Heisman 2013

Not sure that I have ever been this opinionated on the Heisman voting. It's a great group of some of the most memorable players to ever step on the field. But the last few years have placed a small tarnish on that trophy. Maybe it was always there and the uber-connected world we now live in is just exposing it. This is the first time that I can recall disagreeing with the outcome.

For me it goes back to Reggie Bush a few years ago and him being asked to relinquish the trophy. Like a true sportsman he did just that. Maybe he was guilty, maybe not, but he did the right thing. And now, three of the last four years have all but required voters to investigate legal allegations or prior arrest records against some of the candidates before voting. This year Winston's name was not even listed on 115 of the ballots. What is that saying? (Well...besides the fact that he still won by a landslide).

Sorry UF fans...as a Georgia
fan I couldn't resist posting this.

There is no doubt that the winners have been very talented players that are exciting to watch and deserve recognition for such. But should it go to a freshman with a questionable background or the senior who has been "steady Eddie" for four years? Is the Heisman earned in just one year or is it cumulative efforts and great play? If the freshman is that good will he not prove his Heisman worth in the coming years? Are we voting in talent or integrity or both? Should voters consider how their club will be represented in the future or just right now? Just sayin...

PS: Reference the END-ZONE section of my Wk#13 post.

Wk #15: Done

There was plenty of excitement on the last weekend that included mostly conference championships. There were BCS implications galore before it all started and they changed during the course of the day. Enjoyed every minute...

Well deserved celebration...

The Big 12 has not had a lot of good publicity this season (ie: OSU pay-for-play) but they have been grinding out wins as usual whether pollsters paid attention or not. With Oklahoma taking down OSU suddenly the Baylor-Texas game became the BIG 12 championship game. Had Texas won, Mack might be back. Having lost...maybe not.

Two Cinderella teams played for all the SEC marbles and the possibility of a BCS title game slot. Two teams that were 2 - 14 in conference play a year ago met up in Atlanta with a conference record of 14 - 2. But, alas, the glass slipper can only fit one and Auburn was chosen. I wasn't sure if they both had terrible defenses or really good offenses but their bowl opponents better be prepared for both.

Florida State did as expected although Duke made it interesting the first half. They will have their hands full with the Tiger "Team of Destiny" - especially since FSU was not really challenged this season. Going up against the SEC champs who overcame multiple challenges and pulled off a few miracles will be quite the task. But they have a lot of "tired-of-the-SEC" folks pulling for them.

Meyer welcomed back to reality. 

Ohio State was either having a really off day or they were exposed for the mediocre team they really are. Two seasons of cupcakes can make a team over-confident and eventually embarrassed. But this why we play the game and why we need a play-off system. OSU showed signs of life with a well played 24-point run in the middle of the game (that put Auburn fans on edge) but in the end they were out-coached and ill-prepared for the MSU play-calling and defense. (I was impressed to see that Meyer did not play Marcus Hall much after his 1-finger salute to fans last week).

Click HERE for the 2013-14 bowl match-ups and schedule.

E N D - Z O N E
Was not expecting the Sarkisian nor the Petersen move. I thought they were both very happy where they were and with what they were building. But I suppose we all have our price...

Click HERE for the latest in the coaching carousel.

Wk #14: Whew!

What a week to be thankful for all the ups adn downs in college football. This week was a doozy as we so often see in November. And lest we forget, there is still one more Saturday with the potential to turn it all upside down again...

Fresno State lost in a high-scoring shootout leaving N. Illinois the lone non-AQ team that qualifies for a BCS bowl. Both BYU and Georgia took an entire half to get warmed up before pulling out wins (Georgia was breaking in a new QB...not sure what was going on with BYU since I didn't get that channel). USC lost a close one after winning six straight under a new coaching style (let's hear it for good coaches).

Yea...no one else can believe it either.

Given the chance I imagine Bama and Michigan coaches would take back their final play calls in their games. Both lost by going for the win. Mistake? Not in my book. They were just doing what they are paid and expected to do - win the big one. To do that requires risk taking...risks they had taken before and capitalized on. Just not this time.


