RFC Throwback Thursday Double Feature Part 2: Northern Illinois at Bowling Green-2003

(Video courtesy of ESPN2)

With the imminent return to play for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, this week's "bonus" installment of "RFC Throwback Thursday" turns the clock back to October 25, 2003. That was when the Bowling Green State University Falcons played host to the then-undefeated and No. 12 Northern Illinois University Huskies in a clash that MAC championship implications at the time. BGSU downed NIU en route to a final overall record of 11-3 and a Motor City Bowl championship, as the Falcons beat Northwestern of the Big 10 Conference on December 26. Pay close attention to the beginning of the video, and you'll notice the ESPN College GameDay crew paying a visit to the BGSU campus on that late October day. 

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RFC Throwback Thursday: Bowling Green/Central Michigan Pregame-1980

(Video courtesy of NCAA/ABC Sports)

With the imminent return to play for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, this week's installment of "RFC Throwback Thursday" turns the clock back to 1980. That was when the Bowling Green State University Falcons faced the Central Michigan University Chippewas in a key MAC contest. Listed above are selected excerpts of pregame coverage from ABC prior to that game.

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RFC Weekly Predictions: Week Of October 31, 2020

Last Week: 13-8 (.619)*

This Year: 97-35 (.735)

*-Two games were postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.

Featured games in BOLD type.

NOTE: This schedule is subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball for updates of any rescheduled games, postponements, or cancellations. Postponed or canceled games are marked with the "strikethrough" icon below. Additionally, any postponed or canceled games will not count toward the overall record of games predicted for that week. Also, the final scores of any games played on Thursday and/or Friday will be indicated here in this post.

FBS Group Of Five/FCS

Thursday, October 29

South Alabama (3-2) at Georgia Southern (3-2)

Friday, October 30

East Carolina (1-3) at Tulsa (2-1)

UTSA (4-3) at Florida Atlantic (1-1)

Southeast Missouri State (FCS) at Southern Illinois (FCS)

Saturday, October 31

Memphis (3-1) at Cincinnati (4-0)

(The unbeaten Bearcats will look to stay that way against the once-beaten Tigers in another critical American Athletic Conference contest!!! Airtime is at noon EDT/11 a.m. CDT on ESPN!!!)

Boise State (1-0) at Air Force (1-0)

(The Broncos hit the road to face the Falcons in a battle of unbeaten teams in the Mountain West Conference!!! Airtime is at 6 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. MDT on the CBS Sports Network!!!)

Coastal Carolina (5-0) at Georgia State (2-2)

UCF (3-2) at Houston (2-1)

Navy (3-3) at SMU (5-1)

Troy (3-2) at Arkansas State (3-3)

UAB (4-2) at Louisiana Tech (3-3)

North Texas (2-3) at UTEP (3-3)

Abilene Christian (FCS)-(0-3) at Mercer (FCS)-(0-2)

NCAA Division II/NCAA Division III/NAIA

Saturday, October 31

Morningside (5-0) at Dordt (5-1)

(The defending national champion Mustangs will do battle with the Defenders in a battle for first place in the Great Plains Athletic Conference [GPAC]!!!)

Dickinson State (7-0) at Valley City State (4-1)

(The Blue Hawks hit the road to take on the Vikings in a re-match from September 26, in which Dickinson State defeated Valley City State 27-13!!!)

Arizona Christian (2-0) at SAGU (1-0)

(The Firestorm head east into Texas to face the Lions in another clash of undefeated teams!!!)

McPherson (3-3) at Kansas Wesleyan (3-2)

Benedictine (Kan.)-(3-0) at Mid-America Nazarene (1-3)

William Penn (3-3) at Peru State (1-2)

Nebraska-Kearney (NCAA Division II) at Pittsburg State (Kan.)-(NCAA Division II)

Chadron State (NCAA Division II)-(1-1) at South Dakota Mines (NCAA Division II)-(2-1)

Western Colorado (NCAA Division II) at Stephen F. Austin (FCS)-(3-3)

Missouri Western State (NCAA Division II) at Central Arkansas (FCS)-(3-4)

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RFC Throwback Thursday Double Feature Part 2: Fresno State at UNLV-1982

(Video courtesy of KSEE Fresno, California)

In honor of the Mountain West Conference beginning play this weekend, RFC will have a "double feature" of "RFC Throwback Thursday" this week. In Part 2 of this installment, we turn the clock back to November 20, 1982. That was when the Fresno State University Bulldogs traveled to just outside of Las Vegas to face UNLV. The Bulldogs won a 30-28 thriller to claim the outright Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA)-(later the now-defunct Big West Conference) championship. Fresno State then rallied in the fourth quarter to edge Bowling Green 29-28 to win the California Bowl in their first-ever postseason appearance at the NCAA Division I-A (now FBS) level on December 18. The Bulldogs finished the 1982 season at 11-1 overall, with their only loss coming to then NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) Nevada on October 16.

