Coach prefers candidates for Heisman

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Our Endorsement

America faces an important choice and the contestants have painted compelling and detailed portraits. The contestants have battled for weeks and by now we have a clear picture of what each of them bring to the table and what they would mean for this country.

Alabama has manhandled its competition …
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Tressel Meets with a Feisty Press

With the bye week, the flow of information coming out of the WHAC has been a bit slower than normal, but Tressel did speak with the press on Thursday afternoon. As you might imagine, much of what he had to say was in response to questions about the offense …
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Greetings from Gopher Country

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s almost November and you don’t need a jacket here. This is a very good thing.

The weather is perfect and it’s a shame Saturday’s game will be played indoors. I arrived early this afternoon and spend most of the day at The U — that’s the University of Minnesota for non-locals. A very underrated campus, by the way.

You’ll have to read the blog on Monday to get specifics about my hourlong tour of TCF Bank Stadium, which will open on Sept. 12, 2009. But let me say it’s an excellent facility that Big Ten fans are going to love.

Before the tour, I spent a little time over at the football offices.

I met Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber and chatted briefly with defensive coordinator Ted Roof and offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar, who I know from his time at Northwestern. Roof asked me not to bring Minnesota bad luck. I replied that Wisconsin is 0-3 in games I’ve attended this season.

I also spent a few minutes with head coach Tim Brewster, who made sure to show me the view from his office of the TCF Bank Stadium construction. Brewster expects a tough game Saturday from Northwestern, even though the Wildcats won’t be at full strength. Brewster also has checked out the Big Ten blog, which is always nice to hear. It’s rare that you get to talk to a coach the day before a game, so I appreciate Brewster taking the time to meet with me.

He also introduced me to former Gophers All-American and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bell, who stopped by his office. Pretty cool.

I’ll be back in the morning with more updates, so check back then. Enjoy Halloween.

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Ohio State vs. USC Rosebowl Rematch?

O.K. So we’ve lost our shot at the BCS championship. That doesn’t mean that a Rose Bowl appearance is out of the question. Besides, isn’t that what Big Ten football is all about – the Rose Bowl?

If everything falls in place, and this is in now way a stretch, Ohio …
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College Football Week 10 Predictions: Spread and Straight Up

Through nine weeks of the season, I am 28-23-2 against the spread and 46-18 straight up.

Saturday

Miami at Virginia (-2)

Virginia has been playing well as of late, but Miami has too many athletes.

Winner: (Spread) Miami; (Straight Up) Miami

West Virginia at Connecticut (+3.5)

WVU looked awfully good against Auburn.

Winner: (Spread) West Virginia; (Straight Up) West Virginia

Auburn at Mississippi (-6.5)

I’ve just got a gut feeling that the Tigers will pull this one out.

Winner: (Spread) Auburn; (Straight Up) Auburn

Tulsa at Arkansas (+7)

Tulsa is for real, and Arkansas is really bad.

Winner: (Spread) Tulsa; (Straight Up) Tulsa

Tennessee at South Carolina (-5.5)

The Gamecocks have been playing better as of late, and the Vols are terrible.

Winner: (Spread) South Carolina; (Straight Up) South Carolina

Florida at Georgia (Neutral Site) (+6.5)

Tebow is too much for the Dawgs. The Gators will be looking for revenge after the Bulldogs all stormed the field after scoring their first touchdown last year.

Winner: (Spread) Florida; (Straight Up) Florida

Oregon at California (-3)

I really like Oregon’s team this season.

Winner: (Spread) Oregon; (Straight Up) Oregon

Texas at Texas Tech (+3.5)

Is this finally the week Texas gets upset? I don’t think so. The Longhorns offense will not be stopped, and Will Muschamp will have his defense playing well enough to win.

Winner: (Spread) Texas; (Straight Up) Texas

Wisconsin at Michigan State (-5.5)

Javon Ringer will run all over the Badgers.

Winner: (Spread) Michigan State; (Straight Up) Michigan State

Clemson at Boston College (-3.5)

Clemson is 0-fer on the season against the spread. That will change this week. Dabo Swinney will have the Tigers ready to go, and they will play with two quarterbacks with Willy Korn and Cullen Harper. The return of C.J. Spiller will help the Tigers a lot this week.

Winner: (Spread) Clemson; (Straight Up) Clemson

BYU at Colorado State (+14.5)

BYU’s offense is way too high-powered for the Rams.

