Spring college football practices are starting...

[iggymcfly 0]

Can we talk about other teams though, because there are better teams with more tested talent that are more intriguing than this one. Like LSU, Ohio State and West Virginia (intriguing and great backfield). It's boring having the USC conversation after every new article.

 

You know, looking at Ohio State's schedule, you could call it a one game season. Texas is the toughest road team they face all year, and they face them in September when they'll still be breaking in those 9 new starters on defense. If OSU beats the Longhorns, there's a pretty good chance they'll roll to the national title game.

 

Penn State's at home, and they'll be breaking in a ton of new talent early themselves, Iowa's never any good in September, Michigan State will already be into their yearly collapse by game #7, and Michigan has to go to the Horseshoe in the last game of the season when OSU's young talent will all be playing like veterans.

 

I'm not saying that none of those teams can beat OSU. I'm just saying that if Texas can't do it with all those favorable conditions in September, then I don't think those teams will either.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I also saw a few MAC games on CSTV. Do they have deals with more conferences. I can't find their season schedule.

[Bored 0]

CSTV Schedule

 

Actually I see a few Mountain West games in there too but no MAC games. Kind of surprising they have Notre Dame/Air Force in November as you rarely ever see a Notre Dame game not on the networks.

[Guest]

Can we talk about other teams though, because there are better teams with more tested talent that are more intriguing than this one. Like LSU, Ohio State and West Virginia (intriguing and great backfield). It's boring having the USC conversation after every new article.

 

You know, looking at Ohio State's schedule, you could call it a one game season. Texas is the toughest road team they face all year, and they face them in September when they'll still be breaking in those 9 new starters on defense. If OSU beats the Longhorns, there's a pretty good chance they'll roll to the national title game.

 

Penn State's at home, and they'll be breaking in a ton of new talent early themselves, Iowa's never any good in September, Michigan State will already be into their yearly collapse by game #7, and Michigan has to go to the Horseshoe in the last game of the season when OSU's young talent will all be playing like veterans.

 

I'm not saying that none of those teams can beat OSU. I'm just saying that if Texas can't do it with all those favorable conditions in September, then I don't think those teams will either.

Michigan has the best chance if their players stay healthy. I don't see anyone beating them unless it's out of nowhere, like the Northwestern game a few years ago.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Interesting. I guess this means ESPN won't have any more Mountain West games though... because they certainly would have shown the ND/AF game.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Dama, can we save all the media garbage at least until midseason, please? After this purgatory of an off-season, I'm really pumped up to get back to football on the field. It would be nice to have a place to post without all the ESPN bitching... I hate ESPN also, so I simply watch the reporting occasionally and just turn it off when it bugs me.

 

The whole issue for USC is what the new offensive coordinators do with new talent. Norm Chow is the only missing piece. There is no lack of talent, believe me it's coming out of the Trojans ears. Sure, there won't be a Reggie Bush like dagger to ensure every victory... they're going to have to "earn" it a little more.

 

But like everyone else has said, the Trojans should be undefeated going into their rivalry games. And if we're good enough to beat ND, we should make it to the championship.

 

That's all on paper, however. They play the games on the field... so nothing is set in stone.

[Urban Warfare 0]

Jarrett Reinstated for opener

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Great news for Mark Sanchez

[teke184 0]

Great news for Mark Sanchez

 

Anyone else have the urge to refer to him as "QB Dirty Sanchez"?

[Guest]

I keep wanting to call him Matt.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Not huge news, and not sure if I should've posted it here or in the NFL offseason thread, but something I thought was worth mentioning regardless...

 

Manning to give $1M to Tennessee to up 'wow factor'

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning has pledged $1 million toward renovations in the university's football complex and stadium locker room he hopes will increase the "wow factor" and appeal to recruits.

 

The two-time MVP with the Indianapolis Colts sent a letter to athletic director Mike Hamilton in July discussing the use of the donation and how it will be paid out through 2014.

 

Officials say the donation is one of the largest by a recent former athlete.

 

Manning returns to campus at least once a year to award the Peyton Manning Scholarship. He was honored last season by having his jersey retired, and he remains a fan favorite.

 

Manning said in the letter obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday he would like the majority of the donation to be spent in the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex, which houses the indoor football field, offices and dressing room.

 

"It was one of the most salient memories of my official visit in 1994," he wrote. "The current dressing area is not up to SEC or Tennessee standards. As I have mentioned previously, athletes choose schools with their eyes, and we need to provide that 'WOW' for them in the complex."

