Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/27/2026

In what has been, despite its off-field challenges, one of the most interesting starts to the college football season, conference play has begun and heavyweight matchups with ranked teams are commencing.  The SEC had four games between ranked teams, and none were bigger than number 4 Ole Miss going into The Swamp to face number 21 Florida.  The game did not disappoint.  80 points later, the Gators offense proved unstoppable as they scored 35 second half points, with a TD on all five possessions that didn't end the game.  Led by emerging running back Jadan Baugh.  Baugh toted the rock 29 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns.  And tough runs, longest was 23 yards as he continued to wear down the Rebels defense in a dominating Gators win 52-28.  The Florida Gators are 4-0 and dare we say back?  If they want to make a run at another SEC title, they'll need Jadan Baugh to lead them as he did this week, as the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/20/2026

Another weekend of college football upsets and one of the more surprising ones were the West Virginia Mountaineers upending the ranked Virginia Cavaliers.  In the era of transfers, a blue blood team castaway played hero.  Michael Hawkins Jr., former Oklahoma quarterback, accounted for all five touchdowns for the Mountaineers in a neutral site game.  Hawkins didn't light the stadium up with his arm, but was efficient with 19 yards per completion and two TDs and no interceptions.  But his legs were the rest of the story for another 123 yards and three touchdowns.  The result was a 35-27 win for a once proud program trying to resurge. West Virginia may be a player in the wide open Big 12, and if so, it may be because of Hawkins Jr., the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/13/2026

Week two of the College Football season started to feature some bigger matchups than woodshed week 1, but this wasn't supposed to be one.  The number six Oregon Ducks went down to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma State as over 3 touchdown favorites.  Oklahoma State hasn't beaten a Football Bowl Subdivision team in 21 games.  They fired their long tenured coach last year.  New season, new Cowboys.  Enter QB phenom Drew Mestemaker.  The North Texas transfer did it all, outperforming who some think should be the overall number one if not first quarterback in the 2027 NFL draft in Dante Moore.  Mestemaker threw for 317 yards with two touchdowns, while running for 109 yards on six runs for another TD.  The TD was spectacular and go-ahead TD head over heels to beat the Top 10 Ducks. Oklahoma State was coming off a frustrating loss to Tulsa in week one but may suddenly be rounding into Big 12 form.  Can they make a run at the conference championship?  Drew Mestemaker will be a factor, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/6/2026

A thrilling opening week of college football in 2026 unfolded with not at whole lot of marquee matchups but an SEC/ACC thriller filled TV sets on Sunday night and was worth the exclusive timeslot.  Top ten, National Semifinal participant Ole Miss took on number 24 Louisville in the only Top 25 matchup of the weekend.  While there were other interesting scares (looking at you Oregon and Michigan), the Ole Miss and Louisville game fitted the bill.  The neutral site game in Nashville (actually a good geographical compromise) lit up on offense.  Both teams notched over 450 yards, 300 yard through the air, and scored what was the same final score of the classic 2006 Rose Bowl where Texas beat USC.  41-38.  In this game, it was a last second field goal after Louisville stormed back in the last 5 minutes with two touchdowns to tie.  But Ole Miss won and while the end was somewhat anticlimactic, it was a wide receiver that was the man of the match.  Ole Miss Deuce Alexander hauled in 5 passes for 159 yards and two TDs, both 62 yards in the first half.  Big players in big games, he wears number one and was the star player in Week 1 and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!