The Final Coaches Poll: Wheel Of Politics!

Ah, yes. The final coaches poll has been made public, and as usual, there are some truly noteworthy voting practices amongst our fair and balanced coaches. Some take this seriously, some cast their votes with reckless abandon, and some prove they just need a lobotomy.

It’s time to play “Who’s the biggest Homer?”

Here is the actual final poll, so you can see how the teams ended up, and then compare how some esteemed and knowledgeable coaches voted versus their brethren.

1. Oklahoma

2. Florida

3. Texas

4. Alabama/USC (tie)

6. Penn State

7. Utah

8. Texas tech

9. Boise State

10. Ohio State

11. TCU

12. Cincy

13. Oregon

14. Oklahoma State

15. Georgia Tech

16. BYU

17. Georgia

18. Michigan State

19. Va Tech

20. Northwestern

21. Pitt

22. Ball State

23. Mizzou

24. Ole Miss

25. Oregon State

 

First up is Urban Meyer, coach of the Florida Gators. Just how unbiased was he?

He voted Florida No. 1, Alabama No. 3, Utah (his former team) No. 4, USC No. 6, BYU No. 20, Georgia No. 21, and the biggie, Ole Miss No. 12.

Let’s see now, Ole Miss beat Florida. Bada bing. They must be great, right? BYU is his former team’s nemesis while Georgia is his current nemesis, so there’s no bias whatsoever in giving them the shaft, now is there? 

Our second coach needs no introduction when it comes to hating other conferences. Howard Schnellenberger, coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls, hates the Pac-10. Don’t believe me? Check out his votes: USC No. 8, Oregon No. 19, and he didn’t place Oregon State in the top 25. Yes, Howard, you deserve the booby price for the second straight year (Last year his venom was directed at the Florida Gators).

Our third coach is Bobby Bowden, who truly has shown how sharp his brain is this year. Dadgummit Bobby, either retire or shape up. Oklahoma State got a No. 18 from him, and Michigan State got a No. 13. Did he actually confuse these two teams? It looks like it.

Todd Dodge, coach at North Texas, voted Ball State, the loser to Buffalo in the MAC Championship, No. 15. Let that one sink in.

Dan Hawkins, Colorado’s coach, voted Mizzou at No. 16, Oklahoma No. 1  and Texas No. 2. He just loves the Big 12, doesn’t he?

Mike Leach voted Texas Tech at No. 2. Surprised, anyone?

Pat Hill, Fresno State’s coach, must not have had his coffee when he casted his votes: Boise State No. 6, Ball State No. 17, and Va. Tech No. 12.

Then there’s our lovable Les Miles, who has preached about the tough path of the SEC and its opponents. How did he vote? Like a good ‘ol Southern boy. Florida No. 1, Alabama No. 4, Oregon No. 17 (hate the Pac-10, Les?), Georgia Tech (ACC) No. 12, Georgia No. 13, and Ole Miss No. 14. Surprised Vandy and South Carolina aren’t in there? They may be- there is one team he voted for that didn’t make the top 25. Could it be LSU?

Mark Richt, Georgia’s coach, has also expressed his fondness for the SEC, just like Coach Miles. He ranked Florida No. 1, Alabama No. 2, and Ole Miss No. 20. How does a second place SEC team get ranked ahead of a Big 12 conference champ?

Funny, there are some teams he voted for that didn’t make the top 25- can we guess who they are? (I’ll put ten bucks on South Carolina, LSU and Auburn) If you want to know how five SEC teams were ranked in the top ten at one point, now you know.

Then there are coaches like UCF’s George O’Leary, whose hatred towards one particular conference is pretty evident. O’ Leary’s wrath this year is aimed at the Big Ten- he voted Michigan State No. 25, Northwestern No. 24, and Penn State No. 9.

But he’s not the only one who hates the Big Ten. Chris Petersen (Boise State) voted Penn State at No. 10, Boise State No. 7, and Michigan State No. 23. Ouch.

Gary Pinkel of Missouri placed Oklahoma No. 1, Texas No. 2, Texas Tech No. 6,  Oklahoma State No. 11, and Mizzou No. 18.

Tyrone Willingham voted Mizzou No. 11. How does a four-loss team that got smoked by Texas and Oklahoma get a No. 11 ranking? The other questionable vote by a Pac-10 coach was Rick Neuheisel’s ranking of Oregon State at No. 17, and Texas No. 1.

So which coaches were the most biased? Who gets the Homer Awards this year?

You have to give it to Gary Pinkel (Missouri) for his blatant bias towards the Big 12, Les Miles, Urban Meyer and Mark Richt for their SEC bias, and George O’ Leary for his hate on the Big Ten. Their motto should be, “Individually, we are strong. Together we are stronger.”

The polls are pretty disheartening, and sometimes we don’t understand why they are so skewed. By making the polls public, a fan can now see that polls don’t work. Some coaches were very fair in ranking the teams, while others used it as a platform to give their conference a boost. Disgusted yet?

Ready to scream for playoffs? Can we ditch the coaches poll?

coaches poll: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2008-12-08-final-coaches-ballots_N.htm

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College Football’s Top Twenty Biggest Disappointments

This year has seen some real surprises. But these twenty (in no particular order) are college football’s biggest disappointments. This is all about not meeting expectations- if a team had low expectations, then they didn’t make the list.

Clemson

We expected them to win the ACC, and instead, they just couldn’t win. It’s a sad state of affairs in South Carolina.

Arizona State

What happened? Sure Rudy Carpenter was dinged up, but the Sun Devils were expected to contend for the Pac-10, and instead, are now contending for a bowl-less season at a dismal 4-6, with a loss to UNLV starting the six-game free fall.

