Bleacher Report - Articles by Brian Hood

SEC Coaches Are Celebrities: So Which Ones are They?

Brian Hood — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:59:38 -0400

The coaches in the Southeastern Conference share one thing in common. In the town or city they coach in, they are celebrities. Once they get hired, they instantly become household names. They are mayors, they run the town.

While they may not be full-flegded American icons, their personalities and performances do resemble many of the country's most notable men.

In an effort to compare the current SEC coaches to some of the nation's biggest celebrities, I'll illustrate using some of the most well-known in each of their respective fields.

Urban Meyer : Barack Obama

Both of these men are currently on top of the world. Meyer the college football world, Obama the free world. With innovative minds and as gifted speakers, they have the ability to influence a lot of people, recruits and citizens alike.

Nick Saban : Donald Trump

These two are all-business, all the time. Very serious about dominating their opponents, they have shown what it takes to be successful at their respective crafts. And yes, they are both figures we love to hate.

Bobby Johnson : Steve Martin

Simply on appearance alone. Seriously, have you ever seen these two together at the same place? You haven't. Because they are the same person.

Steve Spurrier : Howard Stern

Both Spurrier and Stern love to make fun of and provoke people who get in their way. Once kings of their industries, they are now fading away from prominence. These two loud-mouths still have good gigs but are nearing the end of their illustrious careers.

Lane Kiffin : Eminem

Talented yet controversial, Kiffin and Eminem display some resembling characteristics. Both possess that media savvy that gets the hype machine rolling. They are calculating and shrewd. Not to mention, they can both recruit well. Kiffin brings in top-notch football players, Eminem brings in talented rappers (50 Cent).

Mark Richt : Johnny Depp

These two soft spoken, cool customers do things a little differently than their peers. Depp chooses off-beat, alternative characters and Richt isn't as in-your-face as his SEC coaching brethren. Oh, and the ladies seem to like both of them as well.

Les Miles : Simon Cowell

Besides one being British, these guys seem separated at birth. They tell it like it is and don't care what others think. Both are risk-takers and both have outspoken, defiant personalities. And they always seem to be ticked off at someone.

Houston Nutt : Homer Simpson

Both are eccentric but likable. Blue-collar guys, these two are both overweight, seem incompetent at times and share the same head. So it seems.

Gene Chizik : Sean Penn

Both Chizik and Penn are tough guys who like to do it their way. They have both had some major hurdles in their life as well with Chizik's trying days at lowly Iowa St. and Penn's turbulent times back in the 1980s when he constantly had violent outbursts with the media and his then-wife Madonna. Yeah, I did my homework.

Bobby Petrino : Russell Crowe

Scumbags. Okay, you want more. Petrino is a one-dimensional coach, specializing in the air attack. Crowe is a one-dimensional actor, specializing in dramatic acting roles. A stretch? Yes, but they are both scumbags.

Rich Brooks : Christopher Walken

These two do not get the credit they deserve. They are vastly underrated even as they come to the end of their careers. And both Brooks and Walken have that unique deadpan style of speaking.

Dan Mullen : Jon Hamm

Yeah, I don't know who these guys are either.

SEC's Impact Freshmen To Watch

Brian Hood — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:58:01 -0400

The 2009 college football season is upon us. With that comes fresh faces dotting every team looking to make a splash. The SEC has a myriad of new guys hoping to serve their team and make a name for themselves. The league seems to bring in fabulous freshmen every year making the conference even more talent-rich.

Skill position players tend to provide the most impact their freshman year. They rely on their natural ability more-so than lineman as they do not have to lean on their fundamentals and chemistry as much as linemen do. With that said, the players I have chosen who I think will provide the biggest impact this year are mostly offensive and defensive backs and receivers.

1. RB Bryce Brown (Tennessee)

The do-it-all running back will have to split carries with a couple other guys early but should be the man midway through the season.

2. RB Jarvis Giles (South Carolina)

Giles gives Spurrier the serious running threat he has never had.

3. TE Orson Charles (Georgia)

Just a beast physically, he will offer QB Joe Cox a big target at the notoriously popular TE position for the Bulldogs.

4. CB Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina)

Gilmore is a physically gifted athlete who will start right away in the Gamecock backfield attempting to fill-in for a couple of NFL departed defensive backs.

5. WR Chad Bumphis (Mississippi St.)

The ultra-quick wide-out will start right away, attempting to play the Percy Harvin role in Dan Mullen's first Bulldog system.

6. WR Marlon Brown (Georgia)

May take a game or two to step in and make an impact but Brown has all the tools a wide receiver needs and he has AJ Green to help guide him along.

7. WR Rueben Randle (LSU)

Might just be the most talented wide receiver in the freshman class, Randle should help the Tigers inexperienced quarterbacks from the get-go.

8. RB Zac Stacy (Vanderbilt)

Joining a bevy of running back depth at Vanderbilt, Stacy has risen to the top of the group and should lead the Commodores improved offense.

9. RB Trent Richardson (Alabama)

Even with all the talent at running back at Alabama, Richardson should provide a punch and contribute right away for the ground-seeking Crimson Tide.

10. WR Nu'Keese Richardson (Tennessee)

The tiny jitterbug will not only get plenty of touches early due to the Volunteers depleted wide receiver group but will also have a chance to shine on special teams.

Honorable Mention: Russell Shepard, Craig Loston (LSU); Montori Hughes, David Oku (Tennessee); Andre Debose, Jelani Jenkins (Florida); Branden Smith (Georgia); Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama); Darius Winston (Arkansas); Pat Patterson (Mississippi); Auburn freshman receiving corps

2009 SEC All-Name Team

Brian Hood — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:53:04 -0400

So, I have seen the media's preseason SEC teams. I have glanced over the coaches All-SEC teams. I know the names. I know the schools those players come from. They are household.

It's about time I see some different names. It's about time to unveil the conference's All-Name team. These players will not make any all-conference teams. Heck, you may not see them all year unless your eyes stray from the field and the cheerleaders and wind up looking at the end of the bench. I know you have been waiting.

Offense 1st Team:

QB Star Jackson (Alabama)

A guy who plays quarterback for Alabama named Star? Match made in heaven.

RB Steele Hull (LSU)

I have never tried to tackle a steele hull, but I would assume it would be very difficult to bring down.

RB TJ Pridemore (Florida)

Might have to change his name to Prideless after realizing he won't get any playing time as a big back at Florida.

WR Nu'Keese (Nuke) Richardson (Tennessee)

Tennessee's new weapon of choice.

WR Scott Spurrier (South Carolina)

Yes, that Spurrier...

WR Alex Russian (LSU)

"The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming."

TE Foxy Foxworth (South Carolina)

I cannot figure out whether his parents have a very vivid imagination or none at all, but I love this name

OL Justin Cabbagestalk (Vanderbilt)

6'3, 275 pounds. Clearly, the saying "You are what you eat" does not apply here.

OL Maurice Hurt (Florida)

If he either gets injured or injures someone else, you can't say you didn't see it coming.

OL Dustin Luck (Kentucky)

Better to be lucky than good? Dustin thinks so.

OL T-Bob Hebert (LSU)

New Orleans Saints' Bobby Hebert's nephew follows the Cajun/Creole tradition of sporting the T in front of his first name, which stands for petite or little. At 6'3 and nearly 300 pounds, I find this name laughable.

OL Taylor Quick (Ole Miss)

At 6'4, 310 pounds, I find this name laughable.

Defense 1st Team:

DL Adam Smotherman (Vanderbilt)

Smother: To stifle or suffocate; Man: Adult male....Perfect.

DL Mister Cobble (Kentucky)

Mister is just a freshman. He will have to earn our respect.

DL Tim Fugger (Vanderbilt)

Say this name with a southern accent and the old lady sitting next to you in the stadium might just slap you.

DL Ladi Ajiboye (South Carolina)

Here is my token unpronounceable name.

LB Charlie Higgenbotham (Alabama)

Hee..hee

LB Shaq Wilson (South Carolina)

I always thought the name Shaq belonged on the football field.

LB Darius Dewberry (Georgia)

Sweetest name is sports.

DB Bacarri Rambo (Georgia)

Rambo: A fanatically militant or violently aggresive person. Yes!!

DB Art Evans (Tennessee)

Playing defensive back is an Art, not a science.

