NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com NCAA Football FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Big East Rewind: Favorites Fading?http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/big-east-rewind-favorites-fading/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/big-east-rewind-favorites-fading/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/big-east-rewind-favorites-fading/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West Virginia won as expected last week, but it wasn't quite as easy as the experts predicted.

All three clubs were heavy favorites between 17 and 21 points, yet only Pittsburgh won easily. PItt was the only one of the trio that didn't almost lose. The Panthers disposed of depleted Syracuse 37-10, but Cincinnati and West Virginia had a lot more difficulty.

The Bearcats outlasted a resilient UConn club 47-45, while the Mountaineers held off Louisville 17-9.

Last week's results shows that the league remains divided into three tiers: the best (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh), the worst (Louisville, Syracuse) and everyone else (South Florida, West Virginia, UConn and Rutgers).

While the top and the bottom of the league is pretty well set, it should be interesting to see how the middle four teams shake out in the next few weeks. It will start Thursday when USF visits Rutgers.

Unfortunately, we have to wait another four weeks for the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh contest.

Some things we may have actually figured out in the past week

1. What do you know, the Big East ain't so bad after all

After starting the season with no teams ranked in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, the Big East has half of its league in the BCS Top 25 rankings. That's even one more than the mighty SEC. Cincinnati is No. 5, but needs some help to get a shot at the BCS title game, while Pittsburgh is No. 12, South Florida No. 24 and West Virginia No. 25.

2. Syracuse will be the Big East's most improved team - in 2010

They have to be, right? There will be nowhere to go but up for the Orange. The latest debacle was Saturday's 37-10 loss at Pittsburgh. In the Orange's four Big East losses, they have not come closer than two touchdowns. Last week, they had three players suspended and a fourth - star WR Mike Williams - quit the team. Saturday, they lost starting SS Max Suter and TE Cody Catalina to season-ending injuries and they only took 55 scholarship players to Pitt.

3. Where did the O go for the "Muntaineers"?

In West Virginia's last two games, the Mountaineers have been held to 19 points in a loss at South Florida and 17 points in a win against Louisville. The significance is it marked the third time in 22 games under Coach Bill Stewart the Mountaineers had scored 20 or fewer points in consecutive games. By comparison, WVU only had back-to-back games with 20 points or less three times in the last 76 games of former Coach Rich Rodriguez's tenure at West Virginia.
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4. Are there chinks showing in Cincinnati's armor?

In Cincinnati's 9-0 start, the Bearcats' offense - whether Tony Pike or Zach Collaros played quarterback - has been absolutely dynamite. However, it does appear the blueprint for at least keeping it close against UC is out there. Fresno State, in a 28-20 loss to UC, rushed for 290 yards. UConn rushed for 201 in Saturday's two-point loss. Those are the only two games this season the Bearcats have allowed more than 200 yards rushing - and not coincidentally the only two games they have not won by double figures.

Re-Tweeting Week 10

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: The Zach Pack is growing. UConn the latest to believe that Cincinnati is better off with Collaros at QB
2. Pittsburgh: Since ending West Virginia's 2007 national title hopes, the Panthers have won 18 of their past 23 contests
3. South Florida: The not-ready-for-prime-time Bulls visit Rutgers hoping to end an 0-5 streak in ESPN Thursday night games
4. West Virginia: The Mountaineers have been outgained in their past three games, but still managed to win two of them
5. Rutgers: Freshman Tom Savage makes his first start vs. USF, looking to extend Scarlet Knights' three-game winning streak vs. the Bulls
6. UConn: The Huskies' perseverance is amazing, but they have lost their last three games by a total of 10 points
7. Louisville: Coming close counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and my Big East rankings. UL moves up one spot after hanging at WVU
8. Syracuse: The Orange and Cardinals will settle this once and for all Saturday: who is the league's worst team?

Follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter at twitter.com/BrettmcmurphY

Big East Rewind: Favorites Fading? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyMon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST UConn Seeks to Win One for Lost Teammate Jasper Howardhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/uconn-seeks-to-win-one-for-lost-teammate/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/uconn-seeks-to-win-one-for-lost-teammate/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/uconn-seeks-to-win-one-for-lost-teammate/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Randy EdsallSTORRS, Conn. -- Connecticut coach Randy Edsall is good at many things -- such as refining football skills, leading a group of young men and supporting them through the tragedy of Jasper Howard's murder.

He has had little time to make sure his pop culture references were up to date.

"I am Sergeant Schultz, I know nothing," Edsall said earlier this week, when pressed about details surrounding the murder investigation. Just minutes later, in a separate media conference, the arrests of three men were announced.

