It could look like this

Notre Dame's Athletics Director, Jack Swarbrick, is scheduled to meet with Charlie Weis sometime this week to review the season (and more likely to discuss his future in South Bend). Swarbrick was in LA Saturday when Southern Cal humiliated the Irish 38-3. Folks, it could have been much worse.

For the record, the Irish have been pelted by the Trojans the past two years by a combined score of 76-3.

Swarbrick, who has a law degree from Stanford, is a smart man who will evaluate all of the data available and make a sound decision. He's also relatively new on the job and could be ready to make a swift and career-defining decision here. That could mean Urban Meyer, who Notre Dame flirted with in 2004 when it fired Ty Willingham.

If Swarbrick needs any inspiration this clip could help.

OU fun at the expense ...

Of a legion of Texas Longhorn fans. UT has plenty to be pissed about today. Seems a 45-35 victory over Oklahoma just doesn't matter. But Longhorn fans shouldn't follow the lead of this video. It's not over yet. Really.

I could see the Sooners winning the Big 12 Championship and Florida knocking off Alabama. How does this help? Take a look at the computer rankings and you'll see that Texas is well ahead of the Gators and we could end up with a OU-UT championship game.

ACC Report

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

The ACC will be watched in 10 bowl games if the bowl sponsors get it right. Ten out of 12 teams qualified. Virginia and Duke are the two who are definitely staying home.

Maybe the ACC figured out the bowl system way before everybody else did. They believe in sharing. The recruiting season is going to improve for every school as a result of this exposure.

Boston College and Virginia Tech in the championship game again is a blessing for these two teams. BC will win the Championship.

Everyone talks about the young talent of VT. The Hokies are not the team with the best young talent in the ACC. Miami, Florida State and North Carolina have the best young players.

The defenses will catch up to Georgia Tech's offense over the offseason. They will have the time to get it done. North Carolina State surprised me the most. Will Virginia start a new trend with short quarterbacks who can run. It makes sense. The best running backs are short and can hide behind their offensive line. Why can't a quarterback?

The ACC should be very proud of their teams and their accomplishments. This was a coming out year (party) for ACC and their members. We are ready for the bowl season. I am going to make a prediction at this time and say the bowl teams from the ACC will win 80 percent of the bowl games they play. The ACC is two years away from playing in the BCS Championship.

I'll make bowl predictions after they are announced

Observations from Saturday's Games (Nov. 29)

While flipping between Notre Dame-USC and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State it's time for my weekly obligation. Here are some random observations from today's games.

1. Coaching purge is not over. Today we saw Sylvester Croom resign at Mississippi State and Shane Montgomery step down at Miami of Ohio after going 2-10. This is not the end. Who could be next? How about Marshall's Mark Snyder. He entered this season with a 12-23 record and this was supposed to be the year the Herd competed at the top levels of Conference USA. Instead Marshall finished 4-8. And let's not forget 5-7 Auburn. Tommy Tuberville is talking about sticking around to rebuild the Tigers, but the fans may not allow him any more time.

2. Georgia can never complain again. That goes for the president of UGA, fans, players, coaches, or the waterboy. The Bulldogs, who felt they were snubbed last year and should have played for the national title despite not making the SEC championship game, entered this season No. 1. Mark Richt's team didn't handle the pressure very well. Georgia's three losses were all embarrassing. Ripped by Alabama and Florida and they blowing a nice lead against rival Georgia Tech at home. Hey Georgia, win a big game and then we'll consider you an elite program again.

3. Enough with the pre-game squirmishes. I just don't get this. Teams are warming up before the game and they decide to start jawing at each other and pushing matches. Don't you know you get to hit each other, legally, when the game starts? This stupid 2008 trend happened again before the ND-USC game. We don't need this.

4. Crazy for Dabo. Maybe the interim coach at Clemson, Dabo Swinney, has earned a shot at having interim removed from his title. Look, I question some of his quirky ways, but he has managed to get the Tigers to 7-5 and bowl eligible. This team was in shambles under Tommy Bowden and things seem to be better.

5. Working on a payout. Notre Dame's Athletic Department or Development Office has people on the phone right now trying to figure out how to raise enough funds to buy out Charlie Weis. The Fighting Irish have no fight left in them. USC is so much more talented and is totally outplaying them. This is the worst 6-6 team ever. According to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette it will cost ND at least $12 million. Better work those phones.

6. Where was this Tennessee? The Vols played great the past two weeks. It was a nice send off for Phil Fulmer, and he was extremely emotional as it all came to an end. UT really took it to Kentucky and it was clear his players really like him.

7. SEC Championship. Not sure I have looked forward more to a game in the past few years (OK, I don't mention the Pitt-WVU game of last year). Florida and Alabama are playing as well as any two teams. Each have great players and it pits the two most egotistical coaches in the nation. This game could be an instant classic. Also, think how great the tailgating will be.

8. Deserving champ. Others around the nation can make fun of the Big East, but Cincinnati is a good football team and will represent the conference well in a BCS bowl game. Brian Kelly is an excellent coach, the Bearcats are 10-2 and won some emotional contests down the stretch. Don't be shocked if the Big East wins its fourth consecutive BCS bowl game.

9. Nice run. But it looks like Oregon State's outside run at the Rose Bowl will not happen as Oregon is outplaying the Beavers, who are without Jacquizz Rodgers. This is actually good news for Boise State, Ohio State and USC. I was kind of pulling for Oregon State because of the novelty of it, but USC is the best in a weak Pac-10.

10. Sorry Buckeyes. Tim Tebow is about to become the second person to win consecutive Heisman Trophys. I didn't think he deserved it last year. But after watching TT against Florida State it's hard to argue against his value and ability. Apologies also to Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford and Graham Harrell.

Quick notes

I'm about to head out to watch games with some friends, but a couple quick notes from the early games and events:

- A good start to today's action with Georgia Tech playing an unbelievable second half and knocking off Georgia in Athens, 45-42. Georgia just could not stop the option. If UGA continues to be an undisciplined defense incapable of playing its assignments, then this matchup with Tech is going to be a nightmare. While UGA jumped out to an early lead, Tech just kept grinding. Great win for Tech.

- Incredible finish in the Kansas-Mizzou game as the Jayhawks score with 27 seconds left and then Mizzou's 54-yard field goal attempt misses at the buzzer. Mizzou still goes to the Big 12 title game.

- Coaches continue to drop. Sylvester Croom resigned at Mississippi State although I'm sure the writing was on the wall after Friday's blowout loss to rival Ole Miss. MSU will be looking for a quick turnaround. Should be interesting to see if they'll come up with the money for a big name. Shane Montgomery resigned at Miami, Oh. after the Red Hawks got thumped by rival Ohio U yesterday. Montgomery was always a bit of a reach for that job and went 17-31 in four years. That's a good job, though and should draw interest from some talented assistants.

Boogie Fever

Found this funny clip over at Gator Clause, the Miami Herald's blog by Joseph Goodman on everything University of Florida. He's a good reporter and does a good job of covering Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer.

