TWIF Notes 11-27-23
Welcome Back!
What another exciting weekend of games! There were a few upsets, 2 multiple OT games, and a whole bunch of close games, and of course a few routs. Out of 133 teams, 130 participated, which means only USC, Army, and La Tech took the weekend off. Of those 130 teams, none played an FCS team, meaning there were 65 FBS vs FBS games. That's a lot of games to review. So let's get to the recaps!
FBS vs FBS Games
Bowling Green blasted Western Michigan 34-10. The Falcons finish 7-5/5-3 and in 3rd place in the MAC East. The Broncos are 4-8/3-5 and in a tie for 4th (and last) place in the MAC West.
Eastern Michigan became bowl eligible with a 24-11 win over Buffalo. The Eagles are 6-6/4-4 and in 3rd place in the MAC West. The Bulls finish 3-9/3-5 and in 4th in the MAC East.
Ole Miss survived an assertive upset attempt from Mississippi State to become bowl eligible as the Rebels won 17-7 on Thanksgiving night. Ole Miss is 10-2/6-2, and tied for 2nd in the SEC West as they harbor hopes of making one of the NY6 Bowls. The Bulldogs are 5-7/1-7, and tied for 6th/last in the same division. MSU falls short of a bowl for the 1st time since 2009.
Oklahoma plastered TCU 69-45, but the Sooners did not make the Big 12 Championship Game due to losing the tiebreakers. OU is 10-2/7-2 and tied for 2nd in the conference. The Horned Frogs are 5-7/3-6, and tied for 9t in the Big 12, a precipitous fall just 1 year after playing in the National Championship Game.
Iowa eked by Nebraska 13-10. The Hawkeyes are 10-2/7-2, and will play Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game this weekend, as they finished 2 games better than 2nd place. The Cornhuskers are 5-7/3-6 and in a 4-way tie for 4th/last in the Big Ten West. The big question (besides whether or not Iowa stands a chance this weekend) is if NU is any better off than they were a year ago. HC Matt Rhule absolutely needs time to build the program, but there seemed to be no progress at all this year, as the Huskers finished with their 7th consecutive losing season, and many of the losses were just as baffling as before, as they have were 1-5 in 1-score games this year, meaning they are 3-18 in their last 21 1-score games, and 8-30 over the last 6 seasons in 1-score games.
Miami, Fl routed Boston College 45-20 to finish 7-5/3-5, and in a tie for 9th in the ACC with these same Eagles, who are 6-6/3-5. However, BC feels pretty good about their season while the Hurricanes view it as somewhat of a failure, though the Canes do return to a bowl this year after missing out last year.
Memphis ran away from Temple 45-21. The Tigers are 9-3/6-2, finishing in 4th in the new-look AAC. The Owls are 3-9/1-7, and tied for 13th/last.
Toledo blew away Central Michigan 32-17. The Rockets are 11-1/8-0 and finish 3 games ahead of 2nd place in the MAC West, as they take on Miami in the MAC Championship Game. The Chippewas are 5-7/3-5 and tied for 4th/last in the division. The Chips miss out on a bowl for the 2nd straight year.
Ohio defeated Akron 25-14. The Bobcats finish 9-3/6-2 and in 2nd in the MAC East. The Zips are 2-10/1-7 and in 5th place in the division.
Tulane got past UTSA to secure their spot in the AAC Championship Game. The Green Wave are 11-1/8-0 and tied for 1st in the conference, as they are 23-3 over the last 2 seasons. A win in the AAC CG could get them the G5 NY6 spot for the 2nd year in a row. The Roadrunners are 8-4/7-1, and in 3rd place in their 1st year in the AAC.
It took 2 OTs, but Utah State outlasted New Mexico 44-41. The Aggies are 6-6/4-4, in a tie for 6th in the Mountain West, and are bowl eligible for the 3rd straight year. The Lobos are 4-8/2-6, tied for 10th/last, and have fired HC Danny Gonzalez, despite this being his best year, as he was 11-32 in 4 years.
Missouri devoured Arkansas 48-14. The Tigers are 10-2/6-2, finishing 2nd in the SEC East (2 games above and below 3rd and 1st place, respectively), and will be hoping for one of the NY6 slots. The Razorbacks are 4-8/1-7, in a tie for 6th/last in the SEC West, and will miss a bowl for the 1st time since 2020.
