NCAA Football FanHouse

Members Of Congress to Department of Justice: Investigate the BCS

Brian Grummell — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:16:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, BCS, Boise State Football, Hawaii Football

One would think Congress would get the lesson that spending valuable time investigating trivialities like sports is a waste of the public's time. It's not like the public has fully embraced the drawn-out inquest into Barry Bonds and Rogers Clemens, Senator Arlen Specter's crusade against the Patriots, and so on.

But no. Three misguided members of Congress now seek to interfere with college football, all in the name of pandering.

Three members of Congress want the Justice Department to investigate whether the Bowl Championship Series is an illegal enterprise.

Representatives Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii; Lynn Westmoreland, Republican of Georgia; and Mike Simpson, Republican of Idaho, introduced a resolution saying the B.C.S. restricts trade because only the largest universities compete in its games. The resolution would require the Justice Department's antitrust division to investigate if the B.C.S. violates federal law.

The measure, if it passes, would put Congress on record as supporting a postseason playoff.

Hawaii? Check. Idaho? Check. Georgia? Check. No pandering going on here! Hilariously stupid quote of the month goes to Hawaii Democrat Neil Abercrombie:

"Who elected these N.C.A.A. people?" Abercrombie said at a news conference Thursday on Capitol Hill while gripping a souvenir University of Hawaii football. "Who are they to decide who competes for the championship?"

Never let facts get in the way of a good time folks! Imagine, private - not public like Congress - interests such as the NCAA determining how their own organizations are run? This is apparently scary stuff for the closet fascist the great people of Hawaii have elected. Best of all Abercrombie doesn't appear to realize that "those NCAA people" aren't deciding who competes for college football's championship, nor should they. It's in the hands of the institutions and the conferences themselves.

Exit question: What, no co-signature from any of Alabama's representatives?

Members Of Congress to Department of Justice: Investigate the BCS originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawaii's Facilities Are a Joke

Brian Grummell — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:17:00 EST

Filed under: WAC, Boise State Football, Hawaii Football, SMU Football

And it only took 20 years to admit the problem! With an assist from a soapless Heisman Trophy finalist and the best coach in school history leaving them for SMU.

Check out this video documenting the school's decrepit athletic facilities ("In the locker room there are missing ceiling tiles, broken soap dispensers and inoperable fire alarms. In the weight room you'll find damaged Olympic weights, cracked upholstery on machines and broken equipment.")

The funny part is that even though the Warriors won the WAC this year, they've still got Boise State on the brain. Whatever, at least they're finally allocating some money to address the situation. I'm guessing that's the only reason cameras were allowed to show the mess in the first place, now that Hawaii can stand up and say "change is coming".

(H/T: The Wizard of Odds)

Hawaii's Facilities Are a Joke originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawai'i Player: 'Georgia Got Lucky'

Ryan Ferguson — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:16:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, Hawaii Football

Here's one for the "Oh no he DIH-UNT" file. Former Hawai'i Warrior Lene Amosa says Hawai'i just didn't bring it in their game against Georgia.

As a former player, I'm tired of hearing fans and the media say that we were overmatched by bigger, faster, stronger players.

Georgia players are no different than us; the problem was they came to play and we didn't.

Georgia was dominant, not only because they were good athletes, but because their scheme put them in the best position to win.

If Hawai'i (offense) had done the same and utilized/adjusted their scheme to put themselves in the best position, we would not be in the mess we are in now. Believe me, our budget and facilities have nothing to do with what goes on on the field. It's up to the players, and I know for a fact they are looking forward to Florida.

Georgia got lucky, and I say that from a player's point of view. We gave up big plays, which at the end killed us.

Oh, Lene. Lene, Lene, Lene.

The Sugar Bowl was the only BCS game I've ever watched and thought, "Damn, I hope none of those little skinny guys get hurt." I was literally fearful for the safety of Hawai'i's players. And every time the Warriors' offense took the field, I was reminded of that scene from Jurassic Park. No, not the one where the kid gets blown off the electric fence; the one where they tie a goat up to a post in an effort to lure a velociraptor out of hiding.

The only thing Georgia lucked out on is that none of their players were charged with aggravated assault for what they did to the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai'i Player: 'Georgia Got Lucky' originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pardon Me, Did You Happen to See a Good BCS Bowl Game?

Ryan Ferguson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:47:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, LSU Football, Ohio State Football, Oklahoma Football, USC Football, West Virginia Football, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 10, SEC, BCS, Bowl Games, NCAA FB Fans, Illinois Football, Hawaii Football

This whole BCS thing has me gritting my teeth again. Some of these bowl outcomes were predetermined before the first snap, but there were a few surprises.

Rose Bowl: USC 49, Illinois 17

That's what you get for your precious Rose Bowl tie-ins, Big 10 and Pac-10 fans. A total sham of a game. The Grandaddy? Not this year.

I know everyone's in love with USC after that dominating performance, but let's not lose sight of the fact that Illinois was probably overrated due to that win over Ohio State. A fact made even more obvious after the Bucks were hammered by LSU in the BCS title game. How great would it have been to see Southern Cal vs. Georgia in this game?

Sugar Bowl: Georgia 41, Hawaii 10

I'm all for giving the little guy a chance, but the Warriors had no business being in this game. Our valued Hawaii readers here at FanHouse have pointed out Hawaii's ascendance under June Jones and that the accomplishments of their football team showcase their rich cultural heritage. True, Hawaii's a powerhouse in the WAC nowadays, and that is something to be proud of... but it is the WAC, not the Pac-10 or SEC.

Regardless, this is the game I enjoyed the least. Why? Because my interest in the outcome of the game diminished as my fear for the physical safety of Hawaii's players grew. We here at FanHouse have the highest respect and appreciation for the island's tradition (how 'bout that Haka!), and we love the underdog. Love him! Warriors fans, you have every right to be proud of your team. But on the flip side, hey... it's college football. Bring it or shut up. Mahalo.

Fiesta Bowl: West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28

This was a reasonably fun game to watch... for a half. Certainly the overwhelming favorite, Oklahoma, was upset by a surprisingly speedy and effective Mountaineer squad. (Even despite losing head coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan!) But blowouts do get boring. I didn't see the final quarter. I don't blame this one on the BCS. I think.

Orange Bowl: Kansas 24, Virginia Tech 21

This one surprised me, but then again you're talking about two of the weaker conferences in the country this year squaring off. In terms of glamor and appeal, the Orange Bowl was sorely lacking. It was kind of a close game, I guess. Did anyone watch it? Kansas and Virginia Tech fans don't count.

