Bleacher Report - Articles by Zach Dirlam

Michigan State-North Carolina Preview: Can David Slay Goliath?

Zach Dirlam — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:36:03 -0400

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo has tried to avoid answering the question, but every fan knows it is on his mind.

Can David slay Goliath?

Izzo's Spartans are huge underdogs in Monday night's national championship game against the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels are the huge favorite both in Vegas and amongst every non-Spartan fan.

It's hard to blame them considering the fact MSU was blown out 98-63 at Ford Field earlier this season by North Carolina.

But, in these hard times for all of us Michiganders, we can only hope they are all wrong. The unemployment rate in Michigan continues to rise much like the point spread against the Spartans for the Monday night showdown.

People in Detroit continue to lose their jobs and the automotive industry continues to suffer, yet everyone has found something to rally around in these hard times.

That something is Michigan State's magical NCAA tournament run.

The Spartans breezed through their tournament opener against 15 seed Robert Morris. In the second round, the 10th seeded USC Trojans fought hard, but MSU marched on to the Sweet 16 with a 74-69 victory.

The Kansas Jayhawks would be the Spartans next victim in a game that looked over at halftime. The Jayhawks at one point held a 13 point lead late in the first half, but Spartan point guard Kalin Lucas would not let his team lose.

Lucas scored the MSU's last seven points and the Spartans managed to outlast Kansas 67-62.

After that victory you still probably couldn't find many people that thought MSU had any chance at beating top-seeded Louisville in the Elite Eight. The Spartans were huge underdogs against the Cardinals, who were coming off an easy 103-64 victory against Arizona in their Sweet 16 game.

The experts said Louisville's up-tempo style would end MSU's tournament run, but Izzo's team obviously didn't get the memo. They were able to hold the Cardinals to a season low 52 points and cruise to a 12-point victory.

Izzo has said making it to the Final Four at Ford Field this year has been on his mind since 2003. This was when the NCAA announced Detroit would play host to the 2009 Final Four.

But, even in a stadium that is just 92 miles from its home campus the Spartans remained underdogs in their Final Four battle with the Connecticut Huskies.

Almost everyone in the ESPN studios figured UConn had too much size for MSU to handle, and that they would finally end Izzo's dream-like run to Detroit.

However, the Spartans controlled the game from the opening tip and defied the experts by pulling out a thrilling 82-73 victory.

This brings us to where we are right now. North Carolina has dominated their opponents in the tournament and has won all their games by double digits.

The Tar Heels have been the favorite to win the national title since the beginning of the season. They returned a team chock-full of future NBA players, including last year’s national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough.

But, this is a much improved MSU team they will be facing Monday night. It will not be the team they blew out way back in early December.

They will face the MSU team that has found a way to prove all the experts wrong. They will face one of the most underrated big men in the country, Goran Suton, who missed the regular season match-up due to injury.

More importantly, they will face a team that is carrying the hope of an entire state on its shoulders.

The Spartans may not be able to match the talent of North Carolina, but the Tar Heels will not be able to match the heart of Michigan State.

Is this destiny’s team? Can they complete their magical tournament run by beating a team that destroyed them on the very same arena floor earlier this season? Can the Spartans yet again overcome the odds and win a championship in their own state?

Can David slay Goliath?

Well, while I can’t answer those questions I can tell you that I will be rooting for the Spartans on Monday night. I hope all you other Michigan Wolverine fans like me will also root on the Spartans tomorrow night.

For the state of Michigan this is much more than just another basketball game.

The Spartans have a chance to give the people of Michigan something to remember for years to come. They can deliver the people of this great state one shining moment.

Bubble Watch: Should The Michigan Wolverines Be In the Field of 65?

Zach Dirlam — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:45:52 -0500

Many college basketball fans didn't expect much out of the Michigan Wolverines this season.

They were not involved in any of the ESPN discussions about surprising teams this season. The Wolverines weren't even mentioned as a team that could make the NCAA tournament.

It's hard to blame anyone for not talking about them, because Michigan was coming off a school record of 22 losses in John Beilein's first year as head coach.

But, Beilein's second year has been much more successful. The Wolverines have an overall record of 18-12 and boast many quality victories that have put them on the fringe of the NCAA tournament. If the Michigan makes the field of 65, it will be the first time since 1998 that they would be making an appearance.

The Wolverines have a strong case to make the tournament. They boast victories over two top-five teams, Duke and UCLA, and also knocked off two more top 25 teams, Purdue and Illinois.

Michigan has also faced many of best teams in the nation this season. As of Monday the Wolverines have the 10th toughest schedule in the country.

The Wolverines did go through a period where they lost seven of nine games to drop their overall record to 15-10. However, Michigan has picked up the pieces and has won three of their last five games, including victories over No. 16 Purdue and fellow bubble team Minnesota.

Michigan closes out their regular at Minnesota this Saturday. They will then prepare to try and make a run in the Big Ten Tournament.

The bottom line is that if Michigan can get to the 20-win mark they should make the NCAA tournament this season.

On a different note, all of the Big Ten bubble teams should be rooting on the Creighton Blue Jays in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament next week as well.

The Blue Jays occupy one of the valuable at-large bids because they are in second place going into their conference tournament.

However, if the Blue Jays were to win their conference they would more then likely bounce Northern Iowa, the current MVC leader, from the NCAA tournament and open up another at-large spot.

Michigan-Purdue: Red-Hot Second Half Propels Wolverines to Upset Victory

Zach Dirlam — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:46:23 -0500

You could walk into Crisler Arena on Thursday night and feel it. You could tell by the atmosphere in the gym that something special was going to happen. The vibe obviously reached the Michigan Basketball team.

The Wolverines (18-11, 8-8) needed a victory in a game that was absolutely critical to their NCAA tournament hopes. They were unable to come up with a big victory over lowly Iowa on Sunday, but on this night there would be no losing for Michigan.

The Wolverines pulled an unlikely 87-78 upset over the No. 16 Purdue Boilermakers (21-7, 10-5) who were battling to stay in the battle for the regular season Big Ten title.

Purdue had won four games in a row and were trailing the Michigan State Spartans by just a game in the conference standings, but on this night they could not put down the Wolverines tournament hopes.

The Boilermakers largest lead all night was just four points. They trailed for all of the final 26 minutes.

Neither team led by more than four points in the first half and the Wolverines held a 37-34 advantage at halftime.

The game remained close until Michigan went on a 19-6 run that was ignited by a sophomore Manny Harris with 10 minutes to go in the game. The Wolverines never looked back and extended their lead to as high as 16 points.

Harris and junior power forward DeShawn Sims willed their Wolverines to victory by combining for 56 points. Sims had a career high 29 points on 13-for-16 shooting while Harris put up 27 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

Purdue had no answer for Sims as their second leading scorer and top shot blocker JaJuan Johnson was only able to play 14 minutes due to foul trouble.

The Boilermakers were the top scoring defense in the Big Ten going into Thursday night’s game, but the Wolverines shot 81 percent in the second half and 63 percent for the entire game.

Michigan also held Purdue's leading scorer E'Twaun Moore to just one point in the first half. Moorefinished with 18 points on the night. Robbie Hummel led the Boilermakers with 24 points.

Also, Harris became just the sixth player in school history to score 1,000 career points by his sophomore year. He joined Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Phil Hubbard, Mike McGee, and Louis Bullock as the only other members of that category.

The Wolverines certainly helped their NCAA tournament chances with their victory on Thursday. Many believed Michigan blew their chance when they fell to Iowa on Sunday, but this victory gives the Wolverines a second chance to make a push for the tournament.

Michigan has won three of their last four, but has two road games against Minnesota and Wisconsin to finish the season. They play Wisconsin at the Kohls Center on Sunday.

