YOU READY FOR MORE DEIONMANIA, BROTHER? (and the Week 4 College Football TV Schedule)

Posted on September 21, 2023 by guelphbossman

Actually you know what? Bad choice of theme and picture. I don’t think the Hulkster cares too much for Deionmania.

But, Deionmania is upon us. Has it got out of hand? Yes. Absolutely. There is no question about it. If we were talking about Colorado playing Oregon or USC at home then fine, it would make all the sense in the world. But they were playing Colorado State. Sure it’s a rivalry game (the Rocky Mountain Showdown for any who didn’t know the name) but it’s Colorado State. It felt like a huge case of FOMO (fear of missing out) by both networks to not strike while the iron is hot. Even the Jay Norvell hat and sunglasses comment before the game rankled Sanders to the point he was giving his signature shades to his team and that company sold more than a million dollars worth of sunglasses in just a few days.

So what did we get for the game that started at 10:00 in the Eastern time zone? It was a classic. Colorado State seemed to have figured out Shedeur Sanders. The Buffaloes’ running game was non-existent. The Rams’ offense was humming. Travis Hunter was knocked out by a dirty hit in the second quarter. Then the Buffs made their late comeback. Down 11 with four minutes to go they tied it up to send it to overtime. In the first overtime, it was shocking to see Norvell not go for two and the win. Felt like some scared coaching. Colorado ended it in the next overtime. Have to say, it was a great game.

Now…Colorado was favoured by 23 points. So they didn’t exactly look awesome. And now they lose Hunter for three weeks. So things aren’t looking rosy for their next two games. Do the networks care? No because this week they are on ABC and the following week they play in Los Angeles against USC…at Noon….in the East! A 9:00 local start time. Crazy!

OK let’s calm down from all the insanity that is anything revolving around the Colorado football program and get to what you came for: hot, nasty, college football schedules. Oh yeah.

Thursday

		US	Canada
Georgia State at Coastal Carolina	7:30
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama A&M	7:30

GSU-CCU might end up being a sleeper Sun Belt hit. Top two passing offenses in the conference. Take the over. Or go over to Amazon Prime and the other TSNs (and I think the CTVs as well) and watch the Giants get slaughtered out in San Francisco. Your choice.

Friday

		US	Canada
NC State at Virginia	7:30
Boise State at San Diego State	10:30

Two games on Friday evening (with two not airing up here). Boise-SDSU could very well be for one of the Mountain West Championship spots (with Fresno State watching this game VERY closely). The other game is your run-of-the-mill ACC Friday nighter meaning there is the possibility things could get wacky.

Saturday Early

Only one of two games on TSN appear here and it’s a simsub of the ABC game. Ugh. I would have thought FSU-Clemson would have ended up as the ABC Primetime game but Clemson isn’t exactly lighting it up and the Noles barely survived Boston College last weekend. FOX Big Noon Kickoff picking Cincinnati as their destination hours before the Bearcats get beat by Miami-OH was definitely a choice. Also, don’t sleep on WKU-Troy. Could low-key be one of the best games of the early part of the day.

UPDATE: I guess TSN forgot they had a contract to show La Liga games? The FSU-Clemson game will not be shown on TSN2 now and is being replaced by FC Barcelona hosting RC Celta de Vigo.

UPDATE #2: I should go over the entire schedule before making updates. FSU-Clemson has been moved to TSN3.

Saturday Afternoon

Business seriously picks up here. The best timeslot of the season so far and it’s not even close. Three games between ranked teams at one time doesn’t happen very often so savour it. Plus there is UTSA-UT and BYU-KU that should be added to the games to watch category. I wonder how far I can stretch it this week.

UPDATE #3: You can now also see Colorado-Oregon on TSN3.

Saturday Primetime

		US	Canada
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest	6:30
Appalachian State at Wyoming	7:00
Arkansas at #12 LSU	7:00
#14 Oregon State at #21 Washington State	7:00
Arizona at Stanford	7:00
#3 Texas at Baylor	7:30
Minnesota at Northwestern	7:30
Akron at Indiana	7:30
#24 Iowa at #7 Penn State	7:30
UAB at #1 Georgia	7:30
Memphis at Missouri	7:30
#6 Ohio State at #9 Notre Dame	7:30
Mississippi State at South Carolina	7:30
#17 North Carolina at Pittsburgh	8:00

Sweet God Damn Jesus! Three more games in this timeslot between ranked teams. Maybe this is the best timeslot. Either way, we are getting a hell of a day of college football. If you feel like also showing another game on one of your other screens, consider Appalachian State-Wyoming for the possible sheer insanity.

Saturday Late Night

		US	Canada
Kent State at Fresno State	10:30
California at #8 Washington	10:30
#5 USC at Arizona State	10:30

Another FOX quadrupleheader. Good stuff. Will it be close? Highly doubtful. Same with the other Pac-12 After Dark matchup in Seattle. Actually, to be honest, all three games shouldn’t be that close. Not gonna lie.

(An expanded) Hey, Watch This!

Ohio State at Notre Dame (7:30, NBC) – So many good games but I am putting this game at the top and the rest of this section can fight to be 2A, 2B, 2C, etc. This really is a prove-it game for both squads. Neither team has been tested yet so let’s see how Sam Hartman and Kyle McCord do against much better defenses. Don’t be surprised if this ends up being a bit of a defensive struggle, regardless of the wealth of talent both offenses possess.

Ole Miss at Alabama (3:30, CBS) – This could end up being the most exciting game of the week just for the fact that Ole Miss and Bama have played a couple of great ones in recent history and they are so closely ranked. Bama doesn’t feel like Bama. Ole Miss, on the other hand, feels exactly like Ole Miss. Which could spell a lot of trouble for the Tide if the Rebels can pile the points on because I don’t think Alabama has the offense to compete that way.

Colorado at Oregon (3:30, ABC) – In terms of most viewers, this game is going to give the rest a run for their money for sure. Oregon has a hi-octane offense and we’ve seen that Colorado can score points in bunches. Definitely take the over. And if the Buffaloes win this one, watch out since they would have to be considered a dark horse contender for at least the Pac-12 Championship game and the New Year’s Six.

Iowa at Penn State (7:30, CBS) – First time ever for the B1G on CBS to appear on this list. Huge Whiteout game so already the Nittany Lions have an advantage. Honestly, I can’t see Brian Ferentz’s offense putting up that many points against PSU but I guess stranger things have happened.

Oregon State at Washington State (7:00, FOX) – That’s right…it’s the Pac-2 Championship on FOX! Kind of wish who was announcing the game (probably Tim Brando) would start with that. The two remaining Pac-12 schools face off with both undefeated, both ranked and the winner staying in the hunt in a crazy final Pac-12 season.

UCLA at Utah (3:30, FOX) – No specialty pack. All network games. Like the good ol’ days. Kind of. Anyway, it could be argued that this is the “worst” of the six games on this list. It’s why I put it last. But these are two teams that are still serious Pac-12 contenders and are one of eight undefeated conference teams at the moment. Something has to give and I feel this is going to be the start of another season where the Pac-12 teams beat up on each other and no team comes out unscathed. Sucks for the conference but until a team gets to like 6-0 or 7-0 I won’t believe one can make it out alive, so to speak.

Sickos Game of the Week

Akron at Indiana (7:30, specialty pack) – This probably won’t end up on BTN for anyone since they have Minnesota-Northwestern on at the same time. You know it’s bad when a game featuring Northwestern is light years better than the other game. I could honestly see Akron winning here. Look, you have much better choices so don’t punish yourselves by even looking for this game.

Hubba Bubba Blowout of the Week

USC at Arizona State (10:30, FOX) – UAB-UGA would have been the easy, albeit lazy, choice. This one could end up being a lot worse since I can’t see the Trojans letting up on the Sun Devils like Georgia will probably eventually do with UAB. Forks Down.

Wanna Bet?

Interesting week last week for the Bossman. Some good picks that I didn’t follow through on (Florida to cover but not beat Tennessee) and some I absolutely regret (UConn over FIU). Anyway, maybe I will think a little harder before making these picks and not just ALRIGHT HERE WE GO!!!!!!

Boise State (-7) over San Diego State

Troy (-3.5) over WKU

Auburn (+7.5) over Texas A&M (but the Aggies to pull it out)

Temple (+23.5) over Miami (the U will win by about 10)

Duke (-21.5) over UConn

Utah (-4.5) over UCLA

Colorado (+21) over Oregon (but I do have the Ducks winning a fairly close affair)

Ole Miss (+6.5) over Alabama (Bama survives by a field goal)

Tennessee (-21) over UTSA

Wake Forest (-4) over Georgia Tech

Oregon State (-3) over Washington State

Notre Dame (+3) over Ohio State (with the big win)

Iowa (+15) over Penn State (PSU wins in the final minute)

Last I checked, everything is up except for that fact that most of the schedules I look at have FAU-Illinois going to the specialty pack rather than LaTech-Nebraska. I’ll have to watch for that on Saturday.

Look, it could end up being an all-timer of a college football weekend. Let’s hope so. Enjoy the games everyone!

YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?

Posted on September 9, 2022 by guelphbossman

It’s COMPLETE OVERREACTION TIME!!!! Yay, I guess. It happens every year and is one of the worst college football traditions in college football. I would say it’s up there with Midnight Yell practice at Texas A&M but that’s not fair. Midnight Yell isn’t bad. It’s just seriously fucking weird. Anyway, let’s begin with the first set of overreactions to the college football season after a crazy Week 1:

Ohio State is not that good on offense! Look, the Irish played damn good on defense all night and kept things close. Plus, the Buckeyes were without Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a good portion of the game. I’m sure when tOSU gets to play Maryland they will aim for a 60-burger.
Stetson Bennett could win the Heisman! I mean, technically he could. But he won’t. Yes he had a good game and it was against a fairly good Oregon team. He’s not on the level of the top 10 quarterbacks in college football, though, and will have at least a couple of games where the UGA defense (and perhaps the rushing attack) has to carry him to victory.
The Pac-12 is toast! Yes, the Oregon and Utah losses look bad. Saying that, USC looked pretty good in their opener (albeit against Rice). And there are a couple of other teams who could do the unthinkable and make a run for it. But don’t count this conference out just yet. Let’s wait until like Week 8 to do that.
The ACC is screwed! Clemson looked pedestrian for most of their game against Georgia Tech. D.J. Uiagelelei doesn’t seem to be the answer at quarterback. Cade Klubnik looked good though and it’s only Week 1. Plus, NC State, Wake Forest and Pitt are undefeated (NC State barely) and you never know what will happen inside the other conferences. Let’s not write off the ACC just yet.
Florida/Florida State/USC is back! We’ve played this game before. At least one of these teams won’t be back really, if not all three. I think all three make bowl games and it wouldn’t surprise me if at least one team enters November with still a legitimate shot at the New Year’s Six. But neither of these teams are back…yet.
Scott Frost is going to be fired soon! OK not everything on this list is an overreaction.

Hey it’s also time for the Week 2 college football TV schedule as well. Which leads us to another unfortunate tradition: the lacklustre Week 2 schedule that we see almost every season. I rank the weeks in terms of how good the games are and Week 2 almost always falls near the bottom. You know what we say about these kinds of weeks, though…we usually get a fantastic finish or five out of them. After last weekend, can we handle it? Yes. Yes we can.

Friday

		US	Canada
Louisville at UCF	7:30 PM
Boise State at New Mexico	9:00 PM

Last year we had undefeated Kansas against undefeated Coastal Carolina in this timeslot. This year we get the molten hot lava seat of Scott Satterfield hoping his team can pull out what might have to be considered an upset over the Gus Bus and a Boise State team that is not the Boise State team we’ve known and mostly loved for the past almost two decades. Fun times.

Saturday Early

An absolute shit-ton of games in this timeslot. I’m not complaining whatsoever.

Bama-Texas is the big game early and FOX is praying that it is at least remotely close. Then maybe they can say “Texas is Back” a bunch of times because you know they are itching to. Big Ten Network goes nuts this week with eight games total throughout the day. So you will see plenty of them in the specialty packs. I wonder if Wake can handle UNDEFEATED VANDY (of course they can) and thanks to reader Dan, I have added the YouTube logo for Pac-12 Network games because they are available there for Canadian viewers. I mean I don’t know if you want to watch Southern Utah against Utah but you can if you want.

Finally, it’s no longer FOX Sports Network regional games for the ACC. Bally now has all those channels. So there’s another new logo for you to remember. As of right now, the CSU-NCST game isn’t showing on the specialty pack guides but it should soon.

Saturday Afternoon

I thought there were a lot of games in the early timeslot. My god. Again, no complaints.

No Week 2 game of the year candidates this season, unlike the previous few years where among the rubble there was one massive matchup that towered over everything else and gobbled up all the hype. CyHawk is relegated to the Big Ten Network along with three other games. Funny thing, Wagner-Rutgers is not showing yet on the specialty pack guides. I don’t get it.

Also, a point about P12N games: only the national feed shows up on YouTube. The regional games do not. Just like the Big Ten this week, there is an overload of Pac-12 games so they get a couple of them on the Pac-12 Network regional feeds. I am still shocked no one told Larry Scott and his crew back then that this regional feed stuff is horseshit.

Saturday Primetime

		US	Canada
Syracuse at UConn	7:00 PM
#20 Kentucky at #12 Florida	7:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at Louisiana	7:00 PM
#10 USC at Stanford	7:30 PM
Arizona State at #11 Oklahoma State	7:30 PM
San Jose State at Auburn	7:30 PM
Georgia Southern at Nebraska	7:30 PM
Southern at LSU	7:30 PM
Boston College at Virginia Tech	8:00 PM
Idaho at Indiana	8:00 PM
Hawaii at #4 Michigan	8:00 PM
Eastern Washington at Oregon	8:30 PM

This shows how lacklustre the schedule is. Nothing special here unless you think the USC-Stanford game could be a trap game. The most interesting game here might just be UK-UF. No one is going to catch Georgia in the SEC East but if one of these teams can get to ten wins then a New Year’s Six bowl is in their future. And yes, that is a game on the NFL Network. This week and next there is a college football game on the NFL Network. Kind of odd but I wonder if it’s more of a test run to see if they will get more involved next season.

Saturday Late Night

		US	Canada
#9 Baylor at #21 BYU	10:15 PM
Oregon State at Fresno State	10:30 PM
Mississippi State at Arizona	11:00 PM

Big-time game in Provo and we move to TSN5 for this one because the ABC game won’t be done by the time this one starts. The game in Tucson starts at 11. Not exactly a Hawaii Test but that’s a late start.

Big Games O’ The Week

Baylor at BYU (10:15, TSN5) – Not to put down either of these teams but this is not the kind of game that usually is the highlight of a week. But here we are. And honestly, it is a big game. It’s the kind of non-conference game that Baylor is not known for scheduling. It’s the kind of game that BYU must win to have a chance at the New Year’s Six (or more). The stakes are high.

Tennessee at Pittsburgh (3:30, ABC/TSN2) – Last year’s game between these two teams was fantastic. And if you had told me a few years ago that this would be one of the big games of this week I would have thought you took a little bit too much advantage of the legal weed here. The winner here could be in for some big things but both teams are going to have to pull off upsets later on in the season (the Vols especially).

Kentucky at Florida (7:00, specialty pack) – As I said above, no one is catching Georgia in the SEC East (probably). But second place in the division could be huge if it means a potential New Year’s Six spot or, at worst, a good New Year’s Day bowl (or more like January 2nd this season). Both teams look better than advertised so far, especially the Gators after their huge win over Utah. Expect a close game.

Arizona State at Oklahoma State (7:30, specialty pack) – It really drops off a cliff after the first three games. I’m sure many would put Bama-UT in this spot but do you really think that game will be close? This might also be not very close but I have faith on either a) Herm rallying his team and getting them to put together a good four quarters or b) the Pokes fucking up left, right and centre and keeping the Sun Devils in the game.

Psycho Game of the Week

Syracuse at UConn (7:00, CBS Sports Network) – Honestly, despite the lack of high-level matchups this week, there aren’t any ridiculously bad games with two teams that almost no one would want to watch. Yes, Syracuse beat Louisville pretty badly but I think the Cards may be a lot worse than I thought they’d be. And UConn is UConn.

Hubba Bubba Blowout of the Week

Arkansas State at Ohio State (Noon, BTN) – Another new segment! Here I will put the obvious blowout of the week that there is really no point in watching. This one is, well, plainly obvious. Butch Jones is going to have a long day. At least they get paid a lot to just show up. Well, the school does.

The Degenerate Portion of Our Show

Hey, who picked Florida to beat Utah? This guy…I’m pointing to myself. Honestly there were quite a few who also picked the Gators so it’s not a massive deal but I am impressed with myself. So on to Week 2’s picks. And remember…I’m picking against the spread. Let’s go!

Notre Dame (-20.5) over Marshall

Memphis (-6.0) over Navy

Pittsburgh (+6.5) over Tennessee (but the Vols win this one)

Boise State (-16.5) over New Mexico

USC (-9) over Stanford

Colorado (+17.5) over Air Force (Falcons still win but it’ll be closer than you think)

UCF (-6.5) over Louisville

Syracuse (-23.5) over UConn

Baylor (+3.5) over BYU (Cougs win by a field goal)

Arizona State (+11) over Oklahoma State (Pokes win but don’t make it easy for themselves)

Alabama (-20) over Texas

Iowa State (+3.5) over Iowa (Hawkeyes will somehow win it 9-8)

OK so from what I can tell, everything is up on the specialty pack other than those two games I mentioned earlier. I assume they will pop up at some point. Even if this week is a bit lacking of big games, I will still be watching as much as I possibly can. I can catch up on sleep sometime in March. Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the games!

Alright let’s wrap this up in a nice, neat little package

Posted on August 21, 2022 by guelphbossman

Oh man did you actually believe that? LITTLE? Have you not noticed what I’ve been doing the last little while? Oh this will not be a little package I assure you; but it will be an important package of information that you, the college football fan, would like to see (I hope).

So yes, you will see what I believe the College Football Playoff and the New Year’s Six will look like. You will get bowl projections from yours truly. You will also get my Heisman ballot which is usually a big steaming pile of horseshit. And you will get my coaching hot seat list which, honestly, is usually pretty good if I say so myself.

