Bleacher Report - Articles by Jimmy Smith

The Daytona....380? NASCAR Really Screwed Up.

Jimmy Smith — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:42:08 -0500

I sat on my couch in utter disbelief.

The Daytona 500...the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing...the Great American Race...was being shortened due to rain.

Matt Kenseth's eyes watered up, or maybe some rain accidentally hit his eye, as he emotionally accepted his rain-shortened Daytona 500 victory and explained to FOX pit reporter Dick Bergerren that it was a long time coming.

The next thing I know, NASCAR President Mike Helton is on FOX explaining that NASCAR had to shorten its pinnacle race because the fans would have to wait until 11 o'clock for a restart.

So let me get this straight. NASCAR is worried that the fans would be more upset about having to stay late for the finish of the most popular NASCAR race than shortening the race due to a 30 minute rain shower?

I don't buy that for a second.

It is the Daytona 500, not the Firecracker 400. Fans, including myself, want to see the most exciting race in NASCAR finish its full allotment of laps. NASCAR, the same organization that makes up rules as it goes along, could have finished the race if they wanted to.

Sure, crew chiefs warned their drivers of a rain shower approaching. All day, FOX commentator Mike Joy warned fans of rain. We knew the rain was coming, and we braced ourselves for it.

At Lap 90, drivers began racing like it was Lap 190. Cars began to slide around the track. Moves began to get bolder, and the tension rose. Let's not forget that it was not even half way yet.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., the fan favorite, maybe made one of the most influential moves of the race causing a multiple car wreck heading into Turn Four that wrecked top cars such as Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards.

What time was this all taking place? Oh, around 5:45 PM.

Wait, why was that all going on so late in the afternoon, and it was barely even half way? Did they wreck a lot at the beginning? Was it a slow building race?

No, actually the race was going along smoothly. There had been three cautions prior to halfway.

The reason this all took place so late in the day is because NASCAR has made a mistake starting the race at approximately 3:40 PM. 3:40 PM? Yes, 3:40 PM.

What happened to the 2:00 PM starts you ask? Oh, they decided to throw that out the window for TV. Remember, it is all about TV.

So that extra one hour and 40 minutes that was cut back cost us the last 48 laps.

Thank you, NASCAR, for shortening our days.

Retro Razorbacks: Forty Minutes of Pel

Jimmy Smith — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:48:13 -0500

Bud Walton Arena had a sense of excitement and enthusiasm that had not been felt since the mid-90s when Nolan Richardson unleashed his forty minutes of hell on sheepish SEC foes.

Teams would go into Bud Walton Arena confident and feeling good, while leaving concerned and scared. But that is old, since Nolan Richardson was fired in 2002 there has been mediocrity and a sense of failure around the Arkansas program that once called itself National Champion.

Razorback fans now have a feeling of nostalgia as a former Kentucky Wildcat by the name of John Pelphrey has made his Hawgs play with the old school ways that get the fans buzzing. Forty minutes of hell? More like forty minutes of Pel.

The Razorbacks are flying high as the top ten tandem from the Big XII conference, Oklahoma and Texas, have come into Bud Walton Arena and left with their tails between their legs, poor Blake Griffin and Damion James

Word of advice to future opponents. Don't come into Bud Walton ranked. Arkansas is 6-0 against the past six ranked opponents at home. If you are ranked and happen to find yourself in Fayetteville, just expect a loss.

What is funny is the Razorbacks were picked by the media and coaches to finish sixth in the SEC Western Division in the pre-season, I am sure many of the experts and pundits would like to vote again.

As great as the wins for the Arkansas program were, how serious should the nation take this Arkansas team? Looking at the non-conference schedule for the Razorbacks they defeated Texas and Oklahoma as their resume highlighting victories. They also defeated Stephen F. Austin, giving Arkansas three victories over RPI top 100.

Outside of those victories, the Arkansas have faced mediocre to poor teams. Arkansas' only blemish was on the road at a tough Missouri Valley arena to Missouri State.

Sure, Arkansas has defeated two good teams in Oklahoma and Texas. However, but games were at home. The Razorbacks really do not have a true road test outside of Missouri State. It will be very interesting when John Pelphrey takes his team to Ole Miss and Florida in back to back games next week.

Now the Razorbacks are in the rest of country's eye shot as a potential contender this March. Yes, contender. Pelphrey does have talent with freshman guard Courtney Fortson and junior forward Michael Washington.

