NCAA Football FanHouse

What Happened to My Football Program?

Terence Moore — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST

OXFORD, Ohio -- As is the custom around here, new buildings are smothered with red brick and molded into a Georgian style. Just like that, they stand as gracefully ancient as Miami University, celebrating its 200th year.

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I mention this, because such is the case for the decades-old-looking psychology school at the corner of Patterson and High streets, where they used to play football during my days on campus in the 1970s. Speaking of changes, they've switched the nickname of the sports teams from Redskins to RedHawks. Even more striking, the dominant sport for Miami these days is hockey. In fact, despite choking away a two-goal lead at the end of last season's NCAA championship game, Miami is ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today entering this hockey season.

That said, there is a bigger difference between Miami now and Miami during the time of the miracle I've been telling you about for three weeks -- you know, the miracle that was the collection of folks in my dormitory called Hepburn Hall. It eventually produced a slew of prominent college and pro coaches, players in the NFL, NBA and major league baseball and doctors, lawyers, CEOs and even journalists.

The bigger difference is football.

What happened to Miami football?

This doesn't resemble that 13-1 team of six years ago during Ben Roethlisberger's senior year. This doesn't resemble the team that shocked No. 8 LSU in Death Valley in 1986. Or the one that gave Rose Bowl-bound Northwestern its only loss nine years later. Or the one that upset No. 12-ranked opponents (Virginia Tech and North Carolina) in consecutive seasons through 1998.

This doesn't resemble those teams that had Miami earning its moniker as The Cradle of Coaches by spawning the likes of Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian and Bo Schembechler.

This also doesn't resemble those teams during my Hepburn Hall days that had a 32-1-1 record with victories in bowl games over Florida, and South Carolina to finish 15th, 10th and 12th during those three seasons in the AP poll.

On this Saturday afternoon, with a pretty sky over the new place on the edge of campus called Yager Stadium, Miami continued the oldest rivalry west of the Alleghenies before a stuffed house against the University of Cincinnati. While most college football polls had the Bearcats entering the game ranked 10th in the country, ESPN had Miami ranked third -- as in the nation's third-worst team with an 0-4 record this season, a nine-game losing streak overall and no hope against Cincinnati.

So this wasn't surprising: courtesy of Tony Pike, Cincinnati's passing machine at quarterback, and a relentless pass rush (10 sacks), the Bearcats stormed to a 37-13 victory over Miami in the 114th Battle of the Victory Bell.

Then again, such things happen when you're a new guy inheriting a program whose predecessor gave you a ridiculous talent deficit. Smallish players. Young ones, too, and the word "physical" wasn't in Miami's football vocabulary when Mike Haywood left his alma mater of Notre Dame as offensive coordinator to take over Miami this season.

Haywood gets it, by the way. He knows that, not only does the Miami football program need players, but it needs a psychologist -- literally. The university has given Haywood permission to hire one to help examine the psyche of his players who have seen the program's glorious past become a ghastly present.

"I'd say 90 percent of their minds are not where they need to be, because when something bad happens, they anticipate something else bad happening, instead of going out and saying, 'I'm going to be the one to make the play,' " said Haywood, 45, a strong disciplinarian who demands that his players are into details -- on the field, in the classroom and during their lives.

In contrast, Shane Montgomery, Haywood's Miami predecessor, was into mellow, which led to three losing seasons out of his four as head coach.

Thus the need for a shrink. He'll be arriving to Miami soon from Michigan State as an accomplished team psychologist. Said Haywood, "When you believe you're going to be the one, and you believe in your teammate, there is slim and none of an opportunity of not having success. And right now, we're hoping. We got to start believing."

Which means, what? "From where (the Roethlisberger years) were, I think we're two years away, because it's all about recruiting," said Haywood, sitting in his Yager Stadium office, with reminders of Miami's storied football history everywhere. Pictures showing the who's who of former head coaches line the hallway walls. In the large plaza (featuring red brick, of course) beyond the south end zone, they are constructing bronze statues of Earl "Red" Blaik, Paul Dietzel, Carmen Cozza, Ewbank, Brown, Parseghian and Schembechler. They all are among the 21 Miami graduates who have been recognized in some form as national collegiate or professional coaches of the year or have been inducted in the college football Hall of Fame.

This Cradle of Coaches thing isn't just a football coaching thing -- well, as you can tell by those from my Hepburn Hall days.

Even beyond those days, Miami produced Hall of Fame manager Walter Alston of the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and San Diego Chargers vice president Jim Steeg.

What caused all of this?

Ara Parseghian chuckled over the phone from his home in South Bend, Ind., where he helped make Notre Dame famous, and then he said, "You know, it's a question that people have tried to answer for decades about why Miami has produced all this talent, and no one has been able to come up with the perfect answer. But I think Miami may attract a certain type of person. It's a beautiful campus. It's a beautiful environment, and then you go back to the idea that success breeds success. That may be part of it."

Then Parseghian thought about that stretch from 1949 through 1977, when he followed Woody Hayes as head coach and then was succeeded by John Pont, Schembechler, Bill Mallory and Dick Crum.

As a group, they collectively coached for 148 seasons at Miami and other places and won 67 percent of the time.

"Back then, you had one or two guys going out who may have been successful, and they'd been in school with classmates, and then they decided to hire them as their assistants, and the tentacles sort of spread out that way," said Parseghian, before jumping to the present. He remembered the call he received last winter from Haywood when Haywood still was a Notre Dame assistant.

Haywood wanted Parseghian to make a few calls to Miami on his behalf. "When I phoned Brad Bates, the athletics director, he said he already had Mike on his list," said Parseghian, who eventually saw history reverse itself. While Parseghian went from Miami to Notre Dame as head coach (with a pit stop at Northwestern), well, you know the rest, and get this: like Parseghian, Haywood feels a heavy dose of magic on the campuses of Notre Dame and Miami.

It's different magic, though.

"When you walk around the campus of Notre Dame, you feel a certain spirit, and the spirit that you feel is a holy spirit, which makes the place special," said Haywood, a running back for the Fighting Irish in the mid-1980s. "At Notre Dame, you feel like everywhere you go that God is present."

As for Miami, Haywood smiled, saying, "Once again, you still get that safe feeling that you have at Notre Dame. But it's also that people are extremely friendly. It's a warm and welcoming feeling that you get here. And as you walk around, sometimes you walk around in awe. That's because it's unbelievable that, when you drive through cornfields to get here, it's such an unbelievably gorgeous place -- from the cobblestone streets (downtown) to walking down the center of campus with all the trees.

"Sometimes, I say it's like Mayberry R.F.D."

