NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com NCAA Football FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Don't Cry for Boise State in Weak WAChttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/dont-cry-for-boise-state-in-weak-wac/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/dont-cry-for-boise-state-in-weak-wac/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/dont-cry-for-boise-state-in-weak-wac/#commentsFiled under:

LOGAN, Utah -- It's not easy to feel sorry for the winningest football program of the millennium, but let's try.

Boise State beat Utah State, 52-21, Friday night to improve to 11-0. For the second straight year it will probably finish the regular season unbeaten.

Who knows? If the Broncos have five or six more perfect seasons, the BCS might invite the Broncos to its title game. Not to play, but perhaps they'll be allowed to valet Alabama's bus or hand out towels in the men's room.

With that vision in mind, I came here to feel sorry for the eternally shafted Broncos. The more I saw, the less sympathy I felt.

It's a conference thing. Boise State made its WAC, now it has to lie in it.

The Western Athletic Conference is the Olive Garden of conferences. Decent enough food, but all-you-can-eat salad is not the stuff your finer Italian restaurants are known for.

"We ate at Olive Garden," said Justin Rino, a Broncos fan from Heber, Utah.

He was making the point that Boise State fans travel and spend money, which bowls value more than wins and losses. Orange-clad Broncos fans certainly took over Logan on the biggest night in modern Utah State football history.

ESPN2 was in town, and the Aggies hadn't been on TV since Chris Berman weighed 180 pounds. It was 1977 as best as anyone around here could remember.

Utah State was inspired enough keep it interesting for a half. Then it turned into the predictable Bronco mash behind Doug Martin's four touchdown runs.

"They are very good and they did exactly what they have done in every game all year long," Utah State coach Gary Andersen said.

It's more like all the time in the WAC, where Boise State is now 54-4. Thanks to that menu, the Broncos have won 109 games since 2000.

That's more than Texas, USC, Florida and the Kansas City Royals. The Broncos have the best winning percentage of any team this decade, and they have arguably the most exciting win in BCS bowl history.

The 43-42 win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl was a game everybody not named Stoops had to love. Liking Boise State became a fashion statement. Now the Broncos have been pushed behind Cincinnati and TCU in your store's Cinderella section.

Both trailed the Broncos in the first BCS poll. Both jumped ahead in the second poll, and all Boise State did was beat Hawaii 54-9.

Forget playing Texas or Florida or Alabama in the BCS title game. Forget if Boise State finishes 13-0 and wins its final two games by 500 points. If Cincy and TCU keep winning, the Broncos might not even get a BCS bowl bid.

That's why I wanted to feel sorry for Boise State. I just couldn't.

"We beat Oklahoma," Rino said.

I'd asked him to make the case that the Broncos could beat the Longhorns or Gators. As epic as that '07 Fiesta Bowl was, one game does not make you a BCS behemoth. Neither do two games.

This year's team opened with a win over Oregon. From there it's been a low-fat diet of Fresno States, Bowling Greens and Idahos.

That's not all Boise State's fault. The Broncos would like to play more BCS-conference foes but not a lot of big-time powers want to schedule Boise State.

Why should they? The Broncos are good enough to ruin an otherwise glorious season. Just ask Oregon. But are they good enough to turn the Pac-10 or SEC into their own personal WAC?

If you believe they are, I have a tropical island in Northern Utah I'd like to sell you.

The 3-8 Aggies gained 363 yards, which was about 350 more than Florida would have allowed. Maybe the Broncos were looking ahead to Nevada or the crowd of 18,000 was intimidating. Or maybe their loyal fans should accept the Broncos aren't quite ready to conquer the BCS world.

"I don't worry about the Pac-10 or the Big 10 or the top 10," said Raul Morin, who drove down from Caldwell, Idaho for the game. "We just take them one game at a time."

The problem is they take them in places like Logan, Ruston and Fresno. The WAC recently hired a public relations firm to spin that Boise State should be ranked ahead of Cincinnati and TCU. It could feed those press releases into every BCS computer, throw in $10,000 bribes and it still wouldn't matter.

Boise State's only viable escape is to join the Mountain West, and there are plenty of rumors that'll happen. Something needs to change because the Broncos' underdog novelty is wearing off.

I'd like to feel sorry for a team that can't win for winning. But when you're feasting on the WAC, all you deserve is crumbs.

Don't Cry for Boise State in Weak WAC originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>David WhitleySat, 21 Nov 2009 09:23:00 EST Daily Domer: Rubber-Necking the Irishhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/daily-domer-rubber-necking-the-irish/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/daily-domer-rubber-necking-the-irish/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/daily-domer-rubber-necking-the-irish/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Charlie WeisFanHouse writer John Walters is living in South Bend, Ind., during one of the most pivotal seasons in Notre Dame history. Check back daily for his dispatches on the Irish.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The numbers are fluid, but if you search stories on the web for the past two weeks you will find that no head coach, with the exception of Florida's Urban Meyer, is written about more than Charlie Weis. And if you were to eliminate the stories that pertain to Meyer possibly leaving the Brigadoon that is Gainesville for the "Deadliest Catch" climes of South Bend, then Weis may be number one.

Nick Saban. Mack Brown. Brian Kelly. The Patterson/Petersen duo, Gary and Chris. None of them have had even half the stories being written about them that Weis does even though all five of them have guided their teams to undefeated seasons thus far. Weis' team, as you know, is but 6-4.

Of course, Weis is a hot topic because he is on a very hot seat. But so is Mark Mangino. Dan Hawkins. Al Groh. Steve Kragthorpe. None but Mangino even merit a mention on "SportsCenter" and the Kansas coach is only drawing attention because his players, mired in a five-game losing streak, have suddenly realized that he is allegedly abusive.


Hey, I have to be here (notice the name of this column). But you don't. Nor does ESPN radio, which led off its 4 p.m. broadcast on Wednesday with a debate on whether "Notre Dame is the best coaching job in the country" (I imagine if you asked Weis his opinion this week, you'd be met with a sarcastic scowl).

Granted, when the nation's most loved and hated program is in disarray, everyone slows down to gawk at the carnage. If it were just about an overweight coach with one foot in the grave, Mangino would be getting equal time on ESPN. But he isn't.

Notre Dame has been an average football program, in terms of its won-loss record, this entire decade (70-49 since 2000). In fact, the 2000s' mark the first decade that the Irish have failed to finish in the top five of at least one final A.P. poll. And maybe if the Irish throw together a couple more decades in a row like the present one, the program will indeed have only a vestigial link to college football supremacy.

But in 2009, people still care. Some care because they love Notre Dame and not an insignificant number of people care because they despise the school. "It's like the Yankees," says senior defensive end John Ryan.

Except that the Yankees are World Series champions.

Will the Irish ever win another national championship?

Who knows? What I do know is that people have been posing that question as far back as when Knute Rockne perished in a plane crash in 1931.

Vintage Parris
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Senior wide receiver Robby Parris met the media on Tuesday night wearing a pair of shoulder pads underneath his standard-issue green ND polo shirt. Just because. That's Robby Parris.

Calling Aldridge

Running back James Aldridge, also a senior, is listed as a starter at fullback this week. Aldridge has not started a game this season. His last carry came five games ago versus USC, on a fourth-and-1 call in the third quarter that went for no gain.

Odd Line

Notre Dame is a six-point favorite on Saturday versus a Connecticut team that has lost all five of its games by four points or less. Also, the Huskies are coming off a bye week. Additionally, all five schools that beat the Huskies are either ranked or received votes in this week's AP poll: Cincinnati is No. 5, Pittsburgh is No. 8, Rutgers is No. 25, North Carolina received the most votes (144) of any unranked team, and West Virginia received eight votes. Either Vegas truly believes that the Irish will come out fired up for the seniors' final home game, or they're counting on you to believe that.

Golden Rules

A lot of people know that Stanford went for two against USC last week leading 48-21 midway through the fourth quarter, and most people also know that the Trojans stopped the play. If you have not seen the play (I was unable to find it on YouTube), it is worth noting that Toby Gerhart (called "pure muscle" by his girlfriend, a Stanford swimmer) took a handoff and was met head-on at the goal line by USC's Taylor Mays, who knocked him backward.

Gerhart is a Heisman candidate and a deserving one. But it bears noting that perhaps the only offensive player who knocked heads at full speed with the 6-3, 230-pound Mays and got the better of it was Golden Tate.
Just another piece of the legend.

Gerhart and Tate, by the way, have as good a balance as any two players you'll see in college football. The sideline "tackles" Tate as often as a defensive back actually does.

Daily Domer: Rubber-Necking the Irish originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Charlie WeisCharlieWeisJohn WaltersThu, 19 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Starting 11: Archie Manning, Sire MVPhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/starting-11-archie-manning-sire-mvp/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/starting-11-archie-manning-sire-mvp/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/starting-11-archie-manning-sire-mvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Archie ManningMidway through the Ole Miss-Tennessee game on Saturday, a highlight package of Archie Manning's playing days at Ole Miss came on the jumbotron. Ole Miss fans, up to that point cheering their biggest win of the season, went quiet. The man behind me muttered softy to himself, "Them were the days."

As Archie ran around on the field making play after play, it occurred to me, not for the first time, how amazing it is that he sired not one, but two, Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. By the time the cameras found his youngest son, Eli, in a suite, I was still attempting to contemplate how amazing the fact was. By Sunday, after Peyton Manning led his Colts to 21 points in the final 12 minutes of a victory over the Patriots, there could be no doubt: Archie Manning's sperm is one of the greatest national treasures in our country.

Right up there with Abraham Lincoln, the flag outside Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to jot down "The Star Spangled Banner" and Dorothy's ruby red slippers. That's why I'm making a humble suggestion to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, Archie's sperm should be an exhibit. (Lets see you do that, exhibit on late 19th century wheat threshers.) Otherwise, the museum is worth nothing.

On to the Starting 11.

1. Is TCU's Gary Patterson the next Urban Meyer?

Granted, the comparison doesn't fit squarely since Patterson has been at TCU for eight years and Meyer was only at Bowling Green for two years and then Utah for two years before he arrived at Florida. But if you look at their last four seasons as a head coach, Patterson is presently 40-9 while Meyer went 39-8.

My point, someone is stealing Patterson away at the end of the season, the only question is who?

And here's where it gets interesting, I played coaching dominoes on the phone driving back from Oxford. I had each of the people I talked with assume that Charlie Weis is gone. Then I assumed that either Brian Kelly or Urban Meyer would take over at Notre Dame.

Kelly leaving Cincinnati really doesn't cause the entire coaching universe to scramble since it isn't an amazingly desirable job, but what would Florida do if Meyer left?

I formulated a couple of working hypotheses, A.) Given the Ron Zook failure, there is no way Florida takes someone who isn't already a head coach and B.) What head coaches are the most attractive out there regardless of conference affiliation?

Isn't the answer Gary Patterson? And if Meyer left, wouldn't there be a really good shot that Jeremy Foley would head back to the Mountain West conference and poach another rising coaching star?

