At 10 a.m. December 30, 2009, after years of mediocrity capped by flashes of greatness, the Texas Tech football program died a tragic death resulting from fatal blows from the University Athletic Director’s ego. Tech fans can thank Adam James, his inability to run routes properly, general laziness, and his father’s use of his position and influence to dismantle years of labor.
“My son is an awesome player,” said Craig James, current ESPN analyst and football has-been. “So what if he doesn’t want to work hard, has substandard receiving numbers, and may drop five or ten passes a game, he deserves more.”
When asked about feelings regarding the demise of his alma mater, current Tech QB Taylor Potts responded, “James is getting routes across the middle as I lob them high and slow (this weekend).”
Qualified candidates to replace Mike Leach have been put on notice that, though the university might pursue and hire you, clashes in personality, ego, and not playing kids with certain last names will result in your termination just in time for bonuses to not be paid.
The Texas Tech football program is survived by Wes Welker, Michael Crabtree, and an empty trophy case.
It’s amazing how the addition of a seven-pound person to your home can disrupt, well, everything. Thrice I have sat down to write a bowl picks article. One attempt ended with a blank sheet, one with words that were clearly out of order, and another with a readable piece that was so boring, it made watching paint dry seem like a better option. I needed something to get me going … get the ole creative juices flowing … something to get me excited about the bowl season.
BYU crushing Oregon State? It’s a start!
Wisconsin upsetting Miami? Sure, that’s pretty good.
Texas Tech suspending Mike Leach! Now we’re talking!
Since Leach is a lawyer and is in a court room as I type this article, let’s review the facts of the case. Adam James, a third-string receiver for Texas Tech, suffered a mild concussion on Dec. 16 and was sent to walk the track for the remainder of practice. On Dec. 17, James showed up to practice wearing sunglasses saying his doctor said it would help. In order to assist with his need to be out of the sun, Leach sent him to the equipment room for the duration of practice … and yes, accounts by all who have actually been there (minus Adam James), it’s an equipment room … not a shed, not a closet. No one is denying this happened … not James, not Leach.
Now let’s review the more important facts. Adam James’ dad is crybaby ESPN reporter Craig James, who is known at Texas Tech for complaining to the coaching staff and university officials frequently about his son’s playing time (“like a little league dad”). One other tidbit, Texas Tech AD Gerald Myers and Leach hate each other.
James’ complained to Myers, Myers told Leach to apologize, Leach refused, Myers suspended Leach. Got it? Is Tech going to fire Leach over this? Not if they have half a brain and don’t want a student, faculty, and alumni revolt on their hands. Is ESPN going to fire Craig James? Probably … and hopefully they’ll send Lou Holtz packing as well.
Now back to football.
Badger fanatic and long-time .260 Hitters reader Larry G. needed the .260 Hitters bump for Wisconsin’s matchup against Miami last night, and to make sure he got it, Larry flew in from Chicago to watch the game in my living room. Smart move on his part as the Badgers defense clobbered Miami, punching them in the face early and often. I guess being fast doesn’t do you much good when you’re constantly face down in the grass.
My inexplicable affinity for BYU only increased after a three-day trip to Salt Lake City earlier this month. Beautiful mountains, extremely polite citizens, not a piece of trash on the street … what’s not to like? Sadly, I didn’t get the chance to make the quick trip south to Provo, home of Max “I hate Utah and everything about them” Hall and the BYU Cougars. I did however, get to see them destroy Oregon State. Being that I don’t know the secret Mormon handshake, I’m pretty sure my opinion doesn’t count, but I’ve already started collecting signatures for Max Hall to be the next prophet.
On to games that haven’t been played yet … how about Oklahoma v. Stanford. The Stanford QB is out — who cares. How hard can it be to turn around and give it to the real Heisman winner Toby Gerhart? A cheerleader could do that. OU hasn’t had its QB all season, or the 13 other injured starters. Then you add the “who cares” factor. OU expected to put itself in that January 7 game. Now it’s 7 – 5 playing in El Paso… Stanford won this game before it ever began.
Keeping on the upset train, so far I’ve nailed BYU, Utah and Wisconsin (missing with my Texas A&M picks, thanks for that one Aggies), I’m going on a limb and picking Tennessee to beat Virginia Tech. It’s more SEC v. ACC than anything else, but this is one I just feel – which is about as reliable as thoughtful analysis, especially during bowl season.
Toughest game to call this season is no doubt tonight’s matchup between Arizona v. Nebraska. No. 20 v. No. 22… Pac 10 v. High school offense with a NFL-caliber defense. My money is on Arizona, but only because I think the Wildcats will score about nine points, and that should be more than enough against the Huskers.
In other games, I’m taking Ole Miss over Okie Lite, Texas Tech over Michigan State, Penn State over LSU, and Northwestern over Auburn.
For the BCS bowls, my picks are as follows:
Rose Bowl: Oregon over Ohio State. I just don’t have any faith in Ohio State, and Oregon has been looking really good.
Fiesta Bowl: TCU over Boise. TCU is just as good as Texas or Alabama this year, and it plans to show it.
Sugar Bowl: Cincinnati over Florida was my original pick. Then Urban said he was resigning after the game due to health reasons, which gave Cincy ZERO chance of winning. Then Urban went all Brett Favre and un-resigned, taking a leave of absence til the season started in an “I want to coach but not do the work” kind of move. That puts me back to Cincy, since Urban has plummeted down and off my list of likeable coaches.
Orange Bowl: My heart says Iowa, but my money says Georgia Tech.
