Bleacher Report - Big 12 Football

Nebraska-Colorado: A Rivalry That Never Really Happened

Bugeatersteve Stuchlik — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:11:06 -0500

Oh, the hopes were there.

Shortly after the Big 12 conference was established, the powers that be decided that the Thanksgiving game, which had long since been reserved for Oklahoma as the Big 8 conference, would be switched to Colorado in 1996.

So let’s review to see how the series has gone over the past 13 years, shall we?

Heading into tomorrow’s game, Nebraska leads the series nine wins to four. This is a bit deceiving as the combined score for the series is 385 to 363 in favor of the Huskers, which would lead one to conclude that the games have been tight contests.

Of the Huskers' nine wins, seven of them have been by nine or fewer points, including the first five being five points or less. However, Colorado’s four wins have been by margins of 14, 15, 26, and six points, which is why the overall scoring is so close.

Also during this period, the Huskers have won or shared the Big 12 North eight times, and Colorado has won it four, not counting this season.

Coming into this year’s contest, to say that Colorado has had a down year in 2009 might be understating the facts. It appears on the surface that head coach Dan Hawkins is fighting for his job. Hawkins brings a record of 3-8 (2-5) into Friday’s matchup.

Hawkins' football program actually is backsliding, with season records of 2-10 in 2006 followed by 6-7, 5-7, and the current 3-8. That computes to a record of 16-32, including 2-20 on the road. Not exactly the type of résumé that gets you and your staff a raise after the season, now is it?

Based on recent history, Hawkins would not be sticking around Lincoln with that record, now would he folks?

Looking at this year's matchup on paper, it appears to be very one-sided in the Huskers' favor. Colorado’s offense ranks 108th nationally in total offense. However, sophomore running back Rodney Stewart has rushed for 100 yards or more four times this season but is only averaging 3.9 yards per carry.

Colorado is also among the nation's five worst teams in punting and punt returns. Playing smart has not been the Buffaloes' strongest area either. They're 118th out of 120 in penalties and 117th in penalty yards. Combine that with the fact that they're 82nd in turnover margin and 117th in sacks allowed, and it is easy to see why they are 3-8 this season.

Baring food poisoning from a bad turkey or a simple case of “I don’t care,” it would be a tremendous upset were the Huskers to lose this Friday. Colorado will, of course, bring its “A” game against the Huskers, that is for certain—they do it practically every single year.

However, that being said, I don’t believe for a minute that the Buffaloes have enough offensive talent or strength to put pressure on the Blackshirt defense for more than 10 points.

So unless we have a return of the Iowa State game, I see the Huskers winning the contest by the score of 23 to 10. Ndamukong Suh and company dominates the line of scrimmage, and Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead move the ball enough to make it a good Thanksgiving weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving and GBR!

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Twenty-One Teams Thankful for the BCS

Pete Misthaufen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:57:22 -0500

The BCS yesterday officially gave up on 99 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. As such, there are only twenty-one possible teams that could receive one of the ten BCS slots. Schools not included in the list are now available to receive bowl bids, so the negotiations will be going like crazy to fill up the best spots. A couple of the teams may surprise college football fans. But there are a few things to remember about the BCS. First, it is all about money. Specifically, TV ratings. If a school has a reputation for bringing eyeballs to the TV sets, then it will get considered, even if the team has not played well this season. Given last year's disaster at the Orange Bowl (lowest rated BCS game ever), the powers that be want to avoid another bad draw. Second, it is all about money. Specifically, game attendance. Which teams can bring the fans that will spend the money. After all, the bowls were started originally for tourism purposes. So, a team that has failed to deliver previously will not get another chance. Again, last year's Orange Bowl is the best example of this problem, as thousands of tickets were unused and scalpers were trying to dump them for less than one dollar. Not exactly what the BCS wants. Third, no BCS bowl is going to take one for the team. These bowls are run by smart folks that understand the desire of the average fan for a playoff. While they would make a limited effort to placate outsiders, in the end, it goes back to TV ratings and attendance. So, let's look at the teams, especially the couple of surprises.

Begin Slideshow

Nike Attributes Missouri Uniform Decision to Tigers' Bright Future

Ryan Faller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:40:20 -0500

On Saturday versus rival Kansas, the Missouri Tigers will be decked out in Nike's Pro Combat uniforms , designed to represent the very latest in cutting-edge football apparel technology, sophistication, and performance.

Yeah, big deal. We've all known this for weeks now.

But why Missouri?

In a press release disseminated earlier this month, Nike stated its criteria for selecting the limited number of programs that will have tested the innovative unis by month's end, revealing that company designers "gave a nod to teams' past national championships" and "drew upon the heritage of the universities' traditions."

Once again, why the Tigers? After all, not only has MU not won a national title, but we're talking about a program that has won only two conference championships in the last half-century and has only recently begun to build a reputation as a consistent player on a national stage.

Apparently, Nike has its reasons

"Nike believes Missouri is an up-and-coming program with a bright future—that's why we created such a futuristic-looking uniform," company spokesperson Cindy Hamilton said in a recent email interview. "We consider the school a great partner, and we are honored to have Missouri as one of the 11 elite programs we are working with."

Hamilton also spoke of the process through which Nike initiated talks with several members of the university and football program, including athletic director Mike Alden, director of equipment operations Don Barnes, and head coach Gary Pinkel.

During the discussions, which Hamilton said began last spring, Nike also consulted with other athletic department personnel and members of the Missouri team to receive input that ultimately influenced the overall scheme and aesthetics of the uniforms.

"Nike directed the process to fine-tune the innovations and technical aspects of the product, incorporating feedback from players to make adjustments as necessary," Hamilton said. "In terms of the curation and design aspect, we worked very closely with coaches and players to receive their input."

One the most crucial aspects of the design process, Hamilton added, was somehow incorporating colors symbolic of the B-2 stealth bomber , which is housed at Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base. In doing so, Nike and MU agreed upon temporarily diverting from the traditional look of the Tigers' helmet.

Arguably the most radical of the uniform's alterations, Missouri's helmets on Saturday will feature the familiar "M," only it will be emblazoned in black and accented by a color named anthracite (don't you dare call it dark gray; you'll sound like an idiot).

Other than the helmet, the detail most tailored to fit the MU program is the phrase "Beast Mode," which often appeared on the front of T-shirts worn by the coaching staff during preseason practices. It will appear on the inside collar of the jersey and on the front of Nike's new Vapor Trail 2.0 glove, which also forms the MU logo when the palms come together.

Once the specifics had been completed, Nike and MU then collaborated to establish a date for the uniform's debut. It didn't take long, as Hamilton said the decision to roll out the Pro Combat uniforms against Kansas was equally beneficial to both parties involved.

"Nike worked with the MU athletic and equipment staff to determine a date to debut the Pro Combat uniforms and arm the players with the lightest uniforms on the market today," Hamilton said, also noting that the company's innovative technology won't sacrifice protection during the bitter rivalry game.

"Plus, Nike has a history of introducing innovations on a grand stage—from Michael Johnson's lightweight gold track spikes at the Olympics to Roger Federer's apparel at the US Open—so it made sense to introduce this latest football uniform during an important, big moment for Missouri."

For those of you cringing at the possibility of Missouri giving up on its current uniforms in favor of the Pro Combat series, don't worry.

According to Hamilton, Nike will make available only the base layer (padded pants and sweat-wicking undershirt) to its affiliate schools in 2010. It will, however, continue to test-wear the uniforms with select universities as the technology evolves.

To view a full slideshow featuring pictures of MU's Pro Combat uniform, visit my page at Examiner.com . Additional photos can be seen at mutigers.com .

Photo credit: Nike.com

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Scout's Notebook: Defensive Review For Week 12

Wes Bunting — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:38:56 -0500

Observations and analysis from the 12th week of the college football season, including thoughts about some of the nation’s top defensive prospects.

Virginia Football

One Up

One bright spot on the Virginia defense this season has been the play of five-technique defensive end Nate Collins. Collins, a 6'2", 290-pound lineman, doesn’t quite possess the height or length to play as a three-four defensive end at the next level, but he showcases the initial burst, power and suddenness to definitely make the transition inside to defensive tackle in the NFL.

He did a great job Saturday vs. Clemson, consistently exploding off the snap, maintaining his leverage, and fighting off blocks while making his way into the backfield. He displays a violent set of hands and exhibits the body control and power to effectively bull-rush opposing linemen and cleanly redirect past their blocks.

He finished with four tackles, one tackle for loss, and a pass breakup and looks like a guy who could certainly develop into at least a rotational type of interior lineman at the next level, maybe more.

One Down

One of the more intriguing junior cornerbacks who could potentially enter next year’s draft is Virginia’s Ras-I Dowling. The 6'2", 200-pound defender possesses a great-looking frame and long arms and displays the range to effectively track the football in pursuit. However, the more I watch him, the more I think he’s a free safety-only prospect at the next level.

Dowling isn’t a really flexible athlete, and although he possesses impressive strider speed, he simply takes too long to get out of his breaks and into second gear. Plus, he’s rarely asked to play up close to the line of scrimmage, flip his hips and turn to run with receivers down the field, as he typically plays way off in coverage and has the luxury of opening his hips early and using his big strides to stay with receivers vertically.

I just don’t see the type of suddenness or burst in Dowling’s game to make me think he has the ability to stay with receivers in man coverage at the next level. Now, there’s no denying the kid is a gifted size/speed athlete, but I think his future is at free safety in the NFL.

Another Immovable Object In the SEC

I’ve been critical at times of LSU’s defensive line play this season. However, if the Tigers had two defensive tackles with the power and strength of Al Woods, there’s no way Ole Miss RB Dexter McCluster would have rushed for 148 yards against them Saturday.

Woods was absolutely immovable at times vs. the Rebels and not only does a great job taking on double-teams, he can consistently anchor on contact. He isn’t a really gifted athlete and struggles to make plays away from his frame, but the guy knows how to eat up blocks inside and looks like a capable two-down lineman at the next level.

Questions Still Remain

This isn’t a ringing endorsement of the current play of Arizona cornerback Devin Ross. He isn’t a really polished corner, lacks ideal instincts in man coverage, and will open up his hips too early in his drop, which causes him to struggle to stay balanced when changing directions. On top of that, he isn’t really physical in press-man and struggles to generate much of a bump when trying to disrupt the timing of the pass game.

However, Ross is a gifted athlete who can certainly turn and run with NFL-caliber receivers down the field and possesses the type of physicality in run support I love to see from defensive backs.

Now, the guy was beaten at least three times last weekend vs. an Oregon receiving corps that is average at best. But you can’t knock the kid’s physical skill set, and with some proper NFL coaching, he has an upside that would make you think he could potentially end up starting in the league. Right now, though, I would grade him out more as a sub-package corner, with a very high ceiling.

A Year of Dominance

Ever since my initial player rankings were posted in September, Murray State’s Austen Lane has always been a top-20 defensive end prospect in my mind.

As soon as you pop in a tape of any Murray State football game and watch Lane perform, it’s obvious the guy is ready to take his game to the next level. He finished the season with 64 total tackles, 19-and-a-half tackles for loss and 11 sacks and wrapped up his college career last weekend vs. Tennessee Tech with 10 total tackles and one-and-a-half tackles for loss. Lane possesses a freakish combination of size (6'6", 258 lbs), length, and body control and has a physical skill set very similar to Miami Dolphins' OLB/DE Jason Taylor.

In no way am I saying Lane will have a career similar to Taylor’s because those kinds of expectations are too much for any prospect to live up to. However, what I am saying is that Lane is a highly gifted athlete who, with a strong postseason showing, could end up being one of the most coveted pass rushers in the draft.

Transfer Making Good On Promise

One of the lost storylines coming out of the Kansas State-Nebraska game was the play of Wildcats' defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, a transfer from Virginia, has very quietly been one of the Big 12's top defensive linemen and looks capable of playing in just about any scheme at the next level.

The 6'4", 280-pound defensive end already has experience in both four-three and three-four fronts and possesses the type of power to consistently hold the point in the run game and get after the football. He finished with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack and will likely end up grading out as a pote

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

It's Hate Week!: Week 13 College Football Predictions

Alex Ferguson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:16:00 -0500

It's always a bummer for us at the VFA that Penn State really has no natural rivals. Sure, the Lions played Pitt, USC, and Notre Dame a bunch of times back in the "independent days," but now that the Big Ten's here, Penn State have got nobody they can truly lift the finger to.

If I was Penn State AD Tim Curley, I'd stop scheduling trash and go for a 30-year home and home series against Pitt or Notre Dame. Penn State Nation needs it.

Anyway, back from all that talk, because it's Thanksgiving Weekend, which means that we're all getting our hate on this weekend (and the weekend after, if you're an Oregon or Oregon State fan, who battle it for the Pac-10 title in a week's time).

So here we go.

The "Saw Varsity's Horns Off" Game: Texas vs. Texas A&M

Texas is going to walking into a world of hate at Kyle Field. Aggies fans have had this pencilled in since January, and the Longhorns, who are playing as well as anyone this year, have to come to play a Texas A&M which has been fun to watch AND inconsistent this year. How else do you explain dumping 50 on Texas Tech on the road? We watch with bated breath while munching turkey.

Prediction: Texas wins, but in a squeaker.

Bedlam: Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia

Stoke up the coal and get the couches ready, people, because Pittsburgh's coming into Morgantown. These two Big East rivals really, really dislike each other, and this should be Friday fun for all.

Prediction: Go to Ikea and get a couch! West Virginia in the upset.

"Good Ole Fashioned Hate": Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

Georgia can't stop the run, and Georgia Tech are run specialists. Sound like a recipe for disaster for Bulldogs fans? Does to us. The "high school stadium," as Georgia fans rudely—and rightly—refer to Bobby Dodd Stadium, will be rocking.

Prediction: Georgia Tech. By 21.

The Baja Georgia Game: Florida State vs. Florida

Now that the 'Noles are bowl eligible for 27 straight years, Bobby Bowden's shut up the critics yet again. Greg Reid is an incredible defensive back/punt returner and could cause trouble for the Gators on Saturday. But really, this one's about Tim Tebow and running through a Florida State defense that's not a lot better than Florida International's.

