Primetime College Football: Herd vs Buckeyes
TALENT
It’s that time of year again and I’m back for another year of Primetime College Football posts. For those that weren’t regular visitors of this site during this time last year, you might not be familiar with the whole objective of these posts. First, breakdowns only come of Primetime games during the season. Bowl season is a different story and every bowl game will get it’s own moment. Second, I don’t root for any particular college team just a fan of all 120 Division 1A and no I won’t call it Football Bowl Subdivision. Third, these are just observations I collect throughout the year and notes I’ve compiled through the years on players. I did somewhat OK last year going 66-27 and slightly above .500 during the bowl season.
Oh and if you have any pictures of TALENT decked out in school gear,doesn’t matter which school, feel free to send them my way. So let’s kickoff the 2010 NCAA Division 1-A Football Season.
The Big Ten Network kicks off the first game of this years Primetime College Football and it’s between Ohio State Buckeyes and Marshall University Thundering Herd. A lot of experts have the Buckeyes in contention to play for a BCS National Championship Game this year but it all starts here.
Marshall starts the year off with new coach Doc Holliday, who inherits a Thundering Herd squad that finished 7-6 a year ago, including 4-4 versus Conference USA competition. Marshall’s last victory was a 21-17 win over Ohio in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. Holliday a longtime assistant and regarded as one of colleges best recruiters returns 13 starters. Senior quarterback Brian Anderson is one of them after throwing for 2,646 yards and 14 touchdowns 13 INTS last year. Anderson main target is Antavious Wilson, who lead the team in catches with 60 catches for 724 yards and 3 touchdowns as a freshman.
On the defensive side of the ball for Marshall they will have to lean heavily on defensive end Vinny Curry, 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a sophomore, and senior linebacker Mario Harvey, 117 tackles and 7 sacks. The Thundering Herd will have to go about this season without one of their best play-makers in the secondary after DeQuan Bembry, 3 INTS, was kicked off the team after being charged with assault on a police officer.
Jim Tressel is currently 9-0 in season openers at Ohio State and will watch as junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Terrelle Pryor looks to guide the Buckeys to their 6th consecutive Big Ten title. Ending the season Pryor had one of his best games when he threw for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 72 yards in a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.
Two of Pryor’s favorite targets in DeVier Posey, 60 catches for 828 yards and 8 touchdowns, and Dane Sanzenbacher 36 catches for 570 yards and 6 touchdowns are back. The offense firepower doesn’t stop with Pryor and his favorite wide receivers as running back tandem of Brandon Saine, 739 yards, 5.1 ypc, 4 touchdowns, and Daniel Herron, 600 yds,7 touchdowns also are back. The offensive line also returns four starters.
The headlines might read all about Pryor and the offesne but it’s the Buckeyes defense that should dominate the 2010 college football. The defensive unit that was among the nation’s best last year, ranking 5th in total defense and scoring defense brings back most of its starters. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is the real star on the defensive side of the ball as he led the team with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss last year. Top tacklers Ross Homan and Brian Rolle also have returned for their senior seasons.
The only previous meeting between Ohio State and Marshall occurred in 2004 with a narrow 24-21 win by the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes haven’t dropped a home opener since a 19-0 loss to Penn State in 1978.
PICK: The Ohio State University Buckeyes
FedEx & Orange Bowl To Part Ways
BYE
After 21 years of partnership, FedEx and the Orange Bowl are going their separate ways. While the game itself was important to FedEx, the company was not interested in a larger college football platform. ESPN is reserving bowl game entitlements for companies that buy a lengthy and more expensive college football package starting in September.
The network, which will be carrying the BCS games for the first time next year and is selling all sponsorship and advertising inventory, is seeking around $20 million annually over four years for a new title deal that includes ad commitments.
The title sponsorships for all the BCS games ended earlier this year, as Fox completed its four-year run of broadcasting the games. Renewal talks are ongoing between ESPN and Tostitos for the Fiesta Bowl, Allstate for the Sugar Bowl and Citi for the Rose Bowl.
Over the past decade, FedEx consistently has been a top 50 spender in sports advertising. In 2009, it spent $51.6 million, placing it 48th among sports advertisers. It spent $45.1 million in 2008 and $51.3 million in 2007.
Alabama Crimson Tide Receives Three Rings For National Championship
Stolen Rings
Spring football for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide ended with it’s players receiving their three championship rings for last season’s success. Their SEC championship ring is on the left left, the national title ring issued by the BCS is in the middle, and the ring on the right is Alabama’s own national championship ring.
