The Weekend That Was: Historic Loss, Old Man Football, Season's New Crush

For those of you who have come to this site the past two weekends looking for picks of the week's biggest college football teams, let me say that I am sorry. I am still doing a similar weekly column::, but it is being published on a different site (ArkansasExpats.com- the Razorback blog for SBNation).

Now that my TWTWB columns are being posted to a different website, and because I feel like to post the same content in two places is writer's taboo, I am going to try and do something a little different.

Here in my "The Weekend That Was" posts, I will attempt to provide some insight and show you some of the things you may have missed on Saturday -- because you had better things to do than sit in front of the television for 12 hours.

HISTORIC LOSS: "Now what? What happens after a loss like that? Who's to blame?" These, along with many others, are questions being raised in the Arkansas, as the state's favorite team fell to the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

After a suspect performance against FBS Jacksonville State the week before, most Hog fans were looking forward to hopefully seeing their once high-flying offense rebound and take care of the Warhawks with ease. Worst case scenario? The Razorbacks leave Little Rock with a win and head into  this week full steam ahead preparing for Alabama. The actual scenario? The Razorbacks leave Little Rock with one of the worst losses in school history, lose four players to injury, show no level of BCS-worthy competence on offense or defense, lose ESPN's College Gameday coming to Fayetteville, and fans missing former coach Bobby Petrino.

Arkansas fans believed Bobby's little brother, Paul, would be able to run the offense maybe not quite at the level as big brother, but at least well enough to make it through the season. This is not the case. In utter disbelief, Hog fans watched as the their team was wary to run with the lead. Arkansas ran the ball only six times after going up 28-7 with 9:42 left in the third. Not smart.

With coach John L. Smith clearly not coming back next season, the pressure falls on the shoulders of Athletic Director Jeff Long. He fired Bobby Petrino and brought back Smith on a 10 month contract. Now he must find a hire which will not only energize the fan base, but one who will not let Arkansas fall back to the eight or nine win seasons rut. Problem is, there are few good coaches out there who are not already at destination jobs.

For my new favorite... keep reading.

Georgia's Christian Robinson and Aaron Murray

OLD MAN FOOTBALL (or at least Jarvis Jones) REIGNS SUPREME : In the midst of all the hype surrounding Missouri's first game in the SEC, Tiger linebacker Sheldon Richardson made comments comparing the Bulldogs style of play to the Big Ten and added that it looked like "old man football." A huge no-no in the SEC.

After being down early, Georgia responded with 32 straight points, while future first-round draft pick Jarvis Jones single-handedly stopped the Missouri offense. I know it is two weeks early, but his play reminds me of the same sorts of ways Tyrann Mathieu used to take over games for LSU last season. Jones has to be on the Heisman watchlist.

The Dawgs aptly welcomed Missouri with a statement win of their own and introduced the Tigers to GROWN man football -- or as we SEC fans call simply call it, your conference schedule.

BIG TEN EMBARRASSES AGAIN: The ultimate brand of "old man football" struck out this weekend, proving it is not a relevant football conference.

Purdue and Penn State lost close games in which they had plenty of opportunities to win to Notre Dame and Virginia, respectively. Nittany Lions kicker Sam Ficken missed and extra point and four field goals on Saturday alone.

Old man commissioner Jim Delany may never let his Big Ten schools travel west of the Mississippi again. Nebraska's defense gave up 653 yards of offense to UCLA in a loss. Wisconsin was physically dominated by Oregon State on both sides of the ball. And Illinois was blown out by Arizona State, which, luckily for the Big 10 was on late.

Michigan struggled to put away Air Force at home, while Ohio State did much of the same with UCF in the Horseshoe.

MY NEW CRUSH(es): Every season I try and find a team beyond the SEC that I can support. Whether it be because of a player, a coach, or usually a scheme, I pick a team that may not be the sexy pick to win the national title but is fun to watch and follow that team all season. Last season was Wisconsin. Since they are clearly not the same this year, I have taken fancy to a new team, West Virginia.

