We have now approached the halfway point of the the 2016 college football season and that means we have a clearer picture of how the College Football Playoff will take shape. Judging by this week's rankings it appears that the Big Ten, the SEC, The ACC, and the Pac-12 will each send a team to the championship bowl games. The Big XII, it seems, may be the power conference that gets left out unless either Baylor or West Virginia remain undefeated. Meanwhile, Navy's victory over Houston last week has put an undefeated Boise State of the Mountain West Conference in a position to be the Group of Five's representative to the New Year's Six Bowl Games. As for which teams will go to the playoffs, it is still to early to tell until the first CFP rankings are unveiled on Tuesday, November 1st. For now, let us take a look at the top ten teams in this week's AP Poll to see which ones have the best chance of making it to the CFP.
#1 ALABAMA
Once again, the Alabama Crimson Tide are #1 in this week's AP Poll. The Tide are 7-0 overall with a 4-0 record in SEC Conference play. At this point, it is safe to say that Alabama controls its own destiny in the SEC West. In fact, some might argue that this Crimson Tide team is playing in a league of its own after its dismantling of what was a #9 Tennessee squad (The Volunteers have since fallen to #18 in the AP Rankings) This Saturday, Alabama will host Texas A&M in Tuscaloosa. ESPN's College Gameday will be there since it is a match-up between two top ten teams. So far, the Aggies will be the highest ranked team that Alabama will play on its remaining schedule, as they are currently #6 in the AP Poll. Unlike Tennessee, it is believed that Texas A&M will be a more formidable challenge, as Kevin Sumlin's offense outclasses the Tide in both passing and rushing yards. Both teams have averaged more than forty points a game. A high-scoring shootout at Bryant-Denny Stadium is possible if Alabama's defense falters. Alabama also has the following games against ranked opponents: #25 LSU (11/05) and #21 Auburn (11/26).
#2 OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes survived a major challenge from Wisconsin and, in so doing, extended their road winning streak to 20 games. However, Ohio State for the second week in a row struggled during the first half and could not win in Madison without going into overtime. But even with first half difficulties, the Buckeyes have averaged 216.0 passing yards, 300 rushing yards, and 49.3 points per game. Indeed, their defense has only given up an average of 12.8 points per game. If Ohio State can keep yielding these kinds of numbers (J.T. Barrett still passed 226 yards and ran for 92 yards with 3 touchdowns on Saturday, mostly in the 2nd half) then it is possible to finish the season undefeated. But the Buckeyes have a long way to go. Their remaining schedule is going to be very difficult for them to win out if they cannot find a way to fix their first half deficiencies. The Buckeyes have to face ranked teams like #8 Nebraska on November 5th and #3 Michigan on November 26th. Prior to these ranked opponents, Ohio State still has to play a tough Penn State team (Saturday's Game) at State College, and it will host a resurgent Northwestern Wildcats team that scored more than fifty points in its last game against Michigan State in East Lansing. Season is up in the air.
#3 MICHIGAN
The AP Poll raised Michigan's ranking from #4 to #3 even though the Wolverines had a bye week. It could probably be argued that Michigan's ranking would have stayed the same had Clemson not struggled against an unranked North Carolina State. But, Michigan is now #3 and head coach Jim Harbaugh has positioned his team to make a run for the national championship. Michigan currently possesses the best defense in the FBS in terms of points allowed (10.3), the 2nd best scoring offense (50.0 points per game), and perhaps the most versatile player in the country in LB Jabrill Peppers (now a potential Heisman Trophy candidate). Indeed, when a couple of friends of mine before the season asked my opinion about which team could win the championship, I responded by predicting that if Michigan gets into the College Football Playoff, they will win. And judging by the Wolverines' upcoming schedule, it appears that they may have clear path to the Big Ten Conference Championship. All of their upcoming games feature non-ranked opponents with the exception of #2 Ohio State. Does that mean it will be an easy schedule? Absolutely not, since the Big Ten East Division has been touted as one of the best, if not the best division in the 2016 college football season. Michigan's schedule also features Big Ten West division teams Illinois (which it plays Saturday) and Iowa.
#4 CLEMSON
Clemson's victory over an unranked North Carolina State was nothing short of disappointing. A missed 33-yard field goal was the only thing that kept Clemson from being eliminated, at least in the short-term, from CFP contention. But, the Tigers still won in overtime and they are still in the top five in the AP Poll for now. Clemson has a bye this week, and the Tigers will pay a visit to Tallahassee to play the #13 ranked Florida State Seminoles on October 29th. According to ESPN, Clemson is now 15-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less. But judging by how Florida State has averaged 35 points per game compared to Clemson's 36.6 p.p.g. average, it looks like the Tigers will have to play it real close once again. But the problem with that strategy, as we witnessed on Saturday, is that luck has a part to play in close wins. And one day, that luck will run out. But, Clemson fans can at least take stock in the fact that they have great athletes like star QB Deshaun Watson and RB Wayne Gallman to lead their team on to the field, play competitive football, and not give up. The Tigers do have a path to the CFP Championship, but their next two games will be difficult. Not only to they play a ranked Florida State squad, they have to host a Syracuse team that shocked the college football world in its upset of what was then a rising power: Virginia Tech, which until last weekend was ranked #17. Good Luck, Clemson. It looks like you may need it.
#5 WASHINGTON
Like Michigan, Washington had a bye week and its next game will be on Saturday, October 22nd against an unranked Oregon State at home. Anyway, over the last few weeks, Washington has become the dominant team in the Pac-12 North division. Since becoming head coach, Chris Petersen has completely revitalized a Washington Huskies program that has not won a conference championship since 2000. So far, the Huskies are favored to win the PAC-12 title, along with a berth in the College Football Playoff. Washington has averaged nearly 50 p.p.g. with a defense that has held its opponents to an average of 14.2 p.p.g. This year's team also has a Heisman Trophy Candidate in QB Jake Browning. ESPN notes that in his last two games, he threw nine touchdowns and no interceptions while helping to maintain his team's passing yard average of 252.2 yards per game. As for the rest of Washington's schedule, it looks to be difficult and a bit deceptive in terms of ranked vs. unranked opponents. For now, the Huskies only have one ranked team on their schedule: #19 Utah, which they will play on October 29th. The rest of their schedule is as follows: Next is Oregon State, which has a reputation for toughness, California on November 5th (a team that beat Texas and Utah), USC, Arizona State, and rising power Washington State, which has won four games in a row. Perhaps the key to the Pac-12 North will be this year's Apple Cup. But, for all intents and purposes, The Huskies control their own destiny.
#6 TEXAS A&M
All eyes will be on the Aggies this Saturday when they play against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Earlier today, ESPN characterized this game as "Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object." Texas A&M has one of the best offensive lines in the country (274 yards per game, 6.8 yards per rush with 19 TDs) but they have to go up against Alabama's rigid defense. Alabama's defensive line has only allowed an average of 64 yards per game and it has restricted its opposing offensive lines to an average of 2.0 yards per play. It is obvious to anyone who follows the sport that Texas A&M has to beat Alabama in order to get into the College Football Playoff, especially since both teams play in the SEC West Division. Saturday's game may determine who ultimately gets the division title and a berth to the SEC Championship Game. After the Alabama game, the Aggies' schedule get a little less difficult with games against unranked opponents UTSA, New Mexico State, and Mississippi State. Future ranked opponents include #23 Mississippi and a revitalized #25 LSU team under interim head coach Ed Orgeron.
