Game 524: Navy Midshipmen running game outduels Tulsa passing game, 42-40

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Navy Midshipmen running game outduels Tulsa passing game, 42-40

Annapolis, MD- The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes outgained the Navy Midshipmen in total yards 576 to 501, but the efficient USNA triple-option rushing attack garnered 390 yards on the ground to outscore the Hurricanes, 42-40.  For the fifth consecutive game, Navy QB Will Worth rushed for over 100 yards.  He accounted for three rushing TDs and threw for another.  The win for the Navy Midshipmen (7-2,5-1) put them in control of their championship destiny.  With two American Athletic games remaining against East Carolina and SMU the next two weeks, wins over both will give the Mids the AAC West title and a berth in the championship game on December 3 at noon.  The host site has yet to be determined.  Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day for the game and for tailgating with great friends.  We all hope that we’ll have a chance to do this again in Annapolis on December 3.

A beautiful day for a Navy football game in Annapolis!

A beautiful day for a Navy football game in Annapolis!

Tulsa deferred the ball to the potent Navy offense to start the game.  Dishan Romine returned the kick to the TU 43.  Slot back Darryl Bonner took it over from the four for the Navy lead after the opening series.  Tulsa answered on its very first play from scrimmage as WR Keevan Lucas hauled in a 76-yard pass beating the Mid secondary to tie it up before a suddenly disappointed Navy crowd of 36,397.  Next time the Hurricanes started a drive from their 27, they took it to the Navy 12 where PK Redford Jones gave them the lead, 10-7, with a 29-yard FG.  Navy’s running game was on the attack again as Romine took the option pitch and raced 41 yards to regain the lead, 14-10.  The ensuing kickoff was bobbled by Tulsa and Navy kick coverage cut down Tulsa at their one.  A punt put Navy back in possession from their 31, and they drove from there into the second period.

Navy Midshipman RB Dishan Romine carries the ball toward Navy goal line.

Navy Midshipmen RB Darryl Bonner carries the ball toward goal line for first Navy score.

The Navy Midshipman hit pay dirt as Worth plunged over the goal from the one for a 21-10 lead.  A minute and a half later, Tulsa cut the lead once again. WR Josh Atkinson (5 catches for 102 yards, 1 TD) caught the ball wide open on the right sideline and ran it in for a 56-yard catch and run to trail, 21-17.  Navy’s ensuing possession was kept alive buy Worth who converted a first down on a fourth and one at the Tulsa nine.   He connected with TE Tyler Carmona who made a twisting, diving catch as he fell in the end zone for an 11-yard TD pass to go up, 28-17.  The Golden Hurricanes were not backing down.  From their 25, they got into FG range where Jones converted three more points with 42 seconds remaining in the first half.  It was a good, offensive battle combining Navy patience and Tulsa explosiveness.  The Navy Midshipman led at intermission, 28-20. Which offense would stumble, or better yet, which defense would step up?

Tulsa QB Dane Evans threw for 369 yards and four TDs without much pressure.

Tulsa QB Dane Evans threw for 369 yards and four TDs without much pressure.

The day was perfect for tailgating – the weather, the company, and the cuisine. A cloud did not appear in the sky all day.  The noon kickoff got us all started early in the chilly morning.  Brian Donnelly brought his now famous Old Bay Chicken wings.  “Navy Al” brought ribs prepared by his son, a chef at a restaurant in Pennsylvania.   Dennis and Tracy brought chili for a “local” Gate 1 tailgate Chili Cook-off.  For the second year in a row, their recipe earned them the trophy!  With all these great tailgate traditions, I added the cannolis brought down from New Jersey.  Everybody enjoyed these along with all the snacks and beverages.   Great time!  It makes us sorry that the college football season is always so short.  Tailgating is one of the all-time great American traditions to bring people together and make great, new friendships!  And it’s greatest with a great bunch of people at a great football venue with great traditions, especially when our football team keeps winning.

Rounding up some of the suspects at our tailgate party at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Rounding up some of the suspects at our tailgate party at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The Golden Hurricanes were on the move to start the second half.  On a fourth and five at the Navy 44, QB Dane Evans (16 for 27, 369 yards, 4 TDs, 1INT) completed a 17-yard pass to Justin Hobbs to keep their opening drive alive.  However, CB Tyris Wooten stopped the drive as he deflected Evans’ pass in the end zone into the air and hauled it in for a Navy Midshipman interception. It was a critical defensive stop as the ball was picked from a possible TD.  The ensuing Navy drive was turned over on downs at the TU 38.  Evans didn’t come up empty this time as he connected with WR Keenan Johnson for a 31-yard TD pass to cut the score down to 28-27.  Navy was under the gun to extend the lead, and they did not disappoint.  Following two offensive penalties, on third and 16, Worth (6 for 8, 111 yards, 1 TD) passed to Bonner for 28 yards down to the TU 21.

Navy DB Tyris Wooten breaks up a pass during the first half.

Navy DB Tyris Wooten breaks up a pass during the first half.

Into the fourth, the drive continued until Worth faked the handoff and ran the option left for a 15-yard touchdown run and a 35-27 Navy lead.  Tulsa had to keep firing passes to keep pace with the Navy Midshipmen.   Desperately facing a forth and eight at USNA’s 45, Hobbs (5 catches for 123 yards) made a diving catch at the Navy one just short of the goal line, and one play later, Evans scored on a dive option to the left. Trailing 35-33, the Hurricanes went for two.  Evans came up short on his run by inches. Neither team was quitting.  Five plays and 69 yards later, Worth kept the ball around left end on the option and raced down field for a 44-yard scoring play for his third of the day on the ground. Though Tulsa trailed by nine needing two scores, the way these offenses could both score, a comeback still didn’t seem insurmountable.   With 5:30 remaining, Evans hit TE Chris Minter on a 22-yard slant pass over the middle to put the Hurricanes within two, 42-40.

Tusla TE Chris Minter about to haul in a touchdwon pass.

Tulsa WR Keenan Johnson about to haul in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Dane Evans.

An onside recovery could put Tulsa into the possibility of taking the lead back for good with a last second FG.  Like last week in the 28-27 win over Notre Dame, the Mids would have to look to run out the clock. They did it with seven minutes the week before.  Tulsa kicked off hoping to stop the Midshipmen on downs. They only had one time-out remaining. The possession started from the 25.  The Mids did what they do very well. The controlled the clock.  They ran three downs to convert a first down. They let the clock run down to within ten seconds before the started calling the signals.  On third and nine, WR Jamar Tillman came up short by a yard on a sweep. Tulsa used its last time-out.  Worth narrowly carried it for one yard for the first down by inches. The Mids retained possession, and Tulsa was out of time-outs. An unsportsmanlike penalty was walked off against the Hurricanes, and Navy went into the victory formation.  For the 15th consecutive time, the Navy Midshipmen prevailed in a home game. It was the second longest live streak of its kind only to Clemson who had won 20 straight until it was beaten at home this Saturday by Pitt, 43-42.

Navy Midshipman opening song at every home game: "Danger Zone!" That is what Navy - Marine Corps Stadium has become to Navy opponents who have lost 15 straight here to the Mids.

Navy Midshipmen opening song at every home game: “Danger Zone!” That is what Navy – Marine Corps Stadium has become to Navy opponents who have lost 15 straight here to the Mids.

Tulsa (7-3,4-2 AAC West) visits Central Florida (6-4,4-2) next.  Navy makes up a postponed game when they travel to visit the East Carolina Pirates (3-7,1-5).  Collegefootballfan.com travels out west for an unexpected double feature now that the game times have been finalized.     As planned, we will see Stanford (7-3, 5-3) visit the Cal Bears (4-6,2-5) in their traditional rivalry, The Big Game.     We look forward to seeing the RB Christian McCaffery of the Cardinal play since he was out injured when we saw Stanford beat Notre Dame earlier in the year, 17-10. We also look forward to seeing Cal QB Davis Webb with his 3,601 passing yard and 33 TDs challenge the Cardinal defense.  It could be similar in scoring to this week’s Navy-Tulsa game.   The kickoff is slated at 2:30 pm PST.  We figure that since we don’t have a tailgate planned after (other possibilities for pre-game, however), we will head down to the Air Force (7-3, 3-3) at San Jose State (4-6,2-5) Mountain West Conference game starting at 7:30 pm PST – two new venues to add this weekend!

Worth pitches out to Bonner on the option.

Worth pitches out to Bonner on the option.

Navy drum line before the game in our parking lot.

Navy drum line before the game in our parking lot.

Navy Midshipmen mascot Bill came out in his camos for this game after Veterans' Day.

Navy Midshipmen mascot Bill came out in his camos for this game after Veterans’ Day.

Navy looks to sink the East Carolina Pirates next Saturday.

Navy looks to sink the East Carolina Pirates next Saturday.

 

Game 523: Air Force Falcons fly past Army to win Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy, 31-12; A game we will never forget for the wrong reason

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Air Force Falcons fly past Army to win Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, 31-12;

A game we will never forget for the wrong reason

West Point, NY -The Air Force Falcons (6-3) struggled with the Cadets of Army early, but outscored the Black Knights of the Hudson (5-4), 21-6, in the second half to defeat the second of their biggest rivals this year, 31-12. With the combined victories against Navy (28-14) and Army this season, the Air Force Academy claimed its 21st title to the Commander in Chief’s Trophy for football supremacy among the three major service academies. The Falcons take the hardware back from Navy who took it back from them last season. It turned out to be a beautiful day for a football game along the Hudson where the fall colors dominated the landscape late in the season after a very dry summer and fall. Guest Game Analyst Brian Donnelly (Towson) and I looked forward with great anticipation to this rivalry with hopes that an Army win would make this year’s Army-Navy game even more significant. Already Army will be challenging USNA to end its 15-game losing streak against the Mids when they play for the 147th time on December 10 in Baltimore this year. However, Collegefootballfan.com’s 523rd game will be remembered now by both of us for a more unique and almost tragic experience that neither one of us will ever forget.

"On Brave Old Army team, on to the fray..."

“On Brave Old Army team, on to the fray…”

The two teams meeting for the 51st time (the Air Force Falcons lead the series 36-14-1 now) both ran only one complete series during the first period with the USAFA misfiring on a 47-yard FG attempt wide left. Army started on the move into the second period before punting.

