College Weekly Report
by Brent Beaird
December 05
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- BCS National Championship Game: Alabama vs. BCS team
- Allstate Sugar Bowl: Florida vs. BCS team
- Capital One Bowl: LSU vs. Big Ten team
- Outback Bowl: Auburn vs. Big Ten team
- Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Big 12 team
- Chick-fil-A Bowl: Tennessee vs. ACC team
- Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. ACC team
- Autozone Liberty Bowl: Arkansas vs. Conference USA team
- Advocare Independence Bowl: Auburn vs. Big 12 team
- Papajohns.com Bowl: South Carolina vs. Big East team
(ESPN.com)
SEC NOTES:
With only three teams finishing with winning SEC records this season, it marks the fewest number of teams to post winning SEC records since the league expanded and split into two divisions in 1992. Alabama and Florida were both 8-0 in the league, while LSU finished 5-3. Eight of the remaining nine teams either finished 4-4 or 3-5. Vanderbilt was 0-8. This season also marks the first time since expansion in 1992 that 11 of the 12 teams won at least three league games. Six of the 12 teams finished with a 7-5 record overall. Of course, this is also the first time since expansion that two teams have finished unbeaten in SEC play.
Six teams in the SEC (Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee) are 7-5. Half the league is a game above .500 in terms of overall record. Some have said the SEC was down this season, and a lot of that depends on how you want to look at it. But the teams in this league beat up on each other this season like never before. Take a look at the conference records. Other than Alabama and Florida, both of whom went unbeaten, the only other team to finish with a winning SEC record was LSU, and the Tigers had to rally in overtime against Arkansas on Saturday night to do that. Everybody else had a 4-4 record or worse, and six of the teams finished with losing conference records. (espn.com)
TOUGHEST SCHEDULES:
According to the NCAA, Mississippi State has played toughest schedule in the nation this season, with its 12 opponents winning 68.5 percent of their games. Six SEC teams were among the top 25 in toughest schedules, with 1. Mississippi State, 3. Arkansas, 5. Georgia, 16. South Carolina, 19. Alabama and 25. Auburn. Alabama played the other five SEC teams on that list and was 4-0 against teams ranked in the top 25. Florida has played one ranked team this season, LSU. (espn.com)
ALABAMA VS. FLORIDA IN THE SEC TITLE GAME:
BAMA KEYS:
- Get something out of the running game with Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. (Florida is 39-1 under Urban Meyer when holding opponents to under 100 yards rushing.)
- Bama offensive line needs to get a stalemate with Gator defensive line
- Need Julio Jones to take advantage of his size and strength
- Need quarterback Greg McElroy to have early success by spreading the ball to Marquis Maze and Colin Peek
- Control Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps; control Tim Tebow up the middle and shuttle pass to Aaron Hernandez
- Get a defensive touchdown or big return
- Protect punter P. J. Fitzgerald
- Play like the entire season not the Auburn game
- Win the Fourth Quarter by finishing
- The Saban Factor: Coach Nick Saban is 13-1 in rematches
FLORIDA KEYS:
- Get ready for the blitz (Florida allowed 28 sacks this season and Alabama has 31 in 12 games)
- Compensate for the loss of Carlos Dunlap (he leads the team with seven sacks) Justin Trattou will see more playing time and defensive tackle Jaye Howard will also move over to end
- Limit Tebow's carries and spread the ball (Tebow gained only 57 yards last year on Alabama)
- Utilize other receivers besides Hernandez and Riley Cooper
- Stay within striking distance in the fourth quarter
- Make a big play in the kicking game-return or block
- Joe Haden limits Julio Jones
- Build on confidence gained from last part of the season more than the entire season
OTHER NOTES: This is the first time in SEC history that both teams come into the game without a loss. It's a shame that the antiquated BCS system does not provide a way such as a plus-one or a plus-three for the loser of the game to still be involved in the national championship.
These are possibly the two best coaching staffs and defenses in the nation. Javier Arenas and Brandon James are two of the best kick returners anywhere. Overall, both teams are basically even except for the Gators having the advantage at quarterback. Both teams are going to face the best opponent they have faced the entire season. Last year was one for the ages and Saturday will be no different.
Both teams are 12-0 with a likely Heisman Trophy finalist and team statistics that are in some ways eerily similar.
BROYLES AWARD: The two defensive coordinators in Saturday's SEC championship game have been named as finalists for the Broyles Award, which goes to the top assistant coach in college football..
Alabama's Kirby Smart and Florida's Charlie Strong are among the five finalists, joining Cincinnati's Jeff Quinn, Boise State's Bryan Harsin and TCU's Dick Bumpas.
