Oregon Surprises Ohio State in Columbus 35-28

In the marquee game of the weekend, Oregon, quickly becoming the pride of the Pac 12, put on an offensive show in the Horseshoe, coming away with a shocking 35-28 win over the favored Buckeyes. A last minute interception by the Ducks sealed the upset, spoiling any hopes Ohio State had of a comeback win. Around the Nation: Iowa continued it's dominance over in state rival Iowa State with a solid 27-17 win over the hopeful Cyclones. Beating the Hawkeyes just seems to be a hurdle Iowa State cannot quite get over. Nebraska pounded Buffalo 28-3 in preparation for the trip to Norman next week for the 50th Anniversary of the 1971 "Game of the Century" with Oklahoma. The Sooners feasted on Western Carolina Saturday night 76-0. So Texas....you want to join the SEC? Well Arkansas said welcome to their old SWC friend by promptly smothering the Longhorns in Fayetteville 40-21. I could hear the Hog Calls all the way down in Southeast Oklahoma Saturday Night. Brigham Young won the Holy War over Utah 26-17 in very late game Saturday Night, about the same time Stanford was upsetting heavily favored USC in the Coliseum. The Cardinal came away with a 42-28 win. Texas A&M squeaked out a 10-7 win over Colorado in Denver, and Georgia demolished a good UAB team 56-7 to remain on top of the Billingsley Report this week. Watch for week #4 projections to be posted Tuesday afternoon.

Crimson Tide Crushes Ohio State 52-24. Alabama wins 11th Billingsley National Championship.

In a season like no other, with limited fans and abbreviated schedules, Alabama left no doubt....the Crimson Tide is the King of College Football. Ohio State held their ground for a quarter and a half, mainly due to Tide errors, but even before halftime there was really no doubt, Alabama is the best team in 2020. In the second half an obviously more talented Tide team out manned the Buckeyes and ran to a 52-24 win. Alabama now holds a record 11 Billingsley National Titles. Look for the updates coming on the Encyclopedia in February and March 2021.

Alabama and Ohio State Set For National Championship

The Crimson Tide, 31-14 winners over Notre Dame, and the Buckeyes who scored a 49-28 win over Clemson will vie for the 2020 College Football National Championship on Monday January 11, 2021.

Ohio State Makes Playoff Statement With 56-7 Destruction of Michigan State

For weeks the Buckeyes have been playing like National Title contenders and this week they removed all doubts with a completely dominating win over the Spartans 56-7. Only arch rival Michigan stands in the way of a spot in the Big 10 Championship game and we won't have long to wait. The 10-1 Wolverines, 59-18 winners over Maryland Saturday, host the high flying Buckeyes this upcoming Saturday morning at Noon ET.  Around the Nation: Clemson's 48-27 win over Wake Forest significantly tightened the ACC race. The Tigers are battling North Carolina State for the Atlantic Division crown while Pittsburgh is on top of the Coastal Division. Rivalry weekend, my favorite weekend of the year, is upcoming which means Clemson will face South Carolina Saturday. The Gamecocks were 21-17 surprise winners over Auburn this week. Billingsley's All Time Scores are online again so check out all the great series records under the Historical Data link on the CFRC Home page. Cincinnati quieted a few doubters themselves by destroying SMU 48-14. The Bearcats travel to East Carolina for a tricky game before facing a very good Houston team in the AAC Championship. A lethargic Oklahoma offense got a much needed boost from the Sooner defense in a 28-21 win at home over Iowa State. Bedlam is on the horizon and Oklahoma State did their part to make it a huge game in Stillwater between two 10-1 teams. The Cowboys traveled to Lubbock and shut out Texas Tech 23-0. The Longhorn program is reeling with a 6th straight loss after falling to West Virginia 31-23. Texas returns home to face Kansas State in the season finale. UTSA moved to 11-0 on the season with an amazing 34-31 come from behind win at home over UAB. Notre Dame, the seemingly forgotten playoff contender, moved to 10-1 by blasting Georgia Tech 55-0. Oregon saw their playoff hopes dwindle with a 38-7 shellacking at the hands of Utah. Now the Ducks must recover and fight the civil war with arch rival Oregon State, 24-10 winner over Arizona State late Saturday night. UCLA scored the most points ever in their series with cross town rival USC. The Bruins put up a whopping 62 points against the Trojan's 33.  Louisiana-Lafayette completely dominated a very good Liberty team 42-14, moving to 10-1 on the season. The majority of the SEC took a break from conference play this weekend and blasted much lesser competition, but Alabama and Arkansas put on quite a show in Tuscaloosa with the Razorbacks throwing a scare into the Crimson Tide before falling 42-35. Missouri surprised Florida with a two point conversion to nip the Gators 24-23. Watch for Billingsley's Projections to be posted late Tuesday, and don't forget to check out the Billingsley Historical Data Section from the Home Page for a totally new and improved look at Billingsley's Encyclopedia! 