DB Rod Woodson (Alabama), DB Neiko Thorpe (Auburn)

These two names have a lot to live up to.

K/P Ryan Shoemaker (Auburn)

Need I say more?

Top 10 Games On Opening Weekend

Brian Hood — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:16:59 -0400

1. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Atlanta) Saturday, 5th

Bama will come in ticked off after the way they finished last year and will look to open the year with another win against an ACC power.

Meanwhile, the Techsters hope to get their first of two wins in Atlanta this year. Their offense is still lackluster and will not have much to cheer for against a strong Alabama defense.

I see Alabama winning this one, but it will not be the beat-down they put on Clemson a year ago.

2. Oregon at Boise St. Thursday, 3rd

Oregon brings in new coach Chip Kelly and a highly rated team. Boise St. has the same coach, and the same preseason expectations (lots of wins).

Oregon poses a huge threat to Boise's marvelous home record, and I do not see them missing a beat with their new coach. The game will go down to the wire with the Ducks prevailing on the smurf turf.

Sorry Boise, no BCS this year.

3. Georgia at Oklahoma St. Saturday, 5th

Georgia opens up the season with a buzz-saw of a game against the "something to prove" Cowboys. This game gives Oklahoma St. a chance to show the world they are for real.

Finally.

The vaunted SEC against the high octane Big 12.

Should be fun.

A tone-setter for both teams.

I think Oklahoma St. will be too much for the travelling bulldogs. The Cowboys get revenge and win by 10 points.

4. Oklahoma vs. BYU (Arlington) Saturday, 5th

The Sooners and Cougars clash in an intriguing battle just west of Dallas.

Intriguing, but not competitive.

Oklahoma will bring in another "NFL, here we come" roster, and BYU will bring in a team that just can't quite reach the top of the mid-major pedestal (Boise St., Utah). This year's Cougars are not 2005's Boise St.

Oklahoma in a romp.

5. Miami at F.S.U. Monday, 7th

Talk about a way to begin ACC play.

The 'Canes and the 'Noles meet on opening week for the first time, and it should be a doozy. While they are not your papa's Hurricanes, Miami has great potential with a vast array of young talent.

Florida St. is in the same boat, but there seems to be too many question marks on and off the field. Miami delivers the first knockout of F.S.U.'s season by a field goal.

6. Cincinnati at Rutgers Monday, 7th

Early season game goes a long way to determine the Big East, even though W. Virginia may have something to say about that. The Bearcats look to build on their first Big East title against a Rutgers team that won't go away.

The Scarlet Knights need to fill their offensive puzzle pieces quick, but "the Naty" will not give them the opportunity.

Cincinnati by a Bearcat whisker.

7. Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) Saturday, 5th

Though not as big a game as last year's, this highly charged matchup will still provide some fireworks. Illinois will come in as the favorite this year as they look to keep progressing.

Missouri might not be as good as years, but they shouldn't fall off too far. We'll see if they can reload instead of rebuild. If Illinois cannot beat Missouri this year, I'm not sure I'll ever see it happen.

Illini by two Juice Williams' touchdowns.

8. South Carolina at N.C. St. Thursday, 3rd

N.C. St. tries to prove they are a rising, formidable program against a rugged SEC opponent. The Wolfpack are making strides even though their record has not indicated that.

South Carolina continues to muddle through the SEC with their Hall of Fame coach. At this point, I can't figure this team out, but I know N.C. St. is going somewhere.

That's why I like the Wolfpack in a close one.

9. Maryland at California Saturday, 5th

Maryland is not a great team.

Heck, they may not even be a good team, but they often offer some surprises so California better not take them lightly.

Will this finally be the year Cal gets to a BCS game?

They need to take care of business and this game should be a decent quiz before the big tests lie ahead. California opens with a convincing W as the Bears roll.

10. Baylor at Wake Forest Saturday, 5th

Baylor hopes to get some revenge after a bad defeat at home to the Demon Deacons last year. Wake Forest looks to build on their best string of success with a sneaky good matchup against the Bears.

It won't be the most watched game of the weekend, but it will be a hard fought contest. Wake will make it back to back wins against Baylor, winning by the number of bowls they have competed in, nine.

Top 10's of the SEC

Brian Hood — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:49:33 -0400

With the 2009 college football season approaching, I would like to take a look at the upcoming teams and players gearing up for another outstanding year in the celebrated SEC.

I will give you a list of the best offensive and defensive players as well as the top players flying under the radar. A difficult task yes, but these are the players to watch out for this year.

10 Best Offensive Players

10. WR Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss)

The do-everything offensive weapon will also see time at tailback showing off his explosion and elusiveness.

9. WR Brandon Lafell (LSU)

The rangy wide-out has both speed and sticky hands.

8. OL Ciron Black (LSU)

This massive offensive lineman is almost impossible to get around and has 40 consecutive starts.

7. RB Michael Smith (Arkansas)

Smith is ultra shifty and quick and looks to continue the tradition of the Arkansas running back.

6. TE D.J. Williams (Arkansas)

Dangerous play-maker at the tight end position for Petrino's offense.

5. RB Charles Scott (LSU)

The bruising Scott will punish defenses and control the ground for the Tigers.

4. WR A.J. Green (Georgia)

Green is big, fast, and talented and must lead the Bulldog offense this year.

3. WR Julio Jones (Alabama)

See A.J. Green with a little more help.

2. QB Jevan Snead (Ole Miss)

Prototypical passer has his sights set on an SEC West championship, then the NFL.

1. QB Tim Tebow (Florida)

Attempting to decide the number one offensive player was like trying to decide the best conference in the land...you got it.

10 Best Defensive Players

10. CB Joe Haden (Florida)

Could have easily selected Haden's backfield mate Black but Haden will be the shut down corner on the Gator defense.

9. LB Rennie Curran (Georgia)

Curran tackles everything on the field with this high motor and speed.

8. DE Antonio Coleman (Auburn)

Scary speed for a man his size, Coleman is a menace in opposing backfields.

7. DE Carlos Dunlap (Florida)

The Defensive MVP of last year's title game possesses size and strength along with alarming quickness.

6. CB Trevard Lindley (Kentucky)

The best cover corner in the SEC has one more year to play on Saturday's.

5. DE Greg Hardy (Ole Miss)

As good an end as there is in college football when he is healthy.

4. LB Rolando McClain (Alabama)

Just a beast of a linebacker with range and smarts.

3. DT Terrence Cody (Alabama)

A mammoth defensive tackle can stop a running attack all by himself.

2. LB Brandon Spikes (Florida)

Probably the best linebacker in the country, Spikes has everything you look for.

1. S Eric Berry (Tennessee)

Second to none with both his hitting and ball instincts from the defensive back position.

10 Most Underrated Players

10. LB Chris Marve (Vanderbilt)

Just a sophomore and just getting going, Marve shows great potential.

9. DE Rahim Alem (LSU)

In and out of the starting line-up over the years, Alem is ready to display his supreme rushing ability on the end.

8. DE Chris Walker (Tennessee)

Walker will prove to be an outstanding rush lineman with his quickness and hands. Also could have picked fellow D Lineman Dan Williams here.

7. LB Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)

Overshadowed by his teammate McClain, Hightower can rush the passer and play against the run both extremely well.

6. CB Myron Lewis (Vanderbilt)

Lanky cornerback played in the shadows of D.J. Moore but is now poised to show off his exceptional cover skills

5. WR Randall Cobb (Kentucky)

Cobb can and will throw, run and pass for the Wildcats as he is invaluable to his team.

4. WR Shay Hodge (Ole Miss)

Dependable receiver for the Rebels gets overshadowed by other flashy ball catchers in the league but he is the active career leader in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

3. DT Malcolm Sheppard (Arkansas)

Versatile performer has a great work ethic who had 6.5 sacks last year.

2. WR Gerald Jones (Tennessee)

Has not had the production yet because of lack of a good quarterback, but Jones is super elusive in the open field and catches the ball better than most.

1. LB Eric Norwood (South Carolina)

Overlooked with the vast talent of linebackers in the league, Norwood might just end up being the best of them. Fierce, fast and formidable.