I think so.

Anyway, coaching dominoes is great fun. I highly recommend it when you're on long drives by yourself.


2. Do you also feel cheated as a college football fan that teams like Stanford, Cincinnati -- even though I dogged them above -- Boise State and Georgia Tech don't get to throw their hats in the ring and compete for a championship at the end of the season.

First, how hot is Stanford on offense?

Jim Harbaugh going for two against Pete Carroll when he already had 48 points was one of the best things I've seen this season.

Can you imagine how sweet that was for Stanford fans? To kick the dirt in USC's face for a change.

So I miss seeing Stanford in a playoff, assuming they find a way to win the Pac-10, but I really miss Georgia Tech.

Can you imagine a team trying to gameplan against Tech in an eight or 16-team tournament. When you don't even know you are going to play them until less than a week before? How do you get ready for them without any previous preparation?

Also, how many points would it take to win, say, if Cincinnati and Georgia Tech played? Seriously, is there a more exciting game out there? Maybe Boise State against Stanford.

I'm drooling now.
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3. Would Cincinnati's defense hold up against Florida, Texas or Alabama?

They gave up 202 yards rushing to West Virginia. Granted that was on 46 carries, but still, the defense has shown some ominous cracks that don't befit a national title contender. At least not when you compare their defense with Texas, Alabama, Florida, or TCU.

Put it this way, does anyone think that Cincinnati would be less than a double-digit underdog on any neutral site game against Texas, Alabama or Florida?

Would Cincinnati even be favored in a neutral game against LSU or Ole Miss? (The oddsmakers love Ole Miss. Perhaps they've been bribed with excess BenJarvus Green-Ellis jerseys).

I don't think so.

And if we don't think that, and the market wouldn't think that in Las Vegas, isn't it ridiculous when we don't even allow the market to dictate the best match-up between the two best teams? Instead we rely on polls and a computer.

In other words, we're not even using the best market to determine the match-up, we're allowing a flawed and limited perception of teams to govern our selection.

4. Did anyone else see the kid celebrating Mississippi State's apparent kick return touchdown that came back?


I'm not sure why this clip is so addictive to me, but I watched it four times on DVR replay, and then voluntarily leapt up from my seat when my editor found it again on Youtube.

There's something about the curious arm pumping with the pom pom, the slightly askew cap, the chubby cheeks, and the head movement that all lends itself to greatness.

Of course, now I feel like there's a 90 percent chance that kid is going to grow up and start a blog called claytravissucks.com.


5. Michigan is still awful in year two.

Assuming he survives, which is a big assumption, is Rich Rodriguez going to fire defensive coordinator Greg Robinson? You'll recall that last offseason Robinson replaced Scott Shafer, who was hired by Syracuse. Last year Shafer's Michigan defense finished ranked 67th in the country.

Now Robinson has, wait for it, the 89th-ranked defense in the country.

Last year, Shafer's Michigan defense allowed 347 points, the most in school history. This year the Michigan defense has given up 309 points through 11 games. With Ohio State coming to town and Michigan's defensive woes against Big Ten schools, don't be surprised to see that record fall for the second year in a row.

Meanwhile in the ultimate irony, Shafer's Syracuse defense has been better than Michigan's.

Leaving us with this question, can we just acknowledge that nothing is going right at Michigan?

6. Kellen Moore rewarded my faith in his Heisman campaign.

Kellen WinslowMoore passed for five touchdowns and 299 yards. Through 10 games he leads the nation in passing efficiency, has the second lowest interception percentage of the nation's top 100 most efficient quarterbacks, and now has 32 touchdowns against just three interceptions.

When are people going to take notice of this performance in a year when the other top candidates keep dropping like flies.

You know what doesn't help?

The fact that Boise State's Heisman campaign is not ready for primetime. I e-mailed the powers-that-be at Boise State and asked him to send along whatever facts and figures they'd put together to buttress Moore's Heisman case and make sure I had those facts lined up in my endorsement.

Boise State didn't respond to me.

Seriously, what are they doing out there?

7. Let's talk some more about Archie's sperm.

How many men have successfully become fathers in America between the years 1969 and 1988 -- the age range of current starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Conservatively, 40 million. (Currently 4.3 million children are born every year).

How many quarterbacks have started a game in the NFL during this generation?

Maybe 500?

How many quarterbacks born during this generation have won a Super Bowl?

11!

And Archie Manning has fathered two of them!

Seriously, just think about the odds on this.

I'm going to do a full column on this at some point, but it's unfathomable that the same man has sired two of the greatest quarterbacks in football history.

We're talking about the toughest position in all of sports.

I want to actually run the odds on this happening. Put it this way, each of these kids, including me, had a .00000003 chance of winning a Super Bowl.

And Archie pulled it off twice.

What football fan out there woudln't want their smiling son or daughter posing alongside Archie's sperm?

8. If Boise State doesn't get a BCS bid and either Iowa, Penn State or Wisconsin does, which seems likely, aside from dooming the Big Ten schools to another lackluster season by requiring them all to play up in their bowl games, what does this signify?

That the BCS doesn't even play fair when they aren't excluding half of the teams from competing for a championship.

I've linked this before, but read the BCS selection procedures again just to demonstrate how lawyered up this thing is.

I've read easier legislative histories.

Honest question, after reviewing this, what percentage of college football fans could accurately apply the rules and get all five game match-ups set in an adequate manner according to the rules if you gave them the final BCS standings and an hour to complete the assignment.

Maybe 10 percent.

This would be a great test.

9. How many Georgia fans cringed when Todd Blackledge said it was up to Willie Martinez's defense to win the game for Georgia?

But, credit to Martinez, his team won, stopping a driving Auburn team to win the game.

In the process, every SEC fan should breathe a sigh of relief. Because as long as Martinez is at Georgia, their defense is going to be average at best.

I'm rooting for Martinez to survive the season, but I'm convinced that the epic beating that Georgia Tech is going to lay on Georgia in the final game of the season is going to seal his fate.

That is, assuming Georgia can beat Kentucky this weekend.

10. Unless it's an NFL contract, all bets are off when it comes to coaching openings.

One of the things that drives me the craziest is when a coach signs an extension and people trumpet that as clear evidence that he's not going anywhere else. Granted I'm playing coaching dominoes in my spare time, but the only contracts worth anything in football are NFL contracts.

Everything else, college head coaching, analyst contracts, assistant coaches, you name it and those contracts can be broken at will. Now there might be a buyout, but I'm sick of people trotting out the contract argument as if it's the gold standard of unbeatable arguments. If you're playing coaching dominoes and anyone mentions a recently signed contract extension, cite my expert legal opinion and tell them to find a new rationale.



11. And, last of all, I need to vent some more about Hotty Toddy Man at Ole Miss. He's giving me nightmares.

There has to be a Youtube of this clip somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Can someone help me out?

I want to share this travesty of football excess with the rest of the country.

I will not rest until Hotty Toddy Man is put out to pasture and whoever approved that video being filmed publicly apologizes to all of us.

All of the e-mails that I've gotten since writing about Hotty Toddy Man have agreed with my position. That's Ole Miss fans, Tennessee fans, and other fans who have been unfortunate enough to see him. That leaves me wondering this, who is the part of the fan base that is in favor of him?

The video puts me in mind of one of my wife's best descriptions of a Southern man who was overly friendly. "He's either really religious or gay, I get confused sometimes about that down here."

Starting 11: Archie Manning, Sire MVP originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Clay TravisTue, 17 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST Memo to BCS Bashers: Stop Whininghttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/memo-to-bcs-bashers-stop-whining/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/memo-to-bcs-bashers-stop-whining/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/memo-to-bcs-bashers-stop-whining/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Jordan Shipley, Jeffrey Demps, Julio Jones
It's that silly time of year again. There are so many significant teams among the big boys of college football, but there are just two slots on Jan. 7 in Pasadena, Calif., for that title game of the Bowl Championship Series. So the voice of the older Jim Mora is screaming in my subconscious.

Playoffs, playoffs?

We don't need playoffs in this situation.

We need everybody to take a deep breath, count slowly to 10 and stop their knee-jerk talk of a playoff system. The decade-old way of deciding a national champion through the BCS rankings is mostly just fine.

Take this week, for instance. Where's the problem? There isn't one, because the combination of the human polls and the cold computers has it right. The defensive monsters from Florida and Alabama clearly are No. 1 and No. 2, followed by a Texas bunch with a defense that also clobbers people.

That trio is from power conferences, and with apologies to the prolific whiners from the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences, teams from power conferences deserve a nudge over the rest.

Anyway, Florida and Alabama will meet in the SEC championship game, which means one of them will drop in the rankings behind Texas .

That is, if Texas wins the Big 12 championship game. If Texas doesn't, then one of those other undefeated teams (Texas Christian, Cincinnati and Boise State) will slide into the title picture. Or it could open the way for a one-loss team such as Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh or even the loser of the SEC championship game.


Whatever happens, the system is there. The system is working. The system is controversial, but the system provides less drama than what would occur with a playoff system, which will never happen anyway.

There are just too many questions involved with a playoff system, but its supporters either ignore those questions or shrug them away.

For instance: How many teams will be in this playoff system? The answer is, nobody knows. Many want a "plus one" thing, where two of the four BCS games (Rose, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta) would host semifinal games, and then the winners would play in another BCS game. Others want 16 teams in a playoff. Some want 32.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach wants 64.

As for those other questions, pull up a chair and rest a while. If you can provide more than a surface answer to three or more of the following, then you should immediately leave Planet Earth to design the next solar system.

Where would these playoff games take place, and would they be at the same locations every year, and who would decide the locations?

What entity would choose the playoff teams, and how will such a system be less subjective than what we have now?

With colleges everywhere crying broke, where would they find the extra cash they would need for travel, lodging, food, equipment, utilities -- along with all of those other expenses that nobody wants to discuss that would surface?

Where are those colleges going to find the extra cash to pay for those bonuses that their already heavily compensated coaches would surely command for reaching and winning playoff games?

Oh, and with all that extra cash going to football programs for these playoffs, and with all that revenue created through television rights and jacked-up ticket prices, how would schools satisfy their Title IX obligations since women sports surely would seek a mighty part of the pie?

What would this do to the bowl system, especially since (1) the overwhelming number of the 34 bowls won't have a shot at hosting a playoff game and (2) advertisers (as in TV) won't be as interested in those other bowls?

How many fans could afford to travel with their team across the country at the spur of the moment, which would be the case more often than not?

How many fans could keep traveling if their team keeps winning?

How many folks would the NCAA need to hire to investigate all of the cheating scandals that would surface involving those pressured to do shady things to reach the playoffs to keep from getting whacked?

What kind of toll would all of these extra practices and meetings (see, it's not just one little, old playoff game that its supporters keep suggesting) take on your average student-athlete physically, mentally and academically?

Why not just leave the BCS alone?

