Ducks fly together to #1 ranking

Be the first of your friends to like it

Go ahead. Laugh.

I deserve it.

I’m the guy who said Oregon wouldn’t be the same team this year because of the losses of Jeremiah Masoli and LeGarrette Blount. Oops.

I’m the guy who said New Mexico would come within a touchdown (31-24) of beating Oregon in Eugene (real final: 72-0). Oops.

Yes, I’m even the guy who criticized the offseason, saying they wouldn’t recover. Oops.

I’m also the guy who can admit when he’s wrong (though it doesn’t happen often).

I was wrong. Oregon is good. So good, in fact, that I can’t find a team better through two weeks. And the Ducks aren’t just thinking BCS. That was last year. This year, Oregon is thinking national championship.

Week 2 rankings:

1)  Oregon Ducks (2-0)
If you can find me a team that has played two more convincing games against quality competition, please come forward.  The Ducks beat a Mountain West team by 72, then went to Knoxville and won by five touchdowns.  That’s not normal.

2)  Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0)
No Mark Ingram, no problem for the ‘Tide against JoePa.  Trent Richardson is not just Ingram’s replacement – he’s now a Heisman contender after his 144 rushing yards paced Alabama in a convincing win over the young Nittany Lions.

3)  Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0)
Against a Miami program that’s as good as its been since the ’03 Fiesta Bowl, Terrelle Pryor did just enough on offense to win the rematch.  Although he didn’t do much with his arm, Pryor’s 113 rushing yards kept the defense off the field.

4)  TCU Horned Frogs (2-0)
TCU overcame some mistakes to beat Oregon State in Dallas.  Last week, they were virtually perfect in a 62-7 slaughter of Tennessee Tech.  Six Horned Frogs saw the end zone.  Seven of the teams first eight games are in the state of Texas.

5)  Michigan Wolverines (2-0)
Before you start whining about how high they are, look at the schedule.  UConn is a good team, and that game wasn’t close.  Now look at the Notre Dame game.  Michigan came back to beat a likely nine-win team on the road.  Quality.

6)  Texas Longhorns (2-0)
Mack Brown might have the best defense in the country, but we already knew that.  This week, he let Garrett Gilbert throw more, and the first year starter rewarded his coach with 222 yards, a touchdown, and no turnovers for the second straight game.

7)  Florida Gators (2-0)
The Gators overcame another slow start to blow by in-state rival South Florida.  Florida used big plays and five turnovers to set up 31 second half points and pull away in a game that featured no fumbled snaps after having eight the week before.

8)  Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0)
Nebraska’s 38 points against Idaho Saturday was deceiving.  The defense scored 14 of them and forced five takeaways, and the offense had trouble getting into a groove.  A road date with Washington Saturday is the Cornhuskers’first real test.

9)  Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0)
The in-state rivalry with the Cyclones is always a fun matchup for the fans, but not for the players in the red and white.  Iowa dominated again Saturday behind 156 rush yards from Adam Robinson on just 14 carries.  Iowa ran it 50 times overall.

10)  Oklahoma Sooners (2-0)
The convincing win over Florida State probably proves the Utah State scare was a fluke.  Nevertheless, I can’t rank them higher until I see FSU-like performances every week.  Landry Jones threw for 380 yards and four touchdowns Saturday.

11)  Utah Utes (2-0)
The Utes backed up their overtime thriller over Pittsburgh with an impressive showing against UNLV.  Even though the offensive numbers were nearly identical, the Utah special teams forced the Rebels into too many mistakes.

12)  Arizona Wildcats (2-0)
Going to Toledo and winning by 39 was more impressive than beating the Citadel by 46, but the margins of victory and the dominance their defense has shown make it difficult to put them even this low.  The game of the week is in Tucson this week.

13)  Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)
After a good second half against UNLV, the Badgers looked extremely sluggish against San Jose State in the home opener.  John Clay was a workhorse once again, but the passing attack managed fewer than 200 yards.  Arizona State visits Saturday.

14)  LSU Tigers (2-0)
Find me another team that has two road wins over power conference opponents.  If you’re having trouble, that’s because there’s only one.  Les Miles is working his way off the hot seat with a hot start.  The defense held Vanderbilt to 135 total yards.

15)  Boise State Broncos (1-0)
They have one win, and it is against an 0-2 team that lost to an FCS team at home.  If the Broncos were to hang their hat on one win this year, Virginia Tech was going to have to be that win.  Now it’s not.  They are lucky to be in my top 15.

16)  Miami Hurricanes (1-1)
Miami is the best non-undefeated team in the country, but showed weaknesses against a very good Ohio State team.  After I praised Jacory Harris for the way he protects the ball in wins, he promptly threw four interceptions in the loss.

17)  South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0)
South Carolina started its SEC season off with a bang in knocking off a ranked Bulldogs team in Columbia.  Defense was the story for offensive-minded Steve Spurrier, as his team held Georgia to 61 rush yards and 192 pass yards.

18)  Stanford Cardinal
Going into the Rose Bowl and winning isn’t easy, but Stanford made it look that way Saturday night.  Andrew Luck was not great but mistake-free, and the defense shut out UCLA and scored a TD in Stanford’s first road win over UCLA since 1996.

19)  Arkansas Razorbacks (2-0)
My skepticism is fading.  For now.  Ryan Mallett battled through a rough first have to complete 28 passes for 400 yards and lift Arkansas to a 24 point second half to pull away from Louisiana-Monroe.  Greg Childs had 148 yards and two TDs.

20)  Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1)
Saturday’s loss to Alabama was a classic example of inexperience showing its colors against a good team.  The young Nittany Lions were not as physical as the ‘Tide, and it showed.  Sophomore Kevin Newsome got to take a few snaps at the end.

21)  Auburn Tigers (2-0)
Auburn has been less than impressive in both games, but winning on the road in the SEC is tough, and Auburn passed test one with a win at Mississippi State.  Six Tigers combined for 190 rushing yards.  Clemson comes to town this week.

22)  California Golden Bears (2-0)
I probably should have the Bears higher after outscoring opponents a combined 105-10 the first two weeks.  Kevin Riley threw four touchdowns in the latest parade, this a 52-7 win over soon-to-be Pac 10 for Colorado.

23)  Air Force Falcons (2-0)
After crushing Northwestern State in week one, Air Force dominated a ranked BYU team in Falcon Stadium.  The Cougars never saw the endzone in the Mountain West’s first game.  The Falcons head to Norman for a battle with OU Saturday.

24)  West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0)
The Mountaineers escaped Marshall in overtime Friday in a game they probably should have lost.  Noel Devine rushed for 112 yards, and Geno Smith threw for 316 yards on 32 pass completions.  Maryland and LSU are on the schedule next.

25)  Houston Cougars (2-0)
Case Keenum is not on pace for another record-breaking season, but he’s lighting up the scoreboards again for the Cougars.  After leading Houston to 68 points in the opener, he put up 54 Saturday.  Houston makes a trip to the Rose Bowl next.

Way too early top five for 2010

Guest columnist Blake Borron

I was expecting my first post in far too long to be a victory rant about the Texas Longhorns. In lieu of certain…occurrences, I have instead decided to give a taste of things to come for next season. As much as my heart wants me to crown UT as the preseason #1 team for 2010, my brain and last week’s game only allow one team to surface as the king of the first season of the new decade. Roll Tide!

1. Alabama Crimson Tide: Last year’s national champs are only getting stronger with monster recruiting class after monster recruiting class. Nick Saban is an arrogant tool who wouldn’t smile on his wedding day, but he’s one of the best recruiters and X’s and O’s guys in history.

Strengths: The stars on offense twinkle so brightly you need Oakleys to block out the glare. The running back tandem of Heisman winner Mark Ingram and the possibly even-more-talented Trent Richardson is the best college football has seen since Reggie Bush and LenDale White. Julio Jones will be possibly the nation’s most talented wide receiver, but Marquis Maze is the silent assassin that gives the passing game legitimacy.

Weaknesses: The defense loses massive defensive tackle Terrence Cody and playmaking cornerback Javier Arenas to graduation. Expect linebacker Rolando McClain, the leader of the defense, to follow them to the NFL a year early. The greatest deficiency may be the play of quarterback Greg McElroy. After a dismantling of Florida in the SEC Championship game, Texas returned the favor and embarrassed the first year starter in the National Championship. His play, as well as that of an offensive line that needs to give him better pass protection, will be counted on far more next year.

2. Texas Longhorns: All the momentum the Horns had at the beginning of the National Title Game went out the door when Colt McCoy went out of the game after only five offensive plays. Backup Garrett Gilbert, wide receiver Jordan Shipley, and the defense did their best to pull UT out of a big first-half deficit, but fell just short when Gilbert fumbled the ball inside his own ten.

Strengths: After a sluggish start, Gilbert showed flashes of brilliance against a fierce ‘Bama defense in spite of many miscues by his wide receivers and no semblance of a rushing attack. He will only get better after an off-season knowing he’s THE guy for next year. The team speed on offense, while raw, is matched only by Florida. The UT defense will be one of the best in the country as long as Will Muschamp is in town. The Horns return as much defensive talent as anybody in the country, including freakish lockdown cornerback Aaron Williams and defensive end Sam Acho, who led the team in sacks.

Weaknesses: There are a bunch on offense, most notably the need to improve an offensive line that can only be qualified as one of the worst in UT history. Consequently, that has led to the chronic degeneration of the running game since UT’s title in 2005. The graduation of Shipley, arguably the best wide receiver in UT history, leaves a group of young and/or inconsistent receivers that will now be counted on to make plays with regularity instead of deferring to Shipley. If they don’t step up, there are even younger guys behind them in what many are calling UT’s best receiver recruiting class ever. Injuries have decimated the tight end position the last two years, which has limited Texas’s ability to run. Star departing seniors Sergio Kindle, LaMarr Houston, and Rod Muckelroy, as well as early entry Earl Thomas, must be replaced on defense.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes: Few teams have been doubted more the past few seasons than the Buckeyes, but that seems to be a vanishing state of mind. After a dominant performance in the Rose Bowl over a talented Oregon team, tOSU returns all their skill position players and the majority of their offensive line. A home date with the talented and speedy Miami Hurricanes will go a long way to validating or erasing the perception that Ohio State can’t handle teams with superior fast-twitch muscles!

