Bleacher Report - Articles by Chris Yow

Alabama Extends Championship Streak by Beating Gators

Chris Yow — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:03:31 -0500

Not exactly an expected outcome in tonight's SEC Championship game, but Alabama wore down the Florida Gators and blew them out of the water with a 32-13 win over the defending national champions.

Alabama has won an SEC title in every decade since the inception of the conference.

In what was billed as a Heisman showdown, it was Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy who stole the show. McElroy started the game flawlessly and ended it in similar fashion, finishing 12-of-18 passing for 239 yards and a touchdown. But the Texas native hit open receivers and made spectacular reads the entire night against the top-ranked Gators' defense.

Tailback Mark Ingram put up great numbers, too, to help out his quarterback in the championship affair. He rushed 28 times for 113 yards and three scores—including his second which he set up himself on a screen pass with a 69-yard reception.

Tim Tebow will have one more game as a Gator, the Sugar Bowl, but for the first time in his career, Tebow failed in the big game.

He finished 20-of-35 for 246 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw the game-clinching interception to Javier Arenas. Tebow led the Gators in rushing as well with 63 yards on 10 carries.

Alabama will now head to the BCS National Championship game to face off against the No. 2-ranked BCS team, Texas, as the Longhorns won the Big 12 title with a dramatic 13-12 win over Nebraska.

The Crimson Tide will now sing their fight song and will definitely, "Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then."

Big 12 Championship: Nebraska-Texas Is the Biggest Game of the Weekend

Chris Yow — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:54:34 -0500

The Southeastern Conference is playing a BCS Championship Game semi-final this weekend. But the Gators and Crimson Tide are not playing in the biggest game of the week.

That title belongs to the match between the Texas Longhorns and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

I am aware that the SEC game is a matchup between the top two teams in the BCS rankings. I am aware Tim Tebow and Mark Ingram are both going to be showcasing their talents in hopes of impressing Heisman voters.

I am also aware that the two best all-around coaches in college football will be on opposite sidelines in Atlanta.

So what makes the Big XII game so much more important?

Because Nebraska could win this thing. And boy would that create a mess.

If you don't believe me, ask Bob Stoops.

The Cornhuskers could throw the proverbial wrench into the system with a victory over the Longhorns. Zac Lee could be the one tossing the wrench, or football, during this major upset bid.

Texas is ninth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 15.4 points per game, but Nebraska one-ups the Longhorns as the No. 3 scoring defense. The Huskers give up just 11 points a game!

The Huskers have allowed a total of seven touchdown passes this season. That's third in the country behind Tennessee's five and Florida's six.

If Horns fans think McCoy is going to carve up this defense, then a surprise is in store.

Nebraska has only allowed a team to rush for a touchdown six times this season. That is 13 total touchdowns this season given up by the black shirts.

Texas will have a tough time stopping Lee and company. Running back Roy Helu, Jr. has been great for the Huskers as well.

The Longhorns are still the No. 3 team in the country, though, and for good reason.

This would not be an upset if the Horns were not so good.

Texas has a Heisman candidate trying to follow up a spectacular outing against a suspect defense with a monstrous outing against a proven defense.

If McCoy can put up half the numbers he did last week, he will be the only one you have to invite to New York.

But it will have to be all McCoy. The Horns average just 168 yards on the ground, while they throw for almost 300 yards a game.

This championship game has all the makings of a super contest. It's too bad it is overshadowed so much by the SEC Championship game.

Not that the SEC Championship game will not be one of the greatest heavyweight tilts of all-time, but the simple factor of "What if..." makes the Big 12 game even more exciting.

What if the Horns lose?

Does TCU jump into the No. 2 spot and play for a national championship? What about if Cincinnati beats Pitt and finishes undefeated? Would the Bearcats jump the Horned Frogs for being undefeated in a BCS conference?

What if Cincinnati loses along with Texas, and Alabama beats Florida on a last-second field goal or visa versa? Could that mean a possible rematch in Pasadena?

The BCS is counting on Texas.

What if Texas slips up?

SEC Bowl Projections as Blurry Now as Before Season

Chris Yow — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:49:47 -0500

It was not exactly what you would call expected, but it was possible.

With Auburn's loss to Alabama on Friday, the Tigers were 7-5, but were still looking at a pretty good bowl game because at least two SEC foes should finish 6-6 after South Carolina loses to Clemson and Georgia fell to Georgia Tech.

But the SEC proved to be the superior conference over the ACC on Saturday when both South Carolina and Georgia upended the two teams that will play for the ACC title.

And that put a few flies in the ointment when looking at the bowl picture.

Here is a list of teams that are 7-5: Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee.

Where does that put these five football teams come the bowl season? Let's look at the overall picture and see if placing them is possible.

History is the best way to place teams into bowl games.

The BCS Championship game semifinals will be played Saturday with Alabama and Florida vying for a trip to Pasadena and the other settling for a Sugar Bowl trip.

After that, it looks like LSU will head to the Capital One (Citrus) Bowl at 9-3.The Capital One Bowl must take the SEC team with the next best record, or a team within one win of the next best record.

Ole Miss will most likely return to Dallas after falling in the Egg Bowl and finishing 8-4, seeing as the Cotton Bowl will get to pick first from the West.

And now for the fun part.

The first pick is the Outback Bowl and history says that either Tennessee or Georgia will make the trip to Tampa. Since the Bowl has first pick of teams from the East, they could take either team.

The other team will go to Atlanta in the Chick-Fil-A (Peach) Bowl.

Then the Music City Bowl gets to pick. After last season, the Kentucky Wildcats will surely be the team going to Nashville. They brought a great crowd to the last three bowl games.

The Liberty Bowl could pick Arkansas, since the Hogs are very close to home in Memphis. However, they could take Auburn as well.

The Independence Bowl gets the next selection and could take Arkansas, Auburn, or South Carolina, depending on whether Arkansas or Auburn go to Memphis.

The Papajohns.com Bowl gets last pick, but you can rest assured they will do whatever it takes to get the Tigers from Auburn into this bowl game. Can you imagine the crowd in Birmingham if Auburn were in this bowl? I can. Wow!

No matter how you shake it, this bowl season is going to be fun to watch before it even starts.

Who will play in what bowl and what teams will they play.

Can the SEC go undefeated like it has in the past?

We will not have to wait much longer to find out.

Real Jonathan Crompton Shows Up In Second Half of Vols-Gamecocks

Chris Yow — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:38:36 -0500

He's been lost since the last drive of the first half against Auburn.

But during the intermission of the Vols' Halloween contest against South Carolina, Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton finally showed up and played the second half.

During the first half, Tennessee's embattled signal caller was spot on, hitting six of his first seven passes and putting together great drives against the Gamecocks defense. Granted, the drives were on short fields.

Crompton threw for 103 yards and two scores on 8-of-14 passing in the first half.

But Crompton apparently escaped from his holding cell and made his way to Neyland Stadium for the second half.

I have been one of Crompton's biggest critics. Since the beginning of last season, I have been scared of him. I told plenty of people I worried about our chances with him under center.

While last season, and the first three games this season, proved that I was justified in my frights, the guy has made his way into Tennessee fans' hearts of late. He led the Vols to a rout of Georgia and played solidly against the No. 1 team in the country last week, throwing a touchdown pass against one of the top defenses in the nation.

With that being said, I had my suspicions that No. 8 was not the real No. 8. He was simply a figment of our orange-and-white imaginations.

And when the black came out, so did the dark spirits of Crompton's past.

A poor second half, sans the one touchdown drive, showed that Crompton still has the ability to break our hearts.

If you want numbers, here they are. Crompton was 4-of-9 passing for 39 yards.

It might not seem like those numbers are too bad. But watching the game, I found myself throwing my hands in the air and screaming like I used to at the TV, yelling, "Where the crap were you throwing that?!"

Despite not throwing an interception, although Eric Norwood had one and dropped it, Crompton played the worst he has played since the first half against Auburn.

If you don't believe me, watch the film.

Hopefully, for Tennessee's sake, Crompton was simply dressed up for Halloween and whoever has been playing quarterback will show back up.

SEC Awards My Way: Alabama Takes The Cake

Chris Yow — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:41:06 -0400

When I thought about a mid-season awards article, I thought that maybe it would be a bit premature, or that other people would beat me to the punch.

After careful consideration, I decided that I could make a great case for my award winners and I have not seen a whole lot of articles doing this sort of thing, so here we go.

The awards I am giving out are not exactly the same as those handed out by the SEC. I am going to throw a few more in there. And call me biased and whatever if you want, it is bound to happen no matter what I say!

SEC Offensive Player of the Mid-Season

Ryan Mallett, QB Arkansas

Mallett is the best offensive weapon on any team in the SEC. He leads the league, along with Jonathan Crompton, in touchdown passes, but has only thrown three interceptions on the year.

His efficiency rating sits second in the league behind Saint Timothy. He has thrown almost twice as many passes as Tebow but only has one more pick and six more touchdowns.

Mallett easily is the best pure passing QB in the league. And he showed he can tuck it against Auburn for a touchdown run.

