Bleacher Report - Articles by Eric Thomason

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week Five)

Eric Thomason — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:47:47 -0400

Another Close Call: I said it last week and I’ll say it again, “Good teams find a way to win close games.” Charles Scott’s 33-yard scamper gave LSU a second straight last minute victory, and in the process Louisiana State avoided extending a four-week streak of a team falling from the Top 5. Jordan Jefferson has done just enough to keep the Tigers undefeated going into next weekends match-up against No. 1 Florida. It should be fun to see what tricks Les Miles has up his sleeves for the Gators Saturday night.

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College Football Wordplay from A to Z: September Surprises and October Predictions

Eric Thomason — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:17:12 -0400

The month of September has provided surprises, disappointments, huge upsets and two Heisman trophy winners go down with injuries. Just when you thought you had a grasp of this year’s college football season, the opening week of conference play reminds us all anything can and will happen. With a quarter of the season down, it’s time to re-evaluate what we have learned so far and try to piece together what we can expect to see unfold in the weeks to come.

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College Football Wordplay: From A to Z ("September Surprises")

Eric Thomason — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:25:44 -0400

And once again

The month of September has provided surprises, disappointments, huge upsets and injuries to two Heisman trophy winners. Just when you thought you had a grasp of this year’s college football season, the opening week of conference play reminds us all that anything can and will happen.

With a quarter of the season gone, it’s time to re-evaluate what we've learned so far and try to piece together what we can expect to see unfold in the coming weeks.

Big Ten

Despite being much improved from top-to-bottom, with Iowa taking out Penn State for the second straight year, and Ohio State losing to the Southern Cal in week two, the conference looks to be sitting on the outside looking-in of the national championship picture.

Championship anyone?

For the first time in about 10 years, no team has established themselves as the clear-cut favorite to win the championship. Oklahoma, Southern Cal, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss all fell out of the Top-five, Florida “struggled” against Tennessee and has looked vulnerable in the run game, and except for last week against UTEP the Longhorns have failed to put together two good halves in one game.

Surprisingly, Alabama has played the most impressive football in September. So, are the Tide emerging as the team to beat? What about Boise State and Virginia Tech?

October should help sort this mess out. (See letter "L")

Dodging Bullets:

Sometimes September is all about surviving.

LSU got a gutsy goal line stand on the road against Mississippi State, while Nebraska let an opportunity to finally beat a Top 20 team slip through their fingers.

Jevan Snead couldn’t get Ole Miss’ offense going in time against South Carolina, and Oklahoma State couldn’t put away a pesky Houston squad.

Good teams find a way to put teams away and win close games, while others let victory and Championship aspirations slip away.

Extra-points

Big Ten officials miss calls every year. Last week they botched a call late in the fourth quarter of the Indiana-Michigan game, giving the ball to the Wolverines during a simultaneous catch situation.

You can’t help but wonder if the conference was chasing money, trying to get the Wolverines into the Top 25.

Forecasting

This Saturday is filled with teams getting tested for the first time. For Texas A&M, you can only creampuff a schedule for so long. Are Auburn a contender for the SEC West? Can Wisconsin and Michigan win on the road against a conference rival to stay perfect on the season?

This week should go long ways in gauging which teams are legitimate contenders in their respective conferences.

Got mail?

Dear Joe Pa,

Since the whiteout doesn’t seem to be working, should we maybe try a blueout sometime soon?

Sincerely,

Penn State Student Council

Heisman Race

Three players hopes took a huge hit this past weekend: Cal’s Jahvid Best got blasted by Oregon, Jacory Harris was humbled by Virginia Tech, and Tim Tebow got a little taste of what it’s like to be Sam Bradford.

Granted, all three will still have opportunities to get back into the Heisman picture, but at this point it looks like the trophy is Colt McCoy’s to lose.

Impact Freshmen

Newbie’s putting up big numbers this season:

Former Duke point guard, Greg Paulus, has brought some much-needed excitement back to a struggling Syracuse football program. The QB has ‘Cuse fans believing they could go bowling this winter.

Pittsburgh RB Dion Lewis has picked up right where LeSean McCoy left off. The freshman is fourth in the nation in rushing, with 493 yards and has already found the end zone seven times this season.

Ryan Williams has been opportunistic at Virginia Tech, filling in for injured starter Darren Evans. Williams is averaging 123 ypg and has been a huge factor in Hokies success this season.

Jumping to Conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Washington 31 Notre Dame 27

Could be in trouble: Purdue 28 Northwestern 27

Closer than you think: Alabama 24 Kentucky 17

No way Jose: Ole Miss 27 Vanderbilt 10

Killer Bets

Four game parlay of the week:

Ole Miss -9 ½

Washington +12 ½

Oklahoma -7

Arkansas -1

Looking Ahead

Best matchups in October:

Saturday Oct. 10

Florida vs. LSU

Alabama vs. Ole Miss

Michigan vs. Iowa

Saturday Oct. 17

Oklahoma vs. Texas

USC vs. Notre Dame

Saturday Oct. 30

Georgia vs. Florida

Texas vs. Oklahoma State

USC vs. Oregon

Mid-major Mayhem

Boise State, TCU and Houston all remain in the BCS picture. The Cougars have already taken down two Big 12 south squads in Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

TCU went to Clemson and got a win last week and the Horn Frogs still have games against Mississippi State and BYU left on the schedule to impress pollsters.

Boise State opened the season with a win over Oregon and has arguably looked the best of the three.

For the first time since the inception of the Bowl Championship Series, we could be looking at two mid-major stealing BCS bids.

No your not…

The “U”—we’re back baby

ESPN College Gameday—in Chestnut Hill for Florida State vs. Boston College this weekend?

Colorado—I know he’s the coaches son but…till starting Cody Hawkins?

Florida State—getting much action in Vegas these days.

Overrated

TCU, Michigan, LSU

Playoff

Using this week’s AP Top 25 Poll, here is how an eight-team playoff would look like if the season were to end today:

Florida vs. Oklahoma

Texas vs. Southern Cal

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

Louisiana State vs. Boise State

Q&A

How important is scheduling tough non-conference opponents?

It’s huge.

Do you think playing against Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana got Ole Miss prepared to open the SEC conference on the road at South Carolina?

Are playing Akron, Syracuse and Temple helping Penn State now?

But still so many programs are scared to play a tough early schedule.

Oklahoma and Virginia Tech both scheduled tough foes early and lost, but are still in the hunt for a BCS title.

It’s a fact—early season losses against quality opponents don’t hurt a team as much as losing a game to a team you shouldn’t.

Reader Response

Is your team not getting the hype they deserve?

Having trouble picking games?

Want to get into next weeks article?

Post a comment or question below or you can e-mail them to ethomason1@gmail.com

Shout out

Best of wishes to USC tailback Stafon Johnson, who was the victim of a freak weightlifting accident. Johnson had to have a seven-hour emergency surgery after the bar slipped out of his hand while bench pressing and landed on his throat—a harsh reminder to all of us to take nothing for granted, as it can all be taken away in a heartbeat.

We wish you a healthy recovery and the best of luck in your pursuit to return to the football field.

Top Five

Alabama—The Tide have added a passing game to go along with that stout defense, as Nick Saban’s team has looked the most impressive on the field so far this season.

Texas—Once again Colt McCoy only had one good half this week, but this time is was because he’s was only needed for one, as the Horn’s jumped up on UTEP 47-7 at halftime.

Florida—Things were looking fine in Lexington, until Tebow was knocked out in the third quarter. Luckily for the Gators, they have a bye week to get the Heisman winner healthy before heading to Death Valley.

Oklahoma—Bradford and the Sooners enjoyed the week off and have to be feeling better, especially after what happened in Blacksburg.

Virginia Tech—Beamer ball was at it’s best on Saturday, as the Hokies hushed Hurricane fans and made a big statement to the conference in the process.

Upcoming

What to watch for next week:

Southern Cal vs. California—win Saturday night and it looks like two weeks after the annual Southern Cal conference road loss the conference is still the Trojans to win.

Oklahoma vs. Miami—What was looking to be a showdown a week ago, has now turned into a game “Big Game Bob” should win.

Michigan vs. Michigan State—The Wolverines look to pull out another nail-biter to remain on course for a perfect season.

LSU vs. Georgia—The Bulldogs have been hot lately, but Les Miles will have the Tigers in the game late in the fourth quarter.

Video of the Week

Texas pulled Colt McCoy in the second half, so with Florida comfortably ahead of Kentucky should Tim Tebow have been in the game?

Listen to Mike and Mike debate

What we're sure of...

The Pac Ten conference will end up being the most competitive from top to bottom.

Besides Washington State, every team in the conference has a winning record.

Washington, UCLA, Stanford and Arizona have all improved this season, and Arizona State showed they would be tough to beat, taking Georgia down to the wire last week.

Come season’s end the conference could be looking at nine bowl eligible teams.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t a household name, but will be in the NFL draft come April.

RB Ryan Mathews (Fresno State), LB Eric Norwood (South Carolina), RB Darius Marshall (Marshall), and Mike Williams (Syracuse).

Your projected BCS bowl match-ups

Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Ohio State

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Southern Cal

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs. Cincinnati

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Boise State

National Championship Game: Alabama vs. Texas

Zzzzzzz (Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, West Virginia, UCLA, Oregon

ACC Tourney Preview

Eric Thomason — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:36:02 -0400

When: Mar. 12-15 Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta Outlook: Wake Forest, Clemson and Florida State are all playing to improve seeding and assure a protected seed in the NCAA tournament. While Virginia Tech, Miami and Maryland are trying to play their way in. Throw in classic Dick Vitale commentary and it’s almost impossible not to be pumped-up for all the action in Atlanta.

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Big East Tourney Preview

Eric Thomason — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:17:58 -0400

When: Mar. 10-14 Where: Madison Square Garden, New York City Outlook: And just when you thought March couldn’t get any better. All 16 teams from the Big East will make the trip to Madison Square Garden this year. With Louisville, Connecticut and Pittsburgh all in the running for number one seeds there should be plenty of fireworks in New York City once again.

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Big Ten Tourney Preview

Eric Thomason — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:06:41 -0400

When: Mar. 12-15 Where: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Outlook: Five teams (Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio State) are still trying to impress the committee, in what should be the most competitive conference tournaments. All season long teams have flip-flopped in the standings, as everyone in the conference proved they can be beat on any given night.

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Pac-10 Tourney Preview

Eric Thomason — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:44:11 -0400

When: Mar. 11-14 Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles Outlook: Many storylines emerged in the Pac-10 this season: The Washington Huskies won their first outright conference title since 1953; Mike Montgomery coached California back to the national spotlight; and Oregon State won seven conference games after going 0-16 a year ago. In a wide-open field, the action at the Staples Center should be fun to watch.

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Big XII Tourney Preview

Eric Thomason — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:24:12 -0400

hen: March 11-14 Where: Ford Center, Oklahoma City Outlook: With Oklahoma State and Texas A&M making late pushes, the Big XII tourney opening round could be very meaningful to bubble teams around the country. Outside of the Big East and ACC, Oklahoma and Kansas will be fighting for a shot at the final number one seed, while Texas and Missouri each have room to improve on the seeding line. Should be plenty of fireworks.

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SEC Tourney Preview

Eric Thomason — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:42:17 -0400

Outlook: The conference has had one of its worst season’s in recent memory. Only Tennessee and LSU are locks for the tournament, and perennial powers Kentucky and Florida are in jeopardy of missing the tournament all together. With so much mediocrity in the SEC, its very possible a team will play their way into the NCAA tournament the way Georgia did last season.

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College Basketball Wordplay: From A to Z (2/16-2/22)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:59:51 -0500

COLLEGE BASKETBALL WORDPLAY: From A to Z

(2/16 to 2/22)

And One

Pittsburgh climbed back to the top of the polls this week, becoming the first team this year to regain the number one spot. (See Below)

Beast of the East

DeJuan Blair keyed Pitt’s win over Connecticut last Monday. The big man scored 22 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, and kept Thabeet in check all night.

Thabeet struggled against a more physical Blair inside, finishing with just five points and just four rebounds.

While the loss of Dyson could loom large for Huskies, the emergence of Levance Fields could be equally as big for the Panthers.

Fields hit key shots down the stretch of the game, and is quietly leading the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Coagulation (Team that failed to stop the bleeding this week)

After beating Texas A&M last Saturday, it looked as if Baylor had bounced back from six straight conference losses.

That all changed after a trip to surging Oklahoma State, sent the Bears back to Waco licking their wounds.

Dog’s Day

Upsets of North Carolina and UCLA (see “P”) headlined an exciting Saturday of college hoops action.

Greivis Vasquez’ became the latest point guard to give North Carolina fits, notching a triple-double in Maryland’s 88-85 overtime win over the Tar Heels.

It seems every year, Gary William’s Terrapins find away to knock-off one of the tobacco road big boy’s.

Early Exit

The Texas Longhorns scored a huge victory Saturday night, thanks in large part to knocking Blake Griffin out of the game with a concussion.

A.J. Abrams scored 18 of the Longhorns last 20 points of the game, to most likely lead Rick Barnes’ team back into the NCAA tournament.

It was a case of a senior leader willing his team to victory, something we’re going to see many more times in the weeks to come. (See below.)

February Frenzy

As the final two weeks of February come to a close, it becomes increasingly tougher for team to win conference games on the road.

Of the six BCS conferences, road teams went a combined 23-43 in game played Monday thru Sunday.

The only team to win two conference road games this week was Marquette (at Seton Hall, at Georgetown)

With a season of up-and-down play from many ball clubs, the Golden Eagles and Panthers have been two of the most consistent teams in the country.

Got Mail:

Dear economists,

Please keep to your Excel spreadsheets.

Sincerely,

Jim Calhoun

P.S. “Can I have my dime back?”

Happy Times

Oregon won their first conference game in 14 tries, hanging on late to beat Stanford 68-60.

Entering Saturday the “Mighty” Ducks were one of only four teams (Air Force, DePaul and SE Missouri St.) without a conference victory.

“Quack, quack baby!”

Impact Freshman

Tyreke Evans scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Memphis’ 70-63 come from behind victory over UTEP on Saturday afternoon.

Evans has filled the void left by fellow freshman Derrick Rose, and has been an instrumental part of the Tiger’s current 54-game C-USA win streak.

Jumping to conclusions: (Predictions for next week.)

Upset Special: Notre Dame 72 Connecticut 69

Could be in trouble: Missouri 76 Kansas State 72

Close than you think: Wake Forest 69 Virginia 64

No way Jose: Illinois 58 Minnesota 47

Know that…

St. Mary’s will only get better when Patrick Mills returns to the line-up again for the WCC tournament in a couple weeks.

SMC’s 75-64 win over Utah State on Bracketbuster Saturday might have given the Gael’s a little breathing room with the tournament committee (See who else did below), however I believe getting to the tournament title game is probably still a must.

Letting the committee know…

With Texas’ big win over Oklahoma, and Kansas State, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State all making a push toward .500 plus conference records, the Big XII isn’t going to make the selection committee’s job any easier come Selection Sunday.

Mid-major Paradise

Watch out for Siena (22-6, 15-1) this coming March. The Saints have three players who average more than 13.6 ppg, and six who average more than eight ppg.

This might be the best mid-major team in country; just ask Vanderbilt.

No you're not…

Xavier: A top four seed and legitimate Final Four threat.

Pat Knight: Different from your daddy.

Overrated

Arizona State, Duke, Michigan State, and Xavier.

Player of the week (not named Vasquez)

Taylor Rochestie finished with a career high 33 points in Washington State’s 82-81 upset victory over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.

The senior scored 14 of the Cougars last 15 points to beat UCLA for the first time in ten tries.

Question of the week

How many teams from the Mountain West Conference will end up making the NCAA tournament?

(See result is the poll question.)

Red Cross

Purdue became the latest Big Ten team to enter lock status after Tuesday night’s 72-54 win over Michigan State,

Surprisingly it was the defense for Purdue that set the stage, not the Spartans.

You can’t help but wonder how good this Boilermaker team would be without all the injuries.

Shout-outs (Teams/players who are deserving of a little love)

Oregon State: The Beavers have ripped off three straight conference wins to get back to .500 and are 7-8 in conference play, a year after going winless in PAC-10 play.

Top Five

1. North Carolina

2. Pittsburgh

3. Oklahoma

4. Marquette

5. Memphis

Upcoming (Five games to watch for next week)

Florida State vs. Boston College (Tuesday)

Connecticut vs. Marquette (Wednesday)

Arizona State vs. Washington (Thursday)

LSU vs. Kentucky (Saturday)

Texas vs. Oklahoma State (Saturday)

Wait and see (Bubble team)

Davidson has now dropped two conference games, and after Saturday’s Bracketbuster loss to Butler at home, the Wildcats will most like not receive an at-large bid.

Realistically all hopes rely on the ankle of Curry, and a run toward another Southern Conference tournament title.

X-tra points:

With North Carolina’s loss to Maryland on Saturday and the strength of teams at the top of the Big East, the Tar Heels will probably miss out on the top seed out east.

Also, with the recent struggles of UCLA and the parity at the top of the PAC-10, the conference will most likely fail to have a team receive a top four seed. (See below)

Your projected seed line as of today:

East- Pittsburgh, Kansas, Duke, LSU

West- Oklahoma, Louisville, Clemson, Villanova

Midwest- North Carolina, Michigan State, Marquette, Missouri

South- Memphis, Connecticut, Wake Forest, Purdue

Zzzzz: (Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Memphis, St. Mary’s, Villanova, Florida State, LSU.

College Basketball Wordplay

Eric Thomason — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:36:05 -0500

And One

Indiana wins a conference game, ending the school's longest losing streak ever at 11. Enjoy the champagne Hoosiers, because it might be the last time you celebrate all season.

Bluegrass Misery

Kentucky’s struggles continued, turning the ball over 15 times in a 66-57 loss to Mississippi State. The Wildcats were booed at halftime and most of the second half by their Rupp Arena faithful.