Ironically, Edsall, especially in recent days, is very little like Schultz, whose character on "Hogan's Heroes" -- a TV show that ran from 1965-71 -- was a bumbling, borderline incompetent mess (Trust me, I looked it up).

Edsall recited Schultz's famous slogan, but that's where the similarities end.

Competence, in fact, is what Edsall demands -- even in the face of the abnormal circumstances provided by Howard's tragic slaying on Oct. 18, when he was stabbed outside a school-sanctioned dance on campus.

"You never grade on a curve," Edsall said in reference to giving his team any slack on the field during the grieving process. "In our business, you either do it right or you do it wrong. To me, it is either if they do what they are asked to do, they get a plus; if not, it's a minus. People used to have plus, minus and zero.

"Either you did it the right way or you did it the wrong way. If you say, 'Well, it was OK but ... ' they never get better. You never grade on a circumstance or a curve because you are going out there to play to the best of your ability and get a win."

That's exactly what the Huskies will try to do Saturday, when they play Rutgers in their first home game since the murder. Those circumstances, however, are not lost on Edsall or the UConn program.

The school plans to honor Howard, who was a star cornerback and punt returner.

All fans who attend the game will receive a "6" card in memory of Howard's jersey number. The first 15,000 fans who enter the gates will receive "Jazz Live 365" wristbands, while UConn students in attendance will be handed the same "eye-black" that the team will wear -- one with a "6" and the other with a "JH."

Students will also receive a "6" button and are encouraged to arrive at their seats early in anticipation of a performance by the UConn marching band, which will display the formation of a "6" during its pregame program.

A moment of silence will also take place at Rentschler Field, where a no-sign policy will be relaxed.

"This is one more way that our fans can make a personal tribute to Jasper Howard," UConn Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway said.

While it promises to be a fitting tribute, Edsall no doubt is worried about closure for his players, who traveled to Miami earlier this week for Howard's funeral.

In respect to the arrests, which saw John Lomax of Bloomfield, Conn. accused of murder and two others hit with lesser chargers, the coach was pleased with the progress made but was most concerned with returning to normalcy.

"I think it is important for everyone to see justice be brought to the case but at the same time it doesn't bring Jasper back," he said. "It has been a long week but I think everyone is ready to get back on the field and play like we know we can.

"We need to get some more wins especially in the Big East, and we are going to get back out there and do that."

UConn (4-3, 1-2 Big East) will have to focus quickly. After this game against the Scarlet Knights, the Huskies will face eighth-ranked Cincinnati before traveling to take on No. 23 Notre Dame.

All three of the Huskies' losses have come in excruciating fashion, including a late safety against North Carolina, a fourth-quarter implosion at Pittsburgh and a four-point loss at West Virginia.

Linebacker Greg Lloyd admitted that, inspired by the loss of a teammate, UConn will be pushing even harder for a win this week.

"The outlook for this week is to refuse to lose," he said. "In the last couple of games, it has been close and come down to the fourth quarter so coming into this week the main focus is to keep the team going, keep moving forward, keep making progress. we are that close but you have to finish, you have to be able to finish."

According to Edsall, each player has dealt with the tragedy on his own terms. It would be unfair to think that the grief will dissipate so quickly, though it may be beneficial for the players to immerse themselves in the game.

The coach, speaking with obvious compassion and strength, said that there is a support system for those that need someone to talk to about the loss of their teammate.

Jordan Todman, a running back for the Huskies, will always carry the memory of Howard with him.

"I definitely feel like we have grown closer and I live my days a lot more different now," he said. "You never know what can happen or when it can happen. I keep my friends a lot closer, I make sure my family and friends know that I love them because you never know when it is your time or their time."

Coincidentally, if you drive through UConn's rural campus, a message from Howard unknowingly echoes Todman's sentiments.

An impromptu memorial for Howard, spray-painted on a rock, reads, "Play every play like it's the last play you'll ever play." - JH

UConn Seeks to Win One for Lost Teammate Jasper Howard originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>jasper howardJasperHowardRandy EdsallRandyEdsallAnthony OlivieriFri, 30 Oct 2009 15:50:00 EST Big East Picks: Pittsburgh's Scarlet Letterhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/big-east-picks-pittsburghs-scarlet-letter/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/big-east-picks-pittsburghs-scarlet-letter/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/big-east-picks-pittsburghs-scarlet-letter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Each Friday, FanHouse's Brett McMurphy will preview the Big East and make his weekly predictions.

Oh and three. That was my record picking Big East games last week against the spread -- losing two games on last-second field goals if you care (and, no, you don't). No wins, three losses.

