College Football(NCAA) (CF & CB BALL)

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College Basketball Bubble Watch
Where will the bid thieves come from?
In this week's Bubble Watch video, we warned fans of bubble teams everywhere to beware the bid thieves. This is one of those general, evergreen pieces of bubble counsel -- something even we forget, every season, right up to the point that the first wave of conference tournaments reminds us. Oh yeah. The bubble is going to shrink.

The bubble always shrinks. It's not really a question of if. The better question -- especially this season -- is where: Where, exactly, will the bid thieves come from?

What makes the 2014-15 season different? Loyal Bubble Watchers will note that this season's "others" (read: mid-majors) category has been startlingly thin all winter. (Outside of Wichita State and Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley, and Gonzaga -- and BYU -- in the West Coast Conference, naturally.) It's not we haven't tried; every week, we scour the sport's mid-major leagues looking for fresh résumés worthy of consideration. And it's not that there aren't good mid-major teams out there. Sure, conference consolidation has gobbled up many of the perennial "others" favorites (Butler, VCU, Davidson, etc.), but there are plenty of good teams still plying their trades in mid-major leagues. Murray State. Buffalo. Stephen F. Austin. Louisiana Tech. Harvard. Green Bay. We're probably missing a few.

The problem is that none of these teams have worthy NCAA tournament résumés. All of them need to win their conference's automatic bid to get in. A so-so mid-major league with one great team is the would-be bid thief's path of least resistance. This season, those paths don't exist. If Murray State loses in the Ohio Valley final, its conqueror won't steal a bubble team's bid. It will take Murray State's.

This means the bid thieves will have to come from high-major leagues. There, the chances are far more dim. Think about it: If you're, oh, Kansas State, to steal a bid you have to beat at least three of the Big 12's best on consecutive nights. That's insanely hard. It happens, but it's rare.

To pre-cog 2015's bid burglars before they commit their vile deeds, the best bet seems to be the sort-of-but-not-really-high-major conferences -- the tweener leagues. UConn is playing the American tournament in Hartford, Connecticut. There's one suspect. Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference. Wyoming in the Mountain West. Richmond or Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10. All conceivable. All of which could steal a bid from a team that has been on the bubble since January.

Of course, any such predictions are folly. And not just because college basketball is kind of crazy. Predictability is antithetical to the bid thief's nature. That's how they get to be thieves in the first place. If they seemed tournament-worthy already, they wouldn't be thieves.

So, no, no one really knows how much the bubble will shrink these next few weeks. One bid? Three? Five? We only know that it will -- and, when it does, a tiny mid-major won't be to blame.

Did we miss a team? Include the unworthy? Want to stump for your favored mid-major? Send your feedback, suggestions and hilarious jokes to me on Twitter @eamonnbrennan

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NCAA Suspends Boeheim, Cuts Scholarships

Jeff Goodman reacts to the news that the NCAA has suspended Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim for nine ACC games and has taken away scholarships as a result of a multiyear investigation into the university's athletic programs.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12432471/ncaa-suspends-jim-boeheim-nine-games-cuts-syracuse-orange-scholarships

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Oliver cited for theft after shoplifting
By Chris Low
ESPN.com

On the heels of three players being arrested last week on attempted armed robbery charges, Tennessee has another player in trouble with the law.

Freshman defensive back Nyshier Oliver, who was redshirting this season, was cited for theft after shoplifting at a Knoxville mall on Nov. 7, only hours before Tennessee faced Memphis later that night, according to a Knox County Sheriff's Department report.

SEC blog

Low ESPN.com's Chris Low writes about all things SEC in his conference blog.

• Blog network:
College Football Nation

According to police, Oliver was spotted putting a brown Polo shirt valued at approximately $110 into a shopping bag. He was cited at 1:45 p.m., and Tennessee's game that night kicked off at 7 p.m.

Oliver's punishment was handled internally, but he was taken off the dress roster for that game and banned from team activities, according to Tennessee athletic department spokesperson Tiffany Carpenter.

Four days after Oliver's run-in with the law, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin went on the SEC coaches teleconference and praised his team for not having any arrests in 11 months.

Then early the next morning, freshmen Nu'Keese Richardson, Mike Edwards and Janzen Jackson were arrested and charged with attempting to rob two people sitting in a car outside a convenience store near campus.

Vols coaches are holding out hope that the charges against Jackson may still be dropped, although Kiffin wouldn't comment specifically Tuesday on the chances of Jackson returning to the team.

"We don't have all [Jackson's] information in," Kiffin said. "I can't get into too much detail with it. But the easiest thing to look at is that he was released right away and was treated differently in this matter. You can tell that by what has come out. I can't get into too much more detail than that until we get the information in."

Following his arrest, Jackson's bond was reduced and he was released on his own recognizance. The other two players had to post bond before being released.

Jackson is also one of the better freshman players in the SEC and has been a key component in the Vols' defense. He hasn't played in the last two games but had started in all but the opener at free safety prior to his suspension for the Memphis game. None of the three players arrested last week made the trip for the Ole Miss game.

Kiffin said Jackson's suspension for the Memphis game was an administrative suspension, but sources have told ESPN.com that a failed drug test was one of the factors that led to Jackson's suspension.

Kiffin called it a sad day in having to dismiss Richardson and Edwards but said the team was more important than any one or two players.

"Our No. 1 rule is to protect the team," Kiffin said. "As the head coach, I have to make decisions that sometimes you don't want to make. It was a sad day yesterday for those two kids. I wish them the best of luck. They obviously made a very poor decision. We can't allow that to be a part of our team. That decision-making can't be anywhere near what we are doing.

"The last thing I want is to have something like that go on and keep people around who do that, then go in on someone's couch and say, 'When you come here, we're going to have a great culture. This is the best place for your son.' I had to make the best decision for our team," he said.

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Rutgers steals one!http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=69455

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Life of Reilly
There are some games in which cheering for the other side feels better than winning.
by Rick Reilly


Melinda Wright
Gainesville State players douse head coach Mark Williams in celebration.



They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.

"I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANOTHER PARENT TO TELL SOMEBODY TO HIT THEIR KIDS. BUT THEY WANTED US TO!"

It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"

And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.

But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five—handcuffs ready in their back pockets—and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.

This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"

And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!

"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"

It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"

Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.

Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.

Hope.

Love the column, hate the column, got a better idea? Go here.
Want more Life of Reilly? Then check out the archive.

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OJ's team is looking good

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Go Penn State Kick Ass

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Rutgers completes turnaround with bowl win

December 29, 2008 7:10 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

The Papajohns.com Bowl was like Rutgers' season in a nutshell. Shaky start, tremendous finish.


Marvin Gentry/US Presswire
Mike Teel threw for 319 yards and two scores for the Scarlet Knights.
The Scarlet Knights (8-5) outscored NC State 23-6 in the second half to win the game 29-23 at Birmingham's Legion Field. They ended the season with seven straight victories after a 1-5 start.

The biggest key to this in-game turnaround was an NC State injury. Freshman quarterback Russell Wilson had the Scarlet Knights' defense on its heels in the first half with his mobility and deft passing. The kid is really, really good and is going to be something special over the next couple of years. But Wilson injured his knee late in the first half and was not able to play after guiding his team to a 17-6 halftime lead.

No longer having to worry about the quarterback scramble, Rutgers brought pressure against replacement Harrison Beck in the third quarter, and the Wolfpack (6-7) barely moved the ball. Third-stringer Daniel Evans came in for the fourth quarter and led a touchdown drive, but Greg Schiano dialed up a change to a three-man front and zone coverage on a key third down. Evans didn't read it and threw an interception. Wilson was picked off only once all season; Beck and Evans combined to toss three interceptions in this game.

Mike Teel had 319 yards and two touchdowns for Rutgers, and like he did during the season, played much better in the second half. The senior quarterback was a touch off early in the game, thanks in large part to the pressure NC State's defense managed to apply. Teel's offensive line did a better job of giving him time in the second half, and the results were much the same as they were for the last several weeks.

Receiver Kenny Britt, playing perhaps his final game before declaring for the NFL draft, became the Big East's career leader in receiving yards with six catches for 119 yards. He caught the game-winning score from 42 yards out, less than a minute after NC State took its last lead.

Rutgers has now won three straight bowl games, which is really something since before this stretch the program had never won a single one in its 139-year history. The Scarlet Knights should be one of the favorites in the Big East next year, though they must fill huge voids that will be left by Teel, Tiquan Underwood, Britt (if he leaves) and others.

The Big East is now 3-0 in bowl play and 2-0 against the ACC (and the state of North Carolina). Cincinnati will try to give the league a clean sweep over the ACC in the FedEx Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech.

Should Rutgers be in the final Top 25? I think so. Few teams played better in the last two months.


Papajohns 0829, Papajohns.com Bowl, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Mike Teel, Kenny Britt, Greg Schiano, NC State Wolfpack, Tiquan Underwood

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All American Rosters-http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=880&CID=866621

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Sizing up the Army All American Rosters - Mike Farrell
Recruiting Analyst

MORE: Army All-American Bowl rosters | Army AA Bowl coverage | More all-star coverage

SAN ANTONIO - Heading into next Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Bowl, both the East and West teams are loaded with talent on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. However, these games usually come down to quarterback play and gamebreakers, and on paper the West squad seems to have the edge led by speedster Randall Carroll and the nation's No. 1 prospect, Rueben Randle.



Shaquelle Evans is part of a deep and talented group of receivers for the West.
Randle, a 6-foot-3, 195-pounder who plays quarterback in high school, is as dynamic a playmaker as you'll find in the class of 2009. The Bastrop (La.) High star will line up at his future college position at wideout and will be hard to handle for the East defensive backs. Throw in Carroll, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound blur from Los Angeles Cathedral who can make opponents look foolish from the slot, and you have an amazing 1-2 punch for a potent West offense.

Randle and Carroll aren't the only talented wideouts on the West team. Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County standout Patrick Patterson, Gadsden (Ala.) Gadsden City star Kendall Kelly and Inglewood (Calif.) High wide receiver Shaquelle Evans are all big, physical targets and potential matchup problems.

The quarterbacks on the West lucky enough to throw the ball to this talented group of receivers are led by Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul's gunslinger AJ McCarron and Mission Viejo (Calif.) High signal caller Allan Bridgford while Sulphur Springs (Texas) High dual-threat Tyrik Rollison will be difficult to keep in the pocket.

The East counters with some talented defensive backs led by five-star cornerback Darius Winston from West Helena (Ark.) Central and the top two players from the state of Ohio in safeties Jamie Wood from Pickerington (Ohio) Central and Justin Turner from Massillon (Ohio) Washington. However, aside from Winston there isn't a lot of size on the corner and Michael Carter from Pompano Beach (Fla.) Ely and Justin Green from Louisville (Ky.) Male could struggle with the bigger receivers. Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway star Corey Brown could play defensive back and be pressed into service at corner because of his 6-1 frame.

It will be up to the East defensive line to get pressure on the West quarterbacks to help the secondary. Five-star defensive tackle William Campbell from Detroit Cass Tech will need to provide a big push up the middle while rush ends Ryne Giddins from Seffner (Fla.) Armwood, Donte Moss from Jacksonville (N.C.) Northside and Florence (S.C.) West Florence star Malliciah Goodman will need to get pressure off the edge and contain Rollinson when he's in the game.

The West offensive line, at least on paper, looks up to the task when it comes to protecting the quarterback. Foley (Ala.) High five-star D.J. Fluker and Slidell (La.) Northshore tackle Chris Faulk anchor the outside while San Bernardino (Calif.) Arroyo Valley Michael Philipp leads things up the middle. In addition to giving the quarterbacks time to pass, the offensive line will also try to open up holes for massive backs Christine Michael from Beaumont (Texas) West brook and Chris Whaley from Madisonville (Texas) High and slasher Cierre Wood from Oxnard (Calif.) Santa Clara.



East running back Bryce Brown is the nation's top-ranked player at his position.
The East linebackers will be charged with keeping the running game in check. Five-star Dorian Bell from Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway is a tackling machine as is Wellington (Fla.) Palm Beach Central 'backer Jon Bostic, but both are a bit vertically challenged. Pawling (N.Y.) Trinity Pawling linebacker Shayne Skov has the size to support the run and the quickness to drop in coverage and could be the key for the East defense.

On the offensive side of the ball, it appears that the running game and short passing game could be the strength of the East squad. Wichita (Kan.) Wichita East running back Bryce Brown is the top player at his position in the nation and Oak Park (Mich.) High back Edwin Baker and Monticello (Miss.) Lawrence County Kendrick Hardy both run with great leverage. Sumter (S.C.) High all-purpose back Roderick McDowell will likely be utilized in the passing game and Lynchburg (Va.) Brookville tight end Logan Thomas is a matchup nightmare for anyone at 6-6 and 233 pounds.

The West linebackers will have their hands full with Thomas and the running backs but it's hard to find a better combination than Corona (Calif.) Centennial monster Vontaze Burfict and Andalusia (Ala.) High star Nico Johnson who are both at least 6-2 and weigh more than 225 pounds. However, Brown and McDowell will be hard to check and if Thomas is utilized properly in the slot, the flat and middle of the field could be open.

When trying to get the ball downfield, the East will rely on East St. Louis (Ill.) High wideout Kraig Appleton, Philadelphia (Pa.) Northeast star Je'Ron Stokes and Apopka (Fla.) High waterbug Jeremy Gallon out of the slot. They'll be checked by huge cornerbacks Dre Kirkpatrick from Gadsden (Ala.) Gadsden City and Gabe Lynn from Jenks (Okla.) High and the deep middle will be patrolled by Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne safety Byron Moore and Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure athlete Patrick Hall The secondary looks to be the strength of the West defense.



