The Bears and the Bees - Week 9

As promised in last week’s write-up, I did in fact tailgate with a real-life seal: my longtime buddy Davey Seals from my old hometown of Danville! Sorry to disappoint you all that were looking for an entertaining circus seal or a badass navy seal, he is neither!  I linked up with Davey Friday afternoon and we headed to the campus of Sacramento State University to watch the Hornets take on the number-four–ranked Montana Grizzlies in the FCS. 

We chose to tailgate in the Montana parking lot to avoid the lingering aroma from the other lot, where plenty of young people were letting certain aromas fill the air. We wanted to stay awake for the game.

I pre cooked New York–style sausages (way better than Johnsonville) https://newyorkstylesausage.com/ with Coors Banquet and onions on Thursday night and let them marinate in the fridge. We fired up the grill and browned them and dined on them, fresh guacamole, salsa, chips, a few cold beers, homemade brownies and some delicious Blanton’s bourbon. The Montana faithful travel well — there were several thousand of them in attendance and very passionate about their Griz.

"Davy" Seals and DFT taking in the day Sac State.

Sacramento State came into the game as the underdog with a 4-3 record and Montana was 7-0. Both are members of the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies had their hands full in the first half, as the Hornets gave them everything they could. It made for a thrilling, back-and-forth battle, with Montana holding a narrow 28-21 lead at halftime. We kept wondering why the stadium was so packed with young people and why that same familiar aroma lingered. Turns out there was a rap concert after the game that drew an unusually large crowd.

During the game, the Sacramento State chancellor was booed by his own fan base. He had been, pun intended, “poking the bear” since the offseason, claiming his Hornets were the superior program over Montana. He even called the Grizzlies “pandas,” prompting his fans to chant, “You got panda’d!” Not exactly a victory in PR.

In the second half, the superior Grizzlies leaned on the Hornets, pulling away with a final score of 49-28 and returning to missoula victorious.

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Around the country:

• ACC: The Virginia Cavaliers continue to impress, edging Bill Belichick–led UNC Tar Heels 17-16 in overtime. In the words of Belicheck’s young girl toy, “you came up a few inches short Billy”.

  

  So much in common!

  
  
  
  

• Big 12: Houston had no problem and dominated Arizona State from start to finish in Tempe, winning 24-16. A slight upset as the SUn Devils was ranked and the Cougars weren't.
  
  

• Big Ten: In a mild upset on Lake Washington, the unranked UW Huskies out ran the 23rd-ranked Illinois Illini 42-25.

  

  Bill doing Bill things

  
  
  
  

• SEC:QB1 Diego Pavia backed up his brashness, leading Vanderbilt to a 17-10 win over Missouri. In the ABC game of the week, Texas A&M and their Gig ’em faithful stunned LSU 49-25 in Death Valley, leaving Coach Brian Kelly more purple faced then usual.

  

  
  

• Group of Five: In a heavyweight clash, the Memphis Tigers bested the USF 34-31 Bulls at the hallowed Liberty Bowl.
  
  

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Bieber Award:

This week’s trophy goes to the Big 12 Conference, which has officially outlawed one of college football’s most beloved fan traditions — the Texas Tech tortilla toss. It began in the early 1990s when a rabid fan tossed a tortilla before kickoff to celebrate the team’s “wrap-’em-up” defense. For decades, thousands of fans launched flying flour missiles skyward, a West Texas snowstorm of school pride and harmless fun.

But the No Fun League struck. In a Bierberesque move, the Big 12 voted 15-1 to ban tossing tortillas onto the field. The penalty? A warning for the first offense, a 15-yard penalty for the third, and potential fines large enough to buy Lubbock’s entire tortilla supply. Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt was the lone holdout:

So, the Big 12 earns the Bieber this week for smothering one of the last pure, silly, uniquely college-football traditions. Nobody got hurt, nobody was offended, and for over thirty years, those tortillas soared. The toss may be dead, but the Bieber award is alive and well in your trophy case.

Let the kid's toss!!!

Ginger Award:

This week, the Ginger goes to Army football player Larry Pickett Jr., who proved heroism isn’t measured in yards or touchdowns. After a normal night out with his dad, Pickett spotted a car smashed into a utility pole — and starting to catch fire. Most of us would have called 911. Not Larry. He and his dad ran straight in, pulled the driver to safety, and got out seconds before the car erupted in flames. Larry shrugged it off: “That’s just who the Army is.” Coach Jeff Monken called it what it was: a life-saving act of courage. No stats, no highlight reel — just pure, unfiltered heroism. For that, Larry Pickett Jr. is this week’s Ginger Award winner.

Heroic actions!

Next Up: I’ll be returning to the Linc in Philly to this time catch a Temple home game with two of my siblings checking that one off the list. It is unfathomable to me that we are already entering week 10!

