Should Florida CRUSH Tennessee?
This is a hard question for me, because I have some biases about this game. First off, I live in ACC country, so to talk about SEC matchups is kinda odd to begin with. But there is no question that the SEC is better, it has been proven several times in the last few years.
But this Tennessee vs. Florida game is pretty big because there is a promise of a major beat down. But my problem is that Lane Kiffin, the head coach of Tennessee, is a former Oakland Raider coach…and I am a HEAVY Raider fan.
And I felt sorry for how Monty Burns….er….Al Davis, ran him out of the NFL. At that time he looked like the guy that was stepped on by the mean ole grumpy businessman, and had a lot of sympathy votes. So when Tennessee called him up, it just seemed like the great fit.
And I was a very big fan of Tennessee, I have always admired their very strong fan base and they have been a great team up until recently. But I personally felt that the alumni of Tennessee was too hasty in getting rid of their former head coach because they wanted to be in the National Title hunt every single year. It lends to the phrase, “what have you done for me lately”…of which Janet Jackson made famous years ago.
I lost respect for Tennessee for getting rid of a good coach, and hiring one with virtually NO experience…this just didn’t really add up unless they were hoping that Lane Kiffin’s NFL aura could recruit more talent to Tennessee.
So I have mixed feelings for the Volunteers. I have admired the school for a long time, but lately I kinda feel like they listened to rich alumni rather than being patient. But it didn’t help one bit when Kiffin stepped into the college spotlight by opening his big mouth about what Tennessee was going to do.
What is his pedigree in winning…mind you, not his dad’s but Lane himself? How can a guy that had a bad record with the Raiders can come across the country and pop his chops as if he won the Superbowl? Come on now, being confident is one thing…being arrogant is quite another.
So now Lane Kiffin has written a check that is bigger than the stadium he coaches in…not very wise. Sometimes when coaches get God-like egos, it is nice to see it popped. When Steve Spurrier was the head coach at Florida, he used to run up the score a lot. When he got the head coach’s job for the Washington Redskins, he thought he could do the same thing during preseason, but learned a HUGE lesson about doing that. His coaching career didn’t last so long in the NFL…
So now Lane Kiffin has called the thunder, of the best team in the country, and playing in the “Swamp”, with a team that was 5-7 last year, already lost their first game of the season, and playing Florida, who beat them handily last year in their own house. Does this smell like a legendary beat down to you?
It ought to.
And I gotta tell you, I am not the biggest Florida fan, since I like Florida State more, but I have no problem cheering for Florida this year. Tim Tebow has been like the ray of sunshine to the sport, and all I ever hear is good things about him. I have to give major props to the coach, because Urban Meyer is trying to prepare his quarterback for the NFL, rather than just running the same system. This is a man that is trying to help his player, who helped them win a National Championship. I see nothing but honor in that.
I remember years ago when Emmitt Smith was playing for Florida, when Steve Spurrier took over. It was said that the “ole ball coach” told Smith that if he was going to play on the Gator team, he had to play it HIS way…so Emmitt Smith decided to go pro a little earlier…and the rest as they say…is history for Emmitt Smith, but for Steve Spurrier as well, both having legendary careers.
For a long time I didn’t like Florida, not really hate them (come on folks, it’s just a game) but up until recently I have set a place in my heart for Florida. I like the way they play and they seem to be as professional as students can be.
So, if you asked me who I am pulling for, I would say Florida…BIG. I think beating Tennessee by 35 points would be an understatement. If they were playing at Tennessee, the score would be less, but at home, you don’t have to show any mercy to anybody. Lane Kiffin will go 1-2 and start to eat those words he spit out when he took to that podium. I see this game possibly ending up maybe 45-10, maybe even higher…
And somewhere in California, Al Davis is laughing and saying… “excellent”, as only Monty Burns could say.
Good luck on qualifying for a bowl this year Tennessee.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Boise State vs Fresno State 2009
Boise State vs. Fresno State
Some feel that this is the last obstacle for Boise State, that a win here means an undefeated season.
And it might feel that way, because the conference of the WAC is not very competitive when it comes to the BCS standings. Yet in this conference you have a very good team in Boise State that demands to be recognized.
In a way, it reminds me of UNLV, back in the early 90’s and they had players like Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony and Stacy Augman playing for the Rebels, and how they came out of a very weak conference, but was as good as advertised.
Boise State reminds me much of that. But to get there, they have to get through Fresno State. On paper it looks like there is no match up, especially since Boise State knocked off Oregon to start the year, but let’s look anyway.