Jamarkus McFarland and the West defensive line will try to make life miserable for the East offense.
The play of the East quarterbacks will be the key for the East team. Two of them, Tampa (Fla.) Plant's Aaron Murray and Hampton (Va.) Phoebus standout Tajh Boyd will be less than 100-percent going in. Murray is recovering from a broken fibula and dislocated ankle while Boyd will be playing with a torn ACL. The other two quarterbacks, Chatham (Va.) Hargrave dual-threat Kevin Newsome and Springfield (Pa.) Cardinal O'Hara signal-caller Tom Savage could end up getting more reps as a result.

With the mobility of Murray and Boyd limited and with Savage's strength as a pocket passer, plenty of pressure will be on the East offensive line. Tackle Morgan Moses from Richmond (Va.) Meadowbrook and LaGrange (Ga.) Troup guard Chris Burnette are excellent run blockers and Fayetteville (N.C.) Jack Britt tackle Xavier Nixon and Naples (Fla.) High stud Nick Alajajian are both polished technicians. They will try to keep massive tackles Jamarkus McFarland from Lufkin (Texas) High and Chris Davenport out of Mansfield (La.) High from blowing up the middle and defensive end Alex Okafor out of Pflugerville (Texas) High from getting around the edge. And watch out for five-star Sheldon Richardson from St. Louis (Mo.) Gateway who could play tackle or end. The West defensive line has the size advantage, but the East offensive line is agile.

In the end, this game will come down to which team can keep its quarterbacks clean and which playmakers can bust loose and make a difference. On paper at least it appears that the West has the clear advantage in that department.

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ND 49 Hawaii 21- Clausen's 401 yards passing, 5 TDs lead way as Irish end bowl skid
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283590087

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4 Star picks RU over Florida,USCOklahoma& Miami ,Rutgers receives verbal commitment from DT Antwan Lowery
by Tom Luicci/The Star-Ledger Thursday December 18, 2008, 8:09 PM
Rutgers added another four-star player to its 2009 recruiting class when defensive tackle Antwan Lowery of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami confirmed Thursday night that he gave Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano a verbal commitment.

Lowery, whose brother Antonio is a backup linebacker for Rutgers, is ranked the No. 34 defensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com and No. 8 at the position by ESPN.com. The 6-3, 335-pounder had his pick of schools, including Florida, Florida State, Miami, USC, and Oklahoma. His commitment keeps Rutgers' pipeline to South Florida flowing, since he is the only Florida recruit in the incoming class, which now numbers 22.

"Yes, I committed to (Rutgers)," Lowery said by phone while attending a basketball game at his high school.

Lowery said that while he originally wanted to stay close to home to attend college "Rutgers was like home to me."

"I just felt real comfortable every time I was there," he said late Thursday night.

Columbus High School head coach Chris Merritt said Rutgers and No. 2-ranked Florida (which is playing in the national championship game against Oklahoma) were Lowery's final two choices. It was Merritt, according to Lowery, who called Schiano with the news of the commitment -- after Schiano visited Lowery at his home on Wednesday night.

"He (Lowery) knows Coach Schiano and what he's going to get because his brother is there. There are no doubts or questions," Merritt said. "He knows how he's going to be treated, and he felt real comfortable.

"To be honest, I've seen a lot of big bodies here in South Florida, and with the way he moves, I can tell you Rutgers is getting one heck of a football player."

Mike Farrell of Rivals.com called it "a great get for Rutgers."

"It's a comeback victory in recruiting for them with Lowery," he said. "Early on they were strongly involved with him, then they got off to that horrible (1-5) start and with Antwan having so many big-time programs after him, I think he was leaning toward staying down south. Then the season turned around and the coaching staff never stopped working on him."

Though Lowery originally planned to make a decision in August, he said he held off because "I didn't know enough about all of the colleges that were interested in me. I needed to take some visits and see some schools."

He said he was also waiting to see if Rutgers would pull out of its 1-5 start.

"That was big for me," he said. "I liked the way they were able to turn the season around. They never quit. That meant a lot to me."

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Taking Penn State + 10 vs FUSC

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BCS bowl games offer storied programs, great coaching matchups
By Ivan Maisel
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: December 8, 2008

If you are looking for someone to hold the BCS' hand and tell it that the bowl matchups are correct, you had best read elsewhere.


I don't know whether No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 Florida are the two best teams, and anyone who tells you they are doesn't know, either. He just has a louder opinion.

But this much is true: Of the five BCS games announced Sunday night, three of them, including the championship game, are keepers. A fourth, the Allstate Sugar Bowl between No. 4 Alabama and No. 6 Utah, is a plate of fusion cuisine that will feel right at home in the Big Easy. And what if the BCS were to hold the FedEx Orange Bowl and a Metro Conference reunion broke out?

But back to the big three. The BCS National Championship Game and the Rose and Fiesta bowls will put storied programs and great coaches on the same field in the kind of intersectional games that we crave but don't see often enough.

Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMI

Bob Stoops and Co. will face Florida for the first time.

In fact, we have never seen Florida play Oklahoma. They will meet for the first time on Jan. 8, unless you count the meeting seven years and one day earlier. That's when Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, searching for a replacement for head coach Steve Spurrier, flew to Norman to woo Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, the defensive coordinator on Spurrier's 1996 national championship Gators.

Stoops, 12 months removed from winning a crystal football of his own with the Sooners, declined to pursue the discussion. Foley hired Saints defensive coordinator Ron Zook and gave him three years, then beat Notre Dame to the altar to woo then-Utah coach Urban Meyer.

Because Meyer has won one national championship, in 2006, either Florida will deny its onetime fair-haired boy a second BCS title or vice versa.

The FedEx BCS National Championship Game will be Meyer's 100th game as head coach. He is 82-17 (.828) and already has won a national championship. As good as that is, it's not difficult to find a coach with a similar record. Stoops, in his first 100 games, went 82-18 (.820) and won a national championship. Stoops has increased his pace of winning, raising his record to 109-23 (.826).

Meyer and Stoops rank second and third in winning percentage among active coaches (behind USC's Pete Carroll), and their records are so similar that an Oklahoma victory would reverse their positions.

The Sooners have won four of the past five Big 12 championships and six in Stoops' 10 seasons. Meyer has won his second Southeastern Conference title in four seasons, adding that to the pair of Mountain West championships he won in his two seasons at Utah (2003 and '04).

The Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi between No. 5 USC and No. 8 Penn State is a keeper as well, a matchup of two rich traditions and a rematch of the 1923 Rose Bowl. The Trojans won that game 14-3, defeating the young Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno.

Correction: Paterno did not begin coaching Penn State in 1923. Really.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Mack Brown and Texas will meet Ohio State for the third time.

When No. 3 Texas plays No. 10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, the matchup will feel a little more familiar. This will be the teams' third meeting in four seasons. The Longhorns won in Columbus 25-22, on their way to winning the 2005 national championship. The Buckeyes won in Austin 24-7, on their way to the championship game a season later.

Alabama, like Texas and USC, will be expected to win its BCS bowl by a healthy margin, even if the Utes are the only undefeated team to play in a BCS bowl game. The Crimson Tide will have an edge in athleticism, and the Louisiana Superdome can't print enough tickets for the Alabama fans. They are a short drive from New Orleans, and they haven't been there for the Sugar Bowl in 16 years.

No. 12 Cincinnati's first trip to a BCS game, the Orange Bowl against No. 19 Virginia Tech, doesn't bring much sizzle. The Bearcats and the Hokies spent 17 seasons together (1975 to 1991) in the non-football, defunct Metro Conference, and we'll pause here for you to say, "Wow."

They both lost more than one game during the regular season, and the Bearcats' ranking is the highest that either team has achieved this season. In fact, Cincinnati didn't appear in the BCS standings until after the games of Nov. 8, and Virginia Tech didn't arrive until last week.

The Hokies feel they arrived right on time. So do eight of the other nine teams. Texas may be smarting, especially now that the Associated Press voters moved Florida past both the Sooners and the Longhorns by a substantial margin.

You may resume your regularly scheduled argument about who deserves to play for No. 1.

Ivan Maisel is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Send your questions and comments to Ivan at [e-mail]. His new book, "The Maisel Report: College Football's Most Overrated & Underrated Players, Coaches, Teams, and Traditions," is on sale now. For more information, go to TheMaiselReport.com.




Related Topics: College Football

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Florida, Oklahoma 1-2 in AP poll, leaving Texas on outside looking in
Associated Press

Updated: December 7, 2008, 9:16 PM ET

Florida was No. 1 and Oklahoma jumped Texas to become No. 2 in the AP Top 25, leaving the Longhorns little hope of winning a championship trophy.

The Longhorns were No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll released Sunday, behind the two teams that will play in the BCS national title game Jan. 8 in Miami.

The Gators finished the season No. 1 in the AP poll two seasons ago, but before that Florida last led the media rankings in October 2001.


Poll Positions
The top five of The Associated Press poll released Sunday:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

For complete AP and USA Today polls, click here.

The final BCS standings had Oklahoma No. 1, Florida No. 2 and Texas third. The USA Today coaches' poll lined up that way, as well. The Harris poll had Florida on top, followed by Oklahoma and Texas.

The coaches' poll is obligated to rank the BCS title game winner No. 1. The AP poll is not. The last time the two major polls had different final No. 1 teams was after the 2003 season, when LSU won the BCS title and Southern California was No. 1 in the AP Top 25.

Tim Tebow and the Gators won the Southeastern Conference championship Saturday with a 31-20 victory against previously unbeaten and then-No. 1 Alabama.

Florida, which received 50 first-place votes in the AP poll, becomes the sixth team to be No. 1 this season. Georgia started there. Southern California took over after the first games were played and held the top spot for four weeks.

After USC lost at Oregon State, Oklahoma rose to No. 1 in the AP poll and stayed there for two weeks. The Sooners lost to Texas 45-35 on Oct. 11.

The Longhorns were No. 1 until losing 39-33 on a last-second touchdown at Texas Tech on Oct. 25. That made Alabama No. 1, where the Tide stayed until losing to the Gators and falling to No. 4.

The last season in which there were six No. 1 teams was 1984.

The Sooners won the Big 12 championship, a game many felt Texas deserved to be in instead of Oklahoma because of the head-to-head result, by routing Missouri 62-21 on Saturday night. The latest offensive barrage by the Sooners, who have set an NCAA record for points in a season with 702, helped OU move up two spots in the Top 25 and jump over Texas in another close vote.

Last week, Texas was ranked third, eight points ahead of Oklahoma. This week, Oklahoma is 10 points ahead of Texas.

Oklahoma received nine first-place votes. Texas had six. Last week, 40 voters had Texas ahead of Oklahoma in the AP poll, most by one spot. The Longhorns were ahead of the Sooners on 34 ballots this week.

The shift means it's unlikely Texas could finish No. 1 in the AP poll after the bowls are played -- the Longhorns are expected to be matched against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl -- no matter how the BCS title game between Oklahoma and Florida plays out.

The next and final AP Top 25 will be released hours after the BCS championship game.

The rest of the latest top 10 stayed the same the day after championship Saturday.

Southern California, Pac-10 champions for the seventh straight season, was No. 5 and the Trojans' Rose Bowl opponent Penn State was No. 6.

Undefeated Utah was No. 7, followed by Texas Tech and undefeated Boise State. The Utes, champions of the Mountain West Conference, and the Broncos, champs of the Western Athletic Conference, are the only unbeaten teams left in major college football.

Ohio State rounded out the top 10.

The next 10 started with TCU at No. 11, followed by Oklahoma State at 12. The Cowboys join Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech and give the Big 12 South a third of the top 12 teams in the country.

Big East champion Cincinnati was No. 13, followed by Georgia Tech and Oregon.

Preseason No. 1 Georgia was No. 16. BYU, Pittsburgh, Michigan State and Mississippi completed the top 20.

No. 21 Virginia Tech re-entered the rankings after beating Boston College to win its second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championship Saturday.

Ball State slipped 10 spots to No. 22 after losing for the first time this season. The Cardinals lost the Mid-American Conference championship game 42-24 to Buffalo on Friday night.

No. 23 Northwestern, Oregon State and Missouri, which fell six spots to No. 25, closed out the rankings.

BC was the only team to fall out of the Top 25 this week

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Weis says Irish must be in discussion for national championship every year
Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Success for Notre Dame football does not necessarily mean playing for the national championship every year, but it does mean being in the discussion for a Bowl Championship Series berth, coach Charlie Weis said Friday.


"I don't think you can be just a mediocre team at Notre Dame. I'm not saying you're playing for the national championship game every year. But you have to be in the discussion," Weis said before the team's football banquet. "If you're not in the discussion, I don't think that's what anyone who went to Notre Dame or roots for Notre Dame would ever be looking for."

The Irish, whose 20 year championship drought is the longest in school history, went to BCS bowls during Weis' first two seasons. The past two years, however, the Irish have gone 3-9 and 6-6, leading to speculation Weis might be fired despite having seven years left on his 10-year contract.

Weis admitted he had a restless night's sleep after the 38-3 loss to USC on Saturday when he stayed in Los Angeles to recruit. He traded text messages with athletic director Jack Swarbrick when he woke up in the middle of the night. After two recruiting visits Sunday, Weis talked to the Rev. John Jenkins, the university president, by telephone on Monday. Then he met with Swarbrick in San Jose, Calif., to discuss his future and the future of the program.

Weis and Swarbrick didn't see eye-to-eye on everything, but agreed generally on what changes need to be made, Weis said. Weis, like Swarbrick earlier in the week, declined to talk about what changes will be made other than to say some of the changes would be obvious and others more subtle.

Jenkins and Swarbrick wants to know three things from Weis: whether he would be happy returning to Notre Dame; what would be his commitment if he came back; and whether he would be accountable.

"I told them without a doubt that I would be happy to be here and would appreciate the support of Father John and Jack," said Weis, speaking to the media for the first time since after the USC game.

Weis said he's confident he can be successful.

"I don't think it's going to be five years down the road or 10 years down the road for that answer to come to fruition. Because you've gone from three wins to six wins, now what's it going to be?" he said. "I think we'll all have a better answer for that question sitting here this time next year."