Three rings is that for the three plays Colt McCoy got to play in the BCS National Championship Game.
National Championship Game Gets 23.9 Milli Viewers
3-17-10 Prediction Of Duke To Win Comes True
The finale of the college basketball season hit a five-year high in the ratings. Monday’s Duke/Butler Men’s Basketball National Championship Game drew a 14.2/23 final rating and 23.9 million viewers on CBS, up 31% in ratings and 36% in viewership from North Carolina/Michigan St. last year (10.8/18, 17.6 mil), up 17% and 23%, respectively, from Kansas/Memphis in ’08 (12.1/20, 19.5 mil), and up 16% and 22%, respectively, from Florida/Ohio St. in ’07 (12.2/20, 19.6 mil).
Duke/Butler ranks as the highest rated National Championship Game since North Carolina/Illinois in ’05 (15.0/23), and the most-viewed since Duke/Arizona in ’01 (24.0 mil).
Excluding the NFL and the Olympics, the game ranks as the third-most viewed sports telecast of 2010, behind the BCS National Championship Game (30.8 mil) and the Rose Bowl (24.0 mil).
College Football’s International Bowl Is No More
BYE
Probably one of your favorite bowl games outside of the BCS National Championship Game is closing its doors and turning out the lights. The International Bowl that has been played the last four years in Toronto, Canada at the Rogers Centre is no more.
The game is done as far as the Mid-American Conference is concerned and will instead send a participating team to the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, next season. The Big East has sent a team in last two years to Toronto. Although no official word as where they will send its participant now however the early indications have them being sent to the New Ear Pinstripe Bowl that will be played in Yankee Stadium on December 30.
Fans haven’t shown up to the annual NCAA game, with just 22,185 showing up this past January 2 to watch South Florida beat Northern Illinois 27-3. Of the four games the biggest crowd was in 2009 when the University at Buffalo participated, helping result in an attendance of 40,184.
The International Bowl was the only bowl game outside the U.S.
MLB Home Run Derby Will Be In 3D
Get Your Eyes Ready
ESPN 3D has added the State Farm Home Run Derby telecast on Monday, July 12, at 7 p.m. CST to the list of events that will appear on the new network. The channel will kick off on June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match featuring South Africa vs. Mexico.
“It’s fitting that we launch ESPN 3D’s domestic programming from Angel Stadium of Anaheim, which was the site for the launch of ESPN HD back on March 30, 2003,” said Bryan Burns, vice president ESPN. “Seven years later, ESPN HD is available to virtually every multichannel video household in the United States, and we’re hopeful that ESPN 3D will receive strong interest from sports fans and distributors plus consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers.”
Previously announced events include the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona, on January 11, X Games 16. New events also added for the new network include college basketball’s Old Spice Classic, November 25-28; college football’s ACC Championship on December 4; Jimmy V Classic on December 7 and college basketball’s Big East Tournament, March 8-12, 2011
Additional events will be added at a later time and it is estimated that the first year will include approximately 85 events.
NCAA Set To Ban Eye-Black Messages
GONE
The NCAA’s Football Rules Committee proposed a couple of new rules yesterday aimed at player expression banning all words, logos, numbers or other symbols on the players’ eye black which would take effect for the 2010 season.
Tim Tebow is the most prominent example of a player using his eye black as a personal billboard, having used it the past two seasons to print a bible verse and promote his faith. After the 2009 BCS Championship Game, 92 million people Googled “John 3:16,” the verse Tebow wore during the game.
But not all eye black messages have the best intentions. The NFL and now NCAA are wary of curse words or other taunting messages on the eye black which could cause fights on the football field. Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor got in some hot water last season when he honored quarterback Michael Vick on his eye black with his name.
The timing of the new rule is a bit curious coincidentally right after Tebow graduated.
Super Bowl XLIV Most Watched TV Event EVER With 106.5 Milli
Surpasses "Goodbye & Amen" Episode
For 27 years M*A*S*H finale was the most watched TV event until last nights Super Bowl XLVI dethroned it. The previous record was of 106.0 million for the finale in 1983.
The Saints 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV drew a 45.0 national rating and 106.5 million viewers on CBS Sunday night, up 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Pittsburgh Steelers/Arizona Cardinals on NBC last year (42.0, 98.7 mil), and up 4% and 9%, respectively, from New York Giants/New England Patriots on FOX in ’08 (43.1, 97.4 mil).