The Air Force Falcons fumbled away in its next possession to give Army the ball on their own 42. The Black Knights drove to the Falcon 17 when QB Ahmad Bradshaw (5 of 15, 84 yards passing; 16 carries for 41 yards rushing) lofted a pass into the end zone where S Weston Steelhammer picked it off. From the 20, Air Force Falcon QB Arion Worthman, making his first start filling in for injured Nate Romine, took to the air. He connected with WR Jalen Robinette for 45 yards to the Army 35. On third and 15, he connected again with Robinette (three receptions for 104 yards) for 25 yards to the Army 15. The Black Knight defense stiffened and the Falcons settled for Luke Strebel’s 20-yard FG to take a 3-0 lead. The next Air Force series started with a pass to Robinette once again, this time for 34 yards down to the Army 21. This time, FB Shayne Davern broke up the middle for a 17-yard TD run to give the Air Force Falcons a 10-0 lead. Army finally got its offense on the move starting from the 35. With an unbalanced line to the left, Bradshaw took the snap from the right tackle position. RB Kell Walker took the handoff and swept around the left end and down along the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown scamper. Air Force blocked the point after to maintain a 10-6 lead. With the Army kickoff going out of bounds to give the Air Force the ball on the 35 with two time-outs left, HC Troy Calhoun surprisingly opted not to go deep and let the clock run out satisfied with a four-point lead going into halftime.

The USMA silent drill team performed. The Army Band went Rock Star with guitars in front. Sounding very strong with the horn section, they finished up with the Army dance team in costume to Michael Jackson’s classic, “Thriller”. Brian and I had started the day with light tailgate of sorts expecting to hit some delays on the way in. Having to catch a bus eventually from somewhere on the sprawling campus (the Commissary/PX eventually), we planned to be up at Michie Stadium for the traditions and festivities before the 12-noon kick-off. He hadn’t been there in ten years, and we both looked figured that this could be a competitive game after having both seen Army defeat a good Temple team in their season opener. We bused up to Michie and toured the perimeter of the stadium to check out concessions and some pregame entertainment. We walked through the pregame festivities of Black Knight Alley between the east side of Michie and Lusk Reservoir. I looked for a new Army decal to add to my collection of stickers from schools I’ve seen games at to adorn my cooler.

Tradition: Army Mule

Tradition: Army Mules

As we were about to enter the concession area under the visitors’ side, I suddenly heard the loud acceleration of an engine directly behind me. Before I could turn, I suddenly got rammed hard by something that struck me on the right side in the middle of my back. It seemed to recoil quickly and hit me again knocking me to the ground where I caught myself falling to the ground primarily on my right side. Realizing I was being run over, I maneuvered my leg right leg now on the ground quickly to get out of the way of a tire I felt about to run over me. Suddenly and luckily, it stopped as quickly as it had started. I had no idea what slammed me down to the ground until I got up and turned around to see what the hell it was! A Gator utility vehicle with a fenced-in bed had been floored and backed into me. Brian was shocked and checked to see if I was ok. On the seat of the vehicle were three little kids, maybe pre-school age. Brian had heard a woman say right before he also heard the engine rev up, Don’t touch anything.” What I first thought to me a military display for the Black Knight Alley for kids pictures was probably a delivery wagon that got left while the driver made a delivery in the concession area, and these kids jumped on the pedal to throw it backwards. What were their parents thinking? Brian and I both talked about it later. It stopped as quickly as it started. Luckily, I was standing. Only seconds before I might have gotten run over by this machine for which I could have been a lot worse. Young kids with camouflage paints on their faces were coming up to ask me if I was alright. A lot of people were around and saw what happened. My jacket sleeve was torn. My binoculars dangling under my arm got broken from my forced fall to the pavement. I didn’t feel much pain right away and until some young M.P.s came around almost immediately to assist. I only then realized that one of my fingers was bleeding. A woman holding a young girl insisted that I get checked out right away. I realized my ball cap was missing and eventually found that it had landed on impact in the bed of the Gator. The MPs took information, contacted their chain of command, and an EMT was there to put a clip on my finger to check my pulse – “104,” he said. I think they were most worried about me passing out. My head never touched the ground, but I kind of got whip-lashed as I went down. With a sister that had complications after a car accident she walked away from a few years ago, I agreed to have things checked out with first aid on the other side of the stadium. I figured better safe than sorry. and I wanted it all on record just in case. I refused to be taken to a hospital (I didn’t want to explain to anyone then that the reason was Game # 523). I felt ok. The MPs asked for info to file a report. Then, several soldiers escorted me on the way to the first aid station under the west side of the stadium.

There, they took care of the abrasions I originally didn’t feel on my right elbow and ankle (No, I wasn’t wearing my shorts as usual, luckily). The Army emergency doctor saw a red mark on my back and figured I would be feeling it more later. They were concerned, and took good care of me. My BP normalized and an EMT, Paul, took care of my abrasions we were aware of. The Army doctor gave me some Motrin, but had no water, of all things. Another Army officer in civvies apparently planning to attend the game came in to see me. I think that they were most concerned that I may have injured my head and kept me talking. Brian could hear in the waiting room just on the other side of a curtain. He told the others, I hear him talking a lot. He’s fine. Of course, they got me talking about college football, so what would he have expected?

Of course, the topic came up that I was a Navy and Penn State fan. The visiting officer asked me what my affiliation was with the Navy. I admitted to the West Pointers that I had attended Annapolis for two years, but their attempts to make me into an engineer just didn’t work out. I also told him that my son is a Petty Officer in the Navy down in Little Creek to which he responded, “Uh-rah”.

Then, he finally got into who I was rooting for today. I told him I was rooting for Army today because I wanted the Army-Navy game to be a battle for the CIC Trophy. If Army won today and Navy beat them in December, the Trophy would remain in Annapolis. I told him that I was at the Army win over Temple and the loss to Buffalo. I told him Army has the right coach for their program in Jeff Monken. Of course, they were all impressed when I told them today’s game was my 523rd, and that I was still married to the same woman and raised two kids. Then the question came up for my prediction about today’s game against the Air Force Falcons. He pressed me adding,” if you were a betting man.”

To his chagrin I’m sure, I told him I had to go with Air Force.’ Both teams knew how to defend against the option, and the winner would have to find a way to win by passing today.’ I gave that advantage to Air Force.’ That’s how they beat Navy this year I told him, and in back of my mind I remembered how they beat Utah State 35-28, in my first trip to Colorado Springs the previous season. I saw Jalen Robinette have a big day. Army couldn’t match them with Bradshaw who I’ve seen play during the last two seasons. By this time, Brian came in and told me I should have told them I was predicting Army to win. He said, “These guys are here to save your life.” They asked. I told them how I saw it. I felt my head was clear, but I was just hoping everything would turn out to be alright. Read on.

You’ll see that my prediction was pretty much on target. (Update: feeling ok on Sunday. New bandages and lots of Neosporin. My back is feeling better. Back to the gym before work again on Monday morning. Thanks to all the people that looked out for me after the accident. I appreciate that they cared so much and convinced me to get looked at). Note the limited pictures for this game. Eventually my zoom lense could not open. Not sure if it was from the fall or not. No Binos. No camera. I just continued to make my observations from high above with my bird’s eye view up in section U-15.

Like their sky divers, The air Force Falcon football team landed safely on Blaik Field at Michie Stadium.

Like their sky divers, the Air Force Falcons football flew safely past the Cadets on Blaik Field at Michie Stadium.

The Air Force Falcons got to work on their first series to start the second half. Their 70-yard drive resulted in a 46-yard TD pass from Worthman to RB Jacob Owens who was wide open near the right sideline to extend the Falcon lead, 17-6. Army came right back though to retaliate. Bradshaw led the Black Knights on a 76-yard drive culminating with a five-yard fade pass to WR Edgar Poe in the back corner of the end zone. The Army two-point conversion attempt failed. They trailed now, 17-12, with hopes to challenge the Air Force to get another six for a lead. However, Owens sped 59 yards on a run all the way down to the Black Knight six. At the four, RB Tim McVey took a reverse pitch from the right flank to carry the ball on a sweep left for an Air Force Falcon lead of 24-12.

To begin the fourth, the two arch-rivals exchanged punts. On the next USAFA possession starting from their 45, Worthman ran a delayed draw up the middle from the three to give the Air Force Falcons a 31-12 lead with 8:36 left. Army started to drive again from its 21. The Black Knight drive ended as did three other drives collegefootballfan.com witnessed within the last 24 hours. Falcon CB Roland Ludipo intercepted a pass in the end zone. Air Force was leaving now with a stop on the flight home in Annapolis, Maryland to pick up their new hardware for their trophy case. This will be the 21st season since 1972 that the Air force will celebrate having the Trophy back in Colorado Springs (Navy 18, Army 6, last time in 1996).

Well my pre-game pregame prediction “if I were a betting man” was spot on. And I am feeling better. Today (Monday), I received a survey from West Point to rate different facets of attending an Army game. This wasn’t my first survey. I gave the Black Knight Alley a very unsatisfied rating based on the lack of a safety policy in place that could get people more hurt like I was.

The Air Force Falcons return to Mountain West Conference play next week when the meet Colorado State (5-4). Army has a tough task next Saturday when they meet Notre Dame (3-6) in San Antonio. The Irish come off a 28-27 loss to Navy, who runs the triple option better than Army does. The Irish should be well-prepared. Collegefootballfan.com heads to another big game in Annapolis, where the Mids (6-2, 5-1) host Tulsa (7-2, 5-1) for first place in the AAC west. If Navy wins, they still have to beat East Carolina and SMU after to get into the title game. If they do and then play Temple in the title game in Annapolis or Philly, we will be there on December 3. One week later, we will definitely be in Baltimore for the Army-Navy game. Tulsa scores a lot of points, but they give up a lot, and with Navy’s ball control style at a home game in front of a fired-up Brigade where they’ve won 14 straight, we give them the edge. Go Navy! We hope that we will come away with better memories of the upcoming games than we what we came away with this week.