They put points on the board faster than the Mountaineer mascot can reload his musket with weapons like quarterback Geno Smith and all-purpose receiver Tavon Austin. Their coach, Dana Holgerson has proven to be an offensive mastermind. Just ask Clemson.  While a national championship this season is within reach if this team, if they lose or not you will no doubt be entertained watching the Mountaineers.

And for you readers who have made it this far -- or were smart enough to scroll...

My new crush for the soon-to-be open Arkansas head coaching position is Charlie Strong. He is, like Bobby Petrino once was, the head coach at Louisville. The once defensive coordinator of the Urban Meyer run at Florida is a native of Arkansas and understands the entire state's passion for their Hogs.

In other great news my Samford Bulldogs have started the season undefeated, with wins over conference rival Furman and West Alabama. The Dogs have looked strong in tight situations thus far and are serious contenders to capture their first FCS playoff berth since joining the Southern Conference.

Tailgating on the quad was never this good when I was at The U.

SEC Media Days, Cam Newton Street, Hold the Joe But More Kobe Please

We find ourselves in the middle of the beginning of the unofficial kickoff of college football. A little wordy, huh? It is easier to call them the Southeastern Conference Media Days, where coaches begin to make excuses for why their team will not live up to expectations (Steve Spurrier and Joker Phillips), respond with numerous wild card answers (John L. Smith and Les Miles), or simply fulfill an obligation to their conference (Nick Saban). 

No matter how your coach answers, the SEC Media Days are the biggest of their kind for the most competitive league in any sport so enjoy the make-believe camaraderie and hopefully we get a coach to drop gems like Missouri's T.J. Moe, "They say girls are prettier here, air's fresher, and the toilet paper is thicker."

Couldn't agree 'Moe', T.J.

This lonely student's sign reads: Protect the Paterno statue.

Some Students Ask for More Joe Please:
In more Joe Paterno news, students -- a population of two -- are camping out in order to protect the statue, which remains erect outside Beaver Stadium.

An anonymous flight from Ohio read "Take down the statue, or we'll take it down for you" (a hopeful me desires for this news to be true).

I wish I would have made note of this in my last post, but the chances of the statue being vandalized is somewhere around 100%. This is all the more reason to take the thing down from its current location and follow my instructions. Students from Penn State have tweeted that "these few students do not represent the entire campus population."

All the more reason for the "protesting" students to take advantage of their parent's investment -- because it does not last forever -- in room and board, and go back to their dorm and hold their own Paterno-crazed pity party.

Cam Newton Way Should be a toll road if plan comes to fruition:
He has NFL records. He was named the NFL Rookie of the Year. He has a statue at his alma mater (Can you even call it that when he only spent eight months there and did not receive a degree from there? Or Blynn Junior College? Or Florida? I digress.). But getting a road named after him? You must be out of your mind.

He is a 23-year-old admittedly "very immature" quarterback. And while -- speaking from experience-- this is to be expected for a man of his age, let's give him some time before we Georgians give him such an honor. For one, it would cost the residents of Scarborough Road in South Atlanta money, time and effort to change their address. Residents also report to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they are not ready to name a street after a person with a scandaled past.


A second hearing is still on the agenda where the proposition will likely be shot down. If the road does pass a second vote, can we all agree it should at least be a toll road?

Give me more Kobe
NBA Commissioner David Stern has come forward saying that at the next olympics it is possible we see the 23-and-under rule enforced. Within these parameters, USA basketball would still be able to use NBA professionals with onlythree players over the age of 23. This would help protect players in the NBA from participating in the Olympics and coming home injured a la Blake Griffin and Kyrie Irving.

If Stern gets his way, you won't see Kobe or LeBron in USA unis anymore.

Thirty-three-year-old Kobe Bryant thinks the same way I do about the Commissioner's proposal, "It's a stupid idea," Bryant said. I could not agree more with the Olympic gold medalist.

Whether or not to play should remain up to the players, who risk injury and fatigue in the next 82-game season. Some argue that NBAers in international play makes for a competitive disadvantage for the rest of the world.

