The Southern Fans' College Football Poll

This Week's Picks

2010-11-06T13:29:00.002-04:00

Alright Pollster's, sorry I'm late getting this posted, long night. Week 11 features a huge non-AQ game of TCU heading into Utah, amongst others. This is where Boise is going to have to start dominating people to jump up, where Bama has to pound LSU and Auburn to earn a shot, or just where Oregon and Auburn continue to roll into the NC game (provided AU is eligible...) So here we go

Oregon (-35), may be possible without Locker
Boise St (-21), Hawaii has a good offense, should be a shootout
Utah (+5), 5 point home dog. TCU is good, but I dont see how this favors one team over another
Alabama (-6.5), Bama on the road against the Mad Hatter, gonna be a fun one.
Wisconsin (-20), Purdue is bad, but are the 20 points bad? Wisconsin is 20 points good.
Nebraska (-18), this is not a Texas team, this is a good Nebraska, but will they show up?
Oklahoma (-3), on the road against a hit-and-miss Texas A&M team. OU looks good here
Stanford (-9.5), Which Stanford have their A-game on offense against the 'Cats
Iowa (-17), Good Iowa defense, bad Indiana team. Add in Stanzi, and I'll take it
Missouri (-4), After a huge loss, can they recover on the road against the Raider's?
Michigan St (-24.5), Another chance at a recovery, but against a disappointing Minnesota squad
Oklahoma St (-7.5), Both have shown glimmer's of excellence, OK St at home though?

Oregon easily No. 1? Let's take a Look...

2010-11-03T15:46:00.000-04:00

By Ryan Hill

The following is a point-by-point analysis of some of the arguments I've been reading recently as to why Oregon is unstoppable and why Auburn is just a lucky, overrated team. I got fed up reading/hearing what I would now call B.S., and decided to look up some stats to see where these two teams actually stand.

(All these stats from the official NCAA record and database:
http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/mainpage.jsp
http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2010&div=IA&site=org)

Well, let's start off with the argument that Oregon has been DOMINATING teams, while Auburn is just SCRAPING by. Wonder Why?

Strength of Schedule Based on Opponents Wins/Losses:
Auburn - #3
Oregon - #142

Alright, so maybe Auburn's played a few better games, but have you SEEN Oregon's Rushing attack? They're miles ahead of Auburn and can't be slowed.

Rushing Yards Per Game:
Oregon - #3 (308.75)
Auburn - #4 (307.67)

Okay, so maybe "miles" is more like 1.08 yards per game, but still, Oregon's offense is so incredible. They are out-gaining everybody.

Total Offense:
Oregon - #1 (572.88)
Auburn - #6 (496.22)

Yeah... see, I told you. Oregon is hands down the best offense in the country.

Yards Per Play:
Oregon - 7.33
Auburn - 7.39

Well, okay, so maybe it's just because of the "system" and the fact that Oregon runs so many plays. (yes, that means Auburn actually gets more yards per play than the "Unstoppable, Unbelievable Quack Attack")

Red Zone Efficiency:
Oregon - 88% (226 pts. inside the 20)
Auburn - 89% (229 pts. inside the 20)

Okay, so Auburn has a good offense. But regardless, we've got to have the most explosive player in the country....have you SEEN LaMichael James? No disrespect to Cam, but James should be right there even in the Heisman race:

Rushing:
LaMichael James (1210 yds. 7.2 ypc 14 TD)
Cameron Newton (1122 yds. 6.7 ypc 14 TD)

HA... see best rusher in the country, albeit a slim margin!

Receiving / Passing:
LaMichael James (5 rec. 119 yds. 1 TD, 0-0 0 yds. 0 TD)
Cameron Newton (1 rec. 20 yds. 1 TD, 108-162 1573 yds. 15 TD)

Well... so what. At least Oregon has the #17 defense. Auburn plays terrible defense:

Scoring Defense (points given per game):
Oregon - #17 (17.88)
Auburn - #59 (24.33)

So Auburn has a "terrible" defense... but did you consider the fact that the average offense they've faced ranked on average 20 spots better than Oregon's opponents' offensive rankings... and yet Auburn only gives up an average of one more touchdown per game.

