In College FB This Game Would Matter!

For all the BCS bashers out there, think about this. Oral Roberts beating #1 Kansas would matter in college football A LOT. As it is no one is paying attention to college basketball this time of year and it barely gets mentioned. Is that what you want September and October to become in college football. A big ho hum until November and then the start of a December playoff?

Oh, and the loser of Michigan/OSU does not deserve a rematch. This week starts a defacto playoff and someone gets knocked out. My view is Michigan goes bye bye.

College Football Thoughts Week 6

Officially at the halfway point and the cream is rising!

PAC 10 – Da’ Bears are back baby! After getting the beat down on Rocky Top in Week 1 Cal has come sneaking back into the PAC 10 and National pictures. The beat down of a very good Oregon team served notice to a somewhat struggling USC to get ready to play on November 18. The Cardinal met their defensive standard for the year by allowing 31 points to the Golden Domers. Given the quality of O the Domers have that was probably a triumph. And don’t look now but it looks like the Curse of Stoops has followed brother Mike Stoops to Arizona as they currently sit 0-3 in the conference.

Big 12 – As expected Texas had more horses than the Sooners as they romped to a relatively easy victory. Colt McCoy is looking better and better each week. Baylor beat Colorado to send the Buffs to their longest losing streak in 117 years (isn’t that basically since the inception of college football as a game??). And don’t look now but mighty Missou is 6-0 and tied for the Big 12 North lead. Looking like its coming down to Missou and Nebraska for the right to get beat by Texas in the Big 12 Championship game.

SEC – Gators roll and have to be considered at least the 2^nd best team in the country right now. Undefeated and having played Tenn, Alabama and LSU in three of the last four weeks that is impressive. However, next two weeks bring Georgia and Auburn (away). That is a tough stretch. If they make through they will likely face the Razorbacks in the championship after they punked War Damn Eagle, Alabama. BCS talk in October is always a curse Tommy. As I suspected Georgia is not as good as people thought after Tennessee hung 50 on them at home. When was the last SEC game with 84 total points?

Lil E – WVU and Looelvle keep rolling and their match up on November 2^nd will decide the Lil E championship. I think the Cardinals have the edge because they can throw and run. If the WVU spread O gets the run shut down I don’t think Pat White can beat you. I say this although neither team has played a single conference game yet. South Florida, Cincy, Pitt and Rutgers are all capable of the upset.

Big 10 – Nothing really new. OSU romps, Michigan continues to impress and PSU lucks out against Minnesota. Hopefully you punters followed my logic last week and bet against Michigan State. The folding will continue.

ACC – Just keeps getting more discombobulated. NC State is rising (and currently leading the Atlantic Division) and again beat Papa Bowden probably dooming him to only his third year without an ACC championship. Duke put a scare into Alabama but alas got put away. Gah Tech survived Maryland (barely) and continues to lead the Coastal. UVA went down to Tobacco Road and lost to former AD Terry Holland’s ECU Pirates. Things in Hooville are not pleasant these days. Miami took care of UNC although it was not that impressive and Klempson had to struggle with 5-0 Wake before Wake imploded in the second half. Better talent decided to play I think. Hokies and Eagles were off as they get ready for their Thursday night tilt in Boston.

Coaches Hot Seat Poll: #1 Coker, #2 Bunting, #3 Friedgen, #4 Amato #5, Roof.

The Looking Good List

THE Ohio State University

Gators

Big Blue

Looelvle

West By God Virginia

Men of Troy

College Football Thoughts Week 5

Here we are coming up on the halfway pole and the picture gets ever clearer. Here is ole Hatcher’s view of the world.

Big 10 – In a tip of the cap to former colleague Cable the Big 10 seems to be the class of the conference buffet this year. Throw in honorary member number 12 Notre Dame and they appear to have the best team and the best group of the top 4. Iowa tried in vain to stop the machine formerly known as The Ohio State Buckeyes but alas did not have the firepower. Also it was probably predictable that Michigan State, after handing a game to Notre Dame last week, would puke up a loss to that powerhouse from Illinois. Jon L. and the Spartans seem to make a habit of folding after losses. Take their opponents and the points this weekend punters. Overall it appears the only thing stopping OSU is themselves or a perhaps a Lloyd Carr inspired Michigan squad (is that an oxymoron??).