Top 10 Best Retired Bowl Names

Brian Hood — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:29:29 -0500

With the rise of title sponsors, many current college bowl names lack imagination and are much less interesting. Here are the best bowl names of yesteryear:

10. Aviation Bowl: Dayton, Ohio

Played only in 1961 because of financial shortcomings, this bowl recognized the birthplace of aerospace and the Wright Brothers. New Mexico topped Western Michigan 28-12, and the entire 1961 Lobo team was inducted into the University of New Mexico's Hall of Fame in 1990 as a result of this bowl win.

9. Salad Bowl: Phoenix, Arizona

This bowl was played at Montgomery Stadium from 1948-1952 and was a precursor to the Fiesta Bowl. Vegetarians unite.

8. Glass Bowl: Toledo, Ohio

Held from 1946-1949, this bowl game was played in frosty Toledo. The stadium is made up of many glass elements, a major concentration of the city's industry at the time.

7. Bluebonnet Bowl: Houston, Texas

Named after the state flower of Texas, this bowl game took place between 1959 and 1987. Nineteen of the 29 games featured teams from Texas.

6. Bacardi Bowl: Havana, Cuba

Sometimes referred to as the "Cigar Bowl," this bowl was named for the Bacardi Rum company founded there. I'm guessing alcohol was allowed inside the stadium.

5. Haka Bowl: Auckland, New Zealand

The bowl, named for the traditional Maori Haka dance, was planned to be the first bowl game played outside the U.S. since the Bacardi Bowl. The game was to match up the third-place teams from the Pac-10 and WAC conferences, but was never played due to lack of financial guarantees.

4. Mercy Bowl: Los Angeles, California

The first Mercy Bowl was played between Fresno St. and Bowling Green St. at Memorial Coliseum in 1961 as a special fundraiser in memory of 16 Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo football players killed in a plane crash following a game against Bowling Green a year earlier. The game raised $200,000.

3. Refrigerator Bowl: Evansville, Indiana

This bowl game was played between 1948 and 1956 and was named for the city's local refrigerator production. At the time, Evansville was known as the "Refrigerator capital of the United States."

2. Gotham Bowl: New York, New York

This bowl game was played at the New York Polo Grounds in 1961 and at Yankee Stadium in 1962. Neither game was financially successful or high in attendance numbers due to the cold weather. Terrible idea, great name.

1. Vulcan Bowl: Birmingham, Alabama

Going against the grain, this game matched two Historically Black College teams from 1942 to 1952. No, the game was not named for the science-fictional humanoid race in Star Trek, but for the blacksmith God of Fire. (The iron and steel industry was paramount in the area at the time.)

Epic Failures: Top 10 Busts of the BCS Era

Brian Hood — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:14:25 -0500

There look to be plenty of teams not living up to their preseason hype this year, including my very own Tennessee Vols. Clemson, Auburn, Wisconsin, and Arizona State are all having seasons to forget.

This made me think.

Which teams of the past decade (BCS era) were the most overrated? I determined a ranking based on a team’s preseason AP rank and their finishing record, as well as eye-opening failures throughout the season.

To my disliking, SEC teams made quite an appearance on this list.

10. 2001 Notre Dame Preseason Rank: 17; Final Record: 5-6

Coming into the 2001 season, Notre Dame was the winner of seven of their last eight and had a top 20 ranking. They left with a 5-6 record and sent Bob Davie packing. They averaged 11 points in six losses. Good job, pollsters.

Colossal Failure

9. 1999 UCLA Preseason Rank: 16; Final Record: 4-7

Following back-to-back 10-2 seasons, UCLA came crashing down in 1999. They were outscored by 81 points, won zero road games, and got shutout by a 4-7 California team.

Elephantine Failure

8. 2002 Nebraska Preseason Rank: 10; Final Record: 7-7

After a fine 11-2 campaign in 2001, Nebraska reeked it up in 2002. They peaked in August, as their best win was against a six-loss Arizona State team in the first game of the year. They finished outside the top 25 for the first time in 34 years.

Stupendous Failure

7. 1999 Ohio State Preseason Rank: 9; Final Record: 6-6

After an 11-1 season in 1998, Ohio State had a stellar 3-5 record in the Big Ten in 1999. They lost their last three, and John Cooper was gone the following season. Oh, and they lost to Michigan again.

Superb Failure

6. 1999 Arizona Preseason Rank: 4; Final Record: 6-6

Following a great 12-1 campaign in 1998, Arizona laid eggs all over the 1999 season. Their best win was against a team also on this list (UCLA). Their football team has not been seen since.

Mammoth Failure

5. 1998 Arizona State Preseason Rank: 8; Final Record: 5-6

With a Top 10 preseason ranking after a successful 9-3 season in 1997, the Sun Devils became known as a baseball school again in 1998. Arizona put up half a hundred on them. Best win was against a 5-6 Cal team.

Immense Failure

4. 2004 Kansas State Preseason Rank: 12; Final Record: 4-7

The end of the Bill Snyder era was rocky as the Wildcats plummeted after a Fiesta Bowl performance the year before. The defense allowed more than 30 points a game. They did not defeat a team with a winning record, and they have since fallen off the face of the Earth.

Gigantic Failure

3. 2005 Tennessee Preseason Rank: 3; Final Record: 5-6

After a very successful 10-3 campaign in ‘04, the 2005 Vols got caught looking ahead…just about every game. They lost to Vanderbilt. They won one division game. They lost to Vanderbilt. They lost to Notre Dame. Did I mention they lost to Vanderbilt?

Titatic Failure

2. 1998 LSU Preseason Rank: 9; Final Record: 4-7

Coming off back-to-back division titles, LSU choked the whole 1998 season away. They lost seven of their last eight. They did beat Auburn, who that year was, oh...3-8.

Monumental Failure

1. 2000 Alabama Preseason Rank: 3; Final Record: 3-8

Coming off a 10-3 season in 1999, Mike Debose’s final year was a disaster. Alabama lost all three non-conference games. They lost to their three biggest rivals (Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU) and they lost to a PAC-10 team (UCLA).

Brobdingnagian Failure

The 25 Best SEC Football Rivalries

Brian Hood — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:48:24 -0400

Here is my list for the best rivalries in the SEC. Teams outside the conference are also included such as Georgia Tech in the Tech-Georgia rivalry. The rankings are based on several factors including history, number of games, proximity, competitiveness, recent relevance and the hate/respect factor.

1. Alabama-Auburn (Iron Bowl) 72 times met, Alabama leads 38-33-1

- Hands Down

2. Florida-Georgia (World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party) 85, Georgia leads 46-37-2

- Keeps getting better

3. Auburn-Georgia (Deep South's Oldest Rivalry) 111, Auburn leads 53-50-8

- The most “respected” rivalry

4. Tennessee-Alabama (Third Saturday in October) 90, Alabama leads 45-38-7

- Two winningest programs in the SEC

5. Florida-Florida St. (Battle for the Governor's Cup) 52, Florida leads 31-19-2

- Rivalry is fading a bit

6. Ole Miss-Miss St. (Egg Bowl) 104, Ole Miss leads 59-39-6

- Underrated, intense rivalry

7. S. Carolina-Clemson (The Palmetto Bowl) 105, Clemson leads 64-37-4

- Longest uninterrupted series in the south

8. Georgia-Georgia Tech (Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate) 102, Georgia leads 59-38-5

- Two very different schools only 70 miles apart

9. Tennessee-Florida (Third Saturday in September) 37, series tied 19-19

- UT won first 10 games of even series

10. Auburn-LSU (Tiger Bowl) 43, LSU leads 23-19-1

- Fast-rising SEC rivalry

11. LSU-Alabama (Saban Bowl) 71, Alabama leads 44-22-5

- Nick Saban instantly moved this rivalry way up

12. Arkansas-Texas 76, Texas leads 55-21

- One of the best “intermittent” rivalries

13. LSU-Ole Miss (Southern Tradition) 95, LSU leads 55-37-4

- Old-time rivalry is declining

14. Alabama-Miss St. (The 90-Mile Drive) 92, Alabama leads 71-19-2

- Lopsided rivalry of teams with closest proximity in SEC

15. Tennessee-Vanderbilt (I-40 Bowl) 102, Tennessee leads 69-28-5

- Beating Vanderbilt was General Neyland’s only job requirement

16. Florida-Miami (Battle for the Seminole War Canoe) 53, Miami leads 27-26

- Another intense “intermittent” rivalry

17. Tennessee-Kentucky (Border Bowl) 103, Tennessee leads 71-23-9

- UT holds nation's longest active winning streak over one team, 26 over Kentucky