Prediction: Good job you beat Maryland, Bobby, because you ain't beatin' the Gators, dadgummit! Florida by 28.

The "Go to Hell" Bowl: Alabama vs. Auburn

"Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer Let's Go Alabama/ Go to Hell Alabama!" If anyone's dumb enough to get married in the State of Alabama this Friday, then don't expect many people to be attending. Even the groom. Or the bride. Or the priest. Game-wise, Mark Ingram and the Crimson Tide defense should shut down Auburn, but Auburn can pride themselves on a pretty good season.

Prediction: Alabama wins by 10 and starts chanting their version of the song. Which I'm not going to go into.

The "Hot Bowl": Arizona vs. Arizona State

We've renamed this epic desert classic because there's so much eye candy on show in this one. Arizona and Arizona State constantly battle each other to be Playboy's top party/co-ed/Pac-10/cheerleaders school (Arizona won the cheerleader battle last week, we'd like to note), and the Tempe-Phoenix-Scottsdale area is going to be jumping. We can't wait. Oh, and there's a football game on too, which has been great over the past few years.

Prediction: Arizona wins by seven in a classic.

The "Disappointing Bowl": Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma

Both teams have been disappointing this year. The Sooners have been plagued by injury and horrible defense, while the Cowboys have been plagued by Dez Bryant and his ghost. The Sooners will be coming off an ass-handing by Texas Tech, while O-State has got to stop laughing and reload.

Prediction: Oklahoma State in a high-scoring, Oklahoma-style shootout.

The "Al Just Go" Bowl: Virginia Tech vs Virginia

If all things are right, this should be Al Groh's last game in charge of the Cavaliers after an undistinguished tenure. We don't see a lot of hope for his Virginia side - even if they are at home in front of the UVA hotties in Charlottesville, although if we're honest and thinking of Penn State's BCS chances, we're hoping for a UVA victory.

Prediction: Virginia Tech by 31.

The "Cockfight": Clemson vs. South Carolina

This deeply felt South Carolina rivalry is a throwdown every year—including the game where both sets of players brawled it out! South Carolina haven't been bad this year, but will they be able to deal with C.J. Spiller?

Prediction: South Carolina in a monster upset.

The "Hollywood Bowl": USC vs. UCLA

With USC on its knees, the time could not be riper for UCLA to score an upset on their Los Angeles neighbours. It's strange, because at the VFA we've hardly mentioned Rick Neuheisel's side this season apart from the (still laughing!) win over Tennessee this year.

Prediction: USC gets it done.

The "Hate Bowl": Missouri vs. Kansas

Missouri HATES Kansas, and Kansas HATES Missouri. Mark Mangino might be the inspiration , but a loss to the Jayhawks' biggest rival might be inspiration enough for the Jayhawks administration to boot Mangino's rotund behind out of Lawrence.

Prediction: Roll out, Mike. Missouri by 14.

The "Charlie Weis Bowl": Notre Dame vs. Stanford

No game will be more intriguing than this one, people. The Irish are on their knees. Jimmy Clausen was cold-cocked after the Irish lost to UConn. Charlie Weis will probably get fired on Monday.

Stanford needs to win to have any hope of a BCS/high Jan. 1 bowl/high ranking after losing "The Big Game" to California in a loss that was basically their fault. Toby Gerhart is the best running back in college football (we think he's better than Alabama's Mark Ingram), and Notre Dame is poor at stopping the run. Oh dear Charlie?

Prediction: Stanford wins by 10. And Charlie Weis hands in his notice. With a little shove from "Irish Universe."

And very quickly...Ole Miss will beat Mississippi State; BYU will win a tight one against Utah; Cincy will thrash Illinois; LSU will beat Arkansas in a track meet; North Carolina will win the battle of Tobacco Road against North Carolina State; and if Miami lost to South Florida we'd laugh, and then laugh some more.

If you didn't think Rammer was loud...

And the Auburn version:

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Bo Pelini's Defensive Turnaround Will Be Key If Huskers Upset Longhorns

Michael Huckstep — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:01:39 -0500

Yes, I know that Maurice Purify (pictured) no longer plays for Nebraska. So save your emails.

Yes, I know the Huskers lost the game shown in the above photo.

And yes, I know that Nebraska still has one more important game before the Huskers play in the Big XII Championship. Bo Pelini has been quick to point that out to everyone who's shoved a microphone in his face. The Huskers don't need to get ahead of themselves.

After the division-clinching victory over Kansas State, Pelini said as much. This week's priority is Colorado.

But what else is Pelini supposed to say? Whether you believe that he and his coaching staff have looked ahead to Texas or not, he gave the right answer. It's called "coachspeak." While it's sometimes maddening, it's uniformly consistent.

"We need to take one game at a time."

"We can't look past anyone on our schedule."

And so forth and so on, ad nauseam.

But we sportswriters are not bound by the same rules. We can write about anything we want, whenever we want, and run the risk of looking foolish later.

So, do I think that a Nebraska victory this Friday is a given?

Absolutely not.

Colorado, whose season began circling the drain almost as soon as it started, would love nothing more to beat the North Division Champion Cornhuskers. It would be like Bactine on the skinned hides of the Buffaloes, taking some of the sting out of their disastrous 2009 campaign.

But it's been that way ever since former Colorado coach Bill McCartney made the Buffaloes' annual contest against the Huskers their "red letter game."

Throw out the records; this is for more than just bragging rights. There is actual hatred involved in this "rivalry," which puzzles many Nebraska fans who, hearkening back to the heyday of the Big Eight, always thought that Oklahoma was their biggest rival.

While I'm on the subject, thanks Big XII. Thanks for removing the annual clash between Nebraska and Oklahoma. One of those games is only considered to be the "Game of the Century," even to this day. No need to keep that yearly battle alive.

No, sir.

OK. Sarcasm mode off. I digress.

The intent of this article is to address some of the impatient Nebraska fans, those I've seen on this website and others, and their assertion that Husker Nation has settled for mediocrity.

There have been many that have called for Shawn Watson's head. While I may not agree, I can see how some of the frustrations surrounding the Nebraska offense might manifest themselves that way.

What I really have an issue with is the segment of supposed Nebraska backers who no longer believe that Bo Pelini is the coach to lead the Huskers back to national prominence. That segment is out there, believe me. I've seen them.

I attribute this mainly to two things.

First off, a sizable portion of Husker fans grew up in the '90s, when the Huskers were routinely pummeling their opposition. They're not used to seeing the Big Red struggle against teams they used to dominate. When Frank Solich's record was less than stellar (for reasons we can debate from now until Judgment Day), the university brass panicked and made a coaching hire that easily set the program back five to ten years.

Nebraska fans who grew up in the '70s and '80s were used to several cruel setbacks during the period between the Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne Championships.

In short, they had weathered a long stretch of Nebraska near-misses and Husker heartbreaks. They're from a generation that is less demanding and perhaps more appreciative of the incredible run that the Big Red enjoyed in the 1990s.

Secondly, I believe that some fans are losing sight of the big picture.

Pelini is in only his second full season. How many years did it take the great Dr. Tom Osborne to win his first national championship?

I'm not advocating that we give Pelini 20 years, but let's tap the brake a little, shall we?

Why, you ask? Read on Husker Nation.

Although I'm not a "stats guy," as I believe that they can be manipulated to bolster practically any argument, a cursory look at some very simple stats shows that Pelini has made great strides toward improving this team.

True, the improvement has come defensively, and the offense is still woefully inadequate, but it's been the Pelini defense that has put the Huskers back into the Big XII title game in his second season.

Let's look at those stats, shall we?

In 2007, the Nebraska defense surrendered an average of 37.9 pts/gm and 476.8 yds/gm.

In 2008, Pelini's first year, the defense improved, giving up 28.5 pts/gm and 349.9 yds/gm.

So far this year?

The Blackshirts have further improved, allowing only 10.3 pts/gm and 281.3 yds/gm.

To put it in further perspective, Nebraska ranks third nationally in pass efficiency defense, third in scoring defense (behind only Florida and Alabama), and eighth in total defense.

The improvement doesn't end there either. The Huskers rank 14th nationally in rushing defense, 14th in sacks, and 17th in pass defense.

Does this mean that Nebraska will crush Colorado? No.

Does this mean that the Huskers will win the Big XII? Again, no.

But what it does mean is that Pelini is doing what he knows best—which is build a championship-caliber defense. Additionally, I have faith that if the administration thinks that Watson is not the OC to get the offense running on all cylinders, Bo & T.O. will make the necessary changes. The program is in good hands.

To bail out on Pelini in hopes of luring a "marquee" coach to Lincoln (an unrealistic prospect, at best) would only create more instability in a program that has had more than its fair share this decade.

Besides, it would be a waste of Pelini's defensive accomplishments thus far—which, barring some incredible offensive explosion, are Nebraska's only hope of upsetting Texas.

So, whether you care to admit it or not, Pelini's transformation of the Blackshirts into one of the best defensive units in the country is the primary reason that the Huskers find themselves vying for a Big XII title (regardless of the outcome).

And it's the only reason this debate is even possible.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

BCS Nightmare: Three Upsets That Will Devastate the System

Brian Nelson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:42:55 -0500

Every year at this time the BCS hinges its hopes that the elite teams will distinguish themselves from the pack, creating clear, crisp champions and compelling match-ups. While controversy and calamity do cause a stir and drive a lot of intrigue to the College Football and the Bowls themselves, the BCS does not need to draw further attention and scrutiny to their ridiculous system. Thus far, it's already been a rough go for the BCS. Sure-fire teams that travel well and drive ratings such as USC, Notre Dame and Miami are likely out of the picture. It's very possible only one Big 12 team will participate in a BCS Bowl while two non-BCS teams TCU and Boise State could both enter. Not only would two non-AQ teams pose a ratings and possible ticket sales nightmare for the BCS, but the possibility that both could win could give congress the ammo it needs to take down the entire system. Assuming that the BCS is entirely about money, power, greed and control (I know that's a stretch, that could never be possible) these are three highly likely upsets that will devastate the BCS.

Begin Slideshow

Colt McCoy, Jordan Shipley Spearhead All-Big 12 Offense

J.D. Schaller — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:58:23 -0500

The regular season is nearly over, and despite what looks like, overall, a down year for the Big 12, no one can deny the limitless quality depth and talent featured throughout the conference. I firmly believe a very good argument could be made that the Big 12 is not only the second best football conference in the country, but (hopefully) should feature a representative in the National Championship game as well. There are more than just a few guys responsible for that kind of elite success within a single football conference, and as the season winds down it is time to pay tribute to those most deserving. Consider this the second half (you should check out my defense edition, too)of my 'thank you' to the Big 12 for yet another marvelous football season. Here is the 2009, J.D. Schaller-version of the All-Big 12 Offense...

Begin Slideshow

BCS Bowl Predictions: Pitt In, Cincy Out

Brian Nelson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:17:14 -0500

After yet another ho-hum weekend of a forgettable college football season, things are about to get exciting.

All the noise about the BCS and the regular season isn't just noise anymore.

Fraught with intriguing story lines, bitter rivalries, sweet revenge and BCS-or-bust championship games, the next two weeks of college football will feature some of the most compelling and meaningful games of the season.

Finally.

Three games in particular will feature head-to-head battles for the BCS. The winner will go on to play on the big stage while the loser will likely be destined for "just-another" December Bowl.

· No. 5 Cincinnati at No. 9 Pittsburgh

· No. 16 Oregon State at No. 8 Oregon

· No. 7 Georgia Tech vs. No. 18 Clemson

We must also mention the National Championship semi-final—otherwise knows as the SEC Championship Game. Another intriguing story line. Another hate-filled, storybook SEC rivalry in the brewing.

Most likely, the winner will go on to play for the crystal football while the loser will spend the off-season explaining their loss to an MWC team in New Orleans.

Here's my take on where we stand now, and how the rest of the season will play out leading up to Selection Sunday.

What we know

Texas, Florida, Alabama and Ohio State are locks for the BCS, regardless of outcomes.

Most likely to clinch a BCS berth this week

TCU just needs a win at home this week against 1-10 New Mexico.

Who is on the bubble for an at-large?

Iowa, Penn State, Boise State, and Oklahoma State.

Who seems the least likely but still has an outside shot of getting in

· Unranked Nebraska needs to upset Texas in the Big 12 Title game

· No. 18 Clemson needs to beat Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game

· No. 19 Oregon State needs to beat rival Oregon at Autzen in the Civil War.

What other key games will likely determine BCS berths

· No. 12 Oklahoma State at Oklahoma

· Nevada at No. 6 Boise State

Who wins, who goes and who gets left out

Alabama over Florida 19-14

The Florida Gators' last-minute touchdown drive falls short as the Tide's dominant defense holds Tebow to 130 passing yards and 58 yards rushing. Mark Ingram strengthens his case for the Heisman with another clock-chewing 124-yard rushing performance.

Pitt over Cincinnati 20-17

Pittsburgh exploits the suspect Cincinnati ground defense with their explosive running game.

Oregon over Oregon State 37-31

The Ducks, who blocked the Beavers from the Rose Bowl last year, will stave off the Beavers once again despite a 140-yard rushing performance from Jacquizz Rodgers.

Georgia Tech over Clemson 28-24

Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets prove once again to be too much for Clemson despite their close game earlier at Georgia Tech—a game where the Jackets were aided by a phantom offensive holding call against Clemson late in the 4th quarter.

Oklahoma over Oklahoma State 24-20

Even though Zac Robinson returns to the field, Oklahoma stuns the Cowboys in Norman.

How will the BCS Bowl Selection play out?

· BCS Title Game : Texas vs. Alabama

· Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Ohio State

· Orange Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Georgia Tech

· Sugar Bowl: TCU vs. Florida

· Fiesta Bowl: Penn State vs. Boise State

How they got there

After losing Alabama to the BCS Title game, the Sugar Bowl will get the first replacement pick and will select the Gators.

The Fiesta Bowl will go next and replace Texas with Penn State, banking on the Joe Paterno entourage and the Nitts’ strong base of traveling fans.