Game 522: The Temple Owls shut out UConn Huskies, 21-0; One step closer to AAC East title

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The Temple Owls shut out UConn Huskies, 21-0

East Hartford, Connecticut – The Temple Owls got off to a quick 21-0 lead with :20 remaining in the first quarter.  Thereafter, they dominated the UConn Huskies (3-7, 1-5) defensively to keep the score intact for the 21-0 finale.  UConn started Frosh QB Donovan Williams in place of Soph Bryant Shirreffs who started every previous game.  HC Bob Diaco hoped that the change would spark some offense after three straight losses.  It didn’t work.  The win keeps the Owls ahead of South Florida who they defeated two weeks ago for the AAC East because of their head-to-head win as the 2016 regular season winds down. 

Temple Owls WR Ventell Bryant picks up yardage on one of his four receptions for 82 yards.

Temple Owls WR Ventell Bryant picks up yardage on one of his four receptions for 82 yards.

      For Collegefootballfan.com, Guest Game Analyst Matt Wylie (Suffolk University) and I were waylaid by traffic conditions from Stamford to East Hartford.  Typically Fridays are a bad night for travel in Connecticut, but conditions were exasperated by an earlier vehicular fire on I-95 that forced us to take a chance on the Merritt Parkway.  On I-91, an accident about 8 miles from Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, home of the Huskies, caused lane closures that delayed us an extra half hour.  Matt and I took our seats with the Temple Owls ahead leading already, 14-0.  I used reports off the ESPN website to find out what we missed before we got there for this report. 

Temple Owl RB Ryquell Armstead (25) led all rushers with 133 yards in the game.

Temple Owl RB Ryquell Armstead (25) led all rushers with 133 yards in the game.

     We missed two Temple Owl drives finished with touchdown passes from QB PJ Walker to RB Jahad Thomas, former teammates at Elizabeth, NJ High school.    The first Owl drive resulted in a 23-yard TD pass, and their second finished with Thomas (73 yards receiving, two TDs, 83 yards rushing on 16 carries) hauling it in from ten yards away.  Walker (12 of 18 for 215 yards, three TDs, two INTs) completed his first eight passes of the evening.   We just missed UConn’s subsequent drive led by Williams that resulted in a missed 45-yard FG.  Leading 14-0, Temple started its next possession from its 23. Enter Collegefootballfan.com.  With :20 left in the first period, TE Romond Deloatch caught a pass over the middle and ran it in for an 18-yard TD and the 21-0 lead.  It looked like the game was going to be blow-out.

P.J. Walker fires down field to lead his Temple Owls to a 21-0 win over UConn.

P.J. Walker fires down field to lead his Temple Owls to a 21-0 win over UConn.

     UConn’s offense continued to sputter despite the change at QB.  Along the sideline, Diaco continuously shouted encouragement and clapped his hands hoping to see some improvement.  Despite Diaco’s optimism, the Temple Owls outgained the Huskies in total offense by the end of the game 431 yards to 160.   Williams accounted for 69 passing yards (12 for 21) and 66 rushing yards on 16 carries despite five sacks by the Owls.  RB Ryquell Armstead accounted for 133 Temple rushing yards on 20 carries. 

UConn Safety Obi Melifonwu (20) nabs a Temple Owl pass in the end zone to turn the ball over.

UConn Safety Obi Melifonwu (20) nabs a Temple Owl pass in the end zone to turn back six.

     Though dominating the game clock and sustaining long drives, the Temple Owls’ offense failure to score again can be attributed to one UConn bright spot.  Husky S Obi Melifonwu stopped two potential scoring drives with interceptions in the end zone.  The first came in the second period halting a 54-yard drive, and the second came in the final stanza ending an 87-yard drive.  His tight coverage and closing speed have him under consideration as one of the best DBS in next spring’s pro draft.

Melefonwu shows tight coverage before picking off his second pass of the evening in the end zone.

Melifonwu shows tight coverage before picking off his second pass of the evening in the end zone.

     One step closer to AAC East title

    The Temple Owls (7-3, 5-1) have a bye next Saturday before traveling to Tulane (currently 3-6,0-5) before finishing up the season at Lincoln Financial to host East Carolina (currently 3-6,1-4).  Winning both gets them into the AAC Championship as the East champ on December 3.  HC Matt Rhule and his staff continue to improve this team especially on defense after three key stalwarts graduated from last year’s team and are now on NFL rosters.  We hope to see them in the post season in this game and possibly in the Military Bowl in Annapolis which is one to the AAC’s post-season affiliations.

    UConn also has a bye week coming up which could give Diaco time to work with his offense that now seems to need a lot more improvement.  They will be visiting Boston College (currently 4-5, 1-5) on November 19 for a short and hopefully expeditious trip by bus up to Chestnut Hill.  They will finish their season at home to Tulane. 

       Matt and I headed back to his place in Stamford. He was heading to Maine the next morning as I was getting up early to meet Brian Donnelly for an early start to be at West Point for the 12-noon kickoff for the Air Force-Army game.

The UConn drum line wa certainly on fire Friday evening, but the Husky offense sure wasn't.

The UConn drum line was certainly on fire Friday evening, but the Husky offense sure wasn’t.

 Extra points: Matt and I met for a late lunch/early dinner (“Lunner”?) at Bobby Valentine’s Sports Bar at 225 Main in Stamford.  Great burgers there and plenty of sports memorabilia all over the place.  Great place to watch games and eat some good sports bar food.  Matt says the place was packed for the World Series.  Bobby V., the former major league player for the Dodgers  and manager for the New York Mets and the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball League among others, is now the Athletic Director at Sacred Heart University in nearby Fairfield.  Their FCS record in the Northeast Conference this season is 6-3, 1-3.

Matt gave me some direction on the value and use of Instagram for my website.  I’m going to check things out after the 2016 season.

The Huskies need to give their cheerleading squad more to cheer about!

The Huskies need to give their cheerleading squad more to cheer about!

Game 521: Toreros slay Red Foxes to close in on FCS bid, 27-3

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Toreros slay Red Foxes to close in on FCS bid, 27-3

The Red Fox mascot gets young fans fired up before the game for an FCS bid!

The Red Fox mascot gets young fans fired up before the game for an FCS bid!

Poughkeepsie, NY – The Toreros of the University of San Diego traveled 2,800 miles across the country to vanquish conference foe Marist, 27-3, to move one step closer to an FCS bid. The Toreros took advantage of questionable Red Fox defensive calls and the Red Fox offensive strategy that resembled that of a flag football team.  Collegefootballfan.com enjoyed the tailgating before and after the game with Guest Game analyst Mike Pitch, the Braun family and friends, and the two leading Red Fox defenders after the game – LBs Ruben Avalos (11 tackles) and Jimmy Braun (7 tackles) , senior team captain who played HS football for our local Lenape Valley Patriots (Stanhope, NJ).  The Toreros (7-1,5-0) ventured into Poughkeepsie tied for first place with Marist (4-4, 4-1) to do battle as the only other remaining undefeated team in conference play before this contest.

Marist LBs Jimmy Braun (54) and Ruben Avalos (8) move in for stop near the goal line.

Marist LBs Jimmy Braun (54) and Ruben Avalos (8) move in for stop near the goal line.

San Diego started the scoring right away driving 75 yards on their first possession.  QB Anthony Lawrence connected with TE Ross Dwelley for a nine-yard TD pass.  QB Mike White got the Red Foxes rolling onto the USD one for a first and goal.  However, LB Marcus Vaivao jarred the ball loose from Marcellus Calhoun, and the Toreros took over from there.  An INT by S Wes Beans stopped the USD drive, but the Toreros headed into the second period with the ball on the move once again.

USD TE Ross Dwelly datches pass with LB Jimmy Braun in pursuit.

USD TE Ross Dwelley catches pass with LB Jimmy Braun (54) in pursuit.

PK Patrick Murray booted a 43-yard FG to give the visitors a 10-0 lead.  The next Marist drive ended short on a fourth and ten at the USD 29.  GGA Mike Pitch noted Marist could move the ball effectively until they got within scoring range.  The Toreros did not encounter that problem.  Their next possession ended with Murray booting another.  His three-pointer came from 26 yards away to propel USD to a 13-0 led.  The Marist Red Foxes needed to get some points by sustaining drives nearing the end zone.  This time they drove 62 yards to the Torero six.  However, two incompletions and a three-yard sack resulted in a 27-yard FG by PK Mike Maccarone. Marist trailed at halftime, 13-3.

USD corner Jamal Agnew bats downa pass inetneded for Jusitin Christian (85) of Marist.

USD corner Jamal Agnew bats away a pass intended for Justin Christian (85).

Today’s tailgate was great!  My Bloody Mary’s started the juices flowing on a cool Saturday morning that would eventually warm up by game time.  Mike brought burgers and sausages he grilled to perfection with a choice of cheeses.  Don Braun was set up already when we got there with his grill fired up for dogs and burgers. The beers cooled on ice.   We met Jim and Theresa Dixon whose son Grant is a Frosh LB for the Red Foxes.  Last season, he led Roxbury (NJ) High School to the Group IV playoffs as a QB.  The team finished 8-2 as Grant threw for 18 TDS and no INTs.  Several Marist fans at the game contended many players seemed to be playing positions not considered their strongest.  Hopefully, Grant will get the opportunity to use his QB skills in upcoming years for the Red Foxes so we can return to see what he can do.

One former Red Fox who wasn’t playing out of position evidently is former PK Jason Myers.  He was honored at Tenney Stadium this day as one of two former Marist players now in the NFL.  Myers is currently the PK for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The other player is DE Terrence Fede of the Miami Dolphins.  Member teams of the Pioneer League are non-scholarship FCS schools.  This will be the fourth year that the League champs receive an automatic FCS bid to the post season playoffs.  Like these two teams, other members are located across the country and only compete with one another in football.  Other schools reside in Florida, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio among others.  It’s truly the most diversely spread out non-FBS conference in the NCAA.

Pre-game tailgating at Marist.

Pre-game tailgating at Marist.

Don Braun proudly displays his Maris Flag with his son Jimmy's hand-painted jersey number 54 on it.

Don Braun proudly displays his Marist Flag with his son Jimmy’s hand-painted jersey “#54” on it.

