Seen 'em all – 132 FBS teams in action. Two newest to be added. All divisions: 681 games since 1979! Get my new book now available on Amazon.com in Kindle and in Paperback: Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly! Featuring essays: "Vision of the Future" and "For the Love of the Game."
Miami, Florida – The NCAA granted Miami Hurricane TE Cam McCormick a ninth year of eligibility to play football in 2024. We admire Cam’s fortitude and persistence. Austin Cartwright reports about this initially in his January 18 article in USA Today Network. Please read his article by clicking here. This writer of “Steveo’s Salvos” can identify with the player’s feelings. Having sat out after a transfer (for struggling with calculus at my first school, a D1 for which I did not play), practicing a season while ineligible to play at the DIII level, and suffering an ACL/meniscus injury in spring club lacrosse in the mid-’70s to give me one season left to play football, I can relate to his desire to continue to play.
However, with no scholarships at that level and no more extended waivers, there was no option for me to stay just to play football. I can understand his feelings. I still wanted to play on the team if I could. However, questions remain here primarily regarding NCAA policy today affecting playing eligibility.
Oregon Duck
McCormick was a three-star pick back in 2016 selecting to start at the University of Oregon. He red-shirted for 2016 season for contracting rhabdomyolysis after a strenuous offseason workout. This occurs when “damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood.” It can be fatal. According to USA Today Network’s article, he broke his left ankle in 2018. The severity of the injury put him out of action through the 2020 season. Upon return for the Ducks in 2021, he tore his right Achilles tendon in the second game. With Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal moving on to Miami, McCormick followed him. He played for the Hurricanes in 2022, and caught ten passes for 66 yards and three TDs. In 2023, he caught eight passes for 62 yards. He applied for two more seasons of eligibility even before he transferred to Miami. The NCAA granted him both.
Last time we attended a Miami Hurricane football game, they fell to Boston College, 27-14. The good old days when players’ eligibility maxed out at five years and a new class of high school recruits came on board – not a slew of transfers.
Upon further review of eligibility
To Cam McCormick’s credit, despite his injury and sitting out more two seasons as a result, he got his bachelor’s degree at Oregon. In addition, he not only got is bachelor’s in advertising, he got his Master’s degree at Oregon in June 2022 as shown here on X, formerly known as Twitter. Now this is what college football is supposed to be about. As a student-athlete took advantage of his football ability to get not only one degree, but two! He achieved thus despite his football injuries. Cam will turn 26 in April. In 2023, the Miami roster indicates that he is a redshirt senior. Academically, he’s beyond a graduate student.
With his personal stats and physical history, it seems likely that pro football is not where he’s headed. Is he at risk re-injuring himself? And if he does, will he be granted a tenth year? At some point, Cam’s going to have to move on to a new career he’s qualified for. If he’s as dedicated and persistent to his career as he’s demonstrated for football, he’ll go places however he decides to build on his studies.
Time to move on?
He’s got two degrees after eight years of college. At this point, how can anyone justify a ninth year of college football playing eligibility. Is he getting a ninth season of scholarship money for playing football? If so, is what degree is he currently studying for? Shouldn’t he, the school and the NCAA decide it’s time to give some other deserving student-athlete coming out of high school to start working on his future? Cam McCormick has made great decisions to get to where he is today. However, I have bigger concern regarding the NCAA’s waiver decision in this matter. You can read it about it in my recently released book, Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly, now available through my Author page on Amazon.com.
Alternative NCAA motive?
The NCAA seems to be testing the waters to see how long they can offer waivers to athletes in order to retain them for a longer-term goal. Can they possibly be looking to employ recruited student-athletes as full-time employees after eligibility just to play football? In particular, do they desire to compete financially with the NFL? They seem close to getting there any time now. They possibly desire to retain such employees will help them maintain the success of their product on the field. Why? Possibly, to raise more money, but not just to fund their athletic departments. NCAA members and colleges in general now seem to seek to fund other agendas, some worthwhile and some for very political objectives.
Hidden Eligibility Agenda
You can read more about this in my book. It’s an agenda that is already well underway. This seems like an ongoing a move in testing the waters – first a sixth year of eligibility for Covid. Now, can they get seven, eight and nine years based on waivers to retain more talent? Evidently, yes. If they can keep the talent recruited beyond four or five years and eventually to employ them, there’s no turning back. A good number of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools in newly aligned super conferences will build on their Saturday TV monopolization. The NFL now owns Sundays to the tune of $18 billion annually.
A certain faction of Institutions of Higher Learning is already testing the waters for a comparable benefit. They already have a solid infrastructure through the media contracts, large stadiums, and major alumni funding (de facto ownership) in place. Be ready for super conference members to leave the NCAA sooner than anyone could imagine. Get Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales for more details. The plan is already in place.
Before the start of Bowl season, we picked Michigan to defeat Washington in tonight’s game. However, after much reflection since, we’ve reversed our decision. We are going with Washington primarily because of QB Michael Penix, Jr. He just has a knack to win. He’s done it for UW, and we’ve seen him do it before.
Still questionable to this date, he broke our hearts in the opener of the Covid-limited 2020 season playing for Indiana. He officially scored past the left pylon on a dive to defeat Penn State, 36-35. IU finished the abbreviated season, 5-2. They defeated Michigan, but lost to Ohio State State, 42-25, and to Ole Miss in The Outback Bowl, 26-20. For Indiana, consider the result a great season. With Penix at QB, the averaged 28.9 points per game. From 2018-2021, in 16 games started for the Hoosiers, they won 11 of those games. Injuries shortened those seasons for him. In games not started by him, IU finished 5-12.
Penix in action
Indiana visited Western Kentucky in 2021. They came in at 1-2 against the Hilltoppers (1-1) who featured QB Bailey Zappe at QB who set and NCAA passing yard mark that season. WKU finished 9-5 that season and Zappe got drafted by the New England Patriots. We attended this rarity at Houchen-Smith LTD Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A Power Five visited a Group of Five. Penix got the Hoosiers off to a fast 14-0 lead. He completed 34 of 53 passes for 373 yards and two TDs. He snuck in for another. WKU mounted a comeback , but in the end, the visitors triumphed, 33-31.
Michael Penix Jr. (9) seen in action for Indiana in 33-31 win over Western Kentucky in 2021.
Husky musher
A week later Penix got injured against Penn State and missed the rest of the 2021 season. In December, he transferred to Washington. In 2021, the Huskies had finished 4-8. After Penix arrived, he led them to an 11-2 record. The Huskies averaged 38.7 a game offensively compared to 21.5 the season before. Two losses came at UCLA and Arizona State respectively by eight and seven points. UW defeated strong Oregon on the road, 37-34, and defeated Texas in the Alamo Bowl, 27-20.
Penix has a knack for winning
In 2023, Washington has never looked back since the previous season finishing at No, 2 with a 14-0 record. Averaging 37.6 ppg, they defeated ranked teams along the way including Arizona, Oregon (twice) and Texas in the CFP Sugar Bowl. Seven games were won by one touchdown or less. Michigan has a tough defense allowing just over ten points per game. They held nine opponents to 10 points or less. In the last three of four starts against the likes of Maryland, Ohio State and Alabama, the Wolverines gave up 22 ppg. The Huskies have a good offensive line, good receivers in Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk. In our view, Penix gives Washington the edge. In a close one, he’ll find a way to win it. He always has.
Michigan RB Blake Corum (2) will be the key offensive weapon for the No. 1 Wolverines this evening.
Among social media sites since the 27-20 Alabama OT loss to Michigan in the CFP on Monday night, many fans question the final play call by Nick Saban of Alabama following a time-out before Jalen Milroe took a header into the teeth of Michigan’s strong defense to end the game.
Many consider Saban the G.O.A.T, that is greatest college football coach of all time. In Saban’s 16 years as Head Coach at Alabama, his record overall is an outstanding 201-29. Overall, his record as a head coach now stands at 292-71-1. Also, he’s won six NCAA Division 1 National Championships. Impressive for sure. However, for the final games among all those seasons, his stands at 9-7. What does that indicate?
Saban career in review
Consider this: Saban coached successful programs as head coach at Michigan State and LSU before he took the helm at Alabama. After coaching those two programs, he spent eight seasons in the NFL. The first six as an assistant before becoming head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005-2006. He absorbed great experience. He learned a lot both with college programs and in the pros before joining Alabama. However, at Miami, he recorded a record of only 15-17 with the NFL Dolphins. There were some issues with personnel supposedly. He denied to the press that he was going to leave the Dolphins and go to Alabama. However, shortly after denial, he signed on with the Crimson Tide.
