSU 35
(17)Kansas State 23 @ (8)TCU 38
(9)UCLA 27 @ (10)Oregon 31
(20)Texas 24 @ (11)Oklahoma State 30
Boston College 17 @ (13)Wake Forest 35
Minnesota 16 @ (16)Penn State 27
(21)Cincinnati 37 @ SMU 24
Memphis 37 @ (25)Tulane 30

Other big games:
Purdue 30 @ Wisconsin 24
Troy 17 @ South Alabama 31
BYU 32 @ Liberty 23

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy "Abbott Elementary".

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 8- Good and Bad

Okay... Before I go outside and do something about all of those leaves in the backyard, I present my "Good/Bad" segment for the week. And for something different, I'm gonna do it the other way around this time!

It was a bad week for:​

Syracuse's 2nd Half offense (I'm not taking anything away from Clemson and their backup QB; they did a great job. But had our offense did a better job in the 2nd half, Clemson's QB change would have meant nothing.)
Miami (Miami was supposed to be a contender for the ACC Coastal in 2022. Duke was supposed to finish in last place in the division. But yesterday, Duke won at Miami for their 5th win of the year. What the hell?!)
Most teams in the state of Texas (North Texas got their hearts broken against UTSA. SMU couldn't complete the comeback win over Cincinnati. Ditto for Texas in their game against OK State. And now Texas A&M is 3-4 after they lost to South Carolina.)
The state of Mississippi (I guess my mom knew what she was talking about when she said "Alabama will get their s--t together"; their tackling looked a LOT better as they beat Miss. State. Oh, and Ole Miss's joyride is over thanks to rival LSU.)

It was a good week for:​

Oregon (The Georgia game is now squarely in the rear-view mirror of the Oregon Ducks; with their proud home win over UCLA, the Ducks are back to being the big CFP contender in the PAC-12.)
Liberty (Man! Hugh Freeze continues to pump out winning teams; the Flames just whacked BYU to get to 7-1 on the year.)
Billy Edwards Jr. (This man subbed in for Taulia yesterday at QB, and he led Maryland to a bowl-clinching win. Mike Locksley really DOES know what he's doing as a coach!)
Boise State (Yay! Boise State looks to be back on track in the Mountain West; they just won at Air Force to take control of the Mountain division.)
Tulane (I would be remiss if I didn't forget the fact that Tulane won their first game as a ranked team since 1998.)

And finally, TCU now has wins over Oklahoma, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. Could they just cruise their way to the Big12 title game?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 9- Best 'mid-major' games

The squirrels are busy getting their nuts... a leaf is slowly falling down off the tree... Oh! Sorry, I was just musing a little bit.
Well, for the 2nd week in a row, I found a BIG collection of games from the lower rankings. So let's get to...

The Top 10 Best "mid-major" games of the week (Week 9)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Rhode Island @ William and Mary [1:00, FOX College Sports] (My first game on this list comes from the CAA, where Rhode Island visits the Tribe of W&M with a share of 1st place on the line. The Rams will try to shake off a 7-OT game against Monmouth from last week, while the Tribe will look to ride their pretty-good defense to another victory.)

9. Colorado State @ Boise State [7:00, FOX Sports 1] (The Broncos are looking to just chase away another opponent and get to 5-0 in the Mountain West. But wait a moment! Lowly Colorado State has managed to win 2 of their last 3 games, and Boise's new QB Taylen Green isn't fully acclimated with the offense yet.)

8. Louisiana @ Southern Miss [7:30 tomorrow, ESPN2] (This is just a simple matchup in the Sun Belt West, as both the Golden Eagles and the Cajuns look to keep pace in the division. And yes, the Eagles might be a slight favorite here, but I think that the Cajuns can take it if they wake up their running game.)

7. North Texas @ Western Kentucky [7:00, check local listings] (With UTSA on a bye week, this is the big event happening in Conference USA this week. Western Kentucky is trying to keep pace with the Roadrunners in the conference race, while UNT is hoping to get over a heartbreaking loss to UTSA last week. Oh, and expect a lot of points here.)

6. Fordham @ Holy Cross [1:00, ESPN+] (All right, Fordham! I was afraid that nobody would be able to challenge Holy Cross in the Patriot League this year. And the Crusaders may be unbeaten and have a proud defense, but Fordham's QB Tim DeMorat has over 3,000 passing yards already! First place [and a inside track to the FCS playoffs] is on the line in this monster game in Worcester.)

5. Idaho @ Sacramento State [9:00, ESPN+] (Speaking of 1st-place matchups, here's another one from the Big Sky as 2 teams with a 4-0 record face off. The Hornets were able to beat Montana and stay in front of the conference, but here comes the Vandals and their stout passing game! Will Sacramento State survive 2 tough challenges in a row?)

4. San Diego State @ Fresno State [10:30, FOX Sports 1] (...Wait a minute. Maybe Fresno State isn't out of it just yet. Maybe after a terrible start, the Bulldogs is getting their act together. We'll soon find out, as Fresno will now face the rival Aztecs once again. Breaking SDSU's defense will be the key for the Bulldogs to take the lead in the West division.)

3. Toledo @ Eastern Michigan [12:00, ESPNU] (This is the last Saturday of football for the MAC before they start their traditional late season early-week games. And this one actually looks pretty good! Toledo got caught last week and lost to Buffalo, and now the Rockets must go to Ypsilanti to face a tough-nosed Eagles team. This is obviously a big one for Toledo, but it's also a big one for EMU. Because if the Rockets win here, EMU can say good-bye to their chances of winning the MAC West.)

2. Southern @ Jackson State [2:00, ESPN+] (Okay, so "College Gameday" have bypassed the Ohio State/Penn State game in order to add more hype to the Deion Sanders machine here in Jackson, Mississippi? Okay, "College Gameday", you're on! Let's see this Sheduer Sanders dude make his case for the Heisman! And let's see the Tigers show their stuff! Man, I really hope that the Southern Jaguars doesn't use their stout defense to ruin everything. That would be horrible! )

And the #1 game on this list made it to the "big-boy" Top 10. You probably already know what it is, but tune in tomorrow to see what it is.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 9- Top 10 Games

7 dollars for a gallon of apple cider?! Is this just a case of supply of demand, or economic worries, or something- What? Shoot, sorry, that topic is for the politics forum.
As for right now, let's us go through another busy week of football as I present...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2022 (Week 9)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Ole Miss @ Texas A&M [7:30, SEC Network] (...Just know that this could be Texas A&M's last chance to do something big in 2022, as they are looking to snap a losing streak and hand Ole Miss a losing streak of their own. And that "The 12th Man" will be rocking in College Station on this night. AND that if Lane Kiffin and the Rebels recover from last week's loss to LSU and win here, it'll bode really well for them entering November. AND that Jimbo Fisher will be in BIG trouble if the Aggies lose this one.)