BCS Title Game: I'll admit it, I grew nervous about this game after Michigan beat the Gators in the Capital One bowl; I actually called for a 1-point win for the Bayou Bengals. LSU clearly had a more talented team going into the game, but would Les Miles be able to get his team razor-focused and ready to play? Turns out I shouldn't have worried. This game was, for all intents and purposes, over after LSU answered the Buckeyes' opening salvo with 31 unanswered points.

The BCS, Playoffs, and +1

So how do you feel about this year's bowl matchups? With the exception of the Rose Bowl, I feel as though the BCS worked more or less as advertised: we got #1 vs. #2 in New Orleans, we had an at-large opponent not named Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, and Top 10 matchups involving West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kansas and Virginia Tech.

The problem, of course, is that although it 'worked', the system simply isn't very good, so neither was the final result. Between traditional bowl tie-ins (thanks for nothing, Rose Bowl!), corporate sponsors choosing teams based on their potential ROI rather than how good they might be, bowl politics and a mad-scientist formula which determines how a team is ranked, fans are more often than not robbed of an opportunity to see great postseason matchups.

Don't think I'm clamoring for a playoff. Please: I've studied this mess long enough to understand the business interests at the heart of college football easily trump what Joe Q. Football Fan and his buddies might want. Until we're all willing to stop paying for the product to get what we're asking for -- and trust me on this, none of us are -- we're not going to see a playoff. If anything, the controversy surrounding the BCS sweetens the pot for the suits making money on the whole deal.

Those suits love the current system. Love it. They're making money hand over fist. The universities aren't necessarily making a dime directly from their efforts -- a BCS appearance is often a break-even or lose-money proposition unless you're Notre Dame -- but the corporate sponsors, the bowls, and their supporting communities want it to stay status quo forever.

And it probably will. In all honesty, I don't think we'll ever see a true college football playoff in the fashion of the FCS or the NCAA basketball tournament. I've found it's easier to accept when you just decide to let it go.

It's important to remember that the current bowl system, and the BCS, isn't an entity. You can't call up the BCS on the telephone, or storm into their office building and demand to speak to the guy in charge. This system is a loose collection of hundreds of different entities, all with their own agendas and interests to protect. And it wasn't formed overnight: it took several generations of tweaking and twisting and turning and handshakes to get the "business" to this point. Things don't easily change, and when they do, it's only to make sure that the flow of greenbacks continues in the right direction and at the best rate possible. Do you think these people care about whether the right team is crowned a national champion? Their collective product -- college football's postseason -- is more successful now than it has ever been. You say playoff and they're not even listening. They couldn't care any less because business is great.

What I do think could work, eventually -- not this year, or next year, but maybe five or ten years from now -- is a +1 system. The +1 isn't perfect either, but it nicely fills almost all of the glaring holes left open by the current incarnation of the Bowl Championship Series. A +1 answers the problem of multiple undefeated teams vying for a championship slot, or in the case of the 2007 season, multiple defeated teams who all have reasonable claims to appear in the Big Game. Will someone always be left on the outside looking in? Yes, and that's too bad, but when you're talking about a total of 13, 14, or in the case of two teams under a hypothetical scenario like this one, 15 total games in a season, it's impossible to make everyone happy.

But even a +1 is a long shot.

The biggest problem, of course, is the set of "tradtional" bowl tie-ins. The Rose Bowl, in particular, doesn't want to see the Grandaddy become an "early round" bowl and the fear is that any type of playoff structure will diminish the importance of the event.

A fair concern for the Rose Bowl and the city of Pasadena to have, in my view.

If you'll recall, professional football attempted to run playoffs with a bowl type structure but crowds just weren't showing up for the games. Eventually the league went to a home-team stadium arrangement based on seeds from the regular season, and most of the professional bowls -- with the exception of 'Super' and 'Pro' -- died. Could that happen in college football? Well, if fans are unwilling to travel to a "playoff" bowl game and then turn right back around and fly to where the championship game is being held, then the answer is yes.

For proof, have a look in the stands at the regionals for the NCAA basketball tournament. Lots and lots of empty seats, even for the regional finals.

It's just too frightening a thought for the BCS, and the extended bowl system around it to bear. That's why even a +1 is a long shot and talk of an 8 or 16-team playoff is a complete and utter waste of breath. Isn't going to happen. Doesn't matter how much you like it, it's not good for business. So you're not going to get it. Ever.

One other thing which could help is a change in the method for how teams are selected. The Rose Bowl is once again at the center of the problem: they want a Pac-10 team facing off against a Big 10 team, period, and that's how we got the USC-Illinois debacle this year. If the bowls opened themselves up to bringing in any combination of teams, we'd potentially see better matchups. Of course, the same old dragon head pops up and breathes fire on the whole shebang: bowls don't necessarily want the best matchups, they want the best teams for their corporate sponsors. That's why Clemson made it to the Chik-Fil-A bowl (a travesty that it's no longer called the Peach Bowl, really) over Boston College, an overachieving squad whose fanbase just doesn't give a rip about them. (Did you see their attendance in the ACC Championship game? I'm guessing All-Tel stadium was about 40% full. No lie.)

Again, greenbacks trump good football. That is the bowl system. I don't see a change in this department either, and frankly, I don't really blame the bowls... it's a business, and creating consistently good matchups in this case is potentially bad for business.

So. What do you think? +1? Hellbent for leather on the playoff? Leave things as they are, but change the formula? Or just keep griping about it? Here's to better bowl games next season.

Pardon Me, Did You Happen to See a Good BCS Bowl Game? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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June Jones Leaves Paradise

Charles Rich — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:42:00 EST

Filed under: Conference USA, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football, SMU Football

Sure the facilities are apparently a disaster. He has no recruiting budget. Teams will not play Hawaii in the non-conference schedule. He doesn't have a contract for next year. It's still being head coach at Hawaii. Wearing Hawaiian shirts and leis on the sidelines, and living in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. June Jones has apparently decided to take the money and challenge.

June Jones has resigned as University of Hawai'i head football coach, according to his close friend, Al Souza.

Jones resigned this morning, citing among other things a lack of loyalty and commitment from athletic department leaders.

Jones is heading to meet with Southern Methodist University officials and boosters today and is expected to be offered the head coaching job and a contract worth between $1.7 and $2 million per year.

SMU had been the first school to fire its head coach -- in mid-season -- but was the last to make a hire. They rebuffed multiple attempts by former Auburn Coach Terry Bowden who was interested because they thought they could do better. Apparently they have.