Good description. It's true now, and it was true during my days at Hepburn Hall, still on the north side of campus with its three stories and 270 or so residents. The closer I got to the old dormitory, the more it was the 1970s again, with Ron Zook, Randy Walker, Sherman Smith, Charlie Leibrandt and all the rest.

"Who?" said Philip Dodd after I walked through the front door of Hepburn Hall, where the native of Paris, Texas is a resident assistant.

When I told Dodd that Zook and Walker were former national coaches of the year in college football, and that Smith is the offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, and that Leibrandt once was a prominent pitcher in the major leagues, Dodd apologized, saying, "To tell you the truth, I'm not much of a sports fan. Hey, let me introduce you to somebody in the dorm who really is."

So Dodd took me to Dan Nickels, a junior from Knoxville, Tenn., who recognized at least some of Hepburn Hall's noted residents from my day. Nickels even responded with a few "wows" here and there.

Who will be the stars of this Hepburn Hall?

"Oh, boy. Well, we've got a couple of figure skaters who have done very well, and that's really cool," said Nickels, pausing. "As for what this dorm will produce in the future, I know about me. I know I'll be a highly successful attorney in court and procedural law, and I'll deal with malpractice defense. I also want to be a lobbyist."

Not quite my Hepburn Hall, but it's a start.

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

What Happened to My Football Program? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Era of Big Ten MAC-rifice at an End?

Mark Hasty — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bowling Green, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Toledo, Western Michigan, Big 10, MAC

Last Saturday, Northern Illinois went into West Lafayette, Ind., and beat Purdue convincingly. (Don't let the 28-21 final score fool you: NIU dominated that game from the second quarter on.) It was the Huskies' first victory over a Big Ten squad in 21 years and an important milestone for a program which was once among college football's very worst. Second-year head coach Jerry Kill has now taken his team to a bowl and knocked off one of the big boys. On the road, no less.

You'd hardly know it, however. Big wins by underdogs usually lead to an avalanche of media coverage, but NIU's historic victory sank without a trace. Why?

Because it's not news anymore when a MAC team beats a Big Ten squad.

For decades, the "MACrifice" has been one of Big Ten football's most endearing rituals. Some Saturday in September, a school with a direction or a city in its name would come to one of the conference's football temples and walk out bloodied after a 66-0 beatdown. The win would give the coaches a chance to work all the way through the depth chart and served as a final tuneup before the conference season began.

But why the MAC? Well, because they were there. The MAC's geographic footprint fits almost perfectly into the Big Ten's, and the MAC schools needed the money. Hence the uneasy big brother-little brother relationship between the two conferences.

Funny thing about little brothers. They grow up. Sometimes they grow bigger than their big brothers. Even if they don't, though, they always know just the right buttons to press to get the big brother's hackles up.

The MAC will never be a bigger football conference than the Big Ten, but the two conferences aren't as far apart as you might think. The largest MAC schools, like Kent State, Buffalo and Central Michigan, have larger enrollments than the Big Ten's smallest schools, Northwestern and Iowa. The states of Ohio and Pennsylvania are rich with prep football talent, and they can't all become Buckeyes, Nittany Lions, Bearcats or Panthers. Dreaming of the NFL? There are eight former Northern Illinois Huskies and eight former Kent State Golden Flashes on NFL rosters. Indiana and Northwestern each have only nine former players currently in the NFL.

Where the MAC schools can't compete is in terms of facilities and budgets. The Big Ten schools simply have more cash all the way around, even to fund academics. In terms of endowments, the MAC's wealthiest school (Buffalo) is more than a quarter billion dollars behind the Big Ten's least wealthy school (Iowa).

This just makes it all the more surprising to find out, as I did, that every Big Ten school has lost to a MAC school at least once. Granted, if you play enough games against any conference, no matter how weak, they're going to rack up a couple upsets along the way. The MAC's all-time record against the Big Ten, as of the end of last season, stood at a dismal 47-300-8. (That's a .143 winning percentage.) The tide has turned, though, and in case you forgot, here are the MAC's five biggest victories over the Big Ten in the past decade:

1. 2008: Toledo 13, Michigan 10. This game is notable for several reasons. First, Michigan was the only remaining Big Ten school which had never lost a game to the MAC. (Giant technicality: Ohio State's only MAC loss was to Akron in 1894. That predates not only the MAC but also the Big Ten.) Second, it showed how far Michigan had slipped. Third, even though the Rockets won in the Big House, it still wasn't enough to save coach Tom Amstutz's job. Imagine that. You beat Michigan in Ann Arbor and still get run off. That proved it was no longer any big deal for a MAC school to beat a Big Ten school.

2. 2007: Western Michigan 28, Iowa 19. The Hawkeyes came into this game 6-5, needing a win to lock up bowl eligibility for the seventh straight season. Western Michigan was having a flat-out bad year, coming into Iowa City with a 3-7 record. Hawkeye fans came to the game with the travel agency's phone number in their pockets, ready to book a trip to whatever bowl game their team would be going to after dispatching this MAC tomato can.

In the twinkling of an eye, the Broncos were up 19-0 as they scored on four of their first five possessions. The Iowa offense, meanwhile, moved slower than a Steely Dan album track. At halftime, the Hawkeyes had only six first downs and six points. The Hawkeyes wound up staying home for the holidays.

3. 2003: Bowling Green 28, Northwestern 24. Only twice in its history has the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl (formerly the Motor City Bowl) produced its intended MAC-versus-Big Ten matchup. This was the first time, as a Bowling Green program in its first season without Urban Meyer prevailed over a Northwestern team making its second bowl appearance under Randy Walker. This was a true nail-biter with the lead and the momentum going back and forth until Bowling Green took it for good with just four minutes to play.

4. 2008: Western Michigan 23, Illinois 17. This game, played at Ford Field in Detroit, was a must-win for the Illini. Ron Zook's team was 5-4 coming into this one. A loss would mean having to beat either Ohio State or Northwestern just to become bowl eligible. Illinois certainly didn't play like they needed to win, though, with Juice Williams throwing two interceptions and the team going an almost-unbeliveable 1-13 on third down conversions. The Illini were down 20-7 at the half, lost the game, lost their next two games and wound up not going to a bowl just one season after going to the Rose Bowl.

5, 2009: Central Michigan 29, Michigan State 27. Sure, it's too early to tell if Michigan State is just really bad this season, but this was the MAC's first victory over a team expected to contend for the Big Ten title. The hype was huge surrounding the Spartans coming into this season. This game proved that Michigan State had some serious issues and Mark Dantonio had not yet removed all traces of Sparty-ness from his team's system. Coupled with a loss to Notre Dame the following week, it now looks like MSU will have to fight just to make it to a bowl game this season.