The Wolverines could use a victory in either of their final two games to get into the big dance.

The Boilermakers have now fallen two games behind Michigan State in the conference standings with just three games left. Purdue takes on the 18-8 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday.

The Wolverines have bounced back from a school record 22 losses last year and have put themselves firmly on the NCAA bubble. However, as this season ends for Michigan they have had an improbable run and will be a tough team to beat in the NCAA or NIT tournament.

Wolverines-Golden Gophers: Michigan Hits 13 Three's In Rout of Minnesota

Zach Dirlam — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:23:46 -0500

Over the last couple of weeks the Michigan Wolverines (17-10 overall, 7-7 Big Ten) have come very close to having their NCAA tournament bubble burst. They needed overtime to take down Northwestern on the road in a must-win game in Evanston, Ill., on Sunday.

However, they didn’t struggle at all in another must-win game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (19-7, 7-7) on Thursday night.

The game was close for much of the first 10 minutes, but then the Wolverines went on an 18-4 run over the next six minutes. They took a 30-18 lead they would never relinquish.

Michigan went 8-for-19 from behind the arc in the first half en route to a 40-25 halftime lead. The Wolverines stretched their lead to as many as 25 points in the second half and went on to win the game 74-62.

Michigan freshman Zack Novak led all scorers with 18 points. He hit a career-high six three-point shots. Fellow freshman Stu Douglass added 12 points and four assists.

But, the biggest spark for the Wolverines came off the bench. Sophomore point guard Kelvin Grady, who has seen his playing time diminish, went 3-for-3 from behind the arc and finished with 12 points in just 14 minutes.

The Big Ten’s second leading scorer, Manny Harris, was held to just eight points on 2-for-8 shooting. He only played 22 minutes due to foul trouble. All in all, there were four players in double figures for the Wolverines Thursday night.

Minnesota’s leading scorer, junior guard Lawrence Westbrook, had 12 points and four assists. True freshman guard Devoe Joseph led the Golden Gophers with 14 points.

The Golden Gophers were ranked No. 19 back on Feb. 2, but since then have struggled and lost four of their last five games. Northwestern will roll into Minneapolis on Sunday to take on Minnesota. The Wildcats won the previous meeting between the two teams last month.

Michigan kept its NCAA tournament hopes alive with the blowout victory Thursday night. The Wolverines went through a stretch where they lost seven out of nine games, but they have put it back together and won three of their last five.

The Wolverines will travel to Carver Hawkeye Arena, where they will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes this Sunday. Michigan won the previous meeting of the two teams 64-49 at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines will need to beat the Hawkeyes if they want to keep their tournament hopes alive.

The Golden Gophers and Wolverines will meet again on Mar. 9, the final day of the regular season.

Why CC Sabathia Will Flop With The Yankees

Zach Dirlam — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:11:23 -0500

CC Sabathia was just one of the three big name signings by the New York Yankees this offseason. The Yankees also acquired pitcher A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixiera.

CC signed a contract worth $161 million dollars over a seven-year span. The contract also allows him to opt out of his deal after the third year.

Sabathia is best remembered for carrying the Milwaukee Brewers into the postseason last season, but he then struggled in the playoffs and failed to win either of his two starts.

His lackluster playoff record is just the first sign as to why he will struggle with the Yankees.

Sabathia is 1-3 with a 10.45 ERA lifetime in the playoffs. He is also 0-2 against the Red Sox in the postseason. Sabathia has never made it out of the fifth inning of any of his postseason starts.

The Yankee organization is all about winning championships. It doesn’t matter how well you play in the regular season, because unless you get it done in the playoffs you are perceived as a failure.

If you need evidence of this, look no further then Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

He has performed well in the regular season, but has failed to produce in the postseason, which has angered many Yankee fans.

It is also interesting to note that Sabathia has never won 20 games in a season. He has also lost at least ten games in five of his last seven years.

The second sign of a setup for failure is his lucrative contract. Sabathia became the highest paid pitcher in MLB history when he signed his $161 million contract.

However, signing a big time deal has not worked out well for anyone. Barry Zito signed a seven-year, $126 million deal with San Francisco in 2007.

Since then, he is 21-30 and has had an ERA of close to 5.00.

Also, the most recent big name pitching acquisitions have not worked out well for the Yankees either.

Kevin Brown was acquired through a trade with the Dodgers, and had a contract worth $105 million. He was 14-13 in two seasons with the Yankees.

In 2004, Carl Pavano signed a deal with New York that would pay him close to $10 million a year. But he has been troubled by injuries, and played just 26 games for the Yankees. He had a 9-8 record in those games.

Jaret Wright was also another big bust in the Bronx. He singed a three-year, $21 million deal and went 16-12 in two years with the Yankees.

Sabathia also has a history of falling apart down the stretch. This is because he has never thrown under 180 innings in a season. He has also thrown 494 innings the last two seasons.

Also, CC has thrown 26,190 pitches since 2001. This is the fourth most out of all left-handed pitchers.

Guess who is at the top of the list, Barry Zito.

Mark Buehrle is second on the list with just over 27,000 pitches. He has only been able to manage a 37-34 record over his last three seasons.

Another stat worth noting is Sabathia’s dismal record at Yankee Stadium. In five starts there, he has allowed 22 earned runs and has an 8.61 ERA. Mark Mulder is the only pitcher with a higher ERA in the Bronx.

Some may look to Sabathia’s record against the AL East as a bright spot. His overall record is 30-16, and if you exclude New York, his record is 29-8. But, he is 2-4 against the Red Sox.

CC is also 7-1 against the Tampa Bay Rays, but he did not pitch against the newly-resurgent Rays last year.

The signs that Sabathia will struggle to live up to the massive pressure in New York are all there. CC might end up standing for Captain Choke after his first season with the Yankees is over.

The Disappearing Scandal of Reggie Bush

Zach Dirlam — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:18:19 -0500

There was a scandal just three years ago that should have rocked the world of college football, and the USC Trojans. Yes, I am talking about the Reggie Bush scandal.

Bush was a star tailback at USC. He won the Heisman trophy in 2005 and started on USC’s national championship team in 2004. However, there was substantial proof that Bush and his family accepted over $100,000 of improper benefits while still playing at USC.

But the NCAA simply slid the case under the rug, and after a while, it was like it never happened at all.

Why? Well, the answer to that question is actually pretty simple, but we’ll get to that in a little bit. Right now, let’s review all the allegations and evidence against Reggie and his family for those of you who don’t know about them, or if you forgot like the NCAA.

Two sports agencies wanted to sign Bush and handle his contracts and endorsements. They were Mike Ornstein, his current agent, and Michael Michaels and Lloyd Lane of New Era Sports and Entertainment, who were planning to make Bush their first client.

Documents and on-record interviews show that Bush and his family received benefits from Ornstein.

Reportedly, they were given round-trip tickets from San Diego to Oakland in November of 2005. They were for Bush’s step-father, LaMar Griffin, his mother Denise, and his younger brother. The family went to see Reggie play against the University of California in Berkeley.

The cost of the trip was close to $600, and the fees were charged to the account of one of Ornstein’s employees.

There was also limousine transportation provided for the family during that same weekend. The $250.65 charges were placed on the same account as the plane tickets.

Ornstein also provided suits for LaMar, and Bush’s brother to wear to the 2005 Heisman trophy ceremony. Bush’s mother also received a makeover, and the family was again given limousine transportation. There were also reports Bush’s family received $1,500 weekly.

So now you’re saying, “Well, it was just his family so he can’t be punished for that.” But NCAA by-laws strictly prohibit athletes, their families, and friends from accepting transportation, loans, or other benefits from agents.

