2007-08 CFB Bowl Picks and News
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RJ Esq
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<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Independence Bowl - Bama vs. CU </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Alabama WR D.J. Hall
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Alabama will try to avoid back-to-back losing seasons, and a total collapse over the second half of the year, in the 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl against Colorado. On the other side, the Buffs will look to keep the turnaround going under Dan Hawkins by beating D.J. Hall and the Tide.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Colorado (6-6) vs. Alabama (6-6) Dec. 30, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Get Tickets for the Independence Bowl
- 2006 CFN Independence Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Independence Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Independence Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="210"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="210"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="6" width="50%"> Colorado</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="6" width="50%"> Alabama</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 72nd 377 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 75th 372.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 64th 389.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 28th 341.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd 27.58 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 65th 26.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 78th 29.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 29th 21.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd 150 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 60th 150.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 127.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 34th 128.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 56th 227 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 60th 221.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 101st 261.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 39th 212.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 83rd -0.33[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 0.33[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="101"> Colorado[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Col St W 31-28 OT
at Ariz St L 33-14
Florida State L 16-6
Miami Univ. W 42-0
Oklahoma W 27-24
at Baylor W 43-23 at Kans St L 47-20
Kansas L 19-14 at Tex Tech W 31-26
Missouri L 55-10
at Iowa St L 31-28 Nebraska W 65-51</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="102"> Alabama[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] W Carolina W 52-6
at Vandy W 24-10
Arkansas W 41-38
Georgia L 26-23 OT
Florida St L 21-14
Houston W 30-24 at Ole Miss W 27-24
Tennessee W 41-17
LSU L 41-34
at Miss St L 17-12
UL Monroe L 21-14 at Auburn L 17-10</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc9900" width="33%"> C</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" width="34%"> A</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Last year at this time, Alabama was coming off a disastrous second half of the season with four losses in five games and yet another loss to Auburn. Looking to turn things around in the Independence Bowl, the Tide got down, came up with a late rally, lost 34-31 to Oklahoma State on a late field goal, canned head coach Mike Shula, got turned down by everyone and their sister to take the gig, overpaid to get Nick Saban, started off the year 6-2, collapsed with a four-game losing streak, complete with yet another loss to Auburn, and is back in the Independence Bowl.
(Catch your breath)
While Bama is hoping for a win to stop the slide in the bowl for misfit, mediocre big conference teams, Colorado is looking at this as a step in the journey back to greatness. The Buffaloes are rebuilding after the swift and painful end to the Gary Barnett era, and unlike the Tide, rallied late with wins over Texas Tech and Nebraska in the final month to get here. This might be seen as a disappointing bowl for an Alabama team that was dreaming of Chick-fil-A or, with a few big breaks, a New Year's Day game when November started, but this is a great reward for Colorado coming off a 2-10 2006.
Colorado showed glimpses of the program it could become under head coach Dan Hawkins with a stunning 27-24 win over Oklahoma, a nice road win over Texas Tech, and a 65-point offensive explosion against Nebraska to get the bowl bid. However, the team was way too inconsistent in November with horrible performances in losses to Missouri and Iowa State. With most of the starters back next year, getting the extra practice time and the extra game is vital. The same goes for Alabama.
To be fair to the Tide, this is also supposed to be a rebuilding season with Saban expected to lead the way to bigger and better things over the next several years. However, for a team that lost to Mississippi State and UL Monroe in back-to-back weeks, and with an offense that went bye-bye, this will be a long, long offseason if Bama can't come away with the win.
A loss would get the Tide faithful buzzing about whether or not QB John Parker Wilson is the man for the job going into 2008. There will be issues as far as Saban's game preparation, whether or not he's worth the high price tag, and what the future will bring if next year isn't night-and-day better. Of course, as always happens in the bowl season, a win will be seen as the official start to a new year when hope springs eternal.
As the lone bowl game of the day, it should be a worthwhile watch if recent history is any indication. Seven of the last eight Indy Bowls have been decided by seven points or fewer with six of then decided by four points or fewer. Alabama played nine games decided by a touchdown or less, while Colorado has played five, so these two well coached, relatively even teams should play a good 60-minute battle.
Since the bowl started its regular tie-in with the SEC, the league has gone 10-1 with last year's Bama loss breaking the string of seven straight wins over the Big 12 in the game.
Players to watch: When John Parker Wilson gets time and has consistent help from the running game, he's effective. After throwing three touchdowns in back-to-back weeks against Tennessee and LSU, Wilson struggled with one touchdown and five interceptions in the three game losing streak while completing fewer than half his passes against Mississippi State and Auburn. A two-year starter, the time is now to make the team truly his, needing a huge game and a win end any debate going into the offseason.
On the other side, this is key step in the maturity of Colorado redshirt freshman Cody Hawkins, the coach's son, who has a decent arm and a decent command considering his overall inexperience. He cut down on his interceptions as the year went on, throwing just one in the final four games after pitching 14 in the first eight games. With little in the way of mobility, like Wilson, Hawkins needs protection to be effective.
The quarterbacks might get the spotlight, but the stars are on the defenses. Colorado's undersized tackling machine of a linebacker, senior Jordon Dizon, made 336 career tackles and finished second in the nation this year with 149 including a whopping 107 solo stops. While he can rush the passer, his job is to patrol against the run and keep short pass plays from bursting into home runs. While he's tough as nails and always brings his man down, he can be knocked around by any offensive lineman on the move.
For Alabama, its defensive tone-setter has been sophomore Rashad Johnson, a huge hitting safety who led the team with six interceptions and 81 tackles. The former running back isn't all that big, generously listed at 6-0 and 186 pounds, but he throws his body around without a problem and has to be accounted for on every deep pass play across the middle.
Colorado will win if... RB Hugh Charles gets going. Colorado's offensive line has been decent in pass protection, but the Tide defensive front will generate more than its share of pressure in the backfield unless Charles is pounding the ball. While he's a smallish speed back, he can be a bit of a workhorse with good receiving hands as a bail out option for Hawkins. Alabama doesn't have a dynamic offense and it's not likely to be consistent, so if Charles gets everyone focusing on him, and if Hawkins can get the ball out of his hands quickly to neutralize Wallace Gilberry and the Bama pass rush, the Buffs should be in control.
Alabama will win if... Wilson takes what's given to him. He'll get 19 days to throw with Colorado's anemic pass rush unlikely to cause a problem, and even with talented corner Terrence Wheatley needing to be accounted for, the secondary will give up a slew of big plays. The temptation will be there to bomb away and hope D.J. Hall, Matt Caddell and Keith Brown can to use their size advantage to outmuscle their way past the smallish Buff corners. All Wilson needs to do is keep the chains moving, make most of his third down throws, and not turn the ball over. Alabama has the better defense and the better all-around skill talent, but if Wilson stinks, it won't matter.
What will happen: Colorado will be plucky, hoping to be more physical on both sides of the ball and hoping to force a few mistakes. Alabama might be reeling after the way the final month went, but with time off to regroup, the team that almost beat LSU will likely show up with an opportunistic offense and a D that'll keep the Buffs from consistently stringing together long scoring drives. Saban will show that this really is a new era, and Alabama will make a bit of a statement to get the fan base riled up for the next eight months.
Line: Alabama -3.5 ... CFN Prediction: Alabama 30 ... Colorado 17</td></tr></tbody></table>
Alabama WR D.J. Hall
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Alabama will try to avoid back-to-back losing seasons, and a total collapse over the second half of the year, in the 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl against Colorado. On the other side, the Buffs will look to keep the turnaround going under Dan Hawkins by beating D.J. Hall and the Tide.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Colorado (6-6) vs. Alabama (6-6) Dec. 30, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Get Tickets for the Independence Bowl
- 2006 CFN Independence Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Independence Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Independence Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="210"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="210"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="6" width="50%"> Colorado</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="6" width="50%"> Alabama</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 72nd 377 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 75th 372.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 64th 389.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 28th 341.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd 27.58 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 65th 26.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 78th 29.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 29th 21.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd 150 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 60th 150.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 127.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 34th 128.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 56th 227 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 60th 221.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 101st 261.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 39th 212.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 83rd -0.33[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 0.33[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="101"> Colorado[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Col St W 31-28 OTat Ariz St L 33-14
Florida State L 16-6
Miami Univ. W 42-0
Oklahoma W 27-24
at Baylor W 43-23 at Kans St L 47-20
Kansas L 19-14 at Tex Tech W 31-26
Missouri L 55-10
at Iowa St L 31-28 Nebraska W 65-51</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="102"> Alabama[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] W Carolina W 52-6
at Vandy W 24-10
Arkansas W 41-38
Georgia L 26-23 OT
Florida St L 21-14
Houston W 30-24 at Ole Miss W 27-24
Tennessee W 41-17
LSU L 41-34
at Miss St L 17-12
UL Monroe L 21-14 at Auburn L 17-10</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc9900" width="33%"> C</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#cc0000" width="34%"> A</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Last year at this time, Alabama was coming off a disastrous second half of the season with four losses in five games and yet another loss to Auburn. Looking to turn things around in the Independence Bowl, the Tide got down, came up with a late rally, lost 34-31 to Oklahoma State on a late field goal, canned head coach Mike Shula, got turned down by everyone and their sister to take the gig, overpaid to get Nick Saban, started off the year 6-2, collapsed with a four-game losing streak, complete with yet another loss to Auburn, and is back in the Independence Bowl.
(Catch your breath)
While Bama is hoping for a win to stop the slide in the bowl for misfit, mediocre big conference teams, Colorado is looking at this as a step in the journey back to greatness. The Buffaloes are rebuilding after the swift and painful end to the Gary Barnett era, and unlike the Tide, rallied late with wins over Texas Tech and Nebraska in the final month to get here. This might be seen as a disappointing bowl for an Alabama team that was dreaming of Chick-fil-A or, with a few big breaks, a New Year's Day game when November started, but this is a great reward for Colorado coming off a 2-10 2006.
Colorado showed glimpses of the program it could become under head coach Dan Hawkins with a stunning 27-24 win over Oklahoma, a nice road win over Texas Tech, and a 65-point offensive explosion against Nebraska to get the bowl bid. However, the team was way too inconsistent in November with horrible performances in losses to Missouri and Iowa State. With most of the starters back next year, getting the extra practice time and the extra game is vital. The same goes for Alabama.
To be fair to the Tide, this is also supposed to be a rebuilding season with Saban expected to lead the way to bigger and better things over the next several years. However, for a team that lost to Mississippi State and UL Monroe in back-to-back weeks, and with an offense that went bye-bye, this will be a long, long offseason if Bama can't come away with the win.
A loss would get the Tide faithful buzzing about whether or not QB John Parker Wilson is the man for the job going into 2008. There will be issues as far as Saban's game preparation, whether or not he's worth the high price tag, and what the future will bring if next year isn't night-and-day better. Of course, as always happens in the bowl season, a win will be seen as the official start to a new year when hope springs eternal.
As the lone bowl game of the day, it should be a worthwhile watch if recent history is any indication. Seven of the last eight Indy Bowls have been decided by seven points or fewer with six of then decided by four points or fewer. Alabama played nine games decided by a touchdown or less, while Colorado has played five, so these two well coached, relatively even teams should play a good 60-minute battle.
Since the bowl started its regular tie-in with the SEC, the league has gone 10-1 with last year's Bama loss breaking the string of seven straight wins over the Big 12 in the game.
Players to watch: When John Parker Wilson gets time and has consistent help from the running game, he's effective. After throwing three touchdowns in back-to-back weeks against Tennessee and LSU, Wilson struggled with one touchdown and five interceptions in the three game losing streak while completing fewer than half his passes against Mississippi State and Auburn. A two-year starter, the time is now to make the team truly his, needing a huge game and a win end any debate going into the offseason.
On the other side, this is key step in the maturity of Colorado redshirt freshman Cody Hawkins, the coach's son, who has a decent arm and a decent command considering his overall inexperience. He cut down on his interceptions as the year went on, throwing just one in the final four games after pitching 14 in the first eight games. With little in the way of mobility, like Wilson, Hawkins needs protection to be effective.
The quarterbacks might get the spotlight, but the stars are on the defenses. Colorado's undersized tackling machine of a linebacker, senior Jordon Dizon, made 336 career tackles and finished second in the nation this year with 149 including a whopping 107 solo stops. While he can rush the passer, his job is to patrol against the run and keep short pass plays from bursting into home runs. While he's tough as nails and always brings his man down, he can be knocked around by any offensive lineman on the move.
For Alabama, its defensive tone-setter has been sophomore Rashad Johnson, a huge hitting safety who led the team with six interceptions and 81 tackles. The former running back isn't all that big, generously listed at 6-0 and 186 pounds, but he throws his body around without a problem and has to be accounted for on every deep pass play across the middle.
Colorado will win if... RB Hugh Charles gets going. Colorado's offensive line has been decent in pass protection, but the Tide defensive front will generate more than its share of pressure in the backfield unless Charles is pounding the ball. While he's a smallish speed back, he can be a bit of a workhorse with good receiving hands as a bail out option for Hawkins. Alabama doesn't have a dynamic offense and it's not likely to be consistent, so if Charles gets everyone focusing on him, and if Hawkins can get the ball out of his hands quickly to neutralize Wallace Gilberry and the Bama pass rush, the Buffs should be in control.
Alabama will win if... Wilson takes what's given to him. He'll get 19 days to throw with Colorado's anemic pass rush unlikely to cause a problem, and even with talented corner Terrence Wheatley needing to be accounted for, the secondary will give up a slew of big plays. The temptation will be there to bomb away and hope D.J. Hall, Matt Caddell and Keith Brown can to use their size advantage to outmuscle their way past the smallish Buff corners. All Wilson needs to do is keep the chains moving, make most of his third down throws, and not turn the ball over. Alabama has the better defense and the better all-around skill talent, but if Wilson stinks, it won't matter.
What will happen: Colorado will be plucky, hoping to be more physical on both sides of the ball and hoping to force a few mistakes. Alabama might be reeling after the way the final month went, but with time off to regroup, the team that almost beat LSU will likely show up with an opportunistic offense and a D that'll keep the Buffs from consistently stringing together long scoring drives. Saban will show that this really is a new era, and Alabama will make a bit of a statement to get the fan base riled up for the next eight months.
Line: Alabama -3.5 ... CFN Prediction: Alabama 30 ... Colorado 17</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Armed Forces Bowl - Cal vs. Air Force </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Air Force QB Shaun Carney
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Richard Cirminiello
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl - California vs. Air Force
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
California (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)
Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Get Tickets for the Armed Forces Bowl
- 2006 CFN Armed Forces Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Armed Forces Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Armed Forces Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="6" width="50%"> Air Force</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="6" width="50%"> California</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 40th 120.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 59th 396.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 44th 357.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 53rd 374.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 49th 29.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 59th 28.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 18th 19.33 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 53rd 26 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 2nd 298.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 48th 162.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 37th 131 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 58th 151.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 118th 120.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 51st 233.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 57th 226.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 51st 222.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 20th 0.67[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd -0.08[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> Air Force[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] SCSU W 34-3
at Utah W 20-12
TCU W 20-17 OT
at BYU L 31-6
at Navy L 31-20
UNLV W 31-14
at Col St W 45-21
Wyoming W 20-12
at N Mexico L 34-31
Army W 30-10 at N Dame W 41-24
SDSU W 55-23</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> California[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Tennessee W 45-31
at Col St W 34-28
La Tech W 42-12
Arizona W 45-27
at Oregon W 31-24
Oregon St L 31-28 at UCLA L 30-21
at Arizona St L 31-20
Wash St W 20-17 USC L 24-17
at Wash L 37-23
at Stanford L 20-13</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" width="33%"> AF</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" width="34%"> C</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> No bowl game this postseason is likely to feature two programs with more polar opposite mindsets. Cal can’t believe it’s here. For that matter, neither can Air Force.
Any discussion involving the biggest disappointments of 2007 has to include Cal, which opened with a redemption win over Tennessee, and was on the cusp of a No. 1 ranking before poor clock management led to a late loss to Oregon State, paving the way to an unimaginable second-half collapse. This talented Bear team, which was seemingly a lock to end the school’s half-century Rose Bowl drought, wound up finishing 1-6, capped by a listless loss to Stanford in The Big Game. There had to be some cataclysmic, Dennis Dixon-like injury, right? Nope. Relatively healthy throughout the year, Cal just imploded, seemingly losing its bite on both sides of the line during the worst stretch of play in Jeff Tedford’s tenure. The Bears are the more talented overall team in this game, but is the specter of a losing season enough to motivate a group of kids that had trouble getting up for the Pac-10 portion of the schedule?
In dire need of some kind of a spark, Cal could get it from its most incendiary player, WR/PR DeSean Jackson, who sat out the Stanford game with a thigh contusion. The junior became a microcosm for the Bears’ season, failing to fulfill all of his potential, or play as well as he did in 2006. Although injuries were certainly a factor, a month of rest should help the one player most capable of exploiting Air Force’s lack of blinding speed.
On the flip side, rather unexpectedly, Air Force has delivered one of the feel-good stories of 2007. Pegged back in August as a second-division Mountain West team, the Falcons rose to second place in the conference in Troy Calhoun’s debut on the sidelines, earning their first bowl invitation in five years. The Academy got humbled by BYU and Navy in September, but quickly regrouped to finish 6-1, highlighted by its first win over Notre Dame since 1963. Getting to ten wins on the back of a Pac-10 opponent would be a huge accomplishment for a program that had minimal expectations in the first year after the retirement of Fisher DeBerry.
Set aside the notion that Air Force remains rooted in DeBerry’s triple-option. Yeah, the Falcons still overwhelmingly favor the run, but they also threw it more often with all-time leading passer Shaun Carney, and mixed in some no-huddle and zone running schemes. The tweaks worked for an offense that’s second in the Mountain West in total and scoring offense. The veteran defense is especially strong in the back seven, and is not afraid to take chances, an ideology that’s resulted in 26 takeaways. Once they’ve completed 24 months of active duty, LBs Drew Fowler and John Rabold, who’ll be playing in January All-Star games, are talented enough to take a stab at pro careers.
Players to watch: Two of the constants all year for Cal have been RB Justin Forsett and the offensive line that’s paved the way for his most prolific season in Berkeley. Considered by some to be too small to carry the load after Marshawn Lynch left school, he’s responded with 281 carries for 1,403 yards and 13 touchdowns, helping offset unanticipated problems with QB Nate Longshore and the passing game.
Forsett will do most of his work on the left side, running behind C Alex Mack, G Brian De La Puente, and T Mike Gibson. Mack, in particular, is one of the best in the country at his position. Facing the nation’s 118th-ranked passing game, Cal LB Zack Follett and FS Thomas DeCoud can press the action in an effort to slow down the Air Force running game. Follett is a terrific all-around athlete with the range to make plays before they develop. At 6-3 and 205 pounds, DeCoud is a defensive back with the sticking ability of a linebacker, and the instincts to lead the Bears with 105 tackles.
Pocket rocket Chad Hall has reached rock star status around the Academy. And why not? At only 5-8 and 180 pounds, he’s played his way into being named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, leading the league in all-purpose running and scoring 15 touchdowns. Originally an option quarterback that got switched to receiver, Hall went ballistic in October when he started getting more handoffs, twice running for more than 200 yards. He’s liable to run circles around a Cal defense that’s had problems all year in run defense.
The Falcons’ best answer to the Bears’ talented receiving corps will be CB Carson Bird, who’s picked off six passes despite rarely seeing balls thrown his way. The playmaker of the secondary, he also has three fumble recoveries, needing to cut off half the field on Longshore if Air Force is to avoid getting burned by the pass.
Cal will win if... Longshore plays like he did in September. With Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins, Robert Jordan, and Craig Stevens running patterns, the Bears should exploit the Air Force secondary, but only if Longshore does an about-face from a horrible second half of the year. The junior threw 11 interceptions over the final six games, a trend that has to change if Cal is going to capitalize on its biggest advantage over the Falcons. If the Bears are able to pick up the Air Force blitzes, Longshore has no excuses not to make a number of big plays downfield.
Air Force will win if... either Hall, Carney, or Jim Ollis rushes for 100 yards. When that has happened this year, the Falcons are a spiffy 9-0. Air Force will want to play keep-away with the Cal offense, controlling the tempo with at least 60 carries, while wearing out a gassed defense. Although the Bears may have the better athletes, the Falcons are humming on offense, churning out almost 1,300 yards on the ground in three November games. If they’re ripping off big chunks of yards on the ground in the first half, Cal won’t have the fortitude or desire to battle back in the second half.
What will happen: While Cal has little desire to play in the Armed Forces Bowl, Air Force is pumped at the opportunity to cap a terrific season in Fort Worth. The divergent emotions will be evident throughout the game, with the Falcons outhustling the Bears on every play. Cal will have no answers for Hall or the Air Force ground game, finishing below .500 for the first time since 2001, and raising concerns that Tedford has hit a wall with the program.
Line: Cal -4 ... CFN Prediction:Air Force 30 ... Cal 23
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Air Force QB Shaun Carney
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Richard Cirminiello
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl - California vs. Air Force
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
California (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)
Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Get Tickets for the Armed Forces Bowl
- 2006 CFN Armed Forces Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Armed Forces Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Armed Forces Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="6" width="50%"> Air Force</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="6" width="50%"> California</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 40th 120.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 59th 396.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 44th 357.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 53rd 374.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 49th 29.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 59th 28.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 18th 19.33 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 53rd 26 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 2nd 298.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 48th 162.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 37th 131 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 58th 151.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 118th 120.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 51st 233.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 57th 226.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 51st 222.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 20th 0.67[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd -0.08[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> Air Force[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] SCSU W 34-3at Utah W 20-12
TCU W 20-17 OT
at BYU L 31-6
at Navy L 31-20
UNLV W 31-14
at Col St W 45-21
Wyoming W 20-12
at N Mexico L 34-31
Army W 30-10 at N Dame W 41-24
SDSU W 55-23</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> California[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Tennessee W 45-31
at Col St W 34-28
La Tech W 42-12
Arizona W 45-27
at Oregon W 31-24
Oregon St L 31-28 at UCLA L 30-21
at Arizona St L 31-20
Wash St W 20-17 USC L 24-17
at Wash L 37-23
at Stanford L 20-13</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" width="33%"> AF</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" width="34%"> C</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> No bowl game this postseason is likely to feature two programs with more polar opposite mindsets. Cal can’t believe it’s here. For that matter, neither can Air Force.
Any discussion involving the biggest disappointments of 2007 has to include Cal, which opened with a redemption win over Tennessee, and was on the cusp of a No. 1 ranking before poor clock management led to a late loss to Oregon State, paving the way to an unimaginable second-half collapse. This talented Bear team, which was seemingly a lock to end the school’s half-century Rose Bowl drought, wound up finishing 1-6, capped by a listless loss to Stanford in The Big Game. There had to be some cataclysmic, Dennis Dixon-like injury, right? Nope. Relatively healthy throughout the year, Cal just imploded, seemingly losing its bite on both sides of the line during the worst stretch of play in Jeff Tedford’s tenure. The Bears are the more talented overall team in this game, but is the specter of a losing season enough to motivate a group of kids that had trouble getting up for the Pac-10 portion of the schedule?
In dire need of some kind of a spark, Cal could get it from its most incendiary player, WR/PR DeSean Jackson, who sat out the Stanford game with a thigh contusion. The junior became a microcosm for the Bears’ season, failing to fulfill all of his potential, or play as well as he did in 2006. Although injuries were certainly a factor, a month of rest should help the one player most capable of exploiting Air Force’s lack of blinding speed.
On the flip side, rather unexpectedly, Air Force has delivered one of the feel-good stories of 2007. Pegged back in August as a second-division Mountain West team, the Falcons rose to second place in the conference in Troy Calhoun’s debut on the sidelines, earning their first bowl invitation in five years. The Academy got humbled by BYU and Navy in September, but quickly regrouped to finish 6-1, highlighted by its first win over Notre Dame since 1963. Getting to ten wins on the back of a Pac-10 opponent would be a huge accomplishment for a program that had minimal expectations in the first year after the retirement of Fisher DeBerry.
Set aside the notion that Air Force remains rooted in DeBerry’s triple-option. Yeah, the Falcons still overwhelmingly favor the run, but they also threw it more often with all-time leading passer Shaun Carney, and mixed in some no-huddle and zone running schemes. The tweaks worked for an offense that’s second in the Mountain West in total and scoring offense. The veteran defense is especially strong in the back seven, and is not afraid to take chances, an ideology that’s resulted in 26 takeaways. Once they’ve completed 24 months of active duty, LBs Drew Fowler and John Rabold, who’ll be playing in January All-Star games, are talented enough to take a stab at pro careers.
Players to watch: Two of the constants all year for Cal have been RB Justin Forsett and the offensive line that’s paved the way for his most prolific season in Berkeley. Considered by some to be too small to carry the load after Marshawn Lynch left school, he’s responded with 281 carries for 1,403 yards and 13 touchdowns, helping offset unanticipated problems with QB Nate Longshore and the passing game.
Forsett will do most of his work on the left side, running behind C Alex Mack, G Brian De La Puente, and T Mike Gibson. Mack, in particular, is one of the best in the country at his position. Facing the nation’s 118th-ranked passing game, Cal LB Zack Follett and FS Thomas DeCoud can press the action in an effort to slow down the Air Force running game. Follett is a terrific all-around athlete with the range to make plays before they develop. At 6-3 and 205 pounds, DeCoud is a defensive back with the sticking ability of a linebacker, and the instincts to lead the Bears with 105 tackles.
Pocket rocket Chad Hall has reached rock star status around the Academy. And why not? At only 5-8 and 180 pounds, he’s played his way into being named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, leading the league in all-purpose running and scoring 15 touchdowns. Originally an option quarterback that got switched to receiver, Hall went ballistic in October when he started getting more handoffs, twice running for more than 200 yards. He’s liable to run circles around a Cal defense that’s had problems all year in run defense.
The Falcons’ best answer to the Bears’ talented receiving corps will be CB Carson Bird, who’s picked off six passes despite rarely seeing balls thrown his way. The playmaker of the secondary, he also has three fumble recoveries, needing to cut off half the field on Longshore if Air Force is to avoid getting burned by the pass.
Cal will win if... Longshore plays like he did in September. With Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins, Robert Jordan, and Craig Stevens running patterns, the Bears should exploit the Air Force secondary, but only if Longshore does an about-face from a horrible second half of the year. The junior threw 11 interceptions over the final six games, a trend that has to change if Cal is going to capitalize on its biggest advantage over the Falcons. If the Bears are able to pick up the Air Force blitzes, Longshore has no excuses not to make a number of big plays downfield.
Air Force will win if... either Hall, Carney, or Jim Ollis rushes for 100 yards. When that has happened this year, the Falcons are a spiffy 9-0. Air Force will want to play keep-away with the Cal offense, controlling the tempo with at least 60 carries, while wearing out a gassed defense. Although the Bears may have the better athletes, the Falcons are humming on offense, churning out almost 1,300 yards on the ground in three November games. If they’re ripping off big chunks of yards on the ground in the first half, Cal won’t have the fortitude or desire to battle back in the second half.
What will happen: While Cal has little desire to play in the Armed Forces Bowl, Air Force is pumped at the opportunity to cap a terrific season in Fort Worth. The divergent emotions will be evident throughout the game, with the Falcons outhustling the Bears on every play. Cal will have no answers for Hall or the Air Force ground game, finishing below .500 for the first time since 2001, and raising concerns that Tedford has hit a wall with the program.
Line: Cal -4 ... CFN Prediction:Air Force 30 ... Cal 23
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Humanitarian Bowl - GTech vs. Fresno St </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Richard Cirminiello
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Roady's Humantarian Bowl Preview - Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Fresno State (8-4) vs. Georgia Tech (7-5)
Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2 Get Tickets for the Humanitarian Bowl
- 2006 CFN Humanitarian Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Humanitarian Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="6" width="50%"> Fresno State</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="6" width="50%"> Georgia Tech</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 51st 406.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 66th 385.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 77th 409.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 11th 310.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 33rd 32.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 68th 26.08 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 61st 26.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 17th 19.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 16th 204.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 18th 202.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 86th 182.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 12th 100.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 82nd 202.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 102nd 182.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 59th 227.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 210.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 102nd -0.75[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 83rd -0.33[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> Fresno State[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Sac St W 24-3
at Texas A&M L 47-45 3 OT
at Oregon L 52-21
La Tech W 17-6
at Nevada W 49-41
at Idaho W 37-24
SJSU W 30-0
Boise State L 34-21
Utah State W 39-27
at Hawaii L 37-30
Kansas St W 45-29
at NMSU W 30-23</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> Georgia Tech[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif] at No Dame W 33-3
Samford W 69-14
Boston Coll L 24-10
at Virginia L 28-23
Clemson W 13-3 at Maryland L 28-26
at Miami W 17-14
Army W 34-10
Virginia Tech L 27-3
at Duke W 41-24
No Carolina W 27-25
Georgia L 31-17[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" width="33%"> F</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" width="34%"> GT</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5 </td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5 </td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Well, the good news, Chan Gailey, is that you don’t have to coach the Yellow Jackets in the Humanitarian Bowl. By going 7-5, Georgia Tech earned the ACC booby prize, a trip across country to play a WAC opponent in chilly Boise. If the Jackets don’t bother showing up, Fresno State will gladly swipe its second win of the year from a BCS school.
Gailey was fired by Georgia Tech shortly after a sixth straight loss to Georgia, opening the door for former Navy coach Paul Johnson to take the program in a new direction. In the interim, defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will lead the team into Idaho, an audition of sorts for one of the game’s most respected defensive minds. You want motivation, Yellow Jackets? Your new boss may not be on the sidelines, but he will be watching, looking for first impressions before spring ball arrives.
Tech has an abundance of talent on both sides of the ball, yet went 1-5 against teams playing in the postseason, which summarizes why Gailey is jobless. While Tenuta’s attacking defense and the Tashard Choice-led running game are top-notch, the passing game was once again abysmal, accounting for a measly two touchdown passes through the first nine games. The good news was that the attack showed signs of a pulse during the final three games of the regular season. Starting QB Taylor Bennett may not be the long-term solution in Atlanta, so don’t be surprised to see a lot of true freshman Josh Nesbitt, who could be a nice fit for the offense when Johnson’s on board.
Despite a bunch of injuries and a slow start, Fresno State rallied to finish the regular season 8-4, a nice rebound for a program that was 4-8 a year ago. The Bulldogs competed in all but the Oregon game, and won the games they were supposed to, but couldn’t get over the hump against WAC-daddys, Hawaii and Boise State. For feisty head coach Pat Hill, it was an important bounce back season a year after his team slipped into the unfamiliar role of being irrelevant. And with 15 starters expected back for 2008, the Humanitarian Bowl could be the perfect springboard for even bigger things next fall.
Although Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater played well in the regular season, the catalyst for the offense was a surprising, physical running game that averaged more than 200 yards a game. The concern is whether any of the team’s bevy of backs will be healthy at kickoff. Leading rusher Ryan Mathews is out with a muscle tear near his collarbone. Second-leading rusher Lonyae Miller is recovering from a quadriceps injury. No. 3 back and team MVP Clifton Smith is still nursing a bruised hip pointer. Miller and Smith are pointing to a return, but if they can’t go, keep an eye on true freshman Anthony Harding, who had 115 yards and 121 yards rushing in Fresno’s final two games.
Players to watch: Fresno State is hopeful that its most reliable receiver, TE Bear Pascoe, has benefited from a month off to rest his aching ankle. Before getting hurt, the 6-5, 260-pound junior was tearing it up, highlighted by a seven-catch, three-touchdown effort versus Texas A&M. If Pascoe is right, Brandstater has a huge target capable of being a mismatch when streaking down the seam of the field. More than just a high-scoring offense, the Valley is also home to LB Marcus Riley, the WAC Defensive Player of the Year and a notoriously ferocious hitter. Fresno State’s leader in tackles and tackles for loss, he’s the No. 31 that blew up Hawaii’s Colt Brennan last month. The Georgia Tech skill position players better know where he is at all times.
Just like the last couple of years, Georgia Tech’s fate rests on the legs of Choice, the ACC’s premier back when he’s healthy. On a roll at the end of the year, he’ll be especially dangerous on a fresh pair of wheels, particularly against a beatable Fresno State defense that’s soft up front, and allowing 182 yards a game on the ground. Yellow Jacket DE Michael Johnson is a scary talent, even if this season’s numbers don’t bear it out. Cut from a similar mold as former Florida Gator Jevon Kearse, the 6-7, 250-pounder is an athletic anomaly with a hot motor and a bounce in his step. Johnson has just six tackles for loss and four sacks, numbers that will explode next year when Darrell Robertson and Adamm Oliver are in the NFL. If for nothing else, it’ll be worth spotlighting No. 93 to get a good look at one of next year’s budding stars.
Fresno State will win if... it keeps Choice from taking over the game. Hey, Choice is going to get his yards, but the Bulldogs must prevent him from running for 200 yards, and demoralizing the entire defense. To be sure, it’s not going to be easy for Fresno State, which faces its toughest test, a Georgia Tech offensive line that has a pair of all-conference blockers, and paved the road for the ACC’s best running game. If Choice is kept in check, the Yellow Jackets lack the passing game to make up the difference.
Georgia Tech will win if... the defense plays with a chip on its shoulder. Tenuta’s Yellow Jackets usually play fast and tough, but it didn’t look that way in November, when they twice allowed more than 400 yards, and failed to pick off a pass. Tech must intimidate Fresno State, creating turnovers and playing like the unit that leads the nation with 48 sacks. If players, such as LB Philip Wheeler, DT Vance Walker, and LB Gary Guyton, get upfield pressure and in Brandstater’s face, the Bulldogs are unlikely to respond to the challenge.
What will happen: If another assistant was coaching the team, Georgia Tech would be even more vulnerable to the upset. With his next job undetermined, and places like LSU, for instance, looking for a coordinator, Tenuta won’t allow this team to give anything less than a complete effort. The Yellow Jackets will hold off Fresno State behind a couple of Choice touchdowns, and an inspired effort from the disruptive defense.
Line: Georgia Tech -4 ... CFN Prediction: Georgia Tech 31 ... Fresno State 16
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Richard Cirminiello
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Roady's Humantarian Bowl Preview - Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Fresno State (8-4) vs. Georgia Tech (7-5)
Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2 Get Tickets for the Humanitarian Bowl
- 2006 CFN Humanitarian Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Humanitarian Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="6" width="50%"> Fresno State</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="6" width="50%"> Georgia Tech</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 51st 406.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 66th 385.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 77th 409.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 11th 310.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 33rd 32.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 68th 26.08 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 61st 26.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 17th 19.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 16th 204.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 18th 202.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 86th 182.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 12th 100.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 82nd 202.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 102nd 182.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 59th 227.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 210.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 102nd -0.75[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 83rd -0.33[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> Fresno State[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Sac St W 24-3at Texas A&M L 47-45 3 OT
at Oregon L 52-21
La Tech W 17-6
at Nevada W 49-41
at Idaho W 37-24
SJSU W 30-0
Boise State L 34-21
Utah State W 39-27
at Hawaii L 37-30
Kansas St W 45-29
at NMSU W 30-23</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> Georgia Tech[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif] at No Dame W 33-3
Samford W 69-14
Boston Coll L 24-10
at Virginia L 28-23
Clemson W 13-3 at Maryland L 28-26
at Miami W 17-14
Army W 34-10
Virginia Tech L 27-3
at Duke W 41-24
No Carolina W 27-25
Georgia L 31-17[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" width="33%"> F</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#808000" width="34%"> GT</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5 </td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5 </td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Well, the good news, Chan Gailey, is that you don’t have to coach the Yellow Jackets in the Humanitarian Bowl. By going 7-5, Georgia Tech earned the ACC booby prize, a trip across country to play a WAC opponent in chilly Boise. If the Jackets don’t bother showing up, Fresno State will gladly swipe its second win of the year from a BCS school.
Gailey was fired by Georgia Tech shortly after a sixth straight loss to Georgia, opening the door for former Navy coach Paul Johnson to take the program in a new direction. In the interim, defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will lead the team into Idaho, an audition of sorts for one of the game’s most respected defensive minds. You want motivation, Yellow Jackets? Your new boss may not be on the sidelines, but he will be watching, looking for first impressions before spring ball arrives.
Tech has an abundance of talent on both sides of the ball, yet went 1-5 against teams playing in the postseason, which summarizes why Gailey is jobless. While Tenuta’s attacking defense and the Tashard Choice-led running game are top-notch, the passing game was once again abysmal, accounting for a measly two touchdown passes through the first nine games. The good news was that the attack showed signs of a pulse during the final three games of the regular season. Starting QB Taylor Bennett may not be the long-term solution in Atlanta, so don’t be surprised to see a lot of true freshman Josh Nesbitt, who could be a nice fit for the offense when Johnson’s on board.
Despite a bunch of injuries and a slow start, Fresno State rallied to finish the regular season 8-4, a nice rebound for a program that was 4-8 a year ago. The Bulldogs competed in all but the Oregon game, and won the games they were supposed to, but couldn’t get over the hump against WAC-daddys, Hawaii and Boise State. For feisty head coach Pat Hill, it was an important bounce back season a year after his team slipped into the unfamiliar role of being irrelevant. And with 15 starters expected back for 2008, the Humanitarian Bowl could be the perfect springboard for even bigger things next fall.
Although Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater played well in the regular season, the catalyst for the offense was a surprising, physical running game that averaged more than 200 yards a game. The concern is whether any of the team’s bevy of backs will be healthy at kickoff. Leading rusher Ryan Mathews is out with a muscle tear near his collarbone. Second-leading rusher Lonyae Miller is recovering from a quadriceps injury. No. 3 back and team MVP Clifton Smith is still nursing a bruised hip pointer. Miller and Smith are pointing to a return, but if they can’t go, keep an eye on true freshman Anthony Harding, who had 115 yards and 121 yards rushing in Fresno’s final two games.
Players to watch: Fresno State is hopeful that its most reliable receiver, TE Bear Pascoe, has benefited from a month off to rest his aching ankle. Before getting hurt, the 6-5, 260-pound junior was tearing it up, highlighted by a seven-catch, three-touchdown effort versus Texas A&M. If Pascoe is right, Brandstater has a huge target capable of being a mismatch when streaking down the seam of the field. More than just a high-scoring offense, the Valley is also home to LB Marcus Riley, the WAC Defensive Player of the Year and a notoriously ferocious hitter. Fresno State’s leader in tackles and tackles for loss, he’s the No. 31 that blew up Hawaii’s Colt Brennan last month. The Georgia Tech skill position players better know where he is at all times.
Just like the last couple of years, Georgia Tech’s fate rests on the legs of Choice, the ACC’s premier back when he’s healthy. On a roll at the end of the year, he’ll be especially dangerous on a fresh pair of wheels, particularly against a beatable Fresno State defense that’s soft up front, and allowing 182 yards a game on the ground. Yellow Jacket DE Michael Johnson is a scary talent, even if this season’s numbers don’t bear it out. Cut from a similar mold as former Florida Gator Jevon Kearse, the 6-7, 250-pounder is an athletic anomaly with a hot motor and a bounce in his step. Johnson has just six tackles for loss and four sacks, numbers that will explode next year when Darrell Robertson and Adamm Oliver are in the NFL. If for nothing else, it’ll be worth spotlighting No. 93 to get a good look at one of next year’s budding stars.
Fresno State will win if... it keeps Choice from taking over the game. Hey, Choice is going to get his yards, but the Bulldogs must prevent him from running for 200 yards, and demoralizing the entire defense. To be sure, it’s not going to be easy for Fresno State, which faces its toughest test, a Georgia Tech offensive line that has a pair of all-conference blockers, and paved the road for the ACC’s best running game. If Choice is kept in check, the Yellow Jackets lack the passing game to make up the difference.
Georgia Tech will win if... the defense plays with a chip on its shoulder. Tenuta’s Yellow Jackets usually play fast and tough, but it didn’t look that way in November, when they twice allowed more than 400 yards, and failed to pick off a pass. Tech must intimidate Fresno State, creating turnovers and playing like the unit that leads the nation with 48 sacks. If players, such as LB Philip Wheeler, DT Vance Walker, and LB Gary Guyton, get upfield pressure and in Brandstater’s face, the Bulldogs are unlikely to respond to the challenge.
What will happen: If another assistant was coaching the team, Georgia Tech would be even more vulnerable to the upset. With his next job undetermined, and places like LSU, for instance, looking for a coordinator, Tenuta won’t allow this team to give anything less than a complete effort. The Yellow Jackets will hold off Fresno State behind a couple of Choice touchdowns, and an inspired effort from the disruptive defense.
Line: Georgia Tech -4 ... CFN Prediction: Georgia Tech 31 ... Fresno State 16
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Sun Bowl, - South Florida vs. Oregon </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Richard Cirminiello
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Brut Sun Bowl Preview - South Florida vs. Oregon
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
South Florida (9-3) vs. Oregon (8-4)
Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets for the Sun Bowl
- 2006 CFN Sun Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Sun Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Brut Sun Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="6" width="50%"> South Florida</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="6" width="50%"> Oregon</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 39th 421.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 12th 462.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 22nd 326.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 62nd 386.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 20th 35.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 15th 36.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 26th 20.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 39th 23.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 28th 193.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 8th 243.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 19th 112 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 44th 136.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 55th 228.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 62nd 218.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 40th 214.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 87th 250.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 7th 1.08[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 30th 0.42[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> South Florida[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Elon W 28-13
at Auburn W 26-23 OT
No Carolina W 37-10
West Va W 21-13
at FAU W 35-23
UCF W 64-12
at Rutgers L 30-27 at Conn. L 22-15
Cincinnati L 38-33
at Syra. W 41-10 Louisville W 55-17
at Pitt W 48-37</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> Oregon[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Houston W 48-27
at Michigan W 39-7
Fresno St W 52-21
at Stanford W 55-31 California L 31-24
Wash St W 53-7
at Wash. W 55-34 USC W 24-17
Arizona St W 35-23 at Arizona L 34-24
at UCLA L 16-0
Oregon St L 38-31 2OT</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" width="33%"> USF</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" width="34%"> O</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Yes, there actually was a time this year when this might have been considered the deep, deep, deep dark-horse possibility for the national title matchup. South Florida and Oregon each took their turns in the nation’s No. 2 slot before reality and a devastating injury, respectively, set in for the two wannabe champs. With far less to play for in El Paso, the Bulls and Ducks will vie for a chance to restore their images, while capping rollercoaster seasons on a positive note.
For a few days, it looked as if South Florida might shock the world by contending for the whole ball of wax, but it suffered a midseason letdown, appearing to struggle under the weight of the attention, dropping completely out of the Top 25 with a three-game losing streak before regrouping nicely in November.
When compared to preseason expectations, rather than the hysteria that accompanied a 6-0 start with the win over West Virginia, a trip to the Sun Bowl is actually another positive step in South Florida’s evolution under Jim Leavitt. After playing in the Meineke Car Care and PapaJohns.com Bowls, the program gets to venture out for a rare game in Texas to play in a bowl that has a rich postseason history.
Although the Bulls are built around DE George Selvie, LB Ben Moffitt, CB Mike Jenkins, and the rest of the suffocating defense, it was the offense that came alive in the season-saving three-game winning streak. In wins over Syracuse, Louisville, and Pittsburgh, USF averaged 48 points, enjoying uncommon support for do-everything QB Matt Grothe, and a slew of non-offensive touchdowns. When the Bulls are getting production from both sides of the ball, it becomes clear again how they were able to beat Auburn in September, and climb to No. 2 in the rankings in October.
While South Florida’s fall from the two-hole was partly its own fault for not playing well, Oregon’s was a bad break, one of the most consequential injuries in recent history. QB Dennis Dixon, the Heisman front-runner, tore his ACL on Nov. 3, and was lost for the season when he tried to gut it out two weeks later at Arizona. The Ducks haven’t won since, losing three straight games using a cadre of untested quarterbacks that only increased Dixon’s value to the program. When Oregon sets out to snap a four-game postseason losing streak, it’ll do so with a pair of redshirt freshmen, Justin Roper and Cody Kempt, taking snaps.
Crashing and burning isn’t anything new to Oregon after losing the last four games of 2006, dropping three straight at the end of 2004, four straight to end 2002, and losing its last four bowl games. However, a win over South Florida to end the slide would be a better cap to the season than it might appear after where the program was at just a few weeks ago.
Without Dixon, Oregon will lean more heavily on RB Jonathan Stewart and a defense that played surprisingly well in the regular season, allowing only 23 points a game and leading the country in tackles for loss. It’s an athletic, pressing unit that gets substantial pressure from DE Nick Reed, and has an answer for South Florida’s corners Jenkins and Trae Williams with sophomores Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond. No longer in a position to outscore opponents, the Ducks must contain the Bull offense, while creating a short field for their own attack.
If nothing else, history is on the Sun’s side with six of the last eight games decided by seven points or fewer, with the other two high-octane, fun shootouts (UCLA 50-38 over Northwestern in 2005 and Purdue 34-24 over Washington in 2002). The Pac 10 has won three straight including last year’s heart-stopping 39-38 Oregon State win over Missouri and the thrilling Sam Keller-led Arizona State 27-23 comeback win over Purdue in 2004.
