Last week was certainly thermos of coffee football weather in Bloomington, Indiana as the Indiana Hoosiers hosted and were bested by the Ohio State Buckeyes 19-15. Yes, that game. The one where the winning touchdown pass was incomplete because the wide-open wide receiver didn’t have a foot in the endzone when he caught the ball. The Pass That Never Was is how this one will be remembered. That’s okay.

Look, the Indiana Hoosiers were not going to go undefeated for a second season in a row. No. The last team most Hoosier fans want to lose to, next to Purdue, is probably the Ohio State Buckeyes. The last time Indiana beat Ohio State in Bloomington and in the regular season was in October of 1988. I was there. It feels longer than that.

Memorial Stadium was never as loud as last Saturday. For the Hoosiers, better to lose on in October than in December or January. What will be will be.

What has been one story for Indiana is the play of quarterback Josh Hoover. He’s the guy that was dogged by his former coach at TCU for throwing too many interceptions. Coach Cignetti countered that criticism and said Josh Hoover would find his two new best friends: a good defense and a good running game. I paraphrase somewhat. How has that turned out? So far this season, Hoover has thrown for 18 TDs and 0 interceptions. The last college QB with those numbers this late in the season was when Tua was playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2018. Impressive. Very Impressive.

Sure, that was a heartbreaker for Indiana Football fans last weekend. You can’t miss field goals against Ohio State. Ask them about that (see last year’s Big Ten Championship Game). Ohio State scored two touchdowns on 4th down. That can’t happen either, if you expect your team to win.

You know, we have seen more clamoring over pass interference not being called than ever before. Charlie Becker looked like a rodeo pony being tugged from behind for twenty yards in the middle of the field at that. As I looked on, I just exhaled and thought to myself “Thank Goodness” figuring a flag had to fly. Nope. No flag. Crank up the song Three Blind Mice on the stadium PA system. My suggestion is to look to the North. In the Canadian Football League, which I follow and quite enjoy, pass interference can be challenged with replay. We already do that here in States for a myriad of plays. Time to clean up pass interference with the threat of a second look. This tactic works.

I’ve gone back twenty years, no more. The 2026 season is poised to be the only time in the last 21 years that ESPN’s College Gameday has failed to cover a game that featured the previous National Champion.

Perhaps the chance that Coach Curt Cignetti could make Nick Saban look like a donkey is just too much.

Coach Cig: You pick against us in The Big Ten Championship Game.

You picked Alabama in The Rose Bowl Game.

You picked Oregon.

You picked Miami to be us the Championship. Do you remember me? Do you remember the first-round draft choices I recruited to Tuscaloosa for you.”

At the end of last season, Brillo Pad stock went up 8 points because Nick Saban had so much egg to get off of his face.

Oh, never mind. ESPN will be ESPN. We’re used to that.

I did something stupid last week and only picked one game. It was the only one I could see. The rest were a bit blurry. I can see clearly now that game is gone.

This week’s picks:

Indiana beats Michigan… Has not happened during my 58 years on this orb. It’s time.

Auburn beats LSU… If they can beat UGA in Sanford, they can beat the Tigers at home.

Miami beats Pitt… Losing QB1 was huge for Pitt.

Cincinnati beats Texas Tech… Nippert Stadium can be tricky. It is small but mighty. Texas Tech takes its turn on the upset carousel.

Illinois beats Oregon… This is in Champaign. Coach Bielema is good for one of these a season. I mentioned in the preseason that the Ducks would MISS Coach Will Stein’s offensive handiwork.

Iowa beats Minnesota… I envy Tim Brando getting to call this classic Big Ten matchup. Iowa get to take Floyd home to Iowa City again.

UCLA beats Michigan State… An early kickoff in The Rose Bowl Stadium. UCLA is the darling of The Big Ten this year.

Mississippi State beats Oklahoma… The Sooners are in trouble and the boys in maroon are hungry and playing in cowbell heaven.

Tennessee beats South Carolina… The Vols are on a roll and look for them stay on it for a while.

Alabama beats Texas A&M… The Bear Bryant Bowl. I know. He coached at Kentucky too. But they gave him a cigarette lighter, and they gave Adolph Rupp a Cadillac.

Clemson beats Virgina Tech… The Tigers have to salvage something at home.

Ole Miss beats Texas… Will the Arch Train continue to wobble? Get your popcorn ready.

Wisconsin beats USC… Camp Randall has been waiting for a game like this. The Badgers lay the wood.

Kentucky beats Vanderbilt… Yes, Kentucky really is that good. Watch this bunch. they shell the corn.

Enjoy it this weekend, my friends!