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Is Era of Big Ten MAC-rifice at an End? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half Century Later, Buffalo's Courage Finally Rewarded

David Whitley — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:37:00 EST

Filed under: Buffalo, MAC

ORLANDO -- The longest bowl trip in college football history closed Saturday night when Buffalo took the field.

The players ambled out to midfield. One of them needed a cane. The rest just needed hair dye to look like they did when the bowl bid arrived.

It was 1958, and the Bulls promptly rejected it. They could have come to Orlando, but their African-American players would not have been allowed on the field.

Fifty-one years later, they were given a standing ovation.

"It was a chance to right a wrong," Gerry Gergley said.

He was one of 34 players who finally got their trip to Florida. By now you've probably heard the story of that team. It never gets old because you can learn something valuable every time the old Bulls get together.

"It wasn't anything we planned," said Willie Evans, one of the two African-Americans on that team. "For it to reverberate 50 years later, that's a long time."

What reverberated with me was how society has progressed in the last half century, but how our sports culture has gone in reverse.

Nobody at the UCF game was involved with the 1958 Tangerine Bowl. Yet everybody felt they owed Buffalo an apology.

When they heard the present-day Bulls were playing at Bright House Stadium, local government and civic leaders arranged free airfare, hotel rooms and a reception for the ex-players. In a way, the old guys were lucky their trip took so long.

In 1958, there was no Disney World to visit. The bowl activities probably consisted of a cookout and a trip to a cross burning.

Evans (pictured right) grew up in Buffalo and had heard about things like Whites-Only drinking fountains. He never knew his skin color would cost his team a holiday vacation.

"I didn't know the ugly finger stretched into athletics to the extent it did," he said.

Orlando's school district operated the stadium where the Tangerine Bowl was played, and it banned integrated games. Nobody in Buffalo realized that when they got the bid. They were just pumped to have gone 8-1 and won the Lambert Cup.

That went to the top small college program in the East. It may not sound like a big deal now, but it warranted an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show back then. Team captains Nicholas Bottini and Louis Reale accepted the trophy on national TV.

Everybody looked forward to getting out of frigid Buffalo and playing Florida State in far-off Orlando. Then the team was informed of the Tangerine Bowl's policy. It held a vote whether to accept the bid.

"There wasn't really a vote," Gergley said. "We had no choice. We had to do what was right. Besides, Willie was our leading rusher and scorer."

You wouldn't know it by talking to him. Evans is 71 now, though he's the one guy who looks as if he could still play. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills after college and is in five athletic halls of fame.

"That's not the kind of thing you brag about," he said, "and I hope you don't spend much time on it."

Imagine that, an athlete asking a writer to go easy on the praise.

"It's not modesty," Evans said. "It's how I feel about it."

It's a feeling we could use more of in this chest-beating era. Maybe it's a generational thing, but the old Bulls love to talk about each other, not themselves. They were a team that did everything together.

If Evans and Mike Wilson weren't going to Orlando, nobody was going. What's more, if anybody has a right to scream about being victims of racism, it would be the 34 men in navy blue shirts Saturday night.

There wasn't hint of bitterness in the section where they sat. Sure, they were mad young men 50 years ago. But after they told the Tangerine Bowl what it could do with its bid, they moved on.

"You can't hold on to anything like that," Evans said.

These days, people can't let go of the race card. The ugly finger Evans spoke of is still there. But the point gets lost when players like Milton Bradley interpret fan animosity as racial persecution.

Or Sammy Sosa's bat explodes with cork and he blames the ensuing scrutiny on the fact he's Hispanic. Or Torii Hunter says Barry Bonds was reviled because he's African-American. Or Michael Vick is considered the victim instead of his dogs.

If only these modern-day martyrs could have spent a December holiday in Buffalo instead of Orlando 50 years ago, they would appreciate what real racism is. The Bulls took a stand against it, even if they didn't realize what a grand one it was.

"It's just something that happened," Robert Muscarella said. "We made a decision and never really thought about it."

Nobody really did until the Buffalo got the first bowl bid in school history last year to the International Bowl in Toronto. Then people started realizing it was actually the second.

"Now the story's been told hundreds of times," Stanley Kowalski said.

Only now it's been told in a place where it all began. And it finally has a happy ending.

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Half Century Later, Buffalo's Courage Finally Rewarded originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Almost 33, Former Marine Brandon Crawford Ready for Final Charge

Jim Henry — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:10:00 EST

Filed under: Ball State, MAC

Brandon Crawford doesn't have any special plans for his 33rd birthday. It falls on a Sunday, an off day. He'll attend church, have a nice dinner, and probably listen to some music before he calls it an early night. Work cranks again on Monday.

And Crawford needs to be rested and refreshed for Ball State football practice.

Crawford, who likes to say he has taken a different path to get where he's going, is a senior defensive end for the Cardinals. The old-young fella can play, too. Crawford started all 14 games to earn this third letter last season, and the former Marine would love nothing more than to end his collegiate career with -- pardon the pun -- a bang.

"I think my age has been more of a factor to everyone else than me," Crawford told FanHouse.

"I've probably done a little more, heard a little more and seen a little more than my teammates, but I kind of blend in. I don't really stand out. When they ask me how old I am and I tell them, it's like, 'No. No way, you don't look like it.' How are you supposed to look? Am I supposed to have gray hair? I look young, I take care of my body, I can get out there and play with them. I am just taking it day-by-day and enjoying every minute."

With good reason.

Crawford, who turns 33 in less than two weeks (Aug. 16), is nearly twice as old as the team's incoming freshmen. He is older than three of the team's assistant coaches and graduated from high school the same year (1996) as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator. Looking for a different perspective? All-Pro quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots turns 32 Monday.

Crawford's age, however, hasn't been an issue since he enrolled at Ball State in 2006. Good-natured nicknames of Old Man, Pops and Crawdaddy aside, Crawford brings life experience, perseverance, smarts and talent to the field.

And those qualities will be needed more than ever this season as the Cardinals, under first-year head coach Stan Parrish, will be hard-pressed to repeat their MAC West championship with Western Michigan and Central Michigan expected to have strong teams.

Additionally, new defensive coordinator Doug Graber installed a 4-3 defense during spring drills after the team ran a 3-4 the past four seasons. Graber wasn't happy with the level of fundamental play shown by his players, so the unit will need to make immediate progress when preseason practice opens.

"We've changed a few things around with personnel and we are still tweaking it right now, but everything should be finalized by the end of camp and we'll be fine," said Crawford, a second-team All-Mid American Conference selection last season. "We are just pushing forward, going through the process where we need to get back on the field and get to work."

Crawford's certainly not afraid to work.

Crawford earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2008 and is currently working on a master's degree. Since Crawford, 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, realizes that professional football is probably not an option, he's looking at possibly joining the Secret Service or another branch of government next year.