The Hawgs must now look at themselves in the mirror and realize the SEC will be gunning for them. They must fight through the pressure and keep up the good play, otherwise the wins over Oklahoma and Texas will be for nothing.

Bruce Pearl, I see that your Vols are ranked. Be aware that you do go to Bud Walton Arena, the Razorbacks are ready to unleash some Pel on you.

The Midway Point: SEC Awards and Preview

Jimmy Smith — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:49:55 -0500

As conference play sneaks up on the college basketball season, the Southeastern Conference has struggled through its non-conference play.

Perennial SEC Powerhouse Kentucky kicked off the season with a shocking loss to Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Following that, the Alabama schools, Alabama and Auburn, were defeated by Mercer. Vanderbilt was defeated at home by Illinois-Chicago by double digits. Those are just a handful of the defeats the SEC has endured.

Right when things started to look gloomy for the SEC, teams soon pulled off big wins to maybe give the conference some life. Kentucky defeated West Virginia, Arkansas defeated Oklahoma, and Tennessee defeated Georgetown.

After the roller-coaster ride through the non-conference part of the schedule for SEC schools the SEC Player of the Year, All-SEC team, and favorites need to be determined.

SEC Player of the Year

Patrick Patterson (So.), Kentucky

The sophomore forward is averaging over 19 points and nine rebounds a game. His ability to score and play defense has overwhelmed opponents all season long. Look for him to turn it up in SEC play.

All-SEC Team

G Devan Downey (Jr.), South Carolina

G Jodie Meeks (Jr.), Kentucky

F Tyler Smith (Jr.), Tennessee

F Michael Washington (Jr.), Arkansas

F Patrick Patterson (So.), Kentucky

Ranking the SEC

Tennessee
Arkansas
LSU
Kentucky
South Carolina
Florida
Vanderbilt
Auburn
Alabama
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Georgia

The SEC Plays Basketball Too?

Jimmy Smith — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:58:47 -0500

The glorious triumphs for the Southeastern Conference on the gridiron does not necessarily translate into ninety feet of dominance on the court.

In the wake of Alabama and Florida garnering national publicity for the successes achieved this fall on the football field, the SEC is still looking for an identity in the winter and spring for basketball.

The history of SEC basketball has predominantly been controlled by Kentucky. Kentucky has forty three SEC Championships, more than all SEC teams combined. A staggering, yet pathetic statistic.

Recently, Florida and Tennessee have also achieved success in the SEC. Florida in 2006 and 2007 won back-to-back National Championships. Last season, Tennessee won their first SEC Championship in almost 20 years.

Those two schools aren't the only schools recently to take the championship from Kentucky. SEC success is cyclical, unless your name is Kentucky. Earlier in the decade, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi State all had the teams to win the SEC.

This season not only has no team from the SEC stepped forward to proclaim dominance in the conference, but the conference has suffered some embarrassing defeats to the hands of non-conference opponents.

Mercer, from the Atlantic Sun Conference, went to Alabama and Auburn and came away with victories. Ole Miss went to New Mexico and suffered an abysmal 34 point defeat to the Lobos. Illinois-Chicago went to Memorial Coliseum and handed Vanderbilt a twenty point setback. Loyola-Chicago defeated Georgia by double digits. Mississippi State lost to sub-.500 Charlotte at home. The College of Charleston defeated South Carolina in overtime. Finally, SEC Power Kentucky lost to VMI in the season opener.

Don't think Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and LSU are world beaters either. Only LSU is the only undefeated team, having played no one significant. Tennessee recently got smoked by Temple on the road. Florida lost to rival Florida State earlier this month and Arkansas was defeated by Missouri State.

The SEC is ripe for the taking if a team would step up and take it. With the weeks dwindling down towards conference play there are several times prime to make a run at the SEC Championship in the midst of the embarrassment which has placed the SEC as the 8th best conference according to the RPI.

Currently, the team that looks to be in the best shape to win the SEC is the LSU Tigers. The Tigers have a favorable schedule only having to play at Tennessee and Kentucky as the real tough road tests. The Tigers get Florida and South Carolina at home. The Tigers also do not have two road games back to back.

Another advantage for the Tigers is that the majority of the tougher teams slated in the SEC are in the Eastern Division, so realistically LSU only has to play each team one time. I predict the Tigers will win the Western Division and challenge for the SEC Title.

Wait a second, they play basketball in the SEC? Oh well, only four more months until spring practice right?