Happy Tailgating!

 

Best Weekend of CFB in Recent Memory

I picked a great weekend to become one with the couch, as the action on the big screen was electrifying. Aside from a few family events ..... that I Irish goodbyed on early, I became that guy — sprawled on the couch all day with a bag of chips and a handful of Costco chomps, remote in hand and a four game multiview screen on.

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Around the Country

ACC – The weekend kicked off with a loud-ass bang on Friday night as The U (aka Miami) and their mascot Ibis went down to a flock of Louisville Cardinals. Georgia Tech keeps finding ways to win, knocking off Duke, while FSU and Clemson keep finding ways to lose.

SEC – Of eight games in the SEC, seven were thrillers. Bama won the Cigar Bowl over Tennessee. Florida slipped by Mississippi State, but Coach Napier got fired anyway. Arch became “Ass” again, and the Horns barely bucked the UK Cats. Diego Pavia and Vandy continued their improbable season by taking down LSU in Nashville. Kirby and the Dawgs came from behind in Athens to beat Lane and the Rebs by eight. TAMU slipped out of Fayetteville with a close one over an inspired Razorback squad, while Jackson Arnold’s struggles continued down on the plains as Mizzou escaped with a six-point win.

Big 12 – In one of the most dramatic finishes of the weekend, Arizona State narrowly escaped with a win over Texas Tech. ASU led most of the game until the Red Raiders stormed back late in the fourth. Arizona State ultimately pulled it out with a last-minute drive. Out west, in the Holy War, BYU bested in-state rival Utah 24–21 in the Wasatch Mountains.

Big Ten – Notre Dame ousted USC on the 20th anniversary of the famous Bush Push game. Jeremiah Love ran for over 200 yards and is now a legitimate Heisman contender. Iowa edged the James-Franklin-less Penn State Nittany Lions by one point in Iowa City.

Group of Five – UAB, fresh off firing Trent Dilfer, upset heavily favored Memphis and spoiled their perfect season. Boise State did the same to UNLV on the blue smurf turf.

Pretty funny even if you are offended!

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Bieber Award 

This week’s Bieber goes to all the schools so impatient they’re firing coaches midseason just to appease critics. The latest casualties include the aforementioned James Franklin from Penn State — who, by the way, took the Nittany Lions to the CFP semifinals last year — and Billy Napier, dismissed by Florida right after a win over Mississippi State. Also gone: Trent Dilfer from UAB and Jay Norvell from Colorado State. That makes nine pink slips already.

Rumors are swirling that FSU may part ways with Mike Norvell and South Carolina might do the same with Shane Beamer. A few of these moves make sense, but most are knee-jerk “save my own ass” reactions. In this NIL-driven, win-now era of college football, it’s no surprise we’re seeing this kind of turnover so early. It’s yet another unintended consequence of the new landscape.

So to all the programs guilty of such knee-jerk moves: proudly display your large bronze Bieber Award on your trophy shelf. Enjoy it — your season’s done, and that’s the only hardware you’ll be taking home.

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Ginger Award 

Meet Tom Green — a 60-year-old walk-on defensive lineman for the McDaniel College Green Terror in Westminster, Maryland, whose journey to the gridiron reads like a late-career redemption story. A former semi-pro player, he spent years chasing his dream and is now back in the weight room, hitting sleds, running hills, and studying a defensive playbook that, as he jokes, “makes me feel like I have to go to college just to learn it.”

After a successful real estate run, financial ups and downs, and even surviving stage-four cancer, Green now suits up alongside teammates decades younger. When asked why he returned to the field, his answer was simple: “I’ve always wanted to play… so here I am.”

His story isn’t just athletic inspiration — it’s a reminder that passion doesn’t have an expiration date. It even gives me hope that I’ll petition for a COVID year of eligibility after my five years of collegiate rugby and finally strap on the shoulder pads again — for the first time since ninth grade!

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Next Up

I’ll be hitting some FCS action as the Montana Grizzlies take on the Sacramento State Hornets in Sac Town. I’ll be joined by a real, live seal at the tailgate.

Happy Tailgating!

Another Autumn Audible

As I mentioned last week, I was taking the weekend off from tailgating and not attending a game other than a local high school matchup with my son-in-law on Friday night. We did that. But those of you who know me, know that I can be convinced to alter my plans at the drop of a hat if the offering is bountiful. So keep that in mind when I tell you the audible I called.

Mommy Mommy who are the 2 random guys with no kids on the team?