FLORIDA: Coach Urban Meyer said defensive end Carlos Dunlap will not play when Florida meets Alabama Saturday in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta after being arrested early Tuesday morning for driving under the influence. With Dunlap suspended, Meyer said Justin Trattou should see additional time at defensive end and Jaye Howard, usually a defensive tackle, will move outside to counter Alabama's power running game. Junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap, 20, was arrested at 3:25 a.m. by Gainesville Police Officer Robert Rogers in the 200 block of Southwest 34th Street. According to police, Rogers was dispatched to the area to check out reports of a reckless driver in a Chrysler. Rogers said that when he found the car matching the description, he also found Dunlap alone in the car and asleep at the wheel. After waking Dunlap, Rogers said he refused to submit to a breath test and was booked into the Alachua County jail on the DUI charge.
Florida is first nationally in total defense (233.08 yards per game) and scoring defense (9.83), while Alabama is third (233.92) and second (10.83), respectively. The Gators are sixth in rushing offense (236.67), 12th in total offense (451.33), and 10th in scoring offense (36.5). The Tide is 13th (212.92), 40th (407.42) and 25th (31.67).
Florida has better pass-efficiency numbers, but Alabama played a tougher schedule with four wins against Top 25 teams compared to just one for the Gators.
For Florida, linebacker A.J. Jones (concussion) is out, while running back Emmanuel Moody (ankle) is considered questionable and cornerback Janoris Jenkins (strained hip) will likely play.
Meanwhile, Saban repeated that Ingram's hip pointer was not believed to be serious.
Cooper has caught five touchdown passes in his past five games. Hernandez scored two touchdowns and weaved through a handful of FSU defenders on his second score, a 37-yarder. The only mistake Hernandez made all day came when he hurled the football into the stands after that second touchdown. Tebow was 17 of 21 passing for 221 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 90 yards and two more scores. (Gatorbait.net)
ALABAMA: Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain's name has been linked to the San Jose State and Louisville jobs. Sharrief sets career mark: Ali Sharrief, a senior who has played defensive back in the past but has been relegated to special teams play this year, stepped into the limelight against Auburn with a career-high five tackles -- one on the kick coverage team and four as an extra defensive back in passing situations in place of linebacker Cory Reamer.
The 74th renewal of the Iron Bowl was a classic. No. 2 Crimson Tide improved to 12-0 and kept its national title hopes alive after a late fourth quarter rally. After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, the Tide outscored Auburn 26-7 over the next three quarters. Auburn took the lead just 3 minutes and 20 seconds in and didn't trail until there was only 1:24 remaining - all but 4:44 of the game. Trailing by one-point and Ingram out with a hip-pointer, the Tide drove 79 yards on 15 plays to score the game-winning touchdown with just 1:24 remaining. During the drive, McElroy completed seven straight passes. Receiver Julio Jones caught four passes during the drive catch for the first touchdown reception of his career. The original call was for a run, but Saban called time out and changed it to a pass that scored the game-winning touchdown. With Alabama having senior nose tackle Terrence Cody in the game as a fullback and having successfully punched into the end zone earlier in the game, the play-action worked and McElroy found senior running back Roy Upchurch for the decisive points. McElroy completed 21 of 31 for 218 yards with two touchdowns in the Auburn win. Richardson ran 15 times for 51 yards and one score. Julio Jones caught nine passes for 83 yards. Tight end Colin Peek caught three passes for 53 yards and one score.
With his 56-yard return in the third quarter, Arenas became the SEC all-time leader in punt return yards. With two returns for 67 yards, he has 1,725. Arenas is second on the NCAA all-time list and needs 37 yards to surpass Wes Welker of Texas Tech, who gained 1,761 yards on punt returns from 2000-03. Ingram, who was limited to a season-low 30 rushing yards on 16 carries, has 1,429 rushing yards for the season, which is 42 shy of the single-season record set by Bobby Humphrey in 1986 (1,471). The 67-yard touchdown run on a reverse by receiver Terrell Zachery was the longest yielded by the Crimson Tide since a 70-yard run by Arkansas' Darren McFadden in 2005. Prior to that play, the longest run given up by Alabama this season was the 34-yard carry by LSU running back Charles Scott who broke his collarbone on the play.
Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain finished with a game-high 12 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. His sack of Chris Todd on third down capped a huge three-and-out for Alabama in the fourth quarter, and McClain was also the one who spiked down Auburn's last-ditch pass in the end zone on the final play of the game.
