Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2019

I have to admit that yesterday morning when signing on to my laptop, I almost looked at Mark Sclabach’s article on his Top 25 for 2019 before checking out the result of the championship game - since I managed to stay awake until halftime I had a good idea as to the winner. One of the first things I noticed about the above mentioned article was the time it was posted - 12:05 am. What a way to get started for this new season!

Since I was trying to put together a list in my head, the top 10 was no surprise - though I would have put Oregon in at #9 instead of Texas, who I would have had a bit lower (12-15 range). I am also thinking that with key losses, Michigan is too high (18-20 range) and am curious as too the inclusion of Syracuse - who should make an appearance in the poll, but near the bottom. Seeing Army listed made me smile - but they are losing a strong class (OL and defense), so I would settle for bowl bid. Anything more would be a bonus.

Lastly, there were some omissions that got my attention. Kentucky and West Virginia didn’t make the cut after having very solid, if not spectacular years. Mark also didn’t want to go out on a limb for Miami and Virginia Tech. And of course there are other exclusions: USC, Florida State, Tennessee, and Non-Power 5 schools (again no chance taking on Mark’s part). But I have to remember that it is probaby more of a “best” 25 teams and not an end of year poll.

2019 - here we come!

Trevor Lawrence

For the next couple of years everyone is going to talk about Trevor Lawrence and the young kid will be compared to a Peyton Manning who wins in the clutch. I must admit that I am very impressed with this freshman that has just won his first national championship. What impresses me though is his poise, maturity, unselfishness , and very modest. The story of him taking a selfie with fans when he could be in the locker room celebrating with his teammates speaks volumes about his character.

Speaking of character, every time I see him I think of the character Sunshine in “Remember the Titans” - and then I smile and laugh…

New Year Thoughts

While watching Bowl Games on New Year’s Day, and perusing the web, I had a thought or two as we enter a new year and the 150th year of college football (of which I have been a fan for 47 years)…

• There is no better bowl game than the Rose Bowl - especially when it is the original “Pac-12/Big Ten matchup)

• Shame on Georgia, a team with a bright future, if they were disappointed to not be included in the playoff

• Originally when the playoff was being discussed, I was for an eight team field, but I am now firmly in the camp of keeping it at four as every week during the regular season can be an eliminator game

• You can’t tell me that the non-playoff games have no meaning - especially after seeing Iowa/Mississippi State, LSU/UCF, Ohio State/Washington, and Texas/Georgia

• No matter how well a live mascot is trained or restrained - their behavior is still unpredictable and VERY exciting for the game

• Lastly, we are only two days into the new year, and we have already lost two great people in college football - Team captain and Purdue super fan Tyler Trent and Johns Hopkins great head coach Jim Margraff.  They will be missed!

Army-Navy Game

There is no better game that I would love to write about than Army-Navy, but I could never do the game justice in just a few short words. Perhaps that will be a challenge of mine in the near future when I have a bit more time to sit down and thoroughly research and think about the GREATEST rivalry in sports over an extended period of time. But that is for another day or days…

For now, I would suggest visiting each academies’ athletic websites and read what has been posted all week long by each program. Also, google the game and pick out articles that will provide even more insight about the game, the kids, and what it means to all involved. For me, I really enjoyed John Feinstein’s “Nothing in Sports moves me like the Army-Navy game”.

Enjoy this great game no matter the outcome, because the teams and their classmates are all heroes. If you are like me, you will be wiping your eyes more than once…

Early December Football

A few years back, the college football season would end for me after Thanksgiving weekend, when the last of the FBS rivalry games were played. Of course there would still be New Year’s Day Bowls - as well as a few other intriguing bowls, but for the most part, the season was over. Now, early December gets my attention, as there is a lot more for me to follow besides the Army-Navy game (which in itself could carry a whole weekend).

We now have championship games (ten in total), which determine conference champions, as well as who will participate in the four-team playoff. In addition, by following all divisions of the game, I will be able to enjoy 8 playoff games, as well as the Army-Navy (or is it Navy-Army?) game.

