Old coaching chums Dabo Swinney and Bill Belichick rondevous; the Hurricanes and Seminoles meeting in October seems ‘just’ right, can Diego Pavia provide Miracle 2.0 against the Tide, and we get an update on Gary’s hair. It’s Tailgators on two…hut-hut!
Opening Drive:
1st Down: Penn State. The Nittany Lions lose 30-24 in 2OT to the No. 2 Oregon Ducks, surprisingly absolutely no one! Head coach James Franklin took responsiblity for the loss, although quarterback Drew Allar certainly didn’t play well on the big stage. 111,015 in attendance.
Gary’s Take: We let Gary vent, especially about the Penn State offense.
Brian’s Take: Brian does the “Told-ya-so” dance.
John’s Take: John gives his unbiased outsiders opinion.
Franklin is 4-21 at Penn State against AP top-10 opponents, including 1-18 against top-10 Big Ten teams.
His .160 winning percentage against AP top-10 teams is tied for the third-worst record by a coach (minimum 25 games) at a single school since the poll era began in 1936, according to ESPN Research.
Drew Allar, Penn State’s starter since 2023, is 0-6 in his career against AP top-6 opponents.
Question for John: Would James Franklin still have a job at Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Florida?
2nd Down: Alabama takes down Georgia at home.
Is Bama back? The Tide win 24-21 in Georgia, ending the Bulldogs’ 33-game home winning streak.
3rd Down: Call Me Daddy. Lane Kiffin’s Rebs are now No. 4 in the AP Poll after helping warm up Brian Kelly’s coaching seat while also staking a win for dad’s around the country. Is this Ole Miss team finally for real?
4th Down: Field Stormin’. The rushing of the fields has to be curbed according to John. The liklihood of something bad happening increases everytime it happens. How to curb this from happening because the fines are not working.
The University of Virginia was fined $50,000 by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for fans storming the field after their upset victory over No. 8 Florida State on September 27, 2025. The fine was $50,000 for a first offense, with subsequent violations incurring higher fines of $100,000 and $200,000.
The incident resulted in 19 people requiring medical attention at the hospital.
John's Notebook - Week 5: A great week raised more questions than answers
Hey all, sorry for being a day late but I was still processing this weekend’s excitement and the fact I also spent nine hours working in my yard on Sunday to the point where I almost blacked out.
Extra Point: Dabo and Bill face-off this week. They were chummy during the ACC’s media day and sat for an interview with ESPN, where they lauded each other’s career achievements. From this week’s game forward, who wins more football games at their respective schools?
Watch Tailgators Setup Podcast on Substack:
John’s Game of the Week:
No. 16 Vanderbilt at No. 10 Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ABC
The Crimson Tide will be looking for payback.
Vanderbilt’s 40-35 win as a 23-point underdog last season marked the Commodores’ first over a No. 1 team and was the upset of the year.
Tickets as low as $47 (Monday morning)
No. 3 Miami at No. 18 Florida State, 7:30 p.m. ABC
This is the 27th time the Hurricanes and Seminoles face off as ranked teams.
Miami is 15-11 in those games.
Florida State has won the last five, the latest which came in 2016.
Tickets as low as $318 (Monday morning) GOTW according to ticket prices!
The(#notsponsored) Hooters Pick’em Challenge:
Gary lost the White Out but not his hair — yet, but he still remains at the top of the standings.
Last week, John snuck out a victory, but Gary and Brian were not far behind.
John: 13-5; Gary: 12-6; Brian: 12-6
On the season, Gary still holds a one-game lead over John, while Brian trails considerably.
Gary: 91-25; John: 90-26; Brian: 82-34
Gary’s Cocktail of the Week/The Stadium Series:
This week we mount Renegade, the Florida State Appaloosa and take a ride to Tallahassee and Doak S. Campbell Stadium, home of the Seminoles.
Okey Doaky
2 oz Vodka
4 oz Orange juice
3/4 oz Grenadine
Fill highball glass with ice. Pour in vodka and OJ and stir.
Pour grenadine into center of the drink so it sinks to botom, gently stir.
Garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Proof Brewing Co.
Premium Craft Lager
4.5 % ABV
1320 South Monroe St. Tallahassee FL
Heisman Watch:
We probably confirmed at least one invite to New York’s Downtown Athletic Club this week.
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: Led the Ducks to a White Out win over Penn State in 2OT. Moore threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 35 yards, with no turnovers and no sacks. “I think we’ve got the best quarterback in college football,” says Oregon head coach Dan Lanning.
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: Completed 23 of 39 passes for 314 yards and one touchdown, and ran 14 times for 71 yards in 24-19 victory over No. 4 LSU. Says coach Lane Kiffin: “I like good stories. Here’s a little, short kid from Division II going against Nussmeier and the mighty Tigers with Ole Miss. It was really cool.”
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