Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Dynasty Update: Road Warriors

Georgia started out 7-0 and looked like a true national title contender, but the Dawgs have played 4 straight away from home and the mileage is starting to show. Journeyman's boys handled Arkansas 28-17, but the next three teams they played scored the most points anyone has against Georgia this season; Florida scored 28, then Kentucky 30, and next was Auburn at 31. Offense and special teams have saved the Bulldogs in the home stretch, and Journeyman, as well as the players and fans, is looking forward to finally getting another home game. So, UGA has held on to an undefeated season, but not by much, and Georgia Tech would like nothing more than to ruin the Dawgs' season with some Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate!


2024 Schedule    BCS #1 (11-0)

Appalachian State W 52-13
#9 Ohio State W 21-18
at South Carolina W 34-7
Arkansas State W 52-14
#15 LSU W 30-16
#19 Tennessee W 56-7
Vanderbilt W 42-16
at #25 Arkansas W 28-17
#22 Florida (Jax.) W 31-28
at Kentucky W 42-30
at Auburn W 42-31 

Remaining Game:
#20 Georgia Tech

Tuesday Top-25 - You're Not Gonna Like It.

I do have Auburn as a clear number one now, but my subconscious linking of Boise State to TCU has hurt the mid majors. Boise has plummeted - and for now they're behind the Nevada team that beat them - and TCU, even though they still haven't lost, slipped. It's not fair, but nothing about this system is. I still have Alabama way higher than anyone else, but I stand by it. It was a one point loss to the number one team in the nation. They shut the Tigers down early, contained Newton most of the game, and left three potential game-winning score on the field; they're a top-10 team.I did something I don't like to do by putting the Razorbacks ahead of the Tide, but the home stretch for each team has been the difference. Speaking of home stretches, that's why A&M is so much higher than most polls would have them. Yes, that is Arizona still hanging around in the top-25, but only because I think they could beat teams 23-25. No.Illinois is another homestretch inclusion, coming in with a 10-2 record and scoring a billion points...but in reality, could they beat a 6-6 SEC team? Probably not.

  1. Auburn
  2. Oregon
  3. Wisconsin
  4. Stanford
  5. Ohio State
  6. Michigan State
  7. TCU
  8. Arkansas
  9. Alabama
  10. Missouri
  11. LSU
  12. Texas A&M
  13. Nebraska
  14. Oklahoma
  15. South Carolina
  16. Oklahoma State
  17. Nevada
  18. Boise State
  19. Virginia Tech
  20. Florida State
  21. Mississippi State
  22. Arizona
  23. Utah
  24. West Virginia
  25. Northern Illinois
Well, there you have it, the FTS top-25 heading into championship weekend. Is it perfect? Far from. Could that back four really beat ALL of the 90-odd teams left off this list? Probably not. But, looking at records, head-to-heads and momentum, this is where I see things right now.

Heisman Early Lean

Granted, this weekend could have a lot of impact on this, but I'll go ahead and throw out where I'm leaning on who should win the Heisman and who should join him in NYC. Now, I know this site seems very professional and influential, but in reality, I actually have zero influence on any of this. But, what the hell, here goes:

Winner: Cam Newton



Runners-Up:

Denard Robinson, Michigan - Forget the record, anyone who has doe what Shoelace has deserves a trip to the DTAC...or I guess now it's in the Times Square Marriot.

Andrew Luck, Stanford - I like what Luck's done leading Stanford to an 11-1 record. The hits he's put on other players have helped, too; everybody likes a tough QB.

Kellen Moore, Boise State - He's carrying a near perfect rating and has sat out a lot  of time in blowouts. He has the tools, just maybe not the opposition, to be taken seriously.

Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson - This vote probably won't stay on my final "ballot", but I just couldn't ignore the leading D-lineman in the nation and his 24 TFL and 16 sacks.

Monday, November 29, 2010

I Like Brady Hoke...

...so I'm going to offer him this advice: Do not go to Minnesota.

Early Leans - Championship Week Edition

Arizona 31, Arizona State 27
Northern Illinois 42, Miami (OH) 20
West Virginia 31, Rutgers 21
Boise State 62, Utah State 13
Nevada 24, Louisiana Tech 21
Oregon 30, Oregon State 19
Auburn 41, South Carolina 27
Virginia Tech 26, Florida State 20
Oklahoma 27, Nebraska 17
South Florida 24, UConn 20

Dynasty Update: No Place Like Home

2024 has gotten off to a great start for Ace Journeyman and his Georgia Bulldogs. It's taken a couple of seasons, but the run game has finally found its feet and the defense is playing lights-out. Things have really clicked since the Dawgs squeaked out a close, 3-point win over Ohio State in week 3, with UGA winning four conference games in a row by at least two TD's, including an almost perfect game over Tennessee. Heading into the back stretch of the season, the Dawgs play four straight games away from home. Florida stands as a major barrier to Journeyman's goal of an SEC Title...and undefeated Tech could be a barrier to a larger, yet still unspoken, goal.



2024 Schedule    7-0

Appalaichain State W 52-13
#9 Ohio State W 21-18
at South Carolina W 34-7
Arkansas State W 52-14
#15 LSU W 30-16
#19 Tennessee W 56-7
Vanderbilt W 42-16

Remaining Games:
at #25 Arkansas
#22 Florida (Jax.)
at Kentucky
at Auburn
#20 Georgia Tech

TCU's Headed to the Big East

It's official. God, the Horned Frogs are going to dominate this league. There'll be so much sprayed blood, it'll look like a Jackson Pollack painting come season's end. What's Boise State going to do now? The "new" MWC is as bad as the old WAC with the loss of Utah, BYU, and now TCU. Maybe they can get some odd PAC-10 offering down the line during super-expansion...odds are, though, that conference will only expand through the southwest.

How loose are we gonna get with "East"?

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sunday Morning QB

With the loss to A&M, Texas will not go to a bowl game; They're the only team in the BCS era to go from title game to losing season. A&M, on the other hand, has had an impressive year, especially the home stretch. After the Missouri loss, Sherman burned all the playbooks and press clippings, changed the offense around, and the Aggies haven't looked back. They'd be my pick to rep the Big-XII South in the title game, but it will most likely be OU.


Will Dave Wannstedt be looking for a job soon?

Auburn spotted 'Bama 24 in the Iron Bowl before coming back to win. If they're realistically hoping to win the BCS, they need to sort that shit out. Don't get me wrong, it was impressive, but unnecessary - learn to play from the start; these comebacks won't be so cute when someone gets out early and doesn't let you back in the game by coughing up red-zone turnovers. That said, the Tigers will be my number one team this week...but they better not dick around in the SECCG.

If I had to coach against Auburn, I'd hope to get the ball first. Then I'd pass against their horrendous secondary and hope for a TD. If I scored, I'd onside it. What do you have to lose? You're most likely not going to stop Cam Newton anyway; I'd pull out all the fakes, on-sides, and tricks I could.

It certainly seemed like Boise State was overlooking Nevada. All their talk focused on 'if Auburn loses, we can play for the BCS Title' instead of 'Hey, let's go beat Nevada.' I mean, yes the WAC schedule is shit, but Nevada's not a typical WAC team. It's not like the Bronco Bus was gassed up to play New Mexico or Wyoming - this is Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua, the most productive backfield in football history. And, they can heap as much ridicule on the kicker as they want, but if that team had done anything else it was supposed to in the second half,  Kyle Brotzman wouldn't have been in that situation.

Also, as shitty as it is, I think the loss by Boise has hurt my faith in TCU. They're subconsciously connected for me and will both drop in my FTS Top-25.