Former Irish standout Joe Theismann, the banquet speaker, said before the banquet that he believes Weis can be successful and is glad he was given a chance to return, saying he doesn't think a change would have been good for the school.

"How do I evaluate Charlie? I know he has to do a better job," Theismann said. "He'll sit here and tell you he needs to a better job. I'm not naive to stick my head in the sand and say, 'We're OK.' We're not OK. But we can be. That's what I look for."

Asked to assess his performance the past four years, Weis said he would break his four years into two stages, the first two years when they went 9-3 and 10-3, and the next two years they lost 15 games, the most ever in two seasons at Notre Dame.

"Last year we were a crummy team that very often was noncompetitive. This year I thought we were a decent football team that blew three double-digit leads in games. You are what you are, as Bill (Parcells) always said. But the difference between 6-6 and 9-3 is blowing three double-digit leads."

Weis also spoke indirectly to reports by some fans and some in the media that Weis is brash and arrogant, saying he went out of his way this season to make sure his players knew what he is really like.

"I think that the players now know the other side of me that most other people don't know. Probably the side I get scrutinized the most for, they know the other side. I don't think there's any of them that doesn't," he said.

Weis said they have to know that so they can understand why he is so hard on them.

"Because once the players know both sides of you, it allows you to coach them hard," he said. "And we're going to need some hard coaching."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press



Related Topics: College Football, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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Four fumbles doom No. 12 Ball State in MAC finale
Associated Press
DETROIT -- Ball State rose to relevance in college football, finishing the regular season undefeated thanks in large part to Nate Davis.

The 12th-ranked Cardinals lost for the first time, though, because the star quarterback didn't take care of the football.



Fast Facts

• Buffalo ends Ball State's perfect season, outscoring the Cardinals 35-14 in the second half for the school's first-ever league title.

• The victory is the first for Buffalo against Ball State (previously 0-7) and the school's first win vs. a ranked opponent.

• The Bulls' defense forced four fumbles (five total turnovers) and converted them into 28 points.

• Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns, making him the first Bulls quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season.

-- ESPN research

Davis played a part in each of Ball State's four fumbles and the Bulls scored off each turnover, routing the previously unbeaten Cardinals 42-24 Friday night in the Mid-American Conference championship game.

"It was a big effect," Davis said. "They took two fumbles to the house."

Davis hurled his body toward the end zone, but Josh Thomas popped the ball loose in mid-air about a yard short of the goal line and Mike Newton scooped it up for a 92-yard, go-ahead score late in the third quarter.

"I was trying to make a big play," Davis said.

Instead it was the Bulls who had one, and took the lead on the way to their first MAC title.

On the next possession, Davis couldn't field a shotgun snap he wasn't expecting and Sherrod Lott returned that fumble 74 yards for an 11-point lead.


Watson: MAC Dreams Deferred
When Ball State fell 42-24 to Buffalo in the MAC championship game, it was hard to keep a record-breaking season in focus, since the one thing the team had concentrated on was now gone, writes Graham Watson. Blog
The last

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Army cool looking uniforms but Navy will pound them!

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Rutgers routs Louisville, 63-14, to secure bowl bid
by Tom Luicci/The Star-Ledger
Thursday December 04, 2008, 10:59 PM

Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger
Mike Teel pitches the ball to Richard McCann in the second quarter.If style points mean anything, maybe Rutgers should be the party deciding which bowl game it wants -- not the other way around.

The Scarlet Knights didn't just secure the program's fourth straight bowl bid Thursday night. They put on an offensive show the likes of which has been 15 years in the making, one that should convince any selection committee that this isn't your typical 7-5 team.

Quarterback Mike Teel called the display "surreal at times."

Head coach Greg Schiano said it was the "best offensive performance by a team I've been the head coach of -- maybe ever that I've been a part of."

Don't ask where any of this was the first six games. Just enjoy the numbers that Rutgers' record-breaking 63-14 rout of Louisville, played before a crowd of 42,347 at Rutgers Stadium, produced.

The school-record seven touchdowns by Teel, a fifth-year senior, who also set a school mark with 447 passing yards. He finished 21-of-26.

A point total that was the program's highest ever in a Big East game and the most against any opponent since a 68-6 rout of Colgate in 1993.

The career-best 173 yards on four catches (two for touchdowns) by Tim Brown and the 61 yards on three catches that enabled junior wide receiver Kenny Britt to break the school's single-season receiving yardage mark he set a year ago.

It was 49-0 at halftime, and the only suspense then was which bowl Rutgers would be headed to.

The possibilities are down to four and they depend on how Ball State fares Friday night and how West Virginia and Pittsburgh do Saturday. The destination du jour seems to be the Dec. 26 Motor City Bowl in Detroit, where a 13-0 Ball State -- if it beats Buffalo Friday night -- would await. The Meineke Car Care Bowl, Papajohns.com Bowl and Sun Bowl are Rutgers' other possible postseason landing spots.

"It helps," defensive tackle Pete Tverdov said of the Knights' latest impressive victory. "It can't hurt to win like this on a big stage. I really don't know how it works, but I would think we're an attractive bowl team now."

That's hard to believe given the rocky start. By winning their sixth straight the Knights will become just the seventh team in major college history to open 1-5 and wind up in a bowl game.

"This was the team we thought would be here all along," Brown said.

Rutgers' 671 yards of offense (on 59 plays) were the most in Schiano's eight years as head coach. In the first half, the Knights scored 49 points on 25 plays and needed just 9:49 to do so.

"It was just one of those games where I saw things well, threw the ball well and the guys kept getting open," Teel said. "It seemed like every series they were open. We just kept scoring and scoring and scoring."

Teel left to a rousing ovation with 14:35 to play, where he was met by Schiano.

"Mike deserved this, for everything he has been through," said wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, who had two touchdown catches in his final home game.

Britt said he has never seen Teel play better.

"Once in practice I saw him like this. Our defense couldn't stop our offense," he said. "But to do that in a game? That's amazing. It's really amazing."

There wasn't much Rutgers did wrong on either side of the ball. Playing without leading rusher Kordell Young (head injury), the Knights saw redshirt freshman Jourdan Brooks step in by rushing for 124 yards on 11 carries -- highlighted by a 62-yard run in which he was finally dragged down by Travis Norton, who ripped out one of Brooks' dangling dreadlocks to make the tackle.

"It means a lot to go out like this for the seniors," Tverdov said. "I don't think I've even been in a game where we've been up 49-0 at halftime -- and I've been playing football since I was 7."

Teel said he hoped the statement Rutgers made over the second half of the season, punctuated by last night's performance, will be taken into account.

"This is a very good football team right now," he said.


See more in Breaking News
Tags: The Star-Ledger

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Rutgers vs. Ball State in the Motor City Bowl?

December 4, 2008 3:55 PM


Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Tom Luicci has a very interesting story on The Star-Ledger's Web site that says Rutgers might be looking at a date with undefeated Ball State in the Motor City Bowl if things can be arranged.

Ken Hoffman, who's the executive director of both the Big East-affiliated International Bowl and the Motor City Bowl, tells Luicci that he could take Rutgers for the International and then swap the Scarlet Knights to Detroit to play Ball State. The two teams played in last year's International Bowl, with Rutgers winning 52-30. But it would be an intriguing rematch this year because Ball State will be 13-0 if it wins the MAC title game, while Rutgers will have won six straight if it beats Louisville tonight.

The deal would require the approval of the Football Bowl Association, and of course both teams have to win their games this week. But if it works out, this is a far, far more appealing prospect for Scarlet Knights fans than going to the Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham.

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Giants: Pierce Called Trainer After Shooting

Dec 4,
By TOM CANAVAN


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -Antonio Pierce telephoned a team trainer for help after star receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself, the New York Giants revealed, offering new details about the incident.

Pierce has refused to discuss his actions, but he said Wednesday he would talk to the media after practice Thursday. It's unclear whether he will chat about anything other than Sunday's game against Philadelphia as his attorney Michael Bachner is working out details of when the middle linebacker will talk to police.

Authorities are trying to determine whether Pierce tried to cover up the shooting early Saturday morning in a Manhattan nightclub. Police said Pierce drove Burress to the hospital and returned to New Jersey with Burress' gun in the glove compartment of his black Cadillac Escalade. Investigators have impounded the SUV to search it for any blood or gun residue.

A day after suspending Burress for conduct detrimental to the team, the Super Bowl champion Giants disclosed key details about how Burress ended up at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in an effort to clarify the team's involvement in the treatment.

The team said Pierce called team trainer Ronnie Barnes after the shooting at the Latin Quarter nightclub, and Barnes advised him to take Burress to New York Presbyterian. Police plan to subpoena cell phone records from Burress and Pierce, the New York Daily News reported in Thursday's edition.

Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said Barnes wanted Burress near the Hospital for Special Surgery, which is located next door, in case the injury required any orthopedic work by team physicians.

The team said Mark Drakos, a doctor from the Hospital for Special Surgery who has treated Giants players in the past, examined Burress after he was paged by New York Presbyterian. The team said it was a coincidence that Drakos was on call.

When Barnes arrived at the hospital, he asked to see Burress, by name, and was taken to the room where he was being treated. Barnes later learned Burress had been issued a hospital ID bracelet with an alias, and Hanlon said neither Barnes nor the Giants had any involvement with Burress being admitted under a false name.

While Barnes waited outside the room, an attending physician approached Barnes and said Burress had suffered no vascular injuries. She then returned to the treatment room. The team said Barnes did not know the doctor and was not in the room while she was treating Burress.

Dr. Josyann Abisaab has been suspended for not reporting Burress' gunshot injury, as required by law. Abisaab, who's affiliated with the hospital and specializes in internal and emergency medicine, could not be reached for comment.

Police still want to interview the people at the hospital who treated Burress and did not report the shooting.

They also want to talk to Pierce. Unlike Burress, who's charged with illegal weapons possession, Pierce has yet to be charged.

Earlier Wednesday, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said there's no need to consider potential punishment of Pierce right now.

"There is no doubt we'll do the right thing," Coughlin added, "and that's no threat to the players, they know that."

With the Giants (11-1) on the verge of clinching the NFC East and gaining a first-round playoff bye, teammates rallied behind Pierce.

"I don't really think he did anything wrong," veteran halfback Reuben Droughns said. "I wasn't there, but I don't think he was trying to hide anything. I think for the most part he was just being a teammate; he was more concerned about what was going on with a teammate than anything else."

Even if the team makes the playoffs, Burress won't be a part of it.

The team fined and suspended Burress for four games, the rest of the regular season, Tuesday. The Giants also placed him on the reserve non-football injury list, which means he won't be back for the playoffs.

The NFL Players Association, however, said in a statement that it was reviewing the Giants' actions and planned to file a grievance, saying Burress' collective bargaining rights were violated.

"I had a conversation with Plaxico. He was very humble. He was remorseful," Coughlin said. "Obviously that doesn't change anything. But you have to understand that he is part of our team and our concern is with he and his family's well being, and the ability of him to get through this circumstance and be healthy again."

---=

Associated Press Writer Colleen Long in New York contributed to this report.

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Louisville will look to prevent turnovers for win vs. Rutgers
by Frank Della Femina/NJ.com
Thursday December 04, 2008, 12:29 PM

AP Photo
Louisville running back Victor Anderson is among the best on the team in avoiding turnovers. The Courier-Journal of Louisville makes the connection between turnovers and Cardinal wins this season.
C.L. Brown of The Courier-Journal:

The Cards' 12 lost fumbles rank second in the conference to Cincinnati's 14, and quarterback Hunter Cantwell has thrown a league-worst 15 interceptions. In two of the past three games, the Cards gave up five turnovers.
It's likely Rutgers, ranked 108 overall in the nation in takeaways, will have trouble forcing turnovers from Louisville's running game:
Running back Victor Anderson has handled the ball more than any U of L player except Cantwell, but the redshirt freshman has not fumbled on any of his team-high 174 carries.
Even though the paper points out Rutgers' inability to force the ball out of the other team's hands, they also support the fact that the Scarlet Knights' offense is potent enough to not require a strong presence on D.

NJ.com user RockNJ commented on the Rutgers score prediction post that weather may be a factor in tonight's game. According to NJ.com's weather radar the elements may indeed intervene.

Is it likely this may turn into an ugly, mistake-ridden game?

[AugustaFriends]

First round can be during the week of Dec 20-23 then second round new year and semis on Jan 5-8 Champion Jan 15

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Maybe cut that down to 8 teams otherwise we could be going into superbowl week lol

[AugustaFriends]

NCAA Football Playoffs proposal http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=AmXIs4Si7jX3xUVXbQ703WwcvrYF?slug=dw-playoff120208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

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Weis will return next year at Notre Dame(Not Happy Here)
7 hours, 10 minutes ago

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)—Charlie Weis will return for a fifth season at Notre Dame despite another disappointing year, several media outlets reported Tuesday night.

WNDU-TV in South Bend, The South Bend Tribune and several other media outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported Weis will be back next year.

Athletic director Jack Swarbrick did not respond to repeated phone messages and e-mails from The Associated Press on Tuesday night. University spokesman John Heisler declined to address the reports.

“When we have something to say and it’s the appropriate time to say it, we’ll say it,” he said.

Swarbrick had said after the Irish lost 38-3 to USC on Saturday that he would evaluate Weis’ performance and planned to meet with the coach on Dec. 8. Swarbrick was on the West Coast raising money and Weis was recruiting, Heisler said.

Weis has seven years left on a 10-year contract signed midway through his first season, but some Irish fans upset by some embarrassing losses had called for his firing. The Irish lost to Navy last season and this season lost to Syracuse when the Orange were 2-8, marking the first loss ever by Notre Dame to an eight-loss team.

Weis has led the team to back-to-back disappointing seasons of 3-9 and 6-6, with the 15 losses the most ever by the Irish in a two-year span. The Irish earned BCS berths in his first two seasons, going to the Fiesta and Sugar bowls.