The Orange Bowl goes next and will choose Pittsburgh to face ACC tie-in Georgia Tech.

The Fiesta Bowl will follow-up by selecting Boise State—a team that cut its teeth at the Fiesta Bowl and seems to travel well.

All of this leaves the Mountain West Conference’s TCU to the Sugar Bowl.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Texas Longhorns: Keys To Avoiding a Thanksgiving Day Turkey

Dino Nicandros — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:44:10 -0500

The goal is in sight.

With just one game left to play in the regular season and a date with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big 12 title game, the Texas Longhorns are two wins away from another trip to Pasadena.

Texas has cruised through the regular season, running up an 11-0 record and swatting down any potential upset bids (Texas Tech, Oklahoma).

The Longhorns boast the second highest scoring offense in the country at 42 points a game.

What's been even more impressive is their defense, which is statistically the best in the nation, allowing just 239 yards per game.

Now that's all well and good, but the last few years haven't gone exactly as scripted as far as the Texas-Texas A&M game goes (last year is the exception as Texas won 49-9).

The following is a list of keys to the game for the Longhorns as they look to continue their march to the National Championship.

Smother the Fire Early

College Station may be one of the most intimidating venues in all of college football.

As of late, it hasn't been kind to Texas, if it ever was at all.

In 2007, the Longhorns traveled in to Aggie Land with a 9-2 record and a shot at a Big 12 south title still in play.

Quarterback Stephen McGee and the Aggies had other plans. The Longhorns surrendered 533 yards of offense, including 336 through the air, on route to a 38-30 loss.

A&M was able to jump on Texas early and keep the crowd in the game, running up a 17-3 halftime score. While Texas was able to claw its way back in, the Aggies stayed a step ahead of their burnt orange rivals.

Obviously this is a different year, and Texas is far better than they were in 2007, but the Aggie offense has shown some pop this season (ranked sixth in the nation in total offense) and can put up a lot of points on a good day.

Texas must strike early and fast, and they must quiet the crowd as soon as possible. If the Longhorns can get out to a 10 to 14 point lead early, the pressure to keep up will be squarely on the Aggies, which isn't likely considering the vast improvement to Texas' defense.

However, if A&M is hanging around late in the game with the 12th man behind them, Texas could be in some trouble.

The Aggies are Playing For Pride...

While A&M still has a pretty good shot at a bowl game, there isn't much to play for on a significant level.

That's very dangerous for Texas.

This game will be treated as the National Championship of the Aggies' season, and you can bet they will come out with all guns blazing.

The problem with Texas' back-to-back losses to the Aggies in 2006 and 2007 was that the Longhorns didn't match the Aggies emotionally. Call it arrogance, but Texas didn't believe the Aggies stood a chance, and in turn, they got bitten.

This time around, the Longhorns have to play every down with the thought that if they don't win, they can kiss glory goodbye.

Will Muschamp should have his defense excited, which should help keep the team's morale at a high level.

Pressure Jerrod Johnson

Johnson has really taken off this season for the Aggies, throwing for 2,875 yards and 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions.

In years past, the Aggies relied on a form of the spread-option to mainly run the ball. Stephen McGee was never a great classic passer, thus A&M was often left one-dimensional.

With Johnson keeping defenses honest with his powerful arm, the Aggie offense has finally taken off.

Because Johnson can hurt defenses with his legs (358 yards, eight touchdowns), it will be important for the Texas defense to keep him in the pocket and attack him from all sides.

Will Muschamp is one of the best in the business at drawing up exotic blitzes from the edge, so the speed of the Texas defense should keep the Aggie quarterback in check.

Get the Ground Game Rolling

The Aggies have been good at keeping Colt McCoy under wraps the last few years, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that the Longhorns have been unable to get a consistent ground game going to keep pressure off of him.

Texas has been better at running this season, but the ground game still needs a lot of work.

It is likely that Mack Brown will turn to either freshman Tre' Newton (370 yards, five touchdowns) or sophomore bruiser Cody Johnson (331 yards, 12 touchdowns).

While Texas' short passing game has served as a pretty effective de-facto running game, Newton and Johnson will need to produce to keep the aggressive Aggie front led by sack master Von Miller at bay.

The Longhorns were able to counter a stout Oklahoma defense earlier this season by turning to a lot of misdirection plays that kept the Sooner linebackers off balance. A&M's defense isn't exactly stingy, so Texas shouldn't have too much trouble dictating the pace of the game.

Additionally, letting McCoy run some options or a draw here and there would help neutralize A&M's speed rush.

Colt McCoy and the Longhorns will likely leave College Station with a win, but the month of November always has its surprises. Texas needs to be ready for a shoot out with their archrivals.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Big 12 Coaches Stoops, Leach, Brown and Snyder Defend Mark Mangino

Denny K. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:06:09 -0500

It has been over a week since the Kansas athletic director, Lew Perkins, began an investigation into Mark Mangino's alleged inappropriate treatment of college football players. Reporting and leaks on the alleged incidents behind the investigation have set off a firestorm of opinions from talking heads around the country about what is acceptable and non acceptable behavior by coaches.

A notable absence in the public discussion of the situation involving Mark Mangino up to this point has been the assessment of former coaches who worked closely with him in past jobs. Mark Mangino, like most BCS conference coaches, has an employment history that dates back years working with some of the biggest names in college football.

ESPN's Todd McShay and newspaper columnists have made much of the revelations that, 20 years ago, Mark Mangino was disliked by parents of his players at a small high school and that a couple of years ago he "verbally abused" student parking lot attendants and referees at a local Lawrence high school football game.

Isn't it suspicious though that this extensive media coverage and scrutiny has failed to uncover more stories of misconduct at earlier jobs to support the view of an abusive coach out-of-control. The number of stories of misconduct at KU are thin enough, Mangino's detractors could certainly use the help.

Any good investigator would tell you that if you want to establish a pattern of coaching misconduct, you should look first to Mangino's eight year history at KU and then to the other universities he coached at, including Oklahoma and Kansas State. I would not be surprised if right now, in fact, that is exactly what the lawyers at KU are telling Lew Perkins if he is considering firing Mangino "for cause."

Blair Kerkhoff has posted on his blog today comments from coaches Mangino worked with before he took the job at KU and none support the view that Mangino was "abusive" towards his players in anyway.

The Oklahoma coach and BCS National Champion winner, Bob Stoops, said there were no incidents with Mangino when he served on his staff during the 2002 season. “He was very close with them, appreciated them, did everything that was appropriate,” Stoops said of Mangino's relationship with players.

Legendary Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, who Mangino worked under the longest, when asked if there were any incidents said: "That didn't happen to my knowledge," and "not a whole lot slips under the radar from that respect. He handled the players well."

Dependably amusing, honest and to the point, Texas Tech's head coach Mike Leach when asked said Mangino "is in the middle of witch hunt," and ridiculed the entire investigation instigated by the KU athletic director, Lew Perkins.

Leach summarized the matter as follows: "The mean man told some player something they didn't want to hear. Well, there's a mean man in Lubbock who tells players what they don't want to hear. That's just part of it."

So, Bob Stoops, Bill Snyder, Mike Leach, Mack Brown (who also praised Mangino after the game on Saturday) and a number of other coaches have stepped forward to come to his defense. What does this mean for KU's investigation?

If Mangino is eventually fired for the alleged misconduct, it appears that the university and the football program will lose a lot of respect in the eyes of some of the biggest names in Big 12 football.

That would not be a good development for a traditional cellar dweller that is trying to maintain its relevancy on the conference and national stage. Asides from the obvious reluctance, future coaching candidates may have to work under the athletic director Lew Perkins, worse yet arguably, it would give other Big 12 coaches ammunition against KU on the recruiting trail.

We can only imagine the conversations in recruits' living rooms that might go something like this "Do you really want to commit the next four years of your life to a university that fired an Orange Bowl Champion just because he and the athletic director did not get along?"

It certainly is a sad possibility to ponder if you are a Kansas Jayhawk's football fan.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Are BCS Fans Really This Naive?

Brian Nelson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:16:58 -0500

We’ve all heard them over and over again. It’s the same stuff year after year.

Blanket assumptions opined by ignorant fans from BCS teams questioning the worthiness of non-BCS teams and their quest to bust the BCS.

While the naiveté comes in different shapes and sizes, from various parts of the country, from analysts, coaches, and fans alike, what they all share in common is their blatant lack of validity, rationale, and factual support.

We all get that the BCS is rooted in tradition, fanbases, recruiting, and revenues, while those factors may be a source for a delusional sense of superiority, they don't usually correlate to performance on the field.

Remember the tune Barry Switzer sang before kickoff at last year’s Sugar Bowl? “There isn’t one player, not one player, on Utah’s team that Nick Saban would’ve recruited.”

That alone was the basis Barry used to predict that Alabama would be too much for Utah to handle. He wasn't alone.

The blogosphere along with "analysts" throughout the country were rampant with the expectation that Alabama was going to dismantle Utah, based on worthless, delusional assumptions.

So how do they explain Utah's bitch-slapping of Alabama?

They can't. They can only minimize Alabama's motivation or point to the loss of OT Andre Smith. Never mind that USC was still motivated to beat Penn State, Texas to beat Ohio State, Georgia to beat Hawaii, etc.

So goes the logic and the rationale in the attempts to discredit the non-BCS elite.

We all welcome a healthy argument, but please do so with a) logic, b) substantive reasoning, c) empirical data, or d) items that can be found on a scoreboard.

No assumptions. We already know that you think TCU couldn’t withstand the "brutal week in, week out" schedule in the SEC or the Big 12.

Or how teams like Colorado or Virginia would probably run the table in the MWC.

We’ve heard it all. What we haven’t heard is evidence to support it. Though we’ve seen plenty to the contrary. If the MWC is so weak how does:

Colorado State clobber Colorado in Boulder, but then go 0-7 in the MWC?

Last year’s Wyoming (1-7 in the MWC) travel to Knoxville and beat the Volunteers?

Last year’s UNLV team (2-6 in the MWC) go 2-0 against BCS teams (Arizona State, Iowa State)?

These are teams that have a combined 3-20 record in MWC play that somehow have managed to go 4-0 against BCS competition.

While the MWC has proven it’s on par at the bottom, it’s beating the other conferences at the top as well. In the last two seasons alone, the MWC has beaten Alabama, Boise State, Clemson, Oregon State, and Oklahoma.

Can your conference lay claim to five stronger out-of-conference victories in the last two years?

While the MWC can talk up scoreboard, the BCS will continue to throw out useless platitudes to justify their illusion of superiority.

As a result, we all have to suffer from the existence of pathetic articles such as, “Three Reasons TCU Doesn’t Belong in the BCS," which came out Monday from Tim Nash.

(Mr. Nash also focuses the article on Boise State, which I'll ignore. The BCS conferences love to denigrate the MWC by blurring it with the WAC.)

Let's break down Mr. Nash's typical, uninventive arguments for why TCU doesn't belong in the BCS.

Reason No. 1: The MWC Has Inferior Depth and Talent

Mr. Nash says, “There are currently only four schools from BCS automatic qualifiers that are currently undefeated. That's because the BCS schools play conference schedules against teams that test them for the most part, week in and week out.

"When you get an unranked Tennessee team that almost knocks off No. 2 Alabama at home, or an unranked Oklahoma almost upsetting No. 3 Texas, it tends to weed out the contenders from the pretenders.”

So let me get this straight, there are six undefeated teams left. Four come from the six BCS conferences and two from the other non-BCS conferences. This illustrates how truly weak the non-AQ conferences are?

Confused?

You should be. It makes no sense. The basis of this poorly articulated argument is that BCS teams fall and suffer from close calls more frequently because they play tougher schedules.

Never mind TCU is ranked higher than Texas in four out of the six computer polls or that TCU has more wins over ranked opponents than Texas and Florida. Or that both of Texas’s marquee wins have lost to non-BCS teams.

To support his assumption, Mr. Nash uses the Longhorns' close call with Oklahoma as proof that TCU doesn't belong.

Does he not know that Oklahoma lost to BYU, an MWC team that TCU slaughtered 38-7?

Then there’s Tennessee-Alabama. I get it. He’s trying to say that because Alabama plays talented teams like Tennessee week in and week out, they're more vulnerable to loss.

Let’s reverse his logic. Over the last two seasons, Alabama is 15-1 in the vaunted SEC. Yet somehow, they are 0-1 against the MWC in the same time frame. Alabama could play 14 games against MWC opponents and still have a worse winning percentage in the MWC than they do against SEC competition.

Go figure. Yet somehow all this strange reasoning was used to support how the MWC has inferior depth and talent. Again, a blanket assumption with worthless data to support it.

Maybe he’s asserting that over a broader sample of BCS teams, non-BCS teams would be more likely to lose.

That's a fair argument, except that 2004/2008 Utah and 2009 TCU are a combined 9-0 against BCS teams, beating:

Arizona, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Oregon State, Alabama, Virginia, and Clemson.

Nine BCS opponents, nine victories. Only two games played at home. Is that a strong enough sampling?

I know the new BCS party line centers on the constant brutality of BCS conference play, but that's only a myth.

On very rare occasion, like Texas in 2008 or Miami at the beginning of this season, do you see a brutal "week in, week out" schedule. Most schedules consist of a trip to Kentucky, followed by Tennessee at home, Mississippi State on the road, and then Florida International.

That's nothing TCU couldn't handle. Trust me.

Reason No. 2: TCU Hasn’t Played a Tough Out-of-Conference Schedule

Mr Nash claims: "Supposedly, TCU beat a terrible Virginia team and then a mediocre Clemson squad. The rest of their out of conference slate, with wins over Texas State and SMU, were underwhelming."

If Clemson is mediocre, then how come they get to play in a conference championship game that could earn them an automatic BCS berth, but TCU doesn’t belong? Doesn’t that contradict the whole point?

Tell me one team, or one BCS conference, that has an out-of-conference win that is substantially more impressive than TCU at Clemson.

If Virginia is so terrible how come the Cavs alone have beaten more BCS teams than all four of Texas’s out-of-conference opponents combined?