I think Wisconsin is the strongest team in the Big Ten and deserves at least the Rose Bowl. If weirder things shake out, I'd maybe even put a one-loss Wisky in the Title game. If you haven't actually watched their offensive line and running backs play, you're missing out - that machine is brutal up front and has really clicked since the loss to Sparty. If the Badgers get the Rose, than I think Ohio State should get an at large and, unfortunately, Michigan State should be left out. Do they deserve it more than a Big East or ACC Champion? Absolutely. But, it is what it is and we can't change that.

The artificial turf in War Memorial Stadium proved to be Les Miles' undoing. Well, that and the back-breaking 80 yard touchdown to end the first half.

Stanford looked impressive yesterday - like, top-5 impressive. How long will the Cardinal be able to hold on to Jim Harbaugh? He'd be number one on my short list right now.

Speaking of coaching lists, the carousel started with Randy Shannon's firing, so everybody's getting their short lists together. The hottest themes we'll see are Harbaugh, Mullen and Malzahn in the SEC, someone making a play for Brady Hoke, and what will happen in Ann Arbor (RichRod out?), Austin (Brown stepping down for Muschamp?), and Gainesville (New OC?).


Tech's offense wasn't so much 'wrecked' as barely inconvenienced. So that's what a bye-week got us against the triple option, huh? God, I hope we get the personnel for Grantham's system soon - this shit is killing me. I HATE defending against that shit. I do LOVE Aaron Murray, however. And, I'd love for A.J. to come back, but let's be real, that only happens if the players union problems continue. Oh well, at least we're bowl eligible...bring on the Compass Bowl!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Is Randy Shannon done in Miami?

Might be. I wonder if Richt would be interested.
-------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: Yes, he is done in Miami. Crank up the carousel and old on to your coaches...

Dynasty Update: Perfect Season, Unhappy Ending

Ace Journeyman used the momentum from Georgia's big win against Florida to drive his team to wrap up a perfect regular season. They won a Blackout blowout against rival Auburn, 45-3, and torched in-state enemy Georgia Tech 62-20 to finish 12-0. However, maybe they were carrying too much confidence into their SEC Championship rematch with Alabama. The Dawgs and Tide were tied 21 all at the half in a back-and-forth game, and neither side could take an advantage through the back half, sending the game to overtime, tied at 35. Three periods later, though, it was the Tide taking the trophy off the field, having edged the Dawgs 51-45. A month later, a disinterested Georgia team took the field against #8 Penn State in the Capital One Bowl. Journeyman was unable to get his charges properly focused, and the Dawgs dropped their second game in a row 34-30. With the disappointing end of the season, all the rumors about a fat contract extension fizzled and Journeyman entered the off-season under the scrutiny of a cautious, yet still trusting fanbase.

2023 Season - 12-2
Georgia Southern W 82-6
at Texas A&M W 42-21
South Carolina W 17-10
at #9 LSU W 21-14
at Vanderbilt W 34-7
#2 Alabama W 28-10
at Tennessee W 27-14
Kentucky W 31-10
#6 Florida (Jax) W 33-21
Western Kentucky W 63-0
Auburn W 45-3
at Georgia Tech W 62-20

SEC Championship
#5 Alabama L 45-51

Capital One Bowl
#8 Penn State L 30-34

Nevada 34 - Boise State 31

You should have stayed up for the late night WAC-tion! With the upset, Boise goes from BCS Title dreams to a three-way tie for the WAC title. Even though Nevada beat Boise head-to-head, they still have the same league records as the Broncos and the Warriors of Hawai'i. This year, the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl gets the first pick of WAC teams...and it doesn't look like any of them are going to the BCS, so look for the Broncos in San Fran. If Kraft takes the Wolfpack, then Boise could be in the Humanitarian Bowl or New Mexico Bowl. Hawai'i will, most likely, stay close to home in the Hawai'i Bowl.

Dynasty Update: It's GREAT...to be...A GEORGIA BULLDOG!

When Ace Journeyman arrived in Athens, he made it clear he wanted to change the direction of the Florida rivalry. In his first season,  Journeyman's Dawgs carried two losses into Jacksonville and left with three en route to a 9-4. This year, the tables have turned, as Georgia went up on Florida early and withstood a comeback attempt in the second half to knock off the Gators, 33-21. Journeyman has told the fan base to get used to winning this game, as it will be one of his highest priorities every season. The team's other goal of the season - winning the SEC East - is almost assured with the win over UF, but now things look bigger than anyone thought headed into 2023. If Georgia can win out against two struggling rivals and survive a rematch with Alabama, the Dawgs could be in the National Title game.

2023 Season - 10-0
Georgia Southern W 82-6
at Texas A&M W 42-21
South Carolina W 17-10
at #9 LSU W 21-14
at Vanderbilt W 34-7
#2 Alabama W 28-10
at Tennessee W 27-14
Kentucky W 31-10
#6 Florida (Jax) W 33-21
Western Kentucky W 63-0


Remaining Games: 
Auburn
at Georgia Tech

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Weekly Picks, Rivalry Style

They're not all rivalry games this week, as the PAC-10 closes out conference play next weekend.

Backyard Brawl: West Virginia 23, Pitt 20 - I have absolutely no clear reasoning for this pick, and I almost picked Pitt to win, 7-6. But, something in my gut tells me Pitt will actually score some points and the 'Neers will pull it out in a close one.

The Iron Bowl: Auburn 41, Alabama 31 - Cam Newton, Cam Newton, Cam Newton.

Boise State 42, Nevada 24 - I'd really like to see the Wolfpack win this game, put I just know they won't.

Oregon 37, Arizona 27 - Another close (-ish) win for the Ducks.

Florida 27, Florida State 24 -  If the Gators lose this one, things will really be under the microscope in Gainesville...starting with Adazzio's contract.

The Game: Ohio State 38, Michigan 27 - Shoelace and Co. will make this exciting early, but the Buckeyes will be too much in the second half. BTW, when did these teams steal the nickname of the Harvard-Yale rivalry?

Border War: Kansas 27, Missouri 26 - UPSET ALERT.

The Boot: Arkansas 34, LSU 31 - No late-game magic for the Grass-Eaters.

South Carolina 23, Clemson 19 - It will be ugly, the Cocks will overlook the Tigers early, punched will be thrown, players will be ejected. Why doesn't this have an official name? Like, The Palmetto Poor Sportsmanship Classic.

Oregon State 37, Stanford 34 - UPSET ALERT 2. I mean, why not?

Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate: Georgia 40, Georgia Tech 31 - I see a lot of points and a close game for most of the night. In the end, a big play breaks it open and the Dawgs pull away.

Bedlam: Oklahoma 30, Oklahoma State 27 - Here come the Sooners.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM FTS!

Dynasty Update: Sic 'em!

Ace Journeyman's Bulldogs continued their undefeated season, knocking off a pesky Vandy squad in Nashville and putting on a dominant performance against then second-ranked Alabama between the Hedges. The win has made the fan base ecstatic and there's a lot of talk about a big contract extension being in the works. The wins have also helped to focus the team. Journeyman's charges are playing sharper than they have since the coach has been in Athens and don't look to be slowing down anytime soon. And, while Tennessee and Kentucky are never easy games and everyone in the locker room swears they're not overlooking the next game in Knoxville, the showdown with #6 Florida in Jacksonville is looming on the horizon. A win over the Gators would even the score in the series as well as put Georgia in the driver's seat to the BCS Title Game. But, first things first - the Dawgs have to handle the Vols.

2023 Season - 6-0
Georgia Southern W 82-6
at Texas A&M W 42-21
South Carolina W 17-10
at #9 LSU W 21-14
at Vanderbilt W 34-7
#2 Alabama W 28-10

Remaining Games: 
at Tennessee
Kentucky
#6 Florida (Jax)
Western Kentucky
Auburn
at #10 Georgia Tech

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Blackout?