This game of college football that I love every day keeps getting better and better…

Is it Tuesday or Wednesday?

I had a quick thought this afternoon, and it left me horrified for a moment - until I realized it was Tuesday and not Wednesday. I say that because I was so looking forward to kicking off the last regular season weekend in the FBS with watching Miami (Ohio) vs. Ball State, as they go for the Rebird Rivalry Trophy. Funny thing is - this is only the second season in this rivalry that there is a trophy on the line. The RedHawks also need a win to keep their hopes alive for the East Division title.

Boring to some, but I will be loooking for the score (along with the Northern Illinois/Western Michigan score) first thing tomorrow morning at 4:00 am…

Worth a Watch

Wednesday is a tough night for some to watch football, but true fans of the sport shouldn’t have any trouble with it. In fact, the two MAC games tonight, one East matchup and one West contest, might just be worth a quick look.

At 7:00 (now), Ohio (6-3) will visit Miami (Ohio) (3-6) in a matchup between longtime rivals (the RedHawks lead the series 52-40-2 that began in 1908). The Battle of the Bricks, as this game is known, is an annual all-sports series between the Ohio University Bobcats and the Miami University RedHawks. Founded in 1804 and 1809, respectively, both Ohio and Miami are well known for their beautiful red brick campuses as well as their competition in both the classroom and on the athletic field. The official Battle of the Bricks Series started in 2002-2003 as a means to promote the historic competitive rivalry between the two universities.

An hour later, Toledo (5-4) will tee it up against Northern Illinois (6-3), as the Huskies will try to wrap up the West Division. Northern Illinois features the league's No. 1 scoring defense (21.7) and rushing defense (103.8), while Toledo leads the MAC in scoring (41.2), and is second in rushing offense (204.3) and third in total offense (440.1). Lastly, in every single season since 2010, Toledo and NIU have met in November with the MAC West title still at stake for one or both schools.

Enjoy your Wednesday football!

Mixed Results for Maine Teams

After the final whistle blew in the Bates-Bowdoin game, one could look back at the results from the first weekend of November for Maine college football teams and smile. The only Division I team,UMaine, won a tough game against a ranked Towson team on the road to remain tied atop the CAA standings. To do it, the Black Bear defense stuffed a late fourth and goal try to wrap up a 35-28 win.

Meanwhile, in Division III, there were five games featuring the six teams in this level. Husson, a fairly new program from Bangor, won their third straight ECFC title with a convincing 63-2 win over Gaulladet. With that win, the Eagles will move on to the playoffs after a final non-conference game against Plymouth State from New Hampshire. Last year, Husson got their first-ever postseason win over Springfield.

In the NESCAC, Bowdoin knocked Bates off in the first-ever night game at Historic Whittier Field. With the win, the Polar Bears snapped a 24-game losing streak, and they will play Colby next week for the CBB Championship. Bates remains winless and they saw their four year reign end as CBB champions. Colby traveled to Boston, only to be trampled by the Jumbos, 48-0. A disappointing outcome after having won their two previous games. All will be forgotten though if they beat their rivals on the 10th.

Lastly, things did not go very well for the two remaining teams from Maine - the Mariners from Maine Maritime or the University of New England. MMA lost convincingly to Springfield, 44-7, leaving them winless on the year with only one more game. Usually an offensive team, the Mariners have averaged only seven point per game this year. I thoght that the Nor’easters would have an excellent chance at winning their second game against a winless Becker team, but they ended up losing 31-17. For UNE, as their first season winds down, it could be just a depth issue as nagging injuries pile up.

Overall, when looking back at this past weekend, there were some positive things to think about for Maine college football.

New Era

It has been almost eight months since my last quick thought entry, but this is probably more of a statement. Today, my college football viewing has officially changed for the time being as I have shut off my cable tv - which had a lot of sports channels (to the tune of $135 a month). With all the time I spend on my laptop, and with all the opportunties to stream almost any game - why have a high television cost? So, I am writing this as I listen to Princeton-Columbia in the background on ESPNU - and soon I will be going between this game and Rhode Island-Harvard.

