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/Daily Domer: Rubber-Necking the Irishhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/daily-domer-rubber-necking-the-irish/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/daily-domer-rubber-necking-the-irish/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/daily-domer-rubber-necking-the-irish/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Except that the Yankees are World Series champions.

Will the Irish ever win another national championship?

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

Vintage Parris
Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook

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

Calling Aldridge

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

Odd Line

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

Golden Rules

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

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

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

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

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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

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

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

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

On to the Starting 11.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I think so.

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


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

First, how hot is Stanford on offense?

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

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

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

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

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

I'm drooling now.
Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook

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

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

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

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

I don't think so.

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

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

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


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

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

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


5. Michigan is still awful in year two.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You know what doesn't help?

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

Boise State didn't respond to me.

Seriously, what are they doing out there?

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

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

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

Maybe 500?

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

11!

And Archie Manning has fathered two of them!

Seriously, just think about the odds on this.

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

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

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

And Archie pulled it off twice.

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

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

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

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

I've read easier legislative histories.

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

Maybe 10 percent.

This would be a great test.

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

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

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

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

That is, assuming Georgia can beat Kentucky this weekend.

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

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

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



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

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

Can someone help me out?

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

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

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

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

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

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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

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

Playoffs, playoffs?

We don't need playoffs in this situation.

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach wants 64.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why not just leave the BCS alone?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Terence MooreMon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST TCU Is More Than Just BCS Busterhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/tcu-is-more-than-just-bcs-buster/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/tcu-is-more-than-just-bcs-buster/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/tcu-is-more-than-just-bcs-buster/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Andy DaltonFORT WORTH, Texas -- Gary Patterson really doesn't want to lobby the BCS for inclusion into its national championship mix.

The fourth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs' impressive body of work should be enough.

They are just one of six remaining undefeated teams in the country, and have collected quality road wins at Clemson, Air Force and BYU en route to moving into fourth place in the BCS standings, the highest such ranking ever for a non-automatic qualifier.

But the Horned Frogs made their boldest statement yet this season Saturday, luring the 16th-ranked and reigning Mountain West champion Utah Utes into their place with the promise of another close contest only to lock the gates on them at Amon G. Carter Stadium. When it was all over, the Frogs had thoroughly waxed their nemesis 55-28 in front of a record overflow crowd of 50,307 in Amon Carter Stadium.

So voters and computers were you paying attention?

"If the nation didn't think this was enough style points then I don't know what is," said Patterson, who is now 2-3 all-time against Utah. "We are just going to go about our business because that was a good football team."

The Utes' 8-1, 5-0 MWC record and lofty national ranking were tangible proof how good Utah was. The ease in which the Frogs, who are 10-0 for just the second time since 1938 when they won their last national championship, handled the Utes in all facets proved just how much better TCU is.

The Frogs amassed 342 yards rushing with running back Ed Wesley racing for 137 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Andy Dalton added 207 yards and a touchdown through the air, while the defense limited the Utes to 65 yards on 27 carries for the night. The specials teams units got into the act, as well, with a blocked punt and return specialist Jeremy Kerley was again his spectacular season.

"They were who we thought they were," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, whose team dropped to 8-2, and 5-1 on the season. "Tonight, that was a good football team. I have been a head coach for five years, that is the best team I've ever faced."
Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook

High praise from a man who beat the team ranked No. 1 for most of last season, Alabama, in the Sugar Bowl last season.

The only negatives were a missed 26-yard field goal and a muffed punt and then a couple surrendered deep balls after the game was well out of hand. All correctable breakdowns.

Overall, It was the kind of overwhelming performance you would expect from Texas, Florida and Alabama -- the three teams ranked ahead of them in the BCS rankings. TCU, led by a stifling defense and a highly efficient offense, is beyond good.

These Horned Frogs are flirting with greatness. But in a college football universe where the big time programs call all the shots, TCU likely will never get to test that greatness.

Oh sure, the BCS brethren from the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl all showed up Saturday willing to extend an invite to the Frogs. Utah and Boise State have had enough success in those second-tier BCS games that the little guy stepping up to challenge Goliath has been embraced.

But the most logical and deserving next step for TCU should be the BCS national championship game in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl following the season, provided they win out against Wyoming and New Mexico to conclude the regular season.