It’s not like Florida and Alabama's OOC schedules are worth writing home about.

Reason No. 3: TCU’s Victories Against Ranked Opponents Are Suspect

Mr Nash: "TCU has beaten two ranked teams from its own conference that will play each other, leaving TCU with only one victory over a ranked opponent."

First, let’s all completely ignore the fact that Clemson is currently ranked 18th in the BCS. I know it's a lot more convenient to disregard facts that do not support BCS supremacy, but that doesn't alter the reality of the outcome.

BYU and Utah play each other this week, which is the third time this season that two ranked MWC teams play each other.

BYU is ranked No. 19 in the BCS. Utah is No. 21. Barring a complete blowout, it seems highly unlikely that the loser will fall out of the top 25, but more than likely, the winner will head towards the top 15 in the BCS.

Even if TCU's wins over these ranked teams are somehow "suspect," they have still beaten three of them. That is the same number as Alabama, one more than Florida, and two more than Texas, who has only beaten one.

That's elite company. Tell me again how TCU doesn't belong?

Mr. Nash can't. And neither can the throng of BCS fans singing the same tune. All they can do is point to baseless assumptions that bear little resemblance to on-the-field results.

The MWC is 2-0 in the BCS, with both being blowout victories. No other conference has a higher winning percentage or better average margin of victory.

By contrast, the ACC is 2-9. The Big 10 is 2-5 since 2005-05. The MWC can go 0-8 in BCS Bowls and still claim a better record than the ACC.

Amazing, perhaps Tim Nash can right articles questioning their worthiness. At least this time he'll have empirical evidence to draw from.

If TCU isn't worthy, then who is? Who deserves to get in more than the Frogs?

Oklahoma State hasn't beaten a single ranked team. Neither has Penn State. Iowa beat Penn State, but needed help from above to beat Indiana (a team that Virginia killed) and lost to Northwestern.

The truth of the matter is that the Utah's and the TCU's can be every bit as good, if not better, than the elite powerhouses.

The BCS, its fans, pundits, and coaches will do everything they can to try and cover this fact, but it's finally time to drop the baseless assumptions and stop living in denial.

Instead of trying to mold hard facts to fit a myopic view of how we think college football should be, let's just sit back, enjoy, and praise good football when we see it.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Iowa, Oklahoma State, and Boise State, Oh, My!: The BCS At-Large Teams

Pete Misthaufen — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:30:41 -0500

With only two weeks until the BCS bowl selections, we have a pretty good picture of what at-large teams will be available.

Of course, the BCS at-large choices do not represent the best teams, but merely those that are most likely to fill the stadiums and provide good television ratings.

The bowls will be extra cautious this year, given last year's absolute debacle in the Orange Bowl (thousands of empty seats and scalpers who tried to sell tickets for as low as $0.99).

We know a few of the BCS teams: Florida, Alabama, Texas, TCU, and Ohio State. These five teams will play in BCS games without any doubt.

Add to that the ACC champion, the Pac-10 champion (Oregon or Oregon State) and the Big East champion (Pittsburgh or Cincinnati), and there's only, in fact, two available at-large positions.

To qualify for an at-large spot in a BCS bowl, a team from an automatic qualifying league must finish in the top 14. Boise, absent a loss to Nevada, is also eligible for an at-large spot.

Let's look closely at the possible teams.

Iowa

Best Wins: Penn State (10-2), Wisconsin (8-3)

Bad Wins: Northern Iowa (FCS) 17-16, Arkansas State (2-8) 24-21, Michigan State (6-6) 15-13

Losses: Ohio State (10-2), Northwestern (8-4)

The Hawkeyes had one win over a ranked opponent, the singularly unimpressive Penn State. Near losses to Northern Iowa, Arkansas State, and Michigan State really call into question Iowa's status.

While Iowa may get an at-large BCS bid due to its large following, the Hawkeyes will most likely get rolled.

Penn State

Best Wins: Northwestern (8-4), Temple (9-2)

Bad Wins: The other 8 cupcakes.

Losses: Ohio State (10-2), Iowa (10-2)

Even one of the softest schedules ever could not get Penn State into the Rose Bowl or the BCS title game.

The Nittany Lions have zero wins over ranked teams and are only in contention due to its large following and Joe Pa. Like Iowa, this Big Ten cream-puff will likely get rolled in a BCS game.

The Nittany Lions have been singularly unimpressive this year, even with eight home games.

Oklahoma State

Best Wins: No wins over ranked teams or even eight-win teams

Bad Wins: Texas A&M (36-31), Texas Tech (24-17), Colorado (31-28)

Losses: Houston (9-2), Texas (11-0)

All of a billionaire's money could not make the Cowboys into a good team. The near loss against Colorado last week really demonstrates how weak Okie State truly is. Okie State, like Penn State, stayed at home for its out-of-conference schedule, having played only three road games all season.

BCS committees beware: Okie State has failed to fill its new stadium, averaging about 7,000 empty seats a game. The Cowboys are not the Sooners and will not bring a large following to their game, nor will the Cowboys bring a lot of eyeballs to the TV.

The Cowboys will likely lose at Norman this week. The Sooners are undefeated at home this season and have not lost at Norman since 2005 to a TCU team that went 11-1. Even in a down year, Okie Lite is not OU, so this one will likely disappear from available options.

Boise State

Best Win: Oregon (11-1)

Bad Wins: Tulsa (28-21), Louisiana Tech (45-35)

Remaining Tough Game: Nevada (8-3)

Boise State has been in the top 10 for most of the season and the top six of the BCS rankings since the first week. Boise State not making a BCS bowl game would be an absolute crime.

Boise State is the best available at-large team, better than any team from the Big Ten or Pac-10 and better than a Big 12 also-ran.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, they are merely the second best team from a non-automatic qualifying conference.

As it currently stands, Boise State has a better win than Iowa, Penn State, or Oklahoma State, besides being undefeated. None of these teams has more wins over currently ranked teams.

Boise State will bring fans, maybe not as much as Penn State or Iowa, but more than Oklahoma State.

As a TV draw, it is a far better team for ratings than Oklahoma State.

Unfortunately for Boise State, the established structure is an abomination. After being jilted for Ohio State last year, it is likely that the Broncos will be heading back to a minor bowl game so that another weak Big Ten team can bring the big bucks.

Oddly enough, the left out Big Ten team would still earn more from the Capitol One Bowl than Boise State would from a BCS game, another absurdity.

BCS shills, such as Mr. Perlman of Nebraska, newly appointed BCS head Bill Hancock, and PR hack Ari Fleischer, will try to justify the logic of this, but I find it absolutely pathetic.

That Oregon, the team that Boise State completely dominated to start the season, is a win away from the Rose Bowl, even with a second loss, while Boise State must await the beauty contest is disgusting.

Other Teams

Since any team from the Big Six conferences is eligible for a BCS bowl, what other teams could slip in?

If Cincinnati loses to Pittsburgh and finishes 11-1, the Bearcats would most likely be available for an at-large spot. Given last year's Orange Bowl disaster (the one in the stands and the TV sets, not the one on the field), Cincy will not be getting an at-large spot unless there is no other available team. Cincy will not get an at-large spot over Boise State.

A 10-2 Pitt team could finish in the top 14. It is possible that they could be an at-large team. However, it is unlikely that a second Big East team could be invited, given the overall poor ratings and attendance for BCS games with a Big East team over the last several years.

If Georgia Tech loses to Clemson in the ACC championship game, could a 12-2 Georgia Tech make it over Boise State? Maybe, if it is the Sugar Bowl doing the selecting. It is very unlikely that the Fiesta Bowl would take an at-large Georgia Tech team, not when 13-0 Boise State would be available with a large following ready to storm Arizona.

How about the Ducks if they lose in the Civil War? The Fiesta Bowl could like having a large Oregon crowd come to support a 9-3 Oregon team. However, it is really unlikely. The Pac-10 has been passed over so many times for a second spot in the BCS that is not reasonable to assume that any Pac-10 team will ever get an at-large bid unless it is USC.

Speaking of which, could USC back its way back into the BCS? The BCS computers love the Trojans, ranking them six spots higher than the human polls. If USC were to roll UCLA and Arizona over the next two weeks, it is very possible that USC could get back into the top 14. Given USC's national TV draw, it would really help the any BCS bowl get some good TV numbers.

The winner of the Holy War will likely be very close to reaching BCS eligibility, but a 10-2 BYU or Utah will not be invited.

As to other ACC teams, Miami, should the Canes beat USF in its final regular season game, could make it into BCS eligibility. Given the U's tough out-of-conference schedule, it is entirely possible that the Sugar Bowl could match up Miami against the loser of the SEC championship game. Possible, but not very likely.

In a very remote possibility, a 9-3 Ole Miss or 9-3 LSU could still make a BCS game. If Florida and Alabama lose to Florida State and Auburn this week, the loser of the SEC title game at 11-2 may not be the most attractive at large team from the SEC. Given last year's weak performance by Bama in the Sugar Bowl, maybe a BCS bowl would rather have a different team than Florida or Alabama.

Conclusion

While the season has been pretty uneventful outside of TCU's extraordinary season and USC's relative decline, maybe we will see some crazy upsets completely shake things up. After all, this is college football and anything is possible.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Nebraska Trivia

Stuart Whitehair — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:14:11 -0500

Nebraska Trivia

-Barring a win over Texas in the Big 12 title game, and depending on the opponent and outcome of the Cornhuskers’ bowl, Nebraska is in danger of going eight full seasons without defeating a team ranked in the Top 20—a streak which reached 25 games when Nebraska lost to No. 12 Virginia Tech earlier this season. What was the first game in the ignoble series of setbacks? The 62-36 loss to No. 14 Colorado in 2001, of course.

-National Championships —five—1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, and 1997 (the ‘97 title being shared with Michigan)

-Heisman trophy winners —three—Johnny Rodgers (1972); Mike Rozier (1983); and Eric Crouch (2001).

-Despite being in the top five in all-time wins, Nebraska has only three entries into the NFL Hall-of-Fame (offensive tackle Bob Brown, 1964-73; end Guy Chamberlain, 1919-28; and tackle William Roy (Link) Lyman, 1922-34)

-Hard to believe, but there was a time when the Cornhuskers were amongst the mortals in college football. In the 1940’s, Nebraska went through six coaches and an overall .374 winning percentage.

-When Nebraska fell to a 7-7 record in 2002, a number of NCAA record streaks came to an end. Put to an end (but still records) were streaks of winning seasons, ended at 40, nine-win seasons (33), and consecutive weeks in the Associates Press poll (348).

-In 2007, Nebraska finished tied for last in the Big 12 Conference North Division, tying Iowa State with a 2-6 conference record. The last time the Cornhuskers finished in the basement? Try 1957, when Nebraska finished alone in the cellar with a 1-5 conference record (1-9 overall). In the history of the Big Seven, Big Eight and Big 12, only two teams which have played in those leagues have avoided sole possession of the conference basement—Oklahoma and Colorado.

-Nebraska holds the second and fourth longest win streaks over an opponent in NCAA history. The 36 straight wins over Kansas (1969-2004) ranks as the second longest winning streak of all-time (behind only Notre Dame over Navy, which ended at 43 games in 2007). The fourth longest streak ever is Nebraska over Kansas State, with 29 consecutive wins (1969-1997). Nebraska’s longest win streak over Colorado was 18 games (1968-1985).

-The most famous (or infamous) nickname for the Cornhuskers, before their current name was adopted in 1900, is the “Bugeaters”. There were others, though, which are equally forgettable, including the Treeplanters, Rattlesnake Boys, Antelopes, and the Old Gold Knights.

-For all of Nebraska’s success on the field, and the large number of award winners who have played for the scarlet and cream, you would think that the Cornhuskers would have a large lead on the Buffs for first round NFL draft picks. Comparably, though, the 30 picked in the first round out of Lincoln is not a great deal higher than the 22 picked in the first round out of Boulder.

-The “Blackshirts” tradition started humbly enough, when, in the 1960’s, head coach Bob Devaney began assigning black practice jerseys to the defensive starters. The tradition, though, has grown into one of great pride and tradition in Huskerland.

-Herbie, the Cornhusker mascot, was not seen on the Nebraska sidelines for a number of years, as the inflatable rubber character was the butt of many jokes. Then, in 2003, the university announced that after “a rigorous exercise routine, resulting in the loss of 70 pounds of fat and an increase in 50 pounds of muscle mass”, Herbie was prepared to make a comeback. The new “Herbie” began patrolling the sidelines in 2003.

-Famous alumni —football —In addition to the three Heisman trophy winners noted above, there have been numerous national award winners and consensus All-Americans who have played for Nebraska, including Irving Fryar, Broderick Thomas, Will Shields, Tommie Frazier, and Grant Wistrom. At the head of this list, though, may be Dave Rimington, two-time All-American center. In 2000, the Rimington Award was created, given each year to the nation’s top center (in 2003, the award was expanded to give out awards in Division 1-AA and Division II). Other Cornhusker greats include guard Will Shields, running back Roger Craig, cornerback Pat Fischer and center Mick Tingelhoff.

-Famous alumni —other —Johnny Carson (entertainer), Warren Buffet (financier), and Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing (general).

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

10 Jayhawks To Buy or Walk on By This Black Friday

J.D. Schaller — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:21:51 -0500

Black Friday is not just the most popular shopping day in the history of the United States of America. It's also the day before the 2009 Border Showdown between Kansas and Missouri, and potentially the Kansas seniors' (and Mark Mangino's) last practice as collegiate athletes. Despite a nasty six-game slump and miserable off-the-field issues with head coach Mark Mangino, I still think that Kansas will be more than competitive enough Gary Pinkel and Missouri. I'm not predicting a Kansas victory just yet, but there are several players who could make or break the outcome for Mark Mangino, Clint Bowen, or whoever will be handling all head-coaching duties for the weekend. Let's take a look at which Jayhawks will be worth getting to the store early for and which guys should be left on the shelf for Saturday's Border Showdown in Arrowhead Stadium...

Begin Slideshow

This Just In: Texas Will Play for the BCS Title

Jeff Dillon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:51:05 -0500

Go ahead. Book your flights, Longhorns fans.

