Boca Raton Bowl: Akron Zips (7-6) vs. FAU Owls (10-3)
When: Tuesday, December 19, 7 p.m.
Where: Boca Raton, Fla., FAU Stadium
Watch: ESPN
5 reasons to watch:
This is a home game for FAU, fresh off its first ever Conference USA championship, its first football championship in 10 years (won the Sun Belt in 2007).
2. Lane Kiffin is the coach. This makes it must watch television.
3. The spread is 22.5 in favor of FAU. That is ABSURD. To put it in perspective, only one other bowl game has a double-digit point spread (and we’re going to talk about it in a minute). Can High Flying Lane cover?
4. Akron R-Fr QB Kalyn ‘Kato’ Nelson won two state championships at two different schools in south Florida and returns home to try and lead the upset.
5. It is the second bowl trip in the last three years for the Terry Bowden-lead Zips, who were 0-11 the year before he took the job in 2012. This year, Akron played in the MAC Championship Game for the first time since 2005.
Bowl swag: Online gift suite “and an assortment of bowl-branded items.”
Bowl fun fact: Officially known as the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl and has existed since 2014. Learn more about the titular sponsor juice here.
Gasparilla Bowl: Temple Owls (6-6) vs. FIU Panthers (8-4)
When: Thursday, December 21, 8 p.m.
Where: St. Petersburg, Fla., Tropicana Field
Watch: ESPN
5 reasons to watch:
Not exactly a home game like FAU, but a short trip across Alligator Alley for FIU fans. Should have the majority in the building.
Return to Florida for Temple head coach Geoff Collins, who was Florida’s defensive coordinator from 2015-2016.
FIU’s head coach Butch Davis wrapped up his first year back in the Miami area, where he achieved his most notable coaching accomplishments as the head man at The U, by leading the Panthers to just its third bowl in school history.
FIU’s center and quarterback are brothers. R-Fr C Shane McGough snaps to SR QB Alex McGough. Usually quarterbacks and centers have a unique relationship, but this one goes well beyond the field.
This is just the seventh bowl trip in Temple history, and the first time they have ever gone three years in a row.
Bowl swag: Gift suite, Oakley backpack, neck pillow.
Bowl fun fact: Officially the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl (first Battle 4 Atlantic, now the bowl season. I’ve heard too much about Bad Boy Mowers). Formerly known as the St. Petersburg Bowl and the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl. It is the only bowl currently still played in a baseball specific stadium.
We’ll be back next week with more previews for the additional Florida teams that are bowling. Happy bowl season!
All in all, this was as good a weekend as teams in the state probably could have asked for, with those needing wins getting them and those who have been winning keeping it going (QB injuries notwithstanding).
Fun fact: The Hurricanes, Bulls, Knights, Noles, and Gators averaged 39 (combined) points this weekend and all walked away with a victory.
Luke Del Rio will go down as potentially the most star-crossed in a long line of star-crossed quarterbacks at Florida. Del Rio’s broken collarbone will end his career at Florida, his third official stop in a college career that was as stop and start as any we’ve seen. Curious to see if he gets into coaching or something else next, but godspeed to him in his future.
And the Felipe Franks roller coaster continues. What should encourage Gator fans was Franks performance against what is considered to be a relatively stout Vanderbilt defense, posting an efficient 10/14 for 185 yards. They’ll need a performance like that this week against a talented, yet probably approaching desperate, LSU team.
Over the last two weeks, the favored team in the SEC CBS game has won by a combined 100-0.#Gators play LSU at 3:30 next week.
The sudden appearance of a viable rushing attack certainly makes matters better for the offense moving forward as well. With Jordan Scarlett’s future at UF still up in the air, Malik Davis topping the century mark and Lamical Perine chipping in with over 50 of his own is encouraging for an offense still searching for its identity.
At the end of the day, the Gators keep winning. If there is one defining characteristic to the Jim McElwain era so far, its the somewhat inexplicable way Florida consistently wins while almost always looking bad doing it. A far cry from the flash of the Spurrier and Meyer eras.
Who beats this team? Georgia seems an obvious answer, but the Bulldogs are playing both Florida and recent demons. Texas A&M? South Carolina? Florida State? One could certainly make the argument right now that the Gators will be favored in all but in Jacksonville the rest of the way.
