Well, we have finally reached the last Saturday of the college football regular season. ESPN's College Gameday is currently broadcasting on a very cold, wintry day (outside temperature was close to 0 degrees F) in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship. Tonight's game (kickoff @ 8:00PM on FOX) will feature #2 Ohio State's strong offense, led by QB Braxton Miller, against #10 Michigan State and their formidable defense. Tonight's contest in Lucas Oil Stadium should be a very competitive game. If Ohio State wins, their status as an undefeated team should put them in a position to play in the National Championship game. A win by Michigan State will definitely allow the Spartans to play in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1988 (In that game MSU defeated USC, 20-17).
If Ohio State remains undefeated, it is very likely that the Buckeyes will play #1 Florida State for the National Championship. But first, Florida State will have to play #20 Duke in tonight's ACC Championship at 8:00PM on ABC. Both schools have been the national news for different reasons. Duke's rise has been, for lack of a better term, "a true underdog story." 2013 is not only the first time the Blue Devils have won ten games in a season and earned a conference championship berth. It is also the first time that the program will earn a bowl bid since the 1994 season (Duke has not won a bowl game since 1961). As for Florida State, the country's attention has focused on QB Jameis Winston. Winston faced the possibility of being charged with raping a female Florida State student. However, the State of Florida attorney's office reported Thursday that Winston would not be charged. As a result, Florida State remains favored to win their conference championship. How this development from the Florida State attorney's office will affect Winston's Heisman candidacy remains to be seen.
Speaking of schools in the Southeastern USA, tonight's schedule also features the SEC Championship game between #5 Missouri and #3 Auburn. Missouri won the SEC East but that school is west of the Mississippi River, and Auburn won the SEC West even though they are close to the Atlantic Coast. So what we have here in the SEC Championship in Atlanta (kickoff at 4PM on CBS) is a case of lopsided geography. An Auburn win tonight could re-open the debate over who is more deserving of a bid for a National Championship appearance should Florida State win: Ohio State or Auburn. Ohio State is undefeated but many argue that Auburn, despite their one loss, deserve to play since they beat three top-ten teams (it would be four if they beat Missouri). If Florida State loses, Ohio State wins, and Auburn wins, then Ohio State and Auburn could play for the championship, thus rendering that debate a moot point. If Missouri wins, then they will earn the SEC's automatic bid to the Sugar Bowl.
In the Big XII today, the picture is a little different. Three teams (Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Texas) are all eligible for a share of the Big XII title. Each team has one loss and all of them are in consideration for a bid to the Fiesta Bowl. Today's two games will determine which one out of the three will earn that berth. At Noon today, #6 Oklahoma State will host #17 Oklahoma in the annual Bedlam Series. If the Cowboys win, they will be ranked high enough in the BCS to earn the Big XII's Fiesta Bowl berth even if Baylor defeats Texas. If #9 Baylor defeats #25 Texas (kickoff: 3:30 PM on FOX), it is a strong possibility that the Bears will earn the right to play in Glendale. But that will only happen if Oklahoma wins. As for Texas, it is very possible that the Longhorns could secure a bid to the Fiesta Bowl. But that possibility can only happen if Texas beats Baylor and Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State. If that possibility occurred, Texas would get the conference championship since they would have only one loss in the Big XII and Oklahoma State and Baylor would have two losses apiece. I don't see this situation occurring but, as last week's finish in the Iron Bowl has demonstrated, unusual things can happen in the game of college football.
Finally, today's PAC-12 championship between #7 Stanford and #11 Arizona State (kickoff: 7:45 PM on ESPN) at Sun Devil stadium should be a very competitive game. The winner will go to the Rose Bowl. Stanford is the defending Rose Bowl Champion but an Arizona State victory will give the Sun Devils an opportunity to go to Pasadena for the first time since 1997.
We shall see how Championship Saturday unfolds. Enjoy the games, everybody!!
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Week #15 College Football Scores and News
Today's News Links:
Bowling Green wins the MAC Championship in Detroit. Their decisive win ends Northern Illinois' hopes for an at-large BCS bid. Full story here.
Washington hires Boise State head coach Chris Petersen. Petersen will receive a 5-year $18 million contract. Full story here.
The State of Florida will not charge Florida State QB Jameis Winston for sexual assault. Full story here.
Notre Dame reportedly accepts bid to play in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. They will play against a team from the American Athletic Conference. Full story here.
NCAA FBS (Division 1-A) Final Scores for Week #15
Rankings Reflect BCS Standings.
Thursday, December 5th
#19 Louisville survives Cincinnati in overtime, 31-24. Box Score
Friday, December 6th
Bowling Green defeats #14 Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship, 47-27. Box Score
Saturday, December 7th
#17 Oklahoma upsets #6 Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series, 33-24. Box Score
#16 Central Florida edges Southern Methodist to secure BCS bid, 17-13. Box Score
Rice trounces Marshall to win Conference-USA championship, 41-24. Box Score
Connecticut annihilates Memphis, 45-10. Box Score
#9 Baylor earns BIG XII title in their win over #25 Texas, 30-10. Box Score
#3 Auburn wins the SEC Championship over #5 Missouri, 59-42. Box Score
Rutgers runs down South Florida, 31-6. Box Score
#7 Stanford earns a Rose Bowl berth by beating #11 Arizona State, 38-14. Box Score
#1 Florida crushes #20 Duke, earns spot in National Championship, 45-7. Box Score
South Alabama defeats Louisiana-Lafayette, 30-8. Box Score
#10 Michigan State upsets #2 Ohio State, will go to Rose Bowl, 34-24. Box Score
Bowling Green wins the MAC Championship in Detroit. Their decisive win ends Northern Illinois' hopes for an at-large BCS bid. Full story here.