Nick Saban right in his “comfort zone” surrounded by players and admirers at Bryant-Denny before facing the Utah State Aggies in their 55-0 slaughter. Emporers in the Roman Coliseum must have felt the same way.
Multi-tasking required
Coaching football requires many skills at both the collegiate and pro levels. Common ones are building a team, hiring good assistant coaches, developing player skills, formulating game plans, and executing an effective strategy for 60 minutes in every contest. The major differences at the collegiate level: a coach can determine some of the level of competition one can schedule to play. Of course, this includes playing against conference foes obligated to play within a particular season. The other one – how you select the talent to make your team successful.
Pro slates
In the NFL, based on where teams finish in the final standings, schedules for all teams become pre-determined. Schedules are prioritized based on where a team finishes. Balanced schedules are assigned based on where other teams finish, from top to bottom, outside the division. Basically, to make it possible for every team to compete as equally as possible, each team gets a slate fairly equivalent to meet teams close in recent past success. Also every season, half of the games are scheduled on the road and half are at home. Makes it fair to all competing organizations and their fans.
Talent allocation
The biggest difference between collegiate and professional talent dispersion, however, is how coaches acquire their talent. In the pros, each starts with a draft based on the order how all 32 teams finished the previous season. Teams draft in a pre-determined order, make trades, and sign free agents after the draft and during the course of the season if and when necessary. By the start of every season, each team selects 53 active players to be on their roster. Again, everything is done to equalize every team’s chance every season for possible success – truly leveling the playing field as much as possible. Of course, this doesn’t work out this way. Some organizations with their coaches’ inputs are better than others at evaluating, developing and coaching talent than are others. That’s business.
Saban: Greatest what?
The point here is, when coaching in the pros, where the playing field is virtually level, Nick Saban’s coaching skills didn’t result in positive results. Greatest “coach?” Sounds more like, “when the going gets tough – quit!” Bad message. When it comes to building a college football team, recruiting players is a free-for-all. How can each program attract the best talent? Saban ranks right at the top when it comes to doing this. This talent recruited begats success.
Saban always has talent. Devonta Smith (6) shown on the end of a 50-yard reception from Tua Tagovailoa (13) on their first drive against Oklahoma in The 2018 Orange Bowl. The previous season, QB Jalen Hurts led his team to the championship game. Thereafter, Tagovailoa led the team in a win over Georgia in the CFP title game, 26-23. Hurts stayed on the bench this season as the back-up.
Have money, will travel
In college, football programs scour the country for the best high school talent available. It’s a crapshoot. Some programs offer better opportunities than others. Some offer a chance to play in major games on TV every weekend, win championships, display skills and establish reputations to possibly make this a very high-financed career in the future. Currently, universities can now have “collectives” contact players even from other collegiate programs to transfer.
Collectives now represent football programs outside of NCAA jurisdiction. Reports indicate Saban disapproves of such pratices. A new coaching skill, however, now also includes keeping the best players happy and satisfied to stay and play for the school that offers them a scholarship to pay for their education. Not easy any more with Name, Image, Likeness (NILs) incentives floating around. Teams can have up to 85 players on scholarships in their FBS program. Non-scholarship players sign as walk-ons can become available too.
Figure strengths among priorities to meet the challenges
So, college coaching requires: talents such as salesmanship to get players; player development done at practice and physical training during the course of a year; a strategic game plan to defeat the upcoming opponent; and an effective tactical plan to have your team ready to execute at game time. None of this is easy. Not all coaches among 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams possess all the required skills to be successful. As in any profession, some have good skill sets in most requirements However, others are better or worse for whatever reason. In the end, every head coach and their staff strive to win more games than they lose. Otherwise they’re looking for another coaching position or an entirely different profession. The heat is always on. The media always likes to stir things up in a pressure cooker when a coach is “on the hot seat!”
Coaching skills: Pros vs college
Nick Saban evidently has the skills, and the smarts, to take advantage of the options college football allows him to do that the pros wouldn’t. That’s probably the real reason he left the Dolphins. No doubt, he has a reputation and skill sets to attract the best talent with relatively minimal effort to come play for his team in Tuscaloosa. His great success starts here. The best players want to go to Alabama to play for him, and he picks and chooses who he wants. Times are changing however; these players are no longer going to sit the bench a few years and wait for an opportunity to play.
Caveat: coaching success doesn’t guarantee player commitment
Saban is somewhat to blame for this attitude. Look how he won the 2018 national championship with Jalen Hurts as quarterback. Then, he sat him down for a year behind Tua Tagovailoa to give him impetus to transfer to Oklahoma. Great for Saban’s status, but what about for his dedicated player? Aren’t the games supposed to be for the players? Too much talent waiting in the wings is no longer a viable coaching strategy in the college ranks. Even Alabama’s success does not guarantee any player’s staying to play at one school for four years anymore.
Back to the Future
Look back on Sunday night and Nick Saban’s 9-7 record in season-ending games that Paul Finebaum must not remember. The coach’s recruiting prowess and reputation started most of his seasons off with the best talent. Foes in his conference and those he scheduled outside the SEC slate don’t have the same aura to attract as much talent to compete with the Alabama Crimson Tide under Saban. He developed his most talented recruits to play better. He hired experienced assistant coaches like Bill O’Brien, Steve Sarkasian, and Lane Kiffin, all former head coaches, to be his primary assistants.
Check out Bamas’s football budget compared to the teams he plays against. His team could generally dominate their way with his resources to the top every season. No doubt, he’s a smart man who understands his strengths and other teams’ weaknesses. Let’s look at 2023 as a microcosm for Saban’s success over 16 years at Alabama. Harbaugh was not the only mentor he faced who outcoached him.
Other coaches learn from the best, Nick Saban
Harbaugh, like Saban, went on a crusade to compete for the best talent wherever available. Both recruit nation-wide. They even take trips to Hawaii and Australia to bring the greatest talents they can find to their campuses. If there was word of some behemoth teenager roaming the Himalayas, these guys would go recruit him. Peruse their current rosters. The longevity of their coaching careers depends on such talent bringing them wins, prestige and a lot of money. Not to say that’s wrong, but that’s just reality. In our society, to the victors go the spoils!
And in previous seasons prior to 2023, other football programs matched Alabama’s talent level as well. In the end many resulted in great battles. Programs under head coaches who recruited similar talent to Saban started on a more equal talent level than most teams The Tide faced during regular seasons. Consider Urban Meyer at Utah in 2008 and at Ohio State in 2014; Bob Stoops at Oklahoma in 2013; Dabo Swinney at Clemson in 2016 and 2018; Kirby Smart at UGA in 2021; and now Jim Harbaugh in 2023. With equal talent, how else do you explain losses in these match-ups other than Saban got out-coached?
Alabama’s 2023 season in review
In their 2023 opener, the Tide massacred eventual 4-8 Middle Tennessee, 56-7. The Blue Raiders never attracted the volume of talent nor level of talent to Murfreesboro to match The Crimson Tide. Usually, Saban opens at a neutral site (Atlanta or Arlington, TX) against a program whose successful QB moved on to the pros since the previous season. Check out games in 2018 after Lamar Jackson left Louisville and in 2019 after Daniel Jones left Duke. This smoke and mirrors tactic seemed to always get by his supporters in the media. A week later at Alabama, his team fell to improving Texas, 34-24, with QB Quin Ewers remaining healthy throughout the entire contest. In 2022, things took a turn for the worse for Texas. Ewers went out injured with a lead to eventually lose to Bama.
Shockingly difficult win
A week later, the media including Paul Finebaum, went into a panic. The Tide went to Tampa and only beat South Florida, 17-3. Questions arose regarding Saban’s coaching capabilities. I questioned why Saban even scheduled an actual road game against USF. I figured maybe he considered Raymond James Stadium as a neutral site like many other non-conference games he’s scheduled over the years. Last time his team actually played a non-conf on a campus was at Penn State in 2011. So much for his early season non-conference scheduling prowess. Like stated previously, he’s a smart man, no doubt.