But hey, it could be worse. I could have South Florida coach Jim Leavitt's record in Thursday night nationally televised games (0-4) or I could have Dave Wannstedt's record against Rutgers.

The Pittsburgh coach has gone oh-fer against the Scarlet Knights. Four games, four losses.

Tonight, the Panthers visit Rutgers with Pittsburgh a 5-1/2 point favorite.

All week long at Pitt's practice center, TV monitors have been running continuous highlights (lowlights?) of the Panthers' past four losses to the Scarlet Knights. And you thought watching Jay Leno's new show was painful?

In its season-opening 47-15 seal-clubbing to Cincinnati, Rutgers looked Lost. Since then the Biggest Loser has fattened up on a variety of cupcakes by the names of Howard, Florida International, Maryland and Texas Southern. Freshman QB Tom Savage makes his first Big East start tonight.

Wannstedt admitted that Rutgers has "had our number the last four years."

Steely Dan couldn't have said it better. "Rutgers, Don't Lose That Number." Scarlet Knights in an upset.

Marshall at West Virginia: This is "The Friends of Coal Bowl." And who says there are too many bowl games in college football? These teams may like their coal -- I like mine black, no sugar -- but they really don't care much about each other. The schools are located a little more than 200 miles apart and they first played in 1911. I would call this a rivalry except when one team dominates, I'm not sure how much of a rivalry you can have. WVU has won the last eight meetings, including the past three years by 32, 25 and 24 points. WVU is among only three schools this season that has scored at least 30 points in every game. Against Marshall's porous defense, WVU may reach 30 by halftime. Still, I'm a sucker for an underdog in a so-called rivalry game. WVU wins, but the Herd somehow, someway keeps it within three TDs.

Louisville at UConn: Last week, an internet site reported Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe would be fired after last week's game against Southern Miss. A few days later, another report said Jon Gruden was the No. 1 candidate to replace Kragthorpe at season's end. At this rate, the next report will indicate Kragthorpe is resigning during Saturday's game with UConn. Oh wait, that's already happened at Louisville with John L. Smith during the 2002 GMAC Bowl? Why is everyone so down on Krags, anyway? Can't we just all get along, like The Friends of Coal Bowl? The Huskies are still thinking about blowing last week's game at Pitt. UConn wins, but UL covers the 13.

About Last Night: On my Twitter page Thursday, I correctly predicted Cincinnati would defeat USF (no oh-fer for me this week!).

Last Week: 3-1 (straight up); 0-3 (against the spread)

Season: 31-6 (83.8 percent) (straight up); 10-17 (37.0 percent) (against the spread)

Big East Picks: Pittsburgh's Scarlet Letter originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyFri, 16 Oct 2009 13:15:00 EST Looking for Beast of Big Easthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/08/10/looking-for-beast-of-big-east/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/08/10/looking-for-beast-of-big-east/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/08/10/looking-for-beast-of-big-east/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Alternative post headline: Your Guess is as Good as Mine.

In the preseason media poll, Pitt was picked to win the conference followed by West Virginia, Cincinnati, South Florida and then Rutgers. The top four teams all received first place votes. The point difference between Pitt and No. 5 Rutgers was only 34, while the gap between Rutgers and the No. 6 team, UConn, was 48. In other words, everyone is guessing, and everyone is unsure.

Just checking the multitude of preview guides only emphasizes the confusion. The various mags have picked four different teams to finish first in the Big East. In other words, the Big East is looking a lot like the ACC of the last few years. No dominant team. Plenty of parity and coaches getting defensive about it.
[West Virginia] Coach [Bill] Stewart on the league outlook: "I don't call it parity, I call it competitive."
And somewhere in Raleigh, North Carolina, Tom O'Brien nods his head in approval.

The only things that seem certain are that Louisville and Syracuse will battle for the basement, while UConn tries to rebuild and find a passing game not seen since the legendary Dan Orlovsky led the Huskies back in 2004.

Part of the reason for the jumble of picks at the top is that each team seems so fatally flawed at key spots that it is easier to see them failing than succeeding.

Pittsburgh
Pros: Dominating defense that starts with a strong defensive line, led by one of the best tandems of defensive ends in Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard. The offense has one of the best young receivers in the conference in Jonathan Baldwin along with the conference's best tight end in Nate Byham. The receiving corps is surprisingly deep. The offensive line only lost one starter from last year.

Cons: The quarterback situation is a glaring, neon question mark. Bill Stull is still the likely starter and he was horrible down the stretch, leading to his benching in an unwatchable 3-0 loss to Oregon State in the Sun Bowl. Leading tackler Scott McKillop, along with the rest of the starting linebackers all graduated, leaving much inexperience behind. The entire backfield has to be replaced with fullback Conredge Collins, back-up LaRod Stephens-Howling and star tailback LeSean McCoy departed. Pitt also has to replace their punter and kicker.