Players to watch: It was no coincidence that South Florida RB Mike Ford’s best three-game stretch of the year occurred when the offense caught fire in November. The freshman gave defenses someone other than Grothe to worry about, a big back with good wheels that can run through defenders on the second and third level. Ford ran for 337 yards and six touchdowns in the three wins, a turning point in what’s going to be a very nice career in Tampa. The inexperienced Oregon quarterbacks are going to be, well, sitting ducks for Selvie, who’s authoring one of the great seasons ever for a defensive end. A flash coming off the edge, he’s got 31.5 tackles for loss, just one-half shy of the NCAA record, and 14.5 sacks. If too much attention is given to the All-American, DT Aaron Harris is capable of picking up the slack.
In order to engineer the upset in El Paso, Oregon will need its other stars to play beyond their potential. South Florida won’t throw much, which will somewhat neutralize Reed, but the run-stuffers must step forward from every level. That means it’s up to DT David Faaeteete, LB Jerome Boyd, and S Patrick Chung, to name a few, to contain Grothe and Ford on the ground, forcing the Bulls to rely on a sporadic passing game. Chung leads the Ducks with 110 tackles, and is an asset in pass defense. Stewart will be the focus of the Oregon offense—and the South Florida defense—so he’ll have to break a bunch of tackles in order to get into the open field. A gamebreaker with a unique blend of size and speed, Stewart can really bolster his draft grade, in the event he decides to forego his final year of eligibility in Eugene.
South Florida will win if... it shuts down Stewart. With Roper and Kempt at quarterback, and the receiving corps thinned by injuries, it’ll be up to the running game to move the chains versus a nasty Bull defense. Stewart is capable of taking over the game, but if he gets bottled up around the line of scrimmage, Oregon will labor to mount any long drives or reach the end zone. What’s worse, without the support of a steady running game, the freshmen hurlers will wilt under the pressure of Wally Burnham’s fast and relentless unit.
Oregon will win if... it rules the turnover battle. When South Florida was losing three straight games, it coughed the ball up at an alarming rate. The Ducks need to reenact that period of time by dislodging the ball on defense and special teams, and jumping the routes of Grothe’s passes, which aren’t always fastballs. Led by five from Byrd and four from Thurmond, Oregon is No. 3 in the Pac-10 in interceptions, and No. 2 in total takeaways. On this day, the Ducks’ best offense will have to be an opportunistic defense that stalls drives and gives the hobbled offense a short field to traverse.
What will happen: For all intents and purposes, Oregon’s season ended when Dixon’s knee buckled in Tucson a month ago. Expecting the Ducks to suddenly turn things around against a motivated and healthy South Florida program is unrealistic. The Bulls will dominate an overmatched Oregon offense, stacking the line on Stewart, and scoring a touchdown on a rushed pass from one of the fledgling Duck passers. USF won’t explode on offense the way it did at the end of the regular season, but won’t need to with its defense in total control.
Line: South Florida -6.5... CFN Prediction:South Florida 30 ... Oregon 17
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Richard Cirminiello
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Brut Sun Bowl Preview - South Florida vs. Oregon
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
South Florida (9-3) vs. Oregon (8-4)
Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m. ET, CBS Get Tickets for the Sun Bowl
- 2006 CFN Sun Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Sun Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Brut Sun Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="6" width="50%"> South Florida</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="6" width="50%"> Oregon</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 39th 421.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 12th 462.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 22nd 326.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 62nd 386.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 20th 35.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 15th 36.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 26th 20.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 39th 23.83 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 28th 193.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 8th 243.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 19th 112 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 44th 136.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 55th 228.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 62nd 218.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 40th 214.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 87th 250.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 7th 1.08[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffff00" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 30th 0.42[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> South Florida[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Elon W 28-13 at Auburn W 26-23 OT
No Carolina W 37-10
West Va W 21-13
at FAU W 35-23
UCF W 64-12
at Rutgers L 30-27 at Conn. L 22-15
Cincinnati L 38-33
at Syra. W 41-10 Louisville W 55-17
at Pitt W 48-37</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> Oregon[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Houston W 48-27
at Michigan W 39-7
Fresno St W 52-21
at Stanford W 55-31 California L 31-24
Wash St W 53-7
at Wash. W 55-34 USC W 24-17
Arizona St W 35-23 at Arizona L 34-24
at UCLA L 16-0
Oregon St L 38-31 2OT</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffcc00" width="33%"> USF</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#003300" width="34%"> O</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Yes, there actually was a time this year when this might have been considered the deep, deep, deep dark-horse possibility for the national title matchup. South Florida and Oregon each took their turns in the nation’s No. 2 slot before reality and a devastating injury, respectively, set in for the two wannabe champs. With far less to play for in El Paso, the Bulls and Ducks will vie for a chance to restore their images, while capping rollercoaster seasons on a positive note.
For a few days, it looked as if South Florida might shock the world by contending for the whole ball of wax, but it suffered a midseason letdown, appearing to struggle under the weight of the attention, dropping completely out of the Top 25 with a three-game losing streak before regrouping nicely in November.
When compared to preseason expectations, rather than the hysteria that accompanied a 6-0 start with the win over West Virginia, a trip to the Sun Bowl is actually another positive step in South Florida’s evolution under Jim Leavitt. After playing in the Meineke Car Care and PapaJohns.com Bowls, the program gets to venture out for a rare game in Texas to play in a bowl that has a rich postseason history.
Although the Bulls are built around DE George Selvie, LB Ben Moffitt, CB Mike Jenkins, and the rest of the suffocating defense, it was the offense that came alive in the season-saving three-game winning streak. In wins over Syracuse, Louisville, and Pittsburgh, USF averaged 48 points, enjoying uncommon support for do-everything QB Matt Grothe, and a slew of non-offensive touchdowns. When the Bulls are getting production from both sides of the ball, it becomes clear again how they were able to beat Auburn in September, and climb to No. 2 in the rankings in October.
While South Florida’s fall from the two-hole was partly its own fault for not playing well, Oregon’s was a bad break, one of the most consequential injuries in recent history. QB Dennis Dixon, the Heisman front-runner, tore his ACL on Nov. 3, and was lost for the season when he tried to gut it out two weeks later at Arizona. The Ducks haven’t won since, losing three straight games using a cadre of untested quarterbacks that only increased Dixon’s value to the program. When Oregon sets out to snap a four-game postseason losing streak, it’ll do so with a pair of redshirt freshmen, Justin Roper and Cody Kempt, taking snaps.
Crashing and burning isn’t anything new to Oregon after losing the last four games of 2006, dropping three straight at the end of 2004, four straight to end 2002, and losing its last four bowl games. However, a win over South Florida to end the slide would be a better cap to the season than it might appear after where the program was at just a few weeks ago.
Without Dixon, Oregon will lean more heavily on RB Jonathan Stewart and a defense that played surprisingly well in the regular season, allowing only 23 points a game and leading the country in tackles for loss. It’s an athletic, pressing unit that gets substantial pressure from DE Nick Reed, and has an answer for South Florida’s corners Jenkins and Trae Williams with sophomores Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond. No longer in a position to outscore opponents, the Ducks must contain the Bull offense, while creating a short field for their own attack.
If nothing else, history is on the Sun’s side with six of the last eight games decided by seven points or fewer, with the other two high-octane, fun shootouts (UCLA 50-38 over Northwestern in 2005 and Purdue 34-24 over Washington in 2002). The Pac 10 has won three straight including last year’s heart-stopping 39-38 Oregon State win over Missouri and the thrilling Sam Keller-led Arizona State 27-23 comeback win over Purdue in 2004.
Players to watch: It was no coincidence that South Florida RB Mike Ford’s best three-game stretch of the year occurred when the offense caught fire in November. The freshman gave defenses someone other than Grothe to worry about, a big back with good wheels that can run through defenders on the second and third level. Ford ran for 337 yards and six touchdowns in the three wins, a turning point in what’s going to be a very nice career in Tampa. The inexperienced Oregon quarterbacks are going to be, well, sitting ducks for Selvie, who’s authoring one of the great seasons ever for a defensive end. A flash coming off the edge, he’s got 31.5 tackles for loss, just one-half shy of the NCAA record, and 14.5 sacks. If too much attention is given to the All-American, DT Aaron Harris is capable of picking up the slack.
In order to engineer the upset in El Paso, Oregon will need its other stars to play beyond their potential. South Florida won’t throw much, which will somewhat neutralize Reed, but the run-stuffers must step forward from every level. That means it’s up to DT David Faaeteete, LB Jerome Boyd, and S Patrick Chung, to name a few, to contain Grothe and Ford on the ground, forcing the Bulls to rely on a sporadic passing game. Chung leads the Ducks with 110 tackles, and is an asset in pass defense. Stewart will be the focus of the Oregon offense—and the South Florida defense—so he’ll have to break a bunch of tackles in order to get into the open field. A gamebreaker with a unique blend of size and speed, Stewart can really bolster his draft grade, in the event he decides to forego his final year of eligibility in Eugene.
South Florida will win if... it shuts down Stewart. With Roper and Kempt at quarterback, and the receiving corps thinned by injuries, it’ll be up to the running game to move the chains versus a nasty Bull defense. Stewart is capable of taking over the game, but if he gets bottled up around the line of scrimmage, Oregon will labor to mount any long drives or reach the end zone. What’s worse, without the support of a steady running game, the freshmen hurlers will wilt under the pressure of Wally Burnham’s fast and relentless unit.
Oregon will win if... it rules the turnover battle. When South Florida was losing three straight games, it coughed the ball up at an alarming rate. The Ducks need to reenact that period of time by dislodging the ball on defense and special teams, and jumping the routes of Grothe’s passes, which aren’t always fastballs. Led by five from Byrd and four from Thurmond, Oregon is No. 3 in the Pac-10 in interceptions, and No. 2 in total takeaways. On this day, the Ducks’ best offense will have to be an opportunistic defense that stalls drives and gives the hobbled offense a short field to traverse.
What will happen: For all intents and purposes, Oregon’s season ended when Dixon’s knee buckled in Tucson a month ago. Expecting the Ducks to suddenly turn things around against a motivated and healthy South Florida program is unrealistic. The Bulls will dominate an overmatched Oregon offense, stacking the line on Stewart, and scoring a touchdown on a rushed pass from one of the fledgling Duck passers. USF won’t explode on offense the way it did at the end of the regular season, but won’t need to with its defense in total control.
Line: South Florida -6.5... CFN Prediction:South Florida 30 ... Oregon 17
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Music City Bowl - Kentucky vs Florida St </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Kentucky QB Andre Woodson
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Have you ever wanted to see a depleted team try to pull off a miracle? The 2007 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl has taken on a car crash sort of a feel with over 30 Florida State players missing the game, but if nothing else, it's a chance to scout Kentucky's Andre Woodson before he goes off to the next level.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Kentucky (7-5) vs. Florida State (7-5) Dec. 31st, 4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Get Tickets for the Music City Bowl
- 2006 CFN Music City Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Music City Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="6" width="50%"> Florida State</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="6" width="50%"> Kentucky</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 82nd 360 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 25th 438.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 36th 350.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 65th 390.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 90th 22.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 15th 36.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 31st 21.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 80th 7.45 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 96th 121.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 52nd 156.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 22nd 114.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 92nd 190 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 238.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 24th 282.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 73rd 236 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 21st 200.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 0.33[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 0.08[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> Florida State[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] at Clemson L 24-17
UAB W 34-24
at Colorado W 16-6
Alabama W 21-14
NC State W 27-10
at W For. L 24-21
Miami L 37-29
Duke W 25-6 at BC W 27-17
at Va Tech L 40-21
Maryland W 24-16 at Florida L 45-12</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> Kentucky[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] E Kentucky W 50-10
Kent State W 56-20
Louisville W 40-34
at Arkansas W 42-29
Fla Atlantic W 45-17
at S Carolina L 38-23
LSU W 45-37 3OT
Florida L 45-37
Miss State L 31-14 at Vanderbilt W 27-20
at Georgia L 24-13
Tenn. L 52-50 4OT</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" width="33%"> FSU</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" width="34%"> K</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3 </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> At least now we'll get to see what kind of a coach Jimbo Fisher is.
Of course Bobby Bowden is still the head man at Florida State, but more and more, this will become Fisher's team as the torch has been passed for whenever the legend chooses to retire, and now the program might have its toughest bowl test ever with around 36 players suspended for cheating on a test or out with an injury including most of the defensive line and two starters on the offensive line. Florida State likes to brag that if one guy doesn't get the job done, there's always someone ready to step into place. Now the rhetoric will be put to the test.
It's not like Kentucky is going to cry too many tears as it goes for its second Music City Bowl win in a row and just its second bowl victory since 1984. The Wildcats come into the game on a two-game losing streak and a collapse of four losses in five games since stunning LSU in triple overtime, and while just getting to a bowl game is always a plus for the Wildcats, now the pressure is on; you can't lose a game to a team without a bulk of its players and almost all the depth.
You don't get to the level Florida State achieved without being able to sidestep a few landmines, and it's been able to rally through suspensions over the years, but there hasn't been anything like this. Will the controversy rally the troops and get the remaining players fired up enough to play out of their minds, or will this be the straw the breaks the camel's back in a lousy year?
FSU hung around the ACC title chase with a stunning 27-17 win at then No. 2 Boston College, but a thumping loss to Virginia Tech ended the dream the week after. One of the ACC's most maddening teams, the Noles were good enough to beat Alabama, Colorado, Maryland and BC, but choked away a home loss to a lousy Miami team and got blasted by Virginia Tech and Florida by a combined score of 95 to 33. The defense has been fine, the offense has been lousy, and for many fans, the Fisher era officially couldn't kick off fast enough. Again, this is still Bowden's team, but for Fisher to turn down West Virginia, he has to be assured that he gets to pull the strings.
Kentucky might be playing second fiddle to the suspension storyline swirling around the game, but it needs a nice performance to finish up or else it might be back to being the Kentucky of old. Oh sure, there were some great moments with early wins over Louisville and Arkansas to go along with the win over LSU, but that was it. The Cats might have put up a fight in a four-overtime loss to Tennessee in the regular season finale, but they were awful against Mississippi State and struggled too much against Florida and Georgia.
Each team will get off the bus throwing, and each will showcase the quarterbacks in an attempt to get this into a bit of a shootout, but can Florida State keep up the pace with a depleted team? There is a bit of a precedent for pulling off shockers after major suspensions. Arkansas, coached by Lou Holtz, crushed No. 2 Oklahoma 31-6 in the Orange Bowl, but that was after only three players were suspended (although they were the key offensive playmakers). Obviously, this situation is different, but the Noles will play with a fight and a chip on its shoulder since no one will believe they can win. Hopefully that will be enough to make this more than just a Kentucky scrimmage.
Players to watch: Alright, so what does Florida State have left? Apparently, QB Drew Weatherford isn't one of the suspended players, and he'll be the one who has to carry the team with the game of his life. He was sensational at times after getting benched for Xavier Lee midseason, throwing for 339 yards against Duke and 354 yards in the win over BC. While he hasn't always been accurate, he's been good at limiting mistakes throwing just one interception, in a win over UAB in early September, with eight touchdown passes. He'll have to press a little against the good UK secondary, even if that means throwing a bad pass or two to try to get the offense moving.
Kentucky's Andre Woodson might not be considered the be-all-end-all top five pick some were projecting him to be earlier in the season, but he could grow into the first quarterback taken in the 2008 NFL draft if everything breaks right. The salary drive continues after throwing for 430 yards and six touchdowns in the four overtime loss to Tennessee, and a big bowl game could generate the type of buzz JaMarcus Russell started to get after a great Sugar Bowl performance in the win over Notre Dame. While he wasn't as accurate over the course of the season as he was over 2006 and the first four games of this year, going eight straight games without throwing an interception, he was still fantastic completing 63% of his throws for 3,351 yards and 36 touchdowns and just eight picks.
Florida State struggles to run the ball, but when it does, it'll have to deal with the SEC's leading tackler, Wesley Woodyard, who made 123 stops, with his 69 solo tackles seven more than the total tacklers UK's second-leading hitter. Even though he's under 220 pounds, the former strong safety is extremely tough and never afraid to mix it up. While he wasn't turned loose into the backfield all that often in the second half of the year, he should be sent a little bit to generate a bit more pressure on Weatherford.
Kentucky will win if... it gets up early and doesn't let the Noles get any confidence. Attitude will be everything early on for FSU as it mentally plays the us-against-the-world card early on. If it gets any sort of a lead or gets any sort of early success, that might might feed into any overconfidence UK might have. Even if the Noles were at full strength this would've been a good matchup for a UK defense that can't stop the run, has a nice secondary, and an experienced, talented quarterback who doesn't make a lot of mistakes. As long as UK is at least even in the turnover margin, if Woodson outplays Weatherford, or at least plays him even, the Cats will come away with another Music City Bowl win.
Florida State will win if... this gets into a slugfest. The depleted Florida State defense will still be solid, and as long as this doesn't get into a track meet of any kind, the offense should be able to keep pace. That's not to say the Seminole offense will try to control the game on the ground, it'll be throwing from the word go, but it needs to own the clock, keep the chains moving, and keep its defense off the field with an efficient short-to-midrange passing game. FSU simply might not have the depth to handle a tiring battle.
What will happen: Florida State will play hard early, but it won't have the horses to keep up in the second half. The offense is too inconsistent, and the defense too depleted, to win if Kentucky's head is in the game for a full sixty minutes. Andre Woodson will be efficient, and while the UK defense will be average, it'll control the game late with at least two key picks of Drew Weatherford to put it away.
Line: Kentucky -4... CFN Prediction: Kentucky 30 ... Florida State 13</td></tr></tbody></table>
Kentucky QB Andre Woodson
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Have you ever wanted to see a depleted team try to pull off a miracle? The 2007 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl has taken on a car crash sort of a feel with over 30 Florida State players missing the game, but if nothing else, it's a chance to scout Kentucky's Andre Woodson before he goes off to the next level.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Kentucky (7-5) vs. Florida State (7-5) Dec. 31st, 4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Get Tickets for the Music City Bowl
- 2006 CFN Music City Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Music City Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="6" width="50%"> Florida State</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="6" width="50%"> Kentucky</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 82nd 360 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 25th 438.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 36th 350.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 65th 390.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 90th 22.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 15th 36.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 31st 21.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 80th 7.45 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 96th 121.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 52nd 156.50 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 22nd 114.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 92nd 190 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 238.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 24th 282.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 73rd 236 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 21st 200.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 32nd 0.33[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 0.08[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="105"> Florida State[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] at Clemson L 24-17UAB W 34-24
at Colorado W 16-6
Alabama W 21-14
NC State W 27-10
at W For. L 24-21
Miami L 37-29
Duke W 25-6 at BC W 27-17
at Va Tech L 40-21
Maryland W 24-16 at Florida L 45-12</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="106"> Kentucky[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] E Kentucky W 50-10
Kent State W 56-20
Louisville W 40-34
at Arkansas W 42-29
Fla Atlantic W 45-17
at S Carolina L 38-23
LSU W 45-37 3OT
Florida L 45-37
Miss State L 31-14 at Vanderbilt W 27-20
at Georgia L 24-13
Tenn. L 52-50 4OT</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#800000" width="33%"> FSU</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" width="34%"> K</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3 </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> At least now we'll get to see what kind of a coach Jimbo Fisher is.
Of course Bobby Bowden is still the head man at Florida State, but more and more, this will become Fisher's team as the torch has been passed for whenever the legend chooses to retire, and now the program might have its toughest bowl test ever with around 36 players suspended for cheating on a test or out with an injury including most of the defensive line and two starters on the offensive line. Florida State likes to brag that if one guy doesn't get the job done, there's always someone ready to step into place. Now the rhetoric will be put to the test.
It's not like Kentucky is going to cry too many tears as it goes for its second Music City Bowl win in a row and just its second bowl victory since 1984. The Wildcats come into the game on a two-game losing streak and a collapse of four losses in five games since stunning LSU in triple overtime, and while just getting to a bowl game is always a plus for the Wildcats, now the pressure is on; you can't lose a game to a team without a bulk of its players and almost all the depth.
You don't get to the level Florida State achieved without being able to sidestep a few landmines, and it's been able to rally through suspensions over the years, but there hasn't been anything like this. Will the controversy rally the troops and get the remaining players fired up enough to play out of their minds, or will this be the straw the breaks the camel's back in a lousy year?
FSU hung around the ACC title chase with a stunning 27-17 win at then No. 2 Boston College, but a thumping loss to Virginia Tech ended the dream the week after. One of the ACC's most maddening teams, the Noles were good enough to beat Alabama, Colorado, Maryland and BC, but choked away a home loss to a lousy Miami team and got blasted by Virginia Tech and Florida by a combined score of 95 to 33. The defense has been fine, the offense has been lousy, and for many fans, the Fisher era officially couldn't kick off fast enough. Again, this is still Bowden's team, but for Fisher to turn down West Virginia, he has to be assured that he gets to pull the strings.
Kentucky might be playing second fiddle to the suspension storyline swirling around the game, but it needs a nice performance to finish up or else it might be back to being the Kentucky of old. Oh sure, there were some great moments with early wins over Louisville and Arkansas to go along with the win over LSU, but that was it. The Cats might have put up a fight in a four-overtime loss to Tennessee in the regular season finale, but they were awful against Mississippi State and struggled too much against Florida and Georgia.
Each team will get off the bus throwing, and each will showcase the quarterbacks in an attempt to get this into a bit of a shootout, but can Florida State keep up the pace with a depleted team? There is a bit of a precedent for pulling off shockers after major suspensions. Arkansas, coached by Lou Holtz, crushed No. 2 Oklahoma 31-6 in the Orange Bowl, but that was after only three players were suspended (although they were the key offensive playmakers). Obviously, this situation is different, but the Noles will play with a fight and a chip on its shoulder since no one will believe they can win. Hopefully that will be enough to make this more than just a Kentucky scrimmage.
Players to watch: Alright, so what does Florida State have left? Apparently, QB Drew Weatherford isn't one of the suspended players, and he'll be the one who has to carry the team with the game of his life. He was sensational at times after getting benched for Xavier Lee midseason, throwing for 339 yards against Duke and 354 yards in the win over BC. While he hasn't always been accurate, he's been good at limiting mistakes throwing just one interception, in a win over UAB in early September, with eight touchdown passes. He'll have to press a little against the good UK secondary, even if that means throwing a bad pass or two to try to get the offense moving.
Kentucky's Andre Woodson might not be considered the be-all-end-all top five pick some were projecting him to be earlier in the season, but he could grow into the first quarterback taken in the 2008 NFL draft if everything breaks right. The salary drive continues after throwing for 430 yards and six touchdowns in the four overtime loss to Tennessee, and a big bowl game could generate the type of buzz JaMarcus Russell started to get after a great Sugar Bowl performance in the win over Notre Dame. While he wasn't as accurate over the course of the season as he was over 2006 and the first four games of this year, going eight straight games without throwing an interception, he was still fantastic completing 63% of his throws for 3,351 yards and 36 touchdowns and just eight picks.
Florida State struggles to run the ball, but when it does, it'll have to deal with the SEC's leading tackler, Wesley Woodyard, who made 123 stops, with his 69 solo tackles seven more than the total tacklers UK's second-leading hitter. Even though he's under 220 pounds, the former strong safety is extremely tough and never afraid to mix it up. While he wasn't turned loose into the backfield all that often in the second half of the year, he should be sent a little bit to generate a bit more pressure on Weatherford.
Kentucky will win if... it gets up early and doesn't let the Noles get any confidence. Attitude will be everything early on for FSU as it mentally plays the us-against-the-world card early on. If it gets any sort of a lead or gets any sort of early success, that might might feed into any overconfidence UK might have. Even if the Noles were at full strength this would've been a good matchup for a UK defense that can't stop the run, has a nice secondary, and an experienced, talented quarterback who doesn't make a lot of mistakes. As long as UK is at least even in the turnover margin, if Woodson outplays Weatherford, or at least plays him even, the Cats will come away with another Music City Bowl win.
Florida State will win if... this gets into a slugfest. The depleted Florida State defense will still be solid, and as long as this doesn't get into a track meet of any kind, the offense should be able to keep pace. That's not to say the Seminole offense will try to control the game on the ground, it'll be throwing from the word go, but it needs to own the clock, keep the chains moving, and keep its defense off the field with an efficient short-to-midrange passing game. FSU simply might not have the depth to handle a tiring battle.
What will happen: Florida State will play hard early, but it won't have the horses to keep up in the second half. The offense is too inconsistent, and the defense too depleted, to win if Kentucky's head is in the game for a full sixty minutes. Andre Woodson will be efficient, and while the UK defense will be average, it'll control the game late with at least two key picks of Drew Weatherford to put it away.
Line: Kentucky -4... CFN Prediction: Kentucky 30 ... Florida State 13</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Insight Bowl - Indiana vs. Oklahoma St </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Indiana QB Kellen Lewis
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</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 26, 2007
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Insight Bowl Preview - Indiana vs. Oklahoma State
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Indiana (7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (6-6)
Dec. 31st, 6:00 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Get Tickets for the Insight Bowl
- 2006 CFN Insight Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Insight Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Insight Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="6" width="50%"> Oklahoma St</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="6" width="50%"> Indiana</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 9th 484.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd 393.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 103rd 446.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 68th 394.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 28th 33.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 38th 31.58 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 76th 29.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 58th 26.75 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 7th 245.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 54th 155.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 60th 153.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 61st 155.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 48th 238.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 49th 237.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 116th 292.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 76th 238.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd -0.08[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 58th 0.00[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="101"> Oklahoma State[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] at Georgia L 35-14
Fla Atlantic W 42-6
at Troy L 41-23
Texas Tech W 49-45
S Houston St W 39-3
at Tex A&M L 24-23
at Nebr. W 45-14
Kansas St W 41-39
Texas L 38-35
Kansas L 43-28
at Baylor W 52-17 at Oklahoma L 49-17</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="102"> Indiana [FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Indiana State W 55-7
at WMU W 37-27
Akron W 41-24
Illinois L 27-14
at Iowa W 38-20
Minnesota W 40-20
at Mich St L 52-27
Penn State L 36-31
at Wisconsin L 33-3
Ball State W 38-20
at Nwestern L 31-28
Purdue W 27-24</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" width="33%"> OSU</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" width="34%"> IU</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> The Insight Bowl might have come up with some strange matchups over the years, and tends to be a dumping ground for teams looking for a place to go, but it's managed to produce some fantastic bowl games.
Now if just someone could see it.
Last year's 44-41 Texas Tech overtime stunner over Minnesota might have been the most entertaining game of the bowl season, but on the NFL Network, and lost in the crush of a huge day of bowls, no one saw it. This year, it's part of a smorgasbord day of six games and it might get overlooked with the Sun (USF and Oregon) just ending, the Music City (Kentucky and Florida State) at halftime, and the Chick-fil-A (Clemson and Auburn) kicking in, not to mention the various New Year's Night plans that everyone will be getting ready for.
Indiana probably isn't going to give two hoots about where the game falls in the day's pecking order. This is the program's first post-season date since the 1993 Independence Bowl coming off its first winning season in 12 years. Late head coach Terry Hoeppner had a goal of a 13th game, and the players and coaches have achieved the dream with a thrilling, but uneven year.
Oklahoma State was best known this year for some coaching news of its own with the all-timer of a rant from Mike Gundy after a newspaper article about now-backup quarterback Bobby Reid. Still looking to make a Big 12 splash in the Gundy era, the Cowboys won last year's Independence Bowl over Alabama but wasn't consistent in a disappointing year.
Even with one of the most explosive offenses in America, finishing ninth with 484 yards per game and seventh in rushing averaging 246 per outing, the Cowboys were only able to pull off one remotely decent win, a 49-45 shootout over Texas Tech. There were blowout losses to Georgia and Oklahoma, a stunning 41-23 loss at Troy, and yet another late collapse to Texas. Beating Indiana wouldn't exactly make OSU's season, but in its fifth bowl games in six years, it would show the program is at least above-average.
The Hoosiers have the offensive talent to keep up the pace and make this a blast of an offensive shootout after scoring 27 points or more in ten of their 12 games. Needing a win in their final two games to secure a bowl game, a 31-28 loss to Northwestern appeared to end the dream, but an Austin Starr 49-yard field goal in the final minute beat Purdue to get them here.
It this the culmination of the rebuilding process or just the beginning for IU? A relatively young team with most of the key parts coming back (especially if WR James Hardy chooses to return for his senior season), and with head coach Bill Lynch now the full-time head man after filling in for Hoeppner this season, this could be a launching pad.
For the most part, the two teams are roughly the same as they rely on playmaking dual-threat quarterbacks and hope for their defenses to not be awful, and they can each score from anywhere on the field. So yes, even with all the choices for bowl games, and with other plans you're going to have, this will be one of the bowl games worthy of paying attention to.
Players to watch: Oklahoma State was supposed to be Bobby Reid's team, but early on, sophomore Zac Robinson proved he was the better quarterback option with dangerous running skills and an accurate arm. Despite being just a sophomore, he makes good decisions and has been great at ball security with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions throwing just two picks in the last seven games. It's possible he's just scratching the surface, originally considered a big receiver prospect and still improving as a passer. He ran for 100 yards three times this year, and OSU scored 49 (vs. Texas Tech), 41 (vs. Kansas State) and 45 (vs. Baylor), winning all three games.
Looking to pressure Robinson, or at least keep him contained, will be IU sophomore DE Greg Middleton, who led the nation with 16 sacks to go along with 50 tackles. While still a bit one dimensional, he's not all that bad against the run when he's able to use his tremendous quickness in pursuit. Forget about everything else; his worth is as a pass rusher extraordinaire, cranking out two in three of the final four games. It's possible this could be his national coming out party leading to several 2008 preseason All-America lists.
Offensively, IU is all about the combination of QB Kellen Lewis and WR James Hardy, who hooked up 74 times for 1,075 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year. At 6-7 and 220 pounds, Hardy is a matchup nightmare with a great burst on deep balls and a knack for making plays around the goal line with at least one touchdown grab in every game but one, and with 36 scores in 32 career games. Lewis has major problems with turnovers, but when he's on, he's one of the Big Ten's most explosive players with 653 rushing yards and eight touchdown runs along with 2,839 passing yards and 26 scores. While he's not all that big, he's tough as nails.
OSU's offense will revolve around Robinson, but it'll try to get senior Dantrell Savage going early. One of the Big 12's leading rushers with 1,172 yards and eight touchdowns, he ran for 100 yards of more in each of the last nine games with stunning consistency no matter who he went against. While not a power runner, he has warp speed with the ability to crank out big yards in chunks averaging 5.86 yards per carry.
Oklahoma State will win if... Kellen Lewis has an awful game. For the most part, the IU sophomore makes up for bad passing games by running well, and vice versa, but if the OSU linebackers can turn him into a pocket passer and keep him from getting to the outside on his runs, they should be able to bottle him up. The key will be generating pressure, which is much easier said then done for an OSU pass rush that doesn't show up for quarters at a time, but this isn't a strong IU offensive line and it can be run by. If the Cowboys can win the turnover battle by forcing Lewis to put it on the ground a few times, and if Robinson is the best quarterback on the field, they'll win.
Indiana will win if... it runs for 200 yards or more. It's not like IU doesn't have running back talent; it just doesn't use it enough. Junior Marcus Thigpen has been a top kick returner and has been a strong receiver, but he wasn't utilized much as a runner until tearing off 140 yards on 19 carries against Purdue. IU is 4-0 when Thigpen gets 15 carries or more, and the team was 5-0 this season when it ran for 200 yards or more. Granted, the only time the production came against a team with a pulse was in the season finale over the Boilermakers, but Oklahoma State can be run on. The statistics look better than they really are because every offense fattened up on the abysmal Cowboy secondary. If IU commits to the run early, and doesn't try to hit a home run with every pass, it should be able to move the ball at will.
What will happen: Oklahoma State has the better team with more weapons, more speed and more athleticism. It also has a defense that couldn't stop you and a few friends from throwing for 300 yards. This will be like a basketball game with various momentum swings and scoring runs. Indiana will play an inspired game with its defense playing a wee bit better than OSU's, but it won't matter. The Cowboys will have too much firepower.
Line: Oklahoma State -4.5... CFN Prediction: Oklahoma State 38 ... Indiana 30</td></tr></tbody></table>
Indiana QB Kellen Lewis
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 26, 2007
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Insight Bowl Preview - Indiana vs. Oklahoma State
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Indiana (7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (6-6)
Dec. 31st, 6:00 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Get Tickets for the Insight Bowl
- 2006 CFN Insight Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Insight Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Insight Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="6" width="50%"> Oklahoma St</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="6" width="50%"> Indiana</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 9th 484.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd 393.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 103rd 446.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 68th 394.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 28th 33.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 38th 31.58 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 76th 29.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 58th 26.75 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 7th 245.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 54th 155.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 60th 153.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 61st 155.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 48th 238.25 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 49th 237.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 116th 292.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 76th 238.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 63rd -0.08[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 58th 0.00[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="101"> Oklahoma State[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] at Georgia L 35-14Fla Atlantic W 42-6
at Troy L 41-23
Texas Tech W 49-45
S Houston St W 39-3
at Tex A&M L 24-23
at Nebr. W 45-14
Kansas St W 41-39
Texas L 38-35
Kansas L 43-28
at Baylor W 52-17 at Oklahoma L 49-17</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="102"> Indiana [FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Indiana State W 55-7
at WMU W 37-27
Akron W 41-24
Illinois L 27-14
at Iowa W 38-20
Minnesota W 40-20
at Mich St L 52-27
Penn State L 36-31
at Wisconsin L 33-3
Ball State W 38-20
at Nwestern L 31-28
Purdue W 27-24</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff3300" width="33%"> OSU</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#990000" width="34%"> IU</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%">O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%">Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> The Insight Bowl might have come up with some strange matchups over the years, and tends to be a dumping ground for teams looking for a place to go, but it's managed to produce some fantastic bowl games.
Now if just someone could see it.
Last year's 44-41 Texas Tech overtime stunner over Minnesota might have been the most entertaining game of the bowl season, but on the NFL Network, and lost in the crush of a huge day of bowls, no one saw it. This year, it's part of a smorgasbord day of six games and it might get overlooked with the Sun (USF and Oregon) just ending, the Music City (Kentucky and Florida State) at halftime, and the Chick-fil-A (Clemson and Auburn) kicking in, not to mention the various New Year's Night plans that everyone will be getting ready for.
Indiana probably isn't going to give two hoots about where the game falls in the day's pecking order. This is the program's first post-season date since the 1993 Independence Bowl coming off its first winning season in 12 years. Late head coach Terry Hoeppner had a goal of a 13th game, and the players and coaches have achieved the dream with a thrilling, but uneven year.
Oklahoma State was best known this year for some coaching news of its own with the all-timer of a rant from Mike Gundy after a newspaper article about now-backup quarterback Bobby Reid. Still looking to make a Big 12 splash in the Gundy era, the Cowboys won last year's Independence Bowl over Alabama but wasn't consistent in a disappointing year.
Even with one of the most explosive offenses in America, finishing ninth with 484 yards per game and seventh in rushing averaging 246 per outing, the Cowboys were only able to pull off one remotely decent win, a 49-45 shootout over Texas Tech. There were blowout losses to Georgia and Oklahoma, a stunning 41-23 loss at Troy, and yet another late collapse to Texas. Beating Indiana wouldn't exactly make OSU's season, but in its fifth bowl games in six years, it would show the program is at least above-average.
The Hoosiers have the offensive talent to keep up the pace and make this a blast of an offensive shootout after scoring 27 points or more in ten of their 12 games. Needing a win in their final two games to secure a bowl game, a 31-28 loss to Northwestern appeared to end the dream, but an Austin Starr 49-yard field goal in the final minute beat Purdue to get them here.
It this the culmination of the rebuilding process or just the beginning for IU? A relatively young team with most of the key parts coming back (especially if WR James Hardy chooses to return for his senior season), and with head coach Bill Lynch now the full-time head man after filling in for Hoeppner this season, this could be a launching pad.
For the most part, the two teams are roughly the same as they rely on playmaking dual-threat quarterbacks and hope for their defenses to not be awful, and they can each score from anywhere on the field. So yes, even with all the choices for bowl games, and with other plans you're going to have, this will be one of the bowl games worthy of paying attention to.
Players to watch: Oklahoma State was supposed to be Bobby Reid's team, but early on, sophomore Zac Robinson proved he was the better quarterback option with dangerous running skills and an accurate arm. Despite being just a sophomore, he makes good decisions and has been great at ball security with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions throwing just two picks in the last seven games. It's possible he's just scratching the surface, originally considered a big receiver prospect and still improving as a passer. He ran for 100 yards three times this year, and OSU scored 49 (vs. Texas Tech), 41 (vs. Kansas State) and 45 (vs. Baylor), winning all three games.
Looking to pressure Robinson, or at least keep him contained, will be IU sophomore DE Greg Middleton, who led the nation with 16 sacks to go along with 50 tackles. While still a bit one dimensional, he's not all that bad against the run when he's able to use his tremendous quickness in pursuit. Forget about everything else; his worth is as a pass rusher extraordinaire, cranking out two in three of the final four games. It's possible this could be his national coming out party leading to several 2008 preseason All-America lists.
Offensively, IU is all about the combination of QB Kellen Lewis and WR James Hardy, who hooked up 74 times for 1,075 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year. At 6-7 and 220 pounds, Hardy is a matchup nightmare with a great burst on deep balls and a knack for making plays around the goal line with at least one touchdown grab in every game but one, and with 36 scores in 32 career games. Lewis has major problems with turnovers, but when he's on, he's one of the Big Ten's most explosive players with 653 rushing yards and eight touchdown runs along with 2,839 passing yards and 26 scores. While he's not all that big, he's tough as nails.
OSU's offense will revolve around Robinson, but it'll try to get senior Dantrell Savage going early. One of the Big 12's leading rushers with 1,172 yards and eight touchdowns, he ran for 100 yards of more in each of the last nine games with stunning consistency no matter who he went against. While not a power runner, he has warp speed with the ability to crank out big yards in chunks averaging 5.86 yards per carry.
Oklahoma State will win if... Kellen Lewis has an awful game. For the most part, the IU sophomore makes up for bad passing games by running well, and vice versa, but if the OSU linebackers can turn him into a pocket passer and keep him from getting to the outside on his runs, they should be able to bottle him up. The key will be generating pressure, which is much easier said then done for an OSU pass rush that doesn't show up for quarters at a time, but this isn't a strong IU offensive line and it can be run by. If the Cowboys can win the turnover battle by forcing Lewis to put it on the ground a few times, and if Robinson is the best quarterback on the field, they'll win.
Indiana will win if... it runs for 200 yards or more. It's not like IU doesn't have running back talent; it just doesn't use it enough. Junior Marcus Thigpen has been a top kick returner and has been a strong receiver, but he wasn't utilized much as a runner until tearing off 140 yards on 19 carries against Purdue. IU is 4-0 when Thigpen gets 15 carries or more, and the team was 5-0 this season when it ran for 200 yards or more. Granted, the only time the production came against a team with a pulse was in the season finale over the Boilermakers, but Oklahoma State can be run on. The statistics look better than they really are because every offense fattened up on the abysmal Cowboy secondary. If IU commits to the run early, and doesn't try to hit a home run with every pass, it should be able to move the ball at will.
What will happen: Oklahoma State has the better team with more weapons, more speed and more athleticism. It also has a defense that couldn't stop you and a few friends from throwing for 300 yards. This will be like a basketball game with various momentum swings and scoring runs. Indiana will play an inspired game with its defense playing a wee bit better than OSU's, but it won't matter. The Cowboys will have too much firepower.
Line: Oklahoma State -4.5... CFN Prediction: Oklahoma State 38 ... Indiana 30</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl - Clemson vs. Auburn </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Clemson RB James Davis
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 26, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl Preview - Clemson vs. Auburn
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Clemson (9-3) vs. Auburn (8-4) Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Get Tickets for the Chick-fil-A Bowl
- 2006 CFN Chick-fil-A Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Chick-fil-A Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
The Don't-Call-It-The-Peach-Chick-fil-A Bowl is always full of surprises, and not always for the positive when it comes to interesting games.
The last semi-meaningful sporting even of the year has recently seen a choke/collapse from Virginia Tech in last year's loss to Georgia, an LSU 40-3 blasting of Miami, and only two games decided by seven points or fewer in the last eight. It's also been a bowl of streaky trends since 1993, when it became an ACC vs. SEC matchup, with the ACC winning the first four, followed up with five in a row from the SEC, four from the ACC, and now a two-game streak for the SEC. Is Clemson the type of team that can buck the trend?
The program's last ten-win season came in 1990, and a win would end that run. Once again, the Tigers flirted with being really, really good, but a 20-17 home loss to Boston College late in the year ended and ACC title dreams, and once again, the question of consistency in the Tommy Bowden era has come up.
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="6" width="50%"> Auburn</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="6" width="50%"> Clemson</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 101st 327.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 412.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 8th 298.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 6th 297.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 82nd 24.33 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 23rd 34.17 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 6th 16.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 10th 18.33 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 56th 154.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 50th 158.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 27th 119.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 20th 112.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 107th 173.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 41st 253.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 6th 179 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 13th 184.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 0.08[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 10th 1.00[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="100"> Auburn[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Kansas St W 23-13
S Florida L 26-24 OT
Miss St L 19-14
NMSU W 55-20 at Florida W 20-17
Vanderbilt W 35-7
at Arkansas W 9-7 at LSU L 30-24
Ole Miss W 17-3
Tenn Tech W 35-3 at Georgia L 45-20
Alabama W 17-10</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="103"> Clemson[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Florida St W 24-18
UL Monroe W 49-26
Furman W 38-10
at NC State W 42-20 at Ga Tech L 13-3
Virginia Tech L 41-23
Central Mich W 70-14 at Maryland W 30-17
at Duke W 47-10
W Forest W 44-10
Boston Coll L 20-17 at S Car W 23-21</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%"> Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" width="33%"> AU</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%"> 5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" width="34%"> C</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Oh sure, on talent and athleticism alone, the Tigers can blast away on a good team like Wake Forest and stomp on a Maryland or Duke, but when it's time to show some heart, especially in tough games against nasty defenses, the team tend to go bye-bye.
Your 2007 Don't-Call-It-The-Peach-Chick-fil-A Bowl is probably going to be a tough, defensive battle. At least that's what Auburn would like.
Clemson is sixth in the nation in total defense, but it hasn't faced a who's who of great offenses, while it's strong, balanced offensive attack lost against three of the solid defenses it faced (Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Boston College). Auburn has won four of its last five bowl games and comes in with one of its best defenses in the Tommy Tuberville era. Can Clemson handle it?
Just as big a question is whether or not Tommy's Tigers (the Auburn version) has any offense to deal with a jacked up Clemson D. Auburn's offense is downright painful to watch at times, with mediocre receivers killing an already average passing game, and a decent, but not special, offensive line having a hard time consistently getting a push for the running game or protecting Brandon Cox. These are hardly the days of Jason Campbell, Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown, and to make matters more interesting, offensive coordinator Al Borges is gone and Tony Franklin is just getting his feet wet after arriving late to the show.
There won't be any high-flying, death-defying stunts from the Auburn offense. It'll be a see-ball-hit ball attack hoping the offensive line can be more physical than the Clemson defensive front, a lot of power running, and a lot of hoping the defense can control the game from the start.
Clemson's offense will simply try to outscore Auburn. Yeah, no duh, but the idea will be to get up early, keep the pressure on by getting points in any way possible, and hoping the AU Tiger attack is as mediocre as it's been all year long.
To go cliché, expect the unexpected. No one saw the 2006 Virginia Tech offense collapsing like it did against Georgia last year. No one saw LSU blowing away Miami in 2005, and there have been shocks after shocks in several other recent games. The Don't-Call-It-The-Peach-Chick-fil-A Bowl should be among the most unpredictable of the season.
Players to watch: The Auburn offense needs as many breaks as it can get, and it got a huge one when Clemson's leading tackler, LB Nick Watkins, and fourth-leading tackler, LB Tramaine Billie, will be out after not hitting the books hard enough, and junior Cortney Vincent, who's tied for sixth on the team with 54 stops, was arrested on drunk driving charges. That means, at the very least, Clemson will be going with new outside linebackers with freshman Scotty Cooper manning the strongside and sophomore Kavell Conner on the weak. Conner didn't step up this year and become the pass rusher and all-around playmaker he was expected to be, but he didn't have much of a chance with Watkins hard to get off the field. Now he'll get his shot. Cooper is a speedy prospect who'll have to prove early on the he can hold up. At only 210 pounds, he'll get beaten on by the Auburn running game.
Auburn knows all about undersized linebackers, by design, as it always likes to go with smallish, speedy tacklers who can swarm to the ball. Sophomore Tray Blackmon might have the most overall talent in the Tiger corps, but it's been 221-pound junior Chris Evans, who led the team with 63 tackles, who's been the surprise. A star in spring ball, he worked his way into more and more playing time and will combine with the 223-pound Blackmon and 219-pound Craig Stevens to try to keep the speedy Clemson running backs in check.