With the late score in the first half by Marist, we hoped to see now that they could eventually mount some scoring drives into the end zone to challenge the Toreros for the FCS bid.  We always hope that we have local playoff options to attend after the regular season comes to an abrupt end.  The Red Foxes got off to a disappointing start.  A penalty and three incompletions by White resulted in a punt from the 36.  USD could not take advantage.  Murray’s 39-yard attempt failed.  Marist never sustained any drives in the third period.  White (12 of 34, one INT, 175 yards) suffered sacks five times and threw 12 straight incompletions in the third as he threw long on every down.  The only first down recorded was for an interference penalty by the Toreros.  The “game plan” called for a bomb on every play, and the Torero defense seemed to have this figured as they rushed now on every down. Rushing yards for Marist now only came on White’s scrambles to escape pressure.  The offense was sloppy.  Handoffs to runners were a forgone conclusion at this point of the game.  The rest of the backfield carried only seven times for seven yards, mostly in the early phases of the game.

Red Fox QB Mike White (10) looks to pass long or run as he did most of the afternoon.

Red Fox QB Mike White (10) looks to pass long or run as he did most of the afternoon.

San Diego was on the move starting from its 15 heading into the final period but still up by only 10 despite the lack of an effective Red Fox offensive game plan.  Third and short situations caught the Marist defense on a blitz from the secondary on several occasions to get first downs to wide open receivers out to the backfield.  On a third and 22, Lawrence (21 of 35 for 195 yards, 1 TD/1INT) hit WR Brian Riley near the left sideline for a 41-yard gain to the Marist 26.  RB Jonah Hodges did the bulk of the leg work from there eventually scoring on a seven-yard run to give USD a 20-3 advantage.  The next Red Fox possession ended on the next play with S Ray Clark’s INT.  The Toreros used up about five minutes on the clock before Hodges’ fumble was recovered by Marist’s Beans at the 18.  Three White passes fell incomplete, but two were negated by interference.  On first and ten at the 48, Torero LB Jacob Bergstrom sacked White and recovered his fumble at the Marist 42. A 15-yard pass to Dwelley put USD on the one where Hodges (33 carries for 175 yards, 2 TDs, 1 fumble) took it over for the final score of 27-3 with 2:17 left.

Torero RB Jonah Hodges looks for running room against Marist.

Torero RB Jonah Hodges looks for running room against Marist.

The Toreros celebrated with a few hundred fans that followed them to Poughkeepsie.  They would be heading home soon in first place at the top of the Pioneer League all by themselves with a 6-0 mark.  Next week, their non-conference game features a team that is not even of US vintage.  They will be hosting Universidad De Las Americas located in Mexico. They will finish their Pioneer League slate with Stetson (4-4, 2-3) and Campbell (3-4,1-3).  The Red Foxes travel to Stetson next before hosting Dayton (7-2,5-1) and finishing up at Jacksonville (4-3,3-1).  Marist has its work cut out and they or Dayton have to hope for a major upset over the Toreros in the last two weeks if they want any consideration for the conference FCS bid.

We at Collegefootballfan.com have a two-fer next weekend.  On Friday night, we will be an East Hartford, Connecticut for a 7 pm game between the Temple Owls (6-3,4-1) visiting the UConn Huskies (3-6, 1-5) In an American Athletic East clash.  Then on Saturday at noon, we will find ourselves at West Point, NY to see the Air Force Academy Falcons (5-3,1-0) battle Army West Point (5-3,0-0) for the second leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.  This should be a pretty even match-up for the first time in years.  However, we expect the Air Force to win with what it has that Army doesn’t – air supremacy.  Air Force will go to the air to beat the Cadets and win the C-I-C Trophy.

University of San Diego fans who followed their team to Poughkeepsie.

University of San Diego fans who followed their team all the way to Poughkeepsie to see them in their hunt for an FCS bid.

USD QB Anthony Lawrence fires a pass to get his team near the goal line.

USD QB Anthony Lawrence fires a pass to get his team near the goal line.

 

 

 

Game 520: Penn State Nittany Lions bump off No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in a “White-out”, 24-21

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Penn State Nittany Lions bump off No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in a “White-out”, 24-21

White-out!

Nittany Lion White-out!

State College, PA – In front of a fired-up home crowd of 107, 280 garbed mostly in white on Saturday evening in the mystical land called Happy Valley, the Penn State Nittany Lions overcame a stingy Ohio State Buckeye defense when they needed to and relied on big plays by special teams in the final period to come back from a 14-point deficit to upend the undefeated No. 2 team in the nation, 24-21.

It is the first time since 1990 that the Nittany Lions defeated a N0. 2 ranked team.  The victory vaulted the Lions (5-2, 3-1) into the AP 25 at No. 24, and the loss dropped the Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1) down to No. 6.  For Collegefootballfan.com, it was great day with friends to tailgate and bar-hop around State College before the highly anticipated game in Beaver Stadium.

The former No. 2 team in the nation before the opening kickoff.

The former No. 2 team in the nation before the opening kickoff.

The two teams played to a scoreless draw in the first period, but a fumbled punt by the Lions’ John Reid set the Buckeyes up at the Lions’ 38.  Five seconds into the second period, PK Tyler Durbin put OSU up by three with a 33-yard FG. Later in the period, OSU Heisman hopeful J.T. Barrett (28 of 43, 245 yards and 1 TD) connected with TE Marcus Baugh who took the 26-yard pass into the end zone to extend the Buckeye lead. With a missed PAT, the lead stood at 9-0. Ohio State’s defense held the Lions to a three and out, and the offense put Durbin back on the field to convert from 30 yards away and a 12-0 lead.

With 1:14 remaining in the half, from their 26 the Nittany Lion offense moved the ball via the airwaves efficiently as QB Trace McSorely (8 for 23, 154 yards, 1 TD) looked down field on three occasions to connect 19 yards to WR Chris Godwin., 34 yards to DaeSean Hamilton, and finally to Godwin once again into the end zone for a 20-yard scoring play to put the Nittany Lions on the scoreboard with nine ticks left.  Going into half time, the Lions had cut the Buckeye lead, 12-7.  Their defense played tough enough to keep Barrett and the offense in check, and HC James Franklin needed his offense to start generating more points. It looked as if the Lions had found some opportunities to make big plays with their passing game. We would see if this would establish some precedent in the second half.

Ohio State QB TJ Barrett feels pressure from the Nittany Lions.

Ohio State QB TJ Barrett feels pressure from the Nittany Lions.

It was a fired-up crowd for sure in Beaver Stadium with the 8 pm kickoff.  Long-time Guest Game Analyst, PSU alum, and cohort John Massimilla and I met in the Beaver Stadium parking lot about 11 am.  With a cool and prevailing wind whipping through the parking lot, we decided to tour downtown State College and go bar-hopping.  We headed out with John’s fellow Penn State alums, his son Brian, future son-in-law, Dex Koser, and their friend Shayne Sexton.  The recent alumni led us on a guided tour and a nostalgic romp through State College. We stopped at the Shandy Gaff (drinks only there, no food) where Dex worked as a student.  At the Phyrst, we feasted on great cheesesteaks and shared a huge Phrench Phries platter.  The guys introduced John and I to “Irish Trash cans” made with vodka, Curacao, Red Bull, and other stuff.  I helped Shayne polish off a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 (Yuk!).  Never had it before, but I knew it was infamous in certain parts of town when I grew up in Boonton, NJ. On the way, out we were given white, plastic Phyrst hats in honor of the White-out.  People in town were either wearing white or searching the stores for white PSU apparel.    Next we went to the Ye Olde Cigar Shop for a few good cigars and watched some games on TV already under way. I was surprised John didn’t insist that we all walk out because the guy behind the counter was wearing an Ohio State shirt.

For old times sake, we stopped at the Rathskeller, well known for its “Buckets of Rocks” now priced a $19 for a bucket full of Rolling Rock nips.  John remembers when they used to cost seven bucks.  The place was packed.  We caught up on scores while having a round of Rolling Rocks.  We then returned to the parking lot to imbibe in what we’d brought with us to tailgate, and eventually started to pack up for the game.  Before heading into Beaver Stadium, we met up John’s friend, Josh, who owns the refurbished Penn State Tailgate Ambulance we were introduced to at last year’s Rutgers game here.  Josh designed it and outfitted it to bring to games to host his tailgate parties.  Great set-up!  We and over 100,000 others were well-prepared to head in to cheer on the Nittany Lions!  We were all ready for Ohio State, and I predicted an upset!  The Nittany Lions always play the Buckeyes tough at home.

Mas Dog and Nittany Lions at the Pyhrst!

Mad Dog and Nittany Lions at the Pyhrst for the pre-game!

PBR and "Irish Trash Cans" for us Old Schoolers (me and John) at the Phyrst.

PBR and “Irish Trash Cans” for us old schoolers (me and John) at the Phyrst.

Last pre-tailgate stop for old time's sake, The Rathskeller.

Last pre-tailgate stop for old time’s sake, The Rathskeller. I’m wearing my complimentary Phyrst White-out hat.

Ohio State gets off to fast second half start

Starting the second half, the blinding crowd seemed poised for a Penn State comeback, but the Buckeyes’ Curtis Samuel put a brief damper on the spirit as he broke through off right tackle and sped 74 yards all the way for quick TD.  He carried the ball only twice the entire game, and netted 71 yards in the end!  OSU now led, 19-7.  Things started to look a little bleaker for the Nittany Lions to comeback as the Buckeyes forced another PSU punt after a three and out.  The snap from center sailed far out of P Blake Gillikin’s reach. He raced into the end zone to recover it for a safety, avoided a damaging Buckeye touchdown, and gave the Buckeyes a 21-7 lead.

Throughout the game, Ohio State held the upper hand in time of possession (39:17) and total yards (413-276).  The Nittany Lions needed to show some signs of life, especially on offense.  Despite the deficit, the white-out crowd cheered loudly throughout the game and did not let up.  Fans clad in white lifted the team’s spirits with more than a full quarter to go and down by “only” two scores.  The Nittany Lions defense held the Buckeyes to three plays and a punt after the free kick following the safety.

McSorely heads for pylon to cut score 21-14.

McSorely heads for pylon to cut score 21-14.