Strengths: Terrelle Pryor finally seems to be grasping the offense and coming into his own as a playmaker at quarterback. His performance, though far less awe-inspiring, mirrors Vince Young’s 2005 Rose Bowl victory. That led to a national title in the next season, and Pryor hopes to mimic Young’s success. All his weapons return, including favorite target DeVier Posey. The offensive line mauled Oregon’s less talented defensive front and four out of the five starters return. Jim Tressell is still one of the best defensive coaches in college football, so expect to see the usual toughness and strength out of the Buckeye defense.

Weaknesses: Tressell’s seeming lack of ingenuity on offense will plague the team until he unleashes Pryor like he did with Troy Smith in 2006. That will come with increased confidence in Pryor’s decision making, which was impressive in the Rose Bowl. At times the running backs were underwhelming, they need to be more explosive with such a strong offensive line and dual-threat QB like Pryor to take the pressure off of them. On defense, the line must be rebuilt and both standout safeties graduate. DE Cameron Heyward and CB Chimdi Chekwa are a good place to start, but they will need younger faces to step up and make plays if they are going to maintain the standard of play they’ve been at the past few years.

4. Florida Gators: Florida looked fantastic in the Sugar Bowl. Funny how much easier it is against a lackluster team like Cincinnati than, say, Alabama. Timothy Christ…err, I mean Tebow has finally graduated, meaning Urban Meyer (assuming he decides to return) will have to find a new boy toy to fawn over. Perhaps that will be likely starter John Brantley, a highly-touted recruit three years ago.

Strengths: As long as Meyer is at Florida, the recruiting juggernaut will be full steam ahead. That means the Gators will consistently have more talent than basically any other team in the nation, which is why I have them rated so highly despite such heavy losses. The offense is led by speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey at running back. Lightning-fast Deonte Thompson is the only returning receiver with any kind of experience. He will be joined by the also freakishly-fast Andre Debose, who missed last season with an injury. The offensive line is the best in the nation if Maurkice and Mike Pouncey return at guard and center respectively, but the Gators have some work to do if they both choose to enter the draft.

Weaknesses: It obviously starts at QB, where Tebow leaves to the imminent obscurity of his NFL career and whatever other potential football institutions spring up during his tenure as a professional football player. The man nigh unanimously deemed the greatest player in the history of competition by ESPN, CBS, and, of course, Urban Meyer leaves a gaping hole in the Florida backfield with consequent expectations that Peyton Manning, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ, and, certainly John Brantley would not live up to. The defense loses stud linebackers Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper to graduation, and shutdown CB Joe Haden to the draft. Freakishly talented defensive end Carlos Dunlap may accompany him. It’s not an issue of talent with the Gators, it’s an issue of getting that talent ready to play week in and week out in the grueling SEC.

5. Oregon Ducks: The other half of the Rose Bowl game returns all but three starters, including proven stars QB Jeremiah Masoli and RB LaMichael James. Oregon has a rare opportunity–the chance to take over the Pac 10 conference. Pete Carroll is Seattle bound and USC is not the team or program it was over the past decade. West coast primacy is shifting north to Eugene in a hurry!

Strengths: It all starts with the multifaceted attack of Masoli and James. Masoli runs the zone read to perfection, and he has good speed in the open field. James, on the other hand, has elite speed and will be one of the top tailbacks in the country after only his freshman year. Backup Kenjon Barner is another speedster in the same mold as James. Oregon loves to get him on the edge and he is a special teams demon. The defense returns all but two starters from a solid unit. Perhaps Oregon’s greatest asset is head coach Chip Kelly, one of the brightest minds in college football.

Weaknesses: Just take a look at the Rose Bowl and you’ll see why I was hesitant to put the Ducks this high on my list. Ohio State out-toughed, out-physicaled, and out-hustled Oregon all afternoon. Oregon just didn’t have the attitude to play in that game, and it resulted in them getting their butts kicked up and down the field for much of the game. Too much finesse, or, to put it simply, they were “soft.” They also don’t have the defensive talent that the top three teams possess. Their defensive line loses both the starters on the defensive side of the ball, which may be a positive because they got absolutely worked by the Buckeyes.

The top 100 sports stories of the decade

I ranked these in order of importance, number of people it affected, and how dramatic the story was.  Feel free to comment or post your own rankings.

100)  NHL starts winter classic
The NHL had its first ever “Winter Classic” on New Year’s Day 2008 as the Buffalo Sabres hosted Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins outdoors in front of 71,000 at Ralph Wilson Stadium.  The Penguins won in an overtime shootout.

99)  Pirates set losing seasons mark
The Pittsburgh Pirates became the first franchise in sports history to have 17 consecutive losing seasons when they finished the 2009 season 62-99.  The last time the Pirates had a winning season was 1992, when the team won the division.

98)  Celtics edge Bulls in dramatic series
The 2009 NBA playoffs featured an opening round series that saw the second seeded Boston Celtics defeat the seventh seeded Chicago Bulls in seven games. Four of the seven games went to overtime, and there were seven total overtime periods.

97)  Four UNC players taken in top 14
The UNC draft class of 2005 was so talented, four players were taken in the top 14 of the NBA draft.  The Hawks took Marvin Williams #2, the Bobcats took Raymond Felton #5 and Sean May #13, and the T’Wolves took Rashad McCants #14.

96)  Rocco Mediate takes Woods to 91st hole
One of the most exciting playoffs in golf took place at the 2008 U.S. Open.  Relatively unknown Rocco Mediate and Tiger Woods were tied after 72 holes.  After the 18-hole playoff, the two were still tied until Woods bested Mediate on hole 91.

95)  Tim Tebow sets college football legacy
Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow sat behind senior Chris Leak as a freshman and watched the Gators win a national championship in 2006.  He became the starter in 2007, won another national title in 2008, and was a Heisman winner.

94)  UConn women go 39-0 twice
The most dominant women’s hoops team of the decade was the Connecticut Huskies.  In 2002, the women claim their second of five decade championships with a perfect 39-0 season.  In 2009, they would go a perfect 39-0 again.

93)  Kevin Everett suffers life-threatening injury
One of the scariest injuries of the decade was when Buffalo Bill Kevin Everett suffered a career-ending and life-threatening cervical spine injury on opening day in 2007.  Everett was able to walk again even after doctors said he would not.

92)  Paul Tagliabue steps down as NFL commissioner
Paul Tagliabue stepped down as commissioner of the NFL in 2006 after 17 years at the helm.  During Tagliabue’s time there were no lockouts or strikes, and he introduced a strict salary cap and six new franchises to the league.

91)  Four one-seeds reach Final Four.
For the first time, March Madness produces four #1 seeds in its Final Four as North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA all made it to San Antonio in 2008.  Not surprisingly, the attendance for the ’08 tournament was the highest in history.

90)  Texas upsets USC in Rose Bowl
Numbers one and two all season, Texas met USC in Pasadena for the national championship in the 2006 Rose Bowl.  Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush led an explosive USC offense, but Vince Young got the last laugh as Texas won 41-38.

89)  Thirteen pitchers throw no-hitters in 2000s
Hideo Nomo, A.J. Burnett, Bud Smith, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millwood, Randy Johnson, Anibal Sánchez, Mark Buehrle (2), Justin Verlander, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Carlos Zambrano and Jonathan Sánchez threw no hitters this decade.

88)  Jimmie Johnson wins AP male athlete of the year
In 2009, NASCAR racer Jimmie Johnson became the first racing athlete to ever win the AP Male Athlete of the Year Award.  Johnson won the Sprint Cup Series for the fourth consecutive year in 2009, and has been in the top five every year since 2002.

87)  Phillies become first franchise to lose 10,000
The Philadelphia Phillies became the first sports franchise to lose 10,000 games, losing number 10,000 on July 15, 2007.  Ironically, the Phillies weren’t losers that year – they won the NL East.  The Atlanta Braves have the second-most losses.

86)  Pacman Jones suspended for legal troubles
Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested in 2005 for assault, in 2006 for disorderly conduct, and in 2007 for a shooting and drug deals, among other incidents.  The NFL suspended Pacman for a total of 22 games in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

85)  Ravens win Super Bowl with stellar defense
The Ravens throttled the New York Giants 31-7 to win Super Bowl XXXV.  Baltimore proved it doesn’t need flash to win.  Trent Dilfer did just enough, and the defense dominated, allowing the fewest points and rush yards in a single season.

84)  Golden State shocks Dallas
The eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors defeated the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs.  The Warriors, coached by former Dallas coach Don Nelson, were the first eight seed to win a best of seven series.

83)  Ohio State (#1) defeats rival Michigan (#2)
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes defeated their hated rival Michigan Wolverines 42-39 in the last regular season game for both teams.  The matchup featured the rivalry with a #1 ranking, the Big Ten title and a national title berth on the line.

82)  Biggio records hit number 3,000
Craig Biggio, a 20-year veteran with the Houston Astros, recorded hit number 3,000 on July 28, 2007 against the Colorado Rockies.  Biggio was the 27th player to join the club.  Less than a month later, he announced he would retire.

81)  Titans advance with Music City Miracle
Down one with 16 seconds left, the Tennessee Titans used a throwback on a kickoff return to score a touchdown and beat the Buffalo Bills 22-16 in the 2000 Wild Card round.  Frank Wycheck threw laterally to Kevin Dyson, who took it 75 yards to win.