Offensively, the Auburn attack will revolve around running backs Brad Lester and Ben Tate, who combined for 175 yards in the win over Alabama and have been able to take more and more pressure off Brandon Cox and the passing game. Tate's the team's leading rusher with 856 yards and seven scores, but Lester is the special playmaker when he's right, tearing off 473 yards after missing most of the first half of the year.
Surprisingly, Clemson's offensive star was QB Cullen Harper, who many were ready to shove aside this offseason for superstar recruit Willy Korn, but turned out to be one of the nation's best passers. With 2.887 yards and 27 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, he was able to grow into an efficient, effective weapon who makes everyone around him better. Four of his interceptions came in the three losses, and while he won't have to carry the offense, he can't force anything against the talented Auburn secondary that was 11th in the nation in pass efficiency defense.
Clemson will win if... gets the running game going, and sticks with it. Easier said than done on a group that allows a mere 119 yards per game on the ground and hasn't given up more than 180 to anyone. However, in Auburn's four losses, the D had four of its five worst days against the run giving up 776 yards and seven touchdowns, while allowing a mere 656 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the eight wins. On the flip side, Clemson had its three worst running days of the year in its three losses, netting a mere 34 yards against Georgia Tech, eight against Virginia Tech, and 47 against Boston College. Harper might be good enough to make the attack shine, but it'll be up to James Davis and C.J. Spiller to pull off the win.
Auburn will win if... the pass rush gets going. That might seem like a given, but it's not considering Auburn was 11th in the 12 team SEC in both sacks and tackles for loss. Quentin Groves might have had a disappointing year with only three sacks, but he missed time with dislocated toes and never got the same push over the second half of the season that he had in the first. With time off to rest up, he's looking for just his second sack of the season since getting two in the opener against Kansas State. With all the attention paid to Groves, Antonio Coleman was able to step in and shine with a team-leading seven sacks, while 291-pound Sen'Derrick Marks grew into an all-around beast who often commanded double teams. The Clemson offensive line is fine, led by senior LT Barry Richardson, an almost certain first round draft pick, but pass protection has been an issue allowing 32 sacks on the year. Auburn has to hurry Harper all game long.
What will happen: The Tigers will win. The loss of the linebacking stars won't be a killer for the Clemson defense, but it certainly won't help, while the offense will have problems consistently moving the ball on an Auburn defense that should be frothing at the mouth now that it'll be as healthy as it's been all year. In his final game, Auburn QB Brandon Cox will be just efficient enough to keep the green Clemson linebackers off the line. That'll be enough to get Tate and Lester the room they need to get a few big runs here and there to get control late.
Line: Clemson -1.5... CFN Prediction: Auburn 20 ... Clemson 16</td></tr></tbody></table>
Clemson RB James Davis
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</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 26, 2007
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2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl Preview - Clemson vs. Auburn
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Clemson (9-3) vs. Auburn (8-4) Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Get Tickets for the Chick-fil-A Bowl
- 2006 CFN Chick-fil-A Bowl Preview
- WhatIfSports.com Chick-fil-A Bowl Prediction & Box Score
2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl History, Each Team's Best Bowl Moments, & More
The Don't-Call-It-The-Peach-Chick-fil-A Bowl is always full of surprises, and not always for the positive when it comes to interesting games.
The last semi-meaningful sporting even of the year has recently seen a choke/collapse from Virginia Tech in last year's loss to Georgia, an LSU 40-3 blasting of Miami, and only two games decided by seven points or fewer in the last eight. It's also been a bowl of streaky trends since 1993, when it became an ACC vs. SEC matchup, with the ACC winning the first four, followed up with five in a row from the SEC, four from the ACC, and now a two-game streak for the SEC. Is Clemson the type of team that can buck the trend?
The program's last ten-win season came in 1990, and a win would end that run. Once again, the Tigers flirted with being really, really good, but a 20-17 home loss to Boston College late in the year ended and ACC title dreams, and once again, the question of consistency in the Tommy Bowden era has come up.
<table id="table8" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="6" height="83" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" width="100%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" border="0" width="213"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="206"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" width="206"> <table id="table10" border="0" height="139" width="205"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="6" width="50%"> Auburn</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="6" width="50%"> Clemson</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="6" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 101st 327.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 412.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 8th 298.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="11" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 6th 297.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 82nd 24.33 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 23rd 34.17 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 6th 16.67 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 10th 18.33 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 56th 154.17 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="5" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 50th 158.83 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 27th 119.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="16" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 20th 112.33 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 107th 173.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 41st 253.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 6th 179 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 13th 184.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" height="16" width="100%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 47th 0.08[/FONT]</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" height="1" width="50%"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 10th 1.00[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="100"> Auburn[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Kansas St W 23-13S Florida L 26-24 OT
Miss St L 19-14
NMSU W 55-20 at Florida W 20-17
Vanderbilt W 35-7
at Arkansas W 9-7 at LSU L 30-24
Ole Miss W 17-3
Tenn Tech W 35-3 at Georgia L 45-20
Alabama W 17-10</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="103"> Clemson[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] Florida St W 24-18
UL Monroe W 49-26
Furman W 38-10
at NC State W 42-20 at Ga Tech L 13-3
Virginia Tech L 41-23
Central Mich W 70-14 at Maryland W 30-17
at Duke W 47-10
W Forest W 44-10
Boston Coll L 20-17 at S Car W 23-21</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" width="100%"> Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080" width="33%"> AU</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000000" width="33%"> 5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ff6600" width="34%"> C</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Quarterbacks</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> RBs</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 2</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Receivers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 3</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> O Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> D Line</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4.5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Linebackers</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 2.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 5</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Secondary</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Spec Teams</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%"> 4</td> <td align="center" width="33%"> Coaching</td> <td align="center" width="34%"> 3.5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Oh sure, on talent and athleticism alone, the Tigers can blast away on a good team like Wake Forest and stomp on a Maryland or Duke, but when it's time to show some heart, especially in tough games against nasty defenses, the team tend to go bye-bye.
Your 2007 Don't-Call-It-The-Peach-Chick-fil-A Bowl is probably going to be a tough, defensive battle. At least that's what Auburn would like.
Clemson is sixth in the nation in total defense, but it hasn't faced a who's who of great offenses, while it's strong, balanced offensive attack lost against three of the solid defenses it faced (Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Boston College). Auburn has won four of its last five bowl games and comes in with one of its best defenses in the Tommy Tuberville era. Can Clemson handle it?
Just as big a question is whether or not Tommy's Tigers (the Auburn version) has any offense to deal with a jacked up Clemson D. Auburn's offense is downright painful to watch at times, with mediocre receivers killing an already average passing game, and a decent, but not special, offensive line having a hard time consistently getting a push for the running game or protecting Brandon Cox. These are hardly the days of Jason Campbell, Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown, and to make matters more interesting, offensive coordinator Al Borges is gone and Tony Franklin is just getting his feet wet after arriving late to the show.
There won't be any high-flying, death-defying stunts from the Auburn offense. It'll be a see-ball-hit ball attack hoping the offensive line can be more physical than the Clemson defensive front, a lot of power running, and a lot of hoping the defense can control the game from the start.
Clemson's offense will simply try to outscore Auburn. Yeah, no duh, but the idea will be to get up early, keep the pressure on by getting points in any way possible, and hoping the AU Tiger attack is as mediocre as it's been all year long.
To go cliché, expect the unexpected. No one saw the 2006 Virginia Tech offense collapsing like it did against Georgia last year. No one saw LSU blowing away Miami in 2005, and there have been shocks after shocks in several other recent games. The Don't-Call-It-The-Peach-Chick-fil-A Bowl should be among the most unpredictable of the season.
Players to watch: The Auburn offense needs as many breaks as it can get, and it got a huge one when Clemson's leading tackler, LB Nick Watkins, and fourth-leading tackler, LB Tramaine Billie, will be out after not hitting the books hard enough, and junior Cortney Vincent, who's tied for sixth on the team with 54 stops, was arrested on drunk driving charges. That means, at the very least, Clemson will be going with new outside linebackers with freshman Scotty Cooper manning the strongside and sophomore Kavell Conner on the weak. Conner didn't step up this year and become the pass rusher and all-around playmaker he was expected to be, but he didn't have much of a chance with Watkins hard to get off the field. Now he'll get his shot. Cooper is a speedy prospect who'll have to prove early on the he can hold up. At only 210 pounds, he'll get beaten on by the Auburn running game.
Auburn knows all about undersized linebackers, by design, as it always likes to go with smallish, speedy tacklers who can swarm to the ball. Sophomore Tray Blackmon might have the most overall talent in the Tiger corps, but it's been 221-pound junior Chris Evans, who led the team with 63 tackles, who's been the surprise. A star in spring ball, he worked his way into more and more playing time and will combine with the 223-pound Blackmon and 219-pound Craig Stevens to try to keep the speedy Clemson running backs in check.
Offensively, the Auburn attack will revolve around running backs Brad Lester and Ben Tate, who combined for 175 yards in the win over Alabama and have been able to take more and more pressure off Brandon Cox and the passing game. Tate's the team's leading rusher with 856 yards and seven scores, but Lester is the special playmaker when he's right, tearing off 473 yards after missing most of the first half of the year.
Surprisingly, Clemson's offensive star was QB Cullen Harper, who many were ready to shove aside this offseason for superstar recruit Willy Korn, but turned out to be one of the nation's best passers. With 2.887 yards and 27 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, he was able to grow into an efficient, effective weapon who makes everyone around him better. Four of his interceptions came in the three losses, and while he won't have to carry the offense, he can't force anything against the talented Auburn secondary that was 11th in the nation in pass efficiency defense.
Clemson will win if... gets the running game going, and sticks with it. Easier said than done on a group that allows a mere 119 yards per game on the ground and hasn't given up more than 180 to anyone. However, in Auburn's four losses, the D had four of its five worst days against the run giving up 776 yards and seven touchdowns, while allowing a mere 656 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the eight wins. On the flip side, Clemson had its three worst running days of the year in its three losses, netting a mere 34 yards against Georgia Tech, eight against Virginia Tech, and 47 against Boston College. Harper might be good enough to make the attack shine, but it'll be up to James Davis and C.J. Spiller to pull off the win.
Auburn will win if... the pass rush gets going. That might seem like a given, but it's not considering Auburn was 11th in the 12 team SEC in both sacks and tackles for loss. Quentin Groves might have had a disappointing year with only three sacks, but he missed time with dislocated toes and never got the same push over the second half of the season that he had in the first. With time off to rest up, he's looking for just his second sack of the season since getting two in the opener against Kansas State. With all the attention paid to Groves, Antonio Coleman was able to step in and shine with a team-leading seven sacks, while 291-pound Sen'Derrick Marks grew into an all-around beast who often commanded double teams. The Clemson offensive line is fine, led by senior LT Barry Richardson, an almost certain first round draft pick, but pass protection has been an issue allowing 32 sacks on the year. Auburn has to hurry Harper all game long.
What will happen: The Tigers will win. The loss of the linebacking stars won't be a killer for the Clemson defense, but it certainly won't help, while the offense will have problems consistently moving the ball on an Auburn defense that should be frothing at the mouth now that it'll be as healthy as it's been all year. In his final game, Auburn QB Brandon Cox will be just efficient enough to keep the green Clemson linebackers off the line. That'll be enough to get Tate and Lester the room they need to get a few big runs here and there to get control late.
Line: Clemson -1.5... CFN Prediction: Auburn 20 ... Clemson 16</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="554"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="topper">Bowl Breakdown: Music City</td></tr><tr><td class="logo">
</td><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="matchup">Kentucky (7-5) vs. Florida State (7-5)</td></tr><tr><td class="gametime">Dec. 31, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)</td></tr><tr><td class="location">LP Field (68,798)
Nashville</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
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SI.com's Bill Trocchi analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Kentucky
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After Kentucky knocked off No. 1 LSU in October, QB Andre Woodson was a leading Heisman candidate. But the Wildcats have gone 1-4 since.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
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<noscript>
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnstoryclpad">
</td></tr></tbody></table>The Wildcats put together a perfect September and stood 6-1 after beating top-ranked LSU on Oct. 13. Since then, however, UK is 1-4 with its lone win a 27-20 victory over Vanderbilt. Quarterback Andre Woodson will be the third elite quarterback Florida State has faced this year, after Boston College's Matt Ryan and Florida's Tim Tebow. Woodson has a slow release and can be pressured (Kentucky allowed the most sacks in the SEC), but he has great accuracy and a strong arm -- two traits that will get him a shot in the NFL. Running back Rafael Little has not been the same since suffering a midseason thigh injury. When healthy, he is dangerous catching passes out of the backfield for the SEC's top passing offense.
Kentucky's run defense has been a weakness all season. The Wildcats gave up an average of 190 yards on the ground, including 338 to Arkansas. Most teams tried to keep the ball on the ground because of Kentucky's lack of run-stoppers and to keep Woodson off the field. Linebacker Wesley Woodyard the player to watch -- the senior was named first-team All-SEC for the second straight year and led the league in tackles with 124.
Breaking down Florida State
Florida State will be without 16 players from its two-deep, including defensive stalwarts Dekoda Watson and Patrick Robinson. A majority of the players were caught in a cheating scandal, though some are injured or are facing some other discipline.
Quarterback Drew Weatherford has been much maligned, but say this about the junior: he doesn't throw interceptions. Weatherford has thrown 234 straight passes without a pick and has just one on the season. With the offense struggling, he was replaced by Xavier Lee in Week 4 against Alabama, but Weatherford won the job back four weeks later and has held onto it. Lee will not travel for the bowl game. Florida State's ground game continues to be an issue, as the 'Noles ranked 96th in the nation with 121 rushing yards per game.
Linebacker Geno Hayes is 14th in the nation in tackles for loss and is the lone All-ACC selection on a thin Seminoles D. FSU was fairly stout against the run, but Kentucky will likely attack through the air with Woodson, especially with Robinson gone. Robinson was third in the nation in interceptions with six.
Final analysis
Florida State has been down for a few years, and now they are missing a big chunk of their first- and second-stringers. There will likely be a decidedly blue crowd in Nashville, and Woodson and the Wildcats will not disappoint.
The pick: Kentucky 38, Florida State 20
Nashville</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
SI.com's Bill Trocchi analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Kentucky
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After Kentucky knocked off No. 1 LSU in October, QB Andre Woodson was a leading Heisman candidate. But the Wildcats have gone 1-4 since.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
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</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td></tr></tbody></table>The Wildcats put together a perfect September and stood 6-1 after beating top-ranked LSU on Oct. 13. Since then, however, UK is 1-4 with its lone win a 27-20 victory over Vanderbilt. Quarterback Andre Woodson will be the third elite quarterback Florida State has faced this year, after Boston College's Matt Ryan and Florida's Tim Tebow. Woodson has a slow release and can be pressured (Kentucky allowed the most sacks in the SEC), but he has great accuracy and a strong arm -- two traits that will get him a shot in the NFL. Running back Rafael Little has not been the same since suffering a midseason thigh injury. When healthy, he is dangerous catching passes out of the backfield for the SEC's top passing offense.
Kentucky's run defense has been a weakness all season. The Wildcats gave up an average of 190 yards on the ground, including 338 to Arkansas. Most teams tried to keep the ball on the ground because of Kentucky's lack of run-stoppers and to keep Woodson off the field. Linebacker Wesley Woodyard the player to watch -- the senior was named first-team All-SEC for the second straight year and led the league in tackles with 124.
Breaking down Florida State
Florida State will be without 16 players from its two-deep, including defensive stalwarts Dekoda Watson and Patrick Robinson. A majority of the players were caught in a cheating scandal, though some are injured or are facing some other discipline.
Quarterback Drew Weatherford has been much maligned, but say this about the junior: he doesn't throw interceptions. Weatherford has thrown 234 straight passes without a pick and has just one on the season. With the offense struggling, he was replaced by Xavier Lee in Week 4 against Alabama, but Weatherford won the job back four weeks later and has held onto it. Lee will not travel for the bowl game. Florida State's ground game continues to be an issue, as the 'Noles ranked 96th in the nation with 121 rushing yards per game.
Linebacker Geno Hayes is 14th in the nation in tackles for loss and is the lone All-ACC selection on a thin Seminoles D. FSU was fairly stout against the run, but Kentucky will likely attack through the air with Woodson, especially with Robinson gone. Robinson was third in the nation in interceptions with six.
Final analysis
Florida State has been down for a few years, and now they are missing a big chunk of their first- and second-stringers. There will likely be a decidedly blue crowd in Nashville, and Woodson and the Wildcats will not disappoint.
The pick: Kentucky 38, Florida State 20
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="554"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="topper">Bowl Breakdown: Insight</td></tr><tr><td class="logo">
</td><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="matchup">Indiana (7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (6-6)</td></tr><tr><td class="gametime">5:30 p.m. (NFL Network)</td></tr><tr><td class="location">Sun Devil Stadium (73,379)
Tempe, Ariz.</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
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SI.com's Luke Winn breaks down the matchup.
Breaking Down Indiana
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James Hardy will be a huge target for Kellen Lewis against the Cowboys' porous defense.
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad">
<noscript>
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnstoryclpad">
</td></tr></tbody></table>Even though the Hoosiers won just two of their final six games, and have beaten only two bowl teams (Ball State and Purdue), they still possess enough dangerous weapons on offense to put up a fight in Tempe. Oklahoma State will be most concerned with slowing down junior wideout James Hardy, a 6-foot-7 target who caught 74 passes for 1,075 yards and 16 touchdowns. Hardy ranked third in the Big Ten in both receiving yards and receptions, and reached the end zone in all but one contest this season -- against Wisconsin on Oct. 27. Sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis is a dual threat who threw for 2,839 yards and 26 touchdowns, and ran for 653 yards and eight more scores. Lewis, unfortunately, was Indiana's leading rusher; tailback Marcus Thigpen had only 512 yards on the season.
Sophomore defensive end Greg Middleton led the nation in sacks with 16, including 2.5 in the Hoosiers' upset of Purdue to close the regular season. Despite Middleton's ability to wreak havoc in the backfield, Indiana wasn't particularly adept as a team at stopping the pass, ranking eighth in the Big Ten in pass-efficiency defense. Cornerback Tracy Porter was the bright spot in the secondary, ranking second in the Big Ten with six interceptions. The Hoosiers were gashed on multiple occasions by high-quality running games, giving up 288 rushing yards to Illinois, 368 to Michigan State and 279 to Wisconsin.
Breaking Down Oklahoma State
Bad news for Indiana's porous run D: The Cowboys own the No. 7-ranked rushing attack in the country, averaging 245.8 yards per game. Senior tailback Dantrell Savage is the workhorse; he gained 1,172 yards on the season and broke the 100-yard mark in all of state's Big 12 games. Sophomore quarterback Zac Robinson is just as versatile as the Hoosiers' Lewis: Robinson ran for 777 yards and seven TDs, as well as passed for 2,522 yards and 20 more scores. The return of senior wideout Adarius Bowman, who had 932 receiving yards and seven TDs before missing the Cowboys' final two regular-season games with a knee injury, will enhance their air attack.
The reason State only won six games, despite having such a powerful offense, was simple: its defense was atrocious. The Cowboys ranked 103rd in the nation in total D, allowing 446.7 yards per game, and were especially poor against the pass, ranking 116th in passing yards allowed per game (292.8). In a game against Texas Tech that State won, 49-45, it allowed an absurd 646 yards through the air. The Cowboys intercepted just 12 balls on the season; five of those picks were made by junior corner Jacob Lacey.
Final Analysis
Neither the Hoosiers nor the Cowboys have the D to keep the other under 30 points, a situation that should at least give fans a few entertaining hours of television before they head out to celebrate New Year's Eve. As much as the Hoosiers have struggled down the stretch, they seem somewhat like a team of destiny in the postseason. Indiana played the 2007 season in honor of its former head coach, Terry Hoeppner, who passed away in June from brain cancer at the age of 59. His mantra for this year, "Play 13," referenced Indiana's quest to earn its first bowl bid in 14 seasons. Now that the Hoosiers have reached that goal, don't expect them to take it for granted. Lewis will connect with Hardy and emerging sophomore wideout Ray Fisher enough times to outlast the Cowboys' relentless running game.
The Pick: Indiana 35, Oklahoma State 34
Tempe, Ariz.</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
SI.com's Luke Winn breaks down the matchup.
Breaking Down Indiana
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
James Hardy will be a huge target for Kellen Lewis against the Cowboys' porous defense.
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td></tr></tbody></table>Even though the Hoosiers won just two of their final six games, and have beaten only two bowl teams (Ball State and Purdue), they still possess enough dangerous weapons on offense to put up a fight in Tempe. Oklahoma State will be most concerned with slowing down junior wideout James Hardy, a 6-foot-7 target who caught 74 passes for 1,075 yards and 16 touchdowns. Hardy ranked third in the Big Ten in both receiving yards and receptions, and reached the end zone in all but one contest this season -- against Wisconsin on Oct. 27. Sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis is a dual threat who threw for 2,839 yards and 26 touchdowns, and ran for 653 yards and eight more scores. Lewis, unfortunately, was Indiana's leading rusher; tailback Marcus Thigpen had only 512 yards on the season.
Sophomore defensive end Greg Middleton led the nation in sacks with 16, including 2.5 in the Hoosiers' upset of Purdue to close the regular season. Despite Middleton's ability to wreak havoc in the backfield, Indiana wasn't particularly adept as a team at stopping the pass, ranking eighth in the Big Ten in pass-efficiency defense. Cornerback Tracy Porter was the bright spot in the secondary, ranking second in the Big Ten with six interceptions. The Hoosiers were gashed on multiple occasions by high-quality running games, giving up 288 rushing yards to Illinois, 368 to Michigan State and 279 to Wisconsin.
Breaking Down Oklahoma State
Bad news for Indiana's porous run D: The Cowboys own the No. 7-ranked rushing attack in the country, averaging 245.8 yards per game. Senior tailback Dantrell Savage is the workhorse; he gained 1,172 yards on the season and broke the 100-yard mark in all of state's Big 12 games. Sophomore quarterback Zac Robinson is just as versatile as the Hoosiers' Lewis: Robinson ran for 777 yards and seven TDs, as well as passed for 2,522 yards and 20 more scores. The return of senior wideout Adarius Bowman, who had 932 receiving yards and seven TDs before missing the Cowboys' final two regular-season games with a knee injury, will enhance their air attack.
The reason State only won six games, despite having such a powerful offense, was simple: its defense was atrocious. The Cowboys ranked 103rd in the nation in total D, allowing 446.7 yards per game, and were especially poor against the pass, ranking 116th in passing yards allowed per game (292.8). In a game against Texas Tech that State won, 49-45, it allowed an absurd 646 yards through the air. The Cowboys intercepted just 12 balls on the season; five of those picks were made by junior corner Jacob Lacey.
Final Analysis
Neither the Hoosiers nor the Cowboys have the D to keep the other under 30 points, a situation that should at least give fans a few entertaining hours of television before they head out to celebrate New Year's Eve. As much as the Hoosiers have struggled down the stretch, they seem somewhat like a team of destiny in the postseason. Indiana played the 2007 season in honor of its former head coach, Terry Hoeppner, who passed away in June from brain cancer at the age of 59. His mantra for this year, "Play 13," referenced Indiana's quest to earn its first bowl bid in 14 seasons. Now that the Hoosiers have reached that goal, don't expect them to take it for granted. Lewis will connect with Hardy and emerging sophomore wideout Ray Fisher enough times to outlast the Cowboys' relentless running game.
The Pick: Indiana 35, Oklahoma State 34
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="554"><tbody><tr><td class="topper" colspan="3">Bowl Breakdown: Armed Forces</td></tr><tr><td class="logo">
</td><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="matchup">Cal (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)</td></tr><tr><td class="gametime">Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)</td></tr><tr><td class="location">Amon G. Carter Stadium (44,008)
Fort Worth, Texas</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
SI.com's Gennaro Filice analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Cal
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad" width="100%">
It's been an upsetting season for Cal and one-time Heisman candidate DeSean Jackson.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad">
<noscript>
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnstoryclpad">
</td></tr></tbody></table>No team had a more radical rise and fall than Cal. The Golden Bears started the season with five straight wins and jumped up to No. 2 in the nation, but they lost six out of their last seven (including a 20-13 defeat to Stanford in the Big Game) and barely made it to a bowl. One of the biggest reasons for Cal's collapse was the erratic play of QB Nate Longshore. After the painful regular season ended, it was revealed that Longshore had chipped a bone in his right ankle against Oregon, which would help explain the 11 interceptions over his last six games.
Longshore wasn't the only Golden Bear to suffer through a disappointing junior campaign. Wideout/kick returner DeSean Jackson came into the year as a top Heisman candidate and a spectacular, 77-yard punt return touchdown in the season-opener against Tennessee increased the hype even more. But Jackson struggled mightily with consistency and completely disappeared in a number of games. Cal's most consistent offensive threat was RB Justin Forsett, who rushed for 1,406 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Cal's defense has been mediocre at best. The Golden Bears' main problem is an ineffective defensive line. Ranking 109th in tackles for loss, Cal's front four rarely controls the trenches. The Bears boast a pair of playmakers at the next two levels of the defense: LB Zack Follett and FS Thomas DeCoud.
Breaking down Air Force
Following last season's 4-8 finish, legendary coach Fisher DeBerry stepped down after 23 years. Air Force hired Troy Calhoun -- making him the first former player to lead the Falcons -- and athletic director Hans Mueh gave him a ringing endorsement: "I think Troy is going to reinstall the kind of fire and passion that has been missing over the past couple of years," he said." Mueh wasn't kidding. Even though nobody expected much from this year's team, Calhoun guided Air Force to a 9-3 finish and was named Mountain West Coach of the Year.
Much like the prolific DeBerry teams of the past, Calhoun's Falcons feature an efficient ground game. The focal point of the offense is senior RB/WR Chad Hall. The Mountain West Offensive Player of the year rushed for 1,415 and 14 touchdowns and also led the Falcons with 46 catches for 488 yards. Four-year starting QB Shaun Carney runs Calhoun's no-huddle offense with notable aplomb.
Air Force employs an aggressive, blitz-happy 3-4 defense and yields just 19.3 points per game (18th nationally). Outside linebacker John Rabold is the unquestioned leader of the defense. The first-team All-MWC performer led the conference in tackles for loss (16.5). CB Carson Bird led the conference with six interceptions.
Final analysis
These two teams couldn't be more different. The underachieving Golden Bears can't be too excited spending their New Year's Eve in Fort Worth. On the other hand, the overachieving Falcons are taking part in their first bowl since 2002. Cal's front four could have problems against Air Force, which boasts the second-highest rushing average in the nation (298.5 yards per game)
The pick: Air Force 30, Cal 27
Fort Worth, Texas</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
SI.com's Gennaro Filice analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Cal
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
It's been an upsetting season for Cal and one-time Heisman candidate DeSean Jackson.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td></tr></tbody></table>No team had a more radical rise and fall than Cal. The Golden Bears started the season with five straight wins and jumped up to No. 2 in the nation, but they lost six out of their last seven (including a 20-13 defeat to Stanford in the Big Game) and barely made it to a bowl. One of the biggest reasons for Cal's collapse was the erratic play of QB Nate Longshore. After the painful regular season ended, it was revealed that Longshore had chipped a bone in his right ankle against Oregon, which would help explain the 11 interceptions over his last six games.
Longshore wasn't the only Golden Bear to suffer through a disappointing junior campaign. Wideout/kick returner DeSean Jackson came into the year as a top Heisman candidate and a spectacular, 77-yard punt return touchdown in the season-opener against Tennessee increased the hype even more. But Jackson struggled mightily with consistency and completely disappeared in a number of games. Cal's most consistent offensive threat was RB Justin Forsett, who rushed for 1,406 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Cal's defense has been mediocre at best. The Golden Bears' main problem is an ineffective defensive line. Ranking 109th in tackles for loss, Cal's front four rarely controls the trenches. The Bears boast a pair of playmakers at the next two levels of the defense: LB Zack Follett and FS Thomas DeCoud.
Breaking down Air Force
Following last season's 4-8 finish, legendary coach Fisher DeBerry stepped down after 23 years. Air Force hired Troy Calhoun -- making him the first former player to lead the Falcons -- and athletic director Hans Mueh gave him a ringing endorsement: "I think Troy is going to reinstall the kind of fire and passion that has been missing over the past couple of years," he said." Mueh wasn't kidding. Even though nobody expected much from this year's team, Calhoun guided Air Force to a 9-3 finish and was named Mountain West Coach of the Year.
Much like the prolific DeBerry teams of the past, Calhoun's Falcons feature an efficient ground game. The focal point of the offense is senior RB/WR Chad Hall. The Mountain West Offensive Player of the year rushed for 1,415 and 14 touchdowns and also led the Falcons with 46 catches for 488 yards. Four-year starting QB Shaun Carney runs Calhoun's no-huddle offense with notable aplomb.
Air Force employs an aggressive, blitz-happy 3-4 defense and yields just 19.3 points per game (18th nationally). Outside linebacker John Rabold is the unquestioned leader of the defense. The first-team All-MWC performer led the conference in tackles for loss (16.5). CB Carson Bird led the conference with six interceptions.
Final analysis
These two teams couldn't be more different. The underachieving Golden Bears can't be too excited spending their New Year's Eve in Fort Worth. On the other hand, the overachieving Falcons are taking part in their first bowl since 2002. Cal's front four could have problems against Air Force, which boasts the second-highest rushing average in the nation (298.5 yards per game)
The pick: Air Force 30, Cal 27
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="554"><tbody><tr><td class="topper" colspan="3">Bowl Breakdown: Sun</td></tr><tr><td class="logo">
</td><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="matchup">Oregon (8-4) vs. No. 23 USF (9-3)</td></tr><tr><td class="gametime">Dec. 31, 2 p.m. ET (CBS)</td></tr><tr><td class="location">Sun Bowl Stadium (50,426)
El Paso, Tex.</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
SI.com's Bill Trocchi analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Oregon
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad" width="100%">
With Oregon's quarterback situation in disarray, RB Jonathan Stewart will have to put the Ducks' offense on his back against USF.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad">
<noscript>
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnstoryclpad">
</td></tr></tbody></table>Has a single play ever marked the turning point of a season more than Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon going down with a knee injury against Arizona in the first quarter of the Ducks' 10th game? Oregon was 8-1 at the time, ranked No. 2 and just three wins against unranked teams away from the national championship game. Dixon led the Ducks to an early 8-7 lead against Arizona, then his knee gave out. Oregon kicked a field goal two plays later to take an 11-7 lead, but it was all downhill from there. Arizona rallied to win 34-24, then UCLA shut out the Ducks 16-0 before Oregon State beat Oregon 38-31 in overtime. Backup QB Brady Leaf was lost for the season against UCLA, so Oregon is trying to decide between Justin Roper and Cody Kempt for this game against a tough South Florida D.
With uncertainty at quarterback, running back Jonathan Stewart's role becomes larger. The junior had 39 carries in the regular-season finale and has 1,469 rushing yards on the season. He's eclipsed the 100-yard barrier eight times, including a 251-yard outburst against Washington.
Defensively, Oregon is vulnerable against the pass (250 yards per game), but Nick Reed led the Pac-10 in sacks with 12. Rover Patrick Chung led the team in tackles and was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection.
Breaking down USF
The Bulls are another team that once was in the driver's seat for a shot at the national championship. South Florida was No. 2 in the BCS rankings on Oct. 18 with its two toughest games -- Auburn and West Virginia -- already behind it. But USF lost to Rutgers, then UConn and Cincinnati, ruining any hopes of a major bowl. A three-game win streak helped salvage the year, and now the Bulls have a shot at 10 wins for the first time in its six-year I-A history.
Quarterback Matt Grothe has had a great two years in Tampa, piling up yards on the ground and through the air. The sophomore ran for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns and threw for 2,473 with 13 TD passes. He did toss 12 interceptions, with seven coming during the three-game losing streak.
South Florida's defense has plenty of speed and led the nation with 40 forced turnovers. Whoever plays quarterback for Oregon will have his hands full against this defense. And he'll likely become closely acquainted with sophomore defensive end George Selvie, who set an NCAA record in tackles for loss (31.5) and was second in the nation second in sacks (14.5).
Final analysis
Oregon showed some life against Oregon State, but its season has taken such a nosedive since Dixon's injury, it is hard to see the Ducks regrouping against a talented USF team. Grothe will be able to move the ball against Oregon, and the Bulls' defense will make big plays against an inexperienced quarterback. This battle of former No. 2s will go to the Bulls.
The pick: USF 31, Oregon 17
El Paso, Tex.</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
SI.com's Bill Trocchi analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Oregon
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
With Oregon's quarterback situation in disarray, RB Jonathan Stewart will have to put the Ducks' offense on his back against USF.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td></tr></tbody></table>Has a single play ever marked the turning point of a season more than Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon going down with a knee injury against Arizona in the first quarter of the Ducks' 10th game? Oregon was 8-1 at the time, ranked No. 2 and just three wins against unranked teams away from the national championship game. Dixon led the Ducks to an early 8-7 lead against Arizona, then his knee gave out. Oregon kicked a field goal two plays later to take an 11-7 lead, but it was all downhill from there. Arizona rallied to win 34-24, then UCLA shut out the Ducks 16-0 before Oregon State beat Oregon 38-31 in overtime. Backup QB Brady Leaf was lost for the season against UCLA, so Oregon is trying to decide between Justin Roper and Cody Kempt for this game against a tough South Florida D.
With uncertainty at quarterback, running back Jonathan Stewart's role becomes larger. The junior had 39 carries in the regular-season finale and has 1,469 rushing yards on the season. He's eclipsed the 100-yard barrier eight times, including a 251-yard outburst against Washington.
Defensively, Oregon is vulnerable against the pass (250 yards per game), but Nick Reed led the Pac-10 in sacks with 12. Rover Patrick Chung led the team in tackles and was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection.
Breaking down USF
The Bulls are another team that once was in the driver's seat for a shot at the national championship. South Florida was No. 2 in the BCS rankings on Oct. 18 with its two toughest games -- Auburn and West Virginia -- already behind it. But USF lost to Rutgers, then UConn and Cincinnati, ruining any hopes of a major bowl. A three-game win streak helped salvage the year, and now the Bulls have a shot at 10 wins for the first time in its six-year I-A history.
Quarterback Matt Grothe has had a great two years in Tampa, piling up yards on the ground and through the air. The sophomore ran for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns and threw for 2,473 with 13 TD passes. He did toss 12 interceptions, with seven coming during the three-game losing streak.
South Florida's defense has plenty of speed and led the nation with 40 forced turnovers. Whoever plays quarterback for Oregon will have his hands full against this defense. And he'll likely become closely acquainted with sophomore defensive end George Selvie, who set an NCAA record in tackles for loss (31.5) and was second in the nation second in sacks (14.5).
Final analysis
Oregon showed some life against Oregon State, but its season has taken such a nosedive since Dixon's injury, it is hard to see the Ducks regrouping against a talented USF team. Grothe will be able to move the ball against Oregon, and the Bulls' defense will make big plays against an inexperienced quarterback. This battle of former No. 2s will go to the Bulls.
The pick: USF 31, Oregon 17
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="554"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="topper">Bowl Breakdown: Humanitarian</td></tr><tr><td class="logo">
</td><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="matchup">Georgia Tech (7-5) vs. Fresno State (8-4)</td></tr><tr><td class="gametime">Dec. 31, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN2)</td></tr><tr><td class="location">Broncos Stadium (30,000)
Boise, Idaho</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
SI.com's Bill Trocchi analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Georgia Tech
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad" width="100%">
Georgia Tech star Tashard Choice has eclipsed 1,300 yards rushing in each of the past two seasons.
Richard C. Lewis/Icon SMI
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnimgadpad">
<noscript>
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td><td class="cnnstoryclpad">
</td></tr></tbody></table>Georgia Tech was expected to improve offensively this season despite the loss of all-world wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Quarterback Taylor Bennett and running back Tashard Choice were poised to lead the attack, and both were productive. Bennett did not quite live up to expectations, but still managed to throw for over 2,000 yards. Choice hurt his knee midway through the season, but missed just one game and averaged 149 yards after his return. With a month off before the bowl game, Choice should be ready to carry a big share of the offensive load. It doesn't hurt that he's running behind first-team All-ACC tackle Andrew Gardner and second-team All-ACC center Kevin Tuminello.
Defensively, Jon Tenuta's group is nasty. The Yellow Jackets led the nation with 48 sacks and were second in tackles for loss, thanks to a blitz-heavy scheme that takes advantage of a talented front seven. Vance Walker had 8.5 sacks from his defensive tackle spot, earning him first-team All-ACC honors. Defensive end Darrell Robertson also brings plenty of pressure. Rangy linebacker Phillip Wheeler led the team in tackles and also had six sacks. Tech held five teams to 14 points or less and allowed just one (Georgia) more than 30.
Breaking down Fresno State
Fresno State enjoyed a bounceback season after going 4-8 a year ago. All four of the Bulldogs' losses were to quality teams -- Hawaii, Boise State, Texas A&M and Oregon. Fresno State is one of the most balanced teams in the nation, averaging 205 yards rushing and 202 yards passing per game, but running back Ryan Matthews will likely miss the game due to an injury in the season-finale against New Mexico State. That will leave the running game in the hands of Clifton Smith, who was voted team MVP. Quarterback Tom Brandstater completed 61 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Fresno State was 86th against the run, which does not bode well when facing a healthy Choice. The Bulldogs do generate a decent pass rush, led by All-WAC defensive end Tyler Clutts. Linebacker Marcus Riley was voted WAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the WAC in tackles for loss and forcing four turnovers. Fresno State is strong in both the kickoff and punt return games, ranking in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
Final analysis
Neither team figures to be sky-high for this matchup. Fresno State was hoping for a trip to Hawaii rather than Boise, while Georgia Tech's players will be trying to get over the firing of coach Chan Gailey. The Jackets could go one of two ways -- they may feel inspired to show new coach Paul Johnson what they can do, or they may finish off a disappointing season in poor weather against a non-BCS opponent. Fresno State whipped Georgia Tech in the Silicon Valley Classic in 2002. The Yellow Jackets revenge this year.
The pick: Georgia Tech 29, Fresno State 17
Boise, Idaho</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
SI.com's Bill Trocchi analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Georgia Tech
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
Georgia Tech star Tashard Choice has eclipsed 1,300 yards rushing in each of the past two seasons.
Richard C. Lewis/Icon SMI
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td></tr></tbody></table>Georgia Tech was expected to improve offensively this season despite the loss of all-world wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Quarterback Taylor Bennett and running back Tashard Choice were poised to lead the attack, and both were productive. Bennett did not quite live up to expectations, but still managed to throw for over 2,000 yards. Choice hurt his knee midway through the season, but missed just one game and averaged 149 yards after his return. With a month off before the bowl game, Choice should be ready to carry a big share of the offensive load. It doesn't hurt that he's running behind first-team All-ACC tackle Andrew Gardner and second-team All-ACC center Kevin Tuminello.
Defensively, Jon Tenuta's group is nasty. The Yellow Jackets led the nation with 48 sacks and were second in tackles for loss, thanks to a blitz-heavy scheme that takes advantage of a talented front seven. Vance Walker had 8.5 sacks from his defensive tackle spot, earning him first-team All-ACC honors. Defensive end Darrell Robertson also brings plenty of pressure. Rangy linebacker Phillip Wheeler led the team in tackles and also had six sacks. Tech held five teams to 14 points or less and allowed just one (Georgia) more than 30.
Breaking down Fresno State
Fresno State enjoyed a bounceback season after going 4-8 a year ago. All four of the Bulldogs' losses were to quality teams -- Hawaii, Boise State, Texas A&M and Oregon. Fresno State is one of the most balanced teams in the nation, averaging 205 yards rushing and 202 yards passing per game, but running back Ryan Matthews will likely miss the game due to an injury in the season-finale against New Mexico State. That will leave the running game in the hands of Clifton Smith, who was voted team MVP. Quarterback Tom Brandstater completed 61 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Fresno State was 86th against the run, which does not bode well when facing a healthy Choice. The Bulldogs do generate a decent pass rush, led by All-WAC defensive end Tyler Clutts. Linebacker Marcus Riley was voted WAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the WAC in tackles for loss and forcing four turnovers. Fresno State is strong in both the kickoff and punt return games, ranking in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
Final analysis
Neither team figures to be sky-high for this matchup. Fresno State was hoping for a trip to Hawaii rather than Boise, while Georgia Tech's players will be trying to get over the firing of coach Chan Gailey. The Jackets could go one of two ways -- they may feel inspired to show new coach Paul Johnson what they can do, or they may finish off a disappointing season in poor weather against a non-BCS opponent. Fresno State whipped Georgia Tech in the Silicon Valley Classic in 2002. The Yellow Jackets revenge this year.
The pick: Georgia Tech 29, Fresno State 17
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="554"><tbody><tr><td class="topper" colspan="3">Bowl Breakdown: Chick-fil-A</td></tr><tr><td class="logo">
</td><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="matchup">No. 15 Clemson (9-3) vs. No. 22 Auburn (8-4)</td></tr><tr><td class="gametime">Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)</td></tr><tr><td class="location">Georgia Dome (71,977)
Atlanta</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
SI.com's Stewart Mandel analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Clemson
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In his first year as Clemson's starting QB, Cullen Harper proved to be one the most efficient passers in the nation.
Todd Kirkland/Icon SMI
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</td></tr></tbody></table>The Tigers are best known for their dynamic tailback tandem of C.J. Spiller (1,505 all-purpose yards) and James Davis (992 rushing yards) but produced a much more balanced offense this season thanks to the emergence of highly efficient quarterback Cullen Harper (67 percent completions, 27 TDs, 6 INTs). His favorite target is receiver Aaron Kelly (1,045 yards, 11 TDs).
Clemson has consistently produced stingy defenses in recent years and 2007 no exception, as the Tigers ranked sixth in the nation (297.1 yards per game). Defensive end Phillip Merling (16 tackles for loss) and safety Michael Hamlin (83 tackles) were All-ACC performers. Kicker Mark Buchholz made just 5-of-15 field goals from 40 yards or longer.
Breaking down Auburn
Auburn's offense struggled most of the season, resulting in the resignation of coordinator Al Borges. Troy import Tony Franklin began installing components of his spread-option attack during bowl practices. The Tigers boast a trio of decent running backs in Ben Tate, Brad Lester and Mario Fannin. Veteran QB Brandon Cox was limited by an inexperienced line and receiving corps.
Auburn's sixth-ranked defense held nine of its 12 opponents to 20 points or less, with the notable exception of a 45-20 loss to Georgia. A dominant defensive line -- led by ends Quentin Groves and Antonio Coleman (seven sacks, 17 tackles for loss) -- helped limit top-two Heisman finalists Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden to below-average performances.
Final analysis
Auburn is something of a wild-card, as it's hard to say how big of an impact new offensive coordinator Franklin will have on the gameplan. The Tigers' limited offense is unlikely to explode, however, against a formidable Clemson defense, while Clemson has enough weapons on offense to break a few big plays against even Auburn's usually dominant D.
The pick: Clemson 17, Auburn 14
Atlanta</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="logo">
SI.com's Stewart Mandel analyzes the matchup.
Breaking down Clemson
<table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
In his first year as Clemson's starting QB, Cullen Harper proved to be one the most efficient passers in the nation.
Todd Kirkland/Icon SMI
</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="clear: both;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="300"><tbody><tr><td width="10">
</noscript>
</td></tr><tr><td width="10">
</td></tr></tbody></table>The Tigers are best known for their dynamic tailback tandem of C.J. Spiller (1,505 all-purpose yards) and James Davis (992 rushing yards) but produced a much more balanced offense this season thanks to the emergence of highly efficient quarterback Cullen Harper (67 percent completions, 27 TDs, 6 INTs). His favorite target is receiver Aaron Kelly (1,045 yards, 11 TDs).
Clemson has consistently produced stingy defenses in recent years and 2007 no exception, as the Tigers ranked sixth in the nation (297.1 yards per game). Defensive end Phillip Merling (16 tackles for loss) and safety Michael Hamlin (83 tackles) were All-ACC performers. Kicker Mark Buchholz made just 5-of-15 field goals from 40 yards or longer.
Breaking down Auburn
Auburn's offense struggled most of the season, resulting in the resignation of coordinator Al Borges. Troy import Tony Franklin began installing components of his spread-option attack during bowl practices. The Tigers boast a trio of decent running backs in Ben Tate, Brad Lester and Mario Fannin. Veteran QB Brandon Cox was limited by an inexperienced line and receiving corps.
Auburn's sixth-ranked defense held nine of its 12 opponents to 20 points or less, with the notable exception of a 45-20 loss to Georgia. A dominant defensive line -- led by ends Quentin Groves and Antonio Coleman (seven sacks, 17 tackles for loss) -- helped limit top-two Heisman finalists Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden to below-average performances.
Final analysis
Auburn is something of a wild-card, as it's hard to say how big of an impact new offensive coordinator Franklin will have on the gameplan. The Tigers' limited offense is unlikely to explode, however, against a formidable Clemson defense, while Clemson has enough weapons on offense to break a few big plays against even Auburn's usually dominant D.