Early Season Tournaments Establishing NCAA Tournament Possibilities

Jimmy Smith — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:31:40 -0500

The thrill of watching college basketball is at its climax during the NCAA Tournament in March. You know, watching the Cinderella's like George Mason, Gonzaga, and Rhode Island over the years advancing as far as the Elite Eight and Final Four.

The energy and excitement of the early spring games is impeccable. The crowds, the atmosphere, the buzzer beaters can not be touched by any other sport in the world. Hey college football, forget the BCS, get on the tournament bandwagon.

I took interest in many of the college basketball games on television while I stuffed my face with turkey and pumpkin pie. There was no time to sleep, basketball was on. There were many entertaining games.

Tennessee-Georgetown, Syracuse-Kansas, Kentucky-West Virginia, Oklahoma-Purdue and Texas-Notre Dame all had the ingredients to be a pivotal March game. All went down to the wire, and had the crowds buzzing the entire game.

The early season tournaments have also produced some upsets that we may see in March; Maryland upset No. 6 Michigan State, and Michigan upset No. 4 UCLA. No. 3 Louisville also went down to 2008 Cinderella Western Kentucky, despite not participating in a preseason tournament.

What is to make out of all the tournaments?

After the tournaments we found out how good North Carolina is, as they steam rolled Notre Dame, Oregon, and Chaminade in the Maui Invitational. Blake Griffin from Oklahoma is emerging as the best player in the country, leading his Sooners to the Preseason NIT Championship in the Garden.

Other early tournament winners were Gonzaga (Old Spice Classic over Tennessee), Duke (2K Classic over Michigan), Syracuse (CBE Classic over Kansas), Xavier (Puerto Rico Tip Off over Memphis), Kentucky (Las Vegas Invitational over West Virginia), and Pittsburgh (Legends Classic over Washington State).

The tournaments have provided a spark to the college basketball season. They also have given some teams quality wins for their NCAA Tournament resume. Yes, we are already thinking towards March.

After the Tournaments, my Top Ten looks like:

North Carolina Tar Heels
UConn Huskies
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Oklahoma Sooners
Pittsburgh Panthers
Duke Blue Devils
Texas Longhorns
Louisville Cardinals
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Xavier Musketeers

Randall Cobb Is to Kentucky As Chris Lofton Was to Tennessee

Jimmy Smith — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:39:17 -0500

Alcoa High School (TN) has produced great high school talent over the past few seasons, including 2006 All-ACC Freshman Brandon Warren, who currently plays Tennessee. A recent product of Alcoa is Kentucky freshman Randall Cobb.

Cobb has been Mr. Do-It-All for Kentucky this season. He started the season as a wide receiver and punt returner. After Mike Hartline's poor start to the season, Cobb was inserted as the starting quarterback for the Mississippi State game.

Cobb has a 1-2 record as a starter, but he has put a lot of life into the stagnant offense. He was a touchdown away from upsetting the Georgia Bulldogs in his second start, and from defeating Vanderbilt two weeks ago.

His story is a remarkable one. Cobb committed to Kentucky in June of 2007. Around Christmastime of the same year, Tennessee made a push for the Knoxville native Cobb.

There were multiple reports of Kentucky and Tennessee coming down to the wire for a signing day decision, but Cobb ended his recruitment with Tennessee in January. Kentucky eventually received his signature on the hectic signing day. Many reports have cited Tennessee's unorganized recruitment led him to becoming a Cat.

The signing of Cobb has parallels to that of Tennessee basketball great Chris Lofton. Lofton, a Kentucky native, was not recruited by former Kentucky basketball head coach Tubby Smith. Instead, Smith went with McDonald's All-Americans Rajon Rondo and Joe Crawford.

Lofton was a thorn in the Wildcats' side his entire career. After being swept three games in his freshman season, Lofton split the series with Kentucky his final three seasons, which included a 2008 SEC Championship.

Cobb can be the Chris Lofton of SEC Football. Many analysts and coaches have raved about Cobb's play over the recent weeks, and he should get a nod to the All-SEC Freshman team.

On Saturday, Cobb and the Cats travel to play Tennessee in Knoxville, Cobb's first meeting with the Vols. Cobb has been hush-hush about Tennessee this week, but many agree he has one thing on his mind: victory.

A victory over Tennessee not only ends a 23-game losing streak to the Vols, but also gives Cobb the vindication of defeating his hometown school. The victory also gives Kentucky their seventh win of the season, which guarantees a bowl game.