18. LSU-Tulane (Battle for the Rag) 96, LSU leads 67-22-7

- The satin flag is fought for between these old SEC rivals

19. Georgia-South Carolina (The Border Bash) 60, Georgia leads 45-13-2

- Game means much more to South Carolina

20. Kentucky-Louisville (Battle for the Governor's Cup) 21, Kentucky leads 12-9

- Bigger basketball rivalry

21. Ole Miss-Arkansas (The "Nutt" Bowl) 54, Arkansas leads 29-24-1

- Geographically close schools' rivalry revved up with Houston Nutt moving to Ole Miss

22. LSU-Arkansas (Battle for the Golden Boot) 53, LSU leads 33-18-2

-Winner receives heaviest trophy in sports, 175 lb. gold boot

23. Florida-Auburn 82, Auburn leads 42-38-2

- Annual rivalry stopped when SEC split divisions has memorable history

24. Tennessee-Georgia 37, Tennessee leads 20-15-2

- Competitive SEC East battle

25. Arkansas-Texas A&M 65, Arkansas leads 38-24-3

- Historical Southwest Conference rivalry will renew in 2009 in Dallas

Prognosticating Phillip Fulmer's Replacements at Tennessee

Brian Hood — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:04:25 -0400

I was a regular contributor to Bleacher Report during my first month. Everything was going good until that fateful day on Sept. 1st. I have been in hiding ever since Tennessee’s collapse in Los Angeles.

Let me explain.

I sweat orange.

I was born and bred a Tennessee Volunteer. Football, in particular, is my vice. Every fall Saturday in Knoxville is like my December 25th. They are my holidays.

But my gifts are getting rotten.

Tennessee’s football program is slip-sliding away: away to obscurity, away to irrelevance on the national scene. The historically underachieving basketball program has surpassed the football squad.

Tennessee’s in-state “cupcake” rival, Vanderbilt, is ranked higher than the Vols. Phillip Fulmer is now the third most valuable coach on “The Hill.”

The team with the eighth most wins all-time and winner of a National Championship just a decade ago hasn’t won a conference championship in that same time frame and is in the bottom of the pack in the SEC.

It is time for a change.

It is time to start looking at possible replacements for the once successful Phillip Fulmer. Here are my thoughts.

Top of the list

Brian Kelly

Hot young coach from Cincinnati. Last year’s Big East coach of the year hails from Massachusetts, the same state that produced Tennessee’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl—that turned out all right.

Chris Peterson

The 43-year-old coach for Boise St. has a bright offensive mind. His tricky, innovative offense would be a treat to Tennessee. He won the Paul Bryant award in 2006 as the nation’s best coach.

Mark Dantonio

Great recruiter would come in handy trying to recruit to Tennessee, where there’s not a wealth of high school talent. Good character guy would be hard to pull away from his new job with the Michigan St. Spartans.

Skip Holtz

Successful coach learned under such coaches as Bobby Bowden and his father, Lou. Rising head coach at East Carolina.

Butch Davis

Davis is a winner and has ties to the area. Another great recruiter would suit Tennessee beautifully. Hard to pull away from North Carolina.

Outsider list

Paul Johnson

The Western Carolina alum would add to the ever-increasing option spread attacks in the SEC. Won the Bobby Dodd coach of the year in 2004.

Dave Christensen

One of the top offensive coordinators in the country working presently under Gary Pinkel at Missouri. His no-huddle spread offense is very potent, and his teams have been shown to be very disciplined as well, something the Vols currently do not have.

Gary Crowton

Offensive coordinator at LSU also held the same position at Oregon and the Chicago Bears, as well as head coach for BYU. All these teams were offensive powerhouses—just a brilliant offensive guru.

Will Muschamp

The young Georgia native is a defensive specialist. He is currently the defensive coordinator at Texas after serving as the DC at Auburn, LSU, and the Miami Dolphins. The very intense Muschamp is an extremely hard worker looking to get his shot at head coach.

Charlie Strong

The young Arkansas native is also a defensive specialist serving as defensive coordinator at Florida and South Carolina. His teams are usually stifling on defense, and his personality and youth make him a great recruiter.

Far-fetched list

Jon Gruden

The Super Bowl-winning NFL coach got his first coaching job at Tennessee. Tough-nosed coach would inject some discipline and physical style into the Vols.

David Cutcliffe

The former Tennessee assistant for 18 years has coached some prolific offenses and quarterbacks in his time. Had successful stint as head coach at Ole Miss and is currently trying his hand at Duke. Would be hard to pull him away.

Jim Harbaugh

Young, hot head coach is currently the leader of the Stanford Cardinal. His infectious energy and enthusiasm would be a positive jolt to the Tennessee program.

Steve Spurrier

The head ball coach is actually from the East Tennessee area. He’s currently not having the success he thought he would at South Carolina, but this would still seem like a major improbability—not to mention his Augusta National membership wouldn’t get as much use.

Lane Kiffin

Kiffin’s days are numbered as the head coach in Oakland, and he has ties to the University of Tennessee. He has a track record of building offensive powerhouses, but his age (33) still might be an issue.

If NBA Players Were NFL Players

Brian Hood — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:04:06 -0400

Ever wonder how star basketball players would fare on the football field?

While watching the Olympics, I was thinking about just how dominating Lebron James would be receiving passes and running over anyone and everyone in his way. Then I started to wonder how other NBAers would do on the gridiron.

I think a lot of basketball players would make great wide receivers and defensive backs with their athletic ability and size. Other than those two glaring positions, it’s extremely hard to translate.

Their bodies are different, skill sets are different, and most football players want to stay low while basketball players, well, they want to play “above the rim”. Who knows if these football players can tackle, but you can estimate.

I looked at every current NBA player’s size, strengths and bio to get a feel for their potential to play football. Of course, toughness was a key ingredient here.

Also, I ruled out all players standing over 6’8" due to their lack of leverage and physical coordination. They just do not translate into being good football players. I did not include offensive linemen either for obvious reasons. I hope this is as fun to read as it was to write.

Top 5

1. Lebron James
2. Allen Iverson
3. Jason Maxiell
4. Ron Artest
5. Chauncey Billups

QB-Jason Kidd (6’4", 215)

A team leader and gifted point guard, Kidd would seem to be a perfect fit behind center. With his ability to put the ball right where his teammates need it, it only seems natural to give this student of the game the ball and let him run the offense.

Helped by his quarterback-size height, he sees the court extremely well and that should carry over to the field. Honestly, I have no idea if he can throw a football but doesn’t this all sound feasible? Oh, and Charlie Ward is no longer playing so Kidd is the best fit in my crazy opinion.

Backup: Brandon Roy (6’6", 230)

RB-Chauncey Billups (6’2", 210)

Billups has the build of a power running back and his quick first step makes you think he could escape a few tackles as well. His low center of gravity and balance that allows him to be a physical slasher to the basket would translate into a successful running back, especially given his vision and high awareness.

Add the fact that football was his first love (he did the majority of the running as an all-state quarterback in high school) and his cousin is Lendale White and, as good as Billups is, you start to think maybe he is playing the wrong sport.

RB-Stephon Marbury (6’2", 205)

Starbury’s lightning moves and explosive speed on the basketball court offers you the belief that he would be the perfect compliment to Billups’ power running style on the gridiron. Along with his insane agility, his natural ability to read defenses should allow him to know where the holes are opening up and hit the “seams” on the football field.

He has adequate strength and power to be a tailback, just don’t run a flee-flicker with him because of his “questionable” shot/pass selection.

Backups: Mo Williams (6‘1", 185), Raymond Felton (6’1", 200)

WR-Dwayne Wade (6’4", 215)

Wade’s forte of penetrating hard to the hoop with the ball in his hands might give you reason to think he would excel as a running back, but I think his height gives him an advantage at the wide receiver position.

He would be a silky smooth route runner and once he gets the ball in his hands, he could slice through an entire defense. Not to mention he could apply his supreme focus and concentration to catching those wayward, difficult throws.

Dwayne also played football as a youth so it would seem like a fluid crossover to the football field.

