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Think the NCAA is never wrong?

February 22nd, 2008, 10:10 am by patrickdonohue

For those of you who believe all of the NCAA allegations to be gospel, truth and absolute, consider this story today out of Norman, Oklahoma:

“An NCAA appeals committee partially overturned its ruling in the infractions case involving former Sooners quarterback Rhett Bomar.

The NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee said Oklahoma should not have been found guilty of separate violations for failing to detect football players were working at a Norman, Okla., car dealership and failing to monitor those students’ employment.”

The NCAA had originally vacated the eight wins the Sooners earned in 2005. Those wins have been reinstated.

Posted in: College Football • ESPN • NCAA • Oklahoma | Post a Comment »

Bowl Pick ‘Em - Day 9

December 14th, 2007, 10:48 am by patrickdonohue

Tuesday, Jan. 1 - Allstate Sugar Bowl

Hawaii vs. Georgia

The Warriors travel to the Mainland in their first BCS game in school history to try to prove that they are worth of their BCS berth after going undefeated while playing one of the weakest schedules in all of college football. Unfortunately for Hawaii, they aren’t playing another undeserving team (like Kansas), they have to play Georgia, one of the hottest team’s in the country. Georgia must be sure not to get follow the trend set by other teams that narrowly missed their chance to play for the National Championship, only to get upended in their bowl game (Ask Michigan about that). Defensively, I don’t think Hawaii has what it takes to hang with the Bulldogs as long as they don’t turn the ball over. Knowshon Moreno’s Heisman candidacy in 2008 will begin in New Orleans, expect the redshirt freshman to run for at least 150 as Hawaii has never gone against a line as big or as physical as Georgia’s all year. For Georgia’s offense, the play of true sophomore quarterback Matt Stafford will be the key. Stafford’s a gunslinger and his decision-making has been questionable at times last year and this year and limiting his brain farts will be huge for Georgia’s offense. But the game will truly be won or lost on defense for UGA. Georgia’s corners don’t match up well against Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullen and the unit has failed to force defensive turnovers all year, ranking just 85th in the country in turnovers forced. Willie Martinez’s unit is extremely physical and has been a solid run-stopping team all year, a skill that won’t come in particularly handy against an offense that has run the ball just 261 times all year. Still, I like Georgia’s physicality in this game and given how poorly Hawaii has played on the road this year (narrowly winning at Louisiana Tech, at Nevada and at San Jose State), I’ll take Georgia in what could be the most entertaining of all the BCS bowls.

Wednesday, Jan. 2 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Oklahoma vs. West Virginia

A second consecutive trip to the Fiesta Bowl and I’m guessing that Bob Stoops and the Sooners hope this one ends better than their last visit to Tempe. A year removed from losing one of the greatest bowl games in college football history to Boise State, the Sooners come into this year’s game against West Virginia riding high off a schlacking of Missouri in the Big 12 title game. Facing one of the most explosive offenses in the country, and one of the most underrated receivers in the country in Darius Reynaud, the Sooners will be without All-Big 12 first-teamer Reggie Smith, who broke his big toe in the Big 12 Championship game and will miss the Fiesta Bowl. For West Virginia, the game will be a test to get their offense back on the rails after they were completely dominated by Pittsburgh, scoring a season-low nine points, in their dream-shattering loss at home. The Mountaineers will need Pat White to prove that he has recovered from a dislocated thumb that kept him out of most of the game against Pitt and Steve Slaton will need to show that he can be the game-changing back everyone expected him to be at the beginning of the year, a feat that will prove to be most difficult against all-universe linebacker Curtis Lofton and a stout Oklahoma defense that finished in the nation’s top 20 in total defense that gave up less than 100 yards a game on the ground all year long. The game will rest squarely on the shoulders of Pat White for West Virginia. Oklahoma isn’t likely to give up much on the ground, much to the chagrin of the Mountaineers, who finished the season averaging 292 yards per game on the ground. White will need to exploit an Oklahoma secondary that, even with Smith, finished 68th in the country against the pass. On offense, Oklahoma will have to play mistake-free football when they line up against a West Virginia defense, led by All-Big East defensive tackle, Keilen Dykes, who finished in the nation’s top 10 in passing and rushing defense. I’m going against my instincts on this one and taking Oklahoma. Bob Stoops finds a way to get his guys motivated for the big games and I didn’t like what I saw from West Virginia last week.