Chris Lofton left an effect on Kentucky basketball—now Randall Cobb looks to leave a similar effect on Tennessee football.

Kentucky's Early Season Woes Nothing to Worry About

Jimmy Smith — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:16:00 -0500

The disappointment has set in earlier in the season than I expected. A loss to VMI—embarrassing and frustrating. A loss to No. 1 North Carolina—upsetting and hurtful. What's next?

Kentucky ball handlers have committed a whopping 53 turnovers in two games, not very productive in the backcourt. Kentucky's opponents are shooting 47 percent from three-point land, an average of 10.5 a game, compared to Kentucky's three.

What on Earth is going on with this team's ball handling and defense? Throughout the preseason much was written about how Kentucky could really be a surprise team and show up and surprise some people, and they can.

Kentucky's turnovers and three-point defense can be fixed—not immediately, but it can be fixed. Kentucky has stats heavily in their favor. Despite the turnovers, the Cats are outrebounding opponents by an average of 10.5 a game.

The Cats are also shooting 50.4 percent from the floor. If there weren't big numbers of turnovers, would the outcomes be any different?

Kentucky is also blocking 10 shots per game. Kentucky is playing defense in the paint, and they are rebounding the ball. Kentucky needs to handle the ball better on the perimeter and look for Patrick Patterson.

Kentucky has two things going for them that they can exploit throughout the season. Kentucky has size, and Kentucky has athleticism. When Liggins becomes comfortable with the college level, Kentucky will not have a starter shorter than 6'5". Kentucky will be long and athletic.

With games coming up against Delaware State and Longwood, Kentucky will get on track heading into Las Vegas to play Kansas State and Iowa/West Virginia. Heading into Miami (FL) on Dec. 6, look for the Cats to have a record no worse than 4-3. After that, Kentucky could realistically win out heading into Freedom Hall on Jan. 4, giving them a record of 11-3.

Billy Gillispie Delivers a Top Class

Jimmy Smith — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:18:21 -0500

Two classes after delivering 2007 McDonald's All-American Patrick Patterson, Billy Gillispie has yet again delivered another top 25 player. In the past three classes he has inked six top 50 players for the Wildcats. The class of 2009 consists of Daniel Orton, Jon Hood, and GJ Vilarino.

Daniel Orton

Orton, a 6'10" center from Oklahoma, has signed on the dotted line to play for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2009-10. Orton is projected to be a High School All-American, and is currently ranked No. 22 in the nation according to Rivals.com. Orton chose the Wildcats over defending National Champion Kansas Jayhawks.

Jon Hood

Hood, a 6'6" wing from Kentucky, has also signed to play for the Wildcats in 2009-10. Hood is the front-runner for the 2009 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award. Hood is currently ranked No. 32 in the nation according to Rivals.com. Hood chose the Wildcats over Duke and Tennessee.

GJ Vilarino

Vilarino, a 6'0" guard from Texas, has also signed on to play for Gillispie in 2009-10. Vilarino was Gillispie's first commitment back in April 2007, just days after he was named head coach. Vilarino is not ranked in the top 150 by Rivals.com, but was on the Adidas National Team in 2008. He chose Kentucky over Baylor.

Currently, this class is rated as one of the top 10 classes in the early signing periods according to Rivals.com.

What impact can these players have for Gillispie as freshmen?

If Patterson decides to stay at the end of the season and play his junior season for Kentucky, then Kentucky's front court will be very imposing in the SEC. At 6'10", 260 lbs., he is physically imposing on the glass, and would fit into a strong tandem with Patterson. Orton is likely to stay two seasons, then bolt for the NBA.

Hood adds a lot of athleticism on the wing. He is already drawing comparisons amongst Kentucky fans to "King" Rex Chapman, who played in the late 1980s. Hood is homegrown talent that will immediately become a fan favorite at Kentucky. He will be a four-year contributor

Vilarino is not mentioned as much. Very little is known about him as compared to Hood and Orton. His game is very similar to that of Acie Law IV. Vilarino is a left-handed point guard who pushes the ball and does not make many mistakes. He is a true point guard, something that will help Kentucky in their half court sets. He will be a four-year contributor.

Gillispie is not done with this class, though. Reports have recently surfaced that he is still recruiting two JUCO players. One, Jeremy Jacob, originally signed with the University of Georgia back in 2007. He played six games last season, but a knee injury ended his season. He was a top 100 player back in high school. Scholarships are limited, but Gillispie is still adding players.

