NCAA Football FanHouse

BCS Title Could Be an All-SEC Affair

John Walters — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bowling Green, Brigham Young, Colorado, Stanford, UCLA, Wyoming, Big 12, SEC

Blanket Coverage is a weekly rewind of all the action of Week 6, from the big opinions, to the small news, and, of course, coverage of all players named Ju-Ju.

In the second half of Florida's 13-3 win at LSU Saturday night, CBS color analyst Gary Danielson opined that a one-loss SEC team would play in the BCS Championship Game. Danielson's forecast seems fair enough, particularly considering the teams playing in front of him in Death Valley.

The Gators lost one game in both 2006 and 2008 and won the national championship. The Tigers lost two games in 2007 and beat Ohio State in the BCS title game. What Danielson failed to consider, though, was whether a one-loss SEC team with the second-best record in the conference might advance to Pasadena come January.

There is -- and I cannot emphasize this enough -- a lot of football remaining to be played. Still, let's imagine that the No. 1 Gators and No. 2 Alabama both advance to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta undefeated. The winner is a lock for a date at the Rose Bowl, but would voters ever allow a rematch between the two 33 days later?

What other BCS contenders might emerge? Let's look at the unbeatens:

-- Boise State and TCU are both undefeated, but neither non-BCS team will play for the national title.

-- In the Big Ten, Iowa is undefeated, but the Hawkeyes have won three home games versus three unranked teams by a total of six points. Visits to Madison, East Lansing and Columbus do not augur well for Kirk Ferentz's team.

-- Cincinnati and South Florida are unbeaten in the Big East, but they meet Thursday night. The winner will emerge with a more respectable resume, but there are too many one-loss teams with more cache and neither the Bearcats nor the Bulls will have a win against a Top-10 school this year.

-- The ACC and the Pac-10 have no unbeatens remaining.

-- Which brings us to the Big 12, where unbeatens Kansas and Texas will meet in Austin Nov. 21. Although who is to say that both, or even either the Jayhawks and Longhorns will be beaten by then? The cleanest result would be an undefeated Texas, currently No. 3, facing the SEC champion on January 7 in Pasadena. And there's nothing that ESPN covets more than a duel between Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy in the final game of their storied careers.

What if Texas loses, though? Here's an even more intriguing scenario: What if Alabama loses one SEC West game to a one-loss opponent such as Auburn or LSU? Could the Tide fail to play for the SEC championship but remain the most viable, and highly ranked, candidate to face Florida, a team they would not yet have played?

The feeling here is no. Which is why all of a sudden, the most fascinating tilt of the year for my money will take place on Halloween night in Eugene: USC at Oregon. The winner of this glamour game just might leap ahead of one-loss Virginia Tech in the polls and, should the Longhorns fail to finish undefeated versus a rough Big 12 field, be in the driver's seat.

Just think ... a national championship pitting Florida and Tim "God Bless" Tebow versus Oregon and resurrected rusher LaGarrette Blount. The player who absorbed the most talked-about blow to the head this season on one sideline and the player who delivered the most notorious such hit on the other. That would be a ... knockout.

One monstrous, blow-up-the-BCS caveat: Would there be any way to justify sending Oregon to the Rose Bowl over an undefeated Boise State team that defeated them?

Keeping Up With the Hawkins

Try being Misti Rae Ann Hawkins this week. On Saturday, she watched her oldest son get benched in a nationally televised game in primetime. And she saw her husband bench him.

Cody Hawkins, Colorado's 5-foot-11 junior quarterback, has actually played in three nationally televised games in primetime this season: at Toledo, at West Virginia and this weekend, at Texas. In those three games, all losses, Hawkins has accumulated the following numbers: 63-134 passes (47 percent), eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. The defeats are not Cody's fault alone, but his 102.4 passer rating does not put him among the top 100 passers in the FBS.

On Saturday, with the 1-3 Buffs driving for a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter against the No. 2 Longhorns, Hawkins underthrew a pass into the right flat. Texas cornerback Earl Thomas picked it off and returned it 92 yards for a score, the Longhorns' longest interception return for a TD since 1938.

On the ensuing Buff possession, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins burned the redshirt of sophomore Tyler Hansen, inserting him at quarterback in place of his son. It's the second time in as many years that Hansen's redshirt status has been erased at midseason. After the game Hawkins named Hansen the starter going forward, saying of his son's costly interception, "He's gotta make that throw."

Temperatures have been in the teens along the Front Range this weekend, but it's about to get even chillier at the Hawkins household.

Incredible INT

You may never see a stranger interception than the one UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers had against Oregon. Duck quarterback Nate Costa, falling out of the back of his own endzone, tried to force a bullet over Ayers' head. Ayers leaped in the air and caught it, then had to worry about getting one foot in bounds himself without landing past the back line. He did.

Even Costa was in awe. "That was just a flat-out great play," he said. It was also the Bruins' only touchdown in their 24-10 loss.

Now This Is a White Out

Seven inches of snow fell on Friday night in Laramie, Wyo., and the temperature at kickoff was 15 degrees, yet 14,502 hearty (foolhardy?) fans huddled in War Memorial Stadium to watch the Cowboys defeat New Mexico, 37-13, on Saturday. How brutal were the conditions? The winless Lobos spent Friday evening at a hotel in Cheyenne, 50 miles east, and on Saturday morning needed a two-snowplow escort across a closed Interstate 80 in order to make it to the game.

A Man for all Seasons

Give Stanford credit for knowing how to promote a Heisman candidate with subtlety and a sense of humor. Tailback Toby Gerhart entered the weekend fourth in the nation in rushing (130 yards per game) and even ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said that Gerhart was among his top three Heisman nominees. Gerhart also happens to be a MLB prospect as an outfielder, which prompted the Stanford athletic department to put together this video of the studly senior trying his hand at other sports.

Sly, Stanford. Promoting Gerhart while also promoting your non-revenue sports. My only question is how someone who lives year-round in California be that pale?

An Education

Michigan's true freshmen quarterbacks, Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, are learning the ups-and-downs of late-game heroics. In consecutive road losses each has accounted for a late touchdown only to follow it up on the ensuing drive with an interception that cost the Wolverines the game. Forcier led the Wolverines on a 14-point fourth quarter comeback at Michigan State two weeks ago, then threw a deflected pick in overtime of the 26-20 loss.

Robinson, who entered Saturday's game at Iowa with Michigan trailing 30-21 midway in the fourth quarter, calmly led the Wolverines on a scoring drive, capped by his own three-yard TD rush. On Michigan's next drive he missed two wide-open receivers and instead tossed a prayer into double coverage as the Maize and Blue lost 30-28.

JJ, Jo Jo and Ju Ju

BYU's JJ DiLuigi caught a 15-yard touchdown pass while teammate Jo Jo Pili added a one-yard rushing TD in the Cougars' 59-21 win at UNLV. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech backup quarterback Ju-Ju Clayton threw an 80-yard touchdown strike in the Hokies' 48-14 demolition of Boston College.

Stats Incredible

A smattering of bizarre statistics or eye-popping numbers from Saturday's games:

-- Florida's defense has only allowed two touchdowns in 61 opponents' drives (3.3 percent) this season. As coach Urban Meyer told ESPN's Chris Fowler in the midnight hour from Baton Rouge, "You can't be a great team unless you have a great defense."

-- Bowling Green wideout Freddie Barnes caught 22 passes in the Falcons' 36-35 win at Kent State. Barnes leads the nation with 12.5 receptions per game, a full 33 percent more catches than the No. 2 receiver, Jordan Shipley of Texas (9.4 per game), grabs. Shipley's circus-quality highlights do show up on "College Football Final" an awful lot more, though.

-- Georgia's offense failed to get in the red zone in the Bulldogs' 45-19 loss at Tennessee. It was the first time in 38 meetings that neither the Dawgs nor Vols entered the game ranked.

-- Arkansas held Auburn scoreless in the first quarter of their 44-23 win against the No. 17 Tigers. It marked the first time in 21 quarters this season that Gus Malzahn's offense had failed to put a point on the board.

-- Boston College quarterback Dave Shinskie, a 25 year-old freshman who had previously pitched in the minor leagues, was 0-for-9 passing with two interceptions in the first half of the Eagles' 48-14 loss at Virginia Tech. Shinskie finished 1-12 for 4 yards.