Um... is that not the point of competition? To be the best? In addition to winning another gold this summer clips such as these will be recorded for all Americans to "Ohh" and "Ahh" over.

Kobe also told a Y! reporter earlier this week that it is "possible" he retires at age 35. Say it ain't so. Sure Bryant is made fun of for the number of shots he takes, but a 1 1/2 years ago he ranked as the ninth best player of all time (and his stock is only rising). Of course, he may be modeling his career even more so like his idol Michael Jordan by testing retirement and coming back as a player-manager down the road.

Should Joe Go, or Should Joe Stay Now?

I am sure the masses have been patiently waiting and  anxiously checking each and every day, if not more often, to read what I think should be done with the Joe Paterno statue at Penn State University. Sorry I have been busy with a research paper last week and traveled to lower Alabama -- the only "LA" I recognize -- for a week at the beach with the family. Now that I have a few free minutes, here is what should, and if Penn State has any sense, will be done with the JoePa statue. 

If you have not heard what happened in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania from 1994 to 2009, get out of your mobile home every once in a while and watch the news. On second thought, you may be better for never having heard these tragedies. 

Sandusky being hauled off to his final earthly home,
the Centre County Correctional Facility.

With the aid of a high-profile football program the Nittany Lions defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, lured young men, who lacked male role models, and sexually abused them time and time again. Some incidents took place in the basement of his house, while his wife was upstairs!


Sadly, even more molestation happened in the football locker rooms, where Sandusky would rape these boys in the team showers. Sandusky's reign is over. 


He will now rightfully die in prison, or serve 442 years in prison first, after being found guilty on 45 of 48 counts against him.

Paterno, the most powerful man in the state of Pennsylvania, along with officials at the university knew what was happening and turned a blind eye to the horrid acts taking place only feet away in order to protect their precious football program and its once revered cleanliness. Now we know otherwise.


There is a statue of Paterno leading his team on to the field at Beaver Stadium. Some, like iconic former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, want the statue torn down, as to not bring up the memories of what happened under his watch. Others would prefer the statue remain standing as a reminder of what happened, and how we should all be more aware of like situations around the country.

Here's your middle-of-the-ground solution, and to be quite honest, the most sensible one. Take the statue down... from its current location. Remove the wall behind the statue as well, so whenever I watch a Penn State game in the next 30 years (let's be honest, I never watch Big 10 games, unless Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt is the only game on television), I do not have to be reminded of Paterno's filth and total disregard for human lives, children's lives at that.

Take said statue, and erect it in a room on campus where you can, with unbiased writing tell the story of Paterno. There is no doubt he did a lot of very good for Penn State, donating millions and raising millions more so that thousands could be educated. However, now we know of his despicable secrets, which should be brought to light as well.

Even better, put the statue in a room in the campus library, which is currently named after JoePa. Take out a few of those now useless bookshelves and place the statue where all can come of his life, the good and the bad. And where the statue once stood, place some sort of tribute to those all around the world who are victims of emotional, verbal, physical and sexual child abuse.


It is a horrible situation and one no one saw coming except for those on the inside of the pedophile ring at Penn State. Now they face criminal charges. Paterno, who lived a lie until his dying breath, is lucky to be dead or he too would have suffered the fate of Sandusky.

The new-look CDC thanks to the folks at Nike.

More: Other entities have, or still have to, make decisions of what to do with things that bear Paterno's name:

Mentioned earlier, do you leave the library named after a man who has marred the very name of your institution? No. Follow the lead of Nike CEO Phil Knight below. 

Nike spoke quickly by taking down Joe Paterno's name off the child development center at their Oregon headquarters. Good call by Phil Knight.

The NCAA has been called upon to enforce the death penalty on Penn State football. Keep it away. It ruined  the Southern Methodist program the one time is was used in football and effects kids who had nothing to do with the football staff's dreadful decision-making. Instead, remove Paterno's 409 wins from the record books, effectively making him the all-time wins leader no more.

Have a better suggestion? Share in the comment section.