But Orstein’s gifts were just the tip of the iceberg. Several documents linked Bush and his family to New Era as well.

For three days in March of 2005, Bush stayed at a hotel in San Diego. His $1,574.66 expenses were charged to Michael Michael’s credit card. The receipts were all signed by Bush.

He also charged over $600 of expenses to Michael’s card a week later at a hotel in Las Vegas. The receipts were yet again signed by Bush.

Reggie was also given close to $13,000 by New Era to purchase and modify a 1996 Chevy Impala LS, but this isn’t even the biggest part of the scandal.

Bush’s family lived in a home owned by Michaels in Spring Valley, Californiafor close to a year. They did not pay $54,000 worth of rent. The family was later evicted for failing to pay the lease, but they took $12,000 worth of furniture owned by Michaels.

It was also later discovered Michaels and New Era settled close to $28,000 of pre-existing debt for the Bush family.

The Pac-10 and NCAA launched an investigation when they heard about the allegations. If it was found that Bush, or his family accepted any of these benefits while at USC he could have lost his Heisman trophy. The NCAA could have also taken USC’s 2004 national championship away as well.

But it all seemed to vanish one night and no action was ever taken against USC, or Bush.

Reggie turned pro in 2006 and was drafted second overall by the New Orleans Saints in the NFL draft. He hired Ornstein as his agent.

Later that year, when everyone had forgotten about the investigation a federal investigation team discovered recorded conversations between Bush, LaMar Griffin, and an investor of New Era. Four sources said they discussed financial agreements dating back to 2004.

Circumstantially, those tapes seemed to be swept under the rug along with all of the other allegations against Bush.

Why has the NCAA to this day not done anything to the USC football program? Well that’s because the NCAA wouldn’t want to break up a dynasty would they? I mean come on people, if this was any other program they would be getting hammered.

Look at the fab five case at Michigan. Michigan basketball was placed on probation for five years, and lost scholarships during those years as well. In addition, they had to remove championship banners, and one of their national championship banners, but the fab five NEVER won a national title.

This case is 10 times bigger than the fab five’s case and the NCAA hasn’t done a thing to punish USC.

There were confirmed reports not to long ago that former USC basketball player O.J. Mayo received over $50,000 worth of benefits. Has the NCAA done anything about that either? Nope, they haven’t done a thing.

However, the NCAA has been busy hammering Kelvin Sampson for recruiting violations involving phone calls.

USC is a perfect example of the bias in college athletics. The NCAA is sending the message that they will pretty much ignore violations as long as your program wins championships year in and year out.

This is a serious problem we have going on. The NCAA needs to take a good hard look at itself and do the right thing. At the minimum, Bush’s Heisman should be taken away and USC’s national title from 2004 should be taken as well.

But, my friends, I would bet my bottom dollar the NCAA won’t punish USC for anything they ever do as long as they continue to win championships.

Where Have All the Heisman Trophy Winners Gone in the NFL?

Zach Dirlam — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:09:08 -0500

Have you ever been watching your favorite college football or NFL team and wonder what ever happened to all those great Heisman Trophy winners? How come you don't hear names like Eric Crouch, Jason White, Chris Weinke, or Ron Dayne? Well since 1992 Heisman Trophy winners have struggled mightily in the NFL. Some have never played a down in the NFL. No Heisman Trophy winner since 1992 has won a Super Bowl, or been named conference, or NFL player of the year. Also, only four players have played in a Pro Bowl. Just two players have been named rookie of the year and taken All-Pro honors. So now you have to be asking, "What did happen to all those guys then?" Well, now I will tell you all about them in this slideshow.

Begin Slideshow

Why USC Has No Argument for a National Championship

Zach Dirlam — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:27:56 -0500

Yes, USC Trojan fans, it has happened again. Your team stumbled in Pac-10 conference play after yet again being dubbed "The Best Team in College Football". Yet, somehow you feel entitled to some sort of national championship every year.

Last year, Stanford rolled into Los Angeles and took down your mighty Trojans, despite being a 41-point underdog. The year before that, all your beloved Trojans needed to do was beat lowly crosstown rival UCLA to secure a bid in the BCS championship game.

However, they would lose that game 13-9 and settle for yet another berth in the Rose Bowl.

How about back in 2003? USC lost in triple overtime to a then 2-3 California team. USC would somehow go on to claim the AP national championship that year.

This year, USC fans and Pete Carroll were lobbying for the same situation that took place roughly five years ago.

USC lost their Pac-10 opener to the 1-2 Beavers of Oregon State 27-21. They would then go on to win their final nine regular season games and a victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

The Trojans boasted arguably the best defense in college football and felt they were better then anyone in the nation.

Well sorry USC fans, but it's time for a reality check. The Florida Gators are the rightful champions and there is no reason for them not to be.

The Gators took down No. 1 Oklahoma in the BCS championship game 24-14, but many felt USC was the best team in the country, and not Florida.

I don’t believe that for a second, but for argument's sake, I will prove my point.

USC made an impressive run to finish the season. They won all of their final 10 games, but so did Florida.

However, Florida's schedule was substantially better than that of USC. The Gators lost only one game this season, and played just three opponents with records under .500. USC played six of their 13 games against opponents with records under .500.

Also, after USC and Florida's respective losses the Trojans played just two ranked opponents and only four teams with records over .500. Florida played five ranked opponents after their loss and four of them finished ranked. This excludes the BCS championship game.

The Gators beat those five ranked opponents by an average of 32 points. Outside of their loss to Ole Miss, the Gators closest regular season game was decided by 28 points. They would also beat No. 1 Alabama in the SEC championship game 31-20.

Besides their BCS bowl games, both teams played nine games after their respective losses.

USC's combined opponent wins and losses were a dismal record of 50-63. Florida's last nine opponents finished with a combined record of 69-41.

If you looked at their entire schedule their opponents combined wins and losses would be a record of 97-70, but USC's opponents were just 74-77.

So, yes USC, it is true you finished the season with the same record as the BCS champion. Yes, it is true your team may have had the best defense in college football, but it's too bad they didn't play a whole lot of tough opponents to prove it.

So, Trojan fans, I will leave you with this question: How do they continue to slip up against flimsy Pac-10 opponents like Stanford, UCLA, and Oregon State year after year?

Well, the answer is because your team is not the best. Just because you blow out weak opponents and put up the best defensive statistics doesn't mean you’re the best team.

Just because you have about every five-star recruit on the planet doesn't make you the best team.

You know what makes you the best team? Going out and proving it against a strong schedule.

If you expect me or anyone else in the country to feel bad for USC, then you are dead wrong.

If you want your shot at a national title then either add a better third nonconference opponent, or try not getting tripped up in the Pac-10.

So I said it before, and I will say it again. USC is not the best team in the country and does not boast an argument for any kind of national title.

A Message to All Media Members in Favor of a College Football Playoff: Shut Up!

Zach Dirlam — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:15:27 -0500

I am so sick and tired of hearing about a playoff system in Division 1-A College Football. I read the article, "A Vote for USC Is a Vote for Change", by Lee Russakoff this afternoon, and I have finally boiled over.

So I have decided to respond to Mr. Russakoff and every other media member and fan out there.

Dear media members in favor of a playoff in college football,

You really need to stop all your talking about a playoff system. I realize the BCS is not a perfect system, but no system we ever come up with will ever be good enough for you.

This is because you will be unhappy unless the two teams you WANT to see playing for a national championship actually end up in the title game.

Your minds are all biased. Why do you think a team like Utah that went 13-0, beat an Alabama team that ALL of you voted the No. 1 team in the country for almost half the season, and will still probably not win any sort of championship?