A better picture of what makes a "good" Oregon defense and a "terrible" Auburn defense... a net difference of 21 yards per game:

Total Defense (yards allowed per game):
Oregon - #35 (337.25 yds. per game, 4.49 yards per play)
Auburn - #57 (358.33 yds. per game, 5.11 yards per play)

Truth is, Auburn and Oregon have almost identical defenses. Bend but don't break mentality...gives up a lot of points simply because they're on the field the whole game due to the offensive style....and tends to come up with key stops in the 4th quarter when it counts.

The point of all this is not to discount the Oregon Ducks, they are a very good football team. But so are the Tigers of Auburn, AL. There is not some "great divide" between these two teams as Messrs. Hebstreit, Jesse Palmer, Craig James, and Finebaum would have you believe. Remember that next time somebody tries to use a "dominant Oregon offense" or a "suspect Auburn defense" to try and make a point about college football and who's a better team.

And one last little fun fact of the day:

Leading Rushers in the State of Alabama:
Cameron Newton (1122 yds)
Michael Dyer (723 yds)
Trent Richardson (606 yds)
Onterio McCalebb (557 yds)
Pat Shed (UAB) (562 yds)
Mark Ingram* (544 yds)

* - Won the 2009 Heisman and was a favorite to repeat in 2010, but currently ranks 5th in his own state in rushing yards, NOT counting the RB for UAB who also ranks ahead of Ingram.

SEC releases Week 11 TV Schedule

2010-11-01T15:16:00.001-04:00

Games for the Nov. 13 Weekend:

Ole Miss at Tennessee; CBS, Noon
Vanderbilt at Kentucky; SEC Network, 12:21 p.m.
Georgia at Auburn; CBS, 3:30 p.m.
UTEP at Arkansas; ESPNU, 7 p.m.
La-Monroe at LSU; PPV, 7 p.m.
Mississippi State at Alabama; ESPN or ESPN2, 7:15 p.m.
South Carolina at Florida; ESPN or ESPN2, 7:15 p.m.

All Times Eastern

Thursday Night Pick'em

2010-10-28T19:45:00.002-04:00

We're taking Florida St heading into a big game against NC State. Both have been playing well, but we'll give up the 3.5 points, hoping FSU pulls one out on the road.

My Rant against Boise State

2010-10-27T16:09:00.001-04:00

I do not fear Boise State.

I do not think that the Broncos should be excluded from the national title game because of where they're located, their quick ascendancy as a D-1A power, or that they are a non-BCS team.

I just don't think they're that good.

I am not concerned of an unbeaten Bronco team making the national championship game over my Auburn Tigers. If Auburn goes unbeaten (i.e. winning at Miss St, Clemson, South Carolina, at Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, at Ole Miss, Georgia, at Alabama, and a SEC Championship Game) then the Tigers will be in Glendale no matter what.

And I would welcome the opportunity to play the Broncos, because Boise just isn't that good.

Boise State is not worthy of number one. The Broncos actually should not be in anyone's top five. I don't care what the national media pushes down people's throats, or how much people want to cheer on the little guy. Outside of Va Tech and Oregon State, they play a ten-game schedule of what amounts to a BCS homecoming opponent.

But that doesn't really matter because Boise just isn't that good.

Watching their dismantling of La Tech on Tuesday night (in which I was probably one of the 40,000 people who did - including the half-filled Bronco Stadium), I witnessed the number one rush defense pounded by a below-average Bulldog running game. I saw Boise use its superior speed to overcome turnovers (twice scoring after fumbling the ball). I saw Kellen Moore - the supposed Heisman candidate - hit receivers so wide open that he could have kicked the ball for a completion. I saw their depth wear down the Bulldogs.

And I also saw that Boise is a good team. They play extremely hard. They are very disciplined. They are experienced and know how to win. And they are quite capable of beating almost every team that they could play. But they aren't worthy of a national championship slot.

In big games, Boise has come out highly motivated with the largest of little brother complexes and overwhelmed its opponent in the first half, only to have to claw its way throughout the second. I enjoy the history lessons the national media gives about Boise: beating Oregon, Oklahoma and now Va Tech - three teams that have made headlines by folding like a cheap suit. But I never hear how the Broncos - led by Dan Hawkins and ready to turn the corner - did on their trip to Athens. Oh, a blowout loss? Interesting.

I'll give Boise that they can beat any team. But they don't have the depth to go unbeaten in a BCS conference. After Boise defeated Virginia Tech, what was their next game? Two weeks to prepare for a tough trip to Laramie. Following Oregon State? A trip to lowly New Mexico State.