Washington hires Boise State head coach Chris Petersen. Petersen will receive a 5-year $18 million contract. Full story here.
The State of Florida will not charge Florida State QB Jameis Winston for sexual assault. Full story here.
Notre Dame reportedly accepts bid to play in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. They will play against a team from the American Athletic Conference. Full story here.
NCAA FBS (Division 1-A) Final Scores for Week #15
Rankings Reflect BCS Standings.
Thursday, December 5th
#19 Louisville survives Cincinnati in overtime, 31-24. Box Score
Friday, December 6th
Bowling Green defeats #14 Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship, 47-27. Box Score
Saturday, December 7th
#17 Oklahoma upsets #6 Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series, 33-24. Box Score
#16 Central Florida edges Southern Methodist to secure BCS bid, 17-13. Box Score
Rice trounces Marshall to win Conference-USA championship, 41-24. Box Score
Connecticut annihilates Memphis, 45-10. Box Score
#9 Baylor earns BIG XII title in their win over #25 Texas, 30-10. Box Score
#3 Auburn wins the SEC Championship over #5 Missouri, 59-42. Box Score
Rutgers runs down South Florida, 31-6. Box Score
#7 Stanford earns a Rose Bowl berth by beating #11 Arizona State, 38-14. Box Score
#1 Florida crushes #20 Duke, earns spot in National Championship, 45-7. Box Score
South Alabama defeats Louisiana-Lafayette, 30-8. Box Score
#10 Michigan State upsets #2 Ohio State, will go to Rose Bowl, 34-24. Box Score
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Week #15 College Football Schedule - Championship Week
Today's News Links:
Oregon QB Marcus Mariota will not enter the NFL draft and will remain with the Ducks for his junior season. Full story here.
USC formally introduced Steve Sarkisian as their new head football coach. Full story here.
UCLA has given head coach Jim Mora a contract extension through the 2019 season.
Full story here.
Despite giving a public reprimand to Ohio State players Marcus Hall and Dontre Wilson for their behavior at last Saturday's Michigan game, the Big Ten Conference will not take any other actions against either player. They will both be available to play for the upcoming conference championship game against Michigan State. Full story here.
Miami (OH) has hired Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Chuck Martin as their new head coach.
Full story here.
NCAA FBS (Division 1-A) College Football Schedule for Week #15
All Times Eastern
Conference Championship Games, regardless of whether or not the league is in the automatic or non-automatic qualifying category, are listed in alphabetical order by league name.
Oregon QB Marcus Mariota will not enter the NFL draft and will remain with the Ducks for his junior season. Full story here.
USC formally introduced Steve Sarkisian as their new head football coach. Full story here.
UCLA has given head coach Jim Mora a contract extension through the 2019 season.
Full story here.
Despite giving a public reprimand to Ohio State players Marcus Hall and Dontre Wilson for their behavior at last Saturday's Michigan game, the Big Ten Conference will not take any other actions against either player. They will both be available to play for the upcoming conference championship game against Michigan State. Full story here.
Miami (OH) has hired Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Chuck Martin as their new head coach.
Full story here.
NCAA FBS (Division 1-A) College Football Schedule for Week #15
All Times Eastern
Conference Championship Games, regardless of whether or not the league is in the automatic or non-automatic qualifying category, are listed in alphabetical order by league name.
Saturday, December 7th - 8:00PM on ABC - Bank of America Stadium - Charlotte, NC
#20 Duke vs. #1 Florida State
Saturday, December 7th - 8:00PM on FOX - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
#2 Ohio State vs. #10 Michigan State
Saturday, December 7th - Noon on ESPN2 - Rice Stadium - Houston, TX
Friday, December 6th - 8:00PM on ESPN2 - Ford Field - Detroit, MI
Bowling Green vs. #14 Northern Illinois
Saturday, December 7th - 10:00PM on CBS - Bulldog Stadium - Fresno, CA
Utah State at #23 Fresno State
Saturday, December 7th - 7:45PM on ESPN - Sun Devil Stadium - Tempe, AZ
#7 Stanford at #11 Arizona State
Saturday, December 7th - 4:00PM on CBS - Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
The Rest of This Week's Schedule shapes up as follows:
Thursday, December 5th
7:30PM
#19 Louisville at Cincinnati - ESPN
Saturday, December 7th
12:00PM
#17 Oklahoma at #6 Oklahoma State - ABC (BEDLAM SERIES)
#16 UCF at Southern Methodist - ESPN
1:00PM
3:30PM
7:30PM
South Florida at Rutgers - ESPN2
8:00PM
Monday, December 2, 2013
Week #15 BCS Rankings, Jerry Palm's Bowl Predictions, and USC Hires Steve Sarkisian
I apologize for the delay in today's post. But here are the full BCS Standings and Jerry Palm's Bowl projections for this week. One reason for the delay was because of an important development in the search for a new head coach for the USC Trojans Football team. ESPN has recently confirmed that USC has hired Washington Huskies head football coach Steve Sarkisian to lead their program. In his five seasons at Washington, Sarkisian turned around a program that had gone 0-12 in the 2008 season by accumulating a 34-29 record (24-21 PAC-12). Shortly after USC athletic director Pat Haden made his decision to hire Sarkisian, the Trojans' interim head football coach Ed Orgeron announced his resignation. According to ESPN, Orgeron was "outraged" that he had been passed over for the job, even though Haden offered Orgeron an opportunity to continue serving the USC program as an assistant head coach and "one of the nation's highest paid assistants." It will be interesting to see how the nascent Sarkisian era will play out in Southern California. ESPN has the full story here.
