Week 13 - The road is long, with many a winding turn

Back to Norman, Oklahoma, I went to visit #2, soon-to-be GS #3, SIL, MIL, FIL, and my dog, who resides there. The Oklahoma Sooners hosted the mighty Crimson Tide from Alabama in a 6:30 PM primetime showdown. For those following my polygamy of fandom, my Sooner allegiance dates back to the 1980s when I lived there, solidified further during #2’s college years in the Baker Mayfield era.

The big highlight of the day was the tailgate behind the President’s House, just off the main campus. This gathering, which we also attended in 2021 for the Nebraska game, is hosted by a group of friends and fraternity brothers from the 1980s. Key figures like Roscoe, Stewart, Kent, and Wheels were in attendance, expertly managing the grills and bar. Over 100 people joined in, including some Tailgate Connect® guests. The menu featured gumbo, hot links, and hot dogs, complemented by a full bar with nearly everything—except mulled wine.

An awesome day in Norman, Oklahoma.

Family and friends at the tailgate.

Instead of joining 90,000 crimson-clad fans in the stadium (where it’s tough to tell OU and Alabama supporters apart), we opted for a quieter experience: grabbing pizzas and heading back to #2’s place for a watch party. What unfolded was nothing short of miraculous. OU delivered one of the most dominant defensive performances I’ve seen, shocking the nation—and themselves—by defeating Alabama 24-3.

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Around the Country

It was a third straight weekend of chaos and upsets across college football:

• Big 12: BYU and Colorado lost their grips on controlling the race for the Big 12 Championship. ASU, led by standout running back Cameron Skatteboo, edged BYU in Tempe, though not without drama. A premature field-storming by fans (before confirming the clock’s final second) caused a 13-minute delay. I hear there are remedies that can help with premature celebration. Meanwhile, Colorado laid an egg at Arrowhead Stadium, falling flat against Kansas losing 38-21 .

• Big Ten: just Google it, Kurt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers lost to Ohio State and their dog kicking coach Ryan Day. Penn State narrowly avoided an upset against Minnesota eeking out a 26-25 victory.

• ACC: Cal bested Stanford in The Big Game, 24-21.

• SEC: Ole Miss’s playoff hopes were sunk in The Swamp by the Gators, losing by a touchdown. Auburn claimed a thrilling four-overtime victory over Texas A&M, 43-41.

• Notre Dame continued its surge with a dominant 49-14 win over previously undefeated Army, leaving only USC standing in its way to a playoff berth.

• FCS Action: In “The Rivalry,” Lehigh trounced Lafayette 38-14.

• 

  Three generations of O'Connors rooting on their Devils

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Bieber Award

This week’s winner might have committed the greatest Bieberism in award history. Alabama backup linebacker Keanu Koht inexplicably decided to send unsolicited and explicit text messages—including photos only a urologist should see—to the daughter of Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. Not sure if this kid has CTE, was sniffing model airplane glue, lost a dare, or whatever, regardless, what the heck you doing son? While we may never know, the consequences were swift: Koht is no longer an Alabama linebacker, and it’s doubtful any coach’s with a suitable daughter will want to recruit him. While awaiting his new colors at Last Chance U, he can polish his new Bieber hardware.

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Next Up

Taking a break this weekend to Griswold the house and enjoy some football from the comfort of home.

Happy Tailgating!

Week 12 - Chaos Continues

For the second time this season, I made my way down to "The Gulag" at San Jose State. The Spartans were hosting one of my beloved teams in my polygamy of fandom: the Boise State Broncos. Boise State is led by All-American and Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty, who currently leads the nation in rushing yards.

Joining me for our pregame soiree were several of the Dons of Danville, a DruBaca sighting along with part of his Dru Crew, and we were even graced by an appearance by the Yeti in the tailgate lot.

When you lose a bet to an Eagles Fan, Yeti and Crazy George and the classy pre game parking lot soiree attendees.

For the first time in perhaps forever, the newly redesigned Spartan Stadium (aka The Gulag) was sold out. However, in their infinite wisdom during the redesign, they reduced seating by about 13,000, leaving the total capacity at just 21,000. In fact, the price of the ticket was 3 x higher than I have ever paid at a SJSU game.