Alabama suffered it's first loss of the season (at South Carolina) after traveling to Arkansas and hosting Florida in back-to-back-to-back weeks. Auburn just went through a stretch of at Kentucky, Arkansas, and LSU. The reward for beating the highly-ranked Tigers? A trip to Oxford. Boise can play with anybody, but they can't do it over, and over, and over again.

And that's the reason no Boise fan should complain about the BCS, which a sign in Boise described as the Broken Championship System. Because the BCS is the only way they will ever win a national title.

Boise - which every pundit has admitted - can beat anybody in a one-game shot. But a 16-team playoff, that so many people want (and will never happen) would require the Broncos to beat a top ranked team in back-to-back-to-back-to-back weeks. Even under the College Football News playoff proposal (which only has eight teams), Boise would have to beat Missouri, Michigan State and Auburn/Oregon.

But I hope Auburn gets to face Boise in Glendale (if only because that means defeating Georgia and Alabama in the same year for the first time since 2005 and winning the SEC). But after seeing Lennon Creer run for 149 yards and Moore scrambling from the "fierce" Bulldog pass rush, I'd like to see how Boise handles the rushing attack of Cam Newton, Onterio McCallebb and Michael Dyer, and the defensive front four lead by Nick Fairly.

Because, quite frankly, Boise just isn't that good.

Oregon in Top Spot for Third Straight Week

2010-10-27T11:22:00.001-04:00

Ducks take No. 1 ranking to L.A. to face the Kiffin clan.

Oregon held on to its number one ranking this week, but a new challenger has moved into the number two slot, with Auburn sliding up after its 24-17 win over LSU. The Ducks take their No. 1 ranking to L.A. this week to face USC in an attempt to end the Gameday curse (which has been on hand for the past three No. 1 team defeats). Auburn travels to Oxford to try to get past a trap game against the Good Reverend Houston Nutts' Rebel Black Bears.

Boise State regained it's No. 3 ranking after defeating Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night. The Broncos have an extra weekend to prepare for the showdown with Hawaii on the first weekend of November.

For the rest of the poll, click here.

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T18:39:00.002-04:00

In summary: GT’s defense is terrible. Not that Clemson’s offense is bad, but Al Groh for some reason can make any offense look good against him. I dont know what is the problem. Clemson beat us on both sides of the ball, especially on defense as their D-line just beat our O-line all game. Plus, our defense couldn’t shut down the run up the middle. Time for CPJ to rehire Wommack, as the 3-4 defense is just terrible. To try and say we will defend the ACC title, yeah, our offense will keep us in games, but our defense is terrible, just terrible. Throw in the fact that our receiver’s can’t catch a lob pass, our defense can’t tackle, and we make stupid mistakes, and you get to the “What is the point” status. We can win any game, but we can also lose any game. I can only see firing Al Groh now at the end of the season. He has yet to show any reason he is better than Wommack last season. Congrats to Clemson on the win.

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T18:17:00.001-04:00

6:15, 11:05 left in 4^th quarter. Finally get a good drive and fail to convert. Defense gets a hold, and we waste a possession with a f-ing terrible FG. Thanks Scott Blair. Normally I wouldn’t blame the kicker, but that was nowhere near the posts. While I took the points, we don’t deserve to win this game. Our defense is that bad, has been all season, and our offense is not clicking.

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T18:05:00.001-04:00

6:05, 14.25 left in 4^th quarter. Ok, Anthony Allen is not Jonathan Dwyer. He can’t, or doesn’t break the middle A/B gap for big yardage. He hasn’t all season, minus the few examples against Middle Tennessee St. He at least can catch, which is more than I can say for Stephen I can’t Catch Hill. Cutting the lead to 11 is huge. Need a Defensive stop, which let’s be honest, I don’t ‘expect. Clemson 24, GT 13.

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T17:45:00.001-04:00

5:42, 3^rd quarter, 5:43 left. GT drives and scores a FG, and that is a loss. I fucking hate Al Groh, it’s official now. 3^rd and long, and Groh brings 3. 3 Friggin people. How can hyou justify that. It’s like bringing a prevent defense on 3^rd down. Then Mario Butler decides to back off on a tackle rather than stop the man from scoring a TD. Why do we even pretend to play defense any more?