-- How good is Oklahoma's front seven? Baylor's leading rusher in Saturday's 33-7 defeat, Terrance Ganaway, ran four times for 8 yards.

-- Wisconsin's offense doubled up Ohio State's in yardage, 368 to 184, but a pair of pick-sixes by Badger QB Scott Tolzien helped the Buckeyes to a 31-13 win. SEC Squared for the BCS title?

BCS Title Could Be an All-SEC Affair originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorry Boise State, Your Case Is Weak

David Whitley — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: Boise State, Brigham Young, Florida State, WAC, Bowl Games

Unless 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.

More: BCS or Bust for Houston

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)

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno answers a question during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, in State College, Pa. Penn State plays Iowa in an NCAA college football game on Saturday in State College. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

In this Sept. 19, 2009 photo Mississippi tailback Brandon Bolden sprints past a Southeastern Louisiana defender on his way to a 44-yard run in an NCAA football game in Oxford, Miss. The fourth-ranked Rebels will need as much as they can get out from Bolden as they head into Southeastern Conference play. Their first big challenge of the season comes Thursday night against South Carolina and the SEC's No. 2 rushing defense. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee talks about his bandaged thumb, due to a splinter fracture, during a news conference in Lincoln, Neb., on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. Nebraska takes on Louisiana-Lafayette in an NCAA college football game on Saturday in Lincoln. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno listens to a question during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, in State College, Pa. Penn State plays Iowa in an NCAA college football game on Saturday in State College. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

Nebraska head football coach Bo Pelini speaks during the weekly news conference, in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. Nebraska plays Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

In this Sept. 19, 2009, photo, Georgia quarterback Joe Cox (14) is greeted by fans after Georgia's 52-41 victory over Arkansas in the NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark. Doing his best to cram a career's worth of statistics into one season, the Georgia's fifth-year senior quarterback is coming off a five-touchdown performance against Arkansas that has seemingly erased all questions about his health and arm strength. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

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.

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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Mountain West Loses BCS Turf War

Ray Holloman — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:38:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, TCU, Utah, Mountain West

What was left of BYU's season sat just above the cast on Dekoda Watson's left arm, a paperback-sized chunk of manicured grass that looked like a divot from Goliath's back nine.

The Florida State linebacker the turf trophy around in front of a small crowd of Seminole supporters in LaVell Edwards Stadium, beaming like an oversized 5-year-old at his first show and tell. Florida State had arrived a seemingly fragile program, looking at a 1-2 start following a heartbreaking loss to Miami in Week 1 and a vague impersonation of a win against Jacksonville State last Saturday.

But over 60 minutes of a 54-28 rout of Brigham Young that likely proved even Utah friendly has its limits, the Seminoles hadn't just ripped their heart out. They'd ripped their turf out, too.

By the time Watson finished his parade, they had literally taken the ground out from under the Mountain West Conference. The Cougars lost the battle, the MWC lost the turf war.

Watson held the proof in his left hand. In a season of 15 weeks, a single day had just ended the conference's BCS hopes.

For the MWC, it was a shockingly quick end to the talk of BCS inclusion that had peppered college football's offseason. Even with the conference's third major power, TCU, still undefeated, it seems unlikely the league will have a chance to return to the scene of its Sugar Bowl triumph, and it's all but impossible they'll improve on it.

All because of Saturday and two second-tier BCS teams that took a baseball bat to the Beehive State, base camp for the MWC insurgency.

A time zone away from the disaster in Provo, Utah, the Oregon Ducks, a team whose wardrobe coordination notes are thicker than their playbook, handed No. 18 Utah its first loss since 2007. And like that, 16 straight Ute wins and 18 straight wins at home for the Cougars became historical footnotes.

"I think Florida State was more prepared in general than we were tonight, really from beginning to end," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said after the game. "I think their preparation exceeded ours and it showed."

For a non-BCS team, let alone the face of the premiere non-BCS conference, nothing could be more unforgivable.

Fair or not, the margin for error for non-BCS teams is cheerledear skinny. For the teams on the wrong side of the Big Six tracks, every game is a playoff, if you want to earn a BCS slot. Nevermind that all teams have bad days -- supposed Big 12 power Oklahoma State lost to Houston last week, after all, and LSU won the national title with two losses in 2007 -- as soon as a non-BCS team loses to a big brother squad, they're outed as frauds.

Of course, in BYU's case, that might've been deserved. Two weeks after breaking Oklahoma's will and their quarterback, the Cougars played like they were literally carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders Florida State zipped around a permanently flat-footed BYU squad on offense, while quarterback Christian Ponder carved the Cougars into fine pieces. Coleby Clawson, the senior linebacker who flew around the field against Oklahoma and planted Sam Bradford into the turf like a Heisman-winning flag post, and the usually cateogorically staunch BYU defense yielded more than 500 yards of offense.

Utah, too, likely stood no chance of a second consecutive undefeated season after losing seven starters on offense, including star quarterback Brian Johnson, and second-round NFL draft picks Paul Kruger and Sean Smith on defense, the Utes hardly seemed as intimidating, or as charmed, as last year's edition. Saturday, Johnson's replacement, junior college transfer Terrance Cain, completed less than 50 percent of his passes against Oregon and tossed two fourth-quarter interceptions, failing in the exact sort of situation Johnson managed to bail the Utes out of last year.

And so, the Mountain West, which went before Congress this summer to try and earn a spot at the BCS table, now has only faint hopes of another January appointment.

All that's left for the league is TCU, but without a strong team on its non-conference schedule -- admittedly as much a fault of ACC opponents Virginian and Clemson struggling as the Horned Frogs' scheduling -- and no team inside the league that won't be dismissed by voters, Gary Patterson's club will have a hard time maneuvering around teams like Houston, which already owns a win over Oklahoma State, Boise State, which beat Oregon, or the litany of Big Six also-rans.

Even an undefeated TCU might prove that close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and BCS cronyism.

And so, for the MWC, it's summer of discontent comes to a close with a whimper. The league had even gone so far earlier this year as to go to Capitol Hill to press their case thousands of miles away from their native footprint.

But, as Dekoda Watson walked around with a hunk of Provo in his left paw, it turned out that for at least this year, the Mountain West didn't need to worry about road victories in Washington D.C.

In the end, it couldn't even defend its home turf.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.

Mountain West Loses BCS Turf War originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida State Stomps BYU

Brian Grummell — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Florida State, BCS

Thus killing the dreams of at least one non-BCS upstart. Give the Cougars credit for taking on both Oklahoma and Florida State in the same season, and a year with national title aspirations to boot. That said, welcome to the world of every other major conference program that must deal with several heavyweights each and every year. No need to run to Congress for help after this one.

The Seminoles pulled the upset by taking it to the No. 7 Cougars in their home stadium early and often, surging to leads of 20-7 and 27-14 in the first half before blowing the doors off in the third quarter at one point reaching leads of 44-14 and 54-21 before closing out with the 54-28 victory. BYU is still very much in the BCS picture especially if they can claim the Mountain West crown over TCU and Utah, but their title shot's likely dashed.

Both quarterbacks -- Christian Ponder and Max Hall -- were efficient but the Noles' run game starred, racking up 311 total yards as six ballcarriers totaled at least 14 yards led by Ty Jones' 109 and Ponder's 76. BYU was strikingly efficient on offense as Hall averaged 10 yards an attempt, but tossed three costly interceptions, one of which was returned by freshman cornerback Greg Reid 63 yards for a touchdown that effectively ended the game in the third quarter as Florida State sailed ahead 37-14.

Meanwhile, BYU welcomed back powerback Harvey Unga who had 97 yards and a nearly 10 yard average after missing the Oklahoma game and totaling just four touches against Tulane.

Ponder completed a ridiculous 21 of his 25 passes for 195 yards, but did a lot of damage on the ground in adding those 76 yards and a rush touchdown.

It was a dramatic turnaround for Florida State, losing to Miami on the last play on a Monday night in week one and then nearly blowing a home game against tomato can Jacksonville State before correcting on the way to a 19-9 victory. Suddenly, the 'Noles are looking like ACC Atlantic Division favorites if they can overcome Clemson in November. Maybe Bobby Bowden wasn't so crazy after all saying he was sticking around in hopes of winning a championship in the near future.