Fresno State finished 7-6 last year, and we can’t forget that before Boise State started making all this noise, Fresno State was doing it first…but that was eons ago. Some of the Bulldogs’ wins included Rutgers at the beginning of the year, and UCLA… kinda short list, isn’t it? Of the 7 games they won, Rutgers had a winning record as well as San Jose State…that’s it. None of their other wins were that credible.
Most of their losses came to decent teams, including a 61-10 beat down at the hands of Boise State. The amazing thing here about Fresno is that outside of that beating to Boise State and the 13-10 loss to Wisconsin, this team does score a LOT. It’s a track meet when you play them, but 3 of their losses came AT home…not very good. Add on a new quarterback and it could spell trouble, but with many offensive weapons returning, this could be a breath of fresh air. Playing at home can’t hurt either.
But Boise State just seems to be heads and shoulders above anybody else in the WAC. This team averages about 30+ a game, and as we all know, went 12-1 last year. They lose a very valuable back and a few receivers, so it will be interesting to see how they adjust. If you are going to look for any weaknesses, you may have to look for the closest games they had last year. Granted their schedule is weak, but in 2008 they beat Oregon away by 5 points. They beat Nevada away by 6 points and lost to TCU by 1 point. It just seems that the possible formula for Boise State to lose has to begin with them leaving that smurf turf.
The second key has to be to hope that Boise State already believes they are in the BCS Championship or bowl game…and they might forget about the Bulldogs. It’s going to take a mental slip of the team for Boise State to lose. I just can’t see any other way, even though the quality of players slipped this year after losing Ian Johnson, Jeremy Childs and Vinny Perretta. I didn’t say they dropped to the floor, I just said they slipped.
But when it comes down to it, Boise State has to beat Fresno State by at least 21 points to make voters believe in them. If not, they could slip a notch or two and lose respect. Boise State will have to crush every foe to even get close to HOPE for a BCS Bowl, and it begins with Fresno State. I have liked Fresno State’s guts, having the onions to challenge anybody anywhere, so they have my support (not that it weights much).
But unless Boise State slips, I can’t see them losing to Fresno State. A 61-10 beat down may not happen but winning by 21 points ought not be too hard. But IF Boise State comes in thinking they are high and mighty, don’t be too surprised if Fresno State hands them the big “L”. Boise State is now every WAC team’s championship game, and will get their very best every weekend…they better be ready.
Some feel that this is the last obstacle for Boise State, that a win here means an undefeated season.
And it might feel that way, because the conference of the WAC is not very competitive when it comes to the BCS standings. Yet in this conference you have a very good team in Boise State that demands to be recognized.
In a way, it reminds me of UNLV, back in the early 90’s and they had players like Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony and Stacy Augman playing for the Rebels, and how they came out of a very weak conference, but was as good as advertised.
Boise State reminds me much of that. But to get there, they have to get through Fresno State. On paper it looks like there is no match up, especially since Boise State knocked off Oregon to start the year, but let’s look anyway.
Fresno State finished 7-6 last year, and we can’t forget that before Boise State started making all this noise, Fresno State was doing it first…but that was eons ago. Some of the Bulldogs’ wins included Rutgers at the beginning of the year, and UCLA… kinda short list, isn’t it? Of the 7 games they won, Rutgers had a winning record as well as San Jose State…that’s it. None of their other wins were that credible.
Most of their losses came to decent teams, including a 61-10 beat down at the hands of Boise State. The amazing thing here about Fresno is that outside of that beating to Boise State and the 13-10 loss to Wisconsin, this team does score a LOT. It’s a track meet when you play them, but 3 of their losses came AT home…not very good. Add on a new quarterback and it could spell trouble, but with many offensive weapons returning, this could be a breath of fresh air. Playing at home can’t hurt either.
But Boise State just seems to be heads and shoulders above anybody else in the WAC. This team averages about 30+ a game, and as we all know, went 12-1 last year. They lose a very valuable back and a few receivers, so it will be interesting to see how they adjust. If you are going to look for any weaknesses, you may have to look for the closest games they had last year. Granted their schedule is weak, but in 2008 they beat Oregon away by 5 points. They beat Nevada away by 6 points and lost to TCU by 1 point. It just seems that the possible formula for Boise State to lose has to begin with them leaving that smurf turf.
The second key has to be to hope that Boise State already believes they are in the BCS Championship or bowl game…and they might forget about the Bulldogs. It’s going to take a mental slip of the team for Boise State to lose. I just can’t see any other way, even though the quality of players slipped this year after losing Ian Johnson, Jeremy Childs and Vinny Perretta. I didn’t say they dropped to the floor, I just said they slipped.
But when it comes down to it, Boise State has to beat Fresno State by at least 21 points to make voters believe in them. If not, they could slip a notch or two and lose respect. Boise State will have to crush every foe to even get close to HOPE for a BCS Bowl, and it begins with Fresno State. I have liked Fresno State’s guts, having the onions to challenge anybody anywhere, so they have my support (not that it weights much).