SEC Bowl Breakdown: Commodores and Rebels Race Toward Eligibility

Jimmy Smith — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:45:24 -0500

SEC Standings :

EAST
Florida - 8-1 (6-1)
Georgia - 8-2 (5-2)
South Carolina - 7-3 (4-3)
Vanderbilt - 5-4 (3-3)
Kentucky - 6-4 (2-4)
Tennessee - 3-7 (1-5)

WEST
Alabama - 10-0 (6-0)
LSU - 6-3 (3-3)
Ole Miss - 5-3 (3-3)
Auburn - 5-5 (2-4)
Mississippi State - 3-6 (1-4)
Arkansas - 4-6 (1-5)

(Bold teams already bowl eligible)

***Florida and Alabama have clinched a bid to the SEC Championship on Dec. 6 in Atlanta***

SEC Championship: No. 4 Florida (East) vs. No. 1 Alabama (West)

Bowl Games and Eligibility:

Vanderbilt: Needs to win one of next three games to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1982. Remaining games: at Kentucky (6-4), Tennessee (3-7), at Wake Forest (6-3).

Tennessee: Lost their seventh game and cannot become bowl eligible

Ole Miss: Needs to win one more game to become bowl eligible for first time since 2003. Remaining games: Louisiana-Monroe (3-6), at LSU (6-3), Mississippi State (3-6)

Auburn: Needs win one more game to become bowl eligible. Remaining games: Georgia (8-2), at Alabama (10-0)

Arkansas: Needs to win out to become bowl eligible. Remaining games: at Mississippi State (3-6), LSU (6-3)

Mississippi State: Needs to win out to become bowl eligible. Remaining games: at Alabama (10-0), Arkansas (4-6), at Ole Miss (5-3)

***Bowl Games based on BCS and current standings***

There are only six bowl eligible teams in the SEC right now. Six teams are in the top six bowls, even if a team that's bowl eligible does not have as good of a record SEC wise compared to a teams that's not (Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt/Ole Miss). Then I took the teams that's are one win away and put them in a bowl game.

-BCS National Championship: Alabama (BCS #1) vs. Texas Tech (BCS #2)
-Sugar Bowl: Florida (SEC BCS At-Large) vs. Boise State (WAC BCS At-Large)
-Capital One Bowl: Georgia (SEC #2) vs. Penn State (Big Ten #2)
-Outback Bowl: South Carolina (SEC #3) vs. Ohio State (Big Ten #3)
-Cotton Bowl: LSU (SEC #4) vs. Oklahoma (Big XII #2)
-Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Kentucky (SEC #5) vs. North Carolina (ACC #2)

Not Eligible but have winning records and are close:
-Music City Bowl: Ole Miss (SEC #6) vs. Virginia Tech (ACC #6)
-Liberty Bowl: Vanderbilt (SEC #7) vs. Tulsa (Conference USA #1)
-Independence Bowl: Auburn (SEC #8) vs. Colorado (Big XII #8)

In College Football's Survival of the Fittest, Anyone Has a Chance

Jimmy Smith — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:25:34 -0500

November is a tough time of the season for many top teams in College Football. Last season LSU, West Virginia, Missouri, and Ohio State all lost in November while in the top two in the BCS Standings.

This season has become survival of the fittest. Which teams can be the teams to make it to Miami? Here is the breakdown.

Three games. That is all Alabama and Texas Tech need to win to be in Miami on Jan. 5 for the BCS National Championship. However, November is a long month.

Alabama plays Mississippi State and Auburn to finish out the regular season. It shouldn't be tough for the Crimson Tide to finish the season 12-0. There is one small problem though.

Gator bait. The Crimson Tide will have to play one of the other best teams in the nation in the SEC Championship game, the Florida Gators. The Gators are No. 4 in the nation right now and don't look like they will drop anytime soon. Be on your heels, Alabama.

Texas Tech plays Oklahoma and Baylor to finish out the season. Tech has a somewhat tougher slate playing No. 5 Oklahoma on the road.

If the Red Raiders manage to win those two games, then they will 12-0 heading into Dallas to play the Big 12 Championship against Missouri or Nebraska.

Alabama and Texas Tech seem primed to make a Championship run, but anything can happen in College Football. Other contenders include Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Southern Cal, and heck, Utah.