SEC Defensive Player of the Mid-Season

Eric Norwood, LB South Carolina

Norwood is the most valuable player on his football team. He has kept his team in some ball games and has won them others. His six sacks leads the SEC and he has added 38 tackles, six-and-a-half for losses, outside of the sacks.

He has two picks on the year, one that he took to the house.

SEC Special Teams Player of the Mid-Season

Wes Byrum, PK Auburn

Byrum has been all but money this year. Missing just one kick so far this season—PAT or field goal—is pretty impressive.

Byrum is second in the league in scoring by a kicker, scoring 10 points per contest. Byrum has been less than stellar in past seasons, but this year he has been on target and someone the Tigers can count on at any point in a game.

SEC Freshman of the Mid-Season

Trent Richardson, RB Alabama

This was the toughest decision yet. Richardson and Chad Bumphis have great numbers. No other Frosh has the stats to compare with those two.

I chose Richardson because the games I have seen him play, the kid runs like a freight train, oiled and ready to go on all cylinders at all times. One particular run comes to mind against Arkansas. But let's give Bumphis his props too!

SEC Newcomer of the Mid-Season

Greg McElroy, QB Alabama

G-Mac, as the Tide faithful have come to know him, has been especially effective in his first season as Alabama's signal caller. His completion percentage ranks among the highest in the league and he has taken care of the football for the Crimson Tide.

In this offense, McElroy has shined. Alabama quarterbacks are not supposed to throw for 4,000 yards and 30 scores. They are supposed to manage the game and be able to keep defenses honest against the run.

This is exactly what McElroy does. His last outing was not his best, as he tried to force far too many passes toward Julio Jones, but throughout the season, G-Mac has been spectacular.

SEC Most Underrated Player of the Mid-Season

Montario Hardesty, RB Tennessee

When you play on a mediocre football team, it is hard to get your props. But I had to give this award to Hardesty for many reasons. He runs for 100 yards every game, sans those missing three yards last week, and the opposing defenses know that Tennessee will have to rely on the running game.

Like Knowshon Moreno, he has to get his yards against eight, sometimes nine, in the box. But every week you can expect Hardesty to get to the century mark and into the end zone at least once.

SEC Coach of the Mid-Season

Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

Another tough one here. Gene Chizik has already matched his win totals from two seasons at Iowa State. Petrino has taken the bad Hogs and turned them into a football team that is fun to watch.

Don't know if you caught the Arena Football game featuring Arkansas and Auburn last week, but it was fun to watch. Except Auburn decided that they were only going to play in the second half.

The success of the Hogs could be placed on the arm of Ryan Mallett, but Petrino's offensive genius has put Mallett in great positions all season long. The defense has been suspect, but in their last two games, they have stepped up and stopped two very prolific offenses.

SEC Player of the Mid-Season

Mark Ingram, RB Alabama

I do not think there is another player on his team outside of the quarterbacks that means more to their football team. Ingram is not only the work horse, pound-it-out runner, but he is a great blocking back that has helped propel the Alabama passing attack to new heights.

Ingram leads the non-quarterbacks in scoring and is fourth in rushing yards per game, despite giving half the carries to other running backs. His 10 touchdowns leads the SEC in scoring and he has an amazing 5.9 yards per carry.

Only Ben Tate has a better average by a starting tailback. Did I mention that he leads the Alabama squad in receiving touchdowns? No? Oh, well he does.

Let the debate begin, because I know every homer out there is dying to tell me how much their team's players deserved these awards over my picks!

Top 10 Signs You Are An Arena Football Fan

Chris Yow — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:40:39 -0400

Here are the top 10 signs that you are way too deep in the fandom of the Arena Football 1 league! The fans of the AF1 are all true fans. These are ways to see if you are one of those crazy idiots who love the indoor war! If these signs reflect you, please contact your local Arena Football team for season tickets!

Begin Slideshow

arenafootball1 Answers Some Questions, Others Arise

Chris Yow — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:05:03 -0400

It was almost unbearable to listen to arenafootball1's press conference via conference call, but it was completely worth the static and noise to hear the answers to several of the questions surrounding the league.

Jerry Kurz announced 16 markets that will house teams for the new league.

"I am impressed with how hard (the owners) have all worked...to give back to the communities," said Kurz.

Kurz and many other owners of arenafootball1 teams worked especially hard to bring back the highest level of Arena Football.

Dan Newman, owner of the Bossier City-Shreveport franchise, announced the 16 markets.

Those markets are as follows: Arizona, Arkansas, Bossier-Shreveport, Central Valley (Fresno, California), Chicago, Iowa, Jacksonville, Kentucky, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Spokane, Tennessee Valley (Alabama), Tri-Cities Washington, Tulsa, and Utah (Salt Lake City).

Tulsa, OK. will be the home to the arenafootball1 offices. And the league stated that it is committed to building communities along with football franchises.

Questions still surrounding the league are plentiful, including how many teams will the league have by the Oct. 9 deadline, as well as the player salaries.

Kurz was quick to answer some of the questions with a company line such as, "[The press] taught me a long time ago not to release everything at once.

"It's a brand new league,; it isn't another league; it's not a combination of leagues," said Kurz about the league's structure, amidst questions about teams that were previously in the arenafootball2 and Arena Football League.

"This is about as real arena football as you can get," said Kurz, drowning any questions about whether the AFL will return as the premier arena football league.

"Get ready because it's gonna be better than it's ever been," said Newman.

arenafootball1 Set to Resurrect Arena Football

Chris Yow — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:38:51 -0400

On Monday, Sept. 29, the Arena Football League will still be dead.

However, Arena Football will not be.

A press conference is scheduled in Tulsa, Ok. to announce that the af2 and a few select AFL teams will combine for a two-tier farm-league system that will reinvent Arena Football.

The league name and logo ideas were leaked out and it is most likely the league will be known as arenafootball1. While the logo and name have drawn some early criticism, most fans are just glad to know that Arena Football will be played in its purist form next spring.

There are a lot of unknowns at this point, but the general fan consensus is that the league will consist of anywhere between 24 and 36 teams as a two-tiered system.

A few of the AFL teams have hinted at the idea of joining this newly renovated league, but none have officially committed as of yet.

One of those franchises is the San Jose SaberCats.

San Jose is as close to a "prized franchise" as the AFL had. Winning three Arena Bowl titles and finishing second last season to Philadelphia.

A few other teams have expressed interest, but only one has confirmed they will play in the newly formed af1 next season.

The Orlando Predators owner will be in Tulsa on Monday for the press conference. The Predators were once one of the dominant franchises in the AFL. With star players such as Barry Wagner. The Preds have only had one losing season in franchise history, their first season in the league.

Two teams that most likely will not join forces with the af2 are Colorado and Grand Rapids.

The Crush and Rampage have publicly stated they are not interested in joining the new league as they are still trying to find a way to bring the AFL back.

The af2 teams that will move into the highest tier look to be defending af2 champions Spokane Shock, the Tulsa Talons and Oklahoma City YardDawgz. Other teams could make the move up as well, such as the Albany Firebirds and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers.

Some of them for regional reasons, like Albany and Wilkes-Barre, others for financial reasons.

No matter the reason for the return of teams or cities to Arena Football at least it is returning!

Chris Yow's SEC Report: Week Three

Chris Yow — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:21:27 -0400

As if you need to be reminded, this week is Tennessee-Florida week.

That used to mean something. In the last four years, it's meant the Gators were getting a win, and normally it was easy.

Tennessee has been on the defensive since new head coach Lane Kiffin has walked on campus. Kiffin's colorful comments about Florida coach Urban Meyer made this game sort of interesting again.

Not because Kiffin and Co. can upend the Gators—nobody thinks they can—but because people want to know how many points Florida can score.

The only problem with running up the score on Tennessee is that their defense is pretty solid. But most likely, the Gators will not have really far to go for touchdowns due to the offense being pretty sloppy.

Florida had the comments made by Kiffin taken down the week before the season, as to not overlook the patsies in the way, but I would be certain they are hanging up again.

Will Lane Kiffin make good on his promise of, "Singing 'Rocky Top' all night long after we beat Florida..."?

Doubtful.

Vanderbilt will now have to face its SEC schedule without a key component of its defensive backfield.

Ryan Hamilton has a chest injury that will keep him on the sidelined for the season along with offensive tackle James Williams.

Williams dislocated his ankle—ouch.

A big game for both Mississippi State and Vanderbilt this weekend. If either team plans to make a bowl game this season, this game is a must-win.

Mississippi State had a great performance by RB Anthony Dixon. The Bulldogs were expecting as much. The rest of the offense will have to come around soon, and the defense will have to step up to be able to upend the 'Dores.

Kentucky will be in an unfamiliar position this weekend as the Wildcats take on the Louisville Cardinals.

For only the second time since the rivalry renewed in 1994, the 'Cats are the favorites.

The reason is mostly Kentucky QB Mike Hartline. The 'Cats have been producing great college quarterbacks for most of the last decade and a half. Hartline is just continuing the success.

Kentucky will need to win all of their non-conference games to potentially reach a bowl. The win over Miami (OH) 42-0 was a good start, but Kentucky cannot expect the Cardinals to be the RedHawks—despite the similarity in color and species.