I have closed one door, but I am thinking that I have now opened another door and a couple of windows…

Super Bowl Sunday

I know that it is Super Bowl Sunday, and so many of my family and friends are really excited for the game, but up until kickoff my thoughts are on college football.  And it's not just because I am a Steeler fan on Sundays during the season.  I am sure that it goes without saying that I think about the sport of college football every day.

Speaking of which, I have now added 5 weeks of schedules to the 2018 Schedule tab - though I must admit that they are mostly incomplete because they only include FBS teams at this juncture.  Also, with each week added to the schedule, there are fewer FBS games because not all conferences have come out with their schedules (AAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Mid-American).  As these conferences release there 2018 matchups, I will update the schedules as needed.

Off I go to do more work and preparation for the 2018 season which starts in 202 days, and 6 hours...

Michigan State

This is the only time that this mess in Michign State is mentioned on the site, but I am so sickened with all that has come out at the school.  I am hoping that more heads roll in the next few days or weeks because what has happened in East Lansing is so completely unacceptable!!!  I am also really mad that the Terps couldn't hang on to their halftime lead and send the Spartans home with a loss - my only hope is that the student section worked them over all game long! I hate to say it, but now I'll be cheering for the Buckeyes and all their other opponents to beat them next fall!

East-West Shrine Game

Tomorrow is the 93rd East-West Shrine Game on the NFL Network at 3:00 pm.  It started back in 1925 at San Francisco's Ewing Field, and is now played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.  The Mission "More Than just a Game" is successful every year as players and coaches visit local Shriners Hospitals for Children and form instant bonds and friendships with the patients.  It is no exaggeration for me to say that when I have watched this game, I have shed tears of love and joy for some of the stories told of these experiences...

Legendary College Football Announcer

Last Friday, Keith Jackson, who broadcasted college football for over 50 years, died at the age of 89.  It has taken me a week to put this enty into this website because I knew that no matter what I write, I couldn't do him justice.  My first memories of him were when he worked on the Wide World of Sports broadcasts, but that was just the tip of the iceberg!  Jackson also covered the NFL, MLB, the Olympics, auto racing, boxing - and even the 1964 National Republican Convention with Walter Cronkite.

There are great announcers from the past and the present, and I expect in the future - but in my book, no one will top Mr. Jackson.  If the greatest form of flattery is imitation, then he has achieved that as people will forever say, "Fum Bulllll!", refer to Michigan Stadium as "The Big House", the Rose Bowl as "The Granddaddy of them all", and from time to time utter "Whoa Nellie".

Bear and a Playoff

As last Monday was nearing, I found myself watching the 1980 Sugar Bowl between Alabama and Arkansas on demand.  At the beginning of the broadcast, ABC was playing an interview of Bear Bryant and one of the questions was if Bryant believed in a playoff since there were questions about the polls that year.  Bear would go along with the idea bcause he liked the idea of an undisputed champion, but he didn't want the current bowl system to be affected by the playoff.  He also said that he was concentrating on this game, and if the team took care of business, everything would work itself out.  A very wise man who was ahead of his time...

A last thought about that game - the head coaches were Bear Bryant an Lou Holtz, while the broadcast team was Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian.  Pretty damn impressive i'd say!

2018 College Football Season

This past Saturday, while stretching after my morning workout at the YMCA, I was confronted by the cold stare of Bucky Badger on my t-shirt.  It was a reminder that I hadn't been very attentive to this website.  Though I followed the season closely to the end, I had made a decision a few weeks back to start preparing for the next season since I didn't do the 2017 season justice.

Well, as of last night's thrilling FCS Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia, the 2017 College Football season is in the books.  Now its time to look forward to the upcoming 2018 season - which is only 228 days away, if you include the three games being played on August 25th (Week Zero).  I have now learned the hard way that it will be here before we know it!