#7 LOUISVILLE
The Cardinals are currently 5-1 overall (3-1 ACC) but one-loss teams can still get into the CFP. It often depends on when and how that loss occurs and whether that team in question can sufficiently recover from it. In Louisville's case, they were able to put themselves back on track after their loss to Clemson with a hard-fought win over Duke. But like Clemson's difficulties with NC State, in which an unranked Wolfpack squad managed to hold the Tigers high scoring offense to less than 20 points during regulation play, Duke's defense did something similar to Louisville when they held the Cardinals' offense to 24 points. Up until the Clemson game, the Cardinals under star QB Lamar Jackson had averaged between 50-60 points per game. Speaking of NC State, Louisville hosts the Wolfpack for Saturday's game. I have to imagine that NC State will be playing with a lot of confidence since they nearly defeated Clemson on the Tigers' home turf. Louisville will need to ready for this game. A loss at home to an unranked NC State will end their chances of getting into the CFP.
#8 NEBRASKA
Head Coach Mike Riley has engineered a remarkable turnaround for his Nebraska Cornhuskers. In his first year as Nebraska HC, Riley finished the season with a 6-7 record in spite of a postseason bowl win. This year, Nebraska is undefeated, ranked #8 in the country, and has a very good chance to get into the CFP even if they have one loss. That loss could come from when they play #2 Ohio State on November 5th. However, the most important future game on the Huskers' schedule is when they play #10 Wisconsin on 10/29. In this blogger's opinion, the Wisconsin game is much more important because of the divisional alignment of the Big Ten Conference. Both Nebraska and Wisconsin are in the Big Ten West division and a win over the Badgers would provide the Huskers with a clear path to the Big Ten Championship game. However, the Huskers still have formidable opponents on their schedule, with upcoming games against Minnesota, Maryland and Iowa. This weekend, the Huskers host Purdue. Given the state that Purdue's program is in now that it has fired head coach Darrell Hazel, Nebraska should have a 7-0 record going into next week. Purdue is the last seemingly easy game before Nebraska's schedule gets a lot tougher. Will the Huskers remain undefeated? Probably not. Can the Huskers get to the CFP? Perhaps Yes.
#9 BAYLOR
Baylor is undefeated in the Big XII, but so is #12 West Virginia, and #16 Oklahoma. But unlike West Virginia, Oklahoma has two non-conference losses. These two teams appear to represent Baylor's biggest challenges to maintaining its undefeated record. However, judging by Baylor's strong offense (scoring average: 43.7 ppg) and stout defense (only allowed 17.2 ppg), the Bears have a good chance of finishing their conference season undefeated. Baylor has a bye this week and that should give the Bears a chance to rest before they go to Austin next week for their game against Texas. ESPN predicts that Baylor has a 61% chance of defeating Texas, but that rating could change depending on how well the Longhorns play in Saturday's game against Kansas State. Texas' current problem is their defense, which has allowed an average of 34 points per game. But Baylor should keep an eye on the Longhorn offense, especially RB D'Onta Foreman who ranks second nationally with an 146.2 yards per game rushing average. If Baylor's defense can contain Foreman, then it is likely the Bears will earn a win in Austin and, in so dong, build the confidence they need to finish out the year undefeated. Baylor's last game of the season is against rising power West Virginia, which they will play in Morgantown. The college football world may not know the true state of Big XII football until after the last down has been played in the "Wild and Wonderful" state of West Virginia.
#10 WISCONSIN
Out of all the teams in this week's top ten, Wisconsin does not have much of a chance of getting into the CFP. The Badgers are the only two-loss team in the AP top ten but both of their losses were to then-ranked #4 Michigan and #2 Ohio State. They still have to play one more top-ten ranked team on their schedule (#8 Nebraska), but the rest of the Badgers' season features unranked, albeit formidable opponents. This Saturday they play the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, then after playing Nebraska, the Badgers travel to Evanston to play a revitalized Northwestern squad, then games against Illinois and Purdue, and finally, Minnesota, a game that is always interesting and fun to watch. As for the Iowa game, ESPN gives the Badgers a 61% chance to win. However, Iowa is 3-1 in conference play and the odds-makers only give the Badgers a 3-point advantage. This game may be Wisconsin's last chance to stay in the top ten and keep itself positioned for a berth in a New Years Six bowl game. Perhaps the Badgers could end up with an at-large appearance in either the Sugar, Orange, or Cotton Bowls.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket
March Madness is here! I am interrupting the Howell Report's hiatus to post the blog's bracket for the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The last time I posted a bracket to this website was back in 2014. That year, the Howell Report's bracket made it all the way to the Round of Eight. Will this year's bracket last as long? I guess we will find out over the next couple of weeks. Any polite, respectful, and relevant comments are welcome. Enjoy the Madness Everyone! The first games begin this evening on TruTV.
Please forgive the quality of this image as it was taken on a camera phone.
Please forgive the quality of this image as it was taken on a camera phone.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Howell Report is on Hiatus
Happy 2016 to all of my readers. I wanted to mention to everyone that I am putting this blog on hiatus for the foreseeable future. Right now I am not in a position to make any updates to this website. But I want to reassure my readers that I have not lost interest in this blog. I still follow college football and other sports like horse racing and I plan to make regular updates again in the future. Hopefully that will be before the start of the 2016-17 college football season. In the meantime, enjoy Super Bowl 50!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
2015-16 Bowl Schedule Released
The 2015-16 Bowl Schedule has been released to the general public. This year's lineup of postseason competition features 41 games, including two new bowl games along with the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The two new games are as follows: The AutoNation Cure Bowl, which will feature teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Sun Belt, and a game unofficially referred to as the "Arizona Bowl," which will include teams from Conference-USA and the Mountain West. As for the College Football Playoff, this season's semifinal games will be the Goodyear Cotton Bowl and the Capital One Orange Bowl. Both games will be played on New Years Eve, while the College Football Playoff Championship game will be held on January 11th at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The current postseason schedule can be found below.