2012 (Day After) New Year's Day Bowls

It is college football's most famous day of the year. Luckily, 2012's first day offers more than its 2011 counterpart. Some games though not as interesting on the field will offer more story lines away from the gridiron. No matter the quality play, you can find me soaking up the final 24 hours of multiple games in the 2011-2012 college football season in Rome, on a leather coach, in front of a high-definition television, with my old man and plenty of food. So if you need a place to watch or want to watch with two professionals, holla at ya boy.

TicketCity Bowl, Noon on ESPNU

     Houston vs. Penn State- Both programs have lost their head coaches and enter Monday in the midst of a transition period. Kevin Sumlin, the Cougars former head man, is on  his way to the SEC and Texas A&M, whereas Penn State's Joe Paterno was let go after his involvement, or lack thereof in the Jerry Sandusky case. On to those who will decide who wins... Houston quarterback Case Keenum is charged with leading a disappointed Cougar team that is coming off of a Conference USA Championship drubbing at the hands of Southern Miss. Though fighting off-the-field issues, Penn State finished the regular season as the Big Ten's Leader's division co-champion. The Nittany Lions will be without senior quarterback Matt McGloin, who suffered a concussion after fighting with teammates in the team's locker room. With Penn State's quarterback out and unable to help an already porous offense, the Cougars win the first college football game of the year.

Capital One Bowl, 1 p.m. on ESPN

     Nebraska vs. South Carolina- Since Stephen Garcia's dismissal from the team, quarterback Connor Shaw has led the Gamecocks to a 6-1 record with their only loss coming to No. 6-ranked Arkansas. Contrary from the norm, Shaw will not be the most athletic signal-caller under center today, as the Cornhusker's Taylor Martinez passed for nearly 2,000 yards and is second on the team in rushing (837 yards). For Nebraska to head back to Lincoln with a win, Martinez must avoid the USC defensive line rush and complete enough passes to keep them honest. South Carolina's defense is 13th in the nation, allowing only 18.8 points per game. This deep group is athletic enough to keep Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead at bay. Gamecock head coach Steve Spurrier revenges a 62-24 loss in the 1995 Fiesta Bowl loss, where his Florida Gators were handled by the Tommie Frazier-led Huskers, and beats Nebraska.

Gator Bowl, 1 p.m. on ESPN2

Roles may be reversed on Monday

      Ohio State vs. Florida- You know earlier when I mentioned those games that no one really cares about except for the "off-the-field storylines?" Here is a perfect example. No matter who scores the most points, the Buckeyes will be the winners. They have hired former Gator head coach Urban Meyer. Meyer, who was brought to Columbus in hopes of taking OSU back to the national championship, has been hot on the recruiting trail and stolen prospects from conference rivals Michigan and Penn State thus far. Current Florida coach Will Muschamp has struggled through his first year and needs a win to keep Meyer from picking off players from the Gator's 2011 commitment list. Not that it matters but a more experienced freshman quarterback Braxton Miller leads the Buckeyes to victory.


Outback Bowl, 1 p.m. on ABC
     Michigan State vs. Georgia- A rematch of the 2009 Capital One Bowl foes pits two teams coming off of conference championship losses. Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins will be challenged to find weak spots in a Bulldog defense that ranked third nationally in total defense. Michgan State's nationally fifth-ranked total defense is nothing to forget about and UGA's Aaron Murray will have to effectively pass to open up the ground game for the Bulldog's stable of backs. Murray has the better receivers to pass to (Malcolm Mitchell, Orson Charles and Tavarres King), which eventually will make the difference as the Bulldogs are able to complete longer passes for bigger offensive plays. The game will end closer for the Spartans than last years 49-7 blowout loss to Alabama but the final score will be in favor of Georgia nonetheless. A strong game from the Bulldogs could propel them to start next season in the top five.