KENTUCKY IN A BOWL GAME:
Kentucky appears to be headed to the Music City Bowl. The Wildcats (7-5) had an opportunity in overtime to break a 24- year losing streak to Tennessee. However, the Wildcat coaching staff went with struggling freshman quarterback Morgan Newton, who was 10 of 22 for 69 yards, instead of Randall Cobb who led them to a tying field goal in the previous drive. Cobb ran for 101 yards. After gaining 187 yards in the first half and taking a 21-14 halftime lead, the Wildcats were held to just 80 yards and four first downs in the second half and fell behind 24-21. Senior linebacker Sam Maxwell returned an interception 56 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. It was the sixth interception this season for Maxwell, the most by a UK player since Marcus Jenkins intercepted six passes in 1993. (Catspause.com)
GEORGIA IN A BOWL GAME:
Wednesday, Richt announced that defensive coordinator and secondary coach Willie Martinez, defensive co-coordinator and linebacker coach John Jancek, and defensive ends coach Jon Fabris will not return in 2010. All three have been asked to coach through the bowl game. Possible replacements are Travis Jones of the Saints, Bob Sanders of the Bills, Brian VanGorder of the Falcons, Tyrone Nix of Ole Miss, Kirby Smart of Alabama, Kevin Steele of Clemson, Kansas State co-defensive coordinator Vic Koenning and Dallas Cowboys linebackers coach Reggie Herring
Georgia appears to be headed to the Independence Bowl. Bulldog coaches are telling some recruits that Logan Gray will be moved to receiver. Defensive end Montez Robinson was arrested for underage possession of alcohol by UGA police early Sunday morning, according to the Clarke County police report. The Bulldog freshman was arrested at 4:06 a.m. before being released from the Clarke County jail at 5:28 a.m. Robinson appeared in all 12 regular-season games, collecting five tackles, all coming in Georgia's win against Tennessee Tech.
As first reported by UGASports, wide receiver A.J. Green did not make the trip and was unavailable to play after suffering an AC sprain in his left shoulder two weeks ago against Auburn. Backup safety Bacarri Rambo did make the trip, but he was unable to play. Backup running back Richard Samuel did not make the trip after suffering a concussion earlier in practice. During the game, safety Bryan Evans suffered a concussion and did not return.
Junior Vance Cuff made his first career start, getting the call over sophomore Brandon Boykin who had started the first 11 games this year. Boykin was battling a hip injury suffered last week against Kentucky. Also, sophomore Marcus Dowtin started at Mike linebacker in place of Darryl Gamble. … Georgia's passing numbers were the lowest in the Richt era as Joe Cox finished 8-for-14 for 76 yards. Georgia had eight completions against South Carolina in 2005 on 17 attempts for 112 yards and went 8-for-14 for 93 yards vs. Ole Miss in 2001. …
Sophomore kicker Blair Walsh made 22-yard field goal in the second quarter for a 10-3 lead to cap a 15-play, 84-yard drive in 6:40. In the third quarter, he made a 38-yarder for a 27-17 lead. In the fourth quarter, he added a 43-yarder for a 30-17 lead. Walsh missed a 55-yarder with 3:03 left, his first miss from 50-plus this season, making him 4-for-5 from that distance. Overall, he is now 19-for-21 (90.4%) on the year.