Looking at Austin Peay’s football facility here, the difference compared to Bryant-Denny Stadium is remarkable! Bama defeated UT Chattanooga in 2023, but in 2022, Austin Peay played in the FCS victim at Tuscaloosa in 2022.
Annual Alabama SEC wins as usual
Despite these early shortcomings in 2023, wins over the two Mississippi schools in the SEC West seemed to put him back on the right track with Paul Finebaum and the rest of the media. A six-point win over eventual 6-6 Texas A&M and a three-point win over eventual 4-8 Arkansas didn’t lend much cause for concern later in the season. The Tide handled Tennessee of the east SEC as they traditionally do the following week. After that, reports in the media prior to the Michigan game started to note that the next five games really showed improvement to boost Bama into the CFP mix. They did defeat always tough and talented SEC West foe LSU the following week, always a significant challenge annually. However, they annihilated 7-5 and suspect Kentucky the following week, 49-21, par for the traditional course over the dominant SEC basketball school.
Saban’s team improving?
The next two wins present major questions pertaining to the supposed improvement of Bama over the last five weeks of the season. They thrashed FCS UT Chattanooga, 66-10. The media insinuated that the Tide improved greatly since that loss to Texas earlier in the season. Really? Would the result of these two games been any different had UTC been the second game on Alabama’s schedule and Texas as the tenth team instead? Bama playing FCS schools annually to benefit the lower program’s finances is a farce.
These issues need to be addressed – pronto!
I have a better idea of how FBS programs can support FCS programs financially in my book, Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly. As a matter of fact, I dissect scheduling solutions, transfer portals, NILs, and other factors used in manipulating ratings with solutions to level the playing fields among FBS programs. The details are in my analysis of how college football can be improved to make more programs more competitive. Please check out reviews on the book page and link to buy my book on Amazon.com.
Under the rug
The next game won irked me even more though because the media just shoved this one under the rug. In their traditional Iron Bowl rivalry, Saban’s Tide defeated archrival Auburn on the road, 27-24. His QB Jalen Milroe pulled this off with a fourth and goal TD pass from the 31 to win with 32 seconds remaining. Ok, great win over their big in-state rival. Prior to Michigan game, I heard no one in the media refer to 6-6 Auburns’ loss the previous week at home to New Mexico State, 31-10. SEC schools schedule games like that to pad records. The media hyped Alabama’s improvement over the last five games based on wins over FCS UTC and downtrodden Auburn?
Auburn, Schmauburn
And based on my long-term connections, Auburn is my favorite SEC team. Florida State defeated more power five programs than NMSU did. To add fuel to my fire, I attended the Music City Bowl here in Nashville. Maryland QB Talia Tagovailoa opted out for the game. The Terps had two inexperienced QBs play against Auburn. At the end of the first period, they lead Auburn, 21-0, on their way to a 31-13 win. Bama’s victory over Auburn was a struggle against a very mediocre team in 2023. Yet, the media includes this among proof of Alabama’s improvement late in the season. Talk about “smoke and mirrors.” The media is not smart, just deceitful.
Maryland QB Billy Edwards (9) takes ball over against Auburn on the first drive for a 7-0 lead in this year’s Music City Bowl.
Smart learned well under Saban
In the SEC Championship, The Tide defeated East Division champ Georgia, 27-24. Great win. The Tide did what they had to do. What I will say about UGA, however, as an assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama, Kirby Smart was smart enough to learn under Saban. He definitely recruits at as high a level. He also schedules non-conference games in a similar manner: FCS UT Martin, Ball State, and UAB. Whacked most of SEC East with Mizzou giving them the toughest conference this season. Georgia Tech of the much-maligned ACC in 2023 even played them closer. Bama’s win put them ahead of Georgia and rightfully so.
Makes sense. Otherwise, why play the games? Why don’t polls just rate teams after recruiting season based on potential to determine who plays for the CFP? Just joking, of course. However, many “experts” seem to put more credence into this than actual game results on the playing fields. Reputations boost rankings.
A lesson in the new ways of college football
Don’t even tell me about that unwatchable Georgia-Florida State Orange Bowl. What a waste of time and money. That “contest” epitomized what’s now wrong with college football. Bowls aren’t what they used to be – rewards for stellar regular seasons. They’re now exhibition games consisting of inexperienced players replacing selfish quitters who opted out or jumped into the transfer portal after regular season ended. In bowls, little used players now audition for next year’s squads before all the transfers come to campus lured by NIL money to take their positions. NIL money and self-preservation rank as priorities among today’s players.
Saban is the G.O.A.T. in this respect
In summary, based on Saban’s record at the pro level where he won less than 50% of his games and decided to dwell in his comfort zone where he knows how to outmaneuver his primary and selected competitors on the field, but where he gets to games where the talent level matches, his 9-7 record doesn’t exude dominance. He’s a Greatest of All-Time (G.O.A.T.) no doubt – not in gameday coaching per se, but definitely when it comes to evaluating, recruiting and attracting superior football talent. It gets him to the top level over so many others, but when the field is leveled at the top, he shows a lesser result when it comes to game day coaching superiority. When everything else is level in terms of his team’s talent, his coaching capability has been exposed.
As stated, he’s a smart man. Knows where he can gain advantages and that has put him at the top of college football history. He knows how to play the pre-game process of college football more than anyone else. That’s where he reins as G.O.A.T. Being outcoached is not new for him. That’s how this “Ant-Finebaum” sees it. If the playing field can become more level for more FBS teams during the regular season as I prescribe in my new book, maybe fewer programs would dominate like Alabama under Nick Saban, all-time recruiting leader, does today.
Next!
We attended three bowl games this season which brought us up to 49! Will we ever plan to see a 50th? Things are up in the air. Having watched many bowl games on TV this season, are they really worth watching or even playing any more in this culture or quitters the NCAA is perpetuating? Look for more of my insight on this by Thursday morning.
Saban at a happier semi-final game game when his Tide defeated Oklahoma in the CFP Orange Bowl in 2018.
Nashville, TN – The Maryland Terrapins didn’t miss starting QB TauliaTagovailoa who opted out for the Music City Bowl. With Sophomore Billy Edwards and Freshman Cameron Edge sharing duties under center, the Terps took a 21-0 lead over Auburn in the first period. The Maryland defense forced four turnovers, and they held the Tigers to 76 rushing yards to dominate in a 31-13 Music City victory.
Maryland (8-5) with Edwards at QB drove 75 yards on its first possession. The Sophomore led them to score in five plays taking it over himself from the two for a 7-0 lead 1:49 into the game. Next possession, Maryland drove the same distance with Edwards tossing a five-yard TD pass to TE Preston Howard. On the final drive of the period, Edge got into the act finishing a 76-yard drive with a three-yard TD pass to Dylan Wade. The big play came on his 57-yard bomb to Kaden Prather to set it up to go up, 21-0.
Maryland QB Billy Edwards (9) take ball over against Auburn on the first drive for a 7-0 lead.
Auburn breaks the ice
Heading into the second period, Auburn drove 42 yards, but turned the ball over on downs at Maryland’s 48. The Tigers finally forced the Terps to punt and took over from their 20. The drive finally resulted in an AU score when Payton Thorne connected with TE Brandon Frazier for a three-yard score. The Terps retaliated. Edwards passed and ran for all the Maryland yardage to get to the Auburn 31. With eight seconds remaining in the half, Jack Howes nailed a 44-yard field goal to give the Terps a 24-7 lead at the half.
Auburn’s TE Brandon Frazier (87) scores against Maryland in the second period.
Shooting the breeze during a blow-out
My first time Guest Game Analyst, John Fanelli and I spent a lot of time during the game trading sports anecdotes from games we attended when we both lived in the New York metropolitan area. Both retired now, we compared notes regarding our impressions with both now living in the Nashville area. We met at the Knights of Columbus Council in Lebanon at St. Frances Cabrini Church. As I watched the half time show, he stretched his legs under the upper deck where we sat two rows up at the 50-yard line.
I also met a woman from Nebraska sitting next to me who is a die-hard Cornhusker fan. We struck up a conversation since we found that we both have sons in the Navy. She and her husband and friends were in town for the game and New Year’s celebrations. She looks forward to the Huskers turning the program around soon under Matt Rhule and getting back to a bowl game. A game at Lincoln sits on of my Bucket List included in my bookFifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly.
I stuck around for halftime to enjoy the Maryland halftime show since this would be the final one of my season!
