Random Thoughts: Ice Bowls

It was a cold week of bowl games. Fun for fans sitting at home and guys who were actually running around playing the games. But it must have been miserable for the fans. God bless them every one.

SEC

Gasparilla Bowl: Wake Forest 27 Missouri 17 - Sadly, we got the Mr. Hyde version of Mizzou. The Tigers defense was decent enough but the offense was enough to put Elle Woods to sleep. For a guy that is supposed to be an offensive genius, Eli Drinkwitz doesn’t usually have a good plan. It is Year 3 for DrinkyCrow and he has gone 5-5, 6-7, 6-7 (SEC 11-15), and 0-2 in bowls (2020 Music City Bowl was cancelled because of Captain Trips hysteria). He is 17-19 overall. His predecessor Barry Odom was 25–25 (13–19) in four years and got fired. And he was a beloved alum. 2023 will be make or break for Eli.

OTHER STUFF

Independence Bowl: Houston 23 ULL 16 - To be honest, ULL was pretty lucky to even get to a bowl. After going 12–1 (8-0) last year with Billy Napier, rookie head coach Michael Desormeaux finishes 6-7 with a team that took a huge step back in 2022. Houston (8-5), who was once a non-Power 5 darling, should have dominated this game but got off to a slow start trailing 13-6 in the second quarter. However, the Coogs did outscore the Rajuns 17-0 in the second half aided by three Laffy turnovers.

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Marshall 28 UConn 14 - The Thundering Herd jumped out to a 28-0 advantage and put it in cruise control from there. It was a nice rebound ending for MU who beat Notre Dame earlier in the year and then lost two in a row and four out of the next six. Charles Huff’s team finishes 9-4 with a five game win streak. For UConn’s part, the Huskies (6-7) should just be glad to be in a bowl. Jim Mora took an absolute doormat program that had recorded 10 wins over the last five seasons and made them viable.

Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan 41 San Jose Canseco State 27 - This game happened. Some guys grabbed the football and went one way. Other guys went the other way. One set of guys was more successful than the other.

Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo 21 Liberty 19 - What an appropriate exclamation point on the Hugh Freeze era at Jerry Falwell U to finish with a four game losing streak. After his phone lit up with a 334 area code over a month ago, Freeze pretty much quit on his team and started doodling Aubie catch phrases on his playbooks. Two months ago, the Flames (8-5) probably would have put up a better effort against the Rockets (9-5). Toledo’s offense chewed up the clock, especially in the second half with drives of six and seven minutes, and they converted 10 of 17 third downs.

Liberty gives up their independence and joins C-USA next year with former Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell at the helm.

Hawaii Bowl: Middle Tennessee State 25 San Diego Maradona State 23 - Aloha.

Detroit Bowl: New Mexico State 24 Bowling Green 19 - Forget Sonny Dykes and Willie Fritz. What an outstanding job Jerry Kill did taking one of the most thankless jobs in FBS and turning them into a bowl winner. The Aggies (7-6) started the season 0-4 but rebounded to finish with a winning record, including a chicken-out by San Jose Canseco State. NMSU led 24-7 heading into the final frame and held on for a win that was not a s close as the score indicates. The Aggies play Auburn next season. We may have to adopt them now!

BOWL SEASON, Y’ALL

IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER?

IT WAS COLD (HOW COLD WAS IT?)...

It was so cold at the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, TX that the instrument valves of the Baylor band were literally frozen. Reportedly, the troop had to resort to singing their parts because they could not play. It’s “reported” because nobody was actually dumb enough to be there to see it.

THERE’S MANLY AND THEN THERE’S INSANITY

BRRRRRRR!

SOON...

“911, WHAT’S YOUR EMERGENCY?”

NAME OF THE WEEK

Stanford CB Kyu Blu Kelly

SOMEONE’S CRANKY

The Tiger wearing #2 who offered to help Wake QB Sam Hartman up is Ennis Rakestraw. Anyone remember that name from crootin a few years ago? #33 is linebacker Chad Bailey.

YOU HAD ONE JOB OF THE WEEK

WTF CELEBRATION OF THE WEEK

COLOR RUSH OF THE WEEK

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

KAYSHON BOUTTE/JORDAN ADDISON PEACE OUT WATCH

• And there it is. Jordan Addison has announced that he will miss Cotton Bowl while “rehabbing ankle injury”. That’s funny. His ankle seemed okay in the PACCG on Dec 2.