After starting conference play 5-0, Kentucky has dropped three straight, joining the likes of Syracuse, Georgetown, and Notre Dame, without playing the same type of quality opponents the Big East offers.

Teams have figured out that if you stop Jodie Meeks, it’s really not that tough to beat Billy Gillispie’s squad. Kentucky has moved from a possible four seed to possibly missing the tournament in just three games.

Coagulation

Team that failed to stop the bleeding this week

It looked like Georgetown had recovered from five straight losses with a win over Rutgers earlier in the week, but the Hoyas had their wound reopened with an overtime loss to Cincinnati.

Can you really still believe these same Hoyas beat UConn in late December?

Defenseless

Let’s play how many points we can score in 40 minutes; sound fun, Gary Williams?

North Carolina might have the best offense in the country (92.3 ppg) but need to improve on the defensive end—the Heels rank 253rd in the nation, allowing 71.2 ppg.

Roy Williams' bunch gave up 44 to Maryland in the first half, which was the same point total the Terps managed to score against Duke for the entire game.

Tyreke Evans scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds in a dominating 77-60 win over Gonzaga on Saturday night.

Evans had filled the void left by Derrick Rose, and Memphis has once again very quietly started to come together as a team.

Got Mail

Dear Ticketmaster,

I was wondering if I could purchase group tickets for the NIT championship game.

Sincerely,

Longhorn and Irish faithful

Impact Freshman

Jumping to conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special:

Could be in trouble:

Close than you think:

No way Jose:

Looking forward:

Mid-major Paradise: Bracketbusters announced.

Bulldogs suffer second loss of the season.

“Nova”caine

Villanova might be the most overlooked team in the country. Silently this team that made a Sweet 16 run last season has things rolling again. Great guard play is a key come tournament time. Does anyone remember Reynolds?

Overrated:

Player of the week:

Jack McClinton.

Question of the week:

Recruiting News:

Storm's a Bruin

UCLA is playing great basketball right now.

Ben Howland's team has to be considered as having an outside shot at an unprecedented fourth straight Final Four appearance.

Top Five

Upcoming: (Five things to watch for next week)

Wacky Wednesday

Clemson's defense has shut down Duke so far in the first half. Kyle Singler got in foul trouble early and had four fouls. Without Gerald Henderson and him, the Blue Devils really struggled in the Devils' two losses.

What has happened to Wake Forest? They have been completely turned around as a team, and have struggled offensively. Remember, this is a very young team. Miami is a very veteran team with four senior starters.

X-tra points

The Missouri Tigers are now 20-4 (7-2 in Big XII) and have wins over California, Southern Cal, Texas, and Baylor.

This Tiger team is a very athletic group, which will run teams up and down the court for 40 minutes, wearing opponents down during the stretch of games. If you haven’t had a chance to watch Missouri play this season, you might want to start paying attention.

Your projected seed line as of today:

Zzzzz: Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week 12)

Eric Thomason — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:35:39 -0500

College Football week of 11/15/08

Apple Cup

This year’s edition of Washington-Washington State will most likely draw the worst TV ratings of the 2008 college football season, as both teams come into the game with a combined 0-15 record in conference play.

The pillow fight will be the last chance for the Huskies to avoid a winless season and will be the last game of Tyrone Willingham’s career in Washington.

Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET, so be prepared to have your tube turned off in time, as to avoid any possibility of corneal damage.

Bowl Eligible

(* teams who didn’t go to a bowl game last year that are already bowl eligible)

New additions this week: Boston College, *Buffalo, Fresno State, Houston, *Louisiana Tech, *Mississippi, *Notre Dame, *Vanderbilt, and Wisconsin.

Teams who lost bowl eligibility this week: Kansas State, Mississippi State, New Mexico State, Temple, Texas A&M, UCF, and Wyoming.

Teams already bowl eligible: Air Force, Alabama, *Arizona, Ball State, Boise State, BYU, California, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Connecticut, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, *Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, *Miami, Michigan State, *Minnesota, Missouri, Navy, *Nebraska, *North Carolina, *Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, *Pittsburgh, *Rice, *San Jose State, *South Carolina, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Tulsa, Troy, USC, USF, Utah, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest , West Virginia, and *Western Michigan.

Circling the Wagons

The line for the Florida bandwagon now stretches across the Mason-Dixon Line—it’s the hottest ticket in all of sports.

Ahem, no cutting Steve Spurrier.

For South Carolina, it didn’t matter who was throwing the ball or what packages they tried to run on defense, because the Gators are just too fast and athletic on both ends of the ball.

It’s going to take a really high-powered offense to beat or even compete with the balance Florida possesses.

Hmmm, I wonder if the Big 12 South has any of those.

Dreaming of a championship

Scenarios teams in the Top 10 would need to happen in order to play for the national title in Miami

Texas Tech, Alabama, Florida, and possibly Oklahoma just have to win their remaining games.

Texas would need the winner of the Oklahoma-Texas Tech game to lose to Missouri in the Big 12 championship game.

Southern Cal and Penn State would need Texas’ scenario plus Florida to lose to Florida State and then have the Gators beat Alabama in the SEC championship game, but even then would have only an outside shot at the national title.

Utah and Boise State both need each team listed above to lose once to even enter the championship discussion.

Ohio State—well, they need a miracle to make it to their third straight title game.

Extra points

Matt Stafford connected with freshman A.J. Green late in the fourth quarter to beat Auburn in Tommy Tuberville’s final game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. It was the second straight week Green has pulled in the game-winning score.

Forgotten

Missouri clinched the Big 12 North Division with a dominating 52-20 win over Iowa State. Once ranked in the Top Five, the Tigers have fallen off the college football map.

Remember, this is a team with many offensive weapons, led by an experienced quarterback—but then again, who in the conference isn't?

Very quietly the Mizzou defense has steadily improved, forcing four turnovers in their last two games.

The Tigers will get a shot to play spoiler on Dec. 6 in Kansas City, where strange things have been know to happen.

Got Mail?

Dear Wal-Mart,

Thank you for keeping your laser pointer sales a top priority.

Sincerely,

Zac Robinson

Hoops hysteria

This is no doubt the best time of the year for college sports.

College basketball preseason tournaments have just begun, and the bowl season is just around the corner.

Look for my college basketball edition of Wordplay coming in mid-December, and thanks again to everyone who currently reads the article regularly.

I really appreciate the support.

Impact Freshmen

Freshmen putting up big numbers this week

1. WR DeAndre Brown, Southern Miss: Eight receptions, 124 yards, TD

2. RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State: 27 carries, 144 yards, TD

3. WR A.J. Green, Georgia: Five receptions, 81 yards, TD

4. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: 6 of 10, 49 yards, TD, and 13 carries, 110 yards, TD

5. WR Tyron Carrier, Houston: six receptions, 127 yards, two TDs

Jumping to Conclusions

(Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Ole Miss 42, LSU 30

Could be in trouble: Utah 28, BYU 27

Closer than you think: Boise State 35, Nevada 31

No way Jose: Ohio State 42, Michigan 17

Kryptonite

Troy blew a 31-3 lead in Death Valley, as LSU scored 30 points in the fourth quarter to avoid an embarrassing loss.

Les Miles needs someone/anyone to step up and be a hero at quarterback.

Next week game against Ole Miss should go a long way in determining SEC bowl positioning.

Looking Forward

Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech

Texas Tech has won the two out of the last three meetings with the Sooners.

Well, maybe one out of three if the referees make the right call at the goal line two years ago.

Oklahoma has improved each week running the ball, which will keep the defensive front of Texas Tech from blitzing and allow Sam Bradford to pick apart this Red Raider defense.

But so will Graham Harrell on what is probably the worst Oklahoma defense of the Bob Stoops era.

It most likely will come down to has the ball last and who can take advantage of a, let’s say, “tipped pass.”

Prediction: At the end of the day, I think this Texas Tech story seems too good to be true. I believe Oklahoma will be able to score enough points to hold off the Red Raiders in Norman.

Oklahoma 45, Texas Tech 42

Midshipmen

Notre Dame controlled the game for almost 55 minutes until Navy successfully recovered two onside kicks.

If you turned off your TV too early, or even had it tuned to the game at all, shame on you.

Weis can continue to call plays, but with the loss of stud freshman Michael Floyd, the offense is going to continue to struggle the rest of the season.

No you're not...

Florida Gators: Really playing the Citadel this weekend?

Todd Reesing: comfortable in the pocket. I mean seriously, how nervous did he look back there?

Navy: allowed to have four timeouts.

Overrated

BYU, Michigan State, and Utah.

Playoff

Using this week’s BCS standings, here is how an eight-team “Obama playoff” would look if the season were to end today.

1) Alabama vs. 8) Penn State

4) Florida vs. 5) Oklahoma

3) Texas vs. 6) Southern Cal

2) Texas Tech vs. 7) Utah

Question of the Week

Is it time for Notre Dame to join a conference, and if so, where and how would it happen?

South Bend is home to arguably the most prestigious football program in the country. Notre Dame is so special that the Irish are the only team in college football with a TV contract and their own adopted BCS rule.

But with the mediocrity surrounding Notre Dame in this decade, is it time for the Irish to quit their social outcast persona and join the rest of the football population?

Of course, the most reasonable place for ND to relocate would be the Big Ten.

Currently the Big Ten is the only conference where not every team has to play each other, or even has the opportunity to play every team (i.e. conference title game).

For example, Penn State did not have to play two of the conference’s ranked teams (Minnesota and Northwestern) this year.

The Irish would be the 12th member, splitting the conference into two divisions (like the Big 12, ACC, and SEC) and, most importantly, giving the conference a title game.

So what would the relocating look like?

Well, keeping rivalries would be most important, so Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State would be kept together, as would Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

The Big Ten would also want to keep the Illinois and Indiana schools paired together (Indiana with Purdue and Illinois with Northwestern).

Since Notre Dame is also in Indiana, the Irish would most likely be paired with this group.

Therefore, the divisions would look like this.

East: Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, and Penn State.

West: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

That leaves the Big Ten East to stack up to the West a lot like the Big 12 South does to the North.

Reader’s Response

This is where you the reader get a chance to respond to the question of the week. Post a comment and make your case.

Star Performance of the Week

Jeremiah Masoli completed 21-of-26 passes for 298 yards and had five touchdowns in Oregon’s 55-45 victory over Arizona.

The Ducks may be out of the Pac-10 title hunt, but with Masoli improving each week, Oregon might have a chance to play spoiler when they visit Oregon State on Dec. 6 for the Civil War.

Top Five

Florida: The hottest team in the nation took it to Spurrier, embarrassing the Gamecocks 56-6 in the Swamp.

Oklahoma: Had the week off to prepare for Crabtree, Harrell, and the rest of the Texas Tech offense.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders have actually played better on the road, winning by an average of 26.5 ppg away from Lubbock.

Texas: Easily handled the Jayhawks 35-7 in Texas’ final conference road game.

Alabama: Avenged two previous losses to the Bulldogs and are now two wins away from a national title berth.

Upcoming

Five things to watch for next week.

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma: Winner will most likely represent the South in the Big 12 title game and have the inside track to the national title.

Michigan State vs. Penn State: Penn State tries to wrap up the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

BYU vs. Utah: It’s simple—beat BYU at home on Saturday, and Utah goes to the BCS.

Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati: First place in the Big East is up for grabs.

Oregon State vs. Arizona: So far, so good for the Beavers. Up next for OSU is a trip to the desert to face the off-and-on Wildcats.

Video of the Week

During Kansas’ 35-7 loss on senior day in Lawrence, wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe made a spectacular one-handed catch to set up the Jayhawks' only score of the game.

In case you missed it, watch Briscoe go all David Tyree on the Longhorns.

What we’re sure of...

The Big 12 will not be able to fill all of their eight bowl game ties. Currently seven teams are bowl eligible, with Colorado (5-6) being the only team in the conference with a shot to reach a bowl game.

The Buffs finish the season at Nebraska, which will most likely leave the Big 12 with only seven bowl eligible teams.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t a household name, but will be come April for the NFL draft.

CB Darius Butler (Connecticut), DE Geno Atkins (Texas), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland), CB Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest)

Your BCS bowl matchups right now

Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Southern Cal

Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Cincinnati

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Utah

Fiesta Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Ohio State

National Championship Game: Florida vs. Oklahoma

Zzzzzzz: (Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Programs on the rise: Ball State, Cincinnati, Oregon State, Ohio State, Missouri

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week 11)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:24:00 -0500

College Football week of 11/08/08

Above average

Texas Tech got offensive on Oklahoma State Saturday night, racking up 629 yards of total offense on a Cowboy defense that coming into the contest was only allowing 21 points per-game.

This Red Raider team is rewriting the college football theories:

Graham Harrell is on a mission to prove that a system quarterback can not only win the Heisman, but a national title.

Mike Leach is one of the few coaches to not play college football.

And the kicker is a walk on.

So what is the solution to all the madness occurring in West Texas, you ask?

It’s simple, Michael Crabtree.

Bowl Eligible:

(* teams who didn’t go to a bowl game last year, that are already bowl eligible)

New additions this week

*Arizona, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, *Iowa, *Nebraska, Oregon State, Troy, Virginia Tech and Wake Forrest.

Teams who lost bowl eligibility this week

Army, Baylor, Indiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Miami (OH), New Mexico Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, Toledo, Tulane, and UAB.

Teams already bowl eligible

Air Force, Alabama, Ball State, Boise State, BYU, California, Central Michigan, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, *Miami, Michigan State, *Minnesota, Missouri, Navy, *North Carolina, *Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, *Pittsburgh, *Rice, *San Jose State, *South Carolina, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Tulsa, USC, USF, Utah, West Virginia and *Western Michigan.

Calm before the storm:

The eye of the college football storm has arrived, with only one match-up involving two Top 25 teams this weekend.

Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule, which included seven games with potential winner take-all scenarios:

11/19

Ball State vs. Central Michigan (MAC West title)

11/22

No. 2 Texas Tech vs. No.5 Oklahoma (Big XII South title)

No. 17 BYU vs. No. 7 Utah (Mountain West title)

No. 15 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Penn State (Big Ten title)

No. 19 Florida State vs. Maryland (ACC Atlantic title)

No. 21 Pittsburgh vs. No. 22 Cincinnati (Big East title)

Troy vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt title)

Defensive

Southern Cal has given up only three points in as many games, and ranks first in three defensive statistical categories: pass defense (129 ypg), total defense (207 ypg), scoring defense (7 ppg) and is third in the nation in rush defense (78 ypg)

This could be Pete Carroll’s best defense yet, as six Trojans are projected to be drafted this April, with three (Ray Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Taylor Mays) likely going in the first round.

Extra-points

With Western Michigan’s win over Illinois, the MAC continued its recent success against the Big Ten this season.

The woes also continued at Tennessee, who failed to win for Philip Fuller, losing to Wyoming at home.

Terrelle Pryor continued to impress me this Saturday. The freshman made play after play with his feet and to this point has looked better than Vince Young did in his first year.

Mohamed Massaquoi fumbled twice in the second half to keep Kentucky in the game, but rebounded just in time to made a 77-yard catch on the game-winning drive for the Georgia Bulldogs.

If you were betting on Missouri to cover the spread this weekend you were beaten badly by a 93 yard touchdown, followed by an onside kick and another score.

Favor to all of college football

I don’t think my heart beat faster this entire college football season then when Daniel Murray lined up for the game-winning 31-yard field goal to beat Penn State.

Amidst the snow flurries, the kick buried the Nittany Lions and sent rejoice throughout the heartland of college football.

Got Mail?

Dear Iowa,

Thank you for saving the holidays

Sincerely,

The Big XII South.

Heating up

As the race in the Big Ten starts to heat-up, we take a sentence per team outlook at the contenders in the conference.

Contenders

Ohio State- In the blink of an eye, the state of Ohio is rooting for a team from Michigan.

Penn State- Despite the loss to Iowa, the Nittany Lions still control their own Rose Bowl destiny.

Michigan State- Spartans need Ohio State to lose and to beat Penn State in the season finale to fin the conference.

On the outside looking in

Northwestern- could use a couple mulligans to erase the Wildcats bad play against Michigan State and Ohio State.

On the outside, I mean way outside

State of Indiana- needs a time machine to start the season again.

Impact Freshman:

Freshman putting up big numbers this week:

WR T.Y Hilton, Florida International: 6 receptions, 199 yards.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State: 31 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD.

QB Kellen Moore, Boise State: 27 of 36, 362 yards, 2 TD, INT.

QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: 9 of 14, 197 yards, 3 TD, and 6 carries, 33 yards.

RB Darren Evans: 32 carries, 253 yards, TD.

Jumping to Conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Air Force 31 BYU 28

Could be in trouble: Oregon State 30 California 24

Closer than you think: LSU 35 Troy 24

No way Jose: Florida 31 South Carolina 14

Knowing the way home

I guess Nick Saban was a little home sick after all. It seems the coach was so happy to be back in Baton Rouge that his team decided to wait till overtime to get the victory.

Following Saban’s trip to Death Valley, two people were killed in an incident involving fans of the respective schools. (See below)

I’m sorry LSU fans, but killing each other isn’t going change the fact that Jarrett Lee is still your starting quarterback come gameday.

On a more serious note

Let us all remember: college football is a game involving student athletes. It’s sad and silly to see over-zealous, ignorant fans ruin the purity of the sport. Read the full story here.

Mountain Magic

Brian Johnson’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Brown with 48 seconds remaining helped Utah remain unbeaten and a win away from a berth in a BCS bowl.

The Horn Frogs got conservative in the fourth quarter with a touchdown lead and had to rely on a freshman kicker, who missed from 26 and 35 yards.

After last weeks election results you would think TCU would have learned being conservative won’t get you very far.

No your not…

Les Miles - trying to throw the ball in overtime when Alabama’s kicker is struggling and your starting quarterback has already thrown three interceptions.

Joe Pa- making it to press conferences on time still.

Stephen McGee- enjoying senior day against Oklahoma.