Texas needs Texas Tech to lose to even have a fighting chance. A Tech loss to Oklahoma will make a three-way tie for the Big 12 South. The tiebreaker goes to the team with the highest BCS Standings finish. That will likely be a toss-up between Texas and Oklahoma.

Florida has a tough game left that might be over-looked: Florida State. The Gators need to win that in-state rivalry and hope Florida State wins the ACC Championship. The Gators then need to win the SEC Championship, and they should be BCS-bound.

Oklahoma needs to defeat No. 2 Texas Tech. A win over Tech will skyrocket Oklahoma in the polls and really help their cause. If the Sooners don't go to the Big 12 Championship, then it is unlikely they will play for the BCS Title.

Southern Cal really just needs all of the other teams to lose a game. USC is sitting pretty in the Pac-10. A loss by Texas Tech and Alabama will help the Trojans argue their case for the BCS Title game because there will be no BCS conference undefeated teams left.

Utah has a slim chance. They are in Hawaii's position last season. Obviously Utah needs to win out to stay in the hunt for a BCS game. It is unlikely that they will play for the BCS Title, but crazier things have happened.

The final weeks of November will be exciting, and really, anything can happen. Don't be surprised to see a Florida-Texas National Championship game in Miami—although Alabama and Texas Tech might something to say about that.

The Twilight Zone: A Big Weekend Ahead For College Football

Jimmy Smith — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:05:09 -0500

Do we live in the twilight zone? When did TCU and Utah decide a BCS game?

TCU. Utah. Come on now, you have be kidding right? No, it's not a joke, it’s the truth. TCU and Utah are arguably playing the best of the non-BCS schools right now.

We all need to step outside the twilight zone and understand that these two teams are very good.

TCU is dangerous, with a lot of Texas talent on defense. Utah is explosive, with a veteran quarterback who can dice up any defense.

Eat your heart out, Boise State, you've had your chance to shine, it’s the Mountain West's turn now.

So we turn our eyes to this week, a big weekend in college football. Last weekend, America had their eyes on No. 1 Texas-No. 9 Texas Tech and No. 6 Georgia-No. 8 Florida. Both games, on paper, had the makings of the two biggest games of the season so far for one weekend.

One game, Texas-Texas Tech was slow at first, but in the second half it turned into a very entertaining game, and an awesome finish.

The other game, not so much. Georgia was rolled by Florida, 49-10, further establishing the Gators' dominance over the past month.

This weekend has not gotten as much “pub,” but has plenty of excellent games that really could shape the rest of the season. Here are four big games you cannot miss:

No. 12 TCU (9-1, 6-0 MWC) at No. 8 Utah (9-0, 5-0 MWC)

This game has BIG implications. Both teams are looking at trying to make it to a BCS game. With a loss, TCU would be knocked out from sole ownership of the Mountain West Championship and from a BCS opportunity.

TCU, with a win, will be on track to win the Mountain West Championship with only one game (Air Force) left. Utah needs to win not only this game, but also against No. 15 BYU in two weeks to win the Mountain West and make a BCS game.

TCU's defensive pressure up front may cause Utah's quarterback Brian Johnson to make some mistakes. TCU's defense will pull it out for the Horned Frogs.

Prediction: TCU, 28-24

No. 20 Georgia Tech (7-2, 4-2 ACC) at No. 19 North Carolina (6-2, 2-2 ACC)

This game has a big impact on the ACC Coastal division. Right now, many national pundits project Georgia Tech winning the ACC and playing in the Orange Bowl.

With this win, North Carolina will place itself in position to possibly play for the ACC title against Maryland or Florida State.

North Carolina coach Butch Davis is about a year ahead of schedule, and has the Tar Heels playing at a high level winning four out of the last five.

North Carolina playing at home and with the offensive firepower they have displayed will win.

Prediction: North Carolina, 28-21.

No. 1 Alabama (9-0, 5-0 SEC) at No. 16 LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC)

The Saban Bowl, part two. Alabama head coach Nick Saban returns to Death Valley for the first time since winning a share of the 2003 National Title. For LSU, this is their "BCS" game.

They have two losses and really a slight chance to win the SEC West. The crowd will rowdy and fired up, and may affect the young Alabama team. However, this game is during mid-afternoon. If it were at night, LSU would almost be a shoe-in to win.

For Alabama, the young players must focus and play like they did win they went to Georgia and rolled the Dawgs.