Bama and Auburn are both great teams. Both with great talent and coaching. But Bama was just out-coached this time. Auburn was ready and threw in just enough surprises at just the right time to catch a very talented Bama team off-guard. There are those that will say Auburn is on top based on two miracle, last-second, unbelievable, quirky plays. And there are those that will say "better to be lucky than good". Either way - that's college football and that's just fun to watch. (Hey...did Saban walk off the field without congratulating Malzahn? That would be very un-Saban like.)

Go ahead and storm the field. The 2nd
answered "prayer in Jordan-Hare"
in as many games merits it.

Now we are all set for one more weekend to either solidify or jumble up the bowl picture. Today we are looking at an FSU-OSU match-up in the title game (the first time in seven years the SEC is not playing for the title). Both deserving? That will be debated for years. Both had somewhat cupcake schedules but going un-defeated and winning a conference championship (assuming) is deserving regardless of which conference you come from. More deserving than a 1-loss SEC? That too will be debated for years.

E N D - Z O NE 
Before each Saturday my wife often asks "How many games are you planning to watch on Saturday?". Much to her dismay my answer this past week was "Three". But she was thrilled when I told her that they all started at the same time. Yes - she is glad to see the season winding down. That makes one of us...

Wk 13: Surprise!

Well not really...nothing much in college football surprises me anymore. A few eye-brow raising moments this past Saturday that forced some serious poll movement. Four of the Top 15 lost...two to un-ranked teams. A bit atypical for this time of the season but it happens to the best of 'em.

Even a late 4th Quarter prayer
wasn't enough to lift the Gators.

Baylor, Oregon, Florida...what happened? Those were real head-scratchers. And IMHO Muschamp should stay at Florida. Ignore the fans and go with your gut; you hired the guy for a reason and that reason is still there. Often after a team or a coach hits rock bottom is when they finally discover what is really wrong and can focus on fixing it. Give him another year.

I have just two words for BYU: halftime adjustments. Just not enough plays in their book. They looked very talented and they are, but they are also too predictable. (Note - that is not the first time I have had only those two words for BYU coaches...but I do hope it's the last).

Georgia....ouch, I really hated seeing the injury to Murray. The injury curse hit Georgia hard this season but Murray was able to shun it until his final home game. The OC tried to pull him after he tweaked his knee on a long run but Murray insisted on returning to the game. That was probably one of those times he should have taken the OCs advice instead of calling his own audible. Not how he wanted to end his career, I'm sure.

A sad, sad scene for Dawg fans.

Next week...Auburn vs Bama and TA&M vs Mizzou to decide the SEC title match-up. Then there is UCLA vs USC and Clemson vs South Carolina. Also - we'll see Northern Illinois (vs W. Michigan) and Fresno State (vs SJ State) try to keep their BCS bowl bids alive. Need I say more?

E N D - Z O N E
The complete team. Something every coach seeks. A team that is robust on both sides of the ball and on special teams. And it is often the complete teams that have some of the best talent in the game. And also the team that is at the top of the pile. And quite often it is not that team that takes home the most coveted of all college football awards - The Heisman.

Take AJ McCarron and Aaron Murray. McCarron is on the verge of taking Bama to its 3rd BCS title, yet he is a long-shot to take the Heisman and may not even be invited. He holds the best record (36 - 2)  for any QB. This year Murray became the SEC QB record holder for total passing yards, total TD passes and total all-purpose yards. On Saturday, his 52nd consecutive start, before the injury he passed the 3,000 yard mark for 2012 making him only the third QB to do that in all four years. The other two? Timmy Chang of Hawai'i and Kellen Moore of Boise State, the latter of which was invited to New York. But Murray did that in the SEC.

The difference is the team; the supporting cast around these guys. The Heisman is awarded to the most exciting player. Usually that is a player who is playing above and beyond what other players do because (1) they have the talent, and (2) they have to in order to win games. Murray and McCarron have such great supporting casts on both sides of the ball that individual heroics are simply not required. The stats show they are more talented than most QBs, but their teammates are, too. So they win as a team...they lose as a team...and the most coveted college football award eludes them...and that's OK because they understand why and they would have it no other way.

ps: I called these two guys out because I am familiar with their careers. There are plenty of others in the same situation.

pss: Interesting to note that some of the most talented QBs in SEC history are playing this year and their last names all start with "M": McCarron, Murray, Manziel, Mettenberger, Marshall. Though injured there was also Tyler Murphy (Florida) and Maty Mauk (limited playing time at Mizzou). Even Aaron Murray's back-up is named Mason. Isn't that just a bit weird?