Rose Bowl, 5 p.m. on ESPN

Those "snazzy space-age suits"

     Wisconsin vs. Oregon- Sure the teams on the field are quality squads, but have you seen Oregon's jerseys for the game, in particular their stunning helmets? No doubt six recruits will sign scholarships for the Ducks because of the "liquid metal" look. On the field, the Badgers are two "Hail Mary" passes (Michigan St. and Ohio St.) away from playing a week from Monday in the BCS National Championship. Regardless, 'Sconny is playing and will try to slow down an electric Oregon offense that averages 46 points per contest. Oftentimes a team from the Big 10 is easy to pick against because their size cannot keep up with the speed of the SEC. Not today. Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson makes the difference with his athleticism and the Bagders win on the west coast despite Oregon's snazzy space-age suits.

Fiesta Bowl, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN

     Stanford vs. Oklahoma State- Both the Cowboys and Cardinal were snubbed as one-loss teams with a shot at the BCS National Championship, but on the bright side the winner could end the season at number two in the polls. I am just trying to see the sunshine through the BCS cloud. In what we assume is Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck's final college game he must lead his run-first offense to score more points than Oklahoma State's nearly 50 points per game. The Cowboys use a spread offense attack, the same variety that gave Stanford fits in a 53-30 home loss to Oregon this season. However, with Stanford's offensive style the Cardinal can control the ball and keep the explosive Cowboy attack on the sidelines. Watch for the Pokes to start out slow after being disappointed to be in Glendale, Ariz. and not in New Orleans, but Oklahoma State still comes out on top.

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 13

Arkansas at LSU- Though The Battle for the Golden Boot is not getting the hype that LSU-Alabama received, it could have as much to do with who plays in the national title as "The Game of the Century" does. The Hogs have won three of the last four games and are one of the few offenses that can challenge the Blitzing Bengals. It is the blitzing that has cost the Tigers in the past and can again. Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson has actually been more efficient when faced with five or more pass rushers (17 of 18 and 2 touchdowns the last two weeks). The game will hinge on whether the Razorback offensive line can slow down LSU's rush. As underdogs, Arkansas should cover the 14 point line but LSU is on a mission and will eventually wear down the Razorbacks.

Penn State at Wisconsin- Amidst all of the turmoil in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions have put together a solid season and will travel to Madison for the de facto Big Ten Legends Division Championship, with the winner heading to play Michigan State in the first ever Big Ten Conference Championship game. Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson is the Badgers' main attraction, but watch running back Monte Ball and his Big Ten record 30 touchdowns against the nation's third best scoring defense that has allowed only more than 20 points twice this season. Wisconsin has more skill on both sides of the ball and will win, setting up a rematch with MSU, the team that gave the Badgers their first loss.

Alabama at Auburn-  A chance to participate in the national title game is again on the line in the Iron Bowl. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of living in the state of Alabama during college football season or attending this rivalry game, it's something you should look into. There is no where else in the country where college football -- and the results of a rivalry game -- means as much as it does in the Heart of Dixie. Alabama running back Trent Richardson, his 1,380 yards and 20 touchdowns have just about wrapped up the state's third straight Heisman -- as was predicted earlier here. For Auburn to have a chance the defense has to take advantage of forced turnovers. Unfortunately for Auburn fans the visiting team will leave with the 'W,' as it has been for the last two seasons.

Other picks (winners in bold)

Georgia at Georgia Tech- UGA locked up a place in the SEC Championship, but would love to cap of the regular season with a win over their in-state rivals. After going 1-9 in their last 10 meetings, Tech is looking to slow down the Bulldogs winning ways. The Bulldogs are too strong for the Yellow Jackets and earn their tenth consecutive win.

Clemson at South Carolina-The Tigers finally pulled their classic Clemson, losing in blowout fashion to a then sub-.500 NC State team. USC has been discounted as a good team, but their only two losses are to Auburn and Arkansas. The Gamecock defense is one of the best around and handles the Clemson at home.

Ole Miss at Mississippi State- The Nuttcracker -- or Dan Mullen as he more formally known -- is a huge reason Houston will be out of a job after Saturday. The Rebels have lost two in games to Mullen's Bulldogs and looked embarrassingly bad in SEC play. Ole Miss gave up on this season a month ago making a State blowout win for the Egg Bowl even easier.