Maybe this little dance fever moment will get you ready for the Gators and Seminoles today. Enjoy Bobby Bowden, Chris Rainey and Tebow.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A job Dr. Lou can do

Since Dr. Lou is so bad as an analyst on ESPN, it seems they finally found something he can do at the headquarters in Bristol. Heck, he's not even that good at this. He talks too much and is pretty stingy on the turkey helpings.

And how did ESPN rope Bob Ley into doing this bit?

Picks of the Week

After consecutive winning weeks (against the spread), I'm taking some bigger chances this week. Let's see how I do when the stakes are a little bigger.

Alabama (-14.5) over Auburn
Nick Saban will have his Tide ready to play in the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa. The Bama fans have been stoked all week and Bryant-Denny Stadium will be bouncing Saturday. This will complete the great turnaround under Saban and propel Alabama into the SEC championship game on a real high.
Pick: Alabama 38, Auburn 9

Baylor (+21.5) over Texas Tech
This is a real leap. I know Tech will be out to make a statement after getting dismantled last week. But Baylor, despite being 4-7, has improved this season under Art Briles. The Bears will lose on the road in Lubbock, but will keep it closer than 21.5.
Pick: Texas Tech 45, Baylor 24

Oklahoma (-7) over Oklahoma State
With a potential spot in the Big 12 championship game, as well as the BCS title game, the Sooners are prepared and will cruise past Okie State. Sam Bradford could even make a last-second Heisman push with a big win here and a win in the conference title game. Mike Gundy has done a great job with the Cowboys, but they won't get the upset on this day.
Pick: Oklahoma 41, Oklahoma State 28

Missouri (-16) over Kansas
Three months ago this looked like a great season-finale for the Big 12 North. Now Missouri is trying to get to 10 victories as the Tigers prepare for either Texas or Oklahoma. KU has slipped a lot from last year's Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech to a 6-5 mark this season. An upset here would help erase some of the tough losses.
Pick: Missouri 49, Kansas 24

Upset of the Week
Oregon (+3) over Oregon State
This game is in Corvalis and the Beavers have a Rose Bowl berth on the line, but without running back Jacquizz Rodgers the Ducks will pull the upset and claim second place in the Pac-10. A victory would also allow Oregon to finish the second winning five of six (of course in six different uniforms).
Pick: Oregon 24, Oregon State 20

Last Week: 3-2
Season: 24-26

Kiffin hired at UT, swears he'll be home by midnight

One of ESPN's horde of bloggers/reporters/online dudes is reporting that Lane Kiffin will take over at Tennessee on Monday for retired/fired Phil Fulmer.

Wow. Gutsy, but I have a hard time believing this hire is going to work out. Kiffin hasn't done much but be an offensive coordinator at USC and have a horrid job as the Raiders' whipping boy for crazy Al.

Rumors already have Kiffin bringing in his Dad, Monte, a longtime NFL defensive coordinator along with former Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron who can recruit like crazy.

eh. I still don't see Tennessee as a good place for a 33-year old with no head coaching experience at the college level.

Post Turkey Day Live Blogging! Backyard Brawl

It doesn't happen. Pat White's last attempt sails out of the end zone. Pitt knocks off the 'Eers again. Not a good loss for WVU which had way too many key penalties, couldn't stop the run and had one huge turnover. How's that hire looking now, Governor? Just bass-ackwards. in the last two years, WVU has scored 24 points against their rival.

McCoy has thumped it down to the 1 and go-ahead TD for Pitt. A huge WVU facemask penalty not only cost them a FG attempt instead of a TD, but cost them about two minutes on the clock. Two-point conversions fails. 19-15 Pitt. Now WVU needs to score a TD in :52 with no timeouts.

A big holding penalty forces WVU to punt. Now McCoy is taking over and has the ball into WVU territory. Wow, great run by McCoy to convert another first down. McCoy does such an amazing job setting up his blockers and tacklers.

(On CBS, Arkansas is already up 14-3 on LSU. A year after a national title is the pressure already on Les Miles?)

Okay, got caught up in the Kiffin/UT news. Anyway - WVU gets the ball back and on a third and 10 in their own end makes the bizarre decision to throw the ball. For pete's sake, run a draw or a screen and punt. Instead, the ball is picked off. Pitt gets a short field and scores. Pitt decides to go for two, gets penalized and STILL decides to go for two for the 10 yard line. They fail miserable. 15-13 Pitt with 8 minutes left.

Both teams trade horrible interceptions, WVU gets the benefit of a poor pass interference call and turns it into three points. 15-7 WVU. Pitt has decided, for some reason, to give up on the run and lose this game with QB Bill Stull. Anyone remember LaSean McCoy???

Fourth and short, good play call and a bad pass give WVU the ball back.

The 'Eers are really going to miss Pat White. what a run. 12-7 WVU ahead after a botched extra point.

Nice drive by WVU, but ends in a FG after a dropped TD pass. WVU looking much more confident though.

Boy, LeSean McCoy is really, really good. More questionable play calling though as WVU picks off a pass on an unexplainable decision to throw a fade route in the end zone. Huge break for WVU. 7-3 at half.

WVU's defense adjust and forces a nice turnover and drives inside the Pitt 10, but a weird playcall on third down costs a TD. I don't mind the play as the backup QB came in, handed the ball off to Pat White in motion. White lobbed into the end zone for 6-8 Wes Lyons, I just didn't understand running it to the short side where White has little room to maneuver and inside the 5, where Lyons runs out of space in the back of the end zone. Anyway, 7-3.

Another impressive drive for the Panthers ends poorly after a holding penalty forces them into a field goal which misses badly. Still, WVU can't be enthused about the way their defense is playing right now.

Pitt looked strong on the first drive. Pretty sure WVU was not prepared for the downfield passing game. 7-0 Pitt and WVU has punted after hurting themselves with key penalties.

I thought about blogging last night's Texas-Texas A&M game, but I'm not sure A&M could be in the Texas high school playoffs. Best stat from last night: A&M has forced 12 three and outs - ALL YEAR. That's awful. Anyone remember the Wrecking Crew?

So, instead since I'm off work, I'll do the WVU-Pitt matchup.

Turkeys for everyone

As most of us get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, I wanted to pass along some turkeys to the loyal readers of An 'Eye and an 'Eer. Here is a funny and interesting look at some of the College Football turkeys of 2008 from The Wiz of Odds, a very funny blog. Hope you enjoy.

Somehow no mention of Ohio State or West Virginia.

Iron Bowl fans

Rivalries are what make college football. Auburn-Alabama in the Iron Bowl is as good as it gets.

For some reason, the pure hate that Alabama and Auburn feel toward each other has hit an all-time high this year. Bama fans really are having a great year. Nick Saban has the Tide at No. 1 in the nation, Tennessee canned Fat Phil Fulmer and Auburn is on the verge of sending Tommy Tuberville packing.