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T17:03:00.001-04:00

Halftime: Clemson 17, GT 3. Overall we are getting owned on the defensive line. I’ll be honest, I hate Al Groh right now. His inability to bring pressure on any play from scrimmage is disconcerting. In a 3-4 defense, you still have to bring pressure from other angles. We have gotten pressure, but only when we bring pressure from a corner or a middle LB. Our offense is getting crushed at the point of attack, but CPJ has been hesitant to try and attack the corners. When we have situations of 8 in the box, the corners are prime for attack, and we finally started doing that at the end of the 2^nd quarter. The 2^nd half ought to be fun, but GT has to recover from some terrible plays, and inability to make tackles. Win on defense and we could make a run at the game.

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T16:53:00.002-04:00

4:50, 2^nd quarter, 4:50 left, More stupid plays, missed tackles, and the ability for our DB’s on a 3^rd and 5 to give a 7 yard cushion. Somewhere there is a defensive coordinator screaming. However, somehow we force a punt. While I agree we are getting owned, the commentators are all about some Tigers, who can do nothing wrong and everything right… starting to annoy… We need points before halftime to stay in this game. We’ve played terrible, but going to half-time down 7-17 would be a victory

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T16:42:00.002-04:00

4:40, 2^nd quarter, 7:34 left. Seriously? 4^th and 12? We aren’t exactly the passing offense, they know it’s a passing situation, and we… pass it. Of course it’s incomplete, should’ve been an INT. I’m a CPJ fan, but kick the FG, and cut it to 14 points. Stupid

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T16:32:00.002-04:00

4:28, 2^nd quarter, 13:50 left, Let’s be honest, GT’s defense looks good against Middle Tennessee St. We haven’t looked good in a 1^st half since last season. I have no faith in the one we call sweatshirt (Al Groh). Yeah he may have just installed the defense, and doesn’t have the personel, but that’s an excuse with the way we’ve played. Why we think we can rush 3 against 5 O-line members still baffles me. The 3-5 defense may work for some teams, but it’s terrible for ours. We also can’t tackle, as they score yet another TD on our miserable Defense. Clemson, 17, GT, 0

In Game Commentary

2010-10-23T16:19:00.000-04:00

Georgia Tech vs Clemson

4:14, 1^st quarter, 3:45 left. I’m not a jaded fan. I’m a realist. GaTech is down 7, and all on stupid plays. We make stupid penalties (roughing the punter). We don’t make tackles (55 yard run). We fumble the ball (1^st play of the game). We make another stupid penalty on a punt return (15 yards, set up a missed FG). We drop a TD pass (Stephen Hill of course, for some reason he still is on the starting line-up, ie we don’t have another receiver). We rush 4 people on a pass play (we basically run a prevent defense on 3^rd and mid range). We hold on a kick return (yet another 10 stupid yards). So currently, nearing the end of the half we should be down 13-0, or 10-7 if we could catch. And as I write this, we fumble the ball.

College Football Pick'em, Week 8

2010-10-23T11:33:00.002-04:00

Alright pollsters, the picks are in. With Oregon already pummeling UCLA to give us the first W, we're looking to continue that into Gameday. Some big matchups, and some cupcakes should make for some fun football. Here's how we see it going down. You'll see we are taking all the favorites, and expecting no big upsets. Could be rough, this is the first time the poll has gone straight with favorites, but maybe there's a first time for everything
Oregon (-24.5), W
Oklahoma (-3)
Auburn (-6)
TCU (-18.5)
MSU (-5.5)
Alabama (-16.5)
Utah (-30.5)
Iowa (-5.5)
Ohio St (-24)
Nebraska (-5.5)
Stanford (-35)
Miami (-6.5)

Big Changes but Oregon holds No. 1

2010-10-18T19:40:00.000-04:00

Oregon held on to the top spot of this week's Southern Fans' College Football Poll, but that might only have been because the Ducks didn't take the field. One quarter of the 16-team poll lost, including No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Nebraska.

Ducks first test at No. 1 comes this Thursday vs. UCLA.

Last week, the Buckeyes were within shouting distance of the top ranking, taking seven of 19 first place votes (only two less than Oregon). After the 31-18 loss at Wisconsin, OSU fell nine spots to No. 11. Nebraska, which was seeking revenge for the last second loss to Texas in last year's Big XII championship game, couldn't get out of its own way and lost to Texas 20-13. The Cornhuskers fell 13 spots, all the way to No. 16.

But the losses allowed big moves for other teams: Oklahoma moved up three spots to No. 2 and gained one first place vote; Auburn moved up five spots to No. 3, Boise State held strong at No. 4 and TCU slide up one spot to No. 5.