Michigan Blasts Buckeyes 42-27, Enter Playoff Picture

The highly inspired Wolverines finally got over the hump, putting together a stellar game plan that beat Ohio State for the first time since 2011 and the first win in the Jim Harbaugh era. The Buckeye loss eliminated Ohio State from the CFP and will likely elevate Michigan into the Top 4. The next edition of the CFP Rankings will be released Tuesday.  Around the Nation: The 10 conference championship games are now set, with Georgia/Alabama in Atlanta taking top billing. Oklahoma State, 37-33 Bedlam winners over Oklahoma will meet Baylor in a rematch in Arlington, while Pittsburgh will face Wake Forest for the ACC Title and Oregon will face Utah for the PAC 12 crown. In a bit of a surprise Michigan will face Iowa for the Big 10 Title. The Hawkeyes beat Nebraska 28-21 Friday and then saw Minnesota upset Wisconsin 23-13 Saturday giving Iowa the West Division Title. In the American, undefeated Cincinnati, 12-0, will face their greatest challenge of the season since Notre Dame against a very good 11-1 Houston team.  In Conference USA Texas-San Antonio will try to rebound after a stunning 45-23 loss at North Texas when they host Western Kentucky. The MAC will feature Kent State and Northern Illinois while in the MWC San Diego State will host Utah State. In the Sun Belt Appalachian State will travel to La. Lafayette.  Rivalry weekend saw very few surprises. Clemson clobbered South Carolina 30-0, North Carolina State nipped North Carolina 34-30, Purdue pounded Indiana 44-7, Oregon outlasted Oregon State 38-29, Ole Miss beat Mississippi State 31-21, Florida squeaked by Florida State 24-21 and in perhaps the best game of the day Auburn came oh so close but fell to Alabama 24-22 in 4 overtimes.  

2022 Season Set To Open August 27

Although the first week of the season starts with a very abbreviated schedule, the opening weekend on August 27 is upon us. Highlighted by Nebraska and Northwestern squaring off in Dublin Ireland, the opening weekend shows a scant schedule of less than 15 games with only 7 between FBS versus FBS opponents. Labor Day weekend, week two on the schedule is the traditional opening weekend and offers a King's feast of highly anticipated games. Thursday September 1 kicks off the party with the renewal of an old rivalry between West Virginia hosting Pittsburgh. The series between these two rivals dates to 1895 with the Panthers holding a 61-40-3 lead. They have not met since the 2011 season. The fireworks kick off full force on Saturday September 3 as Cincinnati looks to extend their national prominence by travelling to SEC country to face Arkansas. I can hear the HOG CALL already reverberating through the Ozarks. Oregon and Georgia face off in Atlanta while Utah, the pre-season PAC 12 favorite, visits the Swamp to tackle Florida. In the prime time night game the most highly anticipated match finds Notre Dame travelling to the Horseshoe to battle Ohio State. These two college football king pins have only met 6 times, with the last two being in Bowl Games. The Fighting Irish won the first two way back in 1935 and 1936, with the Buckeyes taking the last 4. With both teams being highly ranked, Notre Dame #9 and Ohio State #8, the winner is likely to jump at or near the top of week 2's Billingsley Report due out the Tuesday after Labor Day. The Sunday night game finds Florida State at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge to face new LSU head coach Brian Kelly. The Monday night Labor Day game features Clemson at Georgia Tech. Needless to say the 2022 season should be an interesting one, full of upsets and surprises. Will someone be able to knock the SEC off their perennial perch? Perhaps Ohio State, Notre Dame, Clemson, Utah, or maybe even a rebuilt Oklahoma or upstart Texas? Hmmm…. maybe the hyped up USC? Time will tell. Let the games begin!     

