UConn prepares for Big Ten

UConn is the new Penn State.

According to a story at nesn.com, Connecticut coach Randy Edsall has given the OK to a new-look for 2009 that will simplify the Huskies uniforms in the style of Penn State. The new duds were crafted by the geniuses at Nike, which gave us these unis.

Now I doubt the new uniforms look exactly like the one I posted above, but it may not be too far off base either. However, by simplifying things UConn is either letting the Big Ten know it is prepared to join the conference once it decides to expand, or Edsall is trying to let Penn State officials know he's interested in replacing JoePa once he retires.

Retro football cards

Terry Bradshaw at Louisiana Tech. Jim Brown at Syracuse. Randy Moss at Marshall.

These are just three of the autograph cards that you'll be able to get in the 2009 Magic Set, which is sort of a remake of the 1951 Topps Magic set. It will include current players and former football legends. The basic set consists of 200 cards with 50 additional short-prints.

There are also mini parallels (one per pack) and mini black parallels as well. Also included are buyback cards and several insert sets. What makes this set almost irresistible for collectors or college football fans is all of the history contained in these packs. However, at a suggested $4 a pack (eight cards per pack) it won't be cheap.

Here are some of the players included in this set:

Jackie Robinson, UCLA
John Elway, Stanford
Eric Dickerson, SMU
Tony Dorsett, Pitt
Dan Marino, Pitt
Bo Jackson, Auburn
Ray Lewis, Miami

Happy collecting.

Scheduling malfunction

I guess the Big Ten really does need that 12th member.

Word out of Ann Arbor and Michigan blog MVictors.com is the Wolverines asked conference peer Minnesota to come to the Big House in 2010 to play a non-conference game. The Gophers turned Michigan down despite a potential huge payday.

I love what Minnesota AD Joel Maturi had to say on the matter. "I’m not a real brilliant guy, but I'm not so sure it's in the best interest of Minnesota football to play Southern Cal and Michigan in back-to-back weeks. Non-conference, so-to-speak."

What's going on at Michigan? Since when can't the Wolverines find someone willing to take their money to play at the Big House? It's not like Michigan is that intimidating these days.

This failed attempt to get Minnesota to play a non-league game has the feel of some out-of-the-way high school begging schools to come play them.

I would normally rip on RichRod and Michigan AD Bill Martin for trying to pull this off. But look around and you'll see it's getting tougher for the big programs to get teams to make a road trip for a butt-whipping. Even Mid-American Conference schools are demanding $800,000 to travel.

So don't be surprised when conference teams start playing each other in a non-conference game. Or JoePa's expansion talk would help. How would Rutgers or Pitt look in this spot on the schedule?

Podcast: Episode 31

Time to dissect Phil and Tom's preseason conference rankings (Phil totally trashes Tom's ACC picks). We also take a look at the potential of BCS busters joining BCS conferences and does that make sense, as well as the most over-rated and most under-rated coaches today. We also think the NCAA will uphold its decision to take away victories from Bobby Bowden, and that Our Boy Lane Kiffin may actually be crazy. Enjoy.

Preseason: Big 12 rankings

Last season was a banner year for the Big 12 with Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Missouri taking turns in the top five and OU playing for the national title. Okie State could step up this year, but unfortunately for the Cowboys they remain in the South Division with Texas and OU. In the North, Missouri will take a step back from recent years, but remain ahead of a competitive, if not very good, Division.

Big 12 South

1. Texas
Key returners: QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, LB/DE Sergio Kindle, LB Roddrick Muckelroy, FS Blake Gideon
The Longhorns have plenty of chips on their shoulder from 2008 to play in this upcoming season. Sure, Colt McCoy is back, but almost as important are the four returning OL starters. Texas needs to develop a running game outside of McCoy. The non-conference schedule is a snoozer.
Predicted record: 12-0

2. Oklahoma
Key returners: QB Sam Bradford, LT Trent Williams, TE Jermaine Gresham, DT Gerald McCoy, RB DeMarco Murray
I don’t have a good reason to think the Sooners will lose twice other than all the losses on the offensive line. As accurate as Sam Bradford is, in the rare time he was pressured last season, he struggled. You just have to wonder if the mental shock of the national title game loss and the accident that paralyzed WR Chris Wilson will take a toll.
Predicted record: 10-2

3. Oklahoma State
Key returners: QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, RB Kendall Hunter, OT Russell Okung, LB Andrew Sexton
The Cowboys are a hot pick to surprise in the Big 12 this year. If they were in the North, it could be interesting – but they’re not. OSU will score a lot of points, but they just don’t match up with the depth of OU and Texas. They do get the Longhorns in Stillwater and that could be a huge game.
Predicted record: 9-3

4. Texas Tech
Key returners: LB Marion Williams, CB Jamar Wall, NT Colby Whitlock, OT Marlong Winn
The Red Raiders will return to form this season after suffering lots of losses on offense. Taylor Potts is the next huge-numbers-ignored-by-the-NFL QB. Lots of players are back on defense, but this is is Texas Tech – who cares about defense?
Predicted record: 8-4