For the remainder of the poll, click here.

SEC releases Week 9 TV Schedule

2010-10-18T12:03:00.002-04:00

Games for the Oct. 30 Weekend:

Tennessee at South Carolina; SEC Network, 12:21 p.m.
Florida vs. Georgia in Jacksonville, Fla.; CBS, 3:30 p.m.
Auburn at Ole Miss; ESPN2, 6 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Arkansas; FSN, 8 p.m.
Kentucky at Mississippi State; ESPNU, 8 p.m.

All Times Eastern

Pollster's Pick'em

2010-10-16T10:52:00.002-04:00

Alright pollster's. Here are our picks for the week. We're quite heavy on the favorites, but it's worked for us in the past (and hasn't...). Hopefully it'll work out. Good Luck to All, and Go Jackets!

Current Results: 38-39-3. Leader: Max Renfro, by one game.

WISCONSIN (+4)

NEBRASKA (-9.5)

boise st (-40)

OKLAHOMA (-24)

TCU (-29.5)

AUBURN (-4)

ALABAMA (-21)

south carolina (-5)

MICHIGAN ST (-7)

utah (-20.5)

FLORIDA ST (-22)

iowa (-3.5)

Week 7 Look Ahead

2010-10-15T16:15:00.001-04:00

ESPN this week has made it a point to broadcast that Boise will be the No. 1 team in the BCS standings. They (usually) go on to say that Boise has no chance to remain there, but they've made this the headline.

I understand that it's historical for a non-BCS team to be ranked at No. 1 in the BCS at any point, but they should have given more of an explanation as to why BCS is top-ranked. People's hatred of the BCS is a lack of understanding as to how rankings' computation. They see Boise at No. 3 in the AP poll and the Coaches' poll and then are told it's the "Computers" that bring Boise in at No. 1.

Unlike pollsters, who weigh the name-brand of the teams, the "Computers" actually factor in strength of victories, but they only factor in games already played. So Boise is given credit for Va Tech and Oregon State, while not (yet) being penalized for the seven creampuffs that are coming. The combination of the computer rankings are probably more accurate than subjective pollsters, but in the end of the season, their almost always in agreement. And that means, if there are more worthy teams than an undefeated Boise State, then the Broncos will be headed to Pasadena and not Glendale.

On to the Games...

1. A lot more people have confidence in Wisconsin than I do. Ohio State didn't look good int their lone road game at Illinois, but since I drafted Badger RB John Clay, I've been forced to watch a few Badger games, and they haven't been impressive at all.

While I have yet to attend a Wisconsin game (it's getting higher on the list), I've heard that they enjoy themselves mightily in Madison, so the fans are going to be geared up for the night kickoff. I think the game may be close, I don't have faith in Brett "Two-Point Conversion" Bielema to pull out the upset over Tressell or Pryor. I did take the points though.

2.Auburn hits it's roughest patch of the season, with Arkansas, LSU and at Ole Miss in the next three weeks. Two weeks ago, I would've said that the Arkansas game scared me the most, and while I'm still worried about the Hogs, I now am quite worried of the Bayou Bengals and the Hat. It's going to be a tough two weeks and if Auburn can get through them unscathed (and then avoid a letdown against Ole Miss) then the Tigers will really be worthy of the praise they've gotten this week. I'm happy that both games are getting the national CBS treatment, and I'm interested to see the depths of the Gary Danielson-lovefest over Cam Newton.

Dyer needs to step up against Hogs.

But Auburn's going to need more of a team effort to get through these three games. Cam almost single handled beat Kentucky on Commonwealth Stadium's C.M. Newton Field. Auburn's secondary isn't good enough to completely shutdown a passer like Ryan Mallett, and while everyone says the only hope is to get pressure on Mallett (which hasn't happened often this year), the Tigers are just going to have to limit his effectiveness and match him score-for-score. Auburn seems to have more depth than Arkansas, who has struggled during the second half throughout this season, which is when Auburn has (mostly) been effective.

Last week, I finally took Auburn and gave up the points, and I was burned. But I'm doing it again this week.

3. I thought Alabama was vulnerable to drop a game in Columbia, but I didn't have cojones to pick the Tide after the blowout win of Florida. Now, everyone seems to be anticipating a South Carolina loss in Lexington, and I'm going with the flow again. I think USC is easily the better team, but I'm not going to believe that the Gamecocks have turned the corner and taken control of the East until they prove it. A win in Lexington will make the trip to Gainesville the SEC East championship game.

