College Football turned in another memorable weekend. It was packed with memorable performances, unexpected events, and defining moments for teams, players, and coaches. Here are this week's musings.
1. Here we go again. Last year, the Michigan Wolverines started hot (4-0) and we all thought they were back. They only won one game the rest of the year (63-6 against Delaware State). That has made me hesitant to get excited about Michigan this year. The shootout with UMass on Saturday didn't help. Will Michigan keep winning once Big Ten play starts?
2. Houston, we have a problem. A week after Houston appeared to be in excellent shape with a ground game to go with their potent passing attack, the Cougars lost their first and second string quarterbacks. Case Keenum was the life blood of that team. Now, a season full of so much promise, is most likely shattered.
3. The ACC favorite is who? The North Carolina State Wolfpack looks to be the team to beat in the ACC. They are the only 3-0 team, and behind the arm of Russell Wilson they are legit. Tom O'Brien had struggled so far at NCState, but he looks to have assembled a solid team he can win with.
4. Escaped by their whiskers. The Wisconsin Badgers survived a scare Saturday by Arizona State. A blocked extra point attempt with 4:09 to play made the difference. Wisconsin has one more game to figure things out before Big Ten play starts. They might be 3-0 at this point, but none of their wins have been dominant.
5. Can we shorten the game to 3 quarters? This question was asked by FIU, and everyone playing Oregon. The Florida International Golden Panthers had a 20-6 lead going into the fourth quarter, only to see Texas A&M score 21 fourth quarter points to win 27-20. Oregon is humiliating everyone, do we really need to rub it in and play the final 15 minutes?
6. 'Bamas Best Back. Mark Ingram made it clear that he is, not only, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. He is the best Alabama Crimson Tide running back. Back from injury, Ingram took his first carry of the season 48 yards. He had over 100 yards in the first quarter. He averaged 16.8 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns. Trent Richardson is a very good player, but let's refrain from saying he is better than Ingram.
7. This is why you came back? Many experts felt Jake Locker would have pushed Sam Bradford for the number one pick in last April's NFL draft. Locker decided to stay for his senior year. I don't think he came back for games like the one on Saturday: 4-20 passing for 71 yards and 2 interceptions. Here's an idea, let's go back nine months and Locker can declare for the NFL draft and Jimmy Clausen can stay for his senior year.
8. The Pac-10 packed a punch. Although Washington didn't look so hot, several Pac-10 teams did. Arizona came up with the biggest upset of the year by knocking off Iowa, 34-27. Stanford continued to roll with a 68-24 trashing of Wake Forest. UCLA rebounded with a 31-13 win over upstart Houston. While it was just Portland State, Oregon still exceeded expectations (69 points in 45 minutes). Even Arizona State represented well in a loss at Wisconsin. The losses by Washington and Cal hurt the conference, but everyone else came through.
9. You conned me. UConn had us all fooled. The Huskies are not measuring up to contender status in the Big East. A 20 point loss to Michigan in the opener (UMass only lost by 5). A 14 point loss to Temple this week. Temple might win the MAC, but if you expect to contend in a BCS AQ conference, you put away MAC schools easy.
10. The most overrated play. Michigan State faked a field goal in overtime to beat Notre Dame. It was a risky call, and it looked cool from the camera angle on television, but don't buy into the hype that this one play was the gutsiest play of the college football season. The Michigan State head coach even explained that they didn't have much confidence in their kicker. My props to Michigan State for getting the win over one of their rivals and for executing the play well, but let's not blow this out of proportion.
For the latest College Football Haven Top 25, click here.
Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday Musings: 10 Thoughts About College Football, Week 2
Week 2 of the 2010 college football season is in the books. It was another week full of surprises and outstanding play. Looking back on the weekend, here are my Monday Musings:
1. Steve Spurrier's solution for South Carolina. Steve Spurrier has struggled to win at South Carolina the same way he won at Florida. He may have found the solution. Running back Marcus Lattimore took the Gamecocks on his back Saturday in a pivotal game against Georgia. The freshman rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
2. The year of the Dakotas. In week 1, Kansas lost to North Dakota State, 6-3. This week Minnesota lost to South Dakota, 41-38. Everyone circle September 25 on your calenders. Suddenly the North Dakota State-South Dakota game has become must see TV.
3. Houston, we have a run game. We all know that the Houston Cougars have a potent passing attack. Well, it looks like they found a run game to compliment it. Bryce Beall ripped off 195 yards on the ground this week against UTEP. With Case Keenum day-to-day following a concussion, Houston might have to rely on the services of Beall this week against UCLA.
4. This is the best you've got, ACC? The top teams in the ACC did not represent the conference well this week. Miami didn't even push Ohio State. Georgia Tech lost to the aforementioned Kansas team. Florida State was less of a challenge to Oklahoma than Utah State. However, the worst of the weekend was Virginia Tech coming up empty at home against James Madison. Is it time to auction off that BCS spot to the highest bidder?
5. The next move for the Pac-10. This one is so obvious that no studies need to be done. Just cast the votes and announce it later today. It is time to kick out Washington State and replace them with Boise State. From stadium size to media market it is an even swap. The quality of the product in Boise, however, is vastly superior to the product in Pullman. After dropping their opener 65-17 to Oklahoma State, the Cougars had to outscore the Montana State Bobcats 16-0 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 23-22 win and snap a 10 game losing streak.
6. That's more like it. Not to be outdone in futility, future Pac-10 member Colorado returned to its losing ways. The CU Buffaloes showed a different identity than we have become accustomed to in their opener against Colorado State (24-3 win). This week, the Buffs were back to normal. The Cal Bears hung 52 points on Colorado in a 45 point victory. Somehow, Colorado was able to win the third quarter 7-0.
7. Bye, bye, national title hopes. No I am not referring to Virginia Tech, although they can kiss the national championship good-bye as well. I am alluding to the Sun Belt Conference. Ok, maybe they didn't really have any national title aspirations in the first place. However, they are officially out of the picture now. With Florida Atlantic, Troy, FIU, and Louisiana-Monroe all losing this week, no Sun Belt member is still undefeated.