Additionally, the 45.0 rating is the highest for any television program since Dallas Cowboys/Pittsburgh Steelers drew a 46.0 in 1996.
To put the numbers in perspective, the Super Bowl drew over 70 million more viewers than the top non-NFL sporting event of the past 12 months — the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game (30.8 mil).
This is the third-straight year the Super Bowl has drawn record viewership, and the fifth-straight year that viewership for the game has increased. Just five years ago, Super Bowl XXXIX drew only 86.1 million viewers on FOX. From 1999-05, the Super Bowl drew less than 90 million viewers each year.
The record for the Super Bowl is the capper to a highly successful season for the NFL. The regular season was the most-viewed since 1990 (16.6 mil), the Wild Card round was the most-viewed since ’95 (29.9 mil), the Divisional Round was the most-viewed since ’94 (33.0 mil), and the Conference Championship games were the most-viewed since ’82 (52.9 mil).
Texas Longhorn Colt McCoy Proposes On Godzillatron
Eyes Of Texas Are Upon Her
University of Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy proposed to girlfriend Rachel Glandorf last night at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, on the giant video board screen dubbed Godzillatron.
When they got to the field, Godzillatron read, “Will You Marry Me?” and when Glandorf turned around McCoy was on his knee proposing.
She said yes.
I wonder if this violates any NCAA rules allowing players to use university facilities for non sanctioned NCAA activities.
McCoy injured his right throwing shoulder in the Longhorns 37-21 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game last week. The NCAA career leader in victories (45) as a starting quarterback is expected to be taken in May’s NFL draft.
Alabama To Display BCS Trophy At Wal-Marts
The Dollar General Must Have Been Booked
That does say Wal-Mart and there is an s on that meaning plural. The University of Alabama is going to display its new national championship football trophy at a Walmart Supercenter in Tuscaloosa and another Walmart store in Gardendale.
Fans will be able to get their picture taken with the actual Coaches Trophy that was presented after the BCS win over Texas. The $30,000 trophy is topped with a football made of Waterford Crystal.
I guess the Dollar General’s in Tuscaloosa where already booked.
BCS National Championship Game Draws 30 Milli Viewers
Like Rudy J Said *Asterisk*
For the second straight year, overnight ratings increased for college football’s national championship game.
Alabama’s win over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game drew an 17.2 overnight rating and 30.8 million viewerson ABC Thursday night, up 7% from a 17.0 for Florida/Oklahoma last year, and up 17% from a 15.6 for LSU/Ohio St. in ’08 both of which aired on FOX.
The 17.2 overnight is the highest for the BCS National Championship Game since the Florida/Ohio St. BCS title game drew a 19.1 in ’07. The 30.8 million viewers is the most for a college football game since the 2006 title game between Texas and USC (35.6 mil), and the second-most ever for the a national championship game in the BCS era.
Additionally, the 17.2 is the highest overnight rating for any sporting event on ABC since Super Bowl XL in 2006. As well the 30.8 million viewers tops every single regular season NFL game during the 2009-10 season including Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau Field 29.8 million.
To put the numbers in perspective, the 17.2 overnight tops every Major League Baseball game since 2006, every NBA game since 1996 and every college basketball game since at least ’94.
The game gave ABC its highest rated Thursday night since 1995.
Locally, the game drew a 67.4 rating in Birmingham, AL, and a 47.8 in Austin, TX. Elsewhere, the game drew a 37.2 in San Antonio, a 33.4 in Nashville, a 31.3 in Dallas, and a 29.9 in Atlanta.
Jim Leavitt Fired From University Of South Florida
Lunatic
Back on December 15th I brought you the story of South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt striking a player in the locker room now a day after the BCS National Championship game he has been fired from the University following the investigation.
The only coach in the program’s 13-year history had just completed the second season of a seven-year, $12.6 million contract.
Athletic director Doug Woolard launched the investigation last month after hearing a report that said Leavitt had grabbed sophomore Joel Miller by the throat and hit him in the face twice during halftime of a game against Louisville on Nov. 21.
Leavitt was hired in December 1995 and launched USF’s program from scratch, operating out of trailers on campus in the early years while guiding the Bulls’ swift progression from Division I-AA to BCS conference member. USF joined the Big East in 2005 and has played in a bowl game every year since joining the league. Leavitt leaves with a record 95-57.