Entering the final period, Penn State started to drive from its own ten.  McSorely became efficient again.  He came through with a 16-yard completion to TE Mike Gesicki (Manahawkin, NJ – Southern Regional HS).   RB Saquon Barkley (12 carries for 99 yards) picked up 37 yards on a carry to the Buckeye 37. WR Saeed Blacknall (Manalapan, NJ) hauled in a 35-yard completion from McSorely at the two.  From there, McSorely raced toward the right pylon to cross the goal line for a PSU TD to put the Nittany Lions within a touchdown with 13:32 left on the clock.  The White-clad crowd was clamoring louder than ever that evening.  The PSU defense thrived on the roar. OSU punted from the 28 after only three plays, and Cameron Brown on the punt-block team blocked the kick to have it recovered right at the original line of scrimmage.  Nittany Lion Tyler Davis booted a 34-yard FG to close the gap to 21-17.  The home crowd roared for the navy blue-clad Lions on every play.  You could feel the anticipation of the upset growing within the delirious crowd.  Some spurts of cold rain fell intermittently during the second half, but the crowd was not affected.  The Buckeyes started their next drive from the 13, and J.T. Barrett led his offense down to the Nittany Lion 28 where they faced a fourth and seven.  HC Urban Meyer elected to add three points to extend the lead to six rather than go for a first down.  Lion Safety Marcus Allen went high to block the attempt and CB Grant Haley picked up the ball and outraced potential Ohio State tacklers for a 60-yard TD to give Penn State a sudden 24-21 lead with 4:21 left.  John was afraid his Nittany Lions had left to much time on the clock.

OSU went on offense after the return was stopped at the eleven.  The Buckeyes needed a FG to tie. They got the ball out to their 42, and on third down, LB Jason Cabinda (Hunterdon Central, NJ) who returned from injury to play today, sacked Barrett for a 13-yard loss. On the next play, Barret dropped back and DE Evan Schwan and DT Kevin Givens combined for a six-yard sack.  PSU went into the victory formation as time wound down.  As the final seconds ticked off, the green turf of Beaver Stadium was covered in streaks of white.  The celebration into the night at State College was just starting!  The undefeated Buckeyes had fallen to 6-1,3-1 in the Big Ten.  Penn State celebrated its first win over a top team for the first time in years.  It seemed to have been a step in the right direction for a team trying to rebuild after several years of sanctions, especially after a 49-10 loss earlier at Ann Arbor against the Wolverines.  The return of LBs Jason Cabinda (12 tackles) and Brandon Bell (Mays Landing, NJ; 19 tackles) definitely bolstered the Nittany Lion defense.

 

Penn State heads to Purdue (3-4, 1-3) next Saturday.  We plan to be back in State College on November 26 for the Nittany Lions regular season finale when the host the imploding Michigan State Spartans.  Ohio State heads back to Columbus to host improving Northwestern (4-3, 3-1).  Look for the Buckeyes to make a statement here.  Collegefootballfan.com will drive up to Poughkeepsie, NY for the first time for an FCS Pioneer League match.  The Marist Red Foxes (4-3, 4-0) will host a foe from the farthest reaches of this nationally scattered conference when the University of San Diego Toreros (6-1, 5-0) come calling in the Empire State.  The Red Foxes’ team captain and starting MLB is Jimmy Braun, a former player from our local Lenape Valley Regional HS football program.  We look forward to seeing him play in this battle for first place with a possible FCS playoff bid on the line for the eventual league champion.

Celebration White-out style!

Celebration White-out style!

Game 519: Temple Owls tie South Florida Bulls for first in American East with convincing 46-30 win

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Temple Owls tie South Florida Bulls in American East with convincing 46-30 win

"Cheesesteak" Head in Philadelphia. the ones served at Teh Linc I had were delicious!

“Cheesesteak” Head in Philadelphia. The one served at The Linc I had was delicious!

Philadelphia –   The Temple Owls (5-2, 3-1) bested American Athletic Conference East Division foe South Florida  (6-2, 3-1) in an exciting win at the Linc in Philly to end up in first place with a 46-30 victory.  The Owls were led by Soph RB Ryquell Armstead who rushed for 210 yards on 20 carries and two TDs of 46 and 72 yards.  Marlon Macks’ 30-yard TD run for the Bulls in the final period closed the score to 37-30 in favor of the Owls, but a drive ending in a three-yard TD by Jahad Thomas and a safety put the game away in the end for Temple.  By virtue of the win over South Florida, the Temple Owls lead the division based on head to head competition.  Five weeks of regular season play remain to determine who will play in the AAC title game at a site of one of the division champs.  Collegefootballfan.com has a great interest in the outcomes for both divisions.

USF QB Quinton flowers tries to race around the Temple flnak for a gain in the first period.

USF QB Quinton flowers tries to race around the Temple Owls flank for a gain in the first period.

     The teams played nip and tuck during the first half as the lead changed five times until the Owls extended their 17-13 lead on Adam Boumheri’s 35-yard FG with five seconds remaining in the first half.  It was a very interesting game already by the end of the first half with the score at 20-13 in favor of the Temple Owls .

The marching Owls always seem to have good time when they at performing at Owl football games. We like them.

The marching Temple Owls always seem to have good time when they perform at halftime. We like them. Definitely one of our favorites.

     USF opened the scoring in the third period with Emilio Nadelman’s 42-yard FG to narrow the margin, 20-16.  The Bulls forced a punt and took over from their 16-yard line. They drove the length of the field and QB Quinton Flowers (11 of 19 passes, 187 yards, 2 TDs / 14 carries for 90 yards and one TD) ran a quarterback draw up the middle for the final three yards to retake a 23-20 lead for the Bulls. The Owls bounced back immediately finishing off a 78-yard drive with Armstead’s 42-yard burst down the right sideline.  They recaptured the lead, 27-23.  The Bulls’ next possession ended with their punt getting blocked and returned by Keith Kirkwood to the USF 20.  Two carries later by Jahad Thomas (Elizabeth, NJ: 16 carries for 56 yards and two TDs) at the nine, Temple enjoyed their largest lead of the evening, 34-23. 

Owl RB Jahad Thomas runs for 11 yards before his nine-yard touchdown run.

Owl RB Jahad Thomas runs for 11 yards before his nine-yard touchdown run.

    In the fourth, Boumheri added another FG from 41 to make the Temple lead even bigger.  However,  Malcolm Mack’s (13 carries for 67, one TD) 30-yard TD run capped a 75-yard drive to bring USF back to within one score.  The Bull defense shut down TU and forced a punt.  The USF offense stumbled backwards due to tackles for losses and a few penalties that backed them up with a third and 23 at their one-yard line.  QB Brett Kean filled in now for the injured Quinton Flowers at QB.  Safety Delvon Randall picked off his pass and returned it near the goal line.  A penalty against the Bulls for a foul after the play put the Owls on the USF three.  Thomas took it in on the first play for his second TD and increased to a 44-30 lead.  Starting back at the five because of another Bull penalty on the kick return, TU’s Romond DeLoatch sacked Kean in the end zone for a safety.

     As the clock waned during the Owls final possession, I enjoyed watching the Sun Dolls smile and cheer in the light rain that had begun to fall.  Then they regretfully started to pack all their props up. I could have stayed longer.  It was an enjoyable game to watch this evening in Philly as the Temple Owls gained first place in the AAC East.  We hope to see them win the East and Navy to win the West.  It will guarantee us a conference championship game to attend on December 3 within driving distance to either home site. Only six more weeks to go. One TU fan was heard to say on the way out that this had been the most fun he had had at an Owls’ game since last season when the Owls defeated Penn State in their home opener.  It was a fun and competitive game to watch throughout as the game was close.  It went back and forth until late in the game.

Even in the rain, they don't call them the USF cheerleaders the Sun Dolls for nothing!

Even in the rain, they don’t call them the USF cheerleaders the Sun Dolls for nothing!

     Speaking of Navy, the Bulls return to Tampa to face the 22nd ranked Mids at home next Friday night.  We watched the Mids (5-1, 4-0) defeat them in Annapolis last season, 29-17.  We look for Navy’s discipline in running the triple option to outscore the Bulls.   Temple (4-3, 1-3) hosts Cincinnati this Saturday.  I stayed in Philly that night looking forward to my drive to State College to see No. 2 Ohio State visit Penn State. Read on!

You can imagine the abuse that the Bull mascot, "Rocky", took from fans from Philadelphia. I just wasn't "Rocky, Rocky,Rocky!"

You can imagine the abuse that the Bull mascot, “Rocky”, took from fans from Philadelphia. It just wasn’t “Rocky, Rocky, Rocky!”

Ryquell Armstead (25) breaks away through the USF defense on a 72-yard TD jaunt.

Ryquell Armstead (25) breaks away through the USF defense on a 72-yard TD jaunt.

South Florida cheerleaders had to duck under the end zone TV cameras coming back before teh second half. at least teh cameras weren't in anybody's way like the aare at Notre Dame Stadium.

South Florida cheerleaders had to duck under the end zone TV cameras coming back before the second half. At least the cameras weren’t in anybody’s way like the one at Notre Dame Stadium last week.

Marlon Mack (5) on a short gain for the Bulls.

Marlon Mack (5) on a short gain for the Bulls.

Game 518: The Stanford Cardinal demoralize the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in 17-10 comeback

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The Stanford Cardinal demoralize the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame  in 17-10 comeback

We met the Notre Dame Dance team at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday to start off a great weekend.

We met the Notre Dame Dance team at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday to start off a great weekend.

South Bend, Indiana – Stanford (4-2) spotted Notre Dame a 10-point lead at the half and came back with 17 points in the second with an amazing pick-six, a Notre Dame miscue, and a controversial fumble recovery right in front of our Field Level seats in Section 19 to demoralize the Fighting Irish and their stunned faithful, 17-10, for their third straight loss at home this season.  With a 2-5 record, tough games ahead, and a season on the decline, the Irish look to be a long shot for any bowl game at all after high expectations starting this season.  Unlike Ohio State reloading and back in the hunt for a CFP bid after an exodus of many key players in 2015, The Fighting Irish struggle under the same circumstances despite supposedly recruiting great classes like the Buckeyes do.  For Collegefootballfan.com, it was a fun, long weekend to be back in South Bend all the way up until the time we arrived at our game seats.  Our Guest Game Analyst (GGA) and fellow NJ K of C Polar Bear Plunger, Bill Serafin (Montclair State) was able to get us great field level seats on the field level in the south end zone.  However, Notre Dame, in its quest to maximize profits, blocks the views of $125 ticket holders with a permanent structure for the NBC-TV camera so everyone at home can watch better than we can for free.  No mention of an obstructed view on the tickets, but we found that out when we got there that we could only have a clear view of the field from about the near hash mark to the sideline to our left.  In 518 games attended in person, this was the highest priced ticket ever willingly paid for, but the worst sight line ever experienced in over 125 stadiums attended anywhere.  It certainly put a damper on our much-anticipated game.  Though we had high hopes when we bought our tickets that this would be a significant game among all games for the 2016 college football season, there was no issue for us about that to make the 650-mile one way trip, but for Notre Dame to charge any fan that much for those seats is an outrage! They should either replace the permanence of the TV camera with some other technology, block out the obstructed seats (about 10 or 12) from being sold, or reduce the cost by at least half and let the buyers know in advance that they are only going to get a good view of about half the field.  Enough about this, but “I call them as I see them”, or in this case, how I couldn’t see them!