But unless Boise State slips, I can’t see them losing to Fresno State. A 61-10 beat down may not happen but winning by 21 points ought not be too hard. But IF Boise State comes in thinking they are high and mighty, don’t be too surprised if Fresno State hands them the big “L”. Boise State is now every WAC team’s championship game, and will get their very best every weekend…they better be ready.
Top Football Conferences
The top Football Conferences
After the first couple of weeks of the college football season, I’d like to argue which conferences are the best, and why. I wanted to make the argument because no matter what people think, the strength of the conference has a major impact on whether their champion makes a BCS Championship or not. You can’t go undefeated out of a weaker conference and expect to play in the title game.
I love “Pardon the Interruption” it is one of my favorite shows, but I don’t agree with Michael Wilbon’s opinion that if a team goes undefeated, they ought to get a shot at a National Title. He believes that a team like Boise State ought to have a shot if they go undefeated…I don’t quite agree.
If you reward a team out of a weak conference a BCS Championship, then what stops independent teams like Notre Dame from taking out USC on the schedule and substituting Duke, or removing Boston College for Miami (OH)? The quality of opponents must play a factor because it substantiates greatness of a team.
So what I want to do is rank the conferences in order, from best to… well, not so great. Let’s start:
#1 Conference in College Football: SEC A+
If you have the defending National Champs still ranked at #1, AND a team like Alabama at #4, and Mississippi in the top ten, you have a strong conference. Toss in teams like LSU and Georgia and you have a pretty tough conference. Last year there was a great argument of who was the best conference; the SEC or Big 12, and personally I thought that from top to bottom, the Big 12 was ever so slightly better, but you could not go wrong either way. This year, I put SEC on top, but not by such a large margin.
#2 Conference in College Football: Big 12 A
Personally, if Oklahoma had beaten BYU, I would have made the Big 12 the top conference by a slight margin. But with the injury, I had to put them here, by a close margin. You still have Texas as the #2 team in the nation, Oklahoma is still in the mix, and you have teams like Oklahoma State and Kansas still in the mix. What happened to Texas Tech? Missouri is still on the radar, so you have half the conference making noise, and oh by the way Nebraska is in the top 20 too.
#3 Conference in College Football: Pac-10 B-
I had to think long on this one, because I wonder how strong this conference really is. I mean, one of their teams loses to Boise State at the beginning of the season, and eyes start to roll around when it comes to the true strength of the Pac-10. Sure, USC is good, but with a freshman quarterback, how soon before they lose a game…or even two? But they are the #3 team in the nation, with California in the top 10...but after that, what is there? Oregon State is on one poll, and UCLA got a few votes, but many wonder if this conference can give USC a run. If USC wasn’t in the top 3, I would not have put this conference here.
#4 Conference in College Football: Big 10: B-
It didn’t help that Ohio State lost to USC…it didn’t help that Michigan State lost to Central Michigan, and Michigan beating Notre Dame didn’t really count for so much. But Penn State is in the top 5 and Ohio State is still in the top 25. Iowa just might be able to make some noise in the conference, but we have to wait and see on that. The Big 10 has been getting pushed around lately, and need some key wins to validate their strength, they may have to rely on Penn State to get it done, since Ohio State seems to slip whenever the chips are on the table.
#5 Conference in College Football: Mountain West Conference C+
When you have a “lesser” conference with not one, not two but THREE teams in the top 25, you have to pay attention. This is one of those examples where if any team out of the Mountain West goes undefeated, they ought to have a legit shot at the BCS Championship. When you consider that BYU is in the top 10, TCU is in the top 15 and Utah is just outside the top 15, this is a strong conference. And with decent teams like Air Force and Colorado State, this is a very competitive conference. I say again, if either Utah, BYU or TCU goes undefeated, somebody ought to put them in the BCS Championship. Add on that BYU beat Oklahoma and has Florida State on the schedule, TCU beat Virginia (so what) and plays Clemson, and Utah having Oregon and Louisville, these are hard schedules for a team not considered to be with the “big boys”. This is a good conference, one that could produce an undefeated team.
#6 Conference in College Football: ACC C-
Last year I can argue that top to bottom this conference was one of the most competitive. Only two teams failed to win 6 games, that being Virginia and Duke, and the Cavaliers missed it by one game. But this year I questioned why Virginia Tech was so high in the rankings. They are good, but not THAT good. Florida State could not hold on to it’s ranking after the first game, and there were some VERY poorly played games by Florida State and Maryland.