South Carolina had victory ripped from the arms of Stephen Garcia last week at Georgia. Garcia had his man open in the end zone before the ball was batted out of the air.

The Gamecocks will take their frustrations out on the Owls from Florida Atlantic.

Garcia should have a spectacular game, as he has shown he can be a Steve Spurrier QB.

Now to the West, minus Mississippi State.

Alabama would probably be worried about this game five years ago, but North Texas is a far cry from the former Sun Belt champion teams they used to put on the field.

In an interesting story line, however, Greg McElroy will be playing against his former high school coach Todd Dodge, who is now on the staff of the North Texas Mean Green.

Expect to see more Mike McCoy and Terry Grant again this week, Bama fans.

A lot of people think the SEC game to watch this week is on the plains.

West Virginia brings its Big East talent to Auburn and will try to match last season's success against the Tigers.

Auburn has now become the second best rushing team in the country, and Chris Todd is not making mistakes. Oh, that Kodi Burns kid? Yeah, he's pretty good too.

With one of the best running backs in the country, West Virginia can put up a fight, but the Auburn offense will be the difference. With both leading rushers getting 6.9 yards a carry, the Tigers can beat anyone.

Ole Miss had a tough first week on Sunday against Memphis, but that's usually a game the Rebs struggle in. Memphis always plays with nothing to lose.

Expect that Colonel Reb will take care of the blind sisters of the poor, a.k.a. Southeastern Louisiana.

Nothing really going on in the Rebels' camp just yet, but expect that to change when the Rebs travel to Vandy next week.

LSU should have even less trouble with Louisiana-Lafayette. Terrance Tolliver and Jordan Jefferson should make quick work of the Ragin' Cajuns.

Jefferson did not find the end zone last week against Vandy, but he did find himself on the turf three times.

LSU will need to correct the line issues before SEC play.

And finally, the game to watch this weekend.

Georgia and Arkansas face off in the SEC's biggest conference tilt.

Mark Richt and the Dawgs escaped South Carolina last week with a goal line stand to end the game.

This week, the quarterback could be even tougher.

Ryan Mallett has the Hogs up in arms about their team again. Mallett fits Bobby Petrino's offense very well, much better than Rich Rodriguez's offense.

The Michigan transfer has thrown for over 300 yards already. Granted, the opponent was not the best defense. In the win over Missouri State, the Hogs showed very little in preparation of seeing the Bulldogs.

Mallett better be ready, because five of the next six games are against very good football teams, and Texas A&M could be much improved.

Mallett is who all eyes are on in Fayetteville. Can Petrino turn the Hogs back into a winner? This week will tell everyone a lot about the Hogs.

Georgia was embarrassed at Oklahoma State to open the season, and even more so since the Pokes fell to Houston this week.

Joe Cox does not have the flu anymore, and that will be helpful this time around.

The biggest game of the week, by far, is Georgia at Arkansas.

The SEC has had trouble in the first few weeks. But when the chips fall, the SEC will still be one of the top conferences in the nation, no doubt about it.

Doubled Over With Heartbreak

Chris Yow — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:04:14 -0400

I've told the story before of how I became a Tennessee fan, that storied third week of October in 1995.

I have lived the true glory years of Tennessee football as a fan.

I have now lived the gory years of Tennessee football as a fan—kind of.

As I sat in my chair Saturday flipping between the Central Michigan Chippewas boiling upset of Michigan State and the Fresno State-Wisconsin thriller, I was just merely warming up for the day.

At three o' clock, I was going to sit down and watch the only game that mattered on TV—UCLA at Tennessee.

After the kickoff and giving up a field goal, I knew I was going to need the help of my fiance to keep my temper down.

Tennessee scored, then UCLA scored again...and again...and again...and again.

Finally, the Vols knocked through another three-pointer to give me a tiny bit of hope.

Not only that, but were now putting together an impressive drive inside the five yard line! Only one yard away from snagging victory from the jaws of defeat.

"Hardesty up the middle. He's short. He did not get in. UCLA ball!"

If you listened closely, you could hear the sound of my heart breaking into tiny pieces.

Then, a safety! Tennessee had suddenly made the game manageable.

But again, the offense sputters out and Jonathan Crompton throws three passes to receivers that are not looking.

As much as I expected a win over UCLA, I expected much of the same from the team I love more than any other. No, not Tennessee.

Jacksonville State.

I expected the game to be close for a quarter or two and then for the Florida State Seminoles to bring them to reality.

However, it took much longer than a quarter or two. It took 59 minutes and 25 seconds.

For that period of time, Jacksonville State was better than Florida State.

The Gamecocks were even holding the 'Noles on every offensive possession to turnovers on downs and quick three-and-outs.

On the 'Noles final drive, victory slipped right through the fingers of JSU cornerback T.J. Heath as he reached up for a would-be interception.

From that point on, FSU quarterback Christian Ponder was nothing less than stellar.

With 35 ticks remaining, the 'Noles punched it into the end zone and crushed my heart again.

Adding insult to injury, when JSU got the opportunity to answer, Ryan Perrilloux attempted to throw a pass, but the ball slipped out of his hands and into the hands of an FSU defender, who then proceeded to score another touchdown.

It was easily not the best day of college football for me.

At least one thing is for certain—I will not have to worry about a heartbreaking loss to Florida next Saturday.

Lee Corso Travel: Where Planning a College Football Road Trip Is Easy, My Friend

Chris Yow — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:39:56 -0400

Every week, there is at least one college football game that strikes national interest. If you had unlimited funds and resources to travel around the nation watching at least one college football game per week, where would you go?

That is the college football fan's dream, if you don't care to miss your own team's games in the process.

Basically what you get to do is choose your very own College GameDay site and be Lee Corso in your mind.

My choices and reasons will be displayed right here, right now. Maybe I'll see you there.

Thursday, Sept. 3

Troy @ Bowling Green

This game may seem like it is just another Sun Belt/MAC snooze fest, but anytime Troy is on the field, something exciting can happen.

Bowling Green QB Tyler Sheehan is also returning as one of the top passers in the MAC. He threw 20 touchdowns and completed 66 percent of his passes a year ago.

But Troy is going to put yet another spectacular defense on the field. Anchored by Bear Woods and Boris Lee, the Trojans will be very good throughout the year and could pull a few upsets along the way.

This one won't really be an upset, but it's going to be a great game to start off the year!

Saturday, Sept. 5

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Georgia Dome)

Was there ever any doubt about what game I would choose here?

This game is one of the biggest non-conference matchups of the season. With Alabama pretty much revamping their entire offense with new players and Virginia Tech now without their top running back, this one could be very interesting.

Tyrod Taylor will have to put the Hokies offense on his back, and with Alabama's secondary playing without Rashad Johnson, it could be a big day for Taylor.

I believe the first team to make a big mistake will fall.

But if I could, I'd be there!

Saturday, Sept. 12

Notre Dame @ Michigan

Talk about two programs that need a big win early in the season.

Charlie Weis is in dire need of a great season to warrant the huge contract he received after underachieving in his last two seasons.

Rich Rodriguez needs to get a win at home just to get the monkey off of his back. Tate Forcier is supposed to be the next Pat White for Rodriguez, and hopefully for the Maize and Blue, RichRod will be able to adjust when something goes wrong.

Weis has a gem in Jimmy Clausen. Clausen is still one of the better quarterbacks in the nation despite his awful stats the last three years. Weis is going to be giving him the plays as well, which should boost the offense quite a bit.

Saturday, Sept. 19

Tennessee @ Florida

Is there anything else that needs to be said about this game? The real question is whether Tennessee can get enough stops to keep this one from looking like a one-sided Arena Football game.

I just want to see the coaches' handshake at the end, and I really want to see if one of two things happens: 1) Tennessee actually pulls the upset of the century, or 2) Florida hangs 70 on them.

Saturday, Sept. 26

Talk about a slim week. Week Five seems to be the week everyone decided to not play any fun matchups, but I am going to choose one to attend. I have unlimited funds and resources, remember?

Arizona State @ Georgia

This is UGA's second huge non-conference matchup, after they open the season at Oklahoma St. Arizona State will have played two tune-up games before traveling to Sanford Stadium.

With Dennis Erickson at the helm, Arizona State could come in and upset the Dawgs, but the real telltale sign will be whether UGA QB Joe Cox can perform well for the Dawgs.

If Cox can avoid Dexter Davis and get the ball to super sophomore A.J. Green, the Bulldogs should be able to keep this one in hand.

Saturday, Oct. 3

Clemson @ Maryland

I'll be honest, Week Six is about as bare as Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard. But this game should be fun to watch because the Terps and Tigers have had some fun battles in the past.

The Clemson offense is shaky right now, but the defense looks stout. Maryland's defense is up in the air, and their offense is as well.

If the Terps can replace a first round draft pick at WR and a depleted OL, then Maryland could be tough to beat for anybody.

Saturday, Oct. 10

Alabama @ Mississippi

This game is a battle of preseason top 10 teams. Ole Miss is supposed to challenge Alabama for the SEC West crown, and Jevan Snead is supposed to be the best pure QB in the SEC.