This is likely Alabama's last test until they will play either Florida or Georgia in the SEC Title game. Alabama will control this game early, but will get tested by LSU's crowd and defense.

Prediction: Alabama, 24-14.

No.9 Oklahoma State (8-1, 4-1 Big XII) at No.2 Texas Tech (9-0, 5-0 Big XII)

Texas Tech won an emotional roller coaster game last weekend. The students stormed the field, and Texas Tech is now sitting pretty at No. 2 in the BCS rankings.

However, Texas Tech will get tested twice before the Big XII Championship game, if they can make it. Oklahoma State was very close to upsetting Texas two weeks ago. They have a very good quarterback and a good defense.

Oklahoma State can pull off the upset if they force turnovers, but Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell does not make very many mistakes.

With a win, Texas Tech will be 10-0, and on track to go to the Big XII Championship. However, they go to No.6 Oklahoma next, smell an upset soon? Texas Tech will make a lot of plays and score a bunch of points this week.

Prediction: Texas Tech, 42-28

Hopefully by this Sunday, we will step outside the Twilight Zone and understand that TCU and Utah are for real. Go Horned Utes.

SEC Bowl Breakdown: Florida Feasts on Sugar

Jimmy Smith — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:38:04 -0500

SEC Standings :

East
Florida - 7-1 (5-1 )
Georgia - 7-2 (4-2 )
Vanderbilt - 5-3 (3-2 )
South Carolina - 6-3 (3-3 )
Kentucky - 6-3 (2-3 )
Tennessee - 3-6 (1-5 )

West
Alabama - 9-0 (5-0 )
LSU - 6-2 (3-2 )
Ole Miss - 5-3 (3-3 )
Auburn - 4-5 (2-4 )
Arkansas - 4-5 (1-4 )
Mississippi State - 3-6 (1-4 )

(Bold teams already bowl eligible)

*If Alabama defeats LSU on Saturday, they will clinch the SEC West and play in the SEC Championship.
* If Florida defeats Vanderbilt on Saturday, they will clinch a share of the SEC East and play in the SEC Championship.

SEC Championship: Florida (East) vs. Alabama (West)

Bowl Games and Eligibility

Vanderbilt : Needs to win one of next four games to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1982: No. 6 Florida (7-1), at Kentucky (6-3), Tennessee (3-6), at Wake Forest (5-3).

Tennessee: Needs to win out to become bowl eligible. Remaining games: Wyoming (3-6), at Vanderbilt (5-3), Kentucky (6-3).

Ole Miss: Needs to win one more game to become bowl eligible for first time since 2003. Remaining games: Lousiana-Monroe (3-6), at No. 15 LSU (6-3), Mississippi State (3-6)

Auburn: Needs win two out of three to become bowl eligible. Remaining games: Tennessee-Martin, No. 14 Georgia (7-2), at No. 1 Alabama (9-0)

Arkansas : Needs to win two out of three to become bowl eligible. Remaining games: at South Carolina (6-3), at Mississippi State (3-6), No. 15 LSU (6-2)

***Bowl Games based on BCS and current standings***

-BCS National Championship: Alabama (BCS #1) vs. Texas Tech (BCS #2)
-Sugar Bowl: Florida (SEC BCS At-Large) vs. Boise State (WAC BCS At-Large)
-Capital One Bowl: Georgia (SEC #2) vs. Ohio State (Big Ten #2)
-Outback Bowl: South Carolina (SEC #3) vs. Michigan State (Big Ten #3)
-Cotton Bowl: LSU (SEC #4) vs. Oklahoma (Big XII #2)
-Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Kentucky (SEC #5) vs. Maryland (ACC #2)

Not Eligible but have winning records and are close :
-Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt (SEC #6) vs. Miami FL (ACC #6)
-Liberty Bowl: Ole Miss (SEC #7) vs. Tulsa (Conference USA #1)

The Kentucky Wildcats are Tournament Hungry and Bowl Bound

Jimmy Smith — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:35:25 -0500

Gas in Kentucky has dipped to under $2. $2?! Yes, $2.

It feels like 1998 again. Wait, that was the last time Kentucky won a national championship! Good Lord, has it been that long? Damn you, Tubby! Hold on—it really isn't that bad...

Kentucky started last year's season with a half tank of gas. Derrick Jasper and Jodie Meeks were both injured. The Wildcats had only one viable option in the front court, and Alex Legion transferred after six games.