My old neighbor “lil Johnny”, who now lives in Reno, NV, texted me on Thursday. He mentioned that he was throwing a tailgate for the University of Nevada, Reno vs. San Diego State game on Saturday. Furthermore, he went on to say that the tailgate was being catered by his club with fried chicken, coleslaw, and cornbread. He had me at fried chicken. As is customary, I also scored some “hell points,” as I was supposed to help babysit the three California grandsons on Saturday night. As you can guess, I got out of babysitting duties and made the trek over the High Sierras to Reno on Saturday.

First stop was Twin Peaks to watch the Red River rivalry and Indiana’s upset of Oregon with my other old neighbor, Drubabca. He speaks in monosyllabic mumbles, so I have no idea what the hell we talked about for three hours. Our Family Manager, aka daughter #1 stalked me on the find my friends app and copied all the other members of my flock: Here is the exchange:

So clearly my daughter's love and adore me!

Then it was off to the UNR tailgate—menu is mentioned above—accompanied by cold Coors Banquet and a wee bit of the Irish elixir. I had met much of this crew last year during that bizarre August snowstorm game, and it was great reconnecting with them again.

The Rancharra UNR Tailgate Crew

The Crew, the Dru, me, Crandall and Browns too!

San Diego State is one of the rising teams in the Mountain West conference having won four games in a row. UNR has struggled all season, so the expectations were set commensurately going into the contest. As far as the game goes, it was a non-event, with San Diego State dominating 35–0 at halftime, and sitting in the family section which is non alcoholic, we left. We made our way back to Lil Johnny’s house and continued to eat fried chicken until there was no more left. SDSU won 44-10

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Around the Country

Big Ten – In the Powerhouse game of the day, Indiana proved they are for real, physically dominating Oregon in Eugene with a 10-point win. Curt Cignetti has to be the hottest coach in the country. As we well know, there are multiple openings—about to be more—from elite schools that would love to have this guy.

Upset of the Day – Staying in the Big Ten, Penn State went down for the second week in a row against an inferior opponent as Northwestern scored a one-point victory over the Nittany Lions. Adding insult to injury, Penn State lost quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the year with an injury. Even more humiliating, Penn State fired their long-tenured coach James Franklin after losing three games in a row and apparently losing control of the team. No need to weep for Coach Franklin—his buyout is $56 million.

SEC – In the Red River shootout, the first half was everything we expected, with both defenses stifling the opposing offenses and Oklahoma leading 6–3 at the break. However, Texas made the proper halftime adjustments, and Arch Manning came out looking better than he has all year as Texas dominated both sides of the ball for the remainder of the game, walking away with a 23–6 victory. Yes, I am eating humble pie on this one.

Big 12 – Shout out to # 3’s school Colorado for upsetting Iowa State. Apparently, there was a field storming, which I would have been part of had I been in Boulder. Final score: Colorado 24, Iowa State 17.

ACC – After a brilliant start with a victory over Alabama, Florida State's season continues to spiral out of control with their third straight loss. This time they were defeated by the University of Pittsburgh 34–31. Safe to say, Florida State will not be sniffing around the college football playoffs.

Bieber Award – This one was unique: Following Fort Valley State’s 31–21 homecoming win over Central State, chaos erupted as players from both Division II programs engaged in a full-blown postgame brawl near midfield. What began as trash talk quickly escalated into punches, helmet swings, and players spilling off the sidelines. The fight drew national attention after multiple fan videos went viral, showing coaches and staff struggling to restore order. In the aftermath, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) handed down harsh penalties—20 players in total were suspended (nine from Fort Valley State and eleven from Central State), and both head coaches received disciplinary action for failing to control their teams. The league condemned the melee as “unacceptable behavior” and warned both programs that further incidents could result in forfeits or postseason bans. But guys, please seek solace in your time off the team in your new iconic Bieber hardware!

Ginger Award – That fried chicken I mentioned at the UNR tailgate and aftermath. Absolutely some of the most righteous tailgate chow I have experienced. Ten pieces in all consumed! Lil Johnny’s kitchen after the game looked like a successful archaeological dig! 

Next Up – I am really taking this week off, as I will begin another one-month gauntlet starting the following week. 

Happy Tailgating!

 

Week 6 – I’m Not as Good as I Once Was, But I Am as Good Once as I Ever Was

 After ten years, I returned to my alma mater, Frostburg State University, for Homecoming weekend. Back in 2015, I wrote about Frostburg and what it means to me, so I’ll repeat myself just a bit—it’s worth saying again.

Frostburg lies in the mountains of Western Maryland, in the skinniest part of the state bordered by Pennsylvania and West Virginia just a couple of vertical miles either way. As I once described it, it’s a hard-scrabble area, built originally as a stopover in the early 1800s along what was then called the National Road. Later that century, the town grew as the surrounding coal mines began popping up.