Nat’l Title: The smart money is on Alabama. That being said, in 2005 the smart money was on USC and we all know how that turned out, but in the words of an anonymous Texas fan that I happen to live with, “yeah, but we had Vince Young then.” Well said.
Thursday night we decided to celebrate the impending birth of Brooklyn by taking a few friends to dinner (Mandola’s … is there anywhere else?). Afterward, we put little man to bed and settled in for a romantic evening with some red wine, chocolate cheesecake, and Oregon v. Oregon State. What a lucky woman. Several hours and three quarters later, the pregnant one is sleeping, Ducks QB Jeremiah Masoli is driving, and I’m cheering … the first two parts of the phrase aren’t unusual, but what rift in the universe caused that third bit?
I’m no Ducks fan. I was elated to see Boise stomp them in the season opener and giddy when Blount started throwing left hooks, yet I’ve noticed that I keep saying “I’m no Ducks fan, but…” What’s going on with all the buts? Then the camera panned to the 80K+ in Autzen stadium going absolutely crazy and it dawned on me. Ducks fans are true football fans, through and through. Unlike certain regional teams that I know of, where there’s a huge difference between a stadium when their team is 10 – 0 v. when they are 8 – 2 … not for the Ducks faithful, where every game is a game worth going to, staying long, and being loud. Granted, 75% of them are high on something – and it isn’t life – but you can’t blame them, they do live in Oregon. But if those nut jobs in Autzen aren’t inspiring, they are at the very least admirable. So yes, Go Ducks.
Oregon 37
Oregon State 34
In other games that matter, Cincinnati and Pitt launched an offensive showcase in weather conditions made for 3 – 2 scoring charts. After 58 minutes of play, Pitt went up 44 – 38, but PAT placeholder Andrew Jaocko managed to drop the perfect snap, placing Pitt in jeopardy of Natti’s incredibly effective offense. The remaining one minute and 39 seconds was all it took … well, it really took about one minute and three seconds for Cincy to drive, score, and yes, make the PAT for the win. If kickers are the most lonesome players on the team, where does that put the placeholder after going all Tony Romo circa 2007 playoffs?
The spread for the Big East title game was zero … Cincy won by a point. Amazing? Sure. FYI, the spread for the ACC title game was one, and the Fresno v. Illinois game was zero … the games ended with a spread of three and one, respectively. Now that’s just freaky.
Coaches’ Corner
Another note to you kids who want to be a big-time college football coach one day. When you take over a program and destroy it from being the most winning team in school history into one with consecutive losing seasons, a feat not accomplished since the 1960s, don’t talk. Just shut your piehole and maybe dust-off those books on how to win. And certainly, under no circumstances, go all melodramatic and compare what your team is going through to New Orleans and Katrina.
That’s right, he did. Your favorite coach (and mine) Rich Rodriguez, speaking at a team banquet, said, “It’s really kind of ironic that the New Orleans Saints overcame the hurricane a few years back. And we’ve had a few hurricanes of our own. We had a big hurricane in August, and it kind of hit us like a ton of bricks. But you had 120 young men and a bunch of people on the staff that said this is not going to tear our program apart.” He goes on and on with the analogy, digging that hole deeper and deeper. Nice comparison, genius, because in Michigan’s case, you ARE Katrina.
Back to football
While the SEC and Big East showed offensive flare, the Big 12 title game got down into the trenches, battling for each precious point. At one point Nebraska finally seemed to seal the deal with a field goal to put the Huskers ahead by two with under two minutes to play. Unfortunately for them, a kickoff out of bounds and follow-up horse collar tackle put the Longhorns in field-goal range virtually without having to make a single play. But it wasn’t that simple for the Longhorns.
Texas golden boy Colt McCoy went all Les Miles with his clock management skills, rolling right and nonchalantly lobbing a 30-yard pass into the bleachers as the clock struck zero. Luckily for the Longhorns, the referee put one second back on the clock and the Texas kicker nailed a 46-yarder for the win. After the game, Colt told ABC, “I knew I had plenty of time…” Um, no you didn’t.
Was the referee right to put that second back on the clock? Sure. Does that mean Nebraska won’t stew about this for the next eight months with the mantra “We were one second away”? Nope. Sound familiar, anyone?
On a follow-up note, Texas better figure out something fast because though Nebraska’s defense is stout, it’s no Alabama … just ask Timmy.
Speaking of Bama, those fools from Tuscaloosa almost made the SEC title game look easy, routing national title favorite Florida 32 – 13. Tebow threw for 247 yards and rushed for 63, but red-zone performance was abysmal, including an end-zone interception. Bama just had too many rounds in its chamber, racking up almost 500 yards of offense, plus a 79-yard kickoff return, ending the longest current winning streak in college football.
And with that ends the college football regular season, minus one brouhaha scheduled for next Saturday, when the men of our nation’s military take the field, dedicated to selfless service to our country, placing honor, duty, and loyalty above contracts and sponsorships, destined to defend our country with their blood, sweat, and possibly their lives. Oh, and the other team on the field will be Navy.
So we made the annual trek to Norman for Thanksgiving – making it a short trip and skipping town before the impending Bedlam of Oklahoma State arrived. Apparently we didn’t leave fast enough because our car was broken into Thursday night (Happy Thanksgiving)!
Friday morning as the women folk prepared to go shopping, my mother came to give me with the bad news. Missing was a portable DVD player and various other items — nothing devastating, but certainly not a great start to my football-intensive day. But there’s more…
All great criminals (fictional and non) leave a calling card. Jack the Ripper had his grape stems, the Zodiac Killer sent cryptograms, the Joker and his Joker cards … you get the idea. Apparently the criminal masterminds who perpetrated this crime had seen a little too much TV and decided to leave their own calling card of sorts – their cell phone. That’s right. Right there on the driver’s seat, taunting me saying “bet you can’t catch me!” So what do I do? I pull up the ole address book, scroll, find the entry for “mom” and hit “dial.”