"Coming from that kind of structure, I would like to get back into that environment," said Crawford, who was recently named a nominee for the Allstate/AFAC Good Works Team, which recognizes student-athletes for their contributions off the field. "The way I was raised, I just want to be able to help the less fortunate. I believe you need to give back if you can and try to help out when you can."

Crawford, who is single, traveled a winding road to Ball State, located in Muncie, Ind., from his hometown of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Recruited out of high school by some mid-major programs in 1996, Crawford had his college career initially delayed by personal problems. He wound up spending a few years working in an automotive factory before joining the Marines in 1999.

Crawford was dispatched to boot camp in California, including combat training, but he remained stateside with administrative duties in Cherry Point, N.C. He received an honorary discharge from the Marine Corps in 2003. Crawford actually enrolled at Ball State in the summer of 2004, but returned home after one semester to help his family.

Crawford, however, couldn't shake his love for football, so he re-enrolled at Ball State and walked on the football team in the summer of 2006. He hasn't wasted his opportunities, playing in 37 career games, 27 as a starter.

Crawford's also had a knack for military-like heroics. Last season he recovered a fumble at Miami University on Veteran's Day. In 2008, he blocked a potential game-winning field goal at Navy in the final game of regulation, propelling Ball State to a 34-31 overtime victory over the Midshipmen. He was also born in 1976 -- our nation's Bicentennial.

Needless to say, the Cardinals have relied on Crawford's leadership and maturity, on and off the field. Ball State will have plenty of youth in the lineup this season, too. Redshirt freshman Kelly Page has stepped in at quarterback for Nate Davis, the 2008 starter and MAC Offensive Player of the Year.

"I am there for my teammates, kind of like a big brother," Crawford said. "I don't try to push anything on them. I am there if they need to talk about something, and they are there for me, too."

It also goes without saying that the Marines played a role in molding Crawford's personality, discipline and work ethic. Crawford says the military is more mental, football is more physical.

"In the military I knew what was expected, I knew I would be pushed hard and lives were at stake," Crawford said.

"But the loyalty, the camaraderie, and the accountability that we had in our military family carries over to football even though it's from different spectrums. In the Marines, you're dealing with people's lives. Football is just a game, but your teammates are depending on you as well. You have to be mentally tough out there, pushing yourself and pushing each other."

And, when the time comes, let's not forget about singing "Happy Birthday" to Crawford, either

Almost 33, Former Marine Brandon Crawford Ready for Final Charge originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greetings From Flyover Country, Where the Football Hasn't Quite Thawed Out Yet

Mark Hasty — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Miami (OH), Minnesota, Ohio State, Toledo, Big 10, Big 12, MAC, Police Blotter, General CFB Insanity

Hey, it's always football season at FanHouse. Welcome to "Greetings From Flyover Country," a new weekly feature that will keep you up to date on Big Ten, Big 12, and MAC football. We'll also cover any Midwestern stories which have national repercussions, along with rounding up the week's arrests and suspensions.

We start this week with a decision bound to have people from San Ysidro to Bangor scratching their heads. Please give a moment's thought to the worst aspect of the last postseason. While the Big 12 championship was settled on the field, the Big 12 South championship wasn't. Instead, the conference gave the division title to Oklahoma, because they use the BCS rankings as a tiebreaker.
You remember how dumb you thought that was. You think, "Surely no other conference would be so stupid as to allow the BCS poll to pick a champion." You are about to see how wrong you are.

Apparently the Big Ten doesn't think it's hated enough already, because they've just decided to use the BCS rankings as their final tiebreaker for a conference title.

Note that word "final." Head-to-head record still remains as the first tiebreaker, as it should. The second tiebreaker used to be the last gasp of the Division I-AA Football Championship Subdivision Tomato Can Rule, wherein the team who played the fewest FCS opponents would get the nod. Apparently, though, that tiebreaker has been tossed out too, which has probably made athletic directors in the Missouri Valley and Great West conferences very happy indeed.

So now tiebreaker No. 2 is overall winning percentage, followed by "last team to get a BCS bid stays home," and then, finally, BCS rankings. It seems to me that the likelihood of this ever being invoked rounds down to zero.

More troubling is the elimination of the FCS tiebreaker. It's no secret that I think good football teams have no business ever playing against lower-division squads,Appalachian State notwithstanding. I don't think much of value comes from these games, other than the crowd-pleasing W and the chance to give some of the second- and third-string players meaningful playing time. Competition creates competitors. How many times have we seen an untested Big Ten team puke all over the field turf in October and November? Or, even worse, how many times have we seen a .500 team from any BCS conference become "bowl-eligible" on the backs of the Nebraska States and Alabama Techs of the world?

Okay, it's not fair to say the games aren't good for anything. They're very good for the FCS schools, who usually get a big fat check that doesn't bounce. And fans like victories. Still, for us fans, the only value college football actually has is entertainment value, so I hope you'll pardon me if I believe that a 24-20 squeaker against a non-BCS conference team is more fun than a 66-3 blowout of a school that was playing Division II ball four seasons ago.

AROUND THE LEAGUES

Big Ten: Indiana moves quarterback Kellen Lewis to wide receiver in reaction to the Hoosiers' terrible basketball season, which was so bad people might start to notice IU has a football team ... From the "nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" department: Ohio State may use the Wildcat formation to take advantage of Terrelle Pryor, because nobody will expect any shenanigans involving Pryor, right? ... Minnesota running back Duane Bennett returns from a torn ACL to take part in spring practice while the rest of the team tries to figure out what "spring" is.

Big 12: Iowa State to install spread offense ... In other news, Iowa State to install offense ...Snowstorm cancels spring practice in Lawrence; Taco Bell drive-thru personnel reminded not to forget the chalupa ... ESPN blogger says Baylor is the only school in South division whose "marquee sport" is not football ... Also claims water is wet, feet are useful, and John Belushi wasn't really a samurai.

MAC: Miami drops game with Colorado, setting off a massive ten-team non-conference scheduling debacle...Toledo takes Miami's spot, gets CU in Toledo this season, hopesDan Hawkins is the Rich Rodriguez of the Rockies ... Circle it: Temple at Akron on ESPNU, Friday, November 13.

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' ... Or Maybe They Are

Arrested: Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn, for allegedly assaulting an the Iowa City cab driver.

Suspended: Kansas WR Dezmon Briscoe and DT Jamal Green for the ever-classic "undisclosed violation of team rules."

Demoted: Texas Tech WR Edward Britton, for ripping the thin veneer of normalcy which covers big-time college football academic reasons.