Source: fbschedules.com
2015-2016 POSTSEASON COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL AND CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Source: fbschedules.com
2015-2016 POSTSEASON COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL AND CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
| Bowl | Location | Date/Time | TV | |
| AutoNation Cure Bowl American vs. Sun Belt |
Citrus Bowl Stadium Orlando, FL |
Sat., Dec. 19 12:00 pm ET |
CBSSN | |
| Gildan New Mexico Bowl C-USA vs. MWC |
University Stadium Albuquerque, NM |
Sat., Dec. 19 2:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl MWC or BYU vs. Pac-12 |
Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas, NV |
Sat., Dec. 19 3:30 pm ET |
ABC | |
| Raycom Media Camellia Bowl MAC vs. Sun Belt |
Cramton Bowl Montgomery, AL |
Sat., Dec. 19 5:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl C-USA vs. Sun Belt |
Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA |
Sat., Dec. 19 9:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Miami Beach Bowl C-USA vs. The American |
Marlins Park Miami, FL |
Mon., Dec. 21 2:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl MAC vs. MWC |
Bronco Stadium Boise, ID |
Tue., Dec. 22 3:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Boca Raton Bowl MAC vs. American |
FAU Stadium Boca Raton, FL |
Tue., Dec. 22 7:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl MWC vs. Army |
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, CA |
Wed., Dec. 23 4:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| GoDaddy Bowl MAC vs. Sun Belt |
Ladd-Peebles Stadium Mobile, AL |
Wed., Dec. 23 8:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Popeyes Bahamas Bowl C-USA vs. MAC |
Thomas Robinson Stadium Nassau, Bahamas |
Thu., Dec. 24 12:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Hawai'i Bowl American vs. MWC or BYU |
Aloha Stadium Honolulu, HI |
Thu., Dec. 24 8:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| St. Petersburg Bowl American vs. C-USA |
Tropicana Field St. Petersburg, FL |
Sat., Dec. 26 11:00 am ET |
ESPN | |
| Hyundai Sun Bowl ACC/Notre Dame vs. Pac-12 |
Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, TX |
Sat., Dec. 26 2:00 pm ET |
CBS | |
| Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl Big 12 vs. C-USA |
Cotton Bowl Stadium Dallas, TX |
Sat., Dec. 26 2:20 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| New Era Pinstripe Bowl ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big Ten |
Yankee Stadium Bronx, NY |
Sat., Dec. 26 3:30 pm ET |
ABC | |
| Independence Bowl ACC/Notre Dame vs. SEC |
Independence Stadium Shreveport, LA |
Sat., Dec. 26 5:45 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Foster Farms Bowl Big Ten vs. Pac-12 |
Levi's Stadium Santa Clara, CA |
Sat., Dec. 26 9:15 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Military Bowl ACC/Notre Dame vs. American |
Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium Annapolis, MD |
Mon., Dec. 28 2:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Quick Lane Bowl ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big Ten |
Ford Field Detroit, MI |
Mon., Dec. 28 5:00pm ET |
ESPN2 | |
| Arizona Bowl C-USA vs. MWC |
Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ |
Tue., Dec. 29 (tentative) |
CBSSN | |
| Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Big Ten vs. MWC |
Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX |
Tue., Dec. 29 2:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Russell Athletic Bowl ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big 12 |
Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL |
Tue., Dec. 29 5:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl Big 12 vs. SEC |
NRG Stadium Houston, TX |
Tue., Dec 29 9:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Birmingham Bowl SEC vs. American |
Legion Field Birmingham, AL |
Wed., Dec. 30 12:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Belk Bowl SEC vs. ACC/Notre Dame |
Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC |
Wed., Dec. 30 3:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Franklin Amer. Mort. Music City Bowl SEC vs. ACC/ND or Big Ten |
LP Field Nashville, TN |
Wed., Dec. 30 7:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| National University Holiday Bowl Big Ten vs. Pac-12 |
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, CA |
Wed., Dec. 30 10:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl At-Large vs. At-Large (NY6) |
Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA |
Thu., Dec. 31 12:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Goodyear Cotton Bowl Playoff Semifinal Game |
AT&T Stadium Arlington, TX |
Thu., Dec. 31 4 or 8 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Capital One Orange Bowl Playoff Semifinal Game |
Sun Life Stadium Miami Gardens, FL |
Thu., Dec. 31 4 or 8 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Outback Bowl Big Ten vs. SEC |
Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL |
Fri., Jan. 1 12:00 pm ET |
ESPN2 | |
| Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl Big Ten vs. SEC |
Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium Orlando, FL |
Fri., Jan. 1 1:00 pm ET |
ABC | |
| Fiesta Bowl At-Large vs. At-Large (NY6) |
U. of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ |
Fri., Jan. 1 1:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Rose Bowl Game Big Ten vs. Pac-12 (NY6) |
Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA |
Fri., Jan. 1 5:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Allstate Sugar Bowl Big 12 vs. SEC (NY6) |
Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA |
Fri., Jan. 1 8:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| TaxSlayer Bowl ACC/ND or Big Ten vs. SEC |
EverBank Field Jacksonville, FL |
Sat., Jan. 2 12:00 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| AutoZone Liberty Bowl Big 12 vs. SEC |
Liberty Bowl Memphis, TN |
Sat., Jan. 2 3:20 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Valero Alamo Bowl Big 12 vs. Pac-12 |
Alamodome San Antonio, TX |
Sat., Jan 2 6:45 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| Cactus Bowl Big 12 vs. Pac-12 |
Chase Field Phoenix, AZ |
Sat., Jan. 2 10:15 pm ET |
ESPN | |
| CFP National Championship Semifinal Winner vs. Semifinal Winner |
U. of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ |
Mon., Jan. 11 8:30 pm ET |
ESPN | |
Sunday, June 7, 2015
AMERICAN PHAROAH WINS TRIPLE CROWN
Hello everybody! It has been a long time since my last post, and I am happy to be back for an update, even if it is a little late. But yesterday was a very special day in the history of sports. On June 6, 2015, American Pharoah became the first horse in over 37 years to win the Triple Crown of U.S. Thoroughbred racing. In order to accomplish this difficult task, a horse must win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The last horse to win this prize was Affirmed back in 1978. Up until this year, only eleven horses (Sir Barton - 1919, Gallant Fox - 1930, Omaha - 1935, War Admiral - 1937, Whirlaway - 1941, Count Fleet - 1943, Assault - 1946, Citation - 1948, Secretariat - 1973, Seattle Slew - 1977, Affirmed - 1978) had won the Triple Crown. As of yesterday, there are now twelve. Congratulations to American Pharoah and its connections, including owner Ahmed Zayat, Trainer Bob Baffert, and Jockey Victor Espinoza. For trainer Bob Baffert, American Pharoah was his fourth attempt to win the Triple Crown. His last three tries (Silver Charm - 1997, Real Quiet - 1998, and War Emblem - 2002) won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but failed to win the Belmont Stakes. Interestingly, War Emblem was also jockey Victor Espinoza's first attempt at a Triple Crown. Espinoza had another try for a Triple Crown last year with California Chrome, but that horse finished fourth the Belmont Stakes. With yesterday's victory in the Belmont Stakes, Victor Espinoza is the oldest jockey (age 43) as well as the first Hispanic jockey to win the Triple Crown.
American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes by five-and-a-half lengths. It is the third-largest margin of victory in that race for a Triple Crown winner. Secretariat had the largest margin, 31.5 lengths, while Count Fleet back in 1943 won the Belmont by 25 lengths. American Pharoah's final time for the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes is 2 minutes 26.65 seconds. By comparison, Secretariat's final time, and the current record for that distance, is 2 minutes 24 seconds. An incredible horse. As for American Pharoah's future, trainer Bob Baffert plans to run him the Breeders Cup Classic at Keeneland in October. Other stops for American Pharoah this summer may include the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
Courtesy of Youtube, the Howell Report is pleased to provide video replays of all three 2015 Triple Crown Races. Telecasts were provided by NBC Sports and The New York Racing Association.
Kentucky Derby:
Preakness Stakes:
Belmont Stakes:
American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes by five-and-a-half lengths. It is the third-largest margin of victory in that race for a Triple Crown winner. Secretariat had the largest margin, 31.5 lengths, while Count Fleet back in 1943 won the Belmont by 25 lengths. American Pharoah's final time for the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes is 2 minutes 26.65 seconds. By comparison, Secretariat's final time, and the current record for that distance, is 2 minutes 24 seconds. An incredible horse. As for American Pharoah's future, trainer Bob Baffert plans to run him the Breeders Cup Classic at Keeneland in October. Other stops for American Pharoah this summer may include the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
Courtesy of Youtube, the Howell Report is pleased to provide video replays of all three 2015 Triple Crown Races. Telecasts were provided by NBC Sports and The New York Racing Association.
Kentucky Derby:
Preakness Stakes:
Belmont Stakes:
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Message to my Readers
To My Readers:
Recently, my workload has increased to the point where I am in no position to make regular updates to this blog. As a result, I have to take some time off from The Howell Report during the weekdays. I will still provide gameday (Saturday) updates on Twitter and, if I am in a position to do so, will post the weekly rankings on Sundays. Keep in mind that I have no intention of abandoning this project. Rather, life has put me in a position where some things have to take priority over others. Thank you for your patience and continued visits to this little corner of the internet. See you all via Twitter on Saturday!