Why not, indeed? After all, this eternal grumbling over who really is No. 1 has been so detrimental to college football at its highest level that, entering this season, attendance rose every season for the previous 14 years.

Consider, too, that along the facade of the club level at Folsom Stadium, where the Colorado Buffaloes play their home games, you'll find these words: 1990 National Champions. That's funny, because around Georgia Tech, spanning from Bobby Dodd Stadium to a billboard that is visible for those traveling through Atlanta down I-75, you see claims that the Yellow Jackets won it all that season. And they did. Georgia Tech was named the United Press International champion, and Colorado was declared the nation's best by the Associated Press.

Since nobody can prove otherwise, you have two different fan bases in college football who can claim for eternity that their team was the king of 1990.

There also is that endless griping around Auburn over its undefeated 2004 team that won the SEC but didn't make the BCS championship game. Never mind that Auburn disqualified itself from serious consideration by playing the likes of Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel and Louisiana Tech.

Auburn fans still think their Tigers would have won it all that season over Oklahoma or USC. They still think they were robbed.

The same goes for Penn State fans who remember 1969, when a giddy Richard Nixon attended Texas' victory over Arkansas during the regular season and crowned the Longhorns national champions in their locker room. Texas later won its bowl game to finish undefeated, but so did Penn State. It's just that Penn State wasn't anointed by the president.

The point is, a playoff system would have exposed those Auburn, Penn State and other such teams as frauds, but now we'll never know.

Which is a good thing. Which is why everybody has another reason to keep breathing deeply regarding the BCS.

Terence Moore is a national columnist and commentator for FanHouse. He is a frequent panelist on "Rome Is Burning," an ESPN show hosted by Jim Rome, that is seen Monday through Friday at 4:30 PM ET. Moore spent more than three decades working for major newspapers, including 26 years as an award-winning sports columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He resides in Atlanta.

Memo to BCS Bashers: Stop Whining originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Terence MooreMon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST At Boise, Kellen Is Moore of a Heisman Candidate Than Tebow, McCoyhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/at-boise-kellen-is-moore-of-a-heisman-candidate-than-tebow-mcc/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/at-boise-kellen-is-moore-of-a-heisman-candidate-than-tebow-mcc/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/at-boise-kellen-is-moore-of-a-heisman-candidate-than-tebow-mcc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kellen MooreI've heard your Tebow talk and your McCoy blather, I've even read your outlandish suggestions that Alabama running back Mark Ingram should win the award. Please, Ingram isn't even as good as Temple's Bernard Pierce and Stanford's Toby Gerhart statistically, and I haven't heard a single one of you mention him. Already, we've made Case's case, and I don't agree with that either.

There is still one player is lurking out there without much national recognition despite the fact that he has the best profile of any Heisman contender.

Why is he being ignored? Because he plays for Boise State and because, you might have noticed, Boise State is off the national radar despite being undefeated. That means most of us have missed what Kellen Moore has managed so far this fall. Thus far,Moore has completed over 67 percent of his passes with many more touchdowns than interceptions. Along the way he's led his team to a 9-0 record, kicked a huge dent in the BCS superiority, and burnished his Heisman credentials. Don't believe me, please step inside for a discussion.
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Can you pick out Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow's statistics from the list of quarterbacks below?

A. 1,948 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, one rushing touchdown

B. 1,531 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, four interceptions, nine rushing touchdowns

C. 2,259 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, three interceptions, one rushing touchdown

D. 2,447 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, nine interceptions, one rushing touchdown

E. 2,189 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, five interceptions, 13 rushing touchdowns

Go ahead and take your guess.

Ready for the revelation?

A.. Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee'

B. Tebow, Florida

C. Moore, Boise State

D. Colt McCoy, Texas

E. Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan

As if that weren't enough, tossing the two leading contenders into a bunch and showing how pedestrian their stats truly are in relation to other quarterbacks having good seasons, Tebow and McCoy are both having worse statistical seasons than they had last year. You know, last year, when neither man won the Heisman Trophy. Don't get me wrong, last year I thought Tebow deserved the Heisman, I would have voted for him. But this year, I think he's been average at best, a mortal man.
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Put it this way, if Tim Tebow was a first-year starting quarterback and no one had ever heard of him before, would he be a legitimate Heisman contender this year?

The answer is no, right?

What about McCoy?

It's possible he's going to have his worst statistics in four years as a starter at Texas. And if it's not his worst year, then at least it's his second-worst year. Definitely two other seasons, and potentially three other years, he's had better results on the field and the Heisman hasn't been his. Why does he deserve it in the midst of the worst year of his career? And it's not as though he's barely missing last year's numbers with a downgraded receivers corp, the disparity from last year is immense. Were he not a solid candidate last year, McCoy would hardly be a frontrunner this year.

Especially when Kellen Moore is currently, wait for it, the nation's passing efficiency leader. Tebow ranks eighth in the country while McCoy is 13th. That's the second most important stat for quarterbacks. What's the most important?

Wins and losses.

Where, guess what, Moore, Tebow, and McCoy are all tied in wins thanks to leading their teams to an undefeated season.

In fact, what if you replaced Tebow and McCoy from their respective squads. Do you really think there would be much of a drop-off? Would Florida have lost a game starting Brantley this season?

Maybe.

Would Florida have lost several games?

No.

Both of these teams would still be top-ten caliber.

Where would Boise be without Moore? I don't think they'd be in the top ten.

And I don't want to hear that Tebow and McCoy both have intangible leadership qualities that make them deserve to win.

Big deal.

You don't think Kellen Moore has intangible leadership qualities as well?

Ultimately, if we seriously consider Tebow and McCoy for the Heisman, aren't we tacitly rewarding them for simply being the favorites coming into the season? In fact, aren't we doing exactly what many fans decry that the polls do, rewarding teams based more on where they begin than what they accomplish?

Why yes, I think that's exactly what we're doing. Because if you consider the players based entirely on the merits of their play this season, you can only come to one actual conclusion, Kellen Moore should win the Heisman Trophy.

At Boise, Kellen Is Moore of a Heisman Candidate Than Tebow, McCoy originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Clay TravisFri, 13 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST Idaho Coach Speaks the Truthhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/idaho-coach-speaks-the-truth/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/idaho-coach-speaks-the-truth/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/idaho-coach-speaks-the-truth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There aren't a lot of more intriguing stories this season than Idaho. After years of being in the abyss of college football, known more for seasons of double-digit losses than anything positive, the once-proud FCS program that has struggled virtually since the start of its time in the Football Bowl Subdivision is bowl-eligible.

This weekend, the Vandals travel to play in-state rival Boise State, an opponent Idaho hasn't beaten since 1998. No one would argue that the Vandals have any pressure, as Boise State needs to win out in order to have a shot at a BCS bowl. Idaho coach Robb Akey is fully aware, and he talked about it Monday.

As reported by ESPN.com's Graham Watson on Twitter, Akey made it clear that he hopes his team can be the "bad guy" this weekend, costing his conference (and school) a big bag of money.
"I want to be the least popular individual with all the WAC administrators ... If we take care of business, there will be no BCS bowl for the Boise State and no BCS money coming to the conference."
You have to love Akey's candor. His team has been a blowout victim over and over again in the last decade. The only time they were even remotely competitive was when former coach Dennis Erickson returned for a one-year stint after he got fired from another NFL job. He left, and things went quickly south as Akey tried to get the program on stronger footing.
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Just 3-21 over his first two years, Akey has guided Idaho to a 7-3 start, including 4-1 at the Kibbie Dome, an old indoor facility in Moscow where the Vandals hadn't won more than twice in a single season since 2000.

With that as a background, Akey sees a chance to help gain visibility for his program this weekend. Boise State isn't just another game on Idaho's schedule. They're an in-state opponent, the only one the Vandals play on a regular basis (Idaho State is a Football Championship Subdivision program that sporadically shows up). More than that, Boise State is the benchmark by which the rest of the WAC is measured right now.

If Idaho can find a way to even keep it close on the smurf turf Saturday afternoon, Akey will have really accomplished something. And if his comments about ruining Boise State's BCS chances help fire his team up towards that goal, it was well worth saying on Akey's part.

When you are talking about coaches' dealings with the media, it's rarely a good idea to get on a guy for telling the truth. That's all Robb Akey has done here.

Idaho Coach Speaks the Truth originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>robb akeyBruce CiskieMon, 09 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST Starting 11: Every Game Counts, Except Some Count More Than Othershttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/starting-11-every-game-counts-except-some-count-more-than-othe/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/starting-11-every-game-counts-except-some-count-more-than-othe/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/starting-11-every-game-counts-except-some-count-more-than-othe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

One of the most frustrating cliches trotted out by college football's BCS defenders is this banal line: Every game counts. I hate this three-word cliche with the fury of a thousand blazing suns. I hate the smugness with which it's delivered, I hate the fact that no one points out the obvious -- name a sport where the games don't actually count-- but I hate the fact that it isn't even true the most.

In fact, this phrase is positively Orwellian because it leaves off the final part of the sentence. Every game counts ... except some games count more than others. How else to explain the fact that everyone can brush off Boise State's win over Oregon because it happened the first game of the season?

I understand we're dealing with a broken system, but right now Boise State is continuing to plummet as they win. I wrote about the glass ceiling that Boise had reached a couple of weeks ago, but has it really reached the point where we just ignore the first week of the season?

And if we do ignore the first week of the season, what's the point of having a broken system to determine who the champion is? Because pretty soon, if they keep winning, Oregon is going to pass undefeated Boise in the BCS rankings. Already Iowa, Cincinnati, one-loss USC, and TCU have all passed Boise since the first BCS standings were released three weeks ago. What's Boise done since that first week's release when they stood at No. 4 in the country?

Beaten two teams by a combined score of 99-16.

I'm not arguing that individual results should always govern the rankings between two teams. But I am arguing this, if the regular season means anything at all, you have to rank an undefeated team above any team that they've beaten.

Absolutely, positively, have to do that.

On to the Starting 11.

1. The fact that Tennessee was going to wear black jerseys on Halloween was one of the worst kept secrets in the history of the Internets.

Eric BerryFor months, fans, media, and everyone else who cares about what color jerseys a team wears (count myself outside of this group) have gone crazy with speculation. Tennessee's athletic director, head coach, and everyone else associated with the program shot down the possibility that the Vols would wear black for months.

Then they did.

Raising this question, is it really worth lying about the color of a jersey? Why not just say: "We don't comment on jersey colors," months ago and leave it at that?

I know that UT claims the decision wasn't made until the week of the game, and while that might be true in a legal sense, it had been under contemplation for months judging by all the smoke surrounding the issue. I truly don't care what jerseys my team wears, but was the "surprise" really worth it?

I don't think so.

2. By the way, if Oregon hadn't played Boise State in the first game of the season, where are they ranked right now?

Probably fourth, right?