As for the letter Jones sent to the University of Hawaii and others to explain his resignation.
The contents are starting to leak to the media.

Here is part of what it says:

"It is been very hard the last few days thinking about the decision to leave a place that I love greatly -- but you and I have talked many times about things that have concerned me -- None of those things that concerned me were addressed in this offer...

I guess all I can say is that the way my contract talks have been handled, is kind of the reason I am tired and why I just need to go. He says it is a generous offer. But, it would have meant a lot to me, had this offer come after the bowl game last year or even before the season -- or had it come to me as late as the Washington game it would have said to me 'thanks June for a job well done'

There would have been no negotiating -- I probably would have signed it and never let it get to this point.

Hawaii will always have my heart and that is why this is so hard for me -- but just the fact I am going to get on that plane to Dallas says it all.

I do not want to go -- believe me -- but it is time to go. Mahalo, June."

Hawaii Athletic Director Herman Frazier forced out the longtime basketball coach, Riley Wallace, last season. He drew out the search for his replacement, before finally hiring long time Hawaii assistant and former player Bob Nash. Frazier may be the next to go after this.

June Jones Leaves Paradise originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: SMU to Pursue June Jones

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: Conference USA, WAC, BCS, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football, SMU Football

Joe Schad of ESPN has the scoop on SMU's coaching search. Last week, he mentioned - almost in passing - on College Football Live that SMU was going to take a shot at a football coach whose team had yet to play in a bowl game. He did not name a specific coach, school, or whether it was a "BCS conference" coach.

Now, we have a name. It's June Jones of Hawaii.

SMU will pursue Hawaii coach June Jones and is prepared to pay between $1.5 and $1.7 million per year, according to two people familiar with SMU's strategy.

Although Jones' contract expires after this year, Hawaii has yet to make a contract offer to the coach, who just completed his ninth season with Hawaii.

Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said after the Sugar Bowl that he will not negotiate through the media and that he will not comment specifically on SMU's interest in his coach.

Keep a couple things in mind before you start laughing. For starters, Hawaii's facilities are dreadful, and the athletic budget is equally comical. SMU's administration seems willing to throw some money at the football program, and while money won't solve all their problems, this looks like a really good idea. With Jones' contract up at Hawaii, now might be the time to take a shot at him if you're someone like SMU.

Jones brings instant credibility as a rebuilder (Hawaii was 0-12 the year before he took over that program), and he will find a way to make an impact with the players former coach Phil Bennett recruited. Given how rich the talent pool is in the Metroplex, it's hard to imagine that Jones wouldn't have success in Conference USA.

Report: SMU to Pursue June Jones originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yeah, So... That Whole Hawai'i in the BCS Thing Didn't Work Out So Well

Ryan Ferguson — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:33:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, Bowl Games, Hawaii Football

Like the rest of you, I was intrigued by the the matchup of Hawai'i and Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. What happens when you take one of the SEC's two best teams and match them up against Hawai'i, who rings up pinball scores on offense but doesn't play anyone outside the WAC other than a single marginal BCS conference opponent?

We're just halfway through the 3rd quarter now, but with the score at 31-3 in Georgia's favor, I feel safe in saying that this "experiment" was a failure.

Colt Brennan has been sacked 7 times, hurried 11 times, and knocked down 10 times. He's 17-28 for 131 yards and 2 ~~TDs~~ INTs. The Rainbow Warriors have only a single first down to their credit, and it took most of three quarters to get it. They're -12 in rushing yards, 119 in total yards.

Hawai'i is heavily outmatched, and it's time to face the facts: the Warriors are boys among men on this field. They don't belong here.

THE MY GOD, I ACTUALLY STAYED UP TO WATCH THAT TO THE END UPDATE: Final's 41-10. That game was cruel and unusual punishment for two reasons.

One, it's disturbing to watch humans maul other humans like that without any sane person intervening and calling the game off. College football apparently needs a "mercy" rule because Georgia kept pounding those poor Hawaiians long after they had any defensible reason for doing so. Bad dawgs!

Two, FOX commentators Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis' meandering romps through topics such as Uga's ice bags and bands from Athens (apparently Davis quite dug R.E.M. when he was in high school... not kidding). Fox, if you want to broadcast a blowout, for god's sakes, men, have some serious filler material ready to go!

I can't sign off without expressing my amazement that they actually followed through with their plans to complete a Postgame show in this snoozer. And when the local news finally came on at 1:15AM here in Orlando, they started off with "Sorry you had to wait through that dreadful football game for your evening news... "

Yeah, So... That Whole Hawai'i in the BCS Thing Didn't Work Out So Well originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FOX Needs to Rethink Its Bowl Gametimes

Charles Rich — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:31:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, BCS, NCAA FB Media Watch, Hawaii Football

I'm sure TV people will explain ad nauseum how starting the game at nearly 8:50 pm Eastern is the way to maximize eyeballs. That somehow the second half beginning at close to 11 pm on the East Coast is not a big deal. There are two problems that immediately come to mind. They took nearly 20 minutes after the half-hour pregame to get around to kickoff. Maybe they jammed in more ads, but they also irritated plenty of people who checked their program guide and at the very least expected a kickoff to start within ten minutes of the 8:30 start time.

The bigger problem is, reality. Georgia and Hawaii was expected to be a blowout. It has been exactly that. It was 24-3 at the half and less than halfway through the 3d quarter Georgia is up 31-3. Safe to say a lot of people called it a night at that point.They can play up the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and Boise St. over Oklahoma classic all they want, but people have to have a reason to keep watching to get to that point.

The rest of the BCS Bowl games are scheduled for 8 pm starts. That means, FOX may actually start the games by 8:30 on the weeknights. Why they couldn't even do that much tonight makes little sense.

FOX Needs to Rethink Its Bowl Gametimes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Georgia's O-line is Dominating Hawaii

Charles Rich — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:36:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, BCS, Bowl Games, Hawaii Football

Hawaii showed all of its nerves in their first series. Managing to pick up a delay of game on the opening play and then a false start. Not surprisingly, they went three and out. On their next series, Hawaii got settled and moved steadily down the field. Well, most of the players settled down. The exception being WR Jason Rivers who committed a hold and then a killer late hit penalty to kill the drive. Hawaii was able to put a field goal through.

Georgia has been able to run right through Hawaii. Georgia's O-line completely plowed through Hawaii to make it look easy on their opening drive for a Knowshon Moreno TD run. There was more of the same from the Bulldogs on the second drive with the run and short pass. Taking advantage of an O-line that completely blows open holes for the ball carriers. Moreno also had the second TD run as Georgia has over 90 yards on the ground in just the first quarter.