I took the Wildcats and the points.

4. Alabama is almost a three-touchdown favorite for their homecoming match with Ole Miss. The Rebels are a different team than they were just a month ago, and they got a week off to prepare, but last week's win by Steve Spurrier didn't just give Nick Saban a loss; it ensured Houston Nutt one as well. Bama doesn't drop two in a row, and I'm giving up the points.

5. I really, really wanted to go out-on-a-limb and say that Texas would up-end Nebraska in Lincoln. But I don't think it can happen. Perhaps if the game were in Austin, the Longhorn fans could rattle Martinez. But I think that the Nebraska offense is too explosive, its defense too dominate, and the Texas offense too predictable.

Certain schools (Alabama comes to mind) take advantage of high exposure games, while others fold (looking at you Va Tech). NU is the former. This is the week that Nebraska finally gets on the national radar and gets people talking about that the Cornhuskers are "back."

Bonus: Boise State haters should tune in to the Oceanic Channel at 11:30 p.m. and grab their Rainbow Warrior pom poms. Nevada heads out to Hawaii for a late kickoff. Any additional strength-of-schedule help will come from the Wolf Pack, who are currently unbeaten and in the top 25. While you'd obviously want Nevada to beat the Broncos, an unbeaten Wolf Pack team will boost Boise's BCS ranking. Line: Nevada -7.

My Poll:

LaMichael James has Oregon No. 1;
is the Heisman far behind?

Oregon took the number one slot in my poll, but it's very fluid at this point. They have been the most impressive throughout the season. Nebraska has my number 2, and even though they don't have the strongest of schedules, there defense has been impressive and their offense, with a freshman QB, has crushed every opponent that was worthy of getting the Cornhuskers' attention. Ohio State, which until this weekend, has played a softer schedule than Boise's to-date, is my No. 3.

Auburn is my number 4, and this isn't a (complete) homer pick. I don't think the Tigers are No. 4, but I do think that Alabama is a top team, and there's no way I can - at this point in the season - put Alabama over Auburn or South Carolina. So Auburn is No. 4, USC No. 5 and Alabama No. 6. This will fluctuate and will probably be different after this weekend with AU hosting Arkansas.

Closing out the top 10 are Oklahoma (yet to prove anything aside from the blowout over a shell-shocked FSU), Utah (who gets the top MWC ranking instead of an over-rated TCU), Bosies State and LSU (who I was shocked to see win in Gainesville).

At No. 11 is Michigan State, who I really like, but I didn't give their U-M win much respect because the Wolverines were over-rated and I expected the Spartans to dominate. My final five were Arkansas (who can make a big jump with a decisive win in Auburn), Stanford (jury is still out on just how good the Cardinal are), Iowa, new-comer Oklahoma State, and Florida State.

Say Hello to the Rebel Black Bear

2010-10-14T12:14:00.001-04:00

Ole Miss has chosen a new mascot, the Rebel Black Bear.

The Mississippi Rebels decided against Admiral Ackbar and have chosen the Rebel Black Bear over the other two finalists: the Rebel Landshark and Hotty Toddy. Ole Miss's mascot won't match it's nickname, joining the ranks of the Auburn Tigers (Eagle), Alabama Crimson Tide (Elephant), Miami Hurricanes (Ibis), Tennessee Volunteers (Hound dog), Stanford Cardinal (Tree), North Carolina Tar Heels (Ram), Iowa State Cyclones (Cardinal), Virginia Tech Hokies (Turkey), and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (Big Red Blob) who also have some mis-match in nickname and mascot.

Vandy Continues to Confound

2010-10-13T11:03:00.003-04:00

Despite early troubles, Commodores have not quit on season

by Greg Frayser

At this point, I'm quite convinced that Vanderbilt Football is my mortal enemy. I think its entire existence is predicated on 1) proving me wrong and 2) driving me crazy. After a humiliating loss to Northwestern at home, I predicted that the 'Dores wouldn't win more than 2 games. At the conclusion of Week 5, their record stands at 2-3. So what do I know?

But in all seriousness, this might be the most frustrating Vandy team in years... and that's saying something! Say what you will about Bobby Johnson and his abrupt departure from the program, but the success (ok, maybe not success in the way most SEC teams would measure it, but we did win a bowl game and put a lot of players into the NFL) of the program during his tenure resulted in some great recruiting classes. So there's certainly some talent on this team. In particular, the defense looks a lot more physical and athletic, all around, than most Vandy fans are used to. On paper, that 27-3 loss to LSU looks like your typical Vandy game, but that was a game that we were very competitive in. Considering LSU is still hanging around the Top 15, it's a loss to feel good about.