8. The nation's leading rusher is who? A quarterback. With his 258 yard outburst against Notre Dame, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson is the nation's leading rusher with 455 yards. He has a 41 yard edge on Kendall Hunter from Oklahoma State. Robinson ran for 197 yards against Connecticut in the season opener. It appears he could maintain this lead for awhile.
9. The best 0-2 team. Vanderbilt. The Commodores lost a 23-21 decision to Northwestern in the season opener. They were in striking distance (10-3) going into the fourth quarter against LSU this week. Not too bad considering they lost their head coach only a few weeks before fall camp opened.
10. The worst 2-0 team. Arizona State. What substance is there in wins against Portland State and Northern Arizona? The next two weeks (Wisconsin and Oregon) should even the Sun Devil's record.
For the new College Football Haven Top 25, click here.
1. Steve Spurrier's solution for South Carolina. Steve Spurrier has struggled to win at South Carolina the same way he won at Florida. He may have found the solution. Running back Marcus Lattimore took the Gamecocks on his back Saturday in a pivotal game against Georgia. The freshman rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
2. The year of the Dakotas. In week 1, Kansas lost to North Dakota State, 6-3. This week Minnesota lost to South Dakota, 41-38. Everyone circle September 25 on your calenders. Suddenly the North Dakota State-South Dakota game has become must see TV.
3. Houston, we have a run game. We all know that the Houston Cougars have a potent passing attack. Well, it looks like they found a run game to compliment it. Bryce Beall ripped off 195 yards on the ground this week against UTEP. With Case Keenum day-to-day following a concussion, Houston might have to rely on the services of Beall this week against UCLA.
4. This is the best you've got, ACC? The top teams in the ACC did not represent the conference well this week. Miami didn't even push Ohio State. Georgia Tech lost to the aforementioned Kansas team. Florida State was less of a challenge to Oklahoma than Utah State. However, the worst of the weekend was Virginia Tech coming up empty at home against James Madison. Is it time to auction off that BCS spot to the highest bidder?
5. The next move for the Pac-10. This one is so obvious that no studies need to be done. Just cast the votes and announce it later today. It is time to kick out Washington State and replace them with Boise State. From stadium size to media market it is an even swap. The quality of the product in Boise, however, is vastly superior to the product in Pullman. After dropping their opener 65-17 to Oklahoma State, the Cougars had to outscore the Montana State Bobcats 16-0 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 23-22 win and snap a 10 game losing streak.
6. That's more like it. Not to be outdone in futility, future Pac-10 member Colorado returned to its losing ways. The CU Buffaloes showed a different identity than we have become accustomed to in their opener against Colorado State (24-3 win). This week, the Buffs were back to normal. The Cal Bears hung 52 points on Colorado in a 45 point victory. Somehow, Colorado was able to win the third quarter 7-0.
7. Bye, bye, national title hopes. No I am not referring to Virginia Tech, although they can kiss the national championship good-bye as well. I am alluding to the Sun Belt Conference. Ok, maybe they didn't really have any national title aspirations in the first place. However, they are officially out of the picture now. With Florida Atlantic, Troy, FIU, and Louisiana-Monroe all losing this week, no Sun Belt member is still undefeated.
8. The nation's leading rusher is who? A quarterback. With his 258 yard outburst against Notre Dame, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson is the nation's leading rusher with 455 yards. He has a 41 yard edge on Kendall Hunter from Oklahoma State. Robinson ran for 197 yards against Connecticut in the season opener. It appears he could maintain this lead for awhile.
9. The best 0-2 team. Vanderbilt. The Commodores lost a 23-21 decision to Northwestern in the season opener. They were in striking distance (10-3) going into the fourth quarter against LSU this week. Not too bad considering they lost their head coach only a few weeks before fall camp opened.
10. The worst 2-0 team. Arizona State. What substance is there in wins against Portland State and Northern Arizona? The next two weeks (Wisconsin and Oregon) should even the Sun Devil's record.
For the new College Football Haven Top 25, click here.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Heisman Trophy Hopefuls, Week 1, 2010
The race is still wide open after week one. Several players posted eye-popping stats, however, they were playing vastly inferior competition. While some players had un-Heisman worthy performances, I don't plan to take anyone off the list until week 3. It is very rare that a player has an outstanding game every time he steps on the field. I added a section at the end called "On the radar." These are players who shined but were not on the original list. If they continue to play the way they did Saturday, then they will be added to the list soon. Terrell Pryor, Christian Ponder, Jacory Harris, Ryan Mallett, and Case Keenum form the lead pack right now, but Matt Barkely would be my early leader simply because Hawaii was a more formidable foe. Those who need to step it up are Jaquizz Rodgers, Jake Locker, Ryan Williams, Dion Lewis, and Landry Jones.
Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010: --
Last: Did not play vs. San Jose State
John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010: 17 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD
Last: 17 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD
Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
2010: 21 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD
Last: 21 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD
Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
2010: 25 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: 25 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 17-25 (68%), 247 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT / 8 rushes, 17 yards
Last: 17-25 (68%), 247 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT / 8 rushes, 17 yards
Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
2010: 20-37 (54.1%), 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 11 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
Last: 20-37 (54.1%), 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 11 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010: 21-24 (87.5%), 301 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
Last: 21-24 (87.5%), 301 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
2010: 12-14 (85.7%), 167 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int
Last: 12-14 (85.7%), 167 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int
Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010: 12-15 (80%), 210 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: 12-15 (80%), 210 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
2010: 17-36 (47.2%), 217 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-36 (47.2%), 217 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int
Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010: 18-23 (78.3%), 257 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int
Last: 18-23 (78.3%), 257 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int
Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
2010: 28-40 (70%), 322 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int
Last: 28-40 (70%), 322 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int
Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
2010: 17-22 (77.3%), 274 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-22 (77.3%), 274 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int
ON THE RADAR: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma; Daniel Thomas, Kansas State; Andrew Luck, Stanford; Greg McElroy, Alabama; Denard Robinson, Michigan; Cameron Newton, Auburn
Did you miss the College Football Haven Week 1 Top 25? Check it out here
Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010: --
Last: Did not play vs. San Jose State
John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010: 17 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD
Last: 17 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD
Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
2010: 21 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD
Last: 21 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD
Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
2010: 25 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: 25 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 17-25 (68%), 247 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT / 8 rushes, 17 yards
Last: 17-25 (68%), 247 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT / 8 rushes, 17 yards
Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
2010: 20-37 (54.1%), 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 11 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
Last: 20-37 (54.1%), 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 11 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010: 21-24 (87.5%), 301 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
Last: 21-24 (87.5%), 301 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
2010: 12-14 (85.7%), 167 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int
Last: 12-14 (85.7%), 167 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int
Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010: 12-15 (80%), 210 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: 12-15 (80%), 210 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
2010: 17-36 (47.2%), 217 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-36 (47.2%), 217 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int
Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010: 18-23 (78.3%), 257 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int
Last: 18-23 (78.3%), 257 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int
Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
2010: 28-40 (70%), 322 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int
Last: 28-40 (70%), 322 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int
Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
2010: 17-22 (77.3%), 274 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-22 (77.3%), 274 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int
ON THE RADAR: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma; Daniel Thomas, Kansas State; Andrew Luck, Stanford; Greg McElroy, Alabama; Denard Robinson, Michigan; Cameron Newton, Auburn
Did you miss the College Football Haven Week 1 Top 25? Check it out here
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Heisman Trophy Hopefuls, Preseason 2010
The collge football season can’t get underway without looking at who might win the Heisman Trophy. Last year was supposed to be the year of the quarterbacks: Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. It turned out to be the year of the running backs with Alabama’s Mark Ingram edging out Stanford’s Toby Gerhart by the slimmest margin in history. While Ingram is back, the race is wide open this year.
Jake Locker and Terrell Pryor are getting the most publicity right now, but they will have plenty of company. Several players made a name for themselves last year, and with big performances this year they could be sitting in New York come December. Others showed that they have the tools to be successful and put themselves on the Heisman radar. If they play to their potential this year, they could be handed a ticket to New York as well.
Here is the College Football Haven preseason Heisman Hopefuls (of course, this list is ALWAYS subject to change and players will be added and dropped as the season progresses).
Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010:--
Last:--
John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010:--
Last:--
Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Did you miss the College Football Haven Preseason Top 25? Check it out here
Jake Locker and Terrell Pryor are getting the most publicity right now, but they will have plenty of company. Several players made a name for themselves last year, and with big performances this year they could be sitting in New York come December. Others showed that they have the tools to be successful and put themselves on the Heisman radar. If they play to their potential this year, they could be handed a ticket to New York as well.
Here is the College Football Haven preseason Heisman Hopefuls (of course, this list is ALWAYS subject to change and players will be added and dropped as the season progresses).
Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010:--
Last:--
John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010:--
Last:--
Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
2010:--
Last:--
Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
2010:--
Last:--
Did you miss the College Football Haven Preseason Top 25? Check it out here
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Conference USA Football Season Preview 2010
Conference USA has made some noise the last few years with multiple wins against top teams from BCS automatic qualifying conferences. The conference will build on the recent success this year.
1. Who will win the conference? Houston Cougars. Houston will hold off a steep challenge in the west division by SMU, but Case Keenum’s senior leadership will carry the Cougars to the conference championship game. Memories of the loss in 2009 will lead to a big win by Houston.
2. Who is the top returning player? Case Keenum, Houston. Keenum has passed for over 5,000 yards two years in a row. He tossed 44 touchdown passes in 2009, while adding four scores on the ground.
3. Which team will be the most improved? Tulsa. The Golden Hurricanes will rebound from the 5-7 season a year ago. With a year under his belt, G.J. Kinne will have the offense clicking again, and this Tulsa team will more resemble the 2007 and 2008 teams that won 10 and 11 games.
4. What will be the biggest surprise? Case Keenum will go to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. With monster numbers to go along with the conference championship, Keenum will earn enough respect from the voters that he will be invited to New York for the announcement.
5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Bob Toledo, Tulane. A 4-8 season followed by 2-10 and 3-9 is enough to get any coach on the hot seat. Tulane needs to push for bowl eligibility for Toledo to keep his job.
1. Who will win the conference? Houston Cougars. Houston will hold off a steep challenge in the west division by SMU, but Case Keenum’s senior leadership will carry the Cougars to the conference championship game. Memories of the loss in 2009 will lead to a big win by Houston.
2. Who is the top returning player? Case Keenum, Houston. Keenum has passed for over 5,000 yards two years in a row. He tossed 44 touchdown passes in 2009, while adding four scores on the ground.
3. Which team will be the most improved? Tulsa. The Golden Hurricanes will rebound from the 5-7 season a year ago. With a year under his belt, G.J. Kinne will have the offense clicking again, and this Tulsa team will more resemble the 2007 and 2008 teams that won 10 and 11 games.
4. What will be the biggest surprise? Case Keenum will go to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. With monster numbers to go along with the conference championship, Keenum will earn enough respect from the voters that he will be invited to New York for the announcement.
5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Bob Toledo, Tulane. A 4-8 season followed by 2-10 and 3-9 is enough to get any coach on the hot seat. Tulane needs to push for bowl eligibility for Toledo to keep his job.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
2010 College Football Preview: 10 Questions
The 2010 college football season will kick off in just two weeks! College Football Haven has the top 10 questions for 2010, plus one bonus question for making it to the end.
1. Is this Joe Paterno’s last ride? Last year we saw the departure of the legendary Bobby Bowden. Now that Bowden is gone, Joe Pa is assured that when he retires he will have more wins than any FBS coach. With 394 wins to his name, he should eclipse the 400 win plateau this year. These two factors just might be enough to get him to finally hang it up after 45 years.
2. Will an SEC team win the National Championship? It has happened for the last four years. Whether the SEC champion has been undefeated or has had two losses, they have made it to the BCS national championship game and come out the victor every time. The SEC championship could be a rematch of Florida and Alabama. If this is the case, I don’t expect either team to be undefeated, so whether the winner makes it to Glendale will depend on how the other automatic qualifying (AQ) champions fare. Two undefeated teams (Ohio State and Oklahoma, perhaps) and the SEC champion will be on the outside looking in. If only one AQ champion is undefeated and so is Boise State or TCU, then the SEC champ probably gets in.