Scheduling: Slightly rough. Road games could be a challenge. The non-conference game at North Carolina State looms large since Pitt is only 1-4 against BCS teams away from Heinz Field under Dave Wannstedt. They also have to play at Rutgers, who Wannstedt has yet to beat, and at West Virginia.

West Virginia
Pros: Noel Devine is still in the backfield and is always a threat to break off a long run everytime he touches the ball. Senior Jarrett Brown is now the QB. He has experience, good mobility and a strong arm to get the ball to an underrated (and under-utilized) receiving corps. The defense has made strides and returns seven starters.

Cons: Pat White is gone. There is no getting around the loss of the best and winningest player in Mountaineer history. Oh, and so is virtually the entire offensive line, making it a very shaky thing for a new quarterback and giving Devine any space to run. Kicker Pat McAfee is gone as well.

Scheduling: Challenging. While they do have 1-AA Liberty on the schedule as well as Marshall, they host East Carolina and Colorado. Plus a trip to Auburn. Their conference road schedule will make it harder for them to win the conference since they have to go to South Florida, Cinci and Rutgers this year.

Rutgers
Pros: The entire offensive line is back, and quite good. They will allow whoever is in the backfield time to throw, and open holes for the running game. The defense, especially at linebacker looks imposing. There is solid depth at running back as long as Kordell Young makes it all the way back from his knee injury

Cons: Young missed four games last year to injury, and then got hurt in spring practice. Counting on him for any length of time might be a mistake. The most glaring issue is the entire passing game. Quarterback Mike Teel, wide receivers Kenny Britt, Tiquan Underwood, and tight end Kevin Brock are all gone. That's the starting quarterback for the last three years and three of the top four receivers on the team in 2008. The candidates to replace Teel are true freshman Tom Savage and a slew of back-ups. The kicking game still remains a question mark.

Scheduling: Set up perfectly. The Scarlet Knights have the weakest non-conference schedule in the Big East. Howard and Texas Southern (both FCS), FIU and at Army. Their only challenging non-con game is at Maryland. As for the conference schedule, they get the other four contending teams -- Cincinnati, Pitt, WVU and USF -- in Piscataway. Phil Steele rates their schedule at 106th out of 120. No BCS team even comes close to playing this light a schedule.

South Florida
Pros: Matt Grothe is a playmaker on offense. He has been the team's leading rusher and passer. He is surprisingly accurate with a 63 percent completion rate. Most of their receivers are back and the running back depth has improved. The defensive line, led by George Selvie at one end, is right there with Pitt in the debate for best D-line in the conference. They may have the most overall talent in the conference.

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Auburn offensive lineman Jorell Bostrom (76) stretches during their NCAA college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
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    Auburn running back John Douglas, foreground, works on a catching drill with teammate Robert Cooper (16) during their NCAA college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. Gabe McKenzie, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Auburn quarterback Chris Todd throws during the Tigers' NCAA college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Auburn offensive lineman Jorell Bostrom (76) stretches during their NCAA college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Auburn quarterback Chris Todd throws during their NCAA college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Auburn coach Gene Chizik yells instructions to his team during their college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Auburn quarterbacks Chris Todd (12), Kodi Burns (18) and Neil Caudle (19) lead the offense onto the field during their football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Auburn coach Gene Chizik, center, watches his team during their college football practice on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. Defensive lineman Nick Fairley (90) looks on. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Tennessee freshman wide receivers Nu'Keese Richardson (7) and Marsalis Teague (10) sing for the camera at Tennessee's football Media Day Sunday, Aug. 9 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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    Tennessee running back David Oku smiles as he is asked questions during an interview at Tennessee's football Media Day, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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    Tennessee defensive back Janzen Jackson speaks to reporters during an interview at Tennessee's football Media Day, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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Cons: Coaching turnover this past year saw the losses of the defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator, plus a couple others for good measure. There's also the issue of whether USF can win road games when the weather turns cold, as the Bulls are 1-3 when the temperature at kickoff is under 40 degrees, and 2-5 under 50 degrees. As for personnel, the Bulls have only one starter back on the offensive line, so that will determine how much USF runs and how much Grothe just has to run for his life. Grothe is much less effective when he feels that he has to be the entire offense.

Scheduling: Decent. Their non-con is weighed down by having two FCS games, but also includes playing at Florida State and hosting Miami. They get Cincinnati and West Virginia at home, but have to go to Pitt and Rutgers. The Rutgers game is a Thursday night affair in November, so unless it is unseasonably warm you can expect that ESPN will trot out the temperature and issue of a warm weather team playing in the cold. Double the number of mentions that night for their season finale at UConn in December.