One of the really sad things about the current system is that Boise can't get teams to play them home-and-home for this exact reason, play a patsy at your place and you get a guaranteed win and don't deal with any long-term injury to your reputation. Play a tough team on the road and you sabotage your season if you lose.

Boise gets ripped because they haven't scheduled well enough. Well, isn't a tremendous part of that because they need to play enough home games to make some revenue for their school and because most teams are afraid to play them in Boise?

They're already playing six road games this season. That leaves them with just six home games. Most other major college teams in America are playing 7 homes games, often 8.

This is the system we've created, good teams from major conferences won't play other good teams because they don't need to and then when they won't play a smaller school we criticize the team they won't play for not having a tough enough schedule.

Awesome.

Doesn't anyone see that logical flaw?

3. Isn't it time we penalize college football players for malicious intent rather than malicious success?

Brandon Spikes tried to eye gouge Georgia's Washaun Ealey on Saturday. Urban Meyer, who doles out good ole boy justice with the best of them despite not actually being Southern, suspended Spikes for a half.

Against Vanderbilt.

Florida could probably start me at middle linebacker for a half and still beat Vanderbilt.

That's not even a joke, I really think they could.

But one of the most interesting things about this entire situation is that we're suspending Spikes because he was unsuccessful at what he attempted to do. In other words, Spikes's own incompetence as an eye-gouger actually saved him from a more severe penalty. Shouldn't we penalize a player based on intent rather than the actual result? Especially in sports since part of the reason for the punishment is to dissuade others who see the punishment.
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4. Case Keenum, who may win the Heisman by default, threw for 559 yards against Southern Miss on Saturday.

On 54 pass attempts. He wasn't sacked.

Not once.

What's more, Keenum has attempted 398 passes so far this season and has only been sacked 10 times. Counting the sacks Keenum has dropped back to pass 408 times, probably more since he's scrambled for yardage several times, but only 10 times have defenses managed to sack him.

That means almost 98 percent of the time when he drops back to pass, the ball is leaving his hand before a defender gets to him. Can you imagine how debilitating that is to a defensive line? To know that, on average, if you rush the quarterback on 50 consecutive plays you're going to get to him once?

How mentally tiring must that be?

I've read quite a bit of praise for Keenum so far this season, but I haven't read anything about Houston's offensive line and the job they've done allowing Keenum to attempt so many passes. Kudos to them.

5. Iowa's magical season continues and soon they'll be in the clubhouse at 12-0 with two weeks of football remaining.

I haven't seen anyone write about what a tremendous advantage it is for Big Ten schools that they don't play games the final two weeks of the regular season. Iowa is now 9-0. They have two home games against Northwestern and Minnesota sandwiched around a road game at Ohio State. Assuming they win all three, the Hawkeyes get to sit and watch undefeated Texas, Alabama, Cincinnati and Florida deal with the mounting pressures of the season.

For half a month, they do nothing and can only be helped by the games that take place around them.

I know the long layoff has been mentioned before in terms of a Big Ten team's performance in bowl games, and the lack of a championship game is often trotted out as evidence of a hugely uneven playing field, but I haven't seen anything written about the tremendous advantage that comes from sitting out the final two weeks of the season.

It's worth thinking about as the pressure mounts to see who will be playing in the title game.

6. Random observation from the Jacksonville Airport: They have an entrance for a seeing eye dog at the security screening area with a sign above indicating such. It's next to the wheelchair entrance.

Multiple questions: A.) Whom is this sign for? Presumably the blind person can't see it, right? I'm no expert on canines, but I don't think they can recognize the sign either. B.) How many blind people with seeing eye dogs are traveling such that they need their own line? For instance, have you ever seen a blind person with a seeing eye dog at the airport before? C.) Wouldn't anyone with a brain naturally assume that the blind person with a dog doesn't have to walk through the regular line? In other words, who is doubting that they go through the handicapped line? D.) Where do the seeing eye dogs go on flights? Do you check them at the gate like a stroller? Are you automatically in the A boarding group at Southwest? If the dog is on the plane, where does he sit?

Anyway, this is the most unnecessary sign I've sign since the White House prohibited weapons' list featured guns, knives and nunchucks. Because, you know, who hasn't planned a trip to the White House and brought along a set of nunchucks in case of a ninja attack.

7. Why did Wake Forest let their kicker attempt a 60-yard field goal to end the game against Miami?

Setting the scene: Wake is down 28-27, there are four seconds remaining, and the Demon Deacons are at the Hurricanes' 43.

Your kicker, Jimmy Newman, has a career long field goal of 42 yards. (Sam Swank, Wake Forest's longtime strong-legged kicker, graduated after last season.)

What do you do?

Not kick, right?

Seeing as how this is 18 yards further than the kicker's career long.

Well, Wake kicks.

Predictably the kick was is wide right and short by about 15 yards. It lands in the front of the end zone. Does this really make sense? It's kind of embarrassing, actually. Wouldn't you have better odds of a Hail Mary here?

Granted, Wake Forest was playing with its backup quarterback at the time, Ryan McManus, instead of usual starter Riley Skinner, who left the game after taking a knee to his un-helmeted head on a fourth-quarter run. McManus, a senior, had two strikes against him entering the game. 1) He had more tackles in his career (two, on punt coverage in 2007) entering the game than pass completions (one). 2) The highlights of his online bio including calling a "key timeout" against Baylor and that he "loves to play." What exactly gets cut so that these factoids might make the biography? He enjoys both inhaling, exhaling and wearing socks?

At any rate, even with McManus why wouldn't you at least take a chance your quarterback could throw it 43 yards or at least try some sort of hook-and-ladder or series of laterals?

Instead you humiliate your kicker.



8. At least you aren't a Marshall fan.

In case you missed it on Sunday night, which you definitely did, Marshall had a 20-14 lead with under 30 seconds to play.

Understandably, the team took a timeout to set their defense. Then, they didn't cover the wide receiver.

At all.

Out of a timeout.

Touchdown Central Florida, game over 21-20. Here's the video if you don't believe me.

Or don't watch. Since this is what keeps fans up at night. Can you imagine being a Marshall fan and thinking to yourself, "Surely, we're not leaving that guy ... F--- me, why do I root for this team?"

I guarantee you that was the exact thought pattern of 95 percent of Marshall fans watching this game.

9. Michigan, poor Michigan.

Remember all that optimism after Michigan started 4-0?

It's gone.

Illinois, a then-1-6 team, physically dominated the mighty Wolverines on Saturday. How so? With 377 rushing yards. Michigan has now lost four of five and the only win came against Delaware State. 6-6 is looking likely. Assuming, that is, Purdue doesn't roll into Ann Arbor and knock that possibility away.

At least basketball season is 'nigh.

10. Mississippi State's Anthony Dixon ran for 252 yards on 33 carries against Kentucky.

That's the second most yards rushing by a player in an SEC game in a decade.

I was at Sneaker's sports bar in Jacksonville while the game was going on. They put it on a small television over my left shoulder. I was watching Tennessee-South Carolina on one of the huge projection screens on the wall. But as the Kentucky-Mississippi State game progressed, my friend and Kentucky alumnus Tardio just got angrier and angrier. First he cursed. Then he started to slam his hands on the table after big runs.

Eventually he just put his hands over his eyes and sighed.

Is there anything worse than watching your team get run on consistently? It's so emasculating, you can actually feel the testosterone running out of your body with each gallop into the open field. This was made all the worse for Kentucky fans because Dan Mullen wore huge puffy gloves that made it appear he was coaching somewhere in the Arctic. I don't mind coats, but do you really need to coach in gloves? Lane Kiffin did the same thing on Saturday. It's the SEC in late October, at worst, it's around 45 degrees if there's a night game. I think your fingers will survive.

Anyway, getting run on is even worse when it's someone like Anthony Dixon who isn't shifty or particularly fast. He runs standing up, like a horse out for a trot in the Bluegrass. Watching his run is the insult equivalent of a middle-finger being slowly extended in your direction while someone does that goofy cranking motion to make the finger rise.

11. What if there was an eight team playoff based on the BCS standings?

Right now, we'd have an awesome set of teams. You'd have traditional powers like Alabama, Florida and Texas. But then you'd have upstart teams like Iowa, Cincinnati, Boise State, Oregon and TCU. Can you imagine how excited those five fanbases would be?

Can you imagine how excited we'd all be?

I'll tell you exactly what you'd feel like -- a quarterback lining up with less than 30 seconds to play in a game when you suddenly realized no one had covered your receiver.

Starting 11: Every Game Counts, Except Some Count More Than Others originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Clay TravisTue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Florida, Alabama Atop BCS Rankingshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/bcs-rankings-2009-alabama-florida-texas-boise-state-cincinn/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/bcs-rankings-2009-alabama-florida-texas-boise-state-cincinn/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/bcs-rankings-2009-alabama-florida-texas-boise-state-cincinn/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tim TebowThe first BCS standings of the college football season are out, and as everyone expected, they're topped by SEC rivals Florida and Alabama, with Texas coming in third. But there were some surprises after that.

Boise State is the No. 4 team, meaning the Broncos haven't been hurt -- so far -- by their soft schedule. That's the highest opening position for a team from outside the six BCS conferences, and it gives the Broncos a sliver of hope that they could end up in the national championship game.

And in the big surprise of Week 8 of the college football season, Cincinnati is the No. 5 team in the BCS, with Iowa at No. 6 and USC all the way down at No. 7.

The big takeaway from all of this is that even if USC runs the table in the Pac-10, they're going to need a lot of help to get into the BCS title game. USC probably cost itself a shot at the national championship when it lost to Washington a month ago.

What do you think of the BCS standings? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

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TUSCALOOSA - OCTOBER 17: Running back Mark Ingram #22 of the Alabama Crimson Tide ran for 246 yards and a touchdown during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 17, 2009 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide beat the Gamecocks 20-6. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Ingram
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    In this undated photo provided by the University of Connecticut, Jasper Howard is seen. Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said. (AP Photo/University of Connecticut) **NO SALES**

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    Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall speaks during a news conference about the stabbing death of playerJasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, speaks at a news conference about the stabbing death of player Jasper Howard as university president Michael J. Hogan, second from left, Major Ron Blichter of UConn Police, center, UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway, second from right, and player Desi Cullen, right, listen in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    A student walks by yellow tape marking the crime scene where University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard was stabbed and killed early Sunday morning, in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Howard, 20, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    Police vehicles are parked at the crime scene where University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard was stabbed and killed early Sunday morning, in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    Connecticut football head coach Randy Edsall, left, comforts senior captain Desi Cullen, right, during a news conference about the stabbing death of teammate Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Howard, 20, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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    Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee (5) is tackled by Texas Tech's Bront Bird, in the second half of their NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Texas Tech beat Nebraska 31-10.(AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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    Texas Tech's Brandon Sharpe (92) swats down a throw by Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee (5), as Nebraska's Ricky Henry (74) and Marcel Jones (78) block Texas Tech's Colby Whitlock (93), in the first half of their NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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Florida, Alabama Atop BCS Rankings originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithSun, 18 Oct 2009 17:07:00 EST BCS Standings 2009: Florida, Alabama, Texas, Then What?http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/bcs-standings-2009-florida-alabama-texas-then-what/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/bcs-standings-2009-florida-alabama-texas-then-what/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/bcs-standings-2009-florida-alabama-texas-then-what/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Update: You can check out the first BCS standings here.