FULL BCS STANDINGS - WEEK #15
A team's BCS ranking is determined by averaging the percentage totals from three components: The USA Today Coaches Poll, the Harris Poll, and the six computer rankings.
JERRY PALM'S BOWL PREDICTIONS
Mr. Palm's analysis of his BCS selections can be found at his website via CBS Sports.
* - Replacement team. All games are on ESPN, except for the Sun (CBS),
Cotton (FOX), Heart of Dallas (ESPNU) and Gator (ESPN2). If Army is
bowl-eligible, it will play in the Poinsettia Bowl. If Navy is
bowl-eligible, it will play in the Armed Forces Bowl. If BYU is
bowl-eligible, it will play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
FULL BCS STANDINGS - WEEK #15
A team's BCS ranking is determined by averaging the percentage totals from three components: The USA Today Coaches Poll, the Harris Poll, and the six computer rankings.
| BCS | Harris Poll | USA Today | Computer Rankings | ||||||||||||||
| RK | TEAM | AVG | PVS | RK | PTS | % | RK | PTS | % | AVG | A&H | RB | CM | KM | JS | PW | % |
| 1 | Florida State | .9948 | 2 | 1 | 2617 | .9970 | 1 | 1546 | .9974 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .990 |
| 2 | Ohio State | .9503 | 3 | 2 | 2488 | .9478 | 2 | 1462 | .9432 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | .960 |
| 3 | Auburn | .9233 | 4 | 3 | 2422 | .9227 | 3 | 1437 | .9271 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | .920 |
| 4 | Alabama | .8539 | 1 | 4 | 2262 | .8617 | 4 | 1333 | .8600 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 4 | .840 |
| 5 | Missouri | .8428 | 5 | 5 | 2231 | .8499 | 5 | 1315 | .8484 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 5 | .830 |
| 6 | Oklahoma State | .7629 | 7 | 6 | 2083 | .7935 | 6 | 1248 | .8052 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 11 | .690 |
| 7 | Stanford | .7069 | 8 | 7 | 1873 | .7135 | 10 | 1034 | .6671 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | .740 |
| 8 | South Carolina | .7037 | 10 | 8 | 1841 | .7013 | 7 | 1100 | .7097 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 7 | .700 |
| 9 | Baylor | .6623 | 9 | 9 | 1778 | .6773 | 7 | 1100 | .7097 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | .600 |
| 10 | Michigan State | .6529 | 11 | 10 | 1758 | .6697 | 9 | 1037 | .6690 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 8 | .620 |
| 11 | Arizona State | .5833 | 12 | 13 | 1277 | .4865 | 13 | 765 | .4935 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 6 | .770 |
| 12 | Oregon | .5321 | 13 | 12 | 1398 | .5326 | 12 | 843 | .5439 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 14 | .520 |
| 13 | Clemson | .5201 | 6 | 11 | 1444 | .5501 | 11 | 853 | .5503 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 13 | .460 |
| 14 | Northern Illinois | .4812 | 14 | 15 | 1104 | .4206 | 18 | 547 | .3529 | 10 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 10 | .670 |
| 15 | LSU | .4213 | 17 | 14 | 1258 | .4792 | 14 | 720 | .4645 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 17 | .320 |
| 16 | UCF | .3858 | 19 | 18 | 967 | .3684 | 17 | 572 | .3690 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 14 | 16 | .420 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | .3808 | 18 | 16 | 1041 | .3966 | 15 | 660 | .4258 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 25 | 20 | 19 | .320 |
| 18 | UCLA | .3506 | 22 | 19 | 779 | .2968 | 19 | 473 | .3052 | 15 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 15 | .450 |
| 19 | Louisville | .2630 | 20 | 17 | 1013 | .3859 | 16 | 625 | .4032 | 28 | NR | 17 | NR | NR | NR | NR | .000 |
| 20 | Duke | .2252 | 24 | 20 | 620 | .2362 | 20 | 402 | .2594 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 18 | NR | 19 | 23 | .180 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | .1988 | 15 | 21 | 485 | .1848 | 21 | 266 | .1716 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 20 | .240 |
| 22 | Georgia | .1143 | NR | 25 | 148 | .0564 | NR | 41 | .0265 | 19 | 19 | NR | 20 | 17 | 21 | 18 | .260 |
| 23 | Fresno State | .1006 | 16 | 22 | 428 | .1630 | 22 | 215 | .1387 | 28 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | .000 |
| 24 | Texas A&M | .0995 | 21 | 23 | 290 | .1105 | 25 | 121 | .0781 | 23 | NR | 24 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 21 | .110 |
| 25 | Texas | .0666 | NR | 24 | 167 | .0636 | 24 | 149 | .0961 | 25 | 22 | 21 | NR | NR | NR | NR | .040 |
JERRY PALM'S BOWL PREDICTIONS
Mr. Palm's analysis of his BCS selections can be found at his website via CBS Sports.