Wk 12: Now what?

Now what are going to end up with? I was still hoping for a miracle Bama - Stanford showdown (not gonna happen now). Are we back to a possible Bama - FSU showdown? Oregon? Baylor? Ohio State? Maybe the Buckeyes really are good...but I don't think we'll know until the BIG-10 Championship game.

BYU won 59 - 13 over an FCS opponent in the rain and cold. Given a more worthy opponent than a 3 - 7 FCS team I would have normally attended the game but I chose instead to stay warm and watch the Georgia - Auburn game. And I chose wisely (that was for you Foote). The Cougars have one more shot at making national noise next week in South Bend. Let's hope they're ready this year.

If you like controversial calls (click HERE), comebacks, and freakish luck then the Georgia - Auburn match-up was for you. Georgia was down 37 - 17 going into the 4th but stepped it up and scored three TDs in under eight minutes to go ahead 38 - 37. With just over a minute left the Georgia D got Auburn to 4th-and-18. But the Hail Mary must have had a few prayers behind it...and those prayers were answered (watch it HERE). Great game...just not what I was hoping for. (Side note: Georgia is 1 - 3 versus "Tigers" this season).

And click HERE for a great game summary from SI, with all the season-of-emotions of both teams as well as post-game comments from players and coaches.

Keep your eyes on the ball
and good things will happen.

So can Auburn pull off the win against Alabama in two weeks? Sure - well, maybe. Bama is not invincible and I was very impressed with Auburn's offensive attack and their first half-defensive effort was great. But I've also watched Bama play. Auburn may pull it off but the Dawgs exposed the chinks in the Auburn defense (ie: 435 passing yards, mostly from short slant routes). McCarron and company should have no problem if they use that recipe.

E N D - Z O N E
Plenty 'o folks are hoping for anyone besides Bama to step up and take the title. There are even those at the Wall Street Journal tired of Bama and pulling for Auburn (see article HERE).

You gotta love any win that
merits storming the field.

And then there is Ohio State...doing only what they can do, win, but wins against a patsy schedule simply does not sit well with fans of the game or the voters. They continue to add "style" points but to no avail. So they may be left out of any title game talks along with Fresno State and Northern Illinois. They become just another undefeated team with wins that don't matter as much as a close loss to a mediocre SEC team. And who knows? Maybe they really are good. But without wins against known good teams we simply won't know. Tough luck...but that's the system we have.

And really? Duke over Miami and on to the ACC Championship? I thought they only played basketball.

Wk 11: The Real BCS Buster

No one expected it last year...but it happened again. Stanford over Oregon and Baylor over Oklahoma. And go ahead and admit it...you were thinking that LSU would pull off the big one against Bama.

Call Utah the original BCS Buster. Call Boise State and TCU one, too. But the real BCS Busters are those that screw up the grande finale that everyone wants: Bama and Oregon. As for me...I love it when that happens. And after seeing Stanford put the hurt on the Ducks I would much rather see Bama and Stanford. (Of course, Utah busted that possibility up a few weeks ago).

Speaking of Utah...as bad as they have been playing it looked like they were going to knock off another ranked PAC team...until 2.5 minutes left. Utah is struggling in the PAC-12. And BYU...as much as I like their recent success and new-found umpph, Saturday was simply a reminder that they are not yet ready to play with the big boys. They had their chance to make some national noise but they still have some work to do. They'll do fine the rest of the year and I think even pull off the win at ND and make a good showing against a mediocre PAC-12 team...and it will all be good practice for next year.

E N D - Z O N E
It's the biggest mystery of college football...pull off a big win and lose to a nobody (or vice-cersa). C'mon, we've all seen it and asked yourself...

• How does Stanford pound Oregon and hold them scoreless for three quarters only a few weeks after inexplicably losing to Utah?
• How did BYU lose to Virginia (now 2 - 8) and beat down Texas the following week?
• How does LSU hang with Bama after losing to Mississippi?
• How did Clemson not even show up to the FSU game?
• Why is Ohio State even talked about for the title game? (OK...I just threw that one in there. I'll save that for next week).