With just one regular season game and the Big 12 Championship remaining on the schedule, the only thing keeping Texas out of the BCS championship game is a Texas-sized upset.

The way the Longhorns are playing right now, even Herbie Husker has to believe that just isn’t happening.

Texas took apart Kansas Saturday night in Austin 51-20, earning quarterback Colt McCoy his 43rd win as a starter, a new NCAA record.

It was the fourth time in the last five games that Texas has scored 40 or more points, the only exception being a 35-3 win over UCF . The Longhorns have now defeated their 11 opponents this season by an average of 29 points.

To put that into perspective, Texas’ 2005 national championship team outscored its regular season opponents by an average of just over 30 points. But of note is the fact that the ’05 Longhorns team also allowed 175 points that season, while this year’s squad has allowed just 146 thus far.

In other words, this Texas team is not just playing good football—these Longhorns are playing championship-caliber football.

Now, all that stands between Texas and its first BCS title game since the 2005 triumph in Pasadena, Calif. are Texas A&M and a Big 12 title clash with Nebraska.

Of course, if we’ve learned anything the past few years, it’s that anyone can stumble in college football. When the Longhorns visit College Station this week for a Thanksgiving night rivalry battle (Thurs. 8:00 EST, ESPN ), they must be prepared for a team playing its own mini-version of a championship game.

But as motivated as the Aggies will be to knock the Longhorns out of the BCS race, recent history does not bode well for an upset.

For one, the Aggies have not played consistent football over the past few weeks, losing two of their last three games, including a 65-10 drubbing at the hands of Oklahoma.

The Aggies defense has allowed over 30 points on seven occasions this season, and while the offense, led by explosive quarterback Jerrod Johnson, has been surprisingly effective in 2009, it’s hard to imagine A&M winning a shootout with the Longhorns.

More importantly, in the two teams’ last meeting, Texas rolled to a 49-9 win in 2008 . Texas amassed over 500 total yards, and McCoy finished with four touchdowns—two passing and two rushing—in that blowout.

Nebraska, which sealed its berth in the Big 12 championship game with a win over Kansas State Saturday, should serve as a more formidable opponent for the Longhorns when they meet Dec. 5.

The Cornhusker defense will provide a stout challenge for McCoy and Co., no doubt. The “blackshirts” have held their opponents to just over 10 points per game this season.

But honestly, how many points will Texas need to score? Nebraska’s offense has been, well, underwhelming this season. Take out blowout wins against Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State, and Louisiana-Lafayette, and the Huskers are averaging just 15 points per game.

Can you see a Nebraska offense that scored just 17 against Kansas State putting up 20-plus against Texas—especially with a rushing offense that ranks 63rd in the nation facing the NCAA’s top-ranked run defense?

Yeah, me neither.

To make matters worse for the Huskers, the conference championship game is held in Arlington, Texas, which means at least 70 percent of the crowd will be clad in burnt orange and white.

If Texas does indeed take care of business against the Aggies and Huskers, a BCS championship berth is all but guaranteed.

Either Florida or Alabama, both currently ranked ahead of Texas in the BCS rankings, will lose in the SEC title game, and no other team—including TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State—appears to have a strong enough schedule left to hurdle the Longhorns in the BCS standings.

Sure, college football is a chaotic and unpredictable world, but the bottom line is this: Only a disappointing performance by the Longhorns themselves will prevent them from heading back to Pasadena.

I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

A Cup of Coffee and...The Joys of Senior Day

Chris Wilkinson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:51:22 -0500

This has to be the best time of year. I love Thanksgiving week, the joys of college and pro football, NASCAR just wrapped up and the seasons just started for the NBA, NHL, and college basketball. But, late November brings a pain to my collegiate heart. Why, you may ask? Quite simple, and it's wrapped up in two words: Senior Day.

My college football love, Nebraska, will participate in three Senior Days before the year is up (at Kansas, vs. Kansas St, at Colorado). Nebraska this year was led out onto Memorial Stadium's turf by 13 deserving seniors led by Ndamukong Suh and Barry Turner. Immediately, I was taken back some, remembering when those guys first stepped foot onto the turf.

The beginning of their collegiate careers mirrors the beginning of college football every April when spring ball kicks off. The fans have the joy that winter is now over—time to see what the ole ball team has in store for the year. The papers have updates every day talking about the new starters and starting spot battles.

There are the early arrivals, those high school seniors that graduated school early to enroll in January. It's the type of stuff that makes every fan go, "this is the year."

At the beginning of Suh's career, he was part of what was supposed to be the Nebraska rebirth under Coach "Wild" Bill Calahan. Well, he is a member of a rebirth alright, the rebirth under Coach Bo Pelini. A part of a defensive transformation that has put the Big 12 and most of the rest of the nation on notice.

When Pelini took over in December of 2007, Nebraska football and its fans were at a low point which had not been seen since the 1960s. Suh's career was at the same point, all hype, not much substance. The same could be said about the Big Red.

Things had to be torn down and rebuilt in the old image. What a difference two years under the guidance of Coach Bo Pelini have made.

As we watched Nebraska and what was the junior class last year learn and grow, there was a beauty to it, even in the losses. The close call vs. Texas Tech, the Virginia Tech game, the beauty that was the kick and the pick vs. Colorado (which on the pick, the tip was made by a senior, Zach Potter). Last year's senior day was won with the help of some fine seniors.

We now are nearing the finish line on this college football season. The Big Red have Colorado on Friday, Texas in the Big 12 title game, and a bowl game left. This year has brought more learning and growth. We have seen this group of seniors fight, scrap, and win during a year that most viewed as a rebuilding year.

Remember the talk in March; wait 'til the 2010 college football season. Well, Suh and the rest of the seniors wanted to make this year the year.

They fought hard each game. They won the "coveted" Sun Belt early year title. There were two losses, Virginia Tech and Iowa St, that very well could have been wins. There was the unmistakable hope against hope, you have got to believe win against Oklahoma.

They clinched the Big 12 title with a dominate defense and a offense that is learning to find its way through this torrential college football storm. They have made Husker Nation proud. As the prayer goes, "day by day, we get better and better 'til we can't be beat, won't be beat."

Now, as the lights have dimmed at Memorial Stadium for the last time in 2009, that group of fine seniors trek on towards bigger goals. Three more wins is what they ask.

Three more chances to prove they have learned and grown during their careers, as has the rest of the team this year.

Three more opportunities to cement their place in Husker lore.

To the big seniors, Suh, Turner, Lawrence, Asante, Holt, Brooks, Meyer, Hickman, Christensen, Cammack, Dillard, Koehler, and O'Hanlon, thank you for the memories.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

The Colorado Daily - "Misery Loves Company"

Stuart Whitehair — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:03:53 -0500

Misery Loves Company

It’s a familiar saying. Those who are suffering find solace in knowing that they are not alone.

In college football, every weekend half of the fans are unhappy with the results—it’s just the nature of the beast. It’s just that some fans are left to go home unhappy more often than others. Colorado fans, over the past four or five seasons (counting the embarrassing end to the 2004 season), have had more than their share of unhappiness of late.

There are other teams’ fans in 2009 whose seasons, though, have also not turned out as planned. It just so happens that five of them are on the Buffs’ 2010 schedule …

Oklahoma

No team has fallen further—with regard to expectations—than have the Sooners, who were the No. 3 team in the nation in the preseason polls. Oklahoma suffered a 41-13 beat down by Texas Tech this past weekend, leaving the unranked Sooners at 6-5.

How bad was the loss? The Red Raiders have only beaten the Sooners five times in school history, and never before by more than 10 points, but won Saturday by four touchdowns. Texas Tech put up 549 yards against Oklahoma, which has a five loss season for the first time in 10 years.

Up next for Oklahoma? No. 12 Oklahoma State. The Cowboys will be smelling blood, and the Sooners are facing the reality of a 6-6 record and a lower tier bowl game. Yes, Sam Bradford—and other Sooners—have been injured, but if Oklahoma loses to Oklahoma State, and then loses its bowl game, the Sooners will finish with a losing season. Such a thought was unimaginable three months ago.

Colorado State

The Rams in 2009 were coming off a 7-6 season and a bowl victory. Expectations were not great, but a repeat winning season, and an outside shot at the elite in the Mountain West Conference, was not out of the question. This was especially true after the Rams opened the season 3-0, with wins over Colorado, Weber State, and Nevada.

Halfway to bowl eligibility in September, the Rams have yet to post another win. Colorado State has lost eight games in a row, including a disappointing 29-27 loss to previously winless New Mexico this past weekend. If the Rams hope to head to Invesco Field to face the Buffs with something other than a nine-game losing streak, they will have to defeat Wyoming at home next Friday.

Kansas

No head coach in Kansas history has taken the Jayhawks to the heights reached by Mark Mangino. His overall record is only 50-47, but in 2007, the Jayhawks went 12-1, including an Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech.

An 8-5 record in 2008 was a step back, but the Jayhawks had established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12 North.

The 2009 Kansas season opened with the Jayhawks posting a 5-0 record and a No. 16 national ranking. Then...the wheels fell off. Starting with a 34-30 loss to Colorado, Kansas has now lost six games in a row, including a methodical 51-20 thumping by Texas this past Saturday. Unless the Jayhawks can handle Missouri in the finale next weekend, the Jayhawks will be home for the holidays in 2009.

If things weren’t bad enough, head coach Mark Mangino finds himself embroiled in controversy, as allegations of verbal abuse and inappropriate physical contact have been levied by former players. Mangino has denied the allegations, but the Jayhawks’ six game losing streak has not helped the chances that Mangino will be on the sidelines in Lawrence in 2010.

Baylor

How valuable can one player be to a team? Certainly the loss of Sam Bradford derailed the plans of the Oklahoma Sooners, but the argument can be made that the injury to Baylor’s quarterback, Robert Griffin, was an even more serious blow. The Bears were looking for bowl eligibility back in September, when Baylor opened 3-1.

After the injury to their starting quarterback, though, the Bears have gone 1-6, with consecutive beat downs by Texas (47-14) and Texas A&M (38-3). Barring an upset of Texas Tech in the finale, Baylor will finish with a league-worst 1-7 Big 12 conference record.

It’s true that Baylor is used to finishing at the bottom of the Big 12 South standings, but in 2009—for the first time since the conference was formed—the Bears were not picked to finish last. The predictions were that Baylor would finish in front of Texas A&M, the team that beat them 38-3 this past weekend.

Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs were ranked 13th in the nation at the beginning of the 2009 season. An opening day game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater was billed as a marquee match-up between two contenders in the two toughest conferences. Oklahoma State won the opener, 24-10, and Georgia never quite got the ship righted after that loss.

The Bulldogs did win their next three games, climbing back to No. 18 in the polls, but have won only three games since. A dis-heartening home 34-27 loss to Kentucky on senior night (and only two days after mascot UGA VII unexpectedly died at the age of four) leaves Georgia at 6-5.

Not only must Georgia get over the first home loss to Kentucky since 1977, the Bulldogs must re-group quickly, as the season finale is an away game against No. 7 Georgia Tech. A loss to the Yellow Jackets would give Georgia its first six loss season since the 1996 team went 5-6.

So, there you have it. Fans from almost half of Colorado’s 2010 opponents are just as unhappy about their 2009 seasons as you are about what the Buffs have produced. Some fans are even more melancholy, as two months ago, there was still hope aplenty for those fans, while Buff fans had already resigned themselves to a long fall.

A brief recap:

Georgia - preseason No. 13. End of September: 3-1 (No. 18). Now: 6-5.

Baylor - Opened: 3-1. Now 4-7.

Kansas - preseason No. 25. Opened: 5-0 (No. 16). Now: 5-6.

Colorado State – Opened: 3-0. Now: 3-8.

Oklahoma - preseason No. 3. End of September: 2-1. Now: 6-5.

Throw in 2010 games against Iowa State and Kansas State (both teams have finished the regular season with 6-6 records, and must sweat out bowl-bids) and Hawaii (5-6, with games remaining against Navy and Wisconsin—yes, Hawaii has 13 regular season games this year), and 2010 doesn’t have the scary look to it that it had back in September.

In fact, Nebraska and California (with eight wins apiece), along with Missouri and Texas Tech (with seven wins each), are the only teams on the schedule which we can say with certainly will finish with a winning 2009 season, and all four of those teams have had periods of poor play.

There. Feel better?

Not yet?

Then here is a bonus …

Notre Dame

Another team ranked this preseason which is now 6-5 is Notre Dame. For the second year in a row, the Irish lost their senior day home game to a Big East underdog. Last season, winless Syracuse was the conqueror; this season it was Connecticut, which defeated Notre Dame, 33-30, in double overtime.

The Irish were ranked 23rd coming into the season, and some (okay, Lou Holtz) picked Notre Dame to play for the national championship. A soft schedule seemed to put Notre Dame in great position for at least a BCS bid, but the Irish have lost three straight (to Navy, Pittsburgh, and Connecticut).

The worst kept secret in college football is that Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis will likely be looking for work after this season. With a road game against Stanford still to be played, Notre Dame under Charlie Weis is 35-26. His .536 winning percentage is lower than the .583 winning percentage of Weis’ predecessors, Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie—and we know what happened to those coaches.

I knew that would make you feel better!

Go Buffs!

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

College Football's 11 Best 11s: Texas, Alabama Stalk BCS Title

BabyTate — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:41:11 -0500

The storyline may vary, the locations differ, but rising to the occasion will be the theme as one reviews the college football activity of this past weekend.

Stanford, fresh from two of the most impressive victories in the BCS era, was beaten on their home field by ancient rival California, 34-28.

The Cardinal had their chances, and were only turned away in the final moments when their powerful ground game was betrayed by an interception near the Cal end zone.

Michigan and Notre Dame, two of the most storied programs in history, each lost at home.

While the Wolverines fell by 11 points to a superior Buckeye team, the Irish bowed to middle of the road Connecticut. The UConn squad refused to fold this year, despite carrying an enormous burden of having a teammate murdered during the season.

The Iowa Hawkeyes, left for dead following two consecutive Big 10 losses, rose from the ashes like a Phoenix to shut out the Golden Gophers of Minnesota.