| BCS Games | ||||
| Bowl | Date | Location | Matchup | Prediction |
| BCS Title Game | Jan. 6 | Pasadena, Calif.. | BCS vs BCS | Florida State vs. Ohio State |
| Orange | Jan. 3 | Miami, Fla. | ACC/BCS vs BCS | Clemson vs. Alabama |
| Sugar | Jan. 2 | New Orleans, La. | SEC/BCS vs BCS | Auburn vs. UCF |
| Fiesta | Jan. 1 | Glendale, Ariz. | Big 12/BCS vs BCS | Okla. State vs. N. Illinois |
| Rose | Jan. 1 | Pasadena, Calif. | Big Ten/BCS vs Pac-12/BCS | Michigan State vs. Stanford |
| Non-BCS Games | ||||
| Bowl | Date | Location | Matchup | Prediction |
| GoDaddy.com | Jan. 5 | Mobile, Ala. | MAC vs. Sun Belt No. 2 | Bowling Green vs. Ark. State |
| BBVA Compass | Jan. 4 | Birmingham, Ala. | SEC No. 9 vs. American No. 5/C-USA | Miss. State vs. Rutgers |
| Cotton | Jan. 3 | Arlington, Tex. | Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC | Baylor vs. LSU |
| Outback | Jan. 1 | Tampa, Fla. | Big Ten No. 3 vs. SEC | Iowa vs. South Carolina |
| Capital One | Jan. 1 | Orlando, Fla. | Big Ten No. 2 vs. SEC No. 2 | Wisconsin vs. Missouri |
| Heart of Dallas | Jan. 1 | Dallas, Tex. | Big Ten No. 7 vs. C-USA | Syracuse* vs. Rice |
| Gator | Jan. 1 | Jacksonville, Fla. | Big Ten No. 4/5 vs. SEC No. 6 | Michigan vs. Georgia |
| Chick-fil-A | Dec. 31 | Atlanta, Ga. | ACC No. 2 vs. SEC No. 5 | Duke vs. Texas A&M |
| Liberty | Dec. 31 | Memphis, Tenn. | American/C-USA No. 1 vs. SEC No. 8 | Marshall vs. Vanderbilt |
| Sun | Dec. 31 | El Paso, Tex. | ACC No. 4 vs. Pac-12 No. 4 | Virginia Tech vs. UCLA |
| Independence | Dec. 31 | Shreveport, La. | SEC No. 10 vs. ACC No. 7 | Oregon State* vs. Georgia Tech |
| Holiday | Dec. 30 | San Diego, Calif. | Pac-12 No. 3 vs. Big 12 No. 5 | Arizona State vs. Kansas State |
| Alamo | Dec. 30 | San Antonio, Tex. | Big 12 No. 3 vs. Pac-12 No. 2 | Oklahoma vs. Oregon |
| Music City | Dec. 30 | Nashville, Tenn. | ACC No. 6 vs. SEC No. 7 | Boston College vs. Ole Miss |
| Armed Forces | Dec. 30 | Fort Worth, Tex. | MWC vs. Navy | Utah State vs. Navy |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | Dec. 28 | Phoenix, Ariz. | Big 12 No. 4 vs. Big Ten No. 4/5 | Texas vs. Nebraska |
| Russell Athletic | Dec. 28 | Orlando, Fla. | American No. 2 vs. ACC No. 3 | Louisville vs. Miami (FL) |
| Belk | Dec. 28 | Charlotte, N.C. | American No. 3 vs. ACC No. 5 | Houston vs. North Carolina |
| Pinstripe | Dec. 28 | New York, N.Y. | Big 12 No. 7 vs. American No. 4 | Notre Dame* vs. Cincinnati |
| Fight Hunger | Dec. 27 | San Francisco, Calif. | Pac-12 No. 6 vs. BYU | Washington vs. BYU |
| Texas | Dec. 27 | Houston, Tex. | Big 12 No. 6 vs. Big Ten No. 6 | Texas Tech vs. Minnesota |
| Military | Dec. 27 | Washington, D.C. | ACC No. 8 vs. C-USA | Maryland vs. East Carolina |
| Poinsettia | Dec. 26 | San Diego, Calif. | MWC No. 2 vs. Army | Boise State vs. Buffalo* |
| Little Caesars | Dec. 26 | Detroit, Mich. | MAC vs. Big Ten No. 8 | Ball State vs. Pittsburgh* |
| Hawaii | Dec. 24 | Honolulu, Hawaii | MWC vs. C-USA | Colorado State vs. North Texas |
| Beef O'Brady's | Dec. 23 | St. Petersburg, Fla. | American No. 6 vs. C-USA | Ohio* vs. Middle Tenn. |
| New Orleans | Dec. 21 | New Orleans, La. | Sun Belt No. 1 vs. C-USA | La.-Lafayette vs. Tulane |
| Famous Idaho Potato | Dec. 21 | Boise, Idaho | MAC No. 3 vs. MWC | Toledo vs. UNLV |
| Las Vegas | Dec. 21 | Las Vegas, Nev. | MWC No. 1 vs. Pac-12 No. 5 | Fresno State vs. USC |
| New Mexico | Dec. 21 | Albuquerque, N.M. | MWC No. 4/5 vs. Pac-12 No. 7 | San Diego State vs. Arizona |
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Week #15 Non-BCS College Football Rankings
The Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll rankings have been released and, for the first time this year, both rankings have a new number #1 team: The Florida State Seminoles. Alabama's season-long reign as the nation's top team collapsed in literally the final second of last night's Iron Bowl. In what could be seen as the most memorable play of the season, Auburn CB Chris Davis returned a missed field goal try for an 109-yard touchdown. Auburn's win elevated the Tigers to #3 in both the AP and USA Today rankings while Alabama fell three places in both polls to #4. As a result, Auburn will play #5 Missouri in the upcoming SEC Championship Game.
Alabama's loss also enabled the Ohio State Buckeyes to rise to #2 in both polls, thereby putting Urban Meyer's squad in a position to play for the BCS National Championship against #1 Florida State. For this situation to occur, both Ohio State and Florida State have to win their respective conference championships. Ohio State will play #10 Michigan State (#9 Coaches Poll) while Florida State will play #20 Duke. It is worth noting that for the first time in program history, the Duke football team finished with ten victories. Congratulations to the Blue Devils and head coach David Cutcliffe on their accomplishment.
The rest of the top ten in both polls shaped up as follows: Oklahoma State advanced one spot in both polls to #6, putting the Cowboys in the favored spot to clinch the Big XII Championship and a Fiesta Bowl Bid as long as they defeat their in-state rival Oklahoma (#18 AP, #15 Coaches) in the upcoming Bedlam Series. Stanford lands at #7 in the AP Poll (#10 Coaches) after yesterday's win against Notre Dame. South Carolina ends their season at #8 in the AP (#7 Coaches, tied with Baylor) after their big win over Clemson, which subsequently fell seven spots to #13 (#11 Coaches). Finally, Baylor takes the #9 place in the AP after defeating Texas Christian. The Bears play their final game against Texas on Saturday. The AP dropped Notre Dame from their rankings and both polls dropped USC after the Trojans loss to UCLA, which is now ranked #17 in the AP (#19 Coaches). Monday's post will once again feature the BCS Rankings and Jerry Palm's updated postseason bowl predictions. Enjoy the evening everybody!
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
USA TODAY COACHES POLL
Numbers in parentheses represent amount of first-place votes.
Alabama's loss also enabled the Ohio State Buckeyes to rise to #2 in both polls, thereby putting Urban Meyer's squad in a position to play for the BCS National Championship against #1 Florida State. For this situation to occur, both Ohio State and Florida State have to win their respective conference championships. Ohio State will play #10 Michigan State (#9 Coaches Poll) while Florida State will play #20 Duke. It is worth noting that for the first time in program history, the Duke football team finished with ten victories. Congratulations to the Blue Devils and head coach David Cutcliffe on their accomplishment.
The rest of the top ten in both polls shaped up as follows: Oklahoma State advanced one spot in both polls to #6, putting the Cowboys in the favored spot to clinch the Big XII Championship and a Fiesta Bowl Bid as long as they defeat their in-state rival Oklahoma (#18 AP, #15 Coaches) in the upcoming Bedlam Series. Stanford lands at #7 in the AP Poll (#10 Coaches) after yesterday's win against Notre Dame. South Carolina ends their season at #8 in the AP (#7 Coaches, tied with Baylor) after their big win over Clemson, which subsequently fell seven spots to #13 (#11 Coaches). Finally, Baylor takes the #9 place in the AP after defeating Texas Christian. The Bears play their final game against Texas on Saturday. The AP dropped Notre Dame from their rankings and both polls dropped USC after the Trojans loss to UCLA, which is now ranked #17 in the AP (#19 Coaches). Monday's post will once again feature the BCS Rankings and Jerry Palm's updated postseason bowl predictions. Enjoy the evening everybody!