Lots of people felt that the ACC ought not be considered in the BCS, and rather let teams like Boise State or…ugh…Notre Dame, take their spot in the BCS bowls. I can see their point, but this is still a very tough conference, and I doubt a team like Boise State can run through it like they do their conference. Team for team, this is a very tough conference, but in comparison to the others, they do look kinda…bland. Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech and UNC are on the top 25...but for how long?
#7 Conference in College Football: Big East C-
At the beginning of the year, NOBODY from the Big East was on the list. How insulting is that when 6 out of the 8 teams won at least EIGHT games? Cincinnati went 11-3 and got no love at the beginning of the year…how insulting is that?
Right now Cincinnati is on the bottom half of the top 25, but no other team is on the list. If Pittsburgh wins another game, they can likely climb into the list, but the entire conference looks very weak, in comparison to the other BCS conferences, and even the Mountain West Conference. I gotta tell ya, if the Big East can’t start pulling somebody out as a power team, they will continued to be laughed at as one of the weakest conferences in college football.
With other conferences like the WAC, Sun Belt, Mid-American and Conference USA, there can be arguments made for a few of those as well. We all like the underdog, and Boise State is certainly one of those, but their conference just isn’t strong enough to be in the top 7. That does not take away from the Broncos wins, but when you look at the body of work in conference match ups, it does count against you.
So as of the second week, these are my top 7 conferences in college football… which are clearly subject to change week by week.
After the first couple of weeks of the college football season, I’d like to argue which conferences are the best, and why. I wanted to make the argument because no matter what people think, the strength of the conference has a major impact on whether their champion makes a BCS Championship or not. You can’t go undefeated out of a weaker conference and expect to play in the title game.
I love “Pardon the Interruption” it is one of my favorite shows, but I don’t agree with Michael Wilbon’s opinion that if a team goes undefeated, they ought to get a shot at a National Title. He believes that a team like Boise State ought to have a shot if they go undefeated…I don’t quite agree.
If you reward a team out of a weak conference a BCS Championship, then what stops independent teams like Notre Dame from taking out USC on the schedule and substituting Duke, or removing Boston College for Miami (OH)? The quality of opponents must play a factor because it substantiates greatness of a team.
So what I want to do is rank the conferences in order, from best to… well, not so great. Let’s start:
#1 Conference in College Football: SEC A+
If you have the defending National Champs still ranked at #1, AND a team like Alabama at #4, and Mississippi in the top ten, you have a strong conference. Toss in teams like LSU and Georgia and you have a pretty tough conference. Last year there was a great argument of who was the best conference; the SEC or Big 12, and personally I thought that from top to bottom, the Big 12 was ever so slightly better, but you could not go wrong either way. This year, I put SEC on top, but not by such a large margin.
#2 Conference in College Football: Big 12 A
Personally, if Oklahoma had beaten BYU, I would have made the Big 12 the top conference by a slight margin. But with the injury, I had to put them here, by a close margin. You still have Texas as the #2 team in the nation, Oklahoma is still in the mix, and you have teams like Oklahoma State and Kansas still in the mix. What happened to Texas Tech? Missouri is still on the radar, so you have half the conference making noise, and oh by the way Nebraska is in the top 20 too.
#3 Conference in College Football: Pac-10 B-
I had to think long on this one, because I wonder how strong this conference really is. I mean, one of their teams loses to Boise State at the beginning of the season, and eyes start to roll around when it comes to the true strength of the Pac-10. Sure, USC is good, but with a freshman quarterback, how soon before they lose a game…or even two? But they are the #3 team in the nation, with California in the top 10...but after that, what is there? Oregon State is on one poll, and UCLA got a few votes, but many wonder if this conference can give USC a run. If USC wasn’t in the top 3, I would not have put this conference here.
#4 Conference in College Football: Big 10: B-
It didn’t help that Ohio State lost to USC…it didn’t help that Michigan State lost to Central Michigan, and Michigan beating Notre Dame didn’t really count for so much. But Penn State is in the top 5 and Ohio State is still in the top 25. Iowa just might be able to make some noise in the conference, but we have to wait and see on that. The Big 10 has been getting pushed around lately, and need some key wins to validate their strength, they may have to rely on Penn State to get it done, since Ohio State seems to slip whenever the chips are on the table.
#5 Conference in College Football: Mountain West Conference C+
When you have a “lesser” conference with not one, not two but THREE teams in the top 25, you have to pay attention. This is one of those examples where if any team out of the Mountain West goes undefeated, they ought to have a legit shot at the BCS Championship. When you consider that BYU is in the top 10, TCU is in the top 15 and Utah is just outside the top 15, this is a strong conference. And with decent teams like Air Force and Colorado State, this is a very competitive conference. I say again, if either Utah, BYU or TCU goes undefeated, somebody ought to put them in the BCS Championship. Add on that BYU beat Oklahoma and has Florida State on the schedule, TCU beat Virginia (so what) and plays Clemson, and Utah having Oregon and Louisville, these are hard schedules for a team not considered to be with the “big boys”. This is a good conference, one that could produce an undefeated team.