Let’s get right to it with the top of the pyramid (scheme)…the College Football Playoff predictions. You probably have a good idea from the conference predictions as to who will end up here and you also know that there is a good chance I will fail miserably with one of these picks:

December 31st	Fiesta Bowl	#2 Ohio State	#3 Georgia
December 31st	Peach Bowl	#1 Alabama	#4 Clemson

New Year’s Eve semi-finals. Will they never learn? Anyway, Bama is the easy call here as I see them running the table and then beating UGA in what may be the biggest SEC Championship ever (and that’s saying a lot). This also means that Georgia is probably a fairly easy call as well. Sure, they will lose to the Tide but if they go in at #2 (which I expect them to) and lose to #1 (which I assume Bama would be) then a drop to #3 is as far as they will go. No way they are leaving out a one-loss Big Ten champ so tOSU gets in and takes advantage of one of Alabama or Georgia having to lose to get to the #2 spot. OK take advantage is a strong phrase since being #2 means very little other than avoiding #1 until, potentially, the title game. Clemson ends up beating out Texas A&M, Michigan and NC State, all one-loss teams who didn’t win their division, rather easily to grab the final semi-final spot. Oregon would have their shot at the Pac-12 Championship but lose to Utah making The Committee’s job (at least for these two games) rather straightforward.

Now we will go to the New Year’s Six bowl games where, thanks to the NFL, none of them are on New Year’s Day. Eat shit, Rose Bowl.

January 2nd	Rose Bowl	#6 Michigan	#10 Utah
January 2nd	Cotton Bowl	#11 Oregon	#8 Houston
December 31st	Sugar Bowl	#5 Texas A&M	#9 Baylor
December 30th	Orange Bowl	#7 NC State	#12 Notre Dame

As always, it’s debate time. Every year which is fine as long as the debates devolve into some stupid Twitter spat. Only one conference championship loser is getting in here and that’s Oregon. They’ll be high enough in the rankings (potentially in the Top 4) going into Conference Championship weekend that there is no way they drop out of a NY6 bowl. Houston won’t be this year’s Cincinnati but they will be this year’s Group of Five representative in the New Year’s Six and they will coast to get here. Michigan is going to have another good year but they have the audacity to be in the same division as Ohio State. Assholes. This will be enough to keep them out of the CFP. Same goes for TAMU and NC State. What were they thinking being in a division with other good schools. And you wonder why I hate divisions. We could have a tOSU-UM rematch and a Clemson-NCST rematch for conference championships. Talk about a lot more being on the line and a hell of a lot more intrigue.

Utah, with their win over Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship, gets the other Rose Bowl spot opposite Michigan. Luckily, they should ascend to somewhere around the #10 ranking that I have them in so they will look like they belong. Baylor also gets the benefit of a good bowl tie-in and I have them facing their old Southwest Conference foe, the Aggies of Texas A&M. Just like Utah, the Bears will be good enough to belong here and not spark any crazy debate about bowl tie-ins. The only debate will be for the final spot. Look, it’s Notre Dame. If the Irish go 10-2, they are not being left out of this group of bowl games. As much as some of you want that to be the case, it never will be (until the CFP structure changes). They beat out UCLA, Oklahoma and Marshall. Very few, other than those schools’ fans, will be super upset they were left out.

Now it’s time for the rest of BOWL SZN. At least I know these bowls won’t be cancelled…I hope.

January 2nd	Citrus Bowl	#17 Tennessee	#18 Michigan State
January 2nd	ReliaQuest Bowl	Florida	#20 Minnesota
December 31st	Music City Bowl	Ole Miss	#22 Purdue
December 30th	Gator Bowl	Arkansas	#19 Pittsburgh
December 30th	Arizona Bowl	Boise State	Northern Illinois
December 30th	Sun Bowl	Louisville	Oregon State
December 30th	Duke’s Mayo Bowl	Kentucky	Penn State
December 29th	Alamo Bowl	#15 Oklahoma	#13 UCLA
December 29th	Cheez-It Bowl	Iowa State	Miami
December 29th	Pinstripe Bowl	Iowa	Florida State
December 28th	Texas Bowl	LSU	#21 Texas
December 28th	Holiday Bowl	Virginia Tech	#24 USC
December 28th	Liberty Bowl	South Carolina	#23 Oklahoma State
December 28th	Military Bowl	Wake Forest	#16 UCF
December 27th	Guaranteed Rate Bowl	Nebraska	Kansas State
December 27th	Birmingham Bowl	Auburn	#25 Cincinnati
December 27th	First Responder Bowl	Colorado State	Troy
December 27th	Camellia Bowl	Coastal Carolina	UAB
December 26th	Quick Lane Bowl	Maryland	Miami-OH
December 24th	Hawaii Bowl	BYU	Fresno State
December 23rd	Independence Bowl	Memphis	Army
December 23rd	Gasparilla Bowl	Boston College	Tulsa
December 22nd	Armed Forces Bowl	TCU	UTEP
December 21st	New Orleans Bowl	#14 Marshall	UTSA
December 20th	Boca Raton Bowl	Appalachian State	Florida Atlantic
December 20th	Idaho Potato Bowl	San Diego State	Toledo
December 19th	Myrtle Beach Bowl	Georgia State	Liberty
December 17th	Frisco Bowl	San Jose State	South Alabama
December 17th	Las Vegas Bowl	Mississippi State	Arizona State
December 17th	LendingTree Bowl	Louisiana	Kent State
December 17th	LA Bowl	Washington	Air Force
December 17th	New Mexico Bowl	Utah State	Western Michigan
December 17th	Fenway Bowl	North Carolina	SMU
December 16th	Cure Bowl	East Carolina	UNLV
December 16th	Bahamas Bowl	WKU	Central Michigan

More bowl games! Honestly, I don’t care nearly as much as I used to. It’s more football at this point. Once the 12-team playoff (or whatever it ends up being) comes to fruition, I will be interested to see what happens to some of the lower-level bowl games. Hey, as long as Canadians can see most of these games on TSN then there’s no real problem. Let’s look at a few points from that long table of information I just posted:

Only two games between ranked teams? Good lord. UT-MSU at the Citrus and Oklahoma-UCLA at the Alamo and that’s it. Those two bowls are used to having fairly big matchups. It would probably be more of a shock if the Bahamas Bowl had a Top 25 matchup (although it would definitely intrigue me that’s for sure).
I’m not bothering with listing bowl tie-ins and or conferences that couldn’t fill their bowl quota or even 5-7 teams that I have in to fill the bowl games that don’t have two teams.
Some of the other good matchups after the Citrus and Alamo:
- Ole Miss-Purdue in Nashville
- Arkansas-Pitt at the Gator
- Iowa-Florida State playing in the cold of the Bronx
- Wake-UCF in the Military Bowl
- LSU going into Longhorn country (kind of) to play Texas
- Marshall-UTSA in Nawlins
- Nebraska-Kansas State in a Big Eight matchup in Tempe
The Husker one is very interesting because they have the longest Big Ten bowl drought. Can you fucking believe it? I would have bet money that it was Rutgers or…Rutgers. Nope. The Huskers went to the Music City Bowl in late 2016 and haven’t gone back to a bowl game since. Wow.

History states at least one of the CFP semi-final games will not be that good. I hate to do this to the Tigers but sorry, Bama should win that one easy. The Buckeyes will have big problems with the Dawgs but in the end, they will punch their ticket to the national title game to lose to the Tide who will be back on top once again. No real surprises here.

So now that COVID is…well not behind us but it is not nearly as serious as it was, we can really get back to normality. That means that the college football head coaches are getting shorter leashes again, folks! The shitcanning season will be upon us at some point this Fall!

And when I mean short leashes I mean seriously short. Like maybe a foot long. Some athletic directors are now realizing that the college football world is pretty much fully back to normal and they have some time to make up. Some coaches received reprieves in the past two seasons thanks to the pandemic but that leeway is fucking gone now.

Look I don’t want to toot my own horn but I usually do fairly well with this list. So let’s just get right down to it, shall we? If you recall, the order is from most likely to be fired to most likely to keep their job. They are also categorized in a few different sections. Let’s go!

Almost Guaranteed Shitcanning

Geoff Collins (Georgia Tech) – This should be a surprise to absolutely no one. The experiment to move away from the option to more of a pro-style offense has failed spectacularly in the ATL. I honestly see no possible improvement here and a possible in-season firing. Needed to keep his job – Get into the final few weeks of the season with at least a mathematical possibility of going bowling. Prediction – He’s going to get shitcanned some time in November in the midst of a ten-loss season for the Rambling Wreck.
Karl Dorrell (Colorado) – Can we say that weird 2020 season was an aberration? I think we can as the Buffaloes are dropping down the ladder once again in the Pac-12 as realignment goes wild everywhere. Needed to keep his job – Have a shot at bowl eligibility going into the final two games. Prediction – A whole lot of frustration for Dorrell, the Buffaloes, the other coaches, alumni and current students. And no job for Dorrell…he may end up not coaching the final game of the season.
Neal Brown (West Virginia) – Brown’s first year in Morgantown was considered a success. Last year’s, not so much. And with an improving Big XII around them, I see them falling even farther in Brown’s third year when he has most of his recruits in. Not looking good for a guy who was a big up-and-comer not too long ago. Needed to keep his job – Not continue the downward slide. Prediction – I remember going to Wet n’ Wild as a kid. It doesn’t exist anymore. But it had some cool waterslides. That is how ol’ Neal is going to feel this season. He’ll end the season on the unemployment line.
Mike Bloomgren (Rice) – No one is really expecting Rice to be a power player in football. Saying that, they had to the American Conference next season and I can’t see Bloomgren being the head coach. Other than a couple of good seasons, he’s done very little in the Houston area and has fallen FAR behind their neighbour. Needed to keep his job – Something more than what I feel they will do this year. Prediction – The bloom has come off the rose (ha ha) and he will be looking for a new school to coach at for 2023.
Herm Edwards (Arizona State) – It feels inevitable that, at the very best, Herm will be done at the end of the season. Their recruiting issues are well known and it may end up being the NCAA coming down hard on ASU (and, eventually, Herm himself). It won’t help his cause that the Sun Devils won’t be as good as they were last year. Needed to keep his job – I don’t know if there is anything short of a Pac-12 title that would save his job (and even then). Prediction – Herm is shown the door before the last game of the season as the powers that be in Tempe decide it’s time to rebuild again.

Probable Shitcanning

Dino Babers (Syracuse) – How long has Dino been on the hot seat? Everything was looking golden in 2018 for Babers but since then…yeesh. I’m not saying Syracuse is a destination spot for coaching but you know things are getting tense within the athletic department with this. Needed to keep his job – The Orange to recapture at least some of that 2018 magic. Prediction – Dino will be a coordinator somewhere next year.
Scot Loeffler (Bowling Green) – I’m sure there are times where Scotty (Scoty?) would love to be back at any of the schools he used to be at. This is his first head coaching gig and it has been a rough one to be honest. Even though Bowling Green isn’t exactly a hotspot in college football, at some point the athletic director will be done with the team not performing. 7-22 isn’t exactly the type of record that keeps a job. Needed to keep his job – 4 or 5 wins and look competitive inside the MAC. Prediction – Double-digit losses and a pink slip.
Danny Gonzales (New Mexico) – Speaking of tough places to coach, here are the Lobos looking at potentially another coaching change on the horizon. Definitely a spot a younger coach in the West would maybe take a shot at. Beware though: the last time UNM won at least ten games was four decades ago. Unfortunately between them and NMSU, the state is a dead spot for college football. Needed to keep his job – Close to bowl eligibility. Prediction – Three wins and a tough decision to be made from the higher ups.

Possible Shitcanning

Seth Littrell (North Texas) – Littrell hasn’t done bad in Denton. Five bowls in his six seasons there is pretty darn good for a team in Conference USA. Problem is he has lost every single one. It truly does feel like they are kind of stuck in the middle of the conference and that’s getting some people antsy. Needed to keep his job – At least 5 wins and competing for bowl eligibility near the end of the season. Prediction – That’s exactly where I have the Mean Green. I think he probably survives the season but the leash will be extremely short going forward.
Bryan Harsin (Auburn) – This was considered a coup when the Tigers plucked him from Boise State. His first season on the Plains was…rocky to put it mildly. There was an attempt to get him ousted after last season ended. Obviously it didn’t work but there are some thinking maybe he just doesn’t fit at Auburn (or the SEC for that matter). Needed to keep his job – A winning record and better recruiting. Prediction – I got the Tigers winning 7 to stay out of the basement of the SEC West. That should be enough to save him at least into ‘crootin season. That’s where he needs to improve or otherwise he may not see the 2023 season on the field at Jordan-Hare.
Ken Niumatalolo (Navy) – It is tough putting Ken on this list, I’m not going to lie. Problem is, Navy has been pretty bad for three of the past four seasons. That 2019 season where they won 11 games seems like a fluke, almost. I’m sure it would take a lot to fire Niumatalolo but another season like the previous two and who knows. Needed to keep his job – At least 6 wins. Prediction – I have the Middies only winning three so this could be a very interesting offseason in Annapolis.
Terry Bowden (ULM) – I might get some flak for this one. I know he’s only been in Monroe for a season. I do think this year the Warhawks are going to be one of the worst teams in the FBS. Maybe there is someone on his staff who will take over for him next year so that ULM brass will feel OK to fire him? I don’t know but this doesn’t seem to be leading anywhere in a much-improved Sun Belt Conference. Needed to keep his job – Improvement from the previous season. Prediction – As I said, they won’t be good. I have them predicted at 1-11. I can see this being done relatively quietly in the offseason (Terry’s shitcanning that is).
Rick Stockstill (Middle Tennessee) – Stockstill has been at Middle for what seems like forever. And it doesn’t feel like anything would happen because of that. Saying that, the Blue Raiders need to do something since they have been mediocre most of the last few seasons. They also turned down a (possible?) invitation to the MAC so this is their chance to become the best of a not-so-good bunch. Will Rick lead them through that though? Needed to keep his job – Got to be bowl eligibility really. Prediction – I got MTSU winning 5 games which will make for some very interesting offseason chatter in Murfreesboro.
Greg Schiano (Rutgers) – This isn’t the Schiano that went 56-33 in his final seven seasons during his first run in Piscataway. That was in the Big East and Rutgers is…well, they definitely aren’t in a conference like that anymore. Still, fans were hoping for something a bit more from a guy who runs blitzes during kneel down plays. Unfortunately, I think this won’t be that year. Needed to keep his job – Real bowl eligibility, not the 5-7 you are a smart school kind. Prediction – I have the Scarlet Knights regressing a bit this year. Whether Schiano returns has a lot to do with whether they think they’ve truly bottomed out and if they believe they can get a good coach in.
Jake Spavital (Texas State) – Has anyone ever expected the Bobcats to do anything of significance on the football field? Really, that lack of winning culture could be the one thing that gives Spavital one more season at the helm. Needed to keep his job – 5 wins and some meaningful November football. Prediction – 4 wins and a short leash into 2023.

Doubtful Shitcanning (although it still could happen)

Jeff Scott (USF) – Not a whole lot has gone well for the former Clemson coordinator down in Tampa. Remember when the Bulls were #2 in the nation? Not even Pepperidge Farms remembers that I don’t think. What it does say, though, is that you can win at this school. Now it’s just a matter of how long the USF athletic department will give Scott to truly turn things around. Needed to keep his job – Stay out of the American Conference basement. Prediction – They aren’t going to a bowl game but expect them to win around four games and be quite clear of the bottom rung of the AAC.
Scott Frost (Nebraska) – It has become a difficult job to recruit players to Lincoln. I think Frost has finally figured it out and the Huskers, at the very least, should be back bowling this season. Now watch them completely tank. Needed to keep his job – Bowl-eligibility at the very least. Prediction – No Kool-Aid this time but I have the Huskers winning eight games. Don’t laugh.
David Shaw (Stanford) – I remember when Shaw was getting Stanford to bowl games and contending in the Pac-12 on a consistent basis. Make no bones about it, he’s still a great head coach. Give him time and he will have the Cardinal back on top of what will be the Pac-10 going forward. Needed to keep his job – Look better than the 2021 season. Prediction – I have Stanford winning 4 games but the bottom of the Pac-12 North is crowded so an upset or two isn’t out of the realm of possibility for this team. Shaw is safe for another season at the very least.
Mike Norvell (Florida State) – Things are finally looking up in Tallahassee. For real this time. It would have to get really bad for the Noles this season for Norvell to be let go. Needed to keep his job – Bowl eligibility at the very least. Prediction – Eight wins and a new lease on life. Teams won’t have it easy against this team this season.
Tom Allen (Indiana) – I would put Tom farther up this list as Indiana was BAD last year and won’t be a whole lot better this season. Thing is, his buyout is huge so unless the Hoosiers absolutely have to fire him, he won’t be let go. Needed to keep his job – Don’t do something illegal or unethical. Prediction – Other than punching the coach of the opposing team, I can’t see Allen doing anything bad. Yes I only have them winning three games this season but that doesn’t really matter here in the grand scheme of things.

One of these days I have to go back and see how truly successful I have been at this hot seat list. I still think the numbers will back me up.