The 2009-10 NCAA football season should have taught us something, that in today’s society it will not be tolerated to belittle a kid, hide them in closet or strike them strike them in the face. Just ask Mark Mangino, Mike Leach and now Leavitt.
Dick Saban Takes Jug To Face
“Gatorade Baths” are so played out, even if a Gatorade jug slams into Dick Saban’s face, it’s time we throwing trophies at coaches faces to show how much you really appreciate their love and hard work they put you through.
A bloody face or a concussion is so much better than the played out “Gatorade Baths”.
Primetime College Football: BCS National Championship Game
TALENT
The best two teams in the land collide in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for the 4th actual BCS National Championship game, the game was first played at the conclusion of the 1998 college football season to form the Bowl Championship Series however beginning with the 2006 season, the BCS National Championship Game became a separate event. The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the SEC and the second-ranked Texas Longhorns from the BIG 12 each come into the game undefeated at 13-0 with hopes to be crowned National Champion.
Alabama is no stranger to the big stage, as the Crimson Tide will be playing for their 13th national title this week. The team’s last national title came back in 1992. Likewise, Nick Saban is very familiar with the pressures of the big game, leading LSU to the national championship in 2003 and now back in just his third season at the helm in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has earned an NCAA-best 57th bowl berth and are 31-22-3 in postseason play overall.
Mack Brown is also seeking a second national title, winning his first just four years ago with the Longhorns. Texas sporting a perfect 13-0 mark to this point, including winning the Big 12 title with a 13-12 dramatic decision against Nebraska in the conference championship game. Texas ranks second in NCAA Bowl appearances, playing in its 49th bowl game and is 25-21-3 in prior postseason affairs.
There wasn’t much that Texas couldn’t do with the football this season and the result was ranking third in the nation in scoring at 40 ppg. The team was able to rush for 152.7 yards per game on 4.1 yards per carry, but the real strength was in a passing attack that netted 279.7 yards per game.
It certainly helps to have one of college football’s greatest leaders under center in senior All-American Colt McCoy. The all-time leader in career wins, McCoy had yet another stellar campaign this season, completing a ridiculous 70.5 percent of his passes, for 3,512 yards, with 27 TDs. The Heisman finalist was certainly aided by fellow ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member wideout Jordan Shipley, who has hauled in 106 passes, for 1,363 yards and 11 TDs. The ground game plays second-fiddle in Austin, but rushers like Tre Newton 5.0 ypc, 6 TDs and Cody Johnson 4.0 ypc, 12 TDs know how to make the most of their opportunities.
As good as McCoy and company have been this year, the Texas defense may have actually played a more critical role in landing the Longhorns in the title game. Among the national leaders in just about every facet of defensive play, Texas finished up ranked 1st in rush defense 62.2 ypg, 3rd in total defense 251.1 ypg and 8th in scoring defense 15 ppg. In addition, this big play unit racked up 41 sacks, 24 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries.
There are playmakers at every position on the defense. Up front, Texas relies heavily on the push upfield by ends Sam Acho 57 tackles, 13 TFLs, 9 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries and Sergio Kindle 62 tackles, 18 TFLs, 3 sacks and tackle Lamarr Houston 58 tackles, 20 TFLs, 7 sacks. Rodderick Muckelroy has a team-high 96 tackles, 11 TFLs, 2 sacks, one INT highlights the play in the LB corps, while ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member safety Earl Thomas has 71 tackles, 5 TFLs, 8 INTs while Blake Gideon has 56 tackles, 5 INTs are ball hawks in the secondary.
The Longhorns use the pass to soften things up for the run, while Alabama uses the run to set up the pass. Sophomore Mark Ingram is the main reason for success on offense for Alabama as he rushed for 1,542 yards and 15 TDs making things easier for quarterback Greg McElroy to manage the passing game and throw for 2,450 yards, with 17 TDs against 4 interceptions. Wideouts Julio Jones had 42 receptions, for 573 yards, 4 TDs and Marquis Maze 30 receptions, for 519 yards, two TDs are the main options on the outside.
The Alabama defens is lead by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member Rolando McClain who led the team in tackles this season 101, with 12.5 TFLs, 4 sacks and 2 INTs. Fellow LB Eryk Anders had 59 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 5 sacks, one INT. Up front, the team looks to Marcell Dareus 32 tackles, 9 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and Terrence Cody 25 tackles, 6 TFLs. The secondary was lead by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member Javier Arenas 66 tackles 12.TFL 5 sacks and 3 INTs he also gets the help of Mark Barron 70 tackles, seven INTs.