But what if Auburn pulls the upset at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday?

Lovin' in the bathroom

The last time I read about bathroom sex in Minnesota it involved a U.S. Senator with a wide stance.

The latest episode is much more interesting. According to MyFox Twin Cities, two Iowa football fans were busted for fornicating in a handicapped bathroom stall (is this like parking in a handicapped spot without the decal?) during last Saturday's Minnesota-Iowa game at the Metrodome.

Umm. Nothing like the smell of urine to get me going. Undies dragging on the nasty floor. A dozen or so folks cheering you on from urinals and hand dryers.

Clearly this was the best action going on in the Metrodome as Iowa won 55-0. That was until the police arrived. After getting dressed, the woman, 38, was turned over to her husband, while the man, 26, was delivered to his girlfriend.

Man, that had to be an awkward ride home.

Leavitt alone

You can always tell a coach who is feeling the pressure of the job or realizes he's done a crappy job of coaching. Some media members in Central Florida said South Florida coach Jim Leavitt was just having some fun and going over the top for emphasis. Looks like a guy trying to deflect attention to his poor performance this year.

Hey coach, you're not paid to be a comedian.

Congrats Letterman U.

It's not easy to go undefeated, no matter what conference or level you play. Ball State is 12-0 after a big win Tuesday night against Western Michigan. The Cardinals face Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference championship game in December, but should get that win.

If they do, Brady Hoke's squad won't get an invitation to the BCS party. Making matters worse is they'll end up in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit in December. This is just wrong. Ball State should get a little bigger prize than partying in Detroit, getting swag bags with leftover car parts that the Big 3 can't use any longer, and facing some second-rate Conference USA team.

I agree with what one of the ESPN announcers said during the game. Let Ball State play Boise State. That would draw a nice TV audience and would be good for college football. Two undefeated teams who get left out of the BCS. The winner can bitch about how they should have been included.

Seems to be the trend this season.

Weis ass

Notre Dame's Charlie Weis discusses getting ready for the USC game and how he's preparing his team on this ESPN clip. Surprised he's not sitting there flashing his Super Bowl rings. It's clear after watching this clip that the storied Irish football program is in bad hands and will keep going down under his arrogant leadership.

But does Notre Dame really want to spend the reported $40 million it might cost to buy him out?

If it's true ...

Then Pitt enters the 2009 season as the favorite in the Big East.

Panthers running LeSean McCoy, who is preparing for his second Backyard Brawl against WVU on Friday, told reporters on Tuesday that he is enjoying college and thinks he may need another year of seasoning before heading off to the riches of the NFL.

It has been widely suspected that McCoy, who has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in his two seasons at Pitt, would be a first-round selection if he came out early. "I'm the one who has to take all the hits," he was quoted as saying in a wire story. "I'm still a young kid. I think my size, I can get a little bigger and stronger, and I can become a better blocker. My knowledge of the game is coming on faster than I thought, and that's pretty good for me."

Honestly, McCoy is ready for the pros. But I always respect a guy who wants to stay in college longer and he's right. He knows if he's prepared better than anyone else.

Hey Wannstache, this is a third or fourth chance for you. At 7-3, your Panthers will play in their first bowl game in five seasons. Next year you'll return seven starters on offense with McCoy, something he claims he wants to be a part of.

So it's time to be a legitimate contender in the Big East. Now if McCoy has a change of heart in two months, all bets are off.

Episode 14

With Phil on cruise control following the big Ohio State victory and the sit-and-wait approach to finding out where the Buckeyes will be playing in January, the boys at An 'Eye and an 'Eer discuss Notre Dame vs. USC and the coaching carousel that includes Cincinnati's Brian Kelly. Phil and Tom also look at what a potential playoff could look like and conduct a special "Massive Underdog Rivalry" edition of quick hitters. All of this and much more on our weekly podcast.

45-35

A lot of people are listening to Bob Stoops talk and talk and talk and ... about how his Oklahoma Sooners should be playing for the national championship. Or how we need a playoff to decide the national champion.

The fans at Texas seem to have a different opinion. Seems the Longhorns believe it has been decided on the field during the regular season, which is really just a playoff that no one admits is. So some Longhorn fans have set up a website that is simple and to the point.

Check out 45-35.com.

Our Top 25 (Nov. 24)

School (LW) Record
1. Alabama (1) 11-0
2. Florida (3) 10-1
3. Texas (4) 10-1
4. Oklahoma (6) 10-1
5. Southern Cal (5) 9-1
6. Utah (7) 12-0
7. Boise State (8) 11-0
8. Penn State (9) 11-1
9. Texas Tech (2) 10-1
10. Ohio State (10) 10-2
11. Ball State (11) 11-0
12. Oklahoma State (13) 9-2
13. Georgia (14) 9-2
14. Missouri (13) 9-2
15. Oregon State (20) 8-3
16. Texas Christian (18) 10-2
17. Cincinnati (16) 9-2
18. Florida State (NR) 8-3
19. Michigan State (15) 9-3
20. Georgia Tech (NR) 8-3
21. Boston College (24) 8-3
22. Oregon (23) 8-3
23. Northwestern (25) 9-3
24. Brigham Young (17) 10-2
25. Pittsburgh (19) 7-3

Others receiving votes: West Virginia, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota, Mississippi.

Ramblings from the Retired One

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

Here are my latest rants after the weekend action:

* The fans at Notre Dame should have thrown the snowballs at the people who hired SHREK as the head football coach, not the players. Gophers with the title of coach in their previous job should never be hired. Notre Dame's coach never played a down of college football. A person who played at Tinker Toy Tech or Sam Houston Institute of Technology (good ol' SHIT) would do a better job than what is going on at ND today. Maybe Southern Cal will give ND the final reason for letting Shrek quit honorably. The knee injury has hampered his thinking.

* Here is the way the BCS can get the matchup it needs. Florida State upsets Florida. Florida beats Alabama. This way the BCS can have USC, Texas and Oklahoma to choose from. This will stop the SEC dominance for one year.

* How many teams from each conference should receive bowl bids.

1. ACC (7)
2. Big East (5)
3. Big Ten (6)
4. Pac-10 (5)
5. Big 12 (7)
6. SEC (8)
7. BCS Busters (3)
8. Other conferences (as few as possible)
   

* Will Virginia Tech D-Coordinator Bud Foster finally get a job as a head football coach?

* Is Cincinnati's Brian Kelly headed to Tennessee? That would be an interesting mix.

* Who will be the all time winningest college football coach? Who will make the long haul? I am betting on Bobby Bowden. He is six years younger than Grandpa Joe.

* What are the chances Rich-Rod will be able to get out of his Michigan deal so he can go to Clemson? He would fit in better at Clemson. He can get players like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry into Clemson way before he ever will at Michigan.

* West Virginia may be getting the best QB/WR duo East of the Mississippi as their two top recruits this year.

* Iowa put together a nice run at the end of the season.

* I'll let you know my coach of the year and Heisman choice next week.