Maryland puts Auburn away
We watched Maryland extend its lead in the third when DB Glendon Miller scored on a 44-yard pick six. Early in the fourth, neither offense did anything. John and I decided it was time to cross back over the Cumberland River walkway to get beers and burgers. On our way out, several loud cheers came out of Nissan Stadium. Auburn had replaced Thorne at QB with Freshman Hank Brown from right here in Nashville. He completed seven of nine passes for 132 yards outperforming starter Payton Thorne who tallied only 84 yards on 13 completions with one TD and one INT.
The second loud roar came for a one-yard TD run by Jeremiah Cobb of Auburn at the end of a 66-yard drive led by Brown. Maryland took home the Music City title, 31-13. John and I had our burgers and beers at the Acme Feed and Seed. We found many Auburn fans there already as well as revelers in town visiting for the New Year’s Eve celebration.
DB Glendon Miller returns interception 44 yards for a Maryland score in the third.
Next!
Maryland, Auburn (6-7) and Collegefootballfan.com have all completed our 2023 seasons. For Collegefootballfan.com, we attended 26 games this season. We’ve totaled the same twice before, and exceeded it only with 27 games in 2017. Check all our records on our Milestones Page. Starting Wednesday this week, we will publish “Steveo’s Salvos” daily here each day leading up to the CFP Championship game next Monday night between No. 1 Michigan (13-0) and No. 2 Washington (13-0). Reports will include some 2023 season summaries; our take regarding impending changes (which we cover in the new book); offer different impressions and analysis of this season; our very early plans for next season; and our predictions leading up to the Michigan vs Washington battle. Check us out right here! And please feel free to leave any comments or questions.
WR Kaden Prather on the end of a 57-yard pass from Cameron Edge to set up the third Maryland TD of the first quarter.
Memphis, TN – The Memphis Tigers (10-3) raced off to a 19-point lead in the first period to vanquish the Iowa State Cyclones (7-6) in the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl, 36-26. Most impressively in front of an announced crowd of 48,789, the Tigers achieved a rarity. Coach Ryan Silverfield’s charges played the game without a penalty. After watching so many nauseating, flag-filled bowl games on television this season, this was a pleasure and an unbelievable accomplishment in this day and age.
Memphis WR Demeer Blankumsee opens up the early scoring enroute on this 70-yard scoring play against Iowa State.
The Tigers roared out to a commanding lead. With 3:24 left in the first, they led 19-0. On their first three possessions, QB Seth Henigan connected with WR Demeer Blankumsee in mid-stride on a 70-yard streak down the middle, capped a nine-play scoring drive with an 11-yard TD run, and tossed a 51-yard TD to WR Joseph Scates, an Iowa State transfer, to break ahead quickly. Tanner Gillis missed the first extra point, and a two-point conversion after the third score failed.
Memphis QB Seth Henigan battles his way for an 11-yard touchdown.
“Great seat, hey buddy!”
My seat selection in section 109, row 38 really paid off in the first half. With the change in quarter two, Iowa State mounted a comeback scoring three times. All scores thus far appeared directly in front of me. ISU Cyclone QB Rocco Becht hit WR Jayden Higgins close to the left pylon on a 29-yard TD reception. The next two scores came on Chase Contreraz field goals of 22 and 39 yards, the second with :35 left in the period. Not to be outdone, from the 25, Memphis went into a victory formation to seemingly run out the clock. Instead, RB Blake Watson (107 yards on 15 carries) took a pitch and swept around left end for a 21-yard pick-up. Henigan connected with Roc Taylor (102 yards, eight catches) for 17 yards and Blankumsee once again for seven. Gillis nailed a 49-yard FG as time expired to end the half for a 22-13 Memphis lead.
Cyclone WR Jayden Higgins finally puts some points on the board for ISU early in the second period.
“Give me Liberty (Bowl)!”
Both marching bands appeared for halftime festivities. Following them, the Barkays, the Memphis-based Rhythm and Blues group known for their 1967 hit, “Soul Finger’’ performed. It was a fun halftime celebration. The Liberty Bowl puts on a good show. Last season, the game was one of the best of the 2022 season. My friend Rick Selak and I attended the 53-52 Arkansas double OT win over up-and-coming Kansas. Today, parking worked out great! I found a convenient space available in a commercial industrial lot right across the street from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Seeing opt-outs and transfer portals impact many bowl games from a negative perspective this season, this game did not disappoint. I may focus only on attending CFP games in the future, but I would consider still going to this game based on recent experiences.
The BARKAYs accompanied by other musical groups perform some of their hits from years past including “Soul Finger.”
Memphis Tigers back on the prowl
To start the third, Memphis halted Iowa State for a three and out and started from the 35. Watson exploded for a 55-yard run to ISU’s five. There Hennigan tossed a five-yard TD pass to TE Anthony Landphere. The Tigers forced another Cyclone punt, and started at the 50. Wasting no time, a short pass to RB Sutton Smith resulted with him going down the left side for a 48-yard touchdown to lead 36-13. The Cyclones fought back after Becht got sacked by DT Willian Whitlow on his ten-yard line. On third and 26, a 35-yard pass to Carson Hansen gave the Cyclone’s a first down. It led to a 15-yard scoring pass to TE Easton Dean. At the end of three, ISU showed some life training 36-20.
Sutton Smith (5) takes this one to the house to extend the Memphis lead in the third period.
Memphis drove into the fourth. However, they came up empty here with a missed FG from 31 that probably would have sealed the victory at that point. In response, ISU started a touchdown drive from their 20. On a key play, Becht (22 of 38 for 466 yards and three TDs) hooked up with Ben Ngoyi for 46 yards to the Memphis 23. Two plays later, Becht connected with Jaylin Noel for a scoring pass. A two-point conversion fell, incomplete. Iowa State trailed Memphis 36-26 with 9:55 left to play.
Despite the pressure applied by Memphis, Iowa State QB Rocco Becht threw for 466 yards and three TDs.
Tigers wear down their prey
Seemed like the Cyclones could still threaten if they could stop Memphis quickly on the next series. Starting from their 20 however, over the next nine minutes and 13 seconds, Memphis converted five first downs. The Tigers showed patience. ISU spent their three time-outs after 2:37 remained. Though the Cyclones kept the Tigers out to the end zone, they could only take over on downs at their four with 42 seconds remaining. Memphis ran out the clock to win holding on to the ball for over nine minutes. That strategy, no turnovers, and no penalties can be attributed to the preparation of the very good Memphis coaching staff.
Next! Back to Memphis
The Tigers look to return a strong contingent of starters for next season including their starting QB Seth Henigan. The junior took home the MVP award with 364 passing yards, four touchdown passes and one on the ground. Here’ another tribute to this coaching staff. In recruiting prowess, Memphis was the top-rated non-Power Five school, ranked 49th overall last season in recruiting. Look for them to have another great season in 2024. They will definitely be worth watching again next season.
In a colorful tribute by the Cyclone Marching Band to their fellow Big XII members, next year two will be gone, and four more will be added. Good signs or bad signs for the future of college football and the Big XII?
Birmingham, AL – Under Interim Head Coach Trooper Taylor, Duke’s defense held Troy’s intact offense in check, used some chicanery to score, and booted three field goals to win the 76 Birmingham Bowl, 17-10. The Blue Devil defense stopped the Troy offense we watched decimate Appalachian State in the Sun Belt Championship, 49-23, only two weeks before. Troy’s Kimani Vidal tallied only 75 yards on 17 carries for no scores. Against Appy State, he carried 26 times for 223 yards and five touchdowns.
The Duke defense held Kimani Vidal (28) to seventy-five yards, but more importantly to his longest run of only 12 yards and no TDs.
In front of 20,023 fans on a beautiful, sunny day at Protective Stadium, both teams matched in total yards and first downs with 300 and 19 respectively. To the Duke defense, credit them for holding an offense returning most key players including Vidal and senior QB Gunnar Watson. On the other hand, Duke started Freshman QB Grayson Loftis who managed the offense well enough while his defense kept Troy from crossing the 40 to score until late in the game. They halted Troy three times on all fourth down conversion attempts.
Inauspicious start for Duke
On this play, Troy Safety Dell Pettus (1) outraced Duke RG Jacob Monk (63) for this early fumble recovery.
