College Football Nation: Fresno State
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Three straight weeks of going 7-3 is not that bad considering the alternative. I did get one of my upset specials right, though I didn’t expect Navy to hang 76 on East Carolina. Props to New Mexico. Does it count that I said there was a “slim chance” of an upset? Hey at least I said there was a chance!
With a 64-40 overall record, bring on Week 11.
East Carolina 41, UAB 35. (Tonight) The Pirates have to get past the 76 points they allowed to Navy last week. UAB is going to have to get running back Pat Shed going, because Dominique Davis will be able to pass for the Pirates. The East Carolina defense has been bad, but somehow the Pirates will find a way to bounce back with bowl eligibility on the line. They have got to hold on to the football, though. Four turnovers on five possessions in the third quarter against Navy let the game get out of hand.
No. 4 Boise State 45, Idaho 13. (Friday). You know the atmosphere is going to be rowdy, what with offseason comments from Boise State president Bob Kustra stirring the pot. This is the final scheduled game in the rivalry now that the Broncos are leaving for the Mountain West. The Vandals would love nothing more than to end their undefeated season, but they are one of the most penalized teams in the country. Idaho hasn’t beaten Boise State since 1998. The Vandals’ last win at home over the Broncos? 1995.
No. 3 TCU 38, San Diego State 10. Sure this is the classic “trap” game for the Horned Frogs, who will be coming down off an emotional 47-7 win at Utah. San Diego State is much improved this season, and bowl eligible for the first time since 1998. Ronnie Hillman already has 1,000 yards rushing and will be the No. 1 target to stop. The Aztecs have won four straight but haven’t looked good doing it. They have won their past three games by an average of eight points. Their opponents in those three games have a combined six wins.
No. 14 Utah 35, at Notre Dame 20. The Utes have to bounce back and fast to put the embarrassment of last weekend behind them. This certainly will be a big test for coach Kyle Whittingham to get his team to stay focused for the remainder of the season. The Irish have a handful of starters out because of injuries. Bank on Jordan Wynn putting the mistakes of last week behind him to have a big game.
No. 21 Nevada 45, Fresno State 40. This one is not going to be easy for the Wolf Pack, but they come into the game riding a major 844-yard output on offense, with three 100-yard runners and a 300-yard passer in a win over Idaho. Chris Carter and Logan Harrell each have nine sacks for Fresno State, but the first key is to stop the run. The same can be said for Nevada -- Fresno State has gotten good production from Robbie Rouse in the last three games. He is coming off a 286-yard day against Louisiana Tech.
UCF 35, Southern Miss 21. The Knights are the only undefeated team left in Conference USA and are the favorites to win the entire conference. They survived a scare on the road against Houston last week and now face an East Division rival that has been inconsistent. But the Golden Eagles have lost their two league games by a combined two points. Still, their defense has been somewhat disappointing and is going to have a hard time slowing down Jeff Godfrey.
BYU 30, Colorado State 27. I am trying not to read too much into the Cougars’ offensive explosion last week because it came against UNLV. But still, it has to be encouraging to see Jake Heaps throw for more than 100 yards in a game. This one features the two top freshman quarterbacks in the league, and the Rams are much improved with Pete Thomas leading the way. But BYU has an improving defense -- and has to win to keep bowl hopes alive.
Army 30, Kent State 27. The Black Knights have to win either against Kent State or next week against Notre Dame to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1996. This one is an intriguing matchup -- Army has the No. 8 rushing attack in the country, averaging 277 yards a game. Kent State has the best run defense, giving up just 69 yards a game. But the Golden Flashes have to major injuries on defense: linebacker Cobrani Mixon and safety Brian Lainhart. Mixon is second on the team in tackles, while Lainhart is third. Quarterback Spencer Keith also has a sprained thumb and is listed as day-to-day.
Troy 28, FIU 17. Though FIU is 3-5, the Panthers are 3-1 in conference play, half a game behind Troy (4-1). So essentially the Sun Belt title is on the line. Troy has never lost to FIU, so bank on the Trojans to win this one and eventually win their fifth straight league title. Great special-teams matchup to watch between T.Y. Hilton of FIU and Jerrel Jernigan of Troy.
UPSET SPECIAL: Tulsa 45, Houston 44. The top two scoring offenses in Conference USA battle it out with the West division title at stake. The Golden Hurricane have loads of confidence after winning three straight, and plenty of weapons for Houston to try and handle. Tulsa has a more high-powered attack than UCF, which scored 40 in a win last week, so the Golden Hurricane get the edge.