Texas has never lost to Alabama in the all-time series, sporting a 7-0-1 record in eight previous meetings. However, this is the first time these two teams have met on the gridiron since the 1982 Cotton Bowl, a 14-12 win for Texas.
PICK: University of Texas Longhorns
ESPN To Launch 3D Television Network
Get Your Eyes Ready
Have you recently joined the rest of the world in watching televison in high defination, some of you are real late to the party, well it turns out that you might be already outdated as 3D is coming to your home viewing pleasure. The first station to bring you 3D, yep you guessed it ESPN and it will be sooner than you expect.
ESPN 3D, the industry’s first 3D television network, will launch begining with the 2010 FIFA World Cup match featuring South Africa vs. Mexico on June 11 and as announced today by George Bodenheimer, Co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, and President, ESPN and ABC Sports they will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year.
Other events to be produced in 3D include up to 25 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, Summer X Games, college basketball, and college football, which will include the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona January 10, 2011.
ESPN has been testing ESPN 3D for more than two years. Last fall, ESPN produced the USC vs. OSU college football game which was shown in select theaters as well as to 6,000 fans at the Galen Center on USC’s campus. ESPN has developed best practices for utilizing the technology in live game applications which have provided ESPN the ability to streamline workflow operations, adjust 3D camera positioning, test transmission and gauge fan reaction to a 3D telecast versus a traditional telecast.
Primetime College Football: Allstate Sugar Bowl
TALENT
In the 76th annual Sugar Bowl the Florida Gators will take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in a game full of story lines down in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Cincinnati is making its second straight New Years Day appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. The Bearcats have won back-to-back Big East Conference titles and wrapped up a perfect regular season and then watched as its head coach Brain Kelly left for the head coaching position vacant at Notre Dame and now will not be on the sidelines for this game. Kelly’s assistant, Jeff Quinn, was named the interim head coach for this Sugar Bowl, but before this game could be played he was selected to be the next head coach at Buffalo, Quinn will honor his commitment though and lead the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl.
The story becomes even more complicated in that Cincinnati has already hired a new permanent head coach in Butch Jones, who led Central Michigan to a pair of Mid-American Conference titles. Jones replaced Brian Kelly at CMU after he left the Chippewas to lead the Bearcats.
Cincinnati leads the nation in passing efficiency 166.19, and ranks sixth in scoring offense 39.8, passing offense 320.3, and total offense 464.3. The team has the good fortune of having two outstanding quarterbacks in Tony Pike and Zach Collaros. Pike, the senior, missed three games due to injury, but he has still thrown for 2,350 yards with 26 touchdowns against 6 interceptions this year. Collaros, a sophomore, has connected on 75 percent of his attempts for 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns against a mere 2 interceptions. As a runner, he has posted 344 yards and 4 touchdowns. Pike will get the start under center in this bowl game, and he will benefit from the presence of receivers Mardy Gilyard and Armon Binns as usual. Gilyard has recorded 80 catches for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Binns adds 56 grabs for 859 yards and 10 scores. Gilyard has also scored a touchdown as a runner, one as a punt returner and two as a kick returner. Isaiah Pead leads the UC ground attack with 758 yards and nine touchdowns.
Cincinnati is yielding 20 ppg and 350.2 total ypg, and while the defensive unit isn’t dominant, it has been strong in most games this season. The Bearcats are only allowing 3.5 yards per rushing attempt, and they have recorded 16 interceptions as well. Aaron Webster has intercepted four passes to pace the team, and Andre Revels is tops with 103 total tackles.
As for Florida, it is making a bowl appearance for the 19th consecutive year, the second-longest active streak in the nation. The Sugar Bowl marks the program’s sixth appearance in a BCS game, and the team knocked off Oklahoma by a 24-14 final in last season’s national title contest. The Gators are 12-1 and have its own unique story lines surface before the Sugar Bowl could be played as Urban Meyer made a recent announcement that he was going to take an indefinite leave of absence following the Sugar Bowl for health-related reasons. Meyer had originally stepped down from his coaching position, stating his desire to concentrate on his health and focus more on his family. But a day later, changed his mind and will take leave instead.