We've all wondered how in the heck that happens. My conclusion: there is no one answer. It is as different as the match-ups. sometimes it is just better coaching, sometimes it is the game plan, sometimes it is the rival or revenge or just the classic answer of "who wanted it more". But it is a wonderfully inexplicable part of the game that keeps it interesting year after year.

Wk10: November...

This is the month when championships are decided, when some of the best rival games are played and when the bowl picture begins to focus. It's when the teams that have played a soft schedule now have to man up. It's when the best get better and the pretenders are exposed.

The annual World's Largest Cocktail Party, aka: the Georgia-Florida game, the flag-fest or fist-fest, did not disappoint. It was a game of halves: The st half showcased the Georgia offense we knew in the early season balanced by a stingy defense that only gave up 3 points. But the tables turned in the 2nd half as Georgia went scoreless and barely hung on for the W. My oh my...rarely a dull moment even though it looked like a possible shut-out by the end of the 1st quarter. Never give up on the cocktail party...or any other college game for that matter.

Florida sure knew how to get the Georgia players riled up. I do not recall any game I've ever seen with so multiple (three?) cancelled calls all from "un-sportsmanlike conduct". Todd Gurley was one of the worst offenders as he was swinging almost every time he got up from the bottom of a pile. They must have known how to get under his skin.

I'm not real big on historical win-loss stats...except when it comes to this match-up. It really can't be denied (see chart below). The tables turn every 20 years. So chin-up Dawg fans as history says the next 15 years will most likely go your way in this series.

BYU...was idle this week. Hopefully they were paying close attention to the Wisconsin win and hopefully planning on arriving in Wisconsin at least 48 hours prior to kick-off.

E N D - Z O N E
Next week is HUGE in college football. We have Oregon-Stanford AND Baylor-Oklahoma both on Thursday night, then 'Bama-LSU on Saturday. If any of the undefeateds are gonna fall it will likely happen next week.

Florida State finally has me convinced. They didn't last year like many were expecting...they were obviously a year too early. But they look precise and fast on offense and stingy on defense and like they are on a mission. But unless someone up top loses they will have to "settle".

And then there is Ohio State. Also...waiting and hoping for a few upsets so they can play a real team. Or maybe they're just fine...sitting high in the polls from their high-scoring shut-outs of 1-7 teams. Maybe they are really good, maybe not. The world may never know...

Wk 09: Moving right along...

A lot of givens and a few surprises this past week as the season rolls on. The top teams seemed to walk through their opponents this week with ease but we did see #16 fall to an un-ranked and a few close calls and last minute heart-breakers for un-defeated teams.

BYU is finally showing some consistency on both sides of the ball. Their win on Friday against Boise State looked balanced and they should be able to carry that the remainder of the season. They'll take their newfound success against two ranked teams in teh next four weeks (and Lee Corso said they don't stand a chance against Notre Dame). We'll have to play the game and see...

Mizzou looked like the surprise team of the season and especially of the SEC...until the 'Ol Ball Coach put in his hobbled up starting QB to turn the game around, go to OT and pull off the win. Mizzou controlled both sides for three quarters only to learn the hard way that you never get cocky when playing the Gamecocks. (If it's any consolation, Mizzou, I gave up on the 'Ol Ball Coach as well. I turned it off in the 3rd quarter only to find out Sunday morning what an exciting match-up I missed).

'Bama, the Ducks and FSU continue to roll towards a title match with Ohio State, Miami, Baylor, Fresno and N. Illinois praying for a few upsets of those top teams. Un-defeateds FSU and Miami meet up next week, Oregon still has a couple of tests, and although I think 'Bama has a strong healthy team and a great coaching staff they could still be tripped up by LSU or Auburn in the coming weeks.

Wk 08: Dashed Dreams

Many a hope and dream were dashed this past week. Players, coaches, fans, moms and dads could only watch as title and conference hopes slipped away. But a whole new cast took their place as new hopes and dreams, and some pretty good teams, were born.