There's been a lot of talk about Georgia having another "Balckout" against Tech this weekend. Christ, I hope it's not true. Or, at least I hope it's all fan-fare...I mean, the last one of these flopped, and we're not exactly having the type of season to be focusing on unis first.

Tuesday Top-25

Oh, boy. Now that things have shaken out and we're approaching the last few weekends of football, I've had to change my approach to the top-25. First, I'm keeping all the undefeateds in the top-4 spots, just divided into two tiers and listed alphabetically. next is the one-loss teams listed in order of who has been more impressive lately. Beyond that are two clusters of teams with weird round-robin relationships, one cluster from the SEC and one from the Big-XII. So, the SEC has Alabama who beat Arkansas who beat SoCar who beat Alabama. Next is a 4-way knot from the Big-XII: Missouri over Texas A&M who beat Oklahoma and Nebraska. I have the SEC cluster over the Big XII because i think the teams are better and we have a head-to-head Arkansas win over Texas A&M. The Whatevs group is three teams that are hard to place: Mississippi State, whose only lost to the four SEC teams listed above, Virginia Tech, who has won 9 in a row, and Nevada, whose only loss was to Boise. Bringing up the rear is an ACC two-fer and a confusing know of PAC-10 teams with Iowa thrown in for fun. The ACC teams are NC State slightly ahead of Florida State, who they edged out head-to-head. The PAC-10 group has USC over Arizona and then Arizona over Iowa. Perhaps the most confusing thing overall is Oregon State's inclusion i this group. Two of their losses were to the #3 and #4 teams in the nation and they own head-to-head victories over both USC and Arizona. So, yes they're listed, but they are not officially ranked - just recognized.

Tier 1:
Auburn
Oregon

Tier 2:
Boise State
TCU

One-Loss:
5. Wisconsin
6. Stanford
7. LSU
8. Ohio State
9. Oklahoma State
10. Michigan State       

The SEC Cluster:
11. Alabama
12. Arkansas
13. South Carolina

The Big-XII Cluster:
14. Missouri
15. Texas A&M
16. Oklahoma
17. Nebraska

Whatevs:
18. Virginia Tech
19. Mississippi State
20. Nevada

The ACC:
21. NC State
22. Florida State

The End:
* Oregon State
23. USC
24. Arizona
25. Iowa

Monday, November 22, 2010

Dynasty Update: DAWG BAIT!

Dawgs win, 21-14. A risky Journeyman fourth down call silenced a very hostile crowd with just under a minute to go and the Dawgs were able to run out the clock for the win. Injuries threatened to do Georgia in early, as they lost two running backs to injuries and saw their freshman replacements each fumble inside Tiger territory. The Georgia defense stood pat, though, and fought the Tigers off for most of the day. Four of Georgia's next six opponents are ranked, including #4 Bama and #1 Florida, so Journeyman's not letting the celebration last very long.

Dynasty Update: Unfriendly Confines

Ace Journeyman is getting his #10 Bulldogs ready for their toughest test of the season, a road trip to Baton Rouge for a night game against the #9 LSU Tigers. The pundits are split on their picks, but overall, Vegas has LSU as a slight favorite. Despite big wins over Georgia Southern and Texas A&M to start the season, the Bulldogs look far from unbeatable. Georgia's coming off a hard-fought SEC opener - a 17-10 win over South Carolina - and if they don't fix some of the problems they had against the Gamecocks, they'll bring home a mark in the 'L' column.

2023 Season - 4-0
Georgia Southern W 82-6
at Texas A&M W 42-21
South Carolina W 17-10
UPDATE:
at #9 LSU W 21-14

Remaining Games:
at Vanderbilt
#4 Alabama
at #24 Tennessee
Kentucky
#1 Florida (Jax)
Western Kentucky
Auburn
at #12 Georgia Tech

Monday Morning Recap

Well, I spent most of Saturday/Sunday morning with a bunch of republican lawyers from Middle GA celebrating a friend's 30th birthday in style. His wife rented us a limo and we hit up the ATL, raising hell, and generally missing almost all football action around us. That's why you got no Sunday Morning QB - I'm still processing all the scores/highlights, as well as recovering and trying to make it through work today in one piece. Still, though, there were a few things that stood out somewhat:



Denard set the QB rushing record. I know Michigan's record is not that good, but it's not for any lack of Robinson trying. I would certainly still keep him on a Heisman short list.

Speaking of, I also know who would be at the top of the list, and he didn't play this weekend: Cam Newton. All the swirling scandal isn't enough to change that for me. As long as it's not a performance-enhancement issue, I don't hold it against a player. Newton's the most exceptional player of the field this season, period.

LSU survives, but damn Les Miles. You need a three yard play for a 2-point conversion. What do you do? Reverse option pass, of course. The grass must have been off Saturday.

It takes a while to get from  Macon to Atlanta if you have to stop and let seven drunk morons piss every 20 minutes. It takes even longer to get back at 3am if you have to stop and let an eighth moron vomit along the side of I-75.

I'm really glad I didn't watch Texas A&M-Nebraska.

The end of the Mississippi State game looked exciting, but that's really the last complete memory I have.

ESPN highlights don't really take through a blurry haze at 4am.

And, finally, the hangovers are getting worse and worse.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Congrats, Shoelace.

Denard Robinson just set the NCAA record for rushing yards by a QB.

STRENGTH AND HONOR

Go Gladiators.

Friday, November 19, 2010

It's Official

Georgia-Boise State in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic. Sept. 3, 8pm, on ABC or ESPN - let's hope the SEC continues it's streak in this series.

Dynasty Update: Tech Wrecked; Hello, 2023.

The Georgia Bulldogs finished Ace Journeyman's first season between hedge strong, winning four in a row, including a 37-24 upset of #3 Georgia Tech and a 38-35 Outback Bowl victory over #15 Illinois. While it wasn't great season, it was still better than Georgia had under the last coach and its a great foundation on which Journeyman can build in 2023. Many in the football world think Journeyman could have the Dawgs ready to win the division next season, but recruiting didn't bring in any starter-ready players to patch-up the O- line, an area that is a major concern.


2022 Schedule  (9-4)
Ball State W 49-0
#22 Texas A&M W 35-10
at South Carolina W 21-7
at Kentucky W 12-7
at #1 Alabama L 35-45
#22 Tennessee L 10-13
#10 Florida (Jax) L 21-24 
Charleston Southern W 56-6
 at Auburn L 30-26
Ole Miss W 48-10
Vanderbilt W 51-0 
#3 Georgia Tech W 37-24

Outback Bowl
#15 Illinois W 38-35

Any Moment Now

They'll be announcing the Boise State-Georgia Chick-fil-A Classic once it's made official in a 5pm conference call.

Why don't they just move it?

We all knew a football game in Wrigley was a bad idea, but this seems like way too much trouble. Seriously, they're just now getting aorund to dealing with this? The dimensions of a football field haven't changed since they decided to try this. They should have know when they announced the idea last year it wouldn't work. I think marking off yardage every change of possession is too tiresome an investment, bench placement's now too unfair an advantage, and the whole scene to inhospitable to the game to try this again next season without changing the physical structure.

Georgia-Boise State in the Dome?

Rumors are flying right now that schedule shifts and TV slots are being moved around to possibly set up another Georgia-Boise State game, maybe even in the Georgia Dome. We're getting no official comment from McGarity. It all apparently stems from Ole Miss setting up "a big football announcement," which, it's being reported, is that the Rebs are dropping the Broncos to pick up BYU. Georgia would have to drop Louisville to make this happen. Most likely, this game will be the Chick-fil-A Kick-off Classic for 2011.

Interesting side note from Tucker's piece: "By the way, Chick-fil-A this month opened its first restaurant in Idaho — on the Boise State campus." Nice.

