This Week in College Football 9/14 - 9/16

[Bored 0]

An amazing seven Top 25 match-ups this week and it would have been eight if Clemson hadn't lost.

 

Michigan State/Pittsburgh was originally supposed to be a ABC regional game but it's been moved to ESPN2 with BYU/Boston College and not sure what is going to be the primary game the national audience gets. Tech/TCU will be the first game ever on OLN.

 

Network/Basic Cable Schedule

 

THURSDAY

Maryland at #5 West Virginia, 7:30/4:30 PM, ESPN

 

FRIDAY

Kansas at Toledo, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN2

 

SATURDAY

Iowa State at #16 Iowa, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPN

BYU at #23 Boston College, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPN2*

Michigan State at Pittsburgh, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPN2*

Marshall at Kansas State, 12:30 PM/9:30 AM, FSN

 

#6 LSU at #3 Auburn, 3:30/12:30 PM, CBS

#11 Michigan at #2 Notre Dame, 3:30/12:30 PM, NBC

#17 Miami at #12 Louisville, 3:30/12:30 PM, ABC*

#15 Oklahoma at #18 Oregon, 3:30/12:30 PM, ABC*

 

#24 Texas Tech at #20 TCU, 5:30/2:30 PM, OLN

#8 Texas at Rice, 6:00/3:00 PM, ESPN2

#22 Arizona State at Colorado, 7:00/4:00 PM, TBS

 

Clemson at #9 Florida State, 7:45/4:45 PM, ESPN

#7 Florida at #13 Tennessee, 8:00/5:00 PM, CBS

#19 Nebraska at #4 USC, 8:00/5:00 PM, ABC

Texas A&M vs. Army, 9:15/6:15 PM, ESPN2

 

Other Cable/GamePlan Schedule

 

THURSDAY

Tennessee Tech at Middle Tennesse, 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPNU

 

SATURDAY

Syracuse at Illinois, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPNU

Cincinnati at #1 Ohio State, Noon/9:00 AM, GP

Duke at #14 Virginia Tech, Noon/9:00 AM, LFS/GP

Arkansas at Vanderbilt, 12:30 PM/9:30 AM, LFS/GP

South Florida at Central Florida 2:30 PM/11:30 AM, CSTV

Youngstown State at #25 Penn State, 3:30/12:30 PM, ESPNU

San Diego State at Wisconsin, 3:30/12:30 PM, GP

Furman at North Carolina, 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPNU

Nicholls State at Louisiana Tech, 7:00/4:00 PM, GP

Wofford at South Carolina, 7:00/4:00 PM, GP

UL Monroe at Alabama, 7:00/4:00 PM, GP

 

 

All Other D-IA Games

 

SATURDAY

Wake Forest at Connecticut, ESPN360

UAB at #10 Georgia

Akron at Central Michigan

Ball State at Purdue, ESPN360

Troy at Georgia Tech

Eastern Michigan at Northwestern

Temple at Minnesota

Kent State at Miami of Ohio

Western Michigan at Virginia, ESPN360

Boise State at Wyoming

Southern Illinois at Indiana

Idaho State at Idaho

Baylor vs. Washington State

McNeese State at UL Lafayette

Mississippi at Kentucky

Bowling Green at Florida International

Portland State at #21 California

Fresno State at Washington

Memphis at East Carolina

Florida Atlantic at Oklahoma State

North Texas at Tulsa

Grambling at Houston

Tulane at Mississippi State

N.C. State at Southern Miss

Buffalo at Northern Illinois

Texas Southern at New Mexico State

Missouri at New Mexico

Utah at Utah State

Sam Houston State at SMU

Colorado State at Nevada

Stephen F Austin at Arizona

Navy at Stanford

UNLV at Hawaii

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Key I-AA games because everybody needs to learn to love them sooner rather than later

 

Players after the colons are the I-AA guys to keep an eye out for.

 

Furman vs. North Carolina: WR Justin Stepp

Wofford vs. South Carolina: RB Kevious Johnson

Southern Illinois vs. Indiana: RB Arkee Whitlock

Grambling State vs. Houston: QB Brandon Landers, WR Lakeldrick Bridges

[Damaramu 0]

Which was more impressive? What Ohio State did this year or what Texas did last year?

 

Anyway it's a big week for Sooner fans as we head to Eugene to face Oregon.

I honestly haven't seen a whole lot from OU to make me think they'll win this game. They could but right now I'm calling Oregon. Hell in my biggest state of homerism a few years ago I don't think I could've called an OU victory. I just wonder how Thompson will react to a hostile environment. He's played really really good the first two weeks but this is his first road trip and it's a hell of a place to make a first road trip.