Today, the university itself is the town’s largest employer. I had the honor and privilege of being interviewed this summer by Frostburg State Magazine about the Tailgate Connect business I founded eight years ago. In the article (link below), I mentioned how my time at Frostburg—let’s just say it was a tad longer than the standard four years—helped shape and mold me into who I am today. The friendships forged there have endured for over 40 years, and the new ones I make on these return trips feel just as strong.

https://www.frostburg.edu/profile/f25/feature-dan-donnelly.php

A buddy of mine who went to West Point—and somehow has a ton of Frostburg friends—said it best: “Let’s face it, the whole world revolves around Frostburg State.”

In addition to Homecoming, it was the 50th anniversary of the founding of my fraternity, Kappa Zeta Chi. The weekend was packed with amazing events. Happy hour on Friday with friends. Friday night’s big Kappa reunion was nothing short of epic. Saturday morning, I attended a ceremony dedicating a classroom in honor of one of my closest friend’s brothers, who also attended Frostburg and passed away six years after graduation. Saturday night was a party with live bands in the building I once bartended at while at Frostburg,

KZX Athletic Fraternity 50th

The tailgate before the big game rivaled many I’ve attended in the SEC and Big Ten. In fact, I’d say 70% of the crowd never even made it into the stadium—including yours truly. All of these moments made the weekend more than just another Homecoming—it was something truly special. And yes, true to form, I’ll be nursing my wounds for the next few days while my attorney negotiates payment plans for any blackmail photos that surface.

The three best friends, that anyone can have 🎶🎶🎶

Old bad influences and influencees!

The fearsome foursome rides again

The Men of Kappa!

Sixty Shades of Frostburg turns out!

The celebration never ends!

As for the game, Frostburg was matched up against Concord from West Virginia. The Bobcats entered the day ranked 23rd nationally in Division II with a 4–0 record. They rolled to a 33–7 win to move to 5–0 on the season. A special shout-out to Frostburg tight end Max Heineman—son of my high-school buddy Karl—who was in attendance.

Final score

When I wrote ten years ago that “you can’t go home again,” I might’ve been wrong. If you go back with the right people, you most certainly can.

Around the Country

SEC:  Upset of the Week: Florida Gators knock off Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns, 29–21. The whole country’s still wondering when we’ll finally see the guaranteed wunderkind shine.

Big Ten: Upset #2: UCLA embarrassed James Franklin and Penn State at the Rose Bowl, jumping out early and never looking back. Final: Bruins 42, Nittany Lions 37.

ACC: Miami captures the mythical Florida State Championship after knocking off the Seminoles, 28–22.

Big 12: Cincinnati upsets previously unbeaten #14 Iowa State, 38–30.

Group of Five: Navy, led by this year’s new “Captain America” Blake Horvath, edged Air Force in a thriller, 34–31.

Bieber Award: Mark Sanchez

Just when it looked like Mark Sanchez had finally escaped the Butt Fumble era and settled nicely into his Fox Sports suit, he went and wrote himself into a true-crime episode.

While in Indianapolis to cover the Colts–Raiders game, Sanchez allegedly got into a late-night brawl with a 69-year-old truck driver in a hotel loading zone—reportedly over a parking spot. Witnesses say Sanchez tried to enter the man’s truck and pushed him. The driver responded with pepper spray, then a knife, stabbing the former QB several times in the torso.

Sanchez was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but later stabilized. Then came the kicker—police charged him with battery, unlawful vehicle entry, and public intoxication. Prosecutors later upgraded it to a Level-5 felony, meaning Sanchez could face prison time. The driver has filed a lawsuit claiming permanent injuries and insists Sanchez was the aggressor. Reports say Sanchez was three sheets to the wind.

So, to recap: a national TV analyst, in town for work, ends up in a midnight knife fight with a senior citizen over a parking spot. If that’s not Bieber material, I don’t know what is.

For taking a parking spat to full chaos mode and proving that some reputations are just too resilient to die, Mark Sanchez will be enjoying his Bieber hardware behind bars—with his new cellmates.

Ginger Award: (This goes to the most badass person, group, or thing each week)

This week’s Ginger Award goes to everyone who made Frostburg State’s Homecoming weekend so memorable.

Shout-outs to my fraternity brother Dennis Dillon for organizing the Friday-night party for Kappa Zeta Chi (KZX) and the Saturday tailgate; props to Paul Reutershan and his crew for the “Sixty Shades of Frostburg” bash Saturday night; and special thanks to Tracy Archibald Yaklyvich and Mike Allen for coordinating the classroom dedication in honor of Mike’s brother Matt.

And, of course, thank you to all my fellow Bobcats—for just being you. It was once again an amazing weekend we’ll be recapping for years to come.

Next Up: Taking the weekend off… sort of. I’ll hit a local high-school football game with my son-in-law Friday night, then recharge the batteries Saturday while watching the Red River Rivalry on the big screen.

Happy Tailgating!