Hawaii will be in for a long night, at this rate. Not from the "SEC speed" on defense, but from a superior, larger and more dominant Georgia offensive line.

Georgia's O-line is Dominating Hawaii originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Proof Hawaii Belongs in Big-Time College Football: Crazy Warrior Fans

Andy Katzer — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, BCS, Bowl Games, NCAA FB Fans, Hawaii Football

There are certain traits that all big-time college football programs share: classic helmet designs and uniform colors, instantly recognizable fight songs, and decades of tradition that fans nationwide identify immediately as belonging to your school.

Hawaii has none of that. But they do have one ingredient that any self-respecting program needs: insane fans. Need proof? Exhibit A comes from The (Macon, GA) Telegraph, which printed the following letter to the editor in its Monday, December 11 edition:

It was disappointing to learn that a person from your newspaper expressed his disappointment with the BCS process by threatening the life of Hawaii's quarterback, Colt Brennan. This was not ordinary banter between two colleges, two teams or two cities. This was the type of diatribe that is akin to inciting radical terrorists to assault and kill our troops, their own people and attack innocents around the world. Why ... was this sick, over-zealous sewage allowed in print? ... Hawaii has been insulted to the extreme because of this attack, and our proud Warriors will unfortunately have to take it out on your team.

Emphasis mine, but Diatribe! Terrorists! and Sewage! are belong to this unhappy man from the islands. So what could have possibly been in the offending article?The diatribe in question came from Telegraph writer Travis Fain, who after several paragraphs of trying to make an argument for Georgia in the BCS championship game (see, insanity runs in major programs' fan bases) wrote:

[L]et me close with this: I want Colt Brennan's head on a stick. I want that pretty boy Hawaii quarterback driven through the Superdome turf. I want perfection in all phases of the game this New Year's Day. Destroy Hawaii.

Head on a stick, people. If that's not a legit death threat, then I've never heard one. Fain's words made it into the Honolulu Advertiser and even elicited a comment from Hawaii's AD (who said it comes with the territory of being "on a pedestal"). Fain addressed the reaction to his column at his blog Lucid Idiocy -- "now worse than terrorism" -- by saying:

You'd think fans of a team called "The Rainblow..." excuse me, "The Rainbow Warriors" would understand the concept of figurative speech. Are they really at war? Are they actually rainbows?

OK, "Rainblow" was weak sauce, but the rest was pretty spot-on. Look, if all this brings some juice to what looked like a pretty bland bowl matchup, then I'm all for it. Bring on the crazy Warriors.

Proof Hawaii Belongs in Big-Time College Football: Crazy Warrior Fans originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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StiffArmTrophy.com Projects Final Finish in Heisman Race

Ryan Ferguson — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:48:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Football, Big 12, MAC, SEC, Heisman, Missouri Football, Arkansas Football, Hawaii Football

Spoiler alert! If you continue reading, you'll be privy to the name of the student-athlete who will win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, and you'll also know who will come in as runner-up. In fact, there's an odds-on chance you'll know exactly how all four finalists will finish.

Want to surprise and impress your non-blog reading friends with your Heisman prescience? Simply tell them that you know exactly what order the finalists will finish and what percentage of the total vote they'll get.

How will you be able to do this? By way of StiffArmTrophy.com, which has to be the coolest of all the Heisman websites out there; it's like the early exit poll for college football's most prestigious individual award. The website tracks publicly announced ballots, whether they be in print, over the radio or on TV, and projects the winner.

Does it work? Yes. Since 2002, SAT has correctly projected the winner and runner-up.

Since then, the website has correctly nailed the Top 3 (2006), the Top 4 (2003) and Top 5 (2005) in the correct order of finish. The average margin of error is anywhere from 1-4%, so for extremely tight races the site is less accurate.

As it happens, despite what ESPN might be advertising as a "close race," the 2007 race isn't that tight at all... except for 3rd and 4th place, which are close enough to fall just within that aforementioned margin. The victor in this race will win comfortably, and the runner-up will be defined with a similar cushion in statistical margin.

Ready for the results? Here you go... after the jump.

#4: Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri
Projected total points: 364. Projected total %: 13.1%

Why he's a finalist: Chase Daniel had a phenomenal year as a quarterback in '07, throwing for 4,170 yards, 33 TDs and only 10 INTs. He has a QB rating of 151.91 and led Mizzou to a #1 ranking.

Why he didn't win it: The two losses to Oklahoma -- the best team Mizzou played all year -- eroded voter confidence that Daniel could play at a Heisman level against a Top 10 team not named Kansas. A win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game most likely would have made a seismic shift in voter perception, but it wasn't to be.

Next year?: Daniel will be an early Heisman favorite in his senior year at Mizzou.

#3: Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii
Projected total points: 514. Projected total %: 18.5%

Why he's a finalist: Brennan led Hawaii to an undefeated regular season and BCS bowl bid. He threw for 4,174 yards, 38 TDs and 14 INTs. His QB rating is 166.3.

Why he didn't win it: There's a reason Hawaii's undefeated and still isn't being given a chance to play in the BCS Title game, despite the fact that two teams with a combined 3 losses between them are playing for the championship. That reason is Hawaii's schedule; their toughest opponent was 4-8 Washington. Close wins over Louisiana Tech (45-44), Nevada (28-26), and Fresno State (37-30) did little to help matters. Brennan also has some character issues in his past, but I don't think they played a significant role in how voters viewed him. Hawaii's weak schedule is a burden that Brennan has to carry when being considered for an honor as prestigious as the Heisman Trophy, and that burden has translated into a distant 3rd-place finish behind the top 2 finalists.

Next year?: It's off the pros for senior Brennan; if Warriors' head coach June Jones is to be believed, he's one of the best pro prospects ever. We'll see.

#2: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Projected total points: 1510. Projected total %: 54.5%

Why he's a finalist: Darren McFadden is easily the finest running back in the country. Despite sharing the load with fellow superstar Felix Jones, he still rushed for 1,725 yards in the regular season for a 5.7 YPC average. He has 15 rushing TDs, 1 TD reception, and for good measure, threw 4 more. He had monster games against South Carolina (321 yards) and LSU (206 yards) and rushed for over a hundred in all but three games. He is a likely Top 2 NFL draft pick should he decide to forgo his senior year with the Razorbacks.

Why he didn't win it: "D-Mac" came into the 2007 season as a favorite to win the Trophy. If he had managed this Heisman-like season in a year when our Heisman winner wasn't playing football, he'd likely have won it this year, now that he's a junior. Option 2: if Arkansas had just managed to win the SEC West and compete for a conference championship, losing perhaps only 2 or 3 games instead of 4, this year's Race could have been much closer.