The Frogs' defense, led by All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes, is as dominant as Texas' and Alabama's units. And quarterback Andy Dalton has transformed the offense into one that's every bit as explosive as the Tim Tebow-led Florida Gators.

The compelling argument against the Frogs being the first outsiders to make their way into the BCS national title game is they haven't faced week-in and week-out challenges that exist in the SEC and Big 12 South in the Mountain West. You can't disagree there.

But since you can't blame the program that was left in the cold when the Southwest Conference broke apart to form the Big 12 anymore than you can blame the Longhorns for a joke of a non-conference schedule this season, don't you want to know how TCU would measure up against, say, Texas?

"It would be a great opportunity for the school and for our team," Hughes said Saturday night of the possibility of meeting Texas, Florida or Alabama in the national championship game. "But at the same time, we've got to take care of next week because Wyoming is a great team."

There is little reason to believe the Frogs won't handle a mediocre Wyoming squad in Laramie, Wyoming next week. But if you are Patterson, you've been down this road before where your team hits 10-0 as it did in 2003 only to have a letdown.

So you can understand his quandary as the TCU coach wants to aim for the sky for his team, but he doesn't want his players to lose sight of what's in front of them. While the MWC title seems a certainty -- the Frogs are 6-0 in league play -- they still haven't won anything.

Of course, you wouldn't have known that by the way the fans stormed the football field Saturday night.

"The biggest thing with us is we need to finish," Patterson said. "We have two games left, one on the road. I understand how big a win this is. I've been here. I've beaten Oklahoma and then got beat by SMU. We are going to finish. That's what we need to do, we need to finish."

TCU Is More Than Just BCS Buster originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Andy DaltonAndyDaltonBCSGary PattersonGaryPattersonJerry HughesJerryHughesKyle WhittinghamKyleWhittinghamTCU Horned FrogsTcuHornedFrogsTerrance HarrisSun, 15 Nov 2009 01:46:00 EST TCU Makes Boldest BCS Statement Yethttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/14/tcu-makes-boldest-bcs-statemen-yet/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/14/tcu-makes-boldest-bcs-statemen-yet/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/14/tcu-makes-boldest-bcs-statemen-yet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TCUFORT WORTH, Texas -- If there were questions about the BCS worthiness of the TCU Horned Frogs, they were answered -- and resoundingly -- Saturday night.

The fourth-ranked Horned Frogs made their big game against 16th-ranked Utah seem like an exhibition as they stunned the naysayers and maybe even themselves by routing the defending Mountain West champion Utes 55-28 in front a record crowd of 50,307 at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The most immediate result is that the undefeated Horned Frogs have a major leg up in the MWC race by getting past nemesis Utah in convincing fashion. Even bigger, the Horned Frogs sent a clear message to the BCS community that they deserve to be part of the BCS conversation, not just for one of the four big bowl bids but for a real shot at the national title game.

If Saturday night's game is any indication, the Horned Frogs are as dominant on defense as Texas and Alabama, and as potent on offense as Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators. TCU, ranked fourth in last week's BCS standings, made it look easy against a quality Utah team in a game that broke ranks with the recent competitiveness of this series.

The Frogs, sparked by highly efficient night by quarterback Andy Dalton and a stifling defensive performance, led the Utes 38-14 at halftime and never looked back as they moved to 10-0 overall and 6-0 in the MWC for the season. Utah slipped to 8-2, 5-1 on the season.

The Utes, who were supposed to be the closest thing to TCU athletically in the MWC, seemed several steps slow as running backs Matthew Tucker, Ed Wesley and Joseph Turner along with Dalton all converted explosive plays on the ground while receivers Ryan Christian and Jeremy Kerley couldn't be defended most of the night.

Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook
Defensively, led by All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes, the Frogs gave Utah running back Eddie Wide little room to run while harassing quarterback Jordan Wynn all night long.

Putting forth such a convincing performance on such a major stage, which included ESPN's GameDay crew and several national media members, will make it difficult to keep the Horned Frogs out of the national title discussion should Florida, Alabama and Texas falter in these final two weeks of the regular season. But to keep the conversation going, TCU also can't afford a letdown in its final two regular season games at Wyoming and then home against New Mexico.