80)  Super Mario rescues Jayhawks with three pointer
Dead in the water through 38 minutes, the Kansas Jayhawks stage a dramatic comeback, helped by Memphis Tiger missed free throws, to win the 2008 national championship game.  Mario Chalmers’three with two seconds left forced overtime.

79)  Tom Watson makes historic British open run
Tom Watson made a historic run at the British Open Championship in 2009.  The 59-year-old veteran led most of the tournament and had the gallery on his side, but three-putted the 72nd hole to fall into a playoff.  He lost to Stewart Cink.

78)  Lakers defeat Kings in epic seven-game series
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings in seven games in the 2002 Western Conference Finals.  Robert Horry’s last-second three wins game four, Mike Bibby’s shot wins game five, and the Lakers take the last two of the dramatic series.

77)  Expos move to Washington
The Montreal Expos moved to Washington D.C. and became the Nationals after the 2004 season after 35 years in Canada.  Major League Baseball bought the team, and the league decided to make the move to the U.S.

76)  Detroit Lions go 0-16
The Detroit Lions made NFL history in a bad way in 2008-2009 by becoming the first NFL team to lose every game of a 16-game schedule.  Daunte Culpepper quarterbacked for most of the season, and Ron Marinelli coached the team.

75)  Rachel Alexandra wins Preakness
Racehorse Rachel Alexandra made history in 2009 by becoming the first Filly in 85 years to win the Preakness Stakes.  Alexandra actually won eight major races in 2008 and 2009, and has won nine races in a row.  She will race again in 2010.

74)  Rockies win 21 of 22 to make playoffs
One of the best stretches of baseball came in 2007.  The Colorado Rockies won 21 of 22 games, including a dramatic one-game playoff, to win the NL Wild Card.  They would sweep their way to the World Series before falling to Boston.

73)  Penguins get revenge on Wings to win Stanley Cup
One year after losing to the Detroit Red Wings in six, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009, defeating the Wings in seven games.  Every team won on home ice through the first six, but Pittsburgh steals game seven in Detroit.

72)  Weinke becomes oldest player ever to win Heisman
After leading Florida State to two consecutive national championship games, Chris Weinke threw for 4,167 yards in his senior year and won the Heisman Trophy in 2000 at age 28.  Florida State went to its third straight national championship.

71)  Spurs continue decade’s best dynasty
Say what you want about the Lakers, the best NBA team this decade was San Antonio.  After winning its first championship to close the 1990s, the consistent Spurs tacked on three more this decade – in ’02-’03, ’04-’05, and ’06-’07.

70)  Yankees begin, close decade with championship
The New York Yankees won the Subway Series, beating the crosstown rival Mets in 2000.  The Bronx Bombers then went the rest of the decade without winning a title – an unusual feat for them – until beating the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009.

69)  McMahon’s XFL falls flat
In 2001, WWF owner Vince McMahon created the “Xtreme Football League.”  A league with custom-name jerseys and rules to “toughen” the game did not go over well, and the league failed after one season due to low TV ratings and attendance.

68)  Home teams win dramatic one-game playoffs
In 2007, the Colorado Rockies scored three runs in the bottom of the 13th to beat visiting San Diego 9-8.  In 2008, the Chicago White Sox rode a Jim Thome HR to a 1-0 win over Minnesota.  In 2009, Minnesota walked off in 12 to beat Detroit 6-5.

67)  Marlins win the World Series
No World Series winner was more unpredictable than Florida’s 2003 run.  After being in the NL East basement, they fired manager Jeff Torborg, replaced him with Jack McKeon, and shocked the Giants, Cubs and Yankees to win as a Wild Card.

66)  LeBron arrives in the NBA
The 2003 -2004 season was the first for LeBron James, the number one overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school.  James quickly became one of the most dominant players in the league, and has an MVP and a gold medal.

65)  Terrell Owens can’t stay in one place
Terrell Owens, one of the greatest wide receivers in the NFL, might be better known for his unwillingness to cooperate.  Owens left the San Francisco 49ers in 2003 and played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills.

64)  Florida wins back-to-back basketball titles
Lead by a superb frontcourt that included Joakim Noah and Al Hortford, the Florida Gators won back-to-back NCAA championships in 2006 and 2007.  All five starters returned after the surprise first title to help lead the dominant Gators.

63)  Armstrong finishes third in return to Tour
After three years of not racing in the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong returned to professional cycling in 2009.  His goal was to “raise awareness of the global cancer burden.”  His third-place finish in the 2009 Tour was inspirational for many.

62)  Syracuse defeats UConn after six overtimes
In one of the most exciting college basketball games of all time, the Syracuse Orange defeated the Connecticut Huskies in the 2009 Big East quarterfinals.  Eric Devendorf’s shot was waved off at the end of regulation, setting the stage for 6 OTs.

61)  Steve McNair shot and killed
Among the tragic losses in 2009 was former NFL MVP Steve McNair, who was shot and killed by his mistress in a murder-suicide.  McNair played for the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times.

60)  Schottenheimer fired after 14-2 season
The 2006-2007 San Diego Chargers went 14-2, but lost in the AFC divisional round to the New England Patriots.  Head coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired one month later.  The move puzzled many because of his success during the season.

59)  Zidane headbutts Materazzi
A bizarre scene took place during the 2006 World Cup final match when Zinedine Zidane, France’s best player, inexplicably head butted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in overtime.  Zidane was ejected, and Italy won the World Cup in a shootout.

58)  Celtics complete largest turnaround in NBA history
The 2006-2007 season was a terrible one for the 24-58 Boston Celtics.  But Danny Ainge traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, and the Celtics went 66-16 in ’07-’08, a 42 game improvement.  They beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

57)  Nadal overtakes Federer as world’s #1
Rafael Nadal sat number two behind Roger Federer for 158 weeks before taking the world’s number one ranking away from him in August 2008.  Nadal and Federer played each other four times that year, and Nadal won all four to help boost him.

56)  Boise State shocks Oklahoma in Fiesta Bowl
The undefeated Boise State Broncos defeated the favored Oklahoma Sooners with a bundle of trick plays in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.  A hook-and-ladder tied the game with seconds remaining, and a Statue-of-Liberty play won the game in overtime.

55)  Williams gets into legal trouble
In 2002, former NBA star Jayson Williams was on trial for the murder of a limousine driver, though the charge was reduced to manslaughter.  In February, he was Tasered after a violent hotel incident, and was arrested after a May bar fight.

54)  Mets blow seven game lead in September
One year after owning the best record in the National League, the 2007 Mets seemed poised to finish what they couldn’t in 2006.  But in the last 17 games of the season, the Mets blew a seven game lead, allowing the Phillies to win the NL East.

53)  Adrian Peterson sets single game rushing record
One of the greatest single-game performances in NFL history occurred on Nov. 4, 2007 when Adrian Peterson set the single-game rushing record with 295 rushing yards.  Corey Dillon ran for 278 in 2000, and Jamal Lewis ran for 295 in 2003.

52)  Ichiro comes to America, brings hit barrage
The Seattle Mariners signed Ichiro Suzuki, one of Japan’s most prolific hitters, in 2001.  He has 200+ hits in each of his first nine seasons, including an MLB-record 262 hits in 2004.  He already has 2,030 hits in his MLB career.

51)  Manning finally beats New England, wins a ring
Peyton Manning had not beat the Patriots in the playoffs.  But in the 2007 AFC Championship game, that all changed.  Manning’s Colts beat New England 38-34, overcoming an 18-point deficit, then beat Chicago 29-17 to win the Super Bowl.

50)  Pete Sampras retires
Tennis legend Pete Sampras officially announced retirement in August of 2003.  Sampras won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, which was a record until Federer broke it at the 2009 Wimbledon.  He was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.

49)  Stallworth suspended for 2009 season following manslaughter
NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth plead guilty to DUI and second degree manslaughter after killing a pedestrian while driving in 2009.  Stallworth served just 24 days in jail, but the NFL suspended him for the entire 2009 season.

48)  Michael Phelps’behavior questionable
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps ran into trouble a few times.  In 2004, he was sentenced to 18 months probation for pleading guilty to driving under the influence.  In 2009, pictures were released showing Phelps smoking marijuana.

47)  Grady Little leaves Pedro in
With a 5-2 eighth inning lead in game seven of the 2003 ALCS against rival New York, Red Sox manager Grady Little decided to leave starter Pedro Martinez in the game following three straight hits.  Pedro blew the lead, and the Red Sox lost.

46)  Annika Sorenstam plays with the men
One of the most successful female golfers of all time, Annika Sorenstam may be best known for playing in the 2003 Bank of America Colonial – a men’s PGA Tour event.  She also won 10 LPGA majors and 72 tournaments overall, both records.

45)  Pat Tillman dies while serving in the Army
Pat Tillman, the former linebacker and safety for the Arizona Cardinals, left the team in 2002 to enlist in the U.S. Army after the attacks of 9/11.  Tillman died while serving his country in Afghanistan in 2004, supposedly by friendly fire.

44)  Roy Williams finally wins a national championship
The only thing that had eluded college coaching great Roy Williams was a national championship.  That finally came in 2005 as Williams’North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Illinois in the championship.  Williams would win another title in 2009.

43)  Division 1-AA Appalachian State defeats Michigan
In 2007, Appalachian State defeated then #5 Michigan 34-32 in the ‘Big House’in one of the biggest upsets in college football history.  The win was the first by an FCS team over a ranked FBS team, and led to FCS teams being eligible for the AP Poll.

42)  Cal Ripken Jr. retires
One of baseball’s most beloved players decided to call it quits in 2001 after 21 years in the league, all with the Baltimore Orioles.  Ripken hit a home run in the 2001 All-Star game and was named MVP of the game.  He has 3,184 lifetime hits.

