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.