Alabama and Ole Miss have a lot to disagree about, and they are not the best of friends.

I wouldn't pass up the chance to be there!

Saturday, Oct. 17

Oklahoma vs. Texas (Dallas)

Wow, I would really like to see the USC/ND game, but who can pass up the opportunity to see a national championship game berth on the line? Last year this proved to be the talking point for one of the biggest arguments in the history of the BCS.

Amazing how OU always wins those arguments (2004/2008).

Texas and Oklahoma is the game of the year...again.

Saturday, Oct. 24

TCU @ BYU

Honestly, this should be the game that determines the MWC. I know about Utah, but I am not sure the Utes will get past either of these two teams. They barely did last year against TCU.

The Horned Frogs are as good as anyone in the mid-majors and better than a lot of majors.

BYU will have a lot of rebuilding to do, but the Cougars have not had to rebuild in a long time. They just reload.

If the offensive line comes around by this time, BYU will have a good shot at being the Cinderella team.

Saturday, Oct. 31

USC @ Oregon

If the Trojans are going to slip up, this is probably the time they do. The Ducks are as good as they have been in a while, and the Trojans are still as good as anyone in the nation.

I expect that Oregon will have to get LeGarrette Blount on the same page as the coaches, but if they do—watch out! USC is going to have a tough time stopping this offense.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Oklahoma @ Nebraska

How about this—even if Oklahoma wins the shootout, this game might be the reason they don't see the national title game.

Nebraska has one of the toughest defenses in the Big 12—not that that says a whole lot. But the Huskers will put the brakes on some good offenses, including the Sooners.

If Oklahoma wants to get to the national championship, they will have to go through Lincoln—and Huskers fans are glad to be in that conversation again.

Sunday, Nov. 15

East Carolina @ Tulsa

Say what you want about Conference USA, but they have some fun games to watch. It's not a secret than I am an Arena Football fan, and if you are as well, check this game out. It will be as close to an AFL game as you will see this fall.

In case you were not aware, Tulsa has had the top offense in the country for the last two years, and ECU has beaten some great football teams.

Be there if you can. I might even make the trip for real for this one.

Saturday, Nov. 21

Ohio State @ Michigan

Throw the records out. Throw the history out. This one is sure to be one of the best games of the college football year. RichRod has something to prove, and the sweater vest is looking to continue his dominance over the Wolverines.

Don't expect anything less than a slobberknocker, friends.

Friday, Nov. 27

Alabama @ Auburn

This one is personal. I don't technically root for either team, but I have always wanted to see the Iron Bowl in person. My dad saw every one from "Punt Bama Punt" in '72 to "The Kick" in '85.

I grew up a Bama fan, and my wife is an Auburn fan. It would be the one game I would just about skip anything to see.

With the way this offseason has gone, it would be a great one to watch!

Saturday, Nov. 28

UCLA @ USC

UCLA has a long way to go before they take back the city, but this season will be a step in the right direction. The Bruins have a lot to prove in L.A.

USC has to go away eventually, right? If the Bruins can keep this one within 20 points, it would be a good, fun game to see.

Saturday, Dec. 5

Wisconsin @ Hawai'i

Let's be honest, I'm not going so I can watch the football game. I'm going for a trip to Hawai'i, and the football game is just a plus on top.

But this one could be interesting, actually. Depending on how Wisconsin takes the trip, the Warriors might slip in on them, but I doubt it.

Saturday, Dec. 12

Army @ Navy

The great thing about this game? It's on December 12th! Only a week and a half before bowl games start! College football rocks!

If you've never watched this game on television, please do. Army and Navy is one of the most touching football games you'll ever see.

These men are football players today and soldiers tomorrow. If watching these kids doesn't give you chills, check your pulse.

UFL Announces Team Names and Uniforms

Chris Yow — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:17:20 -0400

The United Football League now has the teams and uniforms presented to the public. The league's "Premier Season" is set to kick off on October 8th in Las Vegas, NV. With a television deal and a lot of buzz around the league, it is sure to make headlines. Hopefully it will take off. However, the UFL will present its teams in the same way with uniform uniforms. This slide show will give you an idea of what you will see this season in the UFL.

Begin Slideshow

Chizik, Malzahn More Indecisive than a Woman in a Shoe Store

Chris Yow — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:49:48 -0400

There's a dinner party at a friend's house on Sept. 1—it is a celebration of sorts.

My wife and I entered a shoe store because she had just purchased the dress she was going to wear—of course there must be new shoes as well!

We looked around at five pair of shoes, each something a little different that offered something the others did not.

My mind, of course, wandered into the realm of football at this time, because shoe shopping is not my best talent.

I thought about Auburn and the decision that is not being made on the Plains about the starting quarterback position.

Who is it going to be?

Two veterans, well, they have played before at least. Two highly touted freshmen. One guy who has waited his turn.

What do you do if you are Gene Chizik or Gus Malzahn?

You wait until the last minute to make your decision.

Sounds good, except in the SEC you have to have a mistake-free quarterback to be successful.

Kodi Burns and Chris Todd have not proved to be that leader. Obviously, nobody else has either.

Neil Caudle has waited and waited, and is still waiting apparently. The Junior from Spain Park High School in Hoover, AL. started to make headway in the Spring, but was sent to second session practices in favor of Todd during Fall camp.

Throughout fall practices, all but Moseley have taken equal snaps. Moseley has said he feels he is out of the race thus far, but did throw a touchdown pass in the latest scrimmage.

But that scrimmage was thought to be the tell-all signs needed to name that starting quarterback, unfortunately for the Tigers faithful, it has not been so far.

Chizik remains mum about the situation noting that there will be film sessions on evaluating the talent under center.

Still, though, nobody is even a front-runner.

Burns and Todd seem to still be getting a little more of a look, assuming, due to their experience, but Caudle has never seen the field of play during an SEC game. How can anyone dismiss the player that was once the top rated quarterback in the Southeast by most major recruiting services?

Rollinson, a "true passer" as his high school coach proclaims, is probably not going to get the opportunity to start this season for Auburn, but nothing is completely ruled out.

Which is why I can not understand this coaching staff's decision-making, or lack thereof.

We are 24 days away, Coach Chizik. Coach Malzahn's offense is centered around timing routes.

The starting quarterback will not have what it takes to run this offense before Sept. 5.

And my wife still will not know what shoes go better with that dress, either.

Lane Kiffin, Vols Have This Fan Squirming

Chris Yow — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:54:24 -0400

Wyoming essentially kept the Tennessee Volunteers out of the PapaJohns.com Bowl last year and that was probably the final straw in the hat of former Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer.

Replacing Fulmer after his resignation was young gun Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin, the former Oakland Raiders coach, did not hold the position long before he made his presence known.

The off-field, off-color comments have been well publicized as have his on-field practice styles.

The comments made about Florida coach Urban Meyer, the state of South Carolina and many more have been blown out of the water by media outlets, and it makes for great offseason news.

However, we are less than a month away from the field now, and Kiffin has me squirming.

Sept. 5 is the debut of the Tennessee football team, and that is what I am worried about.

Jonathan Crompton could not get the job done last season. Without David Cutcliffe, the Vols have always struggled to find consistent quarterback play.

Has Kiffin's offensive style along with Jim Chaney given Crompton the tools to be successful in the SEC?

Can the Vols protect Crompton and open up holes for what could be the surprise player of the year in Montario Hardesty?

Is the "Tampa Two" successful in the college game? Will Monte Kiffin's combover make it through the season?

Tennessee returns one of the top defenses in the country from last season, the questions mostly lie with the sputtering offense from last season.

Not that the loss of leadership and many wide receivers from last year's squad to graduation or injury will help the Vols cause either. Especially losing top pass catcher Austin Rogers for the season and two others for, at least, fall practices and even a few games possibly.

A lot of questions have to be answered for me to judge Kiffin.

His off-field antics have kept me trying to find a way to defend my beloved Vols, but I could not find any way to do that.

The only way to defend all that has happened so far is to win.

Division Title Bittersweet for Tennessee Valley Vipers

Chris Yow — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:39:00 -0400

Tennessee Valley claimed their first division championship on Saturday night. However, they did it in losing fashion. Due to af2 tie-breaking procedures, the Vipers clinched the division by losing by less than 22 points.

The Vipers fell 47-45 to the South Georgia Wildcats in the regular season finale.

It is a bittersweet championship for the Vipers, as the No. 2 overall seed and a second home playoff game was on the line Saturday night.

Unfortunately, the Vipers fell to the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and will now have just one home playoff game, barring an upset by the No. 7 or No. 8 seeds in the American Conference.

Tennessee Valley took an early 7-0 lead with a pass from Kevin Eakin to Jeremy Grier after stopping South Georgia inside the red zone via a Travis Blanchard interception.

A turnover on downs by the Wildcats then allowed the Vipers to take a two-touchdown lead, as Jeremy Stephens hauled in an Eakin touchdown pass.

South Georgia took control, but had to use all four chances inside the two-yard line to finally get into the end zone with a one-yard Darnell Kennedy rush. Kennedy finished with 15 yards on eight carries.