Kentucky lost to Florida in early January to go 7-9 on the season—quite embarrassing for a program who prides itself on tradition. After the Florida game, Billy Gillispie made a pit stop.

Kentucky strung together ten straight wins, and many national pundits who had written the Wildcats dead then looked at Kentucky as a possible NCAA Tournament team. Kentucky used up a lot of their gas as freshman superstar Patrick Patterson went down with a season-ending injury with just three games left.

Kentucky's seniors Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley made it into the NCAA Tournament only to be ousted early by Marquette. Kentucky was finally out of gas.

Or were they? Many national writers have written off Kentucky for this season. Let's face it—why wouldn't they? Kentucky lost two of their top scorers (Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley), and lost another starter to transfer (Derrick Jasper - UNLV). O ye of little faith.

Kentucky returns Patrick Patterson, a favorite for SEC player of the year, superstar guard Jodie Meeks, and a host of new talent that has Billy Gillispie drooling at the mouth.

Kentucky now has front court talent to play with Patterson. Perry Stevenson turned it on in the last five games of last season. Josh Harrellson, a sophomore transfer, has all of the making to be a good, productive player. Ramon Harris, a great defender, has reportedly improved vastly over the off season, something that really help Kentucky.

Freshman guard DeAndre Liggins has the size and potential to be an All-SEC performer one day for the Cats. Freshman Darius Miller has the potential to be a great player for the Cats as well.

Kentucky oozes potential this year, and while Louisville will get all of the attention this season, Gillispie is slowing putting this $2 gas into tank. Watch out—it's almost full.

Talking about a program who really had no gas at all is Kentucky football in 2005. However, Rich Brooks filled up the tank as much as he could midway through the 2006 season. Ever since then, Kentucky has been like mid-size sedan running on SUV power.

Kentucky is now bowl eligible. That's right, Kentucky is bowl eligible for the third straight season. Let's think about this.

This is the same Kentucky program that was on probation from the 2002 season until 2004. This is the same Kentucky program that has had its heart crushed time and time again against the big boys of the SEC.

This is the same Kentucky program that has not been to three straight bowl games since the early 1950s when legendary coach Bear Bryant was at the helm. This is the same Kentucky program that had its fans wanting their head coach fired midway through the 2006 season after a crushing 49-0 loss at LSU.

What in the heck happened to the Wildcats? I'll give you five solid reasons why Kentucky is where they are today:

1. Defeated Georgia in 2006.

The goalposts came down and Kentucky realized they can beat the big boys in the SEC. Most of the Kentucky players on that team recognized that this jump started the string of success.

2. Andre Woodson stepped up.

Woodson might go down in Kentucky history as their best quarterback when it is all said and done. His production at the end of 2006 and the entire 2007 season really made Kentucky a strong opponent in each game.

I know he didn't put up numbers like Couch or Lorenzen, but he won two bowl games and set the bar for future UK teams to follow.

3. Recruiting.

Rich Brooks and Joker Phillips have done well not only getting top tier recruits, but evaluating talent. Think about this: Wesley Woodyard came to UK as a safety and Keenan Burton came to UK as a quarterback.

Joker single handedly signed Micah Johnson and Corey Peters in 2006. Now, Kentucky has commitments from five-star quarterback Morgan Newton and four-star quarterback Ryan Mossakowski.

4. Scheduling.

Rich Brooks was very smart at the end of the 2005 season. He started scheduling cupcakes for his schedule each of the next three seasons. Kentucky would not have gone bowling if it wasn't for a winnable schedule. Kentucky played Florida, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisville in 2006.

All went bowling and Kentucky only defeated Georgia. So they got three other victories in the non-conference from Texas State, Central Michigan, and Louisiana Monroe to go with SEC victories over Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.

5. Fan Support.

Throughout the past three seasons, Kentucky's fan support has been phenomenal. Kentucky has sold out Commonwealth multiple times, and has really had great support in Nashville for both of the bowl games.

So, Kentucky fans, be excited about the opportunity to play in yet another bowl game. Yes, Kentucky may not have the offense that was explosive in 2006 and 2007, but they have the heart and desire to win. With three games (Georgia, Vanderbilt, at Tennessee) remaining, we need to rally behind this team.

Kentucky has a viable shot at the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta...I mean Catlanta. Returning to Nashville for the Music City Bowl won't be that bad either. Forget those haters in Louisville—they are just jealous that they do not have a team worth mentioning anymore.

While basketball season may have started, the football team still has a lot of gas left in their tank.