Cincinnati
Pros: Tony Pike returns as the starting QB. The first time in a few years where the Bearcats have a returning starting QB. Almost the entire offense comes back including the best WR in the Big East, Mardy Gilyard. Head coach Brian Kelly gets as much out of the talent at hand as anyone in the conference.

Cons: As nice as it is to get virtually the entire offense back, it is the complete opposite on the defensive side. A very underrated defense lost ten of the eleven starters, including DE Connor Barwin and All-American CB Mike Mickens. Just for good measure, there is a new defensive coordinator for the Bearcats.

Scheduling: Moderate. They have games in the non-con at Oregon State and hosting Illinois and Fresno State. Winning the Big East will be tough with road games at Rutgers to start the season, at USF and at Pitt to end the season. Only WVU comes to Nippert Stadium this year.

Looking for Beast of Big East originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Greg RomeusJabaal SheardJarrett BrownKordell YoungMardy GilyardNate ByhamTom SavageTony PikeChas RichMon, 10 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST Why the Rutgers-UCLA Series Is Good News for College Footballhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/07/07/why-the-rutgers-ucla-series-is-good-news-for-college-football/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/07/07/why-the-rutgers-ucla-series-is-good-news-for-college-football/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/07/07/why-the-rutgers-ucla-series-is-good-news-for-college-football/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano talks with quarterback Mike Teel during a 2006 game.Rutgers and UCLA have agreed to a home-and-home series starting in 2016. You, the typical college football fan, don't give a rat's bonkus.

To you, Rutgers is a one-hit wonder from a couple years ago, lucky it can still get bookings at state fairs. After this it's county fairs, then it's back to the day job at Home Depot. UCLA, on the other hand, is like a recently divorced middle-aged guy at a college bar. He can't figure out why, if he could make time with the coeds 25 years ago, they're just not that interested in him now.

You might be right about where each of these programs stand in the summer of 2009. But you're dead wrong about the insignificance of this deal. This is one of the best things to happen to college football in quite a while.

These two schools deserve more credit than they're getting. They deserve praise because this game isn't an automatic victory for either school. Let's face it, non-conference scheduling has become a joke. Teams which aspire to the BCS games routinely refuse to play anybody with a pulse unless tradition forces them to. Instead, the month of September is filled with the likes of David at Goliath, Fire Hydrant at Large Dog, and Movable Object at Irresistible Force.

On the one hand, you can understand why the 400-pound gorillas don't schedule any real competition. There isn't a BCS conference that qualifies as "easy to win." The BCS formula hasn't directly considered strength of schedule and quality wins since 2003. The human polls have considerable inertia as well, and that inertia gets more pronounced as the season goes on. There's little incentive to play a game you might not win and lots of incentive to get Mr. Steven's Barber College on the schedule. Twice, if possible.

On the other hand, that swindles the fans twice over. Once, because we're deprived of seeing the best teams play each other, and once again because it leads to, shall we say, statistical inaccuracies.

Let me explain. Every year, there's at least one team that runs out to something like a 6-0 or 5-1 start and crawls into the top 25, even though anybody who has seen them play knows that they've been gorging on so many cupcakes they might as well be on Man vs. Food instead of Sports Center. Reality catches up with them and they wind up 7-5 or 6-6, but they still get a bowl bid while a more deserving team from a lesser conference gets left out. There are a lot of undefeated teams on the first of October. About half of them are fraudulent.

Likewise, it's easy to get dazzled by offenses and players who put up video game numbers. Two hundred twenty-five yards rushing! He threw for eight touchdowns with no interceptions! Yes, but it was against a branch campus so small that the library, gymnasium, and dorm are all in the same building.

Look, fan, you're in this for one reason and one reason only: entertainment. If you're not playing or coaching, that's all college football is good for, as far as you're concerned. Maybe you're entertained by a game that's 56-0 at halftime. If you are, please do me one favor: Go dip yourself in honey, then roll around on a hill of fire ants until you change your mind.

The rest of us want to see a game that actually catches and holds our attention. Kudos to Rutgers and UCLA for agreeing to provide games whose outcomes aren't foregone conclusions. (No need to bring up Appalachian State. I've heard of that game.)

Of course, I probably won't get to see it. I live in Big Ten country, so I'm sure that, instead of Rutgers-UCLA, I'll have to watch Wisconsin-Florida Elliptic.

Why the Rutgers-UCLA Series Is Good News for College Football originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mark HastyTue, 07 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST