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.
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.
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| Pretty funny even if you are offended! |
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.
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!
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!
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