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BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 19: Terrance Toliver #80 of the Louisiana State University Tigers is tackled by Dwight Bentley #5 of the University of Louisiana-Lafatette Ragin' Cajuns at Tiger Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Terrance Toliver;Dwight Bentley

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Oklahoma State tight end Justin Horton, right, fights Rice defensive back Jarrett Ben, center, to get to Rice safety Andrew Sendejo, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)

Vanderbilt running back Zac Stacy, left, gets past Mississippi State cornerback Zach Smith (42) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

TCU tailback Joseph Turner (24) celebrates his touchdown against Texas St. in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. In back is teammate Evan Frosch (84). (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Cincinnati tight end Kazeem Alli, top, celebrates with teammate Isiah Pead after Pead's touchdown during the first-half of their NCAA college football game against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Mississippi State kicker Sean Brauchle (37) kicks a 44-yard field goal against Vanderbilt in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. Holding is Allen Tolbert (47). (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 19: Brandon LaFell #1 of the Louisiana State University Tigers bobbles a ball over defender Orkeys Auriene #2 of the University of Louisiana-Lafatette Ragin' Cajuns at Tiger Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon LaFell;Orkeys Auriene

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BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 19: Fans watch during the game between the Louisiana State University Tigers and the University of Louisiana-Lafatette Ragin' Cajuns at Tiger Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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South Florida wide receiver Dontavia Bogan (81) celebrates with teammate Mistral Raymond (16) after catchingt a first-quarter touchdown pass during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Florida State Stomps BYU originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AP Top 25: One Ballot Unlike the Rest

Michael David Smith — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Brigham Young, Florida, Oklahoma State

The first AP college football Top 25 poll is out, and the rankings are more or less what everyone expected, with Florida a near-unanimous No. 1. But one voter, Doug Lesmerises of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, has a different take on the first weekend of the college football season.

Lesmerises put Florida fourth on his ballot, the lowest ranking the Gators received from any of the 60 AP voters. (Florida got 56 first-place votes, two second-place votes and one third-place vote.) He ranked the Gators behind Alabama, BYU and Oklahoma State, and his explanation of that decision in Tuesday's Plain Dealer has me wishing all AP voters were as conscientious as he is:

When I submitted my top 25 ballot to the Associated Press late Monday night, I tried harder than ever to abide the first direction we're given by the AP:

Base your vote on performance, not reputation or preseason speculation.

So I didn't look at my preseason ballot until I'd finished my second or third draft of this ballot. That was new. Then I tried to think about each team as if I didn't even know the name of the school, much less the reputation. I just considered what happened....

So what were the three biggest wins of the weekend? Alabama's neutral site win over No. 7 Virginia Tech, BYU's neutral site win over No. 3 Oklahoma and Oklahoma State's home win over No. 13 Georgia.So they are my top three teams.

Obviously, Lesmerises is still considering teams' reputations to some extent. After all, he only views Alabama's win as the most impressive of the weekend because he views Virginia Tech as one of the top teams in the country. And he ranks the Gators fourth even though all they did is beat a I-AA opponent because of what the Gators did last year.

But for the most part, Lesmerises' ballot is an accurate reflection of the top teams in college football, based on how they've performed so far in the 2009 season. That's what all Top 25 ballots should be.

What do you think of ranking Florida No. 4? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

AP Top 25: One Ballot Unlike the Rest originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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College Football Twitter Mailbag: Opening Weekend Reaction

Michael David Smith — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:12:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Brigham Young, Illinois, Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Virginia Tech

I spent all day Saturday tweeting about college football, and I got some great, thoughtful responses to my tweets from the population of college football Twitter nation. We conversed, 140 characters at a time, about the BYU-Oklahoma and Alabama-Virginia Tech games, and about the woeful performance of my alma mater, Illinois.

Some of the best replies, and my replies to the replies, are in our college football Twitter mailbag below.

SI_JoshGross: Nice win by BYU. But it's hard to make much of it when Oklahoma still has a better shot of advancing to the BCS.
I agree with this. It's one of the real flaws of college football that if Oklahoma finishes 12-1 and BYU finishes 12-0, Oklahoma will be higher in the BCS rankings. I don't expect either Oklahoma or BYU to run the table the rest of the way, but if somehow both do, we're in for another college football postseason in which we talk more about problems with the BCS than about the games on the field.

injuryrate: I should have gone to the NFL, that's what he's thinking.
I tweetedthat I couldn't imagine what was going through Sam Bradford's mind as he stood on the sidelines and watched his teammates lose on Saturday night, and I'm sure injuryrate is right: Although Bradford would never say so, I'm betting that on Saturday night, he was thinking to himself that he shouldn't have returned to Oklahoma. It's impossible to say whether the Detroit Lions would have chosen Sam Bradford first overall in this year's draft, but I do believe Bradford would have gone higher in 2009 than he ultimately will in 2010.

basskater91289 Cody Grimm made an excellent play.
As I tweeted on Saturday, I thought Virginia Tech's Cody Grimm made one of the plays of the day when he caught Alabama's Roy Upchurch from behind and stripped the ball. Grimm, the son of former Redskins offensive lineman Russ Grimm, is a lot smaller and a lot faster than his dad.

jamesmthomson: Coached against him for several years when he was in HS...he's a monster.
This came in response to my tweet saying, "USC sophomore NT Jurrell Casey is an absolute stud. He's 19 years old and already has an NFL body." Thanks for the insight.

DamonMartin: Everybody was saying Illinois would be the third best team in the Big 10 this year. Guess not!
Based on the way the Illini played Saturday, they might not be the 10th best team in the Big Ten. The Illini were the only Big Ten team to lose on Saturday, and they looked absolutely awful against Missouri. Heading into the season I thought Illinois would play in a bowl game, but now I'm having a hard time seeing four wins on the Illini schedule, let alone six.

The_OG_JLo: I predict USC -7.5 for next week's point spread. What do you think?
The point spreads I've seen have USC as a six- or seven-point favorite at Ohio State on Saturday. Not that I would ever advise anyone to place bets based on my predictions, but I think USC will cover that spread easily.

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: Opening Weekend Reaction originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BYU Stuns Third-Ranked Oklahoma

Brian Grummell — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Oklahoma, General CFB Insanity

Well there's your first major (major!) college football upset, apologies to Boise State. No. 20 BYU upset No. 3 Oklahoma 14-13 on Saturday night as Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford could only watch from the sidelines after getting knocked out of the game with a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder. Also sidelined earlier in the week was All American tight end Jermaine Gresham.

Sooners' backup quarterback Landry Jones couldn't get the offense going. Meanwhile, BYU simply went out and won at the end with a methodical late touchdown drive to go up 14-13 with a little over three minutes left. Oklahoma had a final shot but missed a long field goal with about a minute left giving the Cougars their first victory over a top five team since their 1990 upset over No. 1 Miami.

Herm Edwards is right, you play to win the game and BYU straight up won this sucker no matter the forces working against the Sooners. They will shoot up the rankings as they position themselves for an outside run at the BCS Championship Game appearance. They have a respectable schedule this year with games against Oklahoma, Florida State, TCU and Utah if they can go undefeated.

This game will only provide further fodder for the division between college football's powers and those who want a piece of the pie.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma can expect to get Bradford back in a few weeks and I believe them to be strong enough to potentially upset Texas if they're at full strength. Stay tuned, college football fans!

BYU Stuns Third-Ranked Oklahoma originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Before Bradford Was Down, Oklahoma Was Already Out

Ray Holloman — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:14:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Oklahoma

It was the kind of pain that you could feel even through your television set and might've left your remote feeling a little woozy.

BYU linebacker Coleby Clawson had just burst through the Oklahoma line with little more than a pat on the back from the Sooners blockers, bolted himself to Sam Bradford's midsection, and planted the reigning Heisman Trophy winners as deep into a stadium's turf as anyone since Jimmy Hoffa (allegedly) wound up beneath the Meadowlands.

So Bradford rolled. And wriggled. And writhed. And 70,000 Sooner fans watched through their fingers as their golden-armed golden boy finally headed off to the locker room just before the end of the second half.

Bradford would soon be out of his misery. Oklahoma wouldn't be half as lucky.

