Alex Floyd, Local Columnist
Haha, just kidding. But now that I have your attention: howdy all and welcome to the Mullet-wrapper Melee, the Rolled-up Rumble, the Biggest Fight in Black and White that cheers all Day and half the Night.
That’s right, it’s the Pembroke Mafia Football League 2026. This opening week I am your host for this great Bryan County tradition celebrating collegiate football and all things that make America great.
As on the gridiron, we have eleven men on the field doing their due-diligence and flipping quarters to pick ten games per week.
If you’ve been following us in the past, this cast of characters needs no introduction, but I’ll run through the roster. In addition to yours truly, we have Board of Commission Chairman Carter Infinger, County Administrator Ben Taylor, District 5 Commissioner Gene Wallace, District 1 Commissioner emeritus Noah Covington, Bryan County News Sportswriter-emeritus Ted O’Neil, Bryan County News legend Jeff Whitten, American Legion Post 164 and Pembroke Godfather BJ Clark, BJ’s son, Mafia Lieutenant and tractor salesman extraordinaire Mike Clark, Local Sportswriting and Media legend Mike Brown and North Bryan Timber Tycoon Bob Floyd.
As the season begins this week’s picks are split between Saturday and Thursday. Saturday we have North Carolina and my yearly dark horse candidate TCU playing on the green fields of Ireland. Doc, Jeff and Noah pick the Tarheels and the rest pick the Horned Frogs. (explain those to the average European). We have North Dakota State coming to the Sunny South at Jacksonville State. Ben, Doc, Ted, Me, Mike C, Noah pick the ND Bison and the rest pick the JS Gamecocks. The NC State Wolfpack takes on the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville. Doc, Jeff, Me and Noah pick the Pack and the rest pick, and struggle to spell, the Cavaliers.
New Mexico State comes to Tallahassee at 7:00 on the ‘CW’ between re-runs of the X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to play FSU. We unanimously pick the ‘Noles to run the Aggies.
Thursday, we have Colorado playing Georgia Tech at Hyundai Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium. I hear Atlanta is lovely this time of year…. Nope. Bob and BJ pick the Buffaloes and rest of us pick the Yellow Jackets.
UMass Minutemen play the Rutgers Scarlett Knights in what may be two of the coolest mascots in the country.
Jeff, Me and Bob pick UMass and rest pick Rutgers. Akron plays the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest (another contender for coolest mascot). We all pick Wake Forest. West Georgia faces off at Kennesaw for a great week 1 instate matchup. We all take the Kennesaw Owls.
Missouri hosts Arkansas at Pine Bluff for our sole SEC match this week. I’m the lone Arkansas picker in the upset of the week. Last but not least on the last game of the day kicking off at 9:00pm is UAB at Illinois.
Me, Bob and Boss Carter pick UAB, the rest pick Illinois and hopefully at least one of us can stay up that late.
Good luck players! Let’s Roll!
Saturday
NC vs TCU (Ireland, 1st game of the year)
NDSU at Jacksonville State
NC State at Va New Mex State at FSU
Thursday
Colorado at Ga. Tech UMass at Rutgers Akron at Wake Forest West Ga at Kennesaw Ark Pine Bluff at Missouri
UAB at Illinois (last game of the day 9:00 pm) Ben: TCU, ND, Va, FSU, GT, Rutgers, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill Doc: NC, ND, NC State, FSU, GT, UMass, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Illinois Ted: TCU, ND, Va, FSU, GT, Rutgers, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill Jeff: NC, Jax, NC, FSU, GT, UMass, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill BJ: TCU, Jax, Va, FSU, Col, Rutgers. Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill Me: TCU, ND, NC, FSU, GT, UMass, Wake, Kenn, Ark, UAB Mike C: TCU, ND, Va, FSU, GT, Rutgers, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill Noah: NC, ND, NC State, FSU, GT, Rutgers, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill Mike B: TCU, Jax, Va, FSU, GT, Rutgers, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, Ill Carter: TCU, Jax, Va, FSU, GT, Rutgers. Wake, Kenn, Mizz, UAB Bob: TCU, Jax, Va, FSU, Col, UMass, Wake, Kenn, Mizz, UAB.
Alex Floyd is part of the Bryan County Commissioners, representing District 1.