Oh, but it gets better. The phone didn’t belong to the perp, it belong to the perp’s mom. Oh yes. So “mom” was actually grandma. Suckers.
I got a name, I got a number, I got an address. Grandma was very helpful.
Next I call Norman’s finest, who respond with significantly more expeditiousness than I expected. I provided the evidence (cell phone) and information I had acquired. A neighbor joined us who had also been broken into, then out of the blue the cop asks me if I lost a DVD player. Why yes I did! Well, the idiots had been caught, were already in juvie being held, and they had property from what police estimated to be more than a dozen thefts. Genius!
Texas might have OU’s number in football, but when it comes to crime fighting, Norman wins hands down. Don’t agree? Let’s not forget the two dead bodies found in west campus with multiple knife wounds that Austin PD was treating as “suspicious.” Thanks Barney, go ahead and take the bullet from your pocket and load it up.
So back to the task at hand, off I go to the police station. While there, the owner of the cell phone left in my car also arrived. Let’s just say she and I didn’t exactly become best friends while in the waiting area. Property acquired minus a few trivial items, information given to the cops, I said I’d be happy to come back to testify or flip the switch, whatever they needed. I left. “Mom” was still in the waiting room.
Oklahoma 27
Oklahoma State 0
The Sooners might have come within a nose hair of going 6 – 6 this season, but it certainly wasn’t going to be on account of Mike Gundy and crew visiting from Stillwater. If there’s one place the Sooners don’t lose, it’s Norman, Oklahoma (but they certainly don’t mind losing any place else).
The weekend kicked off with a real defensive struggle between Texas and Texas A&M, ending in a soccer score of 49 – 39. It’s not every day that the Horns’ defense gives up more than 500 yards of offense, but thankfully the Aggie kicker couldn’t hit the side of a barn from the inside, nailing the coffin shut and greasing the Longhorns’ trip to Dallas for the Big XII finals against Nebraska.
Auburn put the scare in Alabama, leading the game until the final drive, when suddenly the Tigers’ defense decided to quit playing and let the Tide waltz into the end zone, ending the game and my dreams of TCU making the National Title game. Of course, FSU still had its game against Florida, but there’s a difference between hope and insanity.
BYU and Utah went down to the wire, as the Cougars edged-out the Utes by three in overtime. Apparently payback is a dish best served in the end zone, as Max Hall had a few comments regarding Utah and its treatment of his family during last year’s matchup.
“I don’t like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything,” Hall said Saturday. “It felt really good to send those guys home.”
The Cougars (No. 14 BCS, No. 16 AP) beat the Utes (No. 25 BCS) for the third time in four years, and it was the last regular-season game of the senior’s career.
“I think the whole university and their fans and the organization is classless,” Hall added. “They threw beer on my family and stuff last year and did a whole bunch of nasty things. I don’t respect them and they deserved to lose.” Well said.
Speaking of overtime, that was the mode of choice in the SEC as Tennessee and LSU both required a few extra minutes to put away Kentucky and Arkansas, respectively.
Kansas had the end of its six-game losing streak in hand, only to let it slip away in the final moments, extending its loss-o-rama to seven, placing Mangino’s legacy and employment in jeopardy, despite being named coach of the year a mere two season ago.
UCLA gave it the ole college try, but just didn’t have enough horses in the stable as USC continued its reign over LA, ending the match 28 – 7. Though not the most noteworthy game of the week, it does provide us with a learning point, so gather ’round kids.
Those of you who desire to be a football coach when you grow up, take note of Rick Neuheisel. When you are losing by two touchdowns with less than a minute to play and the other team has the ball and is content to just kneel and run the clock out, go ahead and let them. Don’t call timeout and try to force them to move the ball or punt like our buddy Ricky did. Because if you do, this might happen:
Keeping it on the West coast, if you missed Notre Dame v. Stanford, you missed a hell of a game. (ND 38, Stanford 45) Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart is a workhorse, moving the ball 205 yards on 29 times, racking up three touchdowns and even some Heisman chatter. I felt sorry for each linebacker who unsuccessfully tried to square-up against that freight train.
Of course it was only fitting that Charlie should lose the last game of his college career, as he dodged the media after the game, instead opting to let his players face the heat while he cowered in the locker room. You stay classy Charlie.
1. Down by two scores, so you quickly get a TD with less than two minutes to play.
2. Successfully recover an onside kick.
3. 4th and 26, desperation play as the clock ticks down, pass to the five-yard line, one second on the clock
4. Field goal for the win… I MEAN, you have your QB spike the ball.
Brilliant. Because I guess Les Miles thought the clock doesn’t start on snap when he doesn’t want it to? We’ll skip the three paragraphs at what a mentally unstable, destined for a straight jacket, bonehead that man is, and let his decision-making speak for itself. Now, I was in New Orleans for about 48 hours before the game, so I’d like to think that my disdain for LSU wore off just a little and somehow contributed to the overall demise of Les “Let ‘er rip” Miles. Yes. Geaux Tigers.
If you’re curious about whether he really told his QB to spike the ball , start watching below at the 1:23 mark … Les’ story may say “no,” but the video says “yes.”
I got another number for you, Texas 51, Kansas 20. Ouch.
Or, do you like apples? Texas Tech 41, Oklahoma 13. How do you like them apples?