Winner: (Spread) BYU; (Straight Up) BYU

Florida State at Georgia Tech (-2)

The Seminoles have looked really good this season. The Yellow Jackets have kept on winning. I think FSU has too much speed on offense and defense for Georgia Tech.

Winner: (Spread) Florida State; (Straight Up) Florida State

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Something to watch for – aka “laughing at Michigan still”

With no Ohio State game this weekend, I’m probably going to be watching no football on Saturday.  Truth be told, I’m going to Cedar Point for Halloweekend, and riding the Millenium Force at night.

The Big Ten schedule has it’s two best teams taking the week off with the Buckeyes and Penn State resting for the final stretch.  Most teams will be fighting for a shot of bowl season.  And two teams will be fighting for survival.

Michigan (2-6, 1-3 Big Ten) will be at Purdue (2-6, 0-4) for a Noon kickoff.  Both teams need to win all four of their remaining games to become bowl-eligible, so at least one of these teams will walk off the field on Saturday knowing that the season ends in November.

Michigan fans will say whatever they want to make themselves feel better in the morning….but not a single one of them would have ever predicted they’d end their bowl streak during Week 9 of this year.  They can rationalize it all they want, but a 2-7 record while playing teams like Miami (OH) and Toledo and Notre Dame was NEVER acceptable to them.

So as you watch the noon games, keep that in mind…that Michigan has their pride on the line.  Their beloved streak could be over in 24 hours, and all they’ll have left to clamor about is thier all-time win-loss record.

And you just KNOW they will ALL fall back on that tired argument, as if any of them can recall the early days of Michigan football.  Like way back in 19-ott-8 when Phineus Q. Rosenblatt ran for 80 lengths in a match.  He had the lasses blushin’ in their bloomers, he did.

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#17 Golden Gophers Aren’t Getting The Attention They Deserve

A few weeks back I was reading an article on ESPN.com about the biggest turn around from one season to another. And no where did it mention the Golden Gophers who are perhaps the best story of the Big Ten and even all of college football.

The gophers last year were 1-11 and were found in college footballs worst 10 every week. However this year they are 7-1 and are 17th in the BCS rankings.

Even though the Gophers are ranked higher than 8 teams in the top 25, they are constantly over looked. All the major networks focus on teams in bigger markets. There are few highlights of the games on TV every Saturday.

With one of the better teams in the nation don’t you think they deserve more time? Every other team gets it so why not us?

Adam Weber is arguably one of the best Quarterbacks in the Big Ten, if not the best. Yet he doesn’t get the attention that lets say a Juice Williams from Illinois, who’s team is only 4-4 and not anywhere near what they expected.

Adam Weber has put up the numbers to get his team where they are today. Along side him is Eric Decker, who has to be the best Wide Receiver in the Big Ten with 66 Receptions for 833 yards and 5 TD’s.

His name should be mentioned for The Biletnikoff Award yet no one seems to be considering him Because of where he plays. There are very few receivers with more yards, five to be exact. But Decker does more for his team. Michael Crabtree is also below Decker but he seems to be on every highlight.

The most obvious reason for the Gophers turnaround is the Defense. Coached by Ted Roof and led by Willie Vandesteeg, Marcus Sherels, and Steve Davis. The defense has allowed only 17 points a game while taking away the ball and creating scoring opportunities for the offense.

The defense was ranked among the last the previous season but this year it has been turned around. With more Focus on turnovers, designating a day of practice called take-away Tuesday, which in turn has led to results in the games.

The Gophers are plus 24 in the turnover category putting more pressure on the opposing team to not make mistakes, because if they do this defense will make them pay. The defense is really good but like Weber and Decker they are not getting the credit they deserve.

The biggest Reason however, for this turn around has to be Head Coach Tim Brewster. He brought a lot to this team and he knows how to win. In only his second year he has improved a team that won one game last year, albeit under him, to a team 8-1 with serious chances to make it to a Bowl Game, maybe even the Rose Bowl. His Recruiting is what makes him special he brought in a top recruiting class last season, and seems to be on his way this season.

Brewster also brought excitement back to Minnesota Football and is the main reason for success. He should be Coach of the year and still is over looked.

The Gophers deserve to get more attention and their play is proving it. This weekend The Gophers face off against Northwestern at The Metrodome. If the Gophers get to 9-1 and beat Northwestern they deserve to get more National Spotlight.