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | CONFERENCE |
| 1 | Florida State (58) | 12-0 | ACC |
| 2 | Ohio State | 12-0 | Big Ten |
| 3 | Auburn (2) | 11-1 | SEC |
| 4 | Alabama | 11-1 | SEC |
| 5 | Missouri | 11-1 | SEC |
| 6 | Oklahoma State | 10-1 | BIG XII |
| 7 | Stanford | 10-2 | PAC-12 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 10-2 | SEC |
| 9 | Baylor | 10-1 | BIG XII |
| 10 | Michigan State | 11-1 | Big Ten |
| 11 | Arizona State | 10-2 | PAC-12 |
| 12 | Oregon | 10-2 | PAC-12 |
| 13 | Clemson | 10-2 | ACC |
| 14 | LSU | 9-3 | SEC |
| 15 | UCF | 10-1 | AAC |
| 16 | Northern Illinois | 12-0 | MAC |
| 17 | UCLA | 9-3 | PAC-12 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | 9-2 | BIG XII |
| 19 | Louisville | 10-1 | AAC |
| 20 | Duke | 10-2 | ACC |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 9-3 | Big Ten |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 8-4 | SEC |
| 23 | Texas | 8-3 | BIG XII |
| 24 | Fresno State | 10-1 | MWC |
| 25 | Georgia | 8-4 | SEC |
USA TODAY COACHES POLL
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Florida State (58) | 12-0 | 1546 |
| 2 | Ohio State (4) | 12-0 | 1462 |
| 3 | Auburn | 11-1 | 1437 |
| 4 | Alabama | 11-1 | 1333 |
| 5 | Missouri | 11-1 | 1315 |
| 6 | Oklahoma State | 10-1 | 1248 |
| 7 | Baylor | 10-1 | 1100 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 10-2 | 1100 |
| 9 | Michigan State | 11-1 | 1037 |
| 10 | Stanford | 10-2 | 1034 |
| 11 | Clemson | 10-2 | 853 |
| 12 | Oregon | 10-2 | 843 |
| 13 | Arizona State | 10-2 | 765 |
| 14 | LSU | 9-3 | 720 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 9-2 | 660 |
| 16 | Louisville | 10-1 | 625 |
| 17 | UCF | 10-1 | 572 |
| 18 | Northern Illinois | 12-0 | 547 |
| 19 | UCLA | 9-3 | 473 |
| 20 | Duke | 10-2 | 402 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 9-3 | 266 |
| 22 | Fresno State | 10-1 | 215 |
| 23 | Cincinnati | 9-2 | 167 |
| 24 | Texas | 8-3 | 149 |
| 25 | Texas A&M | 8-4 | 121 |
Numbers in parentheses represent amount of first-place votes.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Rivalry Week Part II: Gameday - Iron Bowls and Oaken Buckets
The second half of rivalry weekend is here and ESPN's College Gameday is broadcasting from Auburn, Alabama, for the 2013 edition of the Iron Bowl, the great in-state rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers. Today's edition of this brutal rivalry has conference championship and possibly national championship implications. Both teams are in the top five of the BCS Rankings (#1 Alabama, #4 Auburn) and the winner of today's Iron Bowl (Kickoff is at 3:30 PM Eastern on CBS) will represent the SEC West in the Conference championship game in Atlanta next week. The team that the winner of today's game will play will depend on the outcome of this evening's match-up (Kickoff 7:45 PM on ESPN) between #21 Texas A&M and #5 Missouri. Missouri has to win today's game in order to win the SEC East, if they fall to Johnny Football and the Aggies, #10 South Carolina will clinch the division. Speaking of South Carolina, they play a non-conference game against their in-state rival, #6 Clemson (Kickoff 7:00 PM ESPN2). A win here by Clemson will put the Tigers in consideration for an at-large BCS bid.
In the Big Ten today, THE GAME, the biggest interstate college football rivalry in the country, between #3 Ohio State and Michigan, starts at Noon on ABC. Ohio State has already clinched the Leaders Division title and a berth in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis, and Buckeye Quarterback Braxton Miller is in consideration for the Heisman Trophy. Michigan, by contrast has had a difficult season. The Wolverines have only accumulated a 7-4 overall record and even though they will get into a bowl game, they are mainly playing for bragging rights and a chance to derail Ohio State's hopes for a national championship berth. Even if the Buckeyes win today, they still have to play #11 Michigan State, the winner of the Legends division, in the conference championship. As for the Spartans, their top-ranked defense will host Minnesota at Noon on The Big Ten Network.
Also in the Big Ten today is the in-state rivalry between Purdue and Indiana (Kickoff 3:30PM Big Ten Network). Both teams play for the Old Oaken Bucket trophy, which looks like this:
Image Source: about.com
In the ACC today, the in-state rivalry between #24 Duke and North Carolina, which is more associated with basketball than with football, features a Duke team playing for a conference division title. While North Carolina has enough wins for a bowl bid, Duke has to win today in order to have a chance to play Florida State in the ACC Championship. Should Duke lose today, the Coastal Division will have a three-way tie for first place between the Blue Devils, Georgia Tech, and Miami (FL). Should this situation occur, I have no idea who will represent the division in the ACC Championship since Duke lost to Georgia Tech, yet beat Miami. However, Miami beat Georgia Tech, but they lost to Duke. It seems like one big mess could take shape, but if Duke wins, it is a moot point. Speaking of Georgia Tech, the Ramblin' Wreck will host their in-state rival Georgia at 3:30 PM Eastern on ABC. As for #2 Florida State, the Seminoles travel to Gainesville to play their in-state rival Florida in a non-conference game. Long story short, Florida State is heavily favored to win this game.
In the PAC-12, the conference championship is already set between Stanford and Arizona State. But there are some great rivalry games from that conference on today's slate. Utah hosts Colorado this afternoon at 2:00PM Eastern on the PAC-12 Network in a game known as "The Rumble in The Rockies." #8 Stanford hosts #25 Notre Dame at 7:00PM on FOX and Arizona plays #12 Arizona State at 9:30 PM Eastern on The PAC-12 Network. The most important game in the conference today is most likely the crosstown rivalry between #22 UCLA and #23 USC. Both teams will play in the postseason but the eyes of the college football world are focused on USC's interim head coach Ed Orgeron. Coach Orgeron has done a remarkable job revitalizing the Trojans football program. Whether or not he will be considered for the USC head coaching job will likely depend on his team's performance later today. Kickoff for that game is 8:00 PM Eastern on ABC.