On the ensuing drive, Tennessee Valley had to settle for a Nick Hayes field goal, stretching the lead to 17-7.

The Wildcats and Vipers then traded scores until the 7:45 mark in the fourth quarter. After a Clenton Rafe touchdown grab to pull the Wildcats within four, Blanchard took the kickoff and fumbled on the return. Mel Long recovered the fumble and South Georgia scored on the ensuing possession to take the 47-45 lead.

Tennessee Valley had one last shot, but could not complete a single pass on the drive and attempted a 31-yard field goal to go ahead.

The field goal attempt was wide-left, but in classic af2 fashion, the ball bounced off the rebound net and into the hands of a Vipers' lineman. However, a halo violation was called against the Vipers, negating the recovery and handing the Wildcats the ball and the game.

"It's disappointing to lose this one, because I wanted (the playoff games) here," said Eric Scott.

Division Title on the Line Saturday Night

Chris Yow — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:01:00 -0400

It has been five years since the Tennessee Valley Vipers have claimed a division championship. It was Kevin Guy's last season as the head coach and the Vipers only division title not in the Southern Division.

In 2004, Tennessee Valley claimed the Mid-South Division Championship with a 14-2 record but made a second-round exit to eventual champions Florida Firecats.

Coming to derail the Vipers' hopes of a sixth division championship are the South Georgia Wildcats. The Wildcats are the same team that won last year's division championship by beating the Vipers at the Von Braun Center on the last week of the af2 season. They still have the ability to do that again this season.

Granted, the Wildcats would have to not only win, but win by 22 points or more due to the tie-breaking procedures in the af2.

If the Wildcats are going to upset the Vipers, quarterback Darnell Kennedy will have to step up to play his best game during his rookie campaign.

In Kennedy's last two starts against Tennessee Valley, the Alabama State product is 40-of-52 passing, but has only five touchdowns and has thrown two interceptions. In the last contest, Kennedy went down to injury in the second quarter and did not return.

Since his return to the lineup, South Georgia is 2-2 with a two-game win streak that was extended last week with a win over 12-3 Boise.

Kennedy has been sacked 20 times this season and will face one of the league's premier pass rushes that could have another added dimension this week as well.

Helping Kennedy by catching his passes will be Clenton Rafe, a former Vipers receiver. Along with Rafe will be Alvance Robinson, the team's leading receiver with 99 catches and 28 touchdowns. The Vipers secondary could also see Antwan Savage and Kelvin Dickens.

Tennessee Valley's offense has been consistent all season long. Averaging 49.9 points per game, the Vipers' methodical offense not only keeps their offensive numbers down, but with the stifling defense, it keeps the opposing offenses out of the end zone more often. That results in the second ranked scoring defense in the league, giving up only 37.1 points a contest.

Kevin Eakin will start under center once again for the Vipers, as he has been since the second half of the Albany contest last season.

Eakin's record as a starter is 22-6, one of the best records in Vipers history. His touchdown to interception ratio is the main reason for his success in Arena Football. He has still thrown just one interception since game four of the season.

While the receivers have been plentiful, the lineup has changed consistently, a tactic that could be very helpful to the Vipers and their match ups. Jeremy Stephens filled in for injured Michael Johnson last week. However, Jeremy Grier and Larry Shipp have been staples in the line up for a few weeks now and should continue to be.

Defensively, the Vipers will attempt to continue their onslaught of opposing offenses. With the exception of two fourth down touchdowns passes last week, the Vipers were very stingy on the defensive side of the ball against the Florida Firecats.

With a plus-11 turnover ratio, Tennessee Valley has had the luxury of having many more possessions than their opponents, which anyone associated with Arena Football will tell you, will win more football games than anything else.

Saturday night, the Vipers could inch closer in the overall series against the Wildcats, as South Georgia holds a 6-4 advantage all-time.

With a win, Tennessee Valley would clinch the No. 2 overall seed in the conference and two home games in the playoffs, assuming a first-round win.

However, with some help from Manchester on Friday night and Iowa on Saturday, the Vipers could grab the top seed in the playoffs.

Outside of all the scenarios and the numbers, Saturday night's contest will be a slobberknocker no matter what. Lest we forget that these two squads have no love-loss between them and they will bring all they've got to this contest.

Key Players

South Georgia - QB Darnell Kennedy, WR Alvance Robinson, DB Quentin Burrell
Tennessee Valley - QB Kevin Eakin, DE Eric Scott, WR Larry Shipp

Pit Prediction:
South Georgia 41
Tennessee Valley 50

Vipers Closing in on Division Title

Chris Yow — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:32:00 -0400

Saturday night could mean much more than being just the Tennessee Valley Vipers' 11th win. With a win and a South Georgia loss the Vipers would clinch their first division championship since a Mid-South division title in 2004.

But first, the Vipers must once again tame the league's No. 1 offense, and it is once again the Kentucky Horsemen.

Kentucky leads the league in scoring offense at 62.4 points per game, while Tennessee Valley is still second in scoring defense at 36.5 points per game, just two-tenths of a point from the leading Spokane Shock.

The Horsemen have been spectacular at home this season, collecting a 5-1 record. On the opposite side, Tennessee Valley has gone just 3-3 on the road this season.

Jared Lorenzen still leads the Horsemen in both rushing and passing. He has thrown for 54 touchdowns and rushed for 19, while throwing just three interceptions and fumbling just once.

Lorenzen is also still sharing the snaps with Justin Rascatti. The duo have worked well this season in the shotgun and Rascatti has tossed 21 touchdowns to just three picks.

Lonnell Dewalt leads the team in receptions and touchdowns. Dewalt's 30 touchdowns also ranks in the top ten of the league. Harry Lewis and John Cooper also haul in the passes and Lewis leads the team in receiving yards.

Defensively, the Horsemen will put a mid-pack scoring defense on the field against a mid-pack offense.

Kentucky does, however, have more interceptions than anyone in the af2 with 29.

Kevin Eakin will lead the Vipers into Rupp Arena and attempt to avoid any misfires just as he did the last time the two teams met on the field of battle.

Eakin has continued his exceptional play over the last few weeks. His 11-1 touchdown/interception ratio is one of the tops in the league. Considering all but one of those interceptions came in the first three weeks of the season, his touchdown/interception ratio then becomes 55-1.

Jeremy Grier leads the receiving corps this week. Along with him will be Larry Shipp, who hauled in four scores in the Vipers last game, and Michael Johnson will round out the starting receivers.

It has been rumored that former receiver Gary Elliot will join the team this week as well. Elliot set an Arena Cup record last season with four touchdown catches in the championship game.

Defensively, Tennessee Valley has continued to shut down top offenses this season. Three teams have played the Vipers with the top ranked offense and have been held to 22 points or more below their average each time.

Henry Freeman, the full-time firefighter and part-time Viper came through in a major way last week at linebacker. He was second on the team in tackles and had a half tackle for loss to stop the Tulsa Talons on a fourth down.

Tennessee Valley will look to continue its winning streak and attempt to gain a winning record on the road for the first time this season with a win over Kentucky.

But it will have to happen in front of a "Rupp" crowd.

Pit Prediction
Tennessee Valley Vipers - 46
Kentucky Horsemen - 30

Key Players
Tennessee Valley Vipers - QB Kevin Eakin, JLB Henry Freeman, WR Larry Shipp
Kentucky Horsemen - QB Jared Lorenzen, QB Justin Rascatti, DB William Mulder

af2: Tennessee Valley Vipers Eye 100th Win

Chris Yow — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:43:00 -0400

Tennessee Valley has the opportunity to become the third team in af2 history to record 100 franchise wins on Saturday.

The Vipers are third on the all-time wins list with a franchise record of 99-53. The feat is even more impressive considering the Vipers did not participate in the 2005 af2 season.

Coming to town in an attempt to spoil the Vipers' fun are the hated Florida Firecats.

Tennessee Valley owns the series lead over Florida 8-7 and the Firecats are the fourth-winningest franchise in the af2 with 98 wins. So, with a win, Florida can not only tie the series with the Vipers, but can also tie them as the third all-time winningest team in af2 history.

Has the storyline been set well enough yet?

Coming into the contest, Florida sits in last place of the South Division at 5-6, whereas Tennessee Valley took sole control of the division with last week's 44-27 win over the South Georgia Wildcats and boast an 8-3 record on the year.

The Vipers will have to stop one of the league's most veteran offenses to obtain that 100th win. Florida sends Chris Wallace out under center for the seventh straight season, his ninth in the af2. His favorite target still seems to be Magic Benton, the af2's all-time leading scorer, and Chris McKinney.

McKinney is seventh in the af2 in receptions per game and 11th in receiving yards.

Wallace played well in the earlier loss to Tennessee Valley this season, throwing for 254 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions, however he did lose one fumble.

Tennessee Valley puts the league's second best scoring defense on the field, trailing the best defense by two-tenths of a point per game.

The Vipers are plus-six in turnover margin this year and have recorded 21 sacks to giving up just eight on the season.

Kevin Eakin will look to continue his stellar play, especially at home. Eakin has been extraordinary inside the Von Braun Center this season. Eakin has thrown for 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions at home this season.