5. Baylor
Key returners: LB Joe Pawelek, QB Robert Griffin, CB Trentston Hill, LB Earl Patin
Baylor is poised to move up after last year’s 4-8 season, even with some substantial losses on the offensive line. Griffin is a tremendous athlete at quarterback and coach Art Briles’ offense will keep up with the rest of the league. It’s on defense where the Bears must improve to reach a bowl game.
Predicted record: 6-6

6. Texas A&M
Key returners: QB Jerrod Johnson, OG Lee Grimes, S Jordan Pugh
The Aggies face a number of problems, but the biggest is this – poor play along both lines. There’s lots of experience on the offensive line, but it has yet to be determined if that’s good or bad news.
Predicted record: 4-8

Big 12 North

1. Missouri
Key returners: RB Derrick Washington, WR Jared Perry, OG Kurtis Gregory, LB Sean Weatherspoon, NT Jaron Baston
Lots of new faces for the Tigers as the Chase Daniel crew moves on. There’s talent, though, as Mizzou has upped its recruiting in recent years. It’s just young talent. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert will likely take over at QB and he’s got a terrific arm. But the Tigers offense is about decision making. Defensively, the Tigers have to be better than last year to match that record.
Predicted record: 9-3

2. Kansas
Key returners: QB Todd Reesing, WR Kerry Meier, WR Dezmon Briscoe Jr., SS Darrell Stuckey, DT Caleb Blakesley
Nobody gets more from less than KU coach Mark Mangino and the Jayhawks will definitely be in the running for the Big 12 North title this year. Reesing is short and slow and is as gutsy a quarterback as you’ll see. Meier is slow, but does nothing but make huge catches. KU will once again score points. Stopping people will be the key.
Predicted record: 8-4

3. Nebraska
Key returners: C Jacob Hickman, K Alex Henery, NT Ndumakong Suh, SS Larry Asante
The Huskers lost a tremendous amount of skill players from last year’s team, but in my mind, the further they get from Bill Callahan’s teams, the better. This is the Big 12, so everybody scores. With seven starters back on defense, maybe the ‘Huskers could win the division.
Predicted record: 8-4


4. Colorado
Key returners: QB Cody Hawkins, WR Scotty McKnight, WR Josh Smith, RB Darrell Scott
The Buffs have 10 players returning on offense, which should be good news since they struggled to score last year. Forming a decent running game will be Colorado’s best chance to improve. On defense, only five starters are back. That’s not good news in the Big 12.
Predicted record: 7-5

5. Iowa State
Key returners: QB Austen Arnaud, RB Andrew Robinson, S James Smith, DE Christopher Lyle
As rocky as Gene Chizik’s tenure may have seemed at Iowa State, he did upgrade recruiting. The Cyclones have some talent and Arnaud is a underrated quarterback. New coach Paul Rhoads might have more success than people will realize.
Predicted record: 4-8

6. Kansas State
Key returners: OT Nick Stringer, OG Brock Unruh, DT Daniel Calvin, DB Josh Moore
Bill Snyder returns to take over the Wildcats program that has lots of returning starters but a porous defense and an overall lack of talent. Ron Prince’s JUCO-only recruiting system never really seemed to pan out. It will take time for Snyder to put things back together, which is something administrators and boosters probably weren’t counting on.
Predicted record: 4-8

Sporting News takes a crack at best players

When you are trying to write about college football in June you find reporters and bloggers coming up with a lot of lists.

Best/worst coaches

Best/worst stadiums

Best/worst concessions

The Sporting News recently posted its Top 25 players for the 2009 season. No major surprises, but interesting to note that there is just one Buckeye (Terrelle Pryor) and no Mountaineers (what, no Noel Devine?).

There is only one other Big Ten player on the list (No. 25 Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois), and just one Big East player (No. 6 George Selvie, DE, South Florida).

Topping the list is University of Florida Superman Tim Tebow, the first of three Gators and eight SEC players to crack the Top 25. The Big 12 has seven representatives, led by Oklahoma QB and last year's Heisman winner Sam Bradford. The Pac-10 has four players, followed by one each from the ACC, Mountain West and Notre Dame.

Begging and pleading at the Big House

As a youngster in the late 1970s and early 1980s there were a few teams that personified college football. Programs like Alabama, Penn State, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, Notre Dame and Michigan.

You could argue most of these are still among the elite today. However, Michigan is officially off that list now. It started with the hiring of RichRod, but now there is this year's Michigan-Big House Pledge T-shirt (click on image to see a larger version).

Big-time programs don't need fans to sign an honor code or declare they will attend home games in good times or bad, for richer or poorer. Following a 3-9 debacle in RichRod's first year and my oh my how things have changed in Ann Arbor.

Here is what the shirt says:

THE BIG HOUSE PLEDGE
I pledge to make my way to the Big House every football Saturday
to cheer on my Maize and Blue as they take the
field in the name of Michigan. I will join the
chorus of Wolverine faithful as they hail the Victors.
I promise to give everything I have to the Maize and Blue and I
will dig deep for something extra when the team needs me most
I will bring it all four quarters and I won't stop until the clock
reads all zeroes. I will do all of this because I am
ALL IN FOR MICHIGAN

Since when do the fans need a pep talk? When you know you're going to suck again. Any Michigan fan wearing this shirt should be booted from the Big House. I'm actually embarrassed for Michigan right now.

Maybe I'll get a few for my Ohio State friends so they can replace these shirts.