Next year?: The "Boss Hawg" says he hasn't yet decided whether he'll go pro or not after the Hogs' bowl game against Missouri, but nobody's fooled. McFadden has one game remaining in an Arkansas uniform and after that, hello NFL!

#1: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Projected total points: 2045. Projected total %: 73.8%

Why he's a finalist: What more can be said about Tim Tebow that hasn't already been said? He's shattered just about every record a quarterback can break, and he's done it in his first year as a starter in the SEC. He's tied the SEC single-season rushing TD record at 22, with a bowl game to go. He's the first quarterback in the history of Division I-A football to score 20 passing and 20 rushing touchdowns in a single season. His 51-TD performance against the nation's best defenses is a milestone record that will likely remain unbroken even by Tebow himself as a junior or senior. The Heisman Trophy goes to college football's most outstanding player; there is no other criteria. Tebow has proven himself to be that in 2007.

Next year?: He'll be wearing a Florida uniform in 2008. In a recent interview, Tim Tebow said he was "planning to stay all 4 years" at Florida, but whether that occurs obviously remains to be seen. How many career records will Tim Tebow break if he stays through 2009? Only time will tell.

Looking at the Numbers

As you can see, with Tebow pulling in a projected 2,045 votes to McFadden's 1,510, the gap between first and second place isn't terribly close. But it's certainly closer than the gap between McFadden's runner-up finish and Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel, who are projected to receive only 514 and 364 votes, respectively.

Brennan and Daniel are close enough point-wise that a reversal of 3rd and 4th place is possible; so don't take that prediction to the bank. One thing you can be certain of is that Tim Tebow will be the first sophomore in the history of the Heisman Trophy to win the award, and that fellow SEC'er Darren McFadden will be the runner-up.

We'll be back after the ceremony with any new updates or info of interest. Until then, you can spread the word with confidence: it's an SEC QB and RB duo taking 1st and second place, respectively. Thank you, StiffArmTrophy.com, for all that you do.

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StiffArmTrophy.com Projects Final Finish in Heisman Race originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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June Jones is Smokin' the Loco Weed

Ryan Ferguson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Football, MAC, SEC, NCAA FB Gossip, Heisman, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football

Yeah, Tim Tebow's not all that great... says Hawaii's June Jones:

Year 2 seems to agree with Jesse Palmer and Jim Donnan:

In the end what we have here is someone seeking to promote his player by denigrating another. We also have an NFL supremacist taking a shot at the spread offense, despite the fact that his own "pro-style" offense hasn't been run in the NFL for over a decade. We also have someone asking for 70+ points to be scored on him come August 30, 2008. Perhaps when Tebow levels his linebackers, June Jones will understand why Tebow is such a special player as a runner. And maybe, just maybe, as he watches Tebow connect with Percy Harvin on a 70 yard touchdown pass he'll realize a year behind the rest of the country that hey, this kid can throw after all.

FanHouse reaction: Speechless... simply speechless. And JJ, please, share the wealth. Whatever you're smoking has got to be da bomb.

H/T: Year 2

June Jones is Smokin' the Loco Weed originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawaii's Sugar Bowl Bid Is a Joke

Adam Rank — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: WAC, BCS, Bowl Games, Hawaii Football

Hawaii is in the Sugar Bowl. The freaking Sugar Bowl. This has to be some sort of sick, perverse joke, right? Any astute observer of college football knows this can't be real. Like Ashton Kutcher is going to tell us today that we've all been Punk'd.

Hawaii should not be playing in the Sugar Bowl. They should be playing in a bowl where they belong.

The BCS Championship Game.

That's right, Hawaii deserves to be in the BCS Championship Game and it's a joke that they are not playing for the title.
Part of the charm of college football is that the regular season matters. Or at least the regular season used to matter. Now it has become more political than a Senate judiciary debate. Coaches are practicing filibusters as opposed to, you know, actually going out and winning games. Two-Loss Miles is better at deceiving the media than he is at drawing up an actual game plan to beat some of the mediocre teams in the SEC. There was a time when college football teams were judged by their wins, not how they could spin a conference loss. But Two-Loss Miles has become the master of that.

He opened the season by bracing the media for LSU's impending losses. Noting that his team was going to choke in the regular season because the Pac-10 was soft. Two-Loss Miles took shots at the Pac-10, building a straw-man defense to mask his inevitable losses to two of the dregs of the SEC.

But hey, it worked. The media seems intimidated by Two-Loss Miles, with nobody willing to stand up to him.

And don't think I'm overlooking you, Ohio State. Normally, your inclusion to any bowl would signal a blowout of epic proportions. Thankfully, LSU doesn't play much defense and Two-Loss Miles' nincompoopery - and the fact that he comes from Michigan - shows that he should be ready to choke this game away for you. Be honest, nobody is going to confuse Two-Loss Miles with Bill Walsh. For that reason, Ohio State, you have a chance but you have tripped over your own sweater vest, too.

LSU and Ohio State have both taken turns as the front-runner in the polls, and you failed. At home. Against mediocre teams.

All Hawaii has done is win all of their games. No campaigning. No begging. No press conferences. Hawaii has just gone out and won football games.

Weird, I know.

The knock against Hawaii is that they do not play anybody. Or at least that's the myth. The truth is that nobody wants to go over and play Hawaii. That's hard to fault the Warriors. Go play them if you have a problem with their schedule. But LSU probably can't get out of that commitment to play Bayou Banjo Tech. If you aren't willing to play the team, you can't complain about their schedule.

And while Hawaii was running the table, LSU was losing to mediocre teams like Arkansas who fired its coach after the season. LSU played most of its games at home. It played one tough road game this season, at Kentucky and they lost.

Does anybody else feel like they have taken crazy pills when they hear LSU's justification? Like Two-Loss Miles has balls of steel for even suggesting that his team deserved to play for the national title.

The truth is, the SEC doesn't play anybody of note. The conference has perpetuated this myth of invincibility by refusing to play anybody of note in the non-conference schedule, then living off the legend of being a tough conference. But the truth says otherwise when the SEC venture outside the South, because they get beaten badly. Kind of like the Confederacy.

Arkansas tried to stay with USC in recent years and were humiliated. The seventh place team in the Pac-10, Cal, spanked the SEC Eastern Conference Champs, Tennessee. Alabama lost to Louisiana-Monroe. Some superiority. But who did LSU beat? Oh that's right, LSU scheduled one of those nobodies from Hawaii's schedule, Louisiana Tech.