Greetings From Flyover Country, Where the Football Hasn't Quite Thawed Out Yet originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowl Season '08: Central Michigan Drops Virtual Home Game

Brian Grummell — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: Central Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Sun Belt, MAC, Bowl Games

You have to hand it to Howard Schnellenberger -- he may be really, really old but he also is really, really good at winning bowl games. We're talking historic good. In defeating Central Michigan to capture the bailout-free Motor City Bowl, the wannabe Captain Kangaroo pushed his bowl record to 6-0.

No, it didn't come with a national championship as happened with Miami in the 1983 Orange Bowl, a 31-30 classic over Nebraska. However, it did come with the sweet feeling of restoration as this moustachioed legend guided awkward sounding football novice Florida Atlantic to its second bowl victory in four years of D-I play. For reference, Notre Dame's second most recent bowl victory prior to this week's triumph over Hawaii was in January 1993.

Last night's victory came about with a little good luck and some questionable decisions by CMU.

An evenly played game turned FAU's way early in the third quarter. After taking the ball at their two yard line, FAU worked its way towards midfield. After a personal foul penalty negated what would have been a stalled third down play and likely punt, FAU quarterback Rusty Smith scrambled and found a streaking Chris Bonner deep downfield. Bonner was not the intended target, rather a sliding teammate but he was in the right place and the right time and the teammate helped create traffic that helped free Bonner for the final few yards of the score.

Central Michigan never really recovered after the shocking 98-yard drive. They did inch back at 17-13, but FAU then put together a coldly efficient drive early in the fourth quarter capped by an 18-yard pass to receiver Cortez Gent to go ahead 24-13.

From there they let CMU create their own undoing. On a too-long five-minute drive, CMU found itself inside the red zone and facing fourth down and about seven minutes to go. Ditching a gimme field goal that would have made it a one-score game at 24-16, the Chippewas failed to make a first down and wasted a great deal of time. Their defense managed to make a stop and a bad FAU punt gave them the ball inside midfield. This time they found the end zone and converted the two point try to get to within three at 24-21 with 3:09 left.

FAU woke up after that, recovering the onside kick and converting several first downs with their run game to kill the clock and game deep in CMU territory, never requiring a field goal attempt or punt. It was an impressive showing of late-game confidence and dominance against a desperate foe.

For his success, Schnellenberger was doused with a water bath and was briefly carried by his players.

Bowl Season '08: Central Michigan Drops Virtual Home Game originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Haywood Becomes Sixth Black Head Coach In Division I College Football

Brian Grummell — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:36:00 EST

Filed under: Miami (OH), Notre Dame, MAC, Coaching

Miami of Ohio -- not to be confused with Miami Florida, which also has a black head coach in Randy Shannon -- has hired Notre Dame "offensive coordinator" Mike Haywood to run its program. He succeeds Shane Montgomery, who stepped down after a 2-10 season.

Color us a little confused if encouraged by this hire. Just today we wrote about Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' continued decision to call plays for his offense instead of his, you know, offensive coordinator, who just so happened to be Haywood. It's very likely that speaks to Weis' own massive control demands, but it may also speak to Haywood's abilities. Regardless it's nice to see another black head coach among the ranks.

For a while, the prospects for minority head coaches in D-I-please-don't-call-it-the-Football-Bowl-Subdivision looked grim, as their numbers shrank when Washington canned Tyrone Willingham, Kansas State parted ways with Ron Prince, and Sylvester Croom stepped down at Mississippi State.

What has happened since has been a needed surge of black /minority coaching hires.

Eastern Michigan has taken on former Michigan and Louisville defensive coordinator Ron English. New Mexico hired Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, and now Haywood joins Miami of Ohio. They all join the aforementioned Randy Shannon, Houston's Kevin Sumlin and Buffalo's Turner Gill as the small handful of black head coaches in Division I football.

Meanwhile, there's the hot candidate Gill, who has turned around lowly Buffalo but failed to land a gig after interviews with places like Iowa State and Auburn. That one has people including outspoken Charles Barkley puzzled, but Buffalo's given him an extension and his name will likely remain among the strongest for future openings.

As for what Haywood brings to Miami of Ohio, we just don't know. He played and coached at Notre Dame and has also coached in high pedigree places like Texas and LSU. That's not a bad starter background for learning about winning in the college game.

Mike Haywood Becomes Sixth Black Head Coach In Division I College Football originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turkey Legs to Go: GMAC Bowl Travel Guide, Tulsa vs. Ball State

Will Brinson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Ball State, Tulsa, Conference USA, MAC, Campus, Coaching, 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 GMAC Bowl (Mobile, Alabama), which pits Tulsa against Ball State.

Overview/Matchup: If you're Ball State, you are most likely doing your best David Byrne impression and wondering, "How did I get here?" This is not my undefeated season. This is not my BCS bowl. And so on. After Nate Davis and crew coughed up a horrid MAC Championship loss to Buffalo, they crushed any argument they had to go anywhere but Mobile. And waiting for them, in the next to last bowl of the year, is Tulsa, who just lost to East Carolina in the championship game. Third place is the second loser!

Hotels: Already one of the finest hotels in Mobile, the Renaissance Riverview Plaza is almost finished with a US$60 million overhaul that will make it one of the finest hotels in southern Alabama. Bowl travelers will also be happy with the hotel's proximity to the stadium; Ladd-Peebles Stadium is just minutes away.

On the opposite side of town from the Renaissance, there's a second clustering of hotels around I-65. The Drury Inn Mobile is a great option for travelers seeking midrange to budget accommodation. Located 10 to 15 minutes from the stadium, the Drury Inn offers excellent service and a surprising number of amenities and accommodations for the price. Just down the highway, the Ramada Inn I-65 offers even lower rates than the Drury but with fewer amenities and less consistent service.

Restaurants: If you're dining in the downtown area, try Wintzell's Oyster House. Wintzell's has been serving Mobile fresh gulf seafood for more than 70 years. For a cheap and delicious meal, head to The Dew Drop Inn Restaurant. The Mobile landmark -- where Jimmy Buffett said he learned to "love cheeseburgers" -- has been serving top-notch cheeseburgers, po-boys and hot dogs since 1924 and they're still crowded every day at lunch

Turkey Legs to Go: GMAC Bowl Travel Guide, Tulsa vs. Ball State originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turkey Legs to Go: International Bowl Travel Guide, Buffalo vs. Connecticut

Will Brinson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Buffalo, Connecticut, Big East, MAC, Campus, Coaching, 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 International Bowl (Toronto, Canada), which pits Buffalo against Connecticut

Overview/Matchup: Buffalo registered a completely inexplicable win over Ball State in the MAC Championship to find itself in the school's first bowl game. Ever. Given that Connecticut is actually a decent squad -- with a strong rushing attack -- things could get awkward if the Buffs don't play like they did against Ball State on national television this time around.