TCU Makes Boldest BCS Statement Yet originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Terrance HarrisSat, 14 Nov 2009 22:46:00 EST Live Blog: TCU Gives Utes the Hornshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/14/live-blog-big-game-feel-for-tcu-utah/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/14/live-blog-big-game-feel-for-tcu-utah/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/14/live-blog-big-game-feel-for-tcu-utah/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The atmosphere is electric and Amon G. Carter Stadium is packed to overflow capacity for what is arguably the biggest game in decades at TCU.

Should the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs (9-0, 5-0) make it past No.16 Utah (8-1, 5-0) tonight they will not only have a strong edge in the Mountain West race but will also keep them in step for a BCS bowl bid and possibly a berth into the national title game. Should the Frogs, who are ranked fourth in the BCS standings, make it to Pasadena, Calif. they will become the first non-BCS conference school to compete in the BCS title game.

(Follow Terrance Harris' game blog after the jump)
More Coverage: Box Score | Play by Play


The possibility of making it to a national title game has generated never before seen excitement around the Horned Frogs program. Painting yourself purple seems to be the thing to do these days in Fort Worth and the surrounding area.

Let's just see how impressed the reigning MWC champion Utes will be with all the hype TCU has garnered for tonight's game.


FIRST QUARTER

The Horned Frogs don't waste much time in getting on the board and getting the crowd even more amped as they march 87 yards on eights plays to go up 7-0. Running back Matthew Tucker broke through the middle of the line and raced 41 yards to the touchdown with 11:33 left in first.

***************
This may or may not mean much, but the Frogs seem to be having trouble in the kicking game during the early going. Place kicker Ross Evans has missed a 26-yard chip shot attempt and punter Anson Kelton just shanked a punt that gave the Utes the ball at the TCU 43.

It will be interesting to see if these problems continue throughout the night.

***********

The Frogs problem in the kicking game has come back to bite them. Four plays after Kelton's shanked punt, running back/quarterback Shaky Smithson ran in from 10 yards to help the Utes tie the game 7-7 with 4:48 remaining in the first quarter. Smithson, who came in to run the Utes' version of the Wildcat on a couple plays during the series, now has his first touchdown of the season.

***************

Let's give TCU receiver Ryan Christian the play of the night and yes, we are still in the first quarter. But the touchdown play was nice. Christian took a swing pass from Andy Dalton then sidestepped a tackler before racing down the sideline for a 14-yard touchdown reception that put the Frogs up 14-7 late in the first quarter

****************

So much focus so far has been on the TCU offense, but the Frogs defense, led by defensive end Jerry Hughes, is playing an unbelievable game. In the final series of the first quarter, the unit recorded two negative yardage plays courtesy of Hughes and then blocked a punt to hand the offense the ball at the Utah 23.


SECOND QUARTER

Someone might want to explain to the Utes that the Horned Frogs don't need any help scoring. After spotting the Frogs on the 23 because of the blocked punt, the Utah defense then commits two mind-less penalties, an illegal substitution and then offsides on back to back plays to position TCU at the 3. That made it easy for Jeremy Kerley to barrel into the end zone from three yards to open up a 21-7 TCU lead with 14:11 left to play in the first half.

*********************


Okay, this one is looking like a rout in the making. Antoine Hicks just raced 1-yard for a touchdown to put the Frogs up 28-7. They've scored 21 unanswered points to separate themselves from the Utes. The last touchdown was set up when returnman Jeremy Kerley burst around the corner for a 39-yard punt return to the Utah 29. And on the first play from scrimmage, Dalton hit receiver Jimmy Young on a perfectly placed slant pass for a 28-yard pickup to the 1.

*******************

TCU is just putting on one of the most complete performances imaginable. The Frogs have used offense and speical teams to help put up points, now the defense has gotten into the act. Middle linebacker Carder just returned an interception 10 yards for a pick six that put the Frogs up 35-7 early in the second quarter. So much for the great battle.
***************

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has to be completely beside himself at this point tonight. Not only is his team getting smashed 38-14 in the first half, but they are being hammered by penalties. Illegal substitutions on the defense, offsides, and unsportsmanlike conduct calls have all gone against the Utes in the first two quarters. TCU hasn't been penalized nearly as much so far.


HALFTIME

Okay, who will admit they expected such a lopsided game between the Frogs and Utes to this point? Nothing about their recent past would have suggested TCU would be holding a commanding 38-14 lead at the intermission.