Auburn

The D is overrated, and Tuberville throwing his OC under the bus before one complete season was the low point for the Tiggers. You just knew it was going to be a bad season when TT said the 3-2 game against Mississippi State was a great defensive battle. Heads up Tommy, Ole Miss beat them 45-0.

Florida State

As usual, the Noles failed to live up to Garnet and Gold expectations. And as usual, Bowden will probably not retire because of Joe Pa’s solid season pushing him ahead in the race to the greatest number of wins by a college coach. Dadgummit, Bobby, you ain’t gonna catch him now.

Iowa

Sure they upset the Nits, but that’s it. The rest of the season, the Hawkeyes spent more time with legal counsel than in the training room. 8-4 is nothing to sneeze at, but losses to Northwestern and Illinois are. And before you start jumping on Northwestern’s bandwagon, remind yourself that FIVE of the Wildcats’ nine wins were over Syracuse, Southern Illinois, Duke, Ohio (Bobcats) and Michigan.

Wisconsin

Well, the perennial Capitol One Bowl delegate finally missed the boat after a truly dismal season. Anytime you have to stage a rally in the 4th quarter to beat Cal Poly in OT, your season stinks. Sure 7-5 isn’t bad, but the Badgers’ wins are over Akron, Marshall, Fresno State, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Cal-Poly. ‘Nuff said.

Georgia

They’ve had a good season but….getting blown out twice is not impressive. Great, or even very good teams, don’t get blown out (Texas Tech being the exception to the rule). They may lose every now and then, but get blown out? NO. Barely beating Kentucky and Auburn means Georgia Tech will probably upset the Dawgs. 

Notre Dame

They’ve improved this year? When you go from No. 115 in rushing offense to No. 92, and the coach says he’s going to “pound it” this year, that’s not real improvement. Then again, pretty much everything about Notre Dame hasn’t improved – except for the schedule’s “softness”  – and next year’s is as soft and cushy as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

Tennessee

Ok, we knew there was going to be a bit of a fall off, but this bad? The good news is that the Vols are getting a bright, offensive genius as their next coach. Kiff will bring back FUN to Vols football- he’s a younger version of Norm Chow.

ESPN

Dr. Lou has made serious gaffes and Herbstreit “scooped’ everyone by saying Les Miles was going to Michigan.  Then there’s this dilly  (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) of Lee Corso on the radio talking about Charlie Weis:

“The entire Catholic Church doesn’t have enough money to pay him off at .5 million for another seven years or whatever it is. So forget about it. The guy is going to be the football coach and they’re just going to have to live with what they’ve got.”   Umm Lee, did you temporarily lose your mind? The Catholic Church is so big they even have their own country (sort of) called Vatican City. If I’m not mistaken, ND prints their own money. Good grief.

The NCAA

Three years and counting, still no word on Bush-gate. By the time they get around to charging USC with something, California will have dropped off into the ocean after the Big One.

Fresno State

Wow, from a pre-season BCS-buster favorite to a team that that lost to Hawai’i (in OT), Louisiana Tech and Nevada, the Bulldogs went from snarling to gumming in three months.

LSU

It’s not the vaunted D we are disappointed in, it’s the fundamentals. Like tackling. And discipline. They show sparks of greatness, but that usually is followed up with long bouts of mediocrity. The bright spot? Frosh QB Jordan Jefferson, a rangy, athletic Randall Cunningham-like clone who has fast wheels and great moves. If he just could lose the whining face antics…

USC

Sure their loss to the Beavs was a loss to a ranked team, but for the first time in a long time, the Trojans can’t control their own destiny. Losing the “Little Games” has been a curse for the last two years, and next up for the Trojans? The Fighting Irish. Lose that one, and the Stanford upset will be forever forgotten.

Kansas

They lost a few good players (two good OT’s and CB Talib) from last year’s Cinderella team, but the schedule got a whole lot harder this year and the Jayhawks were exposed, big time.

South Florida

What happened to the Bulls? Beating Florida International 17-9 early in the season was a huge red flag.  Tanking three in a row to Louisville, Cincy and Rutgers, was the final nail in their 2-4 conference-record coffin. Except for West Virginia next week, of course.

Missouri

Were you like I, ready to pencil in Mizzou as the team to beat in the Big 12? Sure Oklahoma and Texas always are the cream of the crop, but  honestly, didn’t you expect a little more from Mizzou? They have no prayer of beating the Big 12 South champ, and lots of fans will be rooting for them for selfish reasons, but they will be disappointed. Again. And out of a BCS Bowl. Again.

Michigan

It’s the manner in which they lost all of those games that is so disturbing. Michigan never tanks games. Their new nickname should be the Shermans, no offense to Unioto High in Chillicothe, Ohio, who are called the Shermans.

The Pac-10

It was an ugly year, and even though there are three teams ranked, one of them will drop this weekend. Losing to the Mountain West Conference over one weekend was bad enough, but having really only one team represent the conference the last seven years is pretty sad. Oregon State can break that streak, but the Pac needs to step it up.

The ACC

The ACC has permeated college football with a noxious odor that won’t go away. Honestly, does their champ really deserve a BCS Bowl bid over a team like Texas Tech? If we had a playoff system, we’re pretty sure none of these teams would make it past the first round.

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What to Watch for – Week 14

The Buckeyes, along with the rest of the Big Ten, are in the clubhouse while most everyone else — minus 4 Pac-10 schools and a few Big East schools — finish up this weekend, conference title games notwithstanding.  Presuming there’s anything interesting going on, it should be a nice occasion to stuff your face with leftovers while watching stirring rivalry games like LSU-Arkansas… and Colorado-Nebraska… and Auburn-Alabama… and Kentucky-Tennessee…. hmmmm…

Anyways, here’s what’s on if you have nothing else to do.

