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Despite the 2022 season ending in an overwhelming lop-sided, CFP blow-out, Collegefootballfan.com enjoyed its 43rd year attending 21 games in person. Congratulations to the Georgia Bulldogs (15-0) proving that they deserved the national championship this season. A great balance of talent and coaching on offense and defense under HC Kirby Scott put the Dawgs up where they belonged. Collegefootballfan.com got to see them play in one of their few struggles this season as they bested the Kentucky Wildcats on November 19, 16-6.
In the annals of our history, they are the 13th FBS champ we witnessed during their title run. We always seek the best games in competition. We did not attend the CFP finale in Las Angeles, but TCU disappointed many us in not challenging the Bulldogs as we hoped they could. A great season, 2022 finished with a “whimper” and not a “bang” for most college fans.
Our season overall provided us the opportunity to attend games played by eight FBS teams that finished in the Top 25. In addition, four other squads landed in the category of “Others receiving votes”. We did not see one team play in ESPN’s Bottom Ten! Probably a first for us. Among the final rankings, we watched these seven programs play during the 2022 season: No. 4 Ohio State, 44-31 win at Penn State; No. 5 Alabama a 55-0 win over Utah State; No. 7 Penn State wins at Purdue, 35-31, and at Auburn, 41-12; No. 13 Clemson win over Louisville, 31-16; No. 19 Troy at Western Kentucky, 34-27; No. 23 South Carolina win at Kentucky, 24-14; and No. 25 Texas win over Baylor, 38-27.
Close, but no final rankings in 2022
Among others receiving votes, these teams held their own: UTSA fell out of the Top 25 losing their Cure Bowl Game to Troy, but we saw them defeat Middle Tennessee, 35-17; Iowa shut out Kentucky in the Music City Bowl, 21-0; Louisville defeated a 9-3 James Madison squad in its first FBS season, 34-10; and as mentioned, Purdue fell at home to PSU in their home opener in a close one.
Oh those end of season Overtimes!
As for two FCS games we attended, all four schools finished with solid seasons. After we saw Samford beat SE Louisiana in a playoff game in OT, the Bulldogs finished at No. 7 and the Lions came in at No. 19. We saw Austin Peay knock of Eastern Kentucky, 31-20 in an early ASUN contest. Both received votes but fell outside the FCS Top 25.
In two other games ending in very competitive OTs we attended, we witnessed two extremes. As expected in their 123rd meeting, Army and Navy played in a familiar, defensive onslaught. The contest spilled into overtime for the first time in history. Army forced a Navy fumble at the one before kicking a field goal on their next possession to win, 20-17. At the Liberty Bowl in a comeback shoot-out between Arkansas and Kansas, in the third OT, the Razorbacks converted on their two-point conversion. A halfback option pass misfired for the Jayhawks and Arkansas took home the Trophy with a 55-53 win. “Wow!” was the best way to summarize that game.
Top Performances of 2022
Seeing many games (21) among many different teams (33) this season makes it difficult to put together our own All-American team. What we’ve decided to do instead this season is to just recognize Top Performances of each game. We don’t even call this a Most Valuable Player list. For each game, we recognize at least one player, players from either team, players from offense, defense, or special teams.