Hotels: One of Toronto's newer hotels, the InterContinental Toronto Centre offers stylish design, luxurious guest rooms and great starting rates for the quality. The Metropolitan Hotel Toronto offers excellent service and surprisingly posh accommodation for the rates. If you're looking for a midrange room and you can't get booked at the InterContinental, The Metropolitan is a more than worthy alternative. Budget travelers should stay at the Alexandra Hotel. Although accommodations are meager, it has good proximity to the stadium and rooms for less than US$100.

Restaurants: When it comes to dining, downtown Toronto is packed. There are more than 150 restaurants, clubs and bars within three blocks of the InterContinental, so you'll have plenty of options if you stay anywhere downtown. For a delicious steak try the Harbour Sixty Steakhouse. This family-owned restaurant is putting Canada on the international beefeater's map. Mandarin is a great mid-priced Chinese buffet with honey-garlic ribs that are out of this world. If you need a late night snack look no further than Fran's. Depending on what time you go you may see blue-haired seniors or green-haired punks, but this Toronto institution serves a good bacon-and-eggs breakfast around the clock.

Nightlife: There's plenty of nightlife in the downtown and university areas to satisfy any crowd, but if you only visit one bar in Toronto, make it Dora Keogh Traditional Irish Pub. Traditional Irish music on Thursday and Sunday, home-cooked meals and delicious pints all combine to make Dora a must-visit.

All travel related information provided by Professional Travel Guide.

Turkey Legs to Go: International Bowl Travel Guide, Buffalo vs. Connecticut originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turkey Legs to Go: Independence Bowl, Louisiana State vs. Northern Illinois

Will Brinson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, MAC, WAC, Campus, Coaching, 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 Independence Bowl (Shreveport, Louisiana), which pits Louisiana Tech against Northern Illinois.

Overview/Matchup: If the city of Shreveport was hoping for a tourism boost this bowl season, well ... they're not going to get it. Unless Northern Illinois can drag 40,000 or so fans to this game. Which they can't. The Huskies closed out the season with a 16-0 skunking at the hands of Navy, giving them a sweet 6-6 and barely eligible bowl record. Only poor showings by the East Division of the MAC allowed them to sneak into a bowl and they were rewarded with a WAC matchup against the Bulldogs thanks to Boise St.'s perfect record. Yes, it is a scorcher.

Hotels: Shreveport is an odd town. Since it's located on the north side of Louisiana, you would think that it would qualify as a fairly conservative city. While that's accurate to a certain extent, Shreveport's main tourism draw is gambling. The southern city boasts several casinos and a racetrack, Louisiana Downs.

The Remingtion Suite Hotel is the highest end option available to travelers to Shreveport, but remember that while the city is a preferable stop along I-20, the number of elite hotels is few and far between. For a football weekend though, that's no huge problem. In fact, it's secretly kind of a bonus. It also means you can "go big" here or simply keep your budget down for other nightlife options. The Holiday Inn Shreveport West offers reasonable rates and easy access to the airport and stadium. For travelers on a tight budget, we recommend the Tajun Inn. Accommodations are meager, but they offer a convenient location and rooms for less than US$100 per night.

Restaurants: For fine dining head to the Olive Street Bistro and sample northern Italian cuisine with a Tuscan twist. The Blind Tiger Restaurant offers good Cajun food (the po-boys are especially delicious), pool tables and a lively atmosphere. For those on a budget, Superior Bar & Grill offers tasty Mexican food. The portions are substantial and the prices are right.

Nightlife: When it comes to nightlife, we recommend a visit to the tables or slot machines to test your luck. Eldorado Resort Casino is a popular place for gambling, as is Sam's Town Casino. If you plan on doing a lot of gambling, you may want to consider staying at one of these places. Don't expect the same quality accommodations as Las Vegas, but the rooms are nice enough, and the casino's just an elevator-ride away.

Turkey Legs to Go: Independence Bowl, Louisiana State vs. Northern Illinois originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ball State Turns the Ball and the MAC Championship Over to Buffalo

Chas Rich — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ball State, Buffalo, MAC, Coaching

That crashing sound from Detroit tonight, actually had nothing to do with the American car industry. That was Ball State's perfect season, the MAC Championship and manufactured outrage at being excluded from the BCS bowls all getting the index card from David Letterman through a window sound effect. The Bulls of Buffalo took out Ball State 42-24.

From the beginning, Buffalo came right at Ball State on defense. They kept Ball State's offense off-balance and on the sidelines. Despite the low scoring game, the Cardinals held a 10-7 halftime lead.

Ball State, and there is no other way to put it, gave this game away in the third quarter. The two teams exchanged scores to start the second half and Ball State seemed to be getting the game under control. They had forced a Buffalo turnover and were poised to take a two score lead. Instead, QB Nate Davis got stood up at the 1-yard line and stripped of the ball. Buffalo DB Mike Newton picked it up at the 8 and took it all the way back for a touchdown.

On Ball State's very next possession, they turned it over again. This time when the snap bounced off of an unsuspecting Nate Davis. Another Buffalo DB picked it up and took it back 74 yards for another touchdown. Suddenly Ball State was desperate, but ineffective. It was 28-17 heading into the 4th quarter.

Buffalo was controlling the game and forced Ball State to take chances that backfired. Rather than take a 3-and-out, they went for it on 4th down. Davis was again stripped of the ball. Buffalo scored a few minutes later to bury Ball State. Ball State finally scored, but it was too late and their defense was too demoralized to make a stop.

In three short years, Buffalo coach Turner Gill took the Bulls from the worst of the 1-A teams to winning the MAC and a trip to the International Bowl Detroit in three weeks for the Motor City Bowl. The next question, though, will be whether Turner Gill will be the head coach by then.

If Gill wasn't in demand after the fantastic job he's done with Buffalo, this should remind a few ADs looking for a new head coach. The Buffalo AD knew this was coming, and seems resigned to reality.

"I'd love to be in a position to pay million-dollar-plus salaries, but it's not that time here right now," Manuel said. "It might come a day in the future where that will be possible, but not now. But we're not going to go outside of ourselves financially. We're going to be stewards of the resources that we have and at the same time make sure from a salary standpoint that Turner knows his value to the institution."

The only question is what school will move quickly to get him. If they are smart, Syracuse should just swoop in now and write him a check. Gill has shown he can recruit in the East and develop the talent at hand. Things a program like Syracuse desperately needs.

Ball State Turns the Ball and the MAC Championship Over to Buffalo originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Al Golden Believes Temple Is a Better Job Than Syracuse

Chas Rich — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:17:00 EST

Filed under: Syracuse, Temple, Big East, MAC, Coaching

Maybe Al Golden is just really loyal to the Owls. Or maybe it's a message to Syracuse of just how far they have fallen.