41)  Phil Jackson returns as coach of Lakers
Phil Jackson left Chicago following Michael Jordan’s retirement, only to return one year later to open the decade as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.  The Lakers have won four NBA championships in Jackson’s nine years as coach, including 2009.

40)  Griffey has injury-ridden decade
After playing 11 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Ken Griffey Jr. was injured in each of his nine seasons with the Reds to open the decade.  Many think that the steroid-free slugger would have the most HRs of all time if not for the injuries.

39)  Players brawl with fans during NBA game
A disturbing scene took place during a Detroit Pistons home game against Indiana in 2004.  After a hard foul led to some pushing and shoving, fans sparked a brawl with Pacer players.  The NBA suspended nine players and two fans faced charges.

38)  Nick Saban leaves LSU for the NFL
Nick Saban spent the first five years of the decade at LSU, winning two BCS bowls and a national championship in 2003.  But when the Miami Dolphins offered him $5 million and control of all operations, Saban left, but went 15-17 in two seasons.

37)  Brett Favre retires, then unretires…twice
One of the greatest and most well-liked quarterbacks of all time called it quits in 2007, then returned with the Jets after Green Bay wouldn’t take him back.  After one season in New York, he retired again, only to come back with Minnesota.

36)  Kobe scores 81 points
Kobe Bryant had one of the greatest single-game performances of all-time on Jan. 22, 2006 against the Toronto Raptors when he scored 81 points.  Bryant shot 60 percent, making seven threes and scoring 55 of the 81 points in the second half.

35)  Serena Williams takes over women’s tennis
Williams became the #1 ranked tennis player for the first time in July of 2002, and has been ranked #1 five different times.  She had all four Grand Slam titles at once in 2002-2003, and has won 23 Grand Slams overall, including doubles.

34)  Tim Donaghy bet on games he officiated
One of the black stains of the NBA occurred when Tim Donaghy, an NBA referee from 1994-2007, pleaded guilty to betting on NBA games he officiated.  It was believed that he purposely miscalled games to affect point spreads and win his bets.

33)  Danica Patrick first woman to win a race
Patrick became the first woman to ever win a race when she won the Indy Japan 300 in 2008.  She started racing in the Indy Car Series in 2005, where she was named rookie of the year.  She is arguably the most influential female athlete.

32)  Michigan legend Bo Schembechler dies
Michigan coaching legend Bo Schembechler died in 2006, one day before the Wolverines took on rival Ohio State.  Schembechler coaches the Wolverines from 1969-1989, compiling a 234-65-8 overall record.  He also coached at Miami.

31)  New England becomes NFL team of the decade
A Drew Bledsoe injury made way for an unknown QB named Tom Brady in 2001.  Brady took New England to the Super Bowl, winning that and two more after that.  The Patriots seemed destined to win the 2002 Super Bowl following 9/11.

30)  Unlikely pair throw perfect games
Randy Johnson is considered to be one of the most dominant and powerful pitchers in baseball history, while Mark Buehrle is known better as a finesse, fast worker.  Both threw perfect games this decade – Johnson in 2004, Buehrle in 2009.

29)  Marion Jones admits to steroid use
Marion Jones, a dominant track and field athlete, was forced to forfeit her five gold medals from the 2000 Olympic games after admitting that she took steroids before the games.  Jones was sentenced to six months in jail, which she served in 2008.

28)  White Sox break 88-year drought
Lost in the losing streaks of the Cubs and Red Sox was the Chicago White Sox’drought, which was actually longer than Boston’s.  The White Sox broke the streak by winning the World Series in 2005, highlighted by an 11-1 postseason.

27)  David Beckham signs with the L.A. Galaxy
David Beckham, one of the world’s top soccer players, left Real Madrid in 2007 to play soccer in the United States.  Beckham had hoped to boost the popularity of the sport in America, a country considered to be behind the curve with soccer talent.

26)  George Mason goes to the final four
Cinderella’s slipper fit the Patriots perfectly in 2006.  George Mason entered the NCAA men’s basketball tournament as a #11 seed and upset Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut before falling to Florida in the semifinals.

25)  Katrina forces New Orleans teams to relocate
The massive destruction Hurricane Katrina put on New Orleans in 2005 forced the city’s Hornets and Saints to relocate.  The Saints played home games in Baton Rouge and San Antonio, while the Hornets played two seasons in Oklahoma City.

24)  2006 Duke lacrosse scandal proved false
A North Carolina Central student accused three Duke lacrosse players of raping her.  Though the accusations were later deemed false, the scandal forced the cancellation of the rest of the season, and coach Mike Pressler resigned.

23)  NBA creates one and done rule
Prior to 2006, high school players were allowed to enter the NBA draft, so players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett never went to college.  The new rule forced players like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose to spend a year in school.

22)  NHL lockout cancels 2004-2005 season
A dispute between players and owners over salary issues, including a salary cap, caused the cancellation of the entire season.  It was the first time an entire pro sports season had been cancelled, but resulted in the new salary cap we have today.

21)  Steelers win record six Super Bowls
In 2005-2006, the Pittsburgh Steelers won their record-tying fifth Super Bowl under Bill Cowher as a #6 seed, beating Seattle 21-10.  Three years later, the Steelers would do it again, winning a 27-23 thriller over Arizona for the record.

20)  Tiger Woods scandal shakes golf
Tiger Woods, considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time, was accused of having an affair with a nightclub manager.  The next day, he crashed his car, leading to media attention surrounding his personal life and family.

19)  Federer emerges as most dominant man in tennis
Roger Federer became the world’s number one ranked tennis player in 2004 and held that ranking for 237 consecutive weeks.  He briefly fell to #2, but regained the #1 ranking to close the decade.  He has 15 Grand Slam titles – the most all time.

18)  USA men’s basketball team slips at Worlds, Olympics
Loaded with a slew of NBA All-Stars, the USA men’s basketball team finishes sixth at the 2002 World Championships, then settles for bronze in the 2004 Olympics.  It’s the lowest finish by the team ever at Worlds and tied for lowest at the Olympics.

17)  ‘Iron Mike’era ends with loss to Lewis
In one of the most publicized and highly anticipated fights in boxing history, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis tangled on June 8, 2002.  Lewis dominated, KOing Tyson in the eighth round.  Tyson would fight a few more times before finally retiring.

16)  Dale Earnhardt Sr. dies
A tragic final-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500 took the life of one of NASCAR’s all-time greats.  Earnhardt won 76 races and seven Winston Cup Series titles.  After Earnhardt’s death, NASCAR focuses on safety with safer cars and tracks.

15)  BCS creates controversy beginning in 2004
In 2004, the Auburn Tigers became the first undefeated BCS team to be left out of the BCS National Championship.  Utah went undefeated in 2004 and 2008, Boise ran the table in 2006 and 2009, and TCU and Cincinnati went undefeated in 2009.

14)  Kobe Bryant accused of rape
Arguably the best player in the NBA was accused of rape by a woman in Denver.  Bryant was acquitted of sexual assault charges but admitted committing adultery.  The golden boy of the NBA was no longer considered to be a role model by many.

13)  Bartman sparks big inning for opponents
In 2003, the die-hard Cubs fan took a would-have-been out away from Moises Alou, extending Luis Castillo’s at-bat in game six of the NLCS.  The Marlins, down 3-2 in the series and 3-0 in the game, won both.  The curse of the billy-goat lives on.

12)  Michael Vick indicted for dog fighting
Former overall number one draft pick Michael Vick, who two years earlier had led the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC championship, was indicted on dog fighting charges in July of 2007.  He would spend a year in prison before returning to the NFL in 2009.

11)  Team USA spectacular in 2002, not so much in 2006
Team USA soccer gave America a thrill in 2002, making it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup before eventually falling to Germany 1-0.  The Americans upset Portugal and Mexico along the way.  In 2006, they failed to win a game in the Cup.

10)  Jordan indecisive about retirement…again
After Michael Jordan had called it quits following his sixth NBA championship, the love of the game brought him back again.  Jordan played two seasons with the Washington Wizards before retiring. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2009.

9)  Barry Bonds sets *HR records
In 2001, Barry Bonds broke Mark McGwire’s single season home run mark by belting 73 long balls.  Six years later, Bonds would pass Hank Aaron for most HRs all time with his 756th.  The authenticity of these records may forever be debated.

8)  Patriots go perfect, only to lose in Super Bowl XLIV
The New England Patriots had the perfect team and the perfect record.  They were the first team to ever finish a 16-game regular season unbeaten.  But the New York Giants had other plans.  Eli Manning and company upset New England 17-14.

7)  Sports goes on after 9/11
In a time when America could have caved and crumbled after the attacks of 9/11, the sports world did not.  The NFL postponed all games for week two, and the MLB postponed its games for three days.  But, like America, sports went on.

6)  Lance Armstrong wins seven straight Tour De France titles
American Lance Armstrong dominated cycling for years, winning the Tour De France the first six times in the decade, and seven dating back to 1999.  What may have been more remarkable about the streak was that he is a cancer survivor.

5)  Boston Red Sox end curse of the Babe
Because the Red Sox were so close for so many years, it almost appeared as though the curse of the Babe would never be broken.  But the rival Yankees set a perfect stage for a remarkable turnaround, blowing a 3-0 ALCS lead to the division rivals.

4)  Usain Bolt breaks sprinting world records
Perhaps no one dominates their sport the way Jamaican Usain Bolt dominates sprinting.  In Beijing in 2008, he won three golds and set three world records in the 100, 200 and 4×100.  A year later, he would break his own 100 and 200 records.

3)  Michael Phelps rakes in the gold
In the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Phelps took six gold medals and two bronze medals – an incredible feat for a 19-year-old.  In Beijing in 2008, he was even more remarkable, breaking Mark Spitz’record by winning eight golds.