Top Performers from each game:
Game 635: Western Kentucky – WR Malachi Corley, 5 catches, 61 yards, 3 TDs; Austin Peay – WR Daewood Davis, 6 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD
Game 636: Penn State – DB Joey Porter, JR, 8 tackles, 3 break-ups, tight coverage – TE Brenton Strange, 2 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD; Purdue – WR Charlie Jones, 12 catches, 153 yards, 1 TD
Game 637: Alabama – QB Bryce Young, 18 for 28 passing, 195 yards, 5 TDs, 100 yards rushing, 1 TD – LB Will Anderson – 5 tackles, 1 TFL; Utah State
Game 638: Wake Forest – QB Sam Hartman, 18 for 27, 300 yards, 4 TDs; Vanderbilt – QB AJ Swann 8 for 11, 124 yards, 2 TDs, late in game
Game 639: Penn State – RB Nick Singleton, 10 for 124 yards, 2 TDs, long 54-yard TD – S Ji’Yar Brown, 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 Int return for 27 yards; Auburn
Game 640: Austin Peay – QB Mike Diliello, 17 for 33, 172 yards passing, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 15 carries for 181 yards, 3 TDs; Eastern Kentucky – QB Parker McKinney, 21 for 36, 213 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 116 yards rushing
Game 641: UTSA – QB Frank Harris, 27 for 36, 4141 yards, 2 TDs passing, 2 TDS rushing. 3 INTs; Middle Tennessee – QB Chase Cunningham, 35 for 56, 368 yards, 1 TD
Game 642: Troy – WR Tez Johnson, 6 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD, 1 TD option pass for 10-yard TD; Western Kentucky – QB Austin Reed, 39 for 56, 406 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Game 643: South Carolina – RB Marshall Lloyd, 22 for 110 yards, 1 TD, 22 for 110 yards, 1 TD – PK Mitch Jeter, 32 -yard FG, 5 kickoffs for touchbacks – DT Tonka Hemingway, 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 TFLs, Fumble recovery to set up first TD; Kentucky
Game 644: Western Kentucky – QB Austin Reed, 32 for 49, 278 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT: Middle Tennessee
Game 645: Houston – QB Clayton Tune, 21 for 30, 261 yards, 5 TDs – WR Nate Dell, 8 catches, 93 yards, 2 TDs; Navy – LB Donovan Muti, 13 tackles
Game 646: Ohio State – WR Marvin Harrison, JR, 10 catches for 185 yards, long 37 – LB JT Tuimoloau, 6 tackles, 2 sacks, INT for TD; LB Tommy Eichenberg, 15 tackles; Penn State – WR Parker Washington, 11 catches, 179 yards, 1 TD
Game 647: Louisville – RB Tiyvon Evans, 10 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD, 71-yard TD- WR Tyler Hudson, 10 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD; James Madison- LB James Carpenter, 7 tackles, 3 TFLs
Game 648: Clemson – RB Will Shipley, 19 for 97, 1 TD run, hurdle for score – RB Phil Mafah, 10 for 106 yards, 1 TD: Louisville
Game 649: Georgia – RB Kenny McIntosh, 19 for 143 yards, 1 TD; Kentucky
Game 650: Texas – BiJuan Robinson, 29 for 198, 2 TDs – RB Roschon Johnson, 13 for 77 yards, 2 TDs: Baylor
Game 651: Louisiana – QB Chandler Fields, 16 for 26, 187 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; Texas State – RB Lincoln Pare, 28 for 221 yards 1 TD, 56-yd run and 67-yd TD run
Game 652: Stamford – QB Quincy Crittendom, 26 for 40, 314 yards, 4 TDs, 20 carries for 94 yards, winning TD run in OT; SE Louisiana – QB Cephus Johnson III – 19 for 30, 173 yards, 1 INT, 15 carries for 123 yards, 3 TDs
Game 653: Army DL Austin Hill, forced fumble at goal line in OT; Isaiah Morris blocked punt and DB Jabril Williams returned for 31-yard TD before halftime; Navy
Game 654: Arkansas – QB KJ Jefferson, 19 for 29, 287 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 14 carries for 130 yards, 2 TDs; Kansas – QB Jalon Daniels, 37 for 55, 544 yards, 5 TD passes, 2 INT, 14 for 21 rushing, 1 TD, 4 Liberty Bowl records
Game 655: Iowa – DB Xavier Nwampka, 7 tackles, 52-yard TD return – DB Dejean Cooper, 8 tackles, 14-yard TD return; Kentucky
Offseason “booked”
With over 200 more games and eleven new FBS teams added since we published Tales from the Tailgate: From the Fan who’s seen ‘em all, we’ve decided it’s time to update our adventures. We’ll update the old with the newest. The new edition will have new titles and be marketed differently than the original. We’ve got some publishing experience to help us so we hope top to expand our exposure and reach more fans beyond many of the faithful followers we have already. We hope to be getting it out by the middle of 2023 well before the upcoming season starts. Look for updates here for this and other offseason news. We’re already starting to piece together next season’s slate.