Ohio State Tops Notre Dame 21-10

The first half belonged to Notre Dame but the Buckeyes dominated the second half and came away with a convincing 21-10 win in the Horseshoe. Although the Billingsley Report will not be posted till Tuesday, after Monday night's Clemson/Georgia Tech game, Ohio State will most certainly leap near the top of the rankings. Around the nation: Things started out with a bang Thursday night as the country was treated to the renewal of the Backyard Brawl and a Brawl it certainly turned out to be as Pittsburgh stormed back late in the 4th quarter to win 38-31. Saturday North Carolina nipped Appalachian State 63-61 in one of the more entertaining games I have seen in recent years while in a stark contrast Iowa held off South Dakota State 7-3 by scoring a field goal and two safeties. Houston held off Texas-San Antonio 37-35 in a game that saw the Roadrunners go the length of the field in 23 seconds and tie the game to send it into overtime. Penn State rallied late and scored with seconds left to beat Purdue 35-31. The Big 12 came thru the weekend smelling like a rose with a 9-1 record. Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will likely all remain in the Top 10. The Lincoln Riley era at USC started out with a roar as the Trojans obliterated hapless Rice 66-14. Georgia embarrassed visiting Oregon 49-3, but I suspect the Bulldogs will be embarrassing  a lot of teams this fall. Alabama looked flawless against Utah State 55-0 and Arkansas served notice to fellow SEC members that last year's winning record was no fluke. The Razorbacks took down Cincinnati 31-24. LSU/Florida State is on tap tonight with Clemson/ Georgia Tech wrapping up the long Labor Day football festivities Monday Night. Week 3 Projections should be posted by Wednesday. 

Buckeyes Surge Past Nittany Lions 44-31

Ohio State rallied in the 4th quarter at Happy Valley Saturday to down Penn State in a crucial Big 10 match, vaulting Ohio State to #1 in this week's Billingsley Report. The Buckeyes and the Wolverines are on pace for an undefeated showdown in late November. Michigan beat a stubborn Michigan State team 29-7. Illinois took control of the Big 10 West division with a 26-9 win at Nebraska. The surprising Illini stand at 7-1 on the season. Notre Dame traveled to the carrier Dome and shocked Syracuse 41-24. The Irish take on Clemson next week. North Carolina came to life in the 4th quarter and defeated Pittsburgh 42-24. Central Florida hosted AAC league leader Cincinnati and nipped the Bearcats 25-21. TCU remained unbeaten at 8-0 with a tough road win at West Virginia 41-31. Kansas State demolished Oklahoma State 48-0 to take second place in the Big 12. Tennessee moved to 8-0 for the first time since winning the National Championship in 1998 with a 44-6 whipping of a solid Kentucky team. The Volunteers travel to Georgia for an SEC showdown Saturday, and Ole Miss rebounded from the loss to LSU by nipping Texas A&M in College Station 31-28. Projections will be posted Tuesday.  