Georgia (7-5) rushed for 339 yards in the upset of the No. 7 ranked Yellow Jackets. Washaun Ealey rushed for 183 yards, while Caleb King added 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Bulldogs had two 100-yard runners in a game for the first time since 2004 and piled up the most rushing yards during Richt's tenure. Georgia's 345 yards were the most under Richt in his nine years at Georgia, besting the previous high of 328 set in 2007. Mark Richt's record against Georgia Tech improved to 8-1. The Bulldog defense held Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who was injured during the game, to only 41 yards. Tailback Jonathan Dwyer run for only 33 yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Joe Cox completed 8 of 14 passes for 76 yards. Georgia safety Rashad Jones finished second on the team in tackles with seven and had one-half tackle for a loss to go along from fans after failing to tackle Tech's Roddy Jones during his long touchdown run that turned out to be the game-winning score. (UGAsports.com)
ARKANSAS IN A BOWL GAME:
Arkansas appears to be going to the Liberty Bowl. Hog quarterback Ryan Mallett was 17 of 39 for 227 yards and was intercepted once in the overtime loss to LSU. Greg Childs caught five passes for 124 yards, including a 23-yard gain on third and 20 to help set up Arkansas' go-ahead TD late in the fourth quarter. Mallett threw for just 227 yards in the Hogs' overtime loss to LSU. It was his third-lowest yardage total of the season, and his struggles once again were magnified. He has to be sharp if the Hogs are to overcome their own porous defense, and he struggled mightily in four of the Hogs' five losses. Mallett completed 57.2 percent of his passes this season, with 29 TDs and seven picks. But in games against Alabama, Florida, LSU and Ole Miss, he completed just 40.4 percent of his passes -- with just four TDs. The Hogs (7-5) erased a 17-6 deficit, but failed to score in overtime. (Hawgsports.com)
TENNESSEE IN A BOWL GAME:
The Vols will possibly face Virginia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A bowl. Vol tailback Montario Hardesty ran for three touchdowns, including a 20-yard game winner in overtime, as Tennessee (7-5) beat Kentucky for the 25th straight time. Hardesty, who ran for a career-high 179 yards, scored after Kentucky's Lones Seiber missed a 49-yard field goal in the Wildcats' overtime drive. Hardesty now has 1,306 yards on the season which is 158 yards from the all time single season record. Hardesty has been terrific all year and was never better than he was Saturday in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Remarkably, Hardesty finished the regular season without a fumble on a running play. The Vols ran for 226 yards. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton completed 13 of 23 for 220 yards with one touchdown and one pick. Gerald Jones caught five passes for 113 yards. Monte Kiffin and the defense said they didn't make a lot of adjustments at the half, but they must have made a few. Randall Cobb had 110 yards of offense in the first half including four receptions. Cobb only had 46 yards rushing in the second half and a key fumble. Cobb didn't have a second half catch and he didn't have a return yard in the second half. Cobb's first five carries of the second half netted just 19 yards. The Vol defense has struggled all season with the wildcat package, but found a way to make enough plays against in the second half. (Volquest.com)
AUBURN IN A BOWL GAME:
Auburn freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison has been suspended for violation of team rules, head coach Gene Chizik announced Thursday. A native of Sulphur Springs, Texas, Rollison has not played this season. He was one of the gems of AU's 2009 class, rated by Rivals.com as a four-star and the nation's No. 2 dual-threat quarterback.
As a senior in high school, Rollison threw for a school-record 4,728 yards and 53 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,094 yards leading Sulphur Springs to the Class 4A Division II state championship.
The Tigers appear to be headed to the Outback Bowl to face Wisconsin. Auburn (7-5) honored 13 seniors, its smallest outgoing class since 2001 Tigers, before the Alabama game. Receiver Darvin Adams made four receptions for 138 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown. Chris Todd completed 15 of 25 for 181 yards and two scores and one pick. Todd's 72-yard TD pass to Adams in the third quarter was his 21st of season, which breaks AU's all-time single-season record held by Jason Campbell and Pat Sullivan, who both had 20. Tate rushed for 45 yards on 18 carries and now has 3,213 in his career, which ranks fifth. Auburn has 395 points on the season, which is tied for fourth-most in single-season history. Junior linebacker Josh Bynes led Auburn's defense with 10 tackles including seven solos and 1.0 tackles-for-loss. Nice job by Auburn coach Gene Chizik, channeling his inner Les Miles on Friday. Trailing Alabama 26-21, Auburn gets the ball at its 25 with 1:24 left and one timeout remaining. The Tigers used that timeout with 10 seconds left -- after having moved all of 21 yards. The Tigers had had four plays in the interim, with two of them being runs; another was a pass in the middle of the field. (Auburnsports.com)
SOUTH CAROLINA IN A BOWL GAME:
South Carolina appears to be headed to PapaJohns bowl. School administrators have recommended a one-year extension. The Gamecocks (7-5) limited No. 15 Clemson to 260 total offensive yards and forced three crucial turnovers from an offense that came into the game averaging 370.7 yards and 33.1 points per game. The Gamecocks converted the three Clemson turnovers into 14 points. Tiger running back C.J. Spiller was held to 18 rushing yards on nine carries and three receptions for 19 yards. The Gamecocks rushed for 223 yards, the second highest single game total this season. Freshman Kenny Miles led the way with a season high 114 rushing yards, most by any Gamecock this season. Quarterback Stephen Garcia completed 10 of 21 passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns, matching his season high. Garcia was sacked only once all day, the fewest allowed by the Gamecocks since the Florida Atlantic game on Sept. 19. The win snapped a two-game losing streak to the Tigers, and marked the first win over Clemson in Columbia since 2001 and just the third since 1987. South Carolina finished 6-1 at home, the best mark at Williams-Brice since 1988, and now has 28 wins in the last four years, tying the school record for wins in a four-year period. The USC defense limited Clemson to 48 rushing yards as they outgained the Tigers by better than a 4-to-1 margin on the ground, and kept the Clemson offense scoreless until the fourth quarter.