STATIONARY RUNNING BACK OF THE WEEK

• Baylor running back Richard Reese attempted 8 rushes and tallied 10 total yards. As a team, the Bears ran 26 times and gained 42 yards. More on that game below.

STATS OF THE WEEK

• Against the Air Force defense, Baylor was 0 for 11 on third down conversions. The Falcons more than doubled possession time on the Bears 19:57 to 40:03.
• MTSU had -66 rushing yards and 170 total yards but still won. SDSU lost two fumbles and threw three interceptions.
• New Mexico State is 4-0-1 all time in bowl games.

ADOPT-A-TEAM

• Next year: New Mexico State

COUSINS

• Troy (12-2) - Trojans’ LB Carlton Martial will be playing in the Senior Bowl on February 4, 2023.
• South Alabama (10-3) - The Jags got surprisingly thumped by Western Kentucky in the New Orleans Bowl 44-23. Despite the ending to the season, it was still the most successful campaign in the history of USA football with ten victories. USA DB Darrell Luter and WR Jalen Wayne will also be in the Senior Bowl.

THAT ANNOYING GUY WHO SINGS ALTERNATIVE LYRICS TO “SILENT NIGHT” AS “SILENT FART” WHILE AT CHURCH

• UAB (7-6) - The Dragons beat a crappy Miami-Ohio team in the Bahamas Bowl 24-20. Trent Dilfer now takes the reins.

SALUTE TO OUR TROOPS

• Air Force (10-3) - The Falcons topped Baylor in the Armed Forces Bowl aided by a big pass reception that would put AFA up 16-7. They would score twice more to lead 30-7. The Bears had a garbage TD and two-pointer to make it look closer at 30-15. This senior class had double-digit wins in every full season: 11-2 in 2019, 10-3 last season, and then this season. They were also 3-0 in bowl games. Look for Baylor (6-7) coach Dave Aranda to fire some folks.
• Navy (4-7) - In a bit of a surprising move, the Midshipmen promoted defensive coordinator Brian Newberry to head coach. His work as Navy OC (2019–2022) was his first gig in FBS football, but he was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award in 2019. He played at Baylor 1993–1997, which puts the first-time head coach right around 47 years old.
• Army (5-6) - After mass outcry from fans across the country, politicians scrambled to alter the language of a recently passed congressional bill that would restore the opportunity for current upperclassmen at the three military academies to defer military service to pursue professional sports. This change allows Black Knights linebacker Andre Carter a clear path to eligibility to the upcoming NFL draft. He could go as high as the first round. FWIW, Mel Kiper projects him as the No. 22 pick.

ELIMINATED

Extremely Endangered: Ohio State, TCU,

A way WAY WAY too early look at the College Football Playoff (CFP) picture:

Teams odds of winning the National Championship:

1. Georgia -125
2. Michigan +290
3. Ohio State +350
4. TCU +1800

• ACC - 2-0
• Big 12 - 0-1
• Big Ten - 0-0
• PAC-12 - 1-1
• SEC - 0-2, thanks, Gators, Mizzou.

RANK ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM

Top 1970s Car Movies:

• Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)
• Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
• Vanishing Point (1971)
• American Graffiti (1973)
• Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
• Mad Max (1979)
• The Driver (1978)
• Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974)
• Death Race 2000 (1975)
• Eat My Dust (1976)

Krazy Kristi’s “SHUT UP!” of the Week goes to Senior Citizens playing College football.

MORE R.I.P. MIKE LEACH

• MSU had a nice public memorial for Mike Leach last Tuesday at Humphrey Coliseum. Some of the prominent members of the college football world included Lincoln Riley who was a walk-on quarterback then a student assistant under Leach at Texas Tech, Bob Stoops who had Leach as his offensive coordinator, former Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew (Jalen Hurts’ back-up in Philly), SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, former Kentucky coach Hal Mumme who also had Leach as an OC.

DRAMA

I really don’t get this business with starting quarterbacks transferring.