Upsets Dot The Landscape of Rivalry Weekend

It all started with the 24-22 Mississippi State upset of Ole Miss Thursday night and rolled all the way thru a 38-34 Oregon State stunner over Oregon Saturday. Rivalry weekend was a wild ride. South Carolina absolutely stunned the nation, dropping a top 10 opponent for the second week in a row with a 31-30 win over arch rival Clemson. Shane Beamer certainly has the Gamecock program headed in the right direction. The same can be said for Mike Norvell and Florida State as the Seminoles nipped Florida 45-38 to finish the regular season 9-3. North Carolina State edged North Carolina 30-27. Michigan ran away from Ohio State 45-23 in the second half. Nebraska shocked Iowa 24-17 handing the Big 10 West Division crown to Purdue, 30-16 winner over Indiana. USC is inching closer to a spot in the CFP. The Trojans downed Notre Dame 38-27 and still have the PAC 12 Championship to impress the committee. Texas A&M saved their best performance of the year to spoil LSU's title hopes. The Aggies beat the Tigers 38-23. Next week is Championship Weekend and the Top 4 teams in the CFP will be announced along with the Bowl Game participants next Sunday. Projections will be posted Tuesday.  

Ohio State Shocks Notre Dame 17-14 on Late TD

Ohio State raced to a 10-0 lead at the half only to see the Irish fight back and forge ahead 14-10 late in the 4th quarter. With less than 3 minutes remaining Notre Dame had the lead and the ball, but the Irish could not make a first down to seal the win. Instead the Buckeyes created losses on two plays and forced Notre Dame to punt. The Buckeyes masterfully moved down field and scored a touchdown with 1 second left on the clock. The sellout home crowd was stunned. The game will be an instant classic and the win moved Ohio State to #1 in this week's Billingsley Report.  Around the Nation: Florida State traveled to Death Valley and came away with a 31-24 OT thriller over Clemson. North Carolina struggled with Pittsburgh early but pulled away for a 41-24 victory. Surprising Duke, now sitting at 4-0 blasted Connecticut 41-7. Penn State rolled over previously unbeaten Iowa 31-0. Kansas moved to 4-0 after topping BYU 38-27. Air Force and Fresno State remain unbeaten. The Cadets beat San Jose State 45-20 while the Bulldogs overwhelmed Kent State 53-10. The leaders in the Pac 12 are beginning to emerge as the top teams begin to play one another. Washington State hosted Oregon State and nipped the Beavers 38-35. Utah soared to a 14-0 lead and held on for a 14-7 win over UCLA. Oregon showed Colorado no mercy in a 42-6 shellacking of the Buffaloes. Alabama scored a big 24-10 win over previously unbeaten Ole Miss and LSU squeaked past Arkansas 34-31. Missouri played Memphis in Saint Louis in the battle of the Tigers with Missouri holding on for a 34-27 win. The projections will be posted Monday.   

Ohio State Continues Domination Over Nittany Lions

The Buckeye defense was just too much for Penn State to overcome. Ohio State controlled the ball in the 4th quarter giving Penn State little opportunity and the game ended Ohio State 20 Penn State 13, the 8th consecutive win in a row over Penn State for the Buckeyes. But make no mistake, the Nittany Lions are far from out of contention for a National Championship. They will most certainly be among the elite 12 listed when the first CFP rankings are announced  Tuesday night.  Don't do a double take here, but it appears SMU and Miami (Fla.) may be headed for a showdown in the ACC. SMU demolished previously unbeaten Pittsburgh 48-25 while Miami was taking care of Duke 53-31. The Big 12 was turned upside down when Texas Tech sneaked by previously unbeaten Iowa State with a late field goal with 20 seconds left on the clock to win 23-22, and after a 4 hour weather delay Kansas State fell to Houston 24-19. Tennessee came to life in the second half to down Kentucky 28-18, but Texas A&M was not so lucky. The Aggies traveled to South Carolina and met up with an angry bunch of Gamecocks who tore A&M apart 44-20. Projections will post Tuesday.