Florida State
A win is a win is a win. This one was the first for the Noles since December 30 of last year. It wasn’t pretty either, and took a late TD strike to put away a pesky and much improved Wake Forest bunch on the road. Can this prove to be a building block moving forward?
Welcome back, Auden Tate (@lil_t8te). If you don't love @gened01– we can't be friends.
— Learfield IMG College Audio (@LearfieldAudio) October 1, 2017
I know the quarterback was going to be an issue with an unproven true freshman taking the reigns, but what has been disappointing is the lack of players around him that have stepped up. Outside of Auden Tate at receiver, and finally a good game from running back Jacques Patrick, there have been a lack of playmakers and help from the offensive line.
Speaking of quarterbacks, it feels like what has happened at FSU this year (and schools like UCLA in the past) is a reflection of the current climate of transfers. Players don’t stick it out like they used to, with QBs all thinking they can make it in the NFL and just need a chance, leading players to bolt immediately after losing starting jobs and leaving high profile programs thin at that position if and when injuries do strike.
This is Miami’s best chance at ending its losing streak to Florida State (which currently stands at seven straight). Florida State should not need extra help getting ready for this one at home.
Those who follow me on twitter know my thoughts on the targeting rule, but I will give credit where credit is due, the refs got it right going to the monitor and reversing the call on Derwin James late in the second quarter.
Miami
In what was seen as a potential trap game at Duke on a Friday night, the Hurricanes rolled. This team just continues to take care of business, but face its biggest test to date this season at Florida State this Saturday.
Mark Walton, who was still running the ball late in the fourth quarter despite a nagging ankle problem and a lopsided scoreboard, is expected to play after reaggravating the injury Friday. He is much needed for the Canes to take pressure off its own young QB, Malik Rosier.
The defense is a huge strength so far this season, and must be licking its chops facing a Florida State offense that has yet to find a rhythm.
After Virginia Tech’s loss to Clemson Saturday night, a win for the Canes would put them in the drivers seat for its first ever Coastal Division title.
Jacksonville
The Dolphins played an outmanned Division III opponent Saturday, but largely took care of business the way they needed to. The first two offensive plays went for long touchdowns and JU rushed for a new program record 514 yards.
So @JU_Football scored 56 points on 54 passing yards…and had 514 rushing yards. Wow
Next up: Davidson. Campbell, Drake and San Diego are all 2-0 in PFL play so far, and JU can match them with a win Saturday. Dayton, who had only lost two games in the league the two previous seasons combined, is 0-2, so the challenger to San Diego could come out of anyone of the other teams already mentioned, or JU.
Dolphins host San Diego and travel to Campbell in back-to-back weeks to end the month of October, and we’ll know if JU will have a shot at its first conference championship since 2010 by then.
Best of the Rest
UCF steamrolled a good Memphis team at home, and continues to roll on offense under Scott Frost. This team seems to be a greater contender for the Group of Five spot every week.
USF continues to win too, and the American is undoubtedly to be decided in the state. Quinton Flowers is the best QB in the state too.
FIU improved to 2-0 in the Conference USA and 3-1 overall in year one under Butch Davis. The Butch effects seem to be in full swing again. Good barometer this week at Middle Tennessee State.
After a brutal loss to Buffalo, FAU picked up an impressive win vs. MTSU. Lane Kiffin’s offense seems to be finding some life. An overmatched Old Dominion is next, before a bye week to prepare for a resurgent North Texas bunch.
A perfect weekend for the state, won’t stay that way this week. Game of the week will be Miami at Florida State, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Tallahassee.
Welcome to my weekly musings column on news, notes and nuggets from around local college football this weekend. Let’s dive in (but not make contact with a QB’s head for fear of getting ejected for targeting before we even get started).
Florida State
The Noles are 0-2 for the first time since 1989, when a Brett Favre-lead Southern Miss squad defeated Florida State at the Gator Bowl to start that year on a day that was reportedly well over 100 degrees. Fun fact: I was in attendance at that game, as my mom was pregnant with me in the stands.
The sky is not falling, but it is gut check time for FSU. The vaunted defense needs to lick its wounds and bounce back fast. Jimbo Fisher needs to get his team more ready to play in all fazes of the game.
James Blackman showed flashes against a defense that is considered one of the better in the ACC. Kid can spin it. Just needs more help.
Speaking of help, top receiver Auden Tate had nine catches for 138 yards and a touchdown before exciting with a shoulder injury. An already thin and inexperienced receiving corps cannot afford to lose its top target for long.