The Tigers did beat Virginia Tech, but as Lil' Hater on The Hater Nation noted, "Half of the Virginia Tech team was still under suspicion of mass murder." (What, too soon?)

And really, why should they have to play anybody? If the media is going to buy into that bull (expletive), there is no need to play anybody tough. Two-Loss Miles can just take the time to prepare the spin cycle when ~~Nick Saban's~~ his team loses.

The truth is, Hawaii deserves to play for the national championship and LSU really has no argument. Sure, you could reason that LSU is the better team, but this isn't about that. Underachieving teams don't deserve to be rewarded for losing. It's that simple.

Besides, if this was about putting the best teams into the title game, USC would take LSU's spot.

No, Hawaii was screwed. But instead of complaining and campaigning -- which is what Two-Loss Miles would have done -- Hawaii is going to be the bigger men here and just be happy for the opportunity to compete. Hopefully they can expose the SEC for what they really are. But it looks like they already have.

Hawaii's Sugar Bowl Bid Is a Joke originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawaii Is The WAC Champion

Brian Grummell — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: WAC, Boise State Football, The Word, Hawaii Football

Nothing says scrappy overachievement like winning the crown of perhaps the best non-BCS conference with awful facilities and a $50,000 recruiting budget.

In beating Boise State 39-27, Hawaii . . . beat Boise State. The Broncos had a half-decade monopoly on WAC Championships snapped thanks to tonight's defeat. It was a good run, but crappy truisms and rationalizations speak thusly: all great things come to an end.

So pop that pineapple bubbly Hawaii fans, you're the new king of the neighborhood. Oh, and try dismantling Washington next week while you're at it. If you want a shot at a BCS game you'll need to put on a hell of a demonstration.

Good luck.

Hawaii Is The WAC Champion originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 24 Nov 2007 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawaii's Kicker Is Money

Brian Grummell — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 02:55:00 EST

Filed under: WAC, Hawaii Football, Nevada Football

Hawaii's undefeated dream stays alive as the Warriors just beat back pesky Nevada in the weeeeeeeeeee hours of the morning here out East.

Nevada held a 26-25 fourth quarter lead, but Hawaii rallied on its final possession, lining up for a 45-yard field goal with about 30 seconds left. Nevada then let the clock tick down before calling one of those much-criticized last-moment timeouts just as Hawaii lined up for the kick. Not that it counted, but the kicker nailed it much as he had when he hit the game-tying field goal on the road against Louisiana Tech.

That no worries Island spirit took over on the next try as he absolutely drilled his effort. The kick soared into the sky and smoked right through the middle of the goalposts to give the Warriors a 28-26 victory.

Equally impressive, Hawaii played nearly the entire game without injured quarterback Colt Brennan. Backup Tyler Graunke who has experience aplenty was efficient and reliable as Nevada kept the scoring down with keepaway, time-consuming football.

An upset would be a sexy story, but kickers who actually do their job in pressure situations deserve some attention when you don't get the upset. Sooooo, say hello to 10-0 Hawaii while I say hello to a few hours of sleep before I get up and do this again for 16+ hours starting later this morning.

Hawaii's Kicker Is Money originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 02:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybe This Is Why Hawaii Couldn't Get That Extra Home Game

Brian Grummell — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: Fresno State Football, WAC, The Word, Hawaii Football

Granted: this complaint is coming from Fresno State fans, who have a reputation for being rambunctious and rude guests.

We had found a parking spot and were making our way into the stadium. Of course we were all wearing red and were heckled a bit, which is entirely understandable and expected. Our seats were located in the visitor's section in the northwest corner of the north end zone. Like most stadiums, this section is surrounded on all sides by the opposing team's fans.

Unlike most stadiums, however, sitting in this section means that you will be constantly verbally and physically assaulted for four quarters. Let me stress that I am no stranger to hostile athletic environments. I've been to games at LSU, USC, UCLA, Oregon etc., but I have NEVER seen visiting fans treated like we were on Saturday night.

What follows are a lot of details we can't print on here and obviously cannot verify. Fights. Foul language. Lax to non-existent security. Large men with children on their laps verbally abusing people. You get the picture. Take it or leave it (and frankly, some of it comes across as subtly racist - what does a Hawaii fan being Samoan have to do with anything?), but it's interesting if true.

Hawaii claims their recent success has made it difficult to lure non-conference visitors to travel across the Pacific and play them. Maybe, just maybe, word is also getting around that their fans don't make for great hosts? Aloha means hello, but it also means goodbye. Hmm ...

Maybe This Is Why Hawaii Couldn't Get That Extra Home Game originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Debriefing: It's OK if You're Not Embracing Kansas or Hawai'i

mjd — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kansas Football, The Word, Hawaii Football

The Debriefing is a column that runs every weekday at 9:00 a.m. here on FanHouse. It goes deep into one issue and then bounces around to a plethora of smaller ones ... and does it all in a way that will make you feel like the prettiest girl at the cotillion. Bookmark this page, and visit daily.

It's human nature to love the underdog. It's not a concept that's limited to any one sport, or to sports at all, really.

It's the reason we loved the Rocky movies, the reason we wanted Luke Skywalker to bitchslap Darth Vader, the reason we always hope some random guy from Botswana comes out of nowhere to win a gold medal every four years, and the reason we're all hoping that Flava Flav can find someone to love his seemingly- unlovable ass.

But in college football right now, we've got two teams in Kansas and Hawaii that very much fit the underdog profile, and they're not being embraced. They're not even being winked at seductively. Both can at least make some kind of claim, legitimate or otherwise, that they deserve a shot at a national title, and yet, no one seems to be rallying behind them.

(Also at the bottom: Notre Dame should start recruiting players smart enough to take in Charlie Weis' genius ... the Gipper is dancing in heaven today ... We congratulate Jimmie Johnson ... and we also salute the college football coach with the over-active middle finger...)

Because what people want, even more than they want a happy-go-lucky underdog, is a clear winner. People want someone to deserve, and to have earned, the title of the best team in the nation. That's what competition is all about ... and the concept of competition has to come before the concept of the underdog, because without competition, there can be no underdog.

We're not a culture of sharing. We're not a group of people that can live with a conclusion like, "Oh, this team had a great year, and this team had a great year, too, so you know what? Let's just celebrate them both and hold hands because we're all winners and special and unique snowflakes falling together in this wonderful journey called life!"