On Saturday, Vandy did something that rarely ever happens... they blew someone out. They looked like a great football team. Hell, Larry Smith even looked like a quarterback! But, as someone prone to heartache at the hands of the Commodores, allow me to temper any excitement over this "huge" win. Saturday was an example of what can happen when you have an abnormally talented Vandy team play a non-conference opponent with even bigger line problems than we have. Because, when all is said and done, the biggest issue with Vanderbilt football is on the lines. The Commodores just cannot recruit physically dominant linemen (I'll leave the discussion as to why to the comments). So when Vandy plays a team where they can actually pass block, run block, and rush the passer, their current talent can show. And, as I've said, this is a talented team.

But now the reality sets in. Here are the next four games on the schedule: at Georgia, South Carolina, at Arkansas, Florida. And the simple, ugly truth is that we'll be lucky to take one game out of those four... and even that is against the odds. Larry Smith is just not going to have the time to sit back in the pocket and pick apart the secondary. I've been wildly impressed with Vandy's young crop of RBs, but they're not going to see the consistent success against these SEC defensive lines. Still, they are probably are best hope at victory. If we're going to come out of this brutal four-game stretch with any wins, it's going to be because Zach Stacey or Warren Norman play the role of game-changer (in the run game or the return game).

Still, it's always nice to be on the other side of a blowout.

Week 6: The Week that Was

2010-10-12T15:16:00.007-04:00

It took me a few days to come down from the college football rush that was Saturday. While I'm sure they were celebrating in Idaho, Utah and Fort Worth, they also have to realize it's weekends like this that separate them from the pack.

Saban's secondary had no
answer for Alshon Jeffrey.

Alabama was beaten on Saturday. South Carolina jumped on them, forcing the Tide to give up on the running game and putting the game squarely in the hands of Greg McElroy (and unlike the 2009 Auburn game, McElroy had to win the game and not just manage a game winning drive; there is a difference).

I obviously was off in my assessment of Alabama (nothing is ever quite as good as it seems), but I did think the Tide was vulnerable on the road against a passing team (which is why I didn't think Auburn or LSU would stop Bama). But after two rough conference games, Alabama ran into a team that could exploit Alabama's secondary and stay aggressive enough to keep the defense off balance. I firmly believe that if the schedule was different - if Arkansas and USC were flipped on Bama's schedule - it would be the Hogs celebrating a victory this week over the previously unbeaten Tide. And that's why TCU, Boise and Utah don't get the same level of respect.

Finally, South Carolina did what few teams could do against Nick Saban's team in the past two years - they finished. Bama rarely gave up touchdowns in difficult situations; countless times the Tide forced field goal attempts instead of touchdowns, especially in the red zone. On Saturday, South Carolina never gave a thought to field goals; they only scored TDs and ended red zone attempts in the end zone.

Mississipi State also took a bye before Bama.

(Also, I don't want to hear any complaints from Alabama fans about the six teams with bye weeks prior to playing Bama. Alabama's athletic director, Mal Moore, complained to the SEC office. You would think that fans who constantly beat their chest at being every SEC team's biggest game, wouldn't then cry about teams getting a bye. But it's not as bad as they claim. Sure USC had a week off, and it didn't hurt. But Bama takes a week off before it's too biggest SEC games - LSU [bye] and Auburn [Georgia State on Thursday night].

In comparison, Auburn faced Clemson [who scheduled Presbyterian College before AU], South Carolina [Furman], and still has LSU [McNeese State], Georgia [Idaho State] and Alabama [Georgia State]. Those are five teams playing FCS teams prior to the Tigers. It may not be a bye on the schedule, but it's a bye on the field.)

But as great as the CBS game was, nothing matched the LSU-Florida game. Les Miles finds an offense and goes up by 12 (and I'd say incorrectly going for two too early, but then, who am I to question the Mad Hatter?), only to see Florida storm back and take a three-point lead.

LSU coaching: as disturbing as this picture.