The offensive line needs to block for the running game better, plain and simple.
This week’s road game against Wake Forest will not be a cakewalk, with the Deacs 4-0 so far this season. Should be a get-right game for the defense at least, as the WF offense is nowhere near as good as NC State’s (with no disrespect to my fellow Crusaders John Wolford & Chuck Wade).
Florida
Two straight weeks, two opponents and opposing fan bases that half to be the sickest in America following defeat at the hands of the Gators.
Tennessee: Guys watch us blow this coverage to lose the game against Florida.
One thing that seem to be set coming into the Kentucky game was that Felipe Franks was the quarterback. Now, my money is that we see him again at some point this season, and maybe even Zaire again. Does not feel like anything is off the table, and I have a hard time thinking Luke Del Rio is going to run with the job now that he is the starter again.
The update today on Antonio Callaway and Jordan Scarlett seems to solidify the belief that they will not return. So no influx of talent is coming to save the Gator offense. Can it continue to improve despite the unevenness through the first three games?
Miami
Certainly some post-Irma rust down in Coral Gables, as in Tallahassee. A better team might have got the Canes.
On the other side, this team, unlike versions of Miami in the past, seem less likely to let slow starts doom them. I would say the head coach has something to do with that.
Goodness gracious, Mark Walton is the truth. How does one average 18.5 yards a carry in a game in college. On 11 carries. After leaving the game in the first half with a bum ankle. Scary good.
Biggest risk for The U right now is overlooking an improved and always pesky Duke squad on the road on Friday night with Florida State and that seven game losing streak to their in-state rivals looming.
Jacksonville
JU opened up Pioneer Football League play on the road and jumped out to a 22-9 lead before surviving a flurry of scores in the fourth quarter from Marist to improve to 2-1.
The game had a little bit of everything: JU QB Rylan Wells accounted for five touchdowns, the defense intercepted four passes, both teams scored on special teams (Marist kickoff return for TD, JU blocked PAT returned for two) within 30 seconds of each other, and both teams turned it over on downs in the others territory.
If you are a little blue due to the offensive deficiencies in both Gainesville and Tallahassee right now, get a dose of Vitamin “O” when the Dolphins host Guilford this weekend. JU puts up points against evenly matched opponents, but the scoreboard should look like a slot machine this Saturday.
Hottest name in the coaching carousel right now? Maybe Scott Frost. The UCF coach seems to be the de facto replacement for Mike Riley at Nebraska already (and while Riley has not been fired yet, he may have third degree burns from his hot seat).
The Knights are 2-0 after pasting the same Maryland team that opened the year beating the pants off Texas in Austin. Remember when UCF went winless two years ago? Just a blip on the radar now.
I’ve long felt that UCF was the bigger sleeping giant of the two directional Florida schools with FBS football programs. Better facilities, support, fans and has major bowl win under its belt in the last five years. If they can keep Frost in the part of Orlando not named Disney (poor Frozen reference, mea culpa, mea culpa), then the Knights should be one of the favorites to get the group of five bid next year. And yes, I think they are a year away.
Thursday, Saturday, Tampa, west coast, it does not seem to matter, Charlie Strong has USF rolling in his first year.
The other side of the coin is, USF have played four bad teams, and do not have a good team on the schedule until perhaps UCF at the end of the year. Could the War on I-4 decide the AAC champ?
When a kicker making two field goals is the headline of your first win, you know you have a long way to go. Congrats on the first W at FIU Butch Davis, now go fix your offense.
Lane Kiffin and FAU lost to Buffalo. And not the UB that I won back-to-back Sugar Bowls with in NCAA Football 07 either. The great Lane experiment in Boca is off to yet another roaring start.
Welcome to my weekly observations column on local college football! Each week, I’ll post a blurb about the local teams that tend to make the news cycle on the First Coast. Let’s get started.
Florida
Everyone has seen it by now. As dramatic an ending to a college football game as you will ever see. Moments before, grumbling, second-guessing and an apparent collision course for overtime in a game no one seemed to want to win. Moments later, one flick of Felipe Franks right arm and Tyrie Cleveland was laying in the endzone as pandemonium enveloped The Swamp. So far, the play of the young 2017 season. Our friend Stuart Webber of Action News had a great view.