This is because you didn't think they were good enough. I realize computers play a factor in determining the best team in the country, but two-thirds of the BCS formula is the human polls.

Don't even try and tell me I just made a reason for us to have a playoff, either. I didn't see Utah anywhere near the top of your precious and pretty much meaningless AP Poll.

Let’s face the facts here, folks. The only reason the AP Poll is around is because every sportswriter in America would be on strike if we got rid of it.

Ok, now it's time to look at your proposed solution to the BCS "problem."

The favorite amongst writers, ESPN analysts, fans, and even President Obama seems to be an eight-team playoff.

The top eight teams in the BCS are seeded by their ranking and will play on the sites of the four current BCS bowl games. They all seem to agree this is the only way to find a consensus No. 1 team.

Why do we need a system so everyone can agree on a champion? This system allows fans everywhere to believe they have the best team in the country.

Besides, more often than not, the hotter team ends up winning a playoff and not necessarily the best team.

Look at the NFL playoffs last year. Do the majority of you really think the New York Giants were really better then the undefeated New England Patriots?

Also, do you really think the best team in college basketball wins the NCAA tournament every year? No, there are so many teams and so many upsets that the higher seeds don't even make the Final Four.

Expanding a playoff field to any more than eight teams would cut into the bowl games, which are a big tradition. These games are a great reward for teams at the end of a season and should be left alone.

However, if you only have eight teams, then how do you explain to the team ranked ninth or tenth that they don't deserve to play in the playoff? Well that leaves us in the same situation we're in right now, because somebody still gets left out.

Oh and the reason Texas got left out of their conference championship game was because of their conference's choice of tiebreakers.

If they had the same tiebreaker as most of the major conferences, then it would have come down to the head-to-head game, which means Texas would have been playing for the Big 12 championship.

This was not the BCS's fault; it is the Big 12's fault for having that tiebreaker. The Big 12 has been looking into changing their tiebreaker since this took place.

So now I will ask you all a question. What would a playoff really fix? The answer is absolutely nothing.

Now, Mr. Russakoff, it's your turn. In your article you say, "Season upon season of corruption, tyranny, and illegitimate champions." Just which champions are not deserving?

LSU played one of the toughest schedules in the country last year just like Florida the year before and Texas before them.

Just because USC beats up on pretty much no one in the Pac 10 and wins one big non conference game doesn't mean they should play in the national championship game every year.

This system was designed to make teams stop scheduling weak non-conference opponents. If you play the highest level of competition, and you have the same number of wins and losses as everyone else, then you're probably going to play for a national title.

So until USC stops stubbing their toes against unranked Pac 10 opponents like Stanford and Oregon State, they probably won't be playing for a national title. However, if they would just win the games they're supposed to, then we wouldn't have this conversation.

Also, you said, "If the BCS Championship Game consistently fails to give us the AP champion, how much longer will it really matter?"

Ok, why should their even be an AP champion? Who really cares who wins the AP championship? The real national championship is decided on the field in the championship game. If you don't like it, then stop watching college football.

In all reality, what does the AP poll really mean, Mr. Russakoff? The answer is absolutely nothing. It doesn't factor into the BCS formula and doesn't decide who gets to play for that big trophy with the diamond football on top of it.

So why don't we get rid of it? Well, if we did that then, the people on ESPN couldn't complain about the team that is ranked third and should win this stupid AP championship.

I have just one last thing to say to you, Mr. Russakoff. It is true college football "crowns its champion with voters and computers." It is also true no other major sport does.

However, this is what makes college football so great. It's why people tune in every Saturday to watch their favorite teams.

This system isn't perfect, but a playoff is nowhere close to perfect either. So all of you sportswriters and analysts quit complaining YOU can't decide who gets to play for the national championship.

Sincerely,

Zach Dirlam

Wolverines-Hoosiers: The Michigan Miracle at Assembly Hall

Zach Dirlam — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:54:41 -0500

The Michigan Wolverines basketball team came into Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana fresh off their 10-point victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini (13-2, 1-1). It was their sixth victory in their last seven games.

They were taking on a very young and inexperienced Indiana Hoosier team who had struggled to a 5-8 record going into the game. It was expected to be an easy victory for Michigan.

As Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend”.

The last time the Wolverines won at Indiana was way back in 1995. They didn’t make it any easier for themselves to finally end their losing streak in Bloomington on Wednesday night, either.

Michigan took a 6-5 lead early on in the game, but the Hoosiers stormed to a 39-22 halftime lead.

Indiana then jumped out to a 44-24 lead just under two minutes into the second half. The Wolverines were ice cold from the floor, and they seemed lifeless.

Then the Wolverines finally showed some resiliency. They clawed their way back to within seven points with just over 12 minutes left to play. However, they had hit just six out of their first 27 three-point attempts.

This would prove to be meaningless, as the Big Ten’s leading scorer, Manny Harris, hit a three pointer to pull Michigan within three. Just thirty seconds later, freshman transfer Laval Lucas-Perry hit a three pointer to tie the game at 59-59. Indiana missed a three-point shot with less then three seconds left in regulation and the game would go to overtime.

The young Hoosiers never led in overtime. They were able to shoot 12 free throws in the extra period, but they made only three of them.

Michigan hit six of their last 13 three-point attempts, and Harris hit two free throws with less than a minute to go in the game. His free throws gave Michigan a 72-66 lead and sealed the game.

Who could have thought of a better way for Michigan to get their first victory in 14 years at Assembly Hall?

The win improved Michigan’s record to an impressive 12-3 and lifted them to 2-1 in conference play. The Hoosiers' fell to 0-2 in conference play, and 5-9 overall.

Lucas-Perry finished with a career high 18 points to lead all scorers. He has scored at least 10 points in all of his first six games, after having to sit out a semester due to the NCAA transfer rules.

Harris finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. DeShawn Sims added 14 points and seven rebounds.

Tim Tebow's Heisman Trophy Loss Great News for Florida Gators

Zach Dirlam — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:04:08 -0500

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford became the fifth player in the program’s history to win the Heisman Trophy. He joined former Sooner Jason White as the only other quarterback to win the award for Oklahoma.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy came in second in the voting. Florida Gators quarterback and last year’s winner, Tim Tebow, had the most first place votes, but finished third in the voting.

Bradford became the second sophomore to win the award in the last two years. A sophomore had never won the award before last season until Tebow won it as a sophomore.

However, Bradford didn’t exactly run away with the Heisman.

He beat out McCoy by just 86 points, which was the closest the voting has been since 2001. He also became just the third player to win the award without having the most first place votes. The only other two players who did that were Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung and Oklahoma’s Billy Simms.

The gap between first and third was also the closest since 2001. Miami (FL) quarterback Ken Dorsey finished 142 points behind winner Eric Crouch that season. Tebow finished 151 points behind Bradford this season.

However, Bradford winning the Heisman is great news for Tebow and the Gators. Why, you ask? This is because Heisman winners have had some problems winning bowl games over the last eight years, especially the national championship game.

Since 2000, Heisman winners have a dismal 2-6 record in bowl games. The two players who won their bowl game were Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Both players were quarterbacks at USC.

In 2002, Palmer threw for 303 yards in a 38-17 victory over Iowa in the Orange Bowl. Just two years later, Leinart threw for 332 yards and five touchdowns in the 2004 Orange Bowl, which was the national championship game that year. The Trojans beat Oklahoma, 55-17.

But, if you think the overall bowl records for Heisman winners is bad, then let’s narrow our view. In six of the last eight seasons, the Heisman winner has played in the national championship game.

Unfortunately, of those six players, Leinart is the only one who has actually won the game. This means they have a 1-5 record.