No. We're not having that. Someone must live, someone must die. Someone must win, someone must lose. There must be one who triumphs over the rest. We need a satisfactory cut-and-dry conclusion. Ask the producers of The Sopranos what happens when we don't get it.

But there's a good chance that we're not getting it this year (as there is every year in college football). There's a chance that both Hawai'i and Kansas could go undefeated and not get to even sniff a national championship.

That bothers people. And not just because of the arguable injustice to Kansas or Hawai'i, but because the presence of an undefeated team that didn't get a chance to play for the ring could tarnish the achievement of whoever does go on to win the national title.

Now, I know that you can't compare Kansas and Hawai'i to each other ... the Jayhawks are in the Big 12, and the ~~Rainbow~~ Very-Much-Not-Gay-Warriors are in the WAC. Kansas has a legitimate shot of playing in the national title game if they win out, and Hawai'i could win the rest of their games by 130 points each, and they won't crack the Top 8. Hawai'i has played a schedule so soft that, by comparison, it makes Mark Mangino's abs look rock hard. Kansas's schedule is so soft that it makes Mangino's abs look merely firm. There are differences ... and truthfully, this column is aimed more at Kansas, but it felt polite to include Hawaii, too. Also, I wanted to use that ~~Rainbow~~ Warriors line.

They do have this in common, though: they could both be undefeated and get shut out of the national title game. It might not happen to Kansas if they beat Missouri and then (most likely) Oklahoma in a Big 12 championship game ... but it might.

You never know what the voters are going to do. If LSU and Oregon both win out, I don't see any guarantee that either would drop a spot in favor of the fighting Manginos ... not when LSU and Oregon are currently getting the overwhelming majority of 1st-place votes in both polls, despite both having 1 loss.

So why aren't we wrapping our arms around these particular underdogs? Why no lovefest for the Jayhawks or Warriors? Why aren't we clinging to their jocks like we clung to the jocks of Jai Lewis, Lamar Butler, and Tony Skinn of the '06 George Mason Patriots?

It comes back to needing that clear winner. With Mason's run through the tournament, no one honestly believed that they were one of the best 4 teams in the nation, but we still knew, at the end of the day, it would be decided on the court. If they could prove it there, we could live with it ... we could love it, even. If they ended up with a shot at the national championship, it was because they earned it.

We don't have that belief to fall back on in college football. Only two teams will get to play for a national championship, and it won't necessarily be there because they earned the spot ... they'll be there because a group of voters and intricate ranking systems handed it to them.

We don't rally around Kansas and Hawai'i because, like with Mason, and like most of the oft-criticized poll voters, most of us don't honestly believe that they're among the actual best two teams in the nation. Sure, as of right now, they have the record to indicate that they belong there, but they haven't been tested by a truly good team, and they don't have any kind of history or track record of success that we could trust.

And with only two teams being selected for the chance to play for the title, the margin of error is so slim for actually getting it right, that we just don't want to gamble on an upstart like Kansas. We know that LSU is good and we know that Oregon is good, because they play in power conferences, they've beaten good teams, and yes, they have a track record of recent success. If they were good before, we can easily buy that they're good again ... with Kansas or Hawai'i, it's a little harder. For better or worse, the general public is subject to the same big-name, big-school bias as are the poll voters.

If we could fall back on the belief that things would be decided on the field, and that Kansas, if they did everything they could do, would be guaranteed a shot to earn the whole ball of wax, then things might be different. Then we could afford to rally behind an underdog ... we could be safe in the knowledge that if they deserved it, they could earn it.

But we don't have that luxury. All we have are two empty slots in a championship game, to be handed out by coaches, ex-coaches, and algorithms. It's really quite a system we've created for ourselves here. If we want the team that's truly the best to be crowned the national champion, we're almost compelled to root against underdogs, which goes against nearly everything we know as sports fans ... everything except the desire to see the best team win.

It is often a very fine line between spirited competition and making out.

Notre Dame Players Refusing to Soak in Weis's Genius

A wise man (I think it was Joe Rogan) once said that there's no such thing as a bad student ... only bad teachers. I'm not entirely sure that that's true, but I do believe this: There's no such thing as an entire college football roster full of bad students ... only a bad coach.

Charlie Weis, as in love with himself as the people who gave him a 10-year contract, appears to be placing blame for Notre Dame's 1-9 record at the feet of the players. He'll "consider" that it might be his fault, but you know, it's just so much more likely that its the players' fault.

''I told them that as a teacher, I'll consider that I'm not getting the job done. But as a student, especially a bunch of young, intelligent guys, you would like to think that there would be a direct correlation between the classroom and the practice field to the game.''

Yeah, that's probably it. Charlie is spewing brilliance in the classroom ... football knowledge and acumen are constantly oozing from him, and these damn players just can't pick it up and take it to the field with them. How dare they not become great under Charlie's expert tutelage.

It it was one player he couldn't get through to ... maybe. If there was one player on the team who was huffing paint thinner in the parking lot before games, and watching episodes of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader on his iPod during film sessions, and shooting a paintbull gun at Touchdown Jesus's face ... then fine. Maybe that one kid can't learn. Not Charlie's fault.

But if the problem is all the players -- and 1-9 says it is -- then I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that not every single one of those players is dumb, and that the problem might be with the coach. It sounds crazy, but that's what I'm going with.

Gipper ... You are NOT the Father!

Let's stick with the Notre Dame theme for another minute ... remember the big to-do about exhuming the body of Notre Dame football legend George Gipp? As it turns out, someone wanted to do a paternity test because an 86-year-old woman believed she was Gipp's lovechild.

NOT THE CASE, BABY! George Gipp's not getting stuck with someone else's baby drama. I imagine that the scene in heaven when Gipp got the news yesterday was a lot like this:

Jimmie Johnson Is Clutch With the Clutch

If a performance this dominant was happening in almost any other sport, I'd almost certainly find somewhere to comment on it ... so, for once, I'm going to make an effort to be fair to the NASCAR athletes of the world and give this Jimmie Johnson fellow some Debriefing love.

Johnson has won 4 straight races in the season-ending Nextep Cup Chase. I guess, at this point, it's highly unlikely that anyone could catch him and take the title away from him. So that's awesome.

It sounds very impressive. Four straight wins ... I don't think NASCAR drivers do that very often. I guess the most logical comparison would be to a golfer winning 4 straight tournaments. That is, if the fields were very small, someone was making one guy better golf clubs than anyone else could have, and everyone had to hit right-to-left shots all day.

Joe Glenn. Wyoming's head coach (that's not him pictured) was reprimanded by the conference, and aplogized yesterday for giving Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham the middle finger from across the sidelines after Utah attempted an onside kick while leading Wyoming 43-0.