Let us not forget how we got to that moment. A game that was defined by futility on the offensive side of the ball for three quarters and featured Florida head coach Jim McElwain electing to not use his timeouts before the Franks Hail Mary cannot simply be erased by one play. More questions than answers continue to hover over Gainesville.
Game one of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier moving up to the booth seemed very similar to games with him on the sidelines. It appears this team at least belongs to Franks on the field, but is still itching to find playmakers around the youngster.
I wondered before the season if the defense could continue to lose players to the NFL and reload. I think the answer to that question is ‘yes, it can.’ If they continue to stay healthy, this will continue to be a dominant group, one good enough to keep them in games, and perhaps the offense one play away from winning.
I don’t currently have a television, so after getting home from work Saturday, I elected to listen to the radio call of the game while streaming ESPN Goal Line to keep an eye on the other contests in the afternoon slot. I’m glad I did, because I got to hear Mick Hubert live. He’s never been my favorite broadcaster, but he can do a call like this justice for Gators unlike anyone else.
There is a very short list of announcers who could've done the #Gators Hail Mary justice. Mick Hubert is on that list!
Another week, another cancellation/delay for the Noles. That Alabama game already feels like it was last season.
True freshman quarterback James Blackman is getting to go through almost another fall camp, this time as the starter, so you have to figure the extra time should prove beneficial to him.
The team’s home opener will finally take place this Saturday at noon vs. NC State, two weeks later than planned. We know the team will be itching to play a game again, still looking for win number one this season. Will the extended time off help or hurt, as the Noles kick in a time slot that has traditionally lead to slow starts under head coach Jimbo Fisher.
The Wolfpack lost its opener to South Carolina in Charlotte and has won two straight at home since then, over Marshall and Furman, respectively. First true test for Dave Doeren’s team, who were a trendy preseason pick to make some noise in the ACC Atlantic.
NC State tends to give FSU fits in Carter-Finley Stadium, but the Noles have had little to no trouble with the Pack at home. The last three matchups in Doak Campbell Stadium, Florida State has outscored NC State a combined 117-34.
Miami
Miami is in a similar boat to Florida State, having also missed the opportunity to play games the last two weeks.
After putting a sluggish first half in the home opener against Bethune-Cookman behind them, Miami exploded to 41 points in its opener.
Expectations were high entering Mark Richt’s second season, and now will get a tuneup game at home vs. Toledo before starting its ACC slate at Duke and then the rescheduled grudge match vs. rival Florida State.
Not to look too far ahead, but a constant reminder (because you know Canes fans haven’t forgotten) that Miami has not beat Florida State since 2009.
Jacksonville
The Dolphins practiced just one day due to Hurricane Irma, and then promptly dismantled Division II Walsh in its home opener Saturday, 56-31.
The offense scored on all but two possessions Saturday, one, a turnover on downs in the first half, the second hardly counts, as JU simply kneeled it out to win the game.
Quarterback Rylan Wells threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns, earning Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week honors.
JU, now 1-1, open up league play on the road vs. Marist this weekend. Marist, coming off of an upset of Georgetown, should be a great test for a dynamic Dolphin offense and a resurgent defense, which lost some focus in the second half Saturday after holding Walsh to just a field goal in the first half.
Bets of the Rest
Florida Atlantic got its first win of the Lane Kiffin era, spanking Bethune-Cookman at home 45-0.
USF finally put together a complete performance, in crushing former Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith’s hapless Illinois squad, 47-23 Friday night. Two notes: perhaps playing on a odd night had the Bulls feeling at home again (doesn’t AAC football on Friday nights just feel right?) and it was a bad week for former Bucs in Tampa.
“Hey River City Rogue, there are other teams in Florida besides Florida and Florida State!” Hey, you’re absolutely right, stranger! Don’t know anything about the other FBS schools in the Sunshine State? Here’s some background information so you can impress your friends.
University of Central Florida Knights:
UCF had a rough year last year, going 6-7 and finishing 3rd in the weak AAC East Division. Led by first year head coach Scott Frost, the Knights struggled to find an offensive identity and lost a couple of close ones they probably should have won (Maryland in 2OT, Temple). Regardless, they went winless the year before so this is a step up for sure.
HC Scott Frost…kicking a field goal?This season should be a success. They should win four out of their first five games – FIU, Memphis, Georgia Tech, at Maryland, and Maine – so I don’t see why they couldn’t win a couple more to become bowl eligible. The biggest game of the season for them will be the season finale against South Florida. Bowl eligibility should be already secured at this point, but they should at least compete with their rivals on I-4.