Also, freshman DeVonte Holloman registered his first career interception, one of three turnovers on the day forced by the USC defense. The pick set up USC's second touchdown of the afternoon and gave them a lead they would never relinquish. USC ran the ball a season-high 58 times out of 80 offensive snaps, a key reason the Gamecocks dominated time of possession by holding the ball for over 36 minutes. (Gamecockcentral.com)
LSU IN A BOWL GAME:
The Tigers may be heading for the Capital One bowl against either Penn State or Iowa. According to 2theadvocate.com, LSU athletic department officials are looking into alleged violations involving LSU wide receivers coach D.J. McCarthy and a current player who did not play during the 2009 season.
Tennessee assistant football coach Frank Wilson declined comment on speculation he will be a candidate to join the LSU coaching staff. However, in a report by the Baton Rouge Daily Advocate, Wilson was listed as the first on a list of candidates to join the Tigers staff, after assistant head coach Larry Porter became the head coach at Memphis..
Porter coached running backs and special teams at LSU. Wilson coaches receivers for UT. He coached running backs at Ole Miss. Wilson's recruiting prowess would be a valuable addition for LSU. The 36-year-old New Orleans native coached in Louisiana for eight years in high school and college. He continued to recruit the area while coaching at Ole Miss 2005-07 and Southern Miss in 2008. LSU could almost assuredly offer Wilson more money than he's making at UT. Wilson is slated to make $150,000 this year, the second-lowest on the staff.
The win over Arkansas meant LSU (9-3) has won at least nine games eight times in the past 10 years. Tiger quarterback Jordan Jefferson completed 17 of 25 for 179 yards and one interception. LSU, led by Trindon Holliday's 57 yards, rushed for 147.
Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who made seven tackles, has 103 for the season. That total is the highest for a LSU player since 2002 when Bradie James had 154 tackles and Norman Lejeune had 107. For the third consecutive season, a member of Les Miles' football staff will be leaving for a head coaching position at another school. Running backs coach Larry Porter has been chosen as the new head coach at Memphis. (Tigerbait.com)
OLE MISS IN A BOWL GAME:
Ole Miss should be headed to the Cotton Bowl for a second straight season, according to sources familiar with the bowl selection process.. If the Rebels are selected for the Cotton Bowl, they will likely face Oklahoma State in a rematch of the 2003 game, which Ole Miss won 31-28. The Rebels (8-4) gained 385 total yards with 295 yards passing, but only 90 yards rushing. Snead hit on 17-of-29 passing for 275 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a Bulldog touchdown.. Tailback Dexter McCluster accounted for 145 all-purpose yards with 82 yards rushing on 16 carries and five catches for 63 yards and a score. McCluster has 985 rushing yards and 475 receiving yards for the season. He'll have a chance in the Rebels' bowl game to become the first player in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards and have 500 receiving yards in the same season. (Rebelsports..com)
MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEASON OVER):
Mississippi State is in "extremely early" discussions both internally and with architecture firms about options to expand 55,082-seat Scott Field, athletic direct Greg Byrne said Tuesday. The idea of getting to 60- to 65,000 (in capacity) sooner than later is probably realistic," Byrne said.
Byrne said the excitement and increased attendance in Dan Mullen's first year as Mississippi State's coach helped accelerate thoughts of expansion. The school has been evaluating all of its athletic facilities in recent months as part of crafting a long-term master plan, but formulating a Scott Field plan has been given added priority.
The Bulldogs (5-7) ended their season with a win over Ole Miss. Mississippi State scored 307 points this season which is the most points since they scored 347 in 2000. State outscored Ole Miss 17-0 in the third quarter. The State offense totaled 412 yards including 317 yards rushing. Quarterback Chris Relf gained 131 yards on 15 carries. Mississippi State senior running back Anthony Dixon gained 133 yards and one touchdown on 29 carries in an upset over Ole Miss. Dixon set the school single-season rushing record on the day passing James "J.J. Johnson" to finish the year with 1,391 yards. It was the sixth straight win for the home team in the series and the 10th in the last 11 games. (Bulldogblitz.com)
ACC NOTES
- FedEx Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. BCS at large
- Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. SEC
- Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Big East or Notre Dame
- Champs Sports Bowl: Miami vs. Big Ten
- Music City Bowl: North Carolina vs. SEC
- Meineke Car Care Bowl: Florida State vs. Big East
- Emerald Bowl: Boston College vs. Pac-10
It should also be mentioned that the ACC really struggled last weekend at the hands of the SEC. Two average SEC teams-South Carolina and Georgia-put a real damper on the ACC title game by beating the two best ACC teams-Clemson and Georgia Tech, respectively. For good measure, Florida simply toyed with Florida State. Earlier in the season, Alabama beat Virginia Tech and South Carolina defeated N. C. State. Georgia Tech beat Vandy or the ACC would have been winless against the SEC.