It is the most disappointing apology ever issued, because people should not have to apologize when they do awesome things. This is like Louis Pasteur apologizing to everyone for providing them with quality milk that doesn't go bad immediately. It's like a fireman apologizing for running into a burning building to save a bunch of kids.

Supposedly, the Utah coach was angry with the Joe Glenn, because Joe Glenn had told a bunch of Wyoming students at a pep rally that he could guarantee victory over the Utes ... and that's what prompted the onsides kick with a 43-point lead.

Now, maybe a coach takes that and uses it for bulletin-board material for his guys ... you could maybe expect a 19-year-old player to be fired up about that. But why any coach would honestly be offended by what another coach said at a freaking pep rally, I just couldn't tell you. That's something an idiot fan would care about ... if it honestly bothered Kyle Whittingham, then Whittingham is a doofus.

If a guy guarantees victory, and then you take a 43-0 lead on him ... isn't that payback enough? Doesn't that hammer the message home? There's no excuse for Kyle Whittingham's actions.

Joe Glenn's, on the other hand, seem perfectly justified. And if Joe Glenn had ordered the Wyoming band to show up on Whittingham's lawn the next morning, and arrange themselves in a formation that spells out the words that a middle finger is meant to communicate ... that would seem perfectly justified, too.

Michael Jordan. There's a strong temptation to make a guy a sad sack any time he loses $168 million in one day ... but I have a feeling that MJ sort of anticipated this and decided a long time ago that yes, he'd pay something in the $168 million range to be able to freely chase strange ass.

$168 million is what Juanita Jordan is collecting in the couple's divorce settlement. They were married for 17 years, and if my calculations are correct, Juanita ends up being paid the equivalent of $1,128.12 an hour, round the clock, for being married to Michael Jordan. For that much, I would gladly marry Michael Jordan, and please him eagerly.

She just looks like a Jersey girl.

Deserving Of Your Full Attention ...

7:00, ESPN2. College Football. Toledo @ Ball State. This game means everything in the race to finish second behind Central Michigan in the MAC West.

Other Stuff ...

6:00, ESPN. College Basketball Preseason NIT Region Consolation Game: Green Bay @ Delaware State.
7:30, VS. NHL. Detroit Red Wings @ St. Louis Blues.
8:00, NFL Network. NFL Replay. Steelers vs. Browns.
9:00, FOX. House.
9:00, ESPN. College Basketball Preseason NIT Region Championship Game: Columbia @ Ohio State.
9:00, ESPNU. College Basketball Preseason NIT. Oral Roberts @ Texas A&M.
10:30, VS. Sports Unfiltered with Dennis Miller.
10:30, NFL Network. NFL Replay. Eagles vs. Redskins.

The Debriefing: It's OK if You're Not Embracing Kansas or Hawai'i originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTubesDay: Lights Out for Hawaii's Colt Brennan in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Brian Grummell — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fresno State Football, WAC, Heisman, Hawaii Football

Initial reports are that he's fine . . . but I don't know. There are mere mortals who would be out for a few nights after the hit Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan took from a Fresno State defender late Saturday night.

Hawaii had a decent lead and probably could have sat him down, but he was gunning for the NCAA career touchdown passing mark. Earlier in the evening he tied BYU's Ty Detmer, and needed just one more touchdown pass to fully claim the record. This all could have been avoided if he hadn't thrown an end zone interception the previous drive, not that we were staying up late hoping to see a record set or anything.

What?

Hey, he has my sympathy. That hit was just brutal and I don't wish that on anyone.

YouTubesDay: Lights Out for Hawaii's Colt Brennan in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And Then There Were Two (Undefeateds): Kansas and Hawaii

Brian Grummell — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:59:00 EST

Filed under: Kansas Football, Big 12, WAC, BCS, The Word, Hawaii Football

Not exactly what you expected way back in late August, huh?

Ok so maybe Hawaii, but Kansas! And where's USC? LSU? Ahhh 2007, you're a fickle beast.

The Jayhawks are doing their level best to be the wrench in this already cracked out season. Nobody's taking Hawaii seriously and most fully expect them to lose to Boise State soon enough. Losing your quarterback indefinitely with what I can only describe as near-decapititis doesn't help matters.

So let's talk about Kansas. They're good. Really good. I just don't know about "best or second best team in the country good". Scheduling a boatload of cupcakes and skipping Texas and Oklahoma within your conference slate tends to make a fair evaluation difficult. Wonder why I hate 12-team conferences? This is why.

After beating Oklahoma State today, Kansas' season boils down to Missouri and the Big 12 Championship game (likely against Oklahoma). Their offense is very good, sometimes spectacular. But it says something about the amazingly low degree of difficulty within their schedule that they're second nationally in scoring defense.

They showed resilience today in pouring in another 40+ point effort against Oklahoma State, fending off several late surges with lengthy kick returns and touchdowns of their own. It's great theatre and winning football, but we simply haven't seen this team play enough against upper level competition or dire road threats (Kansas just isn't a name brand to turn a place like Stillwater into a scary venue on a cool November night).

So when I sit down to rank this team, it's hard not to write "Pending" and sort of hope they lose once or twice before it's all over. They've been perfect against the schedule and that matters a great deal, but it's not everything - ask Tulane. Unfortunately for college football there are no great teams this year to put Kansas' argument to bed. There is no Texas/USC like 2005 to quiet the noise. It's nice to have the championship chase this wide-open this late, but . . . Ron Zook.

And Then There Were Two (Undefeateds): Kansas and Hawaii originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Touchdown Mark for Colt Brennan Tonight

Brian Grummell — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:04:00 EST

Filed under: WAC, Brigham Young Football, Hawaii Football

Maybe ever.

I had this elaborate post up tonight about Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan breaking Ty Detmer's NCAA career touchdown pass mark tonight against Fresno State. I even stayed up late waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting . . .

And now I'm witness to one of the most vicious hits I've EVER seen in the game of football. While scrambling early in the fourth quarter attempting to get a first down, Brennan was drilled in the head by a flying defender and sent directly to the ground.

I'm pretty sure it was lights out after that. Hell, it looked like he was decapitated. Check YouTube in a few hours if you have the stomach.

Anyway, he now stands at 121 career touchdown passes, the same number as Ty Detmer. That's a tie so his glory will have to wait for another day if he even plays again in the next few weeks. Dude's not gonna remember tonight because his brain just got rattled something special. Oh well.

No Touchdown Mark for Colt Brennan Tonight originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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