• We have yet another starting ACC quarterback transferring. Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman was looking like an NFL first rounder a year ago. Now, he is in the ol’ Quitter Hole. Notre Dame looks like the favorite due in part to...
• Notre Dame starting QB Drew Pyne transferring to Arizona State.
• Wisconsin starting QB Graham Mertz commits to transfer to Florida. NEWS FLASH: He sucks.
• NC State starting QB Devin Leary is headed to Kentucky.
• Texas A&M will have yet another different starting QB to start the season now that Haynes King is set to transfer to Georgia Tech.
• Ex-Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei is expected to join Oregon State. His brother, 5-star edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei, just signed with Oregon. Srsly, DJ should change positions.
• Ex-Texas QB Hudson Card has committed to Purdue.
• Tulane QB Michael Pratt and center Sincere Haynesworth both announce they’re coming back to Tulane in 2023.
• One of our all-time favorites is on the move again. Ex-Southern Cal, ex-Pitt QB Sedon Klovis is hoping the third time is a charm at BYU. I recommend a trip to Amsterdam to get some things out of (or in) your system first.

TOO SOON?

Just a few of the underclassmen who have declared for the 2023 NFL Draft:

• Anthony Richardson, QB, R-Soph, Florida
• Antonio Johnson, S, JR, Texas A&M
• Bijan Robinson, RB, JR, Texas
• BJ Ojulari, EDGE, JR, LSU
• Cam Smith, CB, R-JR, South Carolina
• Carrington Valentine, CB, JR, Kentucky
• Colby Wooden, EDGE, R-JR, Auburn
• Devon Achane, RB, JR, Texas A&M
• Drew Sanders, LB, JR, Arkansas
• Emmanuel Forbes, CB, JR, Mississippi State
• Jadon Haselwood, WR, R-JR, Arkansas
• Jalin Hyatt, WR, JR, Tennessee
• Jaquelin Roy, DL, JR, LSU
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, JR, Ohio State
• Jaylon Jones, CB, JR, Texas A&M
• Josh Downs, WR, JR, North Carolina (Caleb’s brother)
• Justin Shorter, WR, R-JR,
• Florida Michael Mayer, TE, JR, Notre Dame
• Myles Murphy, EDGE, JR, Clemson
• Rakim Jarrett, WR, JR, Maryland
• Ronnie Hickman, S, R-JR, Ohio State
• Tank Bigsby, RB, JR, Auburn
• Tanner McKee, QB, R-Soph, Stanford
• Tavion Thomas, RB, R-JR, Utah
• Tiyon Evans, RB, JR, Louisville
• Trenton Simpson, LB, JR, Clemson
• Trey Palmer, WR, R-JR, LSU

KOACHES KORNER

• Illinois signed Bert Bielema to a new deal through 2028. For the major accomplishment of going 13-11 in two seasons at Illinois, he will receive an annual salary increase from $4.3 million this season to $6 million.
• A neighbor of Urban Meyer had a dog die. To cheer him up, Urbie got him an identical one but the neighbor was perplexed. He was not sure what to do with two dead dogs.
• Fat F*** Phil Fulmer had an uncredited cameo in the Tom Hanks movie “Cast Away” as the island.

TEEVEE

Despite moving from primetime on ABC to daytime on cable ESPN, the Las Vegas Bowl still delivered the top audience in Week 1 of the college football bowl season. The Oregon State win over Florida was the most-watched Week 1 bowl game at 2.45 million viewers.

Despite being Deion’s Jackson State swan song and a chance at an undefeated season, the HBCU Celebration Bowl between NC Central and Jax State placed second at with 2.42 million viewers on network TV, ABC - down from last year.