Thursday, Jan. 3 - FedEx Orange Bowl

Kansas vs. Virginia Tech

If I am to miss a single BCS snap this year, they will likely all accumulate in this one game. In one corner, you have Virginia Tech, a team with a brilliant defense and a something-less-than-brilliant offense and Kansas, a completely fraudulent BCS team, who has no business playing in this game given that they loss to the other viable opponent they played all season. Virginia Tech will need to get pressure on Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, something they have shown little problem doing this year, finishing in the top ten in the nation in sacks. Offensively, Virginia Tech has been one of the most frustrating teams to watch all year as they putter down the field like an old lay in the grocery store when you’re trying to pick up a few things on the go. But they seemed to have found a way to minimize Sean Glennon’s horrible-ness and mix a two quarterback system with the aforementioned Glennon and freshman Tyrod Taylor splitting snaps. It’s hard to gauge what kind of a chance Kansas has in this one given that they have only played one legitimate opponent all year (and got it handed to them). I’ll take Virginia Tech in a close one. Neither of these teams are particularly great and it could be a game of field possession and turnovers. Too bad The Office isn’t air new episodes.

Posted in: ACC • Big 12 • Big East • Bob Stoops • College Football • Colt Brennan • Georgia Bulldogs • Oklahoma • SEC • Virginia Tech • WAC • West Virginia | Post a Comment »

What to do about the BCS?

December 3rd, 2007, 9:20 am by patrickdonohue

Another year, another BCS mess.

While the Ohio State/LSU match-up seemed inevitable after West Virginia and Missouri lost Saturday, the omission of such teams as USC and Georgia in the national championships — and select members of the media – calling for a complete overhaul of the system. While I think a playoff, particularly this year, would be great television and a ratings monster but it will never ever happen.

That being said, I have to quibble with the inclusion of LSU, “the best team in the country in regulation,” in the title game. Twice this season LSU owned the top spot in college football and twice they gave it up. LSU, without a doubt, benefited from not having to play Georgia, both in the regular season and especially in the SEC Championship. I think in this case, regardless of how many overtimes were played, the timing of any one of a team’s losses should come into consideration. If Georgia can brush off the BCS snub, they will be able to handle Hawaii, who have struggled when playing on the mainland.

BCS defenders will say that if the argument wasn’t about who is number 2, it would be about numbers 4, 8 or 16. But at the end of the day, isn’t that a better argument to have? If you’re sitting at number 9, you have to accept that somewhere in the course of the season you dropped a game that cost you a chance at the playoff. But arguing over the second best team in an America is an entirely different subject altogether. This season, more than 5 teams (Oklahoma, USC, Georgia, LSU, Virginia Tech) had a legitimate argument for that number two spot. Why aren’t the presidents of those conferences screaming for a change in the system? Because there is too much money in the current system to change it. While a playoff would be a great thing for the fans, the current bowl system is a cash cow for the universities and for the conferences and until you can prove to the university presidents and the BCS head honchos that a playoff can make them more money then they are making now, they will continue to tell anyone stupid enough to believe them (Lee Corso) that everything is hunkie dorie.

Posted in: Georgia Bulldogs • LSU • Ohio State Buckeyes • Oklahoma • The BCS • USC • Virginia Tech | Post a Comment »

Live from my couch…

December 1st, 2007, 2:18 pm by patrickdonohue

So far, I am batting two-for-two on my picks today. Central Florida and Central Michigan both won pretty big but my loyalty to Boston College may cost me as Sean Glennon just threw a touchdown pass to put the Hokies on top with about seven minutes left in the game. We will see if Matt Ryan can break Hokie hearts two times in a single season.

Tennessee just scored quickly while sporting what I can only describe as dreamsicle-colored uniforms.

UPDATE - 3:34 Lightning will not strike twice for Boston College as Matt Ryan throws a heartbreaking interception deep in Virginia Tech territory with two minutes left. The Eagles got the ball back with 30 seconds left but Xavier Adibi picked off a batted ball and took it to the house for six. The Bottom Line on Championship Saturday, 2-1.