WR-Vince Carter (6’6", 220)

The athletic freak would be a mismatch for any defender. His quickness combined with his high-flying act could both separate himself from corners and grab any errant, high balls. Carter’s big, soft hands would help him make some acrobatic catches high in the air. He also possesses excellent body control which would make him a reliable target.

WR-Kobe Bryant (6’6", 220)

Some guys are just so good physically and mentally, they would thrive in any athletic setting. Kobe Bryant is one of those guys. His quickness, leaping ability, hand-eye coordination, along with his size would make him a fantastic wide receiver.

Bryant’s focus is second to none and his fearlessness would make him a dependable receiver over the middle for those tough catches. He would be the receiver you would want to throw to down the stretch.

Backups: Michael Finley (6‘7", 225), Josh Howard (6‘5", 215), Jerry Stackhouse (6’6", 220)

TE-Lebron James (6’8", 250)

James would revolutionize the tight end position. Yes, he could play wide receiver or even defensive end and be all-pro at any of those positions but I like using his inhuman combination of size, strength, and speed to completely take over a game at tight end.

After he explodes off the line, his great feel for spatial relations will get him open. Once the ball arrives, good luck tackling this beast of an athlete. Add to it the fact that he was a first-team all-state receiver in high school as a sophomore and my work here is done.

TE-Richard Jefferson (6’7", 230)

Another player with superior athleticism, Jefferson has the speed and size to mismatch a linebacker. If his quick first step doesn’t free himself from a defender, his endless motor will eventually get himself open.

He’s shown to have good hands as well which would make him a solid receiver and a good blocker but his vertical is the most compelling trait for this position. Just throw the ball his way and he’ll most likely come down with it.

Backups: Carmelo Anthony (6‘8", 230), Shawn Marion (6’7", 230)

DT-Carlos Boozer (6’8", 265)

Boozer has got some serious man strength, especially in his lower body. His sizable legs and posterior would allow him to play with superior leverage as he can get low and take quality angles. All this translates into a run-stopping machine at the defensive tackle position.

This rugged player also is relentless on the court, inferring he would keep pursuit on the quarterback or running back until the play was over.

DT-Glen Davis (6’8", 290)

Big Baby would use his enormous girth on the inside of the defensive line as a tackle. Besides his big body, he’s got great hands which would in theory help his overall technique at the position. Davis has been known to use his craftiness to get around defenders in the lane. This attribute would come in handy as he would work well in tight spaces.

Backups: Sean May (6‘8", 290), Zach Randolph (6‘8", 265), Craig Smith (6’7", 265)

DE-Ron Artest (6’7", 250)

To me, this was a no no-brainer. The defensive stopper loves contact. He has an ideal body for the position and he is explosive, a requirement for a pass rusher. His smarts on the court would translate into him being able to sniff out a pass or a run.

The most important characteristic he possesses which will enable him to be a great defensive lineman: his batteries are always charged, and he's just a fearless competitor.

DE-Jason Maxiell (6’6", 260)

Maxiell is a physical specimen, just built like a brick house. He has a defensive mentality and a nasty streak that would make offensive linemen cry.

On the court, his reputation is that of a garbage man who competes extremely hard and he has a motor that does not stop. His muscular arms and upper body would be a perfect fit for a defensive end as they are forced to use their arms a lot to “swim” around offensive tackles. Plus, he just looks like a football player.

Backups: Elton Brand (6‘8", 255), Kenyon Martin (6‘7", 245), Leon Powe (6’7", 240)

LB-Baron Davis (6’3", 220)

His stocky body is similar to that of an NFL linebacker’s and his overall power is great for a man his size. I can see him also playing running back, though I like him better at middle linebacker because of his leadership and height. His supreme foot agility and read and react play would make him an outstanding ‘backer. He also has that killer instinct when the game is on the line that you want from your defensive leaders.

LB-Bonzi Wells (6’5", 215)

Wells is a play-maker and I think he would do just that at the linebacker position if he could put on a few pounds. One area you have to be good at to be a linebacker is footwork and with Wells’ rebounding prowess, a skill that requires good footwork, I see him succeeding there.

He has good anticipation skills and I’ll just say it, his bad-boy image suits him well for the defensive side of the ball.

LB-Fred Jones (6’2", 225)

With a football player’s body and the athleticism Jones owns (former slam dunk champion), I can see this shooting guard becoming a legitimate outside linebacker. He would fly all over the field just like he does on the basketball court with his tremendous speed and quickness. The guy is one tough cookie as well.

Backups: Gilbert Arenas (6’4", 215), Caron Butler (6’6", 230), Andre Miller (6’2", 205)

CB-Allen Iverson (6', 180)

The former Virginia high school player of the year in high school while playing quarterback, Iverson left his mark on the football field. No doubt he would succeed as a wide receiver as well, maybe in a slot position role with his slight build, but I like the idea of seeing him at cornerback. His superb quickness, hip movement, vertical and toughness are some of the reasons why I see him making a great corner.

I would have no qualms about putting him out on an island by himself with a receiver as his one on one defensive skills are impressive. And the guy is as tough and fearless as they come.

CB-Chris Paul (6‘, 175)

Paul possesses a lot of the characteristics that make up a good cornerback. He is quick as a cat, has good body control and balance, and has fantastic anticipation and reaction skills. With underestimated leaping ability, he can go up and compete for 50/50 balls as well. During his childhood, football was the sport that earned him the most attention, lining up at quarterback and linebacker among other positions.

Backups: Derek Fisher (6’1", 210), Jason Terry (6’2", 180)

SS-Deron Williams (6‘3", 205)

At the strong safety position I was looking for someone who could play the pass and be tough enough to take on bruising running backs. I found my guy in Deron Williams. He is quick for a player his size yet always plays under control. You need someone with his discipline playing at safety.

Oh yeah, he was a two-time state wrestling champ as a youth so I have no question he is tough enough and can take anyone down to the ground he tackles.

Backup: Ben Gordon (6’3", 200)

FS-Andre Iguodala (6‘5", 210)

Iguodala is very athletic and a great defender on the hardwood. I’m betting he would make for a sound free safety with his array of qualities. His six foot five frame would make it tough for the quarterback to get the ball over his head. Also, his smarts and agility are pertinent when you have to decide on which receiver to cover when you have multiple receivers coming your way at full speed.

Backup: Raja Bell (6’5", 215)

K-Steve Nash (6‘3", 180)

Nash is a talented soccer player, always dribbling the ball with his feet during play stoppages. I’m sure he would excel as a place kicker. And if you want to try a fake field goal, send a lineman to set a pick and roll for Nash to get around the end for the first down.

P-Rasheed Wallace (6’11", 230)

In football he can kick the ball into the stands and not get a technical for it, just bad field position.

Ret.-Rajon Rondo (6’1", 170), Leandro Barbosa (6’3", 200)

Both players are insanely fast and slippery with a basketball in their hands. Why not with a football?

Okay, so I said I wasn’t going to do offensive linemen but how about these guys:

Just get Shaq in there, bring back Oliver Miller and “Big Country” Bryant Reeves and two of those sumo wrestlers you see at NBA halftime games, there’s your five.

The 20 Funniest (Or Dumbest) Athlete Quotes

Brian Hood — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:29:20 -0400

Athletes have a history of saying some pretty outlandish things: some comical, some clever, some just plain stupid. Here is a list of my favorite quotes by various athletes in a variety of sports that would back that up.

20. "I've been dunked on by (Vitaly) Potapenko and now (Zan) Tabak. The good part is that they don't make posters of those guys."—Houston Rockets’ Walt Williams

—Am I really the only one that has a Zan Tabak poster on my ceiling?

19. "I enjoyed the Luge."—Michael Jordan on the Paris museum

—The man was known for his dunking, defense, jump shot, and tenacity, but his fine art knowledge...not so much.

18. Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins: "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."

—Yeah, ‘cause real men wear earrings.

17. "Ball handling and dribbling are my strongest weaknesses."—David Thompson

—I guess that makes dunking his weakest strength.

16. New Orleans Saints RB George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."

—I suppose if he was stuck on 999 and ripped off 501 yards in the final game, this would make sense. No...it still wouldn’t.

15. "I've seen George Foreman shadow boxing and the shadow won."—Muhammad Ali

—The Father of trash talking.

14. “The sun has been there for 500, 600 years.”—Baseball player Mike Cameron

—I knew my astronomy teacher in college was full of crap.