2)  Diamondbacks beat Yankees in 2001 World Series
The Yankees tugged on America’s heartstrings in the first sports championship post-9/11.  New York, for the first time, were the good guys.  But after Pettitte got rocked and Rivera blew game seven, it was the cardiac ‘Backs who prevailed.

1)  Steroids forever change baseball
Nothing has changed the landscape of sports more than the recent steroid saga.  Players, records, teams and championships will forever have asterisks next to them thanks to the likes of McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Palmeiro, Clemens and Rodriguez.

Bonus – What we didn’t see this decade:
- Triple Crown winner in horse racing
- Triple Crown winner in Major League Baseball
- Cubs winning the World Series
- True Grand Slam in golf
- Eagles winning the Super Bowl

Longhorn fans have holiday cheer

They say everything’s bigger in Texas. This holiday season, it’s true.

Being a Texas Longhorns sports fan could not be any sweeter. On Saturday, the #2 ranked volleyball team closed a tremendous season with a heartbreaking five-set loss to undefeated and three-time defending champion Penn State. Despite the loss, the ‘Horns finished 29-2 on the season.

For most schools, a runner-up finish in volleyball would be the highlight of the athletic year. But Texas isn’t most schools.  The football team is also playing for the national championship.  This ‘Horns team is also underdogs against a very good Alabama team, but don’t count them out just yet.  No one gave them a chance in 2005 before they shocked the world by beating USC to win the national championship.  The Trojans haven’t been back to the big game since.  And before I forget, it’s worth mentioning that this team has a player (Colt McCoy) who has finished in the top three in Heisman voting two straight years, and another player (Jordan Shipley) who just might be the best all-purpose player in the country.

Playing in the national championship in football is pretty cool.  But even if the ‘Horns drop the highly anticipated contest, they can fall back on their men’s basketball team, which also ranked…you guessed it…number two.  Until this week, the team hadn’t played anyone who will come within an earshot of making the NCAA tournament, but two double-digit victories against the two teams who played in the national championship game just nine months earlier has me convinced.  So what if they’ve only played two games outside the state.  This is the deepest team in the nation, and as long as they stay healthy, I think they can win a title in this sport too.  They don’t even need to win their own conference to earn a number one seed come March.

Speaking of March, that’s about the time when preseason baseball rankings will be released.  Expect the Longhorns to start number one in most polls.  In the meantime, look for the women’s basketball team to make a sweet sixteen run.  The lady Horns of the hardwood are ranked #17 nationally.  Are you a fan of swimming?  If so, check out the men’s swimming and diving team, currently ranked number one in the nation, or the women’s swimming and diving team, ranked number four.

Before this year is over, the Longhorn athletic department is going to have a lot of banners to hang, and possibly some trophies to polish.

Everything is bigger at Texas.  At least this year.

Picking all 34 bowl games

Bowl season gets underway Saturday with the first of 34 bowl games.  Damn, that’s 68 bowl bids.  I guess when a team loads up on FCS and Sun Belt teams in the nonconference, being bowl eligible doesn’t mean much.  But here we are anyway, and I’ll attempt to pick all 34, though I will likely only watch about half of them.

New Mexico Bowl – Fresno State vs Wyoming
Fresno finished strong with a dramatic overtime win over Illinois in Champaign.  A loaded schedule included losses to Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Boise State, but that should have them ready.  Props for Dave Christensen for getting Wyoming back to a bowl in his first season.
Pick:  Fresno State

Beef ‘O’Brady’s Bowl – Central Florida vs Rutgers
When Rutgers lost by 32 at home to Cincinnati in week one, things weren’t looking good.  But the Scarlet Knights pulled it together and finished 8-4 in a surprisingly competitive Big East.  However, Central Florida basically has a home game here, and containing Tim Brown’s big play ability will be key.  Rutgers’D ranks 99th.
Pick:  Central Florida

New Orleans Bowl – Southern Mississippi vs Middle Tennessee State
Sub Belt runner-up Middle Tennessee’s lone conference loss was to Troy, and 9-3 should be considered a success.  Al logic says pick the Blue Raiders, but I’m going against my logic on this.  Southern Mississippi had some heartbreaking losses against good teams, which will ultimately have them prepared for this game.
Pick:  Southern Mississippi

Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon State vs BYU
The Beavers were just a few plays away from playing Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.  Instead, they settle for Vegas and a great matchup with BYU.  The Beavers played five teams in the top 25, while the Cougars played just two.  Max Hall should have fun with the Beaver defense, but Oregon State will win a high-scoring game.
Pick:  Oregon State

Poinsettia Bowl – Utah vs California
Jahvid Best should be ready for this game, but how well he will do coming back from the concussion is unknown.  The Golden Bears, ranked as high as #6 earlier this year, fell after back to back blowout losses mid-season.  Utah’s defense is #20 in the country, while Cal ranks at #70.
Pick:  Utah

Sheraton Bowl – Nevada vs SMU
SMU will snap its 25 year bowl drought when it takes the field in Honolulu on Christmas Eve to play Nevada.  The Wolfpack got hot at the end of the season, winning eight of their final nine after an 0-3 start.  SMU will be happy to be here.  Nevada isn’t leaving without a win.
Pick:  Nevada

Little Caesars Bowl – Marshall vs Ohio
One of only two bowls north of the Mason Dixon line takes place in Detroit between two virtually equal teams.  Marshall is 6-6 but has played a tougher schedule.  Ohio is 9-4 after a MAC Championship loss to Central Michigan.  Ohio did play Tennessee and UConn tough.
Pick:  Ohio

Meineke Car Care Bowl – Pittsburgh vs North Carolina
Like Oregon State, Pittsburgh has to be crushed knowing that an Orange Bowl date with Georgia Tech was probably one or two plays away.  After a heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati, the Panthers settle for a “neutral” site game in Charlotte with the Heels.  Carolina’s defense will keep it close, but the ‘Heels just can’t score.
Pick:  Pittsburgh

Emerald Bowl – Boston College vs USC
I’m really entertained to see what the line on this game will turn out to be.  Right now it’s USC -9, and I’ll take the Trojans to cover.  Boston College has a terrible offense, and USC’s defense can be good despite some poor games.  This is a weird bowl to see USC playing in, and you know they are peeved about it.  Watch out BC.
Pick:  USC

Music City Bowl – Kentucky vs Clemson
Clemson, suffering from the Pitt/Oregon State virus, will have to watch their team take on a -not-as-good-as-their-record Kentucky team.  I’ve thought the ‘Cats were overrated all year, and Clemson has a chance to prove me right.  Kentucky’s rush D is ranked #100.  C.J. Spiller will have a field day.
Pick:  Clemson

Independence Bowl – Texas A&M vs Georgia
The interesting matchup here is Georgia’s fairly good defense against Texas A&M’s explosive offense.  The Aggies lit up Texas’third ranked D and can do it again when they play the Bulldogs.  But the Aggie defense is awful, and Georgia should have its chances to score as well.
Pick:  Georgia

EagleBank Bowl – UCLA vs Temple
Games like this are the toughest to pick.  UCLA is 6-6, but with the #11 schedule in the nation.  Temple is 9-3, but had the sixth easiest schedule.  UCLA’s offense is ranked #88.  Temple’s is #89.  UCLA’s defense is #39, Temple’s is #37.  I’ll take the Bruins because of the schedule.
Pick:  UCLA

Champs Sports Bowl – Miami vs Wisconsin
Another game with no distinct advantage is a good one which features two 9-3 teams.  Wisconsin’s loss to Northwestern cost them their shot at a New Year’s Day bowl game despite a better overall record than the Wildcats.  Jacory Harris will make enough plays to push the ‘Canes to victory in their home state.
Pick:  Miami

Humanitarian Bowl – Bowling Green vs Idaho
Idaho fans were on a roller coaster early this season with the team’s 6-1 start.  But that vanished after the Vandals lost four of their final five, and they limp into Boise, where they lost on the same field by 38.  This time, Tyler Sheehan and Bowling Green are the opponents.  Limiting Sheehan’s big plays will be key for Idaho.
Pick:  Idaho

Holiday Bowl – Arizona vs Nebraska
Geographically, Arizona has the edge, but Husker fans will travel to watch their near Big 12 champions play.  Both defenses are really good, which is why I think 17 points may be enough.  The difference is that Arizona can score, and has, against good teams.  The Huskers haven’t shown consistent offense all season.
Pick:  Arizona

Armed Forces Bowl – Houston vs Air Force
The Armed Forces have their team, the Falcons, in this game.  Awaiting the Falcons is the #1 offense in the nation – the Houston Cougars.  Case Keenum and James Cleveland will be faced with its toughest task of the season with the Falcons’#10 defense.  It’s Keenum’s chance to prove he deserved an invite to New York.
Pick:  Houston

Sun Bowl – Oklahoma vs Stanford
How about this high-profile matchup?  Last year, the final score of the Sun Bowl was 3-0.  This year Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and the Cardinal will need more than that to beat the Sooners.  Gerhart will look to add to his nation-best 26 touchdowns against the seventh ranked Sooner rush defense.
Pick:  Stanford

Texas Bowl – Navy vs Missouri
Missouri became the first team in college football history to scout its bowl opponent in a live game, as the Army/Navy game took place after the bowl selection process.  It’s Navy’s fourth ranked rush attack vs Missouri’s #12 rush defense.  Navy’s only chance is if they can find a way to pass.
Pick:  Missouri

Insight Bowl – Minnesota vs Iowa State
The Insight Bowl took the Cyclones, who are bowling for the first time since 2001.  That decision makes for a good game.  Neither team’s offense or defense is any good, but the Gophers at least have a respectable defense.  Iowa State can’t stop anyone.
Pick:  Minnesota