9. Michigan State @ Michigan [7:30, ABC] (So Michigan isn't playing a game at noon this week? WOWWWW! Sarcasm aside, we got another matchup in the "Paul Bunyan's Trophy" rivalry here. And both Michigan State and Michigan has had a week off to think about this. Hopefully by the time kickoff happens, the Spartans will have thought up a way to stop the efficient Wolverines offense.)

8. Cincinnati @ UCF [3:30, ESPN] (Here we go! This is the AAC "Game of the Year"... or it WOULD have been had UCF not been caught looking ahead against East Carolina and got beaten. Regardless, this is Cincinnati's chance to prove that they're still the leader of the American conference this year. But Cincy has had some close calls as of late... Can the Knights offense wake up and take advantage?)

7. Florida vs. Georgia [3:30, CBS] (Just another installment of the "Florida/Georgia game". No more, no less. However, it is interesting that Florida is such a big underdog against the Bulldogs [last time I checked, the spread was 22.5]. Hopefully, the Gators offense will find holes in that strong Georgia defense and make this game really interesting.)

6. TCU @ West Virginia [12:00, ESPN] (After playing 4 ranked opponents in a row, this game in Morgantown looks like a slam dunk for the Horned Frogs. Right? Well... the Mountaineers are desperate to get back on track after Texas Tech smoked them by 34 last week. And if WVU can force Max Duggan into making mistakes...)

5. Wake Forest @ Louisville [3:30, ACC Network] (The sleeper game of the week. Wake Forest is back in the Top 10! Hooray! ...Too bad that their next opponent Louisville has finally strung together back-to-back wins this season. And that the last 5 times these teams have met, it's been shootout after shootout. Maybe's Louisville's defense can buck the trend and give Malik Cunningham and the Cardinal offense more chances to score.)

4. Notre Dame @ Syracuse [12:00, ABC] (It was a bad beat for us at Clemson, but Syracuse did do better in "Death Valley" than I thought they would. Now it's time for the ultimate legitimacy test; can the Orange rebound and send the Fighting Irish back into a tailspin? I mean, Notre Dame's defense isn't the best in the world, but their QB Drew Pyne doesn't make too many mistakes. Hmm... I'm kinda expecting a low-scoring game in the Dome.)

3. Kentucky @ Tennessee [7:00, ESPN] (I remember when this SEC rivalry was all Tennessee, all the time. Now this rivalry never means so much as it does right now. Tennessee has to keep their focus on the Wildcats [and not on their upcoming game with Georgia], because this Kentucky is tough as nails. As for Kentucky, they've had a week off to think about how they're gonna stop Hendon Hooker... AND how they can get their QB Will Levis to shock the CFB world once again.)

2. Oklahoma State @ Kansas State [3:30, FOX] (Oklahoma State got a great rebound win over Texas last week after they lost to TCU. Kansas State is hoping that the same thing will happen to them; that they get a great rebound win and slow down the Cowboys. Really, the only other thing I can think of is the QB duel between Spencer Sanders and Adrian Martinez... and how Spencer is gonna get out of THIS jam.)

1. Ohio State @ Penn State [12:00, FOX] (Wait. Is Ohio State FINALLY going to be tested in 2022?! That may happen! Don't forget, the last time Penn State defeated Ohio State was in "Happy Valley", and I'm willing to bet that the Lions learned their lesson from that Michigan game a couple of weeks ago. As for Ohio State, I know that C.J. Stroud is ready... but will his defense be ready when it gets punched in the mouth?)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: USC @ Arizona (The Trojans has had a week to stew over their loss to Utah, so I don't think Arizona is gonna put up much of a fight here.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Illinois @ Nebraska, Pittsburgh @ North Carolina, and Utah @ Washington State.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 9 Predictions

And now I have Facebook freezing up on me. Ah, I'll take care of that later; it's time for me to make my predictions for this week!

Florida 17 vs. (1)Georgia 39
(2)Ohio State 35 @ (13)Penn State 28
(19)Kentucky 20 @ (3)Tennessee 38
Michigan State 16 @ (4)Michigan 33
(7)TCU 48 @ West Virginia 24
(8)Oregon 27 @ California 24
(9)Oklahoma State 32 @ (22)Kansas State 35
(T-10)Wake Forest 34 @ Louisville 37
(T-10)USC 45 @ Arizona 24
Stanford 18 @ (12)UCLA 33
(14)Utah 40 @ Washington State 27
(15)Ole Miss 37 @ Texas A&M 35
Notre Dame 21 @ (16)Syracuse 24
(17)Illinois 29 @ Nebraska 23
(20)Cincinnati 41 @ UCF 30
Pittsburgh 20 @ (21)North Carolina 28
Virginia Tech 14 @ (24)NC State 21
Missouri 19 @ (25)South Carolina 28

My time's up. You've been great. Hope your big plans for Halloween is going well!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 9- Good and Bad

Holy Cross 53-52 Fordham (Oct 29, 2022) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Holy Cross Crusaders vs. Fordham Rams NCAAF game, final score 53-52, from October 29, 2022 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Wow! I guess I was right to put this game so high on my lists.