The pick: Clemson 17, Auburn 14
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
A crowning shame
There's plenty of blame to share for the lack of a Division I-A playoff format
By WENDELL BARNHOUSE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
<!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> <script language="Javascript"> function PopupPic(sPicURL, sHeight, sWidth) { window.open( "http://media.star-telegram.com/popup.html?"+sPicURL, "", "resizable=1,HEIGHT=" +sHeight+ ",WIDTH=" +sWidth); } </script> <!-- photo or image available --> <!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- Test to see if either credit_line or byline --> MCT/JEFF SINER
<!-- End Test --> <!-- MCT/JEFF SINER
--> Appalachian State and Delaware played for the I-AA title on Dec. 14, and the players managed to keep their academics in order.
<!-- End: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- no polls to display -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> Attention, [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]college [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]football[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] fans: You have been and are being duped. Fooled. Bamboozled. Deceived.
Unfortunately, you are a willing participant in the scam.
Another college football postseason, with its 32 -- 32! -- bowls is underway. For the 10th year, the Bowl Championship Series is selling its title game as a championship game.
Unlike some of the previous seasons, though, there are a handful of teams -- not just one or two -- that can yell about being denied a chance at playing for the title.
The BCS system is the current evolved state of major college postseason [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]football[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR]. We're years from the evolution allowing the sport to walk upright (a playoff).
Where's the fraud, you ask? Most of the arguments against a playoff are nonsensical or simply wrong. Here is a primer about college football and why the playoff movement remains blockaded:
Where's the NCAA?
College sports' governing body has no control over college football. It has been that way since 1984 when the Supreme Court ruled the NCAA's jurisdiction over regular-season telecasts was an anti-trust violation.
The only control the NCAA has over postseason football is certifying [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]bowl [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]games[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR]. And considering that just a decade ago there were only 20 bowls, that's not working out so well.
If the NCAA somehow got Division I-A on the playoff path, the money generated would be equally divided among (at least) the I-A membership.
The six BCS conferences and their control of the majority of bowl money is a major reason those conferences are against a playoff.
Though a playoff would almost certainly produce more money than the current bowl system, playoff money would have to be split with all 120 Division I-A schools. The big schools would balk at getting the same-sized slice as the smaller I-A schools.
It's academic
The argument against a playoff is that players' grades would suffer.
The majority of the BCS schools surveyed by the Star-Telegram had first-semester finals finished by Dec. 14. The second semester starts for most on Jan. 14.
That's at least a three-week window of semester break. Three weeks would allow for a three-round playoff (eight teams).
Division I-AA, Division II and Division III each staged their 16-team playoffs with championship games held the weekend of Dec. 14-15.
In I-AA, Appalachian State and Delaware played Dec. 14. Appalachian State's last day of finals was Dec. 12; Delaware's finals were Dec. 14. The school adjusted the test schedules to accommodate players who had conflicts.
Based on the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate statistics, Appalachian State and Delaware are both above average when it comes to graduating their football players.
College presidents are adamant about keeping football as a "one semester" [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]sport[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR].
When the change was made to the current "double-hosting" format, the BCS title game was moved to the second week of January. Eighteen BCS schools start their second semester on or before Jan. 7, the date of this year's title game.
Ruining the regular season
This season served as more compelling evidence college football has the most meaningful regular season in sports. The argument against a multi-team playoff is that it would dilute the excitement and meaning of the regular season.
If champions of the six major conferences gained automatic bids to a playoff bracket, how would that make the regular season worthless?
The champions of the six conferences earn automatic bids to BCS bowls, but only two play for the national championship. Why should the other four league champs play a meaningful regular season that results in a meaningless bowl game?
The regular season unfolds like the chapters in a book. Nobody knows what will happen with each week's games. Adding another chapter (playoffs) wouldn't diminish the story lines.
Bowl tradition
Opponents say a playoff would kill (at worst) or diminish (at best) one of the sports' great traditions.
Bowl games were started to lure teams and fans to Sun Belt cities eager to showcase their tourist attractions. They were never intended to have an impact on the national championship.
Where's the New Year's Day tradition? Just six of this year's games are played on Jan. 1.
Where's the tradition in the Pioneer Las Vegas, the Papajohns.com, the R+L Carriers New Orleans and the Roady's Humanitarian bowls? Tradition in this case translates to corporate sponsorship and product placement.
Would the bowls die?
Some would. Some should. A number of bowls have been propped up by the major conferences so bowl-eligible teams from those leagues will have postseason opportunities.
The bowls with the best conference tie-ins, corporate sponsorship and community support would continue. ESPN thirsts for programming and bowls that can survive would exist as programming filler.
This season, for instance, the [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Rose [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bowl[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] still will be played in its coveted afternoon time slot -- the meat in the middle of a playoff semifinals sandwich.
Under the Star-Telegram playoff proposal for this season, the Rose could match 10-2 Arizona State against 9-3 Illinois and keep its conference affiliation intact.
A money maker?
Bowl games produce about $210 million in team payouts each year. More than 80 percent of that money goes to the six major conferences.
How much money would a playoff make? FOX was willing to pay $60 million per year in its current deal. FOX televises four games, so that's $15 million per game.
Based on all the clamoring for a playoff, an eight-team or 10-team playoff would be a popular and desirous product.
If each game of a 10-team playoff is worth $15 million, the current rate, that's still a double-your-money proposition. Let's say the games' average worth is $17.5 million; that's still $157.5 million for a 10-team, nine-game playoff.
Those are conservative estimates. Television and advertising executives who have run the numbers believe a 16-team I-A playoff could produce $550 million... a year.
The Plus One "Solution"
The BCS is in Year Two of its "double-hosting" format. The new system expanded the number of BCS bowls from four to five. When the system was approved, some thought it was the precursor to a "Plus One" format.
While not a multi-team playoff, a Plus One would be a national championship game whose teams are decided after the BCS games are played. The current BCS calendar, with the title game scheduled for the second week in January, would accommodate this format.
One idea would send teams to their "anchor" bowls -- Big 12 champ to the Fiesta, for instance -- and then the top two teams would be selected after games played on New Year's Day or the day after.
Another idea would seed the top four teams with the winners meeting in the title game.
Opponents say seeding the teams is no different than a mini-playoff. Also, it would not solve the problems if more than four teams are deemed worthy of competing for the national title.
Hostage situation
College football's postseason is being held captive by the Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences and the Rose Bowl. Maintaining that traditional relationship -- while all other bowl games have moved on to the 21st century -- is preventing any serious dialogue about a meaningful postseason.
The Rose Bowl and the 21 schools in the two conferences represent a minority that hold sway over the majority. College football is a collection of fiefdoms (conferences). The Big Ten and the Pac-10 believe they're the British Empire.
Several athletic administrators gripe that college football is being held hostage by the Tournament of Roses Parade.
What needs to happen
Regular-season attendance in I-A will be a record 46,459 fans per game. The attendance average has increased each of the last 11 seasons.
ABC/ESPN and CBS, the major networks of regular-season games, had their best Nielsen ratings since 1999.
College football fans who dislike the current method of crowning a champion want a playoff while still eating their regular-season cake.
Until they start voting with their pocketbooks -- staying home, not buying [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]tickets[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] -- and remote controls -- not watching their favorite teams -- the commissioners who run the major conferences have no reason to make a change.
They're too busy counting their money.
There's plenty of blame to share for the lack of a Division I-A playoff format
By WENDELL BARNHOUSE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
<!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> <script language="Javascript"> function PopupPic(sPicURL, sHeight, sWidth) { window.open( "http://media.star-telegram.com/popup.html?"+sPicURL, "", "resizable=1,HEIGHT=" +sHeight+ ",WIDTH=" +sWidth); } </script> <!-- photo or image available --> <!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- Test to see if either credit_line or byline --> MCT/JEFF SINER
<!-- End Test --> <!-- MCT/JEFF SINER
--> Appalachian State and Delaware played for the I-AA title on Dec. 14, and the players managed to keep their academics in order.
<!-- End: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- no polls to display -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --> Attention, [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]college [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]football[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] fans: You have been and are being duped. Fooled. Bamboozled. Deceived.
Unfortunately, you are a willing participant in the scam.
Another college football postseason, with its 32 -- 32! -- bowls is underway. For the 10th year, the Bowl Championship Series is selling its title game as a championship game.
Unlike some of the previous seasons, though, there are a handful of teams -- not just one or two -- that can yell about being denied a chance at playing for the title.
The BCS system is the current evolved state of major college postseason [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]football[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR]. We're years from the evolution allowing the sport to walk upright (a playoff).
Where's the fraud, you ask? Most of the arguments against a playoff are nonsensical or simply wrong. Here is a primer about college football and why the playoff movement remains blockaded:
Where's the NCAA?
College sports' governing body has no control over college football. It has been that way since 1984 when the Supreme Court ruled the NCAA's jurisdiction over regular-season telecasts was an anti-trust violation.
The only control the NCAA has over postseason football is certifying [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]bowl [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]games[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR]. And considering that just a decade ago there were only 20 bowls, that's not working out so well.
If the NCAA somehow got Division I-A on the playoff path, the money generated would be equally divided among (at least) the I-A membership.
The six BCS conferences and their control of the majority of bowl money is a major reason those conferences are against a playoff.
Though a playoff would almost certainly produce more money than the current bowl system, playoff money would have to be split with all 120 Division I-A schools. The big schools would balk at getting the same-sized slice as the smaller I-A schools.
It's academic
The argument against a playoff is that players' grades would suffer.
The majority of the BCS schools surveyed by the Star-Telegram had first-semester finals finished by Dec. 14. The second semester starts for most on Jan. 14.
That's at least a three-week window of semester break. Three weeks would allow for a three-round playoff (eight teams).
Division I-AA, Division II and Division III each staged their 16-team playoffs with championship games held the weekend of Dec. 14-15.
In I-AA, Appalachian State and Delaware played Dec. 14. Appalachian State's last day of finals was Dec. 12; Delaware's finals were Dec. 14. The school adjusted the test schedules to accommodate players who had conflicts.
Based on the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate statistics, Appalachian State and Delaware are both above average when it comes to graduating their football players.
College presidents are adamant about keeping football as a "one semester" [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]sport[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR].
When the change was made to the current "double-hosting" format, the BCS title game was moved to the second week of January. Eighteen BCS schools start their second semester on or before Jan. 7, the date of this year's title game.
Ruining the regular season
This season served as more compelling evidence college football has the most meaningful regular season in sports. The argument against a multi-team playoff is that it would dilute the excitement and meaning of the regular season.
If champions of the six major conferences gained automatic bids to a playoff bracket, how would that make the regular season worthless?
The champions of the six conferences earn automatic bids to BCS bowls, but only two play for the national championship. Why should the other four league champs play a meaningful regular season that results in a meaningless bowl game?
The regular season unfolds like the chapters in a book. Nobody knows what will happen with each week's games. Adding another chapter (playoffs) wouldn't diminish the story lines.
Bowl tradition
Opponents say a playoff would kill (at worst) or diminish (at best) one of the sports' great traditions.
Bowl games were started to lure teams and fans to Sun Belt cities eager to showcase their tourist attractions. They were never intended to have an impact on the national championship.
Where's the New Year's Day tradition? Just six of this year's games are played on Jan. 1.
Where's the tradition in the Pioneer Las Vegas, the Papajohns.com, the R+L Carriers New Orleans and the Roady's Humanitarian bowls? Tradition in this case translates to corporate sponsorship and product placement.
Would the bowls die?
Some would. Some should. A number of bowls have been propped up by the major conferences so bowl-eligible teams from those leagues will have postseason opportunities.
The bowls with the best conference tie-ins, corporate sponsorship and community support would continue. ESPN thirsts for programming and bowls that can survive would exist as programming filler.
This season, for instance, the [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Rose [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bowl[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] still will be played in its coveted afternoon time slot -- the meat in the middle of a playoff semifinals sandwich.
Under the Star-Telegram playoff proposal for this season, the Rose could match 10-2 Arizona State against 9-3 Illinois and keep its conference affiliation intact.
A money maker?
Bowl games produce about $210 million in team payouts each year. More than 80 percent of that money goes to the six major conferences.
How much money would a playoff make? FOX was willing to pay $60 million per year in its current deal. FOX televises four games, so that's $15 million per game.
Based on all the clamoring for a playoff, an eight-team or 10-team playoff would be a popular and desirous product.
If each game of a 10-team playoff is worth $15 million, the current rate, that's still a double-your-money proposition. Let's say the games' average worth is $17.5 million; that's still $157.5 million for a 10-team, nine-game playoff.
Those are conservative estimates. Television and advertising executives who have run the numbers believe a 16-team I-A playoff could produce $550 million... a year.
The Plus One "Solution"
The BCS is in Year Two of its "double-hosting" format. The new system expanded the number of BCS bowls from four to five. When the system was approved, some thought it was the precursor to a "Plus One" format.
While not a multi-team playoff, a Plus One would be a national championship game whose teams are decided after the BCS games are played. The current BCS calendar, with the title game scheduled for the second week in January, would accommodate this format.
One idea would send teams to their "anchor" bowls -- Big 12 champ to the Fiesta, for instance -- and then the top two teams would be selected after games played on New Year's Day or the day after.
Another idea would seed the top four teams with the winners meeting in the title game.
Opponents say seeding the teams is no different than a mini-playoff. Also, it would not solve the problems if more than four teams are deemed worthy of competing for the national title.
Hostage situation
College football's postseason is being held captive by the Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences and the Rose Bowl. Maintaining that traditional relationship -- while all other bowl games have moved on to the 21st century -- is preventing any serious dialogue about a meaningful postseason.
The Rose Bowl and the 21 schools in the two conferences represent a minority that hold sway over the majority. College football is a collection of fiefdoms (conferences). The Big Ten and the Pac-10 believe they're the British Empire.
Several athletic administrators gripe that college football is being held hostage by the Tournament of Roses Parade.
What needs to happen
Regular-season attendance in I-A will be a record 46,459 fans per game. The attendance average has increased each of the last 11 seasons.
ABC/ESPN and CBS, the major networks of regular-season games, had their best Nielsen ratings since 1999.
College football fans who dislike the current method of crowning a champion want a playoff while still eating their regular-season cake.
Until they start voting with their pocketbooks -- staying home, not buying [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]tickets[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] -- and remote controls -- not watching their favorite teams -- the commissioners who run the major conferences have no reason to make a change.
They're too busy counting their money.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Jonathan Okanes, Contra Costa Times: Cal coach Jeff Tedford said that receivers DeSean Jackson and Robert Jordan and safety Thomas DeCoud will not start in the Armed Forces Bowl because they violated team rules.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Adding:
AFA +4' (-110) ($200)
Auburn +3 (-120) ($200)
Might add a little more before game time to make these bets $400 as I liked these matchups from day 1.
AFA wants to be there. Cal could give a shit. DeSean Jackson not starting due to violation of team rules? Head is not in the right place. AFA is 7-0 ATS last 7, Cal is 0-7 ATS last 7. I'll take the dog and if I had any balls, I'd put some on the ML.
Auburn and the SEC speed should be too much for Clemson. I also like the fact that the new OC will add a few wrinkles to the offense by installing a few key spread plays. I would also not be surprised to see Auburn put in their mobile, black QB for a few plays out of the spread.
AFA +4' (-110) ($200)
Auburn +3 (-120) ($200)
Might add a little more before game time to make these bets $400 as I liked these matchups from day 1.
AFA wants to be there. Cal could give a shit. DeSean Jackson not starting due to violation of team rules? Head is not in the right place. AFA is 7-0 ATS last 7, Cal is 0-7 ATS last 7. I'll take the dog and if I had any balls, I'd put some on the ML.
Auburn and the SEC speed should be too much for Clemson. I also like the fact that the new OC will add a few wrinkles to the offense by installing a few key spread plays. I would also not be surprised to see Auburn put in their mobile, black QB for a few plays out of the spread.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Shannon Woods is still in Leach's dog house:
Tech's Woods, Sharpe sent home
Pair to miss Gator Bowl over team rule violations
Posted: Monday December 31, 2007 7:32AM; Updated: Monday December 31, 2007 7:33AM
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has sent two football players home from the Gator Bowl for unspecified team rule violations.
Leach says the disciplinary actions for running back Shannon Woods and defensive end Brandon Sharpe involved circumstances from yesterday morning. That's according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Sharpe has missed all but one game this season with an ankle injury and would not have played in tomorrow's game against Virginia in Jacksonville, Florida.
Woods had been placed on scout-team duty for the final four regular season games and bowl practices.
Leach says he doesn't yet know how the latest disciplinary issue will affect Woods' future.
Tech's Woods, Sharpe sent home
Pair to miss Gator Bowl over team rule violations
Posted: Monday December 31, 2007 7:32AM; Updated: Monday December 31, 2007 7:33AM
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has sent two football players home from the Gator Bowl for unspecified team rule violations.
Leach says the disciplinary actions for running back Shannon Woods and defensive end Brandon Sharpe involved circumstances from yesterday morning. That's according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Sharpe has missed all but one game this season with an ankle injury and would not have played in tomorrow's game against Virginia in Jacksonville, Florida.
Woods had been placed on scout-team duty for the final four regular season games and bowl practices.
Leach says he doesn't yet know how the latest disciplinary issue will affect Woods' future.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
CURIOUS INDEX, 12/31/07
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</td> </tr> <tr width="590"> <td background="http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/almanac/left.jpg" width="31">
</td> <td width="528"> Don’t ever do anything in public ever. It will end up on YouTube, you will be made fun of, and it will sit there forever. If you do something in public, make sure it involves having sex, and you are famous and well-hung. This will make you famous on the internet. If it does not involve attractive and impressive famous sex, your video of you picking your nose at the Alamo Bowl will be set to music and roundly laughed at.
<object height="373" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o2aYREVixv8&rel=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="373" width="425"></object> </p> We’re sorry but this is the 21st century and this is what we do, old guy Aggie booger-eating dude. (HT: MZone, who also has a nice Know Your Enemy piece on Florida.)
Why’s the “head coach” nametag in quotes? The Humanitarian Bowl, featuring Georgia Tech and Fresno State, has featured interim coaches on at least one side for the past three years and five times in the past eleven years.
Miami, led by fired coach Larry Coker, defeated Nevada 21-20 in last year’s game. In 2005, Dan Hawkins, in his final game at Boise State, lost to Boston College 27-21.
Dirk Koetter coached his last game at Boise State in the 2000 H-Bowl, a 38-23 victory against UTEP. John L. Smith’s farewell at Utah State was a 35-19 loss to Cincinnati in theinaugural H-Bowl in 1997.
Tenuta has to yield the chair at Tech to Paul Johnson after the game. Where he ends up is of some concern to college football at large: he’s a bastard of a defensive coordinator, and we mean that in only the nicest of ways since he blitzes from a zillion angles and has built Georgia Tech into a top 30 defense using slightly less than A grade talent. He also curses like a Babylonian demon-god, which we like in our defensive coaches.
When we read this and watched the video wit it, we cried. Now, we did just see Juno yesterday, so the sight of a stray dog hair has been enough to make us weep for around 24 hours how, but it’s really, really, really moving, and in that good kind of of sincere-but-not-painfully-sincere kind of way. Something about a person speaking exclusively through a computer makes their words excruciatingly touching.(Plus they do an awesome karaoke version of Fitter, Happier.)
Two pirates have been tossed off board the S.S. Leach for unspecified violations of team rules, including running back Shannon Woods, a significant cog in the Red Raiders’ offensive scheme. We haven’t heard anything to top the reason behind Steve Spurrier sending players home from the 1995 Sugar Bowl–two players in a fight at the team dinner, one breaking a plate over the other’s head at the dinner–but we can hope for better, can’t we?
The preseason rankings for the Fulmer Cup comes courtesy of Miami Hawk Talk, who seed Cap’n Dennis and his smooth yacht of football awesome at Arizona State number one for 2008. A solid bet, sirs.
And for those of you caught at work today… We’ll be liveblogging all day in lieu of trying to post previews and falling hopelessly behind while only actually previewing three games and missing the rest. Also take solace in the fact you will probably–it could happen–not tase yourself at work today. If you do, though, work that shit and get off early.
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uOVku86WfVg&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> Don’t taze me, me!
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</td> <td width="528"> Don’t ever do anything in public ever. It will end up on YouTube, you will be made fun of, and it will sit there forever. If you do something in public, make sure it involves having sex, and you are famous and well-hung. This will make you famous on the internet. If it does not involve attractive and impressive famous sex, your video of you picking your nose at the Alamo Bowl will be set to music and roundly laughed at.
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o2aYREVixv8&rel=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="373" width="425"></object> </p> We’re sorry but this is the 21st century and this is what we do, old guy Aggie booger-eating dude. (HT: MZone, who also has a nice Know Your Enemy piece on Florida.)
Why’s the “head coach” nametag in quotes? The Humanitarian Bowl, featuring Georgia Tech and Fresno State, has featured interim coaches on at least one side for the past three years and five times in the past eleven years.
Miami, led by fired coach Larry Coker, defeated Nevada 21-20 in last year’s game. In 2005, Dan Hawkins, in his final game at Boise State, lost to Boston College 27-21.
Dirk Koetter coached his last game at Boise State in the 2000 H-Bowl, a 38-23 victory against UTEP. John L. Smith’s farewell at Utah State was a 35-19 loss to Cincinnati in theinaugural H-Bowl in 1997.
Tenuta has to yield the chair at Tech to Paul Johnson after the game. Where he ends up is of some concern to college football at large: he’s a bastard of a defensive coordinator, and we mean that in only the nicest of ways since he blitzes from a zillion angles and has built Georgia Tech into a top 30 defense using slightly less than A grade talent. He also curses like a Babylonian demon-god, which we like in our defensive coaches.
When we read this and watched the video wit it, we cried. Now, we did just see Juno yesterday, so the sight of a stray dog hair has been enough to make us weep for around 24 hours how, but it’s really, really, really moving, and in that good kind of of sincere-but-not-painfully-sincere kind of way. Something about a person speaking exclusively through a computer makes their words excruciatingly touching.(Plus they do an awesome karaoke version of Fitter, Happier.)
Two pirates have been tossed off board the S.S. Leach for unspecified violations of team rules, including running back Shannon Woods, a significant cog in the Red Raiders’ offensive scheme. We haven’t heard anything to top the reason behind Steve Spurrier sending players home from the 1995 Sugar Bowl–two players in a fight at the team dinner, one breaking a plate over the other’s head at the dinner–but we can hope for better, can’t we?
The preseason rankings for the Fulmer Cup comes courtesy of Miami Hawk Talk, who seed Cap’n Dennis and his smooth yacht of football awesome at Arizona State number one for 2008. A solid bet, sirs.
And for those of you caught at work today… We’ll be liveblogging all day in lieu of trying to post previews and falling hopelessly behind while only actually previewing three games and missing the rest. Also take solace in the fact you will probably–it could happen–not tase yourself at work today. If you do, though, work that shit and get off early.
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uOVku86WfVg&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> Don’t taze me, me!
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RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Good Times for the Longhorns in San Diego
If you've never been to a Holiday Bowl, well, you must. Ross (more Smodod) was kind enough to send us a link to images of his excursion to America's Finest City and he came away impressed, calling the experience "a blast."
"I met up with Rob and Katy who run Hornfans.com and also Peter Bean of Burnt Orange Nation. Rob and Katy put on a tailgate at every Texas game (home and away and bowls) and I helped them put it together. We met up at about 9 a.m., bought food and beer for the group and got to the stadium and set up our tailgate area at 10 a.m. (for a 5 p.m. game).
"The crowd started showing up in droves at about 2 p.m. and we grilled sausage wraps and went through about a dozen 36 packs of beer. Good tailgate that came together with the help of a lot of sources bringing the awning and chairs, grill, etc.
"The game was great from the Texas point of view. We came out aggressive and played hard. We were badly outnumbered in the stands (80/20). But a lot of the local ticket holders without a stake in the game left at half and ASU fans began leaving in the third quarter."
You can view more images from the game by clicking here. If you're headed to a bowl, send us images and comments about your experience. The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.
If you've never been to a Holiday Bowl, well, you must. Ross (more Smodod) was kind enough to send us a link to images of his excursion to America's Finest City and he came away impressed, calling the experience "a blast.""I met up with Rob and Katy who run Hornfans.com and also Peter Bean of Burnt Orange Nation. Rob and Katy put on a tailgate at every Texas game (home and away and bowls) and I helped them put it together. We met up at about 9 a.m., bought food and beer for the group and got to the stadium and set up our tailgate area at 10 a.m. (for a 5 p.m. game).
"The crowd started showing up in droves at about 2 p.m. and we grilled sausage wraps and went through about a dozen 36 packs of beer. Good tailgate that came together with the help of a lot of sources bringing the awning and chairs, grill, etc.
"The game was great from the Texas point of view. We came out aggressive and played hard. We were badly outnumbered in the stands (80/20). But a lot of the local ticket holders without a stake in the game left at half and ASU fans began leaving in the third quarter."You can view more images from the game by clicking here. If you're headed to a bowl, send us images and comments about your experience. The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Bowl-O-Rama: Armed Forces, Humanitarian, Sun Edition
I guess it only seems natural that the Armed Forces Bowl is sponsored by Bell Helicopters. Now, after seeing Bell Helicopters sponsor this game, I know where to go get a helicopter if I ever need one 
. It used to be known as the Fort Worth Bowl, but they changed the name to the Armed Forces Bowl beginning in 2006. Part of the problem was a lack of a sponsor because it seemed that Plains Capital was the only one willing to sponsor such a bowl game.
The history of this game is almost non-existent if you want to go by the actual Armed Forces Bowl's inauguration. Going back to 2003 when it was known as the Fort Worth Bowl, Boise State won a classic against the TCU Horned Frogs, but the following games were hardly as exciting. Cincinnati thrashed Marshall and Houston got obliterated like a Mark Mangino-eaten cheesecake in 2005. The Jayhawks ran away with it, 42-13. The game last year between Utah and Tulsa was somewhat entertaining, but nothing to write home about.
Uh....Nobody saw that coming besides maybe Troy Calhoun.
Calhoun spent the previous season in the Houston Texans organization, but he passed on the NFL for the job at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Boy, did it pay off.
The head coach was Calhoun, but it might as well have been Fisher DeBerry at the helm. The Falcons finished the year only second in rushing to rival Navy.
The very beginning of the season started off with a bang. The Falcons fought off South Carolina State easily, but they managed to defeat Utah and TCU announcing to the rest of the Mountain West that they were for real. Even though they got manhandled against BYU the following week, the momentum would stay with this team for the rest of the season.
Air Force finished the season winning 6 of 7, the only loss coming on the road to New Mexico. Even though the latter stages of the slate was filled with MWC bottom-dwellers, the Falcons rushing attack demolished their opposition pretty easily.
How is Cal in the Armed Forces Bowl?
If you said that before the loss to Oregon State, people would think you were nuts. The Golden Bears were one hot football team expected to produce like they have been over the last few seasons under Jeff Tedford. One mistake may have cost Cal all of the momentum in the world.
Kevin Riley, who was filling in for the injured Nathan Longshore, made one of the biggest bonehead moves in college football this season. The Golden Bears were in FG range ready to tie the game and send it into overtime all the while preserving their hopes at a BCS title game. But Riley slid with no timeouts for a needless first down. The clock ran out and it was all downhill from there.
Cal's tumble was non-stop throughout the rest of the season. The only win in their last seven games came against lowly Washington State in Strawberry Canyon. While they played Arizona State and USC pretty tight, it was a disaster for the most part including losses to Washington and Stanford to close out the season. Ouch. There isn't a colder football team heading into bowl season than California.
Air Force Running Game vs. Cal Rush Defense-This is Air Force's bread and butter, no question. The key to this game will be Cal's ability to read the option and stay in their lanes to make fundamentally sound tackles. They're very capable of doing that. Shaun Carney can pass when he wants to and getting him to throw it for 20+ times would be a big help for Cal (meaning Air Force is in a lot of third and long situations).
Cal Passing Game vs. Air Force Pass Defense-Cal's passing offense is solid, Air Force's pass defense is average. So, which one will give? The Golden Bears equip some solid athletes at the WR position like Lavelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson who should be big difference makers in the game.
Lavelle Hawkins. All of the focus is paid to DeSean Jackson, but it's Hawkins who gets the work load in the passing game. He averages more receptions per game than Jackson and he's athletic enough to make some huge plays.
Air Force might be able to defend Cal's passing game. The Bears don't have a prolific ariel attack, but it can be if they execute to their potential. How Air Force's secondary deals with the Cal receivers such as Hawkins will be critical.
They're going to have to play a lot of zone because I'm not sure the Falcon DBs can keep up with these guys in man coverage. They could exploit that.
Drew Fowler. Fowler is one of the best defensive players that Air Force has. They haven't quite faced an offense as talented as Cal's. Maybe BYU produces more, but Cal has some athletic guys.
If Fowler brings his A game, gets a few sacks, pressures Longshore, and maybe swats down a pass or two, then he will have done his job. It'll be a difficult task to keep this Cal offense out of the endzone, but Air Force is capable.
The Armed Forces Bowl gets a 6 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. Air Force's offense is exciting to watch for fans of the more diehard nature because of how exotic it is. California is coming into the game with not a whole lot to prove because of how poorly they played down the stretch. Look for Air Force to be the more motivated team. I'm not sure how that translates into watchability, but it's something to consider.
Cal will make a game out of it, but with the way they've been playing lately, getting smashed by Washington and losing to Stanford, I'd shy away from picking them. Air Force has an offense that many on Cal hasn't seen before. They last played each other in 2003, so don't think they'll be prepared for the option game. Air Force will give up some plays defensively, but they'll give a 110% effort and it'll be enough for a tight win. Cal loses another heartbreaker, 32-24 (10 confidence points).
The now-named Humanitarian Bowl was called the MPC Computers Bowl for a while before Micron Technology dumped its sponsorship. Roady's Truck Stops is an Idaho-based company that began about a year ago, actually. It was created by a merger of General Savings Network and Truck Stops Direct.
The history of the Humanitarian Bowl is pretty amazing if you look at it. How could a bowl game in Boise survive so long? It's a good question. The first ever Humanitarian Bowl was between Cincinnati and Utah State with the Bearcats winning 35-19. There have been some memorable games like Idaho/Southern Miss, Boise State/Louisville, Fresno State/Virginia, and Boise State/Boston College.
That's more like it.
Fresno State had a major downer of a season in 2006 stunningly missing out on a bowl game. It basically boiled down to poor QB play from Tim Brandstater and it really showed throughout the year including a shocking loss to Utah State, God awful 2006 Utah State! Amazing from a Pat Hill-coached team.
But all is right with the world. The Bulldogs have found their way back to the post season trying to slay yet another big dog. It's Fresno's M.O., it's just what they do. So GT better beware.
Fresno looked almost like a carbon copy of the 2006 team for the first four games. After a sloppy win against bad Sacramento State, Fresno fell just short of upsetting Texas A&M at Kyle Field and they were slaughtered by Oregon. The win against Louisiana Tech wasn't anything special and Fresno didn't show any signs of improvement.
But then the Nevada game came. They gave up 700+ yards in the effort, but they won it 49-41. It was the boost the program needed to get back on the right track. This was a team that was good enough against the WAC doormats to finish with a winning record all the while giving Boise State and Hawaii runs for their money. To wrap it up, it was a successful season.
After playing for the ACC championship a year ago, Georgia Tech figured it was Chan Gailey's fault that the team finished 7-5.
The head coach was canned and the replacement is Paul Johnson. But that doesn't mean this team won't be focused to play. They still have shown the capacity to be competitive and they have a good defense.
The Yellow Jackets looked like they were ready for the ACC after smashing Notre Dame and Samford, but the Boston College defense found a way to shut this team down 24-10. GT suffered from sporadic play and a hampered Tashard Choice in their losses to Virginia and Virginia Tech. There was also a tough loss to handle against Maryland thrown in there.
The end of the season was basically Gailey's undoing. The former NFL head coach saw his team get dominated by Virginia Tech. They were able to beat Duke and slip by North Carolina, but the loss to Georgia was the nail in the coffin. Gailey had been unable to beat Georgia during his tenure.
So was it was Georgia Tech was looking for? Not really, but they'll move on with Johnson and all will be well in Atlanta.
Fresno State Offensive Line vs. Georgia Tech Pass Rush-Will Fresno State be able to handle Georgia Tech's pass rush? When you think of this defensive front for GT, you think speed, speed, speed, and more speed. They are fast and strong. But, the Bulldogs are a physical team with one of the better offensive lines in the WAC. They're surrendering about a sack and a half per game.
Georgia Tech Special Teams vs. Fresno State Special Teams-If there's one game that special teams will play a more important role in, tell me. Neither team has a prolific offense, but both teams play solid defense. FGs will be at a premium. So, that's where the 6th ranked punting team in the nation (Georgia Tech) meets one of the best punt returners in the country in Clifton Smith. A.J. Jefferson is first in the nation at returning kickoffs.
Tashard Choice. Probably the most underrated RB in the entire country, the Oklahoma transfer has been downright awesome at Georgia Tech running against those tough ACC run defenses.
If Fresno State lets this guy loose, they'll pay for it. GT was 1-2 when Choice wasn't healthy with their only win coming against Army. He appears to be at full strength and that'll will be tough for the nation's 86th rushing defense to contain.
Bear Pascoe. Pascoe is a great TE that is utilized properly in Pat Hill's offense.
Pascoe is second on the team in receptions with 3.25 a game. Georgia Tech can't treat him like just any TE because he basically acts as another WR out on the field.
Brandstater will need all the help he can get Georgia Tech's secondary and Pascoe will be one of his best options.
Fresno State usually makes for an attractive non-BCS team for the casual viewer, so this game gets a 7 out of 10. If that casual viewer pays some attention to college football, they might realize just how well Fresno State plays against the big boys. Georgia Tech will be coming into this game without a head coach so it will be interesting to see how they will respond. Hopefully, it isn't as awful as it was when they ran into Utah in the 2005 Emerald Bowl...
Fresno State always does well against the big boys, but they'll fall short in this effort. They're still in mini-rebuild mode because they're far from the best team Pat Hill has ever fielded in Fresno. Even though Georgia Tech is without Gailey and teams with coaching issues haven't won a game this bowl season, and there's a reason for that--it's because they weren't supposed to win their games to begin with (Houston, Texas A&M, Navy, Southern Miss, UCLA)--they should be able to play well enough defensively with Tashard Choice dominating on the ground. GT will pull it out in the fourth quarter, 34-24 (14 confidence points).
If you like history, the Sun Bowl is the Bowl for you. It's actually the second longest current bowl dating back to 1935. The sponsor of the game is Brut which ranks in the top three of men's fragrances. Another interesting factoid, Brut also sponsors some NHRA events.
There have been some entertaining games in the past. Most recently, Ron Mason's Minnesota Golden Gophers edged out Oregon 31-30 in the 2003 Sun Bowl. The 2005 Sun Bowl failed to live up to expectations but it was okay. Last year's Sun Bowl between Oregon State and Missouri could have been the best ever with Mike Riley showing off his major cajones going for two points. He was Boise State before Boise State!
Just as Cal playing earlier on New Year's Eve, another fallen Pac-10 team with national title aspirations will be taking the field.
The Ducks had it going on with Dennis Dixon at the helm. He probably should have won the Heisman trophy even after he was injured showing just how valuable he actually was. But that's another story for another day...
That fateful game against the Arizona Wildcats sealed the deal for the Ducks. Dixon went out with a torn ACL, Brady Leaf came in, and it was never the same Ducks team.
Oregon went from killing inferior opponents to not being able to do anything offensively. Brady Leaf fits into that offense like a square peg in a round hole. Even average Pac-10 teams like UCLA found ways to run through Oregon like crap through a goose. Hey, I know you guys have lost three straight including a demoralizing loss to rival Oregon State, but speaking of crap through a goose, maybe George Patton can pump you up:
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Could this be described as the #2 Teams That Collapsed Bowl?
USF was #2 at one point in time defeating West Virginia in the biggest game in the program's history. Yeah, they were helped out by the loss of Pat White, but this team could tackle giving them the edge in that game.
Well, let's go from the start. That 28-13 win against Elon was on ESPN Gameplan and they were sloppy as hell. I couldn't believe my eyes. However, they were able to rebound and beat Auburn on the road in overtime.
Of couse, they had the big win against West Virginia, but they backed that up with a beatdown of UCF. I also saw USF play against Florida Atlantic and that game was a lot closer than the score showed.
USF would then lose to three of the top teams in the Big East: Rutgers, UConn, and Cincinnati. After that rough spot on the schedule, the Bulls coasted into bowl season by slamming Syracuse, Louisville, and Pittsburgh.
Oregon Running Game vs. USF Rush Defense-This is pretty much Oregon's only hope of winning this game. Jonathan Stewart is a special back that can win games almost single-handedly so USF needs to be on their A-game defensively. With Justin Roper getting the start, expect Oregon to run about 75% of the time. They're going to keep this thing on the ground and roll with it.
USF Running Game vs. Oregon Rush Defense-Oregon's main weakness is the pass defense, but that's not how USF likes to operate. The Bulls like to keep things on the ground with Grothe, Ford, and Williams. The USF ground game is 29th in the nation so that should be a challenge for the Oregon defensive front.
George Selvie. Oregon won't pass very much, but when they do, expect Selvie to be back pressuring Roper. Mr. Roper won't be having a whole lot of fun in that backfield.
It's very possible that Selvie is the best defensive player in the nation. Selvie is tremendously atheltic and a huge physical specimen. He ranks second in sacks and first in tackles for loss, averaging more than two per game. He is one impressive athlete.
While we key in on one defensive end, how about Oregon's best defensive player?
The Ducks aren't going to win if they allow USF to score more than 30. It's just not going to happen. So, it will be Nick Reed's responsibility to make some plays of his own and try to best his DE counterpart.
Reed is almost as impressive as George Selvie ranking sixth in sacks and third in tackles for loss.
The Sun Bowl gets an 8 out of 10 on the SSO Must-See-Ometer. Even though Oregon is without Dennis Dixon, this has the potential to be a good football game.
Oregon may have lost to Arizona and UCLA in less-than-stellar fashion, but the game against Oregon State was entertaining, wasn't it? I think that game showed that the Ducks still have some life left in those wings of theirs. USF is coming in on a three-game winning streak so they're playing at a high level.
USF should win. I'm not really going out on a limb there. The Ducks without Dixon have been far from potent offensively. They'll give USF a game with Stewart carrying the load, but the USF defense is too good if Oregon gets one-dimensional. Roper has to have a big day, but he's going up against two NFL CBs in Williams and Jenkins. Grothe will make two or three game-changing plays with his legs and that will be the difference. USF wins, 31-17 (23 confidence points).</td></tr></tbody></table>
Background Info & History
. It used to be known as the Fort Worth Bowl, but they changed the name to the Armed Forces Bowl beginning in 2006. Part of the problem was a lack of a sponsor because it seemed that Plains Capital was the only one willing to sponsor such a bowl game.The history of this game is almost non-existent if you want to go by the actual Armed Forces Bowl's inauguration. Going back to 2003 when it was known as the Fort Worth Bowl, Boise State won a classic against the TCU Horned Frogs, but the following games were hardly as exciting. Cincinnati thrashed Marshall and Houston got obliterated like a Mark Mangino-eaten cheesecake in 2005. The Jayhawks ran away with it, 42-13. The game last year between Utah and Tulsa was somewhat entertaining, but nothing to write home about.
Air Force Storyline
Uh....Nobody saw that coming besides maybe Troy Calhoun.Calhoun spent the previous season in the Houston Texans organization, but he passed on the NFL for the job at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Boy, did it pay off.
The head coach was Calhoun, but it might as well have been Fisher DeBerry at the helm. The Falcons finished the year only second in rushing to rival Navy.
The very beginning of the season started off with a bang. The Falcons fought off South Carolina State easily, but they managed to defeat Utah and TCU announcing to the rest of the Mountain West that they were for real. Even though they got manhandled against BYU the following week, the momentum would stay with this team for the rest of the season.
Air Force finished the season winning 6 of 7, the only loss coming on the road to New Mexico. Even though the latter stages of the slate was filled with MWC bottom-dwellers, the Falcons rushing attack demolished their opposition pretty easily.
Cal Storyline
How is Cal in the Armed Forces Bowl?If you said that before the loss to Oregon State, people would think you were nuts. The Golden Bears were one hot football team expected to produce like they have been over the last few seasons under Jeff Tedford. One mistake may have cost Cal all of the momentum in the world.
Kevin Riley, who was filling in for the injured Nathan Longshore, made one of the biggest bonehead moves in college football this season. The Golden Bears were in FG range ready to tie the game and send it into overtime all the while preserving their hopes at a BCS title game. But Riley slid with no timeouts for a needless first down. The clock ran out and it was all downhill from there.
Cal's tumble was non-stop throughout the rest of the season. The only win in their last seven games came against lowly Washington State in Strawberry Canyon. While they played Arizona State and USC pretty tight, it was a disaster for the most part including losses to Washington and Stanford to close out the season. Ouch. There isn't a colder football team heading into bowl season than California.
Match ups of the Game
Air Force Running Game vs. Cal Rush Defense-This is Air Force's bread and butter, no question. The key to this game will be Cal's ability to read the option and stay in their lanes to make fundamentally sound tackles. They're very capable of doing that. Shaun Carney can pass when he wants to and getting him to throw it for 20+ times would be a big help for Cal (meaning Air Force is in a lot of third and long situations).
Cal Passing Game vs. Air Force Pass Defense-Cal's passing offense is solid, Air Force's pass defense is average. So, which one will give? The Golden Bears equip some solid athletes at the WR position like Lavelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson who should be big difference makers in the game.
Keep an Eye on...
Lavelle Hawkins. All of the focus is paid to DeSean Jackson, but it's Hawkins who gets the work load in the passing game. He averages more receptions per game than Jackson and he's athletic enough to make some huge plays.Air Force might be able to defend Cal's passing game. The Bears don't have a prolific ariel attack, but it can be if they execute to their potential. How Air Force's secondary deals with the Cal receivers such as Hawkins will be critical.
They're going to have to play a lot of zone because I'm not sure the Falcon DBs can keep up with these guys in man coverage. They could exploit that.
Drew Fowler. Fowler is one of the best defensive players that Air Force has. They haven't quite faced an offense as talented as Cal's. Maybe BYU produces more, but Cal has some athletic guys.If Fowler brings his A game, gets a few sacks, pressures Longshore, and maybe swats down a pass or two, then he will have done his job. It'll be a difficult task to keep this Cal offense out of the endzone, but Air Force is capable.
Must-See-Ometer
Prediction
Cal will make a game out of it, but with the way they've been playing lately, getting smashed by Washington and losing to Stanford, I'd shy away from picking them. Air Force has an offense that many on Cal hasn't seen before. They last played each other in 2003, so don't think they'll be prepared for the option game. Air Force will give up some plays defensively, but they'll give a 110% effort and it'll be enough for a tight win. Cal loses another heartbreaker, 32-24 (10 confidence points).
Background Info & History
The history of the Humanitarian Bowl is pretty amazing if you look at it. How could a bowl game in Boise survive so long? It's a good question. The first ever Humanitarian Bowl was between Cincinnati and Utah State with the Bearcats winning 35-19. There have been some memorable games like Idaho/Southern Miss, Boise State/Louisville, Fresno State/Virginia, and Boise State/Boston College.
Fresno State Storyline
Fresno State had a major downer of a season in 2006 stunningly missing out on a bowl game. It basically boiled down to poor QB play from Tim Brandstater and it really showed throughout the year including a shocking loss to Utah State, God awful 2006 Utah State! Amazing from a Pat Hill-coached team.
But all is right with the world. The Bulldogs have found their way back to the post season trying to slay yet another big dog. It's Fresno's M.O., it's just what they do. So GT better beware.
Fresno looked almost like a carbon copy of the 2006 team for the first four games. After a sloppy win against bad Sacramento State, Fresno fell just short of upsetting Texas A&M at Kyle Field and they were slaughtered by Oregon. The win against Louisiana Tech wasn't anything special and Fresno didn't show any signs of improvement.
But then the Nevada game came. They gave up 700+ yards in the effort, but they won it 49-41. It was the boost the program needed to get back on the right track. This was a team that was good enough against the WAC doormats to finish with a winning record all the while giving Boise State and Hawaii runs for their money. To wrap it up, it was a successful season.
Georgia Tech Storyline
The head coach was canned and the replacement is Paul Johnson. But that doesn't mean this team won't be focused to play. They still have shown the capacity to be competitive and they have a good defense.
The Yellow Jackets looked like they were ready for the ACC after smashing Notre Dame and Samford, but the Boston College defense found a way to shut this team down 24-10. GT suffered from sporadic play and a hampered Tashard Choice in their losses to Virginia and Virginia Tech. There was also a tough loss to handle against Maryland thrown in there.
The end of the season was basically Gailey's undoing. The former NFL head coach saw his team get dominated by Virginia Tech. They were able to beat Duke and slip by North Carolina, but the loss to Georgia was the nail in the coffin. Gailey had been unable to beat Georgia during his tenure.
So was it was Georgia Tech was looking for? Not really, but they'll move on with Johnson and all will be well in Atlanta.