Three straight weeks of going 7-3 is not that bad considering the alternative. I did get one of my upset specials right, though I didn’t expect Navy to hang 76 on East Carolina. Props to New Mexico. Does it count that I said there was a “slim chance” of an upset? Hey at least I said there was a chance!
With a 64-40 overall record, bring on Week 11.
East Carolina 41, UAB 35. (Tonight) The Pirates have to get past the 76 points they allowed to Navy last week. UAB is going to have to get running back Pat Shed going, because Dominique Davis will be able to pass for the Pirates. The East Carolina defense has been bad, but somehow the Pirates will find a way to bounce back with bowl eligibility on the line. They have got to hold on to the football, though. Four turnovers on five possessions in the third quarter against Navy let the game get out of hand.
No. 4 Boise State 45, Idaho 13. (Friday). You know the atmosphere is going to be rowdy, what with offseason comments from Boise State president Bob Kustra stirring the pot. This is the final scheduled game in the rivalry now that the Broncos are leaving for the Mountain West. The Vandals would love nothing more than to end their undefeated season, but they are one of the most penalized teams in the country. Idaho hasn’t beaten Boise State since 1998. The Vandals’ last win at home over the Broncos? 1995.
No. 3 TCU 38, San Diego State 10. Sure this is the classic “trap” game for the Horned Frogs, who will be coming down off an emotional 47-7 win at Utah. San Diego State is much improved this season, and bowl eligible for the first time since 1998. Ronnie Hillman already has 1,000 yards rushing and will be the No. 1 target to stop. The Aztecs have won four straight but haven’t looked good doing it. They have won their past three games by an average of eight points. Their opponents in those three games have a combined six wins.
No. 14 Utah 35, at Notre Dame 20. The Utes have to bounce back and fast to put the embarrassment of last weekend behind them. This certainly will be a big test for coach Kyle Whittingham to get his team to stay focused for the remainder of the season. The Irish have a handful of starters out because of injuries. Bank on Jordan Wynn putting the mistakes of last week behind him to have a big game.
No. 21 Nevada 45, Fresno State 40. This one is not going to be easy for the Wolf Pack, but they come into the game riding a major 844-yard output on offense, with three 100-yard runners and a 300-yard passer in a win over Idaho. Chris Carter and Logan Harrell each have nine sacks for Fresno State, but the first key is to stop the run. The same can be said for Nevada -- Fresno State has gotten good production from Robbie Rouse in the last three games. He is coming off a 286-yard day against Louisiana Tech.
UCF 35, Southern Miss 21. The Knights are the only undefeated team left in Conference USA and are the favorites to win the entire conference. They survived a scare on the road against Houston last week and now face an East Division rival that has been inconsistent. But the Golden Eagles have lost their two league games by a combined two points. Still, their defense has been somewhat disappointing and is going to have a hard time slowing down Jeff Godfrey.
BYU 30, Colorado State 27. I am trying not to read too much into the Cougars’ offensive explosion last week because it came against UNLV. But still, it has to be encouraging to see Jake Heaps throw for more than 100 yards in a game. This one features the two top freshman quarterbacks in the league, and the Rams are much improved with Pete Thomas leading the way. But BYU has an improving defense -- and has to win to keep bowl hopes alive.
Army 30, Kent State 27. The Black Knights have to win either against Kent State or next week against Notre Dame to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1996. This one is an intriguing matchup -- Army has the No. 8 rushing attack in the country, averaging 277 yards a game. Kent State has the best run defense, giving up just 69 yards a game. But the Golden Flashes have to major injuries on defense: linebacker Cobrani Mixon and safety Brian Lainhart. Mixon is second on the team in tackles, while Lainhart is third. Quarterback Spencer Keith also has a sprained thumb and is listed as day-to-day.
Troy 28, FIU 17. Though FIU is 3-5, the Panthers are 3-1 in conference play, half a game behind Troy (4-1). So essentially the Sun Belt title is on the line. Troy has never lost to FIU, so bank on the Trojans to win this one and eventually win their fifth straight league title. Great special-teams matchup to watch between T.Y. Hilton of FIU and Jerrel Jernigan of Troy.
UPSET SPECIAL: Tulsa 45, Houston 44. The top two scoring offenses in Conference USA battle it out with the West division title at stake. The Golden Hurricane have loads of confidence after winning three straight, and plenty of weapons for Houston to try and handle. Tulsa has a more high-powered attack than UCF, which scored 40 in a win last week, so the Golden Hurricane get the edge.