GEORGIA TECH VS. CLEMSON IN THE ACC TITLE GAME:
Clemson could win if it runs the ball even remotely as well as Georgia did on Saturday. Georgia Tech is not the same team when it gets bullied around the field and allows too many long drives. If you can milk the clock against the Yellow Jackets, you can wear down an already thin defense and keep Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer idle on the sidelines, where they can't hurt you.
Although C. J. Spiller is the cover boy, don't be surprised to see some Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper out of the backfield as well. Harper can batter defenses with his 235-pound frame and Ellington is another dangerous change-of-direction type back. What really burned Tech last weekend was the combination of Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, which ensured both were fresh in the second half. Clemson will be looking to mimic that same blueprint.
Georgia Tech will win if Nesbitt regains his midseason form. He was average in last week's loss, partly because of the turned ankle and partly because of Georgia's superior interior linemen. When Nesbitt was humming in October and early November, opposing defenses didn't have a chance. If you focused on him, Dwyer would make you pay. And if Dwyer drew too much attention, Allen or Jones would spring a long gainer down the sideline. It was, for a time, a thing of beauty.
However, when the ball carriers start absorbing first contact near the line of scrimmage, the Jackets are in trouble. In other words, Nesbitt and his support staff are going to need better blocking up front from the offensive line. It's essential for Brad Sellers, Phil Smith, Joseph Gilbert, Cord Howard, and Sean Bedford to hold their blocks long enough for Nesbitt to make his decision to either pitch it or tuck it and run.
Coach Paul Johnson was pleased to be named the coach of the year by the ACC again in his second year at Georgia Tech and he credits the support staff and players for his success. Georgia Tech special teams coach Jeff Monken was hired as Georgia Southern's next head coach. As unconventional as Johnson's offense is regarded to be, will Clemson have an advantage because of facing it on Sept. 10 in Atlanta? Clemson has never played the same opponent twice in a season.
Clemson will have a better feel for what Georgia Tech does. And Georgia Tech will have a feel for how the Tigers defended the option the first time around.
After Anthony Allen's 82-yard touchdown run on Georgia Tech's second play from scrimmage, the Tigers held the Yellow Jackets' running game in check for most of the final three quarters.
But Georgia Tech adjusted on its final two drives, and quarterback Josh Nesbitt racked up chunks of yardage by reading Clemson's defensive linemen with its series of midline option plays. (collegefootballnews.com and espn.com)
FSU: Bobby Bowden, the longtime FSU coach who built his team into a national power after his arrival here in 1976, announced his retirement Tuesday. Bowden on Monday morning met with university president T.K. Wetherell and athletic director Randy Spetman. An additional high-ranking FSU source said Bowden left the meeting with a clear understanding of his options: If he returned, it would be in a reduced role that ceded major decision-making responsibilities to Jimbo Fisher, the Seminoles' offensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting.
A high-ranking source told the Orlando Sentinel late Monday that Bowden decided to retire rather than accept that stipulation. Efforts to reach Bowden were unsuccessful, but he told AP late Monday that he was "sifting through the options presented to him," and several people close to FSU's program either denied or said they had not heard of reports Bowden would step down.
According to sources familiar with the Gator Bowl Association selection process, it was decided Monday night at a meeting of the selection committee to match the teams under two conditions: that Bowden actually retire as FSU coach today, and that the Seminoles are eligible to be invited to the game, given the outcome of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday and the ACC bowl selection guidelines.
The loser of the ACC championship game between Georgia Tech (10-2, 7-1) and
Clemson (8-4, 6-2) would be eligible for consideration by Atlanta's Chick-Fil-A Bowl. However, Chick-Fil-A officials are believed to consider Virginia Tech (9-3, 6-2) their strongest candidate, leaving the championship game loser to the Gator Bowl. The Chick-Fil-A can invite Virginia Tech over Georgia Tech because it would be within one loss of the Yellow Jackets.