Ohio State at Michigan
Notre Dame at Stanford
UCLA at USC
Florida State at Florida

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 11

Nebraska at Penn State- The lack of response to what happened in 1999, and tragically before 1999, will have an impact on this weekend’s game. For the first time since Harry Truman was serving as the U.S. president, Penn State will take the field without Joe Paterno. Trying to strictly concentrate at the football game in Happy Valley is next to impossible. The student body will have a “Blue-Out,” (as opposed to the normal “White-Out”) to help raise awareness and money for sexually abused children. It is hard to know how the Nittany Lions on the field will respond. Hopefully, they will respond positively on Senior Night amidst the controversy. This top-rated defense stops the Nebraska rushing attack and the senior class wins their last home game.

Oregon at Stanford- The last Cardinal loss came 14 games ago to the Ducks in Eugene, Ore. Like last year, the winner of this game is the PAC-12’s front-runner for a spot in the BCS National Championship. Similar to last week’s biggest game (LSU-Alabama) defense will be the difference. Can the Oregon defense, which has been rolling in the second-half of games since their loss to No. 1 LSU in the opening week of this season, stop Luck, the Heisman favorite? Don’t count on it. Luck and Co.’s powerful rushing attack will wear down the Ducks and prove too much in Palo Alto.

Auburn at Georgia- Someone took me up on my offer two weeks ago, and I will gladly attend the game in Athens this on Saturday for my first of two consecutive weeks of watching the Tigers. The Deep South's oldest rivalry has a lot of bad blood a flowing after last year's battle in Auburn UGA fans are convinced Tiger defensive tackle Nick Fairly played dirty, driving Bulldog quarterback Aaron Murray into the ground. This time around UGA boasts the better defense, but other than the first two games of the season the Dawgs have hardly been tested. The SEC teams they have wins over have a combined 5 SEC victories. This matchup has had plenty of memorable finishes and do not be surprised if the Plainsmen can muster up a little something extra. Sorry Auburn fans, but you will suffer your first of two losses to Bulldogs in two weeks (next week Auburn hosts Samford).

Other picks (winners in bold)

Alabama at Mississippi State- With the Tide coming off a loss at home and with their nearly impenetrable run defense, this one could get ugly.

Tennessee at Arkansas- The Hogs played well last week at home after two tough starts in Oxford and Nashville. The Vols have struggled tremendously on offense since their quarterback Tyler Bray suffered a season-ending injury against Florida. These trends continue.

Michigan at Illinois- With quarterback Denard Robinson back for Michigan the offense will run more smoothly in this unusually high-scoring Big 12 game.

Florida at South Carolina- Struggling offense versus struggling offense. Which one wins? The better defense, USC.

Miami at Florida State

TCU at Boise State

Oklahoma State at Texas Tech

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 2

Alabama at Penn State- The roles have been reversed this season as the Tide goes into a stadium which has more than 100,000 fans and instability at quarterback. However, Alabama is a better team than the Nittany Lion team that came to Tuscaloosa a year ago. The Crimson Tide defense is as good, if not better, than the one that won a championship in 2009. Remember the last time Alabama went into a "(insert team color here)-OUT"? Georgia 2008 ring a bell? Expect much of the same as they head to Happy Valley's white-out.

South Carolina at Georgia- Sources tell me Mark Richt would shave his famed butt-cut hair style to get a "W" in Athens this weekend. The problem is the Bulldogs linemen were man-handled by Bosie State. If the Broncos were able to do that imagine what USC's big uglies will do. Gamecock running back Marcus Lattimore should have big day as he did last season, playing keep-away from Georgia's offense. If he can not get going, a confident Stephen Garcia should gash the exposed Bulldog secondary. Gamecocks take the lead in the SEC East.

Mississippi State at Auburn- At the end of the game which is higher, number of Cam Newton mentions or number of total points for Auburn. I am taking the former. Last week the Tigers came away with a win agianst Utah State becuase of a recovered on-side kick. This week Auburn was the first team since the 1965 Alabama squad to fall out of the AP Top 25 two weeks into the season following a national championship. SEC Offensive Player of the Week, and Bulldog running back, Vic Ballard ran wild last Thursday night and will do it again over a inexperienced Auburn defensive front.