Chris Bocage came back with a force last week after a one-week hiatus. Bocage hauled in 11 passes and two scores against the Wildcats. His 1,231 total yards leads the Vipers as well as his 676 yards receiving.

Tennessee Valley will need to continue its stingy defensive ways to extend their winning streak to three games. The Vipers have the third best red zone defense in the af2, allowing the opposing team to score just 67.7 percent of the time.

Deciding Statistic:
If the Firecats can ever stop their opponents on third down, giving up 58.8 percent first downs, then it's almost an automatic turnover, as Florida allows just 21.1 percent of fourth-down conversions.

Pit Prediction:
Florida Firecats—34
Tennessee Valley Vipers—49

Key Players:
Florida Firecats—QB Chris Wallace, WR Magic Benton, WR Chris McKinney
Tennessee Valley Vipers—QB Kevin Eakin, DL Marcus White, JLB Travis Blanchard

Tennessee Valley Vipers Take on Heavy "Load"

Chris Yow — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:00:00 -0400

Tennessee Valley has its work cut out Saturday night.

The Vipers had their five-game winning streak snapped by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last week in their 48-34 road loss. Tennessee Valley fell to 6-3 on the season, but look to bounce back this upcoming week against division foe Kentucky.

Kentucky will bring a load with them on the trip. Former New York Giants quarterback and University of Kentucky star, Jared Lorenzen a.k.a. "J. Load," "The Hefty Lefty," "The Pillsbury Throwboy," or "The Round Mound of Touchdown," will lead the Horsemen into battle at the Von Braun Center.

Lorenzen has been very good in his play this season, splitting the duties with Justin Rascatti.

With 43 touchdowns to just six interceptions, Lorenzen is as good an af2 quarterback as you will find. And his listed 285-pound frame makes him hard to bring down in the backfield and when he is on the run.

He has rushed for 173 yards and 16 touchdowns for the year in nine games.

Assisting Lorenzen with the quarterbacking duties is Rascatti, a second-year player out of James Madison. Rascatti has not necessarily split the snaps, but in his eight games this season has completed 62-of-90 passes for 12 touchdowns and just one interception.

The favorite target for the duo seems to be 6'6" wide receiver Lonnell Dewalt. Dewalt has amassed 24 touchdowns on 71 catches, both of which lead the Horsemen.

Defensively, the Horsemen have improved over the last two weeks, giving up just 48 and 39 points. However, the previous seven games were tough on the Kentucky defense. Overall the Horsemen have given up 58 points a contest.

Tennessee Valley counters the Horsemen attack with a defense giving up just 40.8 points per game. Last week, the Vipers held the number two scoring offense in the league to just 48 points.

The defense has been shaken up the last three weeks and it will continue to get crazier as ironman Bradly Chavez has been placed on team suspension and is unlikely to return the rest of the season due to personal issues.

Who will pick up the slack Chavez will leave behind has yet to be seen, but the Vipers have been very quick to plug in players at any position under head coach Dean Cokinos.

Offensively, the Vipers have been plugging wide receivers for the last five weeks, however, this week Tennessee Valley will have their full arsenal of threats on the ends.

Michael Johnson, Chris Bocage, Jeremy Grier, and Larry Shipp will all be available for the passes from Kevin Eakin.

Eakin, who has thrown for 48 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season, has played very well in the last six games, sans two drives last week at Wilkes-Barre, in which he completed 0-of-8 passes in consecutive drives.

The Vipers acquired quarterback James Pinkney from Manchester as well, although he has yet to report.

Tennessee Valley will have a challenge stopping the Horsemen offense and with the recent success of the Kentucky defense, could pose a challenge to the Vipers' offense.

The VBC has been kind to the Vipers this season thus far. Tennessee Valley has won by an average of 32.5 points at home and has only committed two turnovers.

Will the Horsemen be able to conquer the Vipers in the friendly confines of the VBC? The question remains until 7:30 pm CDT Saturday night.

Pit Prediction:
Kentucky Horsemen 41
Tennessee Valley Vipers 50

Key Players
Kentucky Horsemen - QB Jared Lorenzen, WR Lonnell Dewalt, DB Matt Forbes
Tennessee Valley Vipers - QB Kevin Eakin, DE Eric Scott, DB Desmond Foster

Another Tough Test Awaits Vipers

Chris Yow — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:19:00 -0400

Tennessee Valley has the seventh toughest schedule in the af2 this season. The road to their 6-2 record has not been easy, but the Vipers have endured the tests and weathered the storms.

This week will be no different as the Vipers travel to Scranton, PA, to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers.

The Pioneers boast the league's second best offense and the 2007 af2 Offensive Player of the Year--quarterback Ryan Vena.

Vena has been one of the league's top quarterbacks since coming into the af2 in 2002 as a member of the Albany Conquest. This season has been no different for the Pioneers' star.

Vena has posted the second best quarterback efficiency rating and is in the top ten of every passing statistic. His numbers this season have dropped significantly from the previous two seasons.

The wide receivers that aid Vena are J.J. Outlaw, in his second season, Rich Musinski, and Irving Campbell. Lately Antwun Williams has been thrown into the mix as well for the Pioneers.

Campbell leads the team in receiving yards by almost 300 yards, but the touchdown catches are spread evenly. Cambell has the fewest touchdown receptions of the three, with just 12. Musinski has hauled in 13, and Outlaw leads the team with 15 touchdowns in eight games.

While the Pioneers have been known for their high-powered offenses of the past, the defense is the key to this year's squad.

Wilkes-Barre has posted 28 sacks and are plus-14 in turnover margin this season alone. The biggest reasons for the success are Micheaux Robinson and Royce Morgan.

Robinson has intercepted one pass per game on average this season and leads the league with eight picks. Morgan leads all of the af2 with 10 sacks, eight unassisted.

If defense wins championships, then Saturday night's tilt might as well have the Arena Cup moniker on it.

The Pioneers rank first in the af2 in scoring defense, allowing just under 37 points per contest, while Tennessee Valley boasts the second best scoring defense in the league, allowing just under 40 points a contest.

The Vipers will attempt to counter the stifling defense by not making mistakes and playing a lot of offense.

Tennessee Valley uses a methodical offense to wear down defenses and use a lot of clock. Quarterback Kevin Eakin has kept control of the football and the Vipers have only thrown two interceptions in the last six games, including a heave off the net to run out the clock against Oklahoma City two weeks ago. So, only one meaningful interception has been thrown during the course of the last six games.

Eakin has been stellar since letting his team drop to 1-2 on the year. In that time, Eakin has amassed 31 touchdowns to one interception.

His plethora of wide outs helps the cause, of course. And 2008 af2 Ironman of the Year Bradly Chavez is the biggest weapon in the Vipers' arsenal.

Chavez is the leading touchdown receiver with 14 on the season. He also has three defensive touchdowns this season to boot.

Chavez's help on offense comes from Chris Bocage, Michael Johnson, and Jeremy Grier. Bocage has 12 touchdown grabs on the season, while Johnson and Grier have combined for 12 more.

Eakin has been protected quite well throughout the season, only being sacked five times so far on the year.

Tennessee Valley has only recorded 14 sacks this season, however. Leading the defensive line push will be Eric Scott and Marcus White. Scott leads the team with four sacks and White follows with 3.5 to his credit.

Scott and the Vipers defense will get a major upgrade this week most likely, as RaJohn Myles returns to the Vipers at Mack Linebacker. Last season, Myles recorded 8.5 sacks, 11 hurries, and four fumble recoveries.

Tennessee Valley expects a hard-nosed battle from the Pioneers once again. The last team to beat the Pioneers at the Wachovia Arena was the Vipers in last season's playoff run.

Nobody has beaten the Pioneers at home during the regular season since 2006. The winner of that contest was another South Division team, the Florida Firecats.

With the defenses given, the game is sure to come down to something small. Do not expect a typical arena game in Scranton this weekend, folks.

Pit Prediction:
Tennessee Valley 49
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 47

Key Players:
Tennessee Valley - QB Kevin Eakin, WR/LB Bradly Chavez, LB RaJohn Myles
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - QB Ryan Vena, DB Micheaux Robinson, DT Royce Morgan

College Football's Bottom Ten: Helmets

Chris Yow — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:23:10 -0400

They make you known. They are unmistakable. They are the helmets. Helmets are one of only two things that are uniform on all but one team in the country (Thanks, Bama). The pants are the other uniform part of the get up. I'm not going to look at a bunch of pants and make a list, so helmets it is. The helmet is something that players are proud to wear. The helmet, when you put it on, means that it is time to play ball. Unfortunately, some players have to wear these extremely hideous caps.

Begin Slideshow

College Football's Bottom Ten: Mascots

Chris Yow — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:58:42 -0400

Maybe I am pessimistic, maybe I am just plain mean. Whatever the case may be, I find it much more interesting to list the worst, rather than the best. Therefore, I have come up with a five part series of my personal attacks and insults to the worst of college football. Okay, I'll be lax on the insults and attacks. Let us dwell for a moment on the best that college football has to offer. There's Aubie the Tiger, The West Virginia Mountaineer, Chief Osceola, and UGA, of course. However, there are some teams that have some mascots that should never be seen. Why dress these cheerleaders in hot outfits unless you play somewhere that it is cold? And now, for the second part of my series, I give you the ten worst mascots in the NCAA.