Match ups of the Game
Fresno State Offensive Line vs. Georgia Tech Pass Rush-Will Fresno State be able to handle Georgia Tech's pass rush? When you think of this defensive front for GT, you think speed, speed, speed, and more speed. They are fast and strong. But, the Bulldogs are a physical team with one of the better offensive lines in the WAC. They're surrendering about a sack and a half per game.
Georgia Tech Special Teams vs. Fresno State Special Teams-If there's one game that special teams will play a more important role in, tell me. Neither team has a prolific offense, but both teams play solid defense. FGs will be at a premium. So, that's where the 6th ranked punting team in the nation (Georgia Tech) meets one of the best punt returners in the country in Clifton Smith. A.J. Jefferson is first in the nation at returning kickoffs.
Keep an Eye on...
If Fresno State lets this guy loose, they'll pay for it. GT was 1-2 when Choice wasn't healthy with their only win coming against Army. He appears to be at full strength and that'll will be tough for the nation's 86th rushing defense to contain.
Pascoe is second on the team in receptions with 3.25 a game. Georgia Tech can't treat him like just any TE because he basically acts as another WR out on the field.
Brandstater will need all the help he can get Georgia Tech's secondary and Pascoe will be one of his best options.
Must-See-Ometer
Prediction
Fresno State always does well against the big boys, but they'll fall short in this effort. They're still in mini-rebuild mode because they're far from the best team Pat Hill has ever fielded in Fresno. Even though Georgia Tech is without Gailey and teams with coaching issues haven't won a game this bowl season, and there's a reason for that--it's because they weren't supposed to win their games to begin with (Houston, Texas A&M, Navy, Southern Miss, UCLA)--they should be able to play well enough defensively with Tashard Choice dominating on the ground. GT will pull it out in the fourth quarter, 34-24 (14 confidence points).
Background Info & History
There have been some entertaining games in the past. Most recently, Ron Mason's Minnesota Golden Gophers edged out Oregon 31-30 in the 2003 Sun Bowl. The 2005 Sun Bowl failed to live up to expectations but it was okay. Last year's Sun Bowl between Oregon State and Missouri could have been the best ever with Mike Riley showing off his major cajones going for two points. He was Boise State before Boise State!
Oregon Storyline
The Ducks had it going on with Dennis Dixon at the helm. He probably should have won the Heisman trophy even after he was injured showing just how valuable he actually was. But that's another story for another day...
That fateful game against the Arizona Wildcats sealed the deal for the Ducks. Dixon went out with a torn ACL, Brady Leaf came in, and it was never the same Ducks team.
Oregon went from killing inferior opponents to not being able to do anything offensively. Brady Leaf fits into that offense like a square peg in a round hole. Even average Pac-10 teams like UCLA found ways to run through Oregon like crap through a goose. Hey, I know you guys have lost three straight including a demoralizing loss to rival Oregon State, but speaking of crap through a goose, maybe George Patton can pump you up:
<table><tbody><tr><td><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YDecLiA_Qbw&rel=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425">
USF Storyline
USF was #2 at one point in time defeating West Virginia in the biggest game in the program's history. Yeah, they were helped out by the loss of Pat White, but this team could tackle giving them the edge in that game.
Well, let's go from the start. That 28-13 win against Elon was on ESPN Gameplan and they were sloppy as hell. I couldn't believe my eyes. However, they were able to rebound and beat Auburn on the road in overtime.
Of couse, they had the big win against West Virginia, but they backed that up with a beatdown of UCF. I also saw USF play against Florida Atlantic and that game was a lot closer than the score showed.
USF would then lose to three of the top teams in the Big East: Rutgers, UConn, and Cincinnati. After that rough spot on the schedule, the Bulls coasted into bowl season by slamming Syracuse, Louisville, and Pittsburgh.
Match ups of the Game
Oregon Running Game vs. USF Rush Defense-This is pretty much Oregon's only hope of winning this game. Jonathan Stewart is a special back that can win games almost single-handedly so USF needs to be on their A-game defensively. With Justin Roper getting the start, expect Oregon to run about 75% of the time. They're going to keep this thing on the ground and roll with it.
USF Running Game vs. Oregon Rush Defense-Oregon's main weakness is the pass defense, but that's not how USF likes to operate. The Bulls like to keep things on the ground with Grothe, Ford, and Williams. The USF ground game is 29th in the nation so that should be a challenge for the Oregon defensive front.
Keep an Eye on...
It's very possible that Selvie is the best defensive player in the nation. Selvie is tremendously atheltic and a huge physical specimen. He ranks second in sacks and first in tackles for loss, averaging more than two per game. He is one impressive athlete.
The Ducks aren't going to win if they allow USF to score more than 30. It's just not going to happen. So, it will be Nick Reed's responsibility to make some plays of his own and try to best his DE counterpart.
Reed is almost as impressive as George Selvie ranking sixth in sacks and third in tackles for loss.
Match ups of the Game
Oregon may have lost to Arizona and UCLA in less-than-stellar fashion, but the game against Oregon State was entertaining, wasn't it? I think that game showed that the Ducks still have some life left in those wings of theirs. USF is coming in on a three-game winning streak so they're playing at a high level.
Prediction
USF should win. I'm not really going out on a limb there. The Ducks without Dixon have been far from potent offensively. They'll give USF a game with Stewart carrying the load, but the USF defense is too good if Oregon gets one-dimensional. Roper has to have a big day, but he's going up against two NFL CBs in Williams and Jenkins. Grothe will make two or three game-changing plays with his legs and that will be the difference. USF wins, 31-17 (23 confidence points).</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
SMQ Bowl Blitz: New Year's Quarterback, Part One
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 11:08:34 AM EDT
Very, very busy final day of 2007, and then a busier day to open 2008. This will be broken up into two parts: below, the New Year's Eve games, to be followed later in the day by predictions of the New Year's Day heavies, and then a totally killer open thread for Tuesday's smorgasboard. I know you're like socially obligated and stuff, but you don't actually have to move for the next 48 hours.
<strike>Peach</strike> Chick-Fil-A Bowl • Clemson vs. Auburn
7:30 p.m. ET - Atlanta
- - -
Overlooked in the hype over Auburn’s new spread experiment is the steady improvement of Clemson’s defense through Tommy Bowden’s tenure – the Tigers have been incrementally better every season since 2002, when they were 71st in total defense at 390 yards per game, until a fast, veteran group this year came in at sixth nationally, allowing a little under 300 per game; aside from the 41-point, turnover-and-special teams-driven debacle against Virginia Tech in early October (in which the Hokies only gained 219 yards, because the offense barely touched the ball), no opponent in the ACC scored more than 21 on Clemson, and half were held to 17 or less.
Part of that, of course, is the ACC outside of Clemson and Boston College being intrinsically conservative and generally terrible on offense, as evidenced by more than half the conference failing to average 25 points per game, but Auburn was in this category as well, failing to top 24 points in any SEC game except its 35-7 win over Vanderbilt. Brandon Cox finished his regular season career with five interceptions in his last two games and didn’t go over 200 yards passing in any of the Tigers’ last seven. The senior has always been “efficient” at best and inept at worst, and if his outrageously young offensive line (three true freshman starters!) is overwhelmed by Clemson’s extremely veteran front seven, there will be no space for Auburn’s clock-consuming power game or to work the kinks out of Tony Franklin’s up-tempo spread.
Cox predicts the over/under on inexplicable throws he’ll lob against Clemson.
- - -
Anyone who’s paid attention to Auburn long enough knows the Tigers will play defense like wild but strangely disciplined animals and do just enough offensively to grind out first downs and keep the game in reach, as long as Cox isn’t tossing it away; they also know that a healthy Quinton Groves runs like a cornerback and any play he’s set free on a pass rush is a sack or game-changing hurried throw/fumble waiting to happen. Those Tigers, though, in wins over Florida and Arkansas, come in with the air of overachievers, while their counterparts, in losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College, didn’t maximize their potential. That juxtaposition makes for a tight game, but on close examination (or not-so-close, really), Clemson has been a better team across the board. Franklin is a miracle man if he’s whipped Auburn’s offense into shape in a week, because it was DOA for most of the last two months of the season. <table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Clemson 21</td> <td>•</td> <td>Auburn 16</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Sun Bowl • South Florida vs. Oregon
El Paso - 2 p.m. ET
- - -
This is pretty simple, really: Oregon’s offense lost a part-time starting running back (Jeremiah Johnson), two productive, veteran deep threats at wide receiver (Cameron Colvin and Brian Paysinger) and then, the piece d’ resistance of the Ducks’ offensive woe, the no-contact loss of Dennis Dixon, the all-American-worthy glue holding one of the most dangerous attacks in the country together. All of those players are still out against USF, and the only other experienced passer on the roster, Brady Leaf – who himself has been the losing quarterback in eight straight games since 2005 in which he throws ten or more passes – is doubtful with an injury he suffered against UCLA, a game his backups proceeded to turn into the worst overall offensive game in Pac Ten history.
It is some solace for Oregon that redshirt freshman Justin Roper appeared mostly competent under center in the overtime loss to Oregon State, and that Jonathan Stewart returned healthy and strong in that game (39 carries for 169 yards), because Stewart will be carrying a massive load against the Bulls, who on defense happen to be rolling out two future first day draft picks on the corners, the national leader in tackles for loss at one end and a sure-tackling set of long-in-the-tooth linebackers who have fared improbably well against the spread option look in two straight wins over the scheme’s Eastern belweather, West Virginia. USF probably will not have to light it up offensively, but Grothe and Co. went well over 400 in six of their last eight games and scored 41, 55 and 48 in the last three, so it’s not out of the question.
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>South Florida 30</td> <td>•</td> <td>Oregon 21</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Music City Bowl • Kentucky vs. Florida State
Nashville - 4 p.m. ET
- - -
Here’s the final toll on FSU’s record-breaking absenteeism today, including suspensions not related to the infamous ring of academic fraud but not including injuries:
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>J. Bryant</td> <td> CB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>J. Shaw</td> <td> WR</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>J. Mincey</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>N. Moffett</td> <td> DE</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>M. Ball</td> <td> LB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P. Griffin</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>D. Thacker</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>L. Guion</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>C. Graham</td> <td> TE</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>J. Claude</td> <td> G</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>D. Rose</td> <td> T</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>D. Watson</td> <td> LB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>P. Robinson</td> <td> CB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>X. Lee</td> <td> QB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>C. Piurowski</td> <td> T</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>K. McNeil</td> <td> DE</td> <td> Academics</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>J. Hannah</td> <td> TE</td> <td> Academics</td> <td> Out for season</td> </tr> </tbody></table> I think I speak for us all when I say, "At least there’s still DeCody I love sex."
Oh, DeCody, dear DeCody, must thou graduate?
- - -
There’s still Drew Weatherford, too, and Antone Smith, and lanky, leaping receiving wonder Greg Carr, but this bunch of Seminoles was a likely underdog (in my mind, anyway) to Kentucky at full strength. At barely half-strength, they are mincemeat for which to fatten André Woodson’s draft prospects. I briefly entertained the idea, as one must, that FSU could rally around this adversity and, just this once, live up to its tantilizing talent in the most heartwarming possible fashion where rampant online cheating is concerned. This would go against every shred of evidence over the last three months. Kentucky has been better offensively than Florida State in every facet – especially at the most important position – since the first day of Spring practice, and whatever advantages FSU might have had on defense have evaporated along with nearly half the starting lineup’s eligibility. The Noles keep it close for a half or three quarters at the very best. <table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Kentucky 35</td> <td>•</td> <td>Florida State 17</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Armed Forces Bowl • California vs. Air Force
Forth Worth - 12:30 p.m. ET
- - -
I was looking for some sign of either of two things in this game – that Air Force can handle Cal’s speed on offense, or that the Bears’ epic collapse over the second half of the season showed any signs of relenting at the end – and found neither. The Falcons played only one game against a team with talent allegedly on par with Cal’s, and won it convincingly, but it’s safe to presume based on performance that Notre Dame’s “talent” was still too nascent this season to judge it on the same scale as that of a team that walloped Tennessee, won at Oregon and rose to No. 2 in the country by the end of a perfect September. Then again, at least Notre Dame was able to win at Stanford down the stretch – losing to Oregon State, UCLA, Arizona State and USC is one thing, but collapsing in the final two weeks against Washington and Stanford, technically finishing behind the Cardinal in the final Pac Ten standings because of the head-to-head loss, is a sign of some deep trauma that a month off will not heal.
Then again, it could also be merely a symptom of Nate Longshore’s badly injured ankle, which caused him to miss the first loss at Oregon State and then partially led to his eleven interceptions in the last six games, five of them losses. The Bears are still lethally fast by any standard on offense with LaVelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson stretching the field and 1,400-yard rusher Justin Forsett out of the backfield. The Falcons will score, because that veer option offense is always much slipperier than expected and Cal is no powerhouse on defense, but if Longshore is anywhere near full strength, Air Force should be playing catch-up in the secondary all afternoon. Void if Longshore is hobbling around or can’t plant on downfield throws.
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>California 37</td> <td>•</td> <td>Air Force 28</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Humanitarian Bowl • Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State
Boise - 2 p.m. ET
- - -
Fresno State has a remarkably good record against mediocre BCS teams in bowl games over the last five years: the Bulldogs beat Virginia in Boise in 2004, UCLA in the Silicon Valley in 2003 and the vary same Yellow Jackets in the Silicon Valley in 2002, site of this rare and ill-fated instance of chutzpah by Chan Gailey at the end of his first season:
<object height="305" width="355">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z4Cf-zRq5W4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="305" width="355"></object></p> That may explain a lot about Chan’s attitude toward risk-taking in the subsequent five years: it’s not worth it. Dropping back with Taylor Bennett, lowest-rated passer in the ACC? Not worth it, especially given Fresno State’s regular struggles against remotely talented running games: FSU allowed 318 to Texas A&M, 307 to Oregon and 282 to Ian Johnson-less Boise State, to say nothing of big days by the likes of Nevada (211 yards rushing in a wild, 702-yard overall performance) and Idaho (290 rushing). The Bulldogs finished 8-4 by pounding the Charmin soft underbelly of the WAC into submission with what must be the most balanced offense in the country – 205 per game rushing, 202 passing – and in addition to taking Texas A&M to three overtimes on the road put a legitimate, all-purpose hurt on lame duck Kansas State just after Thanksgiving. But if ever there was a game to run Tashard Choice until his heart is a beat away from exploding like that disturbing NFL logo on the commercials, this is it. If the Jackets can control the ball and build a little cushion to unleash the most sack-happy attack in the country, the results from the perspective of within-the-offense hero Tom Brandstater will be far from humanitarian. The lower scoring, the better for Tech.
<table><tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Georgia Tech 24</td> <td>•</td> <td>Fresno State 20</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Insight Bowl • Indiana vs. Oklahoma State
Phoenix - 5:30 p.m. ET
- - -
In a game ostensibly dedicated to an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially through intuitive understanding, and to penetrating mental vision or discernment or the faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth, Indiana will be driven by gut level, grief-stricken emotion in its effort to “Win one for Hep,” or some such clichéd but very moving paean to lost coach Terry Hoeppner, a respected man who fended off cancer of the brain to be a part of last year’s failed bid for the postseason but couldn’t hang on long enough to see the Hoosiers’ 14-year bowl drought finally snapped. Under normal circumstances, I’d discount that sentiment on the grounds of Oklahoma State’s balanced, high octane offense, which put up 500-plus yards five times in Big 12 play (at least 459 in every conference game prior to running into the defensive buzzsaw of Oklahoma) and could put up obscene numbers on an IU defense that was ground to dust in losses to Illinois (288 yards rushing), Michigan State (368), Penn State (192), Wisconsin (279) and Northwestern (165; 456 yards overall), none of which possessed OSU’s versatility. But the Cowboys are missing offensive maestro Larry Fedora, gone to be the boss at Southern Miss, and managed to go 6-6 despite their offensive heroics by being significantly worse on defense than even Indiana, or most any other team in the country – Big 12 opponents averaged 483 yards and, outside of the Baylor game, incredibly outgained OSU on average. Even if Adarius Bowman plays (the star receiver is questionable), the Cowboys might sputter initially on offense with a new playcaller, and Kellen Lewis and James Hardy will leave too little room for error.
<table><tbody><tr><td>
</td> <td>Indiana 44</td> <td>•</td> <td>Oklahoma State 38</td></tr></tbody></table>
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 11:08:34 AM EDT
Very, very busy final day of 2007, and then a busier day to open 2008. This will be broken up into two parts: below, the New Year's Eve games, to be followed later in the day by predictions of the New Year's Day heavies, and then a totally killer open thread for Tuesday's smorgasboard. I know you're like socially obligated and stuff, but you don't actually have to move for the next 48 hours.
7:30 p.m. ET - Atlanta
- - -
Overlooked in the hype over Auburn’s new spread experiment is the steady improvement of Clemson’s defense through Tommy Bowden’s tenure – the Tigers have been incrementally better every season since 2002, when they were 71st in total defense at 390 yards per game, until a fast, veteran group this year came in at sixth nationally, allowing a little under 300 per game; aside from the 41-point, turnover-and-special teams-driven debacle against Virginia Tech in early October (in which the Hokies only gained 219 yards, because the offense barely touched the ball), no opponent in the ACC scored more than 21 on Clemson, and half were held to 17 or less.
Part of that, of course, is the ACC outside of Clemson and Boston College being intrinsically conservative and generally terrible on offense, as evidenced by more than half the conference failing to average 25 points per game, but Auburn was in this category as well, failing to top 24 points in any SEC game except its 35-7 win over Vanderbilt. Brandon Cox finished his regular season career with five interceptions in his last two games and didn’t go over 200 yards passing in any of the Tigers’ last seven. The senior has always been “efficient” at best and inept at worst, and if his outrageously young offensive line (three true freshman starters!) is overwhelmed by Clemson’s extremely veteran front seven, there will be no space for Auburn’s clock-consuming power game or to work the kinks out of Tony Franklin’s up-tempo spread.
Cox predicts the over/under on inexplicable throws he’ll lob against Clemson.
- - -
Anyone who’s paid attention to Auburn long enough knows the Tigers will play defense like wild but strangely disciplined animals and do just enough offensively to grind out first downs and keep the game in reach, as long as Cox isn’t tossing it away; they also know that a healthy Quinton Groves runs like a cornerback and any play he’s set free on a pass rush is a sack or game-changing hurried throw/fumble waiting to happen. Those Tigers, though, in wins over Florida and Arkansas, come in with the air of overachievers, while their counterparts, in losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College, didn’t maximize their potential. That juxtaposition makes for a tight game, but on close examination (or not-so-close, really), Clemson has been a better team across the board. Franklin is a miracle man if he’s whipped Auburn’s offense into shape in a week, because it was DOA for most of the last two months of the season. <table> <tbody><tr> <td>
El Paso - 2 p.m. ET
- - -
This is pretty simple, really: Oregon’s offense lost a part-time starting running back (Jeremiah Johnson), two productive, veteran deep threats at wide receiver (Cameron Colvin and Brian Paysinger) and then, the piece d’ resistance of the Ducks’ offensive woe, the no-contact loss of Dennis Dixon, the all-American-worthy glue holding one of the most dangerous attacks in the country together. All of those players are still out against USF, and the only other experienced passer on the roster, Brady Leaf – who himself has been the losing quarterback in eight straight games since 2005 in which he throws ten or more passes – is doubtful with an injury he suffered against UCLA, a game his backups proceeded to turn into the worst overall offensive game in Pac Ten history.
It is some solace for Oregon that redshirt freshman Justin Roper appeared mostly competent under center in the overtime loss to Oregon State, and that Jonathan Stewart returned healthy and strong in that game (39 carries for 169 yards), because Stewart will be carrying a massive load against the Bulls, who on defense happen to be rolling out two future first day draft picks on the corners, the national leader in tackles for loss at one end and a sure-tackling set of long-in-the-tooth linebackers who have fared improbably well against the spread option look in two straight wins over the scheme’s Eastern belweather, West Virginia. USF probably will not have to light it up offensively, but Grothe and Co. went well over 400 in six of their last eight games and scored 41, 55 and 48 in the last three, so it’s not out of the question.
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
Nashville - 4 p.m. ET
- - -
Here’s the final toll on FSU’s record-breaking absenteeism today, including suspensions not related to the infamous ring of academic fraud but not including injuries:
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>J. Bryant</td> <td> CB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>J. Shaw</td> <td> WR</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>J. Mincey</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>N. Moffett</td> <td> DE</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>M. Ball</td> <td> LB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P. Griffin</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>D. Thacker</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>L. Guion</td> <td> DT</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>C. Graham</td> <td> TE</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>J. Claude</td> <td> G</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>D. Rose</td> <td> T</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>D. Watson</td> <td> LB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>P. Robinson</td> <td> CB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>X. Lee</td> <td> QB</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>C. Piurowski</td> <td> T</td> <td> Suspension</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr> <td>K. McNeil</td> <td> DE</td> <td> Academics</td> <td> Out indefinitely</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td>J. Hannah</td> <td> TE</td> <td> Academics</td> <td> Out for season</td> </tr> </tbody></table> I think I speak for us all when I say, "At least there’s still DeCody I love sex."
Oh, DeCody, dear DeCody, must thou graduate?
- - -
There’s still Drew Weatherford, too, and Antone Smith, and lanky, leaping receiving wonder Greg Carr, but this bunch of Seminoles was a likely underdog (in my mind, anyway) to Kentucky at full strength. At barely half-strength, they are mincemeat for which to fatten André Woodson’s draft prospects. I briefly entertained the idea, as one must, that FSU could rally around this adversity and, just this once, live up to its tantilizing talent in the most heartwarming possible fashion where rampant online cheating is concerned. This would go against every shred of evidence over the last three months. Kentucky has been better offensively than Florida State in every facet – especially at the most important position – since the first day of Spring practice, and whatever advantages FSU might have had on defense have evaporated along with nearly half the starting lineup’s eligibility. The Noles keep it close for a half or three quarters at the very best. <table> <tbody><tr> <td>
Forth Worth - 12:30 p.m. ET
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I was looking for some sign of either of two things in this game – that Air Force can handle Cal’s speed on offense, or that the Bears’ epic collapse over the second half of the season showed any signs of relenting at the end – and found neither. The Falcons played only one game against a team with talent allegedly on par with Cal’s, and won it convincingly, but it’s safe to presume based on performance that Notre Dame’s “talent” was still too nascent this season to judge it on the same scale as that of a team that walloped Tennessee, won at Oregon and rose to No. 2 in the country by the end of a perfect September. Then again, at least Notre Dame was able to win at Stanford down the stretch – losing to Oregon State, UCLA, Arizona State and USC is one thing, but collapsing in the final two weeks against Washington and Stanford, technically finishing behind the Cardinal in the final Pac Ten standings because of the head-to-head loss, is a sign of some deep trauma that a month off will not heal.
Then again, it could also be merely a symptom of Nate Longshore’s badly injured ankle, which caused him to miss the first loss at Oregon State and then partially led to his eleven interceptions in the last six games, five of them losses. The Bears are still lethally fast by any standard on offense with LaVelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson stretching the field and 1,400-yard rusher Justin Forsett out of the backfield. The Falcons will score, because that veer option offense is always much slipperier than expected and Cal is no powerhouse on defense, but if Longshore is anywhere near full strength, Air Force should be playing catch-up in the secondary all afternoon. Void if Longshore is hobbling around or can’t plant on downfield throws.
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Boise - 2 p.m. ET
- - -
Fresno State has a remarkably good record against mediocre BCS teams in bowl games over the last five years: the Bulldogs beat Virginia in Boise in 2004, UCLA in the Silicon Valley in 2003 and the vary same Yellow Jackets in the Silicon Valley in 2002, site of this rare and ill-fated instance of chutzpah by Chan Gailey at the end of his first season:
<object height="305" width="355">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z4Cf-zRq5W4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="305" width="355"></object></p> That may explain a lot about Chan’s attitude toward risk-taking in the subsequent five years: it’s not worth it. Dropping back with Taylor Bennett, lowest-rated passer in the ACC? Not worth it, especially given Fresno State’s regular struggles against remotely talented running games: FSU allowed 318 to Texas A&M, 307 to Oregon and 282 to Ian Johnson-less Boise State, to say nothing of big days by the likes of Nevada (211 yards rushing in a wild, 702-yard overall performance) and Idaho (290 rushing). The Bulldogs finished 8-4 by pounding the Charmin soft underbelly of the WAC into submission with what must be the most balanced offense in the country – 205 per game rushing, 202 passing – and in addition to taking Texas A&M to three overtimes on the road put a legitimate, all-purpose hurt on lame duck Kansas State just after Thanksgiving. But if ever there was a game to run Tashard Choice until his heart is a beat away from exploding like that disturbing NFL logo on the commercials, this is it. If the Jackets can control the ball and build a little cushion to unleash the most sack-happy attack in the country, the results from the perspective of within-the-offense hero Tom Brandstater will be far from humanitarian. The lower scoring, the better for Tech.
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Phoenix - 5:30 p.m. ET
- - -
In a game ostensibly dedicated to an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially through intuitive understanding, and to penetrating mental vision or discernment or the faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth, Indiana will be driven by gut level, grief-stricken emotion in its effort to “Win one for Hep,” or some such clichéd but very moving paean to lost coach Terry Hoeppner, a respected man who fended off cancer of the brain to be a part of last year’s failed bid for the postseason but couldn’t hang on long enough to see the Hoosiers’ 14-year bowl drought finally snapped. Under normal circumstances, I’d discount that sentiment on the grounds of Oklahoma State’s balanced, high octane offense, which put up 500-plus yards five times in Big 12 play (at least 459 in every conference game prior to running into the defensive buzzsaw of Oklahoma) and could put up obscene numbers on an IU defense that was ground to dust in losses to Illinois (288 yards rushing), Michigan State (368), Penn State (192), Wisconsin (279) and Northwestern (165; 456 yards overall), none of which possessed OSU’s versatility. But the Cowboys are missing offensive maestro Larry Fedora, gone to be the boss at Southern Miss, and managed to go 6-6 despite their offensive heroics by being significantly worse on defense than even Indiana, or most any other team in the country – Big 12 opponents averaged 483 yards and, outside of the Baylor game, incredibly outgained OSU on average. Even if Adarius Bowman plays (the star receiver is questionable), the Cowboys might sputter initially on offense with a new playcaller, and Kellen Lewis and James Hardy will leave too little room for error.
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RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Bad Idea Alert: Michigan LB Crable Says Florida's Tebow 'Nothing Special'
Posted Dec 31st 2007 11:11AM by Ryan Ferguson
Filed under: Florida Football, Michigan Football, Big 10, SEC, Bowl Games
Man. Just when I was giving up hope that some pre-game bulletin-board material would liven up the upcoming Florida-Michigan matchup in the Capital One Bowl, Shawn Crable goes and saves the day.
Okay, well, let's see then, about Mr. Tebow. He does have freakish stats. Check. Florida does use him... differently? Check. He runs the ball in the red zone a lot. Check.
A few more: first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. Check. First quarterback in NCAA history to run for 20 and pass for 20 in a single season. Check. Usually carries for another 5 yards minimum after the first tackle. Check. Tends to get fired up when opposing linebackers start trash-talkin'... and scoring 5 TDs in response. Check.
Yeah, I'd say picking on Tim Tebow is possibly the worst choice Crable could have made. Really, really, really bad idea, buddy. Next time why don't you just say Danny Wuerffel runs a child labor sweat shop in Malaysia bankrolled by Steve Spurrier. That'd go over a lot better down there in Orlando, which by the way is pure Gator Country.
Filed under: Florida Football, Michigan Football, Big 10, SEC, Bowl Games
"I think y'all are too concerned with this Tebow, I mean he's just a quarterback," Crable said Saturday. "He's really not (different.) He's got some freakish stats because they use him differently, they use him in the red zone a lot to run the ball but he's nothing more exceptional than we've ever played against.
"If you ask me about (Oregon's) Dennis Dixon or you ask me about (former Texas quarterback) Vince Young, I'd be like, now those are some freakish people. You ask me about this guy, he's just a quarterback."
What, no Armanti Edwards?"If you ask me about (Oregon's) Dennis Dixon or you ask me about (former Texas quarterback) Vince Young, I'd be like, now those are some freakish people. You ask me about this guy, he's just a quarterback."
Okay, well, let's see then, about Mr. Tebow. He does have freakish stats. Check. Florida does use him... differently? Check. He runs the ball in the red zone a lot. Check.
A few more: first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. Check. First quarterback in NCAA history to run for 20 and pass for 20 in a single season. Check. Usually carries for another 5 yards minimum after the first tackle. Check. Tends to get fired up when opposing linebackers start trash-talkin'... and scoring 5 TDs in response. Check.
Yeah, I'd say picking on Tim Tebow is possibly the worst choice Crable could have made. Really, really, really bad idea, buddy. Next time why don't you just say Danny Wuerffel runs a child labor sweat shop in Malaysia bankrolled by Steve Spurrier. That'd go over a lot better down there in Orlando, which by the way is pure Gator Country.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Bowl-O-Rama: Music City, Insight, Chick-fil-A Edition
Bridgestone is a Japanese company that is basically "stone bridge" in Japanese. It is one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world. Bridgestone was founded in 1931, too. They create a wide range of products like foam, water hoses, and I'm pretty sure they make golf balls.
The history of the Music City Bowl goes back to 1998. The first ever game was a Virginia Tech victory against Alabama. I said earlier this month that Wisconsin defeated Auburn in the 2003 Music City Bowl, but that wasn't the case. Auburn won that game 28-14, not sure what I was thinking there....
Another year and more failed expectations for the Seminole program.
This was the season where things were supposed to turn around for Florida State who was 7-5 one season ago not including their Emerald Bowl win against UCLA. Many writers thought this team was going to win the ACC this year. Turns out, that was never close to happening, even with their addition of Jimbo Fisher and Rick Trickett.
The year began with a failed comeback attempt against the Clemson Tigers at Death Valley. It was a good effort, but the offense just didn't show up in time.
Florida State was playing well on their four game winning streak against UAB, Colorado, Alabama, and NC State until they ran into Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons pulled off what was then considered the upset. That set the team back because the next week, they lost to Miami, yes, that 5-7 Miami team. FSU looked sharp against Duke and then came back with another top 5 defeat by beating then #2 Boston College. They played a tough schedule, but they underachieved.
7-5? That's it?
Even more than that was expected out of this Kentucky football team. With Andre Woodson and boatloads of talent coming back, the Wildcats failed down the stretch and found themselves back in the Music City.
The year began with a bang by smashing Eastern Kentucky and Kent State. Rich Brook's team ran into Louisville who doesn't know how to defend anyone and looking back on that, it wasn't a great win and Kentucky should have won by more than six points at the last minute.
But, the following game against Arkansas was one of their best efforts. The Hogs tried to give the game away, but it was one of the best days in the Wildcat season considering the effort they gave. Even so, Kentucky ran into South Carolina on national TV and blew their chances at becoming the SEC frontrunner. Still, there was the win that defined their season yet to come. They played LSU down to the wire and stuffed Les Miles' team on a 4th down in triple overtime for the win.
Kentucky would go on to lose their last four out of five with their only victory coming against Vanderbilt, but in a year with the SEC as deep as it is, the Wildcats had a good season.
Kentucky Passing Game vs. FSU Pass Defense-This is probably where Florida State is going to lose. They have a great run defending team, but they have had their struggles defending the pass. Andre Woodson should have a big day without Robinson in the secondary.
FSU Running Game vs. Kentucky Run Defense-Even though Florida State will probably lose this game due to their hits taken on their depth, they'll try to run and run and run to keep that clock moving. Time of possession is the most overrated stat in all of sports, but it will be crucial in this game. The shorter the amount of possessions for each team, the more it benefits FSU because the loss of their depth will wear on them as the game progresses.
Andre Woodson. He's got a ton of targets and he's going up against a weak pass defense.
FSU must find ways to pressure him or else he'll find holes in the secondary. That's been FSU's Achille's Heel all season long and it's probably the reason why they didn't win the ACC.
Look for Woodson to have a big day with the suspensions on the Seminole defense.
Antone Smith. Smith is the key to Florida State being in this game. He'll need to have a big day.
Kentucky's most glaring weakness is their run defense. Even though Jimbo Fisher hasn't got the production out of the rushing attack that he had hoped, Smith is serviceable and will do his damage on the ground. The more that clock runs, the better opportunity Florida State has to win this game.
This game gets a 7 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. Neither team is that special, both sitting at 7-5 in their respective conferences. Plus, with the suspensions and injuries, FSU will probably not make the game as entertaining.
Kentucky should win. FSU will have a lot of success running the football today against the nation's 92nd ranked run defense, but it won't be enough. All of the hits taken on their depth will take its toll and Florida State will wear out late in the second half. Look for Kentucky to outscore FSU by about 20 points in the second half. Kentucky wins but FSU gives a valiant effort, 37-28 (17 confidence points, but that was before the suspensions).
Background Info & History
The history of the Music City Bowl goes back to 1998. The first ever game was a Virginia Tech victory against Alabama. I said earlier this month that Wisconsin defeated Auburn in the 2003 Music City Bowl, but that wasn't the case. Auburn won that game 28-14, not sure what I was thinking there....
Florida State Storyline
Another year and more failed expectations for the Seminole program.This was the season where things were supposed to turn around for Florida State who was 7-5 one season ago not including their Emerald Bowl win against UCLA. Many writers thought this team was going to win the ACC this year. Turns out, that was never close to happening, even with their addition of Jimbo Fisher and Rick Trickett.
The year began with a failed comeback attempt against the Clemson Tigers at Death Valley. It was a good effort, but the offense just didn't show up in time.
Florida State was playing well on their four game winning streak against UAB, Colorado, Alabama, and NC State until they ran into Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons pulled off what was then considered the upset. That set the team back because the next week, they lost to Miami, yes, that 5-7 Miami team. FSU looked sharp against Duke and then came back with another top 5 defeat by beating then #2 Boston College. They played a tough schedule, but they underachieved.
Kentucky Storyline
7-5? That's it?Even more than that was expected out of this Kentucky football team. With Andre Woodson and boatloads of talent coming back, the Wildcats failed down the stretch and found themselves back in the Music City.
The year began with a bang by smashing Eastern Kentucky and Kent State. Rich Brook's team ran into Louisville who doesn't know how to defend anyone and looking back on that, it wasn't a great win and Kentucky should have won by more than six points at the last minute.
But, the following game against Arkansas was one of their best efforts. The Hogs tried to give the game away, but it was one of the best days in the Wildcat season considering the effort they gave. Even so, Kentucky ran into South Carolina on national TV and blew their chances at becoming the SEC frontrunner. Still, there was the win that defined their season yet to come. They played LSU down to the wire and stuffed Les Miles' team on a 4th down in triple overtime for the win.
Kentucky would go on to lose their last four out of five with their only victory coming against Vanderbilt, but in a year with the SEC as deep as it is, the Wildcats had a good season.
Match ups of the Game
Kentucky Passing Game vs. FSU Pass Defense-This is probably where Florida State is going to lose. They have a great run defending team, but they have had their struggles defending the pass. Andre Woodson should have a big day without Robinson in the secondary.
FSU Running Game vs. Kentucky Run Defense-Even though Florida State will probably lose this game due to their hits taken on their depth, they'll try to run and run and run to keep that clock moving. Time of possession is the most overrated stat in all of sports, but it will be crucial in this game. The shorter the amount of possessions for each team, the more it benefits FSU because the loss of their depth will wear on them as the game progresses.
Keep an Eye on...
Andre Woodson. He's got a ton of targets and he's going up against a weak pass defense.FSU must find ways to pressure him or else he'll find holes in the secondary. That's been FSU's Achille's Heel all season long and it's probably the reason why they didn't win the ACC.
Look for Woodson to have a big day with the suspensions on the Seminole defense.
Antone Smith. Smith is the key to Florida State being in this game. He'll need to have a big day.Kentucky's most glaring weakness is their run defense. Even though Jimbo Fisher hasn't got the production out of the rushing attack that he had hoped, Smith is serviceable and will do his damage on the ground. The more that clock runs, the better opportunity Florida State has to win this game.
Must-See-Ometer
Prediction
Kentucky should win. FSU will have a lot of success running the football today against the nation's 92nd ranked run defense, but it won't be enough. All of the hits taken on their depth will take its toll and Florida State will wear out late in the second half. Look for Kentucky to outscore FSU by about 20 points in the second half. Kentucky wins but FSU gives a valiant effort, 37-28 (17 confidence points, but that was before the suspensions).
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Oklahoma suspends starting DT
DeMarcus Granger sent home days before Fiesta Bowl
Posted: Monday December 31, 2007 12:22PM; Updated: Monday December 31, 2007 1:42PM
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Facing West Virginia's explosive spread-option offense, Oklahoma will surely miss starting DT DeMarcus Granger.
JP Wilson/Icon SMI
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</td></tr></tbody></table>GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Oklahoma defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger will miss the Fiesta Bowl after being sent home from Arizona following an arrest for shoplifting.
Granger, a starter, was arrested Saturday in Tempe after he tried to steal a jacket from the Burlington Coat Factory inside Arizona Mills Mall, Tempe police reported.
"Mr. Granger removed an anti-theft device from a jacket and then concealed the jacket in a bag. He exited the store walking past the cash registers without paying for the jacket," Mike Horn, a spokesman for the Tempe Police Department, said in a statement.
The 21-year-old Granger admitted committing the offense and was booked into the Tempe City Jail on one count of shoplifting, Horn said. He later bonded out of jail.
A 307-pound run stuffer, Granger had recorded 35 tackles to tie for the most among the Sooners' defensive linemen. He also had 3 1/2 sacks among his 8 1/2 tackles for loss this season.
"DeMarcus Granger was sent home yesterday, will not play and we'll deal with the situation when we get back," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said Monday during a media day at University of Phoenix Stadium. "If there's anything further, we'll see."
Granger had started 11 of 13 games for this season, but No. 3 Oklahoma (11-2) does have some experienced depth at the position to help fill in against the potent rushing attack of No. 11 West Virginia (10-2) on Wednesday.
"We just go with the other guys. Gerald McCoy, Steven Coleman, Cory Bennett, those guys have all been solid. Adrian Taylor will get more snaps," Stoops said. "All of those guys have played through the season for us, so it doesn't change anything we're doing."
Granger came to Oklahoma as a highly rated recruit from Dallas before redshirting in 2005. He played as a reserve last season, but emerged from fall camp as the starter alongside McCoy.
"It's a big loss. He's a key to stopping things up front," said defensive end Auston English, who led the Big 12 with 9 1/2 sacks this season. "He's a great motivator for us. He makes big plays up the middle. His presence out there, somebody will have to step up and make up for it."
With a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton leading the way, West Virginia has the No. 4 run game in the country with a 293-yard average. Granger could have been a key to slowing the Mountaineers.
"They have a great run game. They're quick, they're fast, but it's nothing that we haven't seen before," McCoy said. "We're just going to go out there, play our game, keep our same game plan.
"Penetration is the key to all the run game, and we've been emphasizing being great tacklers this week because the guys are slippery and they're fast."
DeMarcus Granger sent home days before Fiesta Bowl
Posted: Monday December 31, 2007 12:22PM; Updated: Monday December 31, 2007 1:42PM
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Facing West Virginia's explosive spread-option offense, Oklahoma will surely miss starting DT DeMarcus Granger.
JP Wilson/Icon SMI
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</td></tr></tbody></table>GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Oklahoma defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger will miss the Fiesta Bowl after being sent home from Arizona following an arrest for shoplifting.
Granger, a starter, was arrested Saturday in Tempe after he tried to steal a jacket from the Burlington Coat Factory inside Arizona Mills Mall, Tempe police reported.
"Mr. Granger removed an anti-theft device from a jacket and then concealed the jacket in a bag. He exited the store walking past the cash registers without paying for the jacket," Mike Horn, a spokesman for the Tempe Police Department, said in a statement.
The 21-year-old Granger admitted committing the offense and was booked into the Tempe City Jail on one count of shoplifting, Horn said. He later bonded out of jail.
A 307-pound run stuffer, Granger had recorded 35 tackles to tie for the most among the Sooners' defensive linemen. He also had 3 1/2 sacks among his 8 1/2 tackles for loss this season.
"DeMarcus Granger was sent home yesterday, will not play and we'll deal with the situation when we get back," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said Monday during a media day at University of Phoenix Stadium. "If there's anything further, we'll see."
Granger had started 11 of 13 games for this season, but No. 3 Oklahoma (11-2) does have some experienced depth at the position to help fill in against the potent rushing attack of No. 11 West Virginia (10-2) on Wednesday.
"We just go with the other guys. Gerald McCoy, Steven Coleman, Cory Bennett, those guys have all been solid. Adrian Taylor will get more snaps," Stoops said. "All of those guys have played through the season for us, so it doesn't change anything we're doing."
Granger came to Oklahoma as a highly rated recruit from Dallas before redshirting in 2005. He played as a reserve last season, but emerged from fall camp as the starter alongside McCoy.
"It's a big loss. He's a key to stopping things up front," said defensive end Auston English, who led the Big 12 with 9 1/2 sacks this season. "He's a great motivator for us. He makes big plays up the middle. His presence out there, somebody will have to step up and make up for it."
With a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton leading the way, West Virginia has the No. 4 run game in the country with a 293-yard average. Granger could have been a key to slowing the Mountaineers.
"They have a great run game. They're quick, they're fast, but it's nothing that we haven't seen before," McCoy said. "We're just going to go out there, play our game, keep our same game plan.
"Penetration is the key to all the run game, and we've been emphasizing being great tacklers this week because the guys are slippery and they're fast."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Badgers Starting Freshman RB in Bowl
Posted Dec 31st 2007 5:55PM by Bruce Ciskie
Filed under: Tennessee Football, Wisconsin Football, Big 10, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries
Starting Tuesday's New Year's Day bowl bonanza (not the bonanza it used to be, but it still qualifies as one) will be the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. SEC powerhouse Tennessee meets Wisconsin of the Big Ten at Raymond James Stadium, which serves as home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Even though Tennessee and Wisconsin have both been pretty consistent over the last 15 years or so, this will mark their first meeting since the 1981 Garden State Bowl (won by Tennessee, 28-21), and just their second meeting in history. The SEC and Big Ten have hooked up for many a bowl game in recent years, but none pairing these two.
Even though the fanbases have the reputation for being rather rabid, Tennessee failed to sell out their allotment of tickets for this game.
The big story to come out of the pregame coverage is the change Wisconsin has made in their starting offensive backfield. You might remember that sophomore P.J. Hill, who ran for 1,500 yards as a freshman in 2006, was injured and unavailable down the stretch for Wisconsin, appearing only briefly in the win over Minnesota November 17. When he did that, it began to look like he would return to the starting job in time for the Badgers' bowl game.
However, something else happened in that win over Minnesota, and as a result, it appears Hill has lost his starting job, at least for now.That "something" was the performance of freshman Zach Brown. Brown seized the opportunity to start at Minnesota (Hill was still dinged up, and Lance Smith was barred from traveling on regular-season road trips because he got mad over cab fare), and he ran for 250 yards and two scores on 29 carries. That, combined with his 100-yard effort the week before against Michigan (he was platooning with Smith in that game), seems to have propelled Brown into "alpha dog" status in the Wisconsin backfield.
The youngster has been revealed to be Tuesday's starter for Wisconsin, with Hill and Smith following him on the depth chart. Is this a potentially permanent move? I honestly don't know. However, it stands to reason that Hill's propensity for getting hurt has become a cause for frustration among the Badger coaches, and it is also possible that Hill is better served being a complimentary back in Wisconsin's offense. Brown's combined speed and power are an element that can't be brought by Hill, a bigger back who has good feet and is very strong, but just doesn't have that second gear.
If you're looking for a sign that Brown is the guy for 2008, watch how head coach Bret Bielema and his offensive staff use Brown, Hill, and Smith in the game Tuesday. Hill and Smith will both be juniors next year, with Hill technically eligible to enter the NFL Draft in April should he (stupidly) choose to do so (he is a redshirt sophomore, meaning he is completing his third year out of high school). Brown is a true freshman, while Smith is a "true" sophomore. If they get the bulk of the work in a close game, it means Hill is probably being phased out. If Hill sees action as a short-yardage and change-of-pace back, it may be a more positive sign for him.
As much as I like Hill, it's maddening to deal with his injuries, and he is simply not fast enough to create his own plays when the blocking breaks down. He's not a perimeter back, and he hasn't flashed much as a receiver. Brown has much more upside as an every-down back, and he also flashes more ability as an all-purpose player.
Not only that, but I think he's a better matchup for the Tennessee defense. That bodes well for Wisconsin's chances on Tuesday.
Filed under: Tennessee Football, Wisconsin Football, Big 10, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries
Even though Tennessee and Wisconsin have both been pretty consistent over the last 15 years or so, this will mark their first meeting since the 1981 Garden State Bowl (won by Tennessee, 28-21), and just their second meeting in history. The SEC and Big Ten have hooked up for many a bowl game in recent years, but none pairing these two.
Even though the fanbases have the reputation for being rather rabid, Tennessee failed to sell out their allotment of tickets for this game.