Florida is led by quarterback Tim Tebow has thrown for 2,413 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing 65.2 percent of his passes this season. As a runner, the versatile signal caller has posted 13 touchdowns and 859 yards. Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey have combined for nearly 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, while tight end Aaron Hernandez and Riley Cooper have more than 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns between them.
Florida has allowed just 15 touchdowns this season, tied for the fewest in the nation with Penn State, which has played one fewer game than the Gators. The 11.5 points per game that UF is allowing ranks third nationally, and the team has given up seven or fewer points in six games. Foes are gaining a mere 101.6 yards per game on the ground against the Gators, who are yielding just 3.1 yards per rushing attempt. The pass defense is lead by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member Joe Haden who has recorded 57 tackles and 4 interceptions while deflecting 8 passes.
In the only previous meeting between Florida and Cincinnati on the gridiron, the Gators cruised to a 48-17 victory back in 1984.
PICK: University of Florida Gators
Primetime College Football: Brut Sun Bowl
TALENT
The 75th annual Sun Bowl will see the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Stanford Cardinals which will take place in El Paso, Texas.
Oklahoma is making its 43rd bowl appearance, and the program is 24-17-1 all- time in the postseason. Last season the club lost the BCS National Championship game to Florida, the fifth loss in the last six bowl appearances for the Sooners. This year’s Bob Stoops Sooners enter with a 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big 12.
The Sooners are led by Landry Jones and the Sooners are averaging 31 ppg and 419.4 total ypg, while completing 58.0 percent of his passes for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Ryan Broyles leads the Sooners with 76 catches for 964 yards and 12 touchdowns. The ground attack is paced by Chris Brown who has posted 703 yards and 7 scores. DeMarco Murray, who has 678 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Defensively Oklahoma has been tremendous, as opponents are averaging a low 13 ppg and 273.5 total ypg. Teams are only gaining a mere 88.6 rushing ypg at an average of 2.7 yards per carry against the stout defensive front, and the Sooners are surrendering only 9.9 yards per pass completions with 16 interceptions against 11 passing scores allowed.
Stanford is making its 21st bowl appearance and first since 2001. The program is 9-10-1 all-time in the postseason and hasn’t tasted postseason victory since 1996. Coach Jim Harbaugh’s group finished the 2009 regular season with an 8-4 mark and 6-3 in the Pac-10.
Stanford tailback Toby Gerhart was named ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member and finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. The bruising runner has had an incredible year, leading the nation with 26 rushing scores to set a school and conference single-season record. Gerhart has rushed for 1,736 yards at a clip of 5.6 yards per attempt, and the fact that he carried it 311 times in 12 games speaks to his workhorse status.
The Cardinal are generating 36 ppg and 441.4 total ypg, and while the running game is certainly the team’s strength, freshman quarterback Andrew Luck provided balance connecting 56.2 percent of his passes for 2,575 yards and 13 touchdowns against 4 picks, a finger injury may keep him out and if so they will be forced to go with backup Tavita Pritchard. Ryan Whalen leads the club with 54 catches for 861 yards, while Chris Owusu has scored 5 times on 36 grabs.
Defensively, Stanford is allowing 26 ppg and 396.5 total ypg, permitting 38 touchdowns to opposing offenses and 20 have come through the air while only pulling in 7 interceptions. Thomas Kaiser leads the Cardinal with 14.5 tackles for loss including nine sacks, and Delano Howell is tops with 76 total tackles.
Oklahoma owns a 3-1 series lead over Stanford, and the teams haven’t met in a quarter century.
PICK: University of Oklahoma Sooners
ESPN Hires USC’s Pete Carroll
Jerk Move
ESPN has hired USC head coach Pete Carroll to serve as an analyst for the BCS Championship Game. Carroll will also appear on College Gameday, a few SportsCenters and of course all of ESPN coverage of the Texas-Alabama game at the Rose Bowl.
This is the first season since Carroll intial year with the Trojans he has not coached in a BCS Bowl game and it will allow him to explore such adventures. Carroll and the Trojans are coming off 24-13 victory of Boston College in the Emerald Bowl. He will offer his insight on the pressure of playing in a National Championship Game and at the Rose Bowl, as well as coaching against Texas coach Mack Brown.
Carroll will appear on the ESPN set at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on the evening editions of SportsCenter Wednesday, Jan. 6; a special one-hour College GameDay Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m.; National Championship pre-game and halftime shows on ABC beginning at 8 p.m.; and for ESPN’s SportsCenter post-game coverage following the game.