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RFC Throwback Thursday Double Feature Part 1: San Jose State at Stanford-1982

(Video courtesy of CBS Sports)

In honor of the Mountain West Conference starting its COVID-19 shortened season this weekend, there will be a two-part segment of "RFC Throwback Thursday" this week. Part 1 of this double feature turns the clock back to September 18, 1982. That was when the San Jose State University Spartans coached by the late Jack Elway, paid a visit to nearby Palo Alto, Calif. to play against son and future NFL star quarterback John Elway and the Stanford Cardinal.

In a tight battle on that mid-September day, it was the father (Jack) that emerged victorious over the son (John), as the Spartans stunned the Cardinal 35-31 to improve to 3-0 at the time. Despite the fast start out of the gate, which included knocking off two other teams in what was then the Pacific 10 (now Pac-12) Conference, San Jose State finished the 1982 season at 8-3 overall, and 4-2 in the then Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA), which later became the now-defunct Big West Conference, with the Spartans finding themselves on the outside looking in when bowl season arrived.

Otherwise, just simply sit back and enjoy yet another moment in the history of college football outside of the traditional major conferences and independents.

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RFC Weekly Predictions: Week Of October 24, 2020

Last Week: 16-6 (.727)*

This Year: 84-27 (.757)

*-Six games were postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.

Featured games in BOLD type.

NOTE: This schedule is subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball for updates of any rescheduled games, postponements, or cancellations. Postponed or canceled games are marked with the "strikethrough" icon below. Additionally, any postponed or canceled games will not count toward the overall record of games predicted for that week. Also, the final scores of any games played on Thursday and/or Friday will be indicated here in this post.

FBS Group Of Five/FCS

Thursday, October 22

Arkansas State (3-2) at Appalachian State (2-1)

Friday, October 23

Louisiana (3-1) at UAB (4-1)

(The Blazers play host to the Ragin' Cajuns in a clash between Conference USA and the Sun Belt Conference!!! Airtime is at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT on the CBS Sports Network!!!)

Tulsa (1-1) at South Florida (1-4)

Southeast Missouri State (FCS) at Southern Illinois (FCS)

Saturday, October 24

Georgia Southern (3-1) at Coastal Carolina (4-0)

(The day gets underway in Conway, S.C., as the undefeated Chanticleers clashing with the Eagles in a critical Sun Belt Conference showdown!!! Airtime is at noon EDT on ESPNU!!!) 

Florida Atlantic (1-0) at Marshall (4-0)

(The Thundering Herd play host to the Owls in a clash of undefeated teams in Conference USA!!! Airtime is at 2:30 p.m. EDT on the Fox Sports Networks!!!)

Cincinnati (3-0) at SMU (5-0)

(But the game mentioned is just a set-up for what will happen after sunset, as the Mustangs will play host to the Bearcats in a battle of unbeaten AAC teams under the lights!!! Airtime is at 9 p.m. EDT/8 p.m. CDT on ESPN2!!!)

Temple (1-1) at Memphis (2-1)

Tulane (2-3) at UCF (2-2)

UTEP (3-2) at Charlotte (1-2)

Louisiana Tech (3-2) at UTSA (3-3)

Hawai'i at Fresno State

Utah State at Boise State

Wyoming at Nevada

Central Arkansas (FCS)-(3-3) at Eastern Kentucky (FCS)-(1-4)

Abilene Christian (FCS)-(0-2) at Stephen F. Austin (FCS)-(2-3)

NCAA Division II/NCAA Division III/NAIA

Saturday, October 24

Benedictine (Kan.)-(4-1) at Central Methodist (3-2)

(The Ravens hit the road to do battle with the Eagles in one of two key games in the Heart of America Athletic Conference!!!)