UPDATE - 6:41 Well I could be wrong but LSU looks like they have survived a pre-game full of rumors that their coach is leaving to win the SEC Championship. I wonder where, in the spectrum of hated athletes at Tennessee, Erik Ainge falls after basically losing the ballgame for the Vols tonight. Twice, Ainge failed to read the defenders before throwing the ball and twice the Tigers defense made him pay. For me, this loss goes back to what I believed early this season about Tennessee – they have absolutely zero big play possibilities on that offense, opting instead to nickel and dime their way down the field and tonight two of those plays really cost them the conference championship. Ainge just has to see Daryl Beckwith underneath on that last interception. That turnover is inexcusable. The Bottom Line on Championship Saturday, 3-1.

UPDATE - 7:45 If you like two teams just blowing each other up, I hope you are watching the Big 12 Championship right now. Missouri and Oklahoma have been trading blows for most of the first quarter and the winner of this game could turn out to be the team with the most starters still conscious. I like the way Oklahoma is playing on defense. Nothing that Missouri has tried on offense so far has been even remotely successful. We could be in for a good one. Oh and for the record, Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is as fast as any player I have seen this year. He is so explosive. If Mizzou wins this game, it will be on the legs of Jeremy Maclin.

UPDATE - 8:16 Oklahoma just came up huge on third and goal from the 2 and forced another Missouri field goal. Mizzou has gotten some questionable pass interference calls on third down on two scoring drive so far and this game really reinforces my belief that I could never be a head coach. When a referee throws a flag for defense pass interference well after the play (as was the case on both of those pass interference calls), I would likely strike said referee with the nearest blunt object. Apparently, this is not acceptable in the coaching profession, something about assault with a deadly weapon makes some athletic departments squeamish.

UPDATE - 8:22 Is it just me or does Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel look like Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after a horrible beekeeping accident?

UPDATE - 9:44 Pitt has West Virginia on the ropes but the officials appear to be keeping West Virginia in the game. Two bad holding calls and a no-call on obvious pass interference call has Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt fuming. Pitt has outplayed West Virginia the game and it would be a shame to see them robbed of the upset because of poor officiating but so far that appears to be the case. Elsewhere, Oklahoma scored a big touchdown to take the lead again against Missouri.

UPDATE - 9:51 All Pitt needs is a first down to pull off an enormous upset after Pat White soars the ball over the head of his receiver on 4th and long. The officials continue to be atrocious after flagging a Pitt corner for unnecessary celebration for doing absolutely nothing. ESPN announcer Mike Patrick accurately said the officials were sucking the joy out of the game. Oklahoma goes up 14 after an interception by Oklahoma linebacker Curtis Lofton lead to a Sam Bradford touchdown pass. Chase Daniel is really beginning to show his frustration. I think the BCS may need to find two new teams for its championship when the night is over.

UPDATE - 9:56 See ya, West Virginia. Pitt has done it and the Mountaineers are out of the national championship after dropping to the Panthers, a 28-point underdog, at home.

UPDATE - 10:45 Adios, Mizzou. What Oklahoma proved tonight was that Missouri was a complete fraud as the number 1 team in the country and that Chase Daniel never belonged in the Heisman conversation with McFadden and Tebow (I would argue that McFadden does not belong in that conversation either). Oklahoma hit him early and often and Daniel folded like a cheap card table. I will give Daniel a pass on the game-changing interception, he did throw behind tight end Martin Rucker but it is hard to blame a quarterback for an interception off a deflected pass. So where does that leave us now? Presumably, Ohio State is in but who is number 2? Is it Georgia? Is it the famous undefeated-in-regulation Tigers of Louisiana State? Is it the recently resurgent Trojans? I have no idea. My hunch is that we will see Georgia in there, given that they are number four in the BCS standings at this moment but with this system, it is anyone’s guess. I will agree with Kirk Herbstreit when he said that its a shame that Mizzou will not get into a BCS bowl and Kansas will given that the Jayhawks never had to play Oklahoma. I hope that Kansas and Hawaii get put in the same bowl so I can completely avoid having to watch both teams altogether. If all of the great games today are proof of anything, it is that nothing — and I mean nothing NFL execs — beats college football.

Posted in: Boston College • Chase Daniel • Darren McFadden • Hawaii • Heisman Trophy • LSU • Les Miles • Missouri Tigers • Oklahoma • SEC • Tennessee Volunteers • The SEC • Tim Tebow • University of Central Florida • Virginia Tech • West Virginia | Post a Comment »

Who Ya Got?

November 30th, 2007, 12:05 pm by patrickdonohue

In honor of this weekend of weekends, where it appears the stars have aligned and I will not be leaving my couch at all Saturday, I’ve decided to pick all of this weekend’s conference championship games.