Notre Dame at Michigan- After stadium renovations in the summer, the first night game ever will be held in Ann Arbor. The teams will adorn commemorative uniforms (I'm a sucker for stuff like this.). Notre Dame will also have a new quarterback, as Tommy Rees will take control of the offense. The Fighting Irish had five turnovers last week against South Florida. Michigan's quarterback Denard Robinson will show different looks in the I-formation, making play-action more effective. The Michigan fans will leave in the dark disappointed as Notre Dame turns its losing ways around.

Other picks (winners in bold):
Stillman at Samford- My alma mater suffered a loss at the hands of Georgia Southern, who some believe will win the FCS Championship. The Dogs rebound quickly and get back on the right track.

Virginia Tech at East Carolina- ECU played well against South Carolina last week and the Hokies have lost games they should have won. Hokies keep national championship hopes alive.

Cincinnati at Tennessee- Be careful of looking forward to next week's date with the Florida Gators, Tennessee. Both teams can put up points and little defense will be played.

Brigham Young at Texas- The Longhorns welcome the now independent Cougars, who could join the Big 12 as quickly as next season. Texas stays on track of picking up the pieces after a tough season a year ago.

Oregon State at Wisconsin- My Big 10 darling Badgers pound the ball down the Beavers' throat. Watch OSU running back Malcom Agnew. He put up 223 yards and scored three times in their loss last week.

New Mexico at Arkansas- Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson spreads the ball around a little more this week and stays in the game a little longer this week against an atrocious New Mexico team that won only once last season.

2011 New Years Day Bowls

TicketCity Bowl
     Texas Tech vs. Northwestern- Really? The Ticketcity Bowl is a New Years Day bowl game? (I can only imagine trying to explain how the bowl system works to my kids someday.) Northwestern wins in this game coming off of a disappointing season. They have not been the same team since the injury to their starting QB Dan Persa.

Capital One Bowl
     Alabama vs. Michigan State- As I have said before, this is the best non-BCS bowl game, bar none. One of three Big 10 Champions and last year's national champions take the field to help decide the Big 10 vs. SEC debate. Alabama has to still be hurt after how they lost to Auburn and MSU has to be a little let down after not being invited to a BCS bowl game. MSU Head Coach Mike D'Antonio comes from the Nick Saban coaching tree adding some spice to this match up. I see Alabama coming out strong and pulling out a win for their program and the SEC.

Outback Bowl
     Florida vs. Penn State- Urban Meyer vs. Joe Paterno... The most exciting storyline of the whole game is between the coaches. One coached dinosaurs and the other has had tremendous success early in his career, which appears to be over. I see Penn State pulling out a win because their offense is much more versatile than they are given credit. That is a tough statement for this SEC homer to say.

Gator Bowl
     Mississippi State vs. Michigan- Many people are writing off Michigan because Head Coach Rich Rodriguez's uncertain future in Ann Arbor. I am not quite ready to do that yet. Chances are he will be back next year, and the kids playing for him love their coach. Also Michigan QB Denard Robinson will be at full health for the first time since the beginning of the season. As long as he is not injured by the big boys from the SEC he could have a big day. State needs to stop him and limit turnovers to have success. This game will be closer than the experts think. State does these things and wins though, making their fans the most excited in the nation for a nine win season.

Rose Bowl
     TCU vs. Wisconsin- This year's Rose Bowl does not have the same amount of swagger as last year's national championship.  Who ever thought the day would come we would see TCU in the Rose Bowl? I do not think the Horned Frogs will enjoy their stay too much. Much has been made about the size of Wisconsin's offensive and defensive linemen. The fact is line play determines so much of the success of a team and that will stand true tomorrow, too. The Badgers wear out a smaller TCU.