* Turkey and college football go hand in hand.

ACC Report

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

The youngsters on some of the ACC's best teams let their inexperience dominate them this past weekend. Maybe the mature coaches at Florida State helped pull them through. Maryland did its impersonation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde again.

I saw Boston College's backup QB play in high school and he is going to be a good one, but let's hope they don't make it to the championship. He is not ready. A Florida State-Georgia Tech rematch would be good. I thought Tech was very lucky last time.

FSU, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Maryland deserve to be in bowl games this year. If the SEC, Big 12, Pac-10 or Fat 10 had the same type of inter-league records everyone would be saying what great conferences, while the ACC is mocked. Do you think there might be some unknowledgable reporters out there?

It is nice to watch a conference where the final week counts. The biggest disappointment of course is Clemson. The biggest surprise is Miami. It is a conference with a lot of great young talent and they will keep beating each other for a couple of more years. In two years, watch out one of the ACC teams will be in the BCS championship game.

Rome was not built in a day.

The most fun...

I have ever had at an Ohio State-Michigan game came on Nov. 22, 2008. Sorry for the delay on posting as I've been in recovery mode for about 24 hours now.

For me, OSU-Michigan games are usually nervewracking affairs. Yesterday's second-half laugher was downright fun. A 42-7 final seemed like it should have been even worse. (Should have been 44-7, no way was that NOT a safety.)

I wasn't surprised at the outcome as I didn't think UM could score enough points, especially with walk-on Nick Sheridan forced in at quarterback. But I was surprised that except for UM's defensive line, the Buckeyes were FAR more physical. Usually, this is a game filled with big hits both ways, but it was the Buckeyes that handed out the beating Saturday.

I don't know if it was youth, a lack of understanding of how this rivalry is played or just a team that was ready for the offseason to start a couple hours earlier. Seemed to be a combination.

Patience with Rich Rodriquez is running thin in Ann Arbor already, not just because the Wolverines are losing, but HOW they're losing. It's ugly. Real ugly.



By the way, strictly from a fan perspective, the most enjoyable line from yesterday's game was last in the third quarter as Rich Rodriguez debated going for it on a fourth down when my cohort in the stands yelled "Punt that sh$t, Ricky! Punt it!"

He did.
hehehehe.

'Fire Weis' should start in earnest now

What if this were Ty Willingham instead of Charlie Weis and Notre Dame had just lost to 20-point underdog Syracuse? Wait. We know how that ended. So why isn't Weis being run out of town as Notre Dame pursues Urban Meyer or whoever the Irish believe is their right to own as their next head coach?

After a little more searching I found this poignant column by Jeff Carroll at the South Bend Tribune.

OU-Texas Tech

For those who couldn't stay awake or were too busy watching Florida State-Maryland, Pitt-Cincinnati or House on DVR, here is what you missed in No. 5 Oklahoma's undressing of No. 2 Texas Tech.

Observations from Saturday's Games (Nov. 22)

This was a great day for 'Eer. West Virginia won, Michigan, Notre Dame and Marshall all lost. Now if Pitt and Oklahoma could win tonight it would be a near perfect day (damn Penn State). Here are some observations from Saturday:

1. Charlie Weis is a genius. This was his week. He was taking over the offensive play calling and he was going to show us his coaching brilliance. Wait. No one told Syracuse. Yeah, that Syracuse. The Big East dwelling Orange mounted a great comeback and won in South Bend 24-23. With this loss Notre Dame is 0-2 in Big East play (0-3 if you count old Big East member Boston College). Can we just revoke Notre Dame's bowl eligibility? May be time to rethink that lifetime contract with Weis.

2. Rich Rodriguez is a bigger genius. If Rich-Rod could have just kept his ego in check a little he'd still be in Morgantown and considered a coaching guru who drew coaches from around the nation to see if his magic rubs off. Instead, he's now the worst coach in Michigan football history following a 42-7 loss at Ohio State and finishing 3-9. Great move Rich.

3. Showing some respect. It's obvious Urban Meyer wants Tim Tebow to win the Heisman again this year. He keeps him in games late when the outcome is decided. But even the arrogant Meyer showed a little class in Saturday's 70-19 victory over The Citadel. He pulled Tebow for the second half, instead of padding his stats for a run at another Heisman.

4. Poor State of football. Washington and Ty Willingham are probably going to go winless this year. The best shot came Saturday against what many thought was the worst BCS team in the country -- Washington State. However, the Cougars upset the rival Huskies (if you can upset a winless team) thanks to a last-second FG and another kick on double OT. Willingham would have liked the one win before leaving Seattle. Wazzu's Paul Wulff needed this win in his first season.

5. SEC bashing. During this past week's podcast I defended the SEC as still being the best conference in college football. After watching LSU get pushed around by Ole Miss and bowl-bound Vanderbilt's collapse against Tennessee. The SEC is two-deep this year. No Georgia, you aren't in the mix either. It's just Florida and Alabama (arguably the two best teams in the nation). But the SEC usually stakes claim to best conference because of depth. There's more depth in the Big East and Big 10 this year.

6. Sigh of relief. So how nervous must the folks have been at Camp Randall with Cal Poly almost pulling off the huge upset over Wisconsin? If not for three missed PATs, the Badgers would have lost. I would have loved to have been in those stands to hear what was being said about Bret Bielema.

7. Fighting words. It seems teams didn't want to get along today. There were at least three reported pre-game scuffles with Ohio State-Michigan, West Virginia-Louisville and BYU-Utah. Can't we all just get along.

8. BCS shakeup. It's still the second quarter (as I write this), but it looks like Oklahoma is going to cruise past No. 2 Texas Tech. So who's the best in the Big 12 now?

9. One smart Nutt. Ole Miss' Houston Nutt can coach football. His two stops in the SEC (Arkansas and Ole Miss) are not juggernaut programs. But Nutt always seems to put good teams on the field and they are always well prepared. His Rebels proved it again today by whipping LSU 31-13 at Tiger Stadium. According to ESPN, Ole Miss may get a Cotton Bowl invite.

10. Tip of the cap. To Florida State safety Myron Rolle for arriving in College Park, Md., as a Rhodes Scholar. What an impressive accomplishment for someone who faces many obstacles as a Division I athlete.

Another WVU fan

Guess I'm not the only one who appreciated Pat White's performance today, and the WVU win at Louisville Saturday.

Thanks Pat

Watching the final minutes of West Virginia's 35-21 victory at Louisville something became very apparent ... Pat White's days as the electrifying quarterback of the Mountaineers is almost over.

Enjoy each snap WVU fans. White, who had a record-setting day against the Cardinals, has just two regular season games remaining and a bowl game to be named. With a little luck, White could be playing for his third BCS bowl victory and a fourth consecutive postseason win.

It has been a pleasure to watch Pat the past four seasons. The memories are special and I hope there are a few more.

Saturday was just another chapter as White ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns to give him 4,292 yards for his career, breaking the record of 4,289 set by former Missouri quarterback Brad Smith between 2002-05.