The most recent victim of the Heisman jinx is Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith. Smith won the award in 2006 and led his Buckeyes to a berth in the national championship game against Florida. But, his performance was horrifying. He was 4-of-14 for just 45 yards and one interception. Smith was also sacked five times and totaled negative-29 rushing yards.

Other national championship losers include: Chris Weinke in 2000, Eric Crouch in 2001, Jason White in 2003, and Reggie Bush in 2005.

The only Heisman Trophy winner to not play in a BCS bowl game was Tebow last season. Tebow and the Gators played in the Capital One Bowl against Michigan. Tebow racked up 211 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns, but his performance was not enough and the Gators lost the game, 41-35.

Round one between Tebow and Bradford has been decided. Bradford won the battle for the Heisman Trophy in New York. However, if history has its way and adds Bradford to its list of national championship game losers, round two will go to Tebow.

Tebow has said all year long that a national championship is more important to him than a second Heisman Trophy.

On Jan. 8, in Miami, Tebow will get his chance to lead his team to victory over Bradford and the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners, and capture his second national championship.

Attention College Basketball Fans: Michigan Wolverines are Back!

Zach Dirlam — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:03:39 -0500

Coach John Beilein, in only his second season at the University of Michigan, has revived their historic basketball program. The Wolverines are 6-2 and boast two wins against the top five. The first win was against No. 9 UCLA (4-2) who was ranked No. 4 when Michigan played them at Madison Square Garden. The other upset victim was No. 4 Duke (8-1) at Crisler Arena on Saturday.

Saturday's 81-73 victory over the Blue Devils validated their victory over UCLA just two weeks earlier. Many people began to get the idea it was merely a fluke after the Wolverines needed a 20-point comeback and a buzzer beater in overtime to beat lowly Savannah State.

However, in the Savannah State game, Michigan shot just 40 percent from the floor and had 19 turnovers. Meanwhile, Savanna State shot 7-9 from three-point range and shot an overall percentage of 56 percent (71 percent in the first half). It was just a day where nothing could go right for Michigan, but junior forward DeShawn Sims hit the game-winning jumper as time expired.

It seems as if that comeback gave the Wolverines a spark. Michigan played with an energy that Duke could not match. They were scrapping and fighting for every rebound and loose ball. They also held the Blue Devils to 7-33 from three-point range.

In their first meeting this season at Madison Square Garden, Duke never allowed Michigan to lead and won the game 71-56. They were able to knife through Michigan's defense and get easy layups.

This time Michigan controlled the tempo from start to finish. The defense forced Duke to settle for jump shots and sophomore guard Kelvin Grady continued to push the tempo for the Wolverines. Grady's two biggest plays were passes to freshman Zack Novak.

Michigan trailed 53-50 with just over eight minutes left. Grady pushed the ball up the floor, drove, and kicked it out to Novak on the wing. He would knock down the three-pointer to get the sold out crowd of nearly 14,000 back on their feet. On the very next possession, Grady again ran the fast break and dished it to Novak in the corner. The shot hit nothing but net, and Michigan took a 56-53 lead and never looked back.

Michigan led by five with just under two minutes to go. This was until sophomore guard Manny Harris drove by Jon Scheyer and threw down a monster two handed dunk. The Wolverines would go on to make 8-9 free throws to seal the victory.

Much of Michigan's success has been because of Sims and Harris. Sims had a career high 28 points and 12 rebounds in the Duke game and led all scorers in their 55-52 victory over UCLA with 18. Sims has averaged 16.4 points per game on the season, but has averaged 21 points in his last three games and is shooting 63 percent from the floor.

Harris has been hot all season long. He returned this season as the leading scorer in the Big Ten. He has averaged 20.8 points per game along with 7.4 rebounds. Harris set the 2K Sports Classic record earlier this season with 96 points. He has at least 15 points in every game and has scored 22 or more in four of their eight games.

It's also hard to miss two of Michigan's great young shooters. True freshmen Zack Novak and Stu Douglass have shown a lot of promise in their first eight games. Douglass proved himself with ten points and two huge three-pointers in the win over UCLA, but he only has five points in his last three games.

However, Novak has picked up the slack in a big way. He had 14 points in the win over Duke and has averaged 11.25 points per game in his last four games. This came after only scoring eight points in his first four.

The victory over Duke was the first for Michigan in its last seven tries. It was also only Duke's third loss in December since the '99-'00 season.

Also, the Blue Devils for the first time in 31 games lost to an unranked non-conference opponent. It also gave Michigan its second victory over a top five opponent this season, which is something it hasn't done in the regular season in 22 years.

So why has there been so much improvement? The answer is very simple, coaching. John Beilein is one of the greatest coaches in the country and he is proving it. Last season, his first at Michigan, they struggled and lost a school record 22 games. It should be noted that last year’s schedule was the sixth toughest in the nation.

The players believe in their coach as well. “Coach is so confident,” said Zack Novak.

DeShawn Sims also spoke about Coach Beilein after the Duke game, “He defines the ‘C’ and the ‘O’ and the ‘A’ and the ‘C’ and the ‘H’ in ‘coach’. He coaches you on an interpersonal level that’s just amazing.”

The biggest improvement is on the defensive end. Beilein brought his 1-3-1 zone defense with him from West Virginia. Now that the players are executing it the way it was intended to, they have given their opponents fits. The Wolverines force an average of 14.25 turnovers per game and are 16th in the nation in three-point field goal defense.

But wait, Wolverine fans there is more good news. Coach Beilein feels that Arizona transfer Laval Lucas-Perry will add a significant three-point threat to the Michigan lineup. Even Dick Vitale talked about Lucas-Perry in their win over UCLA.

Sources close to the Michigan program say Beilein has said Lucas-Perry could quite possibly be the best player he has ever coached. Lucas-Perry will make his debut on Dec. 20th against Oakland.

Michigan closes out its non-conference schedule with home games against Eastern Michigan, Florida Gulf Coast, and North Carolina Central. They play Oakland University at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Wolverines will open up conference play at home against No. 22 Wisconsin. They also play No. 2 Connecticut in February.

The win over Duke was yet another warning shot to every team in college basketball, especially to that team over in East Lansing.

Watch out Spartans, because Michigan is back.

*Quotes courtesy of the Jackson Citizen Patriot

Why The Tide Will Continue To Roll Against Florida

Zach Dirlam — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:47:03 -0500

The SEC conference is best known for their speed and tough defense. This afternoon has been built up to be the biggest game of the year and it has deserved the hype.

When No. 1 Alabama (12-0, 8-0) and No. 4 Florida (11-1, 7-1) take the field this afternoon there will be a lot at stake. First off these two teams are playing for a conference championship. The SEC has been built up as the best conference in the nation so winning the title would be a great accomplishment.

However, the most important thing these two teams will be playing for is a spot in the BCS Championship game in Miami.

If you look at the betting line in the paper then this game is expected to be a blowout. Florida is favored by ten points in this game. So don't for a second think that Nick Saban isn't using that to his advantage as motivation for the game.

However, the stat guys in Vegas must have missed some huge factors that are going into this game.

Let's start off with both defenses. Both Florida and Alabama rank in the top 20 in total, rushing, and passing defense. The Tide rank third in the nation in total defense and are second in rushing defense. Florida ranks third in the country in forced turnovers. They have 32 takeaways on the year.

The Gators' defense is no doubt led by junior linebacker Brandon Spikes. Spikes leads the Gators' defense with 80 total tackles and is second on the team with four interceptions. Sophomore cornerback Ahmad Black is tied for sixth in the nation with six interceptions.