As the degradation of the Big 12 continues, Oklahoma is on pace for a 6 – 6 season, while the really “crazy” predictors had them at 8 – 4 this year, others had them in the title game, and yet crazier folks had them winning the title game. That’s a long way from 6 – 6, which is where the Sooners are destined to be after losing for the third time at home during Bob Stoops’ tenure at Oklahoma State. National title game to 6 – 6 in just eleven short months. Interesting.
Stanford was blinded by Roses and glory and forgot to win. With all the talk of Stanford’s rise to greatness (defeating USC and Oregon), the Cardinals slipped into euphoric Rose Bowl dreams while the Cal Bears came to town and took care of business. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
So either the Iowa defense is made of legendary player sure to go down in the college football hall of fame, or Minnesota’s offense is so horrible it couldn’t score on a Pop Warner team. How many tries does it take to score from the two-yard line? Apparently the answer is significantly more than four, as the Gophers proved so ineffective in the red zone it kind of made moving the ball those first 80 yards seem silly. It was actually painful to watch.
Florida and Bama beat up on FIU and Chattanooga, respectively. Good quality November football for sure.
Michigan managed to ensure back-to-back losing seasons – a feat not accomplished in Ann Arbor since the 1960s (RichRod bucking yet another tradition).
Don’t look now, but Temple is 9 – 2. Yeah, I didn’t believe it either.
Arizona took the Ducks of Oregon into double overtime before finally succumbing to a late-night field goal. The Wildcats also were in a position to grab some Pac 10 title, but as with Stanford, they forgot to win, which is what counts in any system on Earth, except, of course, the BCS .
Utah, BYU and TCU all took care of business. Army laid the wood to North Texas – yeah, that’s right.
Oh, and lookout. Apparently trick plays are now considered unsportsmanlike conduct in the Mountain West…
Ole Northwestern, that’s the “Stanford and Notre Dame are ok, but we’ve been kicking butt for years” Northwestern, wandered into Madison and showed the Badgers a thing or two about racking up a W, and not on a helmet, but where it counts … on the scoreboard.
And last but not least, when I was picking the games that Notre Dame would win and lose this year, I’m pretty sure their home game against UCONN was in the “W” column. Oops. Double overtime. Heisman candidate QB on one side. Big East record of 1 – 4 on the other. Let’s just say talent isn’t Notre Dame’s issue.
Parting Shot
As the year winds down and Texas, Florida, and Bama all keep winning, the Mountain West is poised to get shafted yet again. After Utah went undefeated and followed up with a good ole fashioned butt whipping of Bama in the Sugar bowl, the BCS apparently is incapable of learning any lessons at all, as TCU is likely destined to the same fate. The US Supreme Court tossed out discrimination decades ago, but it’s alive and well in college football.
Last weekend might have not been the most exciting college football weekend ever, but the results of some games certainly will have a dramatic effect on the BCS bowl landscape. It’s always too soon to start predicting who will go where, since one little field goal can change everything, but some teams are certainly in great shape to play in January.
Let’s start with the Texas / TCU discussion. Both are undefeated. Both have beaten ranked teams. Texas is No. 3 in the BCS standings, TCU is No. 4. To date, Texas has played two ranked teams: a No. 20 Oklahoma (now unranked) 16 – 13 and a No. 14 Oklahoma State 41 – 14. TCU beat No. 16 BYU (now No. 22) 38 – 7 and a No. 16 Utah 55 – 28. While Texas fans get excited about their chances in January, there’s little doubt that some question marks exist, as many wonder which Texas team will show up on any given Saturday. With that, if you have $10,000 to bet on Texas v. TCU at a neutral site, where would your money go? The question isn’t as easy to answer as you think.
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan man turned Spartan slayer, took his Cardinal (it’s so weird not calling them “the Cardinals”) into the Coliseum and whipped some Trojan … er … butt. Funny how a 55 – 21 throttling on the road only gets you ranked one place higher than the team you vanquished, even with identical overall records. Oh the snobbery and resistance shown by voters in believing anyone is better than USC, including the three teams that have beaten them this year. “Nerds v. spoiled children” was how the game was described to me … and the nerds won.
Mr. Harbaugh, however, likely will have some decisions to make while his name is floating around the top of the proverbial list and sources have revealed that Rich Rod will be soon out of work. Shocking, I know, but as an 8 – 4 season morphed into a 5 – 7 finish, the “powers that be” seem to have had enough of his smug “It’s my way or the highway” ‘tude – especially when his way is 5 – 7. I heard WVU is looking for a new coach.
Speaking of looking for a new coach, that same birdie said Charlie my man Weis is on the same chopping block. After back-to-back losses to Navy and Pitt, and 2009 powerhouse Stanford remaining on the schedule, assistant coaches everywhere are dusting off the ole resume and converting to Catholicism, hoping to land a similar deal to the $18 million payout Charlie will get when he’s canned. Say what you will about his coaching, the man can negotiate a contract!
Back to football … it took Ohio State an overtime period at home to finally knock-off Iowa’s fourth-string team. With as many injuries as the Hawkeyes have suffered this year, it was amazing they even had enough players to field 11 on each side of the ball, but field they did, and stuck it too the Buckeyes for four quarters despite somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 dropped passes and three turnovers. But with the win comes another Buckeye Big Eleven title (assuming a win over Michigan, which we all know about assumptions, so let’s just call it a probable event), and a trip to the Rose Bowl to play … Oregon?