He also eclipsed another record Saturday as he added two passing touchdowns to bring his career total for TD accounted for to 98, surpassing the Big East record of 96 held by former Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Thanks Pat. Let's hope there's a little more magic left over the next three games.

Schiano will have to wait another year

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, who has turned down big-time program coaching opportunities the past couple of years, will now have to wait at least one more year before he gets the gig he really wants.

Last night Joe Paterno told a crowd of about 6,500, some wearing "Joe Can't Go" T-shirts, that he's returning in 2009. Joe Pa apparently likes coaching from the press box and believes staying out of the elements has added at least another five years to his coaching career.

The weather at Michigan State today is ideal for the cozy confines. Now if the Nittany Lions win he may be able to coach from a golf cart at the Rose Bowl.

Tweet, tweet ... Twitter

This is what happens when your children wake up at 6 in the morning on a Saturday. Still groggy and Alvin & The Chipmunks on TV what better time than to increase the new media options for the fans of An 'Eye and an 'Eer.

So as of now you can follow other random thoughts for 'Eye and 'Eer each day at Twitter.com. We know many of you already enjoy the podcast and blog, so now we hope you'll follow our thoughts (in 140 characters or less). This will be easier for 'Eye than 'Eer.

We have also set up a new, more easily memorable email address. So please send us your thoughts or suggestions at eyeandeer@gmail.com.

Apple Cup

As Washington State travels to Seattle to play rival Washington for the 101st Apple Cup it may be hard to find a more pathetic match up during that stretch. Wazzu is 1-10 (thanks to Portland State) and 0-8 in the Pac-10. The Huskies are even worse at 0-10, 0-7 as the miserable Ty Willingham era is close to coming to an end.

It's amazing to see how far these two programs have fallen. Washington won a share of the 1991 National Championship and going to Seattle used to be one of the toughest road games in the nation.

The Cougars can claim Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf as former QBs and recently won 10 games in three consecutive seasons (2001-03).

This is the worst Division I game of the season and maybe ever. Someone will win Saturday, but will anyone really care?

Picks of the Week

Even after going 4-1 and picking the Rutgers upset at South Florida, 'Eer is still looking to get back to .500 on the season. Let's hope he makes some sound picks (and gets a little luck). Here we go again:

Ohio State (-20.5) over Michigan
Don't tell me that in all rivalries you throw out the records because anything can happen. I've seen it happen, but there is no way the Wolverines can go into Columbus and beat the Buckeyes. Jim Tressel owns Michigan to the tune of 6-1. Rich-Rod doesn't respect this game and UM is lacking in talent.
Pick: Ohio State 48, Michigan 8

Akron (-2.5) over Ohio
Staying in the state of Ohio, the Dennis Kennedy-led Zips come into Peden Stadium and take down the underachieving Bobcats. Akron would be bowl eligible with a win at 6-5 and remain in second in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. OU is trying to avoid its ninth loss.
Pick: Akron 37, Ohio 14

Rice (-9) over Marshall
Turning my attention just up the Ohio River is where we find Marshall. OK, actually they'll be in Texas playing Rice. The Thundering Herd must win its last two games to get bowl eligible and possibly save Mark Snyder's job in Huntington. Not going to happen. At 5-1 in the West Division, Rice is playing for a Conference USA championship.
Pick: Rice 31, Marshall 20

Boise State (-5.5) over Nevada
The Wolf Pack are tough at home, but Boise is 10-0 and will make a BCS bowl if they can win out. Chris Petersen will not let the Broncos lose focus as they travel to Reno. No. 9 Boise State is led by a balanced offense that includes running back Ian Johnson (539 rushing yards and nine TDs) and quarterback Kellen Moore (2,637 yards and 20 TDs).
Pick: Boise State 28, Nevada 20

Upset of the Week
Pittsburgh (+5) over Cincinnati
Maybe this is more my heart than head. What? Yeah, a Mountaineer rooting for Pitt. Well, that's what it takes for WVU to have a shot at the Big East title. But I actually believe the Panthers are better than the Bearcats and LeSean McCoy is going to run crazy. Even Wannstache has figured it out that it's just good job security to keep feeding McCoy.
Pick: Pittsburgh 27, Cincinnati 24

Last Week: 4-1
Season: 21-24

Fun times

Saw this crazy clip on Ohio News Network (nod to my old buddy Mike Kallmeyer who is the anchor). Seems the folks in New Bremen are primed for The Game on Saturday. If you don't live in Ohio you just don't get how crazy they are for the OSU-Michigan game.

I just walked downtown (very quickly because it's like 27 degrees today) and everyone is wearing Ohio State jerseys. I still love it when I see the Eddie George jerseys.

Recruit rankings don't mean crap

While reading Dr. Saturday earlier today, Mr. Hinton had a small note about the injury-plagued career of UCLA quarterback Ben Olson, who was considered a can't-miss prospect in 2002.

So I thought I'd look at the Top QBs of 2002 according to Rivals.com. Impressive group, heh?

1. Ben Olson (five stars), UCLA
2. Trent Edwards (five stars), Stanford
3. Justin Zwick (four stars), Ohio State
4. Anthony Martinez (four stars), Virginia
5. Matt Gutierrez (four stars), Michigan
6. Drew Stanton (four stars), Michigan State
7. Marc Guillon (four stars), Miami-Fla.
8. Drew Olson (four stars), UCLA
9. Brandon Cox (four stars), Auburn
10. Joe Tereshinski (four stars), Georgia

Not a star in the group. The closest being Edwards. Here's a look at the class.

Ben Olson is with UCLA, but has been out all season with an injury. May still get a shot at the NFL.

Trent Edwards, current quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, is clearly the cream of this class, so the No. 2 ranking is right on. So how about the rest?

Zwick plays for the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League. Martinez left the UVA program after his sophomore season and I'm not sure what happened to him after that.

Gutierrez transferred to Idaho State and now is the third string QB for the New England Patriots, thanks to Tom Brady's injury. Stanton is the second string QB for the Detroit Lions.

Guillon never matured at the collegiate level. He left Miami soon after Larry Coker limited his playing time and he ended up at Alabama, where the results were poor at best. Drew Olson played briefly in the NFL with the Ravens, Panthers and 49ers, while Cox had a nice college career but never made it in the pros. Tereshinski had a mediocre career with the Bulldogs.

This is just a simple lesson in not getting too excited about where your team ranks in recruiting each year. As a WVU fan, I've watched the Mountaineers' classes never rank in the Top 20. When they would get a top recruit (e.g., Jason Gwaltney) it never worked out. But still the Mountaineers have managed to be a consistent winner now for the past decade. Clearly these rankings are way too subjective.

Miami-Georgia Tech

With a minute left in the second half, the Yellow Jackets are mauling the Canes, 24-3. Miami looks like they're ready to get back to South Beach.