Miami (OH) WR Tom Crabtree- well, I think we all know.

Shonn Green- talked about enough. (Most underrated player in all of college football)

Big Ten officials- trying to get the conference more money by calling a “roughing” the kicker penalty late in the fourth quarter against Iowa.

Overrated

BYU, Michigan State, and Utah.

Playoff

Using this week’s BCS standings, here is how an eight-team “Obama playoff” would look if the season were to end today:

1) Alabama vs. 8) Penn State

4) Florida vs. 5) Oklahoma

3) Texas vs. 6) Southern Cal

2) Texas Tech vs. 7) Utah

Question of the Week

What should we make of the non-BCS conference schools like Ball State, Boise State and Utah?

Five undefeated FBS teams remain, but only Texas Tech and Alabama have a realistic chance of winning a national title.

There is a very good chance that at least one of the other schools from non-BCS conferences will finish the season perfect.

So what motivates schools like Utah, Boise State and Ball State?

How can an athlete enter a season knowing that if I win every single game, I still won’t be a champion?

So I ask you college football executives, why even have non-BCS schools included in the FBS?

Why not have a D-IAA and D-IAAA?

Until every team in the FBS has a legitimate shot at winning the national title, there will always be questions to answer, and college football will remain the only sport in the world where being perfect is simply, not enough.

Reader’s Response

This is where you the reader get a chance to respond to the question of the week. Post a comment and make your case.

Star performance of the Week

Graham Harrell completed 40-of-50 pass attempts for 456 yards and six touchdowns in Texas Techs 55-20 win over Oklahoma State.

The senior is an Oklahoma win away from taking the hardware in New York City back to Lubbock.

Top Five

Texas Tech - Red Raiders beat a second straight Top Ten team at home, man-handling Oklahoma State 56-20.

Florida - Gators stayed hot, building a 42-point lead against Vanderbilt early in the third quarter.

Oklahoma - Sooners went Route 66 on the Aggies and are averaging 62 points per game in their last three outings.

Alabama - The Tide had to survive overtime against LSU to remain undefeated and clinch the SEC West division title.

Texas - Colt McCoy threw for five touchdown passes in a 45-21 blowout win over Baylor.

Upcoming

Five things to watch for next week:

Texas vs. Kansas

Last test for the Longhorns comes on the road against a high-powered Kansas offense led by Todd Reising.

South Carolina vs. Florida

Spurrier’s team heads back to the Swamp, looking to end the Gators national title hopes.

Ohio State vs. Illinois

Buckeyes head to Champagne on senior day, looking to avenge last year’s 28-21 loss.

Cal vs. Oregon State

Beavers face first challenge of al three-game test to win the Pac-10.

BYU vs. Air Force

Cougars try keep their Mountain West Conference title hopes alive against the Falcons.

Video of the Week

Colorado safety DJ Dykes stuffed Iowa State running back Alexander Robinson at the goal line as time expired to keep the Buffs bowl hopes alive.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week 10)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:09:11 -0500

College Football week of Nov. 1, 2008

Avengers

Tim Tebow and the superhero Florida Gators got payback in the best way Saturday.

Superman scored five touchdowns, jumped back into the thick of the Heisman race, and enjoyed some refreshing “Jacksonville cocktails” during the fourth quarter of Florida ’s 49-10 blowout win over No. 6 Georgia.

As for the Dawgs, well, let’s just say Knowshon is starting to perform in big games like his brother from another mother, Dan Marino.

Hey, it’s a ticket to Miami, right?

Bowl Eligible

(* teams who didn’t go to a bowl game last year that are already bowl eligible)

New additions this week: California, Kansas, Kentucky, LSU, Navy, *Miami, *Pittsburgh, *Rice, *San Jose State, *South Carolina, West Virginia

Teams who lost bowl eligibility this week: Iowa State, Kent State, Michigan, Ohio, UAB, and Western Kentucky

Teams already bowl eligible: Air Force, Alabama, Ball State, Boise State, BYU, Central Michigan, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State, *Minnesota, Missouri, *North Carolina, *Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Tulsa, USC, USF, Utah, and *Western Michigan

Controlling their destiny

Teams that if they win out will win their respective conferences/divisions:

ACC Atlantic: Florida State and Maryland

ACC Coastal: None (tiebreakers in all scenarios)

Big 12 South: Texas Tech

Big 12 North: Kansas and Missouri

Big East: Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia

Big Ten: Michigan State and Penn State

Pac-10: Cal and Oregon State

SEC East: Florida

SEC West: Alabama

Dreaming Big

Guns blazing, Texas Tech has entered the national championship picture.

Growing up, every little boy has played out the game-winning touchdown in his backyard, and Michael Crabtree is no different.

"On the sideline, I kind of dreamed that I would catch a pass and go in the end zone for a game-winning score. I do that, like every game, but it happened. It kind of shocked me," Crabtree said.

One day after Halloween, the Red Raiders will certainly haunt Colt McCoy in his sleep tonight.

Election Day

Make a difference, have your voice heard, go vote, and God Bless America.

Furious Finishes

Several teams made crucial mistakes when presented with the opportunity to win the game in the final minutes.

Minnesota should check baggage claim after Northwestern Airlines took off the other way for the game-winning touchdown.

The Badgers need a new Rolex after calling a timeout and stopping the clock to let Michigan State set up for a game-winning field goal.

Notre Dame needed some Viagra, because the Irish needed their post to be a couple inches wider when 60-plus minutes just weren’t enough.

Florida State needed some Robitussin after coughing up a fumble in the Georgia Tech end zone.

Got Mail?

Dear Optometrist,

I was wondering if you could send me some more contacts, I was having trouble reading the time on the scoreboard.

Sincerely,

Texas Tech fan

Heating up

As the race in the Big East starts to heat up, we take a sentence per team look at the contenders in the conference.

Contenders

Cincinnati: Bearcats are healthy now but have to play two straight conference games on the road.

West Virginia: All of a sudden Pat White and the Mountaineer are a second half team (outscoring opponents 62-0 in their last three games).

Pittsburgh: LeSean McCoy has had five straight 100-yard rushing games for the Panthers.

On the outside looking in

Connecticut: Counting the tiebreaker, the Huskies are three games back of WVU after this weekend’s loss to the Mountaineers.

On the outside, I mean way outside

South Florida: Grothe continues to struggle as the Bulls have lost two straight conference games.

Syracuse: Orange got their first conference win of the season, beating Louisville 28-21.

Impact Freshmen

Freshmen putting up big numbers this week:

WR Malcolm Williams, Texas: four receptions, 182 yards, two TDs

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State: 30 carries, 133 yards

QB Kellen Moore, Boise State: 15 of 23, 246 yards, three TDs, INT

WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M: six receptions, 95 yards, two TDs

QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor: 26 of 35, 283 yards, two TDs, INT and 17 carries, 33 yards, TD

Jumping to Conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: TCU 35, Utah 24

Could be in trouble: Penn State 27, Iowa 24

Closer than you think: Florida 31, Vanderbilt 23

No way Jose: Southern Cal 42, California 20

Knoxville Misery

Phillip Fulmer is out in Rocky Top after failing to get Tennessee back to a BCS bowl game since losing to Nebraska 31-21 in 2001.

The coach won a national title in 1998 and was 150-51 during his 17-year career in Knoxville.

It was nice to see Fulmer’s players sticking up for their coach after the announcement this week.

"Tennessee is a family, one, and we take care of each other. This was not the way for him to go out. He should have been able to go out on his own terms, and that's how the rest of my teammates feel about it.”—senior offensive tackle Ramon Foster

"I feel like I just lost one of my ribs, my kidney or something. I feel like I lost a family member. I mean, nobody has died, but that's what it feels like right now."—safety Eric Berry

Looking Forward

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State

The Red Raiders face another explosive offense when Oklahoma State comes to Lubbock this weekend.

Graham Harrell is in the driver’s seat for the Heisman Trophy after beating Colt McCoy Saturday night. The Red Raider offensive line will need to just as good a job protecting Harrell as they did against the Longhorns, against arguably a better pass-rushing Cowboy defensive front.

On offense, Oklahoma State will look to control the line of scrimmage with Kendall Hunter and spread the field with the ball deep to Dez Bryant, something the Longhorns exposed late in the second half of last week’s game.

Mike Leech faces his toughest test in his coaching career, trying to keep this team from being complacent after the program's biggest win ever.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 35, Texas Tech 31

Making a mess of the BCS

If Northwestern can beat Ohio State at home this weekend, the Big Ten would likely lose its chance at getting a second team into the Bowl Championship Series (See letter “S”), leaving the door open for either Utah or a one-loss TCU team to sneak in from the Mountain West Conference.

If Boise State can finish the season undefeated, we could be looking at two non-BCS schools receiving at-large bids on Dec. 7.

No you're not...

Texas Tech fan : seriously that drunk that you couldn’t read the game clock.

Current college football coaches : admitting you’re interested in the Tennessee coaching job. (See letter “Q”)

East Carolina : still playing college football this season?

Mike Gundy : about to have another meltdown on the sidelines.

Tulsa : the same level of athletes as Arkansas.

Overrated

BYU, Michigan State, and Utah

Playoff

Using this week’s BCS standings, here is how an eight-team “Obama playoff” would look if the season were to end today:

1) Alabama vs. 8) Utah

4) Texas vs. 5) Florida

3) Penn State vs. 6) Oklahoma

2) Texas Tech vs. 7) Southern Cal

Question of the Week

Is it right for a school to fire a coach midseason?

Yes, there are certain benefits to getting an early start to the 2009 season, but firing a coach before the end of the current one creates a distraction for the university directly involved, as well as other programs around the country.

For example, Steve Spurrier at South Carolina, David Cutcliffe at Duke, and Butch Davis at North Carolina have already dealt with the domino effect caused by the midseason firing.

I think it’s wrong and a real injustice to the present—well, I guess now prior coach. See, it’s confusing and affecting me already too.

Reader’s Response

This is where you the reader get a chance to respond to the question of the week. Post a comment and make your case.

Star Performance of the Week

Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka threw for 143 yards and two touchdowns and added another 217 yards on the ground in the Wildcats' 24-17 upset of No. 17 Minnesota.

The junior reminds me a lot of the former Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones, who has had a fairly successful career as a wideout for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Look for Kafka to make the switch to wide receiver and have the same kind of impact for an NFL team as Jones did.

Top Five

Alabama: Avoided overlooking next week's trip to LSU, shutting out Arkansas State 35-0.

Texas Tech: Beat the number one team in the country in the biggest game of the program’s history.

Florida: The Gators have outscored opponents 201-43 since losing to Ole Miss on September 27.

Texas: Longhorns head back to Austin, looking to rebound against a much-improved Baylor team.

Oklahoma: Sooners scored 35 points in the first quarter, handing Nebraska its worst loss in the series ever.

Upcoming

Five things to watch for next week:

TCU vs. Utah : It’s another Thursday night blockbuster, with a possible BCS spot on the line.

Alabama vs. LSU: Nick Saban heads back to Death Valley for the first time since leaving LSU.

Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech: Red Raiders face round two of their Big 12 blockbuster.

Cal vs. Southern Cal: Pac-10 title is on the line when the Bears visit the Coliseum.

Ohio State vs. Northwestern: Buckeyes must win on the road to keep Rose Bowl/Big Ten title hopes alive.

Video of the Week

Thursday night, Cincinnati wide receiver Marshawn Gilyard crashed into the stands, knocking a kid over while trying to make a catch in the back of the end zone.

The star wideout ended up giving him a hug, and afterwards the seven-year-old boy signed autographs and was interviewed by Erin Andrews. Check it out.

What we're sure of...

If Penn State makes it to Miami for the National Championship, the Nittany Lions will be under added pressure because of Ohio State ’s recent failures.

We could be looking at a third consecutive year a more athletic SEC squad takes it to an overrated Big Ten champion.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t household names but will be come April for the NFL draft.

CB Darius Butler (Connecticut), DE Geno Atkins (Texas), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland), CB Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest)

Your BCS bowl matchups right now

Rose Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Southern Cal

Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. TCU

Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. Boise State

National Championship Game: Florida vs. Penn State

Zzzzzzz

(Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Programs on the rise: Ball State, TCU, West Virginia, Oregon State

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week Nine)

Eric Thomason — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:02:12 -0400

College Football week of Oct. 25, 2008

Arena Football

The Boomer Sooner offense took off early and often once again this weekend. Oklahoma and Kansas State scored 73 points in the first half—that was more points than 37 other FBS games played on Saturday scored in the entire game.

Bowl Eligible

Air Force, Alabama, Ball State, Boise State, BYU, Central Michigan, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Tulsa, USC, USF, and Utah.

Teams who didn’t go to a bowl game last year that are already bowl eligible

North Carolina, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Western Michigan

Teams who can no longer become bowl eligible

Eastern Michigan, Idaho, North Texas, San Diego State, SMU, Utah State, Washington, and Washington State

Conference Champs

With Penn State’s win over Ohio State, the Nittany Lion factor has officially spread into the veins of college football. With only games against Iowa, Michigan State, and Indiana remaining, Joe Pa’s team is sitting pretty.

Terrelle Pryor showed his true freshman colors on Saturday night by not securing the football late in the game, but then again, Colt McCoy did the same thing against the Pokes three hours “Pryor.”

Difference is, one team made a defensive stop when they had to, and the other folded.

Dodge and move on

The Longhorns didn’t need to overcome a huge deficit against Oklahoma State this year around, as Texas held on to beat the Cowboys 28-24, for the 11th straight time.

Mack Brown’s team is now 8-0 and a win in Lubbock away from completing one of the toughest stretches in recent college football history.

Everyday it’s a new ACC

Honestly, who knows anymore?

Let’s wait another week and then sort it out.

Feeling like home

Southern Cal escaped with a 17-10 victory in a hostile stadium in Tucson.

The Trojans continued to struggle to find a fit at running back though, as four players carried the ball more than five times apiece against the Wildcats.

Does anyone else notice how timid Joe McKnight is when he hits the hole?

The freshman is on his tippy toes prancing around like Fred from the Flintstones.

Got Mail?

Dear Marshall Band,

Thank you for leaving your equipment on the field so my star freshman receiver could see if he was also talented with a tuba in his hands.

Sincerely,

Anonymous Houston Cougar fan.

Heating up

As the race in the Pac-10 starts to heat up, we take a sentence per team outlook at the contenders in the conference.

Contenders

Southern Cal: Trojans look solid and are eyeing another conference title.

Oregon State: It’s been nearly a month since Oregon State upset the Trojans, but don’t forget—if the Beavers can win out, they’ll be in the Rose Bowl.

On the outside looking in

Cal: The Golden Bears are the only remaining team with a shot at both Oregon State and Southern Cal.

On the outside, I mean way outside

Washington State: I mean, how bad can a team really be?

Impact Freshmen

Freshmen putting up big numbers this week.

1. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame: four receptions, 107 yards, TD

2. QB Cody Endres, Connecticut: 18 of 42, 192 yards

3. QB Kellen Moore, Boise State: 26 of 40, 244 yards, two TDs, INT

4. WR A.J. Green, Georgia: three receptions, 89 yards, TD

5. LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma: 15 tackles and two INTs

Jumping to Conclusions

(Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: West Virginia 31, Connecticut 17

Could be in trouble: Tulsa 35, Arkansas 31

Closer than you think: Alabama 35, Arkansas St. 24

No way Jose: Southern Cal 56, Washington 10

Knockout punch

Georgia delivered the final blow to LSU, ending any shot the Tigers had at defending their national championship from a year ago.

Knowshon Moreno went off for the Bulldogs, rushing for 163 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, and Mathew Stafford is quietly becoming one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the country.

The LSU loss means Alabama can lose to the Tigers in Death Valley on Nov. 8 and still win the SEC West.

Looking forward

Texas vs. Texas Tech

Last year, Oklahoma found out firsthand how tough a road trip to Lubbock can be, so you can expect Mack Brown’s squad to be ready for the challenge.

Besides the obvious conference and national title implications, the Heisman trophy might be up for grabs on Saturday night as well.

Harrell torched Todd Reesing, and McCoy already handled Bradford, Robinson, and Daniel.

However, Colt McCoy did show signs of being human against Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech’s defense and running game continues to improve each week.

It all adds up to what should be a heck of shootout in Lubbock this weekend.

Making Amends

Two coaches faced off against their old schools this weekend, with two very different results.

Houston Nutt went back to Arkansas for the first time since leaving the Razorbacks and had withstand an onside kick late to sneak out of Fayetteville with a 23-21 win.

Tyrone Willingham got blown out by his old Irish team 33-7 and ended up having a new “old team” to coach against in the future.

Willingham is a disappointing 11-32 during his four-year tenure with the Huskies.

No you're not...

LeBron James: picking college football games.

Iowa State: winning a conference game this year.

Texas Tech: running up the score again.

Washington: looking for a new coach yet?

Mike Teel: fighting with your teammates anymore.

Overrated

Connecticut, Michigan State, and Utah.

Playoff

Using this week’s BCS standings, here is how an eight-team playoff would look if the season were to end today.

1) Texas vs. 8) Florida

4) Oklahoma vs. 5) Southern Cal

3) Penn State vs. 6) Georgia

2) Alabama vs. 7) Texas Tech

Question of the Week

Which of the Mock BCS playoff games would like to see the most?

Reader’s Response

This is where you the reader get a chance to respond to the question of the week. Post a comment and make your case.

Star performance of the Week

Mike Teel has struggled all year without the help of Ray Rice, but exploded with six touchdown passes, setting a school record in Rutgers' 54-38 upset win over Pittsburgh.

The senior torched the 10th-ranked pass defense in the country, throwing for 361 yards.

Top Five

Texas: Colt McCoy and the Longhorns have taken down three straight Top 11 teams.

Penn State: Joe Pa has the Nittany Lions at 9-0 for the 10th time in his coaching career.

Alabama: Nick Saban’s team finally learned how to close out a team in the second half, easily handling Tennessee 29-9, in Knoxville.