"Syracuse asked for permission to speak with Coach Golden, and it was granted," said Temple Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw. "However, Coach Golden has indicated that he is not interested in pursuing the position."

Ouch. It's not like Syracuse hasn't been suffering enough the last few years. Now the coach of a team kicked out of the Big East isn't even interested.

On the other hand, this could be about Golden looking at a bigger brass ring. The Penn State alum has long been mentioned as a possible successor to Joe Paterno. He might think that possibility is getting closer than ever. Or he could be eyeing the Virginia job. The former 'Hoo defensive coordinator had to notice that Al Groh was not getting the additional year on his contract after this season.

Both jobs might be available in the next year or two. Golden just might be waiting a little longer for a better opportunity.

Al Golden Believes Temple Is a Better Job Than Syracuse originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Montgomery Steps Down at Miami

Chris Burke — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:33:00 EST

Filed under: Miami (OH), MAC, Coaching

Another FBS head coach spot opened up on Saturday, as Steve Montgomery resigned at Miami University. The RedHawks completed a miserable 2-10 season this week with a home loss to Ohio.

"Shane Montgomery is an extraordinary person who has contributed to our department, university and community in exceptional ways," said Miami-Ohio athletic director Brad Bates. "Ultimately, however, our responsibility to Miami University is to maximize our students' development, and we believe that winning championships facilitates student growth and development in substantial and meaningful ways."

It's pretty clear from that quote that Montgomery did not have much say in the decision. I guess that's what happens when a program hits the skids for a few seasons - Miami struggled after Montgomery took the RedHawks to a 7-4 mark in 2005. They followed that up with a 2-10 season, then a 6-7 mark (which included a trip to the MAC title game) and this season's stinker.

Montgomery's biggest claim to fame might be helping to develop Ben Roethlisberger while he played in Oxford. He faced heavy expectations, being the head man at the "Cradle of Coaches" and all. It never really worked out, so both parties will move on.

Montgomery Steps Down at Miami originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toledo Planning to Lighten Up on the Sideline, Watch Tom Amstutz Depart at Season's End

Chas Rich — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Toledo, MAC, Coaching

I guess beating Michigan in the Big House just ain't what it used to be.

In a day when one of the more notably girthy college football coaches has reportedly agreed to step down after this season, another particularly large coach has announced the same. Tom Amstutz, the head coach of Toledo has announced that he is done after this season.

Amstutz was a former Toledo player and an assistant. He took over as head coach after Gary Pinkel left for Missouri. This was the last year of his contract and he had not been offered an extension by Toledo.

In Amstutz's first five seasons the Rockets went 45-18 and went to four bowl games. His name would come up as a potential hire at the end of every season in the coaching carousel. Amstutz, though, was a Toledo alum and comfortable as the Rockets head coach.

University of Toledo athletic Mike O'Brien said he and football coach Tom Amstutz came to a ''a mutual agreement last weekend'' that Amstutz would step down as coach of the Rockets program.

Amstutz, 53, will move to a position as the director of special projects in the Alumni Relations office beginning in January. Amstutz is 57-38 in eight years as coach. He is 2-6 this season, including an upset win over the University of Michigan.

''I'm proud of the body of work I've had at the University of Toledo, '' said the man affectionately referred to as Toledo Tom. ''Now is a good time to be passing the torch.''

The past three seasons have been disappointing, with a 12-20 record. There have also been numerous problems off the field, as the program has dealt with a gambling scandal. Even this season, after upsetting Michigan in Ann Arbor, players were arrested after celebrating a little too much.

Toledo Planning to Lighten Up on the Sideline, Watch Tom Amstutz Depart at Season's End originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Toledo Players Arrested After the Win Against Michigan

Shane Bacon — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Toledo, MAC

Basically it's what you'd expect. A Mid-American Conference team, Toledo, beat up the once great Michigan Wolverines 13-10 on Saturday and the players did exactly what any college kid in the entire country would do, went out to the bars and celebrated.

The problem is, not all of us are the team captain or 6'5", 250 pounds as Nick Moore and Albertson Alexandre are and we are not getting in fights outside of bars or approaching a cop and tapping on his gun. Both players were arrested, facing fines and potentially jail time if convicted.

Rockets wide receiver Nick Moore, who had a school-record 20 catches for 162 yards, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct intoxication, a minor misdemeanor, outside of Ryno's Bar & Grill on 2633 West Bancroft. UT defensive end Albertson Alexandre was charged with obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor.

Moore, a senior and team captain, and Jason Link of Columbus were involved in a fistfight at 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the establishment's parking lot, according to police.

According to the report, the police showed up on the scene and sprayed mace on the crowd of around 30 or 40 people, which obviously makes the drunk collegiate students a lot less likely to become aggressive towards the mace-sprayers.

Alexandre, a junior from Miami, repeatedly approached the officers, ignoring numerous commands to leave the area, according to the report. After approaching an officer and tapping his firearm while trying to get his attention, Alexandre was taken into custody, according to police.

Well, that's an intelligent move. Not only are you stumbling around drunk, but you're approaching the cops when they ask you to stop and you have the nerve to touch the officer's gun. Why didn't one of them just pull a Tweeder from "Varsity Blues" and steal the cop car? I'm sure that fine's pretty manageable.

Two Toledo Players Arrested After the Win Against Michigan originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan's Painful Transition Continues

Chas Rich — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan, Toledo, Big 10, MAC

The growing pains of completely changing the style of offense at Michigan continues, with an extra emphasis on the pain portion. This time the Wolverines saw a 24-game winning streak against MAC opponents snapped. Michigan lost at home to Toledo, 13-10.

The Wolverines actually had a chance to tie the game and send it into overtime, but K.C. Lopata gakked a 26-yard field goal with 9 seconds left, guaranteeing Michigan a return to Schadenfreude.

While Michigan wasn't as cosmically mistake riddled as in the Notre Dame game, they made enough big mistakes to cost them. The biggest without question happened midway through the 1st quarter.

Toledo fumbled the snap and Michigan was able to recover. That set up the offense at the Toledo 33. After six consecutive rushes, it was 2nd and goal at the 5. Steven Threet's throw off his back foot went to Tyrell Herbert in the endzone. Herbert, however, plays for Toledo and took it the other way for a 100 yard pick-six.

That was the only Toledo touchdown of the day. Otherwise, while Toledo accumulated over 300 yards of offense, they could only manage 6 more points.

Michigan had a 10-7 lead at the half, but Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez pulled QB Steven Threet in the second half in favor of Nick Sheridan, a walk-on sophomore. Sheridan threw two picks, though, to be fair they both went off the hands of the Michigan receivers.