Oregon, oh Oregon, one day you are pathetic, then you’re hot. Next you’re horrific, then you’re unstoppable. What is your magic potion that you forget to take half of the time? Home Field Advantage, that’s what. The Duck’s Autzen stadium is a madhouse. Being cooped up inside for 11 months a year or deciding to chain yourselves together to save a tree that provides your father’s livelihood (and the clothes on your back) must result in a lot of pent-up aggression (no pun intended, Blount) that Duck fans unleash once they are lined up in a row (pun totally intended) and the game begins. Every big win the Ducks have had (three ranked teams) have been at home, while both losses, also against ranked teams, happened on the road. Good for the fans, bad for the bowl season.
Want to see a team that could win out and play in a BCS bowl game? God help me for saying this… Okie Lite. Good lord, what would a BCS stadium do with all that camouflage? The Cowboys are riding a 8 – 2 record (sorry, I can’t help the play on words today, it’s more a curse than a gift), with Colorado and Oklahoma left on the schedule. Win out and a 10 – 2 record could very well land them in the Fiesta Bowl. Granted there’s a lot of football still to play, and they aren’t a lock by any stretch, but this is probably the closest they’ve even been to January football.
TCU should win out and will play in the Sugar bowl (sad). Boise State may very well get an at large bid as well, though it doesn’t deserve it. Cincinnati has been entirely overlooked in all of this (it IS undefeated you know) and the Big East is rated higher than the Big 12 this year (deservingly so). Let’s not forget Pitt. That’s “9 – 1 Pitt” to you.
In games that have actually been played, Southern Carolina made a game of it against Florida, but to no avail. Alabama did its thing against Mississippi State. Texas took care of business in the first half against Baylor, and TCU made an example of Utah (wow, that was a beat down). Georgia Tech crushed Duke, Boise ran all over potato brethren Idaho, USC got spanked by Stanford (already discussed), and now I have to talk about Ohio State again after Iowa failed to keep them at bay.
Now for the fun part (at least for me). Below is my BCS bowl selection show. Yeah it’s early, and will likely change, but this is mostly who I would like to see play based on today’s standings if there was no change once the season ends.
BCS Title Game
Florida v. Texas
Rose Bowl
Oregon v. Ohio State
Orange Bowl
Cincinnati v. Oklahoma State
Sugar Bowl
Bama v. TCU
Fiesta Bowl
Georgia Tech v. Boise State
Pitt doesn’t get a BCS bowl since they’ll rack up their second loss at the end of the year against Cincinnati — and teams that lose their last game don’t get at-large BCS picks. I’d give anything for Boise to lay a goose egg and not get a good bowl; they haven’t done anything to deserve it except for beat up San Jose State.
And boldest prediction of this year’s BCS bowl season … I can guarantee you that Oklahoma won’t lose a BCS bowl this year. (You heard it here first, folks!)
If there’s ever anything that is consistently true about college football, it’s that no team is ever safe. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the win/loss column for this week — we’ll start with the losses:
Iowa
Michigan
Notre Dame
Kansas
Oregon
Cal
Penn State
Oklahoma
And the respective wins:
Indiana
Purdue
Navy
Kansas State
Stanford
Oregon State
Ohio State
Nebraska
Charlie, oh Charlie. You had a good run. You provided Notre Dame with some of its worst seasons in history, fought the good fight, had talent flock to you from far and wide, and you successfully dismantled a winning tradition. Yeah, you only have three losses this year, but something tells me that (a) you’ll likely have four, and (b) the ND alum aren’t too thrilled right now. But I could be wrong, and not to worry! RichRod will be taking a significant amount of the limelight for the next few days.
Speaking of my buddy Rich, let me pull up espn.com and take a look at the conference standings for the Big Eleven. Hmm, I can’t seem to find… oh, there you are! At the bottom. And when I say bottom, I mean dead last (such as my picks league score two or three weeks ago), tied with Indiana (now there’s some proud company) with a glaring 1 – 5 conference record. Ouch. But do not despair, oh Michigan fan. Yes, you lost back-to-back to Illinois and Purdue, but there is hope. Next week you play Wisconsin on the road (cake) and Ohio State at home (creampuff). That’ll save your season, right? How are you going to feel when your team is 5 -7 overall, 1 – 7 in conference play? Rodriguez was a good pick.
Northwestern took Iowa’s BCS title dreams and crushed them like a bug on the proverbial windshield. Defeating the Hawkeyes 17 – 10, the Wildcats took advantage of the Sports Illustrated Cover jinx on Iowa (and a QB injury), and though they have not propelled themselves into the forefront of Big Eleven football, they are certainly making waves next to schools such as Notre Dame and Stanford.
“Even though we’re similar academically, we’re in a little different boat as Stanford and Notre Dame,” said Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. “We’ve been consistently winning since 1995. They’re still saying they can do it, but we’re doing it.”
Sport Illustrated further discussed the growing disparity (or the narrowing of similarities depending on one’s perspective). “Proud Domers would surely scoff at any comparison between their beloved Irish and the historically second-class squads in Evanston and Palo Alto, but is there really that much difference between the three programs these days? All three sport six victories this season. Northwestern just became bowl-eligible for the third straight season (compared with two for the Irish) and sixth time in seven years (five for Notre Dame). Stanford had been in rebuilding mode but now appears headed in the right direction thanks in part (see if this sounds familiar) to a gifted 6-foot-4 drop-back passer.” (si.com) Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Keeping things local, Penn State’s season wrapped up Saturday with its loss to the Buckeyes of Ohio State. In the most confusing conference this season, the Nittany Lions seem to still be searching for their identity, with Indiana and Michigan State left on the agenda to end their seasons somewhere around third in conference.