Boise State beat Air Force 27-19, and the Broncos will be playing in the MWC Championship Game, thanks to some computer rankings (which were the tiebreaker). BSU is 7-5/6-2, and in a 3-way tie for 1st, and will play for the title for the 2nd year in a row, though they have already fired HC Andy Avalos. Air Force is 8-4/5-3, in a tie for 4th place, and have lost their last 4 games after starting the year 8-0.
Texas dominated Texas Tech 57-7. The Longhorns are 11-1/8-1, finishing 1st in the Big 12 in their final year in the conference. UT will play in the Big 12 Championship Game this weekend. The Red Raiders are 6-6/5-4, and in a tie for 7th, but they'll be going to their 3rd straight bowl.
Penn State shut out Michigan State 42-0. The Nittany Lions are 10-2/7-2, 3rd in the Big Ten East, and hoping for a 2nd NY6 slot in a row. The Spartans are 4-8/2-7 in their 1 year under interim HC Harlan Bennett, but they have hired Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to take over the coaching duties on a permanent basis. MSU finished 6th in the division.
Oregon demolished Oregon State 31-7. The Ducks are 11-1/8-1 and in 2nd in the Pac 12, which means they get a rematch against the only team they lost to in the conference Championship Game. A win could put them in the CFP for the 1st time since 2014. The Beavers are 8-4/5-4, in a 3-way tie for 4th in the Pac 12, and will be looking for a new HC as Jonathan Smith has moved on to Michigan State, leaving OSU without a coach, a conference, or a schedule for next year.
UCF defeated Houston 27-13 to make it to 6 wins and bowl eligibility. The Knights are 6-6/3-6, and finish in a tie for 9th in their 1st year as part of the Big 12. The Cougars are 4-8/2-7, in a 3-way tie for 11th in their 1st year in the conference, and have just fired HC Dana Holgorson after 5 years and a 31-28 record.
Michigan beat Ohio State for the 3rd straight year, this time 30-24. The Wolverines are 12-0/9-0, winning the Big Ten East, and will play in the Big Ten Championship Game for the 3rd year in a row, with the opportunity to make it into the CFP. The Buckeyes are 11-1/8-1 and in 2nd place in the division. They still have an outside shot at making the CFP, but a LOT of dominoes would have to fall for that to happen.
Kentucky upset Louisville 38-31. The Wildcats are 7-5/3-5 and in a 3-way tie for 4th in the SEC East. The Cardinals are 10-2/7-1 and in 2nd place in the ACC, which means they'll play in the ACC Championship Game this weekend, but their chances of being anything more than a spoiler for FSU are slim.
LSU kicked Texas A&M when they were down, winning 42-30. The Tigers are 9-3/6-2 and tied for 2nd in the SEC West. The Aggies are 7-5/4-4, in 4th place in the division, and have hired Duke's Mike Elko to be the next HC.
Purdue squeaked by Indiana 35-31. The Boilermakers are 4-8/3-6, and in a 4-way tie for 4th/last in the Big Ten West. The Hoosiers are 3-9/1-8, in last place in the Big Ten East, and have fired HC Tom Allen after 7 years and a 33-49 record.
Sam Houston eased past Middle Tennessee 23-20. The Bearkats are 3-9/2-6, and in a 3-way tie for 6th in CUSA. The Blue Raiders are 4-8/3-5, and in 5th place.
UConn won the battle of the northeast 31-18 over UMass. The Huskies finish 3-9, as do the Minutemen.
Duke survived Pittsburgh 30-19. The Blue Devils are 7-5/4-4, finishing in a 3-way tie for 6th, but are losing HC Mike Elko to Texas A&M. The Panthers are 3-9/2-6, and in a 3-way tie for 11th, which is a huge disappointment, as they'll miss a bowl for the 1st time since 2020.
SMU squashed Navy 59-14. The Mustangs are 10-2/8-0, in a tie for 1st in the AAC, and will play in the AAC Championship Game this weekend. SMU is hopeful that a win will get them the G5 NY6 slot. The Midshipmen are 5-6/4-4, in a 3-way tie for 5th in the conference, and with a win against Army could still make a bowl.
Troy stomped Southern Miss 35-17. The Trojans are 10-2/7-1, 1st in the Sun Belt West by 3 games, and will play in the SBC CG this weekend. The Golden Eagles are 3-9/2-6 and in 6th place in the division. Unfortunately, USM was unable to reach a bowl, as this would have been the 2nd straight year.