3. Will Boise State or TCU play in the National Championship game? They are both in a very favorable position starting at numbers 5 and 7, respectively, in the USA Today preseason top 25. After the way they played last year, if one of them finishes undefeated, and no other team in the nation is undefeated, then I like their chances to be in the BCS top two. If one AQ champion is undefeated, then Boise State and TCU will have to fight for that second spot. Both teams have earned a shot to prove themselves if they are undefeated, but in the end, they probably won’t make it over a one loss SEC champion.
4. Is this Rich Rodriguez’s break through year at Michigan? With his track record at Tulane and West Virginia, many expected the Wolverines to be a force in the Big Ten last year. Instead, Michigan dropped 7 of 8 league games and finished 5-7. It was a good strategic move by Michigan to hire Rodriguez, but if he doesn’t get things done this year, he is probably gone. That being said, I think Michigan will be back in a bowl and Rich Rod will be on the sidelines in 2011.
5. Will SMU continue its resurgence? While Rodriguez continued to struggle in his second year, June Jones was flourishing in his second year at SMU. The Mustanges went from one win to 8, and slaughtered Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. Kyle Padron returns at quarterback so I fully expect the Mustangs to gallop in the lead pack of Conference USA and could win the conference in a photo finish.
6. Are select teams auditioning for invitations to join better conferences? The Big Ten doesn’t appear to be satisfied with 12 teams. Pitt, Rutgers, Maryland, and maybe even Virginia are prime candidates. The Big XII may be happy with 10 teams for now, but it won’t be long before they are back to 12. The Memphis faithful are hungry to make the jump to big time football. BYU has made it clear that they are looking for something better than the Mountain West Conference. These teams may find that the way they play on Saturdays was the difference maker in whether they got an invite or not.
7. Can Jeremiah Masoli redeem himself? With a second chance at Ole Miss, the former Oregon Duck may get the last quack. I find it hard to imagine that he won’t be the Rebels starting quarterback. How quickly he can grasp the offense and gel with his teammates will determine his success. He will have a respectable year, but what will determine the winner in this situation will be how well Oregon does without him.
8. Will Jake Locker live up to the hype? For three years we have heard about the phenomenal athleticism and potential of Jake Locker. This summer he went back east on a whirlwind media tour to promote his Heisman Trophy candidacy. Many consider him to be the future number one draft pick in the 2011 NFL draft. With all this fanfare you would think that his college career resembled that of Tim Tebow. On the contrary, Locker has not played in a bowl, nor has he passed for more than 3,000 yards in a season. I predict that Locker will break both these trends this year. Locker and Washington are poised for a breakout year in Steve Sarkisian’s second year as head coach.
9. Who will represent the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl? No conference race is more wide open than the Pac-10. USC has a bowl ban, so even if they win the conference, they won’t play in the Rose Bowl. Oregon had a good chance to make a repeat showing until they lost Masoli and had a rash of other off the field issues that affected the team. Stanford is making strides, but replacing Tody Gerhart will keep the Rose Bowl out of reach. Same goes for Cal without Jahvid Best. Washington and UCLA are dark horses that I wouldn’t count out. In the end, this is Oregon State’s year. The Beavers will get off to a typically slow start, but when the conference games roll around Jaquizz Rodgers and company will be ready.
10. Will Case Keenum break the NCAA record for career passing yards? With back-to-back 5,000 yard passing seasons and 12,950 yards to his credit, Keenum is only 4,123 yards away from breaking Timmy Chang’s record (17,072). Barring injury, Keenum will break this record with ease. The better question might be how high will he push this mark?
Bonus: How will they react? With the way 2009 ended and the events during the offseason, I am curious to know how several teams will react to what happened. Their reactions will go a long way in shaping how the 2010 season plays out.
• USC: Pete Carroll left for the NFL, and the NCAA finally ruled in the Reggie Bush case. With no bowl game to play for and some players transferring, how will the men of Troy react? USC has a lot of pride, and, like him or not, Lane Kiffen overachieved last year at Tennessee. I see USC bouncing back from last year’s 9-4 campaign and playing with a chip on their shoulder. Even with Carroll gone, the end result will be typical of the Pete Carroll years.
• Nebraska: The Cornhuskers nearly pulled off the biggest win of the season last year in the Big XII championship game. We saw them vent some frustration in the 33-0 beat down of Arizona in the Holiday Bowl, but something tells me that Bo Pelini and his boys are not satisfied. Look for them to be breathing fire this year and play with great emotion as they try to take care of some unfinished business and leave the Big XII as champions.
• Texas: It looked like it would never come, but Texas now faces life without Colt McCoy. We all got a taste of the future when McCoy went down in the BCS Championship game. While Garrett Gilbert will have a nice career in Austin, Texas will drop two games this year.
• Oregon: No one is happier that the season is starting than Chip Kelly. After an offseason to forget, with an alarming number of players violating team rules and having run ins with the law, Kelly is relieved to finally move on. If the players handle this well, then Oregon will still be better than most teams in the Pac-10. However, if the locker room is divided and they are dwelling on the off-the-field issues, the Ducks might struggle to finish with a winning record and leave the fan base wondering what might have been.
• Florida: The Gators face a situation similar to Texas. In Gainesville, the Tim Tebow era is over. It is impossible to replace a guy like him. Florida will have to move on the best they can with John Brantley. Besides losing Tebow, Florida nearly lost their coach. After announcing his resignation, Urban Meyer quickly changed it to a leave of absence. While everything seems to be smooth sailing again, how many of the players are worrying whether Coach Meyer will survive the rigors of the year? Although the Gators are the preseason number 3 team, this year is going to be bumpier than the last two. If Meyer and the players hit the panic button when things aren’t as peachy as they were with Tebow around, then this could end as a disappointing year.