#6 Conference in College Football: ACC C-
Last year I can argue that top to bottom this conference was one of the most competitive. Only two teams failed to win 6 games, that being Virginia and Duke, and the Cavaliers missed it by one game. But this year I questioned why Virginia Tech was so high in the rankings. They are good, but not THAT good. Florida State could not hold on to it’s ranking after the first game, and there were some VERY poorly played games by Florida State and Maryland.
Lots of people felt that the ACC ought not be considered in the BCS, and rather let teams like Boise State or…ugh…Notre Dame, take their spot in the BCS bowls. I can see their point, but this is still a very tough conference, and I doubt a team like Boise State can run through it like they do their conference. Team for team, this is a very tough conference, but in comparison to the others, they do look kinda…bland. Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech and UNC are on the top 25...but for how long?
#7 Conference in College Football: Big East C-
At the beginning of the year, NOBODY from the Big East was on the list. How insulting is that when 6 out of the 8 teams won at least EIGHT games? Cincinnati went 11-3 and got no love at the beginning of the year…how insulting is that?
Right now Cincinnati is on the bottom half of the top 25, but no other team is on the list. If Pittsburgh wins another game, they can likely climb into the list, but the entire conference looks very weak, in comparison to the other BCS conferences, and even the Mountain West Conference. I gotta tell ya, if the Big East can’t start pulling somebody out as a power team, they will continued to be laughed at as one of the weakest conferences in college football.
With other conferences like the WAC, Sun Belt, Mid-American and Conference USA, there can be arguments made for a few of those as well. We all like the underdog, and Boise State is certainly one of those, but their conference just isn’t strong enough to be in the top 7. That does not take away from the Broncos wins, but when you look at the body of work in conference match ups, it does count against you.
So as of the second week, these are my top 7 conferences in college football… which are clearly subject to change week by week.
Georgia Tech vs Miami
Georgia Tech vs. Miami
Florida, that is….
This is going to be a game I plan on watching since I am in the middle of ACC country, and well…I LOVE college football…(so there!)
But this is very important because the ACC needs somebody to emerge as a powerhouse and give credit to the conference. Virginia Tech and Florida State dropped the ball all too early, so hopes are hinging on the winner of this game.
To add to this, Georgia Tech is ranked #14 on one poll, and Miami is ranked #20 on the other…this is a top 25 matchup. I saw how Miami beat Florida State, and I saw how Georgia Tech escaped Clemson. I gotta tell you, I think Georgia Tech might be in trouble.
First off, that triple option is a cute gimmick, but it won’t win championships. It’s just hard for me to put faith in a quarterback that, IF he has to pass, makes it an adventure short of the Lord of the Rings. If you have a quarterback that completes on average 4 passes a GAME, this could be problematic.
But you would argue that Georgia Tech went 9-4 last year, so it must be working, right? True, but those Yellow Jackets must hate leaving ATL, because their away games last year were tough. They win by only 3 at Boston College, win by 3 at Virginia Tech, win by 4 at Clemson, lose by 21 at UNC, beat Georgia by 3 and lose to LSU by 35. They fare much better when they are home, especially since they BEAT Miami last year 41-23.
So what’s different? First, they are playing away, which means a much closer game than they want. Second, you have a quarterback that had only 2 passing touchdowns and 5 INTs, with a key running back in Jonathan Dwyer gone, who was an excellent rusher and receiver. If they can’t adjust, this could be a tough night.
So what of Miami? Coming off that win over Florida State got them ranked in the top 20, but many feel that the coach is on the “hot seat”. Winning only 7 games won’t get it done, so there is pressure to win more…preferably the ACC Championship. It does NOT help that Miami has a horrendous schedule the first 4 games.
And the problem with the Hurricanes is that there is no consistency in the team. Of their away games, they lost to Florida (who didn’t), beat Texas A&M by almost 20, beat Duke and Virginia (which happened to be the two worst teams in the ACC in 2008), and lost to Georgia Tech, NC State and California, all away from the confines of their home. Their home games had them beating Charleston Southern, losing to UNC and Florida State back to back, and beating Central Florida, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
It’s hard to figure this team out, and with a new quarterback it may be harder. But if home games count for anything, then at least Miami has the comfort of the fans behind them. The interesting thing is that most of Miami’s games don’t end close, not within 6 points or so, meaning they will either dominate…or GET dominated. Remember, they lost to Georgia Tech by almost 20 points last year…in Atlanta.