--------------------------------------
UPDATE: Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING has been confirmed. But I think this would be a fun game, and a chance to redefine the program. Boise State is no laughing matter and they will not come in to 2011 the same way they did in 2005. Georgia has A LOT to lose here, but they also have a great deal to win. A marquee win to open the season could be just what Richt needs to get things moving in the right direction next year.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Dynasty Update: Ups and Downs

It's been a rocky season for Ace Journeyman. It opened with four wins in a row, which were followed by three straight losses to ranked foes. His one preseason mandate, Beat Florida, went unfulfilled in a 24-21 loss and that was followed two weeks later by a close loss to another hated rival, Auburn. Fans have remained patient, though, knowing that it woudl take at least a season for Journeyman to get used to the SEC and fully implement his style of football in the Classic City. Now, on the heels of two blowout wins to finish up .500 in the SEC, Journeyman has the Dawgs' focus on one thing: Beating undefeated and third-ranked Georgia Tech. It's one thing to lose to Florida, another to lose to Auburn, but something altogether different to lose to Tech. The only thing worse? Losing to all three in the same year. The pressure is on...

2022 Schedule  (7-4)
Ball State W 49-0
#22 Texas A&M W 35-10
at South Carolina W 21-7
at Kentucky W 12-7
at #1 Alabama L 35-45
#22 Tennessee L 10-13
#10 Florida (Jax) L 21-24 
Charleston Southern W 56-6
 at Auburn L 30-26
Ole Miss W 48-10
Vanderbilt W 51-0 

Remaining Game:
#3 Georgia Tech

Oh, Auburn

Wow, Ryan Pugh, you are not helping. As if there's not enough scrutiny on the plains right now, Pugh decides to go blackface:


Very cosmopolitan. H/t EDSBS.

Maybe it's just tradition. I still remember this gem from Auburn in 2001:

Yep, that's blackface AND a noose. Go Tigers!

Weekly Picks

Alabama 52, Georgia State 0 - I'm including this one because it's Alabama playing on Thursday night. Against a team in their first football season, ever. It will be ugly and State just better hope no one gets too seriously hurt. On the bright side, the Panthers have won six games in their inaugural year - that's incredible.

Bill Curry has sweet nothing'ed his team to six wins.

Boise State 46, Fresno State 13 - I'd like to say Fresno will bring it, but I think they'll be too burned up from the almost-upset of Nevada, physically and emotionally. In other words, they'll be a cursory walk-through for the Broncs in tune-up for the Nevada game.

Wisconsin 37, Michigan 30 - Wisconsin will not drop 83 again - but Bielema might try it.

Stanford 30, Cal 21 - I canceled the upset alert.Cal does play good at home, but that oh, so close game against the Ducks will still be in the back of their minds. Also, the Cardinal will use this as a way to bounce back from their lackluster performance last week.

Ohio State 31, Iowa 20 - The Hawkeyes are slipping.

Virginia Tech 24, Miami 22 - I like the idea of VA Tech almost beating Boise, losing to an FCS team, and then ripping off 10-straight through the ACC. Hokies in a close one.

Arkansas 37, Mississippi State 20 - I don't see Mullen's Bulldogs slowing down the Hawg passing attack.

Nebraska 38, Texas A&M 31 - It will be fun to watch, but Nebraska's got its head on straight now.

Utah 40, San Diego State 30 - UPSET(in my mind, anyway)ALERT - I've been so high on San Diego State, I'm bound to be rewarded with them falling flat on their face to a struggling Utah team.

This man needs a big-time job opp.
  
Florida State 31, Maryland 21- Ah, a match-up of two 7-3 ACC teams. I'll take the 'Noles, but they could definitely find a way to lose it.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Dynasty Update: Chomped.

Ace Journeyman's statement game wasn't quite what he expected. In fact, there wasn't much of a statement at all, as the Dawgs were silenced on a last second pick. The INT secured a 24-21 win for the Gators and left Ace Journeyman with a lot of questions to answer. The fans are disappointed and upset, the team has lost three in a row, and now the starting QB is out for at least 4 weeks. Journeyman better address these issues fast, because after a tune-up game against Charleston Southern, the Dawgs go on the road to rival Auburn.

2022 Schedule  (5-3)
Ball State W 49-0
#22 Texas A&M W 35-10
at South Carolina W 21-7
at Kentucky W 12-7
at #1 Alabama L 35-45
#22 Tennessee L 10-13
#10 Florida (Jax) L 21-24 
UPDATE:
Charleston Southern W 56-6

Remaining Games:
at Auburn
Ole Miss
Vanderbilt
#6 Georgia Tech

Dynasty Update: Rough Patch

Against Kentucky, Ace Journeyman re-lived something he hadn't suffered through since his early days at Eastern Michigan, a touchdown-less game. Now he's experienced another unpleasant bout of deja-vu straight out of his Ypsilanti-era: back-to-back losses. In an unexpected shootout in Tuscaloosa, the top-ranked tide edged out Georgia 45-35, and in a defensive struggle, Tennessee outlasted the Dawgs, 13-10. The fans are unhappy, but patient, knowing that the new coach's biggest test is on deck - the annual showdown with Florida in Jacksonville. Journeyman has made it clear that he will change the complexion of that rivalry, or lose his job trying. For a coach who has used big goals to motivate his teams - a division or conference title at EMU and Nevada, a BCS title at Michigan - this year's objective is a simple one, and it's plastered all over the locker room: BEAT FLORIDA! It's put up or shut or time for the Georgia Bulldogs and Journeyman's chance to save an outside shot at a trip to Atlanta, as they get ready for the #10 Gators in Jacksonville.

2022 Schedule
 
Ball State W 49-0
#22 Texas A&M W 35-10
at South Carolina W 21-7
at Kentucky W 12-7
at #1 Alabama L 35-45
#22 Tennessee L 10-13


Remaining Games:

#10 Florida (Jax)
Charleston Southern
at Auburn
Ole Miss
Vanderbilt
#6 Georgia Tech

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Early Leans

Alabama 45, Georgia State 0
Boise State 42, Fresno State 13
Wisconsin 34, Michigan 30
Cal 23, Stanford 20 - UPSET ALERT
Ohio State 31, Iowa 20
Virginia Tech 24, Miami 22
Arkansas 34, Mississippi State 17
Nebraska 38, Texas A&M 31
Utah 40, San Diego State 30 - UPSET (in my mind, anyway) ALERT
Florida State 31, Maryland 21

Tuesday Top-25

I cannot decide between Auburn and Oregon, so I simply went alphabetical. Beyond that it's Boise State and everyone else.The only thing I knew for sure was that Wisconsin was going to be my highest one-loss team and that I wanted to preserve head-to-heads where possible. Also, I still have San Diego State in the top-25; it's not a typo. Yes, they lost to BYU, but we all know why, and after that they only lost by 3 to Mizzou and 5 to TCU. So, for now, I'm keeping Hoke and the Aztecs in. On the outside looking in are Northwestern and a handful of ACC teams.

  1. Auburn
  2. Oregon
  3. Boise State
  4. TCU
  5. Wisconsin
  6. Stanford
  7. LSU
  8. Ohio State
  9. Nebraska
  10. Oklahoma State
  11. Michigan State
  12. Alabama
  13. Arkansas
  14. Missouri
  15. South Carolina
  16. Virginia Tech
  17. Oklahoma
  18. Texas A&M
  19. USC
  20. Arizona
  21. Iowa
  22. Mississippi State
  23. Miami
  24. San Diego State
  25. Nevada

    Dynasty Update: Welcome to the SEC

     Journeyman's first two games started easily enough, non-conference romps through a struggling Ball State and an overrated A&M squad. But then the metal hit the meat. Georgia and South Carolina were tied at 7 late in the third before an interception broke things open. Against Kentucky, the Dawgs never found a rhythm, relying on four field goals in Journeyman's first game without a TD since his first season at Eastern Michigan. Journeyman's going to have to make some changes if he's going to thrive in the SEC, and with a road trip to #1 Alabama on deck, he's going to have to do it fast.