According to the Gator Bowl¹s contract with the ACC, the team only has to invite the ACC title game loser once in four years, which it did with Georgia Tech in 2007. Without speculating on the matchup, Gator Bowl general chairman Dan Murphy told the Times-Union late Monday that it¹s the GBA's interpretation of the contract that the league¹s one-loss rule (a team cannot be passed for consideration by an ACC bowl partner for a team more than one loss behind in the conference standings) does not apply if the Gator Bowl decides not to invite the championship game loser.
As a result, the Gator Bowl's next teams to consider, after Georgia Tech or Clemson, would be Boston College or Miami, both 5-3 in the league. The Gator Bowl would be able to invite a team within one loss of that, opening consideration up to 4-4 teams. FSU (6-6 overall) is 4-4 in the ACC.
Bowden, who recently turned 80, has been operating on renewable 1-year contracts since the end of the 2007 season. His current contract expires on Jan. 4, 2010, and is worth approximately $2.3 million. Since FSU won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 2005, the Seminoles have gone 29-22 overall and have been a middle-of-the-pack team in the ACC. The university in 2007 designated Fisher as the eventual successor to Bowden. Fisher said on Saturday that he wouldn't have input on whether Bowden returns for another season. Despite the swirl surrounding his future, Bowden presented himself in good spirits on Monday during his booster luncheon.
If the 'Noles lose their bowl, they will end up with their first losing season since 1976, the year coach Bobby Bowden arrived at Florida State. Washington State is the only team from one of the six major conferences that has given up more yards per game than the Seminoles. Florida has won its past six meetings with Florida State by an average margin of 21.8 points, and FSU had no shot at putting up much of a fight Saturday without injured quarterback Christian Ponder and injured guard Rodney Hudson, the Seminoles' two best overall players.
With 17 starters, including 10 of 11 on offense, set to return, Florida State should be an improved team in 2010. With the prospect of a better record in what would most certainly be his final season, Bowden says he would prefer to go out on high note. (Warchant.com)
MIAMI: Louis Nix, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive tackle from Jacksonville, Fla., de-committed from Miami one year after giving his verbal pledge to the Hurricanes and switched his commitment to Notre Dame, which is without a head coach after athletics director Jack Swarbrick fired Charlie Weis on Monday. Nix visited Notre Dame three times while still committed to Miami.
He attended one of its summer camps in June and officially visited for its game against Michigan State in September. He followed up with an unofficial visit for the USC game in mid-October, where he mingled with dozens of other Irish recruiting targets. Rumors swirled following that October visit that Nix was at the very least a heavy lean toward Notre Dame. It wasn't until Tuesday, however, that Nix decided to announce his decision. The four-star prospect, ranked No.. 92 overall in the Rivals100 and No. 7 at his position, said the current coaching situation didn't play much of a factor in his decision.
With win No. 9 in the books, UM's goal of a 10-win season remains a reality. Miami now awaits its bowl fate, and the team is likely to be in one of the top three ACC-affiliated bowl games. It wasn't a big game for Harris statistically. He finished hitting on 11 of 21 throws for 161 yards with two touchdowns and - perhaps most importantly - no interceptions. Damien Berry led the ground game with 12 carries for 114 yards.
Graig Cooper added 83 yards on 16 carries, and Javarris James had 37 yards and a pair of touchdown runs. Miami had 240 rushing yards in the game with some huge holes opened by the offensive line. First time-starter Brandon Washington got the start with Jason Fox out). The top receiver was Dedrick Epps, with 40 yards receiving on two catches. Epps and Leonard Hankerson had touchdown catches in the game.
The Cane defense allowed just 220 yards (143 rushing). With his 12-yard TD catch in the first quarter, Leonard Hankerson moved into the Top 10 in single-season receiving yards, passing Wesley Carroll's 770 yards in 1989. He now has 44 receptions for 774 yards on the season. Miami earned its first nine-win regular seasons since 2005. The win moves the Canes within one victory of their first 10-win season since 2003. Miami recorded eight first downs via the pass, bringing the season total to 158. That mark ranks third all-time in school history, trailing only the 1988 team (161) and 1984 team (159). With 162 yards passing, sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris moved into sole possession of fifth place on the school's all-time single-season passing yards with 3,165.
Junior running back Damien Berry recorded his second 100-yard rushing game of his career with 112 yards on 12 carries. It marked the fourth time this season - and the first time on the road - a Cane recorded 100 rushing yards in a game (Damien Berry - 162 yards vs. Florida A&M, Graig Cooper - 152 yards vs. Virginia, Javarris James - 150 yards vs. Oklahoma).