13. "The game was closer than the score indicated."—Baseball player Dizzy Dean, after a 1-0 game

—’Cause when I see 1-0, I think blowout.

12. Shaquille O'Neal: "I've won at every level, except college and pro."

—Before his Laker days he was really proud of his eight and under title ring.

11. "I don’t want to shoot my mouth in my foot, but those are games we can win."—Basketball player Sherman Douglas

—What did he just say?

10. "The Bible never says anything about dinosaurs. You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. Somebody actually saw Adam and Eve. No one ever saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex."—Carl Everett

—All right Carl, let’s not turn this into a holy war.

9. "Well, Rickey’s not one of them, so that’s 49 percent right there."—Rickey Henderson on reports that 50 percent of ballplayers use steroids.

—Rickey Henderson: The scholar.

8. "Because there are no fours."—NBA long-range gunner Antoine Walker when asked why he shoots so many threes.

—He would be a hell of a four-point specialist.

7. "I can play in the center, on the right, and occasionally on the left side."—David Beckham, asked if he was a “volatile” player.

—They still use the English language in England, right?

6. "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious."—N.C. State basketball player Charles Shackleford

—Didn’t Rickey Henderson steal this delicious line?

5. "I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf."—Pitcher Tug McGraw, asked whether he preferred grass or Astroturf.

—It‘s actually a good high...though it smells like losers and Jeff Bagwell’s jock.

4. "They shouldn’t throw at me. I’m the father of five or six kids."—Baseball player Tito Fuentes, after getting hit by a pitch.

—Five OR six: now that’s disturbingly funny.

3. Shaquille O'Neal: "I made a 1,600 minus 800 minus 200 on the SAT, so I'm very intelligent when I speak."

—I’m speechless.

2. "Like they say, it ain't over 'til the fat guy swings."—Phillies catcher Darren Daulton on stocky first baseman John Kruk.

—Ahh...baseball players.

And finally, number one...

1. "We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."—Basketball player Weldon Drew

Game By Game Previews and Predictions for the SEC in Opening Week

Brian Hood — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:51:39 -0400

I'm going to break down the first week of games for the SEC in order of their likelihood of winning. I will start with the SEC team with the lowest chance of pulling out a victory and end with the SEC's easiest "gimme." I will also include some pertinent information regarding both teams and finally give you a prediction.

Alabama vs. Clemson (35 percent)

8:00 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA (Cap. 71,228)

LAST YEAR: Alabama: 7-6 (4-4); Clemson: 9-3 (5-3)

LAST MEETING: Alabama won @ home 56-0 in 1975

PRESEASON RANK: Alabama—24th(AP); Clemson—9th

EARLY LINE: Clemson by five

ALABAMA OFFENSE: B, ALABAMA DEFENSE: C

CLEMSON OFFENSE: B, CLEMSON DEFENSE: A

Except for a questionable offensive line, on paper Clemson looks to have all the pieces. Playmakers at the skill positions combined with a stout defense will give Alabama trouble.

Alabama looks to circle the wagons after last year’s debacle in the second half of the season. Nick Saban’s defense is not where it needs to be yet, but his offense can be pretty good this year—just not in this game. Alabama hopes these will be the only Tigers they lose to this year.

Clemson, 34-24

What it would take for Alabama to win: Some leaders to step up quickly on the defense. Limited mistakes from John Parker Wilson.

Vanderbilt @ Miami (OH) (40 percent)

7:30 pm Thursday, Aug. 28; Yager Stadium, Miami, OH (24,386)

LAST YEAR: Vandy: 5-7 (2-6); Miami: 6-7 (5-2)

LAST MEETING: Vandy won @ home 24-13 last year

PRESEASON RANK: Vandy—anywhere from 55-78; Miami—anywhere from 70-92

EARLY LINE: Miami (OH) by three

VANDY OFFENSE: F; VANDY DEFENSE: B

MIAMI OFFENSE: F; MIAMI DEFENSE: C

This should be a competitive game. There's very similar team makeup here—both offenses don’t look to be any better after last year’s were simply anemic. Both teams' playmakers are on the defensive side of ball. The game ought to be a defensive battle with Vanderbilt’s defense the player of the day.

Vandy, 16-13

What it would take for Miami to win: Pedestrian play from its offense. Home field backing.

Kentucky @ Louisville (40 percent)

3:30 pm Sunday, Aug. 31; Papa John's Stadium (The Oven), Louisville, KY (42,000)

LAST YEAR: Kentucky: 8-5 (3-5); Louisville: 6-6 (3-4)

LAST MEETING: Kentucky won @ home 40-34 last year

PRESEASON RANK: Kentucky—anywhere from 52-66; Louisville—anywhere from 46-64

EARLY LINE: Louisville by four

KENTUCKY OFFENSE: D; KENTUCKY DEFENSE: C

LOUISVILLE OFFENSE: C; LOUISVILLE DEFENSE: D

Louisville tries to bounce back after last season's struggles, and Kentucky is trying not to take a step back this year. If played on a neutral field, it’s pretty much a pick’em game. I’ll cowardly take Louisville with the home field advantage, and I’ll take a slice of sausage and mushroom.

Louisville, 24-23

What it would take for Kentucky to win: Their defense to play like it can as long as their quarterback (whoever it’ll be) doesn’t stink up the joint completely.

Tennessee @ UCLA (70 percent)

8:00 pm Monday, Sep. 1; Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA (91,136)

LAST YEAR: Tennessee: 10-4 (6-2); UCLA: 6-6 (5-4)

LAST MEETING: Tennessee won @ UCLA 30-24 in 1997

PRESEASON RANK: Tennessee—18th, UCLA—anywhere from 37-54

EARLY LINE: Tennessee by seven

TENN OFFENSE: B; TENN DEFENSE: B

UCLA OFFENSE: D; UCLA DEFENSE: B

UCLA’s quarterback situation is dire. Last season’s offense was not that great to begin with, so their defense is going to have to give Tennessee’s new system all it can handle.

If the Vols can adapt to their new offensive attack, the rest of their team looks solid. The only reason not to pick Tennessee in this game is their cross-country trip to foreign land. I don’t think that will make a bit of difference.

Tennessee, 27-13

What it would take for UCLA to win: An offense that looks nothing like last year’s or this past spring’s.

Memphis @ Mississippi (70 percent)

7:00 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS (60,850)

LAST YEAR: Memphis: 7-6 (6-2); Ole Miss: 3-9 (0-8)

LAST MEETING: Ole Miss won @ Memphis 23-21 last year

PRESEASON RANK: Memphis—anywhere from 62-94; Mississippi—anywhere from 53-75

EARLY LINE: Ole Miss by eight

MEMPHIS OFFENSE: C; MEMPHIS DEFENSE: D

OLE MISS OFFENSE: C; OLE MISS DEFENSE: C

In what may be an underrated rivalry, Memphis and Mississippi open the year against each other in Oxford. Mississippi looks to improve under the leadership of incoming transfer Jevan Snead. The players around him have the talent and now the coach in Houston Nutt. Memphis’ defense will be their undoing.

Ole Miss, 33-24

What it would take for Memphis to win: A great day running the football to keep their defense off the field.

Mississippi St. @ Louisiana Tech (75 percent)

6:45 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, LA (30,600)

LAST YEAR: Miss St.: 8-5 (4-4); La Tech: 5-7 (4-4)

LAST MEETING: La Tech won @ Miss St. 38-23 in 1996

PRESEASON RANK: Miss St.—anywhere from 29-48; La Tech—anywhere from 87-99

EARLY LINE: Miss St. by nine

MISS ST OFFENSE: D; MISS ST DEFENSE: B

LA TECH OFFENSE: F; LA TECH DEFENSE: D

Mississippi St. makes a scary trip to Ruston to play a Louisiana Tech team they should beat. It’s not what you would call a "gimme" game. The Mississippi St. offense doesn’t look to be any better than the last few years, but their defense remains strong.

The lesser of the Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech, will be entering the game with a new quarterback. That might be a good thing because they were absolutely awful on offense last year. This will be another low scoring game, and those usually go to Mississippi St.

Miss St., 26-14

What it would take for La. Tech. to win: The new quarterback (Michael Mosley) surprises and looks great. This marks the first time Louisiana Tech will be hosting an SEC team, and their crowd will have to provide a big advantage as well.