Thursday

• Texas A&M @ Texas (ESPN, 8:00PM ET).  Texas A&M were the lead aggressors in this rivalry through most of the 1990s, dropping only 3 decisions during the decade if memory serves correct (1990, 1995, 1998).  However, the course of the rivalry — and certainly the direction of both programs — has changed dramatically since the arrival of Mack Brown to Texas in 1998.  Still, in spite of College Station now being the dusty outpost of the Big 12 South and Austin now being house to a national contender, Texas A&M has a two-game winning streak in this rivalry.  It’d be cool if it continues, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Friday

• West Virginia @ Pitt (ABC, 12:00PM ET).  A lot of football will be played on Friday, though I’m not entirely sure why.  On the topic at hand, this marks the first Backyard Brawl since the ugly “Oh my God how did they lose this?” Backyard Brawl from last year.  The 4-7 Pitt Panthers upset the 2nd ranked Mountaineers, in Morgantown, 13-9 in a game that was supposed to be a coronation ceremony for the BCS Championship Game-bound Mounties.  As it was, WVU’s explosive offense was held to just one second quarter touchdown as the Mounties lost their outright Big East crown, lost their chance at a national title and, well… lost their coach in the process as well¹.  Judging from the course of the program under Bill Stewart, the hangover from this loss isn’t going away anytime soon.
• Mississippi State @ Ole Miss (ESPN360.com, 12:00PM ET).  I’m 99.9% positive this game will be on Raycom Sports, but I’m too lazy to look it up.  I’ve been down here for 3 years now and work with a good number of Mississippi State fans (Starksville is like an hour and a half from Tuscaloosa), and still haven’t gotten a clear answer on why it’s called the Egg Bowl.  This game is one of the more underappreciated, if not the most underappreciated, in the Southeastern Conference.  It’s the only rivalry situation I’ve encountered where teams shout at each other to, quote-unquote, go to hell.  Granted, such wishes are pervasive in just about every rivalry, but often implicit or substituted in lieu of the obscenity brought to you by the letter F.  In the Egg Bowl, though, it’s explicit.  Of course, one of the reasons why this rivalry may be so unknown elsewhere might be attributable to the fact that it’s the state of Mississippi, which, as I like to say, is the Alabama of the South.  If you constructed an alternative reality of states below the Mason-Dixon Line and delineated North and South one step further, Mississippi would carry the new stigma of being Hyper-Southern… like Southern in a fourth or fifth or sixth dimension kind of way.  Sci-fi Southern.  It’s that bad.  At least Georgia has Atlanta as a cultural mecca.  Alabama has Birmingham, a pretty sophisticated city when you look deeper into it.  Mississippi has… umm… hmmm.  Moreover, both teams usually suck, adding to the invisibility of the rivalry on a national stage.
• LSU @ Arkansas (The SEC Network, 2:30PM ET).  The rematch of the 2007 classic which, in a just world, should’ve cost LSU a shot at a national title last year.  Instead, it’s written into the BCS clause that LSU gets to host its own national title games.  But oh well.  LSU is trying desperately to add a 5th loss to its record, having been thwarted at doing so by a furious 4th quarter rally against Troy.  LSU is an interesting program for a variety of reasons.  One of the most intriguing elements to LSU is that it is a program without a real rivalry.  Since the SEC split into two divisions in 1992, the SEC has tried long and hard to create a rivalry for the Tigers.  The Florida Gators, an SEC East opponent (obviously), appears on their schedule every year, never being cycled off, for that very reason.  Further, a rivalry has been hyped up between the Tigers and the Crimson Tide, and not all of it reducible to Nick Saban.  Indeed, before Nick Saban arrived, LSU had not beat Alabama in Baton Rouge for 30 some-odd years.  This lead to the expression down here among the savages “The Tide Always Rolls in Baton Rouge”, though it’s pronounced more like “Tha Tiiiiiiiiiide ahlways rolls in Bahtawwwn Ruuuge. Rooooooooollllll Tiiiiiide”.  Getting back to Arkansas, the need to manufacture some kind of rivalry has led to Arkansas being their designated season finale, having been the case since the Razorbacks joined the conference in 1992.  They even created a trophy for the occasion, a “Golden Boot” signifying how the shape of the two states, when juxtaposed, looks boot-ish.  Are you interested yet? Are ya? Yeah, I didn’t think so…
• Colorado @ Nebraska (ABC, 3:30PM ET).  In 2007, these two defensive heavyweights combined 116 points in regulation in a 65-51 victory for the Buffaloes.  The only thing making that game watchable was the infamous introduction of the Buffaloes by Eric Cartman (defense, offense).  Since ABC/ESPN/WWL/Disney-whatever stopped doing those player introductions — for whatever reason — I can think of no reason to watch this game.  Go do some shopping instead.
• Fresno State @ Boise State (ESPN2, 6:00PM ET).  A Boise State loss gives the Buckeyes an in-road to the BCS… if you’re interested…
• UCLA @ Arizona State (ESPN2, 9:30PM ET).  It’s been awhile since I’ve dialed up UCLA in one of these, mostly because their games haven’t been worth watching and, naturally, have not been on national television.  But now, His Coachness Rick Neuheisel will be returning to my moving pictures box so I may behold his divinity.  I think this will be the first UCLA game I’ve watched since the Tennessee game, where the beauty of His Coachness was confirmed.