• Temple: The Temple Owls were the biggest surprise last year. They won 9 games for the first time since 1979. They were a win against Ohio away from playing for the MAC Championship. Temple has Heisman Trophy aspirations for running back Bernard Pierce. Is Temple hungry for more or did they take their foot off the gas after the surprising success in 2009?
• Florida State: Bobby Bowden is not at Florida State for the first time since 1975. While new head coach Jimbo Fisher has been in the program for the last few years, he is making sure that everyone knows there is a new sheriff in town. The reaction, so far, has not been good. Players are dropping from the roster like flies. Florida State has lost several players in the last few weeks for a lot more reasons than injury. The Seminoles sputtered during Bowden’s final few years. Will the coaching change bring a resurgence, or will it further cripple the program as players struggle to adjust to the new expectations?
• Alabama: They are the defending national champions and now they are number one to start the year, despite having seven players drafted. The preseason number one is a curse, and so is Alabama’s schedule with six conference teams having byes the week before playing the Crimson Tide. Will Alabama have enough drive to repeat to end the season where they are starting? In 2009, they were coming off of back-to-back losses in the SEC Championship game and the Sugar Bowl. Where is the motivation going to come from after a perfect 14-0 national championship season?
1. Is this Joe Paterno’s last ride? Last year we saw the departure of the legendary Bobby Bowden. Now that Bowden is gone, Joe Pa is assured that when he retires he will have more wins than any FBS coach. With 394 wins to his name, he should eclipse the 400 win plateau this year. These two factors just might be enough to get him to finally hang it up after 45 years.
2. Will an SEC team win the National Championship? It has happened for the last four years. Whether the SEC champion has been undefeated or has had two losses, they have made it to the BCS national championship game and come out the victor every time. The SEC championship could be a rematch of Florida and Alabama. If this is the case, I don’t expect either team to be undefeated, so whether the winner makes it to Glendale will depend on how the other automatic qualifying (AQ) champions fare. Two undefeated teams (Ohio State and Oklahoma, perhaps) and the SEC champion will be on the outside looking in. If only one AQ champion is undefeated and so is Boise State or TCU, then the SEC champ probably gets in.
3. Will Boise State or TCU play in the National Championship game? They are both in a very favorable position starting at numbers 5 and 7, respectively, in the USA Today preseason top 25. After the way they played last year, if one of them finishes undefeated, and no other team in the nation is undefeated, then I like their chances to be in the BCS top two. If one AQ champion is undefeated, then Boise State and TCU will have to fight for that second spot. Both teams have earned a shot to prove themselves if they are undefeated, but in the end, they probably won’t make it over a one loss SEC champion.
4. Is this Rich Rodriguez’s break through year at Michigan? With his track record at Tulane and West Virginia, many expected the Wolverines to be a force in the Big Ten last year. Instead, Michigan dropped 7 of 8 league games and finished 5-7. It was a good strategic move by Michigan to hire Rodriguez, but if he doesn’t get things done this year, he is probably gone. That being said, I think Michigan will be back in a bowl and Rich Rod will be on the sidelines in 2011.
5. Will SMU continue its resurgence? While Rodriguez continued to struggle in his second year, June Jones was flourishing in his second year at SMU. The Mustanges went from one win to 8, and slaughtered Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. Kyle Padron returns at quarterback so I fully expect the Mustangs to gallop in the lead pack of Conference USA and could win the conference in a photo finish.
6. Are select teams auditioning for invitations to join better conferences? The Big Ten doesn’t appear to be satisfied with 12 teams. Pitt, Rutgers, Maryland, and maybe even Virginia are prime candidates. The Big XII may be happy with 10 teams for now, but it won’t be long before they are back to 12. The Memphis faithful are hungry to make the jump to big time football. BYU has made it clear that they are looking for something better than the Mountain West Conference. These teams may find that the way they play on Saturdays was the difference maker in whether they got an invite or not.
7. Can Jeremiah Masoli redeem himself? With a second chance at Ole Miss, the former Oregon Duck may get the last quack. I find it hard to imagine that he won’t be the Rebels starting quarterback. How quickly he can grasp the offense and gel with his teammates will determine his success. He will have a respectable year, but what will determine the winner in this situation will be how well Oregon does without him.
8. Will Jake Locker live up to the hype? For three years we have heard about the phenomenal athleticism and potential of Jake Locker. This summer he went back east on a whirlwind media tour to promote his Heisman Trophy candidacy. Many consider him to be the future number one draft pick in the 2011 NFL draft. With all this fanfare you would think that his college career resembled that of Tim Tebow. On the contrary, Locker has not played in a bowl, nor has he passed for more than 3,000 yards in a season. I predict that Locker will break both these trends this year. Locker and Washington are poised for a breakout year in Steve Sarkisian’s second year as head coach.
9. Who will represent the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl? No conference race is more wide open than the Pac-10. USC has a bowl ban, so even if they win the conference, they won’t play in the Rose Bowl. Oregon had a good chance to make a repeat showing until they lost Masoli and had a rash of other off the field issues that affected the team. Stanford is making strides, but replacing Tody Gerhart will keep the Rose Bowl out of reach. Same goes for Cal without Jahvid Best. Washington and UCLA are dark horses that I wouldn’t count out. In the end, this is Oregon State’s year. The Beavers will get off to a typically slow start, but when the conference games roll around Jaquizz Rodgers and company will be ready.
10. Will Case Keenum break the NCAA record for career passing yards? With back-to-back 5,000 yard passing seasons and 12,950 yards to his credit, Keenum is only 4,123 yards away from breaking Timmy Chang’s record (17,072). Barring injury, Keenum will break this record with ease. The better question might be how high will he push this mark?
Bonus: How will they react? With the way 2009 ended and the events during the offseason, I am curious to know how several teams will react to what happened. Their reactions will go a long way in shaping how the 2010 season plays out.
• USC: Pete Carroll left for the NFL, and the NCAA finally ruled in the Reggie Bush case. With no bowl game to play for and some players transferring, how will the men of Troy react? USC has a lot of pride, and, like him or not, Lane Kiffen overachieved last year at Tennessee. I see USC bouncing back from last year’s 9-4 campaign and playing with a chip on their shoulder. Even with Carroll gone, the end result will be typical of the Pete Carroll years.