Weis is 28-21 in four years as Irish coach, a .571 winning percentage. That’s slightly worse than his two predecessors, Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie.

[AugustaFriends]

TEXAS OAKLAHOMA USC FLORIDA<< final four with/or ALABAMA PENN STATE UTAH, Texas TECH, Ohio State making a final 8

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-I don't see Mizz getting a smell of beating Okla but i still think Texas is best team out of the big 12.The 2 best teams imho are Florida & USC.

[AugustaFriends]

If Sooners lose next week Vs. Mizzou - If voters are squeamish about letting a team that didn’t win its conference play for a national championship, maybe Southern California could get a shot at the SEC champ in South Florida.

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Feeble Irish performance should end the Weis era
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: November 29, 2008


No. 5 USC Demolishes Notre Dame, 38-3LOS ANGELES -- Even in retirement, Joe Montana still can feel the rush and evade it.

When he saw me coming in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum tunnel outside the Notre Dame locker room Saturday night, notepad in hand, Montana politely gave me the Heisman.

"Don't ask me about it," Montana said, holding up his palm before I even asked a question.

There was no need to define "it."

"It" is the job security of Charlie Weis, the Notre Dame football coach who surely ran out of real estate, rope and rational defenses in a humiliating 38-3 loss to relentless USC. What Syracuse began last week in South Bend, the Trojans finished here.

Whatever was left of Weis' worthless offensive genius façade crumbled on a night when the Fighting Irish were without a first down until the final play of the third quarter. They had four first downs and 91 total yards in an utterly feeble performance that should be Weis' last as head coach.

No amount of pretzel logic should save Weis now, no amount of finger-pointing at the previous regime, no amount of blue-skying about how recruiting rankings could beget future greatness. Unless the Fighting Irish brass refuses to spend what ESPN has reported is an outrageous sum to buy Weis out of his massive, millstone contract, he's done in South Bend.

There can be no other justification for keeping him. Not now, as his winning percentage dips to sub-Ty Willingham levels and his offense sinks to new lows.

It's very simple. If Willingham had to go after three seasons, Weis has to go with a worse record after four. Or the explanation for keeping him had better be brilliant.


[+] EnlargeGary A. Vasquez/US Presswire

Charlie Weis watched his offense post only four first downs and 91 total yards against USC.

If you want to measure how far from grace Weis has fallen in four seasons, measure it by Montana. As a guest of honor at Weis' first spring game, the quarterback spoke enthusiastically about the new head coach. Now he's avoiding saying a word about him.

"There's who you need to ask, right there," Montana said, pointing across the tunnel at luckless Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick.

He's new to the job and landed himself in a mess made well before his arrival. His first major decision as AD will be whether to retain or fire a guy his predecessor awarded a 10-year, $30 million-plus contract before Weis' first season was over.

Approached on the field just moments after the final gun, Swarbrick stayed cool in the pocket. Among his comments:

No decisions will be made until he has a chance to review the season. The two men meet every Monday, but because both he and Weis are scheduled to be out of town this week, they aren't likely to meet before next Monday, Dec. 8. The pitiful losses to Syracuse and USC the past two weeks will not necessarily make Swarbrick's decision for him: "You integrate all the information you get, and data comes in all the time," he said.

Asked about the cavernous gap between Notre Dame and its biggest rival, Swarbrick said, "We're at USC's level in a lot of sports. We've been at USC's level in this sport before."

What a long time ago that was. No amount of postgame spin could change that fact.

"Guys, we're not that far away," quarterback Jimmy Clausen said.

"I really don't think we're that far away," defensive end Pat Kuntz echoed.

Notre Dame is not that far away, all right -- from beating 3-9 Syracuse. But it is light-years away from beating USC or any other top-10 team. To insist otherwise is to lie to yourself and anyone within earshot.

Make no mistake, the Trojans have the best defense in America. But Weis' arrival in 2005 was supposed to catapult Notre Dame's offense to the national forefront, too. Instead, four years later, the Irish staged one of their most inept offensive performances in school history.


[+] EnlargeMatt Cashore/US Presswire

The Trojans stuffed the Irish, holding ND without a first down until the last play of the third quarter.

USC has done some painful things to Notre Dame in this stadium throughout the decades. There was the 1964 upset that ruined an unbeaten season in Ara Parseghian's first year. The six-touchdown splurge by Anthony Davis here in 1972, and the four-touchdown barrage two years later in a 55-24 crusher. The controversial nonfumble by Paul McDonald that spoiled an epic, Montana-led comeback in 1978. The 31-point defeat that signaled the end of the Willingham era in 2004.

This might have been the worst.

The school record for fewest first downs in a game is two, set in 1917. Notre Dame squeezed out its third first down with less than four minutes remaining, then tacked on a fourth on a late USC hit at the 2:31 mark.

Washington State, considered one of the worst Pacific-10 teams of all time, made four first downs against USC without aid of a penalty this season. Winless Washington, coached by that favorite Fighting Irish scapegoat, Willingham, racked up 15 first downs against USC and more than doubled Notre Dame's yardage.

Fitting that this nadir should come against the opponent that gave Weis the leverage needed to land that ludicrous contract in 2005. A close loss -- not a victory -- against the No. 1 Trojans was what made the swooning Irish administration reach for its wallet and spend like drunken sailors.

The difference between Weis on that October day in South Bend and this November night in Los Angeles is stark. Back then, Weis played the green-jersey trick and threw caution to the wind -- going for a fourth-and-1 at his own 19-yard line in the first quarter. This time, Weis sat back in a conservative shell and simply took his beating.

Trick plays? Zero. Fourth-down gambles? One -- with 34 seconds to play.

Even on a fourth-and-3 from the USC 23 early in the fourth quarter, Weis sent in the field goal unit to make the score 31-3. That at least accomplished one thing -- it stopped a 69-0 Trojans run during the past two meetings. But it didn't accomplish anything else.

After that last-second, three-point loss to Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, Weis declared that anyone expecting him to be happy with a moral victory would be wrong.

After losing by 35 here, Weis sounded like a guy begging to be granted a moral victory.

"I think one of the biggest aspects of today was whether we're going to play with passion and emotion," Weis said. "From the beginning of the game to the end of the game, we played with passion and emotion.

"Today, unlike last year (a 38-0 loss), when our guys got a little intimidated, I thought that wasn't the case at all here today."

So there you go. The plucky, passionate, unintimidated Irish managed to keep it within five touchdowns of USC. They almost covered Notre Dame's biggest underdog spread (31 points) on the Las Vegas books dating to 1975.

Just what the Subway Alumni are looking for, right?

The Notre Dame fans in the Coliseum didn't seem so easily satisfied. The 15-yard James Aldridge run that produced that initial first down also produced a standing ovation from the Irish fans. One guy literally jumped up and down with arms outstretched in mock jubilation. Others already had filed out of the place -- the third straight three-and-out of the third quarter had sent the shirtless Notre Dame fan in the green overalls and glittery leprechaun hat to the exit with plenty of company in his wake.

The question now is whether Notre Dame will send Weis to the exit.

"I'm the head football coach at Notre Dame," Weis declared afterward. "When the time comes sometime in my career, by my choice or their choice, I won't be."

The choice is obvious. We'll see whether Notre Dame makes it.


Pat Forde is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at [e-mail].

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Time to let Charlie take a walk,imho Bench Clausen & give Dayne Crist a shot!http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=45236&Sport=1

[AugustaFriends]

Trojans look to continue domination of Irish

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Notre Dame ruled college football’s No. 1 intersectional rivalry not long ago, going 12-0-1 against Southern California from 1983-95.

Since Pete Carroll arrived at USC, it’s been an entirely different matter, with the Trojans doing the dominating.

When the teams meet for the 80th time Saturday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum, No. 5 USC (9-1) is on track for another BCS bid and the Irish (6-5) are reeling

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Tennessee denies any decisions made on new coach
ESPN.com news services

Updated: November 27, 2008, 5:54 PM ET

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton denied a local radio report that said Lane Kiffin had been offered the job as the next head football coach at the school.

WNML radio reported Wednesday that Kiffin, the 33-year-old former head coach of the Oakland Raiders, had been offered the job.

"We have not offered the job to anybody," Hamilton said on WVLT-TV. "If anybody has said that, that would be incorrect information."

Kiffin is a former USC offensive coordinator. Hamilton has not "offered" the job to Kiffin, but contractual parameters have been discussed, a person briefed on the situation told ESPN's Joe Schad.

Two sources told ESPN.com that they expect the search to be wrapped up next week and that Kiffin is at the forefront of that search. Speculation on Tennessee's final candidates centers on Kiffin, Brian Kelly of Cincinnati, Gary Patterson of TCU and Tim Brewster of Minnesota.

Tennessee plays its final game under Phil Fulmer on Saturday against Kentucky.

Information from ESPN.com's Chris Low is included in this report




Related Topics: College Football, Tennessee Volunteers

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College Football Power Rankings: Week 13

Week: Preseason | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 Other Polls Index USA Today Associated Press Harris Poll Legends Poll BCS standings ESPN.com Power Rankings ESPN.com Bottom 10 ESPNU Allstate Standings Chaos is in the air, and it's not even December yet.


Alabama (14 first-place votes) retained its top spot in the power rankings, but another SEC team jumped up one spot to No. 2. Florida, fresh off a thrashing of The Citadel, ranks behind the Tide this week, receiving one first-place vote.

Oklahoma, Texas and USC round out the top five, while Boston College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Mississippi and West Virginia marked the new additions to the Top 25.

College Football Power Rankings: Week 13
RANK TEAM RECORD POINTS COMMENTS
1 Alabama (14) 11-0 371 Props to Bama -- the only undefeated team from a BCS conference. For the Tide to stay perfect, they need to win at home against their biggest rival (Auburn), and then beat Florida -- in the SEC title game.
2 Florida (1) 10-1 348 Seventy points? Granted, it was against The Citadel, but the Gators just can't be stopped. They became the first SEC team to score at least 42 points in six straight games. Next up? A visit to Florida State.
3 Oklahoma 10-1 346 Big Game Bob made his return Saturday, and we now have the Sooners to thank for the BCS -- and Big 12 South -- mess. A win in Stillwater on Saturday would stir even more controversy.
4 Texas 10-1 344 Will Texas' win over OU be enough? The Horns certainly hope so, but they need to beat Texas A&M on Thanksgiving (ESPN, 8 ET) to make it matter. UT has lost its past two to the Aggies.
5 USC 9-1 315 Remember when the USC-Notre Dame rivalry actually meant something? Not anymore. The Trojans have won the past six versus the Irish, and ND is coming off a loss to Syracuse -- at home.
6 Penn State 11-1 285 The Nittany Lions are headed to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1994. They also became the sixth FBS team to reach 800 wins. And oh yeah -- JoePa says he'll be back in 2009.
7 Texas Tech 10-1 284 That was ugly. The 12-game winning streak is gone. The national title hopes and Graham Harrell's Heisman dreams are long shots. What's left? Well, there is that Big 12 South title.
8 Utah 12-0 281 Should the 12-0 Utes be playing for the national title? "Why not?" asks QB Brian Johnson. "We're talented enough." Maybe so, but it's not happening. Instead, the Utes will enjoy a BCS berth for the first time since 2004.
9 Ohio State 10-2 232 OK, so they won't be playing in the national title game. But the Buckeyes beat Michigan for the fifth straight time, and that hasn't happened since ... well, ever.
10 Boise State 11-0 231 The WAC has been good to Boise, which earned its sixth WAC title in seven seasons. Since joining the league in 2001, the Broncos are 59-4 in conference games and have 11 wins for the fifth time this decade.
11 Oklahoma State 9-2 218 OSU won at Missouri, barely lost at Texas and got pounded at Texas Tech. The Cowboys are undefeated at home, but the Big 12 and BCS stakes are high in the Bedlam game on Saturday (ABC, 8 ET).
12 Georgia 9-2 216 The Bulldogs rank 10th in the SEC in scoring D (24 ppg) and have allowed at least 38 points in three of the past four games. Up next? The regular-season finale against Ga. Tech's spread-option offense.
13 Missouri 9-2 205 The Big 12 North champs wrap up the regular season versus Kansas before heading to the Big 12 title game. A win over the Jayhawks would give Mizzou at least 10 regular-season wins for the second straight year.
14 TCU 10-2 165 It's been a good decade for TCU. Prior to 2000, the Horned Frogs had only four 10-win seasons in school history. Since then, TCU has had six -- including three of the past four.
15 Cincinnati 9-2 151 Cincinnati, the 2008 Big East champions? QB Tony Pike has his Bearcats one win away from their first-ever league title. A win over Syracuse on Saturday is the only thing standing in the way.
16 Oregon State 8-3 149 It's as simple as this: If the Beavers extend their winning streak to seven by winning the Civil War, Oregon State will stop to smell the Roses in Pasadena for the first time since ... 1965.
17 Ball State 11-0 142 The Cardinals are one of only four unbeatens in the FBS and have set a school record for wins (11). With a win against Western Michigan on Tuesday, Ball State would clinch a spot in the MAC title game.
18 Boston College 8-3 86 BC controls its destiny in the Atlantic. By beating Maryland at home, the Eagles would earn a spot in the ACC title game. But they'll have to do it without QB Chris Crane (broken collarbone).
19 Oregon 8-3 79 The Ducks got a bye to prepare for the Civil War. Oregon comes into the game as the sixth-best rushing team in the nation (268 ypg). Oregon State, meanwhile, allows 112 rushing ypg.
20 Georgia Tech 8-3 78 It's been a wacky season in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets still have a shot in the Coastal, but they need some help from Virginia, which needs to beat Virginia Tech on Saturday.
21 Brigham Young 10-2 75 Two losses. Ten turnovers. That about sums it up. Max Hall said he takes the bulk of the blame. He was guilty of six turnovers against Utah, including a career-worst five INTs.
22 Michigan State 9-3 64 The Spartans have come a long way in Year 2 under Mark Dantonio. They also showed how far they need to go. In its two biggest games of 2008 (Ohio St. and Penn St.), MSU was outscored 94-25.
23 Florida State 8-3 54 The Seminoles are seventh in the nation in defense (273 ypg) and 19th in scoring D (19 ppg), but they haven't seen anything like the Florida offense, which is heading to Tallahassee on Saturday.
24 Mississippi 7-4 45 Not a bad debut season for Houston Nutt. The Rebs have won four straight, and their seven wins matches their total from the past two years combined.
25 West Virginia 7-3 29 Pat White owns another record. Actually, two. White is now the NCAA's all-time QB rushing leader with 4,292 yards. And with 98 TD passes, he surpassed Donovan McNabb's Big East mark.
Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh(21), Northwestern(19), LSU(13), California(3), Iowa(1)

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Rutgers football seniors near new degree of success
by Tom Luicci/The Star-Ledger
Tuesday November 25, 2008, 9:02 PM

Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger
Defensive tackle Pete Tverdov and fellow Rutgers seniors are close to going bowling an astounding four years in a row.Pete Tverdov isn't ready to discuss the significance of it yet. Not with a game to play against Louisville a week from Thursday-- one Rutgers needs to win to secure a fourth straight bowl appearance.
But if it does happen, the Scarlet Knights defensive tackle knows he and his fellow seniors will be able to make a claim no other class in school history has been able to:

Four years, four bowls.