Saturday

• Georgia Tech @ Georgia (CBS, 12:00PM ET).  This game doesn’t have any conference implications.  Georgia was out of the running after Florida kicked them in the jimmy a while back.  Georgia Tech is done with ACC play and needs Virginia Tech to lose against Virginia in order to play in the ACC title game under first year head coach Paul Johnson.  That said, if you are not rooting for Georgia Tech in this game to go 2-0 against the SEC this season, I hate you and we cannot be friends.  Paul Johnson is the man.
• Syracuse @ Cincinnati (ESPN360.com, 12:00PM ET).  Cincinnati wins this game and they win a BCS spot.  So lose damn you.  I don’t want to have to hear about Cincinnati making a BCS game while Ohio State may not.
• South Carolina @ Clemson (ESPN2, 12:00PM ET).  It’s ACC-SEC rivalry week.  Root for the ACC accordingly.
• Virginia @ Virginia Tech (ESPN, 12:00PM ET).  If Va Tech loses this, then Georgia Tech gets in the ACC Championship Game.  I’m all for more Paul Johnson on national television, especially as it becomes clear that he can run a gimmick offense without the proper talent and still get instant results whereas Rodriguez struggled so mightily up north.
• Auburn @ Alabama (The SEC Network, 3:30PM ET).  Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: This rivalry is, far and away, the most overappreciated rivalry in college sports.  The fans like each other too damn much — so much that they often interbreed, giving birth to those stupid “House Divided” license frames that are everywhere down here.  Even the thought of a holding a family together in light of these differences validates, for me, that the differences aren’t that important.  And down here, it’s clear to me that Alabama easily obsesses more about Tennessee than they do about Auburn.  I think this town is about 30-35% Auburn fans, openly so, and I’ve been heckled more for my Ohio State shirts down here than any one of my Auburn-inclined coworkers have been for their Auburn truck decals… or truck flags… or license frames… or sunglass straps… or belt buckles… sigh.  Anyways, Alabama has never beaten Auburn in Tuscaloosa, though the rivalry was played in Legion Field before that point (1948-2000, I think)… giving birth to the Iron Bowl monicker.  This rivalry sucks, and in terms of venom, it’s not on the level of Florida-Georgia, Alabama-Tennessee, Tennessee-Florida or even Mississippi State-Ole Miss.  On the game at hand, if Alabama can’t win this and send Auburn home for the holidays with seven losses, then Tuberville truly has their number.  He’s won 6 straight against Alabama, the most for Auburn in the history of the series.
• Florida @ Florida State (ABC, 3:30PM ET).  Again: it’s ACC-SEC Rivalry Week, but, in this game, don’t get your hopes up.
• Maryland @ Boston College (ABC, 3:30PM ET).  If Boston College wins, they advance to the ACC title game for the second straight year under second year head coach Jeff Jagodzsh1qjkjkjkjkjimililinski, or whatever that dude’s name is.  It doesn’t appear that BC is missing Tom O’Brien at all.  On the flipside, if BC loses, Florida State goes to the ACC title game representing the Whatchamacallit Division against either Va Tech or Georgia Tech in the Whatsitcalled? Division.
• Kentucky @ Tennessee (ESPN2, 6:30PM ET).  Kentucky is 6-5. Tennessee is 4-7.  So what does ESPN do with this game? You guessed it: primetime night game.  Ohhhh yeah.  If you thought making Kentucky-Vanderbilt a night game was the worst thing that ESPN could do, guess again, buster.  On the game at hand, no matter how awful Tennessee is, Kentucky can never beat them.  Tennessee has won 23 straight in this series.
• Oregon @ Oregon State (???, 7:00PM ET).  If Oregon State wins this one, they’re in the Rose Bowl.  If they lose this, Ohio State seems to be in prime real estate for a BCS berth.  Even then, that’s not the reason I want Oregon State to lose this game.  With Penn State going to Pasadena for the first time since the 1994 season, the last thing I want to see is some shitty rematch between Penn State and an Oregon State team that the Nitts destroyed earlier this season.  I want Penn State-USC dammit.
• Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State (ABC, 8:00PM ET). BEDLAM.  Oklahoma State looks for its first victory over the Sooners since Les Miles beat them in 2002.  If you remember, it was this same upset of the Sooners in 2002 that virtually ended, once and for all, all petty talk from national commentators about how Oklahoma was more deserving of a spot in the title game in spite of their loss to Texas A&M earlier that year.  The Big 12 South is screwy this season.  If Texas (v. A&M), Texas Tech (v. Baylor), and Oklahoma (@ OK State) all win, the top ranked team in the BCS goes to the title game.  Presently, that’s Texas though a victory over higher ranked Oklahoma State might push the Sooners over the Longhorns.  A loss by any one of them makes it a tiebreaker situation.  Intransitivity is fun, isn’t it?
• Notre Dame @ USC (ESPN, 8:00PM ET).  There was a period under Lou Holtz where the Irish won 11 straight in this series (1983-1993).  Now, USC has won 6 straight and at least appear to be able of blowing that streak out of the water with the least of effort.  Have fun with that game, Notre Dame fans.

1. Albeit losing Rodriguez wasn’t caused by the Pitt loss, per se, just made possible by it.

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Big Ten Bowl Predictions

Here are the DTI Projections of where we see all the Big-Ten bowl eligible teams ending up, who their opponent will be, and what the result of those games will be.

Penn State (11-1)

Bowl: Rose Bowl Opponent: Oregon State Result: PSU wins 35-20

Analysis: While it won’t be the same rout from earlier in the year, the Nittany Lions will handle the Beavers once again with a 15-point victory.The Beavers still have Oregon in a rivalry game on Saturday, and a loss would bump USC up into this game.