MAC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP - Miami (OH) at Central Michigan - 12:00

I’ll take the defending MAC Champion Chippewas and QB Dan LeFevour in this one. LeFevour recently won the MAC Offensive Player of the Year award after setting school records for completions, attempts, yards and total offense this season. Still, the game could be interested. Miami of Ohio does possess the conference’s best passing defense, best rushing and scoring defense. The question will be if the Redhawk offense, which ranks 10th in the conference in scoring, can put points on the board. I’ll take CMU.

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP : TULSA AT UCF - 12:00 P.M.

Tulsa has one of the best offenses in the country and UCF has one of the best running backs in America. I’ll take UCF in this one for any number of reasons, not the first of which is that my girlfriend is a Knight. The game is being played in Orlando, at their new Bright House Networks Stadium on campus so for that reason alone, I’ve gotta go with George O’ Leary’s squad. Not to mention that last week, Tulsa gave up over 700 yards of total offense, 541 threw the air. This could be a shoot out and is definitely worth your time. I’ll take the formerly Golden Knights of Central Florida.

ACC Championship - Virginia Tech at Boston College - 1:00 p.m.

I’ve been on the BC bandwagon and I don’t intend to get off despite that they face off against a much better Virginia Tech team than the one the Eagles beat earlier this year in Blacksburg. I think the game will ultimately come down to how well Tyrod Taylor/Sean Glennon is able to lead the Virginia Tech offense against an underrated and fast Boston College defense. If VT is able to move the ball effectively, it could be lights out for BC’s BCS dreams but I don’t anticipate that being the case. I’ll take the Eagles in a close one.

SEC Championship - Tennessee at LSU - 4:00 p.m.

In what could be Les Miles’ last SEC game as the head coach of LSU, I’ll take the Bayou Bengals coming off a heartbreaker last week against Arkansas. Tennessee has been one of the most hideously inconsistent teams in the SEC and I don’t think that the UT offense has what it takes to hang with the hard-hitting, lightning-quick LSU defense. LSU had better get creative on offense and not rely on the Hester up the middle, Keiland Williams to the outside, Matt Flynn on QB Draw that we’ve seen too many times this year. They need to spread the field and keep the ball away from Tennessee freshman cornerback Eric Berry who makes his Atlanta homecoming Saturday. I’ll take LSU by at least 10. The Tigers are just thankful they’re not playing Georgia.

Big 12 Championship - Missouri at Oklahoma - 8:00 p.m.

There’s an awful lot riding on this game for Missouri. For Mizzou QB Chase Daniel, it’s his chance to snatch the Heisman Trophy away from Tim Tebow, who’s been sizing up a place on his mantel for it for weeks. A great performance in a win against Oklahoma and the award for the nation’s best college football player is his. Bigger than that is that Missouri is playing for the national championship Saturday night. Beat Oklahoma and they’re in. I was asked earlier today by our publisher who I liked in this one. I explained that I would have taken Oklahoma had it not been for the announcement earlier this week that Sooner running back DeMarco Murray is done for the year with a dislocated kneecaps. Murray was the team’s most consistent running back and best offensive player, save wideout Malcolm Kelly. The key for Oklahoma will be forcing turnovers and getting on top early. If Mizzou gets in an early hole, maybe 10 or 14 points, I’m not sure they can come back from that against a pretty tough Oklahoma defense. Sam Bradford’s performance is huge for the Sooners. If he gets careless and starts throwing Favre-ian interceptions, it’s over for Oklahoma and we are looking at a Missouri-West Virginia National Championship. I am going to take a flyer on Bob Stoops and the upset-minded Sooners.

