2025 Week 5
September 29, 2025
Now that's the kind of weekend we all want to see - some huge matchups, big hosses, and slobberknocking finishes. Sorry, lately I've been frequently sipping bourbon with my good friend Keith Jackson.
Keith is quite the fixture here, the one TV guy whom all the coaches respect. Even most of us broadcast types enjoy him. Well, except for Cosell, but Howard's not been around lately. He shot off his mouth at the big guy and got sent back to purgatory again.
Things got off to a wild start in Charlottesville Friday night. Virginia and Florida State played a wild, high scoring affair that went to double overtime. Now usually I'm a bit confused by these overtime rules but this time I think it made sense. Each team succeeded during the field goal shootout portion of the overtime, then Virginia scored two four point touchdowns during the second overtime while Florida State failed on its first four point attempt so the game ended with Virginia up by 8 points.
It was an exciting finish as an FSU pass was picked off by a Hokie to end it. The Virginia students immediately ran onto the field and many ran over the Florida State players. I haven't seen a bunch of Seminoles get stampeded like that since the Oklahoma land rush of 1889.
There were two other good games Friday night. Houston won a tough battle in Corvallis on a late field goal. Arizona State came from behind vs TCU and also won on a late field goal booted by a kicker named Jesus Gomez, which went over well up here. ASU vs TCU is the type of non-conference game I enjoy seeing, two teams representing the best of the WAC and SWC.
The best game down south was in Athens where Alabama built up a big lead then held off Georgia between the hedges, 24-21. I'm not saying Coach Smart has had trouble with the Tide, but if you've been coach 10 years and have beaten Bama as often as Vanderbilt has, you may start feeling the heat soon.
The Texas Aggies continued their fine start by holding off Auburn, 16-10 in the first game of a big doubleheader. In the nightcap in State College Station Oregon got way ahead then held off Penn State in double overtime, 30-24. I'd like to get JoePa's reaction to the game but nobody up here seems to know where he is. That game losing PSU interception was something - I haven't seen such a wounded duck since Dennis Dixon's 2007 ACL tear.
Tennessee went down to Starkville and won a high-scoring thriller, 41-34. Elsewhere in the Magnolia State the LSU Bayou Bengals visited Oxford in a battle of unbeatens. The Rebels jumped all over LSU. That win demonstrated that Ole Southern Piss isn't just an LSU coach B Kelly postgame fan ritual.
Southern Cal made a rare visit to the Midwest, taking on the Fighting Illini, who were still smarting from getting clobbered by Indiana. Illinois ran all over the Trojans but USC made a game comeback before a late field goal won it for the home team. Meanwhile, a couple hours north, Northwestern had an exciting battle with UCLA. I hear tickets were going like hotcakes and that Northwestern's temporary stadium was nearly filled to its 4,000 seat capacity.
My Pitt Panthers had a fun back and forth battle against the St Louisville Cardinals but fell 34-27. I'm not sure whether Coach Nard Dogg is going to get things done there. Maybe Pitt needs a hologram Johnny Majors to coach them.
In what looked likely to be a great intersectional battle, #1 rated Ohio State slowly ground down the Washington Huskies, winning 24-6. Elsewhere in Pac-8 action, I guess there must have been a COVID outbreak because Stanford played Stan Jose State in an empty stadium, with the Cardinals pulling out a 30-29 victory on a last second score.
There were just so many good games with great finishes this past weekend. We can only hope that this next weekend will be just as good. And it may be, what with great upcoming rivalry games like Miami vs Florida State, Vanderbilt vs. Alabama, and Kent State vs. Oklahoma.