The big story to come out of the pregame coverage is the change Wisconsin has made in their starting offensive backfield. You might remember that sophomore P.J. Hill, who ran for 1,500 yards as a freshman in 2006, was injured and unavailable down the stretch for Wisconsin, appearing only briefly in the win over Minnesota November 17. When he did that, it began to look like he would return to the starting job in time for the Badgers' bowl game.
However, something else happened in that win over Minnesota, and as a result, it appears Hill has lost his starting job, at least for now.That "something" was the performance of freshman Zach Brown. Brown seized the opportunity to start at Minnesota (Hill was still dinged up, and Lance Smith was barred from traveling on regular-season road trips because he got mad over cab fare), and he ran for 250 yards and two scores on 29 carries. That, combined with his 100-yard effort the week before against Michigan (he was platooning with Smith in that game), seems to have propelled Brown into "alpha dog" status in the Wisconsin backfield.
The youngster has been revealed to be Tuesday's starter for Wisconsin, with Hill and Smith following him on the depth chart. Is this a potentially permanent move? I honestly don't know. However, it stands to reason that Hill's propensity for getting hurt has become a cause for frustration among the Badger coaches, and it is also possible that Hill is better served being a complimentary back in Wisconsin's offense. Brown's combined speed and power are an element that can't be brought by Hill, a bigger back who has good feet and is very strong, but just doesn't have that second gear.
If you're looking for a sign that Brown is the guy for 2008, watch how head coach Bret Bielema and his offensive staff use Brown, Hill, and Smith in the game Tuesday. Hill and Smith will both be juniors next year, with Hill technically eligible to enter the NFL Draft in April should he (stupidly) choose to do so (he is a redshirt sophomore, meaning he is completing his third year out of high school). Brown is a true freshman, while Smith is a "true" sophomore. If they get the bulk of the work in a close game, it means Hill is probably being phased out. If Hill sees action as a short-yardage and change-of-pace back, it may be a more positive sign for him.
As much as I like Hill, it's maddening to deal with his injuries, and he is simply not fast enough to create his own plays when the blocking breaks down. He's not a perimeter back, and he hasn't flashed much as a receiver. Brown has much more upside as an every-down back, and he also flashes more ability as an all-purpose player.
Not only that, but I think he's a better matchup for the Tennessee defense. That bodes well for Wisconsin's chances on Tuesday.
bluemyboy
CTG Player
See you took Auburn, I think the whole Offensive Situation with the new coach and type is going to get blown apart with a defense this good. you cant put a quick fix offense in 4 weeks against one of the top defenses in the nation. Ive been busy so havent been able to post these summaries. here is one for the late game, will post more tomorrow. good luck the rest of the way out! Happy New Years.
Auburn vs. Clemson 12/31 4:30 pm
Clemson -2.5
Auburn 66.0% (from a contest with no incentive for the dog, kinda wierd)
Location: Georgia
Note:
-Freshman Auburn linebacker Bo Harris has undergone shoulder surgery and will not play against Clemson in Monday's Chick-fil-A Bowl, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said Tuesday night. Despite being plagued by shoulder problems for most of the season, Harris played in 11 games and was in on 18 tackles
-Auburn’s Defensive Coordinator was rumored to be accepting the Arkansas job.
-Auburn had the 8<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="6910">th</SUP> ranked defense in terms of points allowed.
-Clemson has the 6<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="6977">th</SUP> ranked defense in the nation overall.
-There are 9 5<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="7035">th</SUP> year seniors on Auburn, they will be trying to match last years 5<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="7105">th</SUP> year guys with 50 wins in their careers.
-Auburn will make its eighth consecutive bowl appearance Monday night, one short of the school record set from 1982-90.
-Three Clemson players - Tramaine Billie and Nick Watson and Capote - are in danger of being academically ineligible. Freshman Scotty Cooper is slated to replace Billie at strongside linebacker. Redshirt freshman Chris Hairston, the heir apparent at right tackle, will make his first career start in place of Capote. The biggest shoes likely will be filled by Conner and junior linebacker Antonio Clay, who will play at Watkins’ weakside linebacker spot. Watkins, a three-year starter, has led the Tigers in tackles each of the past two seasons and finishes his career seventh on the school’s all-time tackling list.
-Another Clemson player - Cortney Vincent - was arrested last week and charged with DUI. It is probable he will play though, first reports were he would probably not play.
-Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville came out and publicly said he is turning over the offense to new offensive coordinator next season and they are going to be running a spread offense. This coming in the wake of Al Borges leave. Interesting they are looking past a bowl game….. Get real Tubberville, don’t have your players think ahead of any game, let alone a bowl game. Despite what he said initially, he could not help himself and practiced on the new offense more then one bowl practice…..shame on you Tommy, you said yourself your team would have to work hard picking it up in time before next year. HAHA, new report says that they are now going to run the new offense with the new OC. Even the players are admitting they are confused. Auburn will even be planning on using multiple QBs.
-Auburn LT King Dunlap will not be playing in the game against Clemson. Dunlap started 20 games for the Tigers, including six this year. He’ll be replaced by freshman Ryan Pugh. Pugh will be starting his seventh game at the position and will be joined by fellow freshmen Chaz Ramsey and Lee Ziemba on the offensive line. (3 freshman on the o-line, might have to look out for this team in the future, but this year….. yeah right)
-Auburn QB Cox talked about a conversation he had with the new offensive Coordinator: "He sat me down and talked to me," Cox said. "He told me that since it's only going to be one game, he's going to coach me, but footwork and things like that, he's not going to try to change it in one game. He said 'Just do what you have to do.' He's going to focus on the young guys and get them ready for next year." Puhleez, get focused on the right game coach.
-Auburn QB Cox, has never played under another coach in college. BTW we are getting conflicting reports, Cox says they will throw 60%, Tubberville says they will still run the ball more then they pass.
-Clemson went 5-1 down the stretch while outscoring its final six opponents by a combined 231-92 margin over Central Michigan, Duke, Maryland, South Carolina, and Wake Forest
-Due to the new offense “that they are not implementing that much in the Bowl game” Auburn is having longer practices then normal for them and for any bowl team. Oh btw the new OC will not be calling plays, but they will be using his system, er I mean they say they wont.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Auburn vs. Clemson 12/31 4:30 pm
Clemson -2.5
Auburn 66.0% (from a contest with no incentive for the dog, kinda wierd)
Location: Georgia
Note:
-Freshman Auburn linebacker Bo Harris has undergone shoulder surgery and will not play against Clemson in Monday's Chick-fil-A Bowl, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said Tuesday night. Despite being plagued by shoulder problems for most of the season, Harris played in 11 games and was in on 18 tackles
-Auburn’s Defensive Coordinator was rumored to be accepting the Arkansas job.
-Auburn had the 8<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="6910">th</SUP> ranked defense in terms of points allowed.
-Clemson has the 6<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="6977">th</SUP> ranked defense in the nation overall.
-There are 9 5<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="7035">th</SUP> year seniors on Auburn, they will be trying to match last years 5<SUP goog_docs_charIndex="7105">th</SUP> year guys with 50 wins in their careers.
-Auburn will make its eighth consecutive bowl appearance Monday night, one short of the school record set from 1982-90.
-Three Clemson players - Tramaine Billie and Nick Watson and Capote - are in danger of being academically ineligible. Freshman Scotty Cooper is slated to replace Billie at strongside linebacker. Redshirt freshman Chris Hairston, the heir apparent at right tackle, will make his first career start in place of Capote. The biggest shoes likely will be filled by Conner and junior linebacker Antonio Clay, who will play at Watkins’ weakside linebacker spot. Watkins, a three-year starter, has led the Tigers in tackles each of the past two seasons and finishes his career seventh on the school’s all-time tackling list.
-Another Clemson player - Cortney Vincent - was arrested last week and charged with DUI. It is probable he will play though, first reports were he would probably not play.
-Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville came out and publicly said he is turning over the offense to new offensive coordinator next season and they are going to be running a spread offense. This coming in the wake of Al Borges leave. Interesting they are looking past a bowl game….. Get real Tubberville, don’t have your players think ahead of any game, let alone a bowl game. Despite what he said initially, he could not help himself and practiced on the new offense more then one bowl practice…..shame on you Tommy, you said yourself your team would have to work hard picking it up in time before next year. HAHA, new report says that they are now going to run the new offense with the new OC. Even the players are admitting they are confused. Auburn will even be planning on using multiple QBs.
-Auburn LT King Dunlap will not be playing in the game against Clemson. Dunlap started 20 games for the Tigers, including six this year. He’ll be replaced by freshman Ryan Pugh. Pugh will be starting his seventh game at the position and will be joined by fellow freshmen Chaz Ramsey and Lee Ziemba on the offensive line. (3 freshman on the o-line, might have to look out for this team in the future, but this year….. yeah right)
-Auburn QB Cox talked about a conversation he had with the new offensive Coordinator: "He sat me down and talked to me," Cox said. "He told me that since it's only going to be one game, he's going to coach me, but footwork and things like that, he's not going to try to change it in one game. He said 'Just do what you have to do.' He's going to focus on the young guys and get them ready for next year." Puhleez, get focused on the right game coach.
-Auburn QB Cox, has never played under another coach in college. BTW we are getting conflicting reports, Cox says they will throw 60%, Tubberville says they will still run the ball more then they pass.
-Clemson went 5-1 down the stretch while outscoring its final six opponents by a combined 231-92 margin over Central Michigan, Duke, Maryland, South Carolina, and Wake Forest
-Due to the new offense “that they are not implementing that much in the Bowl game” Auburn is having longer practices then normal for them and for any bowl team. Oh btw the new OC will not be calling plays, but they will be using his system, er I mean they say they wont.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
SMQ Bowl Blitz: New Year's Quarterback, Part Two
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 07:03:18 PM EDT
It's the most wonderful day of the year, if you can wake up early enough. The Cotton Bowl will be kicking off at 10 a.m. local time in Dallas, the Outback Bowl right behind it at 11:30 in Orlando, all in order to accomodate the Rose Bowl's traditional afternoon kickoff, which cannot be opposed at risk of reversing the spin of the Earth's axis and turning the waters of the mighty Mississippi to blood. Hangovers be damned, there really is nothing like the tradition of the Granddaddy.
GAME OF THE CENTURY OF THE DAY!
Sugar Bowl • Georgia vs. Hawaii
New Orleans - 8:30 p.m. ET
- - -
What’s at Stake: Winning the Sugar Bowl, for one, an historic prize for Hawaii and probably a potential catapult to greater 2008 expectations for Georgia. The Bulldogs bring essentially their entire lineup back next fall, and whatever the folly of extrapolating championship level momentum over the summer, preseason standings hold disproportionate sway; for purely practical reasons, this isn’t really the no-win scenario presented in this space and elsewhere for UGA (that is: no credit for winning, because Georgia is supposed to beat Hawaii, anyway, and serious demerits for being an upset victim), because a victory will ensure a top five finish, and after Boise State’s desert dramatics last year – and West Virginia’s breakout fisrt quarter en route to the upset in the Sugar Bowl two years ago – no one is as eager to dismiss an underdog with an offense.
Both teams have mythical championship concerns that are too remote to bother with. Hawaii will make some noise as the only undefeated team in the country and probably earn much righteous indignation from columnists on its behalf if UH can finish 13-0, but this chatter will not be of any consequence unless the Warriors blow UGA off the field – again, these odds are too distant to seriously consider. Georgia partisans who think their school was as deserving as LSU for a mythical championship berth might moan about the polls to some extent if UGA wins big, but it’s doubtful anyone else will.
The game is the same, Hawaii, it’s just up on another level.
- - -
This is the biggest game in Hawaii’s history, in the same way the 2005 Fiesta Bowl was the high point of Utah’s program under Urban Meyer and last year’s Fiesta meant everything to Boise State, but a win will not signal the arrival of the Warriors as a national power or anything; at best, it will make June Jones a hot coaching commodity again to some school with better immediate prospects than SMU. The Warriors should appreciate this game as the culmination of Jones’ tenure at his alma mater, at the moment the right player came along at quarterback and everything came together for the greatest run in school history. This is Hawaii’s chance on the big stage, and when Colt Brennan is gone, it will probably be the only one of this magnitude for many years. Recognize the opportunity, relish it and count your lanakila now, while you still can.
Georgia Wants: Pound, pound, pound. It’s hard to take much from the success of Hawaii’s passing game against the defenses the Warriors have faced, which are virtually all ‘N/A’ next to Georgia’s. Outside of Boise State, none of the Warriors’ other eleven opponents finished in the top half of the country in any of the four major defensive categories (rushing, passing efficiency, total and scoring), few of them even coming anywhere close. There’s no way of knowing how the run-and-shoot might change against a much, much stiffer defense than it’s faced all season, but going back to Brennan’s games against respectable units in 2006, the Bulldogs have to assume he’s going to inflict his share of damage:
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <caption align="top">Colt Brennan Passing vs. Top 60 Total Defenses</caption> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(164, 74, 74) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">
</td> <td align="center">Att.</td> <td align="center">Comp. %</td> <td align="center">Yds./Att.</td> <td align="center">Yds./Comp.</td> <td align="center">TD:INT</td> <td align="center">Result</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">at Alabama (2006)</td> <td align="center">44</td> <td align="center">68.2</td> <td align="center">8.0</td> <td align="center">11.7</td> <td align="center">2:1</td> <td align="center">L, 17-25</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">at Boise St. (2006)</td> <td align="center">37</td> <td align="center">69.4</td> <td align="center">8.5</td> <td align="center">15.5</td> <td align="center">5:1</td> <td align="center">L, 34-41</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Nevada (2006)</td> <td align="center">47</td> <td align="center">76.6</td> <td align="center">8.9</td> <td align="center">9.2</td> <td align="center">4:0</td> <td align="center">W, 41-34</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">Oregon St. (2006)</td> <td align="center">50</td> <td align="center">74.0</td> <td align="center">8.0</td> <td align="center">10.8</td> <td align="center">2:2</td> <td align="center">L, 32-35</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Arizona St. (2006)</td> <td align="center">42</td> <td align="center">78.6</td> <td align="center">13.3</td> <td align="center">16.9</td> <td align="center">5:1</td> <td align="center">W, 41-24</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">Boise St. (2007)</td> <td align="center">53</td> <td align="center">75.5</td> <td align="center">9.3</td> <td align="center">12.4</td> <td align="center">5:2</td> <td align="center">W, 39-27</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Brennan is going to make a mistake or two, but in general, he’s obviously a threat both to control the tempo with a lot of safe, high-percentage passes that basically function as running plays for the Warriors, and a threat to hit a quick slant or seam for big run-after-catch yards. Georgia needs to do all it can to keep Brennan off the field by establishing Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown in the running game and not letting the game devolve into a tit-for-tat, all-touchdowns-all-the-time shootout. The Warriors’ best opponents have had a lot of success pounding the ball as long as possible before succumbing to comeback mode – Louisiana Tech ran for 223, Fresno State for 182, Nevada for 216 and Washington for 261. Hawaii’s only real success stopping a potent running game was against Boise State, and even amid overall frustration Ian Johnson was able to break a 50-yarder. UH is an attacking, penetrating defense that makes a lot of plays in the backfield but is also susceptible to giving up the big play, and the more Georgia can control the line of scrimmage and put together long, sustained drives like the ones it had in the physical wins over Florida and Auburn, the better chance the Bulldogs have of wearing the Warriors down and hitting a big play of their own by ground or air.
Georgia’s defensive line was a terror over the second half of the season, hustling for 25 sacks over the last six games, and at least three in every game after the debacle at Tennessee. Brennan hasn’t been hit much, relative to the number of time he drops back every game, but Boise State got to him twice and Washington four times in the last two games and emerging firebreathers Marcus Howard and Geno Atkins will be by far the best front four pass rushers Hawaii has faced. Without pressure, it’s fish-in-a-barrell time downfield. Brennan either has to work hard for consistency on long drives against a sure-tackling zone, or find his receivers’ timing disrupted by bump-and-run coverage and men in his face.
Hawaii Wants: To counter Georgia’s pass rush, expect the Warriors to work a lot of quick-release, hot route and screen reads to get Brennan into a rhythm. If the horizontal game get rolling and UGA linebackers and safeties start flowing sideline-to-sideline, the Warrior receivers have the speed to get up the field on seams and slants for big yards. Protecting Brennan is key: if Georgia has to start bringing blitzers and leaving its secondary man-to-man, Hawaii has a lot of options in Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Jason Rivers and C.J. Hawthorne to exploit individual match-ups – all can run, all reliable, and all are big play threats if they get a hold of the ball in space.
Georgia has speed on the outside, too, and Mike Bobo’s offense has home run threats of its own when it gets Moreno and/or Brown working on the ground. This is the game, and where most observers think Georgia will prove overpowering: the Warriors are massive on the interior defensive line (Michael Lafaele is 302, Saive Seti is 281, Keala Watson is 328) and will have to contain Moreno long enough to force Matt Stafford into a fast-paced passing match with Brennan, which will also allow the Warriors to tee off with their underrated speed. Even if it slows the Bulldogs out of the gate, though, ultimately Hawaii can’t win if it doesn’t score.
Key Variable: Can Georgia get pressure on Brennan and, related, can its secondary hang with Hawaii’s receivers man-to-man? One of the ways Florida made Ohio State look foolish in last January’s championship game was by clamping down on the Buckeyes’ receivers and bringing enough heat to force Troy Smith into quick decisions. Georgia can overrun Brennan in the pocket if Asher Allen, Kelin Johnson, C.J. Byrd, Prince Miller and Bryan Evans hold up their end of the deal; it’s a long night of Warrior first downs and/or touchdowns if not.
The Pick: Expect Hawaii to be fairly jacked and get off to a fast start, like Boise last year and West Virginia the year before, but also expect some of the Warriors’ success to go for naught when it runs of space in the red zone. Brennan will get his big yards, but I’m more confident in the long run in Georgia’s ability to line up and run straight at Hawaii’s defense and to finish drives on the ground where UH has to settle for field goals. Not many teams are adept at the power running game anymore, but Moreno’s emergence after the loss to Tennessee was clear – the Bulldogs ran for 167, 196, 240, 180, 184 and 218 in the last six games, three of them against top 25 rushing defenses. Hawaii’s knowledge of a top 25 defense over the last two years is exclusively on film.
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Georgia 38</td> <td>•</td> <td>Hawaii 31</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Rose Bowl • Southern Cal vs. Illinois
Pasadena - 4:30 p.m. ET
- - -
The first notion that should be dispelled is that poor upstart Illinois is going to be run out of the stadium by USC’s neo-gladiator destroyers. The Illini torched Penn State for 216 on the ground, ripped off 289 against Wisconsin, controlled the tempo and stood toe to toe with Ohio State en route to piling up 260 on the top-ranked total defense in the country and over the rest of November hit up lesser defenses for 324, 448 and 321 in rushing alone. They have a future high draft pick at tailback and a physical weapon at wide receiver in Arrelious Benn over which SC and every other team drooled last fall and will continue to drool for the next two years. Illinois has athletes who should be expected to make plays against any defense.
The second notion to be dispelled is that USC is "playing as well as any team in the country" or is the "hottest team" and other superlatives along the lines of "they’re the best team after all." This is only residual awe at the team’s untapped talent prior to the season, which Mergz at Saurian Sagacity took on a month ago:
Rashard Mendenhall is no underdog.
- - -
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Southern Cal 32</td> <td>•</td> <td>Illinois 23</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<strike>Citrus</strike> Capital One Bowl • Florida vs. Michigan
Orlando - 1 p.m. ET
- - -
Michigan’s mindset here is something of a mystery: coaching turnover, disillusion after a fourth straight loss to the Buckeyes, reports of players – Mike Hart included – packing on a few extra pounds since the end of the regular season. I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in stories like this –
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Florida 34</td> <td>•</td> <td>Michigan 20</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Outback Bowl • Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Tampa - 11:00 a.m. ET
- - -
When last we saw Wisconsin against a serious opponent, the Badgers were steamrolling Michigan, hammering out 200-plus against the Wolverines on the ground without 1,000-yard thumper P.J. Hill and showing off a well-tuned passing game between Travis Beckum and Paul Hubbard, the latter of whom missed most of the season but hauled in seven for 134 yards in Ann Arbor. This was not the Badgers we had known earlier in the year, when they were being ripped on the ground by Michigan State and Illinois and blown out by Penn State, or running for 12 yards and falling apart defensively late in a loss to Ohio State. Tyler Donovan seemed sure and in command with Hubbard able to stretch the field and the big offensive line opening holes.
These are similar teams in all of those ways, with Arian Foster standing in for Hill and Erik Ainge for the solid but unspectacular senior quarterback who sometimes scares his fans to death. Tennessee, too, has been inconsistent, with improbably great games against Georgia and Arkansas amid shameful outings at Florida and Alabama and suspect, either-or wins over South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The ineligibility of leading receiver Lucas Taylor will be significant for Tennessee, because it could amplify Wisconsin’s biggest advantage on defense, the one-on-one cover skills of Jack Ikegwuonu, who will likely line up most of the time over the Vols’ only other possible downfield threat, Josh Briscoe, while his more suspect teammates in the secondary get the more manageable task of containing Austin Rogers. Neither is a great threat, and unless Tennessee can consistently control the trenches, Wisconsin will be the more balanced, assertive outfit.
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Wisconsin 24</td> <td>•</td> <td>Tennessee 22</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Cotton Bowl • Missouri vs. Arkansas
Dallas - 11:30 a.m. ET
- - -
Darren McFadden is eligible, after all, but the best matchup in the Cotton Bowl will be Chase Daniel against Arkansas’ secondary, which is under Reggie Herring has been an habitually in-your-face, bump-and-run bunch of badasses that finished fifth nationall in efficiency defense and held opposing passers to a national-low 45.6 percent completion rate (LSU was the only other defense that forced a majority incompletions), against Chase Daniel, who remains teh awesome spread quarterback machine, if slightly tarnished by his unfortunate run-in with Oklahoma, from which few models survive. Oklahoma was the first defense to even remotely contain the Tigers’ funky, wide open attack – including Oklahoma, which allowed 418 yards and 31 points to Mizzou in October – and did it in three ways: a) pressure Daniel (OU sacked Daniel twice and spent all night in his face); b) stuff the Tigers’ running game, i.e. Tony Temple (Temple has a meager 37 yards on 13 carries); and c) pressure the Tigers’ receivers and get them on the ground on the first tackle in the horizontal passing game (Mizzou averaged less than 10 yards per completion and had no plays longer than 22 yards). Herring has relished an aggressive approach in the past and might succeed with it here, or might try it and be scorched to oblivion by Jeremy Maclin. But if the Razorbacks don’t force the issue – as Kansas didn’t, to the Jayhawks’ doom – Daniel has a field full of options and is near-automatic out of the shotgun.
McFadden, one more time.
- - -
The other issue is the fitness of Missouri’s defense to slow McFadden and Felix Jones, the Razorbacks’ version of Maclin. It has been done, by Auburn and, in relative terms, by Ole Miss, Tennessee and Mississippi State., but it’s truly the exceptional player who counts anything under 150 yards as “contained.” Arkansas is at full strength with Marcus Monk at receiver, and I’m convinced this changes the dynamic of how defenses approach the Razorbacks – Monk only has a dozen catches, but Arkansas has won four of five since Monk’s return, including the upset of LSU, and it’s death to overplay the run at the expense of leaving the big guy on an island. Missouri has not faced a great running back, but Oklahoma wore down the Tiger defense late in the Big 12 Championship and in McFadden, Jones and Peyton Hillis, the Razorbacks bring quality and versatility from all angles. Missouri deserves to be the favorite, but if there is any player worth going against the grain for, McFadden is him – it should be his last game, and a fitting farewell stage for one of the true greats of the era.<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Arkansas 35</td> <td>•</td> <td>Missouri 31</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Gator Bowl • Texas Tech vs. Virginia
Jacksonville - 1 p.m. ET
- - -
This is a bizarre matchup for several reasons – a Big 12 team instead of the Big East, Virginia being selected for a New Year’s Day game over Boston College out of the ACC for no discernible reason, the complete opposite philosophies of outsider Mike Leach and the anything-goes Raiders and NFL-bred Al Groh’s straight-laced, defense-oriented Cavaliers – but it’s not a particularly interesting one, if Virginia’s regular lapses against Virginia Tech’s passing game in the biggest game of the Cavaliers’ season were any indication. UVA was solid on defense against most other fellow ACC conservatives, but that conference is tailormade for the success of ball control teams like Virginia and Wake Forest that bite and hold to the death and win two-point games on fourth quarter comebacks, as Virginia did in six of its nine wins; the Cavs also did not play either of the league’s more explosive attacks from the Atlantic Division, Clemson and Boston College. There is no offense remotely like Leach’s in the ACC, and if Tech scores at anywhere near its usual clip, there’s no indication UVA has the offense to answer or the physical, clock-grinding presence in the backfield (leading rusher Cedric Peerman had just 585 yards, and UVA was 92nd nationally in rushing) necessary to play keepaway.
<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>Texas Tech 37</td> <td>•</td> <td>Virginia 24</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Tune in New Year's morning an hour or so prior to kick off for the New Year's open thread, which by all rights deserves to be the best of the season.
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Dec 31, 2007 at 07:03:18 PM EDT
It's the most wonderful day of the year, if you can wake up early enough. The Cotton Bowl will be kicking off at 10 a.m. local time in Dallas, the Outback Bowl right behind it at 11:30 in Orlando, all in order to accomodate the Rose Bowl's traditional afternoon kickoff, which cannot be opposed at risk of reversing the spin of the Earth's axis and turning the waters of the mighty Mississippi to blood. Hangovers be damned, there really is nothing like the tradition of the Granddaddy.
GAME OF THE CENTURY OF THE DAY!
New Orleans - 8:30 p.m. ET
- - -
What’s at Stake: Winning the Sugar Bowl, for one, an historic prize for Hawaii and probably a potential catapult to greater 2008 expectations for Georgia. The Bulldogs bring essentially their entire lineup back next fall, and whatever the folly of extrapolating championship level momentum over the summer, preseason standings hold disproportionate sway; for purely practical reasons, this isn’t really the no-win scenario presented in this space and elsewhere for UGA (that is: no credit for winning, because Georgia is supposed to beat Hawaii, anyway, and serious demerits for being an upset victim), because a victory will ensure a top five finish, and after Boise State’s desert dramatics last year – and West Virginia’s breakout fisrt quarter en route to the upset in the Sugar Bowl two years ago – no one is as eager to dismiss an underdog with an offense.
Both teams have mythical championship concerns that are too remote to bother with. Hawaii will make some noise as the only undefeated team in the country and probably earn much righteous indignation from columnists on its behalf if UH can finish 13-0, but this chatter will not be of any consequence unless the Warriors blow UGA off the field – again, these odds are too distant to seriously consider. Georgia partisans who think their school was as deserving as LSU for a mythical championship berth might moan about the polls to some extent if UGA wins big, but it’s doubtful anyone else will.
The game is the same, Hawaii, it’s just up on another level.
- - -
This is the biggest game in Hawaii’s history, in the same way the 2005 Fiesta Bowl was the high point of Utah’s program under Urban Meyer and last year’s Fiesta meant everything to Boise State, but a win will not signal the arrival of the Warriors as a national power or anything; at best, it will make June Jones a hot coaching commodity again to some school with better immediate prospects than SMU. The Warriors should appreciate this game as the culmination of Jones’ tenure at his alma mater, at the moment the right player came along at quarterback and everything came together for the greatest run in school history. This is Hawaii’s chance on the big stage, and when Colt Brennan is gone, it will probably be the only one of this magnitude for many years. Recognize the opportunity, relish it and count your lanakila now, while you still can.
Georgia Wants: Pound, pound, pound. It’s hard to take much from the success of Hawaii’s passing game against the defenses the Warriors have faced, which are virtually all ‘N/A’ next to Georgia’s. Outside of Boise State, none of the Warriors’ other eleven opponents finished in the top half of the country in any of the four major defensive categories (rushing, passing efficiency, total and scoring), few of them even coming anywhere close. There’s no way of knowing how the run-and-shoot might change against a much, much stiffer defense than it’s faced all season, but going back to Brennan’s games against respectable units in 2006, the Bulldogs have to assume he’s going to inflict his share of damage:
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <caption align="top">Colt Brennan Passing vs. Top 60 Total Defenses</caption> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(164, 74, 74) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">
</td> <td align="center">Att.</td> <td align="center">Comp. %</td> <td align="center">Yds./Att.</td> <td align="center">Yds./Comp.</td> <td align="center">TD:INT</td> <td align="center">Result</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">at Alabama (2006)</td> <td align="center">44</td> <td align="center">68.2</td> <td align="center">8.0</td> <td align="center">11.7</td> <td align="center">2:1</td> <td align="center">L, 17-25</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">at Boise St. (2006)</td> <td align="center">37</td> <td align="center">69.4</td> <td align="center">8.5</td> <td align="center">15.5</td> <td align="center">5:1</td> <td align="center">L, 34-41</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Nevada (2006)</td> <td align="center">47</td> <td align="center">76.6</td> <td align="center">8.9</td> <td align="center">9.2</td> <td align="center">4:0</td> <td align="center">W, 41-34</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">Oregon St. (2006)</td> <td align="center">50</td> <td align="center">74.0</td> <td align="center">8.0</td> <td align="center">10.8</td> <td align="center">2:2</td> <td align="center">L, 32-35</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Arizona St. (2006)</td> <td align="center">42</td> <td align="center">78.6</td> <td align="center">13.3</td> <td align="center">16.9</td> <td align="center">5:1</td> <td align="center">W, 41-24</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">Boise St. (2007)</td> <td align="center">53</td> <td align="center">75.5</td> <td align="center">9.3</td> <td align="center">12.4</td> <td align="center">5:2</td> <td align="center">W, 39-27</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Brennan is going to make a mistake or two, but in general, he’s obviously a threat both to control the tempo with a lot of safe, high-percentage passes that basically function as running plays for the Warriors, and a threat to hit a quick slant or seam for big run-after-catch yards. Georgia needs to do all it can to keep Brennan off the field by establishing Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown in the running game and not letting the game devolve into a tit-for-tat, all-touchdowns-all-the-time shootout. The Warriors’ best opponents have had a lot of success pounding the ball as long as possible before succumbing to comeback mode – Louisiana Tech ran for 223, Fresno State for 182, Nevada for 216 and Washington for 261. Hawaii’s only real success stopping a potent running game was against Boise State, and even amid overall frustration Ian Johnson was able to break a 50-yarder. UH is an attacking, penetrating defense that makes a lot of plays in the backfield but is also susceptible to giving up the big play, and the more Georgia can control the line of scrimmage and put together long, sustained drives like the ones it had in the physical wins over Florida and Auburn, the better chance the Bulldogs have of wearing the Warriors down and hitting a big play of their own by ground or air.
Georgia’s defensive line was a terror over the second half of the season, hustling for 25 sacks over the last six games, and at least three in every game after the debacle at Tennessee. Brennan hasn’t been hit much, relative to the number of time he drops back every game, but Boise State got to him twice and Washington four times in the last two games and emerging firebreathers Marcus Howard and Geno Atkins will be by far the best front four pass rushers Hawaii has faced. Without pressure, it’s fish-in-a-barrell time downfield. Brennan either has to work hard for consistency on long drives against a sure-tackling zone, or find his receivers’ timing disrupted by bump-and-run coverage and men in his face.
Hawaii Wants: To counter Georgia’s pass rush, expect the Warriors to work a lot of quick-release, hot route and screen reads to get Brennan into a rhythm. If the horizontal game get rolling and UGA linebackers and safeties start flowing sideline-to-sideline, the Warrior receivers have the speed to get up the field on seams and slants for big yards. Protecting Brennan is key: if Georgia has to start bringing blitzers and leaving its secondary man-to-man, Hawaii has a lot of options in Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Jason Rivers and C.J. Hawthorne to exploit individual match-ups – all can run, all reliable, and all are big play threats if they get a hold of the ball in space.
Georgia has speed on the outside, too, and Mike Bobo’s offense has home run threats of its own when it gets Moreno and/or Brown working on the ground. This is the game, and where most observers think Georgia will prove overpowering: the Warriors are massive on the interior defensive line (Michael Lafaele is 302, Saive Seti is 281, Keala Watson is 328) and will have to contain Moreno long enough to force Matt Stafford into a fast-paced passing match with Brennan, which will also allow the Warriors to tee off with their underrated speed. Even if it slows the Bulldogs out of the gate, though, ultimately Hawaii can’t win if it doesn’t score.
Key Variable: Can Georgia get pressure on Brennan and, related, can its secondary hang with Hawaii’s receivers man-to-man? One of the ways Florida made Ohio State look foolish in last January’s championship game was by clamping down on the Buckeyes’ receivers and bringing enough heat to force Troy Smith into quick decisions. Georgia can overrun Brennan in the pocket if Asher Allen, Kelin Johnson, C.J. Byrd, Prince Miller and Bryan Evans hold up their end of the deal; it’s a long night of Warrior first downs and/or touchdowns if not.
The Pick: Expect Hawaii to be fairly jacked and get off to a fast start, like Boise last year and West Virginia the year before, but also expect some of the Warriors’ success to go for naught when it runs of space in the red zone. Brennan will get his big yards, but I’m more confident in the long run in Georgia’s ability to line up and run straight at Hawaii’s defense and to finish drives on the ground where UH has to settle for field goals. Not many teams are adept at the power running game anymore, but Moreno’s emergence after the loss to Tennessee was clear – the Bulldogs ran for 167, 196, 240, 180, 184 and 218 in the last six games, three of them against top 25 rushing defenses. Hawaii’s knowledge of a top 25 defense over the last two years is exclusively on film.
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Pasadena - 4:30 p.m. ET
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The first notion that should be dispelled is that poor upstart Illinois is going to be run out of the stadium by USC’s neo-gladiator destroyers. The Illini torched Penn State for 216 on the ground, ripped off 289 against Wisconsin, controlled the tempo and stood toe to toe with Ohio State en route to piling up 260 on the top-ranked total defense in the country and over the rest of November hit up lesser defenses for 324, 448 and 321 in rushing alone. They have a future high draft pick at tailback and a physical weapon at wide receiver in Arrelious Benn over which SC and every other team drooled last fall and will continue to drool for the next two years. Illinois has athletes who should be expected to make plays against any defense.
The second notion to be dispelled is that USC is "playing as well as any team in the country" or is the "hottest team" and other superlatives along the lines of "they’re the best team after all." This is only residual awe at the team’s untapped talent prior to the season, which Mergz at Saurian Sagacity took on a month ago:
Rashard Mendenhall is no underdog.
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- To everyone’s shock, the sports media love-fest was derailed by the Stanford Cardinals at USC in early October. But alas, the tracks have been fixed, and the Pete Carroll adoration is back in full flower, as evidenced by what currently might be the most common refrain in the sports media – that USC is “playing the best football in the country right now.” I don’t know what these “experts” are watching, but the evidence to support this claim simply doesn’t hold up.
Let’s take a look at that evidence –
Presumably the “experts” hyping the Trojans are talking about USC’s play since their loss at Oregon about 1 month ago. Since that time, USC has won the following three games –
Nov 3: Oregon State 24-3
Nov. 10: California 24-17
Nov. 22: Arizona State 44-24
In beating Oregon State, the Trojans gained only 287 yards at home (187 passing/100 rushing). There was no scoring by either team in the 2nd half.
In beating floundering Cal, USC was out gained by the Bears 399 yards to 368. A 4th quarter Trojan touchdown gave USC the win in a game Cal turned the ball over 3 times.
Yes, the win over Arizona State was pretty impressive. But does this single win over a relatively untested team (the Sun Devils have played the 50th ranked schedule in the nation – including USC) make USC “as hot as any team in the country”? (per Herbstreit)
Don’t we need a little more evidence than one good win?
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Orlando - 1 p.m. ET
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Michigan’s mindset here is something of a mystery: coaching turnover, disillusion after a fourth straight loss to the Buckeyes, reports of players – Mike Hart included – packing on a few extra pounds since the end of the regular season. I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in stories like this –
- Between a few comments from Carr and talking to players Thursday at Best Buy, it's pretty clear Michigan's early bowl practices back in Ann Arbor weren't very good ones. Maybe it was the various distractions related to the coach's retirement, maybe just a layoff hangover, but in any even everyone is much more pleased with the first two Florida workouts. [...] Overall? It's clearly a different kind of bowl game with Carr retiring and Rich Rodriguez yet to arrive on campus, and the overall vibe reflects that. The team and coaches are loose, compared to past years when there's been an obvious edge surrounding bowl prep.
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Tampa - 11:00 a.m. ET
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When last we saw Wisconsin against a serious opponent, the Badgers were steamrolling Michigan, hammering out 200-plus against the Wolverines on the ground without 1,000-yard thumper P.J. Hill and showing off a well-tuned passing game between Travis Beckum and Paul Hubbard, the latter of whom missed most of the season but hauled in seven for 134 yards in Ann Arbor. This was not the Badgers we had known earlier in the year, when they were being ripped on the ground by Michigan State and Illinois and blown out by Penn State, or running for 12 yards and falling apart defensively late in a loss to Ohio State. Tyler Donovan seemed sure and in command with Hubbard able to stretch the field and the big offensive line opening holes.
These are similar teams in all of those ways, with Arian Foster standing in for Hill and Erik Ainge for the solid but unspectacular senior quarterback who sometimes scares his fans to death. Tennessee, too, has been inconsistent, with improbably great games against Georgia and Arkansas amid shameful outings at Florida and Alabama and suspect, either-or wins over South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The ineligibility of leading receiver Lucas Taylor will be significant for Tennessee, because it could amplify Wisconsin’s biggest advantage on defense, the one-on-one cover skills of Jack Ikegwuonu, who will likely line up most of the time over the Vols’ only other possible downfield threat, Josh Briscoe, while his more suspect teammates in the secondary get the more manageable task of containing Austin Rogers. Neither is a great threat, and unless Tennessee can consistently control the trenches, Wisconsin will be the more balanced, assertive outfit.
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Dallas - 11:30 a.m. ET
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Darren McFadden is eligible, after all, but the best matchup in the Cotton Bowl will be Chase Daniel against Arkansas’ secondary, which is under Reggie Herring has been an habitually in-your-face, bump-and-run bunch of badasses that finished fifth nationall in efficiency defense and held opposing passers to a national-low 45.6 percent completion rate (LSU was the only other defense that forced a majority incompletions), against Chase Daniel, who remains teh awesome spread quarterback machine, if slightly tarnished by his unfortunate run-in with Oklahoma, from which few models survive. Oklahoma was the first defense to even remotely contain the Tigers’ funky, wide open attack – including Oklahoma, which allowed 418 yards and 31 points to Mizzou in October – and did it in three ways: a) pressure Daniel (OU sacked Daniel twice and spent all night in his face); b) stuff the Tigers’ running game, i.e. Tony Temple (Temple has a meager 37 yards on 13 carries); and c) pressure the Tigers’ receivers and get them on the ground on the first tackle in the horizontal passing game (Mizzou averaged less than 10 yards per completion and had no plays longer than 22 yards). Herring has relished an aggressive approach in the past and might succeed with it here, or might try it and be scorched to oblivion by Jeremy Maclin. But if the Razorbacks don’t force the issue – as Kansas didn’t, to the Jayhawks’ doom – Daniel has a field full of options and is near-automatic out of the shotgun.
McFadden, one more time.
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The other issue is the fitness of Missouri’s defense to slow McFadden and Felix Jones, the Razorbacks’ version of Maclin. It has been done, by Auburn and, in relative terms, by Ole Miss, Tennessee and Mississippi State., but it’s truly the exceptional player who counts anything under 150 yards as “contained.” Arkansas is at full strength with Marcus Monk at receiver, and I’m convinced this changes the dynamic of how defenses approach the Razorbacks – Monk only has a dozen catches, but Arkansas has won four of five since Monk’s return, including the upset of LSU, and it’s death to overplay the run at the expense of leaving the big guy on an island. Missouri has not faced a great running back, but Oklahoma wore down the Tiger defense late in the Big 12 Championship and in McFadden, Jones and Peyton Hillis, the Razorbacks bring quality and versatility from all angles. Missouri deserves to be the favorite, but if there is any player worth going against the grain for, McFadden is him – it should be his last game, and a fitting farewell stage for one of the true greats of the era.<table> <tbody><tr> <td>
Jacksonville - 1 p.m. ET
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This is a bizarre matchup for several reasons – a Big 12 team instead of the Big East, Virginia being selected for a New Year’s Day game over Boston College out of the ACC for no discernible reason, the complete opposite philosophies of outsider Mike Leach and the anything-goes Raiders and NFL-bred Al Groh’s straight-laced, defense-oriented Cavaliers – but it’s not a particularly interesting one, if Virginia’s regular lapses against Virginia Tech’s passing game in the biggest game of the Cavaliers’ season were any indication. UVA was solid on defense against most other fellow ACC conservatives, but that conference is tailormade for the success of ball control teams like Virginia and Wake Forest that bite and hold to the death and win two-point games on fourth quarter comebacks, as Virginia did in six of its nine wins; the Cavs also did not play either of the league’s more explosive attacks from the Atlantic Division, Clemson and Boston College. There is no offense remotely like Leach’s in the ACC, and if Tech scores at anywhere near its usual clip, there’s no indication UVA has the offense to answer or the physical, clock-grinding presence in the backfield (leading rusher Cedric Peerman had just 585 yards, and UVA was 92nd nationally in rushing) necessary to play keepaway.
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RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Does Michigan Have a Shot?
Posted Dec 31st 2007 6:25PM by Bruce Ciskie
Filed under: Florida Football, Michigan Football, Big 10, SEC
I mean, they don't, right?
Right?
Emotions can do a lot of things, but they can't make up for this talent gap.
Or can they?
This one looks easy on paper. Almost too easy. Since the Big Ten (somehow) got two teams in the BCS, every other bowl is taking a team that is one slot higher than they should be. For example, the Capital One Bowl, normally getting the second pick, gets the third pick.
Compounding that issue is the fact that the Capital One Bowl, picking third, should have taken Wisconsin. However, the Badgers had been there two straight years, and it didn't seem like they were too enthused about making a third straight trip to Orlando.
Therefore, the Capital One people did a smart thing. Instead of taking a team that probably wouldn't bring a ton of fans, they grabbed a storyline. That storyline is the final game in the coaching career of Michigan's Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines match up with Heisman winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators Tuesday afternoon in Orlando, and now the game has a natural hook to draw in the casual fan.
Can Michigan rise up and win one more for Lloyd?
Or is Tebow just too much for a porous Michigan defense? The Heisman didn't come easy, as the Florida sophomore quarterback combined for 51 total touchdowns this season, showing himself to be equally dangerous throwing and running the ball.
Is he really going to have many problems against a Michigan defense that couldn't stop Armanti Edwards, Dennis Dixon, or even Tyler Donovan. Any mobile quarterback who faced Michigan seemed to do well, and Tebow is the ultimate quarterback right now. He's extremely efficient throwing the ball, and he's just as dangerous with his feet. Put him in an offense like the one Urban Meyer runs, and you have a potential disaster for the Michigan defense.
So the odds are that Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, and the rest of the Michigan offense will have to keep up. When we last saw the three, Hart and Henne were leaving everything on the field against Ohio State, while Manningham spent the day dropping catchable passes and showing everyone why he's not yet ready for the NFL. They've had some time to heal their wounds, and now we expect to see the very best Hart and Henne can give on their last day wearing the Michigan uniform.
I'm not fond of Michigan's chances, but I do think there's still a place in this game for something unmeasurable like emotion. We tend to make it all about stats and individual matchups and such, but sports are still - in many ways - about raw passion. How bad do you want it, and do you want it as much as the other guy?
You can't prepare for that, and you can't predict that. Will Michigan give an extra-special effort on Tuesday, knowing it is the last game for their popular and classy coach? Will the underclassmen give it everything they have to impress incoming coach Rich Rodriguez? Can the leadership and heart of Henne and Hart lift this offense to heights they haven't reached this season?
Not only that, but how badly does Florida want to be here? I don't like questioning the focus or drive of major-college athletes, but the Gators won the national title last year. The Capital One Bowl is a nice trip, but it's not a BCS game, and it surely isn't the national championship game.
I still think Florida will win, but this has the potential to be a very entertaining football game.
Filed under: Florida Football, Michigan Football, Big 10, SEC
Right?
Emotions can do a lot of things, but they can't make up for this talent gap.
Or can they?
This one looks easy on paper. Almost too easy. Since the Big Ten (somehow) got two teams in the BCS, every other bowl is taking a team that is one slot higher than they should be. For example, the Capital One Bowl, normally getting the second pick, gets the third pick.
Compounding that issue is the fact that the Capital One Bowl, picking third, should have taken Wisconsin. However, the Badgers had been there two straight years, and it didn't seem like they were too enthused about making a third straight trip to Orlando.
Therefore, the Capital One people did a smart thing. Instead of taking a team that probably wouldn't bring a ton of fans, they grabbed a storyline. That storyline is the final game in the coaching career of Michigan's Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines match up with Heisman winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators Tuesday afternoon in Orlando, and now the game has a natural hook to draw in the casual fan.
Can Michigan rise up and win one more for Lloyd?