Chick-fil-A Bowl – Virginia Tech vs Tennessee
Here’s a game that I don’t think will be close.  Virginia Tech has an outstanding defense, and Tennessee doesn’t do much to move the ball.  The Vols defense may keep it respectable for a while, but eventually Virginia Tech, who was ranked as high as number four even after the ‘Bama loss, will pull away.
Pick:  Virginia Tech

Outback Bowl – Northwestern vs Auburn
Would you believe me if I told you Auburn has played seven top 30 teams?  That’s right, seven.  The Tigers won three of those games, but it’s more about the fact that they played those games that has them prepared for this New Year’s Day dandy.  Northwestern played well at the end of the year and won’t go down without a fight.
Pick:  Auburn

Capital One Bowl – Penn State vs LSU
The best bowl game of the season is in Orlando.  LSU played Florida and Alabama tough, but Penn State will be a monstrous challenge as well.  The Lions’D is eighth best in the country, and LSU has the twelfth worst offense in the nation.  It’s going to be tough for the Tigers to score.
Pick:  Penn State

Gator Bowl – West Virginia vs Florida State
How ironic is it that Bobby Bowden’s last game is against the team he used to coach?  As fun as the Bowden storyline should be, the Seminoles have no business being in this game.  Other ACC schools (Clemson, Miami) have to be peeved about the ‘Noles getting the Gator bid.
Pick:  West Virginia

International Bowl – South Florida vs Northern Illinois
Sophomore quarterback Chandler Harnish has been very efficient for Northern Illinois, but they haven’t played a team nearly as good as South Florida since a week one loss to Wisconsin.  The Bulls played tough in a good Big East conference.  The only bowl not played in the U.S. should be a fun one.
Pick:  South Florida

Papajohns.com Bowl – South Carolina vs Connecticut
Middle-of-the-pack teams clash in the only bowl named for a pizza.  UConn lost all five games by four points or fewer, which is quite unbelievable when you think about it.  A few bounces going the other way could make this team 12-0.  Four of South Carolina’s five losses came by double digits.
Pick:  Connecticut

Cotton Bowl – Oklahoma State vs Mississippi
Both of these teams started the season in the top 10 and had national championship aspirations.  Jevan Snead was supposed to win the Heisman and go #1.  Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant were supposed to combine to form the best offense in the country.  This is a game of disappointment.
Pick:  Mississippi

Liberty Bowl – Arkansas vs East Carolina
The Pirates were awfully impressive in capturing their second straight Conference USA championship by knocking off Houston.  Their reward is a date with Arkansas.  Ryan Mallett had a heck of a year that went unnoticed because the Hogs lost five games.
Pick:  Arkansas

Alamo Bowl – Michigan State vs Texas Tech
Everyone knew this would be a down year for Texas Tech following the losses of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, but 8-4 is surprisingly respectable for the Red Raiders.  First year starter Taylor Potts threw for more than 3,000 yards, and he’ll have another big game against the Spartans.
Pick:  Texas Tech

GMAC Bowl – Central Michigan vs Troy
Central Michigan’s turnaround led to a MAC championship.  Now Butch Jones is bolting for Cincinnati to fill the void left by Brian Kelly.  Coach or no coach, the Chippewas should have no trouble moving the ball at will against Troy.  Troy has the offense to keep it close, so look for a high-scoring game.
Pick:  Central Michigan

Rose Bowl – Ohio State vs Oregon
Jeremiah Masoli and the Ducks could have folded after losing to Boise State to open the season.  Instead, the Ducks won 10 of 11, dethroned USC to win the Pac 10, and earned a Rose Bowl berth.  Ohio State is on the other end, making this the best BCS game on this year’s slate.
Pick:  Oregon

Sugar Bowl – Cincinnati vs Florida
Tim Tebow lost the game he wanted to win more than anything.  Now he plays his last college game against a team without a coach.  Cincinnati has scored a lot of points on a lot of people, but they haven’t faced a defense like Florida’s.  Tebow won’t let the Gators lose this one.
Pick:  Florida

Fiesta Bowl – Boise State vs TCU
We can talk all we want about the fact that these are two non-BCS teams playing each other, or about them both being undefeated, or about them playing in the national championship game.  But the matchup is what it is, and it should be entertaining.  TCU won last year, and they’ll repeat this year.
Pick:  TCU

Orange Bowl – Iowa vs Georgia Tech
The Hawkeyes were an overtime loss away from winning the Big Ten, but they’ll take their first BCS bowl game since the era began.  Awaiting Iowa and its #11 defense is Georgia Tech’s second ranked rush offense, led by Jonathan Dwyer and Josh Nesbitt.
Pick:  Georgia Tech

BCS National Championship – Alabama vs Texas
Which Texas team will show up?  The Horns that blew out Okie State in Stillwater?  It better be.  The team that “beat” Nebraska?  Stay home.  We know the Tide and Heisman winner Mark Ingram will be there.  Both teams have good enough defenses to keep from getting blown out.  Bottom line: roll Tide.
Pick:  Alabama

The case for Case

Every Heisman contender has a Heisman moment – that game where, when it’s over, you say to yourself “wow, he really deserves the Heisman trophy.” After watching Colt McCoy rip Texas A&M to shreds tonight, I sort of had that feeling. Sort of.

After all, it’s easy to make a case for McCoy. He is 12-0, and likely headed for the national championship. He now has 27 touchdown passes and nine interceptions to go along with nearly 3,500 yards. However, the nine interceptions is more than he had in 13 games last season. And in order to match his touchdown and yardage total from a year ago, he needs seven TD passes and about 400 yards in the next two games. Even if he does that, he will have needed 14 games to do what he did in 13 in 2008. To go along with those monster 2008 numbers, he had 591 rushing yards. This year he has just 368, and only because he rushed for 175 tonight. He also has nine fewer rushing touchdowns.

Here’s the question: should we compare a Heisman candidate’s numbers to those of a season ago? My answer is no. But the voters will. And McCoy’s superior 2008 season wasn’t good enough to win the Heisman. Why should this year be different?

So what about Mark Ingram? The Alabama sophomore is 11-0, likely 12-0 after the Iron Bowl, and is averaging 6.8 yards per carry and 127 yards per game. He seems to be getting most of the talk right now, but why? Is it because the Tide are #2 in the nation? Because he plays for a school with a rich tradition? Because he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated?  He only has 12 touchdowns.  We might as well throw UTEP’s Donald Buckrem in the mix as well.  He has more yards, yards per game and touchdowns than Ingram.  And he certainly doesn’t have the offensive line Ingram has.

So do you give it to Ingram, with worse numbers than a handful of running backs from non-BCS schools, because those running backs don’t have to run against SEC opponents?

Here’s another running back you may not know about – Toby Gerhart.  He plays for Stanford.  Stanford is in the Pac 10, and believe it or not, it’s the best conference in the country.  Don’t believe me?  Read this.

Gerhart plays for a school who’s playing nine teams from the best conference in football, plus bowl eligible Notre Dame.  All in all, Stanford has a schedule ranking (13)  that’s 28 places higher than Alabama (41) and 43 places higher than Texas (56).  Gerhart has rushed for 1,531 yards, second only to Buckrem, and has 23 rushing touchdowns, second to no one.  But his team is 7-4.  So I ask, should we give the Heisman to a guy with better numbers but a worse record?  Tim Tebow won the award the year he went 9-4, but finished third the year he won a national championship at 13-1.

It’s taken me a while to get to this option, but I now present you with the only one that makes sense: Case Keenum.  Say what you want about his strength of schedule or the Houston play calling.  I’m about to shut you up.

Keenum is 9-2, and almost surely to be 11-2 following a Conference USA championship in a few weeks.  He is more than 1,000 yards ahead of the next highest passer in the country.  That’s unreal.  Forget the schedule.  He’s a machine.  1,000 yards?  Are you kidding?  He doesn’t have a Jordan Shipley on his team.  There’s no Mark Ingram or Toby Gerhart to balance the offense.  This is a one man show.  Defenses know exactly what’s coming and still can’t stop it.  That’s impressive.  His 36 touchdowns leads the nation going away.  He’s the only player in the country throwing for more than 400 yards per game.  And for those of you saying that his pass attempts are inflated, try wrapping this number around your head: six interceptions.  Six.  in 553 pass attempts.  McCoy has three more in 161 fewer attempts.  And McCoy has a line that doesn’t let anyone touch him.

Keenum, unlike McCoy, will best his 2008 numbers, blow away all 2009 QBs in every statistical category, and, sadly, probably won’t even be invited to New York.  But he should be.  And he should win it.  This is a very interesting race, and the other contenders have too many question marks surrounding their legitimacy.  For once, give it to the little guy, on the little team.

My Heisman ballot:

1)  Case Keenum
2)  Colt McCoy
3)  Toby Gerhart

Football rankings and bowl projections

There goes Iowa.  One week after I touted the Big Ten cinderella story, they lose their trap game to Northwestern.  The Hawkeyes can’t play for a national championship now, and will likely lose out on a BCS game after Ohio State punishes them this week.  Hawkeye fans can say it was because Ricky Stanzi got hurt.  I can fire back by saying he’s played mediocre at best this year.  Northwestern was able to stop an offense not known for its quarterback play, so how big a loss was Stanzi?  The point is, Iowa is now in a must-win situation against Ohio State in Columbus if they want a BCS game.  Otherwise it’s likely back to the Outback Bowl for the Hawkeyes.

Speaking of bowls, it’s time for me to make my first BCS bowl projections, so that will follow my rankings.

1)  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0) – Every week they seem like they play a big game, and every week they win.  The schedule has been brutal, yet they are unbeaten.  They outgained LSU by 199 yards and had 11 more first downs.