On paper, they seemed to be pretty evenly matched with TCU maybe holding the edge on defense and a slight advantage on offense and special teams, But so far, the Frogs have been dominant on all phases.

Dalton has been his efficient self, completing 15 of 23 passes for 194 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Dalton has hit receiver Ryan Christian for 48 yards and a touchdown on five passes. The Frogs array of runners have amassed 115 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in the first half.

But also give it up the Frogs' defense, which has limited Utah to just 27 yards rushing on 15 attempts and just 157 yards of total offense in the first two quarters. TCU's offense has put up 309 yards of offense.
Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook

Live Blog: TCU Gives Utes the Horns originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Terrance HarrisSat, 14 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST TCU Has Chance to Climb Mountainhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/tcu-has-chance-to-climb-the-mountain/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/tcu-has-chance-to-climb-the-mountain/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/tcu-has-chance-to-climb-the-mountain/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Gary Patterson

FORT WORTH - If you are waiting for TCU coach Gary Patterson to start lobbying for his team's inclusion into the BCS and possibly the national championship game, you will be kept waiting.

Patterson (above) can see far too many traps to get caught up in what the nation is talking about and that's that the fourth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs could very well be the first of the non-BCS schools to punch a ticket to the BCS' grandest stage.

It's a nice thought, but with 14th-ranked Utah on the horizon in a mega Mountain West Conference game Saturday night, Patterson isn't even willing to give the BCS possibilities a thought. He's strongly suggesting his players don't, either.
"Right now we are trying to only worry about things we can control," said Patterson, whose team heads into action this weekend as one of six undefeated squads at 9-0 and 5-0 in the MWC. "All of us are a fan at heart. Like I tell my kids, if you want to sit at home and drink the BCS Kool-Aid and the national championship Kool-Aid, go ahead. But we've still got three games left, three tough games."

But that isn't stopping the rest of the nation from getting excited about the possibilities that could rock the BCS to its elitist core. Sure we've seen non-BCS teams like Utah and Boise State make it to a BCS bowl and even win against the big boys.

"I think TCU has one of the best defenses that I've gone against in my coaching career."
- UNLV coach Mike Sanford But the Horned Frogs could break through to the once unthinkable BCS national title game at the Rose Bowl this season. All they have to do is remain undefeated and hope that two of the three teams ahead of them - Florida, Alabama and Texas - lose once.

Either Florida or Alabama will certainly lose once prior to the bowl season as they head on a collision course in the SEC Championship game. The Longhorns are far from invincible, but they are likely to make it into the bowl season unscathed with not much left to challenge them in the Big 12, making it unlikely that TCU will reach uncharted territory.

Still, those who love to cheer the underdog can dream.

Patterson, however, is staying in reality and in the moment, which happens to be preparing for a Utah team that's more than a little dangerous. After that the Horned Frogs visit Wyoming before returning home to face New Mexico in the regular-season finale.

"Right now it's easy to focus on what we've got to do right now," Patterson said.

And nothing is more immediate than a Utah team that's been a flat out thorn in the side of the Frogs since their Western Athletic Conference days in the mid 1990s. The Utes (8-1, 5-0) have continued to be a menace to TCU, owning a 5-1 all-time series record and a 1-2 edge in Fort Worth that qualifies them as the lone MWC team Patterson has a losing record against.

In a matchup of similar proportions last season, Utah scored a touchdown with 47 seconds left to knock off TCU 13-10, and went on to win the MWC crown. This season both teams enter 5-0 in league play and with MWC implications all over the place, though that's just a secondary prize to the rest of the nation.

Still, the signs are screaming this is a big game. The ESPN GameDay crew is in town. There will be a rare sellout at Amon G. Carter Stadium. And Nike has picked TCU to outfit in its new ultra thin combat uniforms for the CBS broadcast game.

"We understand that every ball game we have played against Utah has been very close," said Patterson, whose team has the third-longest winning streak in the nation right now with 11 straight victories dating back to last season. "They have never played us here when we have had this kind of crowd, so it'll be interesting. It's like I told my kids, it doesn't matter about uniforms or crowd size, you've got to go play. A lot of people across the country play in front of 85,000-90,000 people every week and get beat. If history repeats itself, we will play at a very high level, because we have done that when we have had a big crowd here."