Grand View (3-0) at William Penn (3-2)

(The other big HAAC contest will take place in Iowa, as the Vikings travel to Oskaloosa to take on the Statesmen in a battle for first place in the North Division!!!)

Waldorf (4-2) at Dickinson State (6-0)

Northwestern (Iowa)-(3-1) at Doane (2-3)

South Dakota Mines (NCAA Division II)-(1-1) at Colorado Mesa (NCAA Division II)-(2-0)

Black Hills State (NCAA Division II)-(0-2) at Chadron State (1-1)

Angelo State (NCAA Division II)-(1-1) at Stephen F. Austin (FCS)-(2-3)

Adrian (NCAA Division III)-(1-1) at Bluffton (NCAA Division III)

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RFC Weekly Predictions: Week Of October 17, 2020 (REVISED)

Last Week: 11-4 (.733)

This Year: 68-21 (.764)

KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.

Featured games in BOLD type.

NOTE: This schedule is subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball for updates of any rescheduled games, postponements, or cancellations. Postponed or canceled games are marked with the "strikethrough" icon below. Additionally, any postponed or canceled games will not count toward the overall record of games predicted for that week. Also, the final scores of any games played on Thursday and/or Friday will be indicated here in this post.

FBS Group Of Five/FCS

Wednesday, October 14

Coastal Carolina 30, Louisiana 27

(Chanticleers stun the Ragin' Cajuns with a last-second field goal to remain unbeaten at 4-0 overall!!! Meanwhile, Louisiana fell to 3-1 overall with the loss!!!)

Thursday, October 15

Arkansas State 59, Georgia State 52

Friday, October 16

SMU 37, Tulane 34

BYU 43, Houston 26

Saturday, October 17

Army (4-1) at UTSA (3-2)

(The Black Knights march down into the Alamodome to do battle with the Roadrunners!!! Airtime is at 1:30 p.m. EDT/12:30 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network!!!)

Marshall (3-0) at Louisiana Tech (3-1)

(The Thundering Herd will also head south, as they do battle with the Bulldogs in a key Conference USA clash!!! Airtime is at 6 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. CDT, also on the CBS Sports Network!!!)

Cincinnati (3-0) at Tulsa (1-1)

Navy (2-2) at East Carolina (1-2)

UCF (2-1) at Memphis (1-1)

Western Kentucky (1-3) at UAB (3-1)

Southern Mississippi (1-3) at UTEP (3-2)

Texas State (1-4) at South Alabama (1-2)

Eastern Kentucky (FCS)-(1-3) at Troy (2-1)

Other FCS Games

Jacksonville State (1-1) at North Alabama (0-1)

Angelo State (NCAA Division II)-(1-0) at Stephen F. Austin (1-3)

West Texas A&M (NCAA Division II)-(1-2) at Abilene Christian (0-2)

Central Arkansas (2-3) at Missouri State (0-2)

NCAA Division II/NCAA Division III/NAIA

Saturday, October 17

Southwestern (Kan.)-(2-0) at Kansas Wesleyan (3-0)

(Coyotes to clash with the Moundbuilders in a battle of unbeaten teams in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference [KCAC]!!!)

Concordia (Neb.)-(4-0) at Northwestern (Iowa)-(2-1)

(The Red Raiders play host to the upstart, unbeaten Bulldogs in a game with championship implications in the Great Plains Athletic Conference [GPAC]!!!)

Valley City State (3-1) at Waldorf (4-1)

(The Warriors welcome the visiting Vikings from North Dakota in a contest that could have an impact on the North Star Athletic Association [NSAA] championship race!!!)

Doane (2-2) at Dordt (3-1)

McPherson (3-2) at Ottawa (Kan.)-(1-0)

Southeastern (3-1) at Ave Maria (2-1)

Culver-Stockton (1-1) at Grand View (3-0)

Colorado Mesa (NCAA Division II)-(1-0) at Black Hills State (0-1)

South Dakota Mines (NCAA Division II)-(1-0) at Chadron State (NCAA Division II)-(0-1)

Bluffton (NCAA Division III) at Trine (NCAA Division III)-(2-0)

Adrian (NCAA Division III)-(0-1) at Manchester (NCAA Division III)-(0-1)

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.