The first BCS standings of 2009 will be released on Sunday afternoon, and everyone agrees that a pair of SEC teams, Florida and Alabama, will be the top two, followed by Texas at No. 3. But what comes after that?

According to the usually accurate BCS Guru, Boise State will edge out USC for the No. 4 spot, and the remainder of the Top 10 will consist of Iowa, LSU, Cincinnati, TCU and Miami.

But the BCS standings are mostly a curiosity at this time of year. There's no prize for being atop the BCS on Oct. 18; the prize comes at the end of the season. So what's likely to happen over the next seven weeks?

For starters, obviously, either Florida or Alabama will lose, because if they keep winning they'll meet in the SEC Championship Game. That means Texas just needs to keep winning, and they'll be in the BCS title game. The Longhorns' toughest remaining game is their next one, at Oklahoma State.

So if form holds, the Florida-Alabama winner will play Texas for the national title. Of course, in college football, form usually doesn't hold. But two of the top three losing wouldn't necessarily open the door for No. 4 Boise State. The Broncos' schedule is so easy the rest of the way that they really have no opportunities to impress either the poll voters or the computers. Even if the Broncos keep winning, they could easily get passed by USC, Iowa, LSU, Cincinnati or TCU.

What could put Boise State in the BCS title game conversation would be Oregon upsetting USC on Halloween. Since Boise State beat Oregon in the season opener, a Ducks victory over the Trojans would be huge both for the Broncos' strength of schedule and for their reputation among the poll voters.

Outside the Top 5, the two teams with the clearest paths to the title game are Iowa and Cincinnati, both of which are undefeated and atop BCS conferences. And after that? There are enough scenarios to make your head spin. And over the next couple months we'll all have fun sitting back and watching.
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BCS Standings 2009: Florida, Alabama, Texas, Then What? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithSun, 18 Oct 2009 10:41:00 EST Boise? Not Blown Awayhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/hurricane-knocks-boise-off-course/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/hurricane-knocks-boise-off-course/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/hurricane-knocks-boise-off-course/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tulsa, BoiseTULSA, Okla. -- As Chris Petersen left the field and walked through a portal at H.A. Chapman Stadium, a loud-mouthed Tulsa fan yelled, "You guys lucked out.'' The Boise State coach just looked up and smiled.

After all, the Broncos are counting on a lot more luck the rest of this season than anything they got Wednesday night in a 28-21 win over the Golden Hurricane.

How much the pollsters were impressed by the latest win by Boise State (6-0), fifth in the AP poll and sixth in the more important coaches' poll, will be learned Sunday. The next poll will be more important than the last ones since Sunday is the day the first BCS rankings come out.

Despite their lofty ranking, conventional wisdom is that it doesn't look good for the Broncos when it comes to playing in the national championship game. The thinking is all of the top one-loss teams from the big conferences will be able to trump the Broncos at the end of the regular season.

"It's usually never good enough,'' Petersen cracked after the game about whether his team's win was impressive enough.

You'd think college football was Olympic diving the way style points begin to count when the BCS standings have come into play. And did the Broncos get enough of them with the eyes of the nation upon them in an ESPN nationally televised weekday game?

Probably not.

The Broncos took a 28-14 lead into the fourth quarter, but the lead should have been bigger since they had to twice settle for short field goals. Then the Golden Hurricane stunned the Broncos with a 55-yard touchdown pass from G.J. Kinne to the wonderfully named Slick Shelly with 9:29 left in the game to cut the deficit to 28-21.

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The Broncos might have been sweating had Kinne not underthrown a pass to a wide open Charles Clay at the Boise State 40 on fourth-and-six with the clock ticking under 40 seconds for the game. It's no wonder there was a feeling on the Boise State side this one should have been wrapped up much earlier.

"That's a good football team and they're going to respond and not give up and keep fighting,'' said Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, who completed 22-of-32 passes for 187 yards and threw three touchdowns, two to tight end Tommy Gallarda. "But certainly something we're looking at improving on is to be able to finish those games at the end of the game and ending it right there.''

The Broncos better finish games early and often down the stretch to have any chance of playing for the national title. Their last seven games include only one against a team that currently has a winning record.

And what is that one remaining powerhouse?

Idaho.

Yep, a win over the Vandals is really going to impress the pollsters.

Petersen and most of his players shrug off questions about the polls and whether an undefeated Boise State would deserve to play for the national title if the six major conferences can't come up with two undefeated teams to battle for the crown. But that's where Karl Benson comes in.

Benson is the commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference. He banged the conference drum for Boise State in the 2006 season, when it defeated Oklahoma in that dramatic Fiesta Bowl to finish undefeated. He banged it when WAC champion Hawaii went undefeated in the 2007 regular season before getting wiped out by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Now, though, the stakes are even bigger. If the Broncos finish undefeated, they are all but certain to finish in the top 12 in the BCS Standings. That would clinch a BCS bowl bid unless Texas Christian of the Mountain West Conference also goes undefeated and passes the Broncos.

But Benson wants the Broncos to get a fair shake when it comes to possibly playing in the National Championship Game. And right now he's not too pleased to see Virginia Tech and USC, both with one loss, having moved ahead of the Broncos in the polls in recent weeks.

"I don't think anybody has come up with a system that is close to being perfect in terms of how teams are ranked,'' Benson said. "There's a human element... So now it's a situation, is a one-loss team more deserving? Right now, the system is saying yes, with a one-loss Virginia Tech team (fourth in the coaches poll) and a one-loss Southern California team (fifth) ahead [of the Broncos].

"All Boise State can do is win. Do they have to win convincingly? Is [Wednesday's game] a convincing win? You win on the road against a decent opponent, but, unfortunately the expectations are that Boise State has to win convincingly but Virginia Tech can squeak by Duke and be rewarded (winning 34-26 at Duke on Oct. 3 and then passing Boise State in the polls). One of my commissioner colleagues several years ago said, 'We don't need bowl reform. We need poll reform.'''

So what if a one-loss team is playing in the title game and an undefeated Boise State team is left out?

"We'd be disappointed, but it also would continue to create controversy that the system isn't fair,'' Benson said. "The best thing that can happen is for Boise State to play in the National Championship Game. Then everyone can say, 'The system works if an undefeated Boise State plays for the national championship.'''

Well, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson might not say that if his team, TCU (5-0), ranked eighth in the coaches' poll and 12th by AP, finishes undefeated and doesn't play for the national crown.

At least the Broncos own a 19-8 season-opening win over Oregon, which since has turned its season around with five straight wins. Other than that, it's hard to do too many handstands about their wins over Miami University, Fresno State, Bowling Green and California-Davis. And while Tulsa (4-2) is a solid team, the Golden Hurricane was crushed earlier this season 45-0 at Oklahoma.

"The bottom line is we need to worry about ourselves way more than worry about the rankings,'' said Petersen, who got a gritty 112 yards rushing from Doug Martin.

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Boise State's Austin Pettis pulls down a long pass reception as Tulsa's James Lockett defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Crenshaw)
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    Boise State's Shea McClellin knocks down a pass against Tulsa during a college football game in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, October, 14, 2009. (Shawn Raecke/Idaho Statesman/MCT)

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    Boise State's Tyler Shoemaker runs the ball against Tulsa in the first half of a college football game in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, October, 14, 2009. (Shawn Raecke/Idaho Statesman/MCT)

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    Boise State's Austin Pettis runs the ball against Tulsa during first-half action in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, October, 14, 2009. (Shawn Raecke/Idaho Statesman/MCT)

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    Boise State's Doug Martin gets tripped up against Tulsa during an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, October, 14, 2009. (Shawn Raecke/Idaho Statesman/MCT)

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    Boise State's Doug Martin gets tripped up against Tulsa during an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, October, 14, 2009. (Shawn Raecke/Idaho Statesman/MCT)

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    Boise State's Austin Pettis runs the ball against Tulsa during first-half action in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, October, 14, 2009. (Shawn Raecke/Idaho Statesman/MCT)

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    Boise State's Titus Young turns the corner past Tulsa defender Tanner Antle during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Crenshaw)

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    Boise State's Austin Pettis pulls down a long pass reception as Tulsa's James Lockett defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Crenshaw)

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    Tulsa's Jamad Williams runs between Boise State defenders Winston Venable (17) and George Iloka during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Crenshaw)

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    Boise State wide receiver Austin Pettis has a word with Tulsa linebacker Curnelius Arnick just after Pettis scored on a touchdown pass during an NCAA college football game in Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Boise State center Thomas Byrd congratulates Pettis. (AP Photo/David Crenshaw)

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If the Broncos, who actually did trail for the first time this season when they fell behind 7-0 and 14-8 in the first quarter, can continue to win, players are confident they can match up with anybody.

Florida? Alabama? Those schools don't scare defensive end Ryan Winterswyk.

"We're competitors,'' Winterswyk said. "We think we can play with anybody. That's kind of our deal. Alabama. Florida. It would be a great opportunity to play one of those teams.''

Winterswyk, a junior, was redshirting as a freshman when the Broncos beat Oklahoma 43-42 in overtime in that legendary Jan. 1, 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Boise State only has four seniors, and just two were with the team three years ago and played in that Fiesta Bowl. Petersen was then in his first year as the team's head coach, and he knows that game got the Broncos to be known for more than just their quirky blue field.

"It probably all helps,'' Petersen said about pollsters giving the Broncos more respect due to that game. "What Utah did last year (a non-BCS conference team going undefeated and upsetting Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish ranked No. 2) and what we did (by winning the Fiesta Bowl). It's all a cumulative effect to let others know that good football is played in other conferences.''

The amazing win over the Sooners featured several dramatic Boise State plays, including a fourth-down hook-and-lateral pass for a last-second game tying touchdown in regulation and a fourth-down halfback pass in overtime that was followed by a statue-of-liberty play for a two-point conversion to win the game.

That fan yelling at Petersen on Wednesday was three years late. That night against another team from Oklahoma was when Petersen used up what would seem to be enough luck for one lifetime.

Nevertheless, Petersen now could use some more.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com

Boise? Not Blown Away originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Chris TomassonThu, 15 Oct 2009 02:33:00 EST Boise Survives Scare Against Tulsahttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/boise-survives-scare-against-tulsa/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/boise-survives-scare-against-tulsa/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/boise-survives-scare-against-tulsa/#commentsFiled under:

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Kellen Moore threw two short touchdown passes to Tommy Gallarda, and No. 5 Boise State survived a late scare from Tulsa to escape with a 28-21 victory Wednesday night in one of the last road tests standing between the undefeated Broncos and the BCS.