So who wins? If my keys hold up, the Georgia Tech will have a hard time with Miami, this was not a low scoring team last year, and the problem with such a team is that it may force Georgia Tech to try to pass to keep up…which will certainly end in disaster.
Miami still needs an identity, and with a new QB they can establish that, but it may also be important for Miami not to look ahead to Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. I personally don’t think teams do that, they play who is on that field, but what momentum could it give Miami to win this game and go 2-0. I think it’s quite possible. I give it to the Hurricanes by 8 points.
Florida, that is….
This is going to be a game I plan on watching since I am in the middle of ACC country, and well…I LOVE college football…(so there!)
But this is very important because the ACC needs somebody to emerge as a powerhouse and give credit to the conference. Virginia Tech and Florida State dropped the ball all too early, so hopes are hinging on the winner of this game.
To add to this, Georgia Tech is ranked #14 on one poll, and Miami is ranked #20 on the other…this is a top 25 matchup. I saw how Miami beat Florida State, and I saw how Georgia Tech escaped Clemson. I gotta tell you, I think Georgia Tech might be in trouble.
First off, that triple option is a cute gimmick, but it won’t win championships. It’s just hard for me to put faith in a quarterback that, IF he has to pass, makes it an adventure short of the Lord of the Rings. If you have a quarterback that completes on average 4 passes a GAME, this could be problematic.
But you would argue that Georgia Tech went 9-4 last year, so it must be working, right? True, but those Yellow Jackets must hate leaving ATL, because their away games last year were tough. They win by only 3 at Boston College, win by 3 at Virginia Tech, win by 4 at Clemson, lose by 21 at UNC, beat Georgia by 3 and lose to LSU by 35. They fare much better when they are home, especially since they BEAT Miami last year 41-23.
So what’s different? First, they are playing away, which means a much closer game than they want. Second, you have a quarterback that had only 2 passing touchdowns and 5 INTs, with a key running back in Jonathan Dwyer gone, who was an excellent rusher and receiver. If they can’t adjust, this could be a tough night.
So what of Miami? Coming off that win over Florida State got them ranked in the top 20, but many feel that the coach is on the “hot seat”. Winning only 7 games won’t get it done, so there is pressure to win more…preferably the ACC Championship. It does NOT help that Miami has a horrendous schedule the first 4 games.
And the problem with the Hurricanes is that there is no consistency in the team. Of their away games, they lost to Florida (who didn’t), beat Texas A&M by almost 20, beat Duke and Virginia (which happened to be the two worst teams in the ACC in 2008), and lost to Georgia Tech, NC State and California, all away from the confines of their home. Their home games had them beating Charleston Southern, losing to UNC and Florida State back to back, and beating Central Florida, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
It’s hard to figure this team out, and with a new quarterback it may be harder. But if home games count for anything, then at least Miami has the comfort of the fans behind them. The interesting thing is that most of Miami’s games don’t end close, not within 6 points or so, meaning they will either dominate…or GET dominated. Remember, they lost to Georgia Tech by almost 20 points last year…in Atlanta.
So who wins? If my keys hold up, the Georgia Tech will have a hard time with Miami, this was not a low scoring team last year, and the problem with such a team is that it may force Georgia Tech to try to pass to keep up…which will certainly end in disaster.
Miami still needs an identity, and with a new QB they can establish that, but it may also be important for Miami not to look ahead to Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. I personally don’t think teams do that, they play who is on that field, but what momentum could it give Miami to win this game and go 2-0. I think it’s quite possible. I give it to the Hurricanes by 8 points.
Can Notre Dame get to a BCS Bowl?
Can Notre Dame get to BCS Bowl?
If we’re talking about getting to the BCS Championship, the answer is no, although the absolute purist would argue that IF Notre Dame wins ALL the rest of their games, they could in theory, get there.
Uh…yeah. I guess they COULD, but let’s not hold our breaths for that.
With one loss already, the question is no longer about whether the Fighting Irish will get to the BCS Championship, the priorities fall a bit. Now one had to wonder if they can qualify for a BCS Bowl game.
To do that, Notre Dame has to win perhaps all their games, and their margin for error might ONLY be one more game. With them losing to Michigan already, few see them beating USC later on.
So consider the following schedule and see where Notre Dame can finish. They would have needed a perfect season just to make a shot for the National Championship… that is gone. They might be allowed one…maybe two more losses to still get in a BCS Bowl, and they need 6 wins to qualify for any bowl.
With them falling out of BOTH polls, that hurts them a lot, but because they have a soft schedule, they might be able to climb back in. And with butt kissers like Lou Holtz pushing them, and NBC showcasing them, they have a good shot.