On top of that the Ducks are probably pissed that they thought they were being disrespected last season and wanted to make a statement only to lose and in the fashion they did(interception in the red zone after a hell of a drive). Plus OU embarassed them in Norman 2 years ago.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Wow, quality lineup at 3:30. Let's hope it can come close to matching the ND/USC, Michigan/PSU, whatever SEC game there was block of last year.

[iggymcfly 0]

Well, Dama the good news for OU is that the Ducks just lost one of their starting corners and will be starting two freshmen at CB on Saturday. The bad news is that the Sooners passing game's bad enough that I don't know if they'll be able to capitalize. The injury gives Oklahoma a better chance, but I'd still have to lean towards Oregon on this one.

[Slayer 0]

HQ, do you actually have a I-AA school you root for, or are you just supportive of the division as a whole

[Damaramu 0]

Well, Dama the good news for OU is that the Ducks just lost one of their starting corners and will be starting two freshmen at CB on Saturday. The bad news is that the Sooners passing game's bad enough that I don't know if they'll be able to capitalize. The injury gives Oklahoma a better chance, but I'd still have to lean towards Oregon on this one.

 

Ummmm the OU passing games better than it was last season and the WRs are better at that. So they can capitalize. OU's problem isn't on offense it's on defense because they miss so many god damn tackles.

Have you actually watched OU this season? If you had then you'd see the not only is Thompson not bad but he's better than Bomar.

Yeah he's inconsistent but Bomar was 10x more inconsistent. Thompson can actually play well for an entire game with just spots during the game where he plays bad. Bomar would play good for a half then play bad for the entire half. Not just spots but the whole half.

Hell in 2 games Thompson has 4 TD passes. Bomar had 10 all last season!

[Guest]

Wow, quality lineup at 3:30. Let's hope it can come close to matching the ND/USC, Michigan/PSU, whatever SEC game there was block of last year.

LSU/Florida. Nothing's coming close to that block of games for a long time.

[iggymcfly 0]

Washington's a bad team and their weakest point is their secondary. They honestly have one of the very worst secondaries in the country. I wouldn't give Thompson too much credit there.

 

Against UAB, Thompson was 14-24 for 227 with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. That's not terrible, but it's still not a very good line. Thompson's probably as good as Bomar was last year, but I don't think he's as good as Bomar would have been this year with another year's experience under his belt.

 

I wasn't really saying Oregon was going to hold OU under 20 or anything either, but given the assumption that Oregon will probably score 30+ points, I don't think that the Sooners will be able to capitalize on the weakness in the secondary enough to win.

[Guest]

Oregon is not weak in the secondary. Please watch the Fresno game as evidence. Guys were getting knocked out all game.

[cabbageboy 0]

U of L vs. WVU was also in the 3:30 block last year during the ND/USC game. It's amazing how overlooked that game was considering it had the most BCS impact of any game that day.

[iggymcfly 0]

Read up maybe two posts and you'll see that one of their starting corners is out for the game (and actually the season) with a fractured leg. They have a freshman starting in his place, and that's why I think they're weak.

 

Oh, and while we're counting up all the games from that block last year, I didn't end up finishing any of those games last year, because I left to go to another game which was actually really good in UCLA/WSU. WSU led 38-21 going into the fourth quarter before ultimately blowing the game and losing 44-41 in OT.

[Guest]

Considering that the DB that's out (even though I've searched and found nothing, but I'll take your word for it) was their only non freshman corner, I don't think that's what their problem is. Their run defense is the problem.

 

They have their Rover play at corner half the time anyway.

[Damaramu 0]

I would normally say "their run defense sucks? Well then AD is going to have a monster day!"

and that might be true if it was anyone but AD. But because it's AD that means Oregon will have 8-9 guys on the line. And it doesn't matter how bad they suck he just can't beat those odds.

Maybe they'll play the pass a little more and AD will get free.

I mean I guess it's not a good thing to have a bad run D and go up against the best RB in the country.

[Guest]

AD is going to have a monster day. I still think Oregon will win because they can move the ball at will and have better playcalling.

[Damaramu 0]

OU would have better play calling if they still had the monster staff they used to have.

Unfortunately when you have the best coaching staff in the country they kind of get farmed out. After losing Leach, Mangino, and Stoops they just weren't able to rebound as far as talented coaches go. They need something on defense though because the Mike Stoops fire left with him.