"That would be a special thing," said Tverdov. "It just shows how much the program has grown from the time Coach (Greg) Schiano first got here to now. Again, it all sounds great, but I really don't want to fill my head or have anyone else's head filled with bowls and this and that. I don't want to look ahead because Louisville is a good football team. I just want to worry about them."

But here's the reality: Rutgers (6-5) had been to just one bowl game in the program's lengthy history before the current group of seniors -- eight fifth-year guys, seven four-year players whose eligibility is exhausted this season -- arrived on campus.

One.

"This came from believing in what Coach Schiano said when he recruited us," said quarterback Mike Teel, a fifth-year senior. "This class (of seniors) will probably be the last class where the coaches here went into families' homes and recruited people by saying, 'This is what we can be if you come here and you believe in our vision.' The guys they're going after now have seen that. They have proof there's a reason to believe that what Coach says is going to happen.

"We were kind of going on blind faith when he said that to us. It shows you how much we believed in what he was telling us."

Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, who will play his final home game against the Cardinals, said the culture of the program has changed as well. Rutgers' trip to the Insight Bowl in 2005, Underwood's freshman season, was the school's first in 27 years.

"I don't want to sound cocky with what I'm about to say," Underwood said, "but we come into seasons expecting to go to bowl games now."

The Insight was followed by the Texas Bowl in 2006, then the International Bowl last year. If Rutgers beats Louisville and things play out as expected in the Big East, the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 27 would be the school's next bowl destination.

Four years, four bowls.

"Anyone who looks at Rutgers now knows it is headed in the right direction," said Tverdov.

Teel is actually one of just eight players on the roster who have been at Rutgers throughout their careers and remember what it was like not to go to a bowl game. He was a true freshman in 2004, a year he took as a redshirt.

Rutgers finished 5-7 that year.

"You look back at Brian Leonard and that class really got us over the hump, getting us to that first bowl game (in 2005) and then another one after that," Teel said. "Now we're the first class to hopefully do this (go to four straight bowls). It would definitely be special and it would really mean something to all of us if it were to happen."

Underwood said it would be a fitting legacy for the seniors.

"It has been a sight to see, to be part of this, the way the program has grown," he said. "Coach is building a great thing here that is going to last for a long time."

Notes: Asked if he had addressed the bowl issue and the distractions with his players yet, Schiano said he had not. "They know that there's a lot of stuff out there," he said. "I may. Maybe I should. Our mind-set is so different thinking about that, it didn't really come to my mind. I'm sure outside of here they're getting it, so I'll probably talk to them about it."...

Rutgers will practice Wednesday before getting Thursday and Friday off. Every player on the team has a home to go to for Thanksgiving, Schiano said, with many of the out-of-state players forced to stay around because of the short time off.


See more in Newspaper article

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What's the buyout? Source calls Weis' figure 'stupefying'
ESPN.com news services

Updated: November 26, 2008, 7:56 PM ET

CHICAGO -- Is Charlie Weis' job as the head football coach at Notre Dame safe because of the size of his contract buyout?


A person with knowledge of Weis' contract told ESPN's Joe Schad on Wednesday that the amount Notre Dame would have to pay Weis is greater than $4 million to $5 million, which was reported earlier Wednesday by the Chicago Tribune. The source told Schad that the buyout, which is specified in the contract, is "stupefying."

The Tribune, citing multiple sources, reported that the size of Weis' buyout -- previously said to be as much as $10 million -- is inaccurate and put the figure at closer to $4 million. The paper also said that the amount isn't enough to affect whether Notre Dame decides to part ways with Weis.

Notre Dame (6-5), coming off an embarrassing home loss to lightly-regarded Syracuse, plays at No. 5 USC on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Notre Dame is a 32-point underdog; no Irish team has been more than a 24-point underdog since 1975.

The Tribune reported that typical buyouts for college football coaches are base salary times years remaining on a contract. Weis' base salary (not including outside income) for the 2007 season was $598,000, according to a report in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, which attributed the figure to Notre Dame's tax forms.

More on Weis
Charlie Weis is under fire, another indication Notre Dame is just another college football factory. Gene Wojciechowski


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Forde-Yard Dash deals with snowball bombardment at Notre Dame, among the week's other topics. Pat Forde If Weis' base salary was up to $650,000, the paper reported, that would put his buyout at less than $5 million (Weis has seven years left on his deal). The paper, citing an unnamed prominent alumnus, called a buyout figure "loose change."

Weis' contract has been reported to be worth a total of $3-4 million per year -- including income from shoe deals, radio and television deals, etc.

Former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, now a pitcher with the Chicago Cubs, told ESPN's "First Take" on Wednesday that he continues to support Weis.

"I think [fans and alumni] need to take a deep breath," he said. "Everything will be fine. It hasn't been the season they planned for, but it happens."

Asked whether he thinks Weis should remain as the head coach, Samardzija said: "Absolutely, he's a great coach. He's got a track record for it. If there's somebody out there with a better record, who's a better fit, I'd like to hear who it is."

Earlier this month, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said he would not evaluate Weis until after the season, and that anyone who suggests a coaching change could occur should know that it is "not under consideration at this time."

Information from ESPN's Joe Schad is included in this report

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Breaking the huddle on Thanksgiving weekend games
By Ivan Maisel
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Weekend MenuThanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year, next to the last Thursday in August, which college football has anointed Opening Day. A proclomation from President Abraham Lincoln set the precedent for the former; Lee Corso, who knew Lincoln, proclaimed the latter.

OK, I made up that bit about Corso. He never proclaimed anything about Opening Day.

But here's the thing about Thanksgiving -- if you don't have a plan, the holiday can overwhelm you. The food, like the college football, arrives Thursday and stays for the weekend. While I can't promise you won't get tired of the turkey and stuffing by Saturday night, I can guide you toward which games can't be missed. Here is the weekend's football menu, arranged by course, if not exactly by clock (all times ET):


APPETIZERS


UCLA at Arizona State
Friday, ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.

Both teams are 4-6, so the winner stays in the running to become the Pac-10's sixth bowl-eligible team. Since UCLA plays USC on Dec. 6, and Arizona State plays Arizona that day, neither team is likely to get there. But still, there is something at stake in this game, other than seventh place in the conference standings.


Miami at NC State
Saturday, ESPN360.com, noon

The Wolfpack (5-6, 3-4) need a win to become bowl-eligible. The Hurricanes (7-4, 4-3) need a win to claim a share of the ACC Coastal. But this is an appetizer because both of these teams have improved so much over the course of this season that by next season they should be making a lot more noise. If you like train wrecks, root for NC State to win and Virginia to beat Virginia Tech. That would mean eight teams in the ACC could finish with 4-4 records in league play.


Baylor at No. 7 Texas Tech
Saturday, 3:30 ET

This game is interesting because Oklahoma can't go to the Big 12 championship game if the Red Raiders lose and Texas wins. That would leave the Longhorns and the Sooners (with a win) in a two-way tie for the South Division. Texas would win that bake-off. Texas Tech should beat Baylor, provided that the Red Raiders are paying attention after they lost their shot at a national championship and, in all likelihood, a BCS berth this past Saturday night. The Bears are good enough to embarrass any team that doesn't take them seriously.


MAIN COURSE

All of the top four teams play their in-state, public-university rivals this weekend. These rivalries share many characteristics: passion, hatred, jealousy, etc. In other words, all the traits that make you get out of bed and put on your favorite sweatshirt, grab a cold beverage and open it with the bottle opener that plays your fight song.


Texas A&M at No. 2 Texas
Thursday, ESPN, 8 p.m.

The Aggies are still in transition, searching for an identity in coach Mike Sherman's return to college football. The Longhorns are fighting mad, angry that their victory over Oklahoma has been devalued and ignored as the Sooners try to go around them to get to the Big 12 championship game. We should see Texas at its best, which means junior quarterback Colt McCoy will put on a show that will make Texas A&M fans doze off long before the game is over. If nothing else, the story of how Bevo, the Longhorns' mascot, got his name is worth the time it takes the guys in the booth to tell it.


No. 4 Florida at No. 20 Florida State
Saturday, ABC, 3:30 p.m.

We get all of the rivalry and maybe, just maybe, a competitive game. The Seminoles have the speed on defense to neutralize what is usually one of the Gators' biggest advantages. The inexperience on the Florida State offense should be too big a hurdle for an upset. But given that the game is in Doak Campbell Stadium, where Florida's drive to the 2006 national championship nearly hiccupped against a mediocre Seminole team, an upset is plausible. In reality, Florida State is probably a year away.


Auburn at No. 1 Alabama
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

The Iron Bowl rarely disappoints as spectacle, as theater and as a punishing but clean recital of the art of smashing one's opponent in the mouth. Again and again and again. Any thought of Alabama looking past Auburn to the SEC championship game disappears as soon as you recall that Auburn has won six straight games in this rivalry. A Tigers offense that couldn't find the red zone with a Garmin will have trouble scoring against the Crimson Tide's underrated unit.


No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 12 Oklahoma State
Saturday, ABC, 8 p.m.

Let's see, Texas and Oklahoma scored 80 points. Texas and Texas Tech scored 72. Texas Tech and Oklahoma State scored 76. And Oklahoma and Texas Tech scored 86. What that means is the Bedlam Game won't be quick and won't be offering any tutorials on defense. There is no room for equivocation. The Sooners must dominate and hope that their momentum will carry them past the Longhorns. The Cowboys have allowed only two teams to score more than 28 points. But past performance might not mean much against the Oklahoma offensive machine.


DESSERT


South Carolina at Clemson
Saturday, ESPN2, noon

The fact that these two teams really don't like each other applies to this game, because some clichés are actually true.


Kansas at No. 13 Missouri
Saturday, 12:30 p.m.

Even without last season's hype, the game between the Jayhawks and the Tigers would be emotional. It has been for more than 100 years.


Notre Dame at No. 5 USC
Saturday, ESPN, 8 p.m.

An Irish victory would be a bigger upset than Stanford's shocker over the Trojans in 2007. Not as measured by the Las Vegas point spread, mind you. But given what USC still can achieve, and given that Irish immolation this past Saturday and, finally, given that the Irish have to carry that embarrassment across the country on a holiday weekend, the game's outcome is not at stake. Enjoy the spectacle.


BETTER-THE-NEXT-DAY LEFTOVERS


Mississippi State at Ole Miss
Friday, ESPN360.com, 12:30 p.m.

The Egg Bowl. It's not a smart idea to name a rivalry after food when your centerpiece meal of the weekend will pack a 5,000-calorie wallop (at least it does at Mom's house). But this rivalry becomes more relevant every year.


No. 22 Georgia Tech at No. 11 Georgia
Saturday, noon

Two wannabes bidding to be taken seriously. Georgia, the preseason No. 1, got overcome by injuries and the weight of the rankings on its shoulder pads. Georgia Tech seemed to be a year away, if coach Paul Johnson could prove that his option football could win in the ACC circa 2008. To quote Rachel Maddow, "Duh."


No. 23 Oregon at No. 17 Oregon State
Saturday, 7 p.m.

This is what a rivalry should have at stake: not just bragging rights, not just a Jan. 1 bowl berth, not just the Granddaddy Of Them All, but the Beavers' first trip to Pasadena since 1965. And the Ducks can take that all away just by winning the game. Calling this rivalry the Civil War is politically incorrect. And military terms are used in football way too much. But for the love of Rece Davis, let it go.


Garden PartyGeorgia will dedicate a walk-through garden to former coach and athletic director Vince Dooley on Saturday. The garden will feature a sculpture of Dooley on the shoulders of his players after they won the 1980 national championship and will serve as a focal point for the Vince Dooley Athletic Complex.


Allen Dean Steele/Getty Images

Vince Dooley coached Georgia to a 201-77-10 record, winning six SEC titles and one national title from 1964 to 1988.

That's what the university will call the physical plant that encompasses virtually all things athletic for the Bulldogs. It's a well-deserved and overdue tribute for the man who arrived as coach in 1964 and retired as athletic director 40 years later.

But, come on, a garden?

Yes, a garden. The fact is, Dooley has become so interested in horticulture in recent years that he helped design the garden that will house his sculpture. It's another piece of a man who not only won 201 games and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, but also holds a master's degree in history.

"The great thing about being at a university," Dooley said Monday, "is that if you get a curiosity about anything, you can satisfy it. You really can. There's an expert on everything. I have taken a lot of courses, leadership courses, about war, the Civil War in particular. I took some political science courses, which I enjoyed.