Nine of the Top 25 showed up in the L column. Five of those were from the SEC; four of those were from the SEC-East. UGA, UF and SC have controlled the SEC-East for many years but they each lost to those considered mid-dwellers of the SEC: Vandy, Missouri and UT, respectively. Wow - I'd be willing to bet that is a first. Then LSU lost to UM for yet another SEC surprise. SC and LSU both lost on last-minute field goals and UGA had yet another chance to win in the final minute (their fourth in four games) but couldn't do it this time. Turnovers, poor defenses and last minute perfect execution was the root of this SEC shake-up.

Utah lost to un-ranked Arizona after stomping Stanford last week. Louisville also lost to the un-ranked. Ohio State trailed for three quarters to an un-ranked Iowa. Missouri looks for real (though they still face SC and TA&M). Florida State looked like the FSU of the 90s. Baylor showed up in the Top 10 yet they have a tough row to hoe the next six weeks. UCF, Auburn, Fresno State and Texas Tech are also making a lot of noise and turning heads. All in all it was the type of weekend we have come to expect in college football.

BYU turned in another good performance that garnered them a few votes in the polls. Not quite the balanced attack one would hope for but a fun game filled with turnovers, amazing stats, stout 2nd half defenses, and the best passing performance I've seen from BYU in years. Looking forward to much ore of that (I hope). A commanding win against BSU this week and a few Top 25 tumbles could put BYU in the rankings.

E N D - Z O N E
The final BCS ranking era has begun. No surprises in week 1. Maybe after all these years of BCS bashing they are getting it right on their last campaign. Not likely - I still predict that we will have one final BCS Championship debate with multiple un-defeated teams.

Wk 07: Gotta Play the Game

This is why we play the game...Texas over Oklahoma, Missouri over Georgia and Utah over Stanford (the first Top 10 loss to a non-ranked this year). Polls, voters, sportscasters, and odds-makers be damned. None of it matters or has any effect on the outcome of the game. Wins and losses happen on the field, not in front of a 27" monitor.

Ute fans loving the upset.

BYU put together their most complete game in years, winning 38 - 20 over GaTech. With the exception of dialing it down a bit too much in the 2nd half (a common BYU mistake when leading at half-time), they showed a balanced and aggressive offense as their defense stood their ground (for all four quarters, as usual). Let's hope they can sustain this uptick in offensive performance and stingy defense as they take on 5 - 0 Houston next week.

Mizzou over Georgia was not a huge surprise. Nobody really knew if Mizzou was any good or not. They were 5 - 0 against losing teams and came into injury-riddled Georgia confident, with a chip on their shoulder for just last week being "granted" a spot in the Top 25 and yet to be taken seriously in the powerful SEC. UGA coaches along with Aaron Murray did their best with talented but inexperienced backs and receivers in their 4th of six games against ranked teams. The young but well-tested UGA defense, however, could not stop the Mizzou offense. Mizzou executed a great game plan that paid off as they head into a 3-game stretch against Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee with even more confidence.

UT fans loving the rivalry.

Mack Brown can probably keep his job for at least the rest of this year after dominating Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. Oklahoma never lead and never found an answer. Utah continues to pull off big upsets when no one is expecting it. They probably didn't even fill their stadium after last weeks performance. But Whittingham knows how to prepare a team for the big one - and he did. They will not be over-looked by the rest of the PAC-12.

The Top 25 now has 13 undefeated teams (five hold spots 1 through 5), eight 1-loss and the entrance of the first 2-loss teams (four) this past week. The undefeated present and interesting and all too often dilemma in the BCS era: which undefeated get to go to the big dance? In this last BCS year it would only be fitting if there were one final, big time controversy over which two teams are given the opportunity to win all the marbles.

So she went to a football game...
lots of people do.

E N D - Z O N E

Really...Condoleezza Rice...selected to be a member of the playoff committee? Does she blog about college football? Who is on the selection committee, selection committee?

Wk 06: It's October

October is here and the air is cooler, the games more challenging, the schedules are a little tougher, the screaming just a bit louder and the sorting is underway. Top teams will remain tops until that one week when things just don't click. And the behind-the-scenes teams we've been wondering about will begin making their mark or just fade away.

Gotta love a good government slam.