THIS WEEK

Tuesday, Dec. 27

Camellia Bowl: Buffalo vs. Georgia Southern 11am/noon ESPN

First Responder Bowl: Memphis vs. Utah State 3:14pm/5pm ESPN

Birmingham Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina 6:44pm/5pm ESPN

Arizona Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Wisconsin 10:14pm/5pm ESPN

Wednesday, Dec. 28

Military Bowl: Duke vs. UCF 1pm/2pm ESPN

Liberty Bowl: Arkansas vs. Kansas 4:30/5:30 ESPN

Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs. North Carolina 7pm/8pm FOX

Texas Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss 8pm/9pm ESPN

Thursday, Dec. 29

Pinstripe Bowl: Minnesota vs. Syracuse 1pm/2pm ESPN

Cheez-It Bowl: Florida State vs. Oklahoma 4:30/5:30 ESPN

Alamo Bowl: Washington vs. Texas 8pm/9pm ESPN

Friday, Dec. 30

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: NC State vs. Maryland 11am/noon ESPN

Sun Bowl: UCLA vs. Pitt 1pm/2pm CBS

Gator Bowl: South Carolina vs. Notre Dame 2:30/3:30 ESPN

Arizona Bowl: Ohio vs. Wyoming 3:30/4:30 Barstool (?!?!!?)

Orange Bowl: Tennessee vs. Clemson 7pm/8pm ESPN

Saturday, Dec. 31

Fiesta Bowl: (CFP semifinal) Michigan vs. TCU 3pm/4pm ESPN

Peach Bowl: (CFP semifinal) Georgia vs. Ohio State 7pm/8pm ESPN

Music City Bowl: Iowa vs. Kentucky 11am/noon ABC

Monday, Jan. 2

Tampa Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Illinois 11am/noon ESPN2

Citrus Bowl: LSU vs. Purdue Noon/1pm ABC

Cotton Bowl: Southern Cal vs. Tulane Noon/1pm ESPN

Rose Bowl: Utah vs. Penn State 4pm/5pm ESPN

SABAN vs. MACK, POP & BEAR

The G.O.A.T. never ceases to amaze and impress.

Below is a count of career FBS/Division I-A win totals for coaches.

For those of you new to RBR Random Thoughts, we count all on-field wins at the FBS/Division I-A level. So, before you go squawking about Frank Beamer, 42 of his wins came at Murray State. Mack Brown had six victories in one season with Appalachian State when they were still in what was known at I-AA (FCS today). Brian Kelly won 118 games with something called Grand Valley State. So, let’s stop talking about his win record with such reverence. In addition, we don’t recognize NCAA sanctioned forfeits. If you won on the field, it counts in our books.

Mack Brown’s UNC face Oregon Wednesday, December 28 in San Diego.

#ALABAMA

• At Wednesday’s press conference, Nick Saban said he was happy with the “attitude” and “intensity” of practice.
• Alabama has added Maryland transfer CJ Dipree from the Portal.
• LB Henry To’oTo’o has accepted an invitation to play in the 2023 Senior Bowl. That makes it eight Tide players in the game.
• WR Aaron Anderson committed to transfer to LSU. So glad UA could use their world-class health and rehab services on him.
• OL Tommy Brockermeyer is heading to team du jour TCU.
• OL Amari Kight will be joining Gus and Kristi at Center Florida. “Thank you Jeebus for sending this lost sheep to our flock!” ~ KK (probably)
• Still undecided are OL Damieon George and RB Trey Sanders.

GAME 13 - SUGAR BOWL: Saturday, December 31, 2022

Kansas State Wildcats (10-3) vs Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2)

New Orleans, LA ~ 11am/12 noon ESPN

• Chris Klieman says Will Howard will start at quarterback for Kansas State at the Sugar Bowl. But Adrian Martinez is back practicing again. The Wildcats would love to get him involved in some way against Alabama if he’s healthy enough to play. Klieman calls Alabama the “gold standard of college football” and “the best game or match-up outside of the CFP.”
• K-State also has no opt-outs.
• The Nawlins weather forecast calls for a high of 69° and showers. Prepare accordingly.
• TV Announcers: Dave Pasch and Dusty Dvoracek with Tom Luginbill on the sidelines.
• Alabama Radio
• Alabama is 0-0 versus Kansas State.
• The point spread opened with Bama as a 5.5 favorite but dropped as low as 3. After the announcements of no opt-outs, it rose back to 6. It has recently inched up to 6.5 The Over/Under remains around 56.

POLL

Oregon State-Florida – L
Wake Forest-Missouri – L
Kansas-Arkansas
Texas Tech-Ole Miss
Notre Dame-South Carolina
Tennessee-Clemson
Alabama- Kansas State
Iowa-Kentucky
Ohio State-Georgia
Mississippi State-Illinois
LSU-Purdue
Georgia-Michigan*