You saw my bowl projections from Sunday. Now here is a breakdown of the teams that have a shot at becoming bowl eligible this weekend.
Conference USA
Already eligible: UCF, Tulsa, Southern Miss, UTEP.
Vying for a spot: East Carolina, SMU and Houston each have five wins. The Pirates are hoping to bounce back after an embarrassing 76-45 loss to Navy at UAB. Houston hosts Tulsa in an important West division game, while SMU is off. SMU, Houston and Tulsa each have two league losses. SMU already beat Tulsa but lost to Houston. If there is a three-way tie atop the division when the season ends, the first tiebreaker is overall record to determine who plays in the Conference USA title game.
On the other end of the spectrum: Tulane (3-6), Marshall (3-6) and UAB (3-6) have to win out. Rice (2-7) and Memphis (1-8) have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Six.
MAC
Already eligible: Temple, Toledo, Ohio and Northern Illinois.
Vying for a spot: Miami (Ohio) is 5-4 and has a great shot at becoming bowl eligible in the next two weeks with games at Bowling Green (2-7) on Wednesday and at Akron (0-10) on Nov. 17. Kent State (4-5) needs to win two of its final three against Army (5-4), Western Michigan (3-6) and Ohio (7-3).
On the other end of the spectrum: Western Michigan has to win out. Buffalo, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Akron, Eastern Michigan and Ball State are out.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Three.
Mountain West
Already eligible: TCU, San Diego State, Air Force, Utah.
Vying for a spot: BYU (4-5) plays at Colorado State in a critical must-win before closing against New Mexico and Utah.
On the other end of the spectrum: Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV and New Mexico have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Five.
Sun Belt
Already eligible: No one.
Vying for a spot: Troy (5-3) is the only team with five wins. A home win against FIU on Saturday gets the Trojans bowl eligible. ULM (4-5) and Arkansas State (4-5) have to win two of three. The Warhawks have LSU, North Texas and Louisiana. Arkansas State has Western Kentucky, Navy and FIU.
On the other end of the spectrum: FIU, Middle Tennessee and FAU are each 3-5. The Blue Raiders may have the easiest road with games against North Texas, Western Kentucky, FAU and FIU remaining. FAU has Troy and Texas on its schedule. FIU also has tough games against Troy, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee. North Texas, Louisiana and Western Kentucky have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Two.
WAC
Already eligible: Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada, Fresno State. Hawaii has accepted an invite to the Hawaii Bowl.
Vying for a spot: Idaho (4-5) has to win three of four against Boise State, Utah State, Fresno State and San Jose State. Since the Vandals have a 13-game schedule, they have to get to seven wins. Louisiana Tech and Utah State are both 3-6 and have to win out. The Bulldogs have New Mexico State, San Jose State and Nevada. Utah State has San Jose State, Idaho and Boise State.
On the other end of the spectrum: New Mexico State and San Jose State (1-8) have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Four.
Independents
Navy (6-3) became eligible for the Poinsettia Bowl. Army (5-4) needs one more win with games left against Kent State, Notre Dame and Navy. Army does not have an automatic bowl tie-in this year, but has backup agreements with the Armed Forces Bowl and Military Bowl. Notre Dame (4-5) needs two more wins with games remaining against Utah, Army and USC.
Conference USA
Already eligible: UCF, Tulsa, Southern Miss, UTEP.
Vying for a spot: East Carolina, SMU and Houston each have five wins. The Pirates are hoping to bounce back after an embarrassing 76-45 loss to Navy at UAB. Houston hosts Tulsa in an important West division game, while SMU is off. SMU, Houston and Tulsa each have two league losses. SMU already beat Tulsa but lost to Houston. If there is a three-way tie atop the division when the season ends, the first tiebreaker is overall record to determine who plays in the Conference USA title game.
On the other end of the spectrum: Tulane (3-6), Marshall (3-6) and UAB (3-6) have to win out. Rice (2-7) and Memphis (1-8) have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Six.
MAC
Already eligible: Temple, Toledo, Ohio and Northern Illinois.
Vying for a spot: Miami (Ohio) is 5-4 and has a great shot at becoming bowl eligible in the next two weeks with games at Bowling Green (2-7) on Wednesday and at Akron (0-10) on Nov. 17. Kent State (4-5) needs to win two of its final three against Army (5-4), Western Michigan (3-6) and Ohio (7-3).