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Mitch’s Week 10 College Football Picks: Part Four (Dawgs Vs. Gators)

I’m ready for a weekend of some conference play football.

Usually when I look at the schedule and not too many games pop out at me, I think that by the times the lines come out I’ll have a good idea on most of them. This week is no different.

I’m excited to watch some good conference play, and while I haven’t written up as many games as I normally do, I will probably sneak a few more picks in when I do my weekly Saturday line change article.

Who knows—maybe I’ll even throw an extra pick into the free newsletter this week. That would be in addition to the two in-depth analyzed games I normally do.

This week’s free picking contest appears to be bigger than last week’s, but as the numbers grow, so does the fun in seeing how you did compared to other people. It’s free and easy to enter, and while you are running out of time, if you are reading this a few hours before kickoff on Saturday, you still have time to enter.

In any event let’s get back to picking some games.

Georgia +6 1/2 Vs. Florida (Saturday, Nov. 1, 3:30 EST): 4 out of 10

Most people who read my articles know that unless this game is in my newsletter, it probably isn’t a play I feel too strongly about, and to be 100 percent honest, this may be as much of a “hunch” play as I play.

While Jordan and his 59-21 record against the spread this season are on the Gators, I’m back on the Georgia Bulldogs. All week the spread has been moving up, and while I feel OK here at 6 1/2, I know 7 isn’t too far behind, as I see hardly anyone who is on the Dawgs.

Statistically, this one is all Florida, even if you look at the way the teams have been playing, with the Gators looking flashy and having a special teams unit that is truly one of the best units of any kind in the country this year.

I think that not only is this a case where public perception has simply taken hold, but where we are just getting way too many points to pass up as the underdog has covered in five of the past seven cocktail parties. Last year was the first time the margin of victory was greater than seven points since 2001.

I honestly believe that this line comes from the first half of the Georgia-Alabama game. While Florida has played extremely well and covered some big numbers, it will be interesting to see how and if they can stop the human highlight film that is Knowshon Moreno.

Personally, I just think the Bulldogs are a “tougher” team and take it to the Gators head on. This should be a classic, and no matter who walks out of Jacksonville with the win, it will probably be another close one, so I’m on the Georgia Bulldogs with the points. Is anyone really surprised?

See more of Mitch’s Week 10, Part Four college football picks against the spread.

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True gauge on Gophers could take some time

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

As I sit here in O’Hare Airport waiting for a now-delayed flight to Minneapolis, my thoughts have turned to No. 17 Minnesota, quite possibly the nation’s biggest surprise this season. Tim Brewster certainly should be considered for national coach of the year honors, and coordinator Ted Roof’s transformation of the nation’s worst defense is admirable.

The Gophers win with opportunistic football, leading the nation in both takeaways (24) and turnover margin (plus-1.88). Quarterback Adam Weber is a perfect fit for Mike Dunbar’s offense, and Eric Decker might be the nation’s most underrated wide receiver.

All great stuff, but how good is this team? We might not know for a while.

Only one of Minnesota’s seven victories has come against a team with a winning record (Northern Illinois). Minnesota’s road win at Illinois was solid, but the Illini have been a major disappointment this season. And the Gophers could run the table and go 11-1 without beating a ranked opponent, which is mind-boggling.

This is mostly the fault of the Big Ten’s unbalanced schedule, which took both Penn State and Michigan State off the Gophers’ slate this season. It can also be attributed to Minnesota’s tradition of four-ply nonconference schedules, designed to get the team to minor bowl games despite poor Big Ten records. Also, it would help if the Big Ten were a little stronger this year.

Thankfully, this pattern will change in the coming years, as Minnesota has games against Cal, Washington State (they’ll be better by then), Colorado and Air Force.

So while I’m excited to finally see the Gophers in person Saturday, I don’t expect to come away with many definitive answers about this team. It would help if 6-2 Northwestern was at full strength.

Other potential tests await as the Gophers visit Wisconsin (Nov. 15) and host Iowa (Nov. 22), but we might not get a great gauge until the postseason. Unfortunately, this is the problem with an unbalanced Big Ten schedule and no league championship game.

The Gophers and their fans deserve to celebrate the season and the strides the program is making. But the rest of the country might reserve judgment until late December or early January.

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