• Nebraska: The Cornhuskers nearly pulled off the biggest win of the season last year in the Big XII championship game. We saw them vent some frustration in the 33-0 beat down of Arizona in the Holiday Bowl, but something tells me that Bo Pelini and his boys are not satisfied. Look for them to be breathing fire this year and play with great emotion as they try to take care of some unfinished business and leave the Big XII as champions.
• Texas: It looked like it would never come, but Texas now faces life without Colt McCoy. We all got a taste of the future when McCoy went down in the BCS Championship game. While Garrett Gilbert will have a nice career in Austin, Texas will drop two games this year.
• Oregon: No one is happier that the season is starting than Chip Kelly. After an offseason to forget, with an alarming number of players violating team rules and having run ins with the law, Kelly is relieved to finally move on. If the players handle this well, then Oregon will still be better than most teams in the Pac-10. However, if the locker room is divided and they are dwelling on the off-the-field issues, the Ducks might struggle to finish with a winning record and leave the fan base wondering what might have been.
• Florida: The Gators face a situation similar to Texas. In Gainesville, the Tim Tebow era is over. It is impossible to replace a guy like him. Florida will have to move on the best they can with John Brantley. Besides losing Tebow, Florida nearly lost their coach. After announcing his resignation, Urban Meyer quickly changed it to a leave of absence. While everything seems to be smooth sailing again, how many of the players are worrying whether Coach Meyer will survive the rigors of the year? Although the Gators are the preseason number 3 team, this year is going to be bumpier than the last two. If Meyer and the players hit the panic button when things aren’t as peachy as they were with Tebow around, then this could end as a disappointing year.
• Temple: The Temple Owls were the biggest surprise last year. They won 9 games for the first time since 1979. They were a win against Ohio away from playing for the MAC Championship. Temple has Heisman Trophy aspirations for running back Bernard Pierce. Is Temple hungry for more or did they take their foot off the gas after the surprising success in 2009?
• Florida State: Bobby Bowden is not at Florida State for the first time since 1975. While new head coach Jimbo Fisher has been in the program for the last few years, he is making sure that everyone knows there is a new sheriff in town. The reaction, so far, has not been good. Players are dropping from the roster like flies. Florida State has lost several players in the last few weeks for a lot more reasons than injury. The Seminoles sputtered during Bowden’s final few years. Will the coaching change bring a resurgence, or will it further cripple the program as players struggle to adjust to the new expectations?
• Alabama: They are the defending national champions and now they are number one to start the year, despite having seven players drafted. The preseason number one is a curse, and so is Alabama’s schedule with six conference teams having byes the week before playing the Crimson Tide. Will Alabama have enough drive to repeat to end the season where they are starting? In 2009, they were coming off of back-to-back losses in the SEC Championship game and the Sugar Bowl. Where is the motivation going to come from after a perfect 14-0 national championship season?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Big 12 Will Be Fine
Let's say Nebraska and Missouri leave the Big 12 for the Big 10. Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado then follow suit and leave for the Pac-10. Now what? Well, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Baylor, first of all, I can assure you that the sun will rise the next day, and when it does rise here is the plan for you.
The Big 12 leftovers will be in a favorable situation, for being leftovers. Being positioned in the middle of the country, they have the option now of picking and choosing from the strong schools on the west and east of them. Take your time, because you will have time, and look at the following candidates.
Mountain West (MWC)
Air Force, BYU, TCU, and Utah
Big East
Cincinnati, Louisville
Conference USA
Houston, SMU, Southern Mississippi, and Tulsa
These schools provide two key ingredients: 1) An expanded conference footprint, while maintaining the traditional Big 12 footprint, and 2) A conference that could still be an automatic qualifyier in the BCS. You can pick your size, anywhere from 9 to 12 teams (5-8 in addition to the four leftovers). Here are some scenarios:
Kansas
Kansas State
Baylor
Iowa State
Houston
TCU or SMU
Cincinnati
BYU or Utah
Air Force
As long as you take TCU over SMU, this conference should be stong enough for a BCS AQ. The only problem is that long term, SMU might be better at getting attention in Dallas/Ft. Worth and Texas in general. :
Kansas
Kansas State
Baylor
Iowa State
Houston
TCU or SMU
Cincinnati
BYU
Utah
Air Force
Louisville
Southern Mississippi
This will give you 12 teams to hold a championship game. You are taking a chance on BCS AQ status with Louisville, but the basketball showdowns with Kansas could be too irresistable. Hopefully with both BYU and Utah, the conference will be strong enough to get AQ status.
The moral of this post is to keep your heads high Jayhawks, Wildcats, Bears, and Cyclones. The Big 12 has a future, and it might not be all that bad.
The Big 12 leftovers will be in a favorable situation, for being leftovers. Being positioned in the middle of the country, they have the option now of picking and choosing from the strong schools on the west and east of them. Take your time, because you will have time, and look at the following candidates.
Mountain West (MWC)
Air Force, BYU, TCU, and Utah
Big East
Cincinnati, Louisville
Conference USA
Houston, SMU, Southern Mississippi, and Tulsa
These schools provide two key ingredients: 1) An expanded conference footprint, while maintaining the traditional Big 12 footprint, and 2) A conference that could still be an automatic qualifyier in the BCS. You can pick your size, anywhere from 9 to 12 teams (5-8 in addition to the four leftovers). Here are some scenarios:
Kansas
Kansas State
Baylor
Iowa State
Houston
TCU or SMU
Cincinnati
BYU or Utah
Air Force
As long as you take TCU over SMU, this conference should be stong enough for a BCS AQ. The only problem is that long term, SMU might be better at getting attention in Dallas/Ft. Worth and Texas in general. :
Kansas
Kansas State
Baylor
Iowa State
Houston
TCU or SMU
Cincinnati
BYU
Utah
Air Force
Louisville
Southern Mississippi
This will give you 12 teams to hold a championship game. You are taking a chance on BCS AQ status with Louisville, but the basketball showdowns with Kansas could be too irresistable. Hopefully with both BYU and Utah, the conference will be strong enough to get AQ status.