They’ll be playing a Michigan State team that was embarrassed by Central Michigan last week…you better believe they are looking for redemption. But this is a home game for the Irish, so I think you have to favor Notre Dame.
Purdue played well against Oregon, but still lost. They take on ND in another away game for the Irish, if Purdue has improved on any level, I think they could possibly steal a game.
Notre Dame’s next three games are home, with Washington, USC and Boston College. If ND had beaten Michigan handily, I might say that ND could be two of those three…now I can only give them Washington. If it goes this way, the Fighting Irish will be fighting with a possible 3-4 record, or as good as maybe a 5-2.
They’ll play away at Washington State, then home vs. Navy, which could be a split. Another away game at Pittsburgh, home vs. UCONN and ending the season at Stanford could give Notre Dame two wins at the end of the season. But overall, we could be looking at 8-4, maybe 9-3 at best.
Let’s add on here that they were beaten by a team that was 3-9 last year… Michigan is NOT a very good team, and Notre Dame lost to them. If this is the case, then I think some of the people gave Notre Dame more credit than they ought to have. With a 8-4 record, I can’t see how they can get a BCS Bowl game, and 9-3 would be highly questionable, but not out of the question.
If this is true, then Notre Dame’s margin for error is 2 games, having already lost one. Almost everybody sees USC beating Notre Dame, but will they lose another game this year? I think an embarrassed Michigan State team can be a problem, and an away game vs. Purdue can be tough. Add on a good Boston College team, and a Navy team that almost beat Ohio State, this will be a serious challenge for Notre Dame.
It’s going to be very tough to get a BCS bowl bid folks, no matter how much Lou Holtz kisses up to them. We’ll see all soon….
If we’re talking about getting to the BCS Championship, the answer is no, although the absolute purist would argue that IF Notre Dame wins ALL the rest of their games, they could in theory, get there.
Uh…yeah. I guess they COULD, but let’s not hold our breaths for that.
With one loss already, the question is no longer about whether the Fighting Irish will get to the BCS Championship, the priorities fall a bit. Now one had to wonder if they can qualify for a BCS Bowl game.
To do that, Notre Dame has to win perhaps all their games, and their margin for error might ONLY be one more game. With them losing to Michigan already, few see them beating USC later on.
So consider the following schedule and see where Notre Dame can finish. They would have needed a perfect season just to make a shot for the National Championship… that is gone. They might be allowed one…maybe two more losses to still get in a BCS Bowl, and they need 6 wins to qualify for any bowl.
With them falling out of BOTH polls, that hurts them a lot, but because they have a soft schedule, they might be able to climb back in. And with butt kissers like Lou Holtz pushing them, and NBC showcasing them, they have a good shot.
They’ll be playing a Michigan State team that was embarrassed by Central Michigan last week…you better believe they are looking for redemption. But this is a home game for the Irish, so I think you have to favor Notre Dame.
Purdue played well against Oregon, but still lost. They take on ND in another away game for the Irish, if Purdue has improved on any level, I think they could possibly steal a game.
Notre Dame’s next three games are home, with Washington, USC and Boston College. If ND had beaten Michigan handily, I might say that ND could be two of those three…now I can only give them Washington. If it goes this way, the Fighting Irish will be fighting with a possible 3-4 record, or as good as maybe a 5-2.
They’ll play away at Washington State, then home vs. Navy, which could be a split. Another away game at Pittsburgh, home vs. UCONN and ending the season at Stanford could give Notre Dame two wins at the end of the season. But overall, we could be looking at 8-4, maybe 9-3 at best.
Let’s add on here that they were beaten by a team that was 3-9 last year… Michigan is NOT a very good team, and Notre Dame lost to them. If this is the case, then I think some of the people gave Notre Dame more credit than they ought to have. With a 8-4 record, I can’t see how they can get a BCS Bowl game, and 9-3 would be highly questionable, but not out of the question.
If this is true, then Notre Dame’s margin for error is 2 games, having already lost one. Almost everybody sees USC beating Notre Dame, but will they lose another game this year? I think an embarrassed Michigan State team can be a problem, and an away game vs. Purdue can be tough. Add on a good Boston College team, and a Navy team that almost beat Ohio State, this will be a serious challenge for Notre Dame.
It’s going to be very tough to get a BCS bowl bid folks, no matter how much Lou Holtz kisses up to them. We’ll see all soon….
Southern Miss Football: After Jeff Bower
Southern Miss: After Jeff Bower
Speedblog
I wanted to revisit a story that happened a few years ago, one that has a very sour taste when it comes to football programs and rich alumni that often times are as fanatical as some of the fans.