On offense they should be fine with Kevin Wilson.

And they still have one of the best head coaches in the country.

 

I don't know about Oregon being able to move the ball at will. If OU doesn't have tackling problems then they will be able to give Oregon some trouble. Sure Oregon may connect on one or two deep passes but for the most part they won't be doing whatever they want on offense. That is if OU figures out how to tackle and play D like they did against Washington in the second half. That's a big if right now.

 

And Oregon did a good job against AD last season. 80 yards and no TDs. Then again he was coming off of an injury and they were rotating him in and out with Jones and Patrick. This season he's played every down except two I believe. He played every down against UAB and against Washington I believe they went 5 wide only twice so he came out there. Thus far he's been the only RB they've used. That's why I hope they redshirted DeMarco Murray(no official word yet) because he's going to be really really good(USC was in on him and he chose OU at the Army game) but he doesn't need to be wasted watching AD with no redshirt.

[Damaramu 0]

Which was more impressive? What Ohio State did this year or what Texas did last year?

 

Ok I'll answer.

What Texas did last year was more impressive than what Ohio State did this year despite what ESPN says. Ohio State is a way tougher place to play than Texas and Ohio State last year was more talented than Texas this year. Now we need a third game on a neutral field to decide it.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

You really don't have to lead off every post with "despite what ESPN says." Nobody here likes ESPN all that much so you're preaching to the choir.

 

It's hard for me to say which is the bigger accomplishment. Initially I'm inclined to agree with you because last year's game was so much more closely matched--it really felt like two juggernauts going toe-to-toe, with one great team stepping it up even higher to beat another great team. That'd work in favor of Texas in both directions.

 

In hindsight, however, it's more of testament to how awesome Vince Young was, and what a huge advantage a more developed QB has at the college level. That Ohio State absolutely dominated Texas this year is in some ways a more remarkable achievement--the level of success they had outweighs the fact that the teams were perhaps closer talent-wise last year. Last year's Texas win also benefited from some no-balls decisions by Tressel, like those constant field goal attempts that really shut down any chance for long-lasting positive momentum or big points.

 

Ultimately, any definitive comment on that will have to wait till the end of this season--we know now that last year's Texas win was over what ended up being one of the best teams in the country. If Texas 2006 goes 9-3 and then loses the Holiday Bowl, OSU's win may lose a lot of its current luster.

[Damaramu 0]

Yeah without Vince Young Texas would've been nothing.

They would've probably lost to:

-OSU two years ago. they were down 35-7 at the half before Young and Benson brought them back.

-Kansas 2 years ago. 4th and 20 and Young makes a 22 yard run before making a TD pass. of course this was the game with the Offensive pass interference call that led to Mangino's now famous(at least around here) "That's right! BCS!" speech.

-Michigan 2 years ago. That one is self explanatory.

-Ohio State last year.

-OSU last year(again!)

-and USC of course(well they would've never played USC without him)

 

He was everything for them. Mack Brown would probably still be playing dueling QBs without Vince Young. Hell I'm not convinced he won't do it this year.

 

 

Anyone here been to Autzen? How loud is it and why? I hear the stadium is designed to keep all the noise in. I'm just trying to gauge how loud it's going to be for OU. I know it'll probably be the loudest place they've played in years aside from College Station.

[Urban Warfare 0]

Just read this on SI's Truth and Rumors:

 

Adrian Peterson said Monday the only thing certain that would keep him at Oklahoma another season would be a major injury. The junior running back is looking to rush for 2,200 yards this season and shatter Billy Sims' OU record. He wants to win the Heisman Trophy. And he'd like another crack at the national title. But Peterson said if doesn't accomplish those goals this season, he may never have another chance.

-- The Daily Oklahoman

[Damaramu 0]

Just read this on SI's Truth and Rumors:

 

Adrian Peterson said Monday the only thing certain that would keep him at Oklahoma another season would be a major injury. The junior running back is looking to rush for 2,200 yards this season and shatter Billy Sims' OU record. He wants to win the Heisman Trophy. And he'd like another crack at the national title. But Peterson said if doesn't accomplish those goals this season, he may never have another chance.

-- The Daily Oklahoman

 

He's right. They'd have a new QB next season....but that's really the only new thing they'd have.

Once I learned his dad had been released from prison early I knew this was his last season.

 

It's kind of funny that he came to OU instead of Texas because he thought he could win a national title here. Instead he gets blown out in his one shot and Texas wins it the next year. Irony and all that stuff.