The moral of this post is to keep your heads high Jayhawks, Wildcats, Bears, and Cyclones. The Big 12 has a future, and it might not be all that bad.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
MORE CONFERENCE EXPANSION THOUGHTS
Since conference expansion usually takes months and years to happen, this will probably be a hot topic until September. There are about a million angles to take on this topic. Today, I will elaborate on three: TCU going to the Big 12, the Big 10 targeting ACC or SEC teams, and the impact on the BCS.
1.TCU to the Big12
Since it appears that the Big 12 is going to be hit by either the Big 10 (Missouri or Nebraska) or the Pac-10 (Colorado) the Big 12 will need to replace one or two schools, or shrink to 10 teams. TCU seems to be a perfect fit geographically and competitively. It doesn't hurt that TCU has tradition with several Big 12 schools as a former Southwestern Conference (SWC) member. That, however, is the exact reason I would be leery, if I were TCU, to join the Big 12. TCU was kicked to the curb while the then Texas Governor struck a deal to bind membership of one state school to the inclusion of three others. In other words, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor are a package deal. If one is in they all are in, if one is out they all are out. As the last one in, TCU would be the first one out if the Big 12 ever decided another rising team (Houston, Tulsa) became more desirable in the future and rather than increase to 13 teams it wanted to stay an even 12. Then again, this is TCU, who was rejected by the other eight teams in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) ten or so years ago when they left the Western Athletic Conferenc (WAC). When the MWC came calling five years later, TCU fully embraced reuniting with the eight schools who felt they were better off without the Horned Frogs.
2. Big 10 targeting ACC or SEC schools
Everyone seems set that the Big 10 will expand with either a Big 12 North team or with a Big East team. Money seems to be the biggest reason behind this round of expansion talks, and the Big 10 seems to be on par with the SEC in that regard, even if the performance on the field has not reflected it. Isn't there a middle of the pack SEC team that would provide just as much added revenue as Missouri or Pitt and would also want to go to the Big 10 to compete better in football? Kentucky would help Big 10 basketball and Kentucky football might fare better in the Big 10. It is also situated nicely geographically. What about Boston College from the ACC? Huge media market, and no strong roots in the ACC. Georgia Tech? The Yellow Jacket's big rival (Georgia) is already in a different conference, and the Atlanta media market would be a nice catch.
3. The Impact on the BCS
Lost in all of the conference expansions and realignments is how this impacts the "solid" foundation of the BCS. The BCS formed itself on the premise that the best football teams were in the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, and Pac-10. The ACC and Big East realignments last decade resulted in three teams (Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida) that were originally considered outsiders to become insiders. By the time this potentially catacalysmic round of conference expansion finishes we could have another three teams "promoted" to the BCS level. Who says that these six teams (the former three and the hypothetical future three) were the most deserving? It is unfair if a team like Boise State is left out of automatic qualification status, but a team like South Florida gains automatic qualification status. Boise State has done everything in its control (win on the field), but South Florida has all the uncontrolable variables (location, media market). Conferences expand for money, but the BCS was designed, on the surface, to get the top two teams to play each other. With a new composition, who says the Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC, SEC, and Big East of 2012 will be worthy of the automatic qualification status they gained in 1998? The BCS should be null and void and a new system put in place after the conference expansions conclude, unless, like conference expansions, the BCS is really all about money.
1.TCU to the Big12
Since it appears that the Big 12 is going to be hit by either the Big 10 (Missouri or Nebraska) or the Pac-10 (Colorado) the Big 12 will need to replace one or two schools, or shrink to 10 teams. TCU seems to be a perfect fit geographically and competitively. It doesn't hurt that TCU has tradition with several Big 12 schools as a former Southwestern Conference (SWC) member. That, however, is the exact reason I would be leery, if I were TCU, to join the Big 12. TCU was kicked to the curb while the then Texas Governor struck a deal to bind membership of one state school to the inclusion of three others. In other words, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor are a package deal. If one is in they all are in, if one is out they all are out. As the last one in, TCU would be the first one out if the Big 12 ever decided another rising team (Houston, Tulsa) became more desirable in the future and rather than increase to 13 teams it wanted to stay an even 12. Then again, this is TCU, who was rejected by the other eight teams in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) ten or so years ago when they left the Western Athletic Conferenc (WAC). When the MWC came calling five years later, TCU fully embraced reuniting with the eight schools who felt they were better off without the Horned Frogs.
2. Big 10 targeting ACC or SEC schools
Everyone seems set that the Big 10 will expand with either a Big 12 North team or with a Big East team. Money seems to be the biggest reason behind this round of expansion talks, and the Big 10 seems to be on par with the SEC in that regard, even if the performance on the field has not reflected it. Isn't there a middle of the pack SEC team that would provide just as much added revenue as Missouri or Pitt and would also want to go to the Big 10 to compete better in football? Kentucky would help Big 10 basketball and Kentucky football might fare better in the Big 10. It is also situated nicely geographically. What about Boston College from the ACC? Huge media market, and no strong roots in the ACC. Georgia Tech? The Yellow Jacket's big rival (Georgia) is already in a different conference, and the Atlanta media market would be a nice catch.