Florida: The Gators have outscored their opponents 152-33 after losing to Ole Miss on September 27.

Texas Tech: Facing a ranked opponent for the first time all season, the Red Raiders torched Kansas 63-21.

Upcoming

Five things to watch for next week.

Texas vs. Texas Tech: It’s the biggest game in Red Raider history, with the number one ranking up for grabs this weekend in Lubbock.

Florida vs. Georgia: SEC Conference and national title elimination game in Jacksonville.

Florida State vs. Georgia Tech: Seminoles can all but clinch the Atlantic division with a win in Atlanta.

Notre Dame vs. Pittsburgh: An improving Irish team gets another shot at a “ranked” opponent on the road.

Tulsa vs. Arkansas: Golden Hurricanes have to run up the score on a BCS conference opponent in what might be their last chance to impress voters.

Video of the Week

A Big Ten officiating crew botched a call on Saturday in the Michigan-Michigan State game.

The Wolverines’ Brandon Minor was ruled inbounds after his right foot touched the pylon in the air. In case you missed it, check it out.

Web site update

If you like the article, check out my new college football blog on fantasyfreakinfootball.com.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t household names now, but will be come April for the NFL draft.

CB Darius Butler (Connecticut)

DE Geno Atkins (Texas)

WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland)

CB Alphonso Smith (Wake Forrest)

Your BCS bowl matchups right now

Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Southern Cal

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. West Virginia

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Boise State

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Ohio State

National Championship Game: Florida vs. Texas

College Football Wordplay: Wedding Edition (Week Seven)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:38:24 -0400

College Football week of 10/11/08

This weekend I took time off from my college football obsession to attend one of my best friends' weddings back in Texas.

“Congrats bud, you and Shenna make a wonderful team. I wish y'all the best.”

The Gameplan: Thursday night, visit my old college buddies back in San Marcos before heading north to Georgetown for a busy wedding-filled weekend.

Thursday 4:50 p.m. CT: My plane has just landed in beautiful Austin, Texas. The air is crisp, the sky is clear, and everywhere I look there are wide-open spaces—"Yee haw."

Thursday 5:37 p.m. CT: With the Wake Forest-Clemson game set to kick off in less than an hour, my buddy and I make our usual pit stop at the Chili's on the way into town for an ice cold beer and some chips and salsa.

Thursday 6:40 p.m. CT: Next a stop at H-E-B for five pounds of chicken fajita and two 12-packs of locally brewed Shiner and Zieganbock—an action packed week of college football has officially begun.

Thursday 8:45 p.m. CT: Late in the third quarter, Wake Forest holds a 3-0 lead over Clemson. The teams have combined for 11 punts and only 289 yards of total offense.

I’m starting to lose interest in the game, so I begin to humble myself with a most modest discussion of how off-the-chain my grilling abilities are.

Thursday 9:43 p.m. CT: Riley Skinner has just led the Demon Deacons to a 12-7 victory over the Tigers with a late fourth quarter touchdown.

We’re out the door and on our way to hit the bars, and so too is Tommy Bowden at Clemson. The coach’s 10-year run in Death Valley is done.

Friday 12:01 a.m. CT: The bars are just closing, and I’m standing next to DJ Dave, my college neighbor, as he entices the drunk college co-eds to sing the Texas State fight song.

I notice on the TV across the room that “Pacman” Jones has been in an altercation with his bodyguard, so we both begin to “make it rain.”

Friday 4:47 a.m. CT: Well, let me explain: House party, Taco Cabana, and an apple.

Friday 8:40 a.m. CT: Alarm goes off.

“There is no way in hell it has already been four hours.”

Did I mention the funnel and plastic tubing?

Friday 8:49 a.m. CT: Right now Tommy Tuberville is busy explaining the complexities of a Pop Warner offense, so it's easy to relate to the tiny men inside my skull who are repeatedly slamming their hammers against my temples.

Friday 9:30 a.m. CT: I’m heading northbound on I-35 to pick up my tuxedo in Austin, behind a convoy of vehicles equipped with Longhorn flags speeding toward Dallas.

Friday 6:30 p.m. CT: I get a little taste of tailgating at the rehearsal dinner with a couple games of washers and some ice cold Dos Equis.

Friday 8:42 p.m. CT: The guys and gals split up. The break-up is a little bit more ideal than Al Davis’.

Friday 11:24 p.m. CT: Kentucky has just kicked off the basketball season with “Big Blue Madness.”

Downtown we’re experiencing a little madness of our own: The Groom’s stepbrother is drunker than a Duke lacrosse player and has just been kicked out of the Dizzy Roster’s on Sixth Street.

Saturday 1:02 a.m. CT: By now, we’ve weeded out all the junior college participants.

The big boys are still going strong, and the cheerleaders are starting to feel a little tipsy.

Saturday 1:47 a.m. CT: Last call.

The powerhouses are inside the 20 and are looking to punch it into the end zone for the game sealing score.

Saturday 3:21 a.m. CT: They don’t. It turns out affiliations to Washington State, Texas A&M, and Syracuse won’t get you into the champagne room.

Saturday 4:30 a.m. CT: Despite being the tallest person of the entire group at 6’2”, I get assigned the smallest couch in the house.

I’m curled up like an armadillo and using my shoe as a pillow, but it doesn’t matter. I fall asleep with a smile on my face.

Tomorrow is the best day of the week—college football Saturday is just a few hours away.

Saturday 7:30 a.m. CT: Alarm goes off.

Saturday 7:39 a.m. CT: Alarm goes off.

Saturday 7:48 a.m. CT: “Turn that s*** off!”

“Really, October 11?” “You had to get married on October 11?”

Saturday 10:00 a.m. CT: At Spec’s I tip the guy who loaded the kegs into the back of our pickup, only to realize later it’s Matthew Stafford.

The NCAA finds out Stafford accepted the money, and the Georgia quarterback becomes ineligible for the remainder of his junior season.

Saturday 10:34 a.m. CT: Our last stop this morning is Wal-Mart. Of course with my luck, from where I entered the store, the food warmers were the furthest possible distance any merchandise could have been placed.

Saturday 10:36 a.m. CT: Over 200-plus yards later, I had successfully “Javon Ringered” my way through a million shoppers and all six store employees.

Saturday 10:57 a.m. CT: The best man and I return home just in time to see Lee Corso’s Boomer Sooner act.

He shoots the gun; I have goose bumps.

Saturday 11:55 a.m. CT: Jordan Shipley just returned a kickoff to make it 14-10. The groomsmen are screaming.

Saturday 11:56 a.m. CT: The first sign of “Bridezilla” surfaces, and the men are kicked out of the house and sent to the wedding site.

Saturday 12:58 p.m. CT: Listening to the game on the radio and setting up tables and linens faster than Colt McCoy’s rise to the top of the Heisman race.

Saturday 1:15 p.m. CT: I’m trying to coach the boys.

“Let’s do this, pick it up.”

Saturday 1:18 p.m. CT: The fourth quarter of the Red River Rivalry has just started, and I’ve lost my patience.

I’m now yelling louder and spitting more than Bill Cowher.

“Ivory over teal!” “Ivory over teal!”

Saturday 1:33 p.m. CT: A questionable call on an interception, a fake punt stopped three inches short of a first down, and a phantom roughing the kicker penalty later, we’ve finally finished.

“October 11, are you serious!?”

Saturday 2:20 p.m. CT: Texas has beaten head honcho Oklahoma 45-35.

Like the bride, the Longhorns will wake up tomorrow morning as the one and only numero uno.

Saturday 2:45 p.m. CT: Time to freshen up and hop in the shower. I know mine will be more pleasant than the ones being taken in the Michigan and Illinois locker rooms.

Saturday 4:46 pm. CT: I’ve been photographed more times in the last 30 minutes than I have my entire life. I now know what it’s like to be a Southern Cal athlete.

Saturday 5:30 p.m. CT: Thirty minutes until the wedding, everyone in the room is hit with a sudden “Vanderbilt complex” as reality starts to sink in.

Saturday 5:59 p.m. CT: After watching Texas Tech edge out a victory in overtime over Nebraska, I rush to join the other groomsmen lined up in the lobby.

I should let Bo Pelini know I’ve found the black shirts.

Saturday 6:05 p.m. CT: The bride walks down the aisle—she looks beautiful.

Saturday 7:00 p.m. CT: I make a Texas-style plate of brisket, barbeque chicken, charro beans, and potato salad.

I woof it down in less than 10 minutes, about the same amount of time it takes Florida to chomp LSU.

Saturday 7:30 p.m. CT: I get champagne to toast the newlyweds, and the bar is swarming with loitering Auburn fans slamming shots of “SEC Kool-Aid.”

“Yeah, but we should still be a Top 25 team, the conference is stacked. If anything, Arkansas was underrated.”

Saturday 7:45 p.m. CT: Best man gives his speech.

It’s much better than Lou Holtz’s.

Saturday 8:25 p.m. CT: On the dance floor I bust out my arsenal of Terrell Owens touchdown celebrations. The ladies enjoy some popcorn, and afterwards I sign autographs.

Saturday 8:51 p.m. CT: The bride throws the garter belt.

I’m pummeled by Ty Willingham, Phil Fulmer, and Kirk Ferentz.

Saturday 9:15 p.m. CT: I sneak back to the groomsmen's room to rest on the couch and see that Oklahoma State is beating Missouri 21-17.

Saturday 9:27 p.m. CT: Eight minutes later I watch Dez Bryant get laid out twice but get back up on his feet. The Cowboy inspires me, and I realize I should do the same.

I head back to the dance floor with my black tux and orange vest to lasso the cougars—I mean Tigers.

Saturday 9:59 p.m. CT: How Joe Pa at his age can still stay up for games this late baffles me.

Saturday 10:42 p.m. CT: I see my buddy and his wife get whisked away to the honeymoon suite, just like the title hopes of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

Apparently the Commodores and Irish have reservations next door.

Saturday 11:57 p.m. CT: Exhausted, I try to stay up for the end of UCLA-Oregon, but then I remembered Bruins games really don’t matter this season anyway.

I slowly drift away to sweet dreams of a college football playoff system.

Sunday 12:02 p.m. CT: Twelve hours later, I awake from my wedding coma.

“Damn it, I forgot to set my fantasy roster.”

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week Six)

Eric Thomason — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:04:21 -0400

Eric Thomason addresses the weekly college football world through a series of quick, short, comical puns he likes to call word play.

College Football week of 10/03/08

Achilles Heel:

Florida fans must have been holding their breath when Percy Harvin left the Arkansas game holding the same heel he had surgery on in the off season. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, "Percy Harvin determines where this offense goes, not Tim Tebow." Without Harvin in the game, the team struggled.

Florida didn’t bounce back as well as I thought they would against the Razorbacks, as the Gators only held a 17-7 lead after three quarters.

Arkansas scores going into the fourth quarter this season:

Western Illinois 17 Arkansas 14

Louisiana-Monroe 24 Arkansas 14

Alabama 42 Arkansas 7

Texas 45 Arkansas 3

Still not skeptical about Urban Meyer’s team?

Let’s Wordplay.

Buckeye’s Bounce Back

Ohio State went into Madison and handed Wisconsin their first home loss under the Bielema era.

Beanie broke lose against the Badgers and reminded the country why he’s a top pro prospect, rushing for 168 yards and a touchdown in his second game back from a foot injury.

After the game Wells commented on Terrelle Pryor, "I told him, 'It's a man's world right now,' and he's taking a step into manhood right now."

To which Pryor responded, “I’m ready.”

With the game against Penn State at the Horseshoe, and Wells and Pryor leading the way, the Buckeyes are eyeing a Big Ten title.

Contender Evaluation: Boise State.

With a relatively easy conference schedule, the Broncos might have the best shot to reach a BCS bowl come season’s end.

Key Games: 10/11 @ Southern Miss 11/22 @ Nevada 11/28 Fresno State

During last Thursday night

Utah did what South Florida couldn’t.

While one undefeated team gave up 78 yards in three plays to lose the game at home, the other was busy conjuring up two game winning drives to keep their championship dreams alive.

Oh there was also another team playing that night too, the Bad News Bears were busy trying to field routine ground balls. I mean seriously, the Cubs looked like Little Leaguers out there trying to field marbles hit with an aluminum bat barehanded.

Grandma’s throat must be sore, because I’ve never heard fans boo for nine innings.

Everyday it’s a new ACC

Just when you think you might have this conference figured out, Virginia blanks Maryland, a team coming off an upset win over Clemson on the road, 31-0.

North Carolina losses their quarterback and gets better?

Boston College is all of a sudden dangerous in the passing game again?

And while at first it seemed as if Miami was the program on the rise, Florida State puts together two solid games and handles the Hurricanes in Miami.

Predicting the ACC is like asking me to tell you last time I remember O.J. Simpson running into trouble with the law, oh wait, never mind. It seems some things do stay the same.

Forecast looks good

Almost halfway through the season, five mid-major teams are still undefeated and looking to bust onto the BCS scene:

Tulsa (5-0) @ SMU

Utah (6-0) @ Wyoming

Brigham Young (5-0) vs. New Mexico

Ball State (6-0) @ Western Kentucky

Boise State (4-0) vs. Southern Miss

Got Mail?

Here’s an e-mail sent to Tommy Tuberville late Saturday night:

Dear Coach,

Can an offense really be that bad?

Sincerely, Sage Rosenfels

Vanderbilt football is on the national stage after a 14-13 win over offensive juggernaut Auburn. Give credit to the Commodores, who sit atop the SEC East and look well on their way to reaching a bowl game for the first time since 1982.

Heating up

As the race in the Pac-10 starts to heat-up, we take a sentence per team outlook at the contenders in the conference.

Contenders:

Southern California- Remember how athletic the Trojans are? I hope so.

On the outside looking in:

...

On the outside, I mean way outside:

…and no, I didn’t forget to finish this section.

Impact Freshman

Many first year starting quarterbacks led their respective teams to victories this week.

1. QB Jaybo Shaw, Georgia Tech: 9 of 14, 230 yards, TD and 18 rushes, 13 yards, TD.

2. QB Chester Stewart, Temple: 10 of 23, 178 yards, 3 TD, INT.

3. QB Kellen Moore, Boise State: 20 of 28, 325 yards, 2 TD, INT.

4. QB Chazz Anderson, Cincinnati: 16 of 26, 158 yards, 2 TD, INT and one rushing TD.

5. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: 13 of 19, 144 yards, INT and 15 rushes 20 yards, TD.

Jumping to Conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Oklahoma St. 42 Missouri 38

Could be in trouble: Penn State 27 Wisconsin 24

Closer than you think: Vanderbilt 21 Mississippi St. 17

No way Jose: North Carolina 38 Notre Dame 20

Kick it

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Spartan’s 21-yard line with under two minutes to play instead of attempting the game tying field goal at home.

I know you have one of the more bruising backs in the conference in Green, but what are you thinking?

Did you not watch the Ole Miss defense key on Tim Tebow last week?

Looking Forward

Texas vs. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State vs. Missouri

Oklahoma came out and set the tone for what the rest of the conference proved this week.

I'm not afraid to say it, "the Sooners are the best team from the best conference and have the best offense in the country." (See letter “Q”)

As for UT, McCoy is stronger and faster than most people know, and the Texas defense is starting to come around just in time.

The Longhorns and Sooners have represented the Big XII South in the conference championship nine years in a row.

The "Chase Daniel Show" was in full effect on Saturday night in Lincoln, but how well the defense played was what really impressed me more.

However, the Oklahoma State defense impressed much more, causing five turnovers and three three-and-outs in the first half alone.

And in a game against Missouri where the team with the ball last will most likely be victorious, it must be nice for Cowboy fans to know their defense has the better chance of preventing that game winning drive.

Throw Florida vs. LSU into the mix, and college football’s “in-season playoff system” officially gets under way next week.

Mangino Madness

Iowa State’s defensive line dominated the first 30 minutes, forcing three Kansas turnovers and Chizik’s team went into halftime up 20-0.

With 1:46 left to play in the third quarter the Jayhawks had regained the lead 21-20 and were on their way to the third biggest comeback in school history.

Mangino gambled a couple times on fourth down to keep drives alive, however sources say it might have been because the coach was just too lazy to walk to the other end of the sideline to call the punting team onto the field.

Either way it worked, right?

No your not…

Nebraska: able to associate yourselves with the Black Shirts.

Duke: a football school.

UConn: (see Duke).

Michigan: allergic to juice?

Spectator:winning any money if you were betting on a repeat of last week or on Kimbo Slice.

Kentucky: going to skip practicing onside kicks this week, God that was an awful attempt.

Wisconsin: celebrating touchdowns with the band.

Pac-10: hopefully an official.

Notre Dame:a legitimate BCS contender.

Overrated

Auburn, South Florida, Utah, and Georgia.

Proving a point

The most under-hyped Top 7 team in the history of college football tried to silence critics this weekend by clobbering Kansas State 58-28 on the road.

However, the Red Raider’s victory will probably earn as much respect from the pollsters as Govenor Palin’s interviews do in the North East.

So yes, Texas Tech is a contender in the Big XII South.

Question of the Week

Which conference is better, the Big XII or the SEC?

While the top SEC failed to stay undefeated last week, the Big XII powers succeed in impressive fashion.

The question is whether the offenses in the Big XII would be able to score enough points to beat defenses in the SEC.

I believe they are.

Expect fans at the Cotton Bowl to be chanting “Big XII, Big XII” when the ESPN Gameday crew comes to Dallas this weekend.

Reader’s Response

This is where you the reader get a chance to respond to the question of the week. Post a comment and make your case.

Star performance of the Week

Juice Williams had a record performance on Saturday in the Big House. Williams combined for 431 yards of total offense, which tied for the most ever allowed by a Michigan opponent.

The Wolverines were just as bad at “squeezing” the Juice as the Angles.

Rich Rodriguez had to envy Ron Zook, because Williams is exactly the type of athlete the coach wants taking snaps for the Wolverines.