On the other end of the spectrum: Western Michigan has to win out. Buffalo, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Akron, Eastern Michigan and Ball State are out.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Three.
Mountain West
Already eligible: TCU, San Diego State, Air Force, Utah.
Vying for a spot: BYU (4-5) plays at Colorado State in a critical must-win before closing against New Mexico and Utah.
On the other end of the spectrum: Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV and New Mexico have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Five.
Sun Belt
Already eligible: No one.
Vying for a spot: Troy (5-3) is the only team with five wins. A home win against FIU on Saturday gets the Trojans bowl eligible. ULM (4-5) and Arkansas State (4-5) have to win two of three. The Warhawks have LSU, North Texas and Louisiana. Arkansas State has Western Kentucky, Navy and FIU.
On the other end of the spectrum: FIU, Middle Tennessee and FAU are each 3-5. The Blue Raiders may have the easiest road with games against North Texas, Western Kentucky, FAU and FIU remaining. FAU has Troy and Texas on its schedule. FIU also has tough games against Troy, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee. North Texas, Louisiana and Western Kentucky have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Two.
WAC
Already eligible: Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada, Fresno State. Hawaii has accepted an invite to the Hawaii Bowl.
Vying for a spot: Idaho (4-5) has to win three of four against Boise State, Utah State, Fresno State and San Jose State. Since the Vandals have a 13-game schedule, they have to get to seven wins. Louisiana Tech and Utah State are both 3-6 and have to win out. The Bulldogs have New Mexico State, San Jose State and Nevada. Utah State has San Jose State, Idaho and Boise State.
On the other end of the spectrum: New Mexico State and San Jose State (1-8) have been eliminated.
Guaranteed bowl spots: Four.
Independents
Navy (6-3) became eligible for the Poinsettia Bowl. Army (5-4) needs one more win with games left against Kent State, Notre Dame and Navy. Army does not have an automatic bowl tie-in this year, but has backup agreements with the Armed Forces Bowl and Military Bowl. Notre Dame (4-5) needs two more wins with games remaining against Utah, Army and USC.
» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Non-AQ
Not much has changed in this week’s power rankings. Here they are for Week 11:
1. Boise State (8-0). The Broncos easily beat Hawaii 42-7 in a game I thought would be much closer. Forget about Kellen Moore throwing for over 500 yards for just a second. This defense played outstanding, racking up a season-high seven sacks and holding the high-powered Hawaii offense to 196 TOTAL yards. I just can’t drop them after such a big win. Plus, they have won 22 straight, the longest streak in the nation.
2. TCU (10-0). The Horned Frogs impressed with a big 47-7 win over Utah. They had another dominating performance, but the offense had a dominating day, too. Andy Dalton was on from the very start, and TCU had its way. Why are they still No. 2? Both defenses are outstanding, but Moore is more consistent than Dalton. I will say I think this TCU team is better than last season.
3. Utah (8-1). The Utes remain in the top 3 despite such an embarrassing loss at home. But they did lose to the No. 3 team in the country, and they are better than every other school on this list. Utah was totally outcoached and outplayed, but still has a chance to finish the season at 11-1.
4. Nevada (8-1). The Wolf Pack had a school-record 844 yards of offense in a 63-17 win over Idaho. Colin Kaepernick had 320 yards and five touchdowns, and now the Wolf Pack are up to No. 21 in the BCS standings.
5. UCF (7-2). The Knights are now ranked for the first time in school history, and have an opportunity to run the table and finish the season undefeated in league play. As it stands now they are the only unbeaten team in Conference USA play, and have a big East Division game against Southern Miss on Saturday.
6. Northern Illinois (7-2). The Huskies have won six straight, and face a big game against Toledo on Tuesday. Their only two losses this season are to Iowa State and Illinois. Both teams are one win away from bowl eligibility.
7. San Diego State (7-2). The Aztecs struggled to put away a bottom-tier opponent for the third straight week, this time beating Colorado State 24-19. Freshman Ronnie Hillman went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. They face a huge test against TCU on Saturday, but for now they are the third-best team in the Mountain West.
8. Temple (8-2). The Owls have hit a nice stride with new starting quarterback Mike Gerardi, who had his best game of the season in a 28-10 win over Kent State. Two tough games are left -- against Ohio and Miami (Ohio). All three teams have one loss in the East Division.