"I've always been interested in horticulture. All I intended to do was take a survey course. But a great teacher inspires his students."

In Dooley's case, professors Michael Dirr and Allan Armitrage led him to a passion he didn't know he had. Since taking that introductory course a decade ago, Dooley has traveled twice to England and once to Belgium to see gardens and attend a conference on hydrangeas (no word on whether he won the conference championship).

"It's been good for the body. It's been good for the mind, and it's been good for the soul," Dooley said.

Dooley's son Derek, who has done a masterful job of coaching a rebuilding Louisiana Tech team to a 7-4 record and no worse than a second-place tie in the Western Athletic Conference, said his family has shared in his father's passion, whether they at first wanted to or not. You see, Vince Dooley is known throughout every generation of his family for cooking up "projects" when the family assembles at its lake house.

"I'm 40. My brother is 45," Derek Dooley told me earlier this season. "It would be our fifth hour of pulling weeds. We'll look at each other and ask, 'At what age do you tell your dad you're not doing this anymore?'"

Whatever that age, Derek said, "We haven't gotten there yet."

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2008 HEISMAN WATCH

Athlon's Top Seven Candidates To Win The Heisman Trophy


Name
Pos
School
Comments

#1 - Sam Bradford
QB
Oklahoma
The No. 2 ranked player in pass efficiency has topped the 300-yard mark nine times this season and boasts an incredible 42-6 TD-INT ratio.

#2 - Tim Tebow
QB
Florida
Leader of the nation's third-highest scoring offense has accounted for three TDs in seven of his last eight games - and that's not even playing most fourth quarters.

#3 - Percy Harvin
WR
Florida
Electric playmaker who leads Florida in rushing and receiving. Is averaging 12.4 yards per touch and a touchdown every six touches.

#4 - Colt McCoy
QB
Texas
Has accounted for more than 300 yards nine times this season. Will likely set new NCAA record with 77.2 percent completion rate. Also Texas' leader in rushing.

#5 - Graham Harrell
QB
Texas Tech
Stats look good, but the efficiency and clutch play he'd exhibited most of the season were lacking against OU. Still leads nation with 4,438 pass yards, reaching the 400-mark six times.

#6 - Shonn Greene
RB
Iowa
The only player to rush for 100 yards in every game this season, Greene was the surprise of the Big Ten. Ended with 1,729 rush yards and 17 TDs on a 6.2 YPC average.

#7 - Andre Smith
T
Alabama
Possibly the top pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Smith has been obliterating defensive linemen while paving the way for Bama's rushing attack and undefeated record.

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With recruits on the way, hope springs eternal for Michigan(Let's Hope NOT) football team
by Pete Bigelow | The Ann Arbor News
Wednesday November 26, 2008, 12:43 AM
The concrete ramp led away from the field on which the Michigan football team had just suffered a 42-7 drubbing at the hands of Ohio State.

It led toward a cadre of Buckeyes fans, whose insults rained on Wolverines as they walked toward the buses waiting to return them to Ann Arbor.

Walking that path Saturday, Calvin Magee had every plausible reason to silently hustle toward safer confines. But on the dreariest of days, the U-M offensive coordinator stood amid the chaos and let his feelings spill out.

"I'm going to tell you this," he said. "I really can't wait to get going again. Believe me. Believe me when I tell you that."

Answering another question about injuries, his thoughts wandered again toward his excitement. "I know I might seem crazy," he said, "but I'll tell you right now. I really can't wait. Believe me when I tell you that."

Crazy?

Let's just say optimism can be found in strange places.

Magee's enthusiasm was contagious. On Monday, coach Rich Rodriguez was just as eager to keep going. Asked if he planned to decompress after 10 topsy-turvy months on the job, Rodriguez said, "I'll slow down when I retire."

That's good, because these late November and December days - the ones without bowl practices and BCS chatter - are the ones everybody's awaited.

Since Oct. 11, when the Toledo handed Michigan a 13-10 defeat, a good portion of the fan base started treating the remaining games on the 2008 schedule as a nuisance to be endured until December.

That's about the same time they focused less on debating who's the better quarterback between Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan and more on the better quarterback between Tate Forcier and Shadrovick Beaver.

The only game that really mattered became the recruiting game, and now it's in full swing.

Rodriguez unveiled as much about his recruiting plan as NCAA restrictions allowed Monday. He talked about hitting the road for three weeks once a contact period begins next week and said he hoped to sign a class of 20 to 23 players.

Asked if he planned to target one or two particular positions in the 2009 class, he countered with an even better idea: "One or two or six or ten," he said.

Then he rattled off his wish list: Speedy skill-position players on offense. Faster athletes at linebacker. Defensive linemen to replace the veterans graduating. And defensive backs. "We're low on defensive DBs," he said.

And last but certainly not least, more quarterbacks.

Help wanted everywhere.

If the shopping list sounds a little ambitious for one trip, it's because it probably is. If it seems a bit too far-fetched to believe that a group of true freshmen will rescue the Wolverines, especially at quarterback, it's because it probably is.

But there's foundation for the optimism, and not only because there's nowhere really to go from 3-9 but up.

Rodriguez plans to enroll seven or eight freshmen in January, who will then have the benefit of spring ball. Six offensive linemen who redshirted this past year will be available, and likely join '09 recruits in offering quick fixes for next year.

Narrowing the talent gap between Michigan and programs at the top of the Big Ten won't be accomplished in one recruiting class, but those are at least steps in the right direction.

Rodriguez seems to believe it won't take as long as many fear it will to catch the rest.

"I remember my first year at West Virginia," he said. "We played Miami back when Miami was winning national championships. We got killed my first year. I thought, 'Geez, it's going to take us four years to close this gap.' In two years, it closed."

Can the same happen here? Hope springs eternal. Even in November.

See more in Wolverines Football Columns

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Irish program used to be special … now it just isn't
By Gene Wojciechowski
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: November 26, 2008, 1:16 PM ET


Pat Forde's Big Men on CampusCharlie Weis and his football program are under siege, which is as much Notre Dame's fault as it is his. They are the victims of self-inflicted wounds that have sucked much of the specialness, if not the football relevance, out of the place.


If Notre Dame football were a blood-pressure reading, the nurse would jot down 40 over 20 -- barely a pulse. The recent defeat to eight-loss Syracuse (a Notre Dame first) only intensifies the scrutiny of Weis, whose record during the past two seasons is the worst in Notre Dame history. It won't get any better this Saturday, when the Fighting Irish lose their seventh consecutive game against longtime rival USC and finish the regular season at a forgettable 6-6.

That's another thing. Notre Dame followers are now conditioned to lose to USC. They expect the annual beatdown, which makes sense, I guess. Since Weis' arrival in 2005, the USC margin of victory has grown from three points to 20 to 38 to who knows how much this time as the Trojans try to earn style points for the ridiculous BCS beauty pageant.

The sense of doom reveals much about the state of Weis' program. But mostly it reveals why Notre Dame is no different than other football factories.

The very fact that Weis' coaching future is in question is Exhibit A of Notre Dame's spectacular series of miscalculations. In a bizarre bit of symmetry, the very reason for Weis' hiring -- Tyrone Willingham's firing after just three seasons -- is why Fighting Irish fans, boosters, power brokers and maybe even school officials now feel empowered to call for Weis' dismissal. It's why Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick had to recently issue a vote of confidence for a head coach he didn't hire.

The Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame's incoming president at the time, helped create this sloppy scenario the moment he supported Willingham's firing after the 2004 regular season. By ridding themselves of Willingham, who just happened to be the school's first African-American head coach, Jenkins & Co. ended the very thing that differentiated Notre Dame from everyone else: a five-year commitment to its coach. That commitment represented the very best of Notre Dame. Now it's like everyone else, but with snowball throwers.

Forde-Yard Dash
From snowball bombardment at Notre Dame to rapid-firing snowballs at some offending parties to snow cones for the winners, the Dash runs through it all. Forde Willingham's tenure was the shortest of any non-interim Notre Dame football coach in the previous 70 years (George O'Leary never coached a game). It was a mistake to fire him then, just as it would be a mistake to fire Weis now.

Money isn't the issue. Even with a contract that runs through 2015 and a huge buyout attached, Notre Dame and its friends of the program could write a check to make Weis go away. And if they did, the school would soon have its fifth different coach (Bob Davie, O'Leary, Willingham, Weis, the new guy) in the past nine years. You expect that out of Alabama, not Notre Dame.

Weis is responsible for much of his own discomfort. Those nine losses last season were the most in Notre Dame history. His record after his first three years was almost exactly the same as Willingham's. His celebrated recruiting classes haven't translated to the field yet. And did you think you'd ever see the day when a Notre Dame coach admitted, as Weis did recently, that he'd like to go to a bowl game because his team would get more practices that way?

But what also has undermined Weis is, well, Weis. And Notre Dame hypocrisy.

The Domers loved Weis when he first got to South Bend. They loved his Jersey attitude, his cockiness, even his arrogance. His personality was the polar opposite of the reserved, dignified Willingham. Plus, Weis was one of them, a Notre Dame grad.

So it's amusing to hear the criticism four years later. What made Weis endearing in 2005 makes him unbearable in 2008? Funny how that works.

Weis' personality has never changed. He can be charming, arrogant, bright, condescending, clever, sarcastic, humble, overbearing and caring all in the same five minutes. What has changed is the wins and losses: 19-6 during his first two years; 9-14 since.

The worst thing a school can do to a coach is hang him on the clothesline and let him flap in the wind. Vote of confidence or no vote, that's what has happened to Weis. You can hear opposing coaches whispering to Notre Dame recruits right now: "You sure you want to commit to a guy who might not be there in a week?" … "Remember how he said he'd outscheme everybody? How's that working out?" … "See the Chicago Tribune story where Weis big-timed Terrelle Pryor and his high school coaches?"

Weis has alienated his share of people at and outside Notre Dame. But he isn't the first coach with a jerk quotient, and he won't be the last. He deserves much of the criticism leveled against him, but he doesn't deserve to be fired. Not for this.

Notre Dame lost its football DNA and its inner self when it dismissed Willingham four years ago. It compromised a belief. But it's not too late to go retro.

Win or lose Saturday, it's time for Jenkins and Swarbrick to end the speculation and say Weis will return in 2009 for his fifth season. You say it because it's not only the right thing to do, but because it used to be the Notre Dame thing to do.

Gene Wojciechowski is the senior national columnist for ESPN.com. You can contact him at [e-mail].


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3725941&sportCat=ncf

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Hansbrough, No. 1 Tar Heels make short work of No. 8 Irish
SC Highlight Of The Night: Notre Dame Vs. UNC


· Complete Schedule: Notre Dame | North Carolina
Associated Press
LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Tyler Hansbrough had 34 points against a Top 10 team and his coach said he's about 75 percent. Top-ranked North Carolina won the EA Sports Maui Invitational by an average of almost 30 points a game and its coach said the team can get a lot better.


Wow.

Hansbrough, playing in just his third game of the season because of leg injuries, led the Tar Heels to a 102-87 victory over No. 8 Notre Dame on Wednesday night in the championship game to win this title for the third time.

"He's about 75 percent but he played better than that tonight. He was really fired up," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said of the reigning national player of the year. "It's been tearing at him not to be able to play."

It showed.

Hansbrough was 13-of-19 from the field, hitting his shots down low, throwing down dunks and even making a 3-pointer. He grabbed five rebounds and blocked two shots, including one by Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, like Hansbrough a preseason All-America.

"One thing when you're missing games is that it plays a little bit in your mind because you want to be out there but you have to take care of your body," Hansbrough said. "To get a couple under my belt made me feel better about my game. I still feel out of shape, but that will come as I play."

It wasn't all Hansbrough for the Tar Heels (6-0), however.

Point guard Ty Lawson had too much speed in the open court for the Fighting Irish (4-1) and he finished with 22 points and 11 assists. He was selected tournament MVP after totaling 22 assists against two turnovers in the three games.

"It was just basically my teammates making shots for me and taking care of the ball, not putting it in jeopardy," Lawson said. "That's what I've been doing and I'm playing real well right now."

Deon Thompson had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Tar Heels, who had a 44-36 rebound advantage and shot 55.7 percent from the field.

Harangody, who had to cover and be covered by Hansbrough despite being sick all day, had 13 points and seven rebounds.

"I feel for him a little bit," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "We had him on IV. He had flu symptoms, upset stomach, fever. He didn't go to shootaround. He gave us everything he had. He feels really bad that he let everybody down but I told him, 'We wouldn't be playing tonight without you. We rode you pretty hard.'"

Kyle McAlarney picked up the slack, scoring a career-high 39 points on a wild shooting show that saw him finish with 10-of-18 from behind the arc. He broke his own school record of nine 3s set last season.

"I just felt good, got my legs under me and was taking what the defense gives me," McAlarney said. "I got lucky, got some open looks and got hot."

That's not what Williams thought.

"That was as good an exhibition of shooting the basketball as I've ever seen," he said.

North Carolina shot 52.9 percent from the field in taking a 46-36 halftime lead, and the numbers were even better to start the second half. The Tar Heels built a 23-point cushion midway through the period.

But the Fighting Irish got to 84-73 behind McAlarney's shooting. He hit another long one to make it 90-78 with 2:47 left only to have it answered by a three-point play from Hansbrough.

"We didn't panic," Williams said. "At the end when McAlarney was making all those 3s, we made plays at our end. We can get a lot better by being more intelligent."

Hansbrough missed three weeks of practice and the first two games of the season as he recovered from a stress reaction in his right shin. He had 13 points in 25 minutes last week against UC Santa Barbara but he tweaked his left ankle at the end of that game and didn't play in the Tar Heels' 115-70 first-round win over Chaminade.

He had 16 points in 19 minutes in the semifinal win over Oregon, and Williams said the decision on whether he would play against Notre Dame wouldn't be made until he saw if Hansbrough had any pain during warmups.