NC State @ South Carolina (80 percent)

8:00 pm Thursday, Aug. 28; Williams-Brice Stadium (The Cockpit), Columbia, SC (80,250)

LAST YEAR: NC State: 5-7 (3-5); S. Carolina: 6-6 (3-5)

LAST MEETING: NC State won @ home 10-0 in 1999

PRESEASON RANK: NC State—anywhere from 52-68; S. Car—anywhere from 27-47

EARLY LINE: S. Carolina by 12

NC STATE OFFENSE: D; NC STATE DEFENSE: C

S. CAR OFFENSE: C; S. CAR DEFENSE: B

South Carolina, with its better defense and home field advantage, should come away from this game with a win. Both teams' offenses could turn out OK by the end of the year, but right now they look questionable, so I see this game being pretty low scoring.

S. Carolina, 24-13

What it would take for NC State to win: S. Carolina quarterback play continues to be a liability, and NC State’s advantageous defense keeps the crowd out of the game.

Appalachian St. @ LSU (85 percent)

5:00 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Tiger Stadium (Death Valley), Baton Rouge, LA (92,400)

LAST YEAR: Appy St.: 13-2 (5-2); LSU: 12-2 (6-2)

LAST MEETING: LSU won @ home 24-0 in 2005

PRESEASON RANK: Appy St.—N/A; LSU—6th

EARLY LINE: LSU by 23

ASU OFFENSE: B; ASU DEFENSE: D

LSU OFFENSE: B; LSU DEFENSE: B

This meeting marks the first time the defending FBS and defending FCS national champions meet. While I do not see Appalachian St. duplicating their upset of Michigan against the Tigers, I do see Appy hanging tough and making it closer than people think because of LSU‘s inexperience in a few places. Appalachian St.’s offense will put some points up, but it will not be enough.

LSU, 37-21

What it would take for Appy St. to win: The Mountaineers’ confidence needs to remain strong and keep them in the game early. Appalachian’s skill players must exploit the inexperience in LSU's defense.

Louisiana-Monroe @ Auburn (90 percent)

7:00 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Jordan-Hare Stadium (Grand Canyon), Auburn, AL (87,451)

LAST YEAR: La. Monroe: 6-6 (4-3); Auburn: 9-4 (5-3)

LAST MEETING: Auburn won @ home 31-0 in 2004

PRESEASON RANK: La. Monroe—anywhere from 82-114; Auburn—11th

EARLY LINE: Auburn by 27

LA MON. OFFENSE: D; LA MON. DEFENSE: C

AUBURN OFFENSE: C; AUBURN DEFENSE: A

Hoping to ride the momentum from last year’s end of the year success (and the win at Alabama), Louisiana Monroe comes into this game with a senior quarterback and some confidence. Auburn will make sure they return home 0-1. There's too much defense for the Tigers. Their offense hopes to open strong with the new spread attack they installed. Auburn will be just fine.

Auburn, 31-9

What it would take for La. Monroe to win: Accidentally drive to Tuscaloosa instead of Auburn?

Hawaii @ Florida (95 percent)

12:30 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (The Swamp), Gainesville, FL (88,548)

LAST YEAR: Hawaii: 12-1 (8-0); Florida: 9-4 (5-3)

LAST MEETING: Never Met

PRESEASON RANK: Hawaii—anywhere from 43-81; Florida—5th

EARLY LINE: Florida by 34

HAWAII OFFENSE: C; HAWAII DEFENSE: C

FLORIDA OFFENSE: A; FLORIDA DEFENSE: B

Don‘t expect the Warriors to keep it close. Hawaii is completely rebuilding its offense, so a shaky but talented Gators defense will not be tested just yet. Certainly not great, Hawaii’s defense might be undervalued, but it will not be able to slow down Florida‘s world-class offense. Look for Florida to dominate early and often.

Florida, 45-14

What it would take for Hawaii to win: Make a stop in Dallas on its extended trip from Honolulu to Florida and outfit the entire Cowboys team in green and black and hope nobody in Gainesville recognizes them.

Western Illinois @ Arkansas (95 percent)

7:00 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR (76,000)

LAST YEAR: W. Illinois: 6-5 (3-3); Arkansas: 8-5 (4-4)

LAST MEETING: Never Met

PRESEASON RANK: W. Illinois—N/A; Arkansas—anywhere from 48-61

EARLY LINE: No Line

W. ILLINOIS OFFENSE: F; W. ILLINOIS DEFENSE: F

ARKANSAS OFFENSE: C; ARKANSAS DEFENSE: D

Arkansas opens against FCS weakling Western Illinois. The Razorbacks look to replace only the best backfield they’ve ever had. Casey Dicks looks to...ah, who am I kidding—it’s Western Illinois. ‘Backs big.

Arkansas, 41-11

What it would take for W. Illinois to win: 13 against 11.

Georgia Southern @ Georgia (95 percent)

12:30 pm Saturday, Aug. 30; Sanford Stadium (Between the Hedges), Athens, GA (92,746)

LAST YEAR: Ga. Southern: 7-4 (4-3); Georgia: 11-2 (6-2)

LAST MEETING: Georgia won @ home 48-28 in 2004

PRESEASON RANK: Ga. Southern—N/A; Georgia—1st

EARLY LINE: No Line

GA STHN OFFENSE: D; GA STHN DEFENSE: F

GEORGIA OFFENSE: B; GEORGIA DEFENSE: A

While I’m not completely convinced the Georgia offense will be a juggernaut this year, against Georgia Southern the unit should look the part. In years past, Georgia Sothern’s offense may have been able to put up some points. However, they lost a lot on offense, and Georgia’s defense should be menacing this year. Southern’s bus driver may want to warm the bus up in the second quarter—this one’s going to be dawg ugly.

Georgia, 48-10

What it would take for Ga South. to win: After scoring their first points of the day, a field goal to cut the lead to 21-3, Georgia Southern’s coach orders his whole team to run out onto the field and celebrate. The Bulldogs are left in utter shock, lose focus, and eventually the game, 31-28.

SEC RECORD THROUGH FIRST WEEK: 10-2

Strange But True: Things You May Not Know About College Football's Top 25

Brian Hood — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:48:44 -0400

With the season just around the corner, I gathered some interesting facts and unique history belonging to the top 25 teams ranked in the opening coaches' poll.

No. 1 Georgia: Before the Bulldog became Georgia’s now famous mascot, their first unofficial mascot was a goat. That’s right—when Georgia played its first intercollegiate game against Auburn in 1892, they introduced the ferocious goat as their lucky charm.

No. 2 USC: A recent tradition at USC is if you want to wear the number 55 at USC, you’re going to have to earn it. Typically regarded as the anchor of the defense, the number cannot be picked by a player, but must be assigned by the head coach.

No. 3 Ohio State: Just about everyone knows Ohio State is famous for its band’s performance of dotting the i in “Script Ohio,” but the first band to perform the Buckeye tradition was...wait for it...Michigan.

No. 4 Oklahoma: The football team’s storied history began in 1895 when coach John Harts saw his team go 0-1 for the season, losing to Oklahoma City Town Team. Several members of the team were injured, including Coach Harts. Apparently, Coach Harts had had enough: He left after one season to prospect for gold in the Arctic. Seriously.

No. 5 Florida: Steve Spurrier, former legendary coach and Heisman trophy winner for the Gators, is known for his clever quips. An obscure one he once said: "Wuerffel is a New Testament guy. You slap him upside the helmet, and he'll turn the other cheek and say, ‘Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do.' I'm a little more Old Testament. If you spear our guy in the earhole, I think we're supposed to be able to spear your guy in the earhole."

No. 6 LSU: Before Gatorade was created on the campus of Florida to help replenish fluids for their football players, Bengal Punch was a sports drink first concocted in 1958 for the LSU team. It was created by Dr. Martin Broussard, the long-time LSU athletic trainer, and is believed to be the first sports drink ever created, pre-dating Gatorade by seven years.

No. 7 Missouri: Missouri is credited with establishing the tradition of Homecoming in the United States, which was then adopted by most colleges and high schools across the country. The tradition began in 1911 when athletic director Chester L. Brewer invited alumni to "come home" for the big football game against Kansas.