Posted in: ACC • Big 12 • Boston College • Chase Daniel • Georgia Bulldogs • Heisman Trophy • LSU • Les Miles • Missouri Tigers • Oklahoma • SEC • Tennessee Volunteers • The BCS • Tim Tebow • University of Central Florida • Virginia Tech | Post a Comment »

So here’s what we know…

November 19th, 2007, 12:36 pm by patrickdonohue

(AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Austin Starr never pays for another meal in Bloomington ever again

I’ll get more to the Old Oaken Bucket game here in a bit but Starr’s game-winning 49-yard field goal with 30 seconds left to beat Purdue will be enough to make him a permanent fixture in the history of this series and in the history of this program for some time to come. To be able to come back onto the field, having missed a 42-yarder that would have put the game out of reach and hit the game winning kick, a career long, is unspeakably clutch.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)

Tim Tebow is this year’s Heisman trophy winner

Say what you want about Florida’s three losses coming off their national championship last year, no player in college football has been as consistently great as Tim Tebow. When Oregon’s Dennis Dixon limped off the field in the first quarter against Arizona last week, Tebow became a virtual lock to strike the pose. Basically all he had to do this week was not suck against Florida Atlantic (a team Florida has no business playing this last in the season). Well Tebow threw for 338 and three touchdowns and ran for another. I don’t know what this kid’s pro career looks like, given his awkward mechanics and playing in an offense that no NFL team runs but his college career is looking pretty bright.

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Alabama fans think they have 32 million reasons why they should never lose to Louisiana-Monroe — at home

Well, I think the shine is officially off the apple down in Tuscaloosa after Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide dropped a home tilt against the mighty 4-6 Warhawks of Louisiana-Monroe. In Saban’s defense, in every preseason interview I saw he tried to temper expectations and warn Tide fans, frothing at the mouth for national recognition again, that this was a rebuilding process and that the team had a long way to go. All of that went out the window when they beat Arkansas (a team that has shown to be one of the SEC’s most disappointing after winning the SEC West last year) in a thriller in Tuscaloosa. I think this is a fitting loss for a man who’s karmic account balance is overdrawn and a program so willing to get back on top that they were willing to hire a snake like Saban.

(AP Photo/LM Otero)

The BCS picture is clear as mud

I can’t say I’m surprised that Oklahoma went down to Lubbock under the lights and fell to Mike Leach’s Texas Tech team. Year in and year out, Tech is one of the most explosive offense teams in America and Bob Stoops’ team just had no answer for Graham Harrell. But where does this leave the race for New Orleans and the BCS Championship? Oklahoma, it stands to reason, is out, Ohio State appears to be back in. Kansas moves to number 2 but has a tough game next week against Missouri, who have national championship hopes of their own. And then there’s LSU who is hoping that Tennessee can hang onto the SEC East so the Tigers can beat their brains out in Atlanta, instead of playing Georgia, America’s hottest team. And what about West Virginia? After losing to South Florida earlier in the year, Rich Rodriguez’s team has been consistently great. Stay tuned.

(AP Photo/Tony Ding)

Lloyd Carr is done in Ann Arbor

It’s been a heck of a run for Lloyd Carr as the head coach of Michigan but let’s face it, even if he would have beat the archrival Buckeyes (which he failed to do again, dropping his record against Jim Tressel to 1-6), Carr was on the way out. Ever since Carr’s Wolverines dropped their home opener to Appalachian State, Michigan fans had moved on. Carr had a great tenure in Ann Arbor and should be remembered, not for losing the greatest upset in college football history, but for being one of the greatest coaches in the history of one of college football’s great programs.

Les Miles better figure out a way to keep his team focused this week

With the Battle for the Golden Boot coming up this week against Arkansas in Baton Rouge, a potential trap game for LSU, it’s a bad week for Les Miles to be mentioned in connection to another head coaching job. It should come as no surprise to anyone that Michigan is giving a good, hard look at Les Miles to fill the coaching vacancy left by Lloyd Carr when he announces his retirement today. The real question will be how Miles deals with it and keeps it off the minds of his players going into a two-week stretch that will determine whether or not the Tigers play for the national championship. Miles has yet to flatly deny that he is interested in the vacancy saying that he is only focused on the job he has now and will not entertain any other offers right now. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Miles in maize and blue, and not purple and gold, by this spring.

Posted in: Alabama Crimson Tide • Big Ten • Florida Gators • Georgia Bulldogs • Heisman • Indiana Hoosiers • Indiana University • LSU • Les Miles • Michigan Wolverines • Nick Saban • Ohio State • Ohio State Buckeyes • Oklahoma • Tennessee Volunteers • Tim Tebow | Post a Comment »

Weekly Top 5 - Quack, Quack, Quack…

November 13th, 2007, 7:40 am by patrickdonohue

1. Oregon - The SEC, for the past five years, has been the best conference in America and certainly the most competitive but this year the Pac-10 is better and no one has more impressive wins, in conference and out, than Oregon.