And on that positive note, let's get to what else was positive (and negative) on this week in football:

It was a good week for:​

Notre Dame (I actually did a great job in my picks yesterday, as Kansas State [which I'll get to later] and Louisville came through for me. In fact, the only big prediction I got wrong was me doubting the Fighting Irish, as Notre Dame never trailed in their win in Central New York. Maybe Audric Estime and the Irish can give Clemson a fight next week after all!
P.S.: This is the last time I'm picking Syracuse in my predictions this season... for now, at least.)
Tennessee (Damn! There was ZERO look-ahead for the Vols last night, as they blasted Kentucky.)
QB Tommy DeVito (The Illinois QB missed only 2 passes ALL DAY, as the Illini won to stay on top of the Big 10 West.)
QB Will Howard (No Adrian Martinez available for Kansas State? No problem! Will Howard finally got to be a hero for the Wildcats, as he got 4 TD's and led K-State to an overwhelming shutout win over Oklahoma State.)
Ohio State (Well, Ohio State WAS finally tested yesterday as they were trailing against Penn State. But like an elite team always does, they kept going and now they're 8-0... AGAIN.)
Central Florida (Yay! What a rebound performance for the Golden Knights, as they knocked Cincinnati off of their perch. And the team they lost to last week [East Carolina] is now bowl-eligible after they won at BYU!)

It was a bad week for:​

Michigan State (I'm not saying that the postgame fight was all Michigan State's fault, but it still isn't a good look for a team that is 3-5 to try to injury the other team's players.)
Virginia (The Cavs lost the ugliest game of the week, as Miami defeated them 14-12... in 4 overtimes.)
San Diego State (The Aztecs lost a tough one to Fresno State 32-28, and now their chances to get back to the Mountain West title game are not good.)
Wake Forest (One quarter. The Demon Deacons were terrible for just ONE quarter against Louisville, and it resulted in a 48-21 loss. And now their record as a Top 10 team is at 0-2.)

And finally, Texas A&M lost another close one, this time against Ole Miss. You may react to this however you want.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 10- Best "mid-major" games

At 8:00 eastern tonight, the first "CFP Top 25 rankings" special will air on ESPN. And at 9:00 tonight on football sites all across the country, people will completely overreact to those first CFP rankings. It's like clockwork.
But that's later tonight. For now, here are the big "mid-major" action to watch this week as I present...

The Best "mid-major" games of the week!​

(All times are Eastern)
5. Houston @ SMU [7:00, NFL Network] (I could have put Tulane @ Tulsa in this spot, but I actually think that Tulane will stop Tulsa's offense in their game. So instead, I'll look at this game in the American.
So despite all the crazy BS that they went through during the season, Houston is still in the thick of things in the conference. Let's see if they can keep it together here as they visit SMU for the last time in a little while. But what's this about Vegas making SMU a 3-point favorite? Do they know something about the Mustang defense that I don't?)

4. Florida International @ North Texas [4:00, ESPN+] (Hooray! FIU doesn't stink in 2022! Now let's see if they can pull the upset in Denton and put themselves in the hunt for the C-USA title. But North Texas has quite the tough, balanced offense for FIU to deal with... Maybe the Panthers should try to stop Ayo Adeyi, and work their way up.)

3. Buffalo @ Ohio [7:30 tonight, ESPN2] (Early-week MACtion is back! And it'll come out flying with this big game in Athens that'll help determine what will happen in the MAC East. If the Bulls win, they'll have a stranglehold on the division crown. But if the Bobcats win this one, the division could turn into a free-for-all.)

2. Appalachian State @ Coastal Carolina [7:30 Thursday, ESPN] (Okay, so App. State isn't having the type of season they were hoping for. You know what could help the Mountaineers feel better? Shocking the Chanticleers again to take control of their division! That's what happened last year; App. State upset a ranked Coastal Carolina team and took it to the division title.
And maybe it can happen again; Coastal's defense isn't the best in the world, and App. State's D is pretty tough. Or maybe Grayson McCall and the Chanticleers will just sweep them away and get their revenge.)

1. UCF @ Memphis [3:30, ESPN2] (Why is this game at #1 on this list? Go ask Central Florida; they just defeated Cincinnati, and now they have a ranking in the AP poll. Yes! If the Golden Knights take care of business, they'll get to the "New Year's Six"! ...Thing is, this is a classic hangover spot as UCF visits a Memphis team that can put points on the board AND had a bye week to get over 3 tough losses in a row. I hope the Knights can handle a shootout, 'cause that's what this game is gonna be.)

And guess what? NONE of these games made my "big-boy" Top 10! Tune in on Thursday to see which games made it.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 10- Top Ten Games

So Ohio and Bowling Green won their games, and now the MAC East division is a mess?! Cool. That means that things are picking up over in the Mid-American Conference. Let's see what other chaos will occur this week, as I present...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2022 (Week Ten)​

(All times are Eastern)
1. Tennessee @ Georgia [3:30, CBS] (Tennessee is #1 in the CFP rankings?! You don't think that the defending national champions Georgia are gonna be slighted by that? And we got Georgia's D vs. Tennessee's offense? Vols vs. Bulldogs is #1, the least surprising entry is out of the way.)

10. Liberty @ Arkansas [4:00, SEC Network] (A stunning development is happening in the "Group of Five" ranks: The Liberty Flames are back in the AP rankings! That means that a "New Year's Six" bowl may come a callin' for them if things break the right way!
Okay, okay, let's settle down for a bit. It's time for Liberty to prove they belong, as they have had a bye week to prepare for their biggest game of the year: A trip to Fayetteville to face the Razorbacks. And don't forget; Hugh Freeze has experience with dealing with SEC-level attacks. Then again, if Arkansas fixes up their bad pass defense...)

9. UCLA @ Arizona State [9:30, FOX Sports 1] (This is simply a PAC-12 South contest where UCLA will look to bypass an upset attempt by Arizona State. But the Sun Devils hasn't looked so bad over their last 3 games; maybe if they spruce up their defense they can give DTR and the Bruins something to think about.)

8. Oklahoma State @ Kansas [3:30, FOX Sports 1] (Okay, so Kansas have crashed back to earth after their 5-0 start with 3 straight losses. But now they're coming off a bye week, and they're looking to get back to shocking people when they host the Cowboys. As for OK State, the only thing they'll need for this game is what happened to them last week; after that historically bad shutout loss, what kind of pride will they show?)

7. Texas Tech @ TCU [12:00, FOX] (On paper, this looks like a simple game for TCU; they're looking to brush away the Red Raiders and move on. But you know how crazy these in-state rivalries tend to get. And also, TCU has games with Texas and Baylor right after this. Plus, the Red Raiders are gonna be wide awake for this one; here's hoping that the Frogs will accommodate them.)