On their first possession, Loftis fumbled the ball under pressure, and Troy started at the Duke 37. A sack by DT Wesley Peebles on third down forced a 47-yard Troy FG which came up short. The Trojans would not mount a scoring threat the rest of the first half. With 2:29 left in the first, Loftis connected with WR Jalon Calhoun down the left sideline for 24 yards to spot the ball on the one. Jaylen Coleman took it over from there to put the Blue Devils up, 6-0. Coach Taylor anticipated a close, hard-fought battle, so he pulled off a bit of trickery on the extra point. Duke lined up in a spread formation to kick. Instead, long snapper Curtis Cooper looked right and snapped direct to TE Nicky Dalmolin who ran it over for two and an 8-0 lead.
Duke RB Jaylen Coleman carries Troy defenders into the end zone for the only Blue Devil touchdown of the day.
Pelino on target for Blue Devils
In the second, the Troy defense halted Duke on fourth down at their 47. On the following series, Duke stopped Troy on fourth down on their 48. The result of the latter came with Todd Pelino’s 34-yard FG at Troy’s 17. Duke’s next possession started from their 25. With :04 remaining in the first half, Pelino extended the Duke lead, 14-0, with a 36-yard boot.
Several times during media time-outs, the bowl’s Master of Ceremonies yelled into his mic, “Is everybody having a good time?” As Troy trailed throughout, their band and fans replied with an honest and resounding “NOOOOOOOOO!”
Collegefootballfan.com history and future
A little halftime history here. This was our first trip to Protective Stadium, but not our first game in Birmingham. As a matter of fact, this was our third. The first two were in 1979 and 1980 when we watched Auburn battle Alabama under then HC Paul “Bear” Bryant in two consecutive Iron Bowls. Both were won by Bama with the Tide winning the National Championship in 1979. Protective is a nice stadium. We recorded it as our 89th overall FBS stadium as it is the home of the UAB Blazers. We hope to see the Blazers play there next season if a convenient date falls into place when they host Navy. Both teams now compete against each other in the American Athletic Conference.
Troy twirler performs for 76 Birmingham Bowl halftime show.
Duke vs. Troy: The Interim Coaches Bowl
Under Interim HC Greg Gasparato, Troy pulled out all the stops to start the third period. It did not help their case when punt returner Jabre Carter called for a fair catch on his three-yard line. Despite that, the Trojans got the ball out to the Blue Devil 43. On fourth and ten though, Watson’s pass fell incomplete. Duke took over there. Troy held to force a Duke punt. The Trojans drove from their 20, and with 1:36 in the third, they finally got on the scoreboard with Taylor Renfroe’s 44-yard FG to trail, 14-3.
Duke DT Wesley Williams (97) sacked Gunnar Watson on a third down in the first quarter.
Troy offense: too little and too late
Duke wasted no time heading into the final period. The ensuing drive finished with Pelino’s third score from 45 yards out. With 13:29 to play, Troy had time to get going. On fourth and two at Duke’s 47, the Blue Devils forced the ball over on downs once again. On the next series, Loftis floated a long pass too far, and CB Damaje Yancey hauled it in for Troy to set up shop on their 13. The Trojan offense started to put a long drive together primarily through the air. With a 30-yard completion to Peyton Higgins and a roughing the passer call against Duke, the Trojans had first down at the the Duke eight-yard line.
Twice in the second half, Duke defenders broke up long, potential scoring plays to halt Trojan threats.Here CB Joshua Pickens breaks up a pass to Troy’s Chris Lewis.
Troy’s turn for Trickery
The Devil defense tightened up as it did all day. Troy reverted to “trickeration.” At the two, Gasparato called for at tackle eligible play. All the action went right until Watson wheeled around to hit wide-open, starting tackle Derrick Graham with a lateral. The 6-4″, 304-lb lineman lumbered across the goal line finally realizing no one ahead of him was big enough stop him. With that score, a targeting call was made against the defense. Trailing 17-10 now, Troy would kick off at Duke’s 45. With 5:54 left, at least Duke’s onsides could pin Duke deep in their territory. They started from their 18.
Myles Jones (1) recovers Troy’s onsides kick at Duke’s 18.
Duke finally punted from the 50, but by then Troy had used all three time-outs. They started from the 11, and Watson completed his first pass. However, the second was tipped into the air by Barber, and Jeremiah Lewis intercepted. Duke ran out the clock to take home the Trophy resembling the Vulcan statue, emblematic of the iron and steel company founded in Birmingham the 1880s to supply the southeast with material to build the infrastructure throughout the South. Hence, the Iron Bowl.
Next!
Duke finished the season 8-5 and welcomes new HC Manny Diaz, former DC at Penn State. Texas QB Malik Murphy announced his intention to transfer to Duke from Texas. He will have three more years of playing time. Bringing Murphy to Duke and keeping some of the younger talent we saw for Duke yesterday, the Blue Devils could continue to ramp-up from what former HC Mike Elko started to build there these last two years.
For Troy (11-3), with the departure of HC Jon Sumrall, 23-4 over the past two years, he leaves to keep Tulane climbing up the FBS ladder. His replacement Gerad Parker, former OC at Notre Dame last season with a lot of good coaching experience, looks to be promising. However, like most other programs, he will have to determine who is coming back and who is leaving Troy to figure out how to refill his missing pieces.
Collegefootball.com season continues
We at collegefootballfan.com, have two more bowls coming up after Christmas. Next Friday, we venture to Memphis for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl to see the Memphis Tigers (9-3) take on Iowa State (7-5) from the Big XII. The next day, we’re back in Nashville for another Transperfect Music City Bowl where Auburn (6-6) of the SEC and Maryland (6-6) of the Big Ten clash. A true consolation bout for these two mediocre programs in growing super conferences this season.
We expect to return to Protective Stadium next season when UAB hosts Navy. Maybe we’ll get to another game at Troy as well.
Coming off our first and only bye week of 2024, collegefootballfan.com looks forward to our first bowl game of 2023 this Saturday. It will be a battle between a Power Five team and a Group of Five team. Nine such games are slated during the 2023 bowl season. We head to the Birmingham Bowl to see the Trojans of Troy (11-2), champions of the Sun Belt play improved Duke (7-5) of the ACC. Regarding both programs, their successful coaches from 2023 have moved on to new opportunities. Both will be replaced by very reputable assistant coaches from the past few years.
Kamini Vidal races downfield for a 39-yard Troy touchdown in Sun Belt championship against Appalachian State.
For this game, DC Greg Gasparato steps in to take over the Trojans replacing Jon Sumrall. He signed on to take over an up-and-coming Tulane program. Duke will be under Trooper Taylor as interim head coach. He replaces Mike Elko who leaves to take on his new challenge at Texas A&M. Good news for Troy, senior QB Gunnar Watson and RB Kimani Vidal who we saw play in the FBS championship win over Appalachian State ,49-23, will be in action once again. After Elko’s departure from Duke, numerous Blue Devils entered the transfer portal. The biggest name includes QB Riley Leonard. He leaves for Notre Dame to follows in the footsteps of another former ACC QB, Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman. Trooper Taylor served this season as Associate HC for Duke among his 30 years in coaching including stops at Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Auburn.
Birmingham Bowl: Troy experience vs. Duke question marks
Under Gasparato, Troy ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense, 14th in rushing defense, and 15th in total defense. We look for the Trojans to win this one. They have a nucleus of good, experienced players returning against a team of Blue Devils decimated by the transfer portal. We ask ourselves, are all these “bowl” games worth playing anymore? They’re no longer about an accomplishment for a team after a fine season. The post season now screams, “Look who’s leaving,” and “Look who is coming to play (or coach) for us next year!” It’s all about individualism now not only for coaches, but for players making moves for NIL money.
Coming to Birmingham Bowl: Troy senior QB Gunnar Watson isn’t opting out against Duke. He’s playing to win!
Next season, Manny Diaz, Penn State DC takes over as Blue Devil Coach. For Troy, Gerad Parker steps in from his first-year OC duties at Notre Dame. Prior to ND, he coached the offense at West Virginia and receivers at Penn State. He offers a pretty impressive resume as an assistant dating back to his playing days a WR at Kentucky in 2002.