"Great seats! Hey Buddy!"

“Great seats! Hey Buddy!”

Stanford took the opening kickoff and moved the ball downfield to get within field goal range.  PK Conrad Ukropina’s lifted high over our heads in section 19, but hit the left upright and fell to the ground for no score.  As the game went on, the Irish D looked better and they definitely tackled better than when we witnessed the 50-33 win over Syracuse in The Meadowlands two Saturdays earlier.  A fumble forced by Notre Dame’s Jonathan Bonner and recovered by Julian Love gave the Irish possession on their 26. Driving the ball to the Stanford eight, Kizer faked a handoff to the right and rambled around the left end for a Notre Dame score to lead, 7-0.

The Irish take the field in front of 80,000 with a 2-4 record!

The Fighting Irish take the field in front of 80,000 with a 2-4 record!

The Irish D played better than during the first five games of the season, but Heisman candidate Christian McCaffrey of Stanford was sidelined for this game with injuries.  We hope to see him back in the lineup when we take our longest trip of the season when we venture out to Cal-Berkeley to see him play against the Cal Bears in The Big Game.  Notre Dame took over from its 24 and converted a first down on fourth and one at Stanford’s 43.  The possession ended with a 29-yard FG by Justin Yoon to take a 10-0 lead.   The next Fighting Irish drive resulted in Kizer quick-kicking after a time-out on fourth down at the Stanford 37, and went into the end zone for a touchback.  The Cardinal mounted a drive until CB Cole Luke made a diving interception I front of Ryan Burns’ intended receiver for ND to let the clock expire on their own 18.

Kizer (14) was ineffective in the first half and was replaced by Malik Zaire for three possessions in the seocnd half.

Irish starting QB Kizer (14) was ineffective in the first half and was replaced by Malik Zaire for three possessions during  the second half.

The Band of the Fighting Irish performed at halftime. We enjoyed pregame festivities before the game after Mass in the Debartolo Arts Center.  We went to hear the Trumpets under The Dome at the Main Building where we could only hear but not see the trumpets in the packed hall, but I did get some great photos of art work featuring the life of Christopher Columbus to show my fellow brothers in our K of C back in Boonton, NJ.  Out in front of the Main Building, we listened to a short concert by the band and got in line along the walk way to see them prep and start off on their march to Notre Dame Stadium.  GGA’s Les Di Vite (Seton Hall) and Steve Ciesla (Juniata/Montclair State) enjoyed following the band to the gridiron battle playing “The Notre Dame Victory March” and “Hike! Hike! Hike!”  among other Fighting Irish tunes.  We had anticipated this weekend for several months before the season started.  We also had a great tailgate among other Irish fans in a lot close to the stadium run by our new friend, Greg, that was well organized.  He provided plenty of space to guests who wanted to set up for a spread-out tailgate or room for a simple one.  His signs read, “Closest spaces in the world to Notre Dame Stadium”. We found it along our walk to the Linebacker Lounge on Friday afternoon.  Great time!

The horn section of the band of teh Fighting Irish start up the "Victory March" on the way to Notre Dame Stadium.

The horn section of the Band of the Fighting Irish start up the “Victory March” on the way to Notre Dame Stadium.

ND received the opening kickoff, but Stanford reversed this advantage with DB Quenton Meeks’ INT.  I couldn’t see the catch from my blocked view, but Meeks ran the ball across the field from my right to left within our sight lines and took it down the left side for a 50-yard TD run that cut the Irish’s fragile lead, 10-7.  On Notre Dame’s next drive, from what I could see, Kizer (14 for 26, 154 yards, two INTs) over threw his intended receiver and the ball went into the waiting hands of Safety Dallas Lloyd.  Kizer’s passing acumen has slipped since we saw his great performance against Temple last season.  A hard sack of Burns by Jaron Jones resulted in a fumble recovery by the Irish.  Malik Zaire came in to replace the ineffective Kizer starting from the Irish 34.  Zaire, who hadn’t played much since the opener at Texas, looked rusty to say the least.  The result was a punt on fourth and 18 from the 26.  The next Irish drive started from its five and the result was worse than its last as the snap from center went through the end zone for a safety for the Cardinal, closing the score at 10-9.  Things were not going well for the Fighting Irish.

Stanford DL Solomaon Thomas made key stops thoughout the game.

Stanford DL Solomon Thomas made key stops throughout the game.

The ensuing Stanford possession took the game into the final period.  During this drive, a very nice usher came and took Steve and me to what he said were better seats.  They were. All the ushers nearby were very friendly to us.  This gentleman had previously come to our row and offered people to our right to move over into empty seats vacated in section 18 by “fans” who left at the end of Q3 with their Irish holding on to a one-point lead.  Supposedly, these seats had better sight lines according to the helpful usher.  When he had originally offered the gracious opportunity to the couple on my right, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, but firmly and politely asked, “That’s nice of you, but why don’t you get that camera out of the way so all of us here can see?” It sent him into action as I figured this was not the first time he was doing this.  I couldn’t have been the first one to complain about the obstructed view we had paid good money for.  He came back minutes later to escort Steve and me to row 16 in our section in bleacher seats with cushions on them no less.  The sight lines were much clearer view for sure.  A little later, he moved Bill and Les to some vacated seats lower and to their left to avoid the obstructed view with the cameraman’s butt in our way.  Little did Bill and Les know what they were about to see up close next!  On a second and six at the Notre Dame seven right in front of them, ND Safety Nico Fertitta made a jarring tackle of Stanford RB Bryce Love (23 carries for 129 yards) and knocked the ball loose before he crossed the goal line.  The ball bounced toward the end line.  Les saw Irish LB Nyles Morgan try to scoop it up instead of falling on it (“Steve, if that had been one of us back in high school, Coach Molitoris would have had us doing fumble drills all week long.”). The ball continued to roll instead, and Les, Bill and the entire front row swore an ND player recovered the ball, but by the time the twisted pile of bodies unraveled, Stanford WR J.J. Arcega Whiteside came up from under the pile with it for the Stanford score.  Bill said he thought that the Irish player with the ball may have had his leg out of bounds when he seemingly recovered it, but after further review, the call could not be disputed and the Cardinal had the 15-10 lead.  The Cardinal lined up for two to extend a seven-point lead.  All of Stanford’s pre-snap action indicated they were going right.  The Irish defense stacked up to that side before the snap from center.  Burns showed action right and promptly pitched left to Love who ran to that side unscathed for the seven-point lead.  Stanford now forced ND’s hand to score a TD and to go for the win if it did.  The Irish with Zaire under center went three and out.  Stanford’s next drive ate up clock but came to a stop after Burns’ pass to Michael Rector was broken up to require a punt from the 47.  The Fighting Irish started from their 25 and after two completions where the Stanford secondary kept the receivers in bounds to keep the clock running. The Irish called their final time-out with 41 seconds left to play.  With a fourth and one at the 16, Josh Adams picked up two for the first down.  On fourth and ten at the 14, DL Solomon Thomas forced Kizer to fumble and time had run out for Notre Dame.  The Irish fall to 2-5.  Unbelievable!  That’s as bad as Rutgers.

Irish DB Nicco Fertitta (28) jars ball loose from Bryce Love (20) before he crosses the goal line.

Irish DB Nicco Fertitta (28) jars ball loose from Bryce Love (20) before he crosses the goal line.

The beleaguered Fighting Irish have a bye next week to prepare for their next game in Florida against the Miami Hurricanes. Stanford (4-2, 2-2) will host an improving Colorado Buffalo team (5-2, 3-1) in a key PAC 12 contest.  Collegefootballfan.com has a double-header weekend planned.  On Friday night, Temple (4-3, 2-1) will host South Florida (6-1, 3-0) at The Linc in a key battle for the lead in the AAC East.  Then on Saturday evening, we will be in State College, Pennsylvania for the first time this season where Penn State (4-2, 2-1) will host No. 2 Ohio State (6-0, 3-0) in a White-out where they always give the Buckeyes a tough time.

Irish, Cardinal, refs, and fans sort out who has the ball in the south end zone.

Fighting Irish, the Cardinal, refs, and fans sort out who has the ball in the south end zone.

Extra points: DL Solomon Thomas impressed us with his line play early in Saturday’s game. He finished the day leading in tackles with 12, ten of which were solo.

We had a great time at the Linebacker Lounge on Friday night right next to the Notre Dame Campus.

Pass breakup by Irish late in the game.

Pass breakup by Irish late in the game.

Game 517: Mids storm past No. 6 Houston, 46-40

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Mids storm past No. 6 Houston, 46-40

Annapolis, Maryland – In a steady rain storm, the Midshipman of the U. S Naval Academy (4-1, 3-0) rushed for 306 yards against the Houston Cougar defense that allowed an average of 42 yards per game.  The Mids turned three turnovers by Heisman candidate Greg Ward Jr. into 17 points to upset the No. 6 ranked team, 46-40.  It was the first time since 1984 that the Mids had beaten a Top Ten program and one that visited Navy-Marine Corp Stadium.  They had last defeated then-No. 2 South Carolina. Navy QB Will Worth completed three of five passes for 76 yards and two TDs and rushed 32 times for 115 yards and a TD.

LB Josiah Powell intercepted two Ward passes and returned one for a 34-yard TD in the third period to give the Mids a two-TD lead, 34-20.  It was thrilling game to attend as we watched the Brigade of Midshipman storm the field to celebrate the Mids’ victory that catapults them into first place alone atop the Western Division of the American Athletic Conference with a 3-0 record.