2. LSU - Any national championship matchup that doesn’t include Les Miles and the Bayou Bengals would be something of a disappointing. Their defense is swarming and stifling but their offense is a little stagnant and boring and it really shouldn’t be given their personnel. This team is far from the unbeatable juggernauts many thought them to be early in the year.

3. Oklahoma - Malcolm Kelly, DeMarco Murray and an up-and-coming quarterback in Sam Bradford is enough of a reason to feel good about Bob Stoops’ Sooners. But you really have to wonder how Oklahoma would compete against an explosive, quickstrike offense like Oregon’s given that they gave up 450 yards of total offense last week… to Baylor. I fully expect the Sooners to completely obliterate the Jayhawks should Kansas make it to the Big 12 Championship game and have a tougher go of things if Chase Daniels and Mizzou makes it to Kansas City in December.

4. Kansas - No quality wins, none, zero. It is really hard for me to include Mark Mangino’s undefeated Jayhawks in the top 5 but given that they are the nation’s only remaining undefeated team, I feel obligated. I don’t believe in this team, not yet. One could argue that the only thing that closely resembles a quality win was their win on the road last week against an unranked Oklahoma State team. I don’t see the Jayhawks getting past Missouri this week in the Border War and should they luck their way into the Big 12 Championship, they have to play Oklahoma, still very much a contender for the national championship. Forget about it, KU fans.

5. Georgia - Some people might think I’m crazy for catapulting the two-loss Bulldogs ahead of so many other one-loss teams but I think Georgia’s for real. A team that was somewhat struggling to find its identity at the beginning of the year, dropping two bad losses to South Carolina and Tennessee, has come together in a big way. Matthew Stafford has developed into a fine quarterback, a little interception prone but fine and Knowshon Moreno is one of college football’s best running backs. If I were LSU, I would much prefer to see Tennessee cruising into Atlanta than Mark Richt and the resurgent Bulldogs defending the Georgia Dome.

Posted in: Big 12 • Bob Stoops • College Football • Georgia Bulldogs • LSU • Les Miles • Oklahoma • Oregon • Oregon Ducks • Pac-10 • SEC | Post a Comment »

Weekly Top 5 - Dotting the i

November 6th, 2007, 8:45 am by patrickdonohue

1. Ohio State - I’m a believer, a hesitant believer but I believe in this Ohio State team. A young offense is counterbalanced by a tough, consistent, solid veteran defense. While it could certainly be argued that coach Jim Tressel could do no wrong in the state of Ohio, he does have to redeem himself and the program after last year’s national championship no-show.

2. Oregon - Beat USC, Arizona State and Michigan and you get to be number 2. The Ducks appear to be all contender as they continue to dominate every opponent standing in their way. It doesn’t hurt that they have the Heisman trophy frontrunner under center and that Johnathan Stewart is having the breakout year that most expected.

3. LSU - Perhaps the luckiest team in college football, the Bayou Bengals survived a trip to Tuscaloosa thanks to John Parker Wilson’s butterfingers, still have a shot at the national championship. Obviously, the road gets a little easier from here for Les Miles’ Squad with Ole Miss and Arkansas remaining and then the SEC Championship game in Atlanta the week after. I don’t think the Tigers, who have now won at least two games they probably should have lost, deserve the nod over Oregon.

4. Kansas - I still think the Jayhawks are pretenders. A laughably weak non-conference schedule, a conference schedule that doesn’t include Oklahoma are all the evidence you need to explain Kansas’ poll position. I see them possibly losing to Oklahoma State this weekend in Stillwater, definitely losing to Missouri in Kansas City the last week of the season and, if they make it there, getting obliterated by Okahoma in the Big 12 Championship. Play somebody and then come talk to me.

5. Oklahoma - You never know what Oklahoma team is going to show up week to week and that’s why I can’t put them above a Kansas team that I think they will inevitably beat. Oklahoma will end up winning the Big 12 but not without some challenges. They have a trip to Lubbock next weekend to face Graham Harrell and that explosive Texas Tech offense before finishing the game with Bedlam game against Oklahoma State in Norman.

Posted in: Big 12 • Big Ten • LSU • Ohio State • Ohio State Buckeyes • Oklahoma • Oregon • Oregon Ducks • Pac-10 | Post a Comment »

Week Two Viewers Guide

September 5th, 2007, 6:16 am by patrickdonohue

As we cruise into week two of college football, we have already learned some valuable lessons that will help dictate our football viewing strategies for the rest of the season. First and foremost, that no game involving Notre Dame is worth watching, even if Jimmy Clausen is starting, as Charlie Weis announced yesterday.