Power Five vs. Group of Five Bowls
Troy vs. Duke comes as one of nine bowl games this season matching Power Five programs to teams that in the past were called Mid-majors. Last season, there were only six such contest. Each faction took three victories. We enjoy seeing the mix of both groups play one another. It gives the Group or Five an opportunity to show that aside from the “Blue-bloods” of Power Five Football, they are just as competitive as many other programs of the so-called Power Five. Most lose to the Elite programs more that line the loss columns of the most dominant FBS programs. Last season, among the group of six bowls, the top-rated Group of Five team, Tulane, defeated perennial FBS Power USC of the fading PAC-12, 46-45. This year, No. 23 Liberty (13-0) takes its Group shot against No. 8 Oregon (11-2) in the Fiesta Bowl.
We watched Toledo defeat Bowling Green this season, 32-31. Toledo plays Wyoming in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl and Bowling Green meets Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Group of Five should thrive
Among other such games as note, tonight American AC team South Florida (6-6) plays Syracuse (6-6) in Boca Raton Bowl; MAC’s Bowling Green (7-5) plays Minnesota (5-7) in the Quick Lane Bowl (why couldn’t Army (6-6) get this bowl instead of the Gophers); Tulane (11-2) vs. Virginia Tech (6-6) in the Military Bowl; and SMU vs. Boston College (6-6) in the Fenway Bowl. Our second bowl venture features Memphis (9-3) of the AAC against Iowa State (7-5) of the Big XII at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.
We think the Group of Five teams will excel in most of these games. In the future, as proposed in my new book Fifty Years of Tailgate tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly, I suggest scheduling more of the be best of some of these Groups against bowl against SEC and Big Ten opponents. Too many Big Ten vs SEC games. I’d like to see the Group teams play these squads with “Power Five” labels. We might find that the Power is not so dominant over the Group.
Bound for the Fenway Bowl, we saw SMU (in white) defeat East Carolina this year going to an 11-2 record in their final season of American Athletic play. Next season, they will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They are much closer to the Gulf of Mexico coast.
What’s in a name?
Remember when fewer bowl games existed and most teams won at least 80% of their games. Eventually 7-4 was competitive as the number of bowls started to expand. Some teams with records of 10-0, like Miami (O.) in the MAC back in 1998 didn’t even get a bid. Now 82 of 134 teams get to “bowl” games. many are 6-6 with a victory over a non-bowl FCS competitor. As indicated earlier, Minnesota got a bid with a record of 5-7. In my book, I propose that all 134 teams are offered the opportunity to play one post season game. Barring injuries or coaching changes or just a lack of interest, they don’t have to play any game. However, whether this becomes reality of not, let’s consider calling only games of post-season games of significance “bowl games,” and call lesser contests for what they really are – “consolation” games.
Despite winning the MAC championship over Toledo, these Miami Redhawk cheerleaders watched their team lose to Appy State in a torrential downpour at this year’s Cure Bowl.They stayed much drier this evening in their win over Buffalo.
Didn’t earn a bowl? Console!
To quantify the difference, any game between one team with a record of 8-4 at best plays another team with a worse record, call it a consolation game. They didn’t have great seasons, but take the opportunity to practice like all other schools, earn some TV revenue and buckle up for next season. If both teams have records of 8-4 or better, consider them bowl games. It’s misleading each year when a particular team plays. Fans hear they either have or had ten bowl teams on their schedule. Probably half of these had mediocre seasons, not a “bowl” season. That used to depict an honor for a better than average season at least.
If you look at the 2023 post season games on record, of these contests, 15 of 41 would earn the designation of a Bowl game. So, 30 teams will compete in Bowls then. That makes 22.4% of all FBS teams Bowl teams instead of 61%. That latter ratio definitely does not define the best of the best.
Collegefootballfan.com 2023 Top Ten
Before attending three upcoming bowl games, here’s an analysis of our 2023 regular season. Since August 26 through December 9, we attended 23 different college football games. Among 33 different teams, we saw 29 FBS programs and four FCS programs. Nineteen different stadiums were visited, eight new ones for the first time. Altogether, we attended games in 12 states from Massachusetts to Texas.
Regarding conferences, we witnessed teams from ConferenceUSA (6), American Athletic (4), MAC (4), SEC (4), Sun Belt (4), ACC (3), Big Ten (3), Mountain West (2), and one Independent soon to be AAC – Army. In the FCS, we saw one team each from the Big South-Ohio Valley, Ivy League, Missouri Valley and Patriot League. In upcoming bowl games, we will see Troy and Auburn both play for the second time this year. We add four more FBS teams in Duke, Memphis, Iowa State (our first Big XII), and Maryland.
In our top matchup of the season, Michigan’s Blake Corum breaks out for big pick-up against Penn State for some of his 145 yards in second period. No. 1 Michigan plays No. 4 Alabama at The Rose Bowl in the CFP semi-final on January 1.
Based on final records within their level of play, post season results and games we watched each play in, this is our Collegefootballfan.com 2023 Top Ten:
Michigan 13-0
Florida State 13-0
Missouri 10-2
Penn State 10-2
Liberty 13-0
Troy 11-2
SMU 11-2
Miami (O.) 11-2
Toledo (11-2)
Tennessee (8-4)
Top FCS team: Lafayette 9-2
Stocking Stuffer for your Merry Christmas and Bowl Season to keep up with upcoming changes
Put this on Santa’s list or get one each for your best college football friends, my new book:
Foxboro, MA – At the 124th annual meeting between these radiational rivals, Army stopped Navy at the one-yard line with :03 left to win the first game ever played between them here, 17-11. The final outcome included controversies and question marks while the rivals fought typically hard until the the dire end. The primary deciding play came on a strip of Navy QB Tai Lavatai by Army LB Kalib Fortner who knocked it loose and picked it up to race 44 yards to give the Cadets (6-6) a 17-3 lead with 4:49 left to play. For collegefootballfan.com, our 19th meeting of this rivalry leaves many great memories and experiences despite rooting for Navy due to ties going back 45 years.
For the “Prisoner exchange” before the game, on the back of Army Cadet uniforms, they spelled out “Eat Squid.”
Defense dominates
The teams played a scoreless first quarter. Army moved the ball, but Navy (5-7) did not. Before a sellout crowd of 65,878 at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, the Mids under Senior QB Xavier Arline totaled 25 yards on 14 plays all in the first half. They resulted in three punts and one badly thrown interception. That turnover resulted in a 65-yard, 12-play scoring drive with Army QB Bryson Daily tossing a four-yard TD pass to Tyson Riley. We figured Arline played because Tai Lavatai, another senior Navy QB, fell injured. However, he entered the game on Navy’s next drive, and carried Navy on ten straight runs for 46 yards before ending with a turnover on downs. We couldn’t figure what Navy Head Coach Brian Newberry was thinking regarding his starting QB. In the past four years having seen Navy play, Arline never showed the skills Navy needed at QB. In the final series before the half, Army PK Quinn Maretzki booted a 47-yard field goal as time expired score. Halftime ended in favor of Army, 10-0.
Army RB Ay’Jaun Marshall (3) stopped by Navy defense in first period.
Divine Providence
Memorable time in New England for first Army-Navy game ever played there. Before hotel properties in Boston were closed to accommodate the homeless from other countries, we booked an apartment for four of us in Providence, RI. Not only is Foxboro less than half an hour away, Providence featured many great eating and drinking establishments within walking distance from were we stayed. Great Italian restaurants lined Atwell’s Street. The Trinity Pub near the Amica Mutual Pavilion (The AMP) where Providence College plays basketball lies a little further away. On Friday, Les, Frank, Bill and I enjoyed lunch at Angelo’s Restaurant on Atwell’s before venturing to Trinity for drinks. There, we watched busloads of Midshipman arrive to bed down that evening at the Providence Civic Center.
Frank Scarpa, Les Di Vite, Author of “Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales” Steve Koreivo, and Bill Serafin settle into pre-game tailgate mode for Army vs. Navy 2023.Click on the image of the book cover on upper right to buy it on Amazon.com and please submit a review!
Italian fest!
That evening on the way back to our apartment, we stopped by Venda Ravioli Italian Deli to order great sandwiches the next day for our tailgate feast. When we picked up the next morning, we also ordered olives, cheeses, sausages, peppers and cannoli’s to add to our extreme Italian smorgasbord for the day. In addition, the apartment owners gifted us with a certificate for an Italian bakery nearby, La Salle’s. What a great comp! We ordered Italian pastry favorites “lobster tails ” and something Bill referred to as “Squiggly-jigglies.” The counter guy knew what he was talking about as he said that was about the tenth name he ever heard them called. Our great Italian feast started right after we arrived in parking lot 50A. Bloody Mary’s at the ready!