Is he really going to have many problems against a Michigan defense that couldn't stop Armanti Edwards, Dennis Dixon, or even Tyler Donovan. Any mobile quarterback who faced Michigan seemed to do well, and Tebow is the ultimate quarterback right now. He's extremely efficient throwing the ball, and he's just as dangerous with his feet. Put him in an offense like the one Urban Meyer runs, and you have a potential disaster for the Michigan defense.
So the odds are that Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, and the rest of the Michigan offense will have to keep up. When we last saw the three, Hart and Henne were leaving everything on the field against Ohio State, while Manningham spent the day dropping catchable passes and showing everyone why he's not yet ready for the NFL. They've had some time to heal their wounds, and now we expect to see the very best Hart and Henne can give on their last day wearing the Michigan uniform.
I'm not fond of Michigan's chances, but I do think there's still a place in this game for something unmeasurable like emotion. We tend to make it all about stats and individual matchups and such, but sports are still - in many ways - about raw passion. How bad do you want it, and do you want it as much as the other guy?
You can't prepare for that, and you can't predict that. Will Michigan give an extra-special effort on Tuesday, knowing it is the last game for their popular and classy coach? Will the underclassmen give it everything they have to impress incoming coach Rich Rodriguez? Can the leadership and heart of Henne and Hart lift this offense to heights they haven't reached this season?
Not only that, but how badly does Florida want to be here? I don't like questioning the focus or drive of major-college athletes, but the Gators won the national title last year. The Capital One Bowl is a nice trip, but it's not a BCS game, and it surely isn't the national championship game.
I still think Florida will win, but this has the potential to be a very entertaining football game.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Bowl-O-Rama: New Year's
<table><tbody><tr><td>Just a heads up, that site renovation might take a little longer than I had thought. Every time it seems I've found the right template, there's something screwy with it. Argh....
And, I've been getting lazy with the recaps, so I'm going to do a big recap at the conclusion of the New Year's Day bowl games. Let's preview those, shall we?
Match ups of the Game: For Wisconsin, the game could depend on how they handle Erik Ainge and the passing game. The reason why this is interesting is because we're not sure how the Tennessee offense will operate without David Cutcliffe who took the job at Duke. The Volunteers are 39th in the nation in passing offense which is quite a feat in the defense-oriented SEC. For Tennessee, the obvious match up would be the Volunteer run defense against a healthy P.J. Hill. Hill was banged up during the final game of the season against Minnesota. If he's rolling at 100%, he'll be difficult to contain.
Keep an Eye on...: Tyler Donovan for Wisconsin. He's a threat with his legs, an attribute he doesn't get a lot of credit for. Donovan will have to make the throws against this less-than-stellar secondary. For Tennessee, the player to watch is the kicker, Daniel Lincoln. This game will almost surely come down to a FG here or there so he'll have to be on the top of his game during this defensive struggle.
Must-See-Ometer: This game scores a 9 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. Not only will it be a close, intriguing match up, it provides us with another SEC/Big 10 duel. The Big 10 is constantly dissed and it will have nothing to lose.
Prediction: I've got Wisconsin coming out on top of this one. Over the last two seasons, they've found ways to hang around with their SEC opponents, Auburn and Arkansas. The Badgers will control the line of scrimmage offensively and they'll play just good enough of a defensive game to squeak by a hot Tennessee team. Badgers win, 27-20 (8 confidence points).
Match ups of the Game: Obviously, the biggest match up in this game is Arkansas' ability to defend the Missouri passing attack. The Tigers, led by Chase Daniel, will toss the ball to Saunders, Franklin, Maclin, Coffman, and Rucker and it will be up to the fifth ranked team in pass efficiency defense to keep them at bay. For Arkansas, the game will hinge on how Darren McFadden will play. He needs to play like he did against LSU in order to win and Missouri's defense is not even close to LSU's.
Keep an Eye on...: Darren McFadden for Arkansas. I think that one is obvious. It will be interesting to see if he can put this whole SUV thing behind him. The story doesn't seem to have a lot of clout, but it is a distraction nonetheless. For Missouri, you have to keep an eye on Jeremy Maclin. Not only is he an effective tool in this spread offense at WR, Missouri loves to do reverses and screens to get him involved. Plus, he's a great kickoff and punt returner.
Must-See-Ometer: The Cotton Bowl gets a 9 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. There should be plenty of big plays from the Missouri offense and plenty of big plays from Run-DMc.
Prediction: I've gotta select the Razorbacks in this thing. Considering the way they ended the season on cloud nine, even without Houston Nutt, they have Darren McFadden. Enough said. Missouri won't be able to contain him because they just don't have the defensive talent to do so. Plus, the Arkansas pass defense will win more battles against the Missouri passing game than it'll lose. Arkansas wins, 36-30 (7 confidence points).
Match ups of the Game: I think you've gotta look at the Texas Tech passing game versus the Virginia pass defense. The Cavs have a respectable secondary and it'll be tough for Harrell, Crabtree, Morris, Amendola, and the rest to move the football. For Virginia, the match up is their entire offense against Tech's entire defense. UVA has close to zero offensive playmakers and they'll need to step it up with whatever they can muster if they want to score enough points to win this game.
Keep an Eye on...: Chris Long. With as many pass attempts that Tech has per game, the fact that they're 17th in sacks allowed is pretty impressive. Most of that has to do with the fact that Harrell releases the ball so quickly making it very difficult to get any kind of effective pressure on him. Long will have to fight the speed of Harrell's decision-making and the skill of this offensive line. Virginia on the other hand will have to worry about Michael Crabtree. Crabtree has just gone insane on opposing defenses this season smashing freshman WR records.
Must-See-Ometer: This game gets a 7 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. It's not a game that is going to capture a whole lot of national attention with the Outback Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Capital One Bowl being aired by the time this game begins. Virginia's defense and Texas Tech's offense will be a fun pairing to see.
Prediction: Texas Tech will fall alarmingly behind in this game, but they'll storm back with a furious comeback to win in the fourth quarter. It would be something closer to what Cal did earlier today than what they pulled off last year. Virginia will come up with a big turnover and a fluky score, but the Red Raiders have too many horses on offense for them to lose. Guns up, 41-30 (13 confidence points).
Match ups of the Game: Apparently, the one to watch is Tim Tebow vs. the Michigan front four. According to common wisdom, Michigan can't stop the spread. The Illinois game was just an aberration (sarcasm). Still, Juice Williams isn't Tim Tebow and it's going to be very difficult for Michigan's defense to keep the high-powered Gators to fewer than 30 points. How about Florida's pass defense vs. Michigan's passing game? Lloyd Carr is going to pull out of all of the stops in this one. He might not coach as conservatively as he normally does in this ballgame. Florida is 86th against the pass so expect for Mario Manningham to bust loose on some catches.
Keep an Eye on...: Tim Tebow. Duh. For Michigan, you might want to keep your eye on Shawn Crable. It might be his responsibility to spy on Tebow, etc.
Must-See-Ometer: I'm not sure, actually. I'm not sure whether or not Michigan will win this game or it will be a Florida blowout. I'd give it an 8 out of 10 because of the storied programs, but that might be different for on the field.
Prediction: I've had a change of heart on this game. Michigan will do everything in their power to play for Lloyd Carr. The trio of Hart, Henne, and Long is 0-7 vs. Ohio State and bowl opponents. That streak is going to end tomorrow. Here's something to think about: Who was the last team Michigan beat in a bowl game? The answer would be Florida. Maybe they can duplicate that. Michigan wins a high-scoring shootout, 45-42 (I had 28 on Florida, but now I would put single digits on Michigan if I could do it over).
Match ups of the Game: If you're looking for the biggest match up, you might want to check out the Illini rushing game against the USC run defense. USC is loaded up front with athletes and it will be very tough for Rashard Mendenhall and Juice Williams to find openings. For USC, it will be John David Booty and the passing game against the 78th ranked pass defense. The "Granddaddy of Them All" will come down to these factors.
Keep an Eye on...: J Leman for Illinois. He's the emotional captain for the Illini and he has that team leader sense about him. He's one of the best linebackers in all of college football and he'll play out of his mind in the Rose Bowl tomorrow. For USC, keep an eye on Sedrick Ellis. Because this should be a defensive battle, Ellis will need to step up and make big plays against the ground game and Juice Williams.
Must-See-Ometer: This game gets a 10 out of 10. The Rose Bowl was willing to sacrifice fairness in the name of tradition as far as selecting the best teams available are concerned, but you have to appreciate that, don't you? The Big 10/Pac-10 games are usually pretty fun to watch. USC will be surprised at how much they'll have their hands full in this game.
Prediction: I think I've already mentioned it on this blog, but Illinois will pull off the shocker. And it's really a shocker due to false national perception. USC is not as strong as some believe and the Big 10 is not as horrible as some believe. The Fighting Illini are legitimate as evidenced by their game against Missouri. This is a team that has matured since that game. Ignorance is bliss, I always say, and the New Year will be a blissful one for Ron Zook. Zook winning a Rose Bowl seems too storybook-like that it has to happen. Has USC really been that great though? They played one great game against overrated Arizona State. That's it. They weren't special against Arizona, Oregon State, Cal, or UCLA winning sloppily. Illinois will pull this thing off by a score of 27-24 (with 2 confidence points).
Match ups of the Game: I think SMQ said it perfectly:
This is what Hawaii needs to do and this whole game comes down to how Georgia will deal with the Hawaii receivers in this offense. It might be similar to West Virginia in the 2005 Sugar Bowl. They have never played that kind of offense before and they dug themselves into a hole too large to come back out of.
Keep an Eye on...: Knowshon Moreno for Georgia. I'm not sure Hawaii has ever played a back of his caliber, and yes, that includes Ian Johnson. Moreno will pound it out on the ground and have his way with Hawaii's inflated defense (statistically). You have to keep an eye on Colt Brennan for obvious reasons. Brennan will have to find ways to get into rhythm against this tough Georgia defense.
Must-See-Ometer: Oh, of course, this game gets a 10 out of 10. The whole nation will be tuning in to find out whether or not Hawaii can compete with the big boys.
Prediction: Georgia will win. Hey, I'm no non-BCS doubter (I actually picked Boise State, one of my few triumps in a bowl pick'em full of disasters), but I'm just not buying Hawaii as being as legitimate as Boise was. Plus, this Georgia team is better than that Oklahoma team. They're aware of what non-BCS teams have done in BCS bowl games and they'll be one focused team. They're going to wear Hawaii down in this. Hawaii will give a good effort, but it won't quite be good enough. UGA rolls onto a top 3 ranking in 2008 by a final score of 41-27 (19 confidence points).</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tbody><tr><td>Just a heads up, that site renovation might take a little longer than I had thought. Every time it seems I've found the right template, there's something screwy with it. Argh....
And, I've been getting lazy with the recaps, so I'm going to do a big recap at the conclusion of the New Year's Day bowl games. Let's preview those, shall we?
Match ups of the Game: For Wisconsin, the game could depend on how they handle Erik Ainge and the passing game. The reason why this is interesting is because we're not sure how the Tennessee offense will operate without David Cutcliffe who took the job at Duke. The Volunteers are 39th in the nation in passing offense which is quite a feat in the defense-oriented SEC. For Tennessee, the obvious match up would be the Volunteer run defense against a healthy P.J. Hill. Hill was banged up during the final game of the season against Minnesota. If he's rolling at 100%, he'll be difficult to contain.
Keep an Eye on...: Tyler Donovan for Wisconsin. He's a threat with his legs, an attribute he doesn't get a lot of credit for. Donovan will have to make the throws against this less-than-stellar secondary. For Tennessee, the player to watch is the kicker, Daniel Lincoln. This game will almost surely come down to a FG here or there so he'll have to be on the top of his game during this defensive struggle.
Must-See-Ometer: This game scores a 9 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. Not only will it be a close, intriguing match up, it provides us with another SEC/Big 10 duel. The Big 10 is constantly dissed and it will have nothing to lose.
Prediction: I've got Wisconsin coming out on top of this one. Over the last two seasons, they've found ways to hang around with their SEC opponents, Auburn and Arkansas. The Badgers will control the line of scrimmage offensively and they'll play just good enough of a defensive game to squeak by a hot Tennessee team. Badgers win, 27-20 (8 confidence points).
Keep an Eye on...: Darren McFadden for Arkansas. I think that one is obvious. It will be interesting to see if he can put this whole SUV thing behind him. The story doesn't seem to have a lot of clout, but it is a distraction nonetheless. For Missouri, you have to keep an eye on Jeremy Maclin. Not only is he an effective tool in this spread offense at WR, Missouri loves to do reverses and screens to get him involved. Plus, he's a great kickoff and punt returner.
Must-See-Ometer: The Cotton Bowl gets a 9 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. There should be plenty of big plays from the Missouri offense and plenty of big plays from Run-DMc.
Prediction: I've gotta select the Razorbacks in this thing. Considering the way they ended the season on cloud nine, even without Houston Nutt, they have Darren McFadden. Enough said. Missouri won't be able to contain him because they just don't have the defensive talent to do so. Plus, the Arkansas pass defense will win more battles against the Missouri passing game than it'll lose. Arkansas wins, 36-30 (7 confidence points).
Keep an Eye on...: Chris Long. With as many pass attempts that Tech has per game, the fact that they're 17th in sacks allowed is pretty impressive. Most of that has to do with the fact that Harrell releases the ball so quickly making it very difficult to get any kind of effective pressure on him. Long will have to fight the speed of Harrell's decision-making and the skill of this offensive line. Virginia on the other hand will have to worry about Michael Crabtree. Crabtree has just gone insane on opposing defenses this season smashing freshman WR records.
Must-See-Ometer: This game gets a 7 out of 10 on the Must-See-Ometer. It's not a game that is going to capture a whole lot of national attention with the Outback Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Capital One Bowl being aired by the time this game begins. Virginia's defense and Texas Tech's offense will be a fun pairing to see.
Prediction: Texas Tech will fall alarmingly behind in this game, but they'll storm back with a furious comeback to win in the fourth quarter. It would be something closer to what Cal did earlier today than what they pulled off last year. Virginia will come up with a big turnover and a fluky score, but the Red Raiders have too many horses on offense for them to lose. Guns up, 41-30 (13 confidence points).
Keep an Eye on...: Tim Tebow. Duh. For Michigan, you might want to keep your eye on Shawn Crable. It might be his responsibility to spy on Tebow, etc.
Must-See-Ometer: I'm not sure, actually. I'm not sure whether or not Michigan will win this game or it will be a Florida blowout. I'd give it an 8 out of 10 because of the storied programs, but that might be different for on the field.
Prediction: I've had a change of heart on this game. Michigan will do everything in their power to play for Lloyd Carr. The trio of Hart, Henne, and Long is 0-7 vs. Ohio State and bowl opponents. That streak is going to end tomorrow. Here's something to think about: Who was the last team Michigan beat in a bowl game? The answer would be Florida. Maybe they can duplicate that. Michigan wins a high-scoring shootout, 45-42 (I had 28 on Florida, but now I would put single digits on Michigan if I could do it over).
Keep an Eye on...: J Leman for Illinois. He's the emotional captain for the Illini and he has that team leader sense about him. He's one of the best linebackers in all of college football and he'll play out of his mind in the Rose Bowl tomorrow. For USC, keep an eye on Sedrick Ellis. Because this should be a defensive battle, Ellis will need to step up and make big plays against the ground game and Juice Williams.
Must-See-Ometer: This game gets a 10 out of 10. The Rose Bowl was willing to sacrifice fairness in the name of tradition as far as selecting the best teams available are concerned, but you have to appreciate that, don't you? The Big 10/Pac-10 games are usually pretty fun to watch. USC will be surprised at how much they'll have their hands full in this game.
Prediction: I think I've already mentioned it on this blog, but Illinois will pull off the shocker. And it's really a shocker due to false national perception. USC is not as strong as some believe and the Big 10 is not as horrible as some believe. The Fighting Illini are legitimate as evidenced by their game against Missouri. This is a team that has matured since that game. Ignorance is bliss, I always say, and the New Year will be a blissful one for Ron Zook. Zook winning a Rose Bowl seems too storybook-like that it has to happen. Has USC really been that great though? They played one great game against overrated Arizona State. That's it. They weren't special against Arizona, Oregon State, Cal, or UCLA winning sloppily. Illinois will pull this thing off by a score of 27-24 (with 2 confidence points).
"To counter Georgia’s pass rush, expect the Warriors to work a lot of quick-release, hot route and screen reads to get Brennan into a rhythm. If the horizontal game get rolling and UGA linebackers and safeties start flowing sideline-to-sideline, the Warrior receivers have the speed to get up the field on seams and slants for big yards. Protecting Brennan is key: if Georgia has to start bringing blitzers and leaving its secondary man-to-man, Hawaii has a lot of options in Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Jason Rivers and C.J. Hawthorne to exploit individual match-ups – all can run, all reliable, and all are big play threats if they get a hold of the ball in space."
This is what Hawaii needs to do and this whole game comes down to how Georgia will deal with the Hawaii receivers in this offense. It might be similar to West Virginia in the 2005 Sugar Bowl. They have never played that kind of offense before and they dug themselves into a hole too large to come back out of.
Keep an Eye on...: Knowshon Moreno for Georgia. I'm not sure Hawaii has ever played a back of his caliber, and yes, that includes Ian Johnson. Moreno will pound it out on the ground and have his way with Hawaii's inflated defense (statistically). You have to keep an eye on Colt Brennan for obvious reasons. Brennan will have to find ways to get into rhythm against this tough Georgia defense.
Must-See-Ometer: Oh, of course, this game gets a 10 out of 10. The whole nation will be tuning in to find out whether or not Hawaii can compete with the big boys.
Prediction: Georgia will win. Hey, I'm no non-BCS doubter (I actually picked Boise State, one of my few triumps in a bowl pick'em full of disasters), but I'm just not buying Hawaii as being as legitimate as Boise was. Plus, this Georgia team is better than that Oklahoma team. They're aware of what non-BCS teams have done in BCS bowl games and they'll be one focused team. They're going to wear Hawaii down in this. Hawaii will give a good effort, but it won't quite be good enough. UGA rolls onto a top 3 ranking in 2008 by a final score of 41-27 (19 confidence points).</td></tr></tbody></table>
spanishshark
Youngest guy on the forum
RJ, I have enjoyed reading all of the information you bring to the board. Good work bud. I hope you have a happy New Year and good luck with your pics. As far as that Georgia team, I'm not completely sold on them this season. I think the team that wants it more and the team with the most passion will win and that team is Hawaii. It will be interesting if Hawaii does win. I cant wait. :cheers:
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Adding:
TTech -6 (-110) ($300)
Having been burned by TTech in bowls in the past (2005 Cotton Bowl comes to mind) when they play good defenses, I can't go with a full bet so $300 is the number. TTech has too much offensive talent, Leach laid down the rules and sent Shannon his whipping boy home, team should be focused, and there should be alot of Raiders in J-ville. Guns up.
TTech -6 (-110) ($300)
Having been burned by TTech in bowls in the past (2005 Cotton Bowl comes to mind) when they play good defenses, I can't go with a full bet so $300 is the number. TTech has too much offensive talent, Leach laid down the rules and sent Shannon his whipping boy home, team should be focused, and there should be alot of Raiders in J-ville. Guns up.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Yeah, So... That Whole Hawai'i in the BCS Thing Didn't Work Out So Well
Posted Jan 1st 2008 11:33PM by Ryan Ferguson
Filed under: Georgia Football, Mountain West, SEC, Bowl Games, Hawaii Football
Like the rest of you, I was intrigued by the the matchup of Hawai'i and Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. What happens when you take one of the SEC's two best teams and match them up against Hawai'i, who rings up pinball scores on offense but doesn't play anyone outside the MWC other than a single marginal BCS conference opponent?
We're just halfway through the 3rd quarter now, but with the score at 31-3 in Georgia's favor, I feel safe in saying that this "experiment" was a failure.
Colt Brennan has been sacked 7 times, hurried 11 times, and knocked down 10 times. He's 17-28 for 131 yards and 2 <strike>TDs</strike> INTs. The Rainbow Warriors have only a single first down to their credit, and it took most of three quarters to get it. They're -12 in rushing yards, 119 in total yards.
Hawai'i is heavily outmatched, and it's time to face the facts: the Warriors are boys among men on this field. They don't belong here.
Filed under: Georgia Football, Mountain West, SEC, Bowl Games, Hawaii Football
We're just halfway through the 3rd quarter now, but with the score at 31-3 in Georgia's favor, I feel safe in saying that this "experiment" was a failure.
Colt Brennan has been sacked 7 times, hurried 11 times, and knocked down 10 times. He's 17-28 for 131 yards and 2 <strike>TDs</strike> INTs. The Rainbow Warriors have only a single first down to their credit, and it took most of three quarters to get it. They're -12 in rushing yards, 119 in total yards.
Hawai'i is heavily outmatched, and it's time to face the facts: the Warriors are boys among men on this field. They don't belong here.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Obvious statement of the day in bold below:
♪ All Is Boring On New Year’s Day ♪
By Matt Sussman | January 2, 2008
Well, let’s just say this. The Michigan game was good. Wasn’t it? Wasn’t it!?! And the Gator Bowl, let me tell ya. The final ten seconds of that game was, just … something. And the one Tennessee won. Which bowl was that again? The Citrus? Does that still exist?
Bowls constructed out of cotton, roses, and pure unrefined sugar, however, remain unwashed in the BCS kitchen sink. Those were just atrocious to watch. And that’s too bad, because bowl season from inception to December 31 was remarkably thrilling.
Maybe the Rose Bowl should have chucked tradition and given the world Georgia-USC, with Illinois-Hawaii as the Sugar Bowl undercard. Actually… hey, is it too late for this? Are either of these teams doing anything next week? Those are both amazing matchups. Seriously, try to make it happen. In fact, make it happen, bowl season. You owe us.
♪ All Is Boring On New Year’s Day ♪
By Matt Sussman | January 2, 2008
Bowls constructed out of cotton, roses, and pure unrefined sugar, however, remain unwashed in the BCS kitchen sink. Those were just atrocious to watch. And that’s too bad, because bowl season from inception to December 31 was remarkably thrilling.
Maybe the Rose Bowl should have chucked tradition and given the world Georgia-USC, with Illinois-Hawaii as the Sugar Bowl undercard. Actually… hey, is it too late for this? Are either of these teams doing anything next week? Those are both amazing matchups. Seriously, try to make it happen. In fact, make it happen, bowl season. You owe us.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Is the SEC really faster? Is the Big Ten really slower? Not if the Capital One Bowl tells us anything:
Congrats Blue! I guess they're not so slow.
Congrats Coach Carr and the UM Seniors on getting a bowl victory!
The myth that the Big Ten is slow as a conference really is rooted in last year's national championship game as everybody knows. Guys like Ted Ginn, Dorien Bryant, Derrick Williams, James Laurinaitis and others are all sticks-in-the mud...so the braintrust at ESPN tells us. Turns out, that might not be the case. Mario Manningham reversed field twice versus Florida today...I'm pretty sure you can't do that if you're slow.
Here's what makes you look slow: Confusion. A better team will confuse a lesser team and make them look perplexed and leave them flat-footed and out of position...Youth can make you look slow, so can a scheme. But there's no shortage on speed in our little conference.
Michigan looked fast v. a good SEC team today, Wisconsin looked slow v. a good SEC team today. But it was just today...Sadly, it will take OSU beating LSU for the slow moniker to fall, so make it happen, Bucks.
Congrats Blue! I guess they're not so slow.
Congrats Coach Carr and the UM Seniors on getting a bowl victory!
The myth that the Big Ten is slow as a conference really is rooted in last year's national championship game as everybody knows. Guys like Ted Ginn, Dorien Bryant, Derrick Williams, James Laurinaitis and others are all sticks-in-the mud...so the braintrust at ESPN tells us. Turns out, that might not be the case. Mario Manningham reversed field twice versus Florida today...I'm pretty sure you can't do that if you're slow.
Here's what makes you look slow: Confusion. A better team will confuse a lesser team and make them look perplexed and leave them flat-footed and out of position...Youth can make you look slow, so can a scheme. But there's no shortage on speed in our little conference.
Michigan looked fast v. a good SEC team today, Wisconsin looked slow v. a good SEC team today. But it was just today...Sadly, it will take OSU beating LSU for the slow moniker to fall, so make it happen, Bucks.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Hokies' Hall questionable for Orange
Posted: Wednesday January 2, 2008 12:55AM; Updated: Wednesday January 2, 2008 12:55AM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Virginia Tech linebacker Vince Hall hurt his left knee during an outing at the beach earlier this week and is questionable for Thursday's Orange Bowl against Kansas.
"We are concerned," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "It was a little tender [Monday]. The way I understand it, it's going to be Vince's decision whether he can go or not."
The injury has limited Hall's participation in practice this week.
It is the second injury this season for the player defensive coordinator Bud Foster has described as the best football player he's ever coached. Hall broke his left forearm and wrist in a victory at Clemson in November. He played on with the injury in that game, then sat out the next four.
Hall, an All-ACC linebacker last season, is second on the team with 92 tackles.
Brett Warren had 30 tackles in four starts and will start if Hall can't, Beamer said.
"We have confidence in Brett," he said. "He stepped in and did a great job when (Hall) was out before. Knowing that he's been there and done a good job, that helps."
Posted: Wednesday January 2, 2008 12:55AM; Updated: Wednesday January 2, 2008 12:55AM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Virginia Tech linebacker Vince Hall hurt his left knee during an outing at the beach earlier this week and is questionable for Thursday's Orange Bowl against Kansas.
"We are concerned," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "It was a little tender [Monday]. The way I understand it, it's going to be Vince's decision whether he can go or not."
The injury has limited Hall's participation in practice this week.
It is the second injury this season for the player defensive coordinator Bud Foster has described as the best football player he's ever coached. Hall broke his left forearm and wrist in a victory at Clemson in November. He played on with the injury in that game, then sat out the next four.
Hall, an All-ACC linebacker last season, is second on the team with 92 tackles.
Brett Warren had 30 tackles in four starts and will start if Hall can't, Beamer said.
"We have confidence in Brett," he said. "He stepped in and did a great job when (Hall) was out before. Knowing that he's been there and done a good job, that helps."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> 5 Thoughts - The New Year's Day Bowls </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Michigan QB Lloyd Carr
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Staff
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Jan 2, 2008
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
From the great final ride for Lloyd Carr after one of the day's most entertaining games, to the Rose Bowl bringing its lousy game on itself, to the problems with interim coaches, to a plus-one system not necessarily making everyone happy, here are the 5 Thoughts following the New Year's Day bowl games.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Five Thoughts: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14
- 5 Thoughts on the Outback Bowl | 5 Thoughts on the Cotton Bowl
- 5 Thoughts on the Gator Bowl | 5 Thoughts on the Capital One Bowl
- 5 Thoughts on the Rose Bowl | 5 Thoughts on the Sugar Bowl
Be Careful What You Wish For, You're Still Not Going To Like It.[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/SIZE][/FONT]
1. So you want a plus-one system, right? That would solve everything and all would be happy with college football fans skipping and jumping across the land. Uh, maybe.
While it appears obvious that USC is one of the strongest teams in America now that it’s healthy on both sides of the ball, but Pete Carroll’s club wouldn’t likely have been close to getting in a final four in a plus-one format.
Ohio State finished as the BCS No. 1 and would face the No. 4 team in the BCS, Oklahoma. No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Virginia Tech would square off. Remember, USC finished seventh, Georgia finished fifth, and Missouri sixth. After what happened on New Year’s Day, there’d be plenty of weeping and gnashing of teeth from Trojan, Bulldog and Tiger fans, but too bad.
USC lost to Stanford. Sorry, but USC lost to STANFORD. Georgia didn’t win its conference title and didn’t even represent the East. Missouri didn’t win the Big 12 title. So while there would still be plenty of debate if the plus-one format were in place, and lots of fans clamoring for an eight or 16-team format, a plus-one this year really would’ve been fair, even if the best teams at the end of the year might not have been in it.
Oh Gee, Thanks Rose Bowl Powers That Be.
By Richard Cirminiello
2. You can go ahead and thank the stuffy, stodgy, inflexible Rose Bowl committee for an awful start to the BCS bowl games Tuesday afternoon. The committee, so blinded by tradition, felt the need to shoehorn 9-3 Illinois into Pasadena in order to get a match up between a Big Ten and a Pac-10 program, in this case, USC. There were opportunities for far better games, such as Georgia vs. USC, that the bureaucrats thumbed their noses at in the name of tradition, or “the Rose Bowl as it ought to be”, as the shills at ABC tried to convince everyone in promos for the past week. For that shortsighted attitude, we all paid the price with four quarters of one-sided football that never had to happen.
Hey, I like tradition, too, in college football. It’s one of the things that makes the sport so special. Had Illinois won the conference, or Ohio State not qualified for the title game, send that Big Ten representative off to Pasadena without hesitation. That’s tradition. If, however, you’ve got an at-large opening, what in the name of Emeril Lagasse is wrong with creating a pairing that’s worthy of the most prestigious of all the bowl games? It’s an amazing event, regardless of which league the participants come from, so the whole Pac-10-Big Ten thing does absolutely nothing to enhance the game for me.
Illinois belonged in the Rose Bowl like Karl Dorrell belonged back on the UCLA sidelines in 2008. The Illini got a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a fat payout to go along with a record-setting 49-17 dress-down and a fat lip from the Trojans. The rest of us got shafted by being forced-fed a grandduddy of a bowl game that stopped being competitive shortly after the opening quarter.
Thanks, Rose Bowl, for an utterly awful bowl game that didn’t have to happen. You got your traditional, Pac-10-Big Ten game on New Year’s Day. How’d that work out for you?
Carr's Great Ride By Matthew Zemek
3. The end of Michigan's win over Florida is as good as sports gets. Lloyd Carr's victory ride into the coaching sunset should tell you all you need to know about the meaning and value of sports in our lives.
Yeah, in a certain sense, sports are just games. But when you look at the emotions, words, gestures and sentiments that flowed from Lloyd Carr, his brother coaches, and his Wolverine players after the victory over Florida, it quickly becomes apparent that these "kids games"--for all the wretched (financial, social, physical, corporate) excesses they have indeed unleashed on American society--are nevertheless arenas in which lessons and meanings can be conveyed. The Michigan men, young and old, who were part of the Lloyd Carr victory lap are men who have been nourished and edified in ways words will never adequately express. Collegiate athletics have certainly enabled the members of the Michigan football program to become better human beings, and for the past 27 years--13 of them as a head coach--Lloyd Carr was a core part of that process of men-molding in Ann Arbor.
Seeing Carr's poignantly glorious exit from the college football stage is a moment and memory that ought to remain with every sports fan for a long, long time to come. The level of intensity showed by his team against the Gators proved how much a large family cared about Carr himself. The whole game, but especially its emotional end, told a story not of one bowl battle, but of the deep bond between a group of several dozen young people and a coach who profoundly affected each other over the past few years.
The proof of the power of Lloyd Carr's life lies in this statement: Ordinary men don't get large numbers of young people to pull together the way the Wolverines did against Florida. There must be something special about a guy who could inspire such excellence from a team that was so fully written off against a high-caliber opponent.
Yes, it wasn't a BCS bowl, and it didn't have the theatrics of Boise State's Fiesta Bowl win a year ago, but if you really care about sports with a deep and abiding passion, you'd know that the very purpose of athletics found its soul once again in the 2008 Capital One Bowl, when Lloyd Carr and Michigan became victors one more time. It doesn't happen routinely in this industry, but when it does, it's breathtaking: Yes, Lloyd Carr's swan song gave college football a genuinely spiritual moment of astonishing beauty and truth. You don't have to be a Michigan man or a Michigan fan to realize as much.
Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Tush
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
4[/FONT]. Let this be a lesson to everyone looking to ditch their head coach and/or looking to make a change before a bowl game: don't. Remembering that Lloyd Carr coached Michigan in the win over Florida, teams were 0-7 when there was a coaching change of some sort involved. Arkansas got crushed 38-7 by Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, Georgia Tech lost to Georgia Tech 40-28 to Fresno State in the Humanitarian, Texas A&M lost to Penn State 24-17 in the Alamo, Houston lost to TCU 20-13 in the Texas Bowl, UCLA lost to BYU 17-16 in the Las Vegas Bowl, Southern Miss lost to Cincinnati 31-21 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl (although Jeff Bower coached in that one), and Navy in a 35-32 loss to Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl (although the Midshipmen didn't have an interim coach). Good luck West Virginia against Oklahoma..
Yeah, But You'll Watch Anyway. What Else Do You Have To Do?
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/FONT][/SIZE]
5. I’m going to keep screaming for this and it’ll never happen: move the national title game closer to New Year’s Day. The college football bigwigs think the time off between games generates a buzz, but it does the absolute opposite.
Last year, the Ohio State – Florida matchup became an afterthought with a week off. Everyone was talking about the Boise State Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma and everyone was gabbing about college football for about 36 hours, and then it was on to the NFL playoffs, Mark McGwire not getting into the Hall of Fame, and other topics. After two dud BCS games, the talk has already kicked on the sports talk shows about the weekend’s NFL playoffs while the Mitchell Report is still getting play. January 1 should be the Rose Bowl and the Sugar. January 2<sup>nd</sup> should be the Fiesta, January 3<sup>rd</sup> the Orange, and January 4<sup>th</sup> the national title. If the NFL schedule conflicts, work it out with the big league to put the Wild Card pro games on in the afternoon and the bowl on at night. Then there’d be all college football talk all the time from the 31<sup>st</sup> through the 4<sup>th</sup>, a solid five day college football smorgasbord, and it would be a blast.
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Michigan QB Lloyd Carr
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Staff
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Jan 2, 2008
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
From the great final ride for Lloyd Carr after one of the day's most entertaining games, to the Rose Bowl bringing its lousy game on itself, to the problems with interim coaches, to a plus-one system not necessarily making everyone happy, here are the 5 Thoughts following the New Year's Day bowl games.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Five Thoughts: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14
- 5 Thoughts on the Outback Bowl | 5 Thoughts on the Cotton Bowl
- 5 Thoughts on the Gator Bowl | 5 Thoughts on the Capital One Bowl
- 5 Thoughts on the Rose Bowl | 5 Thoughts on the Sugar Bowl
Be Careful What You Wish For, You're Still Not Going To Like It.[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/SIZE][/FONT]
1. So you want a plus-one system, right? That would solve everything and all would be happy with college football fans skipping and jumping across the land. Uh, maybe.
While it appears obvious that USC is one of the strongest teams in America now that it’s healthy on both sides of the ball, but Pete Carroll’s club wouldn’t likely have been close to getting in a final four in a plus-one format.
Ohio State finished as the BCS No. 1 and would face the No. 4 team in the BCS, Oklahoma. No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Virginia Tech would square off. Remember, USC finished seventh, Georgia finished fifth, and Missouri sixth. After what happened on New Year’s Day, there’d be plenty of weeping and gnashing of teeth from Trojan, Bulldog and Tiger fans, but too bad.
USC lost to Stanford. Sorry, but USC lost to STANFORD. Georgia didn’t win its conference title and didn’t even represent the East. Missouri didn’t win the Big 12 title. So while there would still be plenty of debate if the plus-one format were in place, and lots of fans clamoring for an eight or 16-team format, a plus-one this year really would’ve been fair, even if the best teams at the end of the year might not have been in it.
Oh Gee, Thanks Rose Bowl Powers That Be.
By Richard Cirminiello
2. You can go ahead and thank the stuffy, stodgy, inflexible Rose Bowl committee for an awful start to the BCS bowl games Tuesday afternoon. The committee, so blinded by tradition, felt the need to shoehorn 9-3 Illinois into Pasadena in order to get a match up between a Big Ten and a Pac-10 program, in this case, USC. There were opportunities for far better games, such as Georgia vs. USC, that the bureaucrats thumbed their noses at in the name of tradition, or “the Rose Bowl as it ought to be”, as the shills at ABC tried to convince everyone in promos for the past week. For that shortsighted attitude, we all paid the price with four quarters of one-sided football that never had to happen.
Hey, I like tradition, too, in college football. It’s one of the things that makes the sport so special. Had Illinois won the conference, or Ohio State not qualified for the title game, send that Big Ten representative off to Pasadena without hesitation. That’s tradition. If, however, you’ve got an at-large opening, what in the name of Emeril Lagasse is wrong with creating a pairing that’s worthy of the most prestigious of all the bowl games? It’s an amazing event, regardless of which league the participants come from, so the whole Pac-10-Big Ten thing does absolutely nothing to enhance the game for me.
Illinois belonged in the Rose Bowl like Karl Dorrell belonged back on the UCLA sidelines in 2008. The Illini got a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a fat payout to go along with a record-setting 49-17 dress-down and a fat lip from the Trojans. The rest of us got shafted by being forced-fed a grandduddy of a bowl game that stopped being competitive shortly after the opening quarter.
Thanks, Rose Bowl, for an utterly awful bowl game that didn’t have to happen. You got your traditional, Pac-10-Big Ten game on New Year’s Day. How’d that work out for you?
Carr's Great Ride By Matthew Zemek
3. The end of Michigan's win over Florida is as good as sports gets. Lloyd Carr's victory ride into the coaching sunset should tell you all you need to know about the meaning and value of sports in our lives.
Yeah, in a certain sense, sports are just games. But when you look at the emotions, words, gestures and sentiments that flowed from Lloyd Carr, his brother coaches, and his Wolverine players after the victory over Florida, it quickly becomes apparent that these "kids games"--for all the wretched (financial, social, physical, corporate) excesses they have indeed unleashed on American society--are nevertheless arenas in which lessons and meanings can be conveyed. The Michigan men, young and old, who were part of the Lloyd Carr victory lap are men who have been nourished and edified in ways words will never adequately express. Collegiate athletics have certainly enabled the members of the Michigan football program to become better human beings, and for the past 27 years--13 of them as a head coach--Lloyd Carr was a core part of that process of men-molding in Ann Arbor.
Seeing Carr's poignantly glorious exit from the college football stage is a moment and memory that ought to remain with every sports fan for a long, long time to come. The level of intensity showed by his team against the Gators proved how much a large family cared about Carr himself. The whole game, but especially its emotional end, told a story not of one bowl battle, but of the deep bond between a group of several dozen young people and a coach who profoundly affected each other over the past few years.
The proof of the power of Lloyd Carr's life lies in this statement: Ordinary men don't get large numbers of young people to pull together the way the Wolverines did against Florida. There must be something special about a guy who could inspire such excellence from a team that was so fully written off against a high-caliber opponent.
Yes, it wasn't a BCS bowl, and it didn't have the theatrics of Boise State's Fiesta Bowl win a year ago, but if you really care about sports with a deep and abiding passion, you'd know that the very purpose of athletics found its soul once again in the 2008 Capital One Bowl, when Lloyd Carr and Michigan became victors one more time. It doesn't happen routinely in this industry, but when it does, it's breathtaking: Yes, Lloyd Carr's swan song gave college football a genuinely spiritual moment of astonishing beauty and truth. You don't have to be a Michigan man or a Michigan fan to realize as much.
Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Tush
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
4[/FONT]. Let this be a lesson to everyone looking to ditch their head coach and/or looking to make a change before a bowl game: don't. Remembering that Lloyd Carr coached Michigan in the win over Florida, teams were 0-7 when there was a coaching change of some sort involved. Arkansas got crushed 38-7 by Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, Georgia Tech lost to Georgia Tech 40-28 to Fresno State in the Humanitarian, Texas A&M lost to Penn State 24-17 in the Alamo, Houston lost to TCU 20-13 in the Texas Bowl, UCLA lost to BYU 17-16 in the Las Vegas Bowl, Southern Miss lost to Cincinnati 31-21 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl (although Jeff Bower coached in that one), and Navy in a 35-32 loss to Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl (although the Midshipmen didn't have an interim coach). Good luck West Virginia against Oklahoma..
Yeah, But You'll Watch Anyway. What Else Do You Have To Do?
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/FONT][/SIZE]
5. I’m going to keep screaming for this and it’ll never happen: move the national title game closer to New Year’s Day. The college football bigwigs think the time off between games generates a buzz, but it does the absolute opposite.
Last year, the Ohio State – Florida matchup became an afterthought with a week off. Everyone was talking about the Boise State Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma and everyone was gabbing about college football for about 36 hours, and then it was on to the NFL playoffs, Mark McGwire not getting into the Hall of Fame, and other topics. After two dud BCS games, the talk has already kicked on the sports talk shows about the weekend’s NFL playoffs while the Mitchell Report is still getting play. January 1 should be the Rose Bowl and the Sugar. January 2<sup>nd</sup> should be the Fiesta, January 3<sup>rd</sup> the Orange, and January 4<sup>th</sup> the national title. If the NFL schedule conflicts, work it out with the big league to put the Wild Card pro games on in the afternoon and the bowl on at night. Then there’d be all college football talk all the time from the 31<sup>st</sup> through the 4<sup>th</sup>, a solid five day college football smorgasbord, and it would be a blast.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Report: SMU to Pursue June Jones
Posted Jan 2nd 2008 2:34PM by Bruce Ciskie
Filed under: Conference USA, WAC, BCS, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football, SMU Football
Joe Schad of ESPN has the scoop on SMU's coaching search. Last week, he mentioned - almost in passing - on College Football Live that SMU was going to take a shot at a football coach whose team had yet to play in a bowl game. He did not name a specific coach, school, or whether it was a "BCS conference" coach.
Now, we have a name. It's June Jones of Hawaii.
Jones brings instant credibility as a rebuilder (Hawaii was 0-12 the year before he took over that program), and he will find a way to make an impact with the players former coach Phil Bennett recruited. Given how rich the talent pool is in the Metroplex, it's hard to imagine that Jones wouldn't have success in Conference USA.
Filed under: Conference USA, WAC, BCS, NCAA FB Coaching, Hawaii Football, SMU Football
Now, we have a name. It's June Jones of Hawaii.
SMU will pursue Hawaii coach June Jones and is prepared to pay between $1.5 and $1.7 million per year, according to two people familiar with SMU's strategy.
Although Jones' contract expires after this year, Hawaii has yet to make a contract offer to the coach, who just completed his ninth season with Hawaii.
Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said after the Sugar Bowl that he will not negotiate through the media and that he will not comment specifically on SMU's interest in his coach.
Keep a couple things in mind before you start laughing. For starters, Hawaii's facilities are dreadful, and the athletic budget is equally comical. SMU's administration seems willing to throw some money at the football program, and while money won't solve all their problems, this looks like a really good idea. With Jones' contract up at Hawaii, now might be the time to take a shot at him if you're someone like SMU.Although Jones' contract expires after this year, Hawaii has yet to make a contract offer to the coach, who just completed his ninth season with Hawaii.
Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said after the Sugar Bowl that he will not negotiate through the media and that he will not comment specifically on SMU's interest in his coach.
Jones brings instant credibility as a rebuilder (Hawaii was 0-12 the year before he took over that program), and he will find a way to make an impact with the players former coach Phil Bennett recruited. Given how rich the talent pool is in the Metroplex, it's hard to imagine that Jones wouldn't have success in Conference USA.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Mac Duff leaving
By Suzanne Halliburton | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 02:11 PM
Texas co-defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff is leaving UT after one year coaching linebackers and special teams.
Mac Duff was not forced out, a UT official said. However, defensive coaches had been under pressure since the unit allowed an average of 512 yards per game over the final month of the regular season. In the Holiday Bowl, the defense played its best game since mid-October in a 52-34 victory over Arizona State, the Pac 10 co-champions. Mac Duff shuffled his lineup and started two new linebackers against the Sun Devils.
“Larry and I met this morning and he informed me that he is not returning for the 2008 season, citing philosophical differences,” Mack Brown said. “Larry is a great coach and man and we appreciate all he’s done for our program. We want to wish him luck in the future and will begin looking for a replacement immediately.”
There had been speculation that Texas had talked to former UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, but a UT official said that Brown had had no contact with the Bruin coach. Walker accepted a job with Washington earlier this week.
Another name being mentioned is LSU’s Bradley Dale Peveto, who coaches linebackers and special teams for the Tigers. Peveto is a native Texan, playing at SMU and at Orangefield High School, which is near the Texas-Louisiana border.
Mac Duff was referred to Texas by co-coordinator Duane Akina, who worked with him when the two were at Arizona. He had been a long-time NFL coach before taking the Longhorn job.
By Suzanne Halliburton | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 02:11 PM
Texas co-defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff is leaving UT after one year coaching linebackers and special teams.
Mac Duff was not forced out, a UT official said. However, defensive coaches had been under pressure since the unit allowed an average of 512 yards per game over the final month of the regular season. In the Holiday Bowl, the defense played its best game since mid-October in a 52-34 victory over Arizona State, the Pac 10 co-champions. Mac Duff shuffled his lineup and started two new linebackers against the Sun Devils.
“Larry and I met this morning and he informed me that he is not returning for the 2008 season, citing philosophical differences,” Mack Brown said. “Larry is a great coach and man and we appreciate all he’s done for our program. We want to wish him luck in the future and will begin looking for a replacement immediately.”
There had been speculation that Texas had talked to former UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, but a UT official said that Brown had had no contact with the Bruin coach. Walker accepted a job with Washington earlier this week.