The 12-0 victory secured the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy (see pictured above) and should inoculate the Hawkeyes against being dropped from BCS Bowl consideration.

Quarterback Greg Paulus and Syracuse stunned 25th ranked Rutgers, 31-13. Paulus, the former Duke basketball point guard, led an offensive charge from the Orange that controlled the ball for 40 minutes in a complete annihilation of the Scarlet Knights.

Penn State bounced back from some less than stellar performances to destroy Michigan State 42-14, thus securing the Land Grant Trophy.

The Old Oaken Bucket went to Purdue after the Boilermakers stifled the Indiana Hoosiers, 38-21. It was IU's eighth loss in the last nine games.

Nebraska qualified for a spot in the Big 12 Title game against Texas by throttling feisty little Kansas State, 17-3.

In other Big 12 action, Texas Tech avenged its only regular season loss of 2008 by overwhelming the suddenly ineffective Oklahoma Sooners, 41-13.

Oregon, a powerful but inconsistent western steamroller, came back in the desert to conquer a rugged Arizona Wildcat squad in double overtime, 44-41. Nothing speaks louder concerning a team's future than how it performs when faced with adversity.

Score one for first year coach Chip Kelly of the Ducks, an impressive gentleman with places to go and important deeds to complete.

Brigham Young continued its march toward a showdown with Utah by handling The Air Force, 38-21.

In the South, two games of note were played while many squads rested or feasted in preparation of next week's rivalry games.

Mississippi spotted talented LSU the lead early on but, manged to find it within themselves to withstand a late Tiger onslaught and escape with a 25-23 win.

Clemson reached their first ever ACC Championship game by disposing of overmatched Virginia, 34-21. The Tigers move on to play Georgia Tech for the title.

These teams met earlier this season with the Yellow Jackets pulling out a 30-27 victory. With both running games operating at full throttle, fans can envision a decision being reached in less than two hours down in Tampa.

Simply put, it was the type of day where legends are created.

The 11 Best 11s

Ranking This Week Last Week

1. Texas 1.

2. Alabama 2.

3. Florida 4.

4. Texas Christian 3.

5. Boise State 5.

6. Cincinnati 6.

7. Georgia Tech 7.

8. Pittsburgh 8.

9. Oregon 9.

10. Ohio State 10.

11. Iowa (No. 1 On The Porch)

On The Porch: Oklahoma State, Mississippi, Penn State, Oregon State, Nebraska

By virtue of results from the past two weekends, the SEC Title Game is set between defending champion Florida and Alabama.

Texas and Nebraska are headed to the Big 12 Championship.

Before reservations are made in Pasadena for the ultimate prize, the small matter of avoiding a season ending upset at the hands of an arch-rival must be avoided.

Just don't call Jim Harbaugh and Stanford for advice on how to do it.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Big 10, Big 12 and Big East Capsules Week 12

Asher Feldman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:29:03 -0500

Big 10

Conference Leader: Ohio State (10-2, 7-1) have clinched the Big 10 regular season title and will head to the Rose Bowl.

Game of Last Week: Northwestern 33, Wisconsin 31. An upset of the Badgers likely allows the Wildcats a chance at a New Year's Day or Eve bowl.

Game of Next Week: The Big 10 regular season is completed.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes. Wisconsin Badgers, Northwestern Wildcats, Michigan State Spartans, Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Big 12

Conference Leaders: Nebraska (North Division; 8-3, 5-2) and Texas (South Division; 11-0, 7-0) have both clinched their respective division titles and will meet for the Big 12 Championship Game on Dec. 5.

Game of Last Week: Nebraska 17, Kansas State 3. Jockeying for the Big 12 North title all season, these two teams met to finally decide the victor.

In convincing fashion, the stingy Cornhusker defense kept the Wildcats at bay and clinched a trip to the Big 12 Title Game.

Game of Next Week: Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma. Oklahoma would love to end its season with a big upset after a disappointing '09 campaign. The Cowboys are looking to get a BCS at-large bid.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Iowa State Cyclones, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies.

Big East

Conference Leader: Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0)

Lurking: Pittsburgh (9-1, 5-0)

Game of Last Week: Connecticut 33, Notre Dame 31. With limited conference action, this overtime thriller was by far the best of the weekend for the Big East, and put the Huskies closer to being bowl eligible.

Game of Next Week: Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia. The Backyard Brawl is always a good one, and a victory here for Pitt would give the Big East, which has no conference championship game, a virtual conference championship game the following week as Cincinnati and Pittsburgh would go at it for the Big East crown.

Bowl Eligible Teams: Cincinnati Bearcats, West Virginia Mountaineers, Pittsburgh Panthers, South Florida Bulls, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Quarterback Signees of 2006: Did They Become NCAA Studs or Duds?

Kimberley Nash — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:36:33 -0500

Many of the members of the class of 2006 will be exiting stage left at season's end. A couple of them, Matthew Stafford and Nate Davis, have already done as much and are no longer repping their respective universities with pride. While others are still churning out yards and blazing trails of their own for the new breeds to follow. As the 2009 college football season comes to an end, it seems fitting to see how the highly, and not so highly, touted high school boys of 2006 have done. Some have excelled beyond their wildest dreams—Tim Tebow. While others have found it hard to make any true impact at all—Mitch Mustain. All were at one point or another, considered to be one of the best at their respective position but Friday Night Light glory does not always translate into Saturday success.

Begin Slideshow

Is Mark Mangino's Kansas Controversy Ready for Jerry Springer?

Denny K. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:47:26 -0500

It's hard to believe that just a week ago the primary conversation in Lawrence about Jayhawks football involved Kansas' upcoming game against the Cornhuskers.

Beginning on Monday with Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins's bizarrely timed launching of an investigation into allegations Mark Mangino has been treating his players inappropriately, the situation has steadily progressed from bad to worse to terrible. Some former players have rushed to Mangino's defense, and others, including many who transferred from the program, have used the opportunity to air their own complaints against KU's coach.

The Kansas City Star's windy and know-it-all columnist, Jason Whitlock, probably tired from kicking the dead horse that is the Kansas City Chiefs' season, jumped onto the controversy by publishing back-to-back articles endearingly titled "Weight Issues Are Root of Mangino's Problems" and "Mangino Is an Abusive Bully."

Not looking to be outdone by another Star columnist, J. Brady McCullough put in his claim to a Pulitzer by going Woodward and Bernstein and broke the news today that, 20 years ago in a small Pennsylvania town, Mangino was widely disliked by students' parents.

Mangino himself, choosing not to stay above the fray, went on a local sports radio show and attacked the parents of his players and former players who had spoken out against him. Clearly upset by the allegations, Mangino did manage to get in some good points during his rant, including that under his leadership the football program had set records for team GPA and graduated high percentages of players.

He also rattled off an impressive list of players who support him and who, under his tutelage, succeeded at KU, including Nick Reid, Brandon McAnderson, and Charles Gordon, among others.

Regardless of who is right or wrong in this fracas, it is clear that the situation is a mess and that the blame for it rests solely on the shoulders of the Jayhawks' indomitable athletic director. If Perkins wanted to fire Mangino for the team's losing streak or the charges of misconduct, he should have just come out and done it. Mangino's buyout is only $600,000, a sum insignificant to the amount of damage the athletic department's reputation is taking on a now-hourly basis.

Furthermore, Perkins should have had the foresight to put a muzzle order on Mangino concerning the matter until a resolution had been reached. What is playing out now is a sensationalist, overhyped trial tried in newspapers and on talk radio with little regard for levelheadedness or the long-term impacts this may all have on KU's football program.

Things have gotten so bad at this point that I am thinking Perkins would probably best be able to resolve the situation if he and the feuding parties all booked a show on Jerry Springer, letting Jerry mediate the controversy to the hoots and hollers of a studio audience. I would personally love to see Mangino and Whitlock, both hefty gentleman, get into a fight after one or the other "dissed" someone.

What is really sad is that one of the only voices of reason in this entire affair has been that of senior wide receiver Kerry Meier, who attributed the controversy to the five-game losing streak and told McCullough that Mangino has "taken this program to new and great heights that I don't think anybody ever imagined.

"And if they're looking to bring somebody in to change this program around again, it's gonna be a tough, tough challenge to find somebody to do that."

Well said, Kerry. And I'm sorry this all had to happen during your and the other seniors' last season at KU after such a great four-year run.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Who's Bad? Mark Mangino's Old School Ways Clash with New Generation

Kenny Crute — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:05:50 -0500

From the beginning of his tenure as head coach at the University of Kansas, Mark Mangino has had many obstacles to overcome, most importantly turning the fortunes of a perennial loser.

For starters, he inherited practice and game facilities that did not measure up to premier programs in the Big XII. In Austin, well, everything is bigger. Stillwater has billionaire T. Boone Pickens, and Nebraska has Dr. Tom Osborne.

Next, Coach Mangino needed to assemble a staff capable of snatching up out-of-state talent and keeping said talent away from the other suitors in the conference.

The state of Kansas is not a hotbed for football talent, so Mangino and his staff had to convince potential players that the aging digs in Lawrence were worth accepting as part of a larger opportunity to build a respectable football program.

Then there was the foregone conclusion that KU, having modest success on the gridiron, evidenced by the occasional bowl appearance, was and is in fact a basketball school.

One could think that the job required of him was in some ways no greater than that of any other newly minted BCS school coach, and it very well may not have been. So these factors beg the question: What makeup of a man could handle such a daunting task?

For starters, the guy had better be tough. His mascot is a mythical bird (Jayhawk), and he would have to stand in living rooms and sell young men on leaving their nests for the nest in Lawrence, Kansas.

He should be driven, focused, battle-tested, and stubborn enough to weather trips to harrowing places like Lincoln, NE and Norman, OK.

There are often many ways to get to most places. To have a successful football program, there may be only one. Ask any coach on any level, and they will tell you that they want a tough, hard-nosed, mistake-free team.

So when we look at these kids—and they are kids—we expect these 19- to 23-year-old, fresh off the block guys to have all of the discipline and dedication to be a full-time student-athlete in the midst of some very formative years.

We also think that these kids can do this with little outside influence or with the tools they have in the bag when they show up. Fact is, they can't. They never have and probably never will be ready to fulfill those roles without a shepherd.

When a man like Mangino, whose motives and methods are being questioned, enters the fray, we should embrace what he is doing. Whether intentional or not, Mangino is shaping the way these kids will live their lives.

It's no secret that star athletes are identified and embraced at an early age. Everything comes easy for most of them, at least until Coach Mangino comes crashing through the door.

How many young people can you think of who could use a little challenge in their lives? How do we learn to overcome adversity if we never experience it? How do we leave bad habits behind if they are never pointed out?

If we examine the history of football, pay attention to the demeanor of the game's most successful coaches. With the exception of a Dick Vermeil or Pete Carroll, these guys aren't emulating the teachings of Dr. Phil.

Look at the top programs in college football today, and you will see characters not cast too far from the likes of Mangino, Bob Stoops, Nick Saban, Bo Pelini, and so on...

The truth is, any program that has the monumental task of being rebuilt ahead of it is almost forced to find a Mark Mangino to lead the charge. As a former college player, I only wanted one thing: to enjoy playing the game I loved.

I was given the chance to play a game in exchange for a free education, which meant for me that I would have endured anything short of criminal acts to keep playing.

Don't judge Mangino based on society's overly warm and fuzzy view of the world. Know that the grumblings of a few will not measure up to the gratitude of many.

I have to run...I am late meeting Coach Saban in Tuscaloosa. We're baking cookies and singing "Kumbaya" around the campfire.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Like Old Times, Nebraska Hosts Kansas State for Trip to Big 12 Title Game

James Adkins — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:23:34 -0500

At the beginning of the season, many around college football wondered if the 70-year-old Bill Snyder could somehow resurrect the Kansas State football program the same way he did when he took over the program 20 years ago, in 1989.

Back then, Sports Illustrated had labeled the Wildcats program “America’s most hapless team”—and they were. For three straight seasons leading up to Snyder coming to the Little Apple that is Manhattan, KS, the Wildcats didn’t win a game.

Under Snyder, that all changed.

In Snyder’s second season, he won five games, something that had only occurred once in K-State’s previous 17 seasons. Then in 1993, Snyder guided his team to only its second nine-win season ever and began a streak of 11 straight bowl appearances.

During each of those 11 seasons that ended in a trip to a bowl for the Wildcats, Snyder’s main objective was to beat Nebraska. Because if you beat the Cornhuskers, it meant you had a great shot to win the conference.

The Cornhuskers, led by the legendary Tom Osborne through 1997 and then by longtime Osborne assistant Frank Solich, won three national championships and eight league titles during that 11-year stretch.

However, by the end of Snyder’s run in 2003, the Wildcats had surpassed the Cornhuskers atop the Big 12 North, and Snyder had pulled off the greatest reclamation project in major college sports history.

Then in 2004, with the departure of Snyder at K-State and the ouster of Solich at Nebraska, both the Wildcats and Cornhuskers began a trek down the path to mediocrity. Each team has been struggling to regain its status atop the Big 12 ever since.

Both K-State and Nebraska have since fired the coaches they brought in back in 2004. Instead, each has turned, once again, to a former coach familiar with each program’s tradition in an effort to return their teams to prominence once again atop the Big 12 North.

This Saturday in Lincoln, these two teams face off in a game that means more than any of their meetings the past six seasons. At stake in this game, just like old times, is the right to represent the North division in the Big 12 Championship game in Dallas on Dec. 5.

For Snyder and his Wildcats, they need this game not only to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship game, but they need this win just to become bowl eligible. Should they lose, their Cinderella season will come to an abrupt end.

On Saturday, that additional motivation will be important to a team long on effort but short on talent. K-State ranks dead last in the conference in passing offense and relies heavily on its running game and special teams to score points. In fact, the Wildcats’ biggest threat and most talented player is kick returner Brandon Banks.

Banks, who stands only 5’7” and weighs a mere 150 pounds, has blazing speed and is probably the best kick returner in the country. His four kick returns for touchdowns lead the nation, while his 1,077 return yards rank him second.