6. Oregon State @ Washington [10:30 tomorrow, ESPN2] (Now, this PAC-12 game should be straight-up fun: Two teams that are 6-2, facing each other in Seattle. And if Oregon State's passing game wakes up, a shootout could ensue. But peel away all of the fun bits, and you have a bitter fight for survival. Because the loser of this game can wave bye-bye to any chance of making the PAC-12 title game.)

5. Wake Forest @ NC State [8:00, ACC Network] (Prepare yourself for a slugfest in Raleigh, as "Tobacco Road" rivals face off once again. For Wake Forest, they got a BIG slice of humble pie last week thanks to Louisville, and now they're looking to pick up the pieces and break that Wolfpack D. As for NC State, they may be winning ugly now, but at least they're still winning. Now they want to slow down the Deacons and get revenge for their heartbreaking loss to them last year.)

4. Texas @ Kansas State [7:00, FOX Sports 1] (After that historic win over OK State last week, the Kansas State Wildcats are hoping against hope that they can have that kind of luck again. That's because they're hosting the Longhorns, who had a bye week to get ready [and is looking to get "Coach Sark" a big victory]. And whoever will be the Wildcats' QB this week have better be ready to tangle with Quinn Ewers, 'cause Texas has been looking SO much better since he came back from injury.
P.S.: No, FOX Sports 1 is not paying me to put all of their games on my list; this is purely a coincidence.)

3. Clemson @ Notre Dame [7:30, NBC] (This was originally the #2 game on my list... until the CFP rankings came out. Anyway, Clemson is hoping that this visit to South Bend will go better than the visit they made 2 years ago. And yes, Clemson has had a bye week to prep for this game, but the Irish has won 4 out of their last 5 and is FINALLY getting their offense going [just ask Syracuse]. To me, the X-factor is the Tigers defense; it has bent over the 2022 season, but it hasn't been broken yet. Can Drew Pyne and the Irish offense find a way to shatter it?)

2. Alabama @ LSU [7:00, ESPN] (To me, the most shocking part of the first CFP rankings was when they placed LSU at #10. Now Brian Kelly has to deal with the pressures of this being a Top-10 matchup, in addiction to dealing with Alabama's stout running D and Bryce Young still chucking it for the Tide. But LSU DID look great in beating up Ole Miss the last time I saw them; maybe if they don't make any big mistakes, the crowd in Baton Rouge can do the rest...)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Ohio State @ Northwestern (Wait. So ABC doesn't have something like Texas/K-State for the fans? And instead, they got a 1-7 team hosting the mighty Buckeyes? Fine. Have fun watching a 52-6 snorefest while FS1 gets all the ratings.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Maryland @ Wisconsin, Baylor @ Oklahoma, UCF @ Memphis, and Florida State @ Miami.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 10 Predictions

It's November 3rd, and already my local community is planning a "Festival of Trees" for Christmas. Anyway, time to get to work; here are my predictions for Week 10 (using the CFP rankings):

Top 25:
(1)Tennessee 31 @ (3)Georgia 34
(2)Ohio State 51 @ Northwestern 6
(4)Clemson 37 @ Notre Dame 30
(5)Michigan 32 @ Rutgers 13
(6)Alabama 41 @ (10)LSU 27
Texas Tech 17 @ (7)TCU 37
(8)Oregon 49 @ Colorado 10
California 19 @ (9)USC 45
(12)UCLA 41 @ Arizona State 27
(24)Texas 26 @ (13)Kansas State 28
Arizona 17 @ (14)Utah 37
(15)Penn State 39 @ Indiana 20
Michigan State 13 @ (16)Illinois 34
(17)North Carolina 27 @ Virginia 21
(18)Oklahoma State 40 @ Kansas 35
(19)Tulane 30 @ Tulsa 23
(20)Syracuse 21 @ Pittsburgh 28
(21)Wake Forest 28 @ (22)NC State 23
(23)Oregon State 27 @ Washington 35
(25)UCF 30 @ Memphis 34

Other big games:
Liberty 20 @ Arkansas 37
Florida State 22 @ Miami 24

My time's up. You've been great. Don't forget that Daylight Savings Time is ending this weekend!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

LSU vs. Alabama

Alabama vs. LSU score, takeaways: No. 10 Tigers, Jayden Daniels roll No. 6 Tide in overtime, shake up SEC

A gutsy two-point conversion call sent LSU over its SEC West rival in Death Valley

www.cbssports.com

Of COURSE, I have to show you this epic result. What guts by Brian Kelly-
My dark side: "IT'S THE CURSE!! My creator's "runner-up curse" is REALLLLL!"
Me: "I know! Now SHUT UP and let me enjoy this."

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 10- Good and Bad

https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article268345957.html

And that takes care of the other big stunner from last night; now let's see what else happened yesterday in my "Good/Bad" segment:

It was a good week for:​

Louisiana State (For very obvious reasons)
The PAC-12 (This conference had almost everything go right this week! It got great games, like USC vs. Cal and UCLA vs. Arizona State. And USC and UCLA [along with Utah and Oregon] would survive those challenges. AND they saw other CFP contenders fall to the waste-side! We are in for an epic finish over here.)
Georgia (Yesterday, Georgia was like "Wait, we're only #3?! Let us remind you guys that we are the DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS". And they did, as they made Tennessee look mortal for the first time this season.)
The Texas Longhorns (Finally, the Longhorns got a big win on the road, as they silenced Kansas State. Hmm... TCU comes to Austin next week, don't they?)
Michigan State (Finally, SOMETHING goes right for Mel Tucker and Michigan State, as they upset Illinois in Champaign.)
The Liberty Flames (Wait. The Flames actually won AT Arkansas?! Holy crap, Liberty actually has a chance at a "New Year's Six" bowl!)