Let me just go on record as saying that Rutgers and Louisville have officially gotten on my nerves. I get it, guys. You schedule your games for Thursday and Friday night to get some national airtime but I am not at all interested in seeing Louisville beat up on the mighty Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State University. Ditto for Rutgers thumping Navy on Friday night. It’s not good football or good television, it’s just annoying. Given how weak the Big East is, you would think one of these schools (lump in West Virginia for kicks) would schedule someone of some import to gain some credibility for those teams, the conference and the Heisman candidacies of the league’s top players. But who wants to play USC, Texas, Oklahoma or LSU when you can line up against Middle Tennessee State, Marshall and Navy? They can play those games but I’m not watching them.

GAME OF THE WEEK: Virginia Tech at LSU - 9:15 ET - ESPN

070901_vtech_hmed_1prp350×350.jpg

What was billed at the beginning of the year as the best non-conference matchup of the season, which it still very well may be, has turned into a game of reluctant excitement for most college football fans after less than spectacular week one performances by both teams.

For LSU, they managed to turn on the afterburners and leave Mississippi State in the dust after an average-to-poor performance in the first half in Starkville. For Virginia Tech, they couldn’t seem to close the door in Blacksburg on Saturday against ECU, beating the Pirates by just 10 points, seven of which came on an interception return for a touchdown toward the end of the first half.

The matchup is intriguing but if you’re LSU, you have to feel better about this game than the Hokies do. Given the monsters that the Tigers have up front, you have to figure Bo Pelini is going to throw a number of blitz packages at Sean Glennon, who looked like a deer in headlights at certain moments against ECU, and force him to make bad decisions, leaving Jonathan Zenon, Chevis Jackson and Craig Steltz to do what they do best: intercept the football.

On offense, new offensive coordinator Gary Crowton will have to prove that this offense has some depth, dimension and creativity after a stagnant performance against Mississippi State Thursday night. Running the ball could be difficult given who the Hokies have playing linebacker and the cornerback/receiver matchups in this one are intriguing.

O.G.I. - OTHER GAMES OF INTEREST

Oregon State at Cincinnati - Thursday - 7:30 ET - ESPN

Oregon State running back Yvenson Bernard may be the nation’s best kept secret at tailback and he will get a chance to show out Thursday night when the Beavers take on the Bearcats in Cincy. Last week, Bernard hung 165 yards and 2 TDs on a pretty good Utah team and will look to do the same on national TV Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Bearcats come into the game from a week where they scored 59 against Southeast Missouri State, including more than 300 yards on the ground. On the other side of the ball, Oregon State held the Utes to 20 yards rushing. I’d expect the Beavers to roll big in those and for Bernard to have a huge game.

Miami at#8 Oklahoma - 12:00 ET - ABC

Two or three years ago, this would have been the game of the week, nay of the season, but with Randy Shannon rebuilding Miami football, the game manages a small blip on the radar on this week. I’m expecting Oklahoma to hang a big number on The U but the game could be worth a watch if you didn’t buy third season of The Office, which came out this week.

#20 Nebraska at Wake Forest - 12:00 ET - ESPN

Hats off to teams like Oklahoma and Miami, Wake and Nebraska for scheduling early season games that are worth checking out. Wake quarterback Riley Skinner is not likely to play in this game after separating his shoulder against BC last week and that could make a difference. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Sam Keller and Nebraska, this game presents a good opportunity to do so and it’s certainly a better game than Oklahoma/Miami.

Oregon at Michigan - 3:30 PM - ABC

This game is interesting for a couple different reasons. The most obvious being that many people, myself included, want to see how Michigan will respond after suffering the greatest upset in the history of the sport last week at home. My guess is that the Michigan faithful will yell and cheer and get rowdy and show that they are still behind their team, that is unless they lose again at home to a team they should be. It will also give people a chance to see Oregon, a team not many people are familiar with. The Oregon offense against the Michigan defense is a matchup worth watching regardless of the game’s backdrop

South Carolina at #13 Georgia - 5:45 ET - ESPN2

Certainly the most intriguing SEC matchup of the week (sorry Vandy/Alabama). The game will serve as a test to see just how much the new and interception-free Matthew Stafford has matured. I expect Georgia, based on how they played last week against Oklahoma State, to win big but it’s a regional and SEC rivalry and anything could happen. One thing that will happen in this content, win or lose, we will find out just how far Matthew Stafford has come.

