Emerald Isle Shines Bright For Iowa State

The 2025 college football season got underway Saturday with a  Big 12 clash that will go a long way to determining the  conference champion in December. Iowa State took a huge step toward the crown by nipping Big 12 favorite Kansas State 24-21. The game was played in Dublin Ireland.  It was an abbreviated slate of games that also saw Hawaii best Stanford on the last play of the game with a field goal, winning 23-20. Kansas ran over Fresno State 31-7, while Western Kentucky took  the lead in the C-USA with a 41-24 win over Sam Houston.  The season opens with a bang over a 5 day Labor Day bonanza with games between Texas/Ohio State, LSU/Clemson, Alabama/Florida State and Notre Dame/ Miami just to mention a few. Enjoy! 

Bitter Rivals Become Great Friends

During the time I had my stroke and later my fall that resulted in a broken hip, I spent time in the PAM South Rehab Center where I received unbelievably good care. Kenny Tien was the head of my rehab team and he was a devoted Longhorn fan. Once he found out who I was we teased each other every day about how ironic it was that a Texas fan was healing an Oklahoma fan. Once the word spread who I was and about my website I spent hours with patients dropping by to talk college football. I swear it accelerated my healing process by keeping up my spirits. Hats off to PAM Rehab CEO Allyson Cann ( a huge Sooner fan) for running such a great facility!  

Billingsley To Alter Formula For only 4th Time in 55 Years

The Billingsley Report on MAJOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL was first published in 1970. Three times in it's history the formula was changed, each time to diminish the impact of the margin of victory.  But now after all these years a major overhaul is underway that will take effect for the 2025 season. The sport has CHANGED radically with the transfer portal and NIL rules. What I have realized is that the core of some teams has changed completely and carrying over a team's rank from one season to another (a CFRC trademark in the formula) no longer makes sense. So, this year a true pre-season poll will be created by myself and my nephew Steve who is flying in from  Boston and spending the week breaking down all 136 teams based on coaching changes, returning starters, etc. You may notice big gains or losses from 2025, but hopefully you will see a more realistic ranking to start the season. 2025 starts with some of the most exciting games that I have ever seen over a Labor Day weekend. What a great start to the season. Have fun everyone!

Health Issues Jeopardize CFRC

I have not posted a blog since the end of the 2024 season. I had a stroke on February 27 that paralyzed my right side, followed by a fall that broke my hip on March 17. I was in the hospital for 8 days followed by 21 days of rehab. I returned home totally bedridden and feeling defeated because I thought there was no way I could ever continue CFRC.com. 

No Doubt About It, Buckeyes Are The Best

Ohio State is the 2024 National Champion. No discussion required. The Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 34-23 and it was not nearly as close as the score indicated. The Irish took the initial drive for over 9 minutes and a 7-0 lead, but from the time Ohio State's offense took the field the game was completely in their charge. Notre Dame made a late rally and scored twice but it was too little to late. Ironically, the Top Five in the Billingsley Report remained unchanged. Idle Oregon finished13-1, their lone loss coming at the hands of Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, remained at #2      Updates to the Encyclopedia will begin next week, with the completion of the All Time Scores expected in late March. All contingent on my health. My Parkinson's continues to progress. I am so thankful I made it through the 2024 season and was able to enjoy it so much. 

Ohio State and Notre Dame Set For National Championship

Both semi-final games lived up to the hype. Notre Dame nipped Penn State 27-24 as time ran out, and with Texas driving for a tying touchdown with a little over 2 minutes left, the Longhorns fumbled the ball and the Buckeyes scooped it up and ran 86 yards to seal the win 28-14. The Championship will be played in Atlanta January 20. Billingsley has Ohio State favored by 4.848 points. The early Las Vegas line favors Ohio State by 9.5. 

Semi-Final Games Set For Thursday and Friday

Only four teams remain in the race for the 2024 national championship. Ohio State will meet Texas in the Cotton Bowl and Penn State will battle Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Billingsley Projections show Ohio State over Texas by 4 and Penn State over the Irish by 1. 

Quarterfinal Games Set

The games will be played as traditional Bowls, beginning with Penn State and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl December 31. On New Years Day Texas will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl followed by Oregon and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Notre Dame and Georgia face off in the Sugar Bowl that night. The next Billingsley Report will be posted on January 5th after the Bahamas Bowl played on the 4th of January.  The next round of projections will post late this afternoon. 