3. The Impact on the BCS
Lost in all of the conference expansions and realignments is how this impacts the "solid" foundation of the BCS. The BCS formed itself on the premise that the best football teams were in the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, and Pac-10. The ACC and Big East realignments last decade resulted in three teams (Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida) that were originally considered outsiders to become insiders. By the time this potentially catacalysmic round of conference expansion finishes we could have another three teams "promoted" to the BCS level. Who says that these six teams (the former three and the hypothetical future three) were the most deserving? It is unfair if a team like Boise State is left out of automatic qualification status, but a team like South Florida gains automatic qualification status. Boise State has done everything in its control (win on the field), but South Florida has all the uncontrolable variables (location, media market). Conferences expand for money, but the BCS was designed, on the surface, to get the top two teams to play each other. With a new composition, who says the Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC, SEC, and Big East of 2012 will be worthy of the automatic qualification status they gained in 1998? The BCS should be null and void and a new system put in place after the conference expansions conclude, unless, like conference expansions, the BCS is really all about money.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
HEISMAN HOPEFULS, WEEK 3
No one was eliminated from the list after week 3, however, Jevan Snead may be cut next week if he doesn't put up better numbers. Jimmy Clausen solidified himself as number 2 in my mind, while Jahvid Best pulled further in front of everyone else with his 5 touchdowns. The overall quarterback play is down this year, which gives Case Keenum a better chance to be added to the list in a few more weeks. He did not play this week, so his status did not change. Tate Forcier looked more like a freshman and will need some pretty impressive games to ever be added to the list, but Jacory Harris, Miami (FL), has gotten off to a good start and could be on the list next month. One final note for clarification, on quarterbacks the first TD number is the touchdown passes and the second in parentheses is rushing touchdowns in addition to the passing touchdowns, so 2 TD (2 rush TD) means the quarterback accounted for 4 touchdowns.
Tim Tebow, Florida, 14 completions 19 attempts, 115 yards, 1 INT (1 rush TD),(39-58, 540, 5 TD, 1 INT, 3 rush TD)
Colt McCoy, Texas, 24-34, 205, 1 TD, 2 INT (75-110, 859, 6 TD, 4 INT, 1 rush TD)
Max Hall, BYU, 20-31, 306, 2 TD, 3 INT, (70-101, 944, 6 TD, 6 INT)
Jevan Snead, Ole Miss, 16-28, 209, 3 TD (28-50, 384, 5 TD, 2 INT)
Jahvid Best, Cal, 26-131, 5 TD (53-412, 8 TD, 1 TD catch)
Daryl Clark, Penn State, 16-26, 167, 2 TD, 1 INT (65-97, 760, 8 TD, 3 INT)
Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State, 20-73, 1 TD (62-342, 5 TD)
Kellen Moore, Boise State, 18-26, 181, 3 TD, (53-81, 685, 8 TD, 1 INT)
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, 22-31, 300, 2 TD (62-91, 951, 9 TD)
Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, 9 receptions 161 yards, 2 TD (17-323, 4 TD, 1 punt TD)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
PERSPECTIVE: NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULES
Is it just me or has the first two weeks of the college football season felt different this year than in has the last few years? I am talking about the existence of quality non-conference games. September had almost become a pre-season for college football with few good teams playing each other. They scheduled Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams or bottom of the barrel Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams to feast on. This year has been different. In the first two weeks alone, we have seen the following match ups that were actually meaningful:
Week 1
Week 1
- BYU vs. Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State vs. Georgia
- Miami vs. Florida State
- Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
- Boise State vs. Oregon
- Missouri vs. Illinois
Week 2
- USC vs. Ohio State
- Michigan vs. Notre Dame
- Oklahoma State vs. Houston
- Fresno State vs. Wisconsin
- UCLA vs. Tennessee
With the advent of the BCS, it has become evident that an undefeated conference champion from the SEC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, or ACC is guaranteed a spot in the national title game (barring a situation like 2004 when 3 conference champions were undefeated). The schools in this conference found it unnecessary to schedule quality opponents out of conference because of the perceived strength of their conference schedule. Teams not part of the six conferences must go undefeated to even be recognized by the BCS because of the perceived weakness of the other conferences. The end result has been boring match ups to start the year. Fortunately, it appears that the outcries from fans have started to turn around the trend to schedule overmatched opponents. Personally, I would like to see a rule implemented that no FBS team can play a FCS team.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
HEISMAN HOPEFULS, WEEK 2
Week 2 helped clear the Heisman picture. Jimmy Clausen played very well, but his team lost, so that moves him down a notch or two. Jahvid Best is my new number one--over 10 yards per carry and almost 300 yards in two games. Max Hall did what he needed to do against Tulane, but a few more TD passes without that interception would have helped. Colt McCoy does not look like his 2008 self, and what was that 13-10 score to Wyoming at halftime? Dropping from the list this week will be Eric Berry (he has not done anything yet this year), Terrell Pryor (he has great talent, but still very raw), Zac Robinson and Kendall Hunter for Oklahoma State (Robinson is a hybrid QB who is slighly above average in a high powered offense, and Hunter isn't even the leading rusher on his team, so far). As for adding new candidates, Case Keenum, Houston, and Tate Forcier, Michigan, are close, but I am more about trimming the list than making it grow. If they continue to impress and consistently outperform the rest on this list, they will be added. One final note for clarification, on quarterbacks the first TD number is the touchdown passes and the second in parentheses is rushing touchdowns in addition to the passing touchdowns, so 2TD (2 rush TD) means the quarterback accounted for 4 touchdowns.
Tim Tebow, Florida, 15 completions 24 attempts, 237 yards, 4 TD (1 rush TD),(25-39, 425, 5 TD, 2 rush TD)
Colt McCoy, Texas, 30-47, 337, 3 TD, 1 INT (1 rush TD), (51-76, 654, 5 TD, 2 INT, 1 rush TD)
Max Hall, BYU, 24-32, 309, 2 TD, 1 INT, (50-70, 638, 4 TD, 3 INT)
Jevan Snead, Ole Miss, DID NOT PLAY, (12-22, 175, 2 TD, 2 INT)
Jahvid Best, Cal, 17-144, 1 TD (1 TD catch), (27-281, 3 TD, 1 TD catch)
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State, 11-25, 177, 1 INT (25/46, 351, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 rush TD) will not continue to track
Daryl Clark, Penn State, 20-31, 240, 3 TD, 1 INT (49-71, 593, 6 TD, 2 INT)
Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State, 26-166, 1 TD (42-269, 4 TD)
Kellen Moore, Boise State, 16-26, 307, 4 TD, 1 INT (35-55, 504, 5 TD, 1 INT)
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, 25-42, 336, 3 TD (40-60, 651, 7 TD)
Eric Barry, Tennessee, will not continue to track
Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, 5 receptions 85 yards, 1 punt TD (8-162, 2 TD, 1 punt TD)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)