Now from a normally good section (for me) to a notoriously horrible section (for me). My Heisman ballot is back. And I don’t know if it can be any worse than what I have done for the past few years. But, I always give it my all so here’s another edition of Bossman’s Heisman Trophy Ballot If He Got a Vote (which he most certainly should not):

My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Heisman Ballot

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State – Last year’s ballot was horrifically bad but I did have Stroud in at #4 (and Bryce Young at #5). So it wasn’t all bad (but mostly it was). I have the Buckeyes getting to the National Championship and he will be the main reason why. It will be a close race this year, I believe, but Stroud will put up the numbers and get the big victories that put him over the top.
Bryce Young, Alabama – Yes, I do have the Tide winning the national title this year. It still won’t be enough to not join the list of players who had a shot at pulling an Archie Griffin and came up short. Unlike everyone else on the list, he won’t make it easy on the other contenders. The only thing holding him back is how many other Heisman candidates this team has. They are loaded.
Caleb Williams, USC – It was a huge coup for Lincoln Riley to convince Williams to follow him from Oklahoma to USC. Among the contenders, Williams may have the toughest job helping turn around a 4-8 team so quickly. This is one of the few instances where a team only being so good might end up costing a player during a Heisman campaign.
Will Anderson Jr., Alabama – I believe Anderson is the best defensive player in the country and it’s really not even close. He’s also one small part of the reason that I think Bryce Young won’t win the Heisman. He will take some of the votes that would have been thrown Young’s way. It could work in reverse as well. Anderson could be primed to be the first defensive player in a long time to win the Heisman Trophy but all the good Bama players, including Young, makes it a bit more difficult for him.
D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson – Should we try this again? Why not. *clears throat* Ahem…Oo-ee-un-guh-luh-lay. Just like last year. And just like last year I have him #5 in my Heisman rankings. He will have to show some serious improvement and I am betting he will. It will help that he will have a better team around him that will be competing fort he College Football Playoff. I think we will have a good idea what kind of season he will have once September ends.
Tyler Van Dyke, Miami – This guy looked like the real deal down the stretch last season and could have been considered the best ACC player the last few weeks of the regular season. The Canes will be better but, as per usual, doing better will help a lot. If the Canes can somehow win the ACC title, Van Dyke’s chances might soar.
Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma – A fantastic quarterback at UCF. And thanks to TransferPortalMania, he ends up in Norman, replacing Caleb Williams (and, sure, Spencer Rattler). Being the quarterback for the Sooners is always a pressure situation but the pressure should be a lot less this season which may allow Gabriel to thrive.
Bijan Robinson, Texas – Running backs still get shafted, to an extent, when it comes to Heisman voting. It takes a phenomenal year for one to win it and you have to pair it with no outstanding quarterbacks. An uphill battle for sure. But if there’s one running back who could break through this season, it could be the new king of dijon mustard, Bijan Robinson. He will be the guy who makes the Texas offense go so if they win even 9 games this year, look for him to get a lot of attention from voters.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State – Hey, how about the guy who had a breakout game for the ages at the Rose Bowl? He will have arguably the best quarterback in the country throwing to him. As we know, that’s a plus and a minus when it comes to the Heisman. At the very least, he is the highest rated receiver coming into the season so that counts for something.
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee – This may feel to some like an out-of-nowhere kind of pick. Hooker showed what he could do running a decent Vols offense. With Tennessee having a lot more talent on that side of the ball this season, he may have some crazy stats. If Tennessee somehow gets to a New Year’s Six bowl, he will get a ton of hype.

Honourable Mention

TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Quinn Ewers, Texas
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
Jordan Addison, USC
Devin Leary, NC State

I am going to wish the players on this list good luck since there is a chance the winner is nowhere to be found here. Because I am terrible at this.

All the predictions I have are now complete! In about five months or so I will find out how poorly I did.

Next up will be…hold on let me check my notes…yes….YES……YEEEEEES! College football is back! Week Zero! I mean it’s just Week Zero but still….WEEK ZERO! I will have the schedule up at some point early in the week. I’ve already been asked about the specialty packs as it pertains to this coming Saturday. My guess is they won’t show anything since normally they don’t because…who knows but I will chalk it up to some sort of incompetence since what they (Bell and Rogers) tell me makes no sense. I will keep everyone updated. Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

2021 Bowl Game Rankings and Predictions!

Posted on December 14, 2021 by guelphbossman

It is the holiday season which always coincides with Bowl Season! This is our last chance to watch college football during the 2021 season and what a season it has been. Honestly I don’t want it to end but all good things must come to an end. That’s the rule (from what I’ve been told).

After last year’s complete shitshow of a bowl season, I am going back to the College Football Broadcasting Ranking System. It works as it shows what games everyone can enjoy and what games only complete lunatics like myself will enjoy. Strap in and let’s get going!

10 out of 10! Put these games on ABC in primetime!

This is game of the year stuff right here. So, as per usual, both College Football Playoff games and the top two New Year’s Six games show up here.

Orange Bowl – Michigan vs. Georgia (Dec. 31, 7:30, TSN3/TSN5) – Two amazing defenses. Aidan Hutchinson on one side, one of the most historically amazing defenses (bar the SEC Championship) on the other side. Not saying this will automatically be a defensive affair but don’t expect a Big XII-style shootout. I would say this is easily the most anticipated bowl game of the season. This should be a great competitive game which will finish very close to the time the clock strikes midnight on 2021. My pick: Georgia 24-20.

Cotton Bowl – Alabama vs. Cincinnati (Dec. 31, 3:30, TSN3/TSN5) – Ugh, semi-finals on New Year’s Eve. Not that I’m huge into going out on NYE anymore. It’s not that I’m too old, it’s more that I don’t see the point in paying three times the amount for everything to go out drinking when it’s possibly freezing out and yeah I’m sounding old. Anyway, there are two ways this could go and I sure hope it’s the one where the Bearcats keep it close. Fingers crossed. My pick: Alabama 43-34.

Peach Bowl – Michigan State vs. Pittsburgh (Dec. 30, 7:00, TSN3/TSN5) – This is a VERY intriguing matchup. Two different ways these teams generate offense: Kenny Pickett and the pass vs. Kenneth Walker III and the run. The Peach Bowl seems to always come up with a great game and this should be no exception. My pick: Michigan State 37-32.

Rose Bowl – Ohio State vs. Utah (Jan. 1, 5:00, TSN1/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) – The biggest thing here is whether the Utes can handle the pressure of the first Rose Bowl in team history. The Kyle Whittingham rumours will be flowing throughout the game I’m sure. Honestly, this is huge for the Pac-12 as a whole as they have been the runt of the Power Five litter for a while now and need a favourable outcome. I just don’t think it will happen here. My pick: Ohio State 37-24.

9 out of 10! I would even go so far as to say some of these could approach SEC on CBS in PRIMETIME!

This is going to change a couple years from now but during daylight hours, nothing beats the SEC on CBS.

Sugar Bowl – Ole Miss vs. Baylor (Jan. 1, 8:45, TSN1/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) – Not quite the worst of the NY6 bunch meaning it will still probably be an amazing game. These two squads have a lot to be proud of this season and will want to keep that momentum going into what could be a national championship contending season in 2022. It’s going to be another amazing offense vs. tough defense game so we will see who breaks first. Get your popcorn ready. My pick: Ole Miss 39-30.

Fiesta Bowl – Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma State (Jan. 1, 1:00, TSN3/TSN5) – One team has a new head coach after theirs bolted for LSU. The other team was so close to crashing the CFP party (possibly at Cincinnati’s expense). Touchdown Jesus vs. The Mullet. This will totally overshadow the other bowl game on at the exact same time. ESPN just doesn’t understand nor do I think they care. My pick: Notre Dame 34-20.

Alamo Bowl – Oklahoma vs. Oregon (Dec. 29, 9:15, specialty pack) – The best non-NY6 bowl and it’s also the Interim Coach Bowl. It’s the return of Bob Stoops to coach the Sooners. I think they need to get Mike Bellotti to coach the Ducks to make things even. Both teams disappointed this season so they are playing for some pride here. Oklahoma has to be the favourite here with Kayvon Thibodaux deciding to skip the bowl and declare for the NFL Draft. My pick: Oklahoma 35-29.

Frisco Bowl – San Diego State vs. UTSA (Dec. 21, 7:30, TSN1) – The best pre-Christmas bowl game is surprisingly in Frisco. Two teams who probably deserved better bowl destinations face off in a big Group of Five battle. This should be a close one and we shall see if the Roadrunners are for real or not. My pick: UTSA 36-33.

8 out of 10! This is FOX territory. Definitely a BIG NOON SATURDAY kind of game!

You will never see Kansas in these games, just like they are never on Big Noon Saturday. Can you even imagine GUS JOHNSON calling a Kansas game?

Gator Bowl – Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest (Dec. 31, 11:00 AM, specialty pack) – Not quite the Alamo Bowl but still a great bowl game. If it’s anything like their last meeting, this will be a barnburner. Now watch one team completely blow out the other. My pick: Texas A&M 49-40.

Cheez-It Bowl – Iowa State vs. Clemson (Dec. 29, 5:45, specialty pack) – The team who was still the favourite to win the ACC and disappointed big time takes on the team who was expected to at least challenge for a spot in the Big XII Championship. It will be interesting to see how Dabo Swinney deals with both coordinators leaving in the last couple weeks. I think it’s the loss of Brent Venables that will be bigger here as the Cyclones can pile on the points. My pick: Iowa State 33-13.

Holiday Bowl – NC State vs. UCLA (Dec. 28, 8:00, FOX) – The only bowl on FOX this year so we know we will get GUS JOHNSON on the call. Nice! I wonder if Chip Kelly will even be the Bruins head coach by the time we hit gameday. Now with Clemson being knocked down a peg, NC State seems like an ideal candidate to rise up the ranks so they are looking to get some momentum going into 2022. My pick: NC State 32-31.

Citrus Bowl – Kentucky vs. Iowa (Jan. 1, 1:00, ABC) – I wonder why Mark Stoops didn’t get more looks from teams looking for a new head coach. He has a chance to put another ten-win season on the board for the Wildcats. They will have to try and figure out the stingy defense of Iowa in this one. Take the under. My pick: Kentucky 17-13.

7 out of 10! I’ll call this ESPN…on Saturday…or maybe Thursday night…but not always Saturday late night

Casual fans may skip these but college football fans will consider these still must-see bowl games.

Outback Bowl – Arkansas vs. Penn State (Jan. 1, Noon, specialty pack) – This is an interesting spot. Penn State was supposed to be better but had some injuries and some bad luck. Arkansas had a great season and was in the Top 25 for a while. It would be easy to say the Nittany Lions don’t care about this bowl game but I’m sure they do. James Franklin won’t let them not care. My pick: Arkansas 27-12.

Music City Bowl – Tennessee vs. Purdue (Dec. 30, 3:00, TSN3) – This could be a dark horse contender for bowl game of the season. It’s buried on New Year’s Eve Eve so it might be overlooked but you should not overlook it. If David Bell plays this would have gone up a section but no one knows if he will so I have to hedge my bets. My pick: Purdue 44-41.

Boca Raton Bowl – Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky (Dec. 18, 11:00 AM, TSN4) – I’m sure WKU is going to try to throw for a thousand yards in this one. App State will reply with a good rushing attack going up against a horrible Hilltoppers run defense. If you like offense, this is one of the games for you. My pick: Appalachian State 41-35.

LA Bowl – Oregon State vs. Utah State (Dec. 18, 7:30, ABC) – Jimmy Kimmel sponsors this bowl. I used to watch Kimmel back in the day. His talk show? Not so much. I still don’t get why they didn’t get UCLA here but I’m done trying to figure that out. My pick: Oregon State 24-23.

Las Vegas Bowl – Wisconsin vs. Arizona State (Dec. 30, 10:30, specialty pack) – Jesus Christ, I hope the city gets all the beer they can get for this one. Expect a lot of ground game from the Badgers, relatively uninspired football from the Sun Devils (even though it has somehow worked most of the season) and the smell of Coors and puke in the stands. My pick: Wisconsin 35-25.

6 out of 10. Even when Toledo plays Notre Dame, it somehow becomes exciting.

NBC is all about quality over quantity. OK I lied. NBC is about Notre Dame. Saying that, even in a down year, a lot of people watch Notre Dame football so they have to be in the upper half of these rankings.

Independence Bowl – UAB vs. BYU (Dec. 18, 3:30, ABC/TSN3) – This is a terrible tie-in for the Cougs. They should have got something better but that’s the life of a non-Notre Dame Independent team. Anyway, they get their shot to finish as a Top 10 team against a rather tough UAB team that shouldn’t be overlooked. Honestly, I see BYU taking out a lot of their frustrations on the Blazers. My pick: BYU 52-14.

Birmingham Bowl – Auburn vs. Houston (Dec. 28, Noon, specialty pack) – Now this is how you get a sellout. Auburn’s fans will pack UAB’s new stadium so it will feel like a home crowd for the Tigers. It could be tough sledding against a really good Cougars team led by Marcus Jones, one of the best return men ever. My pick: Houston 28-27.

New Orleans Bowl – Louisiana vs. Marshall (Dec. 18, 9:15, specialty pack) – The Ragin Cajuns are back at the Superdome. Should be loud and at least half full. My pick: Louisiana 41-36.

Cure Bowl – Coastal Carolina vs. Northern Illinois (Dec. 17, 6:00, TSN2) – The best quarterback in college football history (if you go by QB Rating) will lead the Chants into Orlando to face the MAC Champs. This game could be done in a little over two hours as both teams love to run the ball. My pick: Coastal Carolina 26-13.

5 out of 10. ESPN2 and FS1 get good games every so often.

I’d say that happens at least a few times for each of these channels during the college football year. I mean it sucks that Canadians don’t get FOX Sports One but it is what it is.

First Responder Bowl – Air Force vs. Louisville (Dec. 28, 3:15, specialty pack) – Louisville barely got to bowl eligibility and struggled quite often during the season. Air Force, of course, ran the ball a ton and looked good all year. Unless Malik Cunningham puts the Cards on his shoulders, this game might not be too close. My pick: Air Force 29-14.

Sun Bowl – Miami vs. Washington State (Dec. 31, 12:30, CBS) – Both teams will have new coaches next season. So who knows where either of these teams are at going into a bowl game that possibly neither team wants to be in. My pick: Miami 24-18.

Fenway Bowl – Virginia vs. SMU (Dec. 29, 11:00 AM, specialty pack) – My curiosity is all about how this game looks at Fenway Park. I would love to see a quarterback rifle a ball too high and it just caroms off the Green Monster. You want people to be interested in a game like this? Have the wall be in play. I would definitely watch that. My pick: Virginia 20-17.

Liberty Bowl – Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech (Dec. 28, 6:45, specialty pack) – The Mike Leach Bowl! The Air Raid up against a team that struggles to stop the pass. This feels like a blowout. My pick: Mississippi State 44-19.

4 out of 10. ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big Ten Network…take your pick.

I call these the unsung heroes of college football broadcasting. They give you a ton of games and you’re assured of at least one of them every week being a really good one. Maybe the Big XII will wake up now and realize a conference network is a good thing.

Gasparilla Bowl – UCF vs. Florida (Dec. 23, 7:00, specialty pack) – This has already sold out. Is it safe to say UCF should be heavily favoured here? Well they aren’t; however, any time a team loses their head coach before a bowl game it’s a red flag. Couple that with the fact that I’m sure the Gators feel like they are slumming it in this bowl game leads me to believe this won’t be that close. My pick: UCF 40-28.

Quick Lane Bowl – Nevada vs. Western Michigan (Dec. 27, 11:00 AM, TSN5) – Expect a lot of points in this one. This is probably the final game for Carson Strong so he will be flinging the ball all over the field. WMU upset Pitt and scored a boatload of points in conference play. It will be a nice thing to watch while you finish your brunch/begin eating lunch/wake up. My pick: Nevada 41-31.

Arizona Bowl – Boise State vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 31, 2:00, Barstool Sports) – So let me get this straight: this game gets a New Year’s Eve timeslot and will partially go up against the Cotton Bowl and is on the Barstool Sports website which not many people are signed up for. Who fucking thought this was a good idea? My pick: Boise State 42-24.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl – Minnesota vs. West Virginia (Dec. 28, 10:15, TSN1/TSN5) – Both of these teams come into this game on a roll. So at least both teams want to be here. It is the ghost of the old Cheez-It Bowl so hopefully it doesn’t devolve into a TCU-Cal 10-7 type of affair. My pick: Minnesota 32-18.

3 out of 10. CBS Sports Network type games. You’ll head here if it’s close.

CBSSN gets a ton of games every season. Usually four games every Saturday and a bunch of weekday games sprinkled throughout the season. So you’re bound to get a gem in there somewhere but quite often the quality of these games is rather low.

Texas Bowl – LSU vs. Kansas State (Jan. 4, 9:00, TSN5) – This is the only bowl game on between New Year’s Day and the national championship. Saying that, it’s not exactly the greatest matchup. If Ed Orgeron had decided to coach instead of heading off to Destin to get a piece of ass, this might be a lot more interesting. My pick: Kansas State 40-23.

New Mexico Bowl – Fresno State vs. UTEP (Dec. 18, 2:15, TSN4) – Kalen DeBoer, gone. Jake Haener, also gone. So the Bulldogs are going to be a bit shorthanded for this one. As for the Miners, they are limping into this game after a seriously hot start to their season (which almost led to College Gameday heading there). This feels like a game that is just technically a game and nothing more. This would have been on Stadium at best during the season. My pick: Fresno State 23-3.

Military Bowl – Boston College vs. East Carolina (Dec. 27, 2:30, TSN5) – If ECU has another good season in 2022, expect Mike Houston to get a lot of looks. What he has done in Greenville is nothing short of remarkable. And they are a very dangerous underdog here against the Eagles. BC started hot but like a few other teams are crawling into the postseason. This feels ripe for a mini-upset. My pick: East Carolina 34-14.

Armed Forces Bowl – Army vs. Missouri (Dec. 22, 8:00, TSN1) – This could be the worst matchup of bowl season. Army runs the ball. A lot. Mizzou has one of the worst rushing defenses in the nation. This won’t be pretty. My pick: Army 42-9.

2 out of 10. Stupid Pac-12 Network.

Maybe with new commissioner George Kliavkoff things will get better. It can’t get any worse. Larry Scott really dropped the ball with this for years. Anyway, we have now firmly got into insane-o territory.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl – South Carolina vs. North Carolina (Dec. 30, 11:30 AM, TSN3) – Carolina Bragging Rights Game…sort of. Look I’m just interested to see if either coach has the sack to be doused in Duke’s Mayo if their team wins. My pick: North Carolina 23-20 (meaning Mack Brown would get that mayo bath).

LendingTree Bowl – Liberty vs. Eastern Michigan (Dec. 18, 5:45, specialty pack) – For those who feel this is pointless to watch, let me make a case for at least tuning in for a bit. Malik Willis is competing to be the top quarterback taken in the NFL Draft. This game would be the national spotlight he sorely needs to move up the rankings. Other than that, not much to see here. My pick: Liberty 26-19.

Pinstripe Bowl – Maryland vs. Virginia Tech (Dec. 29, 2:15, TSN3/TSN5) – It is a heartwarming story to see the Terps back in a bowl game for the first time since 2016 (and looking for their first bowl victory since 2010). Lucky for them they had a 4-0 start since they struggled the rest of the way and needed to beat mighty Rutgers to go here. Justin Fuente was fired as the Hokies did not live up to expectations again. Sounds like a broken record. The only hopes this game has for being watchable is it being close near the end or if there is some ridiculous FOOTBAW WEATHER. My pick: Maryland 20-17.