The missed Michigan field goal at the end probably spares Toledo Coach Tom Amstutz a lot of second-guessing for going for a 4th and 2 at the Michigan 32 with 1:37 left in the game. Rather than safely punting it and making sure Michigan had to start from at worst the 20, and probably taking a little more time off the clock, they through a screen for no gain. That gave Michigan better field position and a little more momentum with the stop.

Michigan's Painful Transition Continues originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Week Four Proposition Bets for the College Football Junkie

John Radcliff — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, MAC, SEC, Gambling

Prop Bets for the College Football Junkie is a weekly post that cares not for your silly point spreads. If you have the money and the gumption, we'll lay down a weekly gauntlet of propositions that'll take you from the penthouse to the outhouse faster than you can guess the number of times Lee Corso will say "not so fast my friend." As always, this is for entertainment purposes only.

-Back in the good old days of eastern football, before the Big East, Joe Paterno used to wear us out with ramblings about a winless Temple team that was much better than their record indicated. Naturally, Penn State would win by 50+. But as we care not for point spreads or actual outcomes, we'll look at something more intriguing. Like the over/under on the number of times the off field incidents at Penn State will be brought up by the announcing crew. Given that this game could get out of hand quickly, we'll put that number at +/-10. Just as a way to make your money back, I'll give you a straight up prop on if Joe will make an impromptu run to the bathroom while the game is going on.

-Literally a half hour after I wrote this post I was out and helped a person move their broken down diesel truck out of an intersection. I only had to push it about 20 feet, but was completely out of breath by the time it was safely out of the intersection. Given West Virginia's total lack of respect for the effects of the change in altitude, I'm putting the over/under on the number of Mountaineers that pass out during the game at 15.

-The Alabama vs. Arkansas game this weekend should be billed as the battle of the money grubbing job hoppers. Appropriately, the number or references to the number of countries that have a gross domestic product that is less than the combined annual salary of Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino is set at +/- 5. As a side bet, the number of times ESPN flashes a list of all the jobs the two coaches have had over the past five years is set at +/- 2.

Quick Hitters:

-Number of times Orson refers to Phil Fulmer as "Fat Phil" between now and Saturday +/-5.

-Calls for Dave Wannstedt's head on a platter after Pitt loses to Iowa +/- 100,000. Assuming that there are 100k Pitt fans still alive.

-Likewise, when Eastern Michigan defeats Maryland we put the call for Ralph Friedgen's head at +/- 50,000. Even though we know there aren't actually 50k Maryland fans in existence. Still, don't underestimate the power of the bandwagon haters.

-Chances Greg Robinson gets fired this weekend +/- 80%. This bet is irregardless of whether Syracuse actually beats Northeastern or not. The Syracuse blogging community is just too damn strong to have to put up with this crap another week.

Week Four Proposition Bets for the College Football Junkie originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beanie-less Buckeyes Get a Scare

Brian Grummell — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:17:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio, Ohio State, Big 12, MAC

Ohio? O H I O Ohio? Really? Them's the facts and we write them. Ohio State beat Ohio U 26-14 today, and did it without injured back Beanie Wells but hoo boy was it ugly. The Buckeyes were listless in trailing 7-6 at halftime. They later found themselves trailing 14-6 in the third quarter before getting their acts together.

Of no surprise, the Buckeyes' defense saved the day, forcing five turnovers against an otherwise poised Bobcat team. Several methodical offensive drives in crunch time provided the winning margin as Ohio's offense was shut down through most of the second half.

A more dominant Buckeye victory almost assuredly would have set up a No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle next Saturday in Los Angeles against USC. Look for them to drop in the polls, however. The good news for them is that they did emerge victorious and Wells appears to be ready to be cleared to play at some point. The national media will still converge upon L.A. and week three will have its marquee game. All is not lost.

Beanie-less Buckeyes Get a Scare originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turnovers Kill Pitt

John Radcliff — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Bowling Green, Pittsburgh, Big East, MAC

This was to be the year that Pitt and head coach Dave Wannstedt got over the hump. Many, including me, had them in or near the top 25 and contending for the Big East title. It was a pretty picture that was easy to believe in after the upset of West Virginia last December. But the 2008 campaign got off to a bad start as the Panthers dropped their home opener to Bowling Green 27-17.

Pitt dominated the stat sheets, outgaining Bowling Green 393-254 in total yards. But the Panthers also led in turnovers 4-1. Turnovers are correctable in most cases, but the pressure that Pitt quarterback Bill Stull was under all day is something that might not be avoidable. He was sacked four times in the game.

LeSean McCoy had a hard time getting on track today as well. He only averaged 3.1 yards per run on 23 carries and one touchdown. The Pitt defense played well enough, but the turnovers by the offense gave Bowling Green a short field to work with too many times. The offensive line needs to get better quick, because this was supposed to be the easy game on the schedule for the Panthers.

Turnovers Kill Pitt originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ohio University Lineman Wins Lottery

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio, MAC

Since the NCAA puts restrictions on it's student-athletes when it comes to earning money and having jobs, players sometimes have to resort to other tactics to make some cash. While some players may turn to committing crimes to make money, there are others who rely on more traditional means.

Like buying lottery tickets.

That's what Ohio senior offensive lineman Michael Eynon did when he walked into a local gas station Tuesday, and I have a feeling lunch is going to be on him for a while.

When most students are starting to think about paying off student loans, Ohio University senior Michael Eynon is considering what to do with a quarter-million-dollar lottery prize.

The Ohio University offensive lineman won $250,000 in the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday night.

"It hasn't settled in yet," said the senior from Westlake, who is an accounting major. "I've been out throwing footballs, and it's still the same routine."

Eynon will pocket around $172,500 after taxes are taken out, but that's still a pretty healthy prize for a college kid. Of course, when first hearing about this my first thought was how would the NCAA try and take the money away from the kid, but it turns out there's nothing illegal about Eynon winning the lottery.

Well, at least not yet anyway. Give the NCAA a few days, and I'm sure they'll come up with something.

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Auburn linebacker Courtney Harden (56), forgeround, leads his teammates through an drill during their practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn quarterbacks Brent Poole (16), Kodi Burns (18) and Neil Caudle (19) take snaps during their football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn receiver Mario Fannin is all concentration during the Tigers' football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads kicks his leg up as he watches his team practice in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn quarterbacks Kodi Burns (18) and Brent Poole, rear, drink water during practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville watches over his team during football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn quarterback Kodi Burns looks downfield during practice in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. It was the first full day of pads for the Tigers. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn receiver Vance Smith hauls in a pass during the Tigers' football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn's Sen'Derrick Marks stretches during the Tigers' football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center left, walks with Marshall University President Stephen Kopp, center right, and football coach Mark Snyder, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, during practice in Huntington, W.Va. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Ohio University Lineman Wins Lottery originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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