Navy Upsets Army 31-13

In the 125th edition of this storied rivalry the Midshipman QB Blake Horvath put on quite a show, throwing for 204 yards and running for another 107. The Cadets just couldn't find a way to stop him and Navy ran away with a 31-13 victory, breaking a two game losing streak. The win also one Navy the Commander-In- Chiefs Trophy because of their previous win over Air Force earlier in the season.  The next Billingsley Report will be released next Sunday after the completion of the first round of the new 12 team playoff. 

Clemson Win Creates Huge Decision For CFP Committee

Championship Weekend turned out to be blow out weekend with the exception of two nail biters in the SEC and ACC. Georgia sneaked out a 22-19 win over Texas in the afternoon game and Clemson upset SMU 34-31 with a 56 yard field goal as time expired. Clemson receives an automatic bid to the playoff as the ACC champ, but now the committee must decide where to slot SMU. The Billingsley Report ranks Clemson #10 with SMU #11. Only 12 slots are available and #15 Arizona State takes one as Big 12 Champ so the question becomes a hard choice between SMU and Alabama for the final team in. The results will be released at 11 AM CT today along with the selections for all the Bowl Games as the day unfolds.  

Michigan Makes It 4 In A Row Over Buckeyes

Rivalry Weekend never fails to surprise and the 2024 version had more than it's share. None bigger than 23 point underdog Michigan walking into the Horseshoe and coming away with a sloppy mistake ridden 13-10 defensive battle over arch rival Ohio State. It was the 4th consecutive Wolverine triumph. Woody Hayes must be turning over in his grave. Despite the great success of the regular season, Buckeye fans are rumbling about whether Ryan Day has what it takes to win a National Championship. Take heart Ohio State. You will still have your shot in the new 12 team CFP. All you did id get a week off.  The state of Texas waited 13 years for the renewal of Texas and Texas A&M. The Aggies are probably wishing it had been a little longer now. The Texas defense was simply overpowering coming away with a 17-7 win in College Station. By the way, I want to give a big shout out to my cousin Trey Williamson , a longtime supporter of my website and rankings and a HUGE Longhorn fan. You think he is happy today?  What a season it has been for South Carolina. The Gamecocks capped a 9-3 year with a 17-14 win over Clemson, who will still play SMU for the ACC title due to the stunning 42-38 upset of Syracuse over Miami Fla.). The Big 12 finally worked out the tie breakers. It's Iowa State and Arizona State in Arlington. It will be interesting to see how the CFP ranks the #10, 11 and 12 teams this week. So many worthy choices. The projections for the Conference Championship Games will post Tuesday. 

Sooners Stun Alabama 24-3

Alabama rolled into the Palace on the Prairie with high hopes and a clear objective. Beat Oklahoma and Auburn and head to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game and the playoffs. Alabama was a 14 point favorite over the down trodden Sooners. Good game plan, but a funny thing happened on the way. The Tide ran across a buzz saw of very hungry, angry Sooners determined not to give up on their disappointing season. Much to the delight of an overflowing raucous crowd the Sooners played the best game of the season, and perhaps the best defensive game since beating Florida State 13-2 for the National Championship in 2000. Needless to say the win soothed a lot of heart ache for Oklahoma players and fans who have suffered through a disappointing debut season in the SEC.   It was a wild weekend of college football. Alabama was not the only team to suffer a surprising setback. Ole Miss headed to the Swamp with similar hopes only to fall to the Gators 24-17, and Texas A&M traveled to Auburn and came up just short, 43-41 in 4 overtimes. Now the Aggies return to College Station to prepare for the show down with arch rival Texas. Notre Dame walked all over previously unbeaten Army 49-14 to position themselves nicely in the eyes of the CFP committee. Ohio State dominated Indiana and leap frogged Texas for the #2 position in this week's Billingsley Report. Minnesota took Penn State to the wire, but the Nittany Lions prevailed 26-25. Much to the delight of the home crowd Nebraska became Bowl eligible with a 44-25 win over Wisconsin. The Big 12 is all up for grabs after Arizona State sneaked by BYU 28-23 and Colorado fell to a resurgent Kansas 37-21. Iowa State kept pace creating a 4 way tie for the conference lead. Oregon State shocked Washington State 41-38 to win the unofficial Pac 12 Championship with a 1-0 record.  We are headed into Rivalry Weekend. I approach it with great excitement and great sadness at the same time because it means the season is coming to a close. I'm just not ready for that! Of course we have the championship games, the bowl games and the playoffs to come, but every year it seems to go faster. This weeks projections post Tuesday. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!