We’re about to enter the first November weekend of the college football season. It’s hard to believe I just typed that last sentence, because it sure feels like yesterday was late August and we were all enjoying the Week 0 matchup between Florida and Miami as a very tasty appetizer for the main course that lied ahead that was the first full week of college football. The list of former foes of course, has gone from one giant blank to a slate that takes up three pages worth of the Google Doc template I use to update this thing every week.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Let’s see how our former foes (and JoeMo) are faring at this juncture.
Former Foes
Idaho Vandals
Last Seen: Enjoying the week off following a victory over their in-state rival, Idaho State.
Up Next: The Vandals host Cal Poly this Saturday.
2019 Record: 3-5
Buffalo Bulls
Last Seen: Da Bulls soundly defeated Central Michigan at home, 43-20. Despite dealing several key injuries, including their original starting QB Matt Myers (who is out for the rest of the year), Lance Leipold has managed to scrap together a .500 record at this juncture, with his team needing only two more wins for bowl eligibility. On a related note, how much longer before some Power 5 AD recognzies Leipold’s accomplishments and takes a chance on him?
Up Next: Buffalo hits the road this Saturday to face Eastern Michigan.
2019 Record: 4-4
Pittsburgh Panthers
Last Seen: The Pat Narduzzi we all know and love came back with a vengeance last Saturday when Pitt hosted Miami. Midway through the fourth quarter, with his team trailing 10-9 and with a 4th and goal from The U’s one-yard line, Narduzzi elected to kick a field goal. While there was no doink this time around, Miami would go on to score the game-winning TD with 58 seconds left to win 16-12. You would think being merely a month removed from unleashing the “Pitt Special” on UCF that 4th and goal from the one would be a perfect spot to attempt it, but Narduzzi’s gonna Narduzzi (please hire this man when Mark Dantonio steps down, Sparty).
Up Next: Pitt heads down to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech this Saturday.
2019 Record: 5-3
Maryland Terrapins
Last Seen: Mike Locksley’s battleship was sunk by PJ Fleck’s boat, purifying themselves in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, as Minnesota hammered the Terps, 52-10. Okay, maybe “battleship” isn’t the correct metaphor for Maryland, more like patrol boat (because it only takes two hits to sink it).
Up Next: The Terps go back home this Saturday to host a Michigan team that appears to be clicking on most of, if not all of its cylinders. Have fun with that, fellas!
2019 Record: 3-5
Purdue Boilermakers
Last Seen: Last week, I said that with Illinois coming to West Lafayette, things could either go quite well (because Illinois was too high and unable to handle a little bit of major success) or really poorly (because Illinois is playing with a newfound confidence and would maintain their focus enough to avoid a letdown). Turns out it was the latter, as the Boilers suffered a 24-6 beatdown.
Up Next: Purdue plays host to a wounded, desperate, 4-4 Nebraska team struggling for bowl eligibility.
2019 Record: 2-6
Iowa Hawkeyes
Last Seen: Beating Northwestern on the road, 20-0. Pretty much a score you would expect when one of the teams has a completely punchless offense.
Up Next: Much like a good chunk of teams, the Hawkeyes will be enjoying their second bye week this weekend.
2019 Record: 6-2
Michigan Wolverines
Last Seen: Unlike their neighbors in East Lansing, the Wolverines were able to obliterate their visitors in the pouring rain, handing a 45-14 shellacking to Notre Dame. Looks like Josh Gattis’ “speed in space” in starting to come to fruition, in a sense.
Up Next: Michigan hits the road to take on Maryland this Saturday.
2019 Record: 6-2
Michigan State Spartans
Last Seen: Seeing their strategy of using Mother Nature against Penn State fail miserably, ending up with a 28-7 defeat. Had PSU been able to secure an interception midway through the third quarter during Sparty’s lone scoring drive, Sparty may have very well suffered back-to-back shutout losses.
Up Next: Another bye week. I’m sure the remaining Sparty fans who haven’t already checked out, have to be feeling relief they can enjoy their Saturday doing something else.
2019 Record: 4-4
Former Bros
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last Seen: Another week in the SEC, another loss for the Moor Dawgs. This time, it was a 49-30 defeat at the hands of Texas A&M in College Station.
Up Next: A road trip to Fayetteville to take on a struggling Arkansas program awaits Clanga this Saturday. Another loss here would dump an entire can of gasoline on the fire that is already the “Joe Moorhead is jumping ship/getting fired” rumors.
2019 Record: 3-5