That second quarter blow knocked Bradford nearly out of his shoulder pads, of the game and out of the Heisman race. But Oklahoma's national championship credibility had already headed into the tunnel ahead of him.

"This loss hurts," Sooners offensive lineman Brian Simmons said succinctly.

It should've.

In the second half, Bradford stood on the sidelines in a gray t-shirt, his right arm tucked in a sling and his nose plugged with a wad of cotton, which was likely for the bloody nose he suffered, but just as well could've been a statement about the performance of his offense.

Oklahoma missed Bradford, of course. But as their offense sputtered even with their starting quarterback on the field, it was plenty clear the Sooners missed last year's city block of an offensive line just as much. When Duke Robinson, Phil Loadholt, Jon Cooper and Brandon Walker left Norman last season, the Sooners 2009 national championship hopes probably snuck out with them.

It just took till Saturday night to realize it.

After all, this was no elite pass rush unit the Sooners were facing, no matter what Clawson's postgame highlight tape might've made you think. The Cougars finished 80th in the nation last year in sacks, and, though they returned a strong defensive line, they're just a scale model compared to the pass rushes that wait in the Big 12, a league that placed three teams other than Oklahoma in the top 20 of sacks recorded last year. Yet Bradford managed just 96 yards passing in the first half and backup Landry Jones fared even worse.

And if the Sooners weren't struggling to block, they were struggling to get the snap count right. Oklahoma committed three false start penalties on the opening drive alone.

When Jones was thrown into the fire to start the second half, the rest of his teammates just chucked on more kindling. The freshman's first two drives started with a first-and-24 and a first-and-20 after an illegal block by wide receiver Frank Broyles and a hold by tackle Cory Brandon.

The Oklahoma ground game couldn't save the Sooners either, with or without Bradford. When Oklahoma needed its star running back tandem of Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray to take over the offense, the returning 1,000-yard rushers barely cracked 100 yards between them.

Perhaps, had Bradford played the second half, the Sooners might've won. When Jones bounced into the offensive line on third-and-goal early in the fourth quarter, Bradford was, in another universe, somersaulting through the air and toward the end zone as he did against Oklahoma State last year. And it's a certainty that Bradford wouldn't have let the play clock expire as Jones did on the subsequent down, an error that forced Oklahoma to relent on fourth-and-goal and kick the field goal that would leave eventually leave the Sooners one point short.

But, even had the Sooners won, it would've been far from an endorsement for the national title. Even when Bradford was on the field, last year's NASCAR paced offense never materialized. Oklahoma finished with just 264 yards, a total that looks like a rounding error compared to last year's record numbers.

The Sooners will get three weeks to lick their wounds, with Idaho State, Tulsa and open date up next before a Week 5 showdown with Miami. But Saturday made it clear the Big 12 will be doing no favors for the Sooners, to say nothing of USC, the SEC and a host of title contenders. If Colorado beats Colorado State Sunday, Oklahoma will be the only team in the league without a win.

And after last year's controversial tiebreaker with Texas and Texas Tech and a recent bowl history right out of the Big Ten's playbook, poll voters might not be inclined to give the Sooners another crack at the crystal trophy.

If history is any guide, at least one spot in the BCS title game will go to a team with a loss on its record (LSU even won the national title two years ago with a pair of them), and if you're going to lose, Week 1 is the time to do it. But even with the return of All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham and Bradford, the Sooners have little margin for error, an offensive line full of unanswered questions.

Bradford, even with all the pain he suffered, seems likely to return. Oklahoma's national title hopes, however, likely won't.

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BYU players celebrate by performing a haka following their NCAA college football game against Oklahoma, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. BYU won 14-13. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Central Florida receiver Kamar Aiken has the ball dislodged by a hit from Samford's Chris Legette (19) and Jamael Lett (16) in the endzone during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. UCF won 28-24.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Samford quarterback Dustin Taliaferro, right, scrambles from Central Florida defensive tackle Torrell Troup during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. UCF won 28-24.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Houston quarterback Case Keenum (7) stretches the ball over the cone for a touchdown as he gets past Northwestern State linebacker Blake Delcambre, bottom right, during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game at Robertson Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Houston. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool) ** MANDATORY CREDIT **

AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 05: Running back Cody Johnson #31 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates after scoring his first touchdown against of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks in the first quarter on September 5, 2009 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. Texas won 59-20. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cody Johnson

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AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 5: Backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert #3 of the Texas Longhorns slips between the defense to score a touchdown against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks in the fourth quarter on September 5, 2009 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. Texas won 59-20. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Garrett Gilbert

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PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Prince #14 of the UCLA Bruins prepares to throw the ball to teamate against San Diego State at Rose Bowl on September 5, 2009 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Prince

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PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kia Maiave #51 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a great tackel against San Diego State at Rose Bowl on September 5, 2009 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kia Maiava

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Nebraska's Menelik Holt (18) carries the ball against Florida Atlantic in the first half of their NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. Nebraska beat Florida Atlantic 49-3.(AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

BYU wide receiver McKay Jacobson (6) reaches up for a touchdown pass as Oklahoma linebackers Ryan Reynolds (4) and Travis Lewis (28) look on in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The score was the go-ahead for BYU in their 14-13 win over Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

BYU players celebrate by performing a haka following their NCAA college football game against Oklahoma, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. BYU won 14-13. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Before Bradford Was Down, Oklahoma Was Already Out originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big 12 Notebook: Marquee Matchups Rule Opening Week

Terrance Harris — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Baylor, Brigham Young, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Texas, Texas Tech, Big 12

Most college football coaches seem to prefer easing into the non-conference portion of the schedule before the fun really starts during league play.

But for three Big 12 schools, the start of the season will be anything but a breaking-in period this upcoming weekend.

Missouri and Illinois meet in St. Louis, third-ranked Oklahoma takes on No. 20 BYU in Arlington, Texas, and the marquee matchup features No.13 Georgia at No. 9 Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon.

Let's just say there isn't likely to be any relaxing moments where the backup quarterback can get a little work for any of these teams Saturday.

"It makes ... your players have a sense of urgency, and that they've got to be on top of their game for sure right off the bat," OU coach Bob Stoops said Monday. "You like it if you are able to win and you don't like it if you aren't able to win it.

"At the end of the day it is challenging and it does get your players' attention for sure."

These games also capture the attention of voters, networks, alumni and important recruits. That is certainly the case with the rivalry series between Mizzou and the Illini now being played in St. Louis, the city where both bordering state schools regularly tangle for talented recruits in the area.

"This game is like a bowl game. It's two rivals, in a great city, the dome," said MU coach Gary Pinkel, whose team has won its last four games against Illinois in St. Louis. "This intensity is just unbelievable to start the season."

As intense as things may get in St. Louis, the emotional level in the newly renovated Boone Pickens Stadium is likely to be 10 times greater Saturday. The Cowboys are coming into their most hyped season ever. The program is ranked in the top 10 and is considered talented enough to challenge for its first Big 12 South title and earn a BCS bowl bid.

But to get this season of high expectations off to the desired start, OSU will have to get past a Georgia program that knows a little about big-time matchups. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Bulldogs will be breaking in a new starting quarterback and running back.

But the fact that even OSU coach Mike Gundy is inexperienced in these type of games might be more damaging than Georgia's inexperience at key positions on the field.

"This is new to me personally," Gundy said. "I've not been in a situation where we've had to so much national attention and gotten the program to this level so this is new for myself. I do worry about it. I don't know what we can do other than practice hard and stay focused as a staff."

If Gundy is trying to do all he can to bring normalcy to his team as the game approaches, the fans are doing all they can to keep the Cowboys on edge.

"In Stillwater and the community, the last four or five weeks wherever you go, that's all anybody talks about," Gundy said Monday. "Three or four nights ago I was in Wal-Mart with my oldest son at 9:30 or 10 at night and everybody that walks by, that's all they talk about. That's good.

"It's good that there is a lot of excitement in the community. But you always worry about [being able to focus] as a coach."

Even more pressing, the coaches must worry about having to come out of the gate fast. Most coaches will tell you that the biggest improvement in their teams comes between Week 1 and Week 2. That could be too late for teams like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, who have national championship aspirations.

Chances are, in a division that is as competitive as the Big 12 South, there is enough recovery time. But who wants to take that chance when teams like Florida, Ohio State, or USC might be capable of running the table?