Ohio State (10-2)

Bowl: Capital One Bowl Opponent: Georgia Result: OSU wins 27-21

Analysis: The Buckeyes get the monkey off their shoulder, and raise their record to 1-9 against the SEC in bowl games. Knowshon Moreno and the Bulldogs will give OSU a tough battle, but the next 5-6 weeks of rest means a healthy Beanie Wells.

Michigan State (9-3)

Bowl: Outback Bowl Opponent: LSU Result: LSU wins 27-17

Analysis: This game will be the battle of teams with QB trouble, but in the end I see the Tigers defense shutting down Javon Ringer for most of the game and coming out on top. Les Miles will pull out all the stops and the LSU running attack will put points on the board.

Northwestern (9-3)

Bowl: Alamo Bowl Opponent: Nebraska Result: Nebraska wins 14-10

Analysis: In this defensive battle, Nebraska will edge out the Wildcats. I feel that Northwestern is overachieving a little this year, while their defense is legitimately good. Their true colors will show in this game, and Bo Pellini gets a big win in turning around the Corn huskers program.

(more…)

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The Bye-Week Blues: What to Watch While You Wait

Well, college football fans, it’s Rivalry Week. The matchups available to us will be some of the best of the year, all in one day. Many can’t wait to pack the stadiums and cheer their team to victory.

Some of us will have to wait until next week.

Nebraska, whose most prized rivalry was heartlessly murdered by the addition of those silly Texas teams into the Big 8, is 7-4 and has an extra week to prepare for Colorado on the Friday after Turkey Day.

Most of us Nebraska fans wish we could be gearing up for OU-Nebraska with title hopes hanging in the balance, like the good ol’ days, instead.

But we’ve got the bye-week blues, and we’re certainly not the only ones.

But college football fans, just because your team doesn’t play for another notch in the win column Saturday doesn’t mean college football doesn’t go on happening.

Here are the five best games we should watch as we wait patiently for next week and the next chance to cheer on our own teams again. I’ll even tell you who to root for.

5. No. 14 BYU at No. 7 Utah

Both teams fight to legitimize their claim to a BCS bowl. However, in my mind, no non-BCS team has a “legitimate” claim to playing in a top bowl until they line up to play the big boys for 12 games a year.

Utah could possibly be competitive in a conference like the SEC or the Big 12, but stick BYU in the Big 12 and they finish seventh or eighth.

The winner is essentially guaranteed a spot in an at-large bowl since everyone else they’ve played has been cupcakes.

I’ll be rooting for both teams to lose. BCS-busters annoy me.

4. Mississippi at No. 18 LSU

Houston Nutt has had immediate results with Ole Miss, and LSU is reeling from the loss to top-ranked Alabama last week.

This game will be exciting because the SEC has the best defenses in college football this year and is second only to the Big Ten in the potential for high-ranked teams to be knocked off by lowly, unranked ones.

Houston Nutt screwed over my good friend Dan Bailey, now the kicker at Oklahoma State, with his recruiting scandals at Arkansas. Nutt now coaches the school Eli Manning played for. Manning beat Nebraska in a bowl matchup in 2002, then went to the pros and beat my Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. That means Ole Miss is evil (somehow).

Current Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini served as defensive coordinator for two years with the LSU Tigers, helping them win the national championship last year. But LSU head coach Les Miles screwed over Oklahoma State like a Southern Rich Rod, taking the LSU job after swearing allegiance to the Cowboys.

Still, cheer for LSU to win this one. Ole Miss has committed more evils.

3. Michigan at No. 10 Ohio State

“The Game” lacks its usual luster this year, as aforementioned Rich Rod guides this Wolverines team to their worst record in Michigan’s rich history. I bet he’s wishing Mike Hart hadn’t graduated right about now.

Ohio State has been playing well the last couple of weeks and holds a four-game win streak over the Wolverines. Will they make it five?

However, Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett in 2002 made me want to punch people in the face. He single-handedly brought down any chance I would cheer for Ohio State to win a game.

In 1997, the Nebraska Cornhuskers should have been the undisputed best team in the country and take home both national championship trophies. Instead, stupid ol’ Michigan, with a weaker schedule and fewer displays of dominance, laid claim to a share of the title just because they’re Michigan and the voters like them.

Nebraska got the last laugh, however, beating Michigan 32-28 in the 2005 Alamo Bowl, handing Michigan their first five-loss season in 21 years and beginning the decline of the program that has since culminated in Rich Rod’s horrendous start with the Wolverines.

If they both could lose, I’d be happy. Still, Maurice Clarett was six years ago. I’ll be cheering for the Buckeyes.

2. No. 15 Michigan State at No. 8 Penn State

The two teams will battle for control of their own destinies, a Big Ten title and an automatic bid to a BCS bowl. If Michigan pulls a win over Ohio State out of nowhere, the winner of this matchup wins the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl appearance.

If Ohio State wins and Penn State wins, Penn State takes the title and the bowl appearance.

I hold nothing against Michigan State. I have no reason to cheer against them. Their logo is pretty cool and they’ve played great football.

Who can hold a candle to JoePa? The man’s been coaching longer than my grandparents have been married. And he hasn’t just trudged along (much like Bobby Bowden has the last few seasons ’til now). He’s won games.

As for Penn State the team? I don’t really have a feeling either way.

A USC/Oregon State against Michigan State/Penn State/Ohio State matchup would be pretty interesting to watch in the Rose Bowl, so whoever wins, wins.