It was a bad week for:​

The ACC (Thanks to the above game, the ACC might be out of the playoff picture completely. Oh, and the FSU/Miami game that was on ABC on primetime? It was a complete dud.)
Alabama teams playing OT (The Crimson Tide weren't the only ones that suffered overtime heartbreak yesterday; UAB lost a double-OT heartbreaker to UTSA, and Auburn failed against Mississippi State.)
Oklahoma State (Hooray for the Kansas Jayhawks! They're now bowl eligible for the first time since 2008! Hooray! ...Oh right, the Cowboys! Well, their Big 12 title chances are now on life support.)
Old passing records at SMU (In a game where 140 total points were scored, Tanner Mordecai smashed school and conference records as SMU outmuscled Houston.)
Boise State (The Broncos lost their little winning streak, as BYU got a much-needed win at their expense. Oh, and Utah State is still mathematically eligible to take their division title; Boise have better be careful going forward.)

Baylor vs. Oklahoma - Game Summary - November 5, 2022 - ESPN Wait, THIS game happened? I barely remembered it!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 11- Top "mid-major" games

So not only do we have a delay in the "Powerball" drawing due to a technical problem, but today we have people freaking out over Election Day. Not only that, but the FCS slate is LOADED for this week. So that means I have to present you with...

The Top 10 "mid-major" games of the week (Week 11)!​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Northwestern State @ SE Louisiana [5:00, ESPN3] (Over in the Southland conference, we have 3 big contenders left: Incarnate Word, SE Louisiana, and... 4-5 Northwestern State?! Yep, despite losing all of their non-conference games, the Demons of Northwestern State still has a chance to make the FCS playoffs. But now it's time for them to earn it, as they now visit the Lions of SE Louisiana. At least they'll have QB Zachary Clement to help them.)

9. Sacramento State @ Portland State [9:00 Friday, ESPN+] (Man! The Hornets of Sacramento State just keeps on rolling, as they're now 9-0. However, they now must face their oldest rivals in Portland State. And the Vikings may have a losing record, but they can still throw the ball.)

8. Princeton @ Yale [12:00, ESPN+] (The Princeton Tigers has only 2 games left to go, and if they win them both they'll be the undefeated Ivy League champions. But before they face in-state rival Penn, Princeton must go to Yale and turn away a Bulldogs team looking to get at least a piece of the conference crown. I'm kinda expecting a high-scoring game here.
P.S.: Penn is facing Harvard this week, in case you're wondering... and THAT game might be high-scoring as well.)

7. Samford @ Chattanooga [1:30, ESPN+] (In the Southern conference, Samford is the leader right now. Thing is, this Saturday they'll be in Chattanooga to take on the Mocs... and the Mocs are looking for not just a share of the conference gold, but a FCS playoff spot. Oh, and let me point you guys to something big: Samford's QB Michael Heirs has 27-TD's and only 3 picks for the whole season. If the Mocs are able to stop him...)

6. Richmond @ Delaware [1:00, FOX College Sports] (For my final entry from the FCS ranks, I go to the CAA conference. And... it's actually pretty crowded over there; there are 6 teams duking it out for the conference title. But the biggest game from the CAA will take place in Newark, where the Blue Hens will host Richmond and their high-powered offense. And if Delaware can't stop the Spiders, they may not only lose their shot at the CAA title, but also their chances of a FCS playoff spot.)

5. Southern Miss @ Coastal Carolina [7:30, ESPNU] (As we reenter the FBS, let us check up on Coastal Carolina. Well, they're looking great after their win over App. State, but now the Chanticleers will face Southern Miss for the first time ever. And the Golden Eagles are looking to get the upset win and qualify for the postseason, so I hope that Coastal's rush defense is up to the test.)

4. Ball State @ Toledo [8:00 tonight, ESPN] (This is the big MAC game of the week. Toledo is looking good in the MAC West right now, but here comes the Ball State Cardinals! QB John Paddock has the Cardinals offense running, and if Ball State wins they'll take control of their destiny in the MAC. But if Toledo's defense stands tall and stops Ball State, you can pretty much pencil the Rockets into the MAC title game.)

3. San Jose State @ San Diego State [10:30, FOX Sports 1] (Fresno State might have the tiebreaker over both of these teams, but who cares? This is a big in-state rivalry, as these teams will face off for the 46th time. And you know, the Spartans' rushing game is trash. SDSU's passing game is trash. Whichever one wakes up first will win this game for their team.)

2. Liberty @ UConn [12:00, CBS Sports Network] (So Liberty was able to upset Arkansas last week, huh? Well, the Flames are now hoping that a hangover doesn't happen to them, as once-lowly UConn has now won 4 out of their last 5 games. But the Huskies can't be all like "Oh, god! If K.J. Jefferson can't stop them, what chance do we have?"; they have to be all-in and challenge the Liberty offense to beat them over the middle.)

And... yep, the #1 game on this list is on my "big-boy" Top 10. So that means you'll have to wait until Thursday to hear all about it.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 11- Top 10 Games

Jeez... Last night, I was trying to help my brother get back onto his Facebook account after he got locked out. What an ordeal that was. Anyway, let me focus and give to you good people...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2022 (Week 11)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Purdue @ Illinois [12:00, ESPN2] (Originally, I had Wisconsin vs. Iowa on this spot... until I remembered that Illinois still leads the Big 10 West despite their loss to Michigan State last week. Let's see how well Tommy DeVito and the Illini rebounds from the loss, as they'll host the Boilermakers in "The Battle For the Purdue Cannon". If Illinois wins this, they'll eliminate Purdue from the race and stay atop their division. But if they lose again, it could get really, REALLY crowded in the West.)

9. Kansas State @ Baylor [7:00, FOX Sports 1] (This is just a simple "elimination game" in the Big 12. Baylor looks to be getting their act together after a tough start to the season, while Kansas State is trying to stay alive after losses to TCU and Texas have put them under the 8-ball. To me, the running game is gonna be the X-factor here; Richard Reese has ran for 13 TD's for the Bears, and we all know about K-State's running prowess.)

8. North Carolina @ Wake Forest [7:30, ESPN2] (What's this? UNC is still sitting pretty at 8-1, and they're now just one win away from clinching the Coastal division title! Let's see if Mack Brown and the Tar Heels can continue their recent good luck on the road and finish the job. As for Wake Forest, they're now officially out of any "New Year's Six" talk after back-to-back losses; maybe all that the Demon Deacons can do now is win THIS rivalry game on "Tobacco Road" and spoil the party for North Carolina.)