Here's the thing about Ga. Tech, and I'm guessing since I never played football: This team seems like it is absolutely no fun to play against. they get a two TD lead and they are just going to thump you, play after play. It's not quite the same as playing against an I-formation team where you can load up at the point of attack. You have to continue playing your assignment no matter how bad it gets. If you have a physical advantage, this offense can figure out a way to negate it.

Count me as one who thinks Paul Johnson was a great hire at Georgia Tech. He's only got 70 guys on scholarship and this is about to be an eight-win team barring a second half collapse.

On the other side, I don't understand why Miami is rotating QBs. I don't understand why Miami's receivers have been poor for a number of years. I don't understand why Miami can only manage good RBs and not great ones.

Now Dickie V is a football expert

While casually watching North Carolina whip up on Kentucky in basketball last night (what's happened to the Wildcats?), I'm trying to block out Dick Vitale. He has become a caricature of the vintage Dickie V of the late 1980s. He's annoying and wastes time during good college basketball games.

Then I heard him start talking about college football. Why? Some sub-par basketball coach decides he wants to pontificate about another sport. Stop it.

So, he was chatting with University of Florida alum Erin Andrews about how she must be loving the Gators football team right now. He said, "Mr. Tebow and company look like they're going to ultimately be national champions."

Think Nick Saban was watching? Probably not. Maybe he was poking recruits on Facebook or something. But I'm sure a few Bama fans were watching and heard this choice remark.

"They can't hear us in Alabama, can they?" Vitale said during the broadcast. "They have no shot against the Gators when they play for the SEC title. They have no shot. Nick Saban has done a phenomenal job ... but I'm telling you, that Florida Gators team is like a juggernaut."

Just more fuel for the Saban fire. I'm starting to think more and more that Alabama is going to be so ready for that game. Watch out Gators.

Episode 13

Piling on Rich-Rod

After 'Eye wrote about Rich-Rod last night, I thought we should give the topic some rest. But after further review, I decided there's just more to say about him. With his recent comments and complaints he's coming off more as Bitch-Rod.

The Michigan Man probably thought it could never get this bad. He claims he left WVU because he didn't get the support from the administration that he wanted, and he wanted total control over the football program. He gets that kind of control at UM and the Wolverines head into Columbus this weekend for The Game with a 3-8 record.

Bitch-Rod also complained that the WVU fans turned on him following the Mountaineers upset loss to Pitt in the season finale, costing West Virginia a shot at the BCS Championship. Looks like Michigan fans and alumni are turning on him in less than 11 months after taking over in Ann Arbor (she's a whore).

Former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard said the Wolverines didn't look like Michigan, but more like Michigan Tech. Hey Des, that's unfair to Michigan Tech. The Huskies finished 8-3 and almost made the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Is this funny or just stupid?

As I'm scanning the internet for college football videos I am normally looking for the great catch, hit or run. Today, I found something a little different. For some reason I can't decide if it's funny or just stupid? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Rodriguez is a weasel

In the spirit of The Game, the Dead Schembechlers let everyone know what they think of Rich Rodriguez. Hard to argue with them.

Random thoughts from the retired one

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

I wish everyone would stop trying to sell the University of Florida's greatness. They lost a home game to a middle of the pack SEC team. The other one loss teams lost an away game or on a neutral field.

I am going to sound like Lee Corso, please forgive me Joe Brodsky, but here it goes. I think Florida will beat Alabama in the SEC championship game but it is going to be closer than the experts think. I personally think if UF gets into a close, low scoring game, Alabama will win. All the conferences need to play a conference championship game. This would cut out a lot of the play-off talk.

How many people think Michigan has a chance against Ohio State? I do. Slim but a chance.

My nominees for the Heisman Trophy are #1 QB Colt McCoy, Texas; #2 QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma; #3 WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech; #4 QB Graham Harrell, Texas Tech. Of course if Florida makes it to the BCS Championship game then Tim Tebow will win it. He will win it in the closest vote of all time.

A few friends of mine have told me the bowl committees are trying to find schools that have some history with each other. A lot of them are looking at the distance the fans will have to travel. With the economy the way it is the sponsors are trying to make it as easy for the fans as they can.

Who is going to be the All-American QB this year?

The games I want to see this week are: Texas Tech/Oklahoma, Michigan State/Penn State, Ohio State/Michigan, BYU/Utah, Ball State/Central Michigan, Florida State/Maryland and Miami/Georgia Tech.

My picks are Oklahoma in a blowout. Michigan State in a close one. Ohio State in a closer one. Utah in a walk. Central Michigan in a wild but close one. FSU in an easy one. UM in another nailbiter.

Rich Rodriguez: Write me a check. Now get a life, loser.

Of course, for those of us in Ohio or the Glove Up North, this is the week of The Game. For Rich Rodriguez, coach of the team from the Glove Up North, this is the week to let fans know just how stupid they are for having any kind of emotional investment in a team he coaches.

"It's amazing some of the things that people would say (on a message board) or yell at you of a personal nature," Rodriguez said Monday. "You almost want to tell them, 'Get a life.'

"There's a whole lot bigger problems. Look at the economy."

There's something wrong with the economy? Whew. Thank God I have no retirement savings.

Ohio State fans, as they have been all year, are cackling with glee. If RichieRod sounded any more like John Cooper, he'd be muttering something about biting pups in a hot tub ad.

Of course, in a purely anti-karmatic sense, this signals some kind of bizarre, pure-evil Michigan win.

Funkier than you could ever imagine

To continue with the 'Eer's Run DMC theme..

Here's Charlie Weis during Saturday's all-too-close win at Navy, evidently trying discern whether or not the onside kick is legal.




Which of course, made me think of this

Is this really better?

West Virginia University in Huntington (also known as Marshall University) decided to invest $9,000 in a new-look Thundering Herd mascot to replace the old Marco.

What a waste of money.

The 1980s Run DMC pants is not a great fashion statement. It wasn't that great of a decision two decades ago either. All that's missing are the Adidas sneakers.

According to the Huntington Herald Dispatch, this is the first alteration to Marco in 20 years. And it seems I'm not the only one who thinks this is not an upgrade.

In the same article, Marshall fan Jack Bybee said he wasn't quite as sold on the new look. "It's going to take awhile to get used to," he said as he wondered aloud about Marco's "pants."

Apparently there is a second look that has yet to be unveiled. God, it can't be worse. Or can it? It is Marshall, I'd bet it is worse.

Interesting developments

With my daughter trying to talk to me through her BabyCall monitor, I'm downstairs looking for anything interesting in college football land. Lo and behold, I found some things. Hope you enjoy.

* I have never been a big South Florida believer, and I think Jim Leavitt is overrated as a coach. However, I'm shocked to learn that there is a website calling for Leavitt to be fired. More attention has been heaped on the Bulls because the past two years they have been impressive enough to crack the Top 10 only to fall apart in the second half of the season. Saturday's embarrassing 49-16 home loss to Rutgers seems to have fired up the fringe USF fans. Leavitt built this program from nothing. Think Syracuse wouldn't take Leavitt? Relax folks.