1. No. 2 Texas Tech at No. 5 Oklahoma

This game excites me. Oklahoma has bounced back strong after the loss to Texas to dominate their opponents. Texas Tech beat Texas and Oklahoma State in back-to-back weeks and finishes the schedule from hell Saturday in Norman, Okla.

With three Big 12 teams in the Top 5, I don’t have to worry about one knocking the whole conference out of national championship contention.

A Texas Tech win solidifies the Red Raiders atop the Big 12 South and sends them to Kansas City, where Missouri poses little threat along the path to the national championship.

An Oklahoma win throws a wrench in the system, but Oklahoma would still have to beat Oklahoma State next week to stay alive in contention.

Nebraska played Tech close and was an interception away from beating them in overtime. Nebraska was killed by Oklahoma, but I love Oklahoma fans.

This is no contest for me: I’ll be cheering on Oklahoma.

Honorable mentions:

No. 20 Pittsburgh at No. 19 Cincinnati, Stanford at California

So watch and cheer and enjoy. Your bye-week blues will be gone come Sunday morning.

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It’s Time To Wake Up Big Blue!!!

Lol…this article is going to be great! I’m sure I’m going to get TONS of positive and “constructive” feedback from Wolverine Nation on the thoughts I’m about to express.

Look I’m a Buckeye, and I know what all you Wolverines are thinking…”A Buckeye doesn’t know Michigan football and its problems!” Or how about the response of, “Shut up, Buckeye fan!”

But if you read my work you’ll probably see that I’m about as unbiased as it gets…so please Michigan fan, hear me out on this one…

You need to storm the ivory towers of Ann Arbor Michigan, fan. You need to pull Athletic Director Bill Martin from that fancy office of his, carry him down to the 50-yard line of the Big House, and you need to hang his career at Michigan right there. Then we need you to do the same with Rich Rodriguez…their careers at the University of Michigan should die side by side, following the complete ass-whipping your football program is about to endure in Columbus this coming Saturday.

Please, Michigan fan, I’m begging you, I know you are drinking some delicious maize and blue kool-aid right now (much like a lot of delusional Buckeye fans that I have to deal with sometimes). I know that the kool-aid is filled with the flavor of change, turn-around, revival, hope, and promise. I know you are tired of obnoxious Buckeye fans (yours truly), sitting here year after year, crowing, mocking you, and telling jokes about the JOKE your program is.

Believe it or not…I’m tired of it too. So I’m begging you Michigan fan…WAKE UP AND REALIZE THAT 1) YOU CONTROL THE MICHIGAN PROGRAM and 2) HAVE THE COURAGE AS A FANBASE TO STEP UP TO THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND DEMAND A CHANGE! Because the hiring of Rich Rodriguez into this program was wrong. Save yourselves Michgan fan!

What more evidence do you need that this was a bad hire from the get go? How many more things can go wrong with your program until you ask yourselves why this decision was made? Rich Rodriguez had D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R written all over him from the beginning. Think I’m just a stupid Buckeye talking out of his rear? Need proof? Well here’s more damning proof than you can swallow…

How successful at West Virginia was Rich Rodriguez really? The Big East (when it was still a legitimate BCS conference), was prior to the 2004 season when Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College were still a part of the conference.

Rich Rodriguez had been at West Virginia for three years while this was still a real conference. His record over that three-year stretch overall was 20-17 with an 0-2 record in bowl games. His best season during that stretch, was a “stellar” 9-4 campaign. His record following Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College’s departure, 40-9. Doesn’t this strike anybody as a magical coincidence?

How much of Rodriguez’ contract extension at WVU and now at Michigan should have been given to Pat White? The spread zone option read…and it genius inventor Rich Rodriguez, prior to Pat White strolling into Morgantown was 28-21 with a glowing 0-3 in bowl games. Once Pat came in and took over immediately, 32-5 overall and 2-0 in bowl games.

Compound the God blessing that is Pat White along with the exodus of the power hitters in that conference, and how much of that success really should be dedicated to Rich Rodriguez?

Forget the whole rigaramo with the lawsuit between after Rodriguez and the WVU highers up after Rodriguez got that huge extension and the epic disaster that turned into after Rodriguez lied about interest in the Michigan job that he was brokering for all along, then bolted without trying to pay that pesky buyout he agreed to in his “CONTRACT”. We all know the story, I won’t rehash the details because its been covered a gazillion hours through ESPN (The Worldwide Leader in Sports!).

But more importantly, I ask the question about the kids of HIS PROGRAM, and the position he left them in and the manner with which he did so.

Remember Pat White? That quarterback that Rich Rodriguez basically owes his West Virginia buyout and his current Michigan contract to? Pat White who has risen to superstar status under Coach Rodriguez and his “genius”? What did he have to say about the departure of the coach who recruited him, and built a relationship of success with?

White, who you would expect to be somewhat remorseful of Rodriguez exit, seemed pleased that Rodriguez left, and happy that Bill Stewart was running the show. White indicated that players there were tired of the verbal abuse of Rodriguez and the staff laid on a regular basis. That’s your first *RED FLAG* moment right there Michigan fan where you should have been questioning the hire.

Or, how about the manner with which Rodriguez bolted for Michigan to begin with? Telling potential recruits about his departure to try and get recruiting in Michigan on the pavement, DURING THE SEASON—before he had told a West Virginia team—KIDS that Rodriguez built HIS PROGRAM and got him that new contract with, that he was going to be leaving! Strike two people…

Okay, so now Rodriguez comes to Michigan…Hail to the Victors trumpets from the towers, banners of “Go Blue” reign from the skies, and all of Buckeye Nation shakes in its boots with the thought of our six out of seven streak to Michigan going down the drain.