Colorado, Kansas State keeping QB secrets

Both Colorado and Kansas State come into this season with serious competition at quarterback and neither of the respective coaches were willing to reveal their hands Monday.

K-State coach Bill Snyder said he would wait until Tuesday's press conference to announce the winner of the competition between junior Carson Coffman and senior Grant Gregory for Saturday's season opener against UMass.

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins is going to wait until Sunday's game against Colorado State to unveil whether or not sophomore Tyler Hansen has unseated his son, Cody Hawkins, for the Buffaloes' top spot.

"Both of them have done a nice job," Dan Hawkins said. "We are fortunate because we have two guys who understand the system. They're smart players who can make plays. They are both good players."

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University of Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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In this photo provided by Harpo Productions, ESPN college football sideline reporter Erin Andrews, left, talks with television talk-show host Oprah Winfrey during a taping for an upcoming show Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, in Chicago. In the interview, which airs Sept. 11, Andrews tells Winfrey that having secretly videotaped nude footage of her distributed on the Internet was a "nightmare." (AP Photo/Harpo Productions, George Burns)

University of Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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University of Michigan athletic director Bill Martin addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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University of Michigan linebacker Obi Ezeh addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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University of Michigan linebacker Steve Brown addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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University of Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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University of Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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University of Michigan offensive lineman David Moosman addressed the media at Junge Family Champions Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, August 31, 2009. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino speaks to reporters before a luncheon at the Little Rock Touchdown Club in Little Rock, Ark., Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

In this Aug. 23, 2009 photo, Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez waits for his players to be seated for a team photo, during the school's annual football media day at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. Players from the 2008 and 2009 teams told the Detroit Free Press for a story published on the newspaper's Web site on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 that the amount of time they spend on football activities during the season and in the offseason greatly exceeds NCAA limits. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)

But while Hawkins still seems somewhat undecided on his direction, Snyder said he already knows who his quarterback will be to start the season. He just wasn't willing to tell Monday.

"We have a decision and we'll announce it tomorrow at the press conference to give everybody a fair shot at it," said Snyder, who returns to the sidelines after a brief retirement. "But we know which way we will go."

It's fair to assume Kansas State and Colorado will likely play two quarterbacks at various points this season. Both Hawkins and Hansen played last year, with Hansen showing a great deal of promise. Coffman was the backup to Josh Freeman last season, while Gregory was a backup at South Florida last season before transferring upon graduation to play his final year of eligibility in Manhattan.

Snyder said that whichever quarterback gets the nod for the opener will have to continue to play well because the competition will remain open.

"We're not in a position and it's never really been our philosophy to say, 'You're it for the year,' " he said. "I think what you would like to have happen is for the youngster to accept the responsibility of being No.1 and maintaining the position of being No.1 throughout the course of the year. That would be the hope. But by the same token, we want to make sure it remains competitive so whoever the No. 2 quarterback is going into this game, I want him to understand that if he continues to improve he always has the opportunity to challenge for the No.1 spot.

"Whoever it is going on the field on Saturday will certainly have to perform well enough to retain the position."

Frustrated Rhoads

First-year Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads seemed to take a shot or two at his predecessors and how they taught or didn't teach the Iowa State Cyclones defenders how to tackle.

The most recent head coach of ISU was Gene Chizik, who bounced after two unsuccessful seasons to take over at Auburn, the school where Rhoads was the defensive coordinator last season.

"The first thing we need to do on that side of the ball is to tackle," Rhoads said. "We inherited a football team that we felt tackled very poorly. We went to work on it just as quickly as we could when we started spring practice.

"I believe we've made a good amount of improvement but we are far from being a good tackling football team yet. Part of that is athleticism, we have to upgrade that and develop it. The other part is we have to improve technique angles that go along with being a good tackling football team. At this point still, we forget those things."

The numbers from last season support Rhoads' concerns. The Cyclones were 10th in the Big 12 in total defense and 112th overall after allowing an average of 453.2 yards per game and 6.7 yards per play.

Rhoads is going to have to play with many of those players while his recruits develop.

"It's been really frustrating because our players are our program," he said. "You develop athleticism, you develop the ability to change direction better throughout your offseason and drills, but you don't change physically who [you are] a great deal."

To correct the problem, Rhoads admits his camp was very much on the physical side.

"I don't think anybody would argue that fact," Rhoads said. "I think the output of ice coming out of our training room has definitely been up [over] where it's been the last couple of years."

Punting around in Jerry's World

Oklahoma and BYU's punters could be the next to encounter the low-hanging scoreboard in the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium when they play Saturday.

The 90-foot high scoreboard has caused controversy in the NFL because punted balls have hit it, causing a stop in play for a do-over. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he won't raise the towering structure in his state-of-the-art venue.

Stoops doesn't seem too concerned.

"Whatever the rule is we'll abide by it," he said. "From what I understand you just re-kick. They reset the clock and you have a do-over."

In some ways, Sooners freshman punter Tress Way connecting with the scoreboard might be a good sign.

"Hopefully our guy can hit it and have that kind of problem," Stoops said. "That means he's hitting it pretty well."

Big 12 Notebook: Marquee Matchups Rule Opening Week originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mountain West, WAC Take the BCS' Pieces of Silver and Run

Clay Travis — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Mountain West, WAC, General CFB Insanity

Just a few days after the monumental Senate committee hearing on whether the BCS violated antitrust law, the WAC and the Mountain West put pen to paper, extending their deal with the BCS. And by "their deal" I mean the "big six conference and Notre Dame deal" that happens to include all other teams by the magnanimous generosity of the entity known as the BCS. Even if, you know, that entity doesn't actually exist.

Yes, the BCS is like Prince, it's name is an unpronounceable symbol. Or a pronounceable curse word. Later this week, I'm going to do a column where we come up with a symbol to represent the BCS for the 2009 season since it doesn't legally exist. But before we can do that, I have to figure out how to unlock the symbol collection on my keyboard. And let's be honest that could take me months.

In the meantime, the real question to ask here is why did the Mountain West and WAC sign the agreement and has it strengthened or weakened their case against the BCS? Proceed, fearless reader.

In 1984, BYU won the national championship from outside a power conference. That year's team was nowhere near as accomplished as last season's undefeated Utah team. Don't believe me? The good Doctor at Yahoo has broken down its season. This was not a team that destroyed all competitors and left all others trembling in its wake. BYU beat four teams that finished the season with a winning record. None of the teams they beat finished ranked in the Top 25.

But in the last 25 years, no team from outside a big six conference has won a national championship. (Although Penn State won in 1986 before they joined the Big Ten in 1990.) Could this ever happen again? I'm going to tie this in as we look at the primary question: What happens if both conferences didn't sign on to join the BCS extension with ESPN?

To begin, they'd forgo the BCS television money in the new $500-million, four-year deal. The five non-big six conferences will receive a combined $13 million or so a year, an increase from the $9.5 million they were getting. So each conference nets in the neighborhood of $2.6 million. Divide that number by nine (the number of members of the Mountain West and the WAC) and you're talking about each school in these two conferences netting about ... wait for it ... $300,000.

300,000!

That's less than Matthew Stafford makes for playing a half for the Detroit Lions. What Ryan Seacrest makes for fifteen minutes of every American Idol.

Additionally, if everything goes perfectly and one of the nine schools in the Mountain West or the WAC nets a BCS berth, they'll get another distribution of around $13 million to share from the BCS.

What am I getting at by using these numbers? This isn't a seismic payout. Particularly if you assume that a non-BCS school will only make it into the BCS once every other year or so. (The odds of a team such as Boise State, Hawaii, or Utah going undefeated, as is essentially required to make one of the BCS bowls, is, at best, even. Likely much lower.) Even as a percentage of the overall football and athletics revenue at a school like Utah, which netted $12.1 million for football and $26.9 million overall in 2007-2008, does that money really make a huge difference? That's a little over two percent additional for football and less than two percent of the overall athletics budget. And while Utah may be one of the most financially strong of the teams in these smaller five conferences, is anyone really joining a breadline without the BCS money? Money, by the way, that didn't even exist 15 years ago.

But it wasn't just the money. The Mountain West and the WAC both felt that if their teams were excluded from the BCS, they'd be doing their student-athletes a disservice. Of course, by accepting the money, they ensured that they were also doing their student athletes a disservice.