    2022 Schedule
    Ball State W 49-0
    #22 Texas A&M W 35-10
    at South Carolina W 21-7
    at Kentucky W 12-7

    Remaining Games:
    at #2 Alabama
    #20 Tennessee
    #19 Florida (Jax)
    Charleston Southern
    at Auburn
    Ole Miss
    Vanderbilt
    #12 Georgia Tech

    Monday, November 15, 2010

    Final Thoughts: Georgia-Auburn

    Auburn fans are in denial - but so is everybody else. Auburn's fans are in denial about Cam Newton and they're in denial about Nick Fairley. However, I'm certain that ANY FANBASE would be acting the same way. Once again, it's the ugly side of our sport. Is Cam Newton above suspicion? Hell no. Look at how he ended up at Auburn to answer that question. Do I - and hopefully most fans - hope he's innocent here? Yes. It's pathetic to relish in the downfall of a kid. But it's also pathetic to put the blinders on because he's on your team and criticize journalists for doing their jobs and rail on about some conspiracy. Everybody needs to grow up on that one. As far as Fairley goes, is he a "dirty" player? It depends on how you look at it. Is what he does illegal? Only in the NFL, and he's not there yet. Is it poor sportsmanship? Without a doubt (but didn't UGA have a chop block called against them, too?). Should it be looked at? Absolutely. But until it is, he's simply using a shady strategy to change the game. I've seen and heard way too many Georgia fans crying about Fairley, overlooking the fact that it's their teams' responsibility to protect the QB in the first place. But I've also heard way too many Auburn fan defending number 90's antics. And, guess what, if the situations were flipped, the same shit would be said, just by the other team. Georgia would defend their shady player and Auburn would cry about the personal fouls. That's just how it is. The emotional connection that fans have to their programs often blinds them form reason and fact. Trust me, I know, I'm a Georgia fan.

    One more thing about shady strategy, while we're at it. If you're playing a team that uses a hurry-up offense and one of your players fakes an injury to slow things down, that is a bit shady. Is it illegal? Nope. Why do I bring this up? Because it shows the true nature of college football fandom. Auburn fans look the other way on Fairley because he's theirs, but they feel a player laying on the field to slow down their offense is an affront to all that is sportsmanship. So much so, that by the 11th game of the season, they're booing any player that gets injured because it might slow their tempo. Even players that end up being carried off the field. That is the epitome of bad sportsmanship...and, once again, it's not particular to the Plains. The difference is, if it did happen in Sanford Stadium, I'd be disappointed and angered by my own fans who did it and very few Auburn fans have called out the morons in Jordan-Hare. Thanks to Jerry at WarBlogEagle for showing some class, though.

    That's it - I hope Cam's clean, but won't be surprised if he's not, Nick Fairley's a douche, and Georgia got outplayed, not cheated. Now I'm done with 2010's edition of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry and getting ready to Wreck Tech in two weeks. It's just a shame that the final thoughts from this past Saturday had to deal with issues like this instead of what happened on the field. Not that everything that happened "on the field" was pleasant. Things were chippy early, but got real ugly late, and in the last two minutes, Georgia players ran on the field and two Auburn players were ejected. Things like this happen, and you cannot blame one team or the other, but frustration hit a high and things got dangerous and that's what can be avoided by stricter officiating.
    --------------------------------------------------------------
    UPDATE: Whoever did this needs to be charged with arson, and if it is a UGA fan - which, c'mon, it probably is - they need their fan card revoked.

    Sunday, November 14, 2010

    Dynasty Update: HOMECOMING!

    Coming off of a Capital One Bowl loss (Tennessee 20, Mich, 17), not much was looking up for Ace Journeyman. His Michigan Wolverines had lost 2 of their last 4 and the offense had a lot of off-season question marks that needed answering. But it'll be someone else addressing those concerns in Ann Arbor, because Ace Journeyman won't be there. When he returned from Orlando, the defending national champion had two messages waiting for him from schools hoping to lure him away: Penn State and Georgia. Journeyman's office was packed up and empty two days later, all his belongings en-route to is new office in Athens, GA. Most people knew it was only matter of time before Journeyman's alma mater came calling, luring him back home. Journeyman is extremely excited about the opportunity, as are the fans in the Classic City. The Bulldogs are coming off back-to-back 7-win seasons, and they feel like Journeyman could be the man to break the Alabama strangle hold on the SEC and take them the extra mile.

    Sunday Morning QB

    Iowa did not want to win. Tennessee and Wisconsin did. The Hawkeyes looked lethargic and out of sync, even in the last minute drive with a chance to win. The Volunteers came out of the gate charging against Ole Miss and never looked back. Wisconsin dropped eighty-three on Indiana, calling pass plays up 69-20. What the fuck exactly is written on Brett Bielema's card?


    How did Zook lose to Minnesota? The coach-less Gophers were using three 3rd string players and footstool on the o-line and still upset the Illini, 38-34. Please, someone, put Zook out of his misery.

    Miami drilled Georgia Tech; I guess I'm going to stop picking the Jackets.

    Army is bowl eligible. Texas is not.

    ABC uses twelve-year old boys as camera men:


    Hey, did you guys hear about Cam Newton? Seriously, though, I expected hear a lot more this week. What I didn't expect was Tony Barnhart's half-time special commentary. He made a cogent point, and one agree with, mostly, about how this entire situation is reflective of the ugly side of the sport. What I didn't need was the hackneyed mention of this being America, and we made it through two world wars, and all that shit that has NO-THING to do with Cam Newton. Hey, Barnhart. Perspective. Get some.

    As far as the game itself, I was impressed by Georgia's play, but you had to know it was over when we kicked the field goal. You can't bring a FG to a track meet-type shootout and hope to win. Cam Newton is unstoppable...but is he enough to win a national title? I'm still not convinced. 5-6 Georgia shouldn't have been able to give the true second-best team in the nation such a close run. Also, Cam Newton is extremely likable. He almost never stops smiling, doesn't talk smack, always hands the ball directly to the refs, etc.; I hate that all that might be tainted...especially if by his own father. You know who's not likable? Nick Fairley.

    I've never wanted a game to just end so badly in my entire life.

    McGloin's two pass TD's against Ohio State were the first two pass TD's Penn State's scored in Columbus in the JoePa era. That's 1966, folks. No pass TD in the Horseshoe since '66. Fuck. In the end, though, it didn't matter; the Buckeyes woke up somewhere in the third.

    Rich Brooks still tweets.

    Utah got owned by Notre Dame. I called the upset here, but in no way did I think it would be so dominant.

    TCU had to hold on against a pesky San Diego State squad, 40-35. That's the best performance anyone's had against that Frog D. Warning for 2011: Watch out for the Aztecs! (Unless Hoke leaves, then all bets are off)

    Boise State will jump TCU in the human polls - and might be number one for the week with unconvincing performances in the rest of the top-4.

    I grossly over-rated Florida heading into this week. Outside of the opening kickoff return, they had nothing going all night against South Carolina. Lattimore once again carried most of the Gamecock load, making him my vote for SEC Freshman of the Year. So now it'll be a SoCar-Auburn rematch in Atlanta for the conference title.  It was a one score game last time, but Auburn's offense has gotten better while there defense has just atrophied - I'll take the Tigers in another 40-something to 30-something game. I think everyone in the SEC outside of Auburn is ready to see Cam go.