This Illinois offense is good enough to hang with almost any team in the country. With only two losses to teams who are currently in the Top 6, we can expect the Fighting Illini to make some noise in the Big Ten.

Top Five

1. Oklahoma- Stoops' team took care of business on the road, beating Baylor to improve to 17-0 all-time against the Bears.

2. Alabama- Nick Saban escaped Kentucky with a win and the Tide head into their bye week with a perfect 6-0 record.

3. Missouri- The Tigers put an end to the 30 year Lincoln drought by absolutely rolling the black shirts 52-17.

4. Louisiana State- The Tigers and Charles Scott had the week off to rest, and Les Miles had extra time to prepare for Florida.

5. Texas- The Longhorns passed their first road test by easily handling Colorado in Boulder.

Upcoming

Five things to watch for next week:

1. Clemson vs. Wake Forrest

The Tigers travel to Winston-Salemon Thursday night with a chance to get back into the thick of things in the wide-open ACC Conference race.

2. Texas vs. Oklahoma

The Red River Rivalry takes center stage, as the two teams battle for the Golden Hat and the number one spot in the country in Dallas.

3. LSU vs. Florida

The Tigers leave the Bayou and head to the Swamp to try and kill the Gators' national title hopes.

4. Oklahoma State vs. Missouri

The Pokes will get their first shot to show the country just how good this team really is, and learn firsthand what the “Chase Daniel Show” is all about.

5. Penn State vs. Wisconsin

The Nittany Lions face a tougher road test this week in Madison. Beleima’s Badgers couldn’t lose two in a row at home, right?

Video of the Week

How great was it to have football on every single night this week?

On Tuesday night Middle Tennessee State needed a Hail Mary to beat Florida Atlantic at home. Remember, just two weeks ago the Blue Raiders nearly pulled off a sequel to the “Blue Grass Miracle” against Kentucky.

NCAA Football Game Notes: Oklahoma vs. Iowa State (2007)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:40:54 -0400

10/20/07

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State

Box Score

		1	2	3	4	T
#5	OKLA (7-1)	0	0	7	10	17
	ISU (1-7)	7	0	0	0	7

Game Notes

First Quarter

Iowa State holds OU to a three-and-out to start the game. Do I smell upset? Ha.
ISU is driving down the field by converting on third downs, but OU stiffens at midfield.

Allen Patrick turns it up for the Sooners and shows his strength and speed, but on the very next play, Patrick puts the ball on the ground with 6:55 to play in the first.
Iowa State is in business.

Wow, what another great third-down completion Brett Meyer to his WR Sumrall.
Meyer rolled out to the sideline for what seemed to be about five minutes before making the throw.

RB Jason Scales pounds it soon after. and the Cyclones have an early 7-0 lead.

OU tries to respond with the deep ball, but it was underthrown. Should have been six to Malcom Kelly. Then, Bradford leaves another ball short two plays later to Iglesias. Sooners are forced to punt.

ISU on the move, but the drive stalls at midfield. Scales and Meyer are playing well on offense.

OU has the ball in good position and should strike here. Let’s see. 1:00 left in the first.

Second Quarter

LB Jessie Smith is making good tackles in the open field for ISU, but OU is marching down on a lengthy drive.

BIG PLAY: On fourth-and-five from the 37 yardline ISU sticks Bradford as he tried to scramble for the first down.

OU is in a game.

The Cyclones are going right down the field once again. Scales continues to run hard, and Meyer continues to deliver strikes.

Meyer scrambles and converts on fourth-and-five to keep the Cyclone drive alive.
Cyclones try a FG but Culbertson shanks it wide and boy do I mean WIDE.

Big break for OU.

What an amazing play by CB Bell, who picks off the tipped pass and then had one of the most amazing runs I have seen in recent years. Everyone on OU touched him.

Iowa State is inside the 20.

BIG PLAY: Fourth-and-one at the 8 yard line and OU stuffs Scales.

What a hold for the Sooners. Maybe a season-saving hold.

And a very questionable decision by Gene Chizik.

DeMarcus Granger is eating up the line of scrimmage as the second half comes to a close.

7-0 ISU at halftime.

Third Quarter

OU is on the move to start the second half, a very long drive. Responding like an Oklahoma team should.

The best back on OU this season, Chris Brown punches it in; 7-7 with 8:35 left in the third.

Freshman Demarco Murray fumbles at midfield. OU is killing itself.

ISU takes over with six minutes left in the third, but does nothing with the ball.

Chris Brown continues to impress; the guy is picking up first downs he shouldn’t be picking up.

Bradford for the third time can’t hook up with a wide-open receiver deep down the field.
Should have three touchdowns now.

Bradford takes a huge sack, but as the freshman has all season, he finds his TE Greshem to bail him out and pick up a huge first down as the third quarter comes to an end. 7-7.

Fourth Quarter

Brown pounds it in for the Sooners to start the quarter, and Oklahoma has their first lead of the game at 14-7.

ISU is facing a fourth-and-inches in its own territory; let's see what Gene decides to do here.

He punts and OU will start at its own 15.

WAIT there was an illegal formation. Unbelievable.

Next punt: OU will take it at the 21, so not too costly. 11 minutes to play.

ISU forces a three-and-out and the punt was shanked. Good field position for the Cyclones.

Meyer hooks up with Blythe for a huge completion and a first down inside the 20.

BIG PLAY: Fourth-and-inches at the eight: Meyer on a QB rollout and dove for the first down, huge play.

A deflected pass falls into the hands of Wolfe, who intercepts the ball in the end zone. Hmmm I haven't seen that before.

I believe that's the fourth consecutive week the safety has got his hands on a deflected ball.

Fourth-and-four for OU on the 33-yard line with three minutes to play: Completion to Greshem and then a huge sack on third down for 10 yards, and it forces a 43-yard field goal.

It curves in and OU will survive. 17-7.

Three and Out NFL (Week 8 2007)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:34:28 -0400

NFL week eight 2007

Enfuego:

1. Tom Brady: I mean, he’s probably only the best quarterback ever. The guy's so hot right now, Satan wouldn’t even touch him. Brady and his hell boys, Welker and Moss, are on a tear right now. If throwing for five TD’s in the first half wasn’t enough, then the sixth he added on his first possession after coming off the bench in the second half was sick. Is this guy ever cold?

2. The Lonesome Kicker:Not exactly the term I would use for the "Mighty Bironas," who set an NFL record by kicking eight field goals in a game.

P.S. he was eight for eight. Actually he made nine kicks on Sunday, because he kicked your ass if he played your fantasy squad this week. Ouch.

3. Miami Dolphin Starters:Ha. Just kidding, but Brian Westbrook could walk on fire right now. He’s replaced pickle juice will habanero peppers in Philly.

Snowball:

1. The Star: Julius Jones really hasn’t done much in the past couple of weeks, and the way Marion Barber has been running the ball I would expect the Gopher to get a lot more carries come crunch time. The conception is that, Jones is weak and Barber is tough. Right now I would say Jones is about as good of an investment fantasy wise as starting a Bill Callahan fan club.

2. Defenseless: Watch Plaxico and Eli do what Brady and the Pats did this weekend against a highly vaunted Miami Dolphins defense.

Three things we learned:

1. Teams are beginning to master the onside kick: Arizona did it to set up a game winning field goal attempt against Washington, and I think the Texans recovered like eight in a row; however, both teams still didn’t get the "W."

2. Shockingly, perhaps the best running back duo in the NFL resides in.........Wait for it

......... Minnesota.

LJ might be back, Steven Jackson is not and Willie Parker will never score a touchdown again.

Three things to watch for:

1. Champs: Until "Brady-Manning Four" in the AFC championship game. I hope this happens for the next six years; in my mind, no match up could produce more than this. This series will go down as the best QB duel in NFL history. I love it.

2. October: The Rockies will win more games in the World Series than the Dolphins do all season: one.

3. Brian Griese:Will lead the Chicago Bears back to the Superbowl, be a pro bowl selection, and win a MVP. Ok maybe not, but seriously, the guy's playing pretty well right now.

Of course, it’s not too hard to play better than Rex.

Five and Out (Big East 2006)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:31:22 -0400

Big East week of 11/02/06

Game of the week

#3 West Virginia 34 at #5 Louisville 44:It was the first time the country had shifted its attention to the Big East since Donavan McNabb was playing. The game featured many things: two undefeated top five teams, a Heisman hopeful and a third quarter beyond belief, but defense certainly was not one of them. I don’t care if you have the best quarterback/running back combination in the country, if you turn the ball over three times and have a punt returned for a touchdown you’re not going to win many games.

Conclusion:It was a great win for Louisville, who solidified themselves as a national title frontrunner.

Five things we learned

Louisville isn’t as good as everyone now thinks.
West Virginia wasn’t as good as everyone thought.
Steve Slaton and Pat White are tough and deserve all the recognition they receive.
Defense doesn’t win games in this conference.
Michael Bush wasn’t the entire Louisville team.

Enfuego

Louisville wide receivers: absolutely torched the Mountaineer’s secondary
Bobby Petrino: Just have to admire the coaching job he’s done at Louisville, or you can observe the 10 year $25.5 million contract.
Big East Conference: First of two weeks to have the national spotlight with Rutgers and Louisville up next.
South Florida: Beat Pittsburgh to become bowl eligible. Second best team in the state? Well, maybe.
Brian Brohm: Injured for half the season, but has picked up right where he left of. Oh, and he did just lead his team to the program's biggest win ever.

Snowball

West Virginia Punter: I don’t usually like to hate on kickers, but seriously: your only job is to kick the ball a certain way. Oh, and why can’t they tackle?
BCS: Things just got interesting, especially if the unthinkable happens this Thursday.
Pittsburgh Offense: After averaging 42 points a game in their past three wins, the lowly Panther’s have only mustered up 22 in consecutive losses.
Louisville Basketball: Sorry Rick, looks like expectations just got a little higher.
Steve Slayton’s Heisman Hopes: Its official: he will not win.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week 4 2007)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:23:00 -0400

College football week of 9/15/07

Accomplishments: I’ll start off a little different this week and try not to bash two of the classiest guys in college football. Jim Tressel with his Mr. Rodgers sweater, sorry, and Frank Beamer both notched the 200^th win of their careers. Some of the best in the business and what I love most is they run a clean program.

Ok, that’s enough with the lovey-dovey stuff. It’s time to wordplay.

Bluegrass Comeback: Anytime a program notches its first win over a top ten program in 30 years it’s big, but when Kentucky defeated Louisville40-34 it meant much more for quarterback André Woodson. Woodson has been overshadowed by his rival Brian Brohm since high school.

The relationship is cruel, like the redheaded stepsister kind. The Louisville star was the number one quarterback in the state of Kentuckycoming out of high school, Woodson was two. André had never beaten Brian, high school or college, and has been overlooked by Brohm in the Heisman race all season.

This was like getting the one thing in your life you’ve always wanted. The Coyote finally got his Roadrunner. (See letter “W”)

Cramps: Nick Saban’s defense almost let the game slip away after holding a 31-10 lead in the third quarter and had to rely on some late game heroics from quarterback John Parker Wilson.

Can anyone tell me why D.J. Hall was on the sideline for Alabama in the fourth quarter? He had six catches for 172 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Arkansas scored 28 straight points to lead 38-34 behind the legs of McFadden, who rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns. The do-it-all future “McMadden” stud looked more impressive in Tuscaloosathan Forrest Gump. ‘Bama caught a big break when the All-American was sidelined late in the game with cramps, because he embarrassed all eleven members of the Crimson Tide defense in the second half.

The guy loves to run and could finish the season with about 1.2 miles rushing.

Discussion Time: Big-Ten Football

Escape: The Texas Longhorns won another sloppy game this weekend in a rainy affair with Central Florida. It had to be nice to for George O’Leary and his Knights to play in an electrifying brand-new Bright House Networks Stadium.

I bet Charlie Weis is wishing he lied about his Notre Dame résumé right about now.

The Sunshine state is host to a hot bed of athletes, and O’Leary’s program is in position to become the TCU of Florida. The Longhorns should be very scared of that mighty OU team. But Texas fans should be more concerned with putting 11 guys on the field first, seeing how Mack Brown’s players can’t find a way to stay out of handcuffs.

First Timer: Utahsophomore safety Robert Johnson had two interceptions and a game-changing forced-fumble in the Utes’ 44-6 thrashing of UCLA. Down 14-6 in the second half, Johnson chased down Bruins’ wide receiver Marcus Everett at the goal line and punched the football out of the end zone for a touchback.

P.S. it was the first start of his career.

UCLA simply shut down in the second half. I haven’t seen anyone quit like that since Roberto Duran fought Sugar Ray Leonard. Head Coach Karl Dorrell has 20 returning starters and apparently they’re all bilingual.

“No Más.”

Gator Bait:

Hide-N-Seek:

I Know: I talked smack about the “powerhouse” Iowa State squad last week and said they wouldn’t win a game this season unless a blizzard hit Ames. So I guess we should start mentioning the Cyclones as front runners for the Big 12 North after their win over intrastate rival Iowa, 15-13 right?

Reality is all the game insured was that the Cy-Hawk Trophy won on Saturday will be Iowa State’s only one of the season. Want a comparison? The 1989 Dallas Cowboys, who went 1-15 with their only win coming against the rival Redskins.

Oh, and winning a game in which your kicker scored all of your points; I don’t even think that counts.

Just Right Top Ten: After three weeks of college football here’s the true top ten.

1. USC-
2. Oklahoma-
3. Florida-
4. LSU-
5. West Virginia-
6. California-
7. Ohio State-
8. Texas-
9. Oregon-
10A. Boston College-
10B. South Carolina-

Know How to Win: It was clear Jim Tressel and his Buckeyes do. After trailing Washington 7-3 at halftime, Ohio State scored the first 24 points in the second half. The Huskies couldn’t stop the bruising rushing attack of Chris Wells who finished with 135 yards and a touchdown.

The Ohio State running back has Buckeye alumni singing "Viva Viagra," because he got it up the field for three hours against Washington on Saturday.

Jake Locker still looked impressive in the loss and proved that the hype surrounding him is legit.

Laurinaitis: The Ohio State Buckeye linebacker was exceptional on Saturday. His interception of Locker’s shovel pass swung momentum in favor of the Buckeyes and changed the game. The junior flashed signs of the big play capability Roy Williams provided for Oklahoma back in the day.

The guy causes so many problems for opposing teams that Webster’s just added “Laurinaitis” as a word in the dictionary: A condition commonly found in quarterbacks, causing severe irritability, mental anxiety, loss of vision, and chronic headaches.

Men of Troy: Not USC, but the rise of the University of Troy. The Trojans upset Oklahoma State on Friday, dominating the Pokes from the get-go and held a 41-10 lead to start the fourth quarter.

In the mean time, the controversy surrounding the quarterback position only got worse for the Cowboys. Backup Zac Robinson played great in the Florida Atlantic game last week after Bobby Reid left the game with an ankle injury, but struggled against the Trojans.

Expect Head Coach Mike Gundy to take a bit of advice from the Troooojan Man, and let Bobby Reid get some play this week.

Now What: Notre Dame started the season with too many quarterbacks to choose from and now they can’t find one. Opening day starter Demtrius Jones announced he will transfer to Northern Illinois, and honestly, who can blame the guy?

This team is simply lost. I mean at one point Jimmy Clausen fumbled and then power walked to pick it up. The Irish are awful.

Here are the stats: Notre Dame ranks dead last among 119 Division I-A schools in scoring (4.3 PPG), offensive touchdowns (zero), rushing yards (-14 YPG), total offense (115.0 YPG) and sacks allowed (23).

I could take a knee on first thru third down, punt four times and still gain two more yards on the ground than the Irish. That would make me six feet better, taller than the average man, and that’s exactly what Notre Dame’s athletes are these days.

October 6th: There may not be a playoff system for college football, but you’ll get a taste of what one might be like when “Championship Week” comes around Oct. 6:

The Big XII South Championship Game: Texas v. Oklahoma in Dallas

The Big XII North Championship Game: Nebraska at Missouri

The SEC Championship Game: Florida at LSU

The C-USA East Championship Game: UCF at East Carolina

The Big Ten Championship Game: Ohio State at Purdue

The I wish I didn’t have to play Game: Stanford at USC

The I still don’t have a win Game: Notre Damn at UCLA

Pretty Please: The University of Oregon has been on a tear to start the season. The Ducks thrashed Fresno State 52-21. The same Bulldogs squad that took Texas A&M to three overtimes in Kyle last week. As impressive as the Ducks have been, Oregon still doesn’t look good doing it in those nasty jerseys.

Thanks to you, the whole world knows that green comes in 54 different shades. You would be hard pressed to find that same color in a Crayola box, and I’m talking about the girl in second grade that had the 128-pack with the sharpener on the back.

You know, the one that had colors like Macaroni and Cotton Candy? Oh, and tell the player who shaved the “O” in his head that he’s not helping your image either.

QB Counseling: Auburn

Role Reversal: A few hours ago no one wanted to be Lloyd Carr, and now he has head coaches across the country envying him. I thought this program would turn it around; I just didn’t think it would be Russell Crow who saved it. So where should the coaches in Carr’s predicament turn for help?

Tommy Tuberville should take advice from Michael Jackson because it doesn’t matter if your quarterback is black or white.

Gary Patterson should turn to Paris Hilton to save the, oh wait they’re already the Horny Toads.

Carl Dorrell should bore his kids into playing sixty minutes of football with a Rubik’s Cube.

And Charlie Weis should ask the Pope for mercy, because it’s obvious God is punishing him.

Shhhhh: That’s what the Trojans did by dominating in Lincoln. Sam Keller has now played USC with two different teams, Nebraska and Arizona State, throwing a combined 7 interceptions. The Men of Troy torched Keller as a Sun Devil and roasted him as a Husker.

Seriously, how does Pete Carroll get so many athletes?