7. UCF @ Tulane [3:30, ESPN2] (So "College Gameday" have stiffed New Orleans and Tulane in order to go to Austin, Texas. ...Ah, I kinda get it; Texas will be hosting the game of the week. Anyway, enough of "Gameday"; this is the biggest game for Tulane in 24 years as they host the UCF Knights for control of the American conference. It's Plumlee vs. Platt, Orlando vs. New Orleans, proud rush defense vs. proud rush defense!)

6. Louisville @ Clemson [3:30, ESPN] (Five weeks ago, we all thought that Clemson was a national title contender and that Louisville was gonna fire their head coach. Now? Louisville is riding a 4-game winning streak and Malik Cunningham is playing out of his mind, while Clemson is down in the dumps and having people tell them that they have to switch quarterbacks. Let's see what happens when these 2 conflicting teams meet; could it be another bad day for the Tigers?)

5. LSU @ Arkansas [12:00, ESPN] (This one is actually pretty easy to preview! It's the annual "Battle for the Golden Boot" between the Tigers and the Razorbacks. And look at what happened last week; LSU crushed Alabama's hopes and dreams, while Arkansas lost at home to Liberty to put them at 5-4. It's very simple to spell out: Can LSU avoid the hangover against an hated rival?)

4. Washington @ Oregon [7:00, FOX] (Oregon is almost in the same boat as LSU; they may be a strong playoff contender, but they now have to keep their focus and silence another hated rival. For Oregon, it's a Washington team that knows what they are and has a QB that can stay in lockstep with Oregon's Bo Nix. If the Huskies can stop Oregon's rushing attack, can the Ducks offense adjust?)

3. Georgia @ Mississippi State [7:00, ESPN] (Look. If Georgia can stop Tennessee's high-flying offense, they should be able to take care of the "Air Raid" attack of Mississippi State. They just need to ignore all of those darn cowbells... and the fact that Kentucky is on the horizon... and that Miss. State can play loose after clinching a bowl game last week... and the fact that Will Rogers [the QB for Miss. State] doesn't make too many mistakes.)

2. Alabama @ Ole Miss [3:30, CBS] (The names [Nick Saban, Bryce Young, Lane Kiffin] can easily sell this game for you guys. And of course, whenever Alabama loses, you're gonna have people questioning what's going on in Tuscaloosa. But the X-factor for this huge SEC West game will be the no-names on the Rebels defense. They've been holding it together long enough for Ole Miss to be at 8-1, but that defense NEEDS to have it's best performance of the year to stop an angry Alabama offense. Oh, and Jaxson Dart? You better have the game of your life, as well.)

1. TCU @ Texas [7:30, ABC] ("Is this the game where Texas returns to elite status?" is what all of the newspapers and "College Gameday" is gonna be asking during the hype for this main-event contest. And what about TCU? They're now #4 in the CFP polls, but they STILL have a long way to go to make the playoff. It's Max Duggan vs. Quinn Ewers, Kendre Miller vs. Bjoin Robinson, and let the winners be the winners!)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Missouri @ Tennessee (The Vols is outside of the Top 4 in the CFP, and they're back home in Knoxville AND they're looking to make a statement? Missouri, you are in for a BAD time this Saturday.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: East Carolina @ Cincinnati, Liberty @ UConn, Maryland @ Penn State, Wisconsin @ Iowa, and Kansas @ Texas Tech.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 11 Predictions

Time for an update on my prediction record!
Week 9: 15-3
Week 10: 13-9 (including fails by picking Arkansas and Miami)

So what will this week have in store for me? A proud record for me, or a middle-of-the-road finish? Let's find out as these predictions for Week 11 go public:

Top 25:
(1)Georgia 42 @ Mississippi State 34
Indiana 10 @ (2)Ohio State 55
Nebraska 14 @ (3)Michigan 52
(4)TCU 38 @ (18)Texas 35
Missouri 14 @ (5)Tennessee 45
(25)Washington 27 @ (6)Oregon 41
(7)LSU 34 @ Arkansas 31
Colorado 14 @ (8)USC 48
(9)Alabama 47 @ (11)Ole Miss 27
Louisville 20 @ (10)Clemson 34
Arizona 21 @ (12)UCLA 46
Stanford 10 @ (13)Utah 35
Maryland 23 @ (14)Penn State 34
(15)North Carolina 34 @ Wake Forest 38
Boston College 12 @ (16)NC State 28
(22)UCF 37 @ (17)Tulane 31
(19)Kansas State 28 @ Baylor 35
(20)Notre Dame 27 @ Navy 20
Purdue 20 @ (21)Illinois 23
(23)Florida State 31 @ Syracuse 19
Vanderbilt 12 @ (24)Kentucky 24

Other big games:
East Carolina 22 @ Cincinnati 27
Wisconsin 20 @ Iowa 17
Liberty 41 @ UConn 18

My time's up. You've been great. Oh, and PLEASE be careful about who you try to help on Facebook.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 11 (Good and Bad)

Now before I go and figure out how my new crockpot works, I present to you my "Good/Bad" segment for the week!

It was a good week for:​

Carlton Martial (This man playing for Troy just became the all-time leader for tackles in a career. Oh, and he helped the Trojans beat Army 10-9.)
West Virginia coach Neal Brown ("College Gameday" was saying yesterday that Brown was on the way out in Morgantown. Well, he managed to save his @$$ [for now, at least] as the Mountaineers stunned Oklahoma.)
Louisiana State (The Tigers are roaring today, my friends! Oh sure, they had a fight with the Razorbacks, but they expected it AND they won it. And it took way longer than I expected, but Ole Miss fell to Alabama, which means we're getting Georgia vs. LSU in the SEC title game.)
Boston College (The Eagles just stunned NC State to get their first win over a ranked opponent in 26 tries.)
Ohio State and Michigan (These guys are still unbeaten... and they are watching the Big 10 West descend into utter chaos. Man, when they face each other in 2 weeks, it could determine EVERYTHING in the Big 10.)