With Boise State (6-0) trailing for the first time all season, Moore was perfect on two scoring drives to put the Broncos ahead to stay.

Tulsa (4-2) got within 28-21 in the fourth quarter when G.J. Kinne and Slick Shelley connected on consecutive passes for 91 yards, including a 55-yarder for a touchdown. The Golden Hurricane had one last chance to tie it in the final 2 minutes, but Boise State forced its fourth three-and-out of the second half to ice the game.

Moore finished with 187 yards passing and three touchdown passes.

Doug Martin had 112 yards on 23 carries in his second 100-yard game since moving back to offense after the Broncos lost running back D.J. Harper to a knee injury. Jeremy Avery added 73 yards as Boise State trampled Tulsa on the ground in the third quarter and then held on for the win.

Except for the two long connections between Kinne and Shelley, Boise State's defense limited the Golden Hurricane - who led the nation in total offense each of the last two seasons - to 30 yards in the second half.

Kinne missed a wide-open Charles Clay on fourth-and-6 to end Tulsa's last possession, as he rolled out of the pocket to the left. He finished with 154 yards on 14-for-27 passing.

"Our O-line got going pretty well and it would have been nice to punch it in down there for some breathing room," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "If our O-line is doing what they need to do we can make some plays."

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Tulsa represented one of the few challenges remaining on Boise State's schedule as the Broncos move into Western Athletic Conference play. The rest of the teams on their schedule have a combined 16-21 record, and in-state rival Idaho (5-1) is the only one with a winning mark.

Petersen wouldn't look far down the schedule.

"Next week is a new challenge," he said. "We'll reload and go then."

The Golden Hurricane - playing in front of a sellout crowd of 30,000 - jumped on top early, capitalizing on a muffed punt by cornerback Kyle Wilson with some trickery on the very next play.

Kinne pitched the ball to A.J. Whitmore, the Golden Hurricane's usual wildcat quarterback, and he found speedy receiver Damaris Johnson behind the defense for a 53-yard touchdown pass.

It was the first time Boise State had trailed this season, and Moore immediately led a 68-yard scoring drive the opposite way. He hit all three of his passes for 45 yards and converted a fourth-and-1 at the 10-yard line with a sneak to set up his 8-yard scoring toss to Gallarda.

He went 6 for 6 for 62 yards on the Broncos' next drive, answering Kinne's 15-yard scoring pass to Trae Johnson with a 17-yard TD connection to Austin Pettis. It was Pettis' sixth straight game with a touchdown.

Gallarda caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Moore in the third quarter.

Boise Survives Scare Against Tulsa originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>FanHouse NewswireThu, 15 Oct 2009 00:20:00 EST Boise State Hits Glass Ceilinghttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/14/boise-state-hits-glass-ceiling-of-college-football/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/14/boise-state-hits-glass-ceiling-of-college-football/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/14/boise-state-hits-glass-ceiling-of-college-football/#commentsFiled under: ,

Boise StateIn 1986, the Wall Street Journal introduced the term "glass ceiling," referring to women and minorities' failure to attain highest-level jobs despite their apparent qualifications. The phrase is a term of of art that describes an invisible barrier that blocks further ascension up the corporate ladder. This year the glass ceiling has arrived in college football courtesy of Boise State. Don't believe me, how else to explain Boise's rise to No. 5 in the nation and subsequent fall in the polls over the past couple of weeks despite teams above them losing?

Put simply, poll voters have decided that a non-major team isn't worthy of prominent placement among the legitimate contenders for the BCS title. Given that two-thirds of BCS standings arrive courtesy of poll voters, that glass ceiling of perception effectively limits the advancement of non-Big Six teams. Just when these teams believe they've finally cracked the code of championship game inclusion and are poised for victory, the powers-that-be pull a Lucy and move the proverbial football.

Boise State debuted at No. 14 in the preseason AP poll and No. 16 in the coaches' poll. At this point, they were the highest rated non-Big Six conference team. On the first Thursday of the season Boise memorably beat No. 16 Oregon 19-8. The following week Boise advanced on the Top 10, to 12th in the AP and 11th in the coaches' poll. From there Boise's ascension was gradual as teams above them lost. In Week 2, the Broncos were 10th in both polls. Week 3, they were eighth in both polls. Week 4, saw Boise rise to fifth in both polls. At that point, Florida, Texas, Alabama, and LSU were the only four teams in the country ranked above them. Knowledgeable writers such as Dan Wetzel at Yahoo pointed out that Boise had finally cracked the BCS code. With four undefeated teams ranked above them, three of whom were from the SEC and would play against one another, Boise stood a very real possibility of advancing up the poll ranks. With each step up the poll rung, Boise would make history, spiting the powers-that-be of the BCS along the way.

And how couldn't they advance? After all, pollsters don't typically allow a team who is winning and undefeated to be passed by a team with more losses than they have.

Only the glass ceiling was upon us.

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Boise peaked with 1,203 points in the AP poll and 1144 in the coaches' poll. By Week 5, the drain was upon us, despite winning a game, Virginia Tech, a one-loss team who beat Duke unconvincingly, passed the Broncos in the rankings. Boise fell to sixth in both polls, losing 17 points in the AP and 11 in the coaches' poll. Come Week 6, Boise climbed back to No. 5 in the AP, but fell to sixth in the coaches' poll, passed by another one-loss team, USC.

In the Harris Poll, the one used in the BCS formula alongside the Coaches' Poll, Boise has also been passed by Virginia Tech. Standing at No. 5 in the country, USC is nipping at the Broncos' heels and will pass them with a win over Oregon. The glass ceiling precedent has been set, and if Ohio State keeps winning soon they'll pass the Broncos as well. Meanwhile, the undefeated teams above them, Florida, Alabama, and Texas would all likely pass Boise if they only lost one game. That's a big if. After all, they might not even fall below Boise to begin with.

Why?

Because our collective biases tell us that Boise can't play with the big boys. Even if, oh by the way, Oregon has not lost since the opening game of its season and Boise handled it with ease. My point, if you've ever wondered what a glass ceiling in college football would look like, Boise is your example, the highest ranked non-Big Six school to flirt with title game prominence. And it's the collective "wisdom" of the 173 human voters in those two polls that demonstrates how subjective our own biases can truly be.

The rationale is exactly the same, Boise can't be as good as the big teams because it doesn't look like the big teams. Isn't that the very foundation of an anti-egalitarian, un-American worldview? At least the one espoused in the 21st century.

Not when it comes to the pollsters.

Otherwise how can you justify a one-loss team passing an undefeated team? What's more how can you justify multiple one-loss teams passing Boise as the coaches have done? Close your eyes and recite the arguments against Boise State: they don't belong up here because they haven't been here before, the people around them aren't as good, they aren't as talented as the others are, they only got to where they have because the people they compete against are weaker; aren't those the exact same rationales that excluded women and minorities from climbing all the way to the top? Yep, it's the very definition of the glass ceiling and the poll voters are an exclusionary gatekeeping set, exercising their very own form of hazing, by voting who belongs in the fraternity and who doesn't.

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In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)
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    In this photo taken on Sept. 26, 2009, Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (22) carries the ball against Louisiana-Lafayette during an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb. Burkhead injured a foot in practice on Monday, Oct. 12, 2009, and Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said the freshman would be out "for a while." (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno smiles during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    ** RECROPPED VERSION ** Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno smiles during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno addresses the media during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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And that's the way we've elected to select a champion.

Tonight, Boise plays at Tulsa. Yep, Wednesday night football! Nothing like it! At least not until Sunday night college football which Boise will play later this year. The Broncos should have the eyes of the nation upon them. More likely, most of us don't even realize when they're playing. Tonight's game is against the Golden Hurricane, but when it comes to Boise State and the polls, the Broncos fall victim to a golden shower of a different sort.

All thanks to college football's own glass ceiling.

Boise State Hits Glass Ceiling originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Clay TravisWed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST LeGarrette Blount Formally Apologizeshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/legarrette-blount-formally-apologizes/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/legarrette-blount-formally-apologizes/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/legarrette-blount-formally-apologizes/#commentsFiled under: ,



LeGarrette Blount, the Oregon running back who became the talk of college football when he punched a Boise State player on the field after the Ducks' season-opening loss, apologized today for that punch in an open letter published by Oregon's student newspaper. Blount accepted full responsibility, and he said nothing said by Boise State's Byron Hout justified Blount punching him.

Blount wrote in the Daily Emerald:
There is no justification for my behavior - not the "heat of the moment," not the "agony of defeat," and definitely not anything said or done by an opponent.

Being a student-athlete at the University of Oregon should be about being a good student working to positively represent the University and its football program under coach Chip Kelly, and handling both victories and defeats with sportsmanship, class, and character. That night, I used poor judgment and lost self-control. My actions reflected poorly upon my teammates, our football program, and our University. And for this, I offer my sincerest apologies and heartfelt regrets.
Blount deserves credit for his apology, and especially for his refusal to blame Hout, who started the whole incident by grabbing Blount's shoulder and taunting him. He's suspended for the rest of the football season, but Blount sounds like a young man who still wants to make the most of his senior year at Oregon.

LeGarrette Blount Formally Apologizes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutByronHoutLeGarrette BlountLegarretteBlountMichael David SmithThu, 01 Oct 2009 15:49:00 EST Sorry Boise State, Your Case Is Weak http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/22/sorry-boise-state-your-case-is-too-weak/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/22/sorry-boise-state-your-case-is-too-weak/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/22/sorry-boise-state-your-case-is-too-weak/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Kellen MooreUnless the NCAA takes the win away, Bobby Bowden just did college football a big favor. His Florida State team beat Brigham Young, knocking out a pretender to the throne.

Then Oregon beat fellow pretender Utah. Now if somebody could dump Boise State, we'll all have a merry Christmas.

That's not likely because the Broncos have already gone unbeaten in their one-game season. It's all over but the routing of San Jose State, Idaho, UC Davis, UC Chula Vista and UC Schwarzenegger.
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Then comes a holiday season of griping about how the Little Guy got shafted, followed by a Utah congressman calling for the Justice Department to jail all BCS executives.

I'd have a lot more respect for Boise State if it played a real schedule. More importantly, the BCS would have a lot more respect if the Broncos had to get up for more than one game a year.

That's what's required of BCS conference teams. Which brings us back to Bowden and BYU.

The Cougars tried to act like a BCS team this season. They scheduled two dangerous opponents and beat Oklahoma 14-13 in their opener.

But with visions of Pasadena dancing in Sen. Orrin Hatch's head, in came FSU. Out went the Cougars, 54-28.

"There's a ton of stuff we can learn from this," BYU quarterback Max Hall said.

Yeah, like stop complaining about how six conferences get automatic bids to BCS bowls and five don't. The separation is easy to justify.

Haves -- Must play more than one great game a season.

Have Nots -- Must play one great game then be able to find Utah State.