Gene Ward Jr. fires a pass.

Cougar QB Gene Ward Jr. fires a pass.

A week after their first loss of the season to archrival Air Force, the Mids looked lethargic to start the game.  After their three and out series, Houston drove right down the field 70 yards in five plays with Ward (32 of 50, 359 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) throwing a 32-yard scoring strike to WR Steven Dunbar in the end zone for a quick lead.  On the ensuing kick off, the Mids got the spark they needed early as Dishan Romine returned the kick 85 yards to the Cougars 12-yard line. The momentum built as FB Chris High took it in around the right side to tie it up right away.  The Mids attempted an onsides kick and Houston started at the Navy 47 and took a 10-7 lead on Ty Cummings 39-yard FG.  Navy countered with another drive resulting in Bennet Moehring’s 24-yard FG to keep pace with the Cougars.

Much to the surprise of this week’s Guest Game Analyst Vince Gallo and me, Navy HC Ken Niumatalolo called for another onsides kick.  The result was the same as the previous attempt.  Houston started at the 44 and Cummings converted a 36-yard boot for a 13-10 lead early in the second period.  We wondered why Niumatalolo spotted six points by giving the No. 6 Cougars great field position on two consecutive kickoffs. Navy’s defense holding them to only two FGs was big against a highly potent offense run by Ward.

Navy's defense held Houston to 125 yards on the ground.

Navy’s defense held Houston’s high-powered offense to 125 yards on the ground.

Seven rushing plays and 71 yards later, Worth took it over for a two-yard TD and a Navy lead.  The Cougars had problems trying to stop Navy’s option, but we figured they would figure it out eventually.   When Houston started its next drive, they came out throwing. Ward completed three straight passes for 13, 30, and 11 yards to wide open receivers before he ran out of the pocket for nine. On the next play, he fired a 19-yard scoring pass to Dillon Birden to retake the lead.  Navy, however, was not backing down.  LB Josiah Powell, wearing jersey # 58 in honor of injured teammate and captain Dan Gonzales, intercepted Ward’s tipped pass to put USNA on their 37.

The Mids lost nine yards on three plays, but a roughing the kicker call put the them back in control of the ball at the Houston 43.  As time expired to end the half, Moehring converted a 38-yard FG to knot the score.  Vince and I skipped the halftime entertainment to drip-dry with all the other sopping wet fans in the upper deck under the stands during the intermission.

USNA's Bennett Moehring nailed a 40-yard FG as the first half came to an end.

USNA’s Bennett Moehring nailed a 38-yarder as the first half came to and end and a 40-yard FG here .

 

It was a different tailgate Saturday under the rainy conditions.  We set up a canopy to stay dry before the game.  We made sandwiches and drank beers while Brian Donnelly had his famous Old Bay wings on the grill.  Vince, attending his first Navy game and visiting Annapolis for the first time, picked up a couple of huge complimentary garbage bags entering our gate.  They were much needed and with rain gear we brought kept us comfortably dry for most of the game.  It rained during most of the game, but the lack of wind made the conditions bearable.  Once again, parachute jumpers and a flyover had to be cancelled.  We found our row one upper deck seats flooded by a couple of inches of water as the downspouts were obviously clogged.  We moved back two rows to sit among the many vacated no-show seats but close enough to hear grumbling and shell-shocked Houston fans throughout the game who filled the rows behind us.

The game was a sell-out.  Too bad so many missed a fantastic game against the first Top Ten team to come to Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in a long time.  Like those among our tailgaters including “Navy Al”, we didn’t expect to see a competitive game based on Navy’s previous loss and Houston’s early season successes. The third quarter was especially worth seeing.

Our undercover tailgate kept us dry and well fed before we sat in teh rain inside Navy-Marine Corps.

Our undercover tailgate kept us dry and well fed before we sat in the rain inside Navy-Marine Corps.

A sack of Ward during the first Houston possession resulted in a fumble recovered by DT Patrick Forrestal.  Navy’s triple-option offense got right to work at Houston’s 41.  Five consecutive runs set up a 17-yard TD pass from Worth (3 of 5, 76 yards, 2 TDs; 32 carries for 115 yards, 1 TD) to Darryl Bonner to put Navy up, 27-20.  One minute and one second later, Powell cut in front of Ward’s intended receiver, broke a tackle, and romped 34 yards for another six to give Navy a two-touchdown cushion.  The No. 6 team who beat Oklahoma in its season opener drove 91 yards with Ward bringing it across the goal line from eight yards away.  To fend off the Cougar comeback, Worth went to the air to complete their next 80-yard drive as he connected 34 yards to Brandon Colon.  He crossed the goal line as he caught he ball to once again to extend the Navy lead by 14 points.  However, neither team was about to give up.

QB Will Worth finds a seam on an option play through teh Houston defense for some of his 115 rushing yards.

Navy QB Will Worth (15) finds a seam on an option play through the Houston defense for some of his 115 rushing yards.

Houston drove to the Navy 13 as the third period ended.  Birden took it over from the two to close the gap once again, but LB D.J. Palmore blocked the PAT to make the score 41-33.  Vince noted, “That was big.” He was right.  The next Navy drive was halted on fourth down at the Houston 16.  The Midshipman defense forced a Cougar punt from their 18, but another special team play contributed to USNA’s margin as the ball sailed way over the punter’s head on the snap – two more points for Navy and the ball back with a 43-33 lead.

Houston attempted an onsides kick from the 20 and Navy recovered to start at the U of H 30, but they only got three as Moehring converted from 40 with 4:38 left to play.  Houston drove 70 yards and on a fourth and twelve, Ward (17 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD) fired a 17-yard TD pass to Chance Allen to draw back within six.  Houston’s ensuing onsides kick rolled past the Navy hands team where Jarid Ryan jumped on it for the Mids on the 49. USNA punted with :09 left. Nine seconds later, despite all the no-shows, it was the biggest victory celebrations Navy-Marine Corps Stadium hosted in a long time.  Navy triumphed, 46-40.  Great game!  We will be back for more excitement when Navy hosts Tulsa on November 12.

Celebration for the Navy Victory! The Superintendent subsequently called off classes for teh entire Brigae on Tuesday.

Celebration for the Navy Victory! The Superintendent subsequently called off classes for the entire Brigade on Tuesday.

Navy’s next game scheduled originally for Thursday night at East Carolina is now postponed until November 19 due to flooding from Hurricane Matthew in the Greenville area.  Their next game is now on October 22 at home against Memphis (4-1, 1-0).  Houston (4-1, 2-1), now ranked at No. 13, tries to get back on track next week at home against Tulsa (4-1, 1-0). Don’t believe the media nay-sayers who say Houston can’t make it back to a major bowl game again this year.  On November 17, the Cougars host No. 7 Louisville. The Cougars lost to UConn last season and went on to beat Florida State in the Peach Bowl for a 14-1 season in 2015.  Of course, if Navy can run the table… Collegefootballfan.com heads to South Bend, Indiana for the first time since September 6, 2003 where we will see a disappointing Notre Dame (2-4) host disappointing Stanford (3-2) whose Heisman candidate, Christian McCaffery, is a little “banged up” according to HC David Shaw.  We can still hope for a competitive game and a good time at Notre Dame Stadium.

Indepencence Day?

Independence Day over Navy-Marine Corps Stadium as the game and rain came to an end ?

Extra points: Navy is now ranked No. 25 in this week’s AP poll.  The Coaches poll has their heads up their butts again as those guys vote for their own conference foes to bolster their schedule for future considerations. Stupid poll where no one who votes watches any teams but their own and the next one on their schedule.

Houston never did figure out how to stop Navy’s triple option as they allowed 306 rushing yards during the game.

Navy captured every American Athletic Conference Player of the Week award. Worth was named Offensive Player of the week for his performance.  Powell garnered Defense with his two INTs, three tackles, and a score extending TD return.  Moehring captured Special Teams Player of the week with 14 points.  We say Dishan Romine gets “Spark of the Week” with his kick-off return to the Houston 12 that really got the Mids going after an offensive three and out and a Houston TD.  Navy showed no life before that. It was what they needed. If not for that return, we envision the outcome many of us were regretfully expecting.  In addition, HC Ken Niumatalolo received Honors as the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week.  All the awards were well deserved.

The refs were horrible missing several calls against Houston in critical situations and misplacing a spot later in the game in the wrong direction against Navy. Navy overcame the first missed calls, but came up short on a first down following the second.

We did see Houston play Navy once before back on December 14, 1980 in the Garden State Bowl on a cold, blustery day at Giants Stadium in The Meadowlands.  Houston under HC Bill Yeoman, a West Point grad, beat up on Navy, 35-0.  We discovered a favorite hang-out for years to come right after the game – Charlie’s Corner (Krajewski’s) in Secaucus

Vince and I did the Federal House for dinner and the Annapolis Cigar Factory after.  The Annapolis dock was closed down for the annual boat show.  At the “Fed”, we met a young woman whose boyfriend is a Navy grad and currently a pilot but has never attended a Navy football game.  We convinced her and her friends to get to a game soon.

Vince is convinced he’ll be back again. He thought the town of Annapolis was great and may plan a weekend there with his wife, Jill.  I’m sure he won’t turn down an opportunity to come and tailgate at a future game as well.

A “Boyz weekend” is being planned for November 12 against Tulsa for a noon kick-off. We’ll have to improvise on our Saturday morning schedule so we may enjoy some traditional festivities on Sunday morning.

Parting shot : "The Navy Blue and Gold!"

Game 516: Notre Dame defeats Syracuse in “pinball”, 50-33

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Notre Dame defeats Syracuse in “pinball”, 50-33

East Rutherford, NJ – The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Syracuse Orange scored 60 points in the first half combined with scoring resembling play on a pinball machine rather than on a gridiron as the Irish (2-3) defeated the Orange by a final score of 50-33.  Tacklers bounced off ball carriers and plays went for long yards as the scoreboard lit up early and often.  Not until the second half of play did the defenses settle down to resemble more of a football game than a pinball contest as defenders finally started to wrap and make tackles.  Fighting Irish QB DeShone Kizer passed for 471 yards, three TDs, one INT while completing 23 of 35.  For Collegefootballfan.com, the game at MetLife Stadium was dubbed our Big Tailgate for this season as our busload of 55 tailgaters plus enjoyed food, drink, and revelry in the parking lot before and after our game sponsored by the Boonton (NJ) Knights of Columbus.  We raised over $800 in this fundraiser raised for Special Olympics and other charities!