It was a bad week for:​

The PAC-12 (This conference is down to only 1 playoff contender, as UCLA lost a true shocker against Arizona AND Oregon's pass defense fails them [finally] when Washington stunned the Ducks in Eugene. Oh, and that playoff contender [USC] just lost their top running back for the rest of the year.)
The Liberty Flames (In his 1st year on the job at UConn, Jim Mora got the Huskies bowl-eligible for the first time since 2015! Hooray! ...And that means what minimal chances for Liberty to make a "New Year's Six" bowl is now completely gone.)
Texas (The Longhorns fail on prime-time once again, as TCU held them off to stay unbeaten.)
Tulane (It was a hard-fought game, but Tulane lost to UCF. Which means they still haven't beaten a ranked opponent in a LONG time.)

North Carolina vs. Wake Forest - Game Summary - November 12, 2022 - ESPN And finally, enjoy this dandy from the ACC Coastal as North Carolina punches their ticket to Charlotte.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12- Best "mid-major" games

So the first snow of the season comes tonight... Perfect time for me to present...

The Top 10 best "mid-major" games of the week!​

(All times are Eastern)
10. St. Francis (PA) @ Merrimack [12:00, ESPN3] (So it looks like St. Francis is going to the FCS playoffs out of the Northeast Conference... even if they lose this game [since Merrimack isn't eligible yet]. So why is this game still on the list? Well, it would be HUGE for the Warriors if they win the Northeast Conference on their 1st try. And I know DAMN well that the Red Flashes doesn't want to lose their momentum entering the playoffs.)

T-8. Penn @ Princeton [1:00, ESPN+] (The Ivy League race will get settled this week with 2 big ones! First is this rivalry game, as the Quakers take on the Tigers. And Princeton is coming off their first loss of the season; one more screw-up and they can say good-bye to a Ivy League title that they had in the bag 3 weeks ago.)

T-8. Yale @ Harvard [12:00, ESPNU] (On the other side of the Ivy League title race, we have "The Game" between Harvard and Yale. It's Harvard's strong offense vs. the "team-first" mentality of Yale, and the Bulldogs can clinch a share of the title if they can pull it out in Cambridge.)

7. North Carolina A&T @ Gardner Webb [12:00, ESPN+] (It comes down to this for the Big South title. It's the run-first Aggies vs. the pass-happy Bulldogs, and the winner gets a berth in the FCS playoffs.)

6. Florida Atlantic @ Middle Tennessee [3:30, ESPN+] (This is just a simple fight for bowl eligibility between the Owls and the Blue Raiders. No more, no less. Actually, wait a minute. Isn't FAU still eligible for a C-USA title shot? Yep, if the Owls win they stay with Western Kentucky and North Texas for a chance at UTSA and the conference title. But if the Blue Raiders win, it's game over.)

5. William & Mary @ Richmond [12:00, check local listings] (Here is the FCS game of the week! It's the 133rd edition of the "Capital Cup" between the Tribe and the Spiders, and the winner will earn a share of the CAA title.)

4. Bowling Green @ Toledo [7:00 tonight, ESPNU] (It's the 87th edition of the "Battle of I-75", and... Toledo has won 11 of the last 12 meetings. And it looks like Toledo has already clinched the MAC West title, which- Wait. Bowling Green is still alive for the conference title? Well, that should give Matt McDonald and the Falcons some incentive to break the Rockets' dominance in this rivalry [and get bowl-eligible in the process]!)

3. Houston @ ECU [2:00, ESPN+] (Hmm... In the AAC, Houston is still eligible to go to the conference title game. But they'll have to win out if they want to do it. And it won't be easy to do; the Cougars are going to Greenville this Saturday, and their defense has been horrific this season. Not to mention it's Senior Day for ECU, and the Pirates have the better defense, AND they have wins over BYU and UCF.
Oh well. At the very least, we'll have a QB duel between Holton Ahlers and Clayton Tune.)

2. Boise State @ Wyoming )(...You'll have to win until my "big-boy" Top 10 list to learn more about this game. Sorry!)

1. SMU @ Tulane (...Ditto!)

And finally, please send a prayer for the University of Virginia right now...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12- Top 10 Games

So with snow now on the ground, I'm left to look at this week's games. And you know, there is gonna be a certain theme that will run throughout the list. See if you can guess what it is as I present...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2022 (Week 12)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Boise State @ Wyoming [7:00, CBS Sports Network] (We come out of the gates flying, as the Mountain West picture will get a lot clearer once this game in Laramie ends. This battle will decide who will control the Mountain division; if Boise State wins they'll host the MW title game. But if Wyoming wins, they'll take control of the division entering Rivalry Week. The Broncos' defense [whether it holds firm or not] should decide who'll come out on top.)

9. SMU @ Tulane [7:30 tonight, ESPN] (So despite losing to UCF last week, the Tulane Green Wave still has control of their destiny. However, they DID lose their margin-for-error, so they HAVE to rebound on their Senior Day. And also, SMU is still eligible to win a spot in the AAC title game AND they've been looking pretty good as of late. Can the Tulane defense still tall this time around?)

8. Georgia @ Kentucky [3:30, CBS] (This game would have been a lot higher on this list had Kentucky not allowed Vanderbilt to break a long SEC losing streak at their expense. Now we're all just wondering what kind of pride Kentucky will show as they host a Georgia team that just wants to use their defense to wash away the Wildcats and move on with their CFP title defense.)

7. Iowa @ Minnesota [4:00, FOX] (The Big 10 West may look really crowded, but don't worry! It's gonna get a LOT more clearer after Saturday. One of the reasons why is this game: The annual "Floyd of Rosedale" rivalry game which is basically an elimination game in the West. And either Minnesota snaps a 7-game losing streak in this rivalry, or Iowa keeps the bronzed pig and takes the inside track to repeating as division champions.)

6. Illinois @ Michigan [12:00, ABC] (And elsewhere in the Big 10, we have Illinois hoping against hope that Michigan is caught looking ahead to "Big 10 Armageddon" next week in Columbus. On that note, we should have a fun battle of running backs; it's Chase Brown [for Illinois] vs. Blake Corum [for Michigan] in a game that could be a slugfest.)

5. Ohio State @ Maryland [3:30, ABC] (Speaking of avoiding the look-ahead, Ohio State has to be careful when they go to College Park and face a Maryland team trying to get their offense going after 2 disappointing showings. Will the Buckeyes defense get pushed ahead of the big game next Saturday?)