Bahamas Bowl – Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo (Dec. 17, Noon, TSN3/TSN5) – This shouldn’t be a very close game at all. The first bowl game of the season should be played under sunny skies in the Caribbean and with the Blue Raiders getting boatraced by the Rockets. My pick: Toledo 51-24.

1 out of 10. Who watches these games? Guys like me.

Let’s be honest: very few are watching these games. The Too Many Bowl Games crowd uses these as examples of why there are, well, too many bowl games. You won’t be saying that in March when there’s no football to watch at all.

Idaho Potato Bowl – Wyoming vs. Kent State (Dec. 21, 3:30, TSN1) – Again, why does the MAC have a tie-in here? At least this makes sense for the Mountain West. And I’m going to be honest: I am over the blue turf in Boise. It is fine if it’s nasty weather or super cold but otherwise it kind of looks like shit and these gimmicky fields became old a few years ago. My pick: Wyoming 46-31.

Myrtle Beach Bowl – Tulsa vs. Old Dominion (Dec. 20, 2:30, TSN1) – Speaking of off-colour turf. The only thing I hope for is that Tulsa plays a normal Tulsa game, meaning it will be very close. Otherwise it’s two completely average teams and with it being on a weekday afternoon before Christmas, you may not be missing much. My pick: Tulsa 42-39.

Camellia Bowl – Georgia State vs. Ball State (Dec. 25, 2:30, TSN2) – College football on Christmas Day. Will I watch this? Yeah some of it but it might end up being background noise at best. I guess it’s a better timeslot than the same time on a weekday before Christmas (sounds familiar) but still not great. My pick: Georgia State 28-24.

Hawaii Bowl – Memphis vs. Hawaii (Dec. 24, 8:00, TSN2) – This is a good distraction on Christmas Eve while I finish wrapping any final presents that arrived late from Amazon or gift cards I forgot to get weeks earlier. This might not be the most aesthetically pleasing bowl game since it will be played in a high school stadium. The reason for this is that Aloha Stadium is so structurally unsound it makes Legion Field look like a fortress. My pick: Hawaii 36-29.

0 out of 10. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Brutal.

A made-up game. That’s all you need to know here.

Frisco Football Classic – North Texas vs. Miami-OH (Dec. 23, 3:30, specialty pack) – As I said, this bowl was just created so all bowl-eligible teams (plus Hawaii who was 6-7 on the season) could play in a bowl game. I don’t know what to say except that you might be insane if you watch this. Which means I am probably insane. My pick: North Texas 21-10.

Bowl schedule and bowl predictions complete! Now you have info you need (I think) to do pools, either straight up or confidence-style.

I hope you all enjoy the bowl games, all 42 of them…well 43 if you include the national championship.

So….many……BOWL GAMES!!!!! The Bowl Game TV Schedule

Posted on December 12, 2021 by guelphbossman

Let’s look at this graphic. I think it’s like four or five years old. How many of these bowls don’t exist anymore? Well, let’s take a look. The Russell Athletic Bowl, Cactus Bowl, St. Petersburg Bowl, Miami Beach Bowl, Poinsettia Bowl and Heart of Dallas Bowl all don’t exist, at least under those names. I’m not even going to start on the sponsors. There have been some absurd bowl sponsors but I am sincerely hoping they get even more absurd. Like why not bring back the International Bowl in Toronto but call it the Timbit Bowl sponsored by Tim Hortons? Or get Pornhub to sponsor a bowl game. The possibilities are endless.

So supposedly TSN has at least part of their bowl schedule up. I can see a link but it links to a previous year’s bowl schedule. Hopefully it’s fixed and once it does, I can make sure the schedule is proper on this post. I would try and predict it but considering what they are doing on the first three days of bowl season, I don’t know what’s going on there. And with the World Juniors coming soon…yeah I’ll try my best but I will let you know when it’s all set.

So after last year where Bowl Season was an absolute shitshow, we are back to some normality. Now let’s hope none of these bowls get cancelled for any reason. Let’s get going with the even longer bowl schedule!

Friday December 17th

Bahamas Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo

Noon

This may be the one case where I think it’s OK to have a game on a weekday before Christmas. I know there are logistical hurdles with this game so there’s a lot to do and also I am sure the stadium there wouldn’t be able to do a night game. So I give this bowl game a pass. Oh well, if this is like Bahamas Bowls of the past this should be good.

Cure Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Northern Illinois

6:00 PM

This bowl got some good Group of Five teams for once in its short history. The Chants are still a team people love and the Huskies won the MAC. It’s the passing acumen of Grayson McCall vs. the stingy defense of NIU. Nice contrast of styles. This is also only one of two bowl games on ESPN2 this season. Why not give it to CBS if that’s the case?

Saturday December 18th

Boca Raton Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky

11:00 AM

Morning football. We will see a lot of this for the first time ever as ESPN restructures how their bowl schedule shapes up. And what a way to wake up than with a game where we could see 100 combined points. This is a national showcase for Bailey Zappe as he is rocketing up draft boards around the NFL.

Celebration Bowl: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State

Noon

The only FCS bowl around as the rest of the teams play in the FCS Playoffs. If you really like the college bands that HBCU schools have then this is the game for you. Also, you will see one of the best HBCU teams in recent memory. I still await the time when Deion Sanders gets a legit offer to coach at the FBS level. It could come around this time considering the sheer amount of openings still around.

New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. UTEP

2:15 PM

I know I am going to watch this. Yes there are other games on at the same time but I am such a channel flipper that I end up watching games that probably don’t warrant watching. Like I’ve watched at least an hour’s worth of UMass football this season. What the fuck is wrong with me? Anyway, two teams who were once WAC teams face off in this one. I wonder if this will get close to a sell-out considering UTEP doesn’t exactly go to a lot of bowls and Albuquerque isn’t too far from El Paso.

UPDATE #4: With the Raiders-Browns game being postponed, this game will also be on TSN5.

Independence Bowl: #13 BYU vs. UAB

3:30 PM

I’m wondering how much BYU fans can’t wait to be in the Big XII. This right here shows that being a college football Independent really only works if you’re Notre Dame. People can crow about their good schedule and all that crap. But your reward for almost getting into the New Year’s Six is to be in fucking Shreveport before Christmas? The bowl system is broken and this is a perfect example. Also, the Cougs are only favoured by 7? I just don’t get this.

UPDATE #3: With the Raiders-Browns game being postponed, this game will also be on TSN1.

LendingTree Bowl: Liberty vs. Eastern Michigan

5:45 PM

Two relatively average Group of Five teams. As I’ve said earlier, I watch games like this. I am hoping it is a close one to keep my attention.

LA Bowl: Oregon State vs. Utah State

7:30 PM

So let met get this straight. It’s the first ever Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. And instead of having UCLA there to hopefully pack a good portion of the stadium, they get Oregon State. This is completely stupid. This isn’t even about getting the best bowl matchup, as they love to say. UCLA against USU would be just as good as the matchup we see here. And this is on ABC to boot. Dumb.

New Orleans Bowl: #23 Louisiana vs. Marshall

9:00 PM

Finally, the Ragin Cajuns ascended to the top of the Sun Belt mountain. Their reward was to stay near home to play at the Superdome. This should sell quite a few tickets. They go up against a really good Marshall offense in this one to finish the first big day of bowl season (no offense to the previous day but come on).

Monday December 20th

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Tulsa vs. Old Dominion

2:30 PM

So they have this game on in the middle of the day, five days before Christmas. I get that Monday Night Football is on at night. So if that’s the case, don’t put a fucking bowl game on that day. There are ways around this and ESPN just doesn’t seem to understand that they can do that. They control the broadcasts for over 90% of the bowl games. Figure it out! On top of that, Coastal isn’t in this game so they may not even sell out the small stadium near Myrtle Beach. Ugh.

UPDATE #5: This game has been moved to TSN2 with the NFL game now being on TSN1.

Tuesday December 21st

Idaho Potato Bowl: Wyoming vs. Kent State

3:30 PM

Why don’t they put this game on late and have the Frisco Bowl on in early spot? Do I have to do everything around here? Hopefully it’s a good Footbaw Weather game and we witness some crazy shenanigans because otherwise many of you will only be able to see the second half at most.

Frisco Bowl: #24 San Diego State vs. UTSA

7:30 PM

This could be the first bowl game that comes close to must-see territory. And it gets a primetime spot which is good. Both teams are two of the better Group of Five teams this season with UTSA coming within one destruction at the hands of North Texas from being undefeated this season and SDSU looking great all year except for getting boatraced by Utah State in the Mountain West Championship.

UPDATE #8: This game has been moved to TSN3 because of the WFT-Eagles game being put on TSN1.

Wednesday December 22nd

Armed Forces Bowl: Army vs. Missouri

8:00 PM

The Armed Forces Bowl with Army. Makes sense. Mizzou being here? Sure I guess although I am surprised they didn’t get a team from the state of Texas to play here against the Black Knights.

Thursday December 23rd

Frisco Football Classic: North Texas vs. Miami-OH

3:30 PM

So ESPN created a bowl game so that all bowl-eligible teams (plus Hawaii who had six wins but also seven losses) to play in bowl games this season. That is very nice of them. That’s why we get this game, the (not-so) awesomely named Frisco Football Classic. This one-off game (we think) will pit two teams who are positively average. And (this sounds like a broken record….Google what a record is, kids) this game is on in the afternoon on a weekday before Christmas. Not ideal.

UPDATE #11: This is now airing on TSN1 and TSN3.

Gasparilla Bowl: UCF vs. Florida

7:00 PM

I wonder if this game will sell out Raymond James Stadium. You have to think there’s a great opportunity here. See, this is the best of what bowl games can provide. Two teams that really never play each other and aren’t too far from each other facing off in a national spotlight game. UCF really could close the door on any debate for state supremacy with a win here.

UPDATE #12: This is now airing on TSN2.

UPDATE: This game is a sellout.

Friday December 24th

~~Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii vs. Memphis~~

8:00 PM

The Christmas Eve tradition continues! I love having this on while I finish last minute wrapping and stocking stuffer stuffing. Not going to lie to you all…I just got my Christmas tree up. Yeah I’m crawling slowly into Christmas season unlike others who have 15,000 lights on outside and have bought the 146 presents that are already sitting under the tree.

UPDATE #13: Due to COVID (and other things), Hawaii has pulled out of the Hawaii Bowl meaning this game is cancelled. Now what the hell am I going to do while I put the finishing touches on Christmas wrapping?

Saturday December 25th

Camellia Bowl: Georgia State vs. Ball State

2:30 PM

Football on Christmas Day. Will this compete with the NBA and their traditional Christmas Day games? Probably not, but it’s football so I will watch. And if it’s close, even better. Means I won’t change the channel. My remote control would be happy.

Monday December 27th

Quick Lane Bowl: Nevada vs. Western Michigan

11:00 AM

This is one of those games that the Too Many Bowls crowd would point to and say “Hey…there’s too many bowls.” I honestly don’t care because, as I have said often, it’s football so I will watch it. We’ll see how I feel about the sheer amount of morning starts during bowl season. I can see it getting old fast but who knows.

~~Military Bowl: Boston College vs. East Carolina~~

2:30 PM

Mike Houston has done a fantastic job down in Greenville with the Pirates. I don’t think anyone, including ECU fans, thought this team would be bowling this season. Instead, they have a chance to close out their season with eight wins if they can beat a very inconsistent BC squad.

UPDATE #14: This game has been cancelled because of major COVID issues with the BC football team.

Tuesday December 28th

Birmingham Bowl: Auburn vs. #20 Houston

Noon

Good to see this game has moved to UAB’s new Protective Stadium. Gets it out of Legion Field which always looked like it was about to collapse during a game. This also gets quite the good matchup. This is the kind of game I would get more of during bowl season: P5 vs. G5.

First Responder Bowl: Air Force vs. Louisville

3:15 PM

I still remember back to the 2018 version of this game between Boston College and Boise State. If you remember, the weather was so bad in the area that they had to completely cancel the game. I am honestly shocked they did that since I figured they would do anything to get a bowl game completed. I guessed wrong. Anyway, Air Force will run a lot (spoiler alert) so let’s see if the Cards’ defense can stop the Falcons attack and keep this close.

Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech

6:45 PM

The Mike Leach Bowl! Mike Leach’s current team, the Bulldogs, face a team he used to coach and left on less-than-nice terms, the Red Raiders. If it was totally up to Leach, the game would end up 77-76 with about 1400 yards passing between the two teams.

~~Holiday Bowl: #18 NC State vs. UCLA~~

8:00 PM

FOX is now down to one bowl game, this one. At least it ended up a pretty good matchup in what could be Chip Kelly’s final game as Bruins head coach. I assume that soon enough, Wolfpack fans will be back to wanting to fire Dave Doeren but it won’t happen after this game…unless they lose by like 30.

UPDATE #19: 19 updates. Sweet Jesus. Hey, stop me if you’ve heard this before. Another bowl game cancelled. UCLA basically has almost no defensive line to play tonight (among issues with some of the other units) thanks to COVID so this game is being cancelled. This means FOX will not broadcast a bowl game this season.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Minnesota vs. West Virginia

10:15 PM

The former Cheez-It Bowl (the current Cheez-It Bowl is actually the old Camping World Bowl…yeah it’s confusing) isn’t exactly a sexy matchup. I think we can be assured, though, that we won’t see the TCU-Cal debacle from a few years back. At least I hope not since that was awful football.

Wednesday December 29th

~~Fenway Bowl: Virginia vs. SMU~~

11:00 AM

I am curious as to the setup of the field for this one. I would laugh if it was like the games at Wrigley where there is no room between the end line and the ivy of the outfield wall. Imagine a receiver catching a ball, taking two steps and crashing into the Green Monster?

UPDATE #15: I guess I have to wait another year to see how this will look since this game has been cancelled due to, you guessed it, ~~Frank Stallone~~ COVID.

Pinstripe Bowl: Maryland vs. Virginia Tech

2:15 PM

This should be a very close game between these two teams. Nice to see the Terps back in a bowl game as Mike Locksley has FINALLY had a good season at the helm…of any team. He was terrible as coach at New Mexico and wasn’t looking a whole lot better in College Park but has finally figured it out. The Hokies will be in a showcase game for new coach Brent Pry as any returning players will try their best to show why they should get a lot of playing time next year on a team that clearly has fallen to the middle of the pack in the ACC.

Cheez-It Bowl: #19 Clemson vs. Iowa State

5:45 PM

Does it feel like Clemson should be the 19th-ranked team in college football? They weren’t even that good this season. Despite the fact they are no longer the standard bearer in the ACC, this feels like a good spot to land because, honestly, they should have gone to a place like Shreveport to play. Hey, just checked the spread and I think I’m justified in how I’m thinking. Cyclones are favoured by 1 and not ranked. And Clemson lost both coordinators to head coaching positions elsewhere. Now watch the Tigers win by 50.

Alamo Bowl: #16 Oklahoma vs. #14 Oregon

9:15 PM

Best non-CFP, non-NY6 bowl? You could make the case here. The Sooners come in actually with a head coach as Mario Cristobal left the Ducks for Miami not too long ago. I don’t think Brent Venables is coaching this game although it would be funny if the Sooners defense is playing like shit and he just decides to show up and coach the rest of the way out of disgust.

UPDATE #2: As soon as I post this, I learn that Dan Lanning will be the next head coach at Oregon.

Thursday December 30th

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: South Carolina vs. North Carolina

11:30 AM

This bowl has so much at stake. OK it has two things at stake. One, this is the battle for Carolina Supremacy. OK more like teams with Carolina in their name Supremacy. OK fine, North vs. South (excluding NC State). The other is that the person who runs the Duke’s Mayo Bowl said he would donate $10,000 to the winning coach’s charity of choice if he is willing to have a Gatorade cooler full of Duke’s Mayo dumped on him after the win. This is what we’ve all wanted. This must happen. And please let it be Mack Brown.

Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. Purdue

3:00 PM

Another bowl game that was smart to get at least one close team to play in it. Having the Vols play in Nashville pretty much guarantees a sellout. And with Purdue, it looks like we will see a good, relatively close game. It’s probably a good thing that college football fans aren’t like certain sets of soccer fans since seeing tens of thousands of people clad in bright orange tearing a stadium apart, attacking the other fans and taking on police officers would be a terrifying site (especially when the band plays Rocky Top and the Vol fans continue their attacks while singing).

Peach Bowl: #10 Michigan State vs. #12 Pittsburgh

7:00 PM

Alright, we finally have got to the first New Year’s Six bowl game. The Pat Narduzzi Bowl. If you had either of these two teams in a New Year’s Six bowl at the start of the season, then head to Vegas or buy a lottery ticket because you totally defeated the odds. Two of the best college football players of the season will be on display in this one: Kenny Pickett and Kenneth Walker III. I kind of wish the Heisman voting was done after bowl games because these showcases would be good for some of these players who are just outside the #1 spot and could use a great showing in front of a national audience to propel them to the top.

Las Vegas Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Arizona State

10:30 PM

Are the bars and casinos in Vegas ready for this one? Forget the game: the Badger fans (and to a lesser extent, Sun Devil fans) will wipe out the beer economy in this city if they are allowed to. The amount of puke in the streets and near the hotels (not to mention at the stadium) will be enormous. It’s gonna stink. I don’t know how good the game will be but the amount of fights in the stands has an over/under of 7.5.

Friday December 31st

Gator Bowl: ~~#25 Texas A&M~~ Rutgers vs. #17 Wake Forest

11:00 AM

One of the other candidates for non-NY6 bowl game of the season. Somehow, Dave Clawson wasn’t hired by another team. Texas A&M lost their defensive coordinator, Mike Elko, to Duke so this could be a bad day for the Aggie defense against Sam Hartman, who should have received more Heisman consideration if you ask me.

UPDATE #9: Texas A&M has major COVID issues inside the football program and will not have enough players ready for this game so they have pulled out. As of right now, Rutgers, Texas & Illinois seem to be up next using APR calculations. There is also the possibility that Marshall or Utah State, both teams already played in bowls this season, could be selected if a 5-7 team doesn’t accept.

UPDATE #10: Rutgers (RUTGERS!) will replace Texas A&M in the Gator Bowl. Oh my.

Sun Bowl: ~~Miami~~ Central Michigan vs. Washington State

12:30 PM

I will say it for what feels like the twentieth year in a row: this is where I hate the way bowls do tie-ins. The ACC does not belong in the Sun Bowl. Either put in the Big XII (which is what I would prefer) or do a Mountain West tie-in. You will struggle to fill half the stadium when an ACC team is there. And not having UTEP there makes this even worse since that would at least get 30,000 fans or so inside the stadium and create a great atmosphere for the game.