Make a Mark or Fade Away Louisville is staying right there. Their talent and cupcake schedule will keep them in the Top 10. Then there is Baylor and Missouri and Fresno State and VaTech. They are seeing some votes and some confidence and may end up surprising us all. Baylor and VaTech won't be tested until November. Fresno has only average opponents remaining. And Top 25 new-comer Missouri will take their 5-0 mark to injury-laden UGA this weekend (then Florida, then South Carolina, then Tennessee).

BYU can't make up it's mind. I already had them down as a 10-point loss before kickoff. Maybe they are finally figuring it out...but that is what I thought after the Texas game, too. I missed the game so I can't say more than what I have read. They'll be tested this week against GaTech who held their own Saturday in a loss to Miami.

Grunge gray? Just not Tennessee.

Georgia...back-to-back heart attack wins can drive a man to drinking. Two weeks, two games, two down-to-the-wire close wins. In both games UGA held the lead or a tie until the final two minutes. Both games required a two minute drive to win or force OT. In both games UGA lost key starters to injuries (the SEC's best RB against LSU and then his back-up and two receivers and their punter in the Tennessee game). Georgia is not known for their depth at key positions and the inexperience showed, but they didn't give up. They showed true mental toughness in this win. Aaron Murray was calm and collected as he led those 2-minute drills down-field the last two weeks - never flinching. A true leader who showed faith in his teammates, experienced or not, just as his coaches did him.

E N D - Z O N E

Black vs White. Devils vs. Catholics.

Was this fashion week? Call me boring, old-fashioned or whatever but I just have an issue with new unis that do not show at least some semblance of tradition or logos or colors. I like an updated look and maybe even a periodic wholesale change - as long as it is still obvious who the team is. Tennessee looked like a grunge team in gray (at least they kept their T helmet). Notre Dame looked like a bunch of shiny white and gold and lime green (not Irish green) pansies scared to get dirty. ASU's helmets were interesting and Maryland...well I don't even know what to say. They have tried different colors and different logos and schemes adn I don't think any of it has worked.

A no-see-um helmet logo?

These guys are on the same team?

Wk 05: September to Remember

Personally I consider October the best month of college football. That is usually when conference play begins and the polls start solidifying and the pretenders begin getting weeded out. But I'll be the first to say that this September had a little bit of all that.

This weekend especially had a great ending to a great month of college football. Four Top 25 match-ups (which forced major poll shifting) and a Top25 lost to a non-ranked (OSU at WVA). The OU-ND game was a good re-match, South Carolina squeaked by a non-ranked, 'Bama defense put on a show against a ranked MSU and Ohio State was finally tested and showed some worthiness...maybe.

But the LSU - UGA game was a not-soon-to-be-forgotten back-and-forth. It was fun watching two very young defenses trying to figure out two very competent QBs and their receivers. I don't know that I have ever seen a game that showcased top-of-the-line QBs on either side with more than impressive receivers and soon-to-be top defenses fighting down to the wire (and yes, the UGA RBs did more than their share as well).

E N D - Z O N E

• BYU struggled with Middle Tennessee State? OK - I'm still a little upset about their performance against Utah. But really? Down to MTS at all? They won big but took too long to get it figured out.
• Kiffin fired? No surprise...it was just a matter of time...the clown had no believers and his antics and attitude have no place in college football.

Wk 04: Early Rivalry Game

The last Holy War between BYU and Utah (until 2016) played out last night and it did not disappoint (unless you were a BYU fan...like me). It makes 7 of the last 9 contests that have come down to the final play.

Rivalry games are about passion. The players' passion overshadows all the build up, the line, the talent, the experience, the series record, and the coaching staff. The players with passion win - and Utah has had that 14 of the last 20 years. Good local comments from Brad Rock.

BYU was favored, I thought they had their best chance in years, and yet they came up short. They made the Texas game look like a fluke. They were back to their 2012 habits of being predictive and not making adjustments. It's been a few tough years as a Cougar fan...and I don't see changes coming.

Whittingham has Mendenhall's number. It doesn't matter who has the best players or best record or best ranking, Kyle just knows how to win against BYU (he's 6 - 3 against Bronco). BYU executed a great game plan against Texas, they had two weeks to prepare for this one, yet they still came out and stuck to a non-working game plan. No one to blame but themselves (and Anae). And don't blame the refs, either...