 

Soon Manning's name will be added to the Volunteers' locker room in Neyland Stadium.

 

He told Hamilton he would like the entrance to the locker room to be renovated and named the Peyton Manning Letterman Locker Room.

 

"There are a number of cost-effective designs that could augment the new structure, thereby increasing the 'WOW' factor with recruits," Manning wrote.

 

Other lettermen have made donations to refurbish the locker room interior.

 

Manning has given to the university in years past. He was among a group of donors for the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center completed in 2001. One study area in it is named for Manning.

 

Athletic department officials were not yet ready to release details of the donation but were working on a statement Thursday. They are hoping Manning will attend the Vols' home opener Sept. 2 against California.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Eh, it's not like the locker room is mentioned by name all that much. Good for him, and good for Tennessee football.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I just joined a fantasy college football league. Didn't know they even existed.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Eh, it's not like the locker room is mentioned by name all that much. Good for him, and good for Tennessee football.

 

You didn't find it slightly conceited to tell the school he went to and DIDN'T win a national championship for to name an athletic facility after him?

 

I guess a million dollars will help, though.

 

Tee Martin should be upset.

[Guest Princess Leena]

He bought it so all players could show their privates to ladies in there, without any repercussions.

[UZI Suicide 0]

Ricky Bobby Visits The Trojans

 

Official USC release:

 

Will Ferrell--in full NASCAR outfit--surprises the Trojans at a team meeting.

 

The No. 3-ranked USC football team, a week into its 2006 pre-season practice, received a surprise visit during its nightly team meeting on Thursday (Aug. 10)...from NASCAR legend Ricky Bobby (actor Will Ferrell)!

 

Not only were the Trojans surprised, but so was head coach Pete Carroll, who was attempting to pull his own stunt on the team. As an assistant coach gave the Trojans a tongue-lashing while watching video of a lackluster afternoon practice, Carroll--complete in an official Wonder Bread NASCAR racing uniform and helmet--appeared from the back of the room, accompanied by the roar of an engine and shrouded by the smoke of a fog machine. Carroll raced to the front of the room and, as the team howled in laughter, informed the Trojans that they were going to take a break from football and go to the campus theater to watch the nation's hottest movie, "Talladega Nights, The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby."

 

Unbeknownst to Carroll, the REAL Ricky Bobby--Ferrell, a former USC student--came in from the side door, also decked out in his NASCAR outfit. A stunned Carroll and his Trojans erupted.

 

Ricky Bobby vs. Pete Carroll

 

[Art Sandusky 0]

Eh, it's not like the locker room is mentioned by name all that much. Good for him, and good for Tennessee football.

 

You didn't find it slightly conceited to tell the school he went to and DIDN'T win a national championship for to name an athletic facility after him?

 

I guess a million dollars will help, though.

 

Tee Martin should be upset.

Well hey, if Tee Martin drops some major cash for his alma mater, that's cool too. Name shit for him then. He's more likely to get public things named after him.

[Urban Warfare 0]

CFNs Ten Worst Heisman Winners

[Damaramu 0]

That's kind of funny. One of the guys has this weird thing to say about the whole White/Leinart 2003 and 2004 thing.

 

Jason White, 2003. (Larry Fitzgerald) A year that magnified the Heisman's bias against underclassmen. Fitzgerald carried his Pittsburgh team on his solitary shoulders, while White was surrounded by ample weapons on all sides. It all came down to the climactic Big XII Championship Game, in which the Sooner quarterback--with even a modestly good performance--would have earned the benefit of the doubt and the right to be considered the Heisman favorite.

 

White pulled a porker in an abysmal night against Kansas State.

 

He still won the award.

 

Another one of the many nights the Heisman lost credibility instead of gaining it.

So that's what he says about White. Surprisingly White wasn't on all the lists when I figured he would be. But then he turns around and says this:

 

Matt Leinart, 2004. (Jason White) Leinart is a decorated, legendary, all-time, all-world college football great. But White did have a better 2004 season. Had White not won the 2003 award, he would have been voted the winner in 2004. But politics dictated that White not win the award twice.

Odd. Figured if you were going to say Leinart didn't deserve it that year(he did deserve it and so did Peterson. but you can't give it to 2 guys) then you'd think he would say Peterson should've gotten it over Leinart.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Nice to see someone else mention Archie Griffin's 2nd Heisman... that one always seemed tainted to me.