Minus the ten or so 280-plus linemen that are slower than a 4.7 forty, everyone else on the team seems good enough to be the running back. Beware of the 25-deep backfield residing in the Coliseum.

Told You So: Mike Hart. I really don’t have much to say because Hart did the talking for me. He had Notre Dame more puzzled than Billy Madison was after Eric’s masterful piano performance in the school decathlon: “he’s good.”

Under The Radar: It still amazes me how many people overlook Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan. His 26 for 32, 298 yard, five touchdown performance against UNLV was the 29^th straight time the QB has thrown for over 200 yards in a game.

Colt owns so many school records, he just went platinum. I wish the guy would stay inland. Maybe while Brennan was on the strip he took some trusty advice from O.J., because, hey, “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas right?”

And no, Mr. Simpson, you can’t steal his records. They’re not really platinum.

Victorious: Duke won on the road for the first time in four years, snapping the nation’s longest losing streak at 22 games with a 20-14 triumph over Northwestern. That’s right, four years. That’s how often the World Cup and Summer Olympics occur.

The senior graduating on time this spring has seen the Blue Devil basketball team win 81 games. Twenty times more than the football team has, four.

It’s like Christmas; it only comes once a year.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING!@#!: As Kentucky drove for the game winning score, Eric Scott was flagged for a personal foul penalty after he inexplicably pushed a Louisville player after the play; a penalty that seemed to end any hopes of a Wildcat comeback. Who is Eric Scott?

He’s Andre Woodson’s senior center! I mean what are you thinking? Aren’t you the guy whose ass the QB has been touching for four years? I thought you two would have a special bond by now.

Luckily the next play was a 57-yard bomb to Steve Johnson for a touchdown, you butthead.

X-plain This: Kentucky was celebrating a victory way too early once again after it took the lead with just 28 seconds remaining. I just couldn’t believe the Wildcat side line frantically running around with no signs of composure. Do you really not remember the Hail Mary against LSU?

Sure enough a deflected ball landed in Louisville wide receiver Harry Douglas’ hands inside the ten and he almost scored. And will anyone explain why Rick Brooks didn’t go for two after the touchdown made it 39-34?

Or maybe we can ask Mack Brown why he went for two with the Longhorns leading 35-24 late in the fourth quarter? These calculations aren’t rocket science, and coaches even carry a cheat sheet for this stuff.

I’m no genius, but I’m pretty sure even the girl with that 128-pack of Crayons can still figure out what five times four is without a multiplication chart.

Young Guns: Watch out for Pittsburgh’s LeSean McCoy and West Virginia’s Noel Devine, two exciting freshman backs.

The Panthers tailback is strong, shifty and explosive in the open field. McCoy is doing it all without a passing game too, Pitt ranks 100th overall, and should be the go to guy for the remainder of the season.

Divine has been the surprise of the season so far for the Mountaineers, adding another element to the already explosive backfield. Add Patrick White, Steve Slaton, and All-American fullback Owen Schmitt to the mix and Morgantown is now home to the “Fantastic Four.”

Zoom In: Temple UConn play.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week Five)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:33:34 -0400

College Football Week of Sept. 27, 2008

Announcement

I would like to start this week off by saying thanks to all who take the time to read the article. I really appreciate the exposure and enjoy the feedback.

As October nears, so does the familiarity of teams that accompanies the start of conference play. With nine teams ranked in the Top 25 losing this week, there’s a ton to talk about, so let’s Wordplay.

Black Out

Well, the one thing for Georgia fans that should have been blacked out in Athens on Saturday night wasn’t—the ESPN telecast of the game.

I am now certain of two things my kids will never be able to see in person: Tonya Harding competing in the Olympics, and the Georgia Bulldogs playing football in all-black jerseys.

John Parker Wilson continued his brilliant start to the season, completing 13 of his 16 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown. Alabama controlled the line of scrimmage all game, putting constant pressure on Matthew Stafford and holding Knowshon Moreno to only 34 yards on the ground.

Alabama was better coached and more talented, and the play calling was superior to the Bulldogs. When Georgia blitzed, Coffee caught a screen pass. When Georgia backed into soft coverage, the Tide found Julio Jones.

Talk about two teams heading in opposite directions: Alabama started the season ranked No. 24 and has now climbed all the way to second, while Georgia has slipped in the polls every other week this season.

Contender Evaluation: South Florida

Key Games

Oct. 25 @ Louisville

Nov. 23 Connecticut

Dec. 6 @ West Virginia

Doomsday

It’s official: All hell has broken loose in the ACC.

Wake Forest lost at home to Navy as Riley Skinner had an absolutely horrendous game, throwing four interceptions for a Demon Deacon team that was leading the nation in turnover margin coming into the contest.

Clemson continued to disappoint, giving Tiger fans reason to bury themselves six feet below the ground and reveal the true meaning behind the name “Death Valley.”

Miami let a big one slip away in the waning seconds against a Tar Heel team playing without its starting quarterback as Butch Davis pulled out a victory over his former team.

Duke made a mockery of Virginia, beating the Cavs 31-3 for the Blue Devils' first conference win in 26 attempts.

Extra Points

Florida entered the game against Ole Miss undefeated and having zero turnovers on the season. Three hours later the Gators had fumbled three times and exited the Swamp with a loss.

Ole Miss gambled a couple times early and had success in the Wild Rebel formation. Houston Nutt has had a knack for getting his squad to play close against top ranked opponents, but they usually occur at home and not on the road.

Florida simply self-destructed and was burned on special teams a couple of times by Mike Wallace, the same guy who almost won the game for Mississippi last year against the Gators in Oxnard.

As for Tim Tebow—well, last year's Heisman trophy winner has yet to lead his team to a victory when trailing in the second half.

Florida has lost six times since 2006 to unranked opponents, and three have been to Ole Miss.

Urban Meyer, the Ryder Cup is over, so stop acting like the Euros and whining about the loss. There was absolutely nothing illegal about the blocked extra point.

Florida by all means is still in the hunt for the national title, especially if the Gators continue to run their offense through all-purpose star Percy Harvin, this season’s DeSean Jackson.

Forecast looks good

Surprising 4-0 teams that you might want to keep an eye on:

Tulsa (4-0) vs. Rice

Oklahoma State (4-0) vs. Texas A&M

Vanderbilt (4-0) vs. Auburn

Kentucky (4-0) vs. Alabama

Gripping the Football

The Vols just can’t seem to grasp the concept of handing the ball off, can they? Last week Tennessee fumbled near the end zone against Florida, and Ainge muffed one last year that turned the game around against the Gators.

Payton Manning was in attendance, but unfortunately he couldn’t make the handoff to Foster either.

I’m really starting to believe Tennessee is trying to get Phillip Fulmer fired, don’t you?

The Tigers still haven’t answered the quarterback situation, and fans in Auburn are starting to become uneasy with the unresolved carousel. Auburn managed only one first down in the entire fourth quarter.

Heating up

As the race in the Big East starts to heat up, we take a sentence per team outlook at the contenders in the conference.

Contenders

South Florida: Grothe has played smart football thus far, and believe it or not, the Bulls are in the thick of the national title hunt.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers struggled early but are still the most talented team in the conference by far.

Connecticut: The Huskies have the best virtually unknown skill player in the nation in running back Donald Brown, but they lost starting quarterback Tyler Lorenzen on Friday night to a broken foot.

On the outside looking in

Pittsburgh: After a disappointing season-opening loss, the Panthers have bounced back with three straight wins.

Louisville: The offense has started to click for the Cardinals, who are averaging 36 points a game after managing only two points in a loss to Kentucky to start the season.

On the outside, I mean way outside

Syracuse: It’s like trying to make out a reflection in the mirror after a long hot shower—the Orange are naked and cold and looking for someone to throw in the towel.

Impact Freshmen

Freshmen making an impact this week.

1. RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State: 37 rushes, 186 yards, two TDs

2. RB Bryce Beal, Houston: 22 rushes, 132 yards, two TDs

3. WR A.J. Green, Georgia: six receptions, 88 yards, TD

4. WR Julio Jones, Alabama: five receptions, 94 yards, TD

5. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: 8-13, 80 yards, TD and eight rushes, 97 yards, two TDs

Jumping to Conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Vanderbilt 17, Auburn 13

Could be in trouble: Utah 31, Oregon St. 28

Closer than you think: Texas 38, Colorado 31

No way Jose: Oklahoma St. 38, Texas A&M 17

Knots in Corvallis

Southern Cal was tripped up for the third time in four trips to Oregon State. Mike Riley just might be the guy who has Pete Carroll’s number.

Yes, the Beavers beat the Trojans on Thursday night, but the way they did is what should be most concerning for USC fans.

Oregon State came out ready to play and Southern Cal simply didn’t. The Beavers were not afraid, running the ball down the Trojans' throats with a freshman running back who was eager to talk smack to an All-American-abundant USC defense.

I’ll be the first to admit I was caught up in the West Coast frenzy that is “the men of Troy.”

What I was shocked about was all the talk about Mark Sanchez for Heisman. The guy is still unproven in my book, but then again the junior will get many opportunities to shine at USC.

Lincoln Logs

It’s going to take Bo Pelini a little bit longer to get the pieces together at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers had a costly personal foul penalty late in the fourth quarter that kept a Virginia Tech drive alive.

Still searching for the “black shirts” to make an appearance? The Big Red might want to check the back of a milk carton, because that defense has been missing in Lincoln for years now.

It was a good week for the ACC in non-conference play. Florida State was the second team in the conference to put a hurting on a Big 12 squad this week, as the Seminole manhandled the Buffs 39-21 in Tallahassee.

Might not have known, but...

With five weeks gone in the college football season, there is not an undefeated team left in two of the six BCS conferences: the ACC and the Pac-10.

Also, you know what I really hate is when a team like say Michigan (below) has its fans screaming "we're number one" on national television. No, you’re not—actually you're not even in the Top 25, so stop it.

Never say die

Michigan had 21 yards on 20 snaps and turned the ball over five times in the first half, as the Wolverines attempted to duplicate a Notre Dame “offense on training wheels” performance of a season ago.

It was an extremely disappointing loss for Wisconsin and rising head coach Bret Bielema. The Badgers need to have a short memory though if they want to avoid a 0-2 conference start, as the Buckeyes travel to Madison next week.

For 30 minutes on Saturday afternoon, Ann Arbor was the most soothing, quiet place in the country. Twenty-seven points and one Mike Hart pep talk later, Michigan had mounted the biggest comeback ever at the Big House, and the Rich Rodriguez era had officially begun.

Overrated

Auburn, South Florida, Utah, and Texas Tech.

Pac-10

In a positive for the conference this week, Cal got some much-needed revenge on the Mountain West Conference, beating Colorado State 42-7.

As for Pac-10 officiating, well, that’s another story. The officials in Thursday night’s game allowed Southern Cal to gain an additional 10 seconds when the play clock failed to start on time late in the fourth quarter.

Instead of stopping the game to figure out the correct adjustment, officials decided to just “guesstimate” the difference.

When your conference officials are too lazy to walk to the sideline to confirm the right call, you know there’s an issue.

The Pac-10 needs to address the situation and reprimand whoever keeps justifying these refs’ actions. It’s silly and unprofessional, and it has to come to a stop.

Question of the Week

Could there possibly be six BCS games this year?

In theory, no, but with the caliber of opponents in the SEC and the Big 12 this year, the Cotton Bowl will most likely pair two better teams (the SEC No. 4 vs. the Big 12 No. 3) than, say, the ACC or the Big East will have to offer to the BCS.

Revenge is sweet

Two teams from Oklahoma made the best of their opportunities to dish out a little payback this week.

The Sooners rolled TCU at home 35-10. Oklahoma’s no-huddle offense continues to be in tip-top shape, and Bradford discovered another weapon this week in wideout Manuel Johnson, who set a school record with 206 yards receiving. OU did struggle in the running game and is still looking for heralded recruit DeMarco Murray to have a breakout game.

Oklahoma State avenged last year’s shocker to Troy, clobbering the Trojans 55-24. Believe it or not, the Pokes might have just as many weapons on offense as the Sooners. OSU is outscoring opponents 207 to 87 this year.

Star Performance of the Week

All Colt McCoy did was go 17 for 19, throwing for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Oh, and he added another 84 yards on the ground and two more touchdowns in a little more than three quarters of action.

Hurricane Ike delayed this game two weeks ago, but Arkansas wasn’t as fortunate to avoid the storm Colt McCoy and the Longhorns offense put on the Hogs on Saturday.

McCoy is having a stellar season thus far for the Longhorns and is an Oklahoma win away from becoming a serious contender in the Heisman race.

Top Five

1. Oklahoma

The Sooners have come out and proven a point each week. Next, Oklahoma tries to do what was so many teams across the country struggled to do last season: maintain their number one ranking.

2. Alabama

How good is Nick Saban's team? The Tide continued to impress and haven’t trailed in a game so far this year.

3. Missouri

Tigers had the week off to prepare for their Big 12 opener against Nebraska in Lincoln.

4. Louisiana State

The other Tiger in the Top 5 won an SEC game on the road, something that isn’t an easy task in that conference.

5. Texas

The Longhorns continue to fly under the radar, outscoring opponents 198 to 43 this season.

Upcoming: Five things to watch for next week

1. Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

Don’t look now, but the Commodores sit all alone atop the SEC East.

2. Oregon State vs. Utah

Another Thursday night, and another chance for the Beavers to end a team’s championship aspirations.

3. Oregon vs. Southern Cal

The Trojans look to rebound against an injury-plagued Ducks squad, as the two best teams in the Pac-10 battle for conference supremacy.

4. Ohio State vs. Wisconsin

A conference elimination game. The winner will challenge Penn State for the Rose Bowl, and the loser will most likely end up in Orlando for the Capitol One Bowl.

5. Texas vs. Colorado

In the always scary “game before Oklahoma,” the Longhorns open up Big 12 play on the road against the Buffs.

Video of the Week

Connecticut’s Lawrence Wilson picked off Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell’s pass with under three minutes to play and returned it for the game-winning touchdown. Check it out.

While you’re at it, you might want to check the nation’s leading rusher, the Huskies' Donald Brown.

White Out

Something I am certain my kids will be able to see in person.

Penn State proved they should be taken seriously by the rest of the Big Ten. As long as the Nittany Lions continue to get solid play from quarterback Daryll Clark, who has thrown 11 touchdowns and only one interception this season, PSU should be favored in every game except for the trip to Ohio State in the last week in October.

Derrick Williams showcased his talents too, becoming the only player in the Joe Paterno era to have a touchdown return, run, and reception.

Don’t forget, the Lions have a pretty solid running back in Evan Royster too. This team is loaded and primed for a Big Ten championship, and maybe even a national title.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t household names but will be come December.

WR Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State)

RB Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State)

QB Kellen Moore (Boise State)

WR Robert Dunn (Auburn)

Your BCS bowl matchups right now

Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Southern Cal

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State

Sugar Bowl: Louisiana State vs. South Florida

Fiesta Bowl: Missouri vs. Brigham Young

National Championship Game: Alabama vs. Oklahoma

Zzzzzzz: (Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Programs on the rise: North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Boise State, Maryland

College Football Wordplay from A to Z (Week 4)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:17:24 -0400

College Football week of 09/20/08

Another One Bites the Dust

Happy trails East Carolina, after starting the season with two upset victories over West Virginia and Virginia Tech your hopes of reaching a BCS bowl are over.

For the second straight week the ACC has upset a ranked opponent at home (Cal lost to Maryland).

Must I remind you Pirates fans, all you had to do was kick the field goal Skip Holtz!

Boo Birds

Tim Tebow had his first jump pass of the season and Florida won its annual Tennessee thrashing.

Philip Fulmer is on his way out the door in Knoxville, you can just see the disappointment on this face when the Volvs make any kind of mistake. (Check out letter “G”)

However, I still don’t know how good this Gator team really is though. Tennessee failed to score any points inside the 5 yard line twice, so the game should have been a lot closer than the final score suggested.

Urban Meyer should be careful of a let down next week against an underrated Ole Miss team.

Contender Evaluation

Alabama Crimson Tide

Key Games: 9/27 @ Georgia 11/8 @ LSU 11/29 Auburn

Disappointment

West Virginia has been the most disappointing team this season.

WVU is now 1-2 on the season with only a game against Marshall left before entering conference play. Pat White has struggled without Steve Slayton, although Noel Devine is more than an ample replacement, and people in Morgantown are starting to curse this team:

“Damn you, Rich Rodriguez, the Mountaineers want they’re playbook back!”

In Boulder, the fans are starting to believe they have a shot at a surprise Big XII North title.

Colorado has a couple of freshman running back studs, a smart Cody Hawkins under center and a perfect 3-0 record to start the season.

Every way possible

Just when you thought Les Miles couldn’t possibly find another way to win a football game, the coach uses an onside kick and a halfback pass to do it again. After an atrocious first half, quarterback Jarrett Lee went 11 of 17 for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the second half.

Lee’s fourth quarter comeback in a hostile environment on the road was just what the LSU football team needed. With a leader established under center, the Tigers now look poised to make a run at consecutive national titles.

It was another disappointing loss in a big time game for Tommy Tuberville, but let’s face it the Head Coach and fans at Auburn should be accustomed to it by now.

The winner of this game has represented the SEC West in the conference championship game six out of the last eight years.

Forecast looks good

Surprising 4-0 teams that you might want to keep an eye on:

Vanderbilt (4-0) vs. 10/4 Auburn

Minnesota (4-0) vs. Ohio State

Ball State (4-0) vs. Kent State

Northwestern (4-0) vs. Iowa

Connecticut (4-0) vs. Louisville

Gator Press Conference

I got to thinking what would I have asked Tennessee Head Coach Philip Fulmer at halftime? After ten minutes I realized I could only come up with rhetorical questions.

“Phil do you think you’ll be here next year?”

And then I heard some guy in orange walking a coonhound named Smokey screaming, “Nooooooo!”

Heating up

As the race in the ACC starts to heat-up, we take a sentence per team outlook at the contenders in the conference.