 

Oh well OU should be solid at RB next season b/c we'll have Alan Patrick(who's decent) and DeMarco Murray(who's supposed to be a star) but Peterson is one of those "Once every 5-10 years" players like Reggie Bush and Vince Young. Doubt we'd see another player like him in Norman for a long time.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I know how much you like AD, Dama, but Reggie Bush and Vince Young are two of the greatest players to ever play the college game. Think about that. All-time greats. Reggie Bush is the fastest player I've ever seen... and people older than me compare him only to Gale Sayers... and no one else. Vince Young won two straight Rose Bowl MVP's, was MVP of the national championship, and came as close as you can in a team sport to single-handedly beating Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC in the same season.

 

I would say that what Texas did last season is bigger than Ohio State this season. But I would also agree that the Buckeyes' win this year proved that Vince Young was the whole team last year.

[Damaramu 0]

When all is said and done Peterson will be remembered as an all time great. People were already creaming themselves over him his freshman year. He was injured last year. Let's see what happens this year. He's going to do better than his freshman year and turn heads. Hell 2 games into the season and just about everyone has called him the greatest player in the country.

If he gets what he wants he'll win the Heisman. He wants 2200 rushing yards, 500 receiving yards, and 20 rushing TDs.

He should get it all if things work out right and then he'll be remembered because to do it he'll have to do things that make his freshman year look like an average season and he can do it easily.

He doesn't get compared to Dickerson and Campbell for no reason.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

He doesn't get compared to Dickerson and Campbell at all.

 

Edited for accuracy.

[CanadianChris 0]

He doesn't get compared to Dickerson and Campbell at all.

 

Edited for accuracy.

Actually, that's who he was constantly compared to during his freshman year. Sorry to ruin your cheap shot.

[Damaramu 0]

He doesn't get compared to Dickerson and Campbell at all.

 

Edited for accuracy.

 

Yeah I was going to say something but CC already nailed it. That is who he is compared to. Sorry but it's a fact. I didn't make it up.

[iggymcfly 0]

Aw, I wish the cheap shot was true. It was funny. Anyway, the way I see it, Bush and Peterson were/are both great college players. But Vince Young was on another level. It's weird because his sophomore and junior years, he made a lot of mistakes and I didn't see it coming at all. But his senior year, he was the best player I've ever seen play college football. 30 years from now, people are still going to be talking about how he took over that Rose Bowl against USC.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

HQ, do you actually have a I-AA school you root for, or are you just supportive of the division as a whole

 

Just supportive of the division as a whole though I try to follow how UMass does since I have 2 cousins who've graduated from there.

[Bored 0]

Well this certainly is one way to try to win a starting job.

 

http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/2006091...30074/-1/SPORTS

Northern Colorado punter Mitch Cozad brought a whole new meaning to the word "shank" Monday night.

 

In a move only Tanya Harding can appreciate, Evans police allege Cozad, a Northern Colorado backup punter, stabbed Bears starting punter Rafael Mendoza in the back of his right thigh Monday evening in the parking lot of Mendoza's Evans apartment.

 

Mendoza was treated and released for stab wounds that evening while Cozad was arrested at 6 p.m. Tuesday, shortly after being kicked off the football team and expelled from the university earlier in the day.

[Damaramu 0]

Aw, I wish the cheap shot was true. It was funny. Anyway, the way I see it, Bush and Peterson were/are both great college players. But Vince Young was on another level. It's weird because his sophomore and junior years, he made a lot of mistakes and I didn't see it coming at all. But his senior year, he was the best player I've ever seen play college football. 30 years from now, people are still going to be talking about how he took over that Rose Bowl against USC.

 

Young came out his Junior year. His freshman year he played dueling QBs with Chance Mauck and Texas lost to Washington State in the Holiday Bowl because Mack Brown couldn't figure out which one to play.

His Sophomore year they only lost one game and it was to Oklahoma(the 12-0 game where Peterson ran wild)and that was the last game they lost until the recent loss to Ohio State. He took over a couple of games his sophomore year(the KU game, the Oklahoma State game, the Rose Bowl against Michigan) but didn't look totally awesome until the Rose Bowl.

Then his junior year was the year he should've won the Heisman and he won the national title.

I often wonder how Vince Young will be remembered years from now. Do you think it hinges on his pro career? Like if he has a shitty pro career people will downplay his accomplishments by going "Yeah he was a good college player but he sucked in the NFL! Just another one of those!"

 

The cheap shot would've been funny if it were true but it's not. Still a funny thought.

 

And that's f'n hilarious what Bored posted.