 

And I'd put Eric Crouch at the top of the list.

[Damaramu 0]

They do harp on the one big play against OU he made.

But it's true these days. You don't need to be really consistent to win a Heisman. Just make a ton of highlight plays in big games and it's basically yours.

Or put up absurd numbers even if they don't mean as much.

 

Hell ND could go 9-3 or 10-2 this year and Quinn would still win it b/c his numbers will be absurd even if he doesn't come through in the huge games.

On that same token all AD needs is some huge highlight runs against Oregon, Texas, and probably Texas A&M and he's got it.

[Guest Princess Leena]

They always showed the reception he made, and that 90-whatever yard run he had... yet, never throwing a great pass. Which is like what QB's are supposed to do. Even Vince Young did when the game wasn't on the line.

[Damaramu 0]

They always showed the reception he made, and that 90-whatever yard run he had... yet, never throwing a great pass. Which is like what QB's are supposed to do. Even Vince Young did when the game wasn't on the line.

 

Yeah but when the games on the line and Crouch/Young knew they could win it with a run rather than a pass what should they do? Pass b/c that's what they're supposed to do?

I mean on 4th and 5 against USC should Young have stood there and tried to find an open receiver when he knew he could win the game with his legs?

 

I'm not arguing about Crouch though. The little bastard didn't deserve it and as much as everyone said OU was undeserving in 2003 and how they screwed USC you have to admit that Nebraska being in the national title game that year was all kinds of fucked up and probably the worst thing the BCS has done. I mean sure OU lost the conference title game but at least they were in it...Nebraska didn't even play in the game~

[therealworldschampion 0]

Crouch is definitely at the top of the list. 2001 really showed the Heisman's bias against underclassmen, because had Rex Grossman been a junior or senior instead of a sophomore, then he wins in a landslide over Crouch. It wasn't Grossman's fault that the Gators offensive line got demolished by the Tennessee defense, Travis Stephens ran over the Florida defense, or that Earnest Graham was injured, hell Grossman kept Florida in that last game in 2001 against Tennessee.

[Urban Warfare 0]

ESPN Presents: College vs The NFL

 

Interesting read. There are a bunch of articles on the right hand side comparing the two.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Pasquarelli's pro-NFL list is incredibly boring and part of why I like college so much more.

[Bored 0]

They don't even mention one of the great advantages college football has over the NFL and that's the television coverage. Living in a two team NFL market blows as the majority of Sunday's your stuck with both local teams, who in my case with the 49ers and Raiders are terrible. With college football you don't need a satellite dish to get a variety of games. You have basic cable and you don't have to leave your couch for 12 hours on Saturday's...well you probably should at some point but you get the idea.

[Urban Warfare 0]

AP Top 25:

1. Ohio State (35) 0-0 1,558

2. Notre Dame (10) 0-0 1,470

3. Texas (8) 0-0 1,411

4. Auburn (3) 0-0 1,395

5. West Virginia (6) 0-0 1,354

6. USC (3) 0-0 1,345

7. Florida 0-0 1,178

8. LSU 0-0 1,144

9. California 0-0 975

10. Oklahoma 0-0 960

11. Florida State 0-0 949

12. Miami (FL) 0-0 893

13. Louisville 0-0 844

14. Michigan 0-0 824

15. Georgia 0-0 743

16. Iowa 0-0 720

17. Virginia Tech 0-0 614

18. Clemson 0-0 479

19. Penn State 0-0 386

20. Nebraska 0-0 332

21. Oregon 0-0 324

22. TCU 0-0 257

23. Tennessee 0-0 215

24. Arizona State 0-0 182

25. Texas Tech 0-0 181

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

Alabama 141, Utah 52, Boston College 41, Georgia Tech 39, Boise State 23, Arkansas 18, Wisconsin 18, South Carolina 15, Tulsa 11, Texas A&M 10, UTEP 4, Brigham Young 4, Purdue 4, Iowa State 3, Northern Illinois 3, OLE MISS 3, Michigan State 2, Arizona 1.

 

ESPN.com

[Guest]

The AP poll is bunk. Cal is not better than any of the teams ranked 10-14, and Tennessee is way low. Virginia Tech isn't or doesn't appear to be very good.

[nogoodnick 0]

If Cal can get consistent quarterback play they should win 9-10 games. They do return one of the top 3 rbs in the country.