The lesson here: It's better to be complicit in the exclusion of your football programs than to withdraw from an unfair system that doesn't allow you to compete for the ultimate prize. Sin of omission, meet sin of commission.

The Mountain West issued this statement justifying its decision Wednesday.

"The Mountain West believes it has no choice at this time but to sign the agreements. If a conference wishes to compete at the highest levels of college football, and the only postseason system in place for it is the BCS, no conference can afford to drop out and penalize its football programs and student-athletes."

The WAC issued a similar statement. Only they took the additional step of attaching a letter spelling out their disagreements with the BCS extension. Seriously, a letter. An actual frigging letter! Man, ESPN and the BCS must have been quaking in their boots. Especially if it was on really fancy letterhead.

In the end, both rebel conferences concluded that they were more likely to bring about change by taking the BCS money than by refusing the money and playing outside the system. But is that actually correct?

No.

That's true, even if you accept the best argument that can be made on behalf of both conferences' decision: Being a party to the BCS agreement could actually strengthen the Mountain West and WAC's argument that the BCS violates the Sherman antitrust act. This line of thinking, which is no doubt being sold to the Department of Justice as we speak, would follow this path: The BCS is so powerful and corrupt that we can't even avoid participating even when everyone knows we hate it and it treats us unfairly. So we sign this while holding our nose.

But, and this is the flip side to the argument, doesn't taking money from a system that you find to be corrupt and, oh by the way, illegal under the Sherman Act, make you complicit in the crime? I think so. And I think it does something worse; it tells us exactly how much money per year it takes for a school to cede the moral high ground. Well, not actually how much money, we just know that a little over $5 million guaranteed per year to the WAC and the Mountain West is more than enough. In so doing, the conferences are sending their own message: Being right might be it's own reward, but it's better to be wrong and take the cash.

All of this means that the best chip the Mountain West and the WAC could ever toss on the table is removed. Namely, what if either conference had an undefeated team make a run like BYU in 1984? Or like Utah's undefeated run last year but the other teams surrounding them had dropped a few more close games? In any given season, the final two teams are a function of that team's accomplishments and also the season's wacky results. Stanford beating USC ring a bell? Put the undefeated Utah team from 2008 in the mix in 2007, when a two-loss LSU faced off against a one-loss Ohio State. Does Utah make a better case for inclusion in the BCS title game then? Maybe.

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More importantly, would the BCS have hell to pay if their ostensible goal, putting the top two teams in a bowl game, didn't even include one of the top two teams in its ranking system? I think so. How valuable would the publicity hell that the BCS reaped then be? Worth more than $13 million total they toss off to the bottom five conferences? I think so again. Can you imagine how gleeful the media would be if an underdog team climbed the rankings without being included in the BCS's vaunted rankings.

It would be a public relations disaster for the BCS. (Even worse than existing in the first place.) The AP could reward a team with a national championship that wasn't even ranked in the top 25 BCS teams. Wouldn't that shake the BCS to its very core? Sure, it's not likely to happen, but the mere threat could be of extraordinary value. As is, that threat is removed for a sliver of the BCS's money pie. Meanwhile the WAC and Mountain West, like Judas, have to make do with slinking into oblivion with their own bags of silver.

What's the weight of a football soul? $2.5 million a year, give or take.

Mountain West, WAC Take the BCS' Pieces of Silver and Run originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Washington Loses Jake Heaps to BYU

Gary Washburn — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:32:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Mountain West, Recruiting

New Washington football coach Steve Sarkisian wanted to make major strides with in-state recruiting, but that campaign was dealt a blow Thursday when Skyline High School (Sammamish, Wash.) quarterback Jake Heaps announced his intentions to attend BYU for the 2010 season.

Sarkisian made a hard push for the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder, the state's top quarterback, after taking the Washington job in December. He made the competition close, but Heaps, who is Mormon, opted for Bronco Mendenhall's program, leaving Sarkisian without a top-notch quarterback to succeed junior Jake Locker. Scout.com rated Heaps as the No. 1 quarterback prospect for the class of 2010 and he led the Spartans to state 4A titles as a sophomore and junior.

Heaps flew to Salt Lake City and made the announcement at a local restaurant a day before BYU's Junior Day. Sarkisian had a unique perspective on Heaps' decision; he is a former BYU quarterback

"It was tough, but in the end, coach Sarkisian once made the same decision I did for the same reasons," Heaps said, according to the Provo Daily Herald. "He understands more than anybody why I did this."

Washington Loses Jake Heaps to BYU originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've Found the Hasselhoff Las Vegas Bowl National Anthem Video

Brian Grummell — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:11:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Brigham Young, Video, General CFB Insanity

You can now rest easy safely ensconced in your wintry bed, we've found the video that delights young and old alike in wonderment and awe. We're talking of course about last week's National Anthem performance by the one and only David Hasselhoff at the Las Vegas Bowl.

In a better world, we all would have seen it nearly live with just a seven second tape delay. Unfortunately there's college basketball and the world isn't as awesome as it would seem. ESPN was set to show the Las Vegas Bowl, but a college basketball game scheduled before it ran entirely too long and some cutting had to be done to the early part of the football broadcast. That meant no discussion of OMG SNOW IN LAS VEGAS until the third quarter. No lengthy pregame table setting by Joe Tessitore. No Hoff Anthem. Sad faces everywhere, we know.

Fear not, what was taken from us can be at least partially restored, thanks to the Las Vegas Sun which put together the video, which is after the jump.

We've Found the Hasselhoff Las Vegas Bowl National Anthem Video originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowl Season '08: Arizona Wildcats Snarl BYU Cougars in Las Vegas

Brian Grummell — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:33:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Brigham Young, Mountain West, Pac 10, Bowl Games

FanHouse gathers around the TV to bring you insights from Bowl Season '08.

So it snowed in Las Vegas this week. Cheeseburger happy David Hasselhoff sang the national anthem at the Las Vegas Bowl. Alcohol, drug and sin-free BYU fans made their way to America's modern Gomorrah. Yeah, weird was in the air.

Makes sense then that a Pac-10 team would turn the tables on what is usually the home to embarrassing bowl defeats for the conference. Arizona did the honors, holding off a late BYU rally to prevail 31-21. A pair of receivers were the stars in a sloppy game marred by countless fumbles and questionable organization by game officials.

For three quarters the game was up for grabs until Arizona broke through with a 24-yard touchdown pass at the end of the third quarter to go ahead 24-14. BYU threatened early in the fourth quarter getting to Arizona's 31-yard-line before quarterback Max Hall was intercepted in the back of the end zone thanks to a spectacular snag from Wildcat defensive back Marquis Hundley.

Wildcat senior receiver Michael Thomas got a worthless and staged last-minute reception to establish himself as the Pac-10's alltime career receptions leader. Kudos to the speedy smurf, its been a nice career.

Even more impressive, BYU's Austin Collie recorded his 11th consecutive 100-yard receiving game. His streak was in doubt until a flurry of late receptions helped him cross the mythical threshold. He finished with 11 catches and 119 yards that caps a magical season of more than 100 catches and 1,500+ yards.

The victory also helps the Pac-10 extract a small measure of revenge against the Mountain West, which had gone 1-6 against their big-conference foes in the regular season.

Meanwhile, a gaggle of giddy Arizona students emboldened by a victory are being unleashed upon Las Vegas as we speak. Its gonna be a long night for the good people of Sin City.

Bowl Season '08: Arizona Wildcats Snarl BYU Cougars in Las Vegas originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowl Season '08: LiveBlog Kick-Off

Chas Rich — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Brigham Young, ACC, Big East, Conference USA, Mountain West, Pac 10, WAC, Bowl Games

The beginning of the end. It's the time for bittersweet feelings. Finally some college football after a couple weeks of nothingness (no offense to the 1-AA and D-II and D-III playoffs).

At the same time, it is a countdown to the end of it all. When all there can be are obsessing over recruits and signing day, ridiculous speculation about who will be the team to beat in 2009, and spring games. As Lucy Van Pelt would remind us, "Try not to think about it, five cents please."