Granted - the officiating was odd. As a spectator from the stands I'll not second guess what they are seeing because they have to make split-second calls in real-time. However, I was aghast at what I saw from the stands on this play (there is a reason it is already on YouTube). Two TDs called back, missed interference calls and late whistles were all curious indeed, but heaven forbid that be used as an excuse for losing. Every team, probably every year, faces some officiating fiasco. I don't believe any team really loses a game over poor officiating (OK...well maybe...like the infamous 5th down given to Colorado in 1990). Officiators, good or bad, are part of the game and good teams deal with it ... the not so good teams whine and use it as an excuse for years to come. No doubt the officiating from this game will be coffee break (or water-cooler) fodder for years to come in Provo.

E N D - Z O N E
Don't give me that crap about playing bad teams and and no other choice what not (see HERE). Ohio State and others ran up the score Saturday on a few teams for no good reason. Urban "Whiner" Meyer was back to his old ways of making teams look bad while thinking it makes his team look good. Call it "practice" or "warm up" or "testing out the 3rd string" or whatever you want. But up 55 - 0 at half (due to six TD passes) and you pour on another 22 the 2nd half? All the while padding stats and setting new school records? That's just wrong.

I do give kudos to a few (see HERE) who stepped up and did the right thing and eased the pain a bit. And I give kudos to FBS schools who do play FCS teams (unlike USC and ND) because it provides those programs some much needed cash.

Wk 03: As Expected

A few Top 25 losses this week but no big surprises. 'Bama bested TA&M in the long-awaited re-match as four of the Top 25 fell...two of those losses were to other Top 25 teams. We now have five 1-loss teams in the Top 25 and three that just moved in (Fresno State, Michigan State, Arizona State).

'Bama and TA&M: I actually had TA&M by 3 for this one - I simply did not think that 'Bama looked good in their opener and TA&M had already had two games to get any kinks worked out. It was a great re-match but 'Bama controlled most of the game once TA&M got a little cocky. Sometimes I think Saban likes to let teams think they might beat him and then he very patiently, methodically pulls out the win. But it was fun to watch Johnny Football play and nearly pull off an amazing comeback. He is a most versatile player who can improvise on the fly and I've never seen anyone who can throw that accurate off-balance and on the run. He showed it's worth the hassle up putting up with his antics.

There were a few surprises: Purdue scared ND. TCU lost to TT. After chants of "Fire Kiffin" last week, USC tried to make a statement with their win. After rumors of "Fire Brown" last week, Texas could not make a statement and I foresee changes a coming to that program real soon. (BTW - SI did a great print article this week on the downward spiral of USC and Texas even though their resources far exceed many other programs). Wisconsin fell to un-ranked ASU and Nebraska fell to an up-and-coming team-to-watch UCLA.

E N D - Z O N E

• The mighty SEC? We'll see. So far this year we have seen Georgia, Florida, Mississippi State and Tennessee lose to the ACC (twice) and PAC-12 and Big-12.
• Maybe I was wrong about Ohio State. A thumping of Cal, in Cal, without their star QB. They may change my mind yet.
• The big news this week was the SI report on pay for play (possibly) at Oklahoma State, Alabama and Tennessee. I'm a fan of the student athletes getting credit for their talents and what they bring to the school, but I am also a fan of following the rules. We've seen such infractions surface every year in some form or fashion for the last six or eight years yet the NCAA seems reluctant to force the issue, they take too long to make decisions and any sanctions they do enforce seem to have little effect. (OK...sometimes they get it right but it's a drawn out process).

Wk 02: Early Poll Shift

And we're only on Week 02! Two big name programs (Texas and USC) drop out of the AP altogether and Miami moves in for the first time in three years. The Top 10 is now made up of four SEC, two Pac-12, one AAC and one Big-10. Those SEC teams will play each other by the end of September.

