Bowl Preview: San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
Utah vs. California
Date: Dec. 23
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN (of course)
Line: Cal -3

About Cal (8-4): This was the Bears' year to challenge for the Pac 10 title. Just like last year and the year before that, and the year before that, etc. Can you be a darkhorse if your're the darkhorse every single year? For some reason people think coach Jeff Tedford is some kind of QB guru. He's actually a running game guru. His QBs, however, stink.

Intangibles:
Chuck Muncie's rec specs: +3
Breeding ground for hippie, pinko Commie liberals: -2
Breeding ground of hippie, pinko Commie liberals who helped polarize this country with this whole "Any means to MY end" BS that runs our political system from both the right and the left. jerks.: -6

About Utah: The Utes didn't really beat any one of note outside of Air Force. Seriously. Air Force is their best win. I guess the positive is they didn't lose to anyone they shouldn't have. Or the positive could be that their schedule was a piece of shit. Either way really...

Intangibles:
Whole state of Utah: +4
Except for giant, dead, stinky lake: -3
Stockton and Malone: +2 (and one!)

Impact Player: Cal running back Jahvid Best won't be playing. Seeing as he was the best running back in the country, that's certainly impactful.

Bowl slogan: "Save .25 percent on your ticket by watching this game online!"

Little known fact: For the past three years, the winner of the Poinsettia Bowl has gone on the next season to be the really whiny non-BCS team that goes undefeated and throws a hissy fit about not being in the national title game. So watch out for Utah in '10.

Watchability (1-5): 2

The pick: Cal 31, Utah 24

Video: Cal's Best lands ugly on head

Just saw this on ESPN and then found it on YouTube. Cal RB Jahvid Best landed ugly on his neck after a crazy leap over an Oregon State defender for a touchdown this evening. According to ESPN, the game was halted form 16 minutes and Best had to be carted off the field. Let's hope that was just a precaution and everything is OK.

UPDATE: AP is reporting that paramedics removed his jersey and were administering oxygen to Best as he left the stadium.

SECOND UPDATE: AP is reporting that Best suffered a concussion, just a week after having a minor concussion, and is at the ER for observations.

Observations from Saturday's games (Sept. 19)

This isn't easy to do right now. I'm trying to watch my Mountaineers at Auburn, so my observations may be random and incoherent.

So let's get to the 'Eer's observations for today.

1. Bad day for Utah. Looks like two BCS Busters are going down today. Oregon failed to beat Boise State, but give the Ducks credit for taking down Utah and the nation's longest winning streak. Florida State and BYU are still playing, but the Seminoles have gone to Provo, Utah, and appear to be doing what Oklahoma couldn't the first week of the season. Can you believe the 'Noles almost lost to Jacksonville State?

2. USC upset. Did anyont really think the Trojans wouldn't find a way to lose a Pac-10 game on the road this season? Pete Carroll may be a great recruiter and coach, but he's too flaky. The Pac-10 isn't good enough to do this year in and year out.

3. Hot seat. Virginia's Al Groh jumped ahead of Colorado's Dan Hawkins as the most likely to get fired before the end of the season. The Cavaliers 37-34 loss to Southern Miss may have sealed his fate. Not too far behind is Maryland's Ralph Friedgen, whose Terrapins lost to Middle Tennessee State, 32-31, at home.

4. Holy Pitt. Let's not crown the Panthers the Big East champ just yet, but Pitt has avoided the normal early season slip up that we've come to know under Dave Wannstedt. Beating Navy 27-14 is bigger than it may appear. The Midshipmen are always a tough foe, and even Bill Stull is playing OK.

5. No moral victories. How did Tennessee hang with Florida today? Easy. Monte Kiffin's defense. He outcoached Urban Meyer (just don't tell UF fans because they'll want to argue with you for an hour). If the Vols had any offense, they'd be creating the ol' man with the win.

6. Statement game. Maybe I'm alone in thinking this, but Iowa's 27-17 victory over Arizona was important for the Big Ten. The Wildcats may be a middle of the pack, lower-tier bowl team from the Pac-10, but Iowa hasn't been that impressive this year. Should be an interesting game next week when the Hawks travel to Penn State.

7. Weakens the cause. As much as Iowa's win helps the Big Ten, Purdue's loss to Northern Illinois gives ammonition to those who trash the conference.

8. Best option. Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy remain the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, but Cal's Jahvid Best should top the list. His five-TD performance in a road win at Minnesota was impressive.

9. Not sure. Butch Davis has a great defense at North Carolina, and the Tar Heels may be 3-0. But can anyone tell me if they are really an ACC contender?

10. Alabama shower. After about an hour delay because of inclement weather, one of ESPN's talking heads said about the Auburn fans who waited in the stands during the downpour: "they just took off their shirts and took a free shower." Timing was good, it was their day to shower.

This is why the SEC is the best

When LSU and Auburn slugged it out last night in a classic SEC slug-fest at Jordan-Hare Stadium, it included a little of everything that makes the conference the best in the country (watch the video for proof). I was pulling for Auburn for no real apparent reason other than Les Miles creeps me out for some reason. I also like Auburn's defense.

But when Jarrett Lee and Brandon LaFell connected on an 18-yard TD pass in the final minute LSU pulled out another exciting win over Auburn, 26-21. What was even more impressive was the exciting momentum swings and the crazy talent on the field Saturday night.

No more Pre-Game meals

I think Cal's Jahvid Best will skip the pre-game meal from now on. Can anyone tell me what he had before the Maryland game?