Jerry HughesBut don't be confused, this game will be decided between the lines between two teams with quality offenses and outstanding defense. The Horned Frogs, led by All-American senior defensive end Jerry Hughes (right), have the most dominant defense in the MWC this season and one of the best in the nation.

Just ask teams like the ACC's Virginia and the SEC's Clemson, who were both stifled in front of their home crowds by TCU this season. UNLV coach Mike Sanford has come up against both TCU and Utah this season and doesn't hesitate on which is best.

"I think TCU has one of the best defenses that I've gone against in my coaching career," he said. "I think Utah has the next-best defense in the conference.

"But I think TCU is the best defense in the conference and one of the best I've ever gone against in my career."

The winner of Saturday night's game will undoubtedly have the leg up in the MWC race. Should the Frogs win, they will be even closer to solidifying a coveted BCS bowl berth, even if it's not the big one. Should they lose then the non-BCS mantle is passed to Boise State, which is also one of six undefeated teams in the nation heading into Friday night.

But right now, the Frogs would just as soon keep the buzz around them.

"To me, it's just fun," TCU junior safety Tejay Johnson said of being in the BCS mix a couple weeks ago. "The best part about this is for all the coaches, because you work so hard all year. It's fun to be in a situation at the end of the year where all of your games count. Not counting to keep your job, but counting towards something that is a lot of fun for your kids, fans and community."

Patterson, who shut his players down from the media this week, also recognizes the excitement that's around the program and knows what it can mean to a community that is still feeling jilted when the Southwest Conference broke up and left TCU behind.

"I'm excited for our fans. I'm excited they have something to talk about," he said. "Nationally, we have gained a lot of attention. My job is to make sure the fans don't get their hearts broken. We need to finish up and do the things we need to do. There's a lot of excitement here. There's a lot of people excited about where we're at, what we're doing and how we're doing it."

TCU Has Chance to Climb Mountain originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>bcsGary PattersonGaryPattersonJerry HughesMike SanfordMikeSanfordTCU Horned FrogsTejay JohnsonTerrance HarrisFri, 13 Nov 2009 23:32:00 EST Mountain West Loses BCS Turf Warhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/mountain-west-loses-bcs-turf-war/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/mountain-west-loses-bcs-turf-war/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/mountain-west-loses-bcs-turf-war/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.

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

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ray HollomanSat, 19 Sep 2009 22:38:00 EST TCU Coach Gary Patterson Cracks Down on Student Reporter for Questioning QBhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/05/04/tcu-coach-gary-patterson-cracks-down-on-student-reporter-for-que/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/05/04/tcu-coach-gary-patterson-cracks-down-on-student-reporter-for-que/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/05/04/tcu-coach-gary-patterson-cracks-down-on-student-reporter-for-que/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The above video shows Brian Smith, a reporter for the student newspaper at Texas Christian University, saying he thinks TCU would be better off with incoming freshman Casey Pachall at quarterback than with returning starter Andy Dalton. Smith offers some mild criticism of Dalton and praises Pachall's talents, and overall it's a rather unexceptional commentary on the state of the TCU program. But when TCU coach Gary Patterson heard about the commentary, he was furious.

Smith's commentary was part of a show called On Campus Cam on the Mountain West Conference's official television network, The Mtn. And because The Mtn. left the job of filming the On Campus Cam segment to the folks in the TCU PR department, it was easy for TCU to pull the plug on the segment, and that's exactly what it did: The TCU athletic department said Smith couldn't appear on On Campus Cam anymore.

But why? What does TCU care if a student reporter says he thinks the incoming freshman quarterback is better than the returning starter? Patterson told the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram that he considers Smith to be representing the football team:
"I believe Brian Smith is entitled to his opinion," Patterson said, "but when he's in front of that Campus Cam and our media relations office is setting it up, as far as I'm concerned, he's representing TCU and TCU football and that's my problem with it."
Patterson is just plain wrong about that. Smith isn't representing anything other than his own opinion -- the opinion he was invited on the show to offer -- and Patterson comes across as petty for wanting to crack down on Smith because he doesn't like that opinion.

For more on this story, check out The Wiz of Odds and College Football Talk.