Despite Boise State being favored by 14 points, San Jose State came out of the locker room ready to play. It was evident this team spends a lot of time perfecting their tackling. For the first half, they effectively bottled up All-American Ashton Jeanty and went toe-to-toe offensively with Boise State. San Jose State’s own All-American, Nick Nash, who leads the nation in receiving yards, put on quite a show with some acrobatic catches.

Jeanty takes a handoff, the harvest moon over San Jose and the Gulag on display.

Through almost three quarters, the teams traded blows until Jeanty broke free for a 36-yard touchdown, giving Boise State the lead for good. The game remained competitive until Boise stopped San Jose State on a critical fourth down, preventing them from cutting the lead to seven. Boise finished the game with a pick-six for a final score of 42-21. Jeanty finished with 159 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Nash had nine grabs and a touchdown.

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Around the Country
In the SEC, down in the Swamp, the Florida Gators handed LSU an upset defeat, eliminating LSU’s playoff hopes. In Athens, Georgia, the Dawgs held off the Tennessee Volunteers 31-17 in the ABC Game of the Week.

In Big 12 action, a mediocre Kansas squad upset previously undefeated BYU 17-13 bringing more chaos to the playoff picture. A surging Colorado Buffaloes team forcibly dismantled a free-falling Utah squad at Folsom Field, 49-24 (say that five times fast).

#3 and her wing girl taking in their last home Buffaloes game.

In the Big Ten, No. 1 Oregon squeaked past lowly Wisconsin 16-13. Meanwhile, in ACC action, Louisville traveled to The Farm at Stanford and left with their red tails between their talons, losing to the Cardinal 38-35. A couple of boneheaded defensive plays by Louisville gifted Stanford the upset.

In FCS play, No. 2 Montana State edged out No. 4 UC Davis 30-28 in a thriller.

The Donnelly Boys at Navy Tailgate

 Members of the SJSU 1990 Raisin Bowl Champions

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Bieber Award
This week’s Bieber goes to yet another "I'm taking my ball and going home" quitter. At the start of the season, Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos was on fire, playing exceptionally well. Over the past month and a half, however, a mix of injuries and subpar play led to him being benched two games ago. When informed he’d no longer be the starter, he promptly quit the team and entered the mythical transfer portal.

Boston College superfans were so thrilled to see him go that they threw a celebration party for his backup, now the new starter. It’s another example of this generation expecting the world on a silver platter. When adversity strikes, what will they do? In Castellanos’ case, the answer is clear: celebrate with his new Bieber hardware!

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Ginger Award
This week’s Ginger Award recipient shall remain nameless to preserve HIPAA medical privacy laws. Let’s just say one of our crew was on a hospital gurney in the ER less than 18 hours before the tailgate. When he heard  we were going to tailgate and go to the Boise State/San Jose State game, akin to a European soccer flopper, he made a miraculous recovery, joined our group, and even took charge. He picked up the chow, drove the bus, and bought the tickets (OK, we reimbursed him, but it makes for a better story). Here’s to you, unnamed tailgate bro!

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Next Up
I’m headed back to the Palace on the Prairie in Norman, Oklahoma, to watch the Sooners take on the mighty Crimson Tide from Alabama.

Happy tailgating!

Week 11 recap - Happy Veterans Day

As I mentioned last weekend, my options for this Saturday were either to stay home and binge-watch 200 games on TV or to catch a Division II game 90 miles away in Pensacola, FL. I chose the latter and attended the University of West Florida Argonauts’ home game against the North Greenville Trailblazers.

UWF has a fascinating and unique history for such a young program. They fielded their first team in 2016 and won the Division II national championship in 2019—in only their fourth season! With a winning record across their short eight-year history, the Argonauts have been successful from day one. They play on campus at Penn Air field, which will soon undergo a major renovation. Right now, though, it looks more like a high school stadium. Several parking lots had a decent tailgating scene, and the locals showed strong support, bringing great energy.

I was joined by my neighbor “P-Squared,” who scored a rare hall pass to come out and play. We set up a simple tailgate of hot dogs, chips, and beer and soaked in the pregame atmosphere.

Two Man spartan tailgate!

Inside the stadium, we watched the Argonauts build a substantial lead in the first half, heading into the locker room up 28-14. For a small school, they had a decent-sized band with a sound that felt legit. The second half was a defensive battle, with the Argonauts scoring one final touchdown with four minutes left to seal a 35-14 victory, improving to 7-2 on the season.

The action at Pen Air Field!

Around the Country

Hotty Toddy in Oxford, MS, as Ole Miss looked smarter than Kirby “not so” Smart and handed the UGA Bulldogs a sizeable 28-10 defeat. Alabama rolled into Baton Rouge, delivering a blowout victory over LSU, 42-13, behind an epic performance from QB1 Jalen Milroe. This game effectively eliminated LSU’s playoff hopes.

In the Big 12, Colorado traveled to Lubbock, TX, to face Texas Tech, with the Buffs coming out on top 41-27 in a chippy game. Meanwhile, the Holy War in Salt Lake City saw BYU pull off a one-point win over rival Utah, thanks in part to some “alleged” controversial calls. 

In the ACC, media darling Miami fell to Georgia Tech in the day’s biggest upset, 28-23. Notre Dame added to Florida State’s woes with a 52-3 trouncing in front of Touchdown Jesus.

Over in the Big Ten, Indiana made history, improving to 10-0 for the first time ever by defeating Michigan 20-15. Next up for the Hoosiers in two weeks: Ohio State. Penn State white washed Washington in the “White Out” in Happy Valley.

Boise State and star running back Ashton Jeanty continued their playoff quest as the Group of Five’s top contender by edging out Nevada in a tight contest. In what’s dubbed “the biggest little game in America,” Amherst defeated Williams 21-0 in Division 3 action.

Enjoying the night games.

Bieber Award

It pains me to say this, but my new home state of Florida went “o-fer” this weekend in Division I-A football. Miami, Florida, Florida State, UCF, USF, and FAU all lost, marking what might be the first time this has happened in a single day. FIU had a bye, sparing the state an unlucky seven. Adding insult to injury, all three FCS schools in Florida (FAMU, Stetson, and Bethune-Cookman) also lost. I may have been onto something by opting for a Division II game at UWF—at least they pulled out a win. For delivering a big goose egg, Florida’s D-I football programs collectively earn the prestigious Bieber Award.

Ginger Award

When Pat McAfee first hit the scene, I found him a bit much—trying too hard to be over-the-top. But like a fine wine, his antics have become more refined with age. Up until two years ago, ESPN’s College GameDay had grown stale. The blowhard and Bieber Hall of Famer David Pollack was taking up too much time, so when he was replaced by McAfee, it was a breath of fresh air. McAfee brings a unique energy to the show, taking time to learn the host school’s traditions and engaging every GameDay crowd.

He also created the “kick for cash” contest, where a student tries to nail a field goal for big bucks—and if they miss, he doesn’t hold back on telling them. This season, he’s joined by Nick Saban, whose calm contrasts sharply with McAfee’s energy, but the pairing works surprisingly well. For revitalizing GameDay, Mr. McAfee is awarded the badass Ginger Award. Keep doing your thing, dude!

Next Up

I’ll be heading back to the West Coast before the weekend, with a plan to catch Boise State playing at San Jose State on Saturday, if I get the hall pass. Until then, happy tailgating!

Week 10 - Mountain Strong

Just five weeks ago, Hurricane Helene unleashed damage of biblical proportions on the mountain region of Western North Carolina. Some communities still lack electricity and running water. Yet, the people of the region are among the most resilient and hearty in the country. Despite the devastation, destruction, and loss of life, they continue to face each day with strength and optimism.

King Street in Boone on 9/27/24

Nearly a year ago, my high school crew and I decided our annual boys’ trip would be to Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina. But after Hurricane Helene, the school had to shut down for several weeks, casting doubt on whether they’d play another home game this season. The Boone community and Appalachian State staff worked incredibly hard to restore the school and football program, and this past weekend, six of us, high school classmates from Seneca Valley High many moons ago, made the trek to Boone for a memorable football weekend.

The hurricane’s impact was evident around Boone, with piles of debris in driveways and businesses and signs of flood damage as high as 20 feet up in trees. We rented an amazing cabin with a stream running through the property, where the aftermath of the hurricane was clear.

On our way into Boone Friday, we stopped in Blowing Rock for a beer and pizza lunch to kick off the weekend. This beautiful town off the Blue Ridge Parkway offered stunning views of mountain and valley mosaics. After stocking up on provisions, we settled into the cabin, retelling the same old tales we share every year—and yet they never get old. Like good boys, we made sure to go to bed early as instructed by our wives. Technically 2 AM is early…..very early.