The Tide's ferocious defense is led by sophomore linebacker Rolando McClain. He leads the team with 11 tackles for loss and 82 total tackles. He is also third on the team with three sacks. Also big defensive tackle Terrance Cody causes many problems for teams trying to run up the middle against the Tide.

The two offenses have very different philosophies. Florida uses their speed to spread out the defense while the Tide play true smash mouth football.

The Tide's leading rusher, Glen Coffee, is 22nd in the country in rushing yards. He is averaging close to 103 yards per game. Alabama will continue to pound the ball right into the throat of the Gator defense throughout the entire game.

Florida's offense is averaging just over 46 points per game and have outscored their opponents 160-10 in the first quarter this season. They are led by last years Heisman trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow. Tebow has over 2800 total yards this season and has 37 touchdowns.

However the most important detail about Florida's offense is not what they have it's what they will be missing today.

The Gators' will be without their leading receiver and second leading rusher Percy Harvin. Harvin injured his ankle in last weeks win over Florida State. Florida coach Urban Meyer said Harvin will likely not play today.

Now I am going to put the statistics aside and tell you who is going to win this game. The Crimson Tide will beat the Gators' today.

So much has been talked about the Gators' high powered offense and all their speed on the offensive side of the ball. So how do you neutralize Tebow and the Gators' offense? You keep them on the sidelines, which is exactly what Alabama will do.

The Crimson Tide are eighth in the nation in time of possesion. They average having the ball for over 32 minutes of the game. They will continue to run Coffee right at the heart of the Gators' defense, keep the clock running, and eventually wear down their defense.

This game is certain to live up to it's billing as one of the greatest in SEC history and probably the game of the year. But in the end Nick Saban and the Tide's smash mouth style will prevail over the speed of Florida.

Does Mizzou Believe in Miracles? It'll Have to If It Wants to Beat Oklahoma

Zach Dirlam — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:05:10 -0500

The Missouri Tigers were one of last year's great Cinderella stories. The Tigers came out of nowhere to finish the season 12-2 last year. They had a chance to play for the national championship, but they were defeated by the ninth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game. Mizzou went on to trounce Arkansas, 38-7, in the Cotton Bowl.

So the question on the minds of many fans and every Texas Longhorn fan in the country is "Can Mizzou avenge last years loss?"

Tonight's Big 12 championship game is like deja vu for Oklahoma and Missouri fans. Except this time the tables have turned. The No. 2 Sooners (11-1, 7-1) are in control of their own destiny and need only to beat No. 20 Missouri (9-3, 5-3) to assure themselves a chance to play in the BCS Championship game.

So let’s break it down and see if Mizzou can beat Oklahoma tonight.

Passing Offense

Both these offenses sport a highly touted passing game. Mizzou ranks fourth in the country and the Sooners are third. They are led by two great quarterbacks, Heisman trophy contender Sam Bradford (OU), and Chase Daniel (Mizzou). Both teams also have great downfield threats; Jeremy Maclin of Mizzou has 88 catches for 1175 yards and 11 touchdowns. That averages out to 13.4 yards per catch.

For the Sooners, Bradford will no doubt be looking to find either Juaquin Iglesias or Jermaine Gresham who have accounted for a combined 1773 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Edge: Even

Rushing Offense

Oklahoma has two great backs in Demarco Murray and Chris Brown. The Sooners rank 21st in the nation in rushing, while Mizzou ranks just 46th. The Tigers don't have a running back over 1000 yards. Meanwhile Murray has run for 1002 yards and Brown has pitched in 988 yards. Oklahoma truly has the best running back tandem in all of college football.

Edge: Oklahoma

Pass Defense

Both these teams have miserable passing defenses. Oklahoma ranks 98th in the nation, but the Tigers sit near dead last at 116th in the nation. This will make the game interesting because both teams can do major damage through the air.

However, the Sooners shut down the passing attack of Graham Harrell and the Texas Tech Red Raiders this season. Mizzou has not kept anyone from catching the ball this year.

Edge: Oklahoma

Rushing Defense

While both these teams get absolutely shredded through the air they manage to stop the run. Both rank in the top 25 in rushing defense. However Mizzou's defense hasn't had to face a running back tandem like Murray and Brown this season.

Edge: Oklahoma

Turnovers

Oklahoma has a ridiculous turnover margin of +20. They force turnovers at will and Mizzou has been prone to turning the ball over. The Tigers only boast a margin of +1.

Edge: Oklahoma

Special Teams

The punters probably won't get much of a workout in this game at all which will neutralize the return game. Oklahoma's field goal unit is only six for ten this season on field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Jeff Wolfert from Mizzou has made 17 of 22 and four of his five misses are from 50-plus yards. He has yet to miss an extra point this season.

Edge: Mizzou

Coaching

Ok this one is tough to call. If you go by discipline then its Gary Pinkel. The Tigers are tied for fifth in the country in penalties per game while Oklahoma is a lousy 109th. But if you are going to go by resumes and overall records then its Bob Stoops.

I think we'll overlook the penalty factor seeing how the Sooners have overcome it and won 11 times this season. The Sooners are also 6-0 against Missouri under Stoops.

Edge: Oklahoma

Prediction

Mizzou will need nothing short of a miracle to beat these Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners are on fire and have scored 60-plus points in their last four games.

The only way Missouri can possibly win this game is if Chase Daniel and Mizzou can continue to score with the Sooners. However, I don’t think Daniel and the Tigers will be able to do this. Sorry, Longhorn fans, there will be no upset on this night. Mizzou's passing defense and turnovers will be their undoing in this game.

Oklahoma 56, Mizzou 31

Top 20 College Football Surprises in 2008

Zach Dirlam — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:33:52 -0500

This season like the past few has had a lot of drama. However this year’s drama is coming much later then last years.

Last year the Appalachian State Mountaineers took the college football world by storm with a 34-32 victory over Michigan. This season, LSU proved to be too much for Appalachian St. as they rolled to a 41-13 victory.

Although this season lacked a truly monumental upset there were still plenty of shockers this season. Here are 20 of them.

1. Alabama

This was a team that started the year ranked 24th. Now they are the No. 1 team in the nation and take on Florida in the SEC Championship game next Saturday.

2. Cincinnati

Brian Kelly proved he is one of the best coaches in the country. The Bearcats went 10-2 on the season and won an outright Big East Championship.

3. Georgia Tech

Paul Johnson's first year has gone much better then expected. The Yellow Jackets went 9-3 on the season and even knocked off rival Georgia in a shootout. They rank fourth in the country in rushing offense.

4. Ball State

Another great coaching job and this guys name is Brady Hoke. The Cardinals went 12-0 this season and square off with Buffalo on Saturday for the MAC title.

5. Ole Miss

How about Houston Nutt in his first year in Oxford? They went 8-4 on the year and were 5-3 in conference play. They picked up to big road wins at Florida and at LSU.

6. Boise State

A lot of the BCS buster talk was on Utah this season. Boise State has quietly climbed to ninth in the BCS. They also have an astounding 64 freshman on the team.

7. Northwestern

Pat Fitzgerald has done an absolutely amazing job with the Wildcats. He is the youngest head coach in the NCAA. He led the Wildcats to a 9-3 season with quality wins against Iowa, and a road win against then No. 17 Minnesota.

8. Buffalo

How about Buffalo for a shocker? Head coach Turner Gil has them at 7-5 and in the MAC Championship game. It will be only the second time Buffalo has received a bowl bid if they are selected for one this season.

9. Oklahoma State

While much of the talk was on Texas Tech, Texas, and Oklahoma, the Cowboys have had a great season. They are 9-3 and ranked 12th in the BCS standings.