#22 TCU at #4 Texas - 7:00 PM ET - Fox Sports Net

Only the second game this week between ranked teams, TCU and Texas’ matchup will be watchable… at least until LSU/VT comes on. I’m not really sure what to make of TCU but Texas is ranked that high for a reason and they’re awfully good. TCU defensive end Tommy Blake will need to get in Colt McCoy’s face early and often if the Horned Frogs are to have a chance in Austin.

UNDER THE RADAR GAME OF THE WEEK

South Florida at #18 Auburn - 8:00 ET - ESPN2

The Tigers, fresh off a solid if unconvincing win, over Kansas State play host to South Florida and the Bulls are certainly upset-minded. For most of America, it will be one of their first exposure to USF quarterback Matt Grothe, who has Big East coaches singing his praises. The multi-talented Grothe is as dangerous with his legs as he is with his arm. I’m not sure we’ll see an upset in this one but USF could give Auburn a game that is worth checking out while the VT/LSU game is at commercial.

Posted in: Auburn • Georgia Bulldogs • LSU • Miami • Michigan Wolverines • Nebraska • Oklahoma • Oregon • Oregon State • Pac-10 • South Carolina • Texas Longhorns • Virginia Tech • Wake Forest | Post a Comment »

The Herbies

August 28th, 2007, 7:17 am by patrickdonohue

ESPN talking head Kirk Herbstreit has released his 2007 Herbies and there’s always some interesting stuff on this list, which makes its appearance for 7th year, and very few things that I think anyone can quibble with.

When you do what Herbstreit does, which is traveling from campus to campus for months during college football season, it allows him to gain a perspective that few others have. Every college town in America thinks they have the best greasy spoon, on-campus dive so to argue with Herbstreit on what college town has the best food is really an exercise in futility. It’s a matter of taste but it’s also a matter of experience, which Herbstreit has in spades. Ditto for best band, best Gameday locations, best students sections and prettiest coeds. When you travel around the country for two or three months, you get a pretty good feel for the best of the best in college football and perhaps more importantly, the culture of college football, which is what a show like Gameday is really all about. It’s the ultimate tailgate.

I take a little bit of offense to some of his picks as far as players and coaches are concerned. First there is the best running back, new wave, category where Herbstreit has Ohio State sophomore Beanie Wells listed number 1 in front of Oklahoma’s DeMarco Murray and USC freshman Joe McKnight, who has drawn comparisons across the board to Reggie Bush. Now I don’t often accuse Herbstreit, who is an Ohio State alum and co-hosts a sports talk radio show in Columbus on 1460 AM when not on assignment for the Worldwide Leader, of being a homer as I think he consciously goes out of his way to avoid those accusations. But come on. Yes, Wells looked good against Michigan last year but does he really have the potential to be better, which is what he’s done by ranking him higher than the others, than Noel Devine of West Virginia, Murray, McKnight? Flatly, is he a better running back than those three guys? No. He just isn’t.

Here’s something I just feel the need to say for the record. I’m not a believer in Anthony Morelli, Penn State’s senior quarterback who everyone, including our buddy Herbie, is expecting to have a breakout year in ‘07. Last year, the only year he has put up stats of any import, the kid threw 11 TDs and 8 INTs while completing less than 55 percent of his passes. Those aren’t good numbers. Heck, those aren’t even decent numbers. In games against the Big Ten’s three best teams last year (Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin), Morelli threw a grand total of ZERO touchdowns and four interceptions. All of last season, he never had a game where he threw for more than 300 yards. My guess is that the Penn State staff isn’t as sold on Anthony Morelli as sportswriters in the country appear to be. And looking at his stats, I can’t say that I blame him. If Penn State fails to knock off Ohio State, Wisconsin or Michigan, Morelli will be a big part of the reason why. Count on it.

Since I’m sure you’re dying to know. Herbie picked Florida to win the East, LSU to win the west and the Bayou Bengals to take the conference championship.

Here’s the link.

Posted in: Big Ten • College Football • ESPN • LSU • Ohio State • Oklahoma • SEC • USC | Post a Comment »