4. Tennessee @ South Carolina [7:00, ESPN] (Hey! The SEC actually has some games to pay attention to this week! Certainly not like the last several years, where almost every one of them plays a lesser opponent and gets fat afterwards.
ANYWAY, the Tennessee Vols are looking to crush the Gamecocks and build up their resume to steal a spot in the CFP. But I don't know; South Carolina's secondary is pretty good.)

3. TCU @ Baylor [12:00, FOX] (Thanks to Baylor losing to Kansas State, this game has lost a bit of oomph. But we STILL have a rivalry game between the Frogs and the Bears, and TCU is hoping to get past THIS tough hurdle and move on in their chase for the CFP. Just a word of advice for the Frogs: This is Baylor's Senior Day, and they are NOT gonna be the same team that K-State neutralized last week; their offense is gonna be ready.)

2. Utah @ Oregon [10:30, ESPN] (The Oregon Ducks are still shocked over Washington crushing their playoff hopes last week... in Eugene! Now Oregon must face another big problem: Utah is coming to town and the Utes are on a roll. And if Utah can win this game, Oregon could be waving bye-bye to their chances of a PAC-12 title. How will Bo Nix respond to the pressure? More importantly, how much better will Oregon's defense be?)

1. USC @ UCLA [8:00, FOX] (...Wait a minute. Why is this matchup still at #1 on this list? Didn't UCLA lose to Arizona last week, forcing "College Gameday" to go to Montana this week? Now the Bruins can't go for the CFP and the Trojans... still can.
Oh! NOW I know why this rivalry game is still at #1; UCLA can return the favor and spoil their arch-rivals' chances for the playoff! And we'll have the first and only meeting between Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Caleb Williams, too!)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Cincinnati @ Temple [Cincinnati is back in the CFP Top 25? That means they're still alive for a "New Year's Six" bowl! ...Sorry, Temple, the Bearcats are gonna cream you this Saturday.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Miami @ Clemson, NC State @ Louisville, Texas @ Kansas, and Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12 Predictions

Before you guys go and start looking at the CBB tournaments like the "Charleston Classic" and the "Myrtle Beach Invitational", look at these proud predictions for Week 12 (FBS vs. FCS games don't count):

Top 25:
(1)Georgia 42 @ Kentucky 17
(2)Ohio State 56 @ Maryland 26
Illinois 14 @ (3)Michigan 29
(4)TCU 37 @ Baylor 27
(5)Tennessee 33 @ South Carolina 17
UAB 7 @ (6)LSU 49
(7)USC 32 @ (16)UCLA 38
Miami 13 @ (9)Clemson 37
(10)Utah 27 @ (12)Oregon 30
(11)Penn State 27 @ Rutgers 20
Georgia Tech 17 @ (13)North Carolina 35
(14)Ole Miss 41 @ Arkansas 27
(15)Kansas State 38 @ West Virginia 30
Colorado 10 @ (17)Washington 50
Boston College 14 @ (18)Notre Dame 30
Louisiana 10 @ (19)Florida State 47
Navy 13 @ (20)UCF 37
SMU 35 @ (21)Tulane 28
(22)Oklahoma State 33 @ Oklahoma 37
(23)Oregon State 31 @ Arizona State 24
(24)NC State 20 @ Louisville 31
(25)Cincinnati 40 @ Temple 10

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy "A Cut Above".

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

TCU vs. Baylor

Hmmm... I was starting to think before kickoff yesterday "Was I right to put TCU vs. Baylor so high on my list?". The answer?

TCU wins on a Field Goal as clock expires

The TCU Horned Frogs defeated the Baylor Bears in dramatic fashion on Saturday with a 29-28 victory on a 40-yard field goal as time expired. TCU’s magical season nearly came to crashing halt …

www.prosportsextra.com

Yes, Yes, I was.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12- Good and Bad

And with that incredible game to start the day with, let's get to the "Good/Bad" segment for the week!

It was a good week for:​

Kickers (You people tend to look down on kickers, don't you? Well, the kickers for Michigan and TCU saved their team's bacon yesterday. Even before that, Western Michigan had to use their kicker to beat Central Michigan. So just be nicer to these guys the next time you see them, OK?)
Struggling teams (The Sooners showed the Cowboys yesterday that even though they may be 5-5, they still run the state of Oklahoma. Vanderbilt got back-to-back SEC wins [including beating Florida in Nashville for the first time since 1988]. Georgia Tech just upset North Carolina, meaning that the "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" game will mean something. And we now have an Iron Bowl to watch after Auburn beat Western Kentucky to get to 5-6.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that 2-8 Virginia Tech was able to upset Liberty. Finally, something goes right for the state of Virginia this week.)
Southern Cal (The Trojans outlasted UCLA 48-45, gaining revenge for what the Bruins did to them last year. And then later on, Oregon would beat Utah. That means USC won't have to face the Utes again in the PAC-12 title game!)
Notre Dame (Sadly for the Trojans, they'll first have to deal with Notre Dame. Who just crushed Boston College 44-0, has won 8 of their last 9, and now wants to ruin USC's hopes and dreams.)
Iowa (The Hawkeyes defeated Minnesota... again. My god, the Iowa Hawkeyes are gonna repeat as Big 10 West champions!)
Joe Starkey (40 years after he called that legendary "band on the field" Stanford/Cal game, he called his final "Big Game"... and it was a Cal victory!)

It was a bad week for:​

Central Florida (What the hell happened, UCF? I was all prepared to usher you guys into a "New Year's Six" bowl, and then you go and lose to Navy? Ugh!)
Teams looking ahead (Michigan and Ohio State really got into some trouble with Illinois and Maryland [respectfully]. But they won, so no harm no foul. Ole Miss, however, got caught looking ahead to the Egg Bowl and got ran over by Arkansas. And NC State got tripped up by Louisville.)
Michigan State (The Spartans just lost the "Old Brass Spittoon" to Indiana [in double overtime], which means their bowl hopes are now in serious jeopardy.)
Georgia State (The Panthers lost the best "under-the-radar" game of the week to James Madison 42-40. And that means their bowl hopes are now dead.)

And finally, it was a middle-of-the-road week for Clemson. I'm sure they're a little bummed that UNC got beat. But look on the bright side, Tigers...
Tennessee vs. South Carolina - Game Summary - November 19, 2022 - ESPN ...look at what your next opponents were able to do!