2)  Florida Gators (9-0) – It’s official.  With their wins this weekend, the Gators and Tide have secured trips to the SEC championship game.  Florida did it with their usual defense, holding Vanderbilt to under 200 yards of total offense.

3)  Texas Longhorns (9-0) – The past few weeks, the Longhorns have looked more like themselves, holding their past three opponents to a combined 17 points.  The offense is revamped, and Jordan Shipley was simply amazing against UCF.

4)  Cincinnati Bearcats (9-0) – Is there a quarterback controversy in Cincinnati?  Because there should be.  Since Tony Pike’s injury, backup Zach Corallos is 79-89 with 1,100 and eight touchdown passes.  West Virginia is next.

5)  Boise State Broncos (9-0) - The Broncos aren’t impressing the BCS with their margins of victory, and it happened to them again Tuesday.  With the rise of TCU, Ohio State, Georgia Tech and USC, Boise may not see a BCS game without help.

6)  TCU Horned Frogs (9-0) – Here’s another team with a lot to prove over the past few weeks, and boy have they stepped up.  They’ve won their past four games by scores of 38, 31, 41 and 43 points.  They are getting closer to Boise every week.

7)  Iowa Hawkeyes (9-1) – The Northwestern loss was bad, but this team still has nine wins with two games to go and can earn a Rose Bowl date against Oregon with a win over the Buckeyes in Columbus.  But the last time that happened?  1959.

8)  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-1) – Surprisingly, it’s Georgia Tech, not Miami or Virginia Tech, that has taken control of a competitive Coastal division.  The Jackets needed overtime to knock off Wake Forest despite 412 rushing yards.

9)  Pittsburgh Panthers (8-1) – This may be the quietest team in the nation.  But Pitt is 8-1, 5-0 in the Big East and have their eyes on an Orange Bowl berth.  Two tough games stand between them and the showdown with Cincinnati on Dec. 5.

10)  Houston Cougars (8-1) – It’s hard to talk about the Cougars without bringing up Case Keenum.  He already has more than 3,800 yards to go with his 28 touchdown passes.  And his team is 8-1.  He’s got my vote for Heisman.

11)  LSU Tigers (7-2) – LSU’s two losses are to Florida and Alabama, so how far can they really drop?  They put up a good fight against both teams, but didn’t have the offense to make the plays at the end to win either game.

12)  Oregon Ducks (7-2) – Well on their way to the Rose Bowl, Oregon stumbled back into the Pac 10.  We’ve seen this before.  A team beats USC, then stumbles, allowing the Trojans to win the conference.  See 2008.  Or 2007.

13)  Miami Hurricanes (7-2) – The ‘Canes are this high because of the wins against Oklahoma and Georgia Tech, even if the Virginia Tech loss looks worse now.  A contending Virginia team came into Coral Gables and got embarrassed by 35.

14)  USC Trojans (7-2) – Pete Carroll’s defense gave up 27 against Notre Dame, 36 against Oregon State and 47 against Oregon.  When the defense does play well, as it did against Arizona State the offense doesn’t show up.  They’re inconsistent.

15)  Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2) – Amazingly, this team is once again in the driver’s seat for a conference title.  The Iowa loss didn’t matter, but a huge win in Happy Valley sure did.  The Buckeyes racked up 228 rushing yards in the win.

16)  Penn State Nittany Lions (7-2) – Penn State’s two losses have come to Ohio State and Iowa, and they didn’t play Wisconsin this year.  That means their best win is at Northwestern.  Their offense looks lost when they play good defenses.

17)  Utah Utes (8-1) – After an early season loss to Oregon, Utah has battled their way back by beating up on the bottom of the Mountain West.  Now they take their 5-0 conference record to Fort Worth, where an upset gives them the conference.

18)  Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-2) - I can’t get behind a team that gave up 45 and 41 points to the only two ranked teams they’ve played all season.  It’s pretty sad that Dez Bryant is still the second leading receiver on this team.

19)  Arizona Wildcats (6-2) – Guess who can go to the Rose Bowl by winning its next four games? Yep. Arizona is a half game back in the Pac 10. To win four straight though, the ‘Cats need wins at Cal, against Oregon, at Arizona State and at USC.

20)  Wisconsin Badgers (7-2) – Living on the edge is working this year for Wisconsin.  Five of their seven wins have come by one possession, and their two losses came to the teams playing for the conference championship Saturday.

21)  South Florida Bulls (6-2) - The Bulls have two losses – to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  Other than that they are 6-0.  B.J. Daniels and Moise Plancher are combining to average more than five yards per carry.  They go to Rutgers Thursday.

22)  West Virginia Mountaineers (7-2) - West Virginia has shown signs that they are a good team, but haven’t played consistent enough.  To win the Big East they’ll need November wins over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, starting Friday in Ohio.

23)  BYU Cougars (7-2) – BYU bounced back from a tough loss to TCU with a 52-0 smacking of Wyoming.  Max Hall threw four touchdown passes for the Cougars, who now need a win over Utah and some help to claim the Mountain West.

24)  Auburn Tigers (7-3) – Give credit to Gene Chizik for coming in and turning this program around.  In his first year, he has knocked off West Virginia, Mississippi and Tennessee.  Two tough games remain with Georgia and Alabama left.

25)  Stanford Cardinal (6-3) – Stanford had a great win over a red-hot Oregon team Saturday.  They racked up more than 500 yards of offense and put up 51 on the Ducks.  They go to USC Saturday, and we all remember how the last trip there went.

BCS Bowl Projections

Rose Bowl – Oregon vs Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl – Boise State vs TCU
Orange Bowl – Georgia Tech vs Pittsburgh
Sugar Bowl – Alabama vs USC
National Championship – Florida vs Texas

Hawkeyes deserve to be #3

You may have noticed that I have Iowa ranked #3 in my latest college football rankings.  That looks bad after Iowa needed a last second play to beat Michigan State, while Texas blew out Missouri in Columbia.  The reality is, I’ve been stupid not to put Iowa head for the past few weeks.

Iowa has wins against Penn State in Happy Valley, Wisconsin in Madison, and Michigan State in East Lansing.  The last team to do that was Michigan in 1997.  As for Texas?  They have road wins over…Wyoming and Missouri?  Neither of those teams are ranked in the top 60 in the computers.

Iowa played and beat two nonconference BCS teams (Iowa State and Arizona) that have a combined record of 10-5.  Oh by the way, both of those teams are in the top 60 in the computers. Texas did not play a single BCS conference team.

Speaking of rankings, Iowa has defeated two teams ranked in the BCS top 20.  Texas hasn’t played a single ranked team.  The reason the Longhorns are ranked ahead of the Hawkeyes is because the human voters don’t look at the schedules.  They base their decisions on what the AP writers decide early on in the season.

That’s the wrong way to do it, and that’s why the computers are a better determining factor.  The computers look at what has happened so far.  They ignore prestige, Heisman candidates, and preseason expectations.  If the computers were the only rankings used, Iowa would be #1 and Texas would be #5.  The human polls have too much influence, and it is clearly being demonstrated by ranking Texas ahead of Iowa.

Iowa’s average opponent so far this year is ranked #48.  Texas’average opponent is ranked #72.  If Iowa and Texas both win out, it would be hard for me to watch a national championship game with Texas in it, knowing Iowa deserves it.  But that’s what will happen, because the human polls are two-thirds of the BCS standings.

College football rankings – Oct. 26

Longhorn fans, hate me all you want.  Your team is now #4 in the most prestigious rankings in the country.  This despite a 34 point blowout road win.  Gator fans, hate me all you want.  Your team is still #2, despite Alabama’s near collapse against the Vols.  Bronco fans, hate me now.  Your team is #6, despite a blowout win on the island.  Yes, my rankings may make your head scratch and your forehead wrinkle.  But there’s justification here.  Boise State hasn’t played anybody, prompting Iowa to jump them.  Alabama has still played better teams than Florida.  And I’ll explain the Texas setback in a blog post tomorrow, for it is the one that could mean the most come Dec. 6.

1)  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) – I picked the Vols to win, and they probably should have.  But they didn’t.  Alabama’s defense was stiff enough in another quality win.  They get a bye week to prepare for LSU’s trip to Tuscaloosa.

2)  Florida Gators (7-0) – Something is off with the offense.  Playing a relatively weak SEC schedule, they have broken 30 just once in five conference games.  Red zone offense has been a problem.  In 35 trips, they have only 16 touchdowns.

3)  Iowa Hawkeyes (8-0) – The Hawkeyes are 8-0 for the first time ever after beating a hot Michigan State team in East Lansing.  It’s not pretty, but this team finds ways to win.  The offense, ranked #87 in the country, needs to play better.

4)  Texas Longhorns (7-0) – Colt McCoy is closing in on the all time FBS wins record after an impressive 41-7 win against Missouri.  It’s Texas’first well-played game in the conference, and it comes just in time.  They go to Stillwater next.

5)  Cincinnati Bearcats (7-0) – Can we still say Cincinnati is flying under the radar?  They are blowing teams out while making their best case for a title shot.  After Syracuse, things get tough with games against UConn, West Virginia and Pitt.

6)  Boise State Broncos (7-0) – If the Broncos want any prayer of playing for a national championship, they’ll need four teams ahead of them on this list to lose.  They are winning by similar margins against much worse teams – simple as that.

7)  LSU Tigers (6-1) – LSU came off the bye week by throttling Auburn.  Their only loss is Florida, and they’ve allowed 20+ points just twice.  They go to Alabama in two weeks and can still control their own destiny to a conference championship.

8)  Oregon Ducks (6-1) – The Ducks continue to roll.  Jeremiah Masoli came back this week to throw for 157 yards and a touchdown, and added two rushing touchdowns too.  If they beat USC Saturday, The Trojans will miss a BCS game.

9)  Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1) – Hammering Michigan by 25 in the Big House will get you back on track.  Penn State’s defense is the reason they are beating teams up.  They are #3 in the nation, allowing just 240 yards per game.