Miami's 240 yards on the ground was the second highest total on the road this season and the second-highest overall. The previous high on the road came was 116 at North Carolina. The season-high of 268 rushing yards came at Land Shark Stadium vs. Virginia. (Canesport.com)
VIRGINIA: Cav coaching possibilities are Mike London (Richmond), Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Chris Peterson (Boise State), Al Golden (Temple), Kevin Sumlin (Houston), Charlie Strong (Florida), Gary Patterson (TCU). There isn't much that can be ascertained with certainty at this stage, but one thing that is clear is that Mike London is a legitimate possibility to be UVa's next football coach.
Virginia fired Al Groh after nine seasons at his alma mater Sunday, ending a tenure marked by his inability to beat rival Virginia Tech. Groh's dismissal came less than 24 hours after the Cavaliers (3-9, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost 42-13 at home to the No. 11 Hokies, finishing their worst season since they were 2-9 in 1982. It also was their eighth loss to the Hokies in Groh's nine tries. Groh had two years remaining on his contract and will receive a buyout of approximately $4.33 million, Littlepage said.. The search for a replacement will begin immediately. (Cavscorner.com)
MARYLAND: Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen and his staff will be back in 2010 for his 10th season. Friedgen's future had come into question following a 2-10 season, which was the first 10-loss season in Maryland history.
Saturday's 19-17 loss to Boston College was the latest setback in what has been a historically bad season in College Park. The Terps finished 2-10, the school's first 10-loss season. Since going 31-8 in his first three seasons, with an ACC title and three bowl appearances, Friedgen is 35-38 with three bowl appearances and four losing records in the past six seasons. Friedgen is 66-46 in nine seasons in College Park.
BOSTON COLLEGE: The Eagles are primed to go to a bowl for the 11th consecutive season following a 19-17 win over Maryland. Hat's off to first-year coach Frank Spaziani, who dealt with a nightmare offseason.
OTHER TEAMS
THE BCS: A CLOSER LOOK
Here is the BCS top 12, with the school, its ranking last week, its spot in the coaches' poll, its spot in the Harris poll and its BCS computer average. A bonus: We've included NCAA strength of schedule (SOS), which is not part of the BCS formula..
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|
|
|
|
Team (LW) |
Harris |
Coaches |
Comp. |
SOS |
|
1. Florida (1) |
1st |
1st |
T-1st |
30th |
|
2. Alabama (2) |
3rd |
3rd |
T-1st |
19th |
|
3. Texas (3) |
2nd |
2nd |
4th |
44th |
|
4. TCU (4) |
4th |
4th |
5th |
71st |
|
5. Cincinnati (5) |
5th |
5th |
3rd |
75th |
|
6. Boise State (6) |
6th |
6th |
6th |
82nd |
|
7. Oregon (8) |
8th |
8th |
7th |
9th |
|
8. Ohio State (10) |
7th |
7th |
11th |
T-38th |
|
9. Iowa (11) |
10th |
10th |
10th |
20th |
|
10. Ga. Tech (7) |
11th |
12th |
8th |
T-60th |
|
11. Penn State (13) |
9th |
9th |
19th |
T-50th |
|
12. Va. Tech (14) |
12th |
11th |
13th |
6th |
|
13. LSU (15) |
14th |
14th |
9th |
52nd |
|
14. BYU (19) |
13th |
13th |
16th |
97th |
CINCINNATI: Cincinnati's average computer ranking is third and TCU's fifth. But the Horned Frogs are fourth in both media polls and actually gained some ground in the computer rankings on the Bearcats, who beat a three-win Illinois team over the weekend. Last week, TCU's computer percentile was .870 and Cincinnati's .920. This week, TCU's dropped to .860 - but Cincy's dropped to .900.
TCU's regular season is over, while Cincinnati plays at Pittsburgh on Saturday. Pitt is coming off a loss to West Virginia that dropped it from ninth to 15th in the BCS standings. Now, a victory over Pitt won't mean as much to the Bearcats in the BCS standings as it would have had the Panthers beaten WVU.
LOUISVILLE: Rivals.com hotboard for Louisville: Charlie Strong, Kevin Sumlin, Gary Patterson, Bronco Mendenhall, Kyle Wittingham (Utah), Chris Petersen, Tommy Tuberville, Mike Leach, Al Golden, Butch Jones.
BRENT BEAIRD IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR MYCLAYSUN IN ORANGE PARK, FLA. HE ALSO WRITES FOR RIVALS.COM, SAMSPORTSLINE.COM AND GATOR BAIT MAGAZINE. HE CAN BE HEARD ON SPORTS RADIO 1010 XL.
E-MAIL BRENT AT brentbeaird@comcast.net
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