Northern Illinois slapped Kent State 37-27. The Huskies are 6-6/5-3, in 2nd place in the MAC West, and became bowl bound with the win. The Golden Flashes are 1-11/0-8, in last place in the MAC East, and are the only FBS team with 11 losses, and the only one without a win over an FBS foe.
Miami, Oh eked by Ball State 17-15. The Redhawks are 10-2/7-1, finishing 1st in the MAC East. Miami will take on Toledo in the MAC CG this weekend. The Cardinals are 4-8/3-5 and in a 3-way tie for 4th/last in the MAC West.
Rice surpassed FAU 24-21. The Rice Owls are 6-6/4-4, in a 3-way tie for 5th in the AAC, and are bowl eligible for the 1st time since 2014 (though they went last year as a 5-7 team). The FAU Owls are 4-8/3-5, in a 3-way tie for 8th, and will miss a bowl for the 3rd consecutive year.
Syracuse slipped by Wake Forest 35-31. The Orange are 6-6/2-6, in a 3-way tie for 11th in the ACC, and are in a bowl for the 2nd straight year. The Demon Deacons are 4-8/1-7, and in last place in the conference.
Tulsa snuck by East Carolina 29-27. The Golden Hurricane is 4-8/2-6 and in a tie for 11th place in the AAC. The Pirates are 2-10/1-7 and in a tie for 13th/last in the conference.
North Texas outscored UAB 45-42. The Mean Green finish 5-7/3-5, and in a 3-way tie for 8th in the AAC. The Blazers are 4-8/3-5 and are also part of that 3-way tie for 8th in the conference.
ODU came back to stun Georgia State 25-24. The Monarchs are 6-6/5-3, in a tie for 3rd in the Sun Belt East, and qualify for the 3rd bowl in their history. The Panthers are 6-6/3-5, and in a tie for 5th /last in the division.
Utah fought off Colorado 23-17. The Utes are 8-4/5-4, and in a 3-way tie for 4th in the Pac 12. The Buffaloes are 4-8/1-8, and in last place in the conference.
WKU defeated FIU 41-28. The Hilltoppers are 7-5/5-3, and in 4th place in CUSA. The Panthers are 4-8/1-7, and in last place in the conference.
Louisiana destroyed ULM 52-21. The Ragin' Cajuns are 6-6/3-5, and in 5th place in the Sun Belt West, as they make it to a bowl for a 6th season in a row. The Warhawks are 2-10/0-8, and in last place in the division.
San Jose State shocked UNLV 37-31. The Spartans are 7-5/6-2, and in a 3-way tie for 1st place, but were eliminated from participating in the MWC Championship Game by a comparison of computer rankings (not including mine...). The Rebels are 9-3/6-2, and also tied for 1st, but they'll get to compete in the Mountain West CG for the 1st time ever.
Alabama scored on a miracle 4th-and-goal from the 31 play in the last minute to get past Auburn 27-24. The Crimson Tide are 11-1/8-0, winning the SEC West by 2 games, and will play in the SEC CG this weekend with an opportunity to make the CFP. The Tigers are 6-6/3-5, in 5th place in the division, and back in a bowl after missing out last year.
Arizona decimated Arizona State 59-23. the Wildcats finish 9-3/7-2 and in 3rd place in the Pac 12. the Sun Devils are 3-9/2-7, and in a 3-way tie for 9th in the conference.
Tennessee slaughtered Vanderbilt 48-24. The Volunteers are 8-4/4-4 and in 3rd place in the SEC West. The Commodores are 2-10/0-8, in last place in the division, missing a bowl for the 5th straight year, and are winless in conference play for the 3rd time in the last 4 years.
Oklahoma State needed 2 OTs to get past a game BYU 40-34. The Cowboys are 9-3/7-2 and tied for 2nd in the Big 12 with Oklahoma, but will play in the Championship Game thanks to their 27-24 win over the Sooners on Nov 4. The Cougars are 5-7/2-7, in a 3-way tie for 11th in the conference, and will miss a bowl for the 1st time since 2017, and only the 2nd time since 2004.