As for the Big XII, #9 Baylor will travel to TCU to play the Horned Frogs at 3:30 PM Eastern on ESPN2. Today's game marks the 109th time that these two teams have played each other. I guess conference realignments could not stop this long-term rivalry. Currently, Texas and Oklahoma State are tied for first in the BIG XII standings. Baylor has to win order to remain in contention for at least a share of the BIG XII title. Meanwhile, Kansas State travels to Lawrence to play the Kansas Jayhawks at Noon eastern on FOX Sports 1 and West Virginia hosts Iowa State at 4:00 PM Eastern on the same network. Enjoy the rivalries Everybody!!
In the Big Ten today, THE GAME, the biggest interstate college football rivalry in the country, between #3 Ohio State and Michigan, starts at Noon on ABC. Ohio State has already clinched the Leaders Division title and a berth in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis, and Buckeye Quarterback Braxton Miller is in consideration for the Heisman Trophy. Michigan, by contrast has had a difficult season. The Wolverines have only accumulated a 7-4 overall record and even though they will get into a bowl game, they are mainly playing for bragging rights and a chance to derail Ohio State's hopes for a national championship berth. Even if the Buckeyes win today, they still have to play #11 Michigan State, the winner of the Legends division, in the conference championship. As for the Spartans, their top-ranked defense will host Minnesota at Noon on The Big Ten Network.
Also in the Big Ten today is the in-state rivalry between Purdue and Indiana (Kickoff 3:30PM Big Ten Network). Both teams play for the Old Oaken Bucket trophy, which looks like this:
In the ACC today, the in-state rivalry between #24 Duke and North Carolina, which is more associated with basketball than with football, features a Duke team playing for a conference division title. While North Carolina has enough wins for a bowl bid, Duke has to win today in order to have a chance to play Florida State in the ACC Championship. Should Duke lose today, the Coastal Division will have a three-way tie for first place between the Blue Devils, Georgia Tech, and Miami (FL). Should this situation occur, I have no idea who will represent the division in the ACC Championship since Duke lost to Georgia Tech, yet beat Miami. However, Miami beat Georgia Tech, but they lost to Duke. It seems like one big mess could take shape, but if Duke wins, it is a moot point. Speaking of Georgia Tech, the Ramblin' Wreck will host their in-state rival Georgia at 3:30 PM Eastern on ABC. As for #2 Florida State, the Seminoles travel to Gainesville to play their in-state rival Florida in a non-conference game. Long story short, Florida State is heavily favored to win this game.
In the PAC-12, the conference championship is already set between Stanford and Arizona State. But there are some great rivalry games from that conference on today's slate. Utah hosts Colorado this afternoon at 2:00PM Eastern on the PAC-12 Network in a game known as "The Rumble in The Rockies." #8 Stanford hosts #25 Notre Dame at 7:00PM on FOX and Arizona plays #12 Arizona State at 9:30 PM Eastern on The PAC-12 Network. The most important game in the conference today is most likely the crosstown rivalry between #22 UCLA and #23 USC. Both teams will play in the postseason but the eyes of the college football world are focused on USC's interim head coach Ed Orgeron. Coach Orgeron has done a remarkable job revitalizing the Trojans football program. Whether or not he will be considered for the USC head coaching job will likely depend on his team's performance later today. Kickoff for that game is 8:00 PM Eastern on ABC.
As for the Big XII, #9 Baylor will travel to TCU to play the Horned Frogs at 3:30 PM Eastern on ESPN2. Today's game marks the 109th time that these two teams have played each other. I guess conference realignments could not stop this long-term rivalry. Currently, Texas and Oklahoma State are tied for first in the BIG XII standings. Baylor has to win order to remain in contention for at least a share of the BIG XII title. Meanwhile, Kansas State travels to Lawrence to play the Kansas Jayhawks at Noon eastern on FOX Sports 1 and West Virginia hosts Iowa State at 4:00 PM Eastern on the same network. Enjoy the rivalries Everybody!!
Friday, November 29, 2013
Rivalry Week Part I: Football Friday and The Howell Report's One Year Anniversary.
It is the day after Thanksgiving, a day where many people wait in long lines outside of department stores to hunt for perceived bargains on the first day of the holiday shopping season. It is day that the country calls "Black Friday" but lately I have decided to call it "Football Friday" since many college games are airing this afternoon. I would also like to point out that last year's Football Friday was the day I started The Howell Report. And now, one year and 3500 hits later, I want to thank everyone who took the time to visit this little corner of the internet.