Key Player: WR Tre’Quan Smith. A literal ball magnet, look for Smith to put up big numbers this season as a true #1 target.
Florida International University Panthers:
The Panthers went 4-8 last season and finished 4th in the Conference USA East Division. A team that struggled to really command a ball game (except for maybe against Marshall) looks to change their ways as veteran coach Butch Davis comes to town to try and shake things up. On paper, FIU looks to have a solid season ahead of them. A new but experienced coach, a veteran roster (15 returning starters), and a very good recruiting class makes everything seem like it is moving in an upward direction. However, if their offensive line does not improve, it will be tough to see them flourish. Look for them to try and sneak into a lower-tier bowl if they can get a big win against Florida Atlantic on the road or WKU at home.
Key Player: RB Alex Gardner. A dual-threat out of the backfield that rushed for almost 1,000 yards last year and caught 30 passes out of the backfield.
Gardner is from Jacksonville and graduated from Raines.
Florida Atlantic University Owls:
Finishing last in the Conference USA standings, the Owls were looking to make some changes. Boy, did they ever! Lane Kiffin and friends come rolling into town bringing a new atmosphere to the senior-citizen filled Boca Raton.
If you know what video this screenshot is from, go ahead and pat yourself on the back.FAU is determined to not go 3-9 four seasons in a row. Kiffin should be able to do this easily with 14 starters returning and a talented QB that is ready to make news on the field instead of off the field. That’s right, Last Chance U and former Florida State quarterback De’Andre Johnson is ready to show the nation that he is being overlooked. As long as the new coaches, transfers, and returning players are able to mesh together, this team could find themselves not only better than 3-9 but marching their way to a bowl game.
Key Player: QB De’Andre Johnson. Watch Last Chance U Season 2 for my reasoning for this.
University of Miami Hurricanes:
A disappointing 3rd place in the ACC Coastal division left a sour taste in UM’s mouth last season. Four consecutive losses in October last year forced Miami into the Russel Athletic Bowl where they showed their disapproval with their commanding 31-14 win over West Virginia.
That raises the new question – is this the year that Miami wins the Coastal? If Brad Kaaya had stayed, it would be an easy yes for me. Along with RB Mark Walton and one of the best defenses in the conference, it would be no question. But that is not the case. Malik Rosier is a good dual-threat QB and N’Kosi Perry is considered an elite talent, but neither of these guys have the experience that Kaaya would have brought back. Regardless, Miami should be a force to be reckoned with. Their toughest game will be traveling to Tallahassee to face the Noles the third week of the season. If they happen to lose that game, they will have plenty of time to make up ground to establish a good ranking and get to a solid bowl game.
Named the starter last week, Rosier has some big shoes to fill.Key Player: WR Ahmmon Richards. Only a sophomore, Richards will be the star of the offense with the loss of David Njoku and Stacey Coley.
University of South Florida Bulls:
The Bulls had their best season ever last year, finishing 11-2, second in the AAC East behind 10-4 Temple, a team they lost to on the road. Their only other loss was against Florida State. With that kind of season, you had to believe Willie Taggart might be nabbed by a bigger program. Sure enough, Oregon hired him right before USF’s bowl game against South Carolina, where they neat the Gamecocks 46-39 in overtime. In comes Charlie Strong. Strong was fired from Texas after three seasons but is looking to keep the winning tradition in Tampa intact.
Looking for an escape to Tampa like:Led by senior QB Quinton Flowers, USF should be favored to win every game this season (They’re 1-0, they’re on their way!). The biggest area of improvement needed is the defense, which gave up an average of 31.6 points per game last year. Insane question of the day: if USF finished unbeaten, could they challenge for a playoff berth?
Key Player: P Jonathan Hernandez. Call me crazy for picking a punter. However, Hernandez established himself as a threat last season with 13 punts over 50 yards and leading the league with just an 11.8 yard average on returns. If the defense struggles, the strong leg of Hernandez will be crucial to pin opponents deep in their own territory.
I wanted to end on a fun fact: Each of these teams have a coach that has not been with their respective programs over 2 seasons; UCF’s Scott Frost (2nd year), FIU’s Butch Davis (1st year), FAU’s Lane Kiffin (1st year), UM’s Mark Richt (2nd year), and USF’s Charlie Strong (1st year).
River City Rogue 