Contenders:

Va. Tech-Tyrod Taylor is starting to play clutch and Beamer Ball will keep the Hokies in any game.

Miami- I know the team is still young, but boy do the Hurricanes look athletic or what?

Clemson-The country shouldn’t forget about the pre-season pick to win the conference.

Georgia Tech- The offense is confusing and Michael Johnson and the Yellow Jacket defense is starting to turn up the heat.

On the outside looking in:

North Carolina- Brandon Tate is a stud, but with starting quarterback T.J. Yates injured who’s going to get him the ball?

Maryland- Don’t look now, but the Terps are starting to score points in bunches.

NC State- Hey, a freshman quarterback won the Big XII last year, why not the ACC?

Impact Freshman:

Freshman making an impact this week:

1. RB Rodney Stewart, Colorado: 28 rushes, 166 yards.

2. RB Victor Anderson, Louisville: 18 rushes, 176 yards, 3 TD.

3. WR A.J. Green, Georgia: 8 receptions, 159 yards, TD

4. QB Robert Griffen III, Baylor: 14 of 25, 208 yards, 3 TD. 23 rushes, 48 yards, TD.

5. QB Russell Wilson, North Carolina State: 21 of 31, 210 yards, 3 TD.

Jumping to Conclusions: (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Alabama 28 Georgia 24

Could be in trouble: Penn State 35 Illinois 31

Closer than you think: Auburn 21 Tennessee 17

No way Jose: Oklahoma 41 TCU 17

Knowshon and the Boys

The Georgia tailback had a field day in the dessert, rushing for 149 yards and a couple scores. And who said the Bulldogs didn’t like to travel cross-country, watch Moreno fly into the endzone.

Yes, the running game is solid, but the rest of the SEC should be more concerned with the solid play of Stafford and his emerging star wide-out A.J. Green.

Think Arizona Statemisses starting tailback Keegan Herring? Georgia held the Sun Devils to four yards rushing on 19 attempts, an average of about seven and half inches per carry.

Dennis Erickson is starting to feel the heat in Tempe.

Like Father like Son

As I was watching the Baylor Connecticut game this weekend I thought, “Man the officiating is really inconsistent and just plain bad out there tonight.”

And then there he was standing there all flustered, Shawn Hochuli, the son of the jacked-up NFL referee Ed Hochuli, who just botched the Jay Cutler fumble in Denver last week.

Ah, the world really does come full circle sometimes.

Well, I take that back, to be honest I was sort of surprised Shawn wasn’t a Pac-10 official.

MIA

Notre Dame running/passing attack/run defense, well I guess the whole team for that matter has yet to show up. The fans in South Bendare still waiting for Jimmy Clausen to develop into the quarterback he was supposed to be.

Not missing in action this week was Javon Ringer. The senior has rushed for more than 200 yards in consecutive weeks and has 11 touchdowns on the ground in four games this season.

No Direction

Greg Robinson is still looking for some at Syracuse. You know things are bad when your team can’t beat Northwestern, so they have to resort to scheduling northeastern.

I don’t think all the directional schools in the world can keep the Orange from being the cellar dweller of the Big East. This team is bad, really bad.

Overrated

Ohio State, Auburn, South Florida, Georgia, Utah and Texas Tech.

Parade

Let’s have a celebration for Mississippi State scoring a touchdown this week, because it’s almost as frequent as the United State’s winning the Ryder Cup.

Quit crying Euros it’s OK to celebrate.

Question of the Week

Because of the weakness of the Pac-10, is Southern Cal a virtual lock to play in the national title game?

Well I’ll put it this way, besides picking the Rams to lose or the Mets bullpen to blow another save; it might be the safest bet in all of sports.

Representing the Mountain West

BYU, Utah and TCU are all well on their way to a three way round-robin showdown in the conference. Right now the edge has to go to Max Hall and the Cougars who shutout Wyoming 44-0 this week, while Utah escaped on the road at Air Force.

Realistically only two BCS-busters remain:

The winner of the Mountain West and Boise State, which is now slowly creeping up on the party after the Broncos win over a banged up Oregon team.

Star performance of the Week

Seriously, how good has Chase Daniel been this season?

The senior went 36 of 43 for a career-high 439 yards and completed a school record 20 consecutive passes in Missouri’s 42-21 win over Buffalo.

Right now, Daniel has to be the nation’s front-runner for the Heisman trophy.

Top Five:

1. Southern California- Ah… the fame, beautiful women, and beaches; it must be tough to play football at USC huh? The Trojans go back to work early next week against Oregon State on Thursday night.

2. Oklahoma- Sam Bradford had the week and enjoyed the extra half of rest. The Sooners have outscored opponents 164-42 this season.

3. Missouri- The Tigers struggled to get things rolling in the first half, turning the ball over three times in Buffalo territory, and still doubled up the Bulls 42-21.

4. Louisiana State- The Tigers reminded the country that they are the defending national champs, beating Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

5. Florida- The “third weekend in September” was a good one again for the Gators, as Florida continued their domination over rival Tennessee.

Upcoming:

Five things to watch for next week:

1. Alabama vs. Georgia- Alabama gets a chance to prove the Tide are for real and Georgia, well they get a chance to prove it too.

2. Illinois vs. Penn State- Big early season battle in the Big Ten. It should be a shootout, as both teams are capable of scoring a lot of points.

3. TCU vs. Oklahoma- Oklahoma gets a chance for a little revenge. Remember TCU was the last team to beat the Sooners at home, a 17-10 win in the 2005 season opener.

4. Tennessee vs. Auburn- A better than people think Tennessee team battles a heartbroken Auburn club. It’ll be interesting to see how the Tigers bounce back.

5. Virginia Tech vs. Nebraska- Nebraska looks to put its name on the map once again against the Hokies and avoid a Florida State incident in Lincoln.

Video of the Week

Usually this section is devoted to a couple of clips that you won’t want to miss, but this week in honor of Ball State receiver Dante Love I will leave it blank.

The star receiver was critically injured in the Cardinal 42-20 victory over Indiana. According to a statement released by the university, Love will “live a happy and normal life,” but will probably not play football again.

The senior went into this week leading the nation in receiving yards with 144.3 per game and will finish his career second in school history in receiving yards and touchdowns.

Here’s to you Dante Love, may you have many more highlights in your life off the football field.

Welcome Back

Florida State… sorry I meant Miami.

The Hurricanes looked athletic and like a team with an identity and the Seminoles certainly did not.

Things got so bad in Tallahassee that Bowden benched his starter, then later benched the back-up only to eventually bring his starter back from the bench in a pure act of desperation.

Man he must really want to catch Joe Paterno for all-time career wins, huh?

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t a household name, but will be come December.

LB Nate Irving (North Carolina State) LB Joe Pawelek (Baylor) CB Alphonso Smith (Wake Forrest) TE Ron Gronkowski (Arizona)

Your BCS bowl match-ups right now

Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Missouri

Orange Bowl: Miami vs. BYU

Sugar Bowl: Louisiana State vs. South Florida

Fiesta Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Florida

National Championship Game: USC vs. Oklahoma

Zzzzzzz: (Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Programs on the rise: Miami, Alabama, Penn State, BYU, Oklahoma State, Boise State.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week 3)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:43:25 -0400

College Football week of 09/13/08

Avoiding the Storm

East Carolina avoided a huge letdown on the road against Tulane. The Pirates need a late fourth quarter drive to pull out a 28-24 victory over the Green Wave.

Patrick Pinkney continued to play well at quarterback. The senior went 22 of 32 for 260 yards and two TD, and has ECU at 3-0 for the first time since 1999.

Skip Holtz has to be a little concerned about the 56 yards rushing and his team’s four turnovers; these kind of mistakes/inconsistency that can easily end a dream season.

Brigham Young

Max Hall exploded again throwing for 271 yards and setting a school record with seven touchdown passes.

So where was the Norm Chow offense this Saturday? UCLA was shut out for the first time since 1964 and suffered the programs worse loss in 75 years.

Makes you wonder. How disappointing is Tennessee’s loss to UCLA now?

With the rise of the MWC, the Cougars have established themselves as a legitimate national title contender.

Contender Evaluation: Texas Tech.

Key Games: 10/25 @ Kansas 11/01 Texas 11/08 @ Oklahoma

Drop-back quarterback

Speaking of Big XII South contenders, Oklahoma has established themselves as the force to be reckoned with. Sam Bradford is the best quarterback/NFL prospect in the nation. Bradford has great vision, good pocket presence and is able to read defensive coverage’s. It’s hard to believe that he’s only a sophomore.

Well, at least Washington did remind the country that it’s probably not a very good idea to pick a fight with the Sooners before you have to play a football game against them.

Emergency

Although it’s sad to see the weather prohibit college football, I’m glad the NCAA has decided to do the smart thing and cancel/move games around the country.

With that said, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who have been affected by this Hurricane season.

God Bless.

Fiesta

Notre Dame football. It was sad to see a program like Notre Dame douse their coach in Gatorade after beating a non-ranked opponent at home. What has Irish football come to?

Getting Clobbered

Ohio State looked flat, and USC looked dominate in “the most anticipated game of the year.” It was embarrassing for the Buckeyes to get outmanned like that after having 9 months to prepare for the Trojans.

Mark Sanchez and the offense looked impressive, but the rest of the country should be more afraid of how well the Southern Cal defense played.

Jim Tressel needs to re-evaluate the quarterback position. I know the coach feels committed to stick with the Todd Boeckman, but defenses will continue to unload on the stagnant senior. You have to believe Terrelle Pryor’s ability to stretch out defenses gives the Buckeyes the best chance of winning on Saturdays.

How a week can change

The entire way a conference is viewed. The Pac-10 took a big hit this weekend:

Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama struggled, throwing two picks and completing just over 50 percent of his passes in a 36-28 loss to New Mexico. Remember, there were a lot of people talking about this Wildcat team as a dark horse in the conference. To make matters worse, earlier in the week running back Nic Grigsby guaranteed a victory against the Lobos. Oops.

California unexplainably lost on the road to a pretty bad Maryland team. The explosive Cal offense, which put 66 against Washington State the week before struggled to find the endzone for the first three quarters. I guess the 9 a.m. local start time wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Arizona State was the most disappointing team in the conference this week losing at home to UNLV in overtime. Think the Sun Devils were looking forward to Georgia coming to town this week?

And as for UCLA, I think the 59-point shutout loss and something like 22 inches per carry on the ground speaks for itself.

Impact Freshman

1. K Maikon Bonani, South Florida: 3 for 4 FG, including game winning 43-yarder.

2. RB Sam McGuffie, Michigan: 25 rushes, 131 yards.

3. WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma: 3 receptions, 85 yards, 2 TD

4. QB Robert Griffen III, Baylor: 7 of 15, 129 yards, 1 TD. 11 rushes, 217 yards, 2 TD. *(See letter “N”)

5. RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State: 26 rushes, 110 yards 2 TD.

Jumping to Conclusions (Predictions for next week)

Upset Special: Florida State 24 Wake Forrest 20

Could be in trouble: Utah 34 Air Force 31

Closer than you think: Ohio State 31 Troy 24

No way Jose: Louisiana State 28 Auburn 13

Knocking on the door

BCS affiliated schools looking for their first victory this week:

Rutgers vs. Navy

Syracuse vs. Northeastern

Washington State vs. Portland State

Lighting up the scoreboard

The headline reads: “Auburn held off Mississippi State 3-2 to win their SEC conference opener.” Take it as Tommy Tuberville's tribute the MLB playoff race heating up.

Mistakes

South Carolina had many opportunities to pull out a victory over Georgia. Steve Spurrier’s face told it all after RB Mike Davis fumbled at the goal-line. The ‘Ole Ball Coach is now 0-2 in the conference and most likely a non-factor in the SEC East.

Georgia struggled to find the endzone again against the Gamecock. The Bulldogs have only managed to score 2 touchdowns in their last three match-ups against USC.

Knowshon Moreno only rushed for 79 yards, but his mobility and illusiveness was definitely displayed on Saturday. UGA will need the sophomore Heisman hopeful to continue running hard next week to keep Arizona State’s offense on the sideline.

New to the Scene

Robert Griffen III. If you don’t know who he is by now you should, because the Baylor QB is well on his way to winning Freshman of the year. The duel-threat Griffen has done the impossible in only three games and brought some excitement to Waco.

Next chance to catch the quarterback is this Friday (8 PM, ESPN) when Baylor travels cross-country to face Connecticut.

Overrated

Ohio State, Auburn, South Florida, Georgia, and Texas Tech.

Personal Trainer

Looking to get fit? Why not jump on the Missouri workout plan? Seriously, with the amount of push-ups the mascot has to pump out on gameday, Truman the Tiger has one of the worst jobs in college football.

Mizzou tied a school record, scoring 69 points in blowing out victory over a Nevada team that hung with Texas Tech last week.

Chase Daniel is playing out of this world. In the quarterback’s last two games Daniel has led the Tigers to 12 touchdown drives on only 13 possessions, while completing 39 of his 45 passes.

Can anyone say, "Heisman"?

Question of the Week

With the way the Mountain West Conference has dominated the Pac-10 this year I started to wonder: how would the conference fare against the Big East?

The Mountain West Conference has a combined 6-3 record against the six BCS conferences in the first three weeks of the season. So how would the top five teams from the MWC manage against the Big East schools?

A best of five series between the two conferences would look something like this:

Brigham Young (beat UCLA and Washington) vs. South Florida

Utah (beat Michigan) vs. West Virginia

TCU (beat Stanford) vs. Cincinnati

Air Force vs. Connecticut

UNLV (beat Arizona State) vs. Louisville

On paper the Mountain West looks just as strong as a conference as the Big East does.

The MWC reminds me a lot of the Missouri Valley in basketball, a conference which consistently produces Sweet 16 teams come March.

Replacement

Maikon Bonani replaced struggling starter Delbert Alvarado and nailed the game winner to hold off Kansas, 37-34. While South Florida made a good decision in the kicking game, senior quarterback Todd Reesing did not.

Reesing’s uncharacteristically threw a late pick to set up the game winner, and the Bulls remained undefeated on the season.

With the weakness of the Big East, it might be time to start jumping on the South Florida bandwagon. Speaking of jumping on someone’s back, doesn’t the Bonani look like he should be a jockey? I’m just saying, check it out.

Star performance of the Week

Javon Ringer put on a clinic against Florida Atlantic, rushing for 282 yards and two TD in Michigan State’s 17-0 win. The senior has Spartan fans singing “Viva Viagra” because he got it up and down the field for three hours on Saturday.

Top Five

1. Southern California

The Trojans showed up at the Coliseum, dominating Ohio State on both side of the ball (real surprising). Who in the Pac-10 is going to beat Southern Cal?

2. Oklahoma

The defense played physical, and Bradford was near perfect again in a 55-13 embarrassment of Washington.

3. Missouri

Chase Daniels and the Tiger offensive explosion continued with a 69-17 thrashing of Nevada at home.

4. Florida

The Gators had the week off to fix the kicks in Urban Meyer’s offense.

5. Louisiana State

The Tigers scored on the first play from scrimmage establishing the run game in a 41-3 rout of North Texas.

Upcoming (Five things to watch for next week)

1. Arkansas vs. Alabama

Arkansas had an extra week to prepare for their SEC Conference opener against Nick Saban and the Tide.

2. Florida vs. Tennessee

Florida heads to Knoxville for an early road test against SEC East rival Tennessee. Winner of this game will challenge Georgia for the division title.

3. Louisiana State vs. Auburn

Same situation as above. Two legitimate national title contenders square off in primetime.

4. Georgia vs. Arizona State

Georgia heads to the desert to face the Sun Devils who are looking to rebound after a disappointing loss to UNLV in overtime.

5. Notre Dame vs. Michigan State

The Irish try to keep things rolling and complete a sweep of the Michigan schools in East Lansing.

Video of the Week

A couple of clips that you won’t want to miss. Buffalo caught a Hail-Mary to beat Temple and Kentucky almost let another team pull off a “blue grass miracle” in Lexington. Wildcats remember the heartbreaking defeat to LSU in the in 2005. Check it out.

Winning on the road

Wisconsin came into a hostile environment, controlling the ball behind PJ Hill’s 126 yards on the ground and squeaked out a 13-10 victory over BCS-buster hopeful Fresno State.

The Bulldogs had multiple opportunities to tie what Head Coach Pat Hill called the “the biggest game in his program’s history,” missing three field goals.

With Ohio State losing Wisconsin has the best chance, if not the only, for the Big Ten to have a representative in the BCS title game. Give the Badgers some credit though; Bret Bielema’s team finally scheduled a Top 25 team outside of conference play.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t a household name, but will be come December:

WR Brandon Tate (North Carolina) TE Chase Coffman (Missouri) CB Jairus Byrd (Oregon) CB Derek Pegues (Mississippi State)

Your BCS bowl match-ups right now

Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Arizona State

Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Missouri

Sugar Bowl: Louisiana State vs. West Virginia

Fiesta Bowl: BYU vs. Florida

National Championship Game: USC vs. Oklahoma

Zzzzzzz (Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on)

Programs on the rise: Miami, Alabama, Penn State, Utah, BYU, East Carolina, Oklahoma State, Fresno State.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week 2)

Eric Thomason — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:10:14 -0400

College Football Week of 09/6/08

ACC

Wake Forest's Sam Swank saved the conference with his game winning 41-yard field goal against Ole Miss. Without the senior’s late game heroics the Atlantic Coast would not have a team in the Top 25.

Riley Skinner had another efficient performance, completing 32 of his 43 attempts and throwing for 262 yards and two TD.

Houston Nutt and the Rebels missed a big opportunity to steal one on the road. But if Texas transfer Jevan Sneed continues to play well Ole Miss should be bowling come December.

Bringing back the “U”

The Gators got the victory on Saturday night, but not without a fight from Randy Shannon’s boys. Miami’s defense looked just as athletic as Florida’s.