Influencing Army-Navy action
Like the first quarter, the third quarter went scoreless. To be honest, our group had something to do with this. At Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, when the opposition comes up for a third down, the PA announcer belts out in a booming voice, “It’s third Down!!“ Bill was spot on imitating today’s missing announcements. And each time he did so, Navy stopped Army to force a punt. Into the fourth, Navy concluded a 70-yard drive to the Army 19. There, the Mids finally got on the board with a 37-yard FG by Nathan Kirkwood to trail, 10-3. The back breaker play for the comeback occurred following three punt exchanges. At the Army 48, Fortner knocked the ball from Lavatai’s hand, and he was off with it to a 17-3 Army lead. With 4:49 left, this game was not over.
Unusual for Navy, they went strictly to the air – successfully. On a 4th and seven at the Army 43, Lavatai completed a 15-yard pass to Jayden Umbarger for the first down. Then we took over what was left behind at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial. I’d set it up for Bill with, “And that is another Navy…!” – “FIRST DOWN!!!”Bill would respond. It worked! Two consecutive passes to Umbarger went for a first down and then a touchdown.
Army LB Kalib Fortner (53) who forced and recovered a Navy fumble for a TD earlier, stops Navy FB Alex Tecza at the two-yard line on the next to last play of the game.
Two instead of one too early?
With 2:47 left, Navy trails by eight. Tight late in the game, and you get within eight,17-9, don’t try for two! Navy did just like the others and failed. Instead of being down by seven, when give your team incentive to get the ball to tie with seven or to win by eight, you take the pressure off until then. With the way the Navy offense played, they might be better off to play for the tie if they score again. Great comeback! However, hold off on that two-point option until later to set something up. This offense had just gotten started. Their confidence needed to be built back up.
IT’S THIRD DOWN!!!
Three Army plays and two final Navy time-outs later, Army punts back to Navy at the 37. The Mids take over at their 27 with 1:20 remaining. To this point for some reason, every Army punt made has backspin on it as if the punter avoids having the ball go into the end zone. Weird because in most cases, it wasn’t necessary. Here comes Navy needing eight. Aside from Lavatai’s nine-yard run to start the drive, he goes totally to the air to assure the clock will stop. At first and goal at the six, two Navy passes fall incomplete. With seven seconds left, Navy gets to the Army four. Clock running. For some reason, the ball from the line of scrimmage rolls out five yards into the end zone. Ball gets reset, Lavatai tried to sneak it over the middle. He looks short. They review it. Stopped at the one. The clock should have stopped for the previous play to be reviewed to at least be reset when the clock read seven seconds before ball rolled into the end zone before the final snap. Did a player kick it? Penalty if an Army player did. Did the ref mishandle it? No whistle blew. Never know now, but at least the clock should have been reset the game clock to seven seconds due to some inadvertent movement. Game over. This rivalry is never dull, even with only ten points scored in the first three quarters!
Navy QB Tai Lavatai stopped at the one with three seconds left. Army took a safety on the very last play to win, 17-11.
Honored guests
After the eventual loss, we headed back in the dark to finish off our post game tailgate feast. We came prepared to wait out the traffic. Drinking, eating and analyzing while cars sat in line all around us, a few uniformed sailors and officers walked by. We invited them over to share in our Italian fest and libations. They traveled up from Norfolk, VA, members of the crew of the USS Massachusetts, a nuclear-powered submarine still being built. They visited as honorees for the game by the state for which the boat is named for. We had a great time hanging out with them talking football, about the Navy , their careers and experiences. All nice guys aged 20-42. Several were academy grads, but Christian graduated from Pitt, of all places. As a PSU fan, we had to exchange some laughs.
Our post-game tailgate with officers of USS Massachusetts, SSN 798.
Eventually, they brought by their Commanding Officer of the sub who was nearby. As traffic moved on, we took a few pictures together, and they thanked us with mementos of stampings of their boat’s emblem. As we left, they moved on to another remaining group nearby singing Taylor Swift songs. We enjoyed meeting these guys currently serving our country. When the USS Massachusetts, SSN 798 christening take place up in Boston in 2025, we plan to head back up to Providence with our wives to go witness the occasion. We look forward to seeing that, hopefully some of them again, and enjoying great Italian cuisine once again in Providence. Great reason for another good time in the area.
Next!
Despite six wins for Army (6-6), the season appears to be bowless for them. Navy completed their season at 5-7. Regretfully, both finished their seasons. We at college footballfan.com settle in to our first bye weekend of the season this week since August 26. ArmyNavy counted as our 24th game of this season. We have plans for at least three more post-season games. We get back into action on December 23 when we venture to Birmingham, Alabama to watch Troy (11-2), champions of the Sun Belt battle the Duke Blue Devils (7-5) of the ACC, improved but no longer under the coaching prowess of Mike Elko who moved on to Texas A&M. The Liberty Bowl and Music City loom days later. Check us out!
Troy, AL – What started as a defensive slugfest turned into a late runaway as Trojan RB Kimani Vidal exploded for five rushing touchdowns among 233 yards on 26 carries for Troy to win the Sun Belt title, 49-23. In a scoreless first quarter, both teams exchanged punts after each possession. A turnover on downs caused by Troy at their 39 midway through the second seemed to indicate this contest would a defensive struggle until the end. Troy’s Vidal finally broke the score open with a seven-yard TD run to cap the ensuing 61-yard drive. Vidal broke though against a physical Appy defense later in the period with a 38-yard jaunt.
The Appy defense shut down Troy for most of the first half, but the Trojans would not be stopped later.
The Mountaineers fought back before the half as QB Joey Aguillar connected on several key passes to get down to the Troy one. Kayne Roberts score from there to cut the score to 14-7 heading into halftime. Rain started and persisted throughout most of the game played before 20,446 sold seats. Vocal student contingents from both schools added to the excitement of this game sitting on both ends of the same side of Veteran’s War Memorial Stadium. The atmosphere was generally vociferous and friendly as contests were held between game breaks by students of both universities. The Sun Belt presented a very fun event to attend despite the rainstorm which most students enjoyed despite in attire for dry weather.
Pursued by three tacklers, Troy RB Kimani Vidal managed to slice his way through here for a seven-yard score.
Appy fights back, but Troy defense takes over
ASU drove 82 yards to open the third with Roberts scoring on a six-yard run to tie it, 14-14. Game on. Troy went to work through the air on its next possession. Gunnar Watson tossed a 51-yard scoring strike connecting with Chris Lewis on a 51-yard catch and run to go back into the lead. The Troy defense forced a punt on ASU’s next possession, but it was muffed by the returner. Appy took over at the Troy 15. The Mountaineers could only muster a 42-yard FG after a sack on third down to cut the score, 21-17.
Troy WR Chris Lewis catches a pass from Gunnar Watson and whirls down field for a 51-yard touchdown.
Mountaineer mistake mires momentum
Heading into the fourth, ASU once again had the ball. On fourth and one at the Troy 48, they set up to go for the first. However, a procedure penalty pushed them back five yards and Coach Shawn Clark called on his punt unit. Costly penalty. Troy drove 81 yards. On a fourth and one at ASU’s 43, Vidal converted a two-yard gain for the first down. Then, he followed though with consecutive carries of 32 yards, next for nine, and finally for a three-yard TD run to take a 28-17 Trojan lead. The killing shot came on State’s next possession.
Through a downpour, Kamini Vidal races downfield for a 38-yard Troy touchdown.
To start from the 25, Aguillar dropped back to pass, but DB Don Callis stripped the ball right from his hand as he drew back to throw. The ball bounced up off the turf, and on the run Callis picked it up at the ten to put six more on the board for Troy. With 5:34 remaining, the Mountaineers completed a 75-yard drive for a touchdown. Aguillar got stopped short and fumbled into end zone. TE Eli Wilson recovered it for the ASU score. The two-point conversion failed.
Troy nails down SBC championship
Down 35-23, the visitors attempted an onsides kick. Troy recovered and picked up five more yards on an offside infraction and took over at ASU’s 38. Very next play, Vidal sped over left tackle for the distance to extend the lead 42-23. On Appy’s next possession, this time LB Javon Solomon stripped the ball from Aguillar’s hand just like Callis had previously. Troy recovered at the 49. Once again, Vidal wasted no time. Very next play, he whisked down field 49 yards for his fifth touchdown of the day. The celebration for the Troy faithful started as time expired with the goal post near the student section coming down quickly. Victory party on!