* It may seem like a gag or some odd trivia questions, but Vanderbilt and Mississippi are both bowl eligible. Auburn and Tennessee, however, are not. What's going on in the SEC? The Commodores are bowl eligible for the first time since 1982 and Ole Miss for the first time since 2003. Auburn's only chance of getting into a bowl is by upsetting top-ranked Alabama. Not likely, so the Tigers will miss a bowl for the first time since 1999. The Volunteers are missing out for the second time in four years.

* I still can't believe it has been more than two years since Miami was in the Top 25. The Hurricanes, following a 16-14 victory over Virginia Tech, cracked The Associated Press poll at No. 23. Miami is very young, but improving with each game. Randy Shannon deserves a ton of credit for recruiting well. Now he must continue to coach them up if they want to remain a factor.

* With all of the coaching changes it seems Utah State's firing of Brent Guy (did you really know he was the coach?) totally went under the radar. Guy went 8-38 and is 2-9 this season. He will coach the final game. However, what's interesting about this job is the Aggies are trying to lure former Louisville and Michigan State coach John L. Smith to Logan, Utah.

* In another coaching change, New Mexico's winningest coach, Rocky Long, stepped down today following 11 seasons. Instead of the normal coach-speak reasons for leaving, Long was very frank. He was quoted on ESPN.com as saying, "I want this program to be on top. I wanted it be on top as a player. I wanted it be on top as an assistant coach. And I wanted it to be on top as the head coach. I don't see it happening with me as the head coach."

Our Top 25 (Nov. 17)

School (LW) Record
1. Alabama (1) 11-0
2. Texas Tech (2) 10-0
3. Florida (3) 9-1
4. Texas (5) 10-1
5. Southern Cal (6) 9-1
6. Oklahoma (4) 9-1
7. Utah (7) 11-0
8. Boise State (8) 10-0
9. Penn State (9) 10-1
10. Ohio State (11) 9-2
11. Ball State (10) 10-0
12. Oklahoma State (13) 9-2
13. Missouri (14) 9-2
14. Georgia (12) 9-2
15. Michigan State (15) 9-2
16. Cincinnati (21) 8-2
17. Brigham Young (17) 10-1
18. Texas Christian (18) 9-2
19. Pittsburgh (20) 7-2
20. Oregon State (25) 7-3
21. LSU (22) 7-3
22. Miami (NR) 7-3
23. Oregon (NR) 8-3
24. Boston College (NR) 7-3
25. Northwestern (NR) 8-3

Others receiving votes: Maryland, Central Michigan, North Carolina, Tulsa

Why, why, why?

No, Mr. President-Elect, you are incorrect. There ARE knowledgeable college football fans who disagree with you. Like the one typing this.


Seriously, you've already got my vote. Go mess with Social Security or something. I'm not expecting anything from that.

Jumping Beanie

This post is more for 'Eye than anyone else (since he doesn't seem to write anything these days). It was a great leaping run by Ohio State's Beanie Wells Saturday. The senior rushed for 143 and a touchdown in a 30-20 win at Illinois. He gained 24 on this play.

And since I'm posting great plays from this weekend, I can't overlook Kansas' Dezmon Briscoe, who made an amazing catch against Texas.

Let the healing begin

Syracuse finally admitted something today--firing Paul Pasqualoni in 2005 was a mistake. How did they do so? By firing Greg Robinson today.

Robinson, who took over a proud and tradition rich Syracuse program, will coach the final two games of 2008. What looked like a promising hire has resulted in shocking numbers. Robinson is 9-36 and 3-24 in the Big East.

Robinson will never be mentioned with Orange coaching greats Ben Schwartzwalder, Frank Maloney, Dick McPherson and Pasqualoni.

UConn's Randy Edsall is the popular name being thrown around as a replacement. But Syracuse isn't as attractive an option as it was four years ago. The 'Cuse have been passed by newer Big East additions Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida, as well as Rutgers and UConn in the east.

The Big East needs Syracuse to be competitive again.

But today is about letting the 'Cuse heal. Tomorrow the fans can set the unrealistic expectations of who should be the next coach.

ACC Report

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

Maryland is at it again. Win one they shouldn't. Win two they should and lose one they shouldn't. Miami is the beneficiary. They could now be in the ACC championship game now that North Carolina has three league losses.

The winner of the Florida State/Maryland game this week will represent the Atlantic Division. As long as it is not Wake Forest. Miami has to take care of business. The 'Canes close the season with back-to-back road games. First they face nemesis Georgia Tech on Thursday and then go to North Carolina State the following Saturday.

A Florida State vs. Miami championship game could be big. The game is in Tampa and when they played each other earlier in Miami it was a shoot out.

The next couple of weeks will provide a lot of minor bowls a choice of bowl starved alumni out of the ACC the chance to spend their money on a nice trip to warm weather before basketball kicks in. I think two of the ACC bowl recipients will pull major upsets in their bowl games.

There are two potentially great games this week. FSU vs. Maryland and the Miami vs. Tech. I think one of them will be a blow out. I am not saying which one. All other teams are watching these two games.

Observations from Saturday's Games (Nov. 15)

Don't tell me the Big 12 is better than the SEC. Watch Florida for a quarter, or Alabama play defense and it's clear where the best talent is in 2008. Saturday's lame schedule proved to be a pretty good day. Here are some observations from Saturday's action:

1. Heckuva a team. The Florida Gators have amazing talent. I'm still trying to figure out how they lost to Ole Miss at home. With the Ol' Ball Coach returning for just the second time at South Carolina, the Gators put a good ol' fashioned butt-whipping on the Gamecocks, 56-6. That's impressive considering, South Carolina had won six of seven and its defense ranked third in the nation. That defense held strong for a little while, but Spurrier's inept offense put them in so many holes it was impossible to compete with the Gators.

2. Wacky ACC. Where do you start? North Carolina State is like the Pittsburgh Pirates in September. The games don't mean much, but you can play a spoiler role. The Wolfpack did just that with a win over Wake Forest. Then there is Maryland. One week after getting manhandled by Virginia Tech, the Terps squeak by ACC favorite North Carolina 17-15. And right now Florida State is losing to Boston College at home.

3. USF Bulls(hit). Would someone tell South Florida that the season is 12 games, not six. After reaching the lofty status as a Top 10 team earlier this season, Jim Leavitt's boys have imploded again. Don't tell me Rutgers is that good. I picked the upset, but the Scarlet Knights pummeled USF 49-16 in Tampa.

4. Reality check for Tommy. Doesn't it look like Auburn's Tommy Tuberville is coaching like a guy who knows he's about to be fired? He got a little whiny on Saturday as his Tigers fell to Georgia 17-13 (which is also sad that UGA is so inept on offense). So who tops Auburn's wish list right now?