Begin Slideshow

College Football 2009 Preseason "Top" 10 Rankings

Chris Yow — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:54:21 -0400

College football has a million preseason rankings. While they should not exist, they do. So, I will present to you the "top" 10 college football teams this season.

However, I have fooled you into reading this article with the headline, and you are probably wondering why the SMU Mustangs are on the front page. We are not talking about the top 10 best teams in the country.

No.

We are talking about college football's top 10 teams you will not hear about and are lucky that you do not.

See, that title is much too long to be a headline. So trickery it was—like the Statue of Liberty play.

Without further adieu, college football's worst teams.

10. Syracuse Orange

This team is at No. 10 because, unfortunately, they will be on SportsCenter most every week. Thank you, Greg Paulus. However, when you see this team, change the channel. This season will be no better than last year's 3-9 team.

9. Western Kentucky

These guys went 2-10 last season in their opening year of FBS play. Both wins were over FCS teams from the Ohio Valley Conference. The Hilltoppers are sure to be left off the front page news across the country, and that is a good thing.

8. San Diego State

The Aztecs need more than cool helmets to make a good squad. How can you not recruit at least a few guys to San Diego? One of their wins last season was against the next team. These guys lost to Cal Poly! Seriously.

Maybe quarterback Ryan Lindley learned a thing or two in his freshman year. His talent alone is good enough to get the Aztecs off this list.

7. Idaho

Idaho was taken down 11 of 12 times last season, which makes them better than Washington, I guess! At least they are still better than Idaho State. Maybe Deonte Jackson can lift the Vandals to two wins this season.

6. Washington

This team became a little more credible when Steve Sarkisian became coach. Maybe no unsportsmanlike conducts will keep this team from winning a game or two, eh?

5. North Texas

The Mean Green/Eagles won't get much attention, and for good reason. With a 1-11 mark last season, North Texas is not exactly posting the best recruiting classes in the nation, and why should they in the Troy-dominated Sun Belt?

4. Miami (OH)

Well, it could be worse; they could be Miami (FL). The RedHawks have not had much to celebrate on the football field since Ben Roethlisberger left for Steelers stardom. Not like his follower, A.J. Hawk's big brother Ryan, did anything for the school. Daniel Raudabaugh is no Joe Montana.

3. Iowa State

Not that losing their coach really mattered, but Gene Chizik taking the Auburn job is not going to be good news for the Cyclones. The last Iowa State coach to leave for the SEC, Johnny Majors, ended up doing well.

2. Army

It's sad that this team is so bad. It upsets me to know that Army matters not until the last week of the season. The Black Knights need help. Maybe President Obama could bail them out and order a draft?

1. Southern Methodist University

You have not heard from them since the death penalty killed their football program; since then the Mustangs have been nonexistent. Don't expect to hear much out of them again. Even though in 2006 the team went 6-6, back-to-back 1-11 seasons isn't going to cut it.

Jacksonville State, North Dakota State Shock College Softball

Chris Yow — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:14:28 -0400

North Dakota State University is just five years removed from the NCAA Division II softball championship tournament.

Now the Lady Bison are headed for the NCAA Division I super regionals.

Nicole Rivera and Melissa Chmielewski each hit solo home runs as North Dakota State completed a surprising sweep through NCAA softball regional play with a 4-1 win Sunday against Tulsa. NDSU (38-18) now moves on to the 16-team Super Regional level.

The Lady Bison's reward? Defending national champions Arizona State.

Andi Padilla gave up just two hits and one earned run in the championship game.

Bison head coach Darren Mueller was ecstatic after the win, “The first thing I have to say is how proud of I am of our players. This is something that we dreamt about when we went through the transition and something we talked to them about when we recruited them."

The Bison opened their home schedule on Apr. 28. On May 2, the Bison celebrated their last home game of the season.

Mueller felt the long season on the road prepared the team for the run, "I think that helped us in the long run in preparing as a team and being with each other and playing at some big venues."

“The road is kind of our home and it is odd when we have a home series. I think that we are really comfortable away from home with a different crowd, we love it. We are used to it and I think that it helps in these kinds of situations," said Padilla

The Lady Bison will take on the Sun Devils for a place in the Women's College World Series.

Not only did NDSU throw a wrench in the tournament, Jacksonville State, in Alabama not Florida, punched their ticket to the NCAA Super Regionals Sunday night.

The Lady Gamecocks downed national No. 13 seed Tennessee twice after taking down Nebraska in the opening game of the day to earn a spot in the second round of the tournament.

"Like I said, this team had the philosophy, coming in here, that we will fight, we will fight, we will fight until the end. I’ve been on them that you take one inning at a time, one pitch at a time. You don’t look at three games.

"This morning when we woke up, all we were focused on was Nebraska, the first inning, the second inning, then the third inning. I’m sure these girls had the same mentality that I did," said Gamecocks head coach Jana McGinnis.

Jacksonville State will tangle with Alabama for the second straight year. The Crimson Tide shut down the Gamecocks in the regional finals last year.

Senior catcher Allie Barker has been the heart of the JSU squad. "Allie could play catcher anywhere in the SEC," said McGinnis, "but she grew up JSU. She has a pride in JSU."

Barker's father is a legend in Jacksonville and Barker felt obliged to continue the tradition.

Barker is eager to get to Tuscaloosa, where the Gamecocks are two games away from the World Series, “I think for me and I think also for the team, we’re going to have to keep doing it like coach said, one game at a time, one pitch at a time, one play at a time.

"Not worry about the name on the back of the jersey, just worry about our team, and sticking together, and playing as a team. When we play as a team, who knows what we can do. Just slow down the game, play it one pitch at a time.”

One pitch at a time is the Gamecocks' strategy.

Hopefully these two teams, North Dakota State and Jacksonville State, will represent their smaller conferences and smaller communities well.

Good luck, ladies.

Tennessee Valley Vipers Use The 'Force' vs. Oklahoma City

Chris Yow — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:38:00 -0400

Tennessee Valley was dominant in all parts of Saturday night's battle with Oklahoma City.

The Vipers improved to 6-2 on the year and have now won five straight and six in a row at home dating back to last season.

Oklahoma City fell for the third consecutive week, bringing its record to 4-3 on the year.

Robert Kent brought the third best scoring offense into the Von Braun Center, but after scoring just 12 first half points, the Yard Dawgz were reeling. However, Tennessee Valley turned their first possession over on downs and could not muster but 21 points in the half.

The second half was mortifying for the few Yard Dawgz faithful who made the trip. The third quarter saw Tennessee Valley rack up 21 unanswered points.

Two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, a fumble returned for a touchdown and a turnover on downs left the Yard Dawgz in a state of confusion.

Kent was hurried the entire night and sacked three times. He finished the night 17-of-35 for 191 yards and three touchdowns to go along with the two interceptions.

Kevin Eakin played as well as could be asked and did not turn the ball over, something Vipers fans have grown accustomed to as he's only thrown one interception during the current winning streak. Eakin finished 23-of-33 for 198 yards and five touchdowns.

Bradly Chavez was named the game's top iron man, and for good reason. The fourth-year man out of UAB hauled in two touchdown passes, one of them rivaling David Tyree's Super Bowl catch. He also returned an interception and a fumble for scores. That does not include his 5.5 tackles and one sack.

"It seemed like every time I turned around the ball was in my hands," Chavez said after the game.

"He's a true iron man and he's been doing it all year," Vipers coach Dean Cokinos said. "He's got a great role for us. The whole team played good. Our defense was lights out and the offense made plays when it had to.

"We came out in the second half and stepped on the gas a little bit. The guys played well."

The 10 Worst Sports Uniforms of All Time

Chris Yow — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:25:28 -0400

Baseball has seen its bad uniforms. Basketball has seen some bad, but not awful. Every soccer uniform is horrendous. Hockey had its share of terrible. Football has not see a whole lot, but number one is from the pigskin. If you can find worse ones that I missed, then I'd love to see those as well. I love my bad uniforms!

Begin Slideshow

Yard Dawgz Provide Offensive Threat to Vipers

Chris Yow — Sat, 16 May 2009 09:00:00 -0400

Last week Tennessee Valley struggled to find a way to put some distance between them and the Corpus Christi Sharks. The Sharks held tough throughout the game, but the Vipers defense stepped up in the 44-36 win.

This week, the offensive threats will be everywhere on the field. Tennessee Valley can not afford to allow the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz to come into the Von Braun Center and get into any type of rhythm.

Oklahoma City boasts the number three scoring offense in the league and are number one in offensive production per game.

Yard Dawgz quarterback Robert Kent has made huge strides this season with his accuracy and decision making. While completing less than 60 percent of his passes last season, Kent is, statistically, the best quarterback in the league. His 310 yards per game leads the AF2, as does his 77.4 percent completion percentage.

He has thrown 38 touchdowns to just four interceptions and can get it done with his feet as well. Kent averages over 20 yards per contest on the ground and has found the end zone six times this season.