Anyway, today's Football Friday slate of games features some great interstate and in-state football rivalries. At Noon on ABC, the Big Ten Conference presents the Hy-Vee Heroes Game, a recently resurrected border rivalry between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Nebraska and Iowa have been playing each other since 1891 and their rivalry was an annual matchup (with some interruptions) until 1946. By then Nebraska and Iowa were in separate conferences (Iowa -Big Ten, Nebraska - Big 8, forerunner to the Big XII) and they rarely played each other until Nebraska joined the Big Ten in July 2011. The Cornhuskers currently lead the series 28-12-3. Today's game should prove interesting since both teams are almost evenly matched in terms of their records. (Neb: 8-3, 5-2 conference; Iowa: 7-4, 4-3 conference). Regardless of the outcome of today's game, both teams will go to postseason bowls.
At the same time, the American Athletic Conference has a game between Southern Methodist and Houston on ESPN2. Both the Mustangs and the Cougars were part of the old Southwest Conference before it dissolved in the mid-1990s. After that conference broke apart, Houston joined Conference-USA in 1996 and Southern Methodist joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) where it remained until it joined C-USA in 2005. Both schools found their way into what became the AAC last summer. I don't know if either team considers the other a major rival. But since these two teams are the only members of the AAC that are from Texas, in-conference and state bragging rights could be a major issue in today's game. The AAC also has another in-state contest between #19 Central Florida and South Florida. That game airs on ESPN at 8PM tonight.
At 2:30PM on CBS Arkansas and #17 Louisiana State will commence the "Battle for The Golden Boot" a trophy shaped like the state outlines of Louisiana and Arkansas. LSU currently leads the series 36-20-2 and the rivalry has been played since 1901, ninety years before Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference. The trophy looks like this:
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Image source: Wikipedia
The PAC-12 has two major in-state rivalries in the Pacific Northwest. Washington and Washington State will kickoff at 3:30 PM Eastern on FOX. Both teams play for the "Apple Cup," a trophy symbolizing the state's role as a major apple producer. The Huskies currently lead the series 67-32-6. The teams have played each other 105 times since 1900, making it one of the longest continually played rivalries in the country. At 7:00PM Eastern tonight on FOX Sports 1, the "Civil War" between #13 Oregon and Oregon State will begin. Had Oregon defeated Arizona last week, this game would have been the only thing standing between the Ducks and an appearance in the PAC-12 Championship game. Instead, both teams will play for bragging rights and invitations to mid-level and upper-level non-BCS bowl bids. However, if Oregon wins today and Stanford loses the PAC-12 Championship to Arizona State, the Ducks may be eligible for an at-large bid to a BCS bowl game. Both teams have played each other since 1894 and Oregon currently leads the series 60-46-10.
Enjoy the day, everybody!!
Anyway, today's Football Friday slate of games features some great interstate and in-state football rivalries. At Noon on ABC, the Big Ten Conference presents the Hy-Vee Heroes Game, a recently resurrected border rivalry between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Nebraska and Iowa have been playing each other since 1891 and their rivalry was an annual matchup (with some interruptions) until 1946. By then Nebraska and Iowa were in separate conferences (Iowa -Big Ten, Nebraska - Big 8, forerunner to the Big XII) and they rarely played each other until Nebraska joined the Big Ten in July 2011. The Cornhuskers currently lead the series 28-12-3. Today's game should prove interesting since both teams are almost evenly matched in terms of their records. (Neb: 8-3, 5-2 conference; Iowa: 7-4, 4-3 conference). Regardless of the outcome of today's game, both teams will go to postseason bowls.
At the same time, the American Athletic Conference has a game between Southern Methodist and Houston on ESPN2. Both the Mustangs and the Cougars were part of the old Southwest Conference before it dissolved in the mid-1990s. After that conference broke apart, Houston joined Conference-USA in 1996 and Southern Methodist joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) where it remained until it joined C-USA in 2005. Both schools found their way into what became the AAC last summer. I don't know if either team considers the other a major rival. But since these two teams are the only members of the AAC that are from Texas, in-conference and state bragging rights could be a major issue in today's game. The AAC also has another in-state contest between #19 Central Florida and South Florida. That game airs on ESPN at 8PM tonight.
At 2:30PM on CBS Arkansas and #17 Louisiana State will commence the "Battle for The Golden Boot" a trophy shaped like the state outlines of Louisiana and Arkansas. LSU currently leads the series 36-20-2 and the rivalry has been played since 1901, ninety years before Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference. The trophy looks like this:
.jpg)
Image source: Wikipedia
The PAC-12 has two major in-state rivalries in the Pacific Northwest. Washington and Washington State will kickoff at 3:30 PM Eastern on FOX. Both teams play for the "Apple Cup," a trophy symbolizing the state's role as a major apple producer. The Huskies currently lead the series 67-32-6. The teams have played each other 105 times since 1900, making it one of the longest continually played rivalries in the country. At 7:00PM Eastern tonight on FOX Sports 1, the "Civil War" between #13 Oregon and Oregon State will begin. Had Oregon defeated Arizona last week, this game would have been the only thing standing between the Ducks and an appearance in the PAC-12 Championship game. Instead, both teams will play for bragging rights and invitations to mid-level and upper-level non-BCS bowl bids. However, if Oregon wins today and Stanford loses the PAC-12 Championship to Arizona State, the Ducks may be eligible for an at-large bid to a BCS bowl game. Both teams have played each other since 1894 and Oregon currently leads the series 60-46-10.
Enjoy the day, everybody!!
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