"Coming in, I wasn't really sure I would play. I wanted to loosen it up a little bit," Hansbrough said. "I went over to Coach and told him I was ready to go, but I wasn't really sure until warmups."

Then came the game.

"They really come at you with a lot of guys. It's a heck of a basketball team," Brey said. "Lawson did a great job in transition and then we were digging out of a hole the whole game."

The Irish were coming off an 81-80 win over No. 6 Texas in the semifinals.

"To be honest, last night did take a lot out of us and they can rotate fresh bodies all game on you," Brey said.

North Carolina won the Maui Invitational in 1999 and 2004, and was the runner-up in 1989 and 1995. This was Notre Dame's second appearance, with the Fighting Irish finishing sixth in 1993.

This game could have had a real family feel but North Carolina freshman Tyler Zeller, the younger brother of Notre Dame's Luke Zeller, broke his arm against Kentucky and is out for the season, and Ben Hansbrough, the younger brother of Tyler Hansbrough, is sitting out this season at Notre Dame after transferring from Mississippi State.

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Longhorns fueled by revenge, not BCS hopes

November 26, 2008 10:04 AM


Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Texas players know their Bowl Championship Series hopes dangle precipitously as they prepare for old rival Texas A&M.

But their immediate chance for revenge supersedes even their postseason hopes.


Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Mike Goodson had 151 totals yards and two TDs in the Aggies' 38-30 upset win last year.
Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo's memory of the Aggies is never far away. Each day before he leaves his locker he briefly glances at a picture of running back Michael Goodson streaking past him for a touchdown in last year's game that punctuated A&M's 38-30 upset victory in College Station.

"I know it's pretty big because they put it in their media guide," Orkapo said. "Obviously this is one of those games that have been on my mind for a long, long time."

Actually, Goodson's touchdown run is such a big part of Aggies lore that it's pictured twice in A&M's 2008 media guide. It's plays like that over the last two years that have the Aggies brimming with confidence despite a disappointing 4-7 season.

In 2006, the Aggies claimed a 12-7 victory in Austin, punctuating the victory with a dramatic 16-play, 88-yard drive where they converted five third-down plays in the process. There was high drama as A&M quarterback Stephen McGee was vomiting on the field throughout that game-winning drive. And Texas quarterback Colt McCoy had to be carted away after a devastating hit by A&M defensive end Michael Bennett.

But more importantly, that game kept the Longhorns from advancing to the Big 12 Championship Game. Instead, Texas went to the Alamo Bowl the season after winning the national championship.

And last season, the Longhorns again were in the mix for the Big 12 title game before the Aggies sprung the upset in what turned out to be Dennis Franchione's last game at A&M.

The Longhorns remember both of those losses and what resulted from them.

"Those games are a huge motivation for us," Texas defensive end Henry Melton told the Houston Chronicle. "Nobody wants to lose to the Aggies. Not three times. Not one time. Not ever. We've had a couple of bad games against them and we're just trying to get back on track."

This season's A&M team, the first coached by Mike Sherman, bears little resemblance to those previously stout Aggies squads. But they could similarly ruin the Longhorns hopes by pulling off what would be one of the most memorable upsets in the 115-game history of the series.

A crowd of more than 98,000 -- expected to be the largest ever to watch a football game in Texas state history -- will attend the game at Darrell K. Royal/Texas Memorial Stadium.

For his part, Texas coach Mack Brown is trying to keep the BCS standings out of his pregame preparations. Instead, he's reminded his players that they will be facing friends and former high school teammates on the other sideline who would love to ruin their postseason plans again.

"Sitting here and talking about it (the BCS) is disrespectful to A&M, and it's not very smart," Brown said.

The Longhorns were briefed on the BCS shortly after the poll was released on Sunday and Brown said he hasn't mentioned it to them since.

"I have no control of the BCS," Orakpo said. "And I don't really care about it. We've got A&M this week and that's the only thing that's important to me."

Those victories over A&M's oldest natural rival weren't enough to save Franchione's job. And now the program has bottomed out in Sherman's first season. The Aggies have limped to a 4-7 record and will be out of bowl competition for the first time since 2005.

Already, reporters at Texas newspapers are wondering if the Aggies are poised to become the South Divison's cellar dweller after the emergence of Robert Griffin in Art Briles' program at Baylor.

But Sherman is pleased with how his team has progressed and persevered, even though it is poised to become the first A&M team in school history to lose every game against a South Division team this season -- barring a stunning upset on Thursday night.

"You can't hang onto the past because it'll drag you back, particularly in a season like this," Sherman said. "I think the guys for the most part have a very positive attitude. There's been the occasional clunker, but I don't let them dwell on the negative part. I think the guys, for what has transpired and the adversity we've been faced with, have handled themselves admirably."


Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Brian Orakpo, Michael Goodson, Stephen McGee, Colt McCoy, Michael Bennett, Dennis Franchione, Henry Melton, Mike Sherman, Mack Brown, Baylor Bears, Robert Griffin, Art Briles

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Big East Hoops looking Strong!http://www.bigeast.org/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19400&KEY=&SPID=11228&SPSID=92555

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2008 Weekend On Tap: Week 14 Rivals Week
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Mitch Light
Published: November 26th, 2008
Athlon Sports Senior Editor
Contact Via Email
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Click on any game to get Athlon's preview or head on over to our team pages to find a game preview for the rest of the 119 D-I teams. Also, be sure to check out this week's Goal Line Stand column and Five Burning Questions.

West Virginia (-3.5) at Pittsburgh

You can make a strong argument that West Virginia’s loss at home last season in the Backyard Brawl was the most damaging defeat in the history of college football. The Mountaineers, a 28.5-point favorite, lost an opportunity to play for a national title — something that doesn’t happen too often in Morgantown. The stakes aren’t quite as big this season, but this is still a big game for two 7–3 teams jockeying for bowl position.

West Virginia 24, Pittsburgh 19

LSU (-4.5) at Arkansas

Both teams must regroup after sobering losses to schools from the Magnolia State. LSU lost at home to Ole Miss 31–13, while Arkansas dropped a 31–28 decision to a Mississippi State team that had averaged 11.0 points in its first six SEC games. The Hogs’ hopes to play in a bowl game ended with the setback in Starkville, but Arkansas should still be motivated to end its season on a positive note. LSU appears headed toward the Chick-fil-A Bowl, though the Outback is still a possibility if South Carolina loses to Clemson.

Arkansas 28, LSU 27

Virginia (+8.5) at Virginia Tech

The once-red hot Cavaliers have dropped three straight games (two at home) and are in danger of missing out on postseason play. The Hokies got back on track with a 14–3 win over Duke, but Tech’s offense continues to struggle. The Hokies are averaging only 18.8 points over the past five games (two wins, three losses) and have not scored more than 23 points against a full-fledged Division I-A foe. This one should be low scoring.

Virginia Tech 14, Virginia 7

Georgia Tech (+8.5) at Georgia

Chan Gailey was fired at Georgia Tech, in part, due to his inability to beat Georgia. The Jackets were 0–6 vs. the Dawgs in the Gailey era and have not defeated Georgia since 2000. Georgia Tech’s option attack shredded Miami for 472 rushing yards en route to a 41–23 win in Atlanta last Thursday. Georgia is very solid against the run (tied for 15th nationally), but the option is a different animal. The Dawgs have been a disappointment in 2008. Yes, the record says they are 9–2, but the two losses have been lopsided and the majority of the wins have been less-than-inspiring. It’s time to make a statement.

Georgia 24, Georgia Tech 10

South Carolina (+1) at Clemson

The visiting team has won three straight in this battle of the Palmetto State. South Carolina lost all of its momentum by getting drilled at Florida 56–6 two weeks ago. Clemson, meanwhile, has won three of its last four games, including an impressive 13–3 victory at Virginia last weekend. The Tigers’ late-season surge could be enough to get the interim tag removed from Dabo Swinney’s title. He is the players’ choice for the job (though that is not necessarily a good thing) and is known to be a favorite of athletic director Terry Don Phillips. A win over the hated rivals from Columbia can only help.

Clemson 23, South Carolina 16

Miami (-1.5) at North Carolina State

An afterthought for much of the 2008 season, North Carolina State is making a late charge toward bowl-eligibility. The Pack improved their record to 5–6 with a dominating 41–10 win against rival North Carolina in Chapel Hill. With wins over East Carolina, Duke, Wake and UNC, NC State can claim the mythical state championship. The Florida state title, however, is out of the question: The Pack have already lost to Florida State and South Florida.

NC State 27, Miami 20

Kansas (+14) vs. Missouri (Kansas City)

How things change in one short year. Last November, this neutral-site showdown was a battle of top 5 teams vying for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and a berth in the BCS title game. Now, it’s simply a rivalry game between two teams that are a bit disappointed with their current lot in the college football landscape. Missouri is 9–2 and headed to the Big 12 title game, but the Tigers had planned on being in the thick of the national championship picture. Kansas, on the other hand, is 6–5 overall (3–4 in the Big 12) and hoping to avoid a .500 regular season.

Missouri 44, Kansas 24

Florida (-15.5) at Florida State

When Florida increased its lead over The Citadel to 42–0 midway through the second quarter, it marked the fifth straight game in which the Gators have scored their sixth touchdown before their opponent scored their first. Think about that. Will it happen again? Not likely. Florida State isn’t the Florida State of the 1990s or early 2000s, but it also isn’t the Florida State of the mid 2000s. The Noles are 8–3 overall and showing signs of returning to elite status. The Gators might break a sweat for the first time in two months, but the run to the national title game will continue.

Florida 37, Florida State 17

Auburn (+14) at Alabama

Could this be the year? Can the Tide finally break through and beat Auburn for the first time since 2001? It better be. With so much on the line, Alabama faithful will accept nothing less than a dominating win over the hated Tigers. In reality, a one-point win will do the trick — keep national title hopes alive — but a close win over a struggling Auburn team won’t do much for this team’s confidence with the mighty Gators looming on the horizon.

Alabama 31, Auburn 14

Oregon (+3.5) at Oregon State

What more can an Oregon State fan ask for: Beat Oregon in the Civil War to earn a spot in the Rose Bowl? Amazingly, it’s there for the taking for the Beavers, who opened the season with losses in their first two games and three in their first five. OSU might have to forge ahead without star running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who injured his shoulder in Saturday’s win vs. Arizona. He is doubtful for the Civil War. Oregon can still claim a share of the league title, but the Ducks need to beat the Beavers and hope UCLA shocks USC.

Oregon State 33, Oregon 26

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Updated Rivals.com Bowl Projections-Here are Rivals.com's latest bowl projections for the season. We will update these weekly, as situations obviously change.

A few notes:

• A bowl's tie-in with a league doesn't necessarily mean it will get the third-, fourth-, fifth-, etc., place team from the league; rather, it means it gets the third, fourth, fifth, etc., selection from that league.

• Notre Dame is part of the Big East's bowl lineup.