5. Rose Bowl rematch? If Oregon State gets two more wins it could happen. If Penn State downs Michigan State next week it could happen also. If those two possibilities happen, the Beavers and Nittany Lions will play in the Rose Bowl -- an unlikely rematch. In the first meeting Penn State rolled 45-14 in State College. This odd rematch remains alive because Oregon State defeated Cal 34-21 Saturday, while PSU rolled past Indiana 34-7.

6. First 8-loss season. Hey Michigan, you're just one week away from your first 9-loss season. Think Ryan Mallett could have helped a little this season?

7. Not your father's A&M. Remember when Texas A&M was a legitimate Top 10 team and when the Aggies played Texas it was usually a good game and A&M could be favored? Mike Sherman's first year in College Station has been a disaster and nothing makes that point any clearer than a 41-21 loss to Baylor.

8. Best backfield? Maybe many of you would choose Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. But Ohio State's Beanie Wells and Terrelle Pryor are as good as any tandem in the country right now. The Buckeye duo combined for more than 250 rushing yards and two scores in a 30-20 victory at Illinois.

9. Bayou trouble. Not watching the game, but it seems every Score Update on Troy at LSU is another score by the Trojans. Last check it was 31-10 in the third quarter.

10. Better than expected. All week and all day everyone kept talking about the weak slate of football games today. Of course, there weren't the great matchups of ranked teams that we'd like to see. Just look at the primetime game of Boston College and Florida State. But it was still a great day of games. Stop complaining and just enjoy each week.

Oh, so close

To watch Charlie Weis hug his son after this game it was easy to tell the pressure he's feeling and the emphasis he put on this game (even if he denies it). Pear Bryant (as Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star so aptly nicknamed Weis this week), drenched by the downpour in Baltimore Saturday looked so relieved after Navy's fourth down pass with seconds remaining fell incomplete.

He should be pleased with a win and becoming bowl eligible, but this is Notre Dame. Beating Navy is an expectation, not a satisfying win. Weis' relief may be the fact that his Fighting Irish were about to fall to the Midshipmen for a second straight year, and they blew a sizable lead in the final two minutes because no one at Notre Dame understands the concept of an onside kick.

Enjoy the highlights.

Cincy-Louisville explanation

I missed the beginning of the Louisville-Cincinnati game Friday night, so I was in the dark about the controversy/argument involving Brian Kelly and Steve Kragthorpe. There's a decent explanation at the Lot D blog.

If you watched the end it appeared that Kelly dissed Kragthorpe following the Bearcats 28-20 victory. But ESPN's Brian Bennett says that's not true.

The real black out

It's a simple philosophy. Hire the best person for the job. Race, gender, religion, etc. None of it matters. It's something I've always tried to do throughout my professional career.

So when The Black Coaches and Administrators released its Minority Hiring Report Card this week I expected it to say major-college football programs need to do a better job of interviewing and hiring minorities. The BCA even stated it would retain an attorney to provide free consultations for job candidates.

The Report also grades the college football programs on their hiring over the past year. One university none too pleased with its grade is West Virginia. Jennifer McIntosh, while speaking with Chuck Finder from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette took offense to the BCA giving WVU a failing grade.

"We do care here at WVU," said McIntosh, director of the Office of Social Justice. "This is very important. This isn't just publicity. This is how we genuinely feel. It's very painful because I work so hard to do what I do. You think I'd still be here if we weren't committed to this stuff? We have [athletic] coaches of diverse backgrounds. We have women in head athletic positions. I take strong objections to an F."

Hey Jen, you hired an old white guy who had a 9-25 record (.265 winning percentage) at 3 a.m. after an emotional Fiesta Bowl victory. No one even really interviewed Bill Stewart. Instead, the WVU administration kept saying that this was an on-the-job interview and they huddled in a hotel room and consummated the deal. The rest of the potential coaches were not too diverse either.

There were about five finalists for the position vacated by Rich Rodriguez, who left for Michigan. The only African-American candidate I can remember is Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who a lot of fans were excited about. But he never received a legitimate shot at the job.

Other finalists who did receive serious consideration were all white. They were Florida assistant Doc Holliday (who is now on the WVU staff), former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, Central Michigan's Butch Jones and Florida State assistant head coach Rick Trickett, an assistant at WVU under Rodriguez. Clearly, all four of these men are more qualified than Stewart.

West Virginia's grade breakdown looks like this: A in search brevity, B in communicating with the BCA and others about minority prospects, C in candidate pool and F's for search committee without minority representation and for affirmative-action observance.

In Finder's article, Dr. C. Keith Harrison, the author and principal investigator in the report who is the director of the Paul Robeson Research Center for Academic and Athletic Prowess, said: "They got an F. They didn't follow the process. It's not real complicated."

Good point. But WVU officials still don't get it.

"Athletics is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities and women," said outgoing AD Ed Pastilong in a statement.

Words don't excuse actions. It's time to face it. Stewart was the wrong hire for many reasons. No matter his skin color.

Picks of the Week

OK. My little experiment last week was a complete and utter failure. I took four huge favorites, and not a single one covered. I also went with Marshall at East Carolina, and despite the Herd's best effort they fell in OT (however, they did cover but I can't count it).

This week I'm going back to a more traditional selection method (flip a coin). If that doesn't work, I'm asking my 3-year-old next week to help. So here are this week's picks.

Connecticut (-9.5) over Syracuse
Syracuse's season has sort been up in smoke. Thank that's a stretch? Did you see where two Orange players opened a hookah bar and the grand opening was Friday night. UConn's players are a little more focused than this. The Huskies win big in the Carrier Dome.
Pick: Connecticut 32, Syracuse 9

UCLA (-7) over Washington
OK, maybe this isn't fair. Picking against another team with a coach who won't be back next year. You'd think the Huskies might get fired up to play against former coach Rick Neuheisel. Only problem, the current UW players have no idea who Slick Rick is. UCLA should execute better and pull out an easy win in Seattle.
Pick: UCLA 21, Washington 3

South Carolina (+22.5) over Florida
Not picking the straight up upset, but the Gamecocks have one of the nation's best defenses. If Steve Spurrier could learn to coach an offense again South Carolina could be a factor in the SEC. Tim Tebow will lead the Gators to a win, but it should be a slugfest in The Swamp.
Pick: Florida 28, South Carolina 10

Nebraska (-6) over Kansas State
If Bo Pelini thinks the defense deserves the Black Shirts again (despite giving up 35 last week) then I'll bite. If the Cornhuskers defense lives up to the Black Shirt tradition they should rolle past K-State in Manhattan.
Pick: Nebraska 32, Kansas State 14

Upset of the Week
Rutgers (+8) over South Florida
This is a match up of teams going in opposite directions. The Bulls know a Big East title is out of reach now, but they've been talking all week about finishing with 10 victories. But the numbers don't lie. USF has lost 3 of its last 4, while the Scarlet Knights have won three straight. Also, Matt Grothe is so overrated. Not only does Rutgers cover, but they upset the Bulls in Tampa.
Pick: Rutgers 18, South Florida 15

Last Week: 0-5
Season: 17-23