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A week after everyone in the state lost in college football, except FAU in their soon-to-be AAC matchup with Charlotte, the Canes, Seminoles and Knights were winners this past weekend. Victories made us all feel better and how those victories happen sometimes don't matter.
For weeks Miami fans have been asking for Manny Diaz's job. Canes' fans had moved into the mode of "who can we get" rather than believing in Diaz. After a 2-4 start and a rash of injuries, the Canes found a way to beat a ranked NC State team and freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke lit up the Wolfpack for 325 yards and 4 touchdown passes. The win came one after UM AD Blake James was evasive when asked about Diaz's future. I said two weeks ago that if you wanted Diaz out that was the time to do it because Miami was going to win games at the back end of the season and a change might be more challenging. Miami plays at Pitt this week and it could be the classic letdown for the Panthers coming off their big win over Clemson. A win against another ranked team and the Diaz momentum train could be on a roll. Miami has remaining games with Georgia Tech, FSU, Virginia Tech and Duke. If they can upset Pitt, Miami should finish the season 8-4 on a five-game win streak. Add a bowl game and it becomes harder to justify a change when they likely have found their quarterback for the next few seasons in Van Dyke. A loss to Pitt and it's possible Miami finishes 6-6. So what is it Canes' fans? Do you root for your team and likely keep your coach or do you hope they lose a few and get a change?...
The Seminoles have won three of four and now the term "bowl eligible" is not something to laugh at after a 0-4 start. The Noles routed UMASS 59-3 and put up 586 yards. Now FSU gets to face a struggling Clemson team who fell to Pitt and head coach Dabo Swinney claimed all positions are open including quarterback as the Tigers offense continues to struggle. It still remains a tall task for FSU to go on the road and get the win. But fans feel better about games with NC State, Miami, Boston College and Florida. Can FSU get three wins in their remaining five games? I don't think so. I think 5-7 is possible but Mike Norvell's team feels and looks better and all you really want is momentum at the end of the season. Norvell appears to be recruiting well and he will be active in the transfer portal. Whether it's a bowl game or not, FSU fans may just feel good at the end of the season about the future. Of course, don't finish 3-9...
In the 2020 version of UCF and Memphis the two teams combined for 1,501 yards in a 50-49 win for the Tigers. UCF had 798 yards and Dillon Gabriel threw for 601 yards. In Friday's 24-7 win by UCF, the Knights and Tigers combined for a total of 587 yards. Isaiah Bowser was healthy for the first time in a month and ran for 111 yards while the UCF defense had 6 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss and three interceptions. Memphis was playing without their promising freshman quarterback Seth Henigan, who was out with a shoulder injury. The Tigers' backup entered the transfer portal earlier in the week and that led to Peter Parrish to start. Parrish is a former four-star recruit who went to LSU before transferring to Memphis and he made his first start. He was 31-48 for 215 yards and tossed three picks and was sacked six times. His backup on Friday was Jeremy Oatsvall. Oatsvall was the starting quarterback for Austin Peay in 2017 when they faced UCF. Hurricane Irma cost UCF two homes early that season with Memphis and Georgia Tech. The Memphis game was scheduled for later in the season but UCF needed another home when Georgia Tech had no date open to make up the game. The Knights scheduled Austin Peay in late September to play in late October. Oatsvall was the Austin Peay quarterback and went 12-18 for 209 yards and two touchdowns in that game. UCF won 73-33 and went to 7-0 in the season the Knights finished 13-0...
The Gators were off last week and the biggest news headed into the Georgia game is who will start at quarterback. I don't know if Dan Mullen puts Anthony Richardson in to start against the nation's best defense. But regardless of who starts, if Florida falls to 4-4, Dan Mullen will hear the noise from those who will wonder where the Gators are headed. Florida should finish 8-4 but Mullen's critics will say it's not enough. Dan Mullen isn't going anywhere, unless he wants to. What? Mullen is not leaving Florida unless he wonders if he wants to hear the noise in a transition season and would the NFL take a look at someone known for developing quarterbacks. There were whispers last off-season about Mullen and the NFL but those appeared to be more rumors. I don't know if there would be an NFL team interested in Mullen and Urban's struggles may make NFL teams think twice about the college route. Of course, Mullen's Gators could pull off the upset this week and everyone feels good...because that's what winning does...
Final thought: Division III score of the week: George Fox 21 Pacific 14. George Fox is located in Newburg, Oregon and was founded in 1891 as a school for the Quakers.