Southern Miss was one of those teams a few years ago that you had to keep your eye on. Out of the Conference USA, this was a team that just seemed to be just short of making the BCS voters nervous.
Coached by Jeff Bower, this team reached the heights that the university had not seen on decades. Under this coach’s leadership, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles had 14 consecutive winning seasons out of his 17 seasons, and had dedicated almost 30 years to the university.
Under Jeff Bower, they won four Conference USA Championships as Bower was voted coach of the year in the conference three times, and also voted the Coach of the Decade by said conference.
In the 12 years Coach Bower was with Southern Miss under Conference USA, the team went to 10 bowls…TEN! They won 3 out of four bowl games, losing the 4th one in 2007.…
And it cost Jeff Bower his job.
The final year of Bower’s tenure was 7-6 as they lost in their bowl game, and apparently the “big bucks” that run college football at Southern Miss felt that he did not deserve another year…so they ran him out.
Folks, there is a term for a school that lives mainly in the middle of the NCAA, it is a reference term for wrestlers that aren’t the most popular, but liked…
“Mid-card for LIFE”
Conference USA has a competitive conference, but NOBODY is going to mistake it for being a BCS contender. As such, any team from such a conference is not going to be in the top 10. So what did these people see in running Bower out that would land them in the BCS?
Nothing.
Has the team gotten any better since 2007...nope.
So why was this move done? Why would a university push out a guy who not only gave Southern Miss the credibility it has today, but also GRADUATED a heck of a lot of athletes. It was said that Southern Miss Football had a very high graduation rate, one of the best schools in the nation in Division I.
So tell me, if winning was not important, and graduating players was not important, then what is?
I used to watch Southern Miss often on television, and got to know them pretty well, but now since Bower is gone, I don’t see them much on tv, not that I am looking for them. Last year they finished 7-6 but some say that they will be better this year…that’s really not saying too much.
It’s only been two years, but I wonder how long it will take before the upper crust of Southern Miss start to realize that when you listen to old spoiled alumni with deep pockets, you don’t always get what you want….kinda like dealing with the devil. The hope of something great SOUNDS good, but the sacrifice you pay for it will cost you far more than your money can buy.
Good luck to your future Southern Miss…you’re gonna need it without Jeff Bower.
Speedblog
I wanted to revisit a story that happened a few years ago, one that has a very sour taste when it comes to football programs and rich alumni that often times are as fanatical as some of the fans.
Southern Miss was one of those teams a few years ago that you had to keep your eye on. Out of the Conference USA, this was a team that just seemed to be just short of making the BCS voters nervous.
Coached by Jeff Bower, this team reached the heights that the university had not seen on decades. Under this coach’s leadership, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles had 14 consecutive winning seasons out of his 17 seasons, and had dedicated almost 30 years to the university.
Under Jeff Bower, they won four Conference USA Championships as Bower was voted coach of the year in the conference three times, and also voted the Coach of the Decade by said conference.
In the 12 years Coach Bower was with Southern Miss under Conference USA, the team went to 10 bowls…TEN! They won 3 out of four bowl games, losing the 4th one in 2007.…
And it cost Jeff Bower his job.
The final year of Bower’s tenure was 7-6 as they lost in their bowl game, and apparently the “big bucks” that run college football at Southern Miss felt that he did not deserve another year…so they ran him out.
Folks, there is a term for a school that lives mainly in the middle of the NCAA, it is a reference term for wrestlers that aren’t the most popular, but liked…
“Mid-card for LIFE”
Conference USA has a competitive conference, but NOBODY is going to mistake it for being a BCS contender. As such, any team from such a conference is not going to be in the top 10. So what did these people see in running Bower out that would land them in the BCS?
Nothing.
Has the team gotten any better since 2007...nope.
So why was this move done? Why would a university push out a guy who not only gave Southern Miss the credibility it has today, but also GRADUATED a heck of a lot of athletes. It was said that Southern Miss Football had a very high graduation rate, one of the best schools in the nation in Division I.
So tell me, if winning was not important, and graduating players was not important, then what is?
I used to watch Southern Miss often on television, and got to know them pretty well, but now since Bower is gone, I don’t see them much on tv, not that I am looking for them. Last year they finished 7-6 but some say that they will be better this year…that’s really not saying too much.
It’s only been two years, but I wonder how long it will take before the upper crust of Southern Miss start to realize that when you listen to old spoiled alumni with deep pockets, you don’t always get what you want….kinda like dealing with the devil. The hope of something great SOUNDS good, but the sacrifice you pay for it will cost you far more than your money can buy.
Good luck to your future Southern Miss…you’re gonna need it without Jeff Bower.
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