Kent's favorite target has been the legend Al Hunt. Hunt's 565 yards and 15 touchdowns lead the Yard Dawgz receiving corps.

However, Oklahoma City has shored up theirwide outs in the last two weeks with the addition of Craig Fulton and Donta Bright. Fulton caught three of Kent's four touchdown tosses last week in the loss to Tulsa.

Tonight's contest will prove to be the toughest task yet for the Vipers number three scoring defense.

Tennessee Valley surrenders just over 42 points per game and is able to keep the opposing offenses in check for most of the night.

At home this season, the Vipers are +6 in turnover margin and have won the contests by an average of 35 points. Needless to say, the VBC has been friendly confines.

Yet another receiver emerged for the Vipers last week as Michael Johnson was a late scratch. Anthony Merritt showed his skill at Corpus Christi as he caught five balls for 60 yards and two scores, all in the second half.

Merritt joins Chris Bocage, Michael Johnson, Bradly Chavez, Jeremy Grier, and Larry Shipp on the Vipers' extremely deep receiving corps. Quarterback Kevin Eakin has no shortage of weapons at his disposal.

Eakin has been very efficient as well this season; he has posted a 119.58 passer rating and 39 scores to just six picks. Four of those interceptions came in the two losses earlier this season, both games on the road.

Defensively, Travis Blanchard should return to the secondary this week after a one week hiatus. Desmond Foster and Demetrius Derico will all have their hands full with the Yard Dawgz offense.

Oklahoma City started the year 4-0 before dropping a one point decision to Rio Grande Valley and last week's loss to in-state rival Tulsa, 75-56.

Tennessee Valley is looking to keep their win streak alive and push it to five games. The last time the Vipers lost at home was last season's final regular season game. Since then, Tennessee Valley has won five straight and will try to extend that streak as well.

Pit Prediction:
Oklahoma City: 58
Tennessee Valley: 61

Key Players:
Oklahoma City: QB Robert Kent, WR Al Hunt, WR Craig Fulton
Tennessee Valley: QB Kevin Eakin, WR Chris Bocage, DB Desmond Foster

Vipers Hit the Road with Win Streak in Hand

Chris Yow — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:06:00 -0400

Three weeks ago, Tennessee Valley quarterback Kevin Eakin vowed to stop trying not to make mistakes and just play his game.

A few short weeks later, Eakin has played almost mistake-free and has led the Vipers to three straight wins and a 4-2 record, including last week's 54-28 win over the South Georgia Wildcats.

Eakin has committed just one turnover and has produced 19 touchdown passes in the three wins. He also is ranked fifth in the af2 in completion percentage.

This week will provide a test that the Vipers have yet to face this season.

Tennessee Valley travels to take on Corpus Christi Saturday night. The promotion is "Ladies' Night" and the Sharks will have pink jerseys and a pink-striped football in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Corpus Christi sports a sub-.500 record, something the Vipers have yet to see this season. The test at hand will be whether the Vipers can go into the game focused and not overlooking a dangerous team.

The Sharks have Gary Cooper at quarterback and Brandon Hussey, along with Jonathan Graham at wide receiver. Although the offense has only mustered 41 points a game this season, they are capable of reaching the 60s, as shown in their win over Amarillo earlier this year.

The 1-4 Sharks are reeling from two straight losses after gaining their first win. However, in the last two games, Hussey has 20 catches for 310 yards and six scores, proving that he is more than capable of being the Sharks go-to guy.

While the offense of the Sharks has progressed this season, the defense has yet to provide any help to the cause. The last two opponents combined to go 5-for-5 on fourth down conversions.

Corpus Christi has added a new defensive back and linebacker to the team in hopes of renewing the defense.

Tennessee Valley's wide receivers have been the strength of the team thus far. Jeremy Grier stepped into Michael Johnson's role last week and hauled in a game-high 10 receptions. Chris Bocage remained a force, catching two touchdowns. Larry Shipp hauled in two scores as well in his continuing dominance of defensive backs.

Bradly Chavez played mostly at linebacker last week, but did have a couple catches to go along with two fumble recoveries and an interception while leading the team in tackles.

The reigning Ironman of the Year will most likely see the defensive side more this week.

Tennessee Valley recorded four sacks last week on Darnell Kennedy, something the Vipers were doing almost every week last season. Eric Scott recorded one sack and Benji McDowell had two alone.

Will the Vipers stay focused and not lose sight of the game, as in last year's loss to 2-12 Stockton? That remains to be seen, but Saturday night will be a big night for the winning squad.

Pit Prediction:
Tennessee Valley 71
Corpus Christi 48

Key Players:
Tennessee Valley - QB Kevin Eakin, WR Chris Bocage, WR/LB Bradly Chavez
Corpus Christi - QB Gary Cooper, WR Brandon Hussey, K Nick Gatto

College Football—What Happened to the Greatest Sport on Earth?

Chris Yow — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:19:04 -0400

Somewhere between sports and religion lies college football.

Persons few and far between may disagree, but 95,722 Ohio State fans would go along with my assertion,

That's how many people showed up to watch the glorified practice held at The Shoe.

That broke the record set by fans in Alabama in 2007, when 92,000-plus were on hand to see Nick Saban's debut as head coach, except he was not coaching the game.

It is beginning to become redundant and somewhat disgraceful. College football is a full-time job.

Of course it is for coaches and players. Coaches are constantly evaluating talent on the team and the recruits that the team may need to pursue. Players are training year-round to be better than the next guy.

However, it is now the fan's job to know who is going to be the third-string holder for their beloved team.

What happened? When did college football become more than just suiting up on fall Saturdays and being better than the man in front of you?

When did it become about the fans being better than the fan sitting next to them?

What happened to the days when an Alabama fan could talk about the cow college down the road and the inbreds in Knoxville while the game was going on but shake hands like the players do afterwards and go on their merry way?

Somebody should have stopped the madness long ago; now it is much too late.

National signing day used to be just another day for the fans of teams. Fans would find out who signed to play for their team by reading the newspaper the day after. They would not care who the players were until two years later when they stepped onto the field.

Now it is a media frenzy for a high school kid to sign a piece of paper. It is almost as ridiculous as six hours of coverage for a two-minute horse race. But that is another story for another day.

What is the difference between 1979 and 2009? Besides 30 years and the fact that Alabama is not the winningest team of the past decade? The differences are television, money, and power.

The NCAA fooled its fans for much too long with the bowl games and media polls. It was not until the mid-1990s that fans started sort of revolting against the system.

Sort of, meaning that they protested how it was done, yet they still supported it by attending the bowl games and watching on television.

Money may be the root of all evil, but now it is even the root of all good. Money and power are what run the lives of people in the world. Until the money stops flowing into the laps of the NCAA and college football coaches and players it will not end.

However, let us not be fooled into thinking that it is the fans' fault. Do not be fooled into feeling bad about yourself for becoming so rabid, it is not your fault.

Would you like for me to answer my own question? What happened to college football?

ESPN.

Tennesse Valley Vipers Silence South Georgia Wildcats

Chris Yow — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:19:00 -0400

The mission was for the Tennessee Valley Vipers to win their third contest in a row and silence the defending south division champion, South Georgia Wildcats.

It did not take long for the Vipers to do both.

Tennessee Valley improved to 4-2 on the season with the 54-28 win over South Georgia. The Wildcats fell to 5-2, keeping a half game lead over Tennessee Valley in the division.

Quarterback Kevin Eakin led the Vipers on a quick 2:52 drive drawing first blood with a touchdown pass to Larry Shipp.

Tennessee Valley got their first of several first half stops on the ensuing drive, halting the Wildcats on downs and turning the turnover into another touchdown to stretch the lead to 13-0.

However, South Georgia responded with a quick 45-yard drive on three plays that ended with Darnell Kennedy finding Alvance Robinson for the score.

The Wildcats would not sniff the end zone for the rest of the half. The Vipers scored on a two-play drive to answer the touchdown. Then forced a Kennedy fumble and capitalized with a Chris Bocage touchdown reception.

Another Wildcats fumble gave the Vipers another shot to extend the lead, but Eakin misfired into a Wildcats' hands. Bradly Chavez would end the ensuing drive with a pick of his own.

Shipp then hauled in another touchdown, and Chavez returned a fumble for a touchdown on the Wildcats next possession.

After the damage was done, Tennessee Valley led 47-7 at the end of the first half.

The second half, however, would turn the tides a little in favor of South Georgia. The Wildcats punched it in on their first possession to close the gap to 47-14.

South Georgia forced a long field-goal attempt that was not even attempted as Nick Hayes booted it out of bounds. The Wildcats responded with another touchdown, edging closer at 47-21.

Robinson hauled in his second touchdown pass for the Wildcats after a goal-line stand by the defense and cut into the lead to 47-28. That was as close as they would come, however.

Chris Bocage capped the scoring off with a reception to extend the lead to 54-28, where the Vipers would hold on for the win.

The win should give the Vipers confidence heading into a long road trip. Tennessee Valley visits Corpus Christi next week to battle the 1-4 Sharks, who lost 66-48 at Florida last week.