9. Hawaii (7-3). The Warriors had their worst offensive performance in 12 years in a loss to Boise State. Yes, the loss came to the No. 4 team in the country, but a lot more was expected of the No. 1 passing team in the country.
10. Fresno State (6-2). We’ll know how good the Bulldogs are after Saturday, when they host Nevada.
Dropped out: East Carolina.
Not much has changed in this week’s power rankings. Here they are for Week 11:
1. Boise State (8-0). The Broncos easily beat Hawaii 42-7 in a game I thought would be much closer. Forget about Kellen Moore throwing for over 500 yards for just a second. This defense played outstanding, racking up a season-high seven sacks and holding the high-powered Hawaii offense to 196 TOTAL yards. I just can’t drop them after such a big win. Plus, they have won 22 straight, the longest streak in the nation.
2. TCU (10-0). The Horned Frogs impressed with a big 47-7 win over Utah. They had another dominating performance, but the offense had a dominating day, too. Andy Dalton was on from the very start, and TCU had its way. Why are they still No. 2? Both defenses are outstanding, but Moore is more consistent than Dalton. I will say I think this TCU team is better than last season.
3. Utah (8-1). The Utes remain in the top 3 despite such an embarrassing loss at home. But they did lose to the No. 3 team in the country, and they are better than every other school on this list. Utah was totally outcoached and outplayed, but still has a chance to finish the season at 11-1.
4. Nevada (8-1). The Wolf Pack had a school-record 844 yards of offense in a 63-17 win over Idaho. Colin Kaepernick had 320 yards and five touchdowns, and now the Wolf Pack are up to No. 21 in the BCS standings.
5. UCF (7-2). The Knights are now ranked for the first time in school history, and have an opportunity to run the table and finish the season undefeated in league play. As it stands now they are the only unbeaten team in Conference USA play, and have a big East Division game against Southern Miss on Saturday.
6. Northern Illinois (7-2). The Huskies have won six straight, and face a big game against Toledo on Tuesday. Their only two losses this season are to Iowa State and Illinois. Both teams are one win away from bowl eligibility.
7. San Diego State (7-2). The Aztecs struggled to put away a bottom-tier opponent for the third straight week, this time beating Colorado State 24-19. Freshman Ronnie Hillman went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. They face a huge test against TCU on Saturday, but for now they are the third-best team in the Mountain West.
8. Temple (8-2). The Owls have hit a nice stride with new starting quarterback Mike Gerardi, who had his best game of the season in a 28-10 win over Kent State. Two tough games are left -- against Ohio and Miami (Ohio). All three teams have one loss in the East Division.
9. Hawaii (7-3). The Warriors had their worst offensive performance in 12 years in a loss to Boise State. Yes, the loss came to the No. 4 team in the country, but a lot more was expected of the No. 1 passing team in the country.
10. Fresno State (6-2). We’ll know how good the Bulldogs are after Saturday, when they host Nevada.
Dropped out: East Carolina.
Not much has changed in my non-AQ bowl projections for this week. I still have a non-AQ team in the BCS national championship game. I have TCU in there for the second straight week, based on my projection that the Horned Frogs will finish ranked ahead of Boise State at the end of the season. Moving in front in the human polls is a huge plus for TCU as it jockeys with the Broncos for that top spot among the non-AQs.
I still have Boise State in as an at-large BCS team, now playing Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. As for my conference champions, I am still projecting UCF to win Conference USA, Northern Illinois to win the MAC and Troy to win the Sun Belt.
I am still looking for a place to put Toledo. I know Rockets fans must think I am crazy for not having them in here. The problem is there are not that many at-large spots open because so many of the power conferences are going to have teams that end up being bowl eligible at 7-5 or 6-6. Lots of parity this year. I am still going with Ohio to get the No. 3 MAC nod ahead of Toledo.
Here are all of the non-AQ picks:
BCS National Championship Game: Oregon vs. TCU
Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs. Boise State
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Boston College* vs. Nevada
GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple vs. Troy
Liberty Bowl: UCF vs. Kentucky
Armed Forces Bowl: SMU vs. Army
Military Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. East Carolina
Independence Bowl: Clemson vs. Air Force
Little Caesars Bowl: Iowa State* vs. Northern Illinois
Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa vs. Hawaii**
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State vs. Navy
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Texas A&M*
St. Petersburg Bowl: ULM vs. Southern Miss
New Orleans Bowl: Houston vs. Middle Tennessee
Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio vs. UTEP*
New Mexico Bowl: BYU vs. Fresno State
*at