UPDATE #16: Miami has pulled out of the Sun Bowl due to ~~not wanting to go to El Paso~~ COVID protocols. I will keep you updated on if another team, maybe one that has already had a bowl game cancelled, will step up to play Wazzu.

UPDATE #18: Due to the Arizona Bowl being cancelled, Central Michigan is free to play in another bowl and has been invited to play in El Paso. I think it’s only like a four hour drive and now the Chips get a shit-ton more money to play in the postseason. Good work guys!

~~Arizona Bowl: Boise State vs. Central Michigan~~

2:00 PM

So….how can you even watch this game? I guess you have to go to the Barstool Sports website? How many people will watch this game, with the Cotton Bowl starting 90 minutes later, on New Year’s Eve, on a website that quite a few college football fans wouldn’t go to at gunpoint? This may work like 5 years or so from now but in 2021, this still doesn’t fly.

UPDATE #17: Well, Barstool will have to wait another year to broadcast their first bowl game. Boise State have way too many COVID issues to bring a team to Tucson so the bowl game has been cancelled.

Cotton Bowl: #1 Alabama vs. #4 Cincinnati

3:30 PM

OK we have got to the semi-final games. This looks like it could go one of two ways. The first way, and the one most people think it will go, is Bama absolutely annihilating the Bearcats and the game being essentially over by halftime. The other way is that Cincy keeps this game very close going into the fourth quarter and social media goes apeshit at the potential for one of the biggest upsets in college football history. I am praying for the latter.

Orange Bowl: #2 Michigan vs. #3 Georgia

7:30 PM

This is obviously the more exciting of the two semi-final matchups. And it’s in primetime on New Year’s Eve? I get sick of the Rose (and to a lesser extent, the Sugar) Bowl getting such preferential treatment when it comes to restructuring the playoff and Bowl Season. Not saying they have to move off of New Year’s Day if they absolutely don’t need to but those two bowls sticking to those times makes it impossible in a situation like this to have the College Football Playoff semi-finals on anything other than New Year’s Eve. It’s ridiculous and needs to be part of the conversation when they expand the playoff (which they will). Anyway, this is going to very interesting as other than the SEC Championship, UGA’s defense was one of the best in recent memory. Meanwhile, Michigan used the run better than almost any team in the nation and no team was really able to stop them, just maybe trip them up a bit. I believe this is basically a pick’em.

Saturday January 1st

Outback Bowl: #21 Arkansas vs. Penn State

Noon

Good for this game that it starts an hour earlier than the two games coming up next. Otherwise it would probably get very few viewers.

Citrus Bowl: #22 Kentucky vs. #15 Iowa

1:00 PM

Final candidate for best non-New Year’s Six bowl game and it is on at an awful time. I get that it gets crowded on New Year’s Day but overlapping with another game, a better game, is a recipe for disaster. And frankly, it’s unfair for the Wildcats and Hawkeyes who both had great seasons. Both teams will be looking to finish their seasons on a high note and go into the next season ranked in the preseason poll.

Fiesta Bowl: #5 Notre Dame vs. #9 Oklahoma State

1:00 PM

Now this should be interesting. Will the Irish feel slighted about not getting into the CFP or will they run through a brick wall for new coach Marcus Freeman? They are going to need everyone on point in this one going up against the OSU Fighting Mullets. One day, we will get the glory of Mike Gundy in the College Football Playoff. Maybe next year.

UPDATE #6: The Fiesta Bowl will also be on TSN5 around the start of the fourth quarter after the Outback Bowl is over.

Rose Bowl: #6 Ohio State vs. #11 Utah

5:00 PM

The Utes are in the Rose Bowl for the first time. This is huge for the program and proves the Pac-12 made the right call bringing them in (Colorado is still up in the air). They face a good Ohio State team who might be playing angry since they might feel they have been “relegated” to the Rose Bowl. The question going into this one (and during the game) will be what Kyle Whittingham decides to do after this one is over since there is a rumour out there that he might retire after the Rose Bowl, win or lose.

Sugar Bowl: #8 Ole Miss vs. #7 Baylor

8:45 PM

Dave Aranda has done a masterful job in Waco. As has Lane Kiffin in Oxford. This feels like a matchup of completely opposite head coaches, at least in terms of personality.

UPDATE #7: The Sugar Bowl will also be on TSN4 at around 11:00. I don’t get why they just HAVE to show Sportscentre after the Clippers-Nets game but obviously they do.

Tuesday January 4th

Texas Bowl: LSU vs. Kansas State

9:00 PM

Interesting that the Texas Bowl didn’t get a team from Texas to play in it. Saying that, they got two fanbases that travel very well so it would be surprising if this wasn’t at least close to a sellout. By this point, I will probably be bowled out but I will still watch because I know what’s coming shortly after this.

UPDATE #14: This is not being shown on a TSN channel.

Monday January 10th

College Football Playoff National Championship

8:00 PM

The final game of the season (other than the weird All-Star games). Cherish it…even if it’s not good.

OK at this point this is what the breakdown looks like for Canadians with cable packages:

TSN – 26 bowl games (with 2 simulcast from ABC)
ABC – 4 bowl games
FOX – 1 bowl game
CBS – 1 bowl game
Barstool Sports – 1 bowl game
specialty pack – 12 bowl games

OK now I am officially confused (if this works out the way I think it will). 26 bowl games being shown on TSN? The schedule is only finalized through Christmas Day but there are 16 games up until then definitely scheduled on TSN. So after a season where TSN had very little coverage of college football at all (it felt like they had gone back about a decade), they push forward by showing more than 50% of the bowl games. Crazy. We will see how the World Juniors affects this but I have a feeling it’s pretty close to the true number.

Alright, that was a seriously long post. But it was needed as the postseason begins now…at least at the FBS level. Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

Week 7 College Football TV Schedule with no real intro

Posted on October 13, 2021 by guelphbossman

Yep, I got nothing. Nothing really happened that was huge…I mean compared to the NFL which is a complete shitshow. So why don’t we just get to the damn schedule? Sounds like a plan. Let’s go.

Thursday

		US	Canada
Navy at Memphis	7:30 PM
Georgia Southern at South Alabama	7:30 PM

Two games. Neither game really being big as none of these teams are near the top of their conference or division. I mean the Thursday Night Football matchup is Tampa Bay against Philadelphia so we kind of know that will be a blowout so maybe one of these games can be close and give us something fun to watch.

Friday

		US	Canada
Marshall at North Texas	7:00 PM
Clemson at Syracuse	7:00 PM
Montana State at Weber State	10:00 PM
#24 San Diego State at San Jose State	10:30 PM
California at #9 Oregon	10:30 PM

Five games, one in the FCS on this night. SDSU has a date with Nevada later in the year and need a win to keep pace. Oregon trying desperately to keep the Pac-12’s almost non-existent playoff hopes alive. I’m very curious as to why ESPN is all of a sudden showing Big Sky games. They already have the MEAC, SWAC and Ivy League, all leagues that don’t go to the FCS playoffs. Going this route is something different and I, for one, welcome it. If it’s anything like the Montana-Eastern Washington game two weeks ago, then buckle up.

Saturday Early

		US	Canada
UCF at #3 Cincinnati	Noon
Rutgers at Northwestern	Noon
Auburn at #17 Arkansas	Noon
Yale at UConn	Noon
#20 Florida at LSU	Noon
Nebraska at Minnesota	Noon
Tulsa at USF	Noon
#12 Oklahoma State at #25 Texas	Noon
#21 Texas A&M at Missouri	Noon
Duke at Virginia	12:30 PM

OK not the sexiest lineup per se but it has some decent quality. CBS gets their one Noon game of the season and actually didn’t get too bad a pick with the Tigers and Razorbacks. Remember that when CBS has a Noon SEC game, they get the top SEC pick for their afternoon game and then ESPN gets the next two choices. THEN CBS gets to select their Noon SEC game. Other than that, UCF and the Gus Bus try to derail the Bearcat Express, Oklahoma State hopes to continue their unexpected undefeated run against the Longhorns and Yale and UConn face off in yet another game where CBS regrets ever signing the Huskies to a broadcast contract.

Saturday Afternoon

		US	Canada
Purdue at #2 Iowa	3:30 PM
Miami at North Carolina	3:30 PM
#11 Kentucky at #1 Georgia	3:30 PM
#19 BYU at Baylor	3:30 PM
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech	3:30 PM
Kent State at Western Michigan	3:30 PM
Vanderbilt at South Carolina	4:00 PM

The afternoon shows that many times quality is much better than quantity. We shall see if the craziness continues in Athens. TSN has really not stepped up yet and it has nothing to do with the CFL for the most part. I’ve mentioned it before but it feels like they are going slightly backwards with their college football coverage (and then will wonder why college football fans go different routes that aren’t TSN to get their college football fix). Anyway, Purdue gets a rare ABC spot (which should result in them getting obliterated) and the specialty pack picks up the rest of the games. Brutal.

Saturday Primetime

		US	Canada
Utah State at UNLV	7:00 PM
#5 Alabama at Mississippi State	7:00 PM
TCU at #4 Oklahoma	7:30 PM
#22 NC State at Boston College	7:30 PM
Iowa State at Kansas State	7:30 PM
Stanford at Washington State	7:30 PM
#13 Ole Miss at Tennessee	7:30 PM
Army at Wisconsin	8:00 PM
UCLA at Washington	8:30 PM

Technically this is a primetime schedule. Nothing impressive but if you don’t have quality get some quantity (I know what I said in the last section). Again, no TSN games but at least FOX, BTN and CBSSN are back in this timeslot. Got to hope there is at least one close game or one upset here or it’s looking pretty grim going into the late night portion of our schedule.

Saturday Late Night

		US	Canada
#18 Arizona State at Utah	10:00 PM
Hawaii at Nevada	10:30 PM

Only two games but both of them could end up being pretty good. Hawaii could make it so San Diego State is clearly in the driver’s seat if they can beat the Wolf Pack in Reno. And Utah isn’t as bad as their record indicates and could cause all sorts of problems for the Sun Devils, especially with their rowdy student section.

Games to set your eyeballs on

Kentucky at Georgia (3:30, CBS) – Easily the biggest game of the week, if not a great candidate for Game of the Year. I know, even with Kentucky involved! An expected Bulldog victory would put them in the driver’s seat in the SEC East with, realistically, a win in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party the only thing standing between them and a trip to Atlanta. If the Wildcats win then ho boy, the insanity meter gets ratcheted up a whole lot more (and also puts Bama back in the mix to get back to #1). I’m hoping, for Brad Nessler’s sake, it’s a good game.

Oklahoma State at Texas (Noon, FOX) – OK so there is a bit of a drop off after the Game of the Week. But, the Pokes are seriously good and we could be heading for the best Bedlam in a long time if they can keep this up. Texas helped the cause by losing an absolute heartbreaker in the Red River Shootout on Saturday. I have this feeling that if Okie State wins this, it’s basically a foregone conclusion that we will have a Bedlam rematch at JerryWorld in December. We almost need the Longhorns to pull something out here to keep things exciting in the Big XII.

UCF at Cincinnati (Noon, ABC) – Look I will be honest: the quality of this game all depends on which Knights team shows up. We’ve seen the quite good Knights where the team is rolling along and the Gus Bus is humming. And we’ve seen the horrible Knights where the Gus Bus has serious mechanical problems and/or is on fire. Here’s hoping we get the former. You could say this is the last true hurdle to the Bearcats running the table until the AAC Championship as they don’t have Houston on their schedule.

BYU at Baylor (3:30, specialty pack) – BYU losing last week means they are locked into the Independence Bowl unless a bunch of crazy shit happens. Don’t want to say they have nothing to play for but they have a lot less to play for now. Baylor, on the other hand, could be the surprise team of the season if they keep winning as Dave Aranda is doing a miraculous job in Waco. The Cougs need to win big and the Bears just need to win. Could be the sneaky good game of the week.

NC State at Boston College (7:30, specialty pack) – The ACC Network kind of lucked out in getting this game. Both teams are somehow contending in the ACC Atlantic division since Clemson is not the Clemson of the past decade. The Wolfpack are obviously in better shape here since they actually beat the Tigers whereas the Eagles lost (albeit with a backup quarterback). With a relatively weak primetime schedule, this game could shine.

Honourable mention: Auburn at Arkansas (Noon, CBS); Alabama at Mississippi State (7:00, specialty pack); TCU at Oklahoma (7:30, ABC)

You wanna bet?

Before the season I said Alabama would lose one game and I thought, at the time, it would be Texas A&M. Then I chickened out last week and had Bama beating the Aggies. Should have gone with my gut! Other than that (and picking LSU over Kentucky) it was a pretty good week. Wonder if I can replicate it….I hope I didn’t just jinx myself. Here we go:

Baylor over BYU (an upset!)

NC State over Boston College

Oklahoma over TCU

Texas over Oklahoma State (another upset!)

Cincinnati over UCF

Georgia over Kentucky

Alabama over Mississippi State

Auburn over Arkansas

Marshall over North Texas

Utah over Arizona State (slight upset)

UNLV over Utah State (to get their first win of the season)

Going to be honest: I feel like I put less than my best effort into this post. It’s been a rough time for me lately and I try to push through it. Part of that is doing this blog as it gets my mind off of everything I’m going through for a few hours. Part of my therapy so to speak. So as much as there is work involved in doing these posts on a near-daily basis these days, it’s also cathartic and something I enjoy doing. Everyone needs a hobby or something they do outside of work and this is the one real thing I’m doing these days. I’m sure I will get back to doing a better job soon enough (hey, there’s an NFL post tomorrow). Anyway, take some time for yourself and watch some college football these next few nights. You deserve it! Have a great week!

The 2021 College Football Coaching Hot Seat List

Posted on August 4, 2021 by guelphbossman

This is going to be a very interesting season in college football as it pertains to the college football coaching hot seat list.

Last year was an aberration, obviously. There are many programs that normally would have thought on pulling the trigger and ending their ties with their head coach. COVID-19 changed that. And we’re not out of the woods with all this pandemic shit. Saying that, 2021 is different. We are slowly getting back to normal, or at least what the new normal will look like. And the college football world is no different. Hey, look, realignment issues! The new NIL legislation! We are back to offseason craziness in the world of, let’s still call it amateur athletics. Which means some coaches are back to squarely being on the hot seat. Not good for them. Incredibly exciting for the (sometimes) bloodthirsty college football media. So let’s do this!

IT’S HOT SEAT TIME, GUYS! Got to give myself some credit: this list is somewhat accurate. That’s the history of this post. And I am hoping it continues since accuracy with predictions isn’t exactly my strong suit. Please don’t go back to previous posts to test this theory.

Let’s get to the damn list! Like every year, this is ordered from most likely to be fired to most likely to keep their job:

Almost Guaranteed Shitcanning

Jeff Brohm (Purdue) – It feels like a decade ago since the Boilermakers’ upset of Ohio State. It was actually in 2018. Since then it has been pretty much a disaster in West Lafayette. And I don’t really see any sign of improvement. Needed to keep his job – Going into the final two weeks of the season with a chance at bowl eligibility. Prediction – He won’t make it to the end of the season as Purdue will limp to a 3-win season.
Walt Bell (UMass) – It wasn’t like this in Tallahassee. Honestly, I don’t think anyone would have done a good job at this school since, well since they moved up from FCS. Needed to keep his job – Play at least one meaningful November game. Prediction – He may quit before he’s fired. Nah, he’s a college football coach. He’ll be fired before he even thinks of quitting. And fired he will be at some point in November.
Scot Loeffler (Bowling Green) – Bowling Green really isn’t historically bad. And I am sure they have never had a horrible run like this. Scotty has not done anything of note here so it’s time to move on. Quite an easy move. Also, never trust a guy who spells his first name like that. Needed to keep his job – At least three wins with one over a good MAC team. Prediction – I honestly can’t see the Falcons winning any games this season. They are easily the worst team in the MAC right now, quite a ways below Akron who is also pretty shitty.
Dino Babers (Syracuse) – It’s been a long time since so much hope was dashed so fast in Western New York. It’s been mostly bad since joining the ACC (at least in football). But this is the worst stretch they’ve had and that’s after things looked so good early on. I can’t see Babers recovering from recent performances by the Orange. Needed to keep his job – Syracuse to look halfway competitive in the ACC. Prediction – Could very well be gone before the end of the season.
Rick Stockstill (Middle Tennessee) – This is a tough one. I don’t really like the guy, especially since all the shit his team pulled in their bowl game with Navy a few years back. But he has been in Murfreesboro for so long it feels like he will retire before he gets shitcanned. I think the shine has finally come off as the Blue Raiders are struggling with no sign of real improvement. Needed to keep his job – Bowl eligibility, plain and simple. Prediction – Stockstill might be one of those few coaches who resigns before they are fired. Mostly out of pride. And yes, I believe Stockstill will be fired but maybe not until after the regular season is complete.

Probable Shitcanning

Chip Lindsey (Troy) – Troy hasn’t had a string this bad for a while. I’m sounding like a broken record here. Not saying Lindsey was a hyped coaching hire but Troy was always one of the better Sun Belt teams. Now? Not so much. Expect an interesting decision by the end of the season. Needed to keep his job – Bowl eligibility and the look of a program on the rise again in the Sun Belt. Prediction – Four wins and a very good chance that he’s looking for another job come December.
Randy Edsall (UConn) – UConn has struggled for a long time now. Ever since they somehow got to a BCS bowl. Any other program (almost) Edsall has been long fired. It’s different in Storrs, and I get that, but with him getting bonuses for making sure he eats breakfast every day, the bloom might have come off the rose a bit. Needed to keep his job – Be more competitive, especially on defense. Prediction – Three wins and a surprisingly tough call for the powers that be.
Jonathan Smith (Oregon State) – I am going out bit of a limb with this one. Things were looking very promising in Corvallis and then last year the Beavers came back to Earth a bit. I think my prediction would be enough to move Smith out of the job. Needed to keep his job – Bowl-eligibility or a win over Oregon. Prediction – Three wins, no bowl, no win over Oregon, no head coaching position for Johnny Beaver.