No. 8 W. Virginia: Of all the FBS (formerly Div. I-A) teams never to win a national championship, West Virginia is the winningest with 663 victories. Yeah, that’s all I got on this one.

No. 9 Clemson: Clemson shares its mascot with Auburn. Coincidence? The "Father of Clemson Football," Walter Merritt Riggs, brought the game with him from Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (now Auburn University). Riggs let his players pick the team mascot, and even though he may have influenced their decision, the players chose Tigers because Princeton University had just won the national championship.

No. 10 Texas: The Longhorns' stadium has the largest high definition screen in the Western hemisphere. The Godzillatron was the largest high-def in the world up until Tokyo built one recently. So now you can watch Colt McCoy throwing interceptions on a 7,370-foot screen at a pixel resolution of 2064 x 848.

No. 11 Auburn: Auburn’s first bowl game was against Villanova in the Bacardi Bowl, held in Havana, Cuba. The game was played in a revolutionary atmosphere. Fulgencio Batista, the dictator who would be overthrown by Fidel Castro 22 years later, had just assumed power. The game was almost canceled because Batista’s picture was not in the game program. A quick trip to the printer saved the Bacardi Bowl and allowed Auburn’s bowl history to get off to a significant and historical beginning.

No. 12 Wisconsin: The Badger's home stadium has taken the traditional Wave to a whole new level. This goes beyond standing up and raising your hands in the air. The procedure at Badgers games generally follows a pattern (led by the student section) of sending the wave around clockwise twice, then once in slow-motion, then once at double the original speed, then once around counter-clockwise, and lastly, splitting it into two counter-rotational waves. Finally, after this dizzying array of wavedom, everyone pukes in unison.

No. 13 Kansas: Kansas has the distinction of holding the Division I-A record for tie games with 57. If a tie is like kissing your sister, as the saying goes, the Jayhawks need a psychological intervention.

No. 14 Texas Tech: Tech’s first intercollegiate football game, played in 1925, ended in a controversial tie. On what seemed to be the game’s winning 20-yard field goal by Elson Archibald, the referee ruled that the clock had run out before the kick. It was later reported that the referee made the call to get revenge because he wanted to be the team’s first head coach, but the job was instead given to Ewing Freeland.

No. 15 Virginia Tech: The Blacksburg school loves to change its names. First they were known as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, then Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute, and finally Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Institute, or Virginia Tech. The nickname “Hokies” was formerly the “Fighting Gobblers.” By the time my next article comes out, they will be known as the South Virginia Tech Turkeys.

No. 16 Arizona State: On September 14, 1987, Pope John Paul II came to Sun Devil Stadium to hold mass for 75,000 people as part of his American tour. For the Pope to agree to enter the stadium, all the Sun Devil logos and words with “devil” painted on the stadium’s façade had to be covered up.

No. 17 BYU: The Cougars won the 1984 National Championship, becoming the first team since the inception of the AP poll to win the title without beating an opponent ranked in the top 25 at season’s end. Oklahoma and Washington, two of the biggest critics of BYU’s '84 National Championship, turned down a chance to play BYU in the 1984 Holiday Bowl due to their desires to play a more nationally recognized opponent.

No. 18 Tennessee: Smokey, Tennessee’s mascot, has had its share of trials and tribulations over the years. Smokey II was stolen by Kentucky students in 1955 and was involved in an incident with the Baylor Bear's mascot Judge at the 1957 Sugar Bowl. Not to be outdone, Smokey VI was the first dog to make the Volunteer injury report after suffering heat exhaustion in the 1991 UCLA game.

No. 19 Illinois: Illinois claims to have hosted the first homecoming in the country. Have we heard this before? This declaration contradicts Missouri’s claim. Just another reason for these border schools to hate on each other.

No. 20 Oregon: Eugene, Oregon contains urban forest. The University of Oregon campus is itself an arboretum, with over 500 species of trees. The city operates and maintains scenic hiking trails that pass through and across the ridges of a cluster of hills in the southern portion of the city, on the fringe of residential neighborhoods.

No. 21 South Florida: The Bulls have never been shut out in a regular season football game. The only shutout they suffered was a 14-0 loss to North Carolina State in the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl, officially the Bulls' 100th game.

No. 22 Penn State: The school's official colors were originally black and pink, but the baseball team's uniforms faded to dark blue and white, so the school permanently changed the colors to the now-familiar blue and white. You read that correctly—pink used to be in the Penn State color scheme. Pink.

No. 23 Wake Forest: Originally, Wake Forest's athletic teams were known as the Fighting Baptists, due to its association with the Baptist Convention. However, in 1923, after a particularly impressive win against the Duke Blue Devils, a newspaper reporter wrote that the Deacons "fought like Demons," giving rise to the current team name, the "Demon Deacons."

No. 24 Michigan: Michigan’s famous fight song, “The Victors,” goes beyond the football field. UM alumnus Gerald R. Ford, the 38th President of the United States, selected the song to be played during his December 2006 funeral procession at the U.S. Capitol. Michigan’s marching band played this tune for him one final time, for his last ride from the Gerald R. Ford airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

No. 25 Fresno State: The green "V" worn on the back of the football players' helmets honors the agricultural industry of the San Joaquin Valley and the importance it plays in financially supporting Fresno State. Not V for Victory—V for agricultural valley. Go figure.

Open Mic: MY Tennessee Volunteers All-Time Football Team

Brian Hood — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:38:57 -0400

I was born during the Majors Era—not when Johnny Majors was a tailback for the University of Tennessee, where he was ripping apart defenses in the last remaining days of the single wing attack.

I grew up watching Coach Johnny Majors lead a Tennessee program back to prominence in the 80's and early 90's. I've seen some dominant players run through the "T" since then.

I'll admit though, I'm a little bitter. There were a lot of great teams and outstanding players that, unfortunately, I did not get to see because I was born too late.

The regime of General Robert Neyland and his four championships I missed. I also missed Condredge Holloway breaking new ground as a black quarterback in the SEC.

I missed out on seeing the great Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds and the 1953 Chevrolet he sawed in half after losing to Mississippi 38-0 in 1969. Well, maybe I could have gone without seeing that (38-0 to Ole Miss, really?).

So how does someone like me compile a list of the best football players ever to play for Tennessee? Let's just say I've done some reading.

Here it is, I give you the baddest football players to ever suit up for the Orange and White:

POSITION — STARTERS — RESERVES

OFFENSE

QB— Peyton Manning('94-'97), Condredge Holloway('72-'75), Heath Shuler('91-'94)

RB— Johnny Majors('53-'56), Reggie Cobb('87-'89), Jamal Lewis('97-'99)

RB— Travis Henry('97-'00), Hank Lauricella('49-'51), George Cafego('37-'40)

WR— Carl Pickens('89-'91), Robert Meachem('03-'07), Willie Gault('79-'82)

WR— Joey Kent('94-'97), Peerless Price('95-'98), Stanley Morgan('74-'77)

TE/WR— Jason Witten('00-'02), Marcus Nash('95-'98), Tim McGee('82-'85)

OT— Chad Clifton('96-'99), Arron Sears('03-'06)

OG— Bob Suffridge('38-'40), Herman Hickman('29-'31)

C— Chip Kell('68-'70), Scott Wells('00-'04)

OG— Harry Galbreath('85-'88), Ed Molinsky('38-'40)

OT— Cosey Coleman('97-'00), Jason Layman('92-'95)

DEFENSE

DE— Reggie White('81-'84), Steve Delong('62-'65)

DE— Doug Atkins('50-'52), Shaun Ellis('97-'00)

DT— John Henderson('98-'01), Darwin Walker('97-'00)

DT— Albert Haynesworth('99-'02), Shane Burton('93-'96)

LB— Steve Kiner('67-'69), Raynoch Thompson('96-99)

LB— Al Wilson('96-'99), Jerod Mayo('04-'07)

LB— Leonard Little('94-'97), Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds('67-'70)

CB— Dale Carter('88-'91), Jason Allen('02-'06)

CB— Terry Fair('95-'97), J.J. McCleskey('91-'94)

S— Deon Grant('97-'99), Richmond Flowers('66-'69)

S— Bill Bates('80-'83), Gibril Wilson('03-'04)

*So sorry Travis Stephens, for I know you deeply wanted to be on this list.

*Due to lack of information, a couple of these dates may be off a year.