• An asterisk denotes a team that will be in the bowl because a league will not be able to fulfill its obligation. This week, we're saying the Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC fall short of filling their bowl slots. In some situations, other conferences have deals to provide teams if the "original" conference can't fill its spots; in those instances, the fill-in conference first fills it own bowl slots. The WAC has a deal with the Poinsettia; Conference USA has a deal with the Hawaii; and the Sun Belt has deals with the Independence, Papajohns.com and the St. Petersburg bowls. If the fill-in conference doesn't have enough bowl-eligible teams, the bowl then is allowed to pick an at-large team that is bowl-eligible.
BCS BOWLS
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, Miami - Jan. 8, 8 p.m., Fox
Matchup: BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2
This week's projection: Oklahoma vs. Florida
ROSE BOWL, Pasadena, Calif. - Jan. 1, 4:30 p.m., ABC
Matchup: BCS vs. BCS
This week's projection: Oregon State vs. Penn State
ORANGE BOWL, Miami - Jan. 1, 8 p.m., Fox
Matchup: BCS vs. BCS
This week's projection: Florida State vs. Cincinnati
SUGAR BOWL, New Orleans - Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m., Fox
Matchup: BCS vs. BCS
This week's projection: Alabama vs. Utah
FIESTA BOWL, Glendale, Ariz. - Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Fox
Matchup: BCS vs. BCS
This week's projection: Texas vs. USC
NON-BCS BOWLS
EAGLEBANK BOWL, Washington - Dec. 20, 11 a.m., ESPN
Matchup: Navy/at-large vs. ACC 9
This week's projection: Navy vs. N.C. State
NEW MEXICO BOWL, Albuquerque - Dec. 20, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Western Athletic vs. Mountain West 4
This week's projection: Fresno State vs. Colorado State
ST. PETERSBURG BOWL, St. Petersburg, Fla. - Dec. 20, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Matchup: Big East 6 vs. Conference USA 5
This week's projection: USF vs. Southern Miss
LAS VEGAS BOWL, Las Vegas - Dec. 20, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Mountain West 1 vs. Pac-10 4/5
This week's projection: BYU vs. Oregon
NEW ORLEANS BOWL, New Orleans - Dec. 21, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Conference USA 4 vs. Sun Belt 1
This week's projection: Memphis vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
POINSETTIA BOWL, San Diego - Dec. 23, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Mountain West 2 vs. Pac-10 7
This week's projection: TCU vs. Boise State*
HAWAII BOWL, Honolulu - Dec. 24, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Pac-10 6 vs. Western Athletic
This week's projection: Western Michigan* at Hawaii
MOTOR CITY BOWL, Detroit - Dec. 26, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Big Ten 7 vs. Mid-American 1
This week's projection: Minnesota vs. Ball State
MEINEKE CAR CARE, Charlotte, N.C. - Dec. 27, 1 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: ACC 6 vs. Big East 3
This week's projection: Boston College vs. Pittsburgh
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL, Orlando, Fla. - Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: ACC 4 vs. Big Ten 5
This week's projection: Virginia Tech vs. Northwestern
EMERALD BOWL, San Francisco - Dec. 27, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: ACC 7 vs. Pac-10 4/5
This week's projection: Miami vs. Notre Dame*
INDEPENDENCE BOWL, Shreveport, La. - Dec. 28, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Big 12 8 vs. SEC 8
This week's projection: Florida Atlantic* vs. Louisiana Tech*
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL, Birmingham, Ala. - Dec. 29, 3 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Big East 4 vs. SEC 9
This week's projection: Rutgers vs. Troy*
ALAMO BOWL, San Antonio - Dec. 29, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Big Ten 4 vs. Big 12 4
This week's projection: Iowa vs. Oklahoma State
HUMANITARIAN BOWL, Boise, Idaho - Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: ACC 8 vs. Western Athletic
This week's projection: Wake Forest at Nevada
HOLIDAY BOWL, San Diego - Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Big 12 3 vs. Pac-10 2
This week's projection: Missouri vs. California
TEXAS BOWL, Houston - Dec. 30, 8 p.m., NFL Network
Matchup: Conference USA 6 vs. Big 12 9
This week's projection: Rice vs. Northern Illinois*
ARMED FORCES BOWL, Fort Worth, Texas - Dec. 31, noon, ESPN
Matchup: Conference USA 3 vs. Mountain West 3
This week's projection: East Carolina vs. Air Force
SUN BOWL, El Paso, Texas - Dec. 31, 2 p.m., CBS
Matchup: Big 12 6/Big East 2 vs. Pac-10 3
This week's projection: West Virginia vs. Arizona
MUSIC CITY BOWL, Nashville, Tenn. - Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: ACC 5 vs. SEC 6/7
This week's projection: Maryland vs. Vanderbilt
INSIGHT BOWL, Tempe, Ariz. - Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m., NFL Network
Matchup: Big Ten 6 vs. Big 12 7
This week's projection: Wisconsin vs. Kansas
CHICK-FIL-A BOWL, Atlanta - Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: ACC 2 vs. SEC 5
This week's projection: North Carolina vs. LSU
OUTBACK BOWL, Tampa, Fla. - Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN
Matchup: Big Ten 3 vs. SEC 3
This week's projection: Michigan State vs. South Carolina
CAPITAL ONE BOWL, Orlando, Fla. - Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ABC
Matchup: Big Ten 2 vs. SEC 2
This week's projection: Ohio State vs. Georgia
GATOR BOWL, Jacksonville, Fla. - Jan. 1, 1 p.m., CBS
Matchup: ACC 3 vs. Big East 2/Big 12 5
This week's projection: Georgia Tech vs. Nebraska
COTTON BOWL, Dallas - Jan. 2, 2 p.m., Fox
Matchup: Big 12 2 vs. SEC 4
This week's projection: Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss
LIBERTY BOWL, Memphis, Tenn. - Jan. 2, 5 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Conference USA 1 vs. SEC 6/7
This week's projection: Houston vs. Kentucky
INTERNATIONAL BOWL, Toronto - Jan. 3, noon, ESPN2
Matchup: Big East 5 vs. Mid-American 2
This week's projection: Connecticut vs. Buffalo
GMAC BOWL, Mobile, Ala. - Jan. 6, 8 p.m., ESPN
Matchup: Conference USA 2 vs. Mid-American 3
This week's projection: Tulsa vs. Central Michigan

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Penn State Now Forced - STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State coach Joe Paterno would rather not have a six-week layoff before the Rose Bowl, even though history suggests the long sabbatical won't bother his team one bit. The Big Ten ends its season a week earlier than every other "Big Six" conference, which has led to speculation that it hinders the conference's bowl performance. The Big Ten is moving next season to a longer schedule that will allow its teams to end the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend.

"Everybody we play in a bowl game has played football during the period when we are not doing anything," Paterno said. "There won't be a Big Ten team playing a football game in the next month, or at least until they go to a bowl game. I really think that that hurts us a little bit. Some of the [non-Big Ten] teams that will be in bowl games have two more games to play.

"I don't like it, but that's the cards you get and that's what you have to deal with."

Penn State traditionally deals with it just fine.

The Nittany Lions have won their bowl in each of the past three seasons; the rest of the Big Ten owns a 5-14 bowl record during the same time frame. Penn State's 26-23 triple-overtime triumph over Florida State in the Orange Bowl three years ago represents the Big Ten's last BCS victory.

How has Penn State managed to maintain its intensity during the long holiday layoff? Quarterback Daryll Clark gives a simple two-word answer to this complex question: "Joe Paterno."

Paterno has coached in and won more bowls than anyone in history. His career bowl record of 23-10-1 gives him a .691 winning percentage, which ranks second to former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd all-time among coaches who participated in at least a dozen bowls.

If Penn State wins its BCS game this season, Paterno will pass Dodd on the list. Penn State almost certainly will play in the Rose Bowl, though the Nittany Lions also maintain extremely faint hopes of reaching the BCS Championship Game.

Paterno's comments to the team after Penn State's Big Ten-clinching 49-18 victory over Michigan State last week revealed how he's always looking forward, no matter how far away the next game may be.

"He's our guy," Clark said after the Michigan State game. "He tells us, 'We did something very great tonight, but guess what? We've got one more game. Let's get back out there and practice hard.' ''

Penn State's likely bowl practice schedule doesn't really stray from the norm. Penn State has no classes or workouts this week, but the Nittany Lions probably will practice a couple of days in each of the next two weeks before final exams begin Dec. 15. The team will arrive at its bowl destination around Dec. 20 and will practice the week leading up to the bowl as if it were getting ready for a regular-season game.

Even though most other bowl-bound teams have similar itineraries, they often don't look as prepared as Penn State. The Penn State players attribute their postseason preparation to the coaching staff.

"Our coaches are magnificent," Penn State defensive end Josh Gaines said. "Our coaches do a good job of getting us ready. When we go out to bowl sites, it's fun. But at the same time, it's business. The coaches do a good job of keeping us focused and keeping us ready."

And no matter how much Paterno might not like the long layoff, his team refuses to use it as a convenient excuse for a poor performance. Linebacker Tyrell Sales believes the Nittany Lions actually could benefit from the extra time off.


Bowling them over
Penn State coach Joe Paterno has more bowl appearances and bowl victories than any coach in college football history. This list shows he also has the second-best bowl winning percentage of any coach who has participated in at least 12 bowls.
Name School Record Pct.
Bobby Dodd Georgia Tech 9-4 .692
Joe Paterno Penn State 23-10-1 .691
Don James Washington 10-5 .667
Bobby Bowden West Virginia/FSU 20-10-1 .661
Terry Donahue UCLA 8-4-1 .654
"It could be a disadvantage, but it could be an advantage," Sales said. "[It's] any way you want to look at it. We're going to be healthy. We're going to be fresh. And we're going to be ready to go."

Assuming Penn State ends up in the Rose Bowl, the Nittany Lions could need all of Paterno's postseason guile to keep their bowl streak going. Penn State would face either USC or Oregon State in the Rose Bowl, depending on the result of Oregon's game at Oregon State this weekend.

If Oregon beats Oregon State, Penn State would enter the Rose Bowl as an underdog to USC, which has beaten its Big Ten opponent by an average margin of 23 points in the past two Rose Bowls. If Oregon State defeats Oregon, it would set up a rematch of Penn State's 45-14 victory over the Beavers in the second week of the regular season.

Last year's postseason results suggest bowl rematches favor the loser of the regular-season game. BYU beat UCLA 17-16 in the Las Vegas Bowl after losing to the Bruins 27-17 in the regular season. Purdue trounced Central Michigan 45-20 in the regular season and squeaked past the Chippewas 51-48 in the Motor City Bowl.

Then again, Paterno's history indicates that Penn State has a good chance to continue its history of postseason success. His teams traditionally play their best when the stakes are highest, so the pressure surrounding a BCS game shouldn't bother them.

Penn State is a combined 14-4 in the Rose, Orange, Cotton, Sugar and Fiesta bowls during the Paterno era. The Nittany Lions won their first national title in 1982 by winning the Sugar Bowl over Georgia in Herschel Walker's final game. Four years later, Penn State clinched its second championship with a Fiesta Bowl victory over Miami that remains one of the most memorable upsets in bowl history.

The Nittany Lions don't expect an inconveniently long layoff to interrupt their plans to add to Paterno's legacy as the most successful postseason coach in college football history.

"Everyone's excited to play,'' Clark said. "Everyone's excited to go to Pasadena and play some football. Rust? I don't think so. It's just a matter of making sure you keep your intensity up.

"If it gets down, he'll bring it back up for us."

Steve Megargee is a national writer for Rivals

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Could Weis be cooked?
By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports
Nov 24, 8:10 am EST

Buzz Up PrintMore From Dan WetzelA rank way to decide conference Nov 23, 2008 Buck stops here for 'Big Game Bob' Nov 20, 2008
Saturday his hair stood in a clump, straight up in the air, frozen in place. It looked like he hadn’t slept or shaved. His gray hoodie neither channeled his inner Bill Belichick nor wore him well. At least he looked better than the week before, when his entire being was comically drowned in a Maryland monsoon.

Two weeks, two desperate late-game visions involving Charlie Weis. He survived a furious rally at Navy, he didn’t Saturday against Syracuse. He looked both battered by the elements and out of his element.

Saturday it was another blown lead, another crushing loss, another round of questions about whether this guy is capable of waking the echoes at Notre Dame as he had once assured with over the top braggadocio.

Only now he doesn’t even look like a guy in command of his program but rather a coach with more questions than answers, someone hanging on not pushing forward.

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Image may not be everything in college football – wins are – but it is something and no coach is projecting a more disheveled one than Charlie Weis. Here at the end of his fourth season, his Irish floundering at 6-5, promised progress still difficult to see, where it goes from here is anyone’s guess.

“I can’t worry about my job status,” Weis said Sunday. “I’m the head football coach. And that’s what I intend to be.”

At home, on Senior Day, his team had been pelted by snowballs from the student section. Weis had been heckled on his walk out of the stadium according to Jeff Carroll of the South Bend Tribune, angry Irish fans taunting him to return to the NFL.

Looming in the season finale is Pete Carroll and the mighty USC Trojans. It was once reported that Weis, upon first meeting his Irish team four seasons ago, told them they’d never lose to USC again. True or not, Carroll believes it so. He’s 3-0 against the Irish, winning the last two by a combined score of 82-24.

Now Carroll has the chance to do to Weis what Jimmy Johnson once did to Gerry Faust, lay a beat down so severe it sends Notre Dame into a regime change.

Ironically the Irish’s near upset of USC in 2005 remains the high watermark for Weis. He parlayed that into some buzz from friendly New York media that he was a hot NFL commodity. Notre Dame responded with an outrageous and unnecessary $32 million contract extension.

It may be his saving grace.

If Weis returns next season, it’s a testament to one of three extraordinary developments:

1.) His flat-lining team somehow stuns USC at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

2.) The economic downturn has so thinned Irish fat cats that they can’t afford the reported $20 million needed to buy out the aforementioned contract.

3.) Someone in power, likely higher than the school’s first-year athletic director, sees some bit of coaching genius flickering deep inside Weis that few others can right now.

Light a candle at the Grotto, Charlie.

There are no excuses remaining for Weis, no justifications or explanations. His team is regressing (2-4 since a 4-1 start). Worse, it often seems incapable of executing the most elementary aspects of the game.

The fans have been patient. They sat through a 3-9 season understanding a talent gap existed from past recruiting failures. Weis has rectified that. His best players may be young but no one is asking for a national title.

They want a sign of something. Blowing a fourth-quarter lead to Syracuse isn’t it.

Both Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie were fired by now, which isn’t to say doing the same to Weis doesn’t create its own problems. Past arrogance made Notre Dame assume it could snap its fingers and bring in a top-line coach. Four years ago it thought it’d get Urban Meyer. About 15 choices later it settled on Weis.

There is no reason to think it will be different this time. They can’t just place a phone call to Tom Coughlin or Bob Stoops and schedule the news conference. Weis may be struggling, but not only is the grass on the other side not always greener, it may not even be green.

Sunday he tried to make the case that the program was progressing, noting that players are gaining experience and unlike last year, the losses have been close. It’s a tough argument.

“Going from a crummy team to what I think is a decent team,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we’re anywhere near good but I would say we’re decent.

“And I say as you look forward into next year, as you take the next step, if you take a step from three wins to six or seven wins, not including a bowl game, going to the next year, you should expect the progression to be at least as good if not better.”

This was always the plan, using this season as a transition to the next two, when his best players would be upper classmen and the schedule would be favorable.

Decent teams don’t struggle to run the ball, though. They don’t keep mentally breaking down or taking bad penalties or mentally let up with a lead.

Weis brought three promises to the job. He would be an excellent game coach having won three Super Bowls as the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. He would recruit aggressively and procure some of the best high school talent in America.

And he would be unapologetically bold; a larger than life, love him or loathe him personality. After a decade of dull figures Davie and Willingham complaining about too-high academic standards and too-tough schedules, Notre Dame needed someone who’d embrace the challenge and rile everyone up.

The “decided schematic advantage” he once promised and probably forever regrets has yet to materialize. The genius in Foxborough, it turns out, is Belichick, who keeps winning no matter who his coordinator or quarterback is.

While the recruits have arrived and Weis has always projected a confidence that glory was just around the corner, now there are those scenes from the sidelines.

There are those snapshots of bad hair and sagging eyes and muffled explanations for what the heck just happened. Now there are snowballs and taunts. Now Charlie Weis doesn’t look so confident anymore.

“[We] have a chance of being pretty darned good,” he kept reminding Sunday.

He may still believe it. He can only hope someone else does too.

[RJ Trotts]

Go Gators...and SMMW!! RJ

[RJ Trotts]

nice siggy...you taking OSU or Florida???
my call...Flor 31, OSU 17...RJ

[Outlawbabe]

I don't know but Pitt just made one
hell of a play!!