Bowl Preview: Allstate Sugar Bowl

Allstate Sugar Bowl
SuperDome, New Orleans
Cincinnati vs. Florida
Date: Jan. 1
Time: 8:30 p.m.
TV: FOX
Line: Florida -13

About Cincinnati (12-0): The Bearcats escaped close games all year by outscoring everyone. Brian Kelly thanked them and promptly took the Notre Dame job. So, Tony Pike can throw the ball and Mardy Gilyard can catch it. Defense? nah. Running game? Occasionally.


Intangibles:
Oscar Robertson: +3
Art Long punching a horse (never gets old): -3
Cincinnati Reds: -4
Skyline Chili: +3

About Florida (12-1): Is there really anything I can say about Florida that everyone doesn't freaking know? Urban Meyer is on a pseudo early retirement play/leave of absence. Tebow, Brandon Spikes, Gonzalez. blah, blah, blah.

Intangibles:
Mohammed: +1
Buddha: +2
Jesus: +3
Tebow: +5

Impact player: Cincinnati QB Tony Pike, or more likely, his offensive line. UC can get guys open on the Gators, but Pike needs to be standing upright.

Bowl slogan: "Have a hurricane, Cincy fans. Have two, have three. It will ease the pain."

Little known fact: Call this one the "coaching clusterf*ck". Urban Meyer is on a leave of absence. Brian Kelly took the Notre Dame job. Jeff Quinn is coaching Cincy, but is actually the Buffalo coach. And Butch Jones, the new Cincy coach, is just watching. uh. okay.

Watchability (1-5): 4

The pick: Florida 41, Cincinnati 24

Podcast: Episode 46

Phil and Tom can't remember the last time we reached this late in the college football season without a clear-cut No. 1 team. Florida, Alabama and Texas can all make an argument for the position, but can you really count out Iowa, Cincinnati and TCU? We don't think so.

Speaking of the BCS, why are the analysts blathering on about who is where in October? It doesn't matter right now. Let the games be played and we'll see where everyone falls. Your podcast co-hosts also analyze the decisions by two high-profile quarterbacks this week (Sam Bradford and Tony Pike), as well as consider the possibility that Oregon could play in the BCS title game ahead of a 13-0 Boise State. Crazy!

Podcast: Episode 45

It seems like almost every college football fan agrees that Florida, Alabama and Texas are the top three teams in the nation (pick the order). So does it seem odd that all three seem to have glaring weaknesses and there is no dominant team in any conference. So let the season play out and see what happens.

Phil and Tom also dissect the problems with Ohio State following the Buckeyes surprise loss to Purdue, as well as take on the BCS system. During Quick Hitters we discuss Charlie Weis and moral victories, Tony Pike and the Bearcats' future, as well as our thoughts on the Heisman race.

Enjoy.

'Eer's Mid-season All-American Team

I'm the first to admit this means nothing, but it's fun to do. Most of these selections are based on what I've seen this fall, but some picks were made on team success combined with overall stats. I refuse to try to pick offensive linemen. Sorry, just can't do it.

Let me know what you think.

First Team
QB: Tony Pike, Cincinnati
RB: Toby Gerhart, Stanford
RB: Noel Devine, WVU
FB: Stanley Havili, USC
TE: Anthony McCoy, USC
WR: Jordan Shipley, Texas
WR: Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati

DE: Jerry Hughes, TCU
DT: Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
OLB: Eric Norwood, South Carolina
MLB: Brandon Spikes, Florida
DB: Kurt Coleman, Ohio State
SS: Eric Berry, Tennessee
FS: Taylor Mays, USC

Second Team
QB: Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
RB: Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
RB: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
FB: Vince Murray, Navy
TE: Dennis Pitta, BYU
WR: Golden Tate, Notre Dame
WR: Eric Decker, Minnesota

DE: O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin
DT: Cameron Hayward, Ohio State
OLB: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech
MLB: Rolando McClain, Alabama
DB: Javier Arenas, Alabama
SS: Ahmad Black, Florida
FS: Chad Jones, LSU

Rutgers to win Big East ... huh?

Every year the 'Eye claims Virginia Tech is the most overrated team in the preseason rankings. Most of the time he's right.

So when he spends his entire summer driving his friends nuts by espousing too often on a media darling who he feels is not as good as the hype ... people should listen. This summer it was Rutgers. He questioned and picked apart "the experts" who kept telling us Rutgers would win the Big East. The Scarlet Knights proved him right as Cincinnati looked every bit the defending champ and favorite to win it again this year.

Besides, any WVU fan will tell you there is no way Rutgers will win the Big East.

The Bearcats were dominant and have become the team to beat in the Big East (which should have been the case all preseason). Why? That's simple Tony Pike. The senior signal caller hit on 27-of-34 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters.

Greg Schiano has done an amazing job with RU, but outside of a program-making victory over an undefeated Louisville in 2006, his teams have been mediocre. The only positive in Monday's loss was the debut of freshman QB Tom Savage. He added some stability to the Knights offense and he'll probably be the starter for a long time now.