PAC 10 – The conference that suffers from East Coast Bias (that is what happens when most of your games end after midnight Saturday when we East Coast media types are sleeping off the tailgate party) is alive and well. USC narrowly escaped a game Washington State group. That is what good teams do. Also coming into view is a very good Oregon squad that by virtue of the karma gods got the break(s) of a lifetime against Oklahoma and they appear ready to make the most of it. Those beauties notwithstanding, the Cardinal is hooorible (to quote Bill Walton). Defense is an unknown particle in Palo Alto as the Cardinal has given up 31 or more in each of their five games.

Big 12 – What can be said? There is Texas and maybe Oklahoma and Nebraska and nothing else. The Red River Shootout should be for all the marbles again and Texas looks like the favorite. Oklahoma has obviously pee peed on the karma gods because they seem doomed with the QB/Lineman loss right before the season starts and that Oregon game. Stoops needs to make an offering or something.

Little East – There is Louisville and WVU and maybe Rutgers (did I write Rutgers???). Like most of the mid-Atlantic Louisville and WVU took the week off by scheduling Open. I think the Little E has done a stunning job staying in the game after the Swofford Raid a few years back but I am still glad my Hokies are in the ACC. How many weeks until hoops season?

SEC – Florida pulls it out and is looking better and better. Damn if Alabama would ever locate an offense they would be dangerous. Auburn is tough but they don’t exactly roll up the points either. I see a Florida/Auburn showdown in the title game with the Gators having a touch more firepower. Tennessee appears to be back and Phillip may yet have something to say about that SEC race. Georgia is highly ranked but I don’t think they are that good. They eked out another close win against a powerhouse Ole Miss squad. Tailgating in the Grove may be like a trip to Mecca but football in Mississippi is definitely the hired help to the rest of the SEC gentry. In other words, do as you're told.

ACC – Since the majority of the conference decided to schedule Open this week and many teams struggled there is not much to say. As I feared my Hokies are too young and inexperienced in too many places to not make the critical mistakes. It was a well rounded Beamerball loss to a GAH Tech squad that was looking to make up for last year's beat down. However, some fine Italian sausage on a new grill made up for some of the pain. The only other conference game of note was the Hoos vs. the Dukies. The Hoos got rolling early and never looked back and 0-12 is becoming quite possible in Durham. Never fear my Southern aristocrat fans, Midnight Madness is 14 days away. All other ACC teams in action played horrible teams with the exception of Miami which eked out a win against a surprising Houston squad that is channeling David Klingler and Andre Ware. Coaches Hot Seat Poll: #1 Coker, #2, Bunting, #3 Amato, #4 Friedgen #5, Roof.

The Looking Good List

THE Ohio State University

Men of Troy

West By God Virginia

Looelvle

Big Blue

War Eagle

Ducks

Gators

College Football Thoughts Week 4

A ho hum week but we still managed to learn a little about players and teams. Here are my thoughts.

Notre Dame - When the term Luck of the Irish is used look up Notre Dame vs. Michigan State 9/23/2006. How can a team that looked that crappy for so long against a team that is pounding them into submission somehow comeback and win? I don't know but don't believe the Charlie Weiss is great and he calls plays aggressively stuff. One fourth down call worked, one lead to a Mich St. touchdown. I prefer to believe that Knute Rockne sold his soul to the devil.

Boston College - Painful loss. The good brothers at BC forgot to consult Knute on how to achieve football immortality. To lose to the Wolfpups that way is painful. Part of a life of penance I guess.

USC - Another week, another win.

Florida - Those Nike Gridiron commercials must be doing something for ole Urban. The Gators keep on rolling even against a game Kentucky squad. When UF gets to smack talk UK about football and hoops the weuxf gods have to be smilin'.

ACC Update - Clemson takes out 50 years of frustration against UNC - wait James Davis just scored again. Hold that Tiger they look like the class of the league. The Blue Heels are going fast - in the wrong direction. Chuckie turned down the blow torch under his chair a few degrees. Lord knows what he had to promise to come up with that miracle win. FSU worked off their frustrations with an old school beatdown of Rice. UVA took the Thursday night header vs. GaH Tech (who could be pretty good). IMHO an offensive cooridinator that does not get Calvin Johnson at least 10 touches a game should be fired for stupidity. Hees a baaaadd maaaan! UVA on the other hand is just not very good right now. Maryland struggled to beat Florida International (WTFAT?). Miami beat up on Open which is a good thing given the Lord of the Flys scenario this writer sees unfolding in South Florida. Wake kept its undefeated streak alive beating SEC pup Ole Miss and Duke tied Open after a late score by several members of the lacrosse team (cheap joke I know). The Hokies struggled against Cincy who has a decent 2.5 quarter team. Unfortunately the game is 4 quarters. Brutal schedule to boot. I continue to think my Hokies are overrated at 10th/1th and are probably 20-25th. D got exposed a little up the middle and a suspect running game and a QB with four total games of experience does not inspire loads of confidence. More will be known this time next week after they play GaH Tech. ACC Coaches Hotseat Poll #1 Coker, #2 Bunting, #3 Amato, #4 Friedgen, #5 Groh