So how does Rodriguez use this shred of positive momentum? Immediately runs what little of the depleted talent that was still on the roster from the Carr regime (Mallet, Manningham, Arrington, Boren, etc…) out of Ann Arbor, didn’t respect the alumni or the rich, proud, and long standing traditions that a school of Michigan’s prestige, and has looked the depleted roster of square pegs, (the ones he couldn’t run off because those kids just want to play college football), and decided that he was going to jam them through the round holes of his “genius” offense! Besides, he is Rich Rodriguez, the genius that turns cowpies into roses.

Or that is what he, Bill Martin, and the rest of the Michigan Board of Trustees has gotten you, Michigan fan, to buy?

Well Michigan fan, three wins, two against absolutely average and OVERRATED Wisconsin and Minnesota football teams, and a dominating 16-6 win over the powerhouse that is Miami of Ohio, and a record setting level of ineptitude in the 129 years of Michigan football later with eight defeats (soon to be nine after this Saturday), and you have officially witnessed the genius of Rich Rodriguez, Michigan fan!

Bottom line, Rich Rodriguez was not Bill Martin’s first choice. Les Miles was. Les Miles was a “Michigan Man” that you guys always like to bark about up there in Ann Arbor about. Miles was in the process of beating the crap out of your archrival that was the main reason you got rid of a good man in Lloyd Carr to begin with.

Les Miles wanted to take the Michigan job in the worst way, all Michigan brass had to do was keep their fat pieholes shut until after the SEC championship game…and they couldn’t do it. Word leaked and Miles facing unbelievable scrutiny from the backlash had to turn the job down.

Hell, Rodriguez wasn’t even your second choice, Greg Schiano was…but he saw the baboons that run your athletic department, and the fact that your AD likes riding yachts more than taking care of the future of an unstable football program and he passed.

Then, he came, the ”Savior” that Martin wanted all along…and Michigan fan I’ll be damned if you slop that kool-aid up like a sugar starved 4 year old.

I don’t want to hear the arguement from angry posters that this is the first year of Rodriguez! That you have to give a chance to rebuild. That’s all crap. Rich Rodriguez had a chance to make this a FAR SMOOTHER transition than its been. YOU’RE FREAKING MICHIGAN FOR GOD SAKES!

This is a team that had some talent that would’ve come back if Rodriguez would’ve adjusted slowly. This was a team that beat the now 9-1, No. 3 ranked Florida Gators last year! But Rodriguez had to burn all bridges and have his “signature” on this team.

I’ll say it again…GOOD COACHES ADJUST TO THE TALENT ON THEIR TEAMS. Urban Meyer did it, so did Pete Carroll, Bob Stoops, and Jim Tressel. Because they are good coaches. This should NOT be a 3-8 team that isn’t even competitive half the time. What is your excuse for Rich Rodriguez Michigan fan?

If you’re looking for a huge turn around next year Michigan fan, you’re in for a massive rude awakening. You’ll be starting a true freshman at quarterback in the Big Ten. You will be in-fluxing more unproven talent at skill positions. Your current commitments are jumping this sinking Rodriguez ship, and you are not recruiting any size whatsoever or depth for your offensive and defensive lines in the future. There is even talk amongst the program that there will be multiple additional defections in addition to the previous ones.

Oh, and by the way Michigan fan, you’re going to now lose 7 out of 8 to The Vest who owns you.

Which will lead me to my finally point before I hit “publish” on this bad boy, and let the love fest between the Wolverine faithful and myself begin. Rich Rodriguez doesn’t “get it” when it comes to THE GAME. He sounds like a John Cooper clone.

*MEMO RICH RODRIGUEZ*…this ISN’T just another game to Wolverine and Buckeye fans. This is war, this is hatred, this is Desmond’s Heisman pose, its Buckeye players tearing apart the M Club Flag in 73′, its 50-14 in 68′, and 24-12 in 69′…ITS Woody and its Bo.

Do your history Rich Rodriguez, and realize that coaches get fired because of this game, become legends from this game…Jim Tressel UNDERSTANDS THIS. Hell, Lloyd Carr knew this for crying out loud.

A win over Ohio State in the minds of Michigan fans this Saturday, SAVES THE ABSOLUTE EMBARRASSMENT this season has been Rich. And as a Buckeye fan, I’m thrilled you don’t get it, because I’m very confident we’ll lay an ass beating on you for another few years until Michigan fan wakes up and realizes the mistake Bill Martin has made.

Please Michigan fans, please make THE GAME meaningful again, wake up, stop drinking the Martin/Rodriguez kool-aid, and use your power as a fanbase. You can do it, you just have to show the stones to stand up together and tell Bill Martin that the man he hired that wants you guys to “get a life”, needs to pack up his stuff and “get out of town”.

Now before the hate mail pours in on the comments board, I ask you to consider one thing…I am an unabashed Buckeye fan, I HATE your school. That said, I LOVE this game, and I respect the Michigan program, this is a BUCKEYE FAN saying you deserve better. Shouldn’t that be convincing enough that something is wrong with the Michigan Wolverine football program?

Please feel free to comment! If you liked the article, or even hated it, spread the word, and become a fan.

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Les Miles is Losing…Told You So

The things that seem obvious to me may not seem so to most (as I have come to learn). I do not make outlandish predictions to garner attention. I make predictions that many do not understand because they haven’t exercised independent, non-guided thought.

Perhaps they don’t possess the capacity for such thought (you would be surprised how many people are actually incapable of this) it’s not easy. But the predictions I make are extremely logical. I also take into account the intangibles.

People think that throwing stats around in conversation makes their case. Though stats do aid an argument, they do not MAKE the argument.