Oklahoma dropped yet again, moving its record to 5 – 4 on the season (3 – 2 in the Big XII), in a game that the ill-informed would describe as a defensive battle, and the observant would see as a complete failure on Oklahoma’s part to do anything on offence and maintain security of the football. And let’s be honest, this isn’t the Nebraska of old. Iowa State beat them for crying out loud, and they don’t beat anyone!
Texas, on paper, took care of business against visiting UCF, but for those who watched the game, the score did not reflect the Longhorn’s performance, and the voters noticed as Texas dropped below Alabama to No. 3 in the BCS standings. Despite Shipley setting the school record for receiving yards and the team putting up more than 500 yards of total offense, the game was less than impressive, leaving many to wonder if Texas simply played down to the level of its opponents, or if it still haven’t gotten things figured out yet?
On the West Coast, Stanford put the beat down on Oregon – a surprise to many, including those in the stadium. Though the Ducks still control their own Pac-10 destiny, their confidence has got to be shaky at best, and desperation kicking in at worst, as they announce the return of MMA fighter Blount to the team’s roster after being suspended for the “remainder of the season” after the Boise State game. I guess they don’t know what “remained of the season” actually means. (Kind of like the NY Life “Rookie of the Year” award.)
Bama beat LSU by nine. The spread for the game was nine. Freaky.
Florida beat Vandy even without Spikes… shocking. But not to worry, Mr. Spikes’ lesson in how to be a great example of moral fiber and class was absorbed and quickly put to use by Clemson defensive end Andre Branch (No. 40) (you’ll see him on the left-center of the screen).
And I was DYING to find a segue into this video, and this is the closest thing I could find. First of all, how can anyone be mean to BYU chicks? They are so nice. Plus, you know more than half the team members are likely moms. Something tells me the New Mexico chick is going to have a rough time with the Big Fella upstairs.
My son is 19 months old (that’s just more than a year-and-a-half for the mathematically challenged) and enjoyed his first “real” Halloween this year. At his school, a.k.a. daycare, they did a parade of costumes in which each class would march through the other classes showing off its costumes in hope of spurring envy and jealousy from those who suddenly realized their outfits were no longer up to par.
In preparation for this event, my son fixated on donning his costume, handcrafted by his maternal grandmother, to strut his stuff around the school. Once outfitted and ready for action, he marched over to his teacher and declared, with the authority only a child can muster, “I’m cute!” Even at such a young age it is ingrained in the human psyche that sometimes you just need to make a statement.
Texas 41
Okie Lite 14
Oregon 47
USC 20
We’ll get to the Texas game shortly, but first, the .260 Hitters’ helmet sticker goes to the entire Oregon team. Those of you who’ve read my stuff for more than a week know that I have roughly zero love for the Ducks of Oregon, but man oh man, did they look good last night (uniforms not withstanding). Offense, defense, special teams, the Ducks had USC’s number on speed dial and had no problems proving they could ring it early and ring it often. Oregon threw up 613 yards of offense, 391 on the ground, begging the question, “Where is that ferocious USC defense we’ve all be hearing about?” The Ducks moved into the No. 8 spot in the BCS, touting the highest ranking for a team with a loss on their record.
The traditional second-half offense of Texas showed up yet again in the first half of the football game. Amazing what happens when you play the entire four quarters. Those close games suddenly aren’t so close after all. Of course, having your defense rack up 14 on the scoreboard doesn’t hurt either, as the fleet of foot and hard-hitting Texas defense showed the Okie Lite offense what concussions are all about.
They say defense wins championships, and the Longhorn defensive squad had quite a game … one of those stand over the receiver who’s lying on his back with stars in his eyes while you beat your chest and glare down with one of those “I recommend you just lie there, because that’s your new station in life” kind of moments. And the voters agreed, catapulting Texas past Alabama, who has been a bit shaky over the past few games.
If Texas is a second-half team, then Iowa is fourth-quarter team. Having been trailing at the end of three periods in four games this season, the Hawkeyes remain undefeated, putting up 28 in the fourth against the Hoosiers. Now, in defense of Indiana, it is only used to playing two periods on hardwood, so it might have been a bit miffed when it was told there’s a third and fourth period to be played as well. Even with the routing by 18, Iowa is teetering on losing some BCS love as the Hawkeyes have come entirely too close to defeat at the hands of Northern Iowa, Arkansas State, Michigan State, and now Indiana. Hardly inspires national title confidence, but be that as it may, the Hawkeyes figure out a way to win … that’s more than 113 NCAA Div 1 (what is this FBS nonsense?) can say.
The Domers beat up on Washington State. LSU trounced Tulane. I’m sure someone watched, or at least noticed.
TCU beat the rebellion out of UNLV, sticking it to them 41 – 0. Ouch. I’m not saying it should have been close, but shutouts are relatively uncommon in college football and especially in conference play, but I suppose they do happen. Anybody want to sign up to face TCU in a bowl game? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Virginia Tech continues to swirl down the drain of mediocrity. After losing a close one to Georgia Tech, the two-loss Hokies apparently decided that fight and tenacity was no longer a commodity they wanted to deal in as they could not “shock the world” in true Florida State style, losing to North Carolina (yes, in football). The Tar Heels pulled the ole “kick a field goal with 0:00 left on the clock” trick, ending the game 17 – 14.
Other regulars at .260 Hitters know that I have had a slight affinity for Ohio State, based solely on an ESPN commercial featuring the crazy guy from the movie “Hoosiers.” In the commercial he’s a janitor in the Buckeye locker room running around, smelling players’ shoes, and explaining how the Buckeye helmet stickers are awarded. It was nonsensical, perfect to capture the imagination of a 10-year-old, and since that’s roughly where my mental development ended, the affinity has remained.