Possible Shitcanning

Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) – Yes, his picture is one of the pictures at the top of this post. And yes, he has been on the hot seat since the first time he lost to Ohio State. He almost got a pass from many in Ann Arbor (and the voracious college football media) which surprises me to no end. So the seat is cooler than normal but he’s not out of the woods yet. Needed to keep his job – At least 7 wins and maybe an upset inside the Big Ten. Prediction – I have the Wolverines getting right to the 7-win mark. I think he survives but then the seat becomes scorching going into next season.
Scott Frost (Nebraska) – For many having Frosty the Coachman in this spot makes no sense. I think he might get a bit of leeway and if the Huskers do what I think they will do this season, this spot makes a lot more sense so I should just stop second-guessing myself. Needed to keep his job – Bowl-eligibility at the very least. Prediction – I have them winning seven games so hopefully I haven’t drank the Husker Koolaid yet again.
Herm Edwards (Arizona State) – This is a tricky situation here. This program could be in a heap of trouble. The alleged recruiting scheme that was concocted during the worst of COVID-19 looks horrible on the Sun Devils and especially on Herm. If the NCAA can prove their point enough, Edwards may be forced out. This will have nothing to do with performance since the Sun Devils are a nearly-top-level Pac-12 team. Needed to keep his job – Herm not being found guilty in this. Prediction – A lot of times programs will fire a coach because of potential sanctions and most of those times, the team isn’t doing well anyway because they’re distracted. If ASU does as well as I predict it will, then only the NCAA coming down hard on the program will push Edwards out the door.
Matt Wells (Texas Tech) – It has been a while since this program was good. Kute Kliff Kingsbury couldn’t get the job done and he was punished with an NFL head coaching gig and probably a bunch of women at his beck and call. Wells will not have those opportunities if this doesn’t work out. For now, things are OK for the most part but it could quickly change if the Red Raiders bottom out this year. Needed to keep his job – TTU to be playing meaningful ball in November. Prediction – Define meaningful. I have the Red Raiders winning four games so if they can pull off an upset or two then you may have a bowl team down in Lubbock which could get Wells an ill-advised extension.
Scott Satterfield (Louisville) – Wow has the bloom come off the rose here. Satterfield was coaching so well early on that the fanbase had all but forgotten about their own Son of Anarchy, Bobby Petrino. Now? I am sure there is at least a decent amount of Cardinals fans who would bring Fun Bobby back in a heartbeat. That’s how much things have changed for Satterfield. He’s no longer Great Scott. More Below Average Scott. Needed to keep his job – Showing some obvious improvement from a horrible 2020. Prediction – Well, I think the Cards will win three games. That’s not many and whether they are competitive in many of their losses will signal whether Satterfield will be Satterfired or not.

Doubtful Shitcanning (although it still could happen)

Jeff Scott (USF) – I watched a YouTube video the other day about the crazy 2007 season. Remember that? At one point, the Bulls got to #2 in the nation. Good times. The times are not so good now and Scott is going to be starting to take a lot of heat for that, fair or not. Needed to keep his job – Not be worse than last season. Prediction – I’ve got them at 2 wins so technically, yes, they will be better. Plus I think they plan to give Scott at least halfway through the 2022 season before potentially pulling the trigger.
Clay Helton (USC) – Can’t Clay get a little slack here? Not like the Pac-12 as a whole is doing all that great these days. I do believe, however, this could be the year that Helton *GASP* gets off the hot seat for at least a season. What will Trojan fans complain about then? Needed to keep his job – At least 7 wins. Prediction – I have the Trojans winning 10 games meaning it’s almost an automatic to get to a New Year’s Six bowl.
Justin Fuente (Virginia Tech) – Fuente is the new Gus Malzahn. He will never get off this list. Ever. He basically has to win a national championship to do so and even then there’s no guarantee. Fans in Blacksburg are antsy for some true success. Not gonna happen yet though. Needed to keep his job – It will be a seven win season to keep his job, which will probably be the case for a long time. Prediction – 8 wins so stay tuned for next season when I put him on this exact same fucking list…again.
Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois) – He was always going to get a lot of rope but after last year’s winless campaign, the rope has been shortened quite a bit. He has nowhere to go but up although technically he could do the same this year which would absolutely get him shitcanned. Needed to keep his job – At least a couple of victories. It’s a low bar at this point. Prediction – Three wins and Tom moving up this list next year.
Mike Bloomgren (Rice) – Again it will be a tale of two schools in the Houston area. Houston is looking for a huge rebound and I think they will be a big player in the AAC this season. Rice, on the other hand, will be just like they’ve been for most of the program’s history: below-average. Not the easiest job in the world for sure but at some point, someone has to have some semblance of success at this school, no? Needed to keep his job – Win a few games and pull off a good upset or three. Prediction – Four wins should be considered not bad and he will again be on a hot seat next season.
Marcus Arroyo (UNLV) – A bright, relatively new shiny stadium for a full season. The fact that, of all teams, the UNLV Rebels get to play at a place like Allegiant Stadium seems bizarrely funny. It really doesn’t match. I don’t think they care as long as they are out of the heat magnet masquerading as a football field called Sam Boyd Stadium. Needed to keep his job – A couple of wins and an upset at Allegiant. Prediction – They’ll win 3. As for the upset, I don’t think that will happen.
Mel Tucker (Michigan State) – OK last year he had to be given a pass. He started very late in the off-season cycle and basically did what he could for a Spartans team that needs an overhaul. He will probably get a pass for the most part this year unless they do so horribly that even Maryland is destroying them. Needed to keep his job – A move up the standings and at least 3 wins. Prediction – He should get his three wins. Moving up the standings might not happen though and the seat will most definitely get hotter next year for Mel.

Hey guess what’s next? That’s right, my Heisman ballot (which I never will, and never should, get). Then I need to do the NFL preview as well which is always a bit of a dog’s breakfast as well. 24 days away! Soon enough I will have info for Week Zero! Enjoy your day everyone!

Most Important Games of the 2021 College Football Season – Let’s Go For Two!

Posted on May 30, 2021 by guelphbossman

I hate what they have done to college football overtime. I was fine when they said you had to start going for two starting with the third overtime. Would I prefer they make the teams start at the 30 or the 35 rather than the 25? Yes but I am OK with the way that is. Now it has become a two-point conversion shootout starting with the fifth overtime. Why? Because one stupidly awesome game went to seven overtimes and it was a classic? Seems like a serious overreaction to me (and probably many others). It has got to the point that maybe the NFL overtime is starting to look a bit better. I never would have said that even a couple of years ago but here we are.

So normally, I do the first post of this series and a day or two later more schedule updates appear changing my original guesses already. It would make me feel a bit dumb. This year? The same fucking thing happened! God damn when will I ever learn? Anyway, it was the mother of all schedule dumps. Like a crazy amount of games were set. Let’s look at what has changed with the first post in this series:

Penn State-Wisconsin I had right in terms of it being on FOX. But it’s not on at 4:00. It’s the BIG NOON SATURDAY game for Week One.
Now here’s a headscratcher. Iowa-Indiana is not the BIG NOON SATURDAY game on FOX. It’s not even on FOX. It’s on BTN. BTN! At 3:30 in the afternoon. It has to be due to the amount of appearances that one or both of these teams are perceived to have later on in the season on BTN since all Big Ten teams must have a minimum of two BTN appearances on the season with one of those appearances being a conference game. That’s the only thing I can think of since this is FOX or ESPN/ABC worthy in my opinion.
I was sooooooo close with LSU-UCLA. It’s on FOX. In primetime. But not at 8:00. It’s at 8:30. To me that seems like a weird time but I guess FOX is fine with the game ending probably around midnight if not a little later. Not like they have anything other than TMZ and infomercials to show afterwards on most of their affiliates.
Again, so close with one. Boise State-UCF is on at 7:00, not 7:30. My guess is it will be on at least one TSN station.
Oregon State-Purdue is now on FS1 in primetime. Big deal.
ABC nabbed CyHawk for their afternoon game.
Liberty-Troy has moved to primetime. But it’s still on ESPN+. So in the end it doesn’t matter anyway.
I totally forgot about how the ACC Network does Week 2. They show four games, starting at 11 in the morning to fit them all in so they don’t have to send a bunch to a regional FOX Sports Network (hmmm…should I call them Bally’s now?) or, even worse, ACC Network Extra which they are loathe to do. Anyway, it’s not at noon, it’s at 2:00 and should be on the specialty pack.
Cincinnati-Indiana has been picked up by ESPN/ABC. It will probably air on ABC and is definitely scheduled for Noon.
Oklahoma State-Boise State will be on FOX Sports One. But now it’s at 9:00. In the evening. Why? Because there is a game at 12:30 Sunday morning! Yep, for you crazies that can watch this game, San Jose State and Hawaii kick off after midnight and won’t end until about 4 in the morning. That’s crazy. I will watch at least three quarters of that.
Hey Coastal Carolina-Buffalo isn’t being relegated to ESPN+! It’s on at Noon, probably on the specialty pack here. Good to see some respect for these two schools.
Speaking of respect, let’s look at the absolute lack of respect ESPN/ABC has for the Kansas Jayhawks football program. Like no respect at all. They aren’t the Thursday night ESPN game. They aren’t even available to Canadians. Hell, it isn’t even available to most Americans. It’s on at 3:30, Saturday afternoon…on ESPN+. Yeah. That’s sad. But understandable.

I will probably make this same mistake next year because I’m an idiot who never learns.. Let’s just get to the second part of this series.

Week 4

Game of the Week: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (in Chicago) (Noon, FOX) – This kind of tells you what kind of weekend this will be, on paper. Not saying these aren’t two good teams because they are. But the Badgers are always juuuuuust on the outside looking in and don’t feel like an elite team. And the Irish are considered an elite team more often than they actually are. Not saying I wouldn’t be surprised if either team is in contention for the College Football Playoff late in the season but this being the game of the week means we aren’t looking at a ton of great games. Now watch this one go to like four overtimes and be an instant classic.

Other Really Important Games: West Virginia at Oklahoma (7:30, ABC) – Will the Sooners finally get over the top now with Spencer Rattler in his second year at quarterback? That is the question for Boomer Sooner this season as they could be in for a special two-season stretch (before Rattler goes to the NFL as a high first round pick). Unless they can get yet another great QB, this may be the best two-year stretch possibility for Lincoln Riley’s boys (before Riley gets an offer from the Dallas Cowboys that he can’t refuse). As for the Mountaineers, they have Dana Holgorsen. That’s fun enough since you are assured of him going off on the refs or his players or his coaches or the other team’s coaches or the other team’s players or the fans at least once a game. That’s what happens when you down six Red Bulls by lunch.

Clemson at NC State (3:30, ABC) – I could see this moving to primetime but it really has more to do with how many Big XII game would appear on ABC in the primetime timeslot all season (or at least how many they believe will appear there). The first three games listed this week cover the top three timeslots so you can kind of figure out where all the hype will be. This could be Dave Doeren’s final chance to get his program-defining win. Pull this off and he will never have to pay for another drink in Raleigh again. It also puts the entire conference in an interesting spot as Clemson is their hope for the CFP until another team steps up. Most believe it will be NC State’s interstate rivals, North Carolina, but the Wolfpack are known for their upsets over the past two decades. Just ask Florida State.

Tennessee at Florida (3:30, CBS) – Can Tennessee just be back already? It took so damn long for Texas to be back and now they aren’t quite back again so who knows if the college football media will be asking that question (that I will not type here) all season. Luckily for the fans (and haters) of Texas, that question is no longer asked. For Vol fans, it’s becoming the conversation every day in Knoxville. Until this team truly competes in the SEC East (and no, being third doesn’t count as competing) this may be the most annoying, pathetic fanbase in college football. So maybe, just maybe, they can pull this off and look like the program that everyone on Rocky Top desperately wants them to be. Now watch them lose this one by 40 and we wonder if they can beat a down Vanderbilt squad.

Sneaky-Good Underrated Game: Nebraska at Michigan State (3:30, BTN) – You are looking LIVE…at two programs who are struggling, one more than the other. The Huskers feel like an afterthought now that they have been in the Big Ten for a while and for good reason. Their fans long for even the days of the Big XII, forget the Big Eight. And let’s be honest: other than the one year where Sparty went to the College Football Playoff, it’s not like they have been setting the college football world on fire the past couple of decades. This could be a very good game that could propel one of these programs back into prominence. This will almost assuredly go to the Big Ten Network.

Best Group of Five Game: Marshall at Appalachian State (Thursday, 7:30, specialty pack) – Two of the Group of Five’s stalwarts meet here in a much deserved Thursday night ESPN spot. Both teams had weird years this past season but that’s to be expected since the whole damn season was kind of weird. Expect both of these programs to at least flirt with the Top 25 most of the season. This should be an early Group of Five New Year’s Six elimination game as I am sure both teams will come into this undefeated (or in App State’s case, maybe a close loss to Miami early on).

Worst Power Five Game: Kansas at Duke (Noon, specialty pack) – Good god. You have to be some kind of masochist to want to watch more than maybe a few minutes of this game. Kansas is Kansas and Duke is nowhere near the heights they got to a few years back. You can easily avoid this one. I wouldn’t be surprised if doesn’t even go to the ACC Network and gets relegated to ACC Network Extra even if they have a timeslot available for them.

Week 5

Game of the Week: Ole Miss at Alabama (Noon, TSN5) – I have this game on ESPN2. Seriously. Look, there is a limit as to how many times a team can appear on the SEC on CBS. Otherwise Bama would appear like 8 times every season (the max is five by the way). This could still move to ESPN or even CBS so who knows. Ole Miss is expected to start the season either just inside or just outside the Top 25 and besides, it’s Lane Kiffin getting another shot at Nick Saban. He would be a God in Oxford if the Rebels can win this game.

Other Really Important Games: Cincinnati at Notre Dame (2:30, NBC) – I’m honestly confused as to why some Irish on NBC games are on at 2:30 and why some are on at 3:30. There is really no rhyme or reason as to why these happen the way they do. Maybe they anticipate a hot newscast on this night. Anyway, this game is ripe for an upset…kind of. If Cincy upset Notre Dame would it be considered an upset? If it was up to me, I would have put this game on in primetime. Unfortunately for the Bearcats, they don’t draw so that would be a no go.

Indiana at Penn State (Noon, ABC/TSN1/TSN4) – This does not feel like a Noon Big Ten Game. At all. This is the kind of game that is usually on ABC in primetime. Or should be especially after last year’s amazing finish. I can honestly say that maybe, just maybe, it’s the Hoosiers, not Penn State (or Michigan or Michigan State) that will be the team that will finally knock Ohio State off their perch atop the Big Ten East. Seeing the Hoosiers win this game and run the table into November would be great because it would make some TV executives at Disney a trifle nervous.

Michigan at Wisconsin (Noon, FOX) – Is Jim Harbaugh still special enough to warrant a BIG NOON SATURDAY timeslot? I could see this being moved, especially if the brass at FOX decides that the Big XII has a game they could show instead here. Or maybe they do another Pac-12 morning kickoff like they did with Arizona State-USC last year. This has to be a bounce-back season for the Wolverines. If not, what happens to Kaptain Khaki? Could he be fired? For the first time during his tenure in Ann Arbor, it would make sense to at least consider it, especially after last season’s disastrous season.

Texas at TCU (6:30, FOX Sports One) – Again, don’t be surprised if this, among almost every game this week, gets moved from where I have it. The Big XII has quickly become the major conference that Canadians rarely see. Not that they care down there if Canadians get to see their conference or not but it’s the same in the States. With no conference network, they are being left out in the cold. And their expansion blunder of a few years back is still being felt. They’ve already gone to Disney to look for a contract extension and ESPN/ABC said no. The contract ends after the 2025 season and with other TV contracts also ending around that time, realignment talk will heat up yet again. The conference is in trouble and really hinges on what Texas and Oklahoma decide to do. Expect a lot of changes in the next few years.

Florida at Kentucky (Noon, specialty pack) – Remember when the Wildcats were SEC East contenders? It wasn’t too long ago. Kentucky could be primed for another breakthrough and the fans in Lexington are chomping at the bit to see that happen. At some point, some team has to break the Florida-Georgia stranglehold in the division and what better year than this one? Right now, I have this on the SEC Network because I honestly had no idea where to put it once other better timeslots started filling up. I could see this somehow getting to ESPN or ESPN2 though since I have the SEC Network with four games during this week.

Arizona State at UCLA (3:30, specialty pack) – It feels like we are getting less and less late night games that are any good. I mean it won’t stop me from watching them but I’m used to a few each year at least. This is supposed to be the season where we finally see what Chip Kelly can do in Westwood. A good Bruins team is always welcome in college football. The Sun Devils are also expected to be quite good so maybe we will see a logjam at the top of the Pac-12 South. Not like that hasn’t happened before, am I right? Guys? Hello?

Sneaky-Good Underrated Game: Tennessee at Missouri (Noon, specialty pack) – No, we aren’t looking at two amazing teams. Or even one. But man, for such a good week, there are a lot of games (outside of the ones I listed above) that look like they won’t be close at all. I’d love to call this a SEC East eliminator game. But it’s not. With two teams so closely matched, though, it should be fun to watch and could be the surprise game of the early timeslot (if not the whole week).

Best Group of Five Game: Nevada at Boise State (10:00, FOX Sports One) – Could FS1, of all channels, have one of the best lineups this week? Look there were a few choices I could have put here instead of this one. Houston-Tulsa and Liberty-UAB fit the bill as well but neither really scream “Top Group of Five game.” Plus I am a bit fascinated with FOX’s foray into the Mountain West, mostly because I can see all the games now. This could end up being very lucrative for the conference as long as FOX continues to invest heavily into college football.

Worst Power Five Game: Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech (Noon, specialty pack) – I mean it’s not a bad game per se. But with the rest of the Noon options (and there are a lot of them), I can’t see this game getting many eyeballs.

Week 6

Game of the Week: Alabama at Texas A&M (8:00, CBS) – God damn this could be a MASSIVE game this season. Jimbo Fisher has guaranteed a win over Bama (not the smartest idea in the world but hey, gotta shot your shot). Even with the loss of Kellen Mond, this could be the Aggies year to get into the College Football Playoff. And now with probably a full house in College Station, the 100,000 plus members of the 12th Man will make life very difficult for the Tide. CBS has chosen this week to be the SEC doubleheader with the primetime game so it’s almost assured that this will be the pick.

Other Really Important Games: Oklahoma vs. Texas (in Dallas) (Noon, FOX) – Back where this belongs…almost. Depending on how the Aggies look early on, this could be considered the true GOTW. I’m still waiting for the day the Cotton Bowl collapses during the Red River Shootout. It’s going to happen and it’s going to be a tragedy that could be avoided by either fixing the fucking place or moving this game to JerryWorld. There’s almost no doubt in my mind this ends up being the BIG NOON SATURDAY pick by FOX.

