Beanie!, Beanee!, Beaney!

Beanie Wells won't play for Ohio State's game against Ohio University Saturday.

Of course, this shouldn't mean much against OU, even with Frank Solich. The real question remains about the next game against a little-known squad from Los Angeles. Wells' injury remains a bit mysterious with a number of possibilities floating around the internet.

If Wells doesn't play, I think OSU runs plenty of empty backfield and dinks the ball down the field against USC. While the RBs behind Wells have some talent, none have the package that Wells has and the ability to run from the I.

Big East roundup

Here’s a quick look at the latest news involving Big East teams according to each university’s student newspaper.

Pitt fans none too pleased: I have defended Dave Wannstedt in the past. Thought he was pushed out of Chicago and that given more time he could have been successful in Miami. Maybe I was wrong. He allegedly gets great recruits every year and then loses too many games. Adam Littman of The Pitt News says Panther fans are running out of patience also.

When your team sucks … You talk about former great players who have returned to the sidelines. Hello Syracuse’s Dan Conley.

USF plays final game against UCF: Joe Rienzi, Sports Editor at The Oracle, says South Florida’s players are going to miss beating up on Central Florida. The two schools, despite their campuses being within 100 miles of each other, are not scheduled to play again in the foreseeable future. The 17^th-ranked Bulls and Golden Knights play at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Empty seats: Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium could be empty on Saturday when Louisville takes on Tennessee Tech. According to The Louisville Cardinal, students aren’t too excited about this week’s game. Especially after the embarrassing loss to Kentucky. Click here for Ashlea Hellman’s story.

No underestimating the Pirates: West Virginia’s folksy football coach Bill Stewart said his Mounties won’t be caught off guard by Lou Holtz’ boy and his East Carolina squad, according to Brian Gawthrop, Associate Sports Editor of the Daily Anthenaeum in Morgantown. To read more click here.

Rutgers 'O' fails to live up to lofty expectations: Mike Vorkunov, Associate Sports Editor at the Daily Targum, expresses a touch of frustration after watching the Scarlett Knights manage just seven points against Fresno State. To read more click here.

No hometown love in Connecticut: Let’s see if I have this right. There are Blue Chip football recruits in Connecticut and they prefer playing for Urban Meyer at Florida instead of Randy Edsall at UConn. Hey, UConn … have you ever seen all the hot chicks in Gainesville? Someone needs to tell Kevin Duffy of The Daily Campus. Read more

Mauk’s hopes postponed: I feel bad for Ben Mauk and his desire to play football one more year at Cincinnati. But few folks get the better of the archaic NCAA. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer his hearing has been postponed.

South Carolina at Vandy - Live!

FINAL- Vandy 24-17. Wow. How bad is NC State? No way Carolina was a ranked team. (Please do not look at our poll below.)

7:39 Fourth quarter: And of course, it takes less than two minutes for Carolina to score. 24-17 Vandy. Great scramble from Smelley earlier in the drive.

9:28 Fourth quarter 24-10 Vandy. Holy Crap! Vandy scored 24 points??? unreal if you watched the first half. South Carolina got frustrated and let it get to their heads. Hard to see USC scoring twice in 9 minutes, but ya never know...

10:29 Fourth quarter: Jesse Palmer has been borderline incoherent through this entire game, but he did make a salient point about Carolina seeming to lose its poise. And somehow that was not a facemask/horse collar??? What??? And the refs make up for it with a slightly questionable pass interference. not looking good for the Cocks right now.

3:53 3rd quarter: And Vandy takes the lead after a series of playcalling that finally put USC back on its heels. USC looks a little worn down on defense.

6:5- Third quarter: South Carolina responds with a nice drive, but it ends with a questions draw call on third and 8 that nets nothing and new Vandy blocks the field goal attempt. If Vandy can block anyone up front, the Dores have a chance.

10:00 third quarter: Vandy takes advantage with an ugly, but still 6-points TD. Now this is a game.

10:21 3rd quarter: Muffed punt recovery is a big break for Vandy which has continued to be unable to block Carolina up front. Carolina continues to just give Vandy chances to stay in the game.

Halftime: 10-3 South Carolina leads after a late field goal. nice play by the SC quarterback Smelley at the end of the half to feel the pressure and stay in field goal range. in this game, that might be a huge play.

Can someone tell me why Jesse Palmer is continually whooping in the background?

10:26 2nd: Ok. This game is going nowhere. Vandy cannot handle Carolina up front and as quick as the Vandy QB is, he basically has no chance to do anything. I'm calling a 13-0 final.

2:33 1st quarter: big pick for Vandy. Getting down two TDs would be bad news for the Dores. Sweet crackback block too!

6:00 nice catch on the fade route by SC. 7-0 Gamecocks.
I'm debating whether live blogging can survive four quarters of Craig James.

7:04 1st quarter: Sorry for the slow start, was eating a very messy dinner which hampers the blogging. Should be an exciting matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Under Armour University!

Fun with the 5-0

UPDATE: Looks like three players will be suspended for Saturday's Oregon State game including PSU's best pass rusher, Maurice Evans. That makes this a curious matchup.

It's probably nothing, but hey, who doesn't like to see more Penn State players in trouble with Johnny Law?

As an Ohio State fan who's been through the arrest-public relations-your team is full of thugs rumor mill, it's always nice to see it happen to someone else. Anyone else.
And, in a bit of schadenfreude, it's especially nice to see it happen to Penn State, which has fans who are slightly self-righteous. Much in the way the Pope is Catholic.

Too bad they just missed the Fulmer Cup cutoff or perhaps the Nittany Lions could have moved up the list.

ESPN has jumped the shark

Dear ESPN executives:

We are passionate viewers of college football. We love College Game Day. The insight and humor of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and, sometimes, Lee Corso, are worth tuning into each Saturday.

But you have reached our tipping point. The creation of Dr. Lou (that lisping old coot) should cost someone their job (including Holtz). Please stop this joke.

If you need proof? Watch ...


Your friends at An 'Eye and an 'Eer.

Podcast: Episode 2 (now available)

Anyone interested in listening to Phil and Tom pontificate on their weekly podcast should go to:

http://eyeandeer.podOmatic.com

Phil and Tom are at it again. Who had the worst coaching debut of 2008? Can Miami really go up to the Swamp and challenge the Golden Boy Tim Tebow? How long until Nick Saban has a statue of him in Tuscaloosa? God we love college football.

OUR Top 25

Who says the media or coaches (we all know it's the SIDs who vote) know any more about ranking the best teams in college football than us. Phil and Tom watched way too many games this past week (but I love watching the games in HD). Starting with South Carolina-NC State and finishing late into the OT evening with UCLA-Tennessee, we now give you our first rankings of 2008.

An 'Eye and an 'Eer rankings

1. USC (2)
2. Ohio State
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Alabama
10. Wisconsin
11. Auburn
12. Texas
13. BYU
14. Oregon
15. South Florida
16. Wake Forest
17. Arizona State
18. Texas Tech
19. Penn State
20. Kansas
21. California
22. Utah
23. Fresno State
24. South Carolina
25. East Carolina

Others receiving votes: UCLA, Florida State, Kentucky

(We hope to get a few of our podcasting and blogging friends to join us in the future to bolster our rankings)