The truth is, the intangibles (weather, emotion, clutch decision-making, coaching decisions, your gut, etc.) are what influence and create stats, not the other way around.

The LSU faithful got all torn up this summer when I said that the SEC West race was wide open when Ryan Perrilloux got booted from the team. Would anyone like to question me now?

No one could have predicted exactly how the two QBs would perform for LSU, which is why I didn’t. But you knew they would struggle.

Two guys who were new to the program who may not have really sucked in the offense last season (because everyone knew Perrilloux was to be the starter) were now expected to run the offense of the defending National Champs.

Tiger fans wouldn’t believe this because they didn’t want to (that whole independent thought thing).

I then talked about how Les Miles really isn’t that great of a coach. Gasp! “He’s won a National Championship. His record is so-and-so!”

Intangibles, people.

Les Miles is losing recruits to the Urban Meyer’s and Nick Saban’s of the world. LSU fans won’t accept that Saban and his staff are far superior to Miles and his. Once Bo Pelini left, you knew that the staff wasn’t that great anymore.

I understand that LSU fans are probably the most passionate around. But for them to have such passion, they can’t allow for objectivity. If they had objectivity, they wouldn’t be in Miles’ corner as much as they are.

Miles has made questionable call after questionable call in his career at LSU. He proved last year that, yes, someone can be lucky for an entire year.

There is no doubt that LSU was the best team in the country last year. But more and more of the uber recruits signed by Saban were leaving LSU due to graduation.

Saban taught these players to practice, study, play, and live like champions. Not taking away from Les Miles as a teacher, but that’s a tough act to mimic. You either have it or you don’t. He may have a little of “it,” but nothing like his predecessor has.

I also spoke of how Miles was geared to bolt for Michigan. This is truth. Kirk Herbstreit let the cat out of the bag, and a previously in-the-dark LSU administration quickly threw huge contract at Miles (for about a nickel more money than Saban makes… hmm) after he had a desperate emergency news conference to cover his own hide.

He didn’t want such a good football team to fall apart and lose his chance at an SEC and National Championship. It worked and Miles made the best decision for his team…kind of.

Les Miles was now stuck. He promised not to leave and did not want to look like Saban had as a betrayer. Or as Miles calls him, “devil.” If Miles sounds threatened by LSU’s first love (whom we never forget), that’s because he is.

He knew last year that Saban was going to steal more of his recruits and that he would have to play him every year. The Bo Schembechler disciple was headed to his alma mater.

Schembechler was a father figure for Miles. He also knew he could recruit better at Michigan with less competition for recruits.

Miles is not a dumb guy. He just makes stupid, irrational decisions. The emergency press conference to deny allegations of his departure was a good one in the short term, but not in the long term.

Evidence: this season. With huge expectations and the most talented mix of offensive linemen and defensive front seven, Miles is being out-coached.

There are two kinds of coaching decisions: 1) decisions that help your team, and 2) no decisions at all, just letting the team feel its way through games and going with conservatism.

The former will win games. The latter won’t win games, but it also won’t lose games. Then there is Les Miles, who introduced a third kind of coaching decision to us: decisions that hurt his team.

All the fourth down “go-for-it’s” are ridiculous and can hurt LSU just as much as they helped. Last year was the luckiest season I have ever seen by a coach/team.

If Miles’ preposterous fourth-down conversion percentage were any lower last year, the Bayou Bengals would not be the defending National Champions this year.

It is true that going for it on fourth can energize your team, but it can also be detrimental to their psyches.

Miles was simply outclassed yesterday. He knew how good Alabama’s defense was and how Jarrett Lee, a 19-year old kid, had been turning the ball over a lot. Yet he refuses to game plan with this in mind.

Charles Scott and Keiland Williams are running well. Don’t let Lee lose you the game. It’s too much pressure for a guy in his situation. LSU has more talent than Alabama, and they almost won the game because of it.

Neither the team nor Jarrett Lee lost the game. Nor did Saban and Alabama win it. Les Miles lost it, just as I predicted he might.

He had Lee throwing the ball all over Tiger Stadium. Lee’s QB rating was awful. He was showing no improvement, he had no confidence, yet Miles forced him to the air. Well, he and his coordinator. But Miles has ultimate control.

Overtime is the perfect example.

Not wanting to be forced to kick again for the win after the field goal try at the end of regulation was blocked, even Nick Saban made a questionable decision to throw to Julio Jones.

But at least we can sort through his thought process: the best receiver in the stadium in one-on-one coverage; not wanting to have to kick another field goal for the win; taking a shot when they least expect, etc.

Les Miles, on the other hand, effectively cost his team the game by having Lee throw. What does Lee do? He throws to a double-covered receiver and is intercepted. The pick all but sealed the victory for the Tide.

You have the ball first. You have got to be conservative. Especially when you have an offensive line that dominated Alabama’s front seven, especially in the first half.

I realize that the Alabama run defense had stiffened in the second half, but you take away your team’s confidence when you don’t allow them to run the ball…especially in overtime when you HAVE to run it; AND when you have the ball FIRST.

Point taken?

Les Miles and LSU are still going to be pretty good the next few years, but don’t be surprised when they have not-so-great teams.

They have more talent than any other team in the SEC, but Miles’ decision-making will neutralize it. Luckily for Miles, he has a great recruiting base in Louisiana, unlike Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer, he doesn’t have to go far for talent.

This will save him until he leaves the school. He will still have a good career record, but when that day comes, remember who predicted yet another logical/obvious scenario.

If Rich Rodriguez can’t vindicate the terrible season the Wolverines are having (which I also predicted) in the next couple years, Miles will head north, err… home.

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