Georgia at Auburn (3:30, CBS) – Wow, does CBS ever get an amazing doubleheader this season. Saying that, the Tigers aren’t the Tigers they have been in the past. Unless Bo Nix all of a sudden figures things out, Auburn will be middle of the pack, at best, in the SEC West. Still a good team but not close to contending in the always extremely tough SEC West. I just wish they would do away with divisions. Don’t get me wrong, the SEC East champ is usually good but who wouldn’t have enjoyed Bama playing LSU or TAMU playing Mississippi State or Ole Miss playing Auburn or any one of those combinations in Atlanta in December?

Maryland at Ohio State (Noon, TSN4) – This is guaranteed for Noon and almost a shoo-in to be on ESPN. Will this be close? Eh, who knows. OK I am pretty positive it won’t be. But if there’s any year where Ohio State could be vulnerable, it is this one. If the Terps can’t keep it close this time around they may never do so. I’m sure there are many who long to be back in the ACC, regardless of TV money.

Florida State at North Carolina (Noon, ABC/TSN2) – No, this isn’t here because it’s the Noles. I probably don’t have to say that anymore and it is sad that FSU just can’t seem to get over the hump and get back to the way they were. You never know, though. They beat the Heels here, it’s massive and could lead to huge things for this squad. North Carolina is in New Year’s Six or Bust mode this season as the NY6 is their floor. Anything less would be a disappointment with Sam Howell a serious Heisman contender.

Sneaky-Good Underrated Game: LSU at Kentucky (Noon, TSN1) – No, I’m not joking with this. The Tigers will be close to the bottom spot of the Top 25 and the Cats will be just outside looking in, at least at the start of the season. This is probably a bigger game for Kentucky than it is for LSU as there is no way that Ed Orgeron’s guys will be competing for the SEC West this season.

Best Group of Five Game: Boise State at BYU (10:30, specialty pack) – Is this considered a Group of Five game? I’m going to say it is. BYU seems to be in this no-man’s land when it comes to where they belong. I know they want to be Power Five and they should be Power Five but they aren’t quite there yet and until they are invited into a conference or get closer in reputation to Notre Dame, they won’t be. It is usually a lot of fun when these two teams meet. I am looking forward to Provo After Dark which sounds like a show on at Midnight on Vision TV or some other religious network where they do nasty things like drink coffee or say “fuck.”

Worst Power Five Game: Georgia Tech at Duke (12:30, specialty pack) – Two straight weeks for the Ramblin’ Wreck in this spot. The thing is they aren’t even that bad. But last week was a pretty good schedule, at least in the Power Five and this week the next worse choice would be Wake Forest-Syracuse which isn’t nearly as bad as this.

We are almost halfway through the season now (with these posts). With only thirteen weeks this season I had to have one longer post because of it. It will be the final one. The final two posts are usually the most difficult since almost none of the games are scheduled this far out, at least from a Power Five perspective. So the chances of me getting many of these predictions wrong are quite good. Just letting you know in advance.

It’s getting close to College Football Preview magazine season. Or maybe it has already started and I just don’t know about it. I have an Athlon subscription now so I am just waiting for that one to come in the mail. If there are others available I will check Indigo to see if I can get it. As for the Phil Steele magazine, I am going back and forth whether to order it or get the online version (if they have it this year). I love the magazine, don’t get me wrong. It’s an awesome read and has a shit-ton of information. Problem is, it shows up sometime in late July at the earliest which doesn’t help me at all with my predictions and makes it tough to read before the season begins (yes I am one of those insane people who try to read that magazine front-to-back). So we shall see. Anyway, have a great upcoming week and let’s hope the warm weather is here to stay and that we can forget what it was like on Friday.

That was LSU’s Shoeper Bowl! – Week 15 College Football Recap

Posted on December 14, 2020 by guelphbossman

This is a new one. Gators’ Marco Wilson tackled Kole Taylor short of the first down marker late in the fourth quarter in Florida’s game against LSU. Then he got up with Taylor’s shoe in his hand and, in the words of the referee, threw it 20 yards downfield. This meant he got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which kept LSU going and lead to Cade York’s insane 57-yard field goal into the fog at The Swamp to win the game. This could end up costing Florida even a New Year’s Six spot (as their College Football Playoff chances are gone). Horrible. And stupid. You couldn’t script this to be more ridiculous.

As per tradition, when I use the Footballgasm template, I must complete the week by doing the recap in the same manner. Let’s go!

Thursday

Southern Miss 45 Florida Atlantic 31

6:30 PM

This was a nice ending to a horrible season in Hattiesburg for the Golden Eagles. Now they can hopefully start fresh with new coach Will Hall. And to find out that even if FAU won, they wouldn’t have gone to the conference championship game was a big letdown. Oh well. Decent start to the week.

Friday

Arizona State 70 Arizona 7

7:30 PM

The Territorial Cup goes to the Sun Devils in one of the biggest beatdowns in Pac-12 history. I was definitely one who thought Arizona’s hire of Kevin Sumlin a few years back was a coup. Yeah now we know that it was his great quarterbacks at Houston and Texas A&M that really helped him along. Paging Brent Brennan!

San Jose State 30 Nevada 20

10:00 PM

OK this game was being played between the Spartans and the Wolf Pack in Las Vegas at the field being used by the New Mexico Lobos. Got it? Anyway, the Spartans win puts them in the Mountain West Championship and also puts Boise State in as well. This has been an amazing season for SJSU which means what I said above may happen…again.

Saturday Early

Penn State 39 Michigan State 24

Noon

This was actually a pretty good game into the fourth quarter and the Nittany Lions pulled away to win their first home game of the season (if you can believe that). James Franklin is going to be on quite the hot seat going into 2021 as this has to be considered nothing short of a disappointment for this team, despite what 2020 brought.

Rutgers 27 Maryland 24

Noon

Meaningless game won by Rutgers. Well maybe not meaningless to the Scarlet Knights and especially Greg Schiano. The hiring of Schiano may make Rutgers look very smart (and Tennessee very stupid for deciding not to hire him).

Northwestern 28 Illinois 10

Noon

Northwestern, already clinching the Big Ten West, put a beatdown on the Illini. And guess what happened yesterday? Lovie Smith was finally shitcanned. Oh wait, he agreed to part ways with the team. Whatever. Just a few years too late in my humble opinion.

Alabama 52 Arkansas 3

Noon

Not surprising that the Tide won. Now we await to see what devastation they will wreak on Florida in the SEC Championship. I don’t think it will be very pretty. I’ve said it already but CBS may regret putting that game in primetime.

Utah 38 Colorado 21

Noon

The Buffs shouldn’t have had problems with the Utah offense but they did. Their loss made things super easy for the Pac-12 as now they wouldn’t be undefeated along with USC. At least we got to see some FOOTBAW WEATHER in Boulder for this one.

Georgia 49 Missouri 14

Noon

Speaking of games that weren’t close, here’s a great example. Many people, myself included, thought it would be though. For a while it looked like UGA was what everyone thought they were: a good team not deserving of a New Year’s Six spot. It was tied at 14 late in the second quarter. 35 unanswered points later, the Dawgs proved that maybe they should be put in an important bowl game.

Minnesota 24 Nebraska 17

Noon

Minnesota wins this one as they hold on to beat the Huskers. Is there anyone that can turn this program around? Not saying Scott Frost had all the pieces when he arrived but man this has been an unbridled disaster in Lincoln. Definite hot seat material for next season.

Saturday Afternoon

Buffalo 56 Akron 7

2:30 PM

Disappointing. I was hoping for Jaret Patterson to score ten touchdowns.

Army 15 Navy 0

3:00 PM

I wonder if a lot of people forgot this game was even on. Sad for a game with this kind of history but 2020 has wreaked havoc on college football (along with damn near everything else). Unfortunately the game was not good at all which meant few people would even watch to the end to see Army sing second.

North Carolina 62 Miami 26

3:30 PM

Not even close this one. The Heels really wanted this one and it showed. I think it’s about time I believe that Miami is not a College Football Playoff team under Manny Diaz. Or maybe Mack Brown is still pissed about that game against BYU years ago when Diaz was his defensive coordinator. Either way.

Oklahoma State 42 Baylor 3

3:30 PM

What a way to finish a season. Even without Chuba Hubbard, who has declared for the NFL Draft, the Fighting Mullets blew the doors of Baylor in this one. This was a rough season as the Pokes never got respect all season and could very well end up in the Top 15 at the end of it all. Probably still behind Oklahoma though which will irk all their fans but hey, can’t win em all.

Iowa 28 Wisconsin 7

3:30 PM

Slow start but the Hawkeyes pulled away in the second half to beat the Badgers and set up…an almost useless game next week. I know the Big Ten doesn’t want to overshadow the conference championship game but Iowa-Indiana would have been a huge matchup with big NY6 implications. Instead, they fucked up Champions Week. Way to go, guys.

Memphis 30 Houston 27

3:45 PM

Well the Tigers won which really meant nothing since both teams are going bowling. Now the question is will Ryan Silverfield be around next season in Memphis. He is a dark horse candidate for a couple of jobs so it will be interesting to see if he ends up heading elsewhere like his predecessors, Mike Norvell and Justin Fuente, did. As for Dana Holgorsen, he has already downed four cans of Red Bull by the time you got to this point in this post.

Tennessee 42 Vanderbilt 17

4:00 PM

Tennessee won. Sarah Fuller kicked two extra points and made many men mad. That’s about all I can say about the battle for state supremacy (no offense, Middle Tennessee).

Saturday Primetime & Late Night

Boise State 17 Wyoming 9

6:00 PM

A really slow start here by both teams and it never really got going after that. Blame all the snow that fell in Laramie as it made for a sloppy game. Honestly, they should have a bowl game there. That would be fun to watch. Probably horrible for the players and the coaching staffs though. Anyway, this meant nothing after San Jose State’s win the previous night but good to see Boise finish off the regular season with a win as they try to win yet another Mountain West conference championship.

LSU 37 Florida 34

7:00 PM

Hey at least it was a fun, close game right? Forget the Shoe Throw of Doom that I mentioned at the beginning. Florida did not look like a Top 10 team here at all. Either that or LSU looked better than their record states. Both are probably correct. The Gators needed this game and couldn’t pull away from the Tigers. Their punishment will probably be the Outback Bowl or Citrus Bowl or some close-by bowl game.

TCU 52 Louisiana Tech 10

7:00 PM

Well, at least TCU was able to get their non-conference game in.

Auburn 24 Mississippi State 10

7:30 PM

Didn’t matter. Wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. And now Gus Malzahn has finally, mercifully, been fired. He is now almost $22 million richer because of it. Ain’t college football a great sport?

USC 43 UCLA 38

7:30 PM

This ended up being one of the best finishes of the season. The Trojans, in my opinion, will not get into the CFP (fuck you ESPN Playoff Predictor). The Bruins, I have to say, have really improved (FINALLY) under Chiop Kelly. Took long enough. UCLA scored late in this one to take the three point lead and it looked like the Pac-12 was completely ruined (as opposed to mostly ruined which they are at this point). Instead, the men of Troy march down the field quickly and score a touchdown to win the game. And to the chagrin of some USC fans, I have a feeling Clay Helton will get a contract extension in the offseason.

BYU 28 San Diego State 14

10:00 PM

Nice to see the Cougars finish with ten wins since their original schedule was completely obliterated. People still like to underestimate BYU (or downright hate them) but Kalani Sitake has shown that this program is still one to watch, year in and year out. Still won’t get them a New Year’s Six spot but still has to be considered a successful season.

New Mexico 49 Fresno State 39

10:30 PM

New Mexico is quietly turning things around while they are banished to Vegas. Danny Gonzales has done a masterful job starting this turnaround. Don’t be surprised if they are over .500 next season and, perhaps, back to the Rocky Long days of prosperity.

Stanford 27 Oregon State 24

10:00 PM

This was actually a great Pac-12 After Dark game (as is tradition). Back-and-forth throughout the entire game and it meant that you had to continue to watch well into the night. Jet Toner (great name for, well, anything) hit the game-winning field goal with a little less than two minutes left. Stanford, somehow, ended up 3-2 going into whatever the Pac-12 is calling the final week of the season. That feels weird considering how they have played the past almost-two seasons.

Normally the next week is conference championship week ONLY. But man this has been such a crazy year that there are a bunch of games also scheduled. So this could end up being a bit more interesting than usual when it comes to this week in college football. Also, there’s a bowl game that day as well. Yeah, none of this makes sense.

Alright so next up is the bowl projections list with a few bowl games actually already confirming their matchups. Nice to see but really it is a necessity considering the way the bowl schedule is structured. College and NFL schedules later in the week.

He finally has his signature win – Week 10 College Football Recap

Posted on November 9, 2020 by guelphbossman

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish outlasted the number one team in the land, Clemson, this past weekend in a 47-40 double overtime thriller. This game was a ton of fun to watch and could be the best game that has been on NBC in a long time. I mean the ACC at the top is one of the best conferences in football. The ACC mid-card is actually pretty brutal though and keeps the conference from ascending towards the top of the FBS. But back to this one. Brian Kelly has been looking for his signature win since he started as head coach of the Irish years ago. And he finally got it in Notre Dame’s first season ever in a conference. They are now in the driver’s seat to get to the ACC Championship game but still have a few potential speedbump games left with BC, North Carolina and Wake still on the schedule. But if they win out, you have to wonder if they make it to the College Football Playoff even if they lose a probably rematch with the Tigers in the ACC title game. But there’s still a month of football yet to play so don’t want them to count their chickens before they hatch or some other cliche that some other media member might come up with.

Other recap points!

Speaking of beatdowns, how about the one that Maryland laid on Penn State? The Nittany Lions are looking awful so far this season but this has to be a plus for the Terps. It will be quite amusing that if later this season Michigan is facing PSU and the loser ends up in the basement of the Big Ten East. Because that could very easily happen. Oh and I think Maryland may have finally found their quarterback. Who knew another Tagovailoa could chuck the ball like that?
It ended up being a really good World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The fans were jacked. Brawls in the stands. A guy falling several rows because he was wasted. Good times. Also the football game was good. Anyway, the Bulldogs couldn’t seem to stop the Gators at all in this one. Kyle Trask laid waste to the Georgia defense and have really distanced themselves from the rest of the SEC East. Hopefully this will make Kirby Smart take a good hard look at his team and realize this isn’t working and that they have to go back to the drawing board and retool for another true run at the SEC title.
Pac-12 is back! And the best game was easily the Pac-12 Before Brunch contest between Arizona State and USC. The Sun Devils looked dominant for most of the game. They were up by 13 with less than three minutes to go and looked well on their way to victory. Then Kedon Slovis showed up and the Trojans completed a miraculous comeback to win their season opener. Heartbreaking for ASU but, again, it came down to recovering an onside kick which many teams, college and pro, are struggling to do for some reason this season. We are obviously very early in the Pac-12 schedule but someone is going to have to go unscathed to have a shot at the CFP so why not the Trojans?
Liberty kept rolling along…and I know people will be upset with that. Something you have to admit, though, is that this is a really good team. They were able to dice through Virginia Tech’s defense rather easily but still needed a sad sequence of events at the end to win. Liberty tried a long field goal, it was blocked and returned by the Hokies with no time left in what looked like a crazy walk-off win for VaTech. Unfortunately Justin Fuente called timeout to ice the kicker before the play. Liberty gets another shot and the kicker drills the field goal to win the game. I can see a lot of people wanting Fuente gone after that. I don’t get it. Icing the kicker has proven to not work too often, even at the college level. So why do it? I know that was a rare occurrence what happened in this game but it still makes Fuente look like a moron.
Let’s go back to the Big Ten and one of the big stories there…the Indiana Hoosiers. Yes, seriously. Wins over Penn State, Rutgers and now Michigan have put them at the top of the Big Ten East division with Ohio State. That’s a pretty big deal for this team. Really, the entire division probably comes down to their trip to Columbus in two weeks. No one thought this would be the case. Tom Allen is one of several Coach of the Year candidates but a win over the Buckeyes would put him over the top for sure. Many wondered if they would ever get over the hump and turn into a Top 10 team. That time has arrived. Now we have to see if they can sustain it.
Oh BYU? Yeah I don’t think anyone can keep them out of contention this season. They absolutely annihilated Boise State on Friday night and it really looks like they won’t lose this season. They only have two games left: North Alabama and San Diego State. So they are assured of 10-0. The question though is this: will another team step up and schedule them on an open date? And if it’s a good team, it could real interesting. One more big victory signals BYU being easily in the New Year’s Six and being a complete thorn in the side of The Committee.
This year I was not going to fall for any Nebraska hype. I learned my lesson after last season’s debacle. So it didn’t surprise me to see them lose to Northwestern. Actually the Huskers aren’t as bad as they were last year as they kept it close with a team that could end up winning the Big Ten West. Last season is starting to look like an aberration in Evanston as Pat Fitzgerald has the Wildcats back in contention once again. As for Scott Frost, you have to wonder if this may be his last year in Lincoln after all the hope he brought with him after his super successful stint at UCF.
Miami beat NC State. Barely. Slowly, but surely, the Canes are making their way back up the rankings and could sneak into the College Football Playoff if everyone falls just right for them. Especially after Clemson’s loss to Notre Dame. Other than that one bad loss The U had, they have looked pretty good and D’Eriq King is still looking like the real deal. They can’t afford any hiccups the rest of the way though and almost need to look more dominant to cement their spot at least in the New Year’s Six.
Well it was definitely ugly but Oklahoma State stays in the catbird seat in the Big XII with their close win over Kansas State. But it shouldn’t have been this way. Chris Klieman’s coaching gaffe in the second quarter is an example of coaches overthinking when to go for two. The Wildcats just went up 12-0 and decided to go for two to make it 14-0 for some reason. I guess it looks better on the scoreboard, I don’t know. Anyway, they fail on their attempt. And funny thing, OSU ended up winning by two. Chasing points at any point before the fourth quarter drives me up the wall. There is no point in it. What you are saying is either a) I don’t trust my kicker which isn’t good for the kicker’s state of mind or b) I don’t trust my defense later on which isn’t good for the defensive players’ states of mind. Dumb. So for that reason, in my opinion, KSU deserved to lose. Period.
I normally don’t talk about Rutgers games in this post unless it’s about how bad they are. Yes they lost by 22 to Ohio State. But man does this team look like a lot of fun. A few trick plays that totally fooled tOSU and it’s obvious that Greg Schiano has already put his touch on the program (again). These kids believe they are not the worst team in the Big Ten East and it shows this year as they may truly be the third or fourth best team. Sounds crazy but it’s true.
So the Air Force-Army game was cancelled due to issues surrounding COVID-19 at the Academy. And now their game next Saturday against Wyoming has also been cancelled. Yikes. I wonder what happens to the Commander’s-In-Chief Trophy. I mean it’s 2020 so they could reschedule some sort of game between Air Force and Navy to play for it in a championship style game. Who knows. I mean at this point, any idea is at least a decent idea since this season has been so screwed up.
Cincinnati beat Houston very easily. The Bearcats have the inside track on the New Year’s Six spot. All they have to do is not lose. With their remaining schedule, they could very well get to the AAC Championship unscathed and in the driver’s seat. Oh, and for people who are saying they deserve to be in the College Football Playoff, save it. A lot would have to happen above them for that to happen, starting with teams like Notre Dame and Alabama losing for one.
Don’t forget about San Jose State in the Group of Five race. No, no, no not San DIEGO State. San JOSE State. After beating the Aztecs, they are quietly at 3-0 on the season. Their game against Boise State at the end of the month is looming large as they very well could be 5-0 as they head to the blue turf in Boise.
Iowa State certainly did not look like a team that could end up in the Big XII Championship in mid-December. Yes they beat Baylor and yes it means they stay right in the thick of the race but seven point victories over the Bears don’t exactly scream conference champion, let alone NY6 team. They get a week off and then a possible tough one against Kansas State. Win that and they have one of the biggest games of the year in the Big XII against Texas. There’s a good chance the winner clinches a spot in the conference championship game.
Hey guess who holds their own destiny in the Pac-12 North? You guessed it, the Washington State Cougars. I know, it’s been one game but I wondered if they’d even win one this season. And without Max Borghi who is arguably their best player. Look it would be a lot of fun if this team was in contention in December. How ridiculous would that be? Mike Leach would be pissed off. He’d probably just blame his own players on Mississippi State.
Oklahoma just destroyed Kansas. Do not sleep on the Sooners. Don’t be surprised if they can somehow sneak into the Big XII Championship. Win out and that’s where they will be. As for the Jayhawks, Les Miles just isn’t working out. There needs to be a complete overhaul of that program. I don’t know who can bring this team out of their decade-plus long funk but nothing has worked since the late 2000s.
And more Big XII as Texas survived against West Virginia in what was certainly not your typical Big XII slugfest. Tom Herman could be doing just enough to get the Horns back to JerryWorld in a little over a month. The conference, while being a shitshow, is still an entertaining shitshow. You have to agree with that, no?