Already on ESPN there have been articles on a Way-Too-Early Top 25 as well as the best games of the opening weekend.  Also, the entire Week 1 FBS Schedule has been posted on the website fbschedules.com.  Like Christmas, it is never too early to start planning ahead.

So as I wrestle with the thought of a new format and presentation while gathering data on the most interesting games of the upcoming year, I feel confident that I can find enough news, trivia, and interesting tidbits to keep this site going thru the next few months until the arrival of August 25th!

Egg Bowl

Sitting down to watch the Egg Bowl after a delicious meal with family was a perfect way to end Thanksgiving - though I will admit a Longhorn/Aggie matchup would have been better.  During and after the game, I was reminded how much these rivalry games mean to the teams, the coaches, the schools, and the fans especially if there is a bit of bad blood.  Here are a couple of examples:

• Bulldog QB Nick Fitzgerald goes out with a bad ankle injury, and he comes back to the MSU sideline to cheer on his team that fights on
• Play gets chippy for no reason, and there is always a stupid penalty or gesture
• Holding the Golden Egg Trophy and hearing his players tell him that they love him makes this a great night for interim coach Matt Luke
• Fans crying in the stands after their team loses

What caught my eye though was seeing Dan Mullen talking to his kicker twice after his last two onside kicks.  Despite all that was going around him, Mullen continued to coach and console the kid.  A great person to have on your team's sideline...

Past and New

As I was in the vicinity of Whittier Field at Bowdoin College yesterday and drove by a silent Ritchie Field at Maine Maritime Academy, I was quickly reminded that the 2017 football season is already in the past for most Division II and III football programs.  For a lucky few in those divisions, the playoffs/bowls (ECAC Football Fest) begin today.  

Also, the regular season will end today for the FCS, but there are some games being played that will either clinch a conference/playoff berth or be a great resume builder.  And to a certain extent, the same is true in the FBS division.

Sit back and enjoy today's varied November action because it is going to be something special...

Wednesday, Oct. 8th Games

Tonight there are three MAC games being played, with two of them causing me problems as I try to decide which will be best.  One of the games, which has already started, features Toledo at Ohio - a battle of first place teams from the East and West divisions.  The last time the Bobcats beat the Rockets in back-to-back years was back in 1967 and 1968 (the last year Ohio won the MAC Championship).

The other game pits Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.  This is the 95th game in the series, with the Chippewas holding a significant lead in the series, 59-29-6.  The Eagles, who have had a series of hard luck games (3 OT losses, and a denied 2-point conversion that would have won the game) have an opportunity to not only keep their bowl hopes alive, but they can prevent CMU from winning the Michigan MAC Trophy outright.

Worthy of a mention is the third game of the night between Kent State and Western Michigan.  The only fun with this game would be to see if the Golden Flashes can ruin Senior Night for the Broncos...

Tuesday, Nov. 7th Games

I have to admit - I am not sure that I can get excited for tonight's two games.  I know that the Bowling Green/Buffalo games have been close recently, but Bowling Green has won six straight in the series and Buffalo is currently on a four-game losing streak.  The Bulls though need this to remain bowl eligible, and they play at home - so I am thnking they will win this matchup.  Even so, I won't be turning this game on unless I am channel surfing.

The Akron/Miami (Ohio) game is a tad more interesting for five reasons (and I am reaching):

1. The Zips are 4-1 in MAC East
2. The series started in 1916 (but they only played four times from 1916 to 1992)
3. Terry Bowden is the head coach for Akron
4. Miami is fighting for their bowl life
5. The Redhawks have good looking uniforms

Even after these reasons, it is hard to have much time vested in this game - especially when Akron proudly exclaims in their game notes, "won at least five games for five consecutive years."  

Tomorrow's game between Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan will be better to watch...

Fitzpatrick Stadium

I do have to say before I get started on week 11, I really enjoyed going to the UMaine/Delaware game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Saturday afternoon.  It was a good time because all of my family attended the game with smiles - perhaps aided by a gathering before the game at a special place called Wemmicks.  Seriously, it was a very special day for me enjoying something I love with those I love...