Sure, Boise State beat Oklahoma in a thrilling Fiesta Bowl and Utah thumped Alabama in last year's Sugar Bowl. Nobody's saying the best from the Mountain West and WAC can't beat the best from the SEC and Big 12.

(Though let's face it, those bowl games were everything to Boise State and Utah. They were consolation trips to Oklahoma and Alabama).

Any good team can play great once. BCS conference survivors have to play great three or four times if they want to make it the championship game.

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PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 19: Jarmon Fortson #80 of the Florida State Seminoles gets the touchdown against Andrew Rich #22 and Brian Logan #7 of the Brigham Young Cougars at La Vell Edwards Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jarmon Fortson;Andrew Rich;Brian Logan
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    Nebraska head football coach Bo Pelini reflects on last week's 15-16 loss to Virginia Tech during his weekly news conference, in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. With the exception of a few unguarded moments, Pelini refused to let his weekly news conference turn into a pity party. Pelini said that he and his Cornhuskers are going to turn the fallout from last week's crushing 16-15 loss into positive energy. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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    PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 19: Darren Edwards #38 of the Florida State Seminoles goes up for the football over the Brigham Young Cougars at La Vell Edwards Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Darren Edwards

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    PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 19: Bobby Bowden, Head Coach of the Florida State Seminoles, walks off the field after the win over The Brigham Young Cougars at La Vell Edwards Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bobby Bowden

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    PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 19: Maxx Hall #15 of the Brigham Young Cougars calls out a play against the Florida State Seminoles at La Vell Edwards Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maxx Hall

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Check out this week's Top 25. If Florida makes it to Pasadena , it will have to go through LSU, Georgia, FSU and the SEC title game.

Texas still has to play Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and the Big 12 championship opponent.

Poor LSU still has three top-five teams (Florida , Ole Miss and Alabama), as well as the SEC title opponent.

Cal's only Top-25 opponents are USC and Washington, though it plays Oregon this week. Yes, the same Oregon team Boise State beat in the season opener to essentially clinch an unbeaten season.

We all remember LeGarrette Blount being dragged off the blue turf kicking and screaming and punching away. Now it's nothing but tomato cans for the Broncos.

I like their blue turf as much as the next guy. And it would be great if Chris Petersen hoisted the trophy instead of Urban Meyer or Nick Saban.

I just want the Broncos to earn the title. All they'll earn with their schedule is snickering. The highest ranked opponent is Nevada, and you have to go all the way to College Football News' ranking and run your finger down to No. 74 to find the Wolf Pack.

All this makes for one easy bowl prediction. Boise State will be unbeaten and the BCS championship game will have at least one team with a loss. The Broncos will be media darlings and the people's champion.

We'll hear the same caterwauling as last year, when unbeaten Utah had to watch once-beaten Florida and Oklahoma play for the title.

That prompted a couple of Congressional hearings, which allowed politicians like Hatch to score big points with voters back home.

"There is an arrogance to the BCS that drives me nuts," he said.

If Hatch really wants to be driven nuts he should become LSU's offensive coordinator for the next two months.

"Championships should be decided by competition," Utah president Michael Young said. "Not by conspiracy."

To which all fans of fairness should say, "Hear, Hear!"

Let the pretenders compete on a regular basis with the contenders. We just saw what happened to BYU.

We don't know for sure that fate would befall Boise State. We do know Broncos fans are going to claim they deserve to be in the BCS championship game. They should answer a simple question.

Would you trade schedules with Alabama or Cal or Texas?

They would sure trade schedules with you.
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Sorry Boise State, Your Case Is Weak originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brigham YoungDavid WhitleyTue, 22 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST Still No Word on What Byron Hout Said to Set LeGarrette Blount Offhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/still-no-word-on-what-byron-hout-said-to-set-legarrette-blount-o/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/still-no-word-on-what-byron-hout-said-to-set-legarrette-blount-o/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/still-no-word-on-what-byron-hout-said-to-set-legarrette-blount-o/#commentsFiled under: ,



LeGarrette Blount has been suspended for the remainder of Oregon's football season for punching Boise State's Byron Hout in an ugly post-game incident that has been played over and over again on ESPN and YouTube. But in all those re-playings of the incident, we still haven't learned what Hout said to Blount to provoke such an act. And there's speculation that Hout said something every bit as ugly as Blount's reaction.

The speculation started almost immediately after Thursday night's incident, with Bob Rickert of The Oregonian writing this:
The most circulated and not denied by those inside the Boise State program is that Hout asked Blount how his dead family member was doing. The one he buried just a few weeks ago. Asking how someone's recently dead family member is. Very classy Boise State. Well done. The second rumor not denied by Boise State's program is that Hout dropped the N bomb.
Those are awfully serious allegations about Hout, and they've been made elsewhere, including at the San Francisco Chronicle, where a blog post by Zennie Abraham was hedlined, "Was Oregon's LeGarrette Blount called the N-word by Boise State's Byron Hout?"

That reaction came last week, but even after a long weekend, it hasn't died down. The Big Lead and the Chicago Sun-Times both have pieces up this morning calling on Hout and Boise State to come forward and explain what, exactly, Hout said.

I want to give Hout the benefit of the doubt and believe he wouldn't say what he's been accused of saying, but I also agree with those who say it's time for Hout to explain himself. Boise State coach Chris Petersen runs a good program and has acted responsibly through all of this, quickly jumping in to restrain Hout at the time and acknowledging immediately after the game that his own player was partially responsible for the incident. Now it's time for Petersen to tell Hout to fully explain himself.

And after that, let's hope Blount and Hout can both put the incident behind them.

UPDATE: The Oregonian has now removed the post that started all this speculation.

Still No Word on What Byron Hout Said to Set LeGarrette Blount Off originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutByronHoutChris PetersenChrisPetersenLeGarrette BlountLegarretteBlountMichael David SmithWed, 09 Sep 2009 11:35:00 EST College Football Twitter Mailbag: LeGarrette Blount Punch Reactionhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/05/college-football-twitter-mailbag-legarrette-blount-punch-reacti/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/05/college-football-twitter-mailbag-legarrette-blount-punch-reacti/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/05/college-football-twitter-mailbag-legarrette-blount-punch-reacti/#commentsFiled under: ,

College football fans had plenty to say about Thursday night's Boise State-Oregon game, which turned ugly afterward when Oregon's LeGarrette Blount responded to a taunt from Boise State's Byron Hout by leveling him with a vicious punch.

Blount is now suspended for the rest of the season, and that led to a lot of interesting questions and comments for my college football Twitter mailbag, which is below.

pudge44: Hout taunted him, but it doesn't matter. Blount's career is probably over.
You tweeted this Friday morning, and Friday afternoon Oregon coach Chip Kelly proved you right. Blount's college football career has come to an end, and he now has to hope some NFL team will pay more attention to his talent than to his troubling behavior.

JasonArmistead: Hout provoked him and should remember if he is going to talk trash to leave his helmet on. Blunt should get KO of night.
You're right, Hout provoked Blount. And I had a high school coach who said players should leave their helmets on in those situations. Players are hot and sweaty after a game and want to get their helmets off, but it's never a bad idea to leave them on until they're off the field.

Most of the feedback I got was from people who think Oregon did the right thing by suspending Blount for the rest of the year:

DamonMartin: Blount got what he deserved. That was a scumbag cheap shot.
bassinlady: I agree with the coach's decision-that's not what it's all about
padrickbrewer: The season-long suspension is a perfect punishment. Doesn't mean that punch wasn't awesome though.
SHUICHIMO: If you're a player and cannot control your anger, you should not play, those things come with the territory
KeithRedd: Absolutely should be banned. A pattern of trouble is a pattern of trouble. He had his chances.
dustinjames: As a hardcore Ducks fan, I have to agree with the punishment. Mainly due to his actions after the punch.
It was totally reprehensible for Blount to punch Hout, but I have mixed feelings about whether or not he really deserved a season-long suspension. Blount is far from the first football player to throw a punch, and I don't recall many others who have been suspended for a full season for one punch.

On the other hand, I see a few differences between the Blount case and other instances of players punching opponents:
1. Blount's punch was on national TV and played on an endless loop on ESPN the next day.
2. Blount didn't just punch Hout; he also shoved a teammate and had to be restrained from going after a Boise State fan.
3. Blount had already been warned during the off-season that he was on thin ice and needed to meet all of his obligations as an Oregon player.

That combination of factors is what led to Blount's banishment. And I heard from some readers who didn't think a one-year suspension went far enough:

mmahotstuff: Totally agree with him getting banned. Frankly he should be arrested for assault.
ArkCowboy: Blount should be prosecuted and not just suspended
This is an interesting issue that several readers raised. In any other work place, if you punch someone from a rival company, you're facing criminal charges. Why is it that in sports, the legal system doesn't get involved?

Finally, let's not forget Hout's role in all this:

yankeesgod2622: Byron Hout had it coming.You don't grab someone and start talking s**t after you just beat them.
I wouldn't go quite so far as to say he had it coming, but he certainly provoked the incident by taunting Blount. I was a little surprised that Boise State didn't suspend Hout for a game to send its own strong message, but I do admire Boise State coach Chris Petersen for acknowledging that Hout was partially to blame.

WatchKalibRun: I think the real culprit is the blue field+blue uniforms. It completely ruins your depth perception!
As Norman Chad would say, Pay the man, Shirley.
Want to be part of our next college football Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @MichaelDavSmith.

College Football Twitter Mailbag: LeGarrette Blount Punch Reaction originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 08:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutByronHoutcollege football twittercollege football twitter mailbagCollegeFootballTwitterCollegeFootballTwitterMailbagLeGarrette BlountLegarretteBlounttwitter mailbagTwitterMailbagMichael David SmithSat, 05 Sep 2009 08:10:00 EST What About Hout? Broncos Fumble Teachable Momenthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/what-about-hout-sportsmanship-goes-both-ways/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/what-about-hout-sportsmanship-goes-both-ways/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/what-about-hout-sportsmanship-goes-both-ways/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's funny how the level of sportsmanship can be viewed depending on which side of the field you stand.

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount was completely wrong for his actions following Boise State's 19-8 victory over the Ducks on Thursday.

No one can question that Blount's knockdown punch on the Broncos' Byron Hout and his follow-up act that caused him to be dragged off the field deserved punishment. And, Oregon's season-long suspension of Blount may be stern but not out of line.

But people should also question Boise State's decision to not suspend Hout and to only discipline him internally.

Doesn't sportsmanship go both ways?

The incident began when Hout deliberately walked up to Blount and taunted him after the game. It would have been one thing if Hout only taunted Blount, but the Boise State player made sure that he drove his point home with a cocky left-hand push at the same time.

Once Hout touched Blount, he crossed the line of sportsmanship and it proved to not be a wise move when the Oregon senior responded with a right-hand punch to Hout's jaw.

Anyone who has played a competitive team sport has probably been involved or witnessed some type of fight before, during or after a game. I know that I have.