10)  TCU Horned Frogs (7-0) – The Horned Frogs’four biggest wins have come on the road.  After blowing out BYU in Provo, TCU should finish 12-0.  Will the BCS take both them and an undefeated Boise State team?

11)  Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-1) – The Texas A&M win looks better after A&M blew out Texas Tech in Lubbock, but otherwise it hasn’t been much of a schedule for the Cowboys.  A win this week puts them in control of the south.

12)  USC Trojans (6-1) - Maybe my expectations are too high for this team, but I just don’t think one possession wins are good enough against the Pac 10.  Matt Barkley’s two interceptions are concerning, as is the defense all of a sudden.

13)  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-1) – Virginia was the only remaining unbeaten in the ACC until Georgia Tech crushed them.  With the Miami loss, the Yellow Jackets are now in line to win the Coastal if they can beat Wake and Duke.

14)  Houston Cougars (6-1) – It’s time to start seriously considering Case Keenum for Heisman.  He leads the nation in total offense, completions per game, passing yards per game and is second in touchdown passes.

15)  Pittsburgh Panthers (7-1) – A solid win over South Florida topped with a lot of one loss teams going down bumps Pitt up to 15.  They now enter a stretch in which they play just two games in 33 days.  The showdown with Cincy is Dec. 5.

16)  Virginia Tech Hokies (5-2) – The Hokies still have that bitter taste in their mouths from the Georgia Tech loss, but can still win the ACC with some help.  Ryan Williams averages six yards per carry and has 10 touchdowns already.

17)  Miami Hurricanes (5-2) – The ‘Canes just couldn’t shake Clemson, and eventually lost the game in overtime.  An uncharacteristic defense gave up 410 yards, and Jacory Harris threw three interceptions for Miami.

18)  Ohio State Buckeyes (6-2) – Terrelle Pryor needed a huge game after the Purdue meltdown, and he delivered.  Pryor went 13-25 for 239 yards and two touchdowns.  He also ran for 104 yards and a score in the win over Minnesota.

19)  West Virginia Mountaineers (6-1) - The Mountaineers are quietly playing well since the Auburn loss and are undefeated in the Big East.  They still have Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Rutgers, but first is a trip to South Florida.

20)  Utah Utes (6-1) – Here’s a team that has lost to the only good team it has played, yet sits at #19 at 6-1.  Utah is doing all the right things to win, as they showed in overtime against Air Force.  They still go to Provo and Fort Worth.

21)  South Carolina Gamecocks (6-2) – Steve Spurrier is eking out wins, but he’ll tell you that against the SEC, winning is all that matters.  They outgained Vanderbilt by 158 yards and were turnover-free, yet needed a late TD to hold on.

22)  BYU Cougars (6-2) – I don’t think anyone saw that coming.  BYU failed to show up against TCU, leaving them all but out of the Mountain West championship hunt.  Five TCU players scored in a game that was over after the first quarter.

23)  Wisconsin Badgers (5-2) – Despite not having won since Oct. 3, the Badgers are back in the rankings after a few two loss teams fell this week.  For Wisconsin, 10-2 is a legitimate possibility, although this season, who knows?

24) Kansas Jayhawks (5-2) – Two weeks ago they looked like they could challenge for a BCS game.  Now they’re thinking bowl eligibility and maybe a north title after OU blows them out.  Kansas fans should be looking toward basketball.

25)  Central Michigan (7-1) – Why not?  Butch Jones has the Chippewas at 7-1 going into the showdown at Boston College.  They have a win at Michigan State and played Arizona tough in the desert.  They’ve also won seven in a row.

College football rankings – Oct. 19

Same $***, different week.

That’s about all I can say after finding out that the coaches inexcusably ranked Florida #1 despite a dreadful performance in Gainesville against inferior Arkansas.  They must not know about Alabama, the team with the number one defense in America.  The team that has held four of its past five opponents to 7 points or fewer.  The team with road wins against Kentucky and Ole Miss, a neutral site victory against Virginia Tech, and wins against South Carolina, and that same Arkansas team by 28.  Florida’s only good win has been LSU, and they could still lose three more times.  Point is, it should be the AP guys who have BCS influence.  They got it right.  Again.  The coaches aren’t paying attention.  Good thing I am.  On to the rankings…

1)  Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) – It was foolish of me not to have them #1 last week, but they left no doubt with a dominating 20-6 win over South Carolina.  All of a sudden, Florida can’t score on Arkansas.  How will they score on Alabama?

2)  Florida Gators (6-0) – Gator fans are sending personalized thank you cards to Alex Tejada after he single-handedly kept Florida unbeaten Saturday.  The Razorbacks had plenty of chances, but couldn’t close.  The Hogs recorded six sacks.

3)  Texas Longhorns (6-0) – Here’s another team I’m not sure about.  In a down year for the Big 12, Texas has sleepwalked through its first three games.  Outgained by OU 311-269, the ‘Horns need to figure out what’s wrong with “O” before OSU.

4)  Cincinnati Bearcats (6-0) - The Bearcats were very impressive in a 34-17 win in Tampa.  Ask West Virginia or Kansas about playing in South Florida during the week.  It’s not easy.  A bigger issue for Cincinnti is the health of QB Tony Pike.

5)  Boise State Broncos (6-0) – Boise State has played two pretty bad games in a row, and the BCS is laughing.  They won’t have to feel obligated to put the Broncos in the discussion if they keep winning by seven points with this schedule.

6)  Iowa Hawkeyes (7-0) – I’m sold.  I had this team pegged for three losses by now, but they just keep winning ugly.  They held Wisconsin to 230 yards of offense, controlled the clock and scored 20 unanswered points after falling behind 10-0.

7)  Miami Hurricanes (5-1) – The ‘Canes enjoyed their second breather in a row, cruising to a 27-7 win at Central Florida.  They should have a third cupcake this week with Clemson, but have to go to Wake, UNC and South Florida this year.

8)  LSU Tigers (5-1) – The Tigers enjoyed the week off in preparation for Auburn.  They’ve already beaten three BCS conference schools on the road – all by one possession – and still go to Ole Miss and Alabama this season.  Trouble.

9)  USC Trojans (5-1) – What is the love affair with USC?  Fourth?  Really?  Remember, this is the same team that lost to Washington, a team that is 3-4 now.  I will give them credit for road wins against Ohio State, California and Notre Dame.

10)  Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1) – The loss by Oklahoma leaves Oklahoma State and Texas as the only two unbeaten teams in Big 12 play.  Assuming both take care of business this weekend, it should make for an epic showdown in Stillwater.

11)  Oregon Ducks (5-1) – The Ducks get two weeks to prepare for their trip up north to face Washington.  If they win, then comes a chance at virtually eliminating USC from Rose Bowl contention.  My my, if it wasn’t for that Boise State game…

12)  Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1) – The Iowa loss looks more legit every week.  So does this team’s defense, holding opponents to 7 or fewer in five of seven games.  They still need to win out and get some help if they want to smell roses.

13)  TCU Horned Frogs (6-0) – After taking a few weeks off, TCU finally showed up against Colorado State.  They outgained CSU 499-182 in the 38 point blowout.  The game of the week this week is a Mountain West game as TCU heads to Provo.

14)  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-1) - The Jackets put three SEC schools on the schedule this year and finish with 11 straight against BCS conference teams.  The huge win over Virginia Tech put them back in discussion for a BCS bowl.

15)  BYU Cougars (6-1) – Oklahoma and Florida State have been down, so the schedule hasn’t been as impressive as the Cougars would have hoped.  Still, the TCU game Saturday should put them in the national spotlight again.

16)  Houston Cougars (6-1) – It’s hard to believe that a one-loss Conference USA team could be ranked this high just halfway through the season.  But they’ve earned it after playing three BCS conference teams and winning them all.

17)  Kansas Jayhawks (5-1) – Right behind the number one offense in America is number two.  Reesing, Brizcoe and Meier did their part against Colorado, but the defense played really bad again.  It’s a Big 12 loss KU couldn’t afford to have.

18)  Virginia Tech Hokies (4-2) – Um, run defense?  Virginia Tech forgot to bring theirs to Atlanta, giving up 309 yards on the ground to Georgia Tech.  The Hokies’schedule gets easier as they chase another ACC crown.  UNC is next.

19)  Pittsburgh Panthers (6-1) – Dion Lewis is going to be a Heisman candidate before his college career is over.  The freshman ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns in Pitt’s win at Rutgers.  He is up to third in the nation in rushing.

20)  Ohio State Buckeyes (5-2) – Purdue was just 1-5 on the year before pulling off the Ohio State upset, leaving Illinois has the only Big 12 winless team.  For the Buckeyes, winning out still gives them the conference title and a Rose Bowl berth.

21)  Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-2) – Since losing back to back road games in their home state, the Red Raiders have outscored opponents 142-52.  In their first game out of the state, new QB Steven Sheffield ripped the ‘Huskers for three TDs.

22)  Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-2) – Nebraska got absolutely embarrassed by Texas Tech at home, and failed to take advantage of a Kansas loss in the process.  The normally stout defense allowed 31 points after allowing just 40 all year.

23)  West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1) – After the Auburn loss, it didn’t look like the Mountaineers were going to be very good.  But they’ve managed a 5-1 start thanks to Noel Divine’s 6.4 yards per carry.  Nothing but Big East games remain.

24)  Utah Utes (5-1) - I’m still not convinced that this team can play with anyone in the top 25, but they’ve won the games they’re supposed to win.  They have road games against TCU and BYU two of the final three weeks of the season.

25)  South Florida Bulls (5-1) – The Bulls couldn’t get anything going, specifically in the second half, against Cincinnati.  They’ll have plenty of chances to jump right back in the mix with West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Miami still to come.