TCU Coach Gary Patterson Cracks Down on Student Reporter for Questioning QB originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 04 May 2009 16:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Andy DaltonAndyDaltonBrian SmithBrianSmithCasey PachallCaseyPachallGary PattersonGaryPattersonMichael David SmithMon, 04 May 2009 16:57:00 EST Bowl Season '08: TCU Spoils Boise State's Perfect Season in Poinsettia Bowlhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/bowl-season-08-tcu-spoils-boise-states-perfect-season-in-poin/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/bowl-season-08-tcu-spoils-boise-states-perfect-season-in-poin/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/24/bowl-season-08-tcu-spoils-boise-states-perfect-season-in-poin/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The 12-0 Boise State Broncos came to San Diego with an eye on perfection. If they had studied history they would have known to exercise extreme caution. San Diego was where famed thoroughbred Cigar was felled after a 16-race win streak. He very nearly won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar but was passed not far from the finish line. Football teams aren't horses but they can suffer the same athletic tales of defeat.

And so it was for the previously unspoiled Broncos who held a lead for much of a tightly fought game before falling behind in the fourth quarter. At different points in the game TCU had outgained Boise nearly 3-to-1 and 2-to-1, but Boise also built a 13-0 lead before surrendering a touchdown just before halftime. TCU further carved into that, making it 13-10 in the third quarter before taking a 17-13 lead on the strength of a gamelong 278-yard ground assault marked by a ridiculous nine (!) third down conversions.

Boise State rallied to 17-16 after another field goal, but giving the ball to TCU with just over four minutes left was a bad choice as TCU chewed up over three minutes of clock to hold on. Coffee is for closers and after blowing a fourth quarter lead against Utah earlier in the year, TCU redeemed itself and got its coffee while Boise State wonders what 13-0 and several weeks of BCS complaining could have felt like.

This thing lived up to the hype, but not in a way most fans expected.

While many expected something of a shootout -- mind you between two very good defenses -- defense ruled the day. TCU did ring up over 450 yards, but did so slowly and methodically, and without much success putting points on the board. Boise State opened up on fire, then went into a shell when TCU scuttled their run game and put the entire Boise offense in the hands of capable, but young, redshirt freshman quarterback Kellen Moore.

Moore was solid, sometimes nearly spectacular in the face of constant pressure. However, when it counted with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter trailing by one point he almost immediately threw an interception to effectively end the game.

Of note, Ian Johnson did set a WAC career touchdown record with a 20-yard dash in the first quarter. That was about it for him the rest of the night, however, as TCU repeatedly stopped Johnson and his fellow backs at or behind the line of scrimmage. Boise State finished with just 20 rushing yards, freeing the TCU defense up to harass Moore all night.

As commentator Rece Davis said, neither team should hold their head in shame after this season and this game. It was entertaining and dramatic, a test of wills that went to the very last play. Both coaches, Chris Petersen and Gary Patterson, have shown once again why their names keep popping up for big openings around D-I football.

Bowl Season '08: TCU Spoils Boise State's Perfect Season in Poinsettia Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>BowlSeason08Brian GrummellWed, 24 Dec 2008 00:21:00 EST Bowl Season '08: Poinsettia Bowl LiveBloghttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/23/bowl-season-08-poinsettia-bowl-liveblog/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/23/bowl-season-08-poinsettia-bowl-liveblog/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/23/bowl-season-08-poinsettia-bowl-liveblog/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


This is the biggest non-BCS Bowl in Bowl Season '08. It is the one with national buzz and curiosity. In the abstract, writing that a battle between WAC and MWC teams, in a pre-Christmas bowl, would be one of the most anticipated bowls seems almost absurd. The reality is that this not only provides an intriguing match-up between two teams ranked in the top 11, but it is expected to be one of the most competitive and exciting of all the bowl games. A meeting between two well-coached, very good teams.

TCU's defense and Boise State's offense get the attention, but it isn't as if either team is a slouch on the other side of the ball. TCU has the 29th-best offense and Boise has the 16th-best defense in 1-A.

The game and the liveblog kickoff around 8 PM EST. Join us to talk about the game as it unfolds and the other bowl matchups for the rest of the week.

Bowl Season '08: Poinsettia Bowl LiveBlog originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Chas RichTue, 23 Dec 2008 19:47:00 EST Turkey Legs to Go: Poinsettia Bowl Travel Guide, TCU vs. Boise Statehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/08/turkey-legs-to-go-poinsettia-bowl-travel-guide-tcu-v-boise-st/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/08/turkey-legs-to-go-poinsettia-bowl-travel-guide-tcu-v-boise-st/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/08/turkey-legs-to-go-poinsettia-bowl-travel-guide-tcu-v-boise-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego, California), which pits TCU against Boise State.