D. Howell
Recently, my workload has increased to the point where I am in no position to make regular updates to this blog. As a result, I have to take some time off from The Howell Report during the weekdays. I will still provide gameday (Saturday) updates on Twitter and, if I am in a position to do so, will post the weekly rankings on Sundays. Keep in mind that I have no intention of abandoning this project. Rather, life has put me in a position where some things have to take priority over others. Thank you for your patience and continued visits to this little corner of the internet. See you all via Twitter on Saturday!
D. Howell
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Week #4 College Football Scores
NCAA FBS (Division 1-A) Final Scores - Week #4
Thursday, September 18th
#5 Auburn barely escapes #20 Kansas State, 20-14. Box Score
Friday, September 19th
South Florida survives Connecticut, 17-14. Box Score
Saturday, September 20th
Iowa advances to 3-1 with win over Pittsburgh, 24-20. Box Score
Georgia Tech squeaks past Virginia Tech, 27-24. Box Score
Duke hammers Tulane, 47-13. Box Score
Northwestern gets first 2014 win over Western Illinois, 24-7. Box Score
#11 Michigan State annihilates Eastern Michigan, 73-14. Box Score
Purdue railroads Southern Illinois, 35-13. Box Score
#19 Wisconsin routs Bowling Green, 68-17. Box Score
Old Dominion wins a shootout over Rice, 45-42. Box Score
#13 Georgia shuts out Troy, 66-0. Box Score
Maryland orange crushes Syracuse, 34-20. Box Score
Boston College soars over Maine, 40-10. Box Score
Temple shuts out Delaware State, 59-0. Box Score
Marshall thunders past Akron, 48-17. Box Score
Colorado takes down Hawaii, 21-12. Box Score
Buffalo handily defeats Norfolk State, 36-7. Box Score
#3 Alabama defeats Florida by a ratio of 2:1, 42-21. Box Score
Illinois beats Texas State after a rain delay, 42-35. Box Score
Washington mauls Georgia State, 45-14. Box Score
North Texas angrily overwhelms Nicholls State, 77-3. Box Score
Rutgers sinks Navy, 31-24. Box Score
Utah embarrasses Michigan in Ann Arbor, 26-10. Box Score
#6 Texas A&M humiliates Southern Methodist, 58-6. Box Score
East Carolina pillages North Carolina, 70-41. Box Score
#21 Brigham Young survives Virginia, 41-33. Box Score
Wake Forest holds off Army, 24-21. Box Score
Kansas puts away Central Michigan, 24-10. Box Score
Louisville runs over Florida International, 34-3. Box Score
Indiana gets a big upset over #18 Missouri, 31-27. Box Score
Minnesota beats San Jose State after rain delay, 24-7. Box Score
Penn State remains undefeated by beating Massachusetts, 48-7. Box Score
Wyoming squeezes past Florida Atlantic, 20-19. Box Score
North Carolina State shuts out Presbyterian, 42-0. Box Score
Central Florida pounds Bethune-Cookman, 41-7. Box Score
Arkansas ends Northern Illinois' road-winning streak, 52-14. Box Score
Memphis mauls Middle Tennessee State, 36-17. Box Score
Western Michigan MAC-attacks Murray State, 45-14. Box Score
Ohio vandalizes Idaho, 36-24. Box Score
Northwestern State narrowly defeats Louisiana Tech, 30-27. Box Score
Southern Mississippi barely dodges Appalachian State, 21-20. Box Score
Cincinnati holds back Miami (OH), 31-24. Box Score
Georgia Southern soars over South Alabama, 28-6. Box Score
Mississippi State upsets #8 Louisiana State, 34-29. Box Score
#14 South Carolina escapes Vanderbilt, 48-34. Box Score
#4 Oklahoma holds off a resurgent West Virginia, 45-33. Box Score
#24 Nebraska remains perfect with win over Miami (FL), 41-31. Box Score
New Mexico defeats in-state rival New Mexico State, 38-35. Box Score
Houston routs Nevada-Las Vegas, 47-14. Box Score
Thursday, September 18th
#5 Auburn barely escapes #20 Kansas State, 20-14. Box Score
Friday, September 19th
South Florida survives Connecticut, 17-14. Box Score
Saturday, September 20th
Iowa advances to 3-1 with win over Pittsburgh, 24-20. Box Score
Georgia Tech squeaks past Virginia Tech, 27-24. Box Score
Duke hammers Tulane, 47-13. Box Score
Northwestern gets first 2014 win over Western Illinois, 24-7. Box Score
#11 Michigan State annihilates Eastern Michigan, 73-14. Box Score
Purdue railroads Southern Illinois, 35-13. Box Score
#19 Wisconsin routs Bowling Green, 68-17. Box Score
Old Dominion wins a shootout over Rice, 45-42. Box Score
#13 Georgia shuts out Troy, 66-0. Box Score
Maryland orange crushes Syracuse, 34-20. Box Score
Boston College soars over Maine, 40-10. Box Score
Temple shuts out Delaware State, 59-0. Box Score
Marshall thunders past Akron, 48-17. Box Score
Colorado takes down Hawaii, 21-12. Box Score
Buffalo handily defeats Norfolk State, 36-7. Box Score
#3 Alabama defeats Florida by a ratio of 2:1, 42-21. Box Score
Illinois beats Texas State after a rain delay, 42-35. Box Score
Washington mauls Georgia State, 45-14. Box Score
North Texas angrily overwhelms Nicholls State, 77-3. Box Score
Rutgers sinks Navy, 31-24. Box Score
Utah embarrasses Michigan in Ann Arbor, 26-10. Box Score
#6 Texas A&M humiliates Southern Methodist, 58-6. Box Score
East Carolina pillages North Carolina, 70-41. Box Score
#21 Brigham Young survives Virginia, 41-33. Box Score
Wake Forest holds off Army, 24-21. Box Score
Kansas puts away Central Michigan, 24-10. Box Score
Louisville runs over Florida International, 34-3. Box Score
Indiana gets a big upset over #18 Missouri, 31-27. Box Score
Minnesota beats San Jose State after rain delay, 24-7. Box Score
Penn State remains undefeated by beating Massachusetts, 48-7. Box Score
Wyoming squeezes past Florida Atlantic, 20-19. Box Score
North Carolina State shuts out Presbyterian, 42-0. Box Score
Central Florida pounds Bethune-Cookman, 41-7. Box Score
Arkansas ends Northern Illinois' road-winning streak, 52-14. Box Score
Memphis mauls Middle Tennessee State, 36-17. Box Score
Western Michigan MAC-attacks Murray State, 45-14. Box Score
Ohio vandalizes Idaho, 36-24. Box Score
Northwestern State narrowly defeats Louisiana Tech, 30-27. Box Score
Southern Mississippi barely dodges Appalachian State, 21-20. Box Score
Cincinnati holds back Miami (OH), 31-24. Box Score
Georgia Southern soars over South Alabama, 28-6. Box Score
Mississippi State upsets #8 Louisiana State, 34-29. Box Score
#14 South Carolina escapes Vanderbilt, 48-34. Box Score
#4 Oklahoma holds off a resurgent West Virginia, 45-33. Box Score
#24 Nebraska remains perfect with win over Miami (FL), 41-31. Box Score
New Mexico defeats in-state rival New Mexico State, 38-35. Box Score
Houston routs Nevada-Las Vegas, 47-14. Box Score
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Week #4 College Football Schedule
This week's news stories:
Michigan and Texas have agreed to play a home-at-home series in 2024 and 2027. Full story here.
Florida State starting quarterback Jameis Winston has been suspended for the first half of the upcoming game vs. Clemson for yelling an "offensive and vulgar" phrase in the FSU student union. Full story here.
Texas quarterback David Ash has announced that he will quit football for medical reasons. Ash continues to suffer from symptoms related to a concussion he sustained in last year's game against Brigham Young. Full story here.
In a featured article on cbssports.com, Dennis Dodd discusses the 2014 Kansas State football team and about how fifty-eight players, over half the roster, are current and former walk-ons. Full story here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA (FBS) Division 1-A College Football Schedule - Week #4
All Times Eastern
Thursday, September 18th
7:30 PM
#5 Auburn at #20 Kansas State - ESPN
Friday, September 19th
8:00 PM
Connecticut at South Florida - ESPN
Saturday, September 20th
12:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at #11 Michigan State - Big Ten Network
Troy at #13 Georgia - SEC_ESPN Network
Bowling Green at #19 Wisconsin - ESPN2
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech - ESPN
Iowa at Pittsburgh - ESPNU
Western Illinois at Northwestern - ESPNNEWS
Southern Illinois at Purdue - Big Ten Network
Old Dominion at Rice
12:30 PM
Maryland at Syracuse
Tulane at Duke
1:00 PM
Maine at Boston College
Delaware State at Temple
2:00 PM
Marshall at Akron
Hawaii at Colorado - PAC-12 Network
3:30 PM
Florida at #3 Alabama - CBS
#6 Texas A&M at Southern Methodist - ABC or ESPN2 - Check Local Listings
Virginia at # 21 Brigham Young - ESPN
Nicholls State at North Texas
Norfolk State at Buffalo
North Carolina at East Carolina - ESPNU
Army at Wake Forest
Louisville at Florida International - FOX Sports 1
Central Michigan at Kansas
Rutgers at Navy - CBS Sports Network
Utah at Michigan - ABC or ESPN2 - Check Local Listings
4:00 PM
Indiana at #18 Missouri - SEC_ESPN Network
Texas State at Illinois - ESPNNEWS
Massachusetts at Penn State - Big Ten Network
San Jose State at Minnesota - Big Ten Network
Florida Atlantic at Wyoming
6:00 PM
Presbyterian at North Carolina State
Bethune-Cookman at Central Florida
Georgia State at Washington - PAC-12 Network
7:00 PM
Mississippi State at #8 Louisiana State - ESPN
Northern Illinois at Arkansas - ESPNU
Utah State at Arkansas State
Miami (OH) at Cincinnati - CBS Sports Network
Middle Tennessee at Memphis
Northwestern State at Louisiana Tech
Appalachian State at Southern Mississippi
Ball State at Toledo
Idaho at Ohio
Murray State at Western Michigan
7:30 PM
#4 Oklahoma at West Virginia - FOX
#14 South Carolina at Vanderbilt - SEC_ESPN Network
Georgia Southern at South Alabama
8:00 PM
#22 Clemson at #1 Florida State - ABC
Miami (FL) at #24 Nebraska
UNLV at Houston
New Mexico at New Mexico State
10:00 PM
California at Arizona - PAC-12 Network
Southern Utah at Fresno State
10:30 PM
#2 Oregon at Washington State - ESPN
San Diego State at Oregon State - FOX Sports 1
Louisiana-Lafayette at Boise State - CBS Sports Network
Michigan and Texas have agreed to play a home-at-home series in 2024 and 2027. Full story here.
Florida State starting quarterback Jameis Winston has been suspended for the first half of the upcoming game vs. Clemson for yelling an "offensive and vulgar" phrase in the FSU student union. Full story here.
Texas quarterback David Ash has announced that he will quit football for medical reasons. Ash continues to suffer from symptoms related to a concussion he sustained in last year's game against Brigham Young. Full story here.
In a featured article on cbssports.com, Dennis Dodd discusses the 2014 Kansas State football team and about how fifty-eight players, over half the roster, are current and former walk-ons. Full story here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA (FBS) Division 1-A College Football Schedule - Week #4
All Times Eastern
Thursday, September 18th
7:30 PM
#5 Auburn at #20 Kansas State - ESPN
Friday, September 19th
8:00 PM
Connecticut at South Florida - ESPN
Saturday, September 20th
12:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at #11 Michigan State - Big Ten Network
Troy at #13 Georgia - SEC_ESPN Network
Bowling Green at #19 Wisconsin - ESPN2
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech - ESPN
Iowa at Pittsburgh - ESPNU
Western Illinois at Northwestern - ESPNNEWS
Southern Illinois at Purdue - Big Ten Network
Old Dominion at Rice
12:30 PM
Maryland at Syracuse
Tulane at Duke
1:00 PM
Maine at Boston College
Delaware State at Temple
2:00 PM
Marshall at Akron
Hawaii at Colorado - PAC-12 Network
3:30 PM
Florida at #3 Alabama - CBS
#6 Texas A&M at Southern Methodist - ABC or ESPN2 - Check Local Listings
Virginia at # 21 Brigham Young - ESPN
Nicholls State at North Texas
Norfolk State at Buffalo
North Carolina at East Carolina - ESPNU
Army at Wake Forest
Louisville at Florida International - FOX Sports 1
Central Michigan at Kansas
Rutgers at Navy - CBS Sports Network
Utah at Michigan - ABC or ESPN2 - Check Local Listings
4:00 PM
Indiana at #18 Missouri - SEC_ESPN Network
Texas State at Illinois - ESPNNEWS
Massachusetts at Penn State - Big Ten Network
San Jose State at Minnesota - Big Ten Network
Florida Atlantic at Wyoming
6:00 PM
Presbyterian at North Carolina State
Bethune-Cookman at Central Florida
Georgia State at Washington - PAC-12 Network
7:00 PM
Mississippi State at #8 Louisiana State - ESPN
Northern Illinois at Arkansas - ESPNU
Utah State at Arkansas State
Miami (OH) at Cincinnati - CBS Sports Network
Middle Tennessee at Memphis
Northwestern State at Louisiana Tech
Appalachian State at Southern Mississippi
Ball State at Toledo
Idaho at Ohio
Murray State at Western Michigan
7:30 PM
#4 Oklahoma at West Virginia - FOX
#14 South Carolina at Vanderbilt - SEC_ESPN Network
Georgia Southern at South Alabama
8:00 PM
#22 Clemson at #1 Florida State - ABC
Miami (FL) at #24 Nebraska
UNLV at Houston
New Mexico at New Mexico State
10:00 PM
California at Arizona - PAC-12 Network
Southern Utah at Fresno State
10:30 PM
#2 Oregon at Washington State - ESPN
San Diego State at Oregon State - FOX Sports 1
Louisiana-Lafayette at Boise State - CBS Sports Network
Monday, September 15, 2014
Week #4 College Football Rankings
Another week, and another shake-up. This time, it was not limited to the Big Ten. Four ranked teams outside of that conference lost to both ranked and unranked opponents during week #3. Judging by how many top-tier teams have already lost this year, it appears that it will be very difficult for any team to go undefeated during the 2014 season. With that in mind, let us take a look at this week's Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll Rankings.
Two things stand out in this week's AP Top 25. The first aspect is that two teams from the ACC, Virginia Tech and Louisville, were dropped from the rankings after their losses to East Carolina and Virginia, respectively. Unfortunately, these defeats leave the Atlantic Coast Conference with only two teams (e.g. #1 Florida State and #22 Clemson) ranked in the AP Poll. The second point is that the SEC now has eight ranked teams in the AP, and seven of them are ranked in the top fifteen (#3 Alabama, #5 Auburn, #6 Texas A&M, #8 Louisiana State, #10 Mississippi, #13 Georgia, and #14 South Carolina). The Big Ten has four teams in the AP, but the conference's top team #11 Michigan State, is not even in the top ten. The BIG XII has two teams in the AP's top ten: #4 Oklahoma and #7 Baylor. Finally, the PAC-12, like last week's rankings, has five teams in the AP. Should Florida State lose to Clemson on Saturday, it is very likely that Oregon would clinch the #1 spot in the event of a victory over an unranked Washington State team. That is about it for the rankings. Hope everyone will have an opportunity to see #5 Auburn play #20 Kansas State on Thursday at 7:30 PM Eastern on ESPN. Should be an exciting game!
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
*While Technically Independent, Notre Dame's Affiliation with the ACC Requires it to Play 5 Games Against ACC Teams.
USA TODAY COACHES POLL
Two things stand out in this week's AP Top 25. The first aspect is that two teams from the ACC, Virginia Tech and Louisville, were dropped from the rankings after their losses to East Carolina and Virginia, respectively. Unfortunately, these defeats leave the Atlantic Coast Conference with only two teams (e.g. #1 Florida State and #22 Clemson) ranked in the AP Poll. The second point is that the SEC now has eight ranked teams in the AP, and seven of them are ranked in the top fifteen (#3 Alabama, #5 Auburn, #6 Texas A&M, #8 Louisiana State, #10 Mississippi, #13 Georgia, and #14 South Carolina). The Big Ten has four teams in the AP, but the conference's top team #11 Michigan State, is not even in the top ten. The BIG XII has two teams in the AP's top ten: #4 Oklahoma and #7 Baylor. Finally, the PAC-12, like last week's rankings, has five teams in the AP. Should Florida State lose to Clemson on Saturday, it is very likely that Oregon would clinch the #1 spot in the event of a victory over an unranked Washington State team. That is about it for the rankings. Hope everyone will have an opportunity to see #5 Auburn play #20 Kansas State on Thursday at 7:30 PM Eastern on ESPN. Should be an exciting game!
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | CONFERENCE |
| 1 | Florida State (37) | 2-0 | ACC |
| 2 | Oregon (17) | 3-0 | PAC-12 |
| 3 | Alabama (1) | 3-0 | SEC |
| 4 | Oklahoma (2) | 3-0 | BIG XII |
| 5 | Auburn | 2-0 | SEC |
| 6 | Texas A&M (3) | 3-0 | SEC |
| 7 | Baylor | 3-0 | BIG XII |
| 8 | LSU | 3-0 | SEC |
| 9 | Notre Dame | 3-0 | Independent/ACC* |
| 10 | Ole Miss | 3-0 | SEC |
| 11 | Michigan State | 1-1 | Big Ten |
| 12 | UCLA | 3-0 | PAC-12 |
| 13 | Georgia | 1-1 | SEC |
| 14 | South Carolina | 2-1 | SEC |
| 15 | Arizona State | 3-0 | PAC-12 |
| 16 | Stanford | 2-1 | PAC-12 |
| 17 | USC | 2-1 | PAC-12 |
| 18 | Missouri | 3-0 | SEC |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 1-1 | Big Ten |
| 20 | Kansas State | 2-0 | BIG XII |
| 21 | BYU | 3-0 | Independent |
| 22 | Clemson | 1-1 | ACC |
| 23 | Ohio State | 2-1 | Big Ten |
| 24 | Nebraska | 3-0 | Big Ten |
| 25 | Oklahoma State | 2-1 | BIG XII |
*While Technically Independent, Notre Dame's Affiliation with the ACC Requires it to Play 5 Games Against ACC Teams.
USA TODAY COACHES POLL
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Florida State (50) | 2-0 | 1502 |
| 2 | Alabama (1) | 3-0 | 1408 |
| 3 | Oregon (6) | 3-0 | 1399 |
| 4 | Oklahoma (4) | 3-0 | 1390 |
| 5 | Auburn | 2-0 | 1297 |
| 6 | Baylor | 2-0 | 1179 |
| 7 | Texas A&M | 3-0 | 1159 |
| 8 | LSU | 3-0 | 1107 |
| 9 | Notre Dame | 3-0 | 966 |
| 10 | UCLA | 3-0 | 861 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 1-1 | 776 |
| 12 | Ole Miss | 3-0 | 769 |
| 13 | Arizona State | 3-0 | 732 |
| 14 | Georgia | 1-1 | 693 |
| 15 | Stanford | 2-1 | 561 |
| 16 | South Carolina | 2-1 | 529 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 1-1 | 436 |
| 18 | Ohio State | 2-1 | 402 |
| 19 | Missouri | 3-0 | 382 |
| 20 | Kansas State | 2-0 | 381 |
| 21 | USC | 2-1 | 338 |
| 22 | Nebraska | 3-0 | 325 |
| 23 | BYU | 3-0 | 222 |
| 24 | Clemson | 1-1 | 207 |
| 25 | North Carolina | 2-0 | 128 |
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Gameday - Week #3
Good Morning Everybody!
As ESPN's College Gameday broadcasts from Fargo, North Dakota, for the second consecutive year, other places throughout the country are getting ready for quite an exciting slate of games. As a blogger and a fan, my main concern is whether the Big Ten Conference can recover from last week's sub-par performance. Two Big Ten teams that lost last week, Michigan State and Northwestern, have byes for week #3. Wisconsin (1-1 overall) will also be sitting out this week but the other 11 teams will see some activity.
Starting at noon on the Big Ten Network, West Virginia will visit Maryland for another edition of this border rivalry. Maryland's decision to move from the ACC to the Big Ten has not affected the Terps' willingness to play the Mountaineers. Next year the teams will meet again in Morgantown, and then the rivalry will take a four-year break until 2020. One reason for this hiatus may have to do with the Big Ten's decision to move to a nine-game conference schedule in 2016. At the same time, on ESPNU, the Indiana Hoosiers will visit Bowling Green for the second part of this home-at-home series. Last year, Indiana won 42-10. Will the Hoosiers have a similar performance?
On either ABC or ESPN2, depending on your location, #22 Ohio State hosts Kent State. Today's match-up should provide the Buckeyes with an opportunity to recover from last week's loss against Virginia Tech. The other game on either ABC or ESPN2, is Boise State vs. Connecticut in a Mountain West-American Athletic Conference showdown. Speaking of Virginia Tech, the Hokies are playing East Carolina right now on ESPN. This should be an interesting game since East Carolina had a very competitive game last week against South Carolina. Last year, Virginia Tech beat East Carolina by only five points. Can the Pirates get an upset here? It is a possibility.
As the afternoon progresses, four more Big Ten games will be nationally televised. Michigan hosts Miami (OH) at 3:30 PM on the Big Ten Network. The Wolverines should prevail here, since Miami (OH) has lost 18 consecutive games. A win here for Michigan will give the folks in Ann Arbor a much needed morale boost. At the same time, on ESPN, the great in-state rivalry between Iowa and Iowa State will kickoff in Iowa City. Both teams will play for the Cy-Hawk trophy, which looks like this:
This trophy has been awarded to the winner of this game since 2011.
A half-hour after the kickoff in Iowa City, two more games featuring Big Ten teams will begin west of the Mississippi. At 4:00 PM on FOX Sports 1, Minnesota will play TCU for the first time the 1970s. In terms of offensive lines, it appears that today's match will feature a rushing vs. a passing game. Minnesota's offense is ranked 31st nationally in rushing while TCU's offense is ranked 12th in passing. Can Minnesota extend their winning streak to 3? We will see if Jerry Kill's defense can contain TCU's passing game.
On the west coast, the Illinois Fighting Illini, led by QB Wes Lunt, will pay the Washington Huskies a visit in Seattle. Last year's game, which the Huskies won 34-24, was played at Chicago's Soldier Field. Given Washington's struggles in their last two games against Hawaii and Eastern Washington, the Illini (2-0) have an opportunity to get a much-needed win on the road. The Illini's offensive line ranks #9 in the country in passing, and their defense currently allows 25.5 points per game. By contrast, Washington will rely on its rushing game, which currently averages 265.0 yards per game (19th overall). Since the Huskies defense currently averages 34 points per game, it looks like Washington will have to outscore Illinois in order to earn win #3. Expect a high-scoring game here.
The last three games for the Big Ten feature two rivalries, a highly anticipated conference game, and a traveling fan-base from Lincoln. At 7:30 PM on NBC, the Northern Indiana rivalry between Purdue and #11 Notre Dame will kickoff at Indianapolis's Lucas Oil Stadium. Today's neutral site match-up, which Notre Dame is heavily favored to win, will be the last time these two teams meet until 2020. Notre Dame's affiliation with the ACC, which requires the Fighting Irish to play 5 games against ACC opponents, was a major factor in Notre Dame's earlier decision to end its annual rivalries with Big Ten schools Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. Notre Dame will still play rivals USC, Stanford, and Navy on an annual basis.
At 8:00 on the Big Ten Network, Penn State and Rutgers (both ranked 2-0) will play a conference game at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Big Ten league play starts today with this game, which is expected to be very competitive. Since the NCAA recently rescinded Penn State's bowl ban, a win here from the Nittany Lions many result in PSU being ranked for the first time in at least two seasons. A win here for Rutgers will give the Scarlet Knights the confidence they will need when they face conference opponents like Michigan (October 4th), Ohio State (October 18th), and Nebraska (October 25th) later in the season. The last time Penn State and Rutgers played each other was back in 1995. It will be interesting to see if this renewed rivalry will bring more media attention to College Football in the Northeastern USA.
Finally, Nebraska, the Big Ten's westernmost team, will lead its traveling fan-base from Lincoln to Fresno for a late-night game against the Fresno State Bulldogs. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game, which will kickoff at 10:30 PM. Nebraska, with its star running back Ameer Abdullah, is favored to win here.
That is about it for today. I will be updating my twitter page for the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening. Enjoy today's games, everybody!
As ESPN's College Gameday broadcasts from Fargo, North Dakota, for the second consecutive year, other places throughout the country are getting ready for quite an exciting slate of games. As a blogger and a fan, my main concern is whether the Big Ten Conference can recover from last week's sub-par performance. Two Big Ten teams that lost last week, Michigan State and Northwestern, have byes for week #3. Wisconsin (1-1 overall) will also be sitting out this week but the other 11 teams will see some activity.
Starting at noon on the Big Ten Network, West Virginia will visit Maryland for another edition of this border rivalry. Maryland's decision to move from the ACC to the Big Ten has not affected the Terps' willingness to play the Mountaineers. Next year the teams will meet again in Morgantown, and then the rivalry will take a four-year break until 2020. One reason for this hiatus may have to do with the Big Ten's decision to move to a nine-game conference schedule in 2016. At the same time, on ESPNU, the Indiana Hoosiers will visit Bowling Green for the second part of this home-at-home series. Last year, Indiana won 42-10. Will the Hoosiers have a similar performance?
On either ABC or ESPN2, depending on your location, #22 Ohio State hosts Kent State. Today's match-up should provide the Buckeyes with an opportunity to recover from last week's loss against Virginia Tech. The other game on either ABC or ESPN2, is Boise State vs. Connecticut in a Mountain West-American Athletic Conference showdown. Speaking of Virginia Tech, the Hokies are playing East Carolina right now on ESPN. This should be an interesting game since East Carolina had a very competitive game last week against South Carolina. Last year, Virginia Tech beat East Carolina by only five points. Can the Pirates get an upset here? It is a possibility.
As the afternoon progresses, four more Big Ten games will be nationally televised. Michigan hosts Miami (OH) at 3:30 PM on the Big Ten Network. The Wolverines should prevail here, since Miami (OH) has lost 18 consecutive games. A win here for Michigan will give the folks in Ann Arbor a much needed morale boost. At the same time, on ESPN, the great in-state rivalry between Iowa and Iowa State will kickoff in Iowa City. Both teams will play for the Cy-Hawk trophy, which looks like this:
This trophy has been awarded to the winner of this game since 2011.
A half-hour after the kickoff in Iowa City, two more games featuring Big Ten teams will begin west of the Mississippi. At 4:00 PM on FOX Sports 1, Minnesota will play TCU for the first time the 1970s. In terms of offensive lines, it appears that today's match will feature a rushing vs. a passing game. Minnesota's offense is ranked 31st nationally in rushing while TCU's offense is ranked 12th in passing. Can Minnesota extend their winning streak to 3? We will see if Jerry Kill's defense can contain TCU's passing game.
On the west coast, the Illinois Fighting Illini, led by QB Wes Lunt, will pay the Washington Huskies a visit in Seattle. Last year's game, which the Huskies won 34-24, was played at Chicago's Soldier Field. Given Washington's struggles in their last two games against Hawaii and Eastern Washington, the Illini (2-0) have an opportunity to get a much-needed win on the road. The Illini's offensive line ranks #9 in the country in passing, and their defense currently allows 25.5 points per game. By contrast, Washington will rely on its rushing game, which currently averages 265.0 yards per game (19th overall). Since the Huskies defense currently averages 34 points per game, it looks like Washington will have to outscore Illinois in order to earn win #3. Expect a high-scoring game here.
The last three games for the Big Ten feature two rivalries, a highly anticipated conference game, and a traveling fan-base from Lincoln. At 7:30 PM on NBC, the Northern Indiana rivalry between Purdue and #11 Notre Dame will kickoff at Indianapolis's Lucas Oil Stadium. Today's neutral site match-up, which Notre Dame is heavily favored to win, will be the last time these two teams meet until 2020. Notre Dame's affiliation with the ACC, which requires the Fighting Irish to play 5 games against ACC opponents, was a major factor in Notre Dame's earlier decision to end its annual rivalries with Big Ten schools Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. Notre Dame will still play rivals USC, Stanford, and Navy on an annual basis.
At 8:00 on the Big Ten Network, Penn State and Rutgers (both ranked 2-0) will play a conference game at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Big Ten league play starts today with this game, which is expected to be very competitive. Since the NCAA recently rescinded Penn State's bowl ban, a win here from the Nittany Lions many result in PSU being ranked for the first time in at least two seasons. A win here for Rutgers will give the Scarlet Knights the confidence they will need when they face conference opponents like Michigan (October 4th), Ohio State (October 18th), and Nebraska (October 25th) later in the season. The last time Penn State and Rutgers played each other was back in 1995. It will be interesting to see if this renewed rivalry will bring more media attention to College Football in the Northeastern USA.
Finally, Nebraska, the Big Ten's westernmost team, will lead its traveling fan-base from Lincoln to Fresno for a late-night game against the Fresno State Bulldogs. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game, which will kickoff at 10:30 PM. Nebraska, with its star running back Ameer Abdullah, is favored to win here.
That is about it for today. I will be updating my twitter page for the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening. Enjoy today's games, everybody!
Week #3 College Football Scores
NCAA FBS (Division 1-A) Final Scores - Week #3
Thursday, September 11th
Louisiana Tech pummels North Texas, 42-21. Box Score
#25 Brigham Young outlasts Houston, 33-25. Box Score
Friday, September 12th
Cincinnati grounds Toledo, 58-34. Box Score
#8 Baylor annihilates Buffalo, 63-21. Box Score
Saturday, September 13th
#20 Missouri beats defending Fiesta Bowl Champion Central Florida, 38-10. Box Score
Boise State overcomes Connecticut, 38-21. Box Score
Syracuse crushes Eastern Michigan, 40-3. Box Score
West Virginia defeats Maryland with last second field goal, 40-37. Box Score
Georgia Tech survives a near wreck from Georgia Southern, 42-38. Box Score
Bowling Green survives a shootout against Indiana, 45-42. Box Score
Marshall thunders past Ohio, 44-14. Box Score
#22 Ohio State shuts out Kent State, 66-0. Box Score
East Carolina upsets #17 Virginia Tech, 28-21. Box Score
Vanderbilt gets its first win under Derek Mason over Massachusetts, 34-31. Box Score
Virginia stuns #21 Louisville, 23-21. Box Score
Pittsburgh trounces Florida International, 42-25. Box Score
Air Force pounds Georgia State, 48-38. Recap
#2 Oregon overwhelms Wyoming, 48-14. Recap
Indiana State holds off Ball State, 27-20. Recap
Colorado State takes down California-Davis, 49-21. Recap
Duke routs Kansas, 41-3. Recap
Miami (FL) devastates Arkansas State, 41-20. Recap
Michigan gets a badly needed win over Miami (OH), 34-10. Recap
#24 South Carolina earns an upset win over #6 Georgia, 38-35. Recap
North Carolina State outlasts South Florida, 49-17. Recap
Iowa State squeaks by Iowa, 20-17. Recap
Arkansas beats its old Southwest Conference foe Texas Tech, 49-28. Recap
Alabama-Birmingham roasts Alabama A&M, 41-14. Recap
#14 Mississippi drills Louisiana-Lafayette, 56-15. Recap
Mississippi State defeats South Alabama, 35-3. Recap
Texas Christian buries Minnesota, 30-7. Recap
Washington runs away from Illinois, 44-19. Recap
Western Michigan vandalizes Idaho, 45-33. Recap
#15 Stanford shuts out Army, 35-0. Recap
Old Dominion squeezes past Eastern Michigan, 17-3. Recap
#3 Alabama runs roughshod over Southern Mississippi, 52-12. Recap
Florida Atlantic pounds Tulsa, 50-21. Recap
#10 Louisiana State shuts out Louisiana-Monroe, 31-0. Recap
Middle Tennessee State survives a shootout against Western Kentucky, 50-47. Box Score
Oklahoma State smashes Texas-San Antonio, 43-13. Box Score
Utah State takes down Wake Forest, 36-24. Box Score
Northern Illinois chomps Nevada-Las Vegas, 48-34. Box Score
Abilene Christian holds off Troy, 38-35. Box Score
Florida defeats Kentucky in three overtimes, 36-30. Box Score
#11 Notre Dame fights off Purdue, 30-14. Box Score
Penn State gets its first conference win over Rutgers, 13-10. Box Score
Texas-El Paso undermines New Mexico, 42-24. Box Score
Boston College gets a huge upset win over #9 Southern California, 37-31. Box Score
Tulane overcomes Southeastern Louisiana, 35-20. Box Score
#4 Oklahoma breaks the SEC again with win over Tennessee, 34-10. Box Score
Navy sinks Texas State, 35-21. Box Score
Washington State routs Portland State, 59-21. Box Score
#12 UCLA barely survives Texas, 20-17. Box Score
#7 Texas A&M beats its old Southwest Conference foe Rice, 38-10. Box Score
#16 Arizona State fights off Colorado, 38-24. Box Score
Nebraska rips apart Fresno State, 55-19. Box Score
Arizona mauls Nevada, 35-28. Box Score
Hawaii gets its first 2014 win over Northern Iowa, 27-24. Box Score
Thursday, September 11th
Louisiana Tech pummels North Texas, 42-21. Box Score
#25 Brigham Young outlasts Houston, 33-25. Box Score
Friday, September 12th
Cincinnati grounds Toledo, 58-34. Box Score
#8 Baylor annihilates Buffalo, 63-21. Box Score
Saturday, September 13th
#20 Missouri beats defending Fiesta Bowl Champion Central Florida, 38-10. Box Score
Boise State overcomes Connecticut, 38-21. Box Score
Syracuse crushes Eastern Michigan, 40-3. Box Score
West Virginia defeats Maryland with last second field goal, 40-37. Box Score
Georgia Tech survives a near wreck from Georgia Southern, 42-38. Box Score
Bowling Green survives a shootout against Indiana, 45-42. Box Score
Marshall thunders past Ohio, 44-14. Box Score
#22 Ohio State shuts out Kent State, 66-0. Box Score
East Carolina upsets #17 Virginia Tech, 28-21. Box Score
Vanderbilt gets its first win under Derek Mason over Massachusetts, 34-31. Box Score
Virginia stuns #21 Louisville, 23-21. Box Score
Pittsburgh trounces Florida International, 42-25. Box Score
Air Force pounds Georgia State, 48-38. Recap
#2 Oregon overwhelms Wyoming, 48-14. Recap
Indiana State holds off Ball State, 27-20. Recap
Colorado State takes down California-Davis, 49-21. Recap
Duke routs Kansas, 41-3. Recap
Miami (FL) devastates Arkansas State, 41-20. Recap
Michigan gets a badly needed win over Miami (OH), 34-10. Recap
#24 South Carolina earns an upset win over #6 Georgia, 38-35. Recap
North Carolina State outlasts South Florida, 49-17. Recap
Iowa State squeaks by Iowa, 20-17. Recap
Arkansas beats its old Southwest Conference foe Texas Tech, 49-28. Recap
Alabama-Birmingham roasts Alabama A&M, 41-14. Recap
#14 Mississippi drills Louisiana-Lafayette, 56-15. Recap
Mississippi State defeats South Alabama, 35-3. Recap
Texas Christian buries Minnesota, 30-7. Recap
Washington runs away from Illinois, 44-19. Recap
Western Michigan vandalizes Idaho, 45-33. Recap
#15 Stanford shuts out Army, 35-0. Recap
Old Dominion squeezes past Eastern Michigan, 17-3. Recap
#3 Alabama runs roughshod over Southern Mississippi, 52-12. Recap
Florida Atlantic pounds Tulsa, 50-21. Recap
#10 Louisiana State shuts out Louisiana-Monroe, 31-0. Recap
Middle Tennessee State survives a shootout against Western Kentucky, 50-47. Box Score
Oklahoma State smashes Texas-San Antonio, 43-13. Box Score
Utah State takes down Wake Forest, 36-24. Box Score
Northern Illinois chomps Nevada-Las Vegas, 48-34. Box Score
Abilene Christian holds off Troy, 38-35. Box Score
Florida defeats Kentucky in three overtimes, 36-30. Box Score
#11 Notre Dame fights off Purdue, 30-14. Box Score
Penn State gets its first conference win over Rutgers, 13-10. Box Score
Texas-El Paso undermines New Mexico, 42-24. Box Score
Boston College gets a huge upset win over #9 Southern California, 37-31. Box Score
Tulane overcomes Southeastern Louisiana, 35-20. Box Score
#4 Oklahoma breaks the SEC again with win over Tennessee, 34-10. Box Score
Navy sinks Texas State, 35-21. Box Score
Washington State routs Portland State, 59-21. Box Score
#12 UCLA barely survives Texas, 20-17. Box Score
#7 Texas A&M beats its old Southwest Conference foe Rice, 38-10. Box Score
#16 Arizona State fights off Colorado, 38-24. Box Score
Nebraska rips apart Fresno State, 55-19. Box Score
Arizona mauls Nevada, 35-28. Box Score
Hawaii gets its first 2014 win over Northern Iowa, 27-24. Box Score
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)