Let the Victory Party begin for the Trojans!
Next!
Head Coach Jon Sumrall’s Trojans stand 23-4 under him in their first two seasons, 11-2 this year. On December 23, they will meet Duke (7-5) of the ACC at the 76 Birmingham Bowl. We plan to be there to see the Trojans once again. Appalachian (8-5) will take on Mid American Conference champ Miami (O.), 11-2, who surprised Toledo for that championship in The Cure Bowl in Orlando. We at collegefootballfan.com head to Boston next Saturday for the final regular season game as Army takes on Navy for the 124th time. Both teams stand 5-6. No bowls seem to be on the horizon for either program. A few more overtimes this season?
Parting shot
Couldn’t stand listening to all the SEC hype on the radio on the drive back yesterday from Alabama. The build-up before the selection show just shows how much the media influences all the hype for their TV ratings. One ESPN broadcaster, a Kentucky grad, pointed out Kentucky beat Louisville in the final game of their season, 38-31, but then had the audacity to say South Carolina almost beat Clemson and Florida almost beat Florida State with their second team QB.
So even though the ACC defeated the SEC head to head in six of ten games this year, the SEC is far superior? Have to laugh what a big deal it was for Bama to defeat Auburn on the last play of their game. On that same field a week earlier, I heard no mention of how New Mexico State humiliated the Tigers, 31-10. The SEC is no better than any other conference regarding wins and losses against other power five programs. They can count other losses this season to BYU and Utah. I attended Tennessee’s win over Virginia in their season opener. UT tried to give that game away, but UVA couldn’t block or tackle. No mention of Georgia’s 31-23 win over Georgia Tech. FSU beat Florida by nine. Isn’t Tech’s 8-point loss to UGA an “almost.” Sickening. Other similar points were made by other media types.
Read all about it!
I’m glad I go to games and don’t spend time listening to these guys and their spins. Get my book Fifty Years of Tailgate tale: The Good, the Fun, and the Ugly.I don’t pull any punches when it comes to topics I include among “the Ugly.” From Mel Kiper, Jr. to excessive TV time-outs, I find that the media is out of control.
Party on to Birmingham where Troy will meet the Duke Blue Devils!
San Marcos, TX- The Texas State Bobcats (7-5, 4-4) raced out to a 31-6 lead in the second quarter, and then held off a potent South Alabama offensive comeback the rest of the game to gain their seventh win of the season to get a foothold on a better bowl bid than their fellow Sun Belt foe (6-6, 4-4). For collegefootballfan.com, the Bobcats won their first game among five we’ve attended since 2012. In addition, this game introduced us to their new Head Coach, G.J. Kinne, who took over this program coming from FCS program Incarnate Word.
Bobcat Head Coach GJ Kinne, far left, escorts his medical staff with an injured player during the game.
Last season, he took that program to the FCS semi-finals where they lost to perennial power North Dakota State. The atmosphere at Bobcat Stadium seemed more lively than in previous visits the last three years as we visit our daughter Alex and her fiancé’ Zach who works in business development at TXST. The evening’s attendance totaled 15,617. However, the club seats were abuzz with season ticket holders and alum back and excited about the future of the Bobcats under Kinne.
Bobcats attack
The Bobcat defense started the scoring on Kaleb Kulp’s 31-yard fumble return. Immediately, Kinne exposed a game-long strategy hooch-kicking all kickoffs to the Jaguars to give them decent field position. The strategy worked in the Bobcats favor. On the four subsequent possessions after such kickoffs, the Bobcats halted the Jags for three-and-outs to take over and score. The Bobcats next score came on a 48-yard pass on a crossing pattern to Ashlyn Hawkins from T.J. Finley. Jahmyl Jeter capped a 79-yard drive with a one-yard TD run, and Mason Shipley booted a 28-yard FG to put the Cats up, 24-0, before the end of the first period. Tinsley finished the day with 19 of 28 passing for 368 yards, three TDs, and one INT. Quite an improvement over his performance last season when we saw him play quarterback for Auburn in their 41-12 loss to Penn State.
Bobcat RB Jahmyl Jeter takes the ball over from the one for a 21-0 first quarter lead.
Jaguar wake-up call
On a fourth and four entering the second period, USA QB Carter Bradly fired a pass to Jason Ivory for a 39-yard score. A two-point play failed, but things got worse for the Jaguars quickly. Kole Wilson returned the ensuing kick-off 100 yards to put TXST up, 31-6. The Bobcats weren’t letting up, but neither were the Jaguars. They put the Cats back on their six with a punt. A fumble by Chris Dawn recovered by CB Marquise Robinson put South Alabama at the Texas State 29. The turnover resulted in a 51-yard FG by Diego Guajardo.
USA pulled out all the stops as Bradley led the Jags to the TXST 18 where he connected with TE DJ Thomas-Jones with :08 to play in the half. The combination connected again for a successful two-point play to trail, down by only two scores, 31-17. The Bobcat lead did not seem as formidable as it had earlier.
South Alabama TE DJ Thomas-Jones scores on his first of three touchdown catches on the evening.
Third quarter: Bobcats and Jaguars go toe-to-toe
Neither team scored on their first possession in the third, but the the gloves came off right after. First of all, Bradley (18 for 24, 183 yards and two TDs) left the game for good with an injury. Senior Desmond Trotter, a former starter a few years ago, came in to take his place. He drove the Jags 83 yards culminating with a one-yard scoring pass to Thomas-Jones. Not to be outdone, TXST responded with a 10-yard scoring pass from Tinsley to Donerio Davenport to finish a 75-yard drive to maintain the Bobcat lead, 38-24. Both defenses turned back the ensuing two drives with INTs as the Jags were driving again to start the final period.
Donerio Davenport snags a pass for TXST’s 38-24 lead in the third period.
Two weeks ago, an OC lost his job for doing this
Trotter connected with Caullin Lacy on a 13-yard scoring pass. Once again, USA trailed by eight. Finley led the Bobcats right back with a 24-yard scoring pass to Kole Wilson. Trotter (18 for 21, 368 yards, four TDS, one INT) threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Thomas-Jones, his third of the game, to trail now, 45-36. USA went for two and failed. On November 11, PSU did the same against Michigan late in their game. They trailed by nine and killed any hopes for a comeback. South Alabama was now in the same position, but the defenses here weren’t as stingy as Michigan’s and Penn State’s. It also wasn’t as late in the game. PSU Head Coach James Franklin fired his OC Mike Yurcich after that game next day.
Under tight coverage, Kole Wilson hauls this TD pass in the end zone for another Bobcat score late in the game.
Bobcats reaching new heights
Things looked worse now for the Jaguars as the Bobcats recovered their onsides kick eight yards away. A 41-yard pass the TE Connor Fox put TSXT on the Jaguar one. RB Ismail Mahdi took it in from the one to lead 52-36 with 3:04 left. USA gave it one last blast. Trotter threw a five-yard TD to Jacob Hooper, and then they converted a two-point play to trail, 52-44, at the 1:04 mark. The Bobcats recovered the onsides again. The Jags used their last time-out, and the Bobcats went into the victory formation to win their seventh game of 2023.
That total ties the school high mark set back in 2014, their third season of FBS play. This year, they’ve earned the school’s first bowl game. Best conjectures indicate they will play in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl or the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas. GJ Kinne seems to have the Bobcats ready to set some more records and go to more bowl games.
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Not Texas, Texas State heads to their first ever bowl game!
Next!
The Jaguars are Bowl eligible at 6-6 and will probably also get a bowl game in December. We at collegefootballfan.com look to fill in our open Championship/playoff weekend next Saturday. Our best option looks to be the SBC championship game where the Troy Trojans (10-2, 7-1) of the West Division will host Appalachian State (8-4, 6-2) of the East Division. No. 24 James Madison won the East, but because of some unusual rule not to be eligible in its first two years of FBS play, they will not play for this championship. Seems unfair to the players who earned such a great record. ASU holds the distinction though of handing the Dukes their only defeat this season, 26-23. JMU defeated Troy early in 2023, 16-14. This should be a great game for the SBC title.