The Looking Good List

THE Ohio State University

Men of Troy

Big Blue

West BY GOD Va.

Looelvle

War Damn Eagle

College Football Thoughts Week 3

Separation Saturday and the pretenders from the contenders gets a little more focused.

USC– Hard to argue with someone that keeps knocking down whatever team is put in front of them. Nebraska has made progress though and Callahan gets a pass.

Michigan – Good game Lloyd. Saved the country much angst and your program’s pride. Special helpings of good vibes for doing it under the gaze of Touchdown Jesus.

Klempson – You beat Daddy and got yourself back into the ACC race. Kudos for getting it done in a pressure situation after losing a lot of players to injury.

Auburn – Slobernocker SEC football at its best. I love games like this.

Oregon – Incredible game. Can the person who stole Bob Stoops mojo please give it back? Guy goes from untouchable to Chief Black Cloud. If it can go wrong it will. Beware Pete Carroll. The Karma Gods might look for a new victim.

WVU – Nothing more fun than azz kickin one of your rivals. Team is impressive. Louisville will be a tough out though. Not sure you D can handle them. We’ll see. Rich Rod is one of the better coaches in the game today. Someone is gonna come knockin’ with lots of cash and an easier recruiting base. Beware!

ACC – Sucks this year. Miami gets punked at Louisville. Loss is ok but lose the swagger guys. This ain’t 1991. UVA gets beat on Homecoming by Western Mich, NC State gets blasted by Southern Miss, UNC gives up 42 points to 1-AA Furman. Hot Seat Poll this week is Coker #1, Amato #2, Bunting #3, Fridegen #4, Groh #5.

Va Tech – We pass better than we run. Next up cats and dogs living together. Oh, and we have played NO ONE yet. TBD on this team.

Looking Good List

THE Ohio State University

Men of Troy

Big Blue

West BY GOD Va.

Looelvle

College Football Thoughts Week 2

We are now settling into the college football season. The 1-AA patsies are behind us and we start to get a feel for team’s have real potential.

USC-East – Keep recruiting Visor Boy because you still don’t have the horses in Columbia just yet. All those SEC taunts you threw out at UF are coming back to haunt.

Notre Dame – Good game Charlie. Not sure how good Joe Pa's gang is just yet but an impressive win nonetheless. D looks better.

Duke – The NCAA Division 1 Football Committee is pleased with your efforts yesterday but doubts remain…Probation to continue until further notice.

Texas – Guess that Vince guy was pretty valuable. Mr. Cheeb and Firearms would have been helpful last night when OSU WRs looked like they are running free in an Austin meadow instead of Darryl Royal Stadium. Keep working on it. You could get another shot in January.

OSU – Impressive win against the hook’em horns crowd. Let’s talk more Troy Smith and Gonzalez and less Ted Ginn. Has anyone ever gotten more hype two years in a row for less production? He is a very good player but I don’t see All-World on the field. Very impressive reload on D as well. Texas scored 40+ in 12 straight games and you held them to a single TD.

Clemson – Tommy Boy, oh Tommy Boy. Another close loss in a game you should have won, and against your own ACC Division. Papa wins again.

NCST- Ok I am officially on the Chuck Must Go Bandwagon. Post P. Rivers, has anyone done less with more talent?

Beamerball – “It’s back”. Recruiting message to O-linemen, we need you every year! We are not a Top 25 team.

Florida State – God I wish we could play you the week after a big game.

Looking Good List

THE Ohio State University

Notre Dame

USC

Hincapie Wins US Pro Cycling Championship

Great weekend for George. After a bizarre year which saw him possibly lose Paris-Roubaix with a broken fork and lose the Tour of Benelux in a super bizarre crash in the final 100m on the final day you have to feel good for one of the good guys of the peloton.