Overview/Matchup: Ah. San Di-ahgo. In German, it means ... er, nevermind. The Poinsettia Bowl normally features a Mountain West team matched up against someone from the PAC-10. But with "things" happening, the Poinsettia actually ended up pulling on TCU and Boise State -- a fantastic matchup that probably leaves to underrated teams a little bitter, considering the strong seasons both had and the relative earliness of their bowl appearance.

Hotels: The Grand Del Mar is the best and newest hotel in San Diego, it has great Southern California architecture gorgeous canyon views... unfortunately it's 20 minutes North of town & the stadium. In town stay at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter (which is pricey but they should have rooms under 200) or for a cheaper rate and better proximity to the stadium try the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego.

Restaurants: Spend time in the gas lamp district downtown, good shops and restaurants. If you're willing to drive, head for Silver Strand Blvd and eat at Mistral. The restaurant has great seafood and the best views in town. Lou & Mickey's is known for steaks, but our recommendation is the iced shellfish platter. Trophy's is a historic sports bar with plenty of fans, plenty of televisions and plenty of sports memorabilia.

Nightlife: Trophy's is also a great spot to enjoy a beer before or after the game. Head to the Altitude Skybar and Garden Lounge for higher-brow (and higher-priced) nightlife. 22 stories up, this rooftop bar caters to young professionals, offers great city views and even has blankets for patrons on cold nights.

All travel related information brought to you by Professional Travel Guide.

Turkey Legs to Go: Poinsettia Bowl Travel Guide, TCU vs. Boise State originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>PoinsettiaBowlturkeylegsbowlguideturkeylegstogoWill BrinsonMon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST Virginia Adds TCU To Schedule...Or...TCU Adds Virginia To Schedulehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/13/virginia-adds-tcu-to-schedule-or-tcu-adds-virginia-to-schedu/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/13/virginia-adds-tcu-to-schedule-or-tcu-adds-virginia-to-schedu/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/13/virginia-adds-tcu-to-schedule-or-tcu-adds-virginia-to-schedu/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Yeah, which is it- bowl-ambitious BCS team deciding to add a difficult non-conf game in lieu of a Sun Belt creampuff or just the kind of game a BCS-ambitious team like TCU needs to beef up those Sagarin numbers in the event they run the table? Either way, it's something of a relief for each of these schools that they play each other in 2009- it's a considerable downshift from each team's premiere non-conference game this season- USC for Virginia, Oklahoma for TCU. And of course, it's the first time they've faced each other since the 1994 Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl. But lord knows I don't need to remind you of that fact.

Next year, the game takes place in Charlottesville as part of UVA's considerably southern OOC slate (Southern Miss, William & Mary, and um...some to-be-named MAC team), with a return date in Fort Worth in 2012. It's a good set-up for TCU, and hopefully the next Virginia coach can use the back end of this home-and-home to expand the Cavaliers' recruiting base into Texas. Groh's contract does run out in 2011, after all.

Virginia Adds TCU To Schedule...Or...TCU Adds Virginia To Schedule originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ian CohenThu, 13 Nov 2008 23:39:00 EST Another Thursday Upset: TCU Destroys BYUhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/16/another-thursday-upset-tcu-destroys-byu/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/16/another-thursday-upset-tcu-destroys-byu/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/16/another-thursday-upset-tcu-destroys-byu/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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

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

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

Next year, right? Hmmmmm ok.

Notable:

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

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

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

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

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Brian GrummellThu, 16 Oct 2008 23:55:00 EST Bobby Bowden's Last Dance on Thursday Night, Perchance? College Football Live Bloghttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/16/bobby-bowdens-last-dance-on-thursday-night-perchance-college/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/16/bobby-bowdens-last-dance-on-thursday-night-perchance-college/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/16/bobby-bowdens-last-dance-on-thursday-night-perchance-college/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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

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

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

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

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

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>College Football Live BlogCollegeFootballLiveBlogthursday night college footballThursdayNightCollegeFootballBrian GrummellThu, 16 Oct 2008 22:19:00 EST