Northwestern scored their most points all year in beating Illinois 45-43. The Wildcats are 7-5/5-4, in a tie for 2nd in the Big Ten West, and are ecstatic with the job interim HC David Braun has done, as they have made him the permanent HC. The Fighting Illini are 5-7/3-6, in a 4-way tie for 4th/last in the division, will miss a bowl for the 3rd time in the last 4 years, and will finish with a losing record for the 11th time in the last 12 years.
Wisconsin reclaimed Paul Bunyon's Axe with a 28-14 victory over Minnesota. The Badgers are 7-5/5-4 and in a tie for 2nd in the Big Ten West. The Golden Gophers are 5-7/3-6, in a 4-way tie for 4th/last in the division, and have a losing and season for the 1st time since the 2020 pandemic-shortened season (3-4 that year). However, the Gophers will be allowed to play in a bowl as the 5-7 teams with the best Annual Progress Rate (APR), of those with 5 wins.
Maryland kicked Rutgers 42-24. The Terrapins are 7-5/4-5 and in 4th place in the Big Ten East. The Scarlet Knights are 6-6/3-6 and in 5th place in the division.
Liberty completed an unbeaten regular season with a 42-28 win over UTEP. The Flames are 120-8-0 in their 1st season in CUSA, and finished in 1st place. They'll play in the CUSA CG this weekend ina rematch with New Mexico state. The Miners are 3-9/2-6, and in a 3-way tie for 6th in the conference. UTEP has fired HC Dana Dimel after 6 years and a 20-49 record.
Virginia Tech demolished Virginia 55-17. The Hokies are 6-6/5-3, in a tie for 4th place in the ACC, and reach a bowl after missing out in 2 of the last 3 seasons. The Cavaliers are 3-9/2-6 and in a 3-way tie for 11th in the conference, but have generally played better this year (with the exception of this game), losing 4 games by 3 points or less, and 5 by 7 pts or less.
Appalachian State claimed the Sun Belt East crown with a 55-27 victory over Georgia Southern. The Mountaineers are 8-4/6-2, and though they finished a game behind JMU in the standings, will play in the SBC CG due to JMU being in their 2nd year of their transition into the FBS (and thus ineligible for a conference title). The Eagles are 6-6/3-5, and in a 3-way tie for 5th/last.
James Madison stomped Coastal Carolina 56-14, preventing the Chanticleers from claiming the division. The Dukes are 11-1/7-1, and though ineligible to play in the SBC CG, will be allowed to go to a bowl due to there not being enough teams with 6 wins. The Chants are 7-5/5-3, and in a tie for 3rd in the division.
Marshall made it to a bowl with a 35-21 victory over Arkansas State. The Thundering Herd is 6-6/3-5 and in a 3-way tie for 5th/last in the SBC East. The Red Wolves are 6-6/4-4, and in a 3-way tie for 2nd in the SBC West.
Washington kicked a FG on the last play to squeak by rival Washington State 24-21 and claim the Apple Cup. The Huskies are 12-0/9-0, in 1st place in the Pac 12, and will play in the P12 CG against Oregon in a rematch of a game UW won 36-33 on Oct 14. This is their 1st undefeated season since they were 12-0 in 1991 under HC Don James, but they will need to win 3 more if they hope to finish unbeaten. The Cougars are 5-7/2-7, falling short of a bowl for the 1st time since they were 1-3 in the 2020 season. They finish in a 3-way tie for 9th place in the conference.
New Mexico State completed its best season since 1960 (11-0 under HC Warren Woodson) with a 20-17 win over Jacksonville State. The Aggies are 10-3/7-1 in their 1st season in CUSA, finishing in 2nd place, and they will play at Liberty in the CUSA Championship Game on Friday. The Gamecocks are 8-4/6-2, and though they are in their 2nd season as a transition team to the FBS ranks, will be eligible for a bowl since there are not enough teams with 6 wins to fill all the slots.
Kansas thumped Cincinnati 49-16. The Jayhawks are 8-4/5-4 and in a tie for 7th place in the Big 12. The Bearcats are 3-9/1-8 and finish in last place in their 1st year in the conference.
West Virginia capped a 3-game improvement in their record with a 34-31 victory over Baylor. The Mountaineers are 8-4/6-3 and in a 3-way tie for 4th place in the Big 12. The Bears are 3-9/2-7 and in a 3-way tie for 11th place in the conference. One odd stat is that after Baylor won 12 games in 2021, they won 6 last year, and 3 this year, meaning they have won half as many games each of the last 2 years. That's unlikely to continue, as I see no way for them to win 1-1/2 games next year.