Nebraska, on the other hand, enters the game riding a three-game winning streak that includes an impressive 10-3 victory over Oklahoma two weeks ago in Lincoln. After dismantling the Jayhawks in Lawrence a week ago, the Cornhuskers will be geared up for their final home game of the season in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium.

Nagurski Trophy finalist Ndamukong Suh leads a defense that ranks third in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 11 points per game. Suh and fellow defensive tackle Jared Crick have combined for 33 tackles for loss, and Crick ranks fifth in the conference with nine sacks.

If the Wildcats want to be successful on offense, they will have to find a way to contain Suh and Crick.

The Keys to Victory

Kansas State

* The Wildcats will need to make big plays on special teams and possibly get another touchdown out of Banks.

* Snyder needs to reach into his old bag of tricks and find plays that neutralize the Cornhuskers' overwhelming superiority on defense when K-State has the ball. Mainly, they need to find ways to get the ball into the hands of Banks in space.

* The defense needs to do what Iowa State did to the Cornhuskers earlier this season...force turnovers—a lot of turnovers.

Nebraska

* The special teams unit must not allow Banks to have a big day in the return game.

* Roy Helu must run the ball without putting it on the ground, as he’s done recently since sustaining a shoulder injury a few weeks ago.

* Whether it’s Zac Lee or freshman Cody Green at quarterback, they must make good decisions in the passing game and not force any plays that could cause turnovers. Niles Paul has played well of late and should be able to make big plays against the K-State secondary.

* On defense, Suh and company simply need to continue what they’ve done all season...dominate the line of scrimmage and limit the number of big plays against them.

Prediction

Barring some major collapse on defense or special teams by the Cornhuskers, Nebraska should be able to handle their business in front of Husker Nation and millions more on ESPN.

However, if K-State’s Banks can find a way to make some big plays on special teams, and the defense can force turnovers like Iowa State did in Lincoln four weeks ago, Snyder’s team could find themselves booking a trip to Dallas.

My pick

Nebraska 27

Kansas State 10

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

No. 12 Oklahoma State 31, Colorado 28: Buffaloes Can't Hold on in Stillwater

Stuart Whitehair — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:13:46 -0500

November 19th - @ Oklahoma State #12 Oklahoma State 31, Colorado 28

For the second time in 2009, Colorado held a 14-10 halftime lead, on the road, against a ranked conference opponent. As with the Texas game in October, however, the Buffs could not hold the lead, falling 31-28 to #12 Oklahoma State. The Buffs turned four Cowboy turnovers and the poor play of backup quarterbacks into a 21-10 lead, but were unable to come away with their first road victory since 2007.

Four 15-yard penalties, missed opportunities, and a complete lack of a running game dropped the Buffs to a 3-8 season record. Oklahoma State did not complete a pass in the first half, as backup quarterback Alan Cote, substituting for the injured Zac Robinson, started 0-for-9 with an interception. Turning to third-string quarterback Brandon Weeden, the Cowboys found the spark they were looking for. Weeden went 10-for-15 for 168 yards and two touchdowns in leading the second half comeback. Colorado also played two quarterbacks, with starter Tyler Hansen missing much of the second quarter with a hand injury. Cody Hawkins was mostly effective in relief, going 7-for-11 for 69 yards, including a five-yard touchdown pass to Riar Geer just before halftime.

Even with the announcement that starting quarterback Zac Robinson would not be playing, the Thursday night nationally televised game had the look of a rout early on. Colorado opened in typically frustrating fashion, as, after a first down and a seven yard completion from Tyler Hansen to Markques Simas, the Buffs went from second-and-three to second-and-eight when freshman right tackle Bryce Givens was called for a false start. Two plays later, a four yard completion to Simas, which, but for the penalty, would have resulted in a first down, instead resulted in a fourth-and-four at the CU 32-yard line. Matt DiLallo's 35-yard punt was low, giving Oklahoma State cornerback Perrish Cox the opportunity to set up a return. Cox juked his way through several attempts at tackles, winding his way to a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Oklahoma State was without its starting quarterback, but it didn't matter. Without an offensive play from scrimmage, the Cowboys were already up, 7-0, less than three minutes into the game. Buff fans throughout the nation anxiously eyed their remote controls, as memories of the 58-0 loss to Missouri in 2008 seeped back into their collective consciousness.

When the Buffs' ensuing drive resulted in not one, but two sacks of Tyler Hansen, the rout appeared to be on. On Oklahoma State's first offensive play, though, running back Keith Toston fumbled, giving the ball back to Colorado at the OSU 47-yard line. The forced fumble by senior linebacker Marcus Burton gave the Buffs new life, and the offense responded. An eight-play drive, which included an eight yard completion from Hansen to fullback Jake Behrens on fourth-and-two at the Cowboy 39, tied the score. A 26-yard completion to Markques Simas gave the Buffs a first-and-goal at the five, where on third down Hansen hit Scotty McKnight in the back of the end zone. Midway through the first, the Buffs had forged a tie with the No. 12 team in the nation.

Oklahoma State looked to restore order before a Senior Day crowd of 50,080, quickly driving into Colorado territory. On fourth-and-one at the Buffs' 40, though, running back Keith Toston was stopped for no gain by senior linebacker Shaun Mohler. The Buffs went backward in their next drive, though, including another sack of Tyler Hansen, and the game settled down into one of field position. Over the remainder of the first quarter and deep into the second, the teams traded punts, with Oklahoma State slowly improving its position in the process. With 8:24 left before halftime, the Cowboys took over at the Buffs' 41 yard line. Three runs by Keith Toston pushed the ball into the Colorado red zone, but there the Buffs held, forcing Oklahoma State into settling for a 30-yard field goal by Dan Bailey. 10-7, Oklahoma State.

Cody Hawkins made a surprise appearance at quarterback after the Oklahoma State kickoff. Tyler Hansen had bruised his thumb on the previous series, forcing the former Buff starter back into action. The immediate results were not promising, as two incompletions and a sack forced a quick punt back to the Cowboys. Taking over at the CU 48-yard line, it appeared that Oklahoma State was poised to turn the close game into a rout. However, backup quarterback Alex Cote, who had yet to complete a pass in the first half, finally had a ball caught. Unfortunately for Cote and the Cowboys, the player who came down with the ball was Colorado safety Anthony Perkins.

Another three-and-out by the Buffs' offense gave the Cowboys another chance to up their lead before halftime. Assisted by a roughing the passer penalty on linebacker Michael Sipili, Oklahoma State found itself back in Colorado territory. A 53-yard field goal attempt by Dan Bailey, though, was blocked by sophomore defensive end Conrad Obi, giving the Buffs one more offensive opportunity before halftime.

On his third drive at the helm of the Colorado offense, Cody Hawkins delivered. Hawkins completed a 25-yard pass to Scotty McKnight, immediately followed by a 19-yard completion to senior tight end Riar Geer. After a ten-yard completion to Will Jefferson on third-and-five gave the Buffs a first-and-goal at the OSU five yard line, the Buffs silenced the Boone Pickens Stadium crowd when Hawkins hit Riar Geer for a touchdown with 22 seconds to play before halftime.

Halftime score: Colorado 14, #12 Oklahoma State 10

Six weeks earlier, Colorado had held a 14-10 lead at halftime as well. The site: Texas Stadium. The opponent: the No. 2 Texas Longhorns. The second half result: Texas 38, Colorado 14, as the Buffs gave up a blocked punt for a touchdown, a 92-yard interception for a touchdown, and a punt return for a touchdown.

How would the Buffs fare on the road, against another ranked opponent, with the same halftime score? ...

Oklahoma State took the second half kickoff and set off on a ten-play drive. The Buffs assisted the Cowboys when, on third-and-one, cornerback Jalil Brown was called for a personal foul away from the ball. Unable to capitalize, the Cowboys turned the ball over on downs when running back Keith Toston was stopped for a loss at the CU 32 on fourth down. Defensive end Marquez Herrod and linebacker Marcus Burton teamed up on stopping Toston for a two yard loss to give the Buffs the ball with the lead.

The Colorado offense was not able to take advantage, however, as the Buffs' first drive of the second half netted 11 yards (even with a 15-yard facemask penalty). Once again, though, the Cowboys were generous, as a short Matt DiLallo punt was fumbled by the Cowboys, recovered by Anthony Perkins at the OSU 28-yard line. The Cowboys' third turnover of the night resulted in the Buffs' third touchdown, as Tyler Hansen, back in for the Buffs, hit Marques Simas for a 28-yard score. Simas made a great adjustment on the ball, with his over-the-shoulder catch giving Colorado a 21-10 lead with 8:41 left in the third quarter.

There was a distinct nervousness in the home crowd after third-string OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden, in for the ineffective Alex Cote, threw three straight incompletions. The Buffs were now, after the Oklahoma State punt, in unfamiliar territory. Colorado had the ball, at their own 41, up two scores, midway through the third quarter.

How would the Buffs respond?

With a three-and-out. Three plays netted nine yards, and the Buffs, rather than risk a momentum shift which could come after a turnover at mid-field, punted the ball away.

The strategy was sound - but the momentum shifted anyway. Brandon Weeden, one-for-four to start the half, found his rhythm. Weeden completed three straight passes, pushing the ball into Colorado territory. There, running back Keith Toston took over. Toston, who would go over 1,000 yards on the season with his 172-yard effort on the night, scored on a 45-yard run to pull the Cowboys back to within one score. Colorado 21, Oklahoma State 17, late in the third quarter.

The Buffs did find some offensive success on their next drive, and the fourth quarter opened with Colorado facing a second-and-seven at the Oklahoma State 32-yard line. Two incompletions later, Aric Goodman was sent in to give the Buffs a seven point lead. Goodman's 49-yard attempt, though, hit the right upright (if there is a record for this category, Goodman almost certainly must own it). Once again, it appeared that the momentum shift had gone away from the Buffs, but on the very next play, OSU running back Kendall Hunter fumbled. The fourth Cowboy turnover of the night, forced by Michael Sipili and recovered by Will Pericak, set up the Buffs at the Oklahoma State 36 yard line.

Colorado, as had been the case during the frustration which was the 2009 season, was not able to take advantage. A false start by Bryce Givens turned a third-and-five into a third-and-ten, with an eight yard completion from Hansen to McKnight leaving the Buffs with a fourth-and-two at the Oklahoma State 28. Eschewing a 45-yard field goal attempt moments after Goodman's 49-yard effort had failed, the Buffs went for the first down. The Buffs tried a short pass, but the Cowboys were sitting on the short routes, and Hansen's toss to tight end Riar Geer was batted away by linebacker Daniel Booker.

Oklahoma State quickly responded to regain the lead. Aided by a personal foul penalty on senior safety Benjamin Burney, the Cowboys found themselves with a third-and-one at the CU 47. With the short distance running game not working, the Cowboys spread out to pass. The Buffs blitzed, with no one taking running back Keith Toston. An easy toss from Weeden to Toston resulted in a 47-yard score. Order had been restored: Oklahoma State 24, Colorado 21.

Then a funny thing happened.

The Buffs responded.

Brian Lockridge, who had been stopped at the Colorado 15, 21, and 18 on his previous return attempts, returned the Oklahoma State kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to give the Buffs back the lead, 28-24. There was plenty of football yet to be played, but, with 11:11 left, Colorado had the lead.

With a possible bid to a BCS bowl in the balance, Oklahoma State set out to re-take control of the game. Converting a third-and-11 and a third-and-nine along the way, the Cowboys set off on a seven-play, 73-yard drive which consumed only three minutes of playing time. Brandon Weeden, who went 4-for-5 on the drive, hit wide receiver Justin Blackmon for a 28-yard score to give the Cowboys back the lead. With 8:11 left in the game, the scoreboard read: Oklahoma State 31, Colorado 28.

The Buffs did put togther a drive after the Blackmon score, but, on first down at the CU 49 yard line, the Buffs turned the ball over for the first time all night. A Demetrius Sumler fumble was recovered at the CU 48, and the "black out" crowd at OSU (the Cowboys wore all black uniforms for the first time since 1994) breathed a sigh of relief. Three runs, though, netted nine yards. On fourth-and-one at the Colorado 39, quarterback Brandon Weeden was stopped for a three yard loss by sophomore linebacker Tyler Ahles - the third time in the game the Colorado defense had stuffed the Cowboys on fourth down.

One last chance for the Buffs. Colorado took over at its own 42, with 3:14 left to play and all three time outs.

Three incompletions later, the Buffs punted.

Hoping to stop an Oklahoma State rushing attack which would post 232 yards in the game, the Colorado offense never saw the field again. The Cowboys never even saw a third down until the final play of the game, running up the middle to preserve the win.

Final score: #12 Oklahoma State 31, Colorado 28.

"Those guys shouldn't hang there heads," said Dan Hawkins of his 3-8 Buffs. "They battled, and they brought it like a good football team's supposed to, and they did everything they're supposed to do ... They did everything right. They've got nothing to hang their head about that way." Hawkins also talked about how much he loved the players, their intensity, and how they competed. He said everything ... except that coaching, a lack of discipline (four 15-yard penalties, 80 yards in penalties overall), and poor playing calling may have played a role.

The rushing game for Colorado was all but abandoned against Oklahoma State. The Buffs first 13 play calls were all passes. With five sacks counting against the rushing totals, Colorado was not into positive numbers in rushing until Brian Lockridge took off on a ten-yard run on the second-to-last play of the third quarter. For the game, Colorado netted 13 yards rushing on 22 attempts. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, did not complete a pass in the first half, but did, behind third-string quarterback Brandon Weeden, end the night with 168 yards passing to complement their 232 yards rushing.

Tyler Hansen and Cody Hawkins both had their moments. Hansen finished with 169 yards passing on 23-of-36 attempts, with two touchdowns. Cody Hawkins, in relief, hit on 7-of-11 for 69 yards and one score. Neither Colorado quarterback threw an interception. "It's real frustrating," said Hansen of the Buffs' near miss in Stillwater. "Some of it's experience, some of it's people doubting themselves because of what has happened in the past."