The Hurricanes went into the swamp believing they could win that game just the way Hollyfield did when he walked into the ring against Tyson.

Yes, Florida had too many weapons on offense, but it was nice to see some fire and passion from the Miami program again.

Contender Evaluation: Penn State

The Nittany Lions have been the most impressive and overlooked team in the Big Ten thus far. Penn State has been able to establish a running game, racking up 572 yards and 11 touchdowns in their first two games on the ground.

Key Games: 9/27 Illinois, 10/11 @ Wisconsin, 10/25 @ Ohio State

Down and Dirty

West Virginia got beat up and down the field, getting out muscled by East Carolina for 60 minutes.

The Pirates dominated the line of scrimmage. The ECU offensive line drove Mountaineer defenders five yards past the line of scrimmage and the D-line kept All-American Pat White in-check all game.

Skip Holtz team has now beaten last year's ACC and Big East champion in consecutive weeks.

Emergency

Although it’s sad to see the weather prohibit college football, I’m glad the NCAA has decided to do the smart thing and cancel the games. With that said, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who have been affected by this Hurricane season. God Bless.

Free-falling (still)

The ACC’s and Big East’s struggles continued this week, and yes, both conferences are still affiliated with the BCS. (See letter “Q”)

Maryland 14 Middle Tenn. 24

Syracuse 28 Akron 42

Connecticut 12 Temple 9

West Virginia 3 East Carolina 24

Gut Check

It was the first of the season for Oklahoma. Cincinnati hung with the defending Big XII champs for a half and it could have been longer if not for the Bearcats going for it on fourth and two early in the third quarter.

Good news for the Sooners is Bradford found another receiver in freshman Ryan Broyles, and big TE Gresham looked dominant. Bad news is Stoops found out he might have some weaknesses in the secondary again, especially the deep ball.

How High

The ball being thrown is apparently the determining factor when deciding to flag a celebrating-game-tying touchdown. I was watching the 18-play drive and thinking to myself, “Jake Locker is carrying the Huskies on his back, making absolutely spectacular plays.”

It’s a shame that a great quarterback duel had to be decided by a gut-feeling. I know the conference and the NCAA has to back the referees on Saturdays, but it would be nice to hear a mistake was made and that an effort to prevent future occurrences is a priority.

This isn’t the first time Pac-10 officiating has decided the outcome of the game: Oklahoma fans remember the botched call that cost the Sooners a win against Oregon in 2006.

Impact Freshman

1. QB Austin Davis, S. Miss: 33 for 50, 266 yards, two TD, two INT.

2. RB Foswhitt Whittaker, Texas: 12 rushes, 72 yards.

3. WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma: 7 receptions, 141 yards, one TD

4. QB Robert Griffen III, Baylor: 15 of 19, 294 yards, three TD. 10 rushes, 42 yards, one TD.

5. WR Jermaine Kearse, Washington: two receptions, 54 yards one TD.

Jumping to Conclusions

Predictions for next week

Upset Special

Fresno State 28 Wisconsin 24

Could be in trouble

BYU 27 UCLA 21

Closer than you think

Oklahoma 42 Washington 27

No way Jose

Southern Cal 41 Ohio State 17

Knowing Your Team

Rich Rodriguez is still trying to figure out what kind of personnel he has in Anne Arbor. Michigan struggled on offense against a weak Miami Ohio defense, failing to manage 300 yards of total offense for the second straight week.

The Wolverines still haven’t found an answer in the running game or at the quarterback position. I think it’s safe to say the Blue and Gold are at least a year away from competing for a Big Ten title again.

Oh, and Rich, here’s a news flash for you: Running a quarterback draw on third and 10 isn’t going to pick up a first down this year. Perhaps a bigger font could help Rodriguez see it doesn’t still say “White” or “Pryor” on the back of the jerseys.

Lighting it up

The PAC-10 elite continue to put big numbers on opposing teams. Arizona State has looked impressive out of the gate, and Oregon and Cal are both averaging over 50 points a game. The trio are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack as the main challengers to dethrone Southern Cal.

The conference is starting to become very top-heavy.

Moving Past Week One

Several teams were looking to get back on track this week after disappointing season openers.

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech made the move to Tyrod Taylor at quarterback, which was a no-brainer considering the inconsistent career of Sean Glennon, but the real verdict on the Hokies new QB won’t come until next week against Georgia Tech.

Clemson and Texas A&M

Clemson rebounded from last week’s disappointment, establishing a run game against the Citadel and Texas A&M managed to survive on the road against New Mexico without their starting quarterback Steven McGee who was injured on the first series of the game.

Pittsburgh

Pitt struggled again and to make things worse the team that upset the Panthers last week, Bowling Green, got blown out 42-17 by Minnesota at home. It could be a very short stint for Dave Wannstedt in Pittsburgh.

New Season

Yet the same look for Charlie Weis. Notre Dame played just as bad as they did a year ago, barely edging out a bad San Diego State team which lost to FCS Cal Poly last week.

Not to mention the Irish got help from the officials to pull out the win (I’m still not convinced that Aztec RB Brandon Sullivan fumbled on goal line).

You have to wonder if the success in 2005 was really the work of the seniors Tyrone Willingham brought to South Bend. I can’t see Weis winning more than six games this year, nor lasting much longer with the Irish.

Overrated

Ohio State, Auburn, South Florida, Georgia, and Texas Tech.

Personal

That’s what Matt Grothe did by talking smack to Central Florida about last year's 64-12 thrashing. Of all the games this week, this one by far had the best atmosphere. It felt like a bowl game.

The Knights fell inches short of a first down in overtime after mounting a furious fourth quarter comeback to tie the game. In a weak Big East, the Bulls have a good chance of winning the conference, but will need Grothe to immerge into a smarter quarterback if South Florida hopes to get a BCS bid.

Question of the Week

Will the winner of the ACC or Big East deserve a bid to the BCS?

With no team living up to the their pre-season expectations, it’s hard to believe a team from either conference will be better at the end of the season than some of the second and third best teams from the stronger BCS conferences.

With BYU, Fresno State and East Carolina all having legitimate chances of crashing the party too, at-large bids could be at a minimum as it is. As of now it’s hard to believe any team from either conference will be deserving of or able to compete in a game come January.

But there’s still a lot of football to be played, so it’ll be interesting to see how the season of the Cinderella plays out.

Rice Theatrics

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the finish to the Rice-Memphis game it’s worth a look. Check it out.

Star Performance of the Week

Cincinnati WR Marshwan Gilyard’s 365 all-purpose yards kept the Bearcats in the game for a half against Oklahoma. The junior caught seven passes for 119 yards and added another 246 on special teams including a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Heck, with the injury to starting QB Dustin Grutza, Cincy should think about letting the guy play QB too.

Top Five

1. Southern California

Yes, the Trojans were idle this week, but USC is the only team in the country that hasn’t shown a weakness yet.

2. Oklahoma

The Sooners out muscled Cincinnati 52-26, but OU showed some vulnerability against the deep ball. But isn’t that the only way teams beat the Sooners?

3. Florida

The Gators struggled to move the ball in the first half against an athletic Miami defense, but got things rolling after halftime.

4. Louisiana State

Hurricane Gustav postponed the defending national champ’s game against Troy. The game will be played Nov. 15.

5. Missouri

The offense looked impressive again. Chase Daniels and crew continue to put up huge numbers. The Tiger are averaging 52 points per game on offense.

Five Things to Watch for Next Week

1. Kansas vs. South Florida (Friday, 8 ET)

Todd R leads his underrated Kansas Jayhawks into Tampa to face Matt Grothe and the 19th ranked Bulls.

2. Ohio State vs. Southern Cal

Ready or not, the Buckeyes travel to the Coliseum to face the mighty Trojans. Good luck, Beanie.

3. Wisconsin vs. Fresno State

BCS hopeful Fresno State should not be taken lightly. The Bulldogs have a legitimate shot to beat the Badgers at home.

4. BYU vs. UCLA

The Cougars look for a second straight win against a PAC-10 opponent.

5. Georgia vs. South Carolina

First BCS conference opponent and SEC road test for the Dawgs comes against a desperate Spurrier squad looking to avoid a 0-2 conference start.

Victory Lane: (Notable teams trying to avoid a 0-3 start)

Washington State vs. Baylor

Ohio vs. Central Michigan

Syracuse vs. Penn State

Oregon State vs. Hawaii

Washington vs. Oklahoma

New Mexico vs. Arizona

Without Beanie

Ohio State struggled to move the ball without their star running back. Jim Tressel has to be concerned with the performance of starting quarterback Todd Boeckman. The senior has been inconsistent with the deep ball, which allows the defense to commit more to stopping the run.

But perhaps more troubling for the Buckeyes was on defense. OSU struggled to stop the mobile Boo Jackson and looked vulnerable against the run, especially up the gut. As the season continues look for Terrelle Pryor to slowly replace Boeckman under center.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t household names, but will be come December:

TE Shawn Nelson (Southern Miss) DT Michael Johnson (Georgia Tech) QB Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan) TE Dennis Pitta (BYU)

Your BCS bowl match-ups right now:

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. California

Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Missouri

Sugar Bowl: Louisiana State vs. West Virginia

Fiesta Bowl: East Carolina vs. Florida

National Championship Game: USC vs. Oklahoma

Zzzzzzz

Teams the country shouldn’t sleep on:

Programs on the rise: Miami, Alabama, UCLA, Penn State, Oregon, East Carolina, California, Fresno State.

College Football Wordplay: From A to Z (Week One)

Eric Thomason — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:04:14 -0400

Another Year

The games in Beijing have ended with the United States basketball team regaining the gold medal and Michael Phelps proving he should enter the Olympics next year as his own country. The United Nation of Phelps would have finished the games as the eighth greatest country in the world counting just gold medals.

It’s been a long six months, but college football has officially arrived—and so has this year’s first edition of Wordplay.

Let’s do it.

Backing It Up

Texas answered Florida Atlantic head coach Howard Schnellenberger calling Mack Brown’s team soft and saying he wanted to put “three hats” on the Longhorns at all times. Sixty minutes and four Colt McCoy touchdowns later, the Horns reminded FAU who's boss, sending the Owls out of Texas Memorial with their heads turned and wide-eyed.

Cream of the Crop

Wake Forest QB Riley Skinner played a nearly perfect game against Baylor on Thursday. The junior went 27 of 36 for 220 yards and three touchdowns, finishing the game with a QB rating of 153.83. Skinner is now the all-time leader in career wins as a starter in Wake Forest history with 19.

At the beginning of the year, all the talk in the conference was focused around Cullen Harper and Clemson (oops). After the Week One struggles from teams in the ACC, Jim Grobe’s Deacons look to be in the driver’s seat.

Driver's Seat

Speaking of teams in the driver’s seat—don’t look now, but Stanford is on top of the Pac-10 after a 36-28 win over Oregon State. The Cardinal will look to start 2-0 in conference play when they travel to Arizona State on Saturday night. Rose Bowl anyone?

Efficient

Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin lit up the scoreboard in St. Louis for the second straight year against interstate rival Illinois, but Missouri needs to get better on defense if they want to compete for a national title. I thought the referee might issue a red card because it looked like the Tigers were playing with 10 guys on defense in the second half.

Oh, and will teams please stop kicking the ball to Maclin? It’s special teams suicide.

Fun in the Sun

Hawaii's woes against teams from the Southeastern Conference continued on Saturday. In the Warriors' last two games versus SEC opponents (Georgia and Florida), they have been outscored 97-20. That’s worse than the beating the United States Women’s basketball team put on other countries in the Olympics.

Florida got out to a slow start, but by game's end the Gators looked like the fastest team in the country.

Gustav

The hurricane forced LSU to open the season six hours sooner than expected, and it took the Tigers about six minutes to blow out three-time defending FCS champions Appalachian State. Charles Scott rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns, taking the pressure off Harvard transfer quarterback Andrew Hatch. Les Miles' squad had “Not in OUR House” shirts made in the offseason to avoid having Michigan-type letdown.

Hype

"Clemson." I want everyone to say it one more time, and then move on. The Tigers' running back duo showed no thunder, and other than a spark of lightning from C.J. Spiller’s kickoff return, were shut down by the Alabama defense. The Tide held Clemson to zero yards rushing.

Surprisingly, it was John Parker Wilson and the ‘Bama offense that had all the answers in the Georgia Dome on Saturday night. Coaches in the SEC have an eye on Nick Saban’s squad once again.

Impact Freshmen

Freshmen making an impact this week.

1. WR Julio Jones, Alabama: Four receptions, 28 yards, one TD

2. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: Four of six, 35 yards; six rushes, 52 yards, one TD

3. WR A.J. Green, Georgia: Two receptions, 40 yards, one TD

4. QB Robert Griffen III, Baylor: 11 of 19, 125 yards; 11 rushes, 29 yards, one TD

5. RB Jeffrey Demps, Florida: Two rushes, 76 yards, one TD; one reception, 10 yards

Jock Itch

Let’s be honest—Virginia didn’t have a scratching chance against Southern Cal in the season opener. The Trojans manhandled the Cavaliers from the get-go. USC should have more people jumping on the bandwagon than the Obama campaign. As of now, they’re the nation’s number one team.

Knights Tale

UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft had a nightmare first half, throwing four picks, but he managed to save the Bruins in OT with a near-flawless fourth quarter. Rick Neuheisel, and especially Norm Chow, found a way to steal the season opener—or should I say, Phil Fulmer found another way to lose one.

Tennessee reminds me a lot of the Texas A&M program (see letter “N”): Both set out with high hopes come August, and they usually finish the season with angry boosters.

La Casa Pequena

It’s now official: With the arrival of Rich Rodriguez, the Big House has changed names. Michigan did not lose to a non-BCS school in 21 years, from 1985 to 2006, but has now lost two straight in home openers.

Maximum Performance

BYU QB Max Hall went off in the Cougars' season opener, throwing for 486 yards and two touchdowns. Texas Tech gunslinger Graham Harrell chucked the ball 55 times for 536 yards and two touchdowns. Calling long distance? Combined, the duo could finish the season chucking the ball more yards than a 5K relay.

Name Change

I guess Texas A&M forgot that Arkansas State gave the University of Texas a scare in their season opener last year. ASU changed names from the Indians to the Red Wolves this season. Another coach and another disappointment for the Aggies, who continue to take steps in the wrong direction.

Truth is, no team is afraid to play at Kyle Field these days. Mike Sherman has his work cut out for him this season in College Station.

Overrated

Clemson/ACC, Michigan/Big Ten, West Virginia/Big East, Auburn, Pittsburgh, Texas Tech.

Pryor Obligation

Perhaps the biggest story of the opening weekend of football is the injury to Ohio State All-American running back Beanie Wells. Look for Jim Tressel to rely even more heavily on freshman QB Terrelle Pryor to gain yards on the ground if Wells can’t come back.

The only upside to Saturday’s victory over Tressel’s former school, Youngstown State, is that the Buckeye defense looked even better than last year. YSU finished the game with only 74 total yards on offense.

Question of the Week

How bad is the ACC?

Awful.

Southern Cal 52, Virginia 10

South Carolina 34, NC State 0

McNeese St. 27, UNC 34

Alabama 34, Clemson 10

East Carolina 27, Va Tech 22

Delaware 7, Maryland 14

"ACC." I want everyone to say it one more time and then move on.

Role Reversal

For 58 minutes it looked as if Virginia Tech was going to win another game off defense and special teams—until East Carolina gave Beamer Ball a taste of its own medicine. The Pirates' T.J. Lee blocked a punt and returned it for the game-winning touchdown.

Sean Glennon continues to struggle at the helm for the Hokies, who are probably second-guessing the decision to redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Star Performance of the Week

Navy RB Shun White rushed for 348 yards and three touchdowns on only 19 carries, proving that midshipmen can get it done on the ground as well.

Top Five

1. Southern California: Seven different Trojans found the end zone in a 52-7 drubbing of Virginia.

3. Louisiana State: The Tigers came out poised to defend their national title. LSU dominated Appalachian State from the get-go.

4. Oklahoma: Sam Bradford and boys got 30 minutes of action and jumped out to a 50-0 halftime lead against FCS opponent Chattanooga.

5. Missouri: The offense looked impressive against Illinois, but the secondary has room for improvement.

Upcoming: Five Things to Watch for Next Week

1. Cincinnati vs. Oklahoma: The Sooners face a very athletic Cincy bunch in primetime.

2. Notre Dame and Florida State season openers: Two programs looking for redemption in 2008

3. East Carolina vs. West Virginia: A tough East Carolina team tries to prove it's for real.

4. Florida vs. Miami: Miami looks to make a statement in the Sunshine State.

5. Ole Miss vs. Wake Forest: How will an elite ACC team fare against an average SEC squad?

Vital Signs

Georgia looked sloppy in the season opener and continued to be plagued by injuries. The Bulldogs lost starting defensive tackle Jeff Owens to an ACL injury, and running back Knowshon Moreno left Saturday’s game with a hamstring problem. The hopes of a national title coming back to Athens are becoming endangered by this nagging issue.

Wisconsin Winnebago

P.J. Hill reminded the country he’s the next physical back to come out of the Big Ten. The junior rushed for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the Badgers' 38-17 win over Akron. With the injury to Beanie Wells, if Wisconsin can get some solid play from Kansas State transfer quarterback Allan Evridge, the Badgers might have an opportunity to win the conference.

X-Factor

Guys that probably aren’t a household name, but will be come December.

WR Mark Dell (Michigan State)

RB Ryan Matthews (Fresno State)

WR Jahvid Best (Cal)

QB Kellen Lewis (Indiana)

WR Will Judson (Illinois)

Your BCS Bowl Matchups Right Now

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon

Orange Bowl: West Virginia vs. Wake Forest

Sugar Bowl: Louisiana State vs. Missouri

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Fresno State

National Championship Game: USC vs. Florida

Zzzzzzz (Sleeping Giants)

Programs on the rise: Miami, Nebraska, Alabama, UCLA, Oregon, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State