Alabama Lawyer Wants Trial Postponed So He Can Attend National Championship Game
Click To Re-size To Read
An Alabama lawyer has filed a motion for a trial set for January 4th 2010 to be postponed so he can attend the BCS National Championship Game against Texas in Pasadena California.
What makes this awesome is in the motion it clearly states that some of the witness are trying to acquire tickets and the Honorable Jim Lloyd has children in the area and plans on visiting them in California to “celebrate the game and the Tide’s success”.
Oh but the story gets better as the plaintiffs have opposed the motion of the trial being moved because they are fans of “the other great team (Auburn) in this state who did not make the playoffs”. A sidebar is that one of the other attorneys on the case is a former SGA President at Auburn.
To top it all off it even ends with a ROLL TIDE!! and a claim from his secretary, who attended Auburn, feels that he should attend the championship game to see the Longhorns be defeated.
Thank you Jon B. Berry for the laugh.
WTF: Tim Tebow
Quit Crying
OMG! You won 2 BCS National Championships, your name was linked to the Heisman Trophy during your career, the alumni of the University of Florida will forever use you as a measuring stick for all that come after but you go out crying? Not just crying but crying in a blowout!
It’s not like the game was close and your Gator career all sudden came to a close at the hands of a Doug Flutie hail mary or the leg of Hunter Lawrence on a field goal, your Gators where done in and done up by the University of Alabama Crimson Tide way back in the third quarter.
A Leg Of Faith
Texas Two Step
Congratulations to Mack Brown and the University of Texas Longhorns players as well as fans for the Longhorns winning the Big 12 championship against the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers 13-12 in Jerry’s World on the leg of Boerne’s Hunter Lawrence. That leg will go down in Texas infamy.
Colt McCoy and the Longhorns will now play the University of Alabama Crimson Tide for the BCS National Championship on Thursday, January 7th on ABC at 7 pm CST, it will be called by Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit.
Way to put the state of Texas on your leg Hunter Lawrence.
UPDATE:Florida Gets Burned In SEC Champ Game
Congratulations to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide players for making Florida Gator’s quarterback Tim Tebow cry last night and in honor of such achievement here is the sequel everyone has been waiting for.
Florida Gets Burned In SEC Championship Game
Congratulations to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide players and their fans as they become the first entree into the BCS National Championship Game by kicking the crap out of the University of Florida in the SEC Championship.
My 2009 Heisman Trophy Finalist
And The Winner Is?
The decision for my Heisman Trophy finalist’s is already set. I understand that there is another week of college football left before but since not every conference sets out to play a conference championship game I won’t need an extra week.
Quarterback Colt McCoy of the University of Texas Longhorns and running back Toby Gerhart of Stanford University Cardinal.
McCoy could have walked away with the award in 2008 but was bested by a record setting season from Oklahoma University Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford. McCoy’s numbers do not match is 2008 numbers but are not that far behind.
He has completed again over 71% of his passes and threw for 3,328 yards down 531 yards from last years performance. McCoy’s touchdowns are also down from 34 to 27. Aside from the stats being very similar McCoy has had to rely heavy on senior leadership due to a lack of a running game for most of the season. The numbers tell me one thing but my eyes have also shown me a player with will and drive to not see his chances of playing in the BCS National Championship game be stopped. That’s what excellence is about.
Gerhart may have burst onto the scene to the casual observer but he has been putting up numbers that date back to high school, as Gerhart is third in high school footballs all-time rushing leaders.
He has rushed for 1,736 yards and produced 26 touchdowns and even in his lone passing attempt threw for a touchdown pass. His remarkable 5.6 yards per carry average is more surprising when you consider they all have come behind freshman quarterback Andrew Luck. If McCoy is about will and determination then I’m not sure I have the words to describe Gerhart’s running style.
Even though Gerhart has stunning numbers, it’s his fight for every yard that impresses the eyes and make him a must see. One hit really does nothing, two hits might slow him down but a third and fourth hit is what is really needed to take him down.
You can make arguments for Boise State University Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore, University of Alabama Crimson Tide’s running back Mark Ingram or even University of Florida Gator’s quarterback Tim Tebow but I’ve made the argument for the two I believe deserve the trophy.
So who do I think will win between McCoy and Gerhart? I’ll tell you December 11th the night before the ceremony.