    Oregon forgot their offense on their trip to Cal. Somehow, Tedford just has the Ducks' number - he's like the Tuberville of the West Coast. In the end, though, 15 points was enough for the number one team to survive and fight on. Outside of the trip to USC, I thought this trip to Cal would be the toughest task for the Ducks - and now they're 10-0 with Arizona and the Civil War left to go. 12-0 might still yet be a stretch for this team, especially if Cal's performance can be copied.

    Oklahoma State is the front-runner of the Big-XII South, but will need to win Bedlam to actually earn their rematch with Nebraska for the conference title.

    Finally, who's the best one-loss team? Wisconsin? LSU? Stanford? One of the Big-XII lingerers? Last week, Stanford got my vote, but they had an Oregon-esque game last night, so i think that spot will go to LSU or Wisky.

    Saturday, November 13, 2010

    Colorado's Coach Hunt

    Bellotti to Colorado? That would make the new Pac-12 VERY interesting, especially the annual Oregon- CU game...

    UPDATE: Apparently, the Buffs are also interested in Mark Richt.  Richt's got a little bit of a Colorado background, having lived there as a kid, but he's so far removed from that, I don't see it being a big draw.Albert Lin at ESPN points out a few other concerns:
    Richt makes $2.8 million at Georgia and CU athletic director Mike Bohn is on record as saying he thought even $2 million would push the school's budget. And because Richt is an active coach, the Buffaloes likely would have to wait until after the Bulldogs' regular-season finale (Nov. 27) to speak with him. If they want someone in place by early December, Richt may not be a good fit.
    Wow. To push the budget on this issue could be disastrous for a program trying to get a fresh start in a new conference.They must be Rocky mountain high...

    Final Thoughts for Tomorrow

    Will Cam Newton play tomorrow? Auburn now has no official comment. That's an ominous sign and a big departure from Chizik's adamant stance earlier this week. I've heard several people say they're tired of this story. I guess I understand in a small way, it can be tedious and repetitive. But all in all, it's the biggest story of this season, and I'm genuinely interested to see how it turns out. Personally, I have no emotional attachment to the outcome. Cam Newton's an amazing and charismatic player, so I would hope he comes out clean, but let's get real. Honestly, this whole scandal is more an indictment of our sport and its extremes than of one player. College football has an ugly - like Jocelyn Wildenstein ugly - side to it that's always peeking out no matter from what angle you look at it.And none of us are innocent in this. Like Trip says in Glory: "It stinks bad. And we all covered up in it too. Ain't nobody clean." Coming back to tomorrow, though, I'd like to see Cam play. If we win, I want to know we beat them at their best and no one likes losing to a backup QB. One thing I will be relieved to see go, however, is the attitude of Auburn fans. Their distance from reality on this story is mind boggling. And, once again, this isn't just an indictment of one particular school's fans. If this story happens anywhere, the fans react the same way; it's another indictment of the whole system. But there will be more time for serious talk later, after the game and the rivalry weekend. Until then, here's a mood lightener; what every Auburn fan raging out online actually comes across as:

    Friday, November 12, 2010

    Oh, Great. Another Sport for Florida to Dominate...

    Just kidding. This isn't a sport.

    Be Careful, Guys...


    ...Ryan Pugh's gunning for your knees! It's time for the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry...


    Officer Chop Block

    GO FALCONS! Rise Up!



    That was an exciting game last night; way more exciting than it should have been, actually. It looked like the Falcons were set, going up 20-7 late, but, like they tend to do, they tried to give it away, allowing the Ravens to come back and go up 21-20 with a minute left. But 65 seconds was enough for Matty Ice and Roddy White (who had two key drops) to win it. Go Falcons!

    Thursday, November 11, 2010

    Dynasty Update: Overtime and Jet Lag

    The 2021 season wrapped up the way it started, with Ace Journeyman's squad turning in Jekyll and Hyde performances in close games. The team that finally jelled after the Penn State game seemed off kilter going into their big annual showdown with Ohio State. The run game and defense - staples of Journeyman-led teams - failed miserably and the pass game couldn't keep up with the top-ranked Buckeyes, losing 31-38 in overtime. The game was sealed with an interception while Michigan was driving to tie the score in the first extra period. Two weeks later, the Wolverines made the long trip to Hawaii and never looked comfortable. The Warriors played well, coming up with big defensive stops early and scoring enough points to keep a dragging Big Blue on edge. Depth and conditioning saved the day, though, with the run game slowing everything down in the 4th and Michigan held on to win, 28-24. The #10 Wolverines 10-2 record and second in the Big Ten finish had earned them a bid in the Capital One Bowl, where they'll meet Tennessee for the second time in 4 years.

    2021 Season (10-2)

    #6 Notre Dame L 38-31
    Indiana State W 77-17
    at #12 Wisconsin W 42-6
    at #16 Michigan State W 38-31 (2OT)
    Minnesota W 31-7
    #15 Penn State W 20-14
    at Iowa W 42-7
    at Northwestern W 34-0
    Miami (OH) W 38-14
    Indiana W 42-10
    #2 Ohio State L 31-38 (OT)
    at #24 Hawaii W 28-24

    UPDATE:
    Capital One Bowl
    #20 Tennessee L 17-20

    Weekly Picks

    May as well...


    Iowa 24, Northwestern 21 - The Hawkeyes win, bit it's close as the Wildcats put on a good show in Evanston.

    Georgia Tech 28, Miami 27 - No Jacorry Harris, but Stephen Morris steps up...just not high enough. This might be my last time picking Tech to win a game this season, and I'm not that comfortable with it, to be honest.

    Missouri 31, Kansas State 20 - The Wildcats won't outscore the Tigers without passing the ball, and that hasn't really been their bag this season. It won't quite be a Nebraska-style beat down, but Mizzou will certainly pull away.

    Notre Dame 30, Utah 27 - UPSET ALERT - KEEPING IT. It's either going to be an upset squeaker for the Irish or a BLOW-out by the Utes. And, it's more fun to call upsets!

    Auburn 41, Georgia 34 - I adjusted it to be a bit closer. Florida's defense is much better than Auburn's and we were able to drop 31, so I look for a shoot-out here...and we just won't have the firepower to keep up with Cam. However, a few key plays could turn this whole thing around, especially if the Tiger's are distracted. ALL the pressure is on Auburn here, and that could be advantageous to the Dawgs.

    Ohio State 34, Penn State 17 - Bucks cruise, no 401 for JoePa...yet.

    Virginia Tech 27, North Carolina 17 - UNC won't do it two weeks in a row. VA Tech continues their undefeated roll through the ACC after losing two game sin 5 days to open 0-2.

    Texas A&M 36, Baylor 29 - Another high-scoring affair in the South division. If it were the PAC-10, dumb-ass fans would make fun of it, but because it happens in the Big-XII, it's just "quality football." Yeah, right.

    Alabama 20, Mississippi State 17 - Close, but Saban's not dropping three.

    Florida 41, South Carolina 24 - Who wants a piece of the Gators now? Now that the murderous stalker Chris Rainey's back, UF has found an offense and isn't afriad to use it.

    Oregon 48, Cal 26 - Duck, brother, Duck, say Brother Duck's travelling point scoring show! Cal plays good at home, but not good enough.

    USC 35, Arizona 30 - UPSET; Whatevs.

    Nevada 31, Fresno State 30 - Int he end, I couldn't keep the upset here. It will be close, and the Bulldogs will give the 'Pack all they can handle.

    Texas 26, Oklahoma State 24 - UPSET ALERT - KEEPING IT.

    TCU 30, San Diego State 21 - The Aztecs are no pushover now. Hoke's got them 6 points away from undefeated and they'll be a handful for TCU.

    Why Does Cam Newton Wear Number 2?

    Because $200,000 wouldn't fit. BOOM! Let the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry weekend begin!


    ----------------------------------------
    h/t: a caller on the 960 the ref morning show.