Another name being mentioned is LSU’s Bradley Dale Peveto, who coaches linebackers and special teams for the Tigers. Peveto is a native Texan, playing at SMU and at Orangefield High School, which is near the Texas-Louisiana border.
Mac Duff was referred to Texas by co-coordinator Duane Akina, who worked with him when the two were at Arizona. He had been a long-time NFL coach before taking the Longhorn job.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Charles leaving for NFL
By Suzanne Halliburton@statesman.com | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 02:10 PM
Jamaal Charles, who said only a week ago he was staying at Texas, has decided to leave school early for the NFL.
Charles becomes the second Longhorn in Mack Brown’s 10 years at UT to leave school early. He went home to Port Arthur after the Holiday Bowl and changed his mind about the staying in Austin. Those close to Charles said last month he was receiving pressure from friends and family back home to go pro.
He informed Texas coach Mack Brown of his decision Wednesday morning. Charles was unavailable for comment, but he issued the following statement through Texas:
“UT is a wonderful place and everyone has been so good to me. But, playing in the NFL has always been my dream and when the NFL report came back, I was happy with the grade and felt like it was best for me to enter the draft.”
Charles said last month if the NFL draft committee said he’d be a first or second rounder that would be a “good” grade.
Charles rushed for 161 yards at the Holiday Bowl, giving him 1,619 yards for the year, which is the fifth-best single-season performance in school history.
By Suzanne Halliburton@statesman.com | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 02:10 PM
Jamaal Charles, who said only a week ago he was staying at Texas, has decided to leave school early for the NFL.
Charles becomes the second Longhorn in Mack Brown’s 10 years at UT to leave school early. He went home to Port Arthur after the Holiday Bowl and changed his mind about the staying in Austin. Those close to Charles said last month he was receiving pressure from friends and family back home to go pro.
He informed Texas coach Mack Brown of his decision Wednesday morning. Charles was unavailable for comment, but he issued the following statement through Texas:
“UT is a wonderful place and everyone has been so good to me. But, playing in the NFL has always been my dream and when the NFL report came back, I was happy with the grade and felt like it was best for me to enter the draft.”
Charles said last month if the NFL draft committee said he’d be a first or second rounder that would be a “good” grade.
Charles rushed for 161 yards at the Holiday Bowl, giving him 1,619 yards for the year, which is the fifth-best single-season performance in school history.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
SMQ Bowl Blitz: New Year's Quarterback Redux
By SMQ
Posted on Wed Jan 02, 2008 at 02:00:50 PM EDT
A new book about current and longtime Mississippi high school football coaches through the decades came out not long ago, and made the rounds at Christmas among people interested in that culture and circle of people - that is, current and longtime Mississippi high school football coaches and their families, mainly - and in the back there's a section in which all the coaches the authors could get their hands on have drawn up their best plays. A huge majority of them are I-formation, two-and-three-back, option-based plays, scrawled by men barely able to scratch out the lines anymore. One of these venerable legends claims, in a sidenote to his three-back, power I sweep, that he is "a lot more hardheaded" than Woody Hayes, and he won many, many games with the philosophy, "more teams beat themselves with the pass than win with it."
He had the time of his life during the Sugar Bowl, I'm sure, but where non-fatal talent differentials did not apply, the sentiment was most relevant to the best game of this New Year's Day, the early afternoon in Orlando.
Better late than never.
- - -
Michigan 41 • Florida 35
- - -
Watching the Wolverines' uncharacteristically wide open touchdown drive to start the game, one filled with long-eschewed spread age wonders as the shotgun, speed sweeps and completely empty backfields (!), I wondered if the Blue consensus felt a greater sense of excitement, relief or frustration - finally, in a game it had to score early and often to keep pace, Michigan aggressively dictated the tempo and exploited its many first-rate offensive weapons to their immense potential in balanced, unpredictable fashion, beautifully executed by Chad Henne in very possibly the best performance of his career. I've read Brian Cook's brilliant Wolverine-obsessed minutiae on a near-daily basis for three full seasons now, and as a result feel like I know Michigan and its psyche better and more intimately than any outside of my own alma mater, and Tuesday's about-face blitzkrieg was everything he'd chronicled by other offenses in his weekly, play-by-play reviews and wished for his own team after lackluster wins and stagnant losses to Ohio State and risk-taking USC in last year's Rose Bowl...and what took so long? Where could the Wolverines be the last two years if the offensive staff hadn't been so bound to Shembechler Era conservatism, or, as Brian dubbed it since the unfathomable loss to Appalachian State, "eff you, try to stop this, oops you did let's punt." But Brian is understandably giddy that balls-to-the-wall played fantastically against the Gators, not least because it was such a sublime farewell to Lloyd Carr and a beloved, prolific senior class that had despite all its success never won a game as an underdog and entered with an 0-7 record against Ohio State and in bowl games. Mainly, though, Michigan's outburst was a kind of validation of the new philosophy it chose to replace Carr, and of the enthusiasm for Rich Rodriguez, and in the larger sense, an ultimate kiss-off by the wholesale movement away from two-back, straight-ahead physicality in college football at large. Michigan has long been the staunchest, hardest-headed bastion of the old school, leaving sissified gimmickry to the weaklings at Northwestern and Purdue and...Appalachian State and, uh, Oregon. Northwestern dealt a substantial blow for the possibilities of running from the spread in the famous 54-51 win over the Wolverines in 2000, as did West Virginia in its upset of Georgia in the Sugar Bowl at the end of the 2005 season, and Florida poured the cement for the tombstone by winning a mythical championship without a real running back last year. If you can't beat `em, join `em. Michigan finally found its solution to competing with the spread - run the spread - and its conversion is one of the last notes to a deafening, decade-long dirge.
Now, trend-watchers: if we are officially in the Age of the Spread, how long do motion-heavy, misdirection-based four and five-wide shotgun sets reign before the pendulum swings back the other way?
• On the other side, Florida seemed willing to play most of the game without bothering to block Michigan's weakside defensive end, be it Tim Jamison or Brandon Graham, and the Tebow Child paid the price for it. Even when he got passes off, which was almost every time, Michigan significantly disrupted his rhythm and forced him to make rushed throws and hopeless prayers into the turf off his back foot - he threw three relatively short, quick release touchdown passes, but Tebow barely completed half of his 33 passes, averaged less than five yards per throw and just a hair over nine per completion, dramatically less by every count that his high-flying regular season coming in, and no completions went longer than 20 yards. A lot of the time, it didn't appear to be confusion on Florida's part or physical dominance by the Wolverines, but a strange, willing design to let the edge rusher come free into Tebow's face. The Gators only kept pace by unleashing Percy Harvin out of the backfield on counters and speed sweeps, which accounted for the only big play by the UF offense and a great chunk of its total yards but is not a sustainable solution when Tebow is bottled up by ground and by air.
If not for Michigan's turnovers - Mike "Good Hands" Hart, two fumbles inside the five, what? - the game is not in any doubt in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines got the young, fast Gator defense thinking instead of pinning its ears back and reacting, the result of which was the most prolific day of the season for the Michigan offense (no, the gains against the black hole of Minnesota's defense do not count) and the worst yardage yielded by Florida all season. I expected the noobs on the Gator defense to show the wizened progress of veterans with a full season under their belt, but aside from being pushed around up front, they were caught completely off guard.
Georgia 41 • Hawaii 10
- - -
As a guy who rallied against the Warriors' sorry credentials all season, I couldn't help but feel for Hawaii, which came in with such pride and sense of purpose for its one big shot. They were physically outmatched out of the locker room - obviously, to a surprising degree - but it didn't have to be as ugly as all that. Undefeated teams, especially ones that have survived as many close wins as Hawaii, typically demonstrate more resiliency and flexibility and penchant for adjustment. The Warriors found themselves a solved puzzle with a bloody nose, and resigned themselves to their grisly fate very early. That's when things get sloppy, and people get hurt, and so Colt Brennan's left tackle barely waved at Marcus Howard in the third quarter and Brennan's broken body this morning is the new poster for the widening gaps between different levels of competition across the country - in a season of upsets, the anti-Appalachian State.
It reminded me a lot of what Florida's tight coverage and hellacious pass rush did to Troy Smith's reputation and pro prospects a year ago. Brennan's Tuesday night re: his last two seasons:
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <caption align="top">Brennan 2006-07 vs. Sugar Bowl</caption> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(164, 74, 74) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">
</td> <td align="center">Comp. %</td> <td align="center">Yards</td> <td align="center">Yds./Att.</td> <td align="center">TD</td> <td align="center">INT</td> <td align="center">Sacks</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Average</td> <td align="center">71.1</td> <td align="center">445.4</td> <td align="center">9.5</td> <td align="center">4.3</td> <td align="center">1.2</td> <td align="center">2.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Worst</td> <td align="center">58.7</td> <td align="center">350</td> <td align="center">7.3</td> <td align="center">2</td> <td align="center">5</td> <td align="center">6</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">vs. Georgia</td> <td align="center">57.9</td> <td align="center">169</td> <td align="center">4.4</td> <td align="center">0</td> <td align="center">3</td> <td align="center">8</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Maybe we should have seen the pressure coming, because Hawaii has given up sacks before to decent defenses (Oregon State planted him six times in its win in the islands last December), but Brennan still threw the ball well in all of those games and won almost all of them, right? He had wrecked Pac Ten and Big Ten defenses and played well in a close loss against the mighty SEC speedsters of Alabama. He's been a machine in the pocket with a minimum inflction of damage any defense could count on enduring, and that was so spectacularly absent, on the most important - and, fairly or not, defining - stage for Brennan as a player and Hawaii as a program, yes, I think that's genuinely sad.
Vicious, enthralling in some brutal, animalistic way that we often reference with hyperbole but which was all too real on this occasion, and very sad.
Southern Cal 49 • Illinois 17
- - -
At some point before the end of the week, or early next week, I'll have to counter the inevitable campaign to crown the USC the real best team of 2007, if only that pesky result against Stanford hadn't gotten in the way, but after a demolition job like this, what's the point? The Trojans were powerful, fast, opportunistic, overwhelming, everything we thought they were in the summer, etc. Juice Williams was a complete nonfactor as a passer, and his one-dimensionality allowed the Trojans to effortlessly swallow his attempts as a runner.
Illinois, unlike Hawaii, had a chance to make this a game in the third quarter, after Rashard Mendenhall's 79-yard touchdown run broke a monotonous theme of uncreative offensive failure by the Illini and his 55-yard catch-and-run down the sideline put them within a couple first downs of cutting the score to 21-17. Justin Willis could have taken better care of the ball on his subsequent catch inside the USC five, the ball being his and his team's most important possession at that moment, but this is the moment that the Trojans resesmbled the "typical" Southern Cal team under Pete Carroll more than any other point this season. Not only in Kevin Ellis expertly punching the ball free into the end zone, saving a momentum-building touchdown, but in the offense's response - a purely lucky bounce for Joe McKnight on the busted lateral-turned-65-yard gain, yes, but a disaster nevertheless that McKnight fluidly converted into a back-breaking play, from which Illinois never recovered. Williams immediately lobbed a desperate interception, McKnight scored his only touchdown a minute later, and the certain rout was on.
This is the cool killer instinct on top of raw talent that has made USC what it is in the national consensus - the Trojans forced four turnovers Tuesday and made good on touchdowns after all of them, a return after a season that ended in a negative turnover margin to the turnover-hungry defenses of Carroll's earlier teams, which finished with absurd giveaway/takeaway numbers on a regular basis: +16 in 2001, +18 in 2002, +20 in 2003, +19 in 2004, +21 in 2005 before dropping off to a meager +4 last year and -1 during the past regular season. The defense was back in the Rose Bowl to taking names, and the oft-maligned offense back to closing deals; Illinois clawed its way from near-oblivion into a real fight, until SC actively wrested that brief hope away and put its foot back on the throat for the rest of the magically-lit evening.
The performance was probably good enough salvage a mostly disappointing 2007 (only USC can really judge that for itself) and certainly foretells the Trojans' revival at or very near the top of the polls next year, which they probably deserve. This is, of course, deja vu of last January's Rose Bowl whomping of Michigan and the offseason of eye-popping expectations that followed - better luck with the carryover this time.
Glimpses
- - -
My two-day-long parade of wrong began with wins by projected losers Oregon, Fresno State and Oklahoma State Monday afternoon and continued unabated through the night and morning until Texas Tech's final field goal saved one horrific losing streak:
• Auburn 23, Clemson 20: I watched this game with my dad, who suggested I was not very wise to pick Clemson to win based on its having run, passed, scored and stopped the run more successfully than Auburn and virtually matched its Alabaman counterpart in any other matter of any significance through the regular season. Doesn't matter, of course: Auburn "knows how to win." Even though Auburn had won fewer games and lost more than Clemson? Even though Auburn had blown three fourth quarter leads in its four losses and failed to overcome horrific mistakes against Mississippi State? Yes - at some critical point in the game, apparently, Auburn chooses to block, tackle and execute more successfully than at other points, when Brandon Cox is throwing ghastly interceptions.
It turns out he was completely right about this, albeit under the ostensibly random circumstances that govern the outcome of any game once it hits overtime. In fact, if Clemson had managed to stop Auburn and its 4th-and-1 attempt to extend the eventual gamewinning drive, my final score prediction of 21-16 Clemson would have been tantilizingly prescient to a 20-17 actual final. If only I could have foreseen the Tigers' fortitude and the other Tigers' stunning inability to wrap up a true freshman quarterback at the line of scrimmage!
I'm okay! Just every part of my body is in debilitating pain, is all.
- - -
I now predict Auburn will spend all offseason concocting the amazing feats of Kodi Burns, and next fall praying he can complete somewhere near half his passes, and still they'll win at least eight. • Tennessee 21, Wisconsin 17 The Vols prevailed here less because of "SEC speed" - one UT wide receiver was run down in the first quarter by a linebacker! Take that, SEC speed! - than the underrated factor of "SEC Non-concussed quarterbacks," also a factor, obviously in Georgia's win. Tyler Donovan is a tough hombre, per Musbergian intangibles, but his final morning in a Badger uniform was painful even to occasionally watch in short snippets between other games.
• Missouri 38, Arkansas 7: The Razorback defense might as well not have bothered showing up, if it's just going to disgrace the venerable Cotton Bowl field like that with its stunning lack of preparation and discipline. Arkansas came out concerned with Chase Daniel's arm, regularly rushed three and dropped eight, and spent the rest of the afternoon getting trapped with its collective head spinning trying to figure out how and from which angle Tony Temple was going to embarrass it next. Darren McFadden didn't have a bad game by any means, but Arkansas lost four fumbles and fell behind, and that's a recipe for getting the worst from Casey Dick.
Great exchangem however, with shamed and decrepit former Hogs Pat Sumrall and Frank Broyles in the booth in the second quarter:
By SMQ
Posted on Wed Jan 02, 2008 at 02:00:50 PM EDT
A new book about current and longtime Mississippi high school football coaches through the decades came out not long ago, and made the rounds at Christmas among people interested in that culture and circle of people - that is, current and longtime Mississippi high school football coaches and their families, mainly - and in the back there's a section in which all the coaches the authors could get their hands on have drawn up their best plays. A huge majority of them are I-formation, two-and-three-back, option-based plays, scrawled by men barely able to scratch out the lines anymore. One of these venerable legends claims, in a sidenote to his three-back, power I sweep, that he is "a lot more hardheaded" than Woody Hayes, and he won many, many games with the philosophy, "more teams beat themselves with the pass than win with it."
He had the time of his life during the Sugar Bowl, I'm sure, but where non-fatal talent differentials did not apply, the sentiment was most relevant to the best game of this New Year's Day, the early afternoon in Orlando.
Better late than never.
- - -
Michigan 41 • Florida 35
- - -
Watching the Wolverines' uncharacteristically wide open touchdown drive to start the game, one filled with long-eschewed spread age wonders as the shotgun, speed sweeps and completely empty backfields (!), I wondered if the Blue consensus felt a greater sense of excitement, relief or frustration - finally, in a game it had to score early and often to keep pace, Michigan aggressively dictated the tempo and exploited its many first-rate offensive weapons to their immense potential in balanced, unpredictable fashion, beautifully executed by Chad Henne in very possibly the best performance of his career. I've read Brian Cook's brilliant Wolverine-obsessed minutiae on a near-daily basis for three full seasons now, and as a result feel like I know Michigan and its psyche better and more intimately than any outside of my own alma mater, and Tuesday's about-face blitzkrieg was everything he'd chronicled by other offenses in his weekly, play-by-play reviews and wished for his own team after lackluster wins and stagnant losses to Ohio State and risk-taking USC in last year's Rose Bowl...and what took so long? Where could the Wolverines be the last two years if the offensive staff hadn't been so bound to Shembechler Era conservatism, or, as Brian dubbed it since the unfathomable loss to Appalachian State, "eff you, try to stop this, oops you did let's punt." But Brian is understandably giddy that balls-to-the-wall played fantastically against the Gators, not least because it was such a sublime farewell to Lloyd Carr and a beloved, prolific senior class that had despite all its success never won a game as an underdog and entered with an 0-7 record against Ohio State and in bowl games. Mainly, though, Michigan's outburst was a kind of validation of the new philosophy it chose to replace Carr, and of the enthusiasm for Rich Rodriguez, and in the larger sense, an ultimate kiss-off by the wholesale movement away from two-back, straight-ahead physicality in college football at large. Michigan has long been the staunchest, hardest-headed bastion of the old school, leaving sissified gimmickry to the weaklings at Northwestern and Purdue and...Appalachian State and, uh, Oregon. Northwestern dealt a substantial blow for the possibilities of running from the spread in the famous 54-51 win over the Wolverines in 2000, as did West Virginia in its upset of Georgia in the Sugar Bowl at the end of the 2005 season, and Florida poured the cement for the tombstone by winning a mythical championship without a real running back last year. If you can't beat `em, join `em. Michigan finally found its solution to competing with the spread - run the spread - and its conversion is one of the last notes to a deafening, decade-long dirge.
Now, trend-watchers: if we are officially in the Age of the Spread, how long do motion-heavy, misdirection-based four and five-wide shotgun sets reign before the pendulum swings back the other way?
• On the other side, Florida seemed willing to play most of the game without bothering to block Michigan's weakside defensive end, be it Tim Jamison or Brandon Graham, and the Tebow Child paid the price for it. Even when he got passes off, which was almost every time, Michigan significantly disrupted his rhythm and forced him to make rushed throws and hopeless prayers into the turf off his back foot - he threw three relatively short, quick release touchdown passes, but Tebow barely completed half of his 33 passes, averaged less than five yards per throw and just a hair over nine per completion, dramatically less by every count that his high-flying regular season coming in, and no completions went longer than 20 yards. A lot of the time, it didn't appear to be confusion on Florida's part or physical dominance by the Wolverines, but a strange, willing design to let the edge rusher come free into Tebow's face. The Gators only kept pace by unleashing Percy Harvin out of the backfield on counters and speed sweeps, which accounted for the only big play by the UF offense and a great chunk of its total yards but is not a sustainable solution when Tebow is bottled up by ground and by air.
If not for Michigan's turnovers - Mike "Good Hands" Hart, two fumbles inside the five, what? - the game is not in any doubt in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines got the young, fast Gator defense thinking instead of pinning its ears back and reacting, the result of which was the most prolific day of the season for the Michigan offense (no, the gains against the black hole of Minnesota's defense do not count) and the worst yardage yielded by Florida all season. I expected the noobs on the Gator defense to show the wizened progress of veterans with a full season under their belt, but aside from being pushed around up front, they were caught completely off guard.
Georgia 41 • Hawaii 10
- - -
As a guy who rallied against the Warriors' sorry credentials all season, I couldn't help but feel for Hawaii, which came in with such pride and sense of purpose for its one big shot. They were physically outmatched out of the locker room - obviously, to a surprising degree - but it didn't have to be as ugly as all that. Undefeated teams, especially ones that have survived as many close wins as Hawaii, typically demonstrate more resiliency and flexibility and penchant for adjustment. The Warriors found themselves a solved puzzle with a bloody nose, and resigned themselves to their grisly fate very early. That's when things get sloppy, and people get hurt, and so Colt Brennan's left tackle barely waved at Marcus Howard in the third quarter and Brennan's broken body this morning is the new poster for the widening gaps between different levels of competition across the country - in a season of upsets, the anti-Appalachian State.
It reminded me a lot of what Florida's tight coverage and hellacious pass rush did to Troy Smith's reputation and pro prospects a year ago. Brennan's Tuesday night re: his last two seasons:
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <caption align="top">Brennan 2006-07 vs. Sugar Bowl</caption> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(164, 74, 74) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">
</td> <td align="center">Comp. %</td> <td align="center">Yards</td> <td align="center">Yds./Att.</td> <td align="center">TD</td> <td align="center">INT</td> <td align="center">Sacks</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Average</td> <td align="center">71.1</td> <td align="center">445.4</td> <td align="center">9.5</td> <td align="center">4.3</td> <td align="center">1.2</td> <td align="center">2.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">Worst</td> <td align="center">58.7</td> <td align="center">350</td> <td align="center">7.3</td> <td align="center">2</td> <td align="center">5</td> <td align="center">6</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="right">vs. Georgia</td> <td align="center">57.9</td> <td align="center">169</td> <td align="center">4.4</td> <td align="center">0</td> <td align="center">3</td> <td align="center">8</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Maybe we should have seen the pressure coming, because Hawaii has given up sacks before to decent defenses (Oregon State planted him six times in its win in the islands last December), but Brennan still threw the ball well in all of those games and won almost all of them, right? He had wrecked Pac Ten and Big Ten defenses and played well in a close loss against the mighty SEC speedsters of Alabama. He's been a machine in the pocket with a minimum inflction of damage any defense could count on enduring, and that was so spectacularly absent, on the most important - and, fairly or not, defining - stage for Brennan as a player and Hawaii as a program, yes, I think that's genuinely sad.
Vicious, enthralling in some brutal, animalistic way that we often reference with hyperbole but which was all too real on this occasion, and very sad.
Southern Cal 49 • Illinois 17
- - -
At some point before the end of the week, or early next week, I'll have to counter the inevitable campaign to crown the USC the real best team of 2007, if only that pesky result against Stanford hadn't gotten in the way, but after a demolition job like this, what's the point? The Trojans were powerful, fast, opportunistic, overwhelming, everything we thought they were in the summer, etc. Juice Williams was a complete nonfactor as a passer, and his one-dimensionality allowed the Trojans to effortlessly swallow his attempts as a runner.
Illinois, unlike Hawaii, had a chance to make this a game in the third quarter, after Rashard Mendenhall's 79-yard touchdown run broke a monotonous theme of uncreative offensive failure by the Illini and his 55-yard catch-and-run down the sideline put them within a couple first downs of cutting the score to 21-17. Justin Willis could have taken better care of the ball on his subsequent catch inside the USC five, the ball being his and his team's most important possession at that moment, but this is the moment that the Trojans resesmbled the "typical" Southern Cal team under Pete Carroll more than any other point this season. Not only in Kevin Ellis expertly punching the ball free into the end zone, saving a momentum-building touchdown, but in the offense's response - a purely lucky bounce for Joe McKnight on the busted lateral-turned-65-yard gain, yes, but a disaster nevertheless that McKnight fluidly converted into a back-breaking play, from which Illinois never recovered. Williams immediately lobbed a desperate interception, McKnight scored his only touchdown a minute later, and the certain rout was on.
This is the cool killer instinct on top of raw talent that has made USC what it is in the national consensus - the Trojans forced four turnovers Tuesday and made good on touchdowns after all of them, a return after a season that ended in a negative turnover margin to the turnover-hungry defenses of Carroll's earlier teams, which finished with absurd giveaway/takeaway numbers on a regular basis: +16 in 2001, +18 in 2002, +20 in 2003, +19 in 2004, +21 in 2005 before dropping off to a meager +4 last year and -1 during the past regular season. The defense was back in the Rose Bowl to taking names, and the oft-maligned offense back to closing deals; Illinois clawed its way from near-oblivion into a real fight, until SC actively wrested that brief hope away and put its foot back on the throat for the rest of the magically-lit evening.
The performance was probably good enough salvage a mostly disappointing 2007 (only USC can really judge that for itself) and certainly foretells the Trojans' revival at or very near the top of the polls next year, which they probably deserve. This is, of course, deja vu of last January's Rose Bowl whomping of Michigan and the offseason of eye-popping expectations that followed - better luck with the carryover this time.
Glimpses
- - -
My two-day-long parade of wrong began with wins by projected losers Oregon, Fresno State and Oklahoma State Monday afternoon and continued unabated through the night and morning until Texas Tech's final field goal saved one horrific losing streak:
• Auburn 23, Clemson 20: I watched this game with my dad, who suggested I was not very wise to pick Clemson to win based on its having run, passed, scored and stopped the run more successfully than Auburn and virtually matched its Alabaman counterpart in any other matter of any significance through the regular season. Doesn't matter, of course: Auburn "knows how to win." Even though Auburn had won fewer games and lost more than Clemson? Even though Auburn had blown three fourth quarter leads in its four losses and failed to overcome horrific mistakes against Mississippi State? Yes - at some critical point in the game, apparently, Auburn chooses to block, tackle and execute more successfully than at other points, when Brandon Cox is throwing ghastly interceptions.
It turns out he was completely right about this, albeit under the ostensibly random circumstances that govern the outcome of any game once it hits overtime. In fact, if Clemson had managed to stop Auburn and its 4th-and-1 attempt to extend the eventual gamewinning drive, my final score prediction of 21-16 Clemson would have been tantilizingly prescient to a 20-17 actual final. If only I could have foreseen the Tigers' fortitude and the other Tigers' stunning inability to wrap up a true freshman quarterback at the line of scrimmage!
I'm okay! Just every part of my body is in debilitating pain, is all.
- - -
I now predict Auburn will spend all offseason concocting the amazing feats of Kodi Burns, and next fall praying he can complete somewhere near half his passes, and still they'll win at least eight. • Tennessee 21, Wisconsin 17 The Vols prevailed here less because of "SEC speed" - one UT wide receiver was run down in the first quarter by a linebacker! Take that, SEC speed! - than the underrated factor of "SEC Non-concussed quarterbacks," also a factor, obviously in Georgia's win. Tyler Donovan is a tough hombre, per Musbergian intangibles, but his final morning in a Badger uniform was painful even to occasionally watch in short snippets between other games.
• Missouri 38, Arkansas 7: The Razorback defense might as well not have bothered showing up, if it's just going to disgrace the venerable Cotton Bowl field like that with its stunning lack of preparation and discipline. Arkansas came out concerned with Chase Daniel's arm, regularly rushed three and dropped eight, and spent the rest of the afternoon getting trapped with its collective head spinning trying to figure out how and from which angle Tony Temple was going to embarrass it next. Darren McFadden didn't have a bad game by any means, but Arkansas lost four fumbles and fell behind, and that's a recipe for getting the worst from Casey Dick.
Great exchangem however, with shamed and decrepit former Hogs Pat Sumrall and Frank Broyles in the booth in the second quarter:
- "Of course, you're familiar with the Cotton Bowl, coach. You won your only national championship here in 1965. What do you remember from that day? "Well, the touchdown, obviously."
- - -
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Rashard Mendenhall Won't Be Back
Posted Jan 2nd 2008 12:22PM by Tom Fornelli
Filed under: Big 10, BCS, Bowl Games, NFL Prospects, Illinois Football
If the Rose Bowl was the first time you've seen Illinois play this season, you're probably under the impression that the Illini suck, and that Rashard Mendenhall is the only reason they got as far as they did this season.
You'd be half right.
Illinois doesn't suck, they just ran into an opponent that is probably the best team in the country right now(no offense to LSU and Ohio State), and is just far more talented than the Illini. You're correct in assuming though that Rashard Mendenhall is the main reason the Illini were so successful this season.
Which makes it that much more painful that Rashard Mendenhall won't be coming back for his senior season, and is going to enter the NFL draft. Mendenhall hasn't made an official announcement about his future, but if anybody thinks he's going to come back after yesterday's performance, they're deep in a state of denial.
Mendenhall was already considered one of the best running backs in the country before Tuesday's Rose Bowl, and after scouts saw him play against USC, he could only have climbed higher up team's draft boards.
Anytime you can break free for a 79-yard touchdown run against the Trojans, and do so while running away from their entire defense, NFL scouts take notice of that.
Rashard's absence next season is going to create a pretty large void in Illinois' offense. One that will not be easily filled.
Filed under: Big 10, BCS, Bowl Games, NFL Prospects, Illinois Football
You'd be half right.
Illinois doesn't suck, they just ran into an opponent that is probably the best team in the country right now(no offense to LSU and Ohio State), and is just far more talented than the Illini. You're correct in assuming though that Rashard Mendenhall is the main reason the Illini were so successful this season.
Which makes it that much more painful that Rashard Mendenhall won't be coming back for his senior season, and is going to enter the NFL draft. Mendenhall hasn't made an official announcement about his future, but if anybody thinks he's going to come back after yesterday's performance, they're deep in a state of denial.
Mendenhall was already considered one of the best running backs in the country before Tuesday's Rose Bowl, and after scouts saw him play against USC, he could only have climbed higher up team's draft boards.
Anytime you can break free for a 79-yard touchdown run against the Trojans, and do so while running away from their entire defense, NFL scouts take notice of that.
Rashard's absence next season is going to create a pretty large void in Illinois' offense. One that will not be easily filled.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Ogbonnaya staying extra year
By Alan Trubow | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 03:15 PM
While Jamaal Charles is leaving early, backup running back Chris Ogbonnaya is staying late.
Despite graduating, Ogbonnaya plans to enroll in graduate classes next year and utilize his final year of eligibility.
Ogbonnaya, who carried the ball 26 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns, was used mostly as a third-down back because of his blocking ability. He also had 21 receptions for 204 yards.
By Alan Trubow | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 03:15 PM
While Jamaal Charles is leaving early, backup running back Chris Ogbonnaya is staying late.
Despite graduating, Ogbonnaya plans to enroll in graduate classes next year and utilize his final year of eligibility.
Ogbonnaya, who carried the ball 26 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns, was used mostly as a third-down back because of his blocking ability. He also had 21 receptions for 204 yards.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Running back’s interest increases
By Alan Trubow | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 03:07 PM
Darrell Scott, widely considered the top-rated running back in the country, said Wednesday that Texas was one of four teams he’s considering.
What could be the deciding factor on whether the 6-foot-0, 204-pound athlete becomes a Longhorn?
“Really, it’s whether or not Jamaal Charles comes back,” Scott told the Austin American-Statesman prior to the news about Charles declaring for the NFL draft. “It will be big if he leaves. I don’t want to sit out my freshman year. I’m trying to hop in and make some chaos somewhere.”
The rumors are Scott has been Colorado lean, with Texas, Florida and LSU rounding out his four.
But Scott said the weather in Boulder, Colo., could be a factor.
“Man, it’s brutal up there,” he said. “They need to get some indoor facilities. I know it gets cold in Austin, but they just move indoors when that happens. I’m a warm-weather guy, and I really don’t like the cold.”
Scott, who is in San Antonio for the All-American game, said he plans on announcing his commitment on signing day (Feb. 6).
By Alan Trubow | Wednesday, January 2, 2008, 03:07 PM
Darrell Scott, widely considered the top-rated running back in the country, said Wednesday that Texas was one of four teams he’s considering.
What could be the deciding factor on whether the 6-foot-0, 204-pound athlete becomes a Longhorn?
“Really, it’s whether or not Jamaal Charles comes back,” Scott told the Austin American-Statesman prior to the news about Charles declaring for the NFL draft. “It will be big if he leaves. I don’t want to sit out my freshman year. I’m trying to hop in and make some chaos somewhere.”
The rumors are Scott has been Colorado lean, with Texas, Florida and LSU rounding out his four.
But Scott said the weather in Boulder, Colo., could be a factor.
“Man, it’s brutal up there,” he said. “They need to get some indoor facilities. I know it gets cold in Austin, but they just move indoors when that happens. I’m a warm-weather guy, and I really don’t like the cold.”
Scott, who is in San Antonio for the All-American game, said he plans on announcing his commitment on signing day (Feb. 6).
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
SMQ Bowl Blitz: Desert Spaceship Fiesta!
By SMQ
Posted on Wed Jan 02, 2008 at 06:46:58 PM EDT
There's a good chance Oklahoma would be a substantial favorite in tonight's Fiesta Bowl if Rich Rodriguez and his genius spread brain were still on duty for Mountaineers, if only because of the slight but lingering stigma of `Big East' and the wildly disparate results the last time we saw either team, on the night of Dec. 1, when Oklahoma beat the shine off a spread-based Missouri offense that had not been remotely contained in any previous game as West Virginia simultaneously blew its mythical championship shot at home against a four-win Pitt team that was starting a true freshman quarterback and had been ripped to shreds on national television by Navy back in October. These are fairly obvious connections, and they add up to Oklahoma, convincingly.
Wherefore art thou, Steve?
- - -
Of note, in the interest of contrarianism: of West Virginia's five losses over the last three seasons, only one has occurred when Pat White and Steve Slaton both appeared healthy in the same backfield - WVU's defeat at the hand of Virginia Tech was prior to either freshman's midseason insertion in the lineup, the Thursday night loss at Louisville in 2006 was largely without Slaton (and actually hampered by the injured hand that kept him on the bench throughout the second half, the cause of two fumbles, one of them returned for a momentum-stealing touchdown) and the defeat at South Florida in September went down largely without White, who did not play in a defensively-dominated, mistake-filled second half that prefigured the nip-and-tuck defensive loss to the Panthers almost exactly. The Pitt game, it could be argued, is the only game in that span the Mountaineers played without both White and Slaton, the former done in by an injury to his throwing hand and the prolific running back strangely ignored in the second half. This has been Slaton's least productive season by far, and though he went over 1,000 yards for the third straight year, his yards per carry dipped by two full yards from its dizzying 7.03 in 2006 as his role dramatically diminished beginning with the loss at USF; Slaton, ostensibly healthy all season, had only 13 carries in that game despite White's absence for the entire second half, and White had far more carries (89) than Slaton (66) in the consecutive wins over top conference challengers Rutgers, Louisville, Cincinnati and UConn. Slaton had five 100-yard efforts in six full games as a freshman, and ten in eleven games in 2006, but only two in his last eight this year, never the kind of outrageous torching to which we'd become accustomed, and his gradual demotion to role player is the story of the West Virginia offense over the second half of 2007. The Mountaineers are no stranger to being an underdog, and Oklahoma has consistently shown it can be susceptible to unexpected sniping (especially to unconventional offenses), as demonstrated at Colorado and Texas Tech this year and in its game with Boise State in the desert spaceship hosting the Fiesta Bowl last year. But in general, the Sooners are exactly the kind of team to handle West Virginia, and almost anyone else, regardless the situation on the sidelines - they're relentlessly fast on defense, as proven against Missouri's spectacular attack in the Big 12 Championship, and are as efficient and adept at their power/play-action-based scheme as any offense you could reasonably imagine; OU can grind out first downs between the tackles (Allen Patrick), break a killer run at any point (DeMarco Murray), stretch defenses deep (Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias) and make good in the red zone (eleven of tight end Jermaine Gresham's 34 catches were for touchdowns), behind a quarterback who has shown scant symptoms of his often fatal condition, reshirt freshmanitis, outside of the loss to Colorado.
The Sooners, in other words, can play any kind of game, answer stop for stop or match score for score if necessary, where West Virginia against an offense of OU's caliber is challenged with scoring early and often and opening up the lanes for a track meet. If the Mountaineers are left gasping for air in the middle of a one-dimensional bog - this has been the case in both losses to South Florida and the loss to Pittsburgh - wondering where their big plays went, the prospects are grim, Rodriguez or no Rodriguez. Oklahoma will miss defensive tackle and suspended shoplifter DeMarcus Granger, but its sideline-to-sideline speed at linebacker and physicality in the secondary (on very good display in the second win over Missouri) will contain WVU long enough for the offense to bite off a lead and play from in front, where the whole playbook is open, when we're not sure yet how much of the Mountaineer playbook is even left. By the time West Virginia hires a coach next week, Oklahoma will be wondering where, exactly, it fits in the top four (with Florida, Georgia and USC) to open next season.
<table><tbody><tr><td>
</td> <td>Oklahoma 31</td> <td>•</td> <td>West Virginia 23</td></tr></tbody></table>
By SMQ
Posted on Wed Jan 02, 2008 at 06:46:58 PM EDT
Wherefore art thou, Steve?
- - -
Of note, in the interest of contrarianism: of West Virginia's five losses over the last three seasons, only one has occurred when Pat White and Steve Slaton both appeared healthy in the same backfield - WVU's defeat at the hand of Virginia Tech was prior to either freshman's midseason insertion in the lineup, the Thursday night loss at Louisville in 2006 was largely without Slaton (and actually hampered by the injured hand that kept him on the bench throughout the second half, the cause of two fumbles, one of them returned for a momentum-stealing touchdown) and the defeat at South Florida in September went down largely without White, who did not play in a defensively-dominated, mistake-filled second half that prefigured the nip-and-tuck defensive loss to the Panthers almost exactly. The Pitt game, it could be argued, is the only game in that span the Mountaineers played without both White and Slaton, the former done in by an injury to his throwing hand and the prolific running back strangely ignored in the second half. This has been Slaton's least productive season by far, and though he went over 1,000 yards for the third straight year, his yards per carry dipped by two full yards from its dizzying 7.03 in 2006 as his role dramatically diminished beginning with the loss at USF; Slaton, ostensibly healthy all season, had only 13 carries in that game despite White's absence for the entire second half, and White had far more carries (89) than Slaton (66) in the consecutive wins over top conference challengers Rutgers, Louisville, Cincinnati and UConn. Slaton had five 100-yard efforts in six full games as a freshman, and ten in eleven games in 2006, but only two in his last eight this year, never the kind of outrageous torching to which we'd become accustomed, and his gradual demotion to role player is the story of the West Virginia offense over the second half of 2007. The Mountaineers are no stranger to being an underdog, and Oklahoma has consistently shown it can be susceptible to unexpected sniping (especially to unconventional offenses), as demonstrated at Colorado and Texas Tech this year and in its game with Boise State in the desert spaceship hosting the Fiesta Bowl last year. But in general, the Sooners are exactly the kind of team to handle West Virginia, and almost anyone else, regardless the situation on the sidelines - they're relentlessly fast on defense, as proven against Missouri's spectacular attack in the Big 12 Championship, and are as efficient and adept at their power/play-action-based scheme as any offense you could reasonably imagine; OU can grind out first downs between the tackles (Allen Patrick), break a killer run at any point (DeMarco Murray), stretch defenses deep (Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias) and make good in the red zone (eleven of tight end Jermaine Gresham's 34 catches were for touchdowns), behind a quarterback who has shown scant symptoms of his often fatal condition, reshirt freshmanitis, outside of the loss to Colorado.
The Sooners, in other words, can play any kind of game, answer stop for stop or match score for score if necessary, where West Virginia against an offense of OU's caliber is challenged with scoring early and often and opening up the lanes for a track meet. If the Mountaineers are left gasping for air in the middle of a one-dimensional bog - this has been the case in both losses to South Florida and the loss to Pittsburgh - wondering where their big plays went, the prospects are grim, Rodriguez or no Rodriguez. Oklahoma will miss defensive tackle and suspended shoplifter DeMarcus Granger, but its sideline-to-sideline speed at linebacker and physicality in the secondary (on very good display in the second win over Missouri) will contain WVU long enough for the offense to bite off a lead and play from in front, where the whole playbook is open, when we're not sure yet how much of the Mountaineer playbook is even left. By the time West Virginia hires a coach next week, Oklahoma will be wondering where, exactly, it fits in the top four (with Florida, Georgia and USC) to open next season.
<table><tbody><tr><td>
bluemyboy
CTG Player
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma 1/2 8pm
Oklahoma -7.5
Oklahoma 74%
Location: Arizona
Notes
-OKL [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]BCS record*: 3-3, Vs. BCS Top 25: 3-0[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-WVU BCS record*: 1-1, Vs. BCS Top 25: 2-1[/FONT]
-[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Oklahoma cornerback Reggie Smith won’t play in the Fiesta Bowl because of a fractured bone in the big toe of his right foot.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-The father of Oklahoma defensive back Lendy Holmes told a Dallas newspaper that his son won't play in the Fiesta Bowl because of academic ineligibility. Holmes, a junior who played safety this season, was expected to start at cornerback for the Sooners after starter [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Reggie Smith[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif] broke his toe in the Big 12 Championship game against Missouri. Redshirt freshman Dominique Franks, who only has three tackles on the year, is expected to start at corner.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-a WVU win would make them become one of just three teams to win 11 games in each of the past three seasons. The others are LSU and Southern Cal. WVU also can earn an unprecedented third straight top 10 finish.[/FONT]
-WVU had the national title in their grasp and lost as heavy favorites.
-Players were most upset Rodriguez would not coach them in the bowl game, not that he was leaving
-Touted as the title game for second place.
-Oklahoma assistant coach will be heading to Houston to act as head coach next year.
-Rich Rodriguez has left WVU with some of his Assistants; in turn he has fired the current assistant’s coaches at Michigan. I am unsure if they will coach in the bowl game, but they were given 2 year extensions earlier in the year, thus this could be taken hard. And to top it all off, WVU is suing Rodriguez for 4$ million, the buy out on his contract.
-being tagged the bowl game of the year, could lead to more sucker bets
-was the bowl game of the year last year…. How CAN they do it every year…. Imo bust, especially with no Rich Rodriguez
-[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]This is Sooners' sixth BCS appearance in eight seasons.[/FONT]
-Oklahoma dropped a nail-biter last year in this exact venue
-Oklahoma got up for the big games this year beating [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Miami (Florida), Texas, Missouri twice, and Oklahoma State by an average margin of a little over three touchdowns.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-West Virginia associate head coach Bill Stewart has been named interim football coach, His assistant coaching stints include Marshall, William & Mary, Navy, North Carolina, Arizona State and Air Force. He became head coach at VMI in 1994 and went 8-25 over three seasons. After a stint in the CFL, he joined the West Virginia staff for Nehlen's final season in 2000.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-West Virginia departs Morgantown on Dec. 26 and will face No. 3 Oklahoma in the Jan. 2 game in Glendale, Ariz.[/FONT]
I sided with WVU tonight +8. I think Oklahoma has had its share of distractions as late as this week with that DT. goodluck tonight. thanks again for an awesome thread.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Oklahoma -7.5
Oklahoma 74%
Location: Arizona
Notes
-OKL [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]BCS record*: 3-3, Vs. BCS Top 25: 3-0[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-WVU BCS record*: 1-1, Vs. BCS Top 25: 2-1[/FONT]
-[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Oklahoma cornerback Reggie Smith won’t play in the Fiesta Bowl because of a fractured bone in the big toe of his right foot.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-The father of Oklahoma defensive back Lendy Holmes told a Dallas newspaper that his son won't play in the Fiesta Bowl because of academic ineligibility. Holmes, a junior who played safety this season, was expected to start at cornerback for the Sooners after starter [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Reggie Smith[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif] broke his toe in the Big 12 Championship game against Missouri. Redshirt freshman Dominique Franks, who only has three tackles on the year, is expected to start at corner.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-a WVU win would make them become one of just three teams to win 11 games in each of the past three seasons. The others are LSU and Southern Cal. WVU also can earn an unprecedented third straight top 10 finish.[/FONT]
-WVU had the national title in their grasp and lost as heavy favorites.
-Players were most upset Rodriguez would not coach them in the bowl game, not that he was leaving
-Touted as the title game for second place.
-Oklahoma assistant coach will be heading to Houston to act as head coach next year.
-Rich Rodriguez has left WVU with some of his Assistants; in turn he has fired the current assistant’s coaches at Michigan. I am unsure if they will coach in the bowl game, but they were given 2 year extensions earlier in the year, thus this could be taken hard. And to top it all off, WVU is suing Rodriguez for 4$ million, the buy out on his contract.
-being tagged the bowl game of the year, could lead to more sucker bets
-was the bowl game of the year last year…. How CAN they do it every year…. Imo bust, especially with no Rich Rodriguez
-[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]This is Sooners' sixth BCS appearance in eight seasons.[/FONT]
-Oklahoma dropped a nail-biter last year in this exact venue
-Oklahoma got up for the big games this year beating [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Miami (Florida), Texas, Missouri twice, and Oklahoma State by an average margin of a little over three touchdowns.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-West Virginia associate head coach Bill Stewart has been named interim football coach, His assistant coaching stints include Marshall, William & Mary, Navy, North Carolina, Arizona State and Air Force. He became head coach at VMI in 1994 and went 8-25 over three seasons. After a stint in the CFL, he joined the West Virginia staff for Nehlen's final season in 2000.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]-West Virginia departs Morgantown on Dec. 26 and will face No. 3 Oklahoma in the Jan. 2 game in Glendale, Ariz.[/FONT]
I sided with WVU tonight +8. I think Oklahoma has had its share of distractions as late as this week with that DT. goodluck tonight. thanks again for an awesome thread.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
spanishshark
Youngest guy on the forum
What about WV with no coach? Is that not a distraction of the first kind?
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