… that is until the sweater vest decided to try for an onside kick during the 45 – 0 routing of New Mexico State. Bye bye class and respect, hello Tressel now ranking among Nick Saban, Les Miles, Dennis Franccione and Rich Rodriguez as one of the most unlikeable coaches in the NCAA. An onside kick? Really? And I won’t even get into the double reverse pass into the end zone play you ran. And don’t give me that “we were working on our special teams” excuse. Show some class. You used to. And don’t take out your 0 – 9 record against the SEC frustration on New Mexico State, it’s not its fault … it’s your’s.
Vandy kept things relatively close and interesting until the second half of the game, when the Jackets decided they had had enough of these shenanigans and took matters into their own hands (i.e. 28 – 3 scoring drive after intermission), routing the Commodores (I can’t say (type) their name without laughing every time) 56 – 31.
South Florida took care of business against formerly ranked West Virginia Friday night, winning 30 – 19. South Florida is that one team this year I keep trying to show some props to, only to be let down in time for it to come roaring back and destroy some team it has no business beating. South Florida’s kind of like the Big Eleven this year – nobody can figure it out.
Speaking of the Big Eleven … Michigan is back, but gets demolished by (1 – 6, now 2 – 6) Illinois. Iowa is BCS national title bound, but can’t help but come within a nose hair of losing to teams you’ve never heard of. Penn State has dominated every team it has played, yet got it handed to them by Iowa. Purdue is the worst team in the nation regarding turnovers, sporting a 3 – 6 record, and just had its backside polished by Wisconsin 37 – 0, yet embarrassed Ohio State 26 – 18. Quantum physics is more straightforward than the Big Eleven this year, but what should you expect from a conference that can’t even count how many teams are on its logo?
Congrats to Texas A&M. You aren’t the worst team in the Big 12, and let’s be honest, there are several teams fighting for that honor … but don’t look now, you still have to play Baylor and Colorado.
No. 4 Iowa keeps the BCS training rolling as it hosts football powerhouse Indiana. As this year has shown in the Big Eleven, don’t look past any team (Purdue), because when you do … well, you all saw what happened. Hawkeyes by 21.
Nebraska at Baylor should be an easy pick, but after last week’s fiasco, who knows what the Huskers are going to bring to the table. I just can’t see the Huskers losing to Baylor, but I would have said the same about them losing to Iowa State. Decisions, decisions.
Whatever happened to Juice Williams? It seemed like he debuted as the second coming of John Heisman, only to end his college career amid a 1 – 6 record (0 – 5 in conference), soon to be 1 – 7 after the ever improving (yet NCAA-investigated) Michigan Wolverines come to town and make short work of the Illini, winning by 20+.
Nothing keeps the ole conference schedule rolling along like inserting a good match-up against New Mexico State in late October. I guess the Buckeyes wanted to get in one final practice round before facing Penn State, Iowa and Michigan all in a row.
Is Missouri really going to go 0 – 4 in conference play after this weekend? The Tigers, who were actually ranked at one point this year (proving that rankings are obviously infallible), need to scrape by 2 – 5 Colorado on Saturday just to have the chance of batting over .500 this year in the Big XII. Sad. Should they win? Yes. Will they win? Maybe. At least the boys in Vegas favor them by a whopping four points.
Moving this conversation east, unranked Georgia takes on No. 1 Florida in Jacksonville amid the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party. The Bulldogs have underwhelmed the SEC with a 4 – 3 record, but could change the entire national picture if they manage to pull off an upset. Fortunately for the Gators, that just isn’t going to happen. That game will be closer than it should be (why change things now?) but a Bulldog win would be an upset of epic proportions from a team that can’t get out of the quagmire of mediocrity.
Staying in the same geographical region, the intellectual version of Georgia v. Tennessee (a.k.a. Georgia Tech v. Vanderbilt) will likely be little more than a speed bump on the Jackets’ path to the ACC title game. Vandy likely has never seen a wishbone that didn’t come from a bird, while Tech is a master of running it … all the way to the Orange Bowl. The Jackets win by 14. It’s not me, it’s science.
Another interesting game this weekend will be Texas Tech playing host to Kansas. Both teams have been a bit Jekyll and Hyde this year, looking great one moment and like San Jose State the next. Injuries have plagued the Tech QB position, putting the Red Raiders in unfamiliar territory – not knowing who to put in the shotgun, while Kansas defense showed at least signs of life as the Sooner offensive machine began rolling last weekend. If Tech can get a QB to play four quarters without leaving on a stretcher and be somewhat effective, the Red Raiders should have no issues getting things back on track. … that is, if their defense actually shows up. And that, my friends, is a question of “if,” not “when.” Tech by five.
Completely unrelated, with zero segue whatsoever, I had to toss in this gem from Mike Leach (thanks Lisa!). That man, all by himself, is more than enough reason to be a Tech fan … wreck em!
Texas A&M proved last week it was tired of being the butt of .260 Hitters’ website by giving Texas Tech a thumping the Red Raiders won’t soon forget. That being said, however, Husker killer Iowa State comes to College Station this weekend in what is normally a sure thing for, well, anyone, and let’s be honest, the Aggies haven’t exactly been the most consistent of teams this year. So what is normally a give-me might very well come down to a fight for something other than self-respect (let’s be honest, they lost that years ago) – one for which the Aggie Yell Leaders will need to prepare:
Iowa State wins … why? Did you not watch even the first 10 seconds of the video?
Oklahoma plays Kansas State in Norman … yawn.
TCU hosts UNLV … zzzzzzz.
What this weekend needs is a potential upset of an unranked team, on the road, under tremendously hostile conditions. Coming right up!