But that's ok, because LSU - who I didn't think would get 70 passing yards against Florida - has a minute and change to get into field goal range. And they have Miles, who I just knew would blew any opportunity that they had. And he almost did! But instead, he gets an over-the-head, bounce-pass, "lateral" to his kicker! who runs for five yards to convert on fourth and four. (Which gives Florida fans just one more reason to hate Damon Duval.)

Florida was shell-shocked and had to think that the game would just go to overtime. Instead the anemic LSU passing attack won the game and now LSU is in the thick of another national title race. And Gator fans have to stomach losing to Miles in similar fashion to Auburn in 2007. Now, LSU fans have gone from wanting him fired to realistically thinking national title.

(And is there any chance that the asteroid zipping by Earth is actually Les Miles' spaceship coming to pick him up [a la Cocoon... if so, maybe Guttenburg can show him how to wear a hat... and clap].) The level of luck he has is just scary. But now I also have to wonder where he found an offense; somehow both Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson looked the part of QB against a dominant SEC defense.

Then there was the show Cam Newton put on in the first half in Lexington, which vaulted him into realistic Heisman discussion (especially since the national media is too dumb to wait and see how these spread QBs play against real defenses). Auburn went up 31-14 in the second quarter and looked completely unstoppable. Of course, being the pessimistic AU fan that I am, I knew it was too good to be true; and it was. Auburn was forced to drive the length of the field to win, but that final drive was championship-caliber.

Last year, Auburn's offense might have been able to take the lead after UK tied it at 31-31, but it wouldn't have burned the final seven minutes off the clock like AU did on Saturday. The Auburn defense (especially the secondary) is going to end the Tigers this season's perfection - and soon - but Cam Newton is the type of game-changing player that can keep them in any game. But they now get a stretch of Arkansas, LSU and at Ole Miss that just might be too much to handle.

For the many games I got wrong over the season, I had the UGA and U-M games nailed. Georgia was a much more talented team than Tennessee and got the Vols between the hedges. Michigan was living off of Denard Robinson and had no defense - but Michigan State does. And the Spartans were able to limit Robinson's effectiveness and just pound the Wolverine defense. Suddenly, U-M is 5-1 and looking at a schedule with a team that is eerily reminiscent of last season's 5-7 team.

I wanted to write about this weeks ago, and now it's pretty much irrelevant, but it's funny how much USC is off the grid. Even though they can affect who wins the Pac-10, it's like the NCAA has sentenced them to play in Siberia. Now that Mark May isn't beating the Trojans' drum each week and they've dropped two straight conference games, USC is a ghost of an NCAA program. The Trojans will still make some national noise when Oregon comes calling in a few weeks, but their sudden demise couldn't have happened to a better coach.

TCU will not beat Utah. Not that any of you will notice.

Boise has more to worry about than just Oregon and Ohio State. They need the SEC champion to have two losses. And either Nebraska or Oklahoma will end the year unbeaten.

The final year of the Big Ten-11 may really blow everything up. Boise's going unbeaten. So will Utah/TCU. But what happens if the only two unbeaten BCS teams come from the Big Ten? Ohio State doesn't play Michigan State and both are unbeaten. It was close to happening in 2007, when Wisconsin went 11-1 and didn't play Ohio State. This year, if the Buckeyes and Spartans are the only BCS unbeatens, they'll both head off to Tempe for a Big Ten national championship game. And if that happens, can they re-think adding Nebraska?

Oregon takes top spot for first time

2010-10-11T18:17:00.001-04:00

Oregon is the new No. 1.

Following South Carolina's upset win over Alabama, the Oregon Ducks have moved to No. 1 in the latest Southern Fans' Poll. This is the first time the Ducks have ever been ranked No. 1; they join USC as the only Pac-10 schools to be named No. 1 in the SF Poll.

Oregon's previous highest ranking came during the poll's first season, when the Ducks moved as high as No. 2. Oregon received nine of nineteen first-place votes. The remaining teams in the top five are Ohio State (7 first place votes), Nebraska (2), Boise (1) and Oklahoma.

For the complete poll, click here.

SEC releases Week 8 TV Schedule

2010-10-11T13:48:00.000-04:00

Games for the Oct. 23 Weekend:

Ole Miss at Arkansas; SEC Network, 12:21 p.m.
LSU at Auburn; CBS, 3:30 p.m.
Alabama at Tennessee; ESPN, 8 p.m.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt; FSN, 8 p.m.
UAB at Mississippi State; ESPNU, 8 p.m.
Georgia at Kentucky; CSS, 8:30 p.m

All Times Eastern