Texas at BYU
Texas got their "Ash" whooped early in this one and never found an answer to BYU's offense nor their defense. BYU played their most complete game I've seen in in years. The weather was about the only thing that Saturday had in common with BYU's previous Saturday in Virginia. Other than the 2-hour weather game delay, BYU was simply not the same team. They actually made some adjustments in their game-plan, tried some new things, found what worked and just kept at it. When Texas finally showed signs of life in Q3 against the run, BYU actually adjusted and mixed in enough pass completions to keep them on their heels. This was the BYU we were all expecting in Week 01...but we'll take it in Week 02 and hope it just keeps getting better. A well earned week off next week.




Gamecocks at UGA
Another big test for UGA but no adjustment was necessary. They simply played like they did last week at Clemson (well...a little better) and the 'Ol Ball Coach was finally bested. And I'd venture a guess that most of the coaches did not sit together on that bus ride home (see video HERE). Georgia's young defense was tested time and again and had their mistakes but dug deep when it counted and made the necessary stops. A well earned week off for Week 03.

E N D - Z O N E

• BYU's victory proved to be the last straw for the Texas Defensive Coordinator - he was fired Sunday afternoon.
• Week 03 will bring us an early SEC showdown with title implications in the 'Bama - Johnny football re-match.
• I typically do NOT like the College Gameday court skit they often "perform" but I did find last Saturday's semi-legal analysis of whether or not to pay college athletes.

Wk 01: And they're off...

We are underway...finally...after a most interesting off-season. College football has a way of keeping our attention even in the off-season with coaching shifts, player antics and injuries, and the un-expected (see list below). But that's all over and we can get on to some serious ranting and whining.

The Off-Season:

View from the grassy knoll.

• the Manti Teo girlfriend fiasco
• Johnny Football making light of his fame...and embarrassing himself, TA&M and the good name of the Heisman
• Petrino already re-hired...wow
• 'Bama players using deer antler spray instead of PEDs
• the SI cover curse for K-State
• paying college athlete debates - see great article HERE

BYU at UVA

BYU coming on field.

I attended this game and may I first say how impressed I was with the campus, the facilities and especially the amazing hospitality of the people we met. We were greeted well, offered free lunch by the Physics Department, and hung out post-game in a pizza and sub bar with people who made us feel like long-time friends.

There were a plethora of BYU head-scratchers during this six-hour "deja' vu of 2012" activity: the team checking in to the hotel less than 24 hours before kick-off; a playbook of maybe half-a-dozen plays (run the middle, run left, run right, short pass to the flat, rinse, repeat); running the hurry-up instead of the huddle-up; etc. But the biggest head-scratcher was the first series after the two-hour weather delay: a 3-and-out series of run plays. Really Anae? After testing your new offense and seeing their defense for an entire scoreless quarter, you get two-hours to make adjustments and this is what you came up with - the same pattern that produced a scoreless 1st quarter? What were they all doing all that time...playing patty-cake with Pedro?

It rained hard...

The new hurry up simply gave UV more time on field and the entire game seemed an endless loop of the 2012 season: poor play calling, poor execution, lack of variety and passion, trying hard not to lose. And please...don't make excuses like "water-logged balls" and "the field was a swamp" when they had to play on the same field. Face the brutal facts: failing to make adjustments lost the game. Now get up, brush off, put it behind you and plan to do better (something different) next week.

UGA at Clemson
The marquis game of the week lived up to the hype of power offenses (73 points were scored), thus proving that both defenses are still questionable. UGA struggles with the big games. It's like a curse and they simply cannot get that monkey off their back. They have a great team, loads of talent and can hopefully make a better showing against the 'Ol Ball Coach next weekend.

...and then rained more.

E N D - Z O N E

• 'Bama did not look ready; they still have some prep work to do.
• Don't jump on the Clemson bandwagon yet...they played against a questionable defense.
• And don't jump too high when celebrating - just ask UGAs top receiver who is now out of the season after celebrating the first TD of the year.
• Louisville may be the team to watch. A cupcake schedule but lots of returning talent.
• OSU? I'm still not ready to believe they are really good.

Season Finale 2012-13

Yea...it's late. Usually I have a wrap long before now. I was laid off in mid-December and one would think I would have plenty of time to write the finale. But my focus has been elsewhere the last little while (and still is). Nonetheless, here is a quick wrap to a very memorable season.

Bowl Final

Hands down one of the most exciting bowl seasons I  have witnessed. Let's recap...