    Tuesday, November 9, 2010

    Early Leans

    Fifteen games for the Weekly Picks; here are my early leans:

    • Iowa 24, Northwestern 21
    • Georgia Tech 28, Miami 27
    • Missouri 31, Kansas State 20
    • Notre Dame 30, Utah 27 - UPSET ALERT
    • Auburn 42, Georgia 24
    • Ohio State 34, Penn State 17
    • Virginia Tech 27, North Carolina 17
    • Texas A&M 36, Baylor 29
    • Alabama 20, Mississippi State 17
    • Florida 41, South Carolina 24
    • Oregon 48, Cal 26
    • USC 35, Arizona State 17
    • Fresno State 31, Nevada 30 - UPSET ALERT
    • Texas 26, Oklahoma State 24 - UPSET ALERT
    • TCU 30, San Diego State 21

    What is the PAC-10 (12) Inheriting, Exactly?

    We know Utah and Colorado will be joining the Pac-10 soon, but what exactly are they bringing to the table? Utah just got drilled by TCU and Colorado just fired their coach. So, either Utah isn't exactly the big time talent we thought when they thumped 'Bama, or TCU is more ready for prime time than any other mid-major ever. If it's the latter, OK. TCU can join an AQ league down the line and get their respect without it being an indictment of Utah. If it's the former, woe is the Pac-12. If Utah's not ready to compete week-in and week-out, what was all this off-season, expansion hassle for? It might be different if the other expansion team was a true "get", but it's a struggling Colorado team coming off 4 losing seasons and looking for a new head coach. If they don't hire up - and fast - they'll potentially bring less to the table than a busted Utes squad. Now I don't necessarily think these questions presented here fairly represent this expansion, but they need to be raised. In reality, I think Utah is a good program who will only get better against big-time competition and southern Cali exposure, I just think TCU might be better and deserves a shot somewhere in the ranks of the AQ. For Colorado, the right hire will make all the difference. Hawkins ran a clean program, with no scandal, academic fraud, or recruiting violations, but he didn't win. What the Buffs need is someone who can do both; an up and comer they can grab (relatively) inexpensively who can win. My suggestion: Brady Hoke. He worked wonders at Ball State and now at San Diego State and could be just the right fit in Boulder. And, if Colorado addresses this problem now, they - and the whole Pac-12 - will be better off.

    Tuesday Top-25

    Oregon's Death Star and Auburn's QB hold on to the top spots this week, but TCU jumps Boise State and Stanford takes the top one-loss spot. LSU's still lurking in the top-10, a place holder between the two best Big Ten teams, Wisconsin and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have looked better than the Badgers, but Wisky keeps the higher spot based on head-to-head. Nebraska and Oklahoma have very tenuous grips on the 9- and 10-spots. Alabama drops to 11, right above an Arkansas team they narrowly beat. Mississippi State moves to 13, as their only two losses are to top-10 teams. Next comes a questionable call: I have 2-loss Iowa over 1-loss Sparty due to head-to-head. That's mainly because I do not feel that State has "outplayed" their loss yet. Arizona sits ahead of both of them because of their win over Iowa. Utah plummets after the ass-smacking they suffered, followed by Missouri and South Carolina. Texas A&M enters the rankings ahead of a Sooner team they beat and a plucky San Diego State team that's 6 points away from undefeated slips in over resurgent Florida and lingering Nevada. Right now, this feels very balanced to me, considering overall resume and head-to-heads, but I know things will shake up big time in the next two weeks and it'll really come down to assessing each team individually at that moment. I mean, would Nebraska or Oklahoma State want to play Florida right now?

    1. Oregon
    2. Auburn
    3. TCU
    4. Boise State
    5. Stanford
    6. Wisconsin
    7. LSU
    8. Ohio State
    9. Nebraska
    10. Oklahoma State
    11. Alabama
    12. Arkansas
    13. Mississippi State
    14. Arizona
    15. Iowa
    16. Michigan State
    17. Virginia Tech
    18. Utah
    19. Missouri
    20. South Carolina
    21. Texas A&M
    22. Oklahoma
    23. San Diego State
    24. Florida
    25. Nevada

    Monday, November 8, 2010

    Dynasty Update: Slow and Steady

    Michigan has rebounded form the opening loss to Notre Dame to win five straight, though it hasn't been the prettiest bunch of wins. The first quarter against Indiana State found the Wolverines trailing 14-7, the starting tailback missed the entire Minnesota game, and Journeyman's boys needed overtime to beat rival Michigan State. On the surface, a 4-1 record looks good, but closer inspection reveals that there's tons of work to be done to get this team back on track, especially with #15 Penn State on deck next week.

    UPDATE: The Penn State game was a close one, with Michigan pulling away in the 4th to win 20-14. Everything finally clicked against Iowa, as Journeyman's squad turned in their most complete performance to date, crushing the Hawkeyes 42-7.

    2021 Season

    #6 Notre Dame L 38-31
    Indiana State W 77-17
    at #12 Wisconsin W 42-6
    at #16 Michigan State W 38-31 (2OT)
    Minnesota W 31-7
    #15 Penn State W 20-14
    at Iowa W 42-7

    Remaining games:
    at Northwestern
    Miami (OH)
    Indiana
    #2 Ohio State
    at #24 Hawaii

    Georgia-Auburn: Really Early Lean


    Georgia cannot stop Cam Newton. He's too good and we're already soft against running QB's as it is. Richt has already said we're not going to use a spy, so I'm assuming we'll be relying on different fronts and disguised coverages to try and slow him down. Can it work? Yes. Will it? I say no. No matter what front we use, Newton's athleticism will carry him through. The coverages could help, hopefully forcing some turnovers, but Newton hasn't made a lot of mistakes. It'll have to be a combination of contained pressure and aggressive coverage that changes things, and I just don't see that happening against someone as physically imposing and athletic as CN. So look for Auburn to score some points.

    Offensively, the Dawgs will have to light up the scoreboard if they want to win, which means shootout-mode. Georgia is not used to this type of game and they don't do well out of their comfort zone. Aaron Murray is talented enough to carry the offense here and Auburn's secondary is certainly suspect. But, will Bobo let him off the leash or deviate from our traditional game plan? And will the O-line be able to protect him all day, especially against Fairly? Some weapons we could use to our advantage on Saturday are screens and draws. If the Tiger front is going aggressive to get to Murray, they could be burned with these type of plays. Once they adjust, Murray will have the protection to make some big throws. What won't work is a steady diet of running the ball to set up PA.

    A wildcard in the mix? Georgia's return game. A Smith or Boykin return could change the composure of a tight game. What's not a wildcard? Blair Walsh, as Byrum can match Georgia kick-for-kick. And Butler's a push because Newton can make magic out of any field position.

    In the end, Auburn is an undefeated, top-ranked war-machine led by one of the greatest players in the game. Mix that in with the frustration of losing 4 straight in this series, and the Tigers could win big. Georgia has made most of their mistakes away from home, and I see that trend continuing in Jordan-Hare.

    Early lean: Auburn 42, Georgia 27

    Sunday, November 7, 2010

    Sunday Morning QB

    We've had showdown, separation, and roadblock Saturdays so far. This must have been cupcake Saturday in the SEC, as Georgia, Auburn, and Kentucky took on the likes of Idaho State, Chattanooga, and Charleston Southern.

    While we're near the subject of Auburn, I was pleasantly surprised how little I heard about the Cam Newton recruitment investigation yesterday. I know its a big story - even though I doubt it's some weird, high-level, anti-Auburn conspiracy - but since we don't have any new info, I was glad that every reporter, color man, and sports anchor didn't hash and re-hash the story.


    Staying in the SEC: 'Bama got 'Hatted! A reverse and fake punt pushed the Bayou Bengals past an apparently uninterested Tide team. And, if the Moviegoer thought the halftime interview was great, how 'bout Les Miles' post-game comments? You really never know what he's about to say. Also, we learned where his powers come from: eating grass.