No. 3 Texas travels to Stillwater — home of Boone Pickens, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, camouflage wedding dresses, discount dentistry, and Mike “I’m a man” Gundy. In the town occupied by mothers of children, the Texas Longhorns are in for what could be a fight for their lives. At night, on Halloween, on national television, with a packed house of drunken Orange and Black where you won’t be able to distinguish those in costume from the regular fans, home field advantage is going to take on new meaning. Luckily Oklahoma State isn’t the kind of team to seal the deal, and without Dez Bryant their odds decrease even more, but in games such as these, ESPN instant classics are often born. Texas wins by a touchdown.
No. 5 USC travels to the Autzen Zoo in Eugene to face No. 10 Oregon. The men in feathers have made short work of Utah, Cal, UCLA and Washington after their season-opening flop in Boise, with a high-powered offense that has made people miss a rather capable defense. Though USC will certainly make an appearance and put on a good show, its offense will simply be too ineffective in such a hostile environment. In the meantime, the Ducks are sure bust-out some even more hideous uniforms for this season-changing performance. Oregon wins by three.
Let’s get down to business. It’s a major NCAA violation to put your team’s uniform on another squad and send it to play Texas Tech in Lubbock … but that’s basically what Texas A&M did, as the team that took the field Saturday night was not the same team that showed up in Manhattan, Kansas. Passing? Running? Defense? These concepts, which have escaped the TAMU squad thus far, seemed to be well versed and executed as the Aggies looked … well … good. Games such as this are yet another example of why one would be better off on crack cocaine than betting money on college football.
Tulsa looked good Wednesday night. That is, ‘til the final five minutes of the game, when it allowed UTEP to score 15 points in two drives for the come-from-behind win.
It was a great pre-game week for quotes, such as this little gem: “It’s a heck of a challenge and it’s something that we can show up and shock the world and make a statement … ” That was Florida State’s quarterback, Christian Ponder, before the Thursday night game versus North Carolina. Good quote, they did win, but when beating North Carolina at football is synonymous with shocking the world, you know just how far FSU has really fallen.
Before Ohio State’s matchup against Minnesota, OSU wide receiver DeVier Posey said of the Buckeye’s quarterback, “He’s going to get better. He really can’t do much worse.” I guess that was nice of him? Well, better he did, throwing for 239 yards, two TDs and running for 104 yards, leading Ohio State to a 38 – 7 win over the Golden Gophers.
Florida underwhelmed the Bulldogs of Mississippi State 29 – 19, but that’s ok because Alabama required a blocked field goal on the final play of the game to escape a loss to 3 – 4 Tennessee (at home). Neither of the top-ranked teams looked that great, and don’t give me that “the SEC is just so deep” Tom Foolery … Tennessee lost to 3 -4 UCLA at home. It was a rough weekend for the heavyweight contenders while the middle of the pack is starting to shine.
The Big Winners
TCU, bar none, was the biggest winner of the week, going into Provo and crushing the BYU Cougars like a bug on its windshield. TCU’s defense is nasty, its offense is extremely well-balanced and effective, and if you think USC, Iowa or even Texas is better than the Horned Frogs, somehow I think they would welcome the opportunity to prove otherwise. If .260 Hitters gave out helmet stickers, this week’s would go to the Horned Frogs.
Texas figured out that it is allowed to score in the first half of the game, but to keep things fair, only scored six in the second half, routing Mizzou 41 – 7. I don’t think many were surprised by the score, but that Texas put up 35 in the first half caused all to do a double take.
Iowa. An ESPN classic for sure, as underrated Ricky Stanzi connected with Marvin McNutt for a seven-yard score as time expired, going 8 – 0 for the first time in school history. While the Big Eleven title and trip to California are certainly on the minds of the players and their fans, the Hawkeyes have 1.5 final tests to go. If they can get by Indiana and Northwestern without pulling a USC, the Hawks face Ohio State on the road (scary) and Minnesota at home (far less scary). Then it’s the dreaded seven-week break til the BCS bowl season rolls around … better schedule some practice games.
The Big Losers
Sorry Miami, but your number got punched by Clemson, deflating almost all hope at an ACC title and BCS bowl game. A second conference loss puts you behind Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Duke and UVA, and that’s just in your division. Though there’s still plenty of football to play, you definitely have an uphill battle before you.
Some equipment manager in Lincoln was fired after Saturday’s game once reports surfaced that all the game balls were covered in Vaseline. What else could explain the eight – count ‘em, EIGHT – turnovers by the Huskers, half of which occurred inside the five-yard line. Kind of hard to win that way, and win they did not, losing the powerhouse Iowa State 9 – 7.
Parting Shot
Will the BCS title game host the two best teams in the country, or the two remaining undefeated teams from BCS conferences? Some have argued that Bama and Florida are truly the top two teams and deserve to play each other in the national title, but after the last few weekends, I’ve become less and less convinced of their overall superiority.
Beyond Bama’s opener against Virginia Tech, neither team has faced anyone of note outside of their conference, and opponents such as Georgia, Auburn and Tennessee aren’t exactly much to brag about. And while Florida took care of business against Oklahoma in the title game last year, let’s be honest, who hasn’t beaten OU in a BCS bowl game? … and Bama didn’t exactly fare so well against Utah.
I’m not saying both teams aren’t tremendously good, but I think it would be really interesting to watch Iowa drive in the final minutes against one of them, or Texas throw for 300 + yards, or Cincinnati do whatever it is it does in the Big East. And there’s still a lot of football to be played, so let’s hold off a bit before we crown the twins as best in the land and see what happens when the dust settles and the clock strikes zero.