FSU came back to defeat Florida 24-15. The Seminoles are 12-0/8-0, in 1st place in the ACC, and will play Louisville for the conference title in the Championship Game Saturday night. The Gators are 5-7/3-5, in a 3-way tie for 4th in the SEC East, and will miss a bowl for the 1st time since the 4-7 Jim McElwain/Randy Shannon coached 2017 season.
Notre Dame skipped past Stanford 56-23. The Fighting Irish finish 9-3. The Cardinal are 3-8/2-7 and in a 3-way tie for 9th in the almost-defunct Pac 12.
Texas State tied their best regular season finish with a 52-44 victory over South Alabama. The Bobcats are 7-5/4-4, in a 3-way tie for 2nd in the Sun Belt West, and their 7 wins ties the 2014 team (7-5) for the most ever. They will also be participating in their 1st ever bowl game. The Jaguars are 6-6/4-4, a far cry from their 10 wins last year, and are also in that 3-way tie for 2nd in the division.
Georgia stumbled past Georgia Tech 31-23, claiming the Governor's Cup in the process. The Bulldogs are 12-0/8-0 for the 3rd consecutive season, and finish the season in 1st place in the SEC East, 2 games ahead of 2nd place. The Dawgs will play Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, the site of their last loss in 2021, and will extend the FBS's longest bowl streak, as they have been in a bowl every year since 1997. The Yellow Jackets are 6-6/5-3, and in a tie for 4th place in the ACC. The Jackets made their 1st bowl game since 2018.
Clemson survived South Carolina 16-7. The Tigers are 7-4/4-4 and in a 3-way tie for 6th place in the ACC. The Gamecocks are 5-7/3-5, in a 3-way tie for 4th place in the SEC East, and failed to make a bowl for the 1st time since 2020 (2-8 record).
USF earned bowl eligibility with a 48-14 win over Charlotte. The Bulls are 6-6/4-4 and in a 3-way tie for 5th in the AAC. The 49ers are 3-9/2-6 and tied for 11th place in the conference.
Iowa State upset Kansas State 42-35. The Cyclones are 7-5/6-3 and in a 3-way tie for 4th in the Big 12. the Wildcats are 8-4/6-3 and are one of the other teams in that 3-way tie for 4th.
NC State blasted North Carolina 39-20. The Wolfpack are 9-3/6-2, getting to 9 wins for the 2nd time in the last 3 seasons. They finish 3rd in the ACC. The Tar Heels are 8-4/4-4, losing their last 2 games, and are in a 3-way tie for 6th in the conference.
Wyoming destroyed Nevada 42-6. The Cowboys are 8-4/5-3, tied for 4th place in the Mountain West. The Wolf Pack are 2-10/2-6, and tied for 10th/last in the MWC.
San Diego State upset Fresno State 33-18. The Aztecs are 4-8/2-6, finishing tied for 10th/last in the Mountain West. The Bulldogs are 8-4/4-4, tied for 6th in the conference, and end the regular season on a 3-game losing skid.
California plastered UCLA 33-7 as a parting gift, as these long-time rivals will be in 2 completely different conferences next year. The Golden Bears are 6-6/4-5, tied for 7th in the Pac 12, and are eligible for a bowl for the 1st time since 2019. The Bruins are 7-5/4-5, tied for 7th (with Cal), and have lost 3 of their last 4 games after starting the season 6-2.
Hawaii upended Colorado State 27-24, denying the Rams the chance to play in a bowl. The Rainbow Warriors are 5-8/3-5, and tied for 7th in the Mountain West. CSU is 5-7/3-5, and tied with Hawaii for 7th place.
Conference Call
Here is how the conference races finished out
AAC
SMU at Tulane in New Orleans
ACC
FSU vs Louisville in Charlotte
Big 12
Texas vs Oklahoma State in Arlington
Big Ten
Michigan vs Iowa in Indianapolis
CUSA
New Mexico State at Libertyin Lynchburg
MAC
Toledo vs Miami in Detroit
Mountain West
Boise State at UNLV in Las Vegas
Pac 12
Washington vs Oregon in Las Vegas
SEC
Georgia vs Alabama in Atlanta
Sun Belt
Appalachian State at Troy in Troy
That's all the games for this week!
Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!
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