That was a fun weekend of college football. Now for the Bossman Top 25!

#1	Alabama
#2	Notre Dame
#3	Florida
#4	Ohio State
#5	BYU
#6	Cincinnati
#7	Clemson
#8	Miami
#9	Texas A&M
#10	Oklahoma State
#11	Oregon
#12	Wisconsin
#13	Indiana
#14	Georgia
#15	Coastal Carolina
#16	Marshall
#17	SMU
#18	Iowa State
#19	Oklahoma
#20	USC
#21	Auburn
#22	Texas
#23	North Carolina
#24	Louisiana
#25	Liberty

Yes I have Clemson at #7 behind BYU and Cincinnati. If the Tigers win their final three games of the season they will be up in the Top 4 no matter what. Indiana I have not really moving, still at #13. Don’t worry Hoosiers fans: win out and there’s no way you’re out of the CFP either. Miami is at #8 and there’s a good chance they will be left out of the ACC Championship. Georgia didn’t fall too far considering who they lost to. Also, watch out for Marshall. They are severely underrated and could sneak it’s way up the chain and be looking at a New Year’s Six spot. Sounds crazy but it is still technically possible.

OK it’s that time of year folks! MACtion Tuesdays. And MACtion Wednesdays! Tomorrow night will see Akron face Ohio, Kent State head to Bowling Green, and the top of the MAC East, Buffalo, hosting Miami-OH. Akron-Ohio is on CBSSN and the other two games, unfortunately, won’t be seen up here. Wednesday also sees three games, with one on CBS Sports Network, that one being Eastern Michigan at Ball State.

Anyway, tomorrow I will have my first bowl projections post and man is it ever a doozy. Because I have no fucking idea what will end up happening because all teams are bowl-eligible. I will explain more in the post. Have a great week everyone.

Most Important Games of the 2020 College Football Season – The Final Portion

Posted on June 17, 2020 by guelphbossman

If you don’t know who these guys are well….I guess that just means you never watched wrestling (same thing I have now said two years running for the final post of this series). No, Degeneration X isn’t the greatest stable of all-time and no, their “invasion” of WCW was not important at all (despite what WWE might want you to think with their revisionist history bullshit). I am going to do a rating system for the final weeks of the system using DX members. I have to be careful since you may not agree with my ratings and I have to use members that may have been forgotten (look them up if you like). If you have no idea what I am talking about then don’t worry…it probably means you’re normal.

We’re at the end of this exercise for this season. Final three weeks of the regular season. Two great weeks and one not-so-good week. And get this: that not-so-good week is NOT SEC Sleepwalk Saturday. I think I have to finally retire that name. It’s a sad day in the history of the blog. The retirement ceremony to raise the banner to the rafters will happen sometime in the future. For now, let’s get to the final post of this series.

Week 11

This week is easily the worst of the bunch. I mean still somewhat important in the grand scheme of the season but not nearly as important as the two weeks after it. I want to say Week 11 is Tori but that would be mean as it’s not nearly that bad. So I will say Week 11 is X-Pac or the New Age Outlaws or even Chyna. So still pretty damn important because it will shape part of this season.

Game of the Week: Kansas State at Oklahoma (8:00, FOX) – OK so here is all you need to know about this week in college football. I mean there are some good games but when this is the GOTW, you know it’s not one of the better weeks of the season. As of right now, I have this in the primetime FOX slot although I can see that moving to Noon. Now this goes way up the list if both of these teams are contenders for the Big XII title and possibly the College Football Playoff.

Other Really Important Games: Tennessee at Georgia (3:30, CBS) – Tennessee is an interesting team coming into this season. Jarrett Guarantano is back which is a huge plus to the Vols. They have a good enough offense to be considered a possible contender in the SEC East. Saying that, if they beat the Dawgs here, it would be considered a colossal upset and the defining game (up to this point) of the Jeremy Pruitt era.

Memphis at Navy (3:30, CBS Sports Network) – CBS Sports Network almost never shows up on this part of the list. And this is the huge game of the AAC West this season (apologies to Tulane and SMU). Two favourites for the Group of Five New Year’s Six spot. And a place that, honestly, very few visiting teams win at. This is seriously must-see football and could upend the two games previous on this list as the Game of the Week if both of these teams are in the Top 25 coming into this one.

Arizona State at Oregon (Thursday, 10:00, FloSports) – Oregon feels like the easy, no-questions-asked favourite of the Pac-12. Saying that, Herm Edwards can get his Sun Devils up for big games so they will be ready here. Plus if ASU pulls off the upset, it continues the Pac-12’s new tradition of being a complete minefield of a conference with no one team that has to be considered a surefire CFP team.

Baylor at Iowa State (Noon, specialty pack) – Honestly it still feels weird to put Baylor in this spot. But thanks to Matt Rhule they have to be put here until they fall from grace. This is Dave Aranda’s first shot at being a head coach after years being one of the best defensive coordinators in the game. He gets a better chance than most first-time head coaches, starting at a Power Five school. Most people don’t get that opportunity. Which means it really is a huge risk-reward season for him since anything worse than bowl-eligibility would put him on a lava-hot seat in football-mad Texas.

Sneaky-Good Underrated Game: Wake Forest at Louisville (3:30, specialty pack) – Underrated? For sure. But don’t be surprised if one, or both, of these teams are in the Top 25 at this point. Then of course it would be in the most important games section but I digress. This is your typical regional sports network game that would never see the light of day in Canada before now. It’s the kind of game both teams will feel they have to win. Especially since a loss probably eliminates them from winning the ACC Clemson Division.

Best Group of Five Game: Memphis at Navy (3:30, CBS Sports Network) – See above. Seriously good game.

Worst Power Five Game: Kansas at Texas Tech (7:30, FloSports) – Isn’t it nice to have access to FOX Sports One games so you can see this barnburner? Now watch it be one of the more exciting games of the week.

Week 12

Fourth best week of the college football season. The former SEC Sleepwalk Saturday (R.I.P.) is now one of the more important weeks in college football. This means that Week 12 is the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels.

Game of the Week: LSU at Auburn (8:00, CBS) – Yes I have selected this game as the SEC on CBS primetime selection for the season. The Tigahs of Louisiana State are the defending national champions and the Tigahs from the Plains could have one of the best quarterbacks in the land in Bo Nix. It was not difficult at all to pick the GOTW for this week. And doesn’t it make sense that the death of SEC Sleepwalk Saturday is headlined by a massive SEC game? It’s just perfect.

Other Really Important Games: Texas A&M at Alabama (3:30, CBS) – Jesus Christ the SEC has put Sleepwalk Week to sleep. Tiger Bowl will be lead into with this game which could be huge again for the first time, truly, since Johnny Manziel was scrambling like a maniac in the Aggie backfield and A.J. McCarron had a girlfriend that Brent Musburger was slobbering all over. This may be the best one-two game combination on CBS ever which is saying something since the SEC on CBS has had many huge doubleheaders (OK it’s not really a doubleheader but work with me here). If CBS is smart, this doesn’t make it to ESPN meaning CBS will win the college football ratings war for the week.

Oregon at Washington (7:30, ABC/TSN5) – Chris Petersen, at home in his La-Z-Boy, will be so happy that this game is a 4:30 local start for his former Huskies team. I’m glad that whole thing is over with. It was whining to the nth degree at the time. You’re still getting on ESPN and FOX quite often so stop bitching. And honestly, many people in the Eastern time zone, myself included, would honestly love to have college football start at 9 in the morning and end at 11:30 at night. How fucking glorious would that be?

Georgia at Kentucky (Noon, TSN3) – Glad to see Kentucky isn’t automatically earmarked for the SEC Network regardless of who they play. This is the third SEC game on this list. It feels like someone is seriously P.O.’ed at me for coining the phrase SEC Sleepwalk Week. Seriously, though, who the fuck did the Bulldogs anger at the SEC main offices? Their schedule, starting October 10th, goes like this: Auburn, at Missouri, Cocktail Party, at South Carolina, Tennessee, at Kentucky. Good fucking God. For an SEC East team that is a gauntlet. They somehow win all those, they should get a CFP spot, regardless of how they do in the other games.

Clemson at Wake Forest (Friday, 7:00, specialty pack) – Another game, another ACC team trying to dethrone Clemson. I mean Wake is too the point where I expect them to win between six and eight games a season and be a thorn in the side of at least one team. I could see this moving to the ABC primetime slot if the Deacs are in the Top 25 which would make it the first time ever they have put that game in Winston-Salem to a full national audience (Wake’s game against Notre Dame in 2011 was a reverse mirror).

Oklahoma State at Kansas State (3:30, FloSports) – This could end up as the premier game on FOX…meaning at Noon Eastern. I am sure that some Big XII fans absolutely loathe 11:00 am start times. Let’s be honest: you either can’t tailgate too much or have to start at like 6 in the morning. As of right now, I have this as the “premier” game on FS1 but considering the state of all the non-SEC games this week, I don’t feel that great about putting them here. But that’s the prediction for now.

Indiana at Michigan (Noon, FOX) – See it’s either the above game or this one. I know the networks love Michigan (and why not with their fanbase) so as of this point, this is the favourite for the Big Noon Saturday spot. How many times has Indiana ended up on these lists this year? God, they better not end up 5-7.

Louisville at Notre Dame (2:30, NBC) – The weird 2:30 NBC time rears its ugly head again. I hate to say that these games end up being partially forgotten but for their sake, this game better be close to gain serious eyeballs. This may move to a 3:30 timeslot depending on what is on NBC in primetime.

Sneaky-Good Underrated Game: Iowa State at Texas (Noon, ABC/TSN5) – This will not be the Game of the Week and probably wouldn’t make the important games list. But one of these teams will be in serious contention for the Big XII Championship game and that’s almost a guarantee. ABC still might end up with a great schedule if this one turns out good, along with the other two games they have (the aforementioned UO-Washington game and the Battle for L.A. which I have at 3:30).

Best Group of Five Game: Cincinnati at UCF (7:00, specialty pack) – UCF isn’t the UCF of old. The Bearcats have probably surpassed the Knights in the AAC East hierarchy. There are so many possible teams that could come out of the American as true contenders that many of these games feel less important. I think there are honestly six teams, at least, that seem to have an honest shot at the New Year’s Six spot. Most of the conferences are not like this and with UConn gone from the conference, this conference actually becomes stronger funnily enough.

Worst Power Five Game: Miami at Georgia Tech (3:30, specialty pack) – This tells you how fall the Canes have fallen from being The U. Don’t get me wrong: at some point in early October, they will probably be in the Top 25. And then the bottom will fall out and Manny Diaz will be scrambling for his coaching life in south Florida. Geoff Collins is in his second year of leaving the option offense so the Ramblin’ Wreck might actually be a formidable foe here for Miami.

Week 13

The crowning moment of the regular season for college football fans. The week most college football fans look forward to. It’s American Thanksgiving Week(end). And God damn it am I ever going to watch a shitload of football. But, amazingly enough, this is only the third best week of the season! I know right? But it’s still the biggest week of this post. Since this is the pinnacle (again, of this post), there is only one person that belongs in this spot: Triple H. Meaning some teams’ hopes will be buried this week.

Game of the Week: Auburn at Alabama (3:30, CBS) – The Iron Bowl is once again the premier game of this final regular season week but not by much to a few other contenders. I remember last year when they thought of moving this game to Friday and I said it was not a bad idea. I take that back now. It’s probably a terrible idea especially if you were working that day. So I can’t see it ever moving to Black Friday considering how big football has become. Thanksgiving night? That’s a different story.

Other Really Important Games: Michigan at Ohio State (Noon, FOX) – One of the other potential Games of the Week. I’d love to say that Michigan has a great chance to finally beat tOSU. But let’s be honest: I will believe it when I see it (which is the same thing almost everyone, even Michigan fans, will say). I know GUS JOHNSON will be hoping that this game is actually exciting since you can tell these days when he is calling a blowout. It’s like all the life is sucked out of him.

LSU at Texas A&M (7:30, specialty pack) – Right now I have this on the SEC Network. For real. I know, I know but this week has a lot of non-SEC games on network TV so I have this feeling that this game may end up on the SEC Network. There, at least I have reasoning behind it. Saying that, it wouldn’t surprise me if this ends up on ESPN.

Wisconsin at Iowa (7:30, ABC) – For the first time, I believe, since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, Iowa does not play them on Black Friday. And considering this might be the de facto Big Ten West Division championship, I can see it ending up here or in the afternoon timeslot on ABC. Both of these teams will be hoping to jump over this hurdle (and the hurdle the following week) to get to the College Football Playoff, something both programs have barely missed.

Kansas State at Baylor (3:30, ABC/TSN2) – OK now that I remember I put this in the afternoon timeslot, there is no way Wisconsin-Iowa would be put here instead of this, unless one of these two teams is in the Top 10. Chris Klieman has done a good job in the Little Apple and he seems to be a bit underappreciated. Then again, that’s the norm for the Wildcats who are almost always underrated.

Texas at Oklahoma State (Friday, Noon, FOX) – The Big XII moving some of their games to Black Friday is an excellent idea as the Power Five mostly ignores that day. With the recent news out of Stillwater, I have this funny felling that Mike Gundy will not be around to see this game. Call it a hunch.

Sneaky-Good Underrated Game: Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday, Noon, ABC) – After last year’s Commonwealth Cup game, this could be considered the marquee Black Friday game (even though right now I have the UT-OSU game there at this point). I also have a feeling this won’t be as underrated as I think it will be. So why is it here? Well the other options were Kentucky-Louisville, Boston College-Wake Forest and Duke-Miami and I can’t see any of those actually being good games which is kind of part of the criteria here.

Best Group of Five Game: Troy at Appalachian State (Noon, specialty pack) – Troy should be back. I can feel it. And App State is App State. A possible Group of Five elimination game here. This will almost certainly end up on the specialty pack this time around. Other games that could be in this spot include Memphis-Tulane, Air Force-Utah State and Hawaii-San Diego State but I think this Sun Belt game carries the most importance.

Worst Power Five Game: Arkansas at Missouri (Friday, 2:30, CBS) – I was actually tempted to put Illinois-Northwestern here since I don’t know if the Illini will be as good but the Wildcats were atrocious last year. But Arkansas may end up being the worst Power Five team of the season so I kind of had to put them here. Oh well, it’s still college football and if I’m off that day, I know I will watch at least some of it.

Weeks 14 and 15

I don’t rate these weeks, ever (or at least I don’t now). Week 15 is Army-Navy which is always fun. I still wish for a day when we have an 11-0 Navy or an 11-0 Army coming in with a New Year’s Six spot on the line. Talk about ratings! As for all the conference championship games, the Pac-12 is the only one that still ends up on Friday which is fucking dumb but whatever. Any conference based in the Eastern or Central time zones would work much better on the Friday night but hey I’m just a blogger with smart reasoning powers.

All done! The most important games blog posts are in the books and it officially means I am gearing up for college football. Got my first preview magazine: Athlon. I have to call the Phil Steele offices to see when they will be beginning to ship magazines and then hope that Indigo opens up soon so I can buy Lindy’s and Street & Smith magazines. And then I will have all my summertime reading material, whether I am reading in bed, on the couch, on the can while taking a huge shit or in the bathtub (yes I sometimes take baths and read up on college football).

Next up is the network specific posts. I always hope to get it as accurate as possible but as they say, “Card Subject to Change.” This means we are getting closer to the summer (technically it’s four days away) and the final countdown towards college football season. 73 days away from Week Zero and counting down.

Everyone have a happy Hump Day and enjoy the rest of your week!

Bossman's Blog

A lot of college football (and perhaps a bit of miscellaneous crap that I think warrants a post)

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