10. Texas Tech

Yes, this team was a preseason top-15 team, but how many people really expected them to climb to second in the BCS. Even after a devastating 65-21 loss to No. 4 Oklahoma they can still say they had a great year. They went 11-1 and forged a three-way tie in the Big 12 South.

11. Notre Shame

Yes, the above wording is correct. Notre Dame is coming off three straight top eight recruiting classes, had the 107th ranked toughest schedule, but what was their record?

They went 6-6 and are now 2-16 in their last 18 games with teams with records of .500 or better. Come on Charlie, even Bob Davie could've won more than six with all that talent.

12. LSU's Struggles

When Ryan Perriloux was let go, the Tiger's winning ways seemed to go with him. LSU went 7-5 overall, needed a 31 point comeback to beat Troy, went 3-5 in conference play, and had 18 passes intercepted on the year.

13. U-M's even bigger struggles

Rich Rodriguez's first year was worse than expected. The Wolverines set a record for most losses in school history with nine, lost to Ohio State, Michigan State, and Notre Dame in the same season for the first time in school history, led the nation in fumbles, and were near last in just about every offensive category.

14. Clemson's continuance of underachieving

The season got off on the wrong foot with a 34-10 loss to Alabama and it was all downhill from there. Coach Bobby Bowden resigned midway through the season and the Tigers finished 7-5. This team was supposed to win the ACC and contend for a national title, but they had a hard enough time winning at all.

15. Wisconsin's fall from grace

The Badgers started the season 3-0 and had a 19-0 lead over Michigan. However, the Wolverines would come back and beat the ninth ranked Badgers 27-25. That was the first of the Badgers four consecutive losses to open up their Big Ten schedule. They even needed a missed extra point to escape Cal Poly in overtime and finish the year 7-5.

16. Arizona State's losing record

Senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter and the Sun Devils were supposed to give USC some competition in the Pac 10. However they failed to even break the .500 mark on the season. They are 5-6 overall and 4-4 in Pac 10 play and take on Arizona next weekend.

17. South Florida

Matt Grothe was expected to lead the Bulls to a Big East title this season. But he failed to even lead them to a winning record in the Big East. They were 2-4 in conference play.

18. Tennessee

Obviously, Phil Fulmer had the wrong volunteers. Oh come on, that was funny. I wish I could say the same about Tennessee's 5-7 record, but after a 13-7 loss to Wyoming it became clear this was no laughing matter in Knoxville. Goodbye Phillip Fulmer, and hello Lane Kiffin.

19. Shonn Greene

The Iowa running back was second in the nation in rushing averaging 144 yards per game in his first year as a starter.

20. Duke

No, this is not a reference to their basketball team. Former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe led the Blue Devils to a 4-8 record in his first year as head coach. While this may sound terrible, remember that Duke has only won a total of four games since 2004.

Oklahoma Sooners Don't Deserve to Jump Texas Longhorns in BCS Rankings

Zach Dirlam — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:54:52 -0500

I am sick and tired of hearing about how great Oklahoma is. Sure, they are a good team, I will admit that much. However, if you think Oklahoma should jump Texas in the BCS, you're crazy.

Oklahoma (10-1, 6-1) is currently ranked third in the BCS. Texas (11-1, 7-1) is ranked second in the BCS and completed its season Thursday night with a 49-9 victory over rival Texas A&M. However, Oklahoma leap-frogged Texas in both the major polls used in the BCS after last weekend's 65-21 demolition of then No. 2 Texas Tech.

This jump raises another interesting point. All these coaches whine and moan and groan about a playoff system. They say, "We need to decide this on the field."

Well, this matchup has already been decided on the field.

Texas beat then No. 1 Oklahoma on a NEUTRAL site, 45-35. Isn't that deciding this matchup on the field? I mean, the two teams played each other on a neutral field. So how can these coaches vote Oklahoma ahead of Texas when they complain because this isn't being settled on the field?

It doesn't matter how good Oklahoma is playing NOW. Look at USC; they lost way back when and everyone is talking about how good they're playing. How come they aren't jumping ahead on anyone?

Fact of the matter is, if Oklahoma and Texas hadn't already played, I am all for the Sooners jumping ahead of Texas. However, they had their shot against the Horns, who by the way went 3-1 during a run of four straight games against top 10 teams.

I also hear about Oklahoma's strong non-conference schedule. Ok, does this have anything to do with them losing to Texas? No. Besides the two schedules balance each other out and here's why:

While No. 16 Cincinnati (9-2) has had a great year, they play in the Big East Conference. The Big East is by far the weakest major conference. So, we can somewhat discount that win.

Also, yes it is true Oklahoma played TCU, but they didn't play Missouri. Texas did and won convincingly 56-31. The Tigers are the champions of the Big 12 North and were ranked 11th when the game was played.

The only reason Oklahoma jumping Texas is so critical is because if Oklahoma wins today against No. 12 Oklahoma State (9-2, 5-2), there will be a three-way tie for the Big 12 South. This means the team with the highest BCS ranking gets to go to the Big 12 Championship Game.

Another thing, Oklahoma has dominated opponents lately. However, Texas was just as dominant. The Longhorns have had only two games decided by six points or less. To answer the question on your mind, no, one of them was not Oklahoma.

It shouldn’t matter if Oklahoma beats rival Oklahoma St. by 100 points today. Texas beat Oklahoma already. We are after the best overall team in the country here, folks.

We aren't looking for who is the best team in the nation for the last four weeks of the season. Besides, that award would go to Florida not Oklahoma. Florida gets its chance to prove it's better then Alabama on the field in the SEC Championship Game.

The Big 12 South has already been decided on the field. Sorry Oklahoma fans, your team couldn't beat that hated team south of the border. So you should stop crying and whining about how we are the best team NOW.

Face it, "Big Game" Bob Stoops couldn't beat Texas when it mattered. Just because Oklahoma has improved since that Texas loss doesn't mean the Horns haven't been getting better either.

So say all you want the coaches keep complaining nothing gets settled on the field. Well, every coach who votes Oklahoma over Texas is a hypocrite then, because Texas vs. Oklahoma has already been settled on the field.

Utah Truly Deserves Its BCS Bid

Zach Dirlam — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:41:40 -0500

Many may argue that the mid major conferences like the Mountain West and WAC don't belong in the BCS. They are too small and are not deep enough to contend with the likes of the SEC or the Big 12.

Utah is out to prove those people wrong. The Utes are ranked sixth in the BCS and are 12-0 on the season. Utah beat rival No. 18 BYU 48-24 at home last weekend to finish their season.

People like to argue that the mid major conferences don't play quality opponents. Well Utah has beaten three ranked teams this season: No. 14 TCU (10-2), No. 18 BYU (10-2), and No. 17 Oregon State. They also traveled to Michigan and squeezed out a 25-23 win at the Big House to open their season.

Utah may not be an offensive juggernaut like the Oklahomas or Floridas of the world but they can certainly score points. Utah ranks 17th in the nation in scoring offense averaging 37.4 points per game. They are ranked inside of the top 60 in all offensive categories.

The Utes offense is led by senior quarterback Brian Johnson. He has thrown for 2,636 yards and 24 touchdowns this season. He has also put himself among the nation’s leaders in completion percentage by completing 68.3 percent of his passes. Johnson is also second in the Mountain West with a passer rating of 148.33.

Utah establishes their balance on offense with two solid running backs. Junior Matt Asiata and senior Darrell Mack have combined to rush for 1,204 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Utes leading receiver is Freddie Brown who has 65 catches for 775 yards and seven touchdowns.

The strength of this team is no doubt the defense. The Utes are 14th in the country in scoring defense. Utah also ranks 17th in the nation in total defense giving up an average of only 295.92 yards per game.