The bowls kicked off before lunchtime with Wake Forest beating Navy, 29-19. In case you need a reminder (all times Eastern):

New Mexico Bowl, Colorado St. - Fresno St., 2:30 pm, ESPN

magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl, Memphis - South Florida, 4:30 pm, ESPN2

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, Arizona - BYU, 8 pm, ESPN

We couldn't bring ourselves to spend the entire day liveblogging away. Instead, we will be liveblogging during the Las Vegas Bowl starting around 8 pm. A chance to discuss the game in progress, look back on the other three games and look ahead to games in the coming days.

Bowl Season '08: LiveBlog Kick-Off originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Hasselhoff Picked to Sing National Anthem at Las Vegas Bowl

Shane Bacon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona, Brigham Young, Mountain West, Pac 10, Bowl Games

You know what makes going to your school's first bowl game since 1998 more enjoyable? Hearing that David Hasselhoff will be performing the national anthem.

Stars Singing National Anthem

David Hasselhoff has been selected to sing the national anthem at the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl this Saturday. Click through to see stars who have performed the anthem at sports events.

Brad Barket, Getty Images

Performer: Taylor Swift
Event: 2008 World Series Game 3

John Mabangalo, Getty Images

Performer: John Oates
Event: 2008 World Series Game 5

David J. Philip-Pool, Getty Images

Performer: Ashanti
Event: 2008 NBA Finals Game 5

Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images

Performer: The Backstreet Boys
Event: 2008 World Series Game 1

Chris O'Meara, AP

Performer: Patti Labelle
Event: 2008 World Series Game 4

Jeff Zelevansky, Getty Images

Performer: David Cook
Event: 2008 NBA Finals Game 3

Noel Vasquez, Getty Images

Performer: JoJo
Event: 2008 AL Championship Series Game 4

Elsa, Getty Images

Performer: James Taylor
Event: 2008 NBA Finals Game 1

Elsa, Getty Images

Performer: Los Lonely Boys
Event: 2008 World Series Game 2

Hans Deryk, Pool/Getty Images

Could he eat a hamburger too?!

Hasselhoff, who has a daughter that attends Arizona, has been picked to sing the national anthem because, in all seriousness, he "is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most watched television star in the world."

I just wanted to point out that the school I attended in Tucson isn't exactly the Harvard of the west. People like dinner with a side of partying, and lots of it. The football team has stunk for years but students still attend the games, even if it's just the first half. And now, the Wildcats finish with a winning season, a respectable 7-5, and the first bowl they send us to in years is in Las Vegas?!? Really?

Now, we find out that not only will most of our Wildcat buddies be enjoying their time in Las Vegas, but we get to hear the 'Hoff belt out the lyrics before the kick? Thank you Jesus, you just made 2008 a touch better.

After the jump is a video of Hasselhoff singing, in case you needed to get your eardrums ready for the party. David, if you join us at Tao after the game, I promise to buy you at least one drink. Cross my heart.

(Also, I will be at the game, so pending any huge problems with my camera, I will be videotaping his performance. Should be memorable.)

David Hasselhoff Picked to Sing National Anthem at Las Vegas Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turkey Legs to Go: Las Vegas Bowl Travel Guide, BYU vs. Arizona

Will Brinson — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, California, Pac 10, Campus, Fans, Bowl Games

Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas, Nevada), which pits BYU against Arizona.

Overview/Matchup: The beauty of going to a bowl game in Las Vegas is that, well, it's Las Vegas. The tremendous downside is that, well, yeah, it's still Las Vegas. In other words: college student in Sin City is always dangerous. This year, it's the Cougars of BYU and the Wildcats of Arizona that will face temptation and each other.

Hotels: If you're going to be in Vegas you might as well stay on The Strip. All three of these hotels are Las Vegas landmarks. They each offer rooms that cost several thousand dollars a night, but Caesars Palace and The Venetian also frequently have rooms for one or two hundred. If budget's a concern, avoid the Wynn Las Vegas. It's worth trying to find a cheap room to stay in the heart of Sin City. As for convenience, the stadium is only five minutes away.

Restaurants: Mesa Grill is Bobby Flay's signature restaurant. Try the coffee-spiced rotisserie filet mignon with wild-mushroom-ancho-chili sauce and horseradish potato gratin. Trust us, you won't be disappointed. Burger Bar offers the best burgers in Vegas. From huge and greasy to elegant and refined, they've got the burger for you. Try the Kobe beef and lobster burger. Pink Taco... the name's a little scandalous, but they serve creative Mexican fusion and the restaurant is adjacent to the pool at the Hard Rock, so it's a great place to get appetizers and party.

Nightlife: As for bars and nightlife, who could pick? There are countless bars with every style, specialty and atmosphere you can imagine. Our only suggestion... if you're a vodka fanatic, Red Square is a must. The bar specializes in the Russian export and even has a vodka locker kept at a mind-numbing 5 F/-15 C. To get in, all you have to do is buy a US$250 bottle... they provide the fur coat and hat.

All travel related information comes from Professional Travel Guide.

Turkey Legs to Go: Las Vegas Bowl Travel Guide, BYU vs. Arizona originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jim McMahon Still Not in the BYU Hall of Fame

Chas Rich — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Mountain West, Campus

Jim McMahon, Jr. does not seem to care -- or at least won't publicly say anything. His relationship with BYU was always an awkward fit that twenty-some odd years later still defies logic. Almost as soon as the gun sounded on the last game on Jim McMahon's career as a Cougar, the school suspended and then expelled McMahon for violations of the school's honor code. The move left McMahon nine credit hours short of graduation. Not that McMahon cared.

"Happiness was Provo in the rearview mirror," McMahon said in his autobiography.

What not graduating also meant, however, was that McMahon was ineligible for the the BYU Hall of Fame. That graduation requirement was put in place while McMahon was playing at BYU. Some called it the "McMahon Rule." It was widely suspected that it was implemented as a way to keep from honoring a player that the school's administration disliked intensely for his less-than-Mormon-like behavior.

Jim McMahon, Sr., however, has decided that his son should be honored. First he sent a letter to the BYU Athletic Director and then started forwarding copies to newspapers in Utah.
He starts by noting that he is getting up there in age, and then makes the case.

If Jim had gone to any other university in the United States, his jersey would have been retired and he would have been in their Hall of Fame in 1982. Jim was without a doubt the greatest quarterback ever to wear a BYU jersey. In fact, he was the best quarterback in the history of college football. He set 57 NCAA records, the most records ever set by anyone who ever played the game. This is a feat that was never done before or after him. He has the best winning percentage of any quarterback in the history of BYU. He led BYU to its first bowl win and also its second bowl win. He is the only quarterback with two bowl wins to this day.

Jim was a consensus All-American for two years. Jim was the recipient of the Davey O'Brien award, given to the most outstanding quarterback in the country. Jim was first-team All-WAC for three years. Jim was the most valuable player in the WAC for three years. Jim was named first-team quarterback for the WAC's 25th anniversary team.

Jim was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible.

But! He is not in the BYU Hall?

How can you explain that? Oh! I know, he did not graduate, and that is one of your requirements. In that case, you will need to take out about 60 percent of the people in your Hall, as they did not all graduate.

That's right, McMahon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame back in 1999, but BYU still excludes him.

McMahon, Sr. goes on to complain in the letter of how the school conspired to keep him out by passing the eligibility rule and then suspending him almost as soon as the Holiday Bowl was over. The topic doesn't even seem to divide people in Utah. The opinion pieces are in McMahon's favor. The Salt Lake Tribune collected plenty of opinions on whether McMahon should be enshrined, and the support was overwhelmingly with McMahon. Most, even acknowledging that McMahon was no (Latter Day) Saint at BYU.

Jim McMahon was and remains the best college QB I have ever seen play the game. If BYU allowed him on the field of play and benefited from his athletic talent - which it certainly did (he was never prohibited from playing football because of disciplinary action or Honor Code violations and the positive national attention for BYU that came from - and still does to this day - his play on the field cannot be denied), the school cannot now turn its back on him.

Opinion definitely seems to be with the McMahon's on this. Both for what Jim McMahon accomplished at BYU and for what most saw and still see as a blatant hypocrisy of the BYU administration.

Jim McMahon Still Not in the BYU Hall of Fame originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week In Schadenfreude: Bronco Is a Funny Name for a Communist

Brian Cook — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:06:00 EST

Filed under: Arkansas, Brigham Young, California, Virginia Tech, Washington, Wisconsin

scha·den·freu·de

-noun

satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.