    The loss puts Alabama out of the BCS chase...and probably put the business end of shotgun in Paul Finebaum's mouth.

    The other 3:30 game was not as interesting, even though it was a match-up of top-5 teams. TCU murdered Utah, 47-7, and took a firmer hold of that BCS 3-spot. I wouldn't be surprised if the Frogs picked up a few more number one votes in the human polls, too. And, considering who Auburn played and what Oregon's first quarter looked like, this would be the weekend for TCU and Boise to step up.

    LSU will most likely be the top one-loss team, but I think that should go to Stanford. They destroyed a good Arizona team and their only loss is to Oregon, and if that game had not been in Autzen, they might have held on to their 21-3 lead.

    Joe Paterno got win no. 400 yesterday. Congrats to the dean of the FBS.

    Michigan and Illinois met up for some football and a basketball game broke out. In a game with absolutely no defense, Michigan held on to deflect a 2-pt. try in OT and win, 67-65. That 65 is the most points the Wolverines have ever given up...and it was in a win. The Big Ten has been a lot of fun to watch this year.

    Goodbye, Oklahoma. Like 'Bama, the Sooners were put out of the BCS race yesterday, falling to Texas A&M, 33-19. The dropped pass on the fake-FG has been the big highlight, but OU honestly just got outplayed by the Aggies. There were 14 minutes left in the game after that fake, and A&M owned them all.

    Texas is terrible.

    Charlie Strong is doing a great job at Louisville. Remember how bad they were? Now they're one win away from a bowl. Nicely done. Syracuse has had a resurgence, as well. Doug Marrone already has the Orange at 6-wins, though they did fall to Strong's Cardinals yesterday. Still, though, it looks like Pitt will win the Big East.

    And now Maryland controls its own destiny in the ACC Atlantic division. Wouldn't that be an awesome BCS Bowl, Pitt-Maryland?

    Oklahoma State beat Baylor thoroughly, making them look like the only team that really wants to win the Big 12. Missouri cannot handle their own success, dropping two straight after beating OU and Nebraska still has that nasty Texas loss hanging over their heads.  And Colorado? Well, Colorado looked poised to cruise right past pitiful Kansas, until they allowed 35 points in the fourth quarter. Oh, well.

    Dynasty Update: Slow Start

    The title defense for Ace Journeyman's Wolverines got off to a rocky start. Visiting the #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Michigan fell behind 24-3 in the first half. After some half-time adjustments, Big Blue looked like they were finally getting it together, closing the gap to 24-17. The Irish offense responded in the fourth quarter, though, and Michigan came up short, losing 38-31.

    Saturday, November 6, 2010

    Friday, November 5, 2010

    Your ACC Champion...

    ...lost to FCS James Madison. It's pretty much official: VA Tech will be in the ACC Title game, and I honestly think they'll win it. Are the Hokies going to rip off ten straight wins and storm undefeated through their conference to play in a BCS Bowl? Looks like it. There will be a team that lost to an FCS team playing in the BCS. Suck on that.


    In all honesty, I can forgive the Hokies for the James Madison loss. They played a tough Monday night game with Boise State, had a short week to heal up, and had a tired, banged up team with which to host a pretty good FCS team jacked up to play their biggest game all year. It sucks, but it happens.

    EDIT: Yes, I know, Florida State's still got a great chance...but that's not as much fun,

    Thursday, November 4, 2010

    Say it ain't so, Cam

    So now the NCAA turns it eyes to Cam Newton. It's way too early to really speculate anything past the basic story right now, but this could definitely throw a wrench in the works for Auburn.

    Weekly Picks

    Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 24 - I'm not sure why, but I feel like a Jackets win here adds to the chaos and confusion of the ACC; like the Coastal version of the NC State upset last week. In reality, the talent leans heavily towards the Hokies, but I'm keeping the upset call...not sure why.

    Clemson 28, NC State 27 - Keeping it. I know State's got 6 wins already and just knocked off FSU, but I think that's there undoing. Clemson has had an up-and-down season so far, and I think this weekend is an "up" before a crashing "down" in Tallahassee next week.


    Oklahoma State 37, Baylor 30 - Here we go: I'm picking against Baylor again...even though I said I wouldn't. Can the Bears - or, more relaistically, Robert Griffin - keep this up? I know the Pokes aren't a top-level talent, but a win here makes a win against A&M seem likely and that means a nine win Baylor squad hosting OU at season's end.


    TCU 30, Utah 20 - Oddly enough, Baylor is a good measuring stick here. Kansas State and Texas couldn't beat the Bears, but TCU did, woodshed-style. Utah had a nice, neat opening week win over Pitt, but that's their biggest win right now. There's a lot of talent on both teams, but I seems like significantly more in Ft.Worth. The game's at Utah, so look for the Utes to be pumped up enough to put up points on that stingy, stingy Frog D, but in the end, they won't stop Dalton.


    Boise State 44, Hawaii 27 - Could be an upset, but I doubt it. My main thing is, if it's close, shouldn't Hawaii climb in the polls? I know it'll be a loss, but if everyone's got Boise in the top-3 and the Warriors are competitive, why shouldn't they be a top-25 team?


    FSU 31, UNC 17 - I changed my initial call. The Seminoles are going to be ready to win after the disappointment with NC State. UNC will play tough early, but look for FSU to pull away in the second half.


    Oklahoma 34, Texas A&M 17 - The Sooners want desperately to outplay that loss to Missouri.


    South Carolina 30, Arkansas27 - Why not?


    Alabama 31, LSU 16 - Alabama now begins their descent into Atlanta.


    Stanford 33, Arizona 24 - This is a HUGE game. Now I know most of the SEC-centric homers and yokels won't care, but the outcome of this game could have a huge impact on the PAC-10 and the post-season.The winner could be an at-large BCS team, and if Arizona wins out, they'll win the league. Realistically, the 'Cats won't be able to hang with the Cardinal, especially as banged up as they are.

    Wednesday, November 3, 2010

    Dynasty Update: "Hail! to the Victors Valiant!"

    "Hail! to the Conquering Heroes!"


    Michigan Wins BCS, Downs 'Bama 49-35

    Apparently there was one thing that both Michigan and Alabama forgot to bring to Miami for the BCS Title game: defense. It was a shootout from the first possession, with the Wolverines and Crimson Tide exchanging scoring drives for a 21-all tie at the half. Ace Journeyman's halftime adjustments proved to be the difference, though, as Big Blue jacked up the defense and tweaked their running game to eat up a bit more clock to force 'Bama out of their comfort zone. It worked, and the Tide failed to convert two long third downs in the third, allowing Michigan to score two unanswered TD's. Things gelled again for the Tide in the fourth, but it was too late, as the Wolverines kept pace to win a shootout, 49-35. As the last of the confetti fell and the Gatorade dried on the coaches shirts, a few celebrating fans began to wonder, "how long will this last?" The 2020 Wolverines were senior heavy and many fear that Ace Journeyman will be swooped up by another program sooner rather than later. But most kept right on partying, enjoying the rush of victory, watching Ace and the boys sing with the band: "Hail! Hail! to Michigan, the leaders and the best!"

    2020 Season Recap:

    at Miami (OH)       W 56-7
    at #14 Notre Dame   W 38-0
    Eastern Washington    W 77-14
    Iowa State          W 35-0
    #4 Wisconsin     W 31-14
    at Indiana       W 31-7
    Michigan State     W 41-7
    Iowa        W 38-17
    at Minnesota      W 47-14
    at Illinois     W 45-14
    Northwestern       W 35-10
    at #12 Ohio State       W 24-7

     
    BCS Championship Game:
    #2 Alabama     W 49-35