While that may be impressive, it’s not even the strength of the defense. Utah is tied for fifth in the country in turnovers forced, with 28 on the year. The secondary has intercepted 17 passes this season which, is tied for tenth in the nation. Their turnover margin is +11 overall.

Utah is also very good on special teams. They are third in the nation in punt return yardage allowed. The Utes also rank 30th in kickoff return yardage and net punting average. Senior kicker Louie Sakoda is 21 for 23 this season on field goal attempts.

This Utah team has a legitimate shot to beat any team they have to face in their bowl game. They are most likely to play in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.

This is the same bowl game in which Utah became the first mid major team to play in a BCS game. They beat Pittsburgh back in 2004. This is also where Boise State upset highly ranked Oklahoma and Adrian Peterson just two years ago.

Does Boise State Deserve a BCS Bowl Bid?

Zach Dirlam — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:18:16 -0500

The answer to Boise State Bronco fans is easily yes. However, the BCS committee may not have the same answer for the Broncos.

Boise St. is currently ranked ninth in the BCS standings and is 11-0 on the season. However, their chances are almost doomed if Oregon St. beats Oregon in the Civil War on Saturday. This would cause USC to gain an at-large bid rather than the bid in the Rose Bowl as the Pac-10 champions.

In order for a mid-major conference team to gain an at-large bid, they must be ranked in the top 12 of the BCS standings. However, Utah is undefeated and ranked seventh in the BCS standings. This means Utah will get the automatic bid for the mid-major conferences because they are ranked higher.

Boise St.'s last hurdle would be No. 10 Ohio State (10-2). The Buckeyes' only two losses this season were to No. 5 USC and No. 8 Penn State. The BCS might also feel the Buckeyes will travel better if they get a BCS bid.

However, this is why the Broncos SHOULD get into the BCS mix.

They have won all their games. This is, of course, assuming they beat Fresno St. (7-4) on the blue turf of Bronco Stadium tonight. Ohio State has had their chance to prove they deserve to play with the nation's best teams twice. They lost both games.

Also, doesn't anyone remember how many Boise St. fans were in Tempe to watch them take down Oklahoma? There were plenty of fans. I mean, it's not like the BCS will have to worry about selling out the game they put the Broncos in, because to Boise St. fans, a BCS game is like a national title bid.

Yes, all the mid-major haters could say look at what happened to Hawaii last year in the Sugar Bowl. But this is a team that beat a highly ranked Oklahoma Sooner team in the Fiesta Bowl just two years ago. They have proven they can hang with the big boys. Also, their record over the last three seasons is 34-3.

While Boise St. may play a weaker schedule in the WAC, they proved themselves this season with a big non-conference victory. The Broncos beat Oregon, who was ranked 17th, 39-32 in Autzen Stadium. Oregon is now ranked 23rd.

The biggest reason for their success this season has been their offense. The Broncos rank 16th in the country in scoring offense, averaging 37.5 points per game. They also boast the 10th-best passing offense in the country, and they are 14th in total offense, averaging just over 461 yards a game.

While many fans remember senior running back Ian Johnson, the offense is actually led by freshman quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore has thrown for 3,051 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. He is also among the nation's leaders in passer rating and has completed 69.7 percent of his passes.

Defensive coordinators have nightmares about the two-headed monster in the backfield for the Broncos. Ian Johnson and sophomore Jeremy Avery have combined for 1,161 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

Boise St. is not all offense though. Their defense is among the best in the country.

It is led by junior cornerback Kyle Wilson, who is tied for 12th in the nation with five interceptions. The Broncos are allowing only 12.5 points per game, which is tied for second in the country with Alabama and only trails Florida, who is giving up only 12 points per game. They have also held opponents to seven points or less in six of their games this season.

The BCS may not like it, but they should give both the Broncos and the Utes a shot to once again prove they belong with the big boys.

Also, for all those fans expecting to see an end to Boise St.'s winning ways, think again. Even if they are left out of a BCS game this year, this team has a total of 64 freshmen. Face it, mid-major haters: Boise St. is here to stay.

The Big Game is Still Big This Weekend

Zach Dirlam — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:51:53 -0500

The Michigan Wolverines (3-8, 2-5) have struggled mightily in new head coach Rich Rodriguez's first year.

They have lost eight times, which is the most in school history, snapped a streak of 38 straight bowl games, suffered their first losing season since 1967, and to add insult to injury, lost to No. 15 Michigan State (9-2, 6-1) at home for the first time since 1990.

The transition into the Rich Rodriguez era has been rough. While a rocky year was expected, no one anticipated it would be this bad for Michigan.

The offense has been pitiful, averaging a mere 299.2 yards per game, which is dead last in the Big Ten. They are also tied for ninth in the Big Ten in scoring, with an average of only 21.5 points per game.

Quarterbacks Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan have not been able to execute Rodriguez's spread offense. At times, both quarterbacks have had a tendency to be inaccurate and miss open receivers.

YouTube legend Sam McGuffie has struggled in his freshman year with injury problems. Also true freshman wide receiver Darryl Stonum, out of Sugarland, Texas, has failed to live up to his billing this year, with only 13 catches for just 143 yards and one touchdown.

However much of these offensive struggles were expected in Rodriguez's first year.

The defense, which returned seven starters from last year's team was expected to be good enough to give Michigan chances to win games. However, that has not been the case.

The secondary has been terrible this season. The Wolverines are 10th in the Big Ten in pass defense, allowing 234.2 yards per game and just over seven yards per catch.

If you thought it couldn't get any worse, then think again. Michigan will have to travel to Columbus this weekend to take on their most hated rival, Ohio State (9-2, 6-1). The Buckeyes are ranked 10th in the BCS, and both of their losses were to opponents ranked inside the top three, USC and Penn State.

Highly touted true freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been a huge part of the Buckeye offense.

Pryor took over for the struggling senior starter Todd Boeckman after their loss to USC. Since then, he has thrown for 1125 yards, 10 touchdowns, only three interceptions, and has completed 64.7 percent if his passes for a passer rating of 152.2.

Pryor's strong suit, however, is running the football. He has a total of 560 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and averages 4.8 yards per carry.

Then there's Chris "Beanie" Wells, who is currently sixth in the Big Ten in rushing with 957 yards and has seven touchdowns.

A surprising stat is that the Buckeyes are 10th in the Big Ten in total offense. So how have they won nine games this year?

They have a great defense with standout seniors in linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Malcom Jenkins. The Buckeyes rank second in the conference in pass defense and fourth in the conference against the run.

So Michigan fans have to be asking themselves: Is there anyway to salvage this season? Can Michigan beat Ohio State in Columbus and avoid losing to the Buckeyes for a record fifth consecutive time?

The answer is yes. While Michigan may not stack up to the Buckeyes on paper, they certainly have history on their side. As mentioned before, Ohio State has never beaten Michigan five times in a row.

More good news for Rodriguez is that the only coach in Michigan history to lose to Ohio State in his first year was Elton Wieman way back in 1927.

This game is still very important to both teams. Ohio State needs to avoid the upset in order to give themselves a chance to earn a Rose Bowl bid with a Penn State loss. They also have a good chance at an at-large BCS bid.

For Michigan, this win might not get them to the Rose Bowl, or any bowl for that matter. But for the Wolverines it would mean redemption.

It would mean they can salvage something from a clearly lost season and abysmal start to Rich Rodriguez's era at Michigan. It would end the Buckeyes' dominance of the Wolverines, for one year anyway.

This win could restore some pride to Michigan's football team and give fans a hope of the great things that are expected to come in Rodriguez's years at Michigan.

On a side note, the point spread for this weekend's game is 19 points. This equals the largest point margin in the history of the rivalry.