It happened when I played quarterback for Asbury Park High School in New Jersey and again when I was a wide receiver playing for the University of Southern California.

My high school team's roster was filled with African-American players and we often played against all-white teams. Many of our games were filled with racial tension, but Asbury Park's head coach, George Conti Jr., made sure that we kept our poise and played with sportsmanship.

That was until my final game of my senior year. In a state championship final (a game Asbury lost), some of my teammates finally gave in to the pressure and fought back. After years of enduring unprovoked racial comments and three seasons of having touchdowns called back due to phantom penalties, a teammate punched down an opponent after being taunted but not touched.

As a team, we felt good that someone had lost his cool but what I remember most is the disappointing look coach Conti had on his face. Conti had always told his team not to fight back unless someone had physically done something to us. And that night, my teammate was wrong and we all knew it.

Fast-forward five years. I am now a fifth-year senior playing for USC against UCLA at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins are winning by more than a touchdown and it's late in the second half when I catch a pass from quarterback Rodney Peete near the UCLA sideline.

As I was tackled and knocked into a crowd of UCLA players, I was kicked and punched a couple of times before I could get back on my feet. Every blow was a cheap shot. Peete, along with a couple of USC teammates, came to my aide and the next thing I knew, a small brawl had began on the UCLA sideline.

The fight did not last long and game officials gave matching misconduct penalties to both teams. But I will never forget the assault and how it caught me by surprise.

After the game, my USC coach, Ted Tollner, never said a word to me. Never asked what started the ruckus or even if I was OK. Tollner talked about sportsmanship all the time but when it came time to defend his belief, he was silent.

That brings me back to Blount and Hout.

When watching Blount walk off the field following the Ducks' dismal effort against Boise State, it was clear that he had his head down and was not looking for trouble.

Although Blount had helped spark tension leading up to the game when he told Sports Illustrated that "we owe that team a [butt] whoopin" as payback for the Broncos' victory over the Ducks in 2008, he was not doing any trash talking once the game ended.

If Hout had followed true sportsmanship, Blount would not have socked him. Plain and simple.But Hout had a different agenda. Once he made contact with Blount, Hout moved into the gray area of sportsmanship and Boise State coach Chris Petersen seemed to realize that by the way he grabbed his player before Blount's knockdown blow.

If Hout had followed true sportsmanship, Blount would not have socked him. Plain and simple.

That's why Petersen's decision to not suspend Hout (for at least a game) does not make any sense to me.

Not any more than the AFCA's decision to get both teams to take part in a sportsmanship handshake before kickoff. Football is a violent collision sport that requires a certain state of mind to play. Having players go through a half-hearted goodwill handshake minutes before going into battle was a recipe for a disaster and it turned into one on Thursday.

Hopefully, we all learned something from this.

Sportsmanship is for everyone. It's not just for the people who talk about it the most or for people who land the hardest punch.

Instead of having organizations like the AFCA install hollow pregame gestures, football needs more coaches like George Conti Jr. who make players responsible and less like Petersen and Tollner, who do a good job of sending mixed messages about the meaning of sportsmanship all of the time.

Lonnie White is a five-time national award-winning sportswriter who worked for the Los Angeles Times for 21 years and is the author of the book, "UCLA vs. USC: 75 Years of the Greatest Rivalry in Sports".
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What About Hout? Broncos Fumble Teachable Moment originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutLeGarrette BlountLonnie WhiteFri, 04 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST Blount Suspended for Season, Likely Ruining NFL Chanceshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/oregon-suspends-blount-for-season/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/oregon-suspends-blount-for-season/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/oregon-suspends-blount-for-season/#commentsFiled under: ,


The University of Oregon has suspended running back LeGarrette Blount for the 2009 season as a result of the post-game punch he delivered to Boise State's Byron Hout following the Broncos' 19-8 victory Thursday night in Idaho.

After reviewing Blount's actions, the Ducks suspended the senior running back for the remainder of the season, including any bowl games. Oregon officials made the decision Friday following talks with Pacific-10 commissioner Larry Scott, who attended the game.

Oregon first-year coach Chip Kelly said Blount will continue to play a role in the school's football program and remain on scholarship throughout the remainder of the year.
White: Boise State Fumbles Teachable Moment

Blount will also continue to have access to all of the university's support services provided to all student-athletes, will be allowed to take part in all team activities, including practice with the team, and will be held accountable to all team rules and regulations.

However, he will not be allowed to participate in any games, including a possible bowl game.

In a statement , school president Richard Lariviere called Blount's behavior "reprehensible".

"We do not and will not tolerate the actions that were taken by our player. Oregon's loyal fans expect and deserve better," Lariviere said.

Blount's punch came following a game that featured a good sportsmanship gesture before kickoff, thanks to the American Football Coaches Association's initiative that called for both teams shaking hands at midfield.

Once the game ended, Blount and Houk hooked up in a bad way when the teams walked onto the field.

Hout initiated the incident when he said something to Blount and taunted him with a push to the chest. Boise State coach Chris Petersen immediately grabbed Hout, but it only gave Blount an opening as he landed a right-hand punch to Hout's jaw, dropping him..

Earlier Friday, Petersen said Hout will be disciplined internally for his actions but will not miss any game time.

"We're not good with it," Petersen said about Hout's taunting of Blount. "It always takes two to tangle. Those are things we preach about every day around here. We just need to keep our mouths closed ... and let our play speak for itself.

"I'm sure [Blount] would give his right arm to take that whole thing back, how it looks. Byron's mistake wasn't as extreme as LeGarrette's, but he was still wrong."

What further hurt Blount's case were his actions after he connected with his punch on Hout. He had a brief scuffle with teammate Garrett Embry and then got into a shouting match with several Boise State fans standing near the field exit tunnel.

Blount then had to be forced off the field by coaches and security in order to keep him from going into the stands.

In Oregon's locker room after the game, Blount apologized.

"I just apologize to everyone that was watching this," Blount told reporters. "I just apologize to all of our fans, all of Boise's fans. I lost my head. ... A few guys wished me a good game, a few guys pushed me and I just kind of lost my temper."

Larry Scott, in his first year as Pac-10 commissioner, agreed with Oregon's decision.

"We commend the University of Oregon and its leadership for taking swift and decisive action in response to this incident," Scott said in a statement. "The Pac-10 strongly emphasizes sportsmanship and fair play in all its athletic competitions and expects high standards of sportsmanship from all participants, including student-athletes. In this case, those standards were not met and the university has taken appropriate disciplinary actions."

Blount rushed for 1,002 yards and established a school record with 17 rushing touchdowns in 2008. According to ESPN's Todd McShay, Blount's pro football stock took a major hit.

"In the matter of five minutes, Blount just went from second- or third-rounder to completely undraftable." McShay said. "Yes, he was egged on a bit by Hout, but big-name players deal with that kind of trash talk all the time without throwing punches in return.

"In an NFL climate in which Commissioner Roger Goodell has placed a huge emphasis on behavior and accountability, teams are simply not willing to invest money in players who behave like this, unless you're talking about a Michael Vick or some other player with similarly freakish talents. Blount does not have that kind of skill set and has effectively cost himself a serious shot at the NFL."

" ... He entered the season as our second-ranked senior running back behind Clemson's C.J. Spiller but has done absolutely nothing to help himself. He had a great opportunity to get to the next level, but has now totally blown it."

Blount Suspended for Season, Likely Ruining NFL Chances originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutLeGarrette BlountLonnie WhiteFri, 04 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST Oregon Suspends LeGarrette Blount for Punching Boise State's Byron Houthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/oregon-bans-legarrette-blount-for-punching-boise-states-byron-h/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/oregon-bans-legarrette-blount-for-punching-boise-states-byron-h/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/oregon-bans-legarrette-blount-for-punching-boise-states-byron-h/#commentsFiled under: ,



Oregon has announced that running back LeGarrette Blount will be suspended for the remainder of the 2009 season for punching Boise State player Byron Hout.

"That's not what we're all about," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said in a brief statement, as reported by local TV station KVAL.

Blount is a senior, so the disciplinary action effectively ends his college football career. He will remain on scholarship and will still be permitted to practice with the team and have access to all services available to football players, Kelly said. But Blount won't be allowed to play in any more games, including any bowl game Oregon plays in.

A talented but troubled running back who was also suspended by the team during spring practice, Blount is regarded as good enough on the field to be a high NFL Draft pick, but his inability to stay out of trouble could prevent him from being drafted at all in 2010.

Hout instigated the confrontation by grabbing Blount and yelling something at him as Blount walked off the field after Boise State's season-opening victory Thursday night, but while Boise State coach Chris Petersen acknowledged that Hout was out of line, he said Hout would not be suspended.

UPDATE: Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott released a statement saying, "We commend the University of Oregon and its leadership for taking swift and decisive action in response to this incident. The Pac-10 strongly emphasizes sportsmanship and fair play in all its athletic competitions and expects high standards of sportsmanship from all participants, including student-athletes. In this case, those standards were not met and the university has taken appropriate disciplinary actions."

Do you agree with the suspension? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.
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Oregon Suspends LeGarrette Blount for Punching Boise State's Byron Hout originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutChip KellyChris PetersenLeGarrette BlountMichael David SmithFri, 04 Sep 2009 16:51:00 EST LeGarrette Blount, Byron Hout Both to Blame, Boise State Coach Sayshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/legarrette-blount-byron-hout-both-to-blame-boise-state-coach-s/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/legarrette-blount-byron-hout-both-to-blame-boise-state-coach-s/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/04/legarrette-blount-byron-hout-both-to-blame-boise-state-coach-s/#commentsFiled under: ,

Boise State football coach Chris Petersen acknowledged Friday that his own player, Byron Hout, was partially to blame for the ugly incident in which Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount punched Hout in the jaw.

Hout appeared to grab Blount and yell something at him before Blount punched him. Petersen said he didn't hear what Hout said to Blount, but he was quick to acknowledge that his own player was a part of the problem.

"It always takes two to tango," Petersen said. "There's no question about that. That's the best lesson in this. There's no reason to say anything. Game over, move on, and let everything speak for itself. ... There's no need to say a word. Move on. Let your play speak for itself."

Petersen said he was disappointed to be talking this morning about a post-game scuffle, rather than what might have been the biggest home win in the history of the Boise State football program.

"It's just unfortunate," Petersen said. "It really is. The kids played hard, it was a hard-fought game, with a lot of emotions all through the year it had been building to the first game of the season, a bowl game-type atmosphere. It wasn't the cleanest game, but we played hard and it's too bad something like that had to come down."

This isn't Blount's first infraction, and Oregon is widely expected to suspend Blount, or possibly kick him off the team. Petersen did not say whether he will discipline Hout.

LeGarrette Blount, Byron Hout Both to Blame, Boise State Coach Says originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Byron HoutChris PetersenLeGarrette BlountMichael David SmithFri, 04 Sep 2009 11:44:00 EST