And what of the main topic of conversation revolving around the Colorado football program - the future of head coach Dan Hawkins? "We always hear that Coach Hawkins is solid right now and his job is pretty certain, and he's going to be here", said Tyler Hansen. "We're playing for ourselves and for the team and for some pride right now." Pride was also the word of choice for running back Brian Lockridge, whose 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the first for Colorado since Josh Smith scored in a similar fashion in the 2008 opener against Colorado State. "Even though we're not getting the wins, we still have plenty of pride," said Lockridge. "We still want to go out there and perform at a high level. We want to do our best and play to win."

At 3-8, with a chance at a bowl bid - a source of conversation just a week ago - now long gone, all the Buffs have left in the 2009 season is the rivalry game against Nebraska. Colorado will have two extra days to prepare for the Cornhuskers, who face Kansas State in a de facto Big 12 North title game on Saturday. The Buffs will finish the year at either 3-9 or 4-8. Not much difference to those outside of Boulder. The nation's attention hasn't focused on Colorado in over four years. Colorado - another losing season. One game won't make that much difference.

When there is nothing else left to play for, pride has to take the leading role ...

Game Notes -

- Junior college transfer wide receiver Andre Simmons started his first game at Colorado.

- The linebacking crew had a new look. Out were usual starters Jeff Smart (pinched nerve) and B.J. Beatty (concussion), replaced by Shaun Mohler and Tyler Ahles. Both Mohler and Ahles contributed fourth down stops during the game.

- Senior punter Matt DiLallo had ten punts on the night, the most for Colorado since punting 11 times in the 55-10 loss to Missouri in 2007.

- Wide receiver Markques Simas tied two school records on the night, and came up just short of a third. The sophomore wide receiver had 11 catches against Oklahoma State, tying a school record held by three others (including Scotty McKnight, who had 11 catches earlier in 2009, against Toledo). Simas also collected at least seven catches for the third straight game, only the fourth Buff to pull off that feat - latest: D.J. Hackett in 2003). The record almost had was a third consecutive game with over 100 yards - Simas fell just short, gaining 90 yards in the game.

- Scotty McKnight, who had seven catches for 71 yards, moved into second place on the all-time receptions list, with his 158 career catches passing the 152 catches by Phil Savoy (1994-97). Only Michael Westbrook, with 167, had more. With 69 catches on the season, McKnight has the opportunity, with one game to play, to set the all-time single season record. Only Michael Westbrook's 76, in 1992, and D.J. Hackett's 78, in 2003, are ahead of McKnight's 69.

- Think the Colorado defense wore down in the second half? The numbers bear that out. Oklahoma State's total yardage increased each quarter, going from 48 to 78 to 111 to 163. Time of possession also shifted throughout the game. Colorado's time of possession, by quarter: 9:44; 8:11; 7:09; and, in the decisive fourth quarter, 5:19. Oklahoma State started the game 0-for-8 on third down conversion attempts, but finished 5-of-15, meaning the Cowboys were successful on five of their last seven third down attempts.

- Running back Rodney Stewart had only 21 yards rushing against Oklahoma State, but his new career total of 1,316 moves him up two spots on the career chart, to No. 32, passing Erich Kissick, 1,297, 1986-89) and John Tarver (1,300, 1970-71).

- Quarterback Tyler Hansen had 169 yards passing against the Cowboys, moving the sophomore into the top 20 in career passing yards. Hansen now has 1,640 career yards, passing Sal Aunese (1,526, 1987-88) and Robert Hodge (1,554, 2001-02).

If you are going to win only one game ...

Bill McCartney and I have at least one thing in common.

Both of us came to Boulder in the early 1980's wondering, "Who is Colorado's rival?".

McCartney came to Colorado from Michigan, where the Wolverines had multiple rivals, including Michigan State, Notre Dame, and, of course, Ohio State. The Buffs, when McCartney came to Boulder in 1982, were lacking in that department. Colorado had not played Colorado State since 1958, and was still a year removed from the state legislature mandated renewal of the rivalry. Colorado had beaten Nebraska only once in 20 years, and was on a 14-game losing streak to the Cornhuskers (with exactly zero of those games being within two scores at the final gun). The Buffs final game of the season was usually against hapless Kansas State. Colorado had a successful college football history - but no rival.

I was in a similar quandry when I arrived in Boulder. Growing up in Bozeman, Montana, home of Montana State, there was no question who was the rival - Montana. The Bobcat/Grizzly game was always a war, and for the better part of my formative years, the Bobcats were on the winning side. MSU won seven of ten games in the 1970's, and the most successful decade in school history included a Division II national champioship in 1976. To the winner of the "Brawl of the Wild" (a more recent moniker which has yet to really catch on) got the spoils. Some of my favorite early sports memories involve calling out "Pooooooor Griz-zlies! Poooooooor Griz-zlies!" at football and basketball games when the results were no longer in doubt.

So it was surprising to me that Colorado did not really have a rival.

Of course, Bill McCartney changed all that, nominating Nebraska as Colorado's rival, and spending the better part of his 13-year stint as the Buffs' head coach trying to raise the bar in Boulder to the level seen for decades in Lincoln. It is safe to say that, if it were not for McCartney's challenge, Colorado would not be playing Nebraska the last regular game of every season, which has been the case since the Big 12 was formed in 1996.

Which brings us back to 2009. Nebraska and its fans, taking the lead of former head coach Tom Osborne, refuse to acknowledge Colorado as its rival. Still, the Buffs have won four games against the Cornhuskers this decade, the best ten year span for the program since the Buffs went 6-3-1 against the Cornhuskers in the 1950's. Colorado fans see red when Nebraska comes to Boulder, and the Buffs would like nothing more than to derail the Cornhuskers' season with a victory next week.

Would a win over hated Nebraska be enough to save Dan Hawkins' job. Now 16-32, Hawkins is setting all kinds of records at Colorado - all bad. Over the past two seasons, Colorado has lost more consecutive road games - and more consecutive conference road games - than any other team in Colorado history. The Buffs are awful against teams in the Big 12 North (1-2 against Kansas; 1-2 against Kansas State; 0-3 against Missouri; 1-2 against Iowa State; 1-1 against Nebraska) - in an era when the Big 12 North is down. (Anyone want to pit the Buff teams from the late 80's to mid-90's against the North teams of today? No question: Colorado would be a regular in the title game).

When Colorado was ahead of Oklahoma State - a ranked team, on the road - there were signs of what could be. The defense (granted, it was against backup quarterbacks) was playing well, while the offense showed glimmers of possibility. Then penalties, missed opportunities, and poor play calling shook us back into reality.

Another loss. 3-8.

Would a win over Nebraska mean that all is forgiven? ESPN's Chris Fowler, a CU alumnus who was calling the Oklahoma State game said, both at the beginning and at the end of the game, that "the money is there" for a Dan Hawkins' buyout. With the loss to the Cowboys, even the defenders of the program are growing silent.

But ....

Never underestimate the power of a win over a hated rival.

Back to Montana State/Montana. By the time Sonny Lubick left (yes, that Sonny Lubick) after the 1981 season, the Bobcats had fallen on hard times. Doug Graber lasted a year as head coach, with assistant Dave Arnold taking over in 1983.

Dave Arnold went 1-10 as Montana State's head coach in 1983, the worst record for the Bobcats since the 1969 team went 1-8.

But Arnold kept his job.

His one win? You guessed it. Over Montana. The Bobcats, who were held under 20 points by every other team on the 1983 schedule (and who didn't score a touchdown in five of those games, averaging less than ten points per game on the season), beat the Grizzlies, 28-8.

Dave Arnold kept his job.

And, for you Dan Hawkins' loyalists still out there, I give you this happy ending ...

In 1984, a year after going 1-10, head coach Dave Arnold led the Bobcats to a 12-2 record - and the Division 1-AA national championship.

So, coach Hawkins, if you are going to win only one game ...

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

The Top 10 Winningest College Football Programs of All Time

HD Handshoe - Block-O-Nation — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:44:12 -0500

Teams such as Florida and LSU may have found recent success in the BCS Era, but neither of those programs has had the prestige and historical significance of the teams that comprise the all-time Top 10.

In the "what have you done or me lately?" world of college football, we sometimes forget the great teams, players, coaches, and programs that came before our time—but to the LSU's and the Florida's of the world, I say: You have a long way to go to try to catch up with these Top 10 schools.

(Team Win/Loss/Tie records are current through November 19, 2009. )

No. 10—USC Trojans (772-306-54)

38 Pac-10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: OJ Simpson, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer

===================================

No. 9—Tennessee Volunteers (781-332-55)

16 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

6 National Championships

A few names you know: Peyton Manning, Reggie White

===================================

No. 8—Oklahoma Sooners (794-304-53)

42 Big 12 Conference Titles

5 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford

===================================

No. 7—Alabama Crimson Tide (809-316-43)

22 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

12 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Namath, Derrick Thomas, Shaun Alexander

===================================

No. 6—Penn State Nittany Lions (810-351-43)

3 Big Ten Conference Titles

1 Heisman Trophy winner

2 National Championships

A few names you know: Kerry Collins, LaVar Arrington, Larry Johnson

===================================

No. 5—Ohio State Buckeyes (817-308-53)

34 Big 10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Santonio Holmes, Troy Smith

===================================

No. 4—Notre Dame Fighting Irish (833-289-42)

0 Conference Titles (Independent)

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Tim Brown, Brady Quinn

===================================

No. 3—Nebraska Cornhuskers (834-340-41)

46 Big 12 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Trev Alberts, Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green

===================================

No. 2—Texas Longhorns (842-320-34)

29 Big 12 Conference Titles

2 Heisman Trophy winners

4 National Championships

A few names you know: Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, Vince Young

===================================

No. 1—Michigan Wolverines (877-303-38)

42 Big 10 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Jim Harbaugh, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Tom Brady

Click For Block Nation Front Page

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com

Nebraska Cornhuskers' Rollercoaster of Emotion: What a Difference a Month Makes

Michael Huckstep — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:22:48 -0500

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in Memorial Stadium on October 24, the Husker fans who remained stood in frozen silence. Many of them were not sure what they had just witnessed.

A justifiably jubilant Paul Rhoads celebrated with his Cyclone players as they soaked up the adulation from the Iowa State section. Husker players couldn't get off the field quickly enough and put the nightmare behind them.

In a literal sense, Husker Nation knew what had transpired that day. Following a sound defeat by Texas Tech, Nebraska's offense had returned to the field the next week and failed on a level of genuinely historic proportions.

Eight turnovers, four within the Cyclones' six-yard line. The eight miscues tied Nebraska's record for giveaways, set in 1972, also against Iowa State.

The naked facts of the 9-7 loss transcended several eras of Nebraska football.

The Cyclones hadn't won in Lincoln in 32 years. They did so with back-ups at quarterback and running back.

Nebraska hadn't lost in 126 games in which they held their opponents to 10 or fewer points, a streak dating back to 1981.

But what did the defeat mean in a larger sense?

Was it another speed bump in the rebuilding process of Nebraska football?

Was it an anomaly, a day when the football gods had decided that, no matter what, the ball was to bounce the way of the Cyclones, thus ending their streak of futility on Nebraska soil?

Or was it something worse? Something much worse? The low-water mark in a decade akin to a drought for a once-dominant program?

Coach Pelini didn't have much to say, issuing terse statements while promising change in Waco the following week.

Meanwhile, Husker fans and the media were abuzz. It seemed that everyone from Auburn to Alliance wanted answers. Everyone had their own suggestions on how to turn the Big Red Bus around.

Bench Lee. Start Green. Fire Watson.

Fast forward nearly four weeks later. The Cyclones proved to be a flash in the pan, following up their emotional win with consecutive losses to A&M and Okie State. They're third in the Big XII North with a losing conference record.

Nebraska, on the other hand, rebounded with three consecutive wins, including one against Oklahoma, and sits atop the North with a half-game lead on Kansas State and the opportunity to win the division with a victory against the Wildcats this Saturday.

Before I go any further, please understand that I'm not proclaiming that all is well in Husker Nation.

It's not.

The offense has continued to struggle, managing only five touchdowns in those three wins, one of which was a fumble recovery in the end zone.

The defense has had to carry the team during this stretch and the pass rush virtually disappeared in the KU game.

During this three-game span, the Huskers allowed the Bears to rally in the second half of the Baylor game, benefited from five interceptions from OU back-up QB Landry Jones, and were aided by a drive-extending facemask call at a crucial point against the Jayhawks.

It hasn't been pretty. At times it's been down-right gut-wrenching. But the Huskers have found a way to win against their last three opponents and, whether most of you are willing to admit it or not, hardly anyone thought they would beat the Sooners.

A game that most thought would be yet another example of a South Division team trouncing a lesser North Division foe morphed into a titanic defensive struggle that, in future years, might be looked back upon as a defining moment in Pelini's career.

In Nebraska's defense, it's not the Huskers' fault that they played a third-string quarterback, Nick Florence, at Baylor. It's not their fault that Sam Bradford was re-injured against the Longhorns. The Huskers have no control over such things. They've just been playing the best team their opponents can field...and winning. Besides, it's not as if Nebraska hasn't had its fair share of injuries as well.

Now that you've indulged me this long, back up for a minute to that overcast day against Iowa State.

While you were standing there slack-jawed and dumbfounded, either in Memorial Stadium or in front of your television, did you think then, even for a second, that Nebraska would be playing for the North Division title?

The answer is no.

You didn't.

At that point, it was widely accepted that no game on their schedule was a given.

Yet they prevailed.

However, the Huskers' work is not done.

Despite being heavy favorites against the Wildcats, despite the fact that those same Wildcats lost at home against Missouri, media reports all across the great Midwest say that Kansas State relishes playing its underdog, all-or-nothing role this Saturday in Lincoln.

Meanwhile, the Huskers can only wait.

Resolute.

Determined.

And while Coach Pelini stresses that they stay hungry and improve each week, perhaps they're feeling a small measure of pride and good fortune, while still keeping their eyes on the prize.

Fortunate because they were given another opportunity and proud that they've taken advantage of it.

So far.

Read more Big 12 Football news on BleacherReport.com