Kizer scores

Kizer scores from three yards out for the Irish.

Kizer struck easily on the first play from scrimmage connecting with WR Equanimeous St. Brown (four catches for 182 yards and two TDS) for a 79 yard score.  Syracuse soph QB Eric Dungey (31 of 51 passing for 363 yards, two TDs passing, and three TDs rushing) equaled the task taking in in from the three capping 75-ard TD drive.  However, the extra point was blocked and Luke Cole returned it for Notre Dame to take a 9-6 lead.  Kizer and St. Brown hooked up again for a 67-yard scoring pass. The Orange retaliated three plays later as Dungey connected with Amba Etta-Tawo, the nation’s leader in receiving yards, for a 72-yard scoring play to pull back within range, 16-13.  As our crowd overlooking the turf sat in bewilderment laughing at the score piling up against two feeble defenses and predicting that the scoring was on a record-setting pace, Notre Dame’s C.J. Sanders fielded the ensuing kickoff and returned it 93 yards for a TD.  It was getting ridiculous.  This has to be a result of the new watered down tackling rule limitations during practices.  It’s only going to get worse.  Tackling skills and toughness are being replaced by needed safety and speed.  Someday the only football that will be played will be via virtual reality.  With 10:06 left in the first, someone pulled the plug on the pinball machine, the predecessor of computer games.

Orange QB Eric Dungey scores one of his three touchdowns on the ground against Notre Dame.

Orange QB Eric Dungey scores one of his three touchdowns on the ground against Notre Dame.

SU completed a 79-yard drive with a one-yard run by Dungey.  The Irish racked up 71 yards before Kizer took it over from the three. A 31-yard field goal by Justin Yoon and 14-yard pass to Ervin Phillips by Dungey set up by Brisly Estime’s 74-yard punt return closed out the first half scoring to keep it close at 33-27 in favor of the Irish.  SU’s band performed at halftime while I went down four escalators to find the game program to add to my collection.  The announced attendance was 62, 794 – no way!  There were more empty seats than full ones.  Either the Irish fans stayed away because of overcast weather which would be a shame as precipitation held off the entire afternoon, or they stayed away because the Irish are only 2-3 for no hopes of a title shot.  Either way, the spirit of the Irish seems to be waning.  Maybe attendance is down due to people staying at home more often to watch games on TV.  That certainly stinks too since the televised games cause those of us attending to sit through too many TV time-outs.

Syracuse cheerleaders had much to cheer about during teh first half though their team trailed 33-27.

Syracuse cheerleaders had much to cheer about during the first half though their team trailed 33-27.

In the third period, the Irish defense held the Orange in check.  On the other hand, the Irish scored two long TDs against HC Dino Babers’ defense that starts one freshman, six sophs and no seniors.  Kizer threw a 54-yard TD pass to Kevin Stepherson, and Dexter Williams scored on a 59-yard run.

A Yoon FG of 39 yards and a Dungey five a-yard TD scamper finalized the score at 50-33 in favor of the Irish.   Next week, the Fighting Irish travel to Raleigh, NC to play the NC State Wolf Pack.  The week after, CollegeFootballfan.com travels to South Bend to see the Irish play Stanford who lost big to Washington, 44-6, Friday night.  Syracuse travels to Wake Forest who fell to NC State on Saturday, 33-16.  CFF.com heads back to Annapolis this Saturday to watch 3-1 Navy who fell to Air Force, 28-14, to see them face No. 6 Houston with QB Greg Ward, Jr., a legitimate Heisman trophy candidate in the running with Louisville’s Lamar Jackson who he will face later this season.

Our tailgaters enjoyed the parking lot party under cloueyd but rainless skies in East Rutherford.

Our tailgaters enjoyed the parking lot party under cloudy but rainless skies in East Rutherford.

Collegefootballfan.com Week 5

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Well, we sold out our full busload for our Annual Big Tailgate this Saturday selling all 55 tickets for Syracuse vs. Notre Dame at MetLife Stadium here in the swamps of Jersey. We expected to see a Fighting Irish team coming in ranked among the Top Ten. We also expected to see an improved Syracuse team under former Bowling Green HC Dino Babers offer the Notre Dame defense a challenge. We erred big-time on the first expectation, but look dead on regarding the second. This game could turn-out to be a high-scoring shoot-out like the 38-35 Irish loss to Duke, the 36-28 loss to Michigan State, and the 50-47 OT loss to Texas. The Irish (1-3) can put points on the board with DeShone Kizer at QB, but its defense can’t stop anybody (Ok -Nevada, 39-10). He’s completed 62.1% of his passes for 1,096 yards, 11 TDs, and three INTs. However, 33.5 ppg against the defense is probably not going to improve too much against the Orange. Led by improved QB Eric Dungey under Babers’ tutelage, he’s completed 65% of his passes for 1,397 yards, nine TDs and 3 INT. His favorite WR Amba Etta-Tawo leads the nation with 706 receiving yards. He has five TD receptions. Last Sunday, HC Brian Kelly fired his defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder and replaced him with defensive analyst Greg Hudson. Hard to believe that improvement has taken a drastic turn over the last few days, but we’ll be there to see if the Irish get a little more fired up to start turning their poor start into at least a winning season…

DeShone Kizer should get the protection he needs this Saturday to put up some big numbers against Syracuse. The Irish will need them.

DeShone Kizer should get the protection he needs this Saturday to put up some big numbers against Syracuse. The Irish will need them.

In addition to Etta-Tawo, we have or will see many of the top players leading in the nation in major statistical categories after four weeks of play in the FBS. No. 2 Ohio State’s DBs Malik Hooker and Marshon Lattimore both lead the nation in INTs tied with others for three. We will see them against struggling Penn State (2-2) on October 22. Cal QB Davis Webb currently leads in passing yards with 1,837. His favorite target, Chad Henson, is ranked right behind Etta-Tawo for second with 656 yards. We will see the Cal Bears (2-2) clash with their rival No. 7 Stanford (3-0) in The Big Game on November 19 in Berkeley. The FBS’s leading rusher is our friend Tom Ables’ favorite RB, San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey. He leads with 599 yards and ran for 1,653 last year when we saw him and the Aztecs fall to Penn State, 37-21 . A key to that victory was the Lions shutting him down holding Pumphrey to only 56 yards and a TD on 18 carries. As far as team rushing, Army (3-1) leads all 130 FBS teams averaging 374.8 Yards per game. We saw them defeat Temple and fall to Buffalo. On November 5 we will see the play again when they host Air Force in their Commander in Chief Trophy game. Air Force ranks No. 5 in the nation in rushing…

Army FB Andy Dickinson rambles through the Owl defense for a few tough yards.

Army FB Andy Dickinson rambles through the Owl defense for a few tough yards.

Here’s our predictions for this week’s big games: Memphis (3-0) visits Ole Miss (2-2). Last season with Paxton Lynch at QB, the Tigers upset the Rebels, 37-24. The Memphis record is deceiving and new QB Riley Ferguson hasn’t been challenged yet. At The Grove a year after the upset, Hugh Freeze’s team will be up to win this one…Louisville at Clemson. As much as we like Deshaun Watson, we think Lamar Jackson is just going to continue to run rampant against the Clemson Tiger defense…Stanford and Washington meet Friday night. Washington has played Stanford tight the last four years. HC Chris Peterson has the Huskies on the rise. However, we think this is Stanford’s year with all the key pieces in place under HC David Shaw. QB Ryan Burns is developing into another good Cardinal QB, and Christian McCaffery is ready to explode. We’re going with Stanford…Wisconsin has big win over LSU on a “neutral” site and a big win at Michigan State last week. Can they do it at Michigan this week? We don’t think so although we’re hoping they can. Michigan plays its fifth straight home game and has Rutgers next week. All their focus is on Wisconsin (no pun intended).   The Wolverines will settle for nothing less than a showdown against Ohio State on November 26…

This is where U of M is focused this season.

This is where U of M is focused this season.

Here’s one we have great interest in. Navy (3-0) at Air Force (3-0). They will be playing in the first go around for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy played for between them and Army annually. These two have won it over the last 19 years between each other. As Navy HC Ken Niumatatolo pointed out earlier this week, this is the first time the two Academies enter this game both undefeated. This is big! Both teams won their previous game by a touchdown and Navy had last week off to get ready to go out to Colorado Springs. Both excel at the triple option and Air Force leads Navy in rushing yards, but wins over Abilene Christian and Georgia State were dominant which they should have been. Both teams know how to defend against the triple option as well as anybody since they run it every day themselves. Navy can throw the ball when it has to with QB Will Wentworth when necessary. Our hopes are with Navy because we’re hoping to see the Brigade fired up in Annapolis the week after when No. 6 Houston comes to town. Could be another math-up of undefeateds if Navy wins and Houston defeats UConn next Thursday. The Huskies were the one team to knockoff UH in 2015.   We say, Go Navy! In a close battel with their second biggest rival…

Navy and Air Force battled it out last season in Annapolis with Navy finishing on top in their 11-2 season.

Navy and Air Force battled it out last season in Annapolis with Navy finishing on top in their 11-2 season.

Speaking of the US Navy, our friend Tom Ables will be with his San Diego state Aztecs when they meet South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama this Saturday. Thrilled to be with his Aztecs on the road once again, this trip is a special treat for Tom now attending at least over 780 Aztec games since he started doing this in 1946. That was that year that Tom was decommissioned from the Navy after WWII to become a civilian and a student at San Diego State after being stationed on the battleship USS Alabama. Now a floating museum in Mobile Bay, Tom is excited that he is going to be able to go on board and relive some fond memories he had as a crew member aboard his old ship. Tom is a proud and happy Navy veteran looking forward to a great weekend. We’re very happy for him. Congratulations, Tom, and thank you and all your shipmates for serving our country!

Tom Ables is still going strong into the 2016 season after catching up with him at Beaver Stadium last season.

Tom Ables is still going strong into the 2016 season after catching up with him at Beaver Stadium last season.

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