Fiesta Bowl
     Connecticut vs. Oklahoma-  How about the job UConn Head Coach Randy Edsell has done with his Huskies, taking them from a D-IAA school to a BCS bowl game. On the other hand is a team that has experienced recent struggles in their BCS games, including a shot at a national championship. Oklahoma has a chance to exorcise their recent BCS bowl game demons against an inferior opponent. Here we will see experience win, and win big. Oklahoma rolls much like Florida, a much more BCS experienced team, did in last year's Sugar Bowl, dominating the Big East Conference champion, Cincinnati.

College Football Week 11

I would like to start of and thank those that have and are serving our country, especially to those in my family. To me my grandfathers, Gramps and Granddaddy, thank you for what you did,  the lessons you have taught me, stories you have told me, and your service to our country. To all of you reading, if you are reading on Veteran's Day or not, tell someone thank you for putting their life on the line so that you can live the life you do today.

Last week was a down week in the SEC for "big" games but a good week for me in picking winners. Without further delay here is how it is going to pan out this weekend...

South Carolina vs. Florida- The game in Gainesville, Florida is the SEC Eastern Division Championship. The Head Ball Coach returns again to the place where he won his Heisman, National and SEC Championships and you know the fans will be ready for his return with so much at stake. Who better to beat for Steve Spurrier to beat than the Gators to try an clinch the Gamecocks first ever visit to Atlanta? I just don't see it happening. Unless Stephen Garcia, Alshon Jeffery, and Marcus Lattimore can play flawlessly like the Alabama game I think Florida and the home crowd will be too much. South Carolina has never won in The Swamp and the trend will continue for at least two more years.

Georgia vs. Auburn- Like the game above this game could decide the other half of the SEC Championship game. With a win Auburn will make it to Atlanta amidst all the Cam Newton "allegations." The Dawgs have the offense to beat a poor defending Tigers, pass defense is only better than Vanderbilt in the SEC. The question is whether or not they will be able to keep up with Cam Newton. No defense has been able to this year and I don't see that trend changing this weekend. There will not be quite as many points in this one as Auburn's barn burner with Arkansas but get ready for an offensive show.
                    
  - I am expecting a field report from Auburn. My sister will be on site decked out in her finest red and black.

Mississippi State vs. Alabama- State makes their second trip in two weeks down I-20 as they head to  Tuscaloosa. Last week the team attended the funeral of teammate Nick Bell, who died at the age of twenty after a brief bout with cancer, in Birmingham. Both teams will play with heavy hearts. There are several Crimson Tide football players who played high school ball with Bell. State has won their last six games, but Saban lost his last game at LSU. Which is more likely? The Bulldogs win number seven in a row, on the road, at night in Tuscaloosa, as Saban comes off of a loss? Or.. The Tide rolls, at home, at night, after a loss? I will always take the latter.

Utah vs. Notre Dame- Nothing is really appealing about this game so you may ask, Graham, why are you writing about it? It is giving me the chance to talk about Notre Dame football. This is the lowest the storied program has ever been. A recruit at the beginning of the season died. A student helping with practice has died. Next years recruiting class is losing commitments left and right. The Irish have list to Navy 3 out of the last four years. They lost to Tulsa. Bowl eligibility is questionable. What is going on? When it rains it pours and the Irish are going through a hurricane. Brian Kelley's offense can work but in the meantime the Irish need something good to happen, like the upset of No. 14 Utah. No, probably not. The rain just keeps coming with another beat down this weekend.

Penn State vs. Ohio State- Penn State has looked good as of late but the Nittany Lions have also been facing some overall weak defenses. Ohio State has quietly been climbing back up the rankings and with a strong conference and pretty strong out of conference schedule is not completely out a BCS bowl. Terelle Pryor show off some of his dual threat skills and the Buckeyes win easily at home against Penn State.

Other Winners (in bold):

Kansas State vs. Missouri
Oklahoma State vs. Texas
Virginia Tech at North Carolina
Ole Miss at Tennessee
Kentucky at Vanderbilt
Kansas State at Missouri
UTEP at Arkansas
Texas A&M at Baylor
Oregon at California
Stanford at Arizona State
Clemson at Florida State