[Origin: 1890-95; < G, equiv. to Schaden harm + Freude joy]

On This Week In Schadenfreude we explore the sputtering rage, gibbering condemnation, and resigned ennui of the college football fan who has recently undergone humiliating defeat. Because even in your darkest hour, someone else is suffering too, and probably worse than you. Unless you are a Michigan fan who has just finished watching the Appalachian State game.

Expectations got a little out of hand for BYU when they throttled a UCLA team that had just beaten Tennessee with its eighth string quarterback. It would soon turn out that both UCLA and Tennessee were pretty awful, but by that point BYU was floating in the top ten. No more. The Cougars got stomped by TCU, prompting one Mormon on a mission (HA!) to ask a simple question:

POLL: Do you hate Bronco Mendenhall?

Okay, that might have been tongue in cheek. This, however, is... um:

Subject: Bronco is a communist!

... If a player is gifted at something you should be tailoring plays that allow him to use those gifts. Hiding talents in a system is not the way to go, just ask the communists.

...it's definitely something, anyway. BYU, you are the Tears of Unfathomable Sadness award recipient.

The rest of the week in spleen after the jump.

BIG TEN

Is Michigan even the most disappointing team in the Big Ten anymore? Wisconsin 1) lost to Michigan, 2) is now 0-4 in conference, and 3) has been humiliated by Penn State and Iowa in back-to-back weeks.

Yikes. If the Badgers hadn't replaced Virginia Tech with Cal Poly a few months ago, they would be looking at a major uphill battle to achieve bowl eligibility.

The troops are displeased, obviously, and some of them are even calling for the most sacrilegious thing of all:

Perfect time to change from the 19th century football of run, run, run and punt. 2008 is upon us and it's time to catch up with the rest of college football. Look at all the top teams in the country, they use the spread for a reason.

That's right: some Wisconsin fans want to kill the Beef Machine.

Speaking of Unnecessary Capitalization:

Swiss Cheese and Kool Aid, came to mind when I watched todays game.

Swiss Cheese to name this defense.

Kool Aid for the drink of choice for the people that continued to come on this board and tell us that everyhting is going to be ok. They also were claiming that the Badgers were going to win out and go to a Bowl-- even a Major Bowl. They would shoot down the real people and tell them they didn't know any thing about Football and such.

And then an Eye exam would be needed for these people to help them in what they think they are watching.

Most Badger fans are fairly patient at this point-Wisconsin is coming off back-to-back NYD appearances, after all-but some have gone Off the Reservation.

PAC 10

Cal lost to... uh... Arizona, spurring California Golden Blogs to go with Coping Strategy #543, "pretend you are one of those spectacle-wearing aristocrats who enjoys theater and soccer":

Well, let me tell you, ladies and gents, what a Saturday night I had. After watching the Kansas City Wizards defeat the San Jose soccer team on a very exciting last second goal, I went out for a night on the town.

My wife and I went to go see a delightful bit of modern American theatre, "Souvenir." This post-feminist romp is a can't miss show of non-stop hilarity! Dame Judy Kaye reprises her ever so daring Broadway role that earned her a Tony Award in 2006. She plays Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York socialite and tone-deaf diva who thought she was a great soprano. A New York socialite and tone-deaf diva who thought she was a great soprano?!?! Well, now I've seen *everything*

...including a 28 point third quarter from Arizona, which I remind you is Arizona.

And Washington is back on the docket, losing 34-13 to Oregon State. Dawgman, what gallows humor do you have for us?

Does anyone remember when Willingham holding that finger aloft was kind of ominous? No, just Michigan fans? Okay.

SEC

There were no major upsets in the SEC this week, but Arkansas did contrive to lose a game in which they had the ball at midfield up 13 with five minutes remaining.

Razorback Expats goes with a classic:

Just so we're sure - did the Hogs really lose that game? You know, the one in which they intercepted Mike Hartline at midfield with just over five minutes to go, when they led the Wildcats by 13.

We're going to plow through a few bottles of Prozac.

With our traditional Syracuse Crying Child coming up, this brings our "crying noun" count to two in this TWIS-a new record!

BIG EAST

Syracuse 13, South Florida 45. Cue the crying child:

Later, rinse, repeat.

BONUS: The proprietor of Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician comments!

So help me God if Robinson says he saw some good things today, I will cut out his heart with a spoon.

Since the headlines today aren't filled with headlines like "HIDEOUS SPOON ATTACK IN UPSTATE NEW YORK", Mr. Robinson must have avoided that particular construction.

BIG TWELVE

Missouri got bludgeoned into oblivion by Texas, propelling the Longhorns to a unanimous #1 ranking and Tiger blog Mizzourah to... Canada:

I've been thinking about following hockey. It's a sport I always thought was kind of cool but never put in the necessary effort to learn all its intricacies. I'm sure I'd enjoy it. I've heard it's by far the coolest sport to see in person.

I can vouch for hockey, especially the college variety, but the closest program to you, good sir, is probably Nebraska-Omaha, and that is a hell of a drive.

ACC

Yeah, yeah, Clemson lost again but they're busy figuring out who the new coach is and have pretty much moved on from this year. So we must get a new team in the box. How about Virginia Tech? Gobbler Country is starting up a new Word of the Day feature:

Today's word to describe Virginia Tech's offense is:

Putrid.

Try using it in a sentence!

"If you think Virginia Tech's offense is putrid you haven't been watching Auburn or Michigan." Do I get a gold star?

[checking]

Dude... no, I do not: Auburn (#107) and Michigan (#108) are smoking Virginia Tech (#110). No gold stars for me.

This Week In Schadenfreude: Bronco Is a Funny Name for a Communist originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Thursday Upset: TCU Destroys BYU

Brian Grummell — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, TCU, Mountain West

This is exactly why you need to join us on the adventure that is Thursday night college football. The Florida State/North Carolina State headliner was alright, but down on the rodeo-mad Versus network TCU was putting the whuppin' on previously undefeated BYU 32-7.

BYU was almost staring down a 21-0 first quarter deficit, before it appeared to pick off a TCU pitch near the end zone. In the typical banana republic fashion of college football reviews, the interception was overturned and TCU got redemption with a gimme field goal to go up 17-0 and never looked back.

The Horned Frogs' smashing victory -- this thing was over well before the end of the first half -- ends BYU's nation-leading 16 game win streak and narrows by one the already dwindling list of small conference BCS crashers. We know you want your MTV -- and Boise State and BYU and Ball State. Problem is, until someone like TCU makes their season beating the Oklahomas on their schedule (they lost to the Sooners 35-10), unfortunate defeats like this seem inevitable.

Next year, right? Hmmmmm ok.

Notable:

TCU's offense starred early in cruising to a huge lead, but its defense was strong the entire game. BYU turned the ball over four times, finishing with just 297 yards.

Heisman Trophy candidate BYU quarterback Max Hall was ineffective all night, mustering just one scoring drive and tossing two interceptions without a touchdown.

BYU's rushing offense was held to 0.8 yards/carry, netting just 28 yards on 23 carries. BYU's previously stout defense was a sieve, surrendering 240 rush yards at 4.7 yards/carry.

Another Thursday Upset: TCU Destroys BYU originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Bowden's Last Dance on Thursday Night, Perchance? College Football Live Blog

Brian Grummell — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:19:00 EST

Filed under: Brigham Young, Florida State, NC State, TCU, ACC

We don't want to get too sappy, but this may be Bobby Bowden's last major primetime game as the head coach at Florida State. Mind you its on a Thursday night, but when your program takes the turn Florida State's has, them's the breaks, sadly.

Maybe ESPN will ignore the significance of it, or maybe there's a goofy showing of respect/admiration/appreciation with montages of Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke and Deion Sanders and a million other interesting players and events that have been part of the man's remarkable career.

And if all of that stuff somehow bores you, we'll also be monitoring another game starting a half hour later, No. 9 BYU at TCU. Whatever strikes your fancy, it's College Football's Monday night, and we're here to emcee.

Festivities begin at 730 ET (BYU at TCU begins at 8 ET on Versus). Chat application after the jump.

Bobby Bowden's Last Dance on Thursday Night, Perchance? College Football Live Blog originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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