Saturday morning, we loaded up my buddy Tony’s van—a cross between an Amazon delivery van and the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo. We were all a bit wary about driving through a college town looking like a group of senior citizens in a kidnapper van! However, it was perfectly equipped for a tailgate, with a refrigerator stocked with beer and food. We parked in town, set up a Spartan tailgate, and enjoyed some amazing chicken salad, cold beers and southern rock before heading to the game with a 2:30 p.m kick off.

Top - Student tailgate rager, the boys tailgating and the Scooby Doo Kidnapper Van

Appalachian State first hit the national scene nearly two decades ago when, as an FCS team, they upset Michigan in the Big House. Now a Division I-A team in the Sun Belt Conference, they were hosting conference rival Old Dominion University. Neither team has had a stellar season, but this would be my first game at Appalachian State—a new venue checked off the list.

Legends of the Fall

The Mountaineers play in Kidd Brewer Stadium, one of the most picturesque settings in the country, nestled among rolling hills and trees. We swapped our original sun facing seats for ones in the shade as the action began, with both teams appearing evenly matched. App State was led by quarterback Joey Aguilar from Antioch, California, whom I saw play two years ago at Diablo Valley College. Aguilar got the Mountaineers on the board first with a 23-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kaedin Robinson. Old Dominion answered quickly, scoring 17 straight points. With just three minutes left in the half, Aguilar threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Stroman, leaving Old Dominion up 17-14 at halftime.

Picturesque Kidd Brewer Stadium AKA The Rock

Aguilar opened the third quarter with a short touchdown pass, putting the Mountaineers on top 21-17. They held the lead, adding another touchdown in the fourth quarter while Old Dominion scored only one more field goal. The crowd went wild as the Mountaineers claimed a 28-20 victory in a closely contested game.

After the game, we headed back into town for some wings and pub food, then returned to the cabin to watch more football and share a few laughs. Appalachian State quickly became one of my top college football weekend experiences in my 20 year DFT quest.

Around the Country

Several notable upsets over the weekend shook up playoff contenders. In the ACC, Louisville traveled to Death Valley and knocked off Clemson, thier first loss since week 1 against UGA. Staying in the ACC, SMU defeated undefeated Pittsburgh 48-25, damaging Pitt’s shot at an ACC Championship and potential playoff spot. Texas Tech upset previously undefeated Iowa State in the Big 12, hurting their playoff chances. In the SEC, Texas A&M suffered a 44-20 loss to South Carolina in one of the weekend’s bigger upsets. Georgia came alive in the second half against Florida to secure a 34-20 win in a storied rivalry matchup. In Group of Five action, Army remained undefeated, beating service rival Air Force 20-3 without their star quarterback, Bryson Daly. And in a heavyweight battle, Penn State hosted Ohio State in Happy Valley. Once again, Coach James Franklin couldn’t get past Ohio State, losing 20-13.

Bieber Award

While there are many contenders each week, this week’s Bieber Award goes to someone who probably isn’t the kind of person you’d want your daughter bringing home. During Louisiana Monroe’s game against Marshall, offensive line coach Cameron Blankenship became so incensed over a player’s performance that he was seen shoving him on the field before other players intervened. Blankenship is in his first year at Louisiana Monroe, and this incident might be his last. It’s unacceptable for a coach to throw hands on a player, especially mid-game. Although the school says he’ll face disciplinary action, Blankenship can start enjoying his new Bieber hardware while awaiting his fate. Honorable mention goes to the dork who tried to get under Jason Kelce's skin at Penn State on Saturday. "You don't tug on Superman's cape.".......

Ginger Award

This week’s Ginger Award goes to the people of North Carolina’s mountain region. They truly are mountain strong. With minimal outside assistance, these folks have banded together to rebuild their communities, relying on each other instead of outside help. They embody resilience, and it was inspiring to see how upbeat everyone was despite the hurricane’s recent devastation. Boone’s people were extraordinarily friendly and happy, and I want to give them a shoutout for their resilient spirit. Here’s to you, Boone, you are this week’s Ginger winner.

Next Up

I may or may not attend a game this coming weekend. If I do, West Florida State in Pensacola, FL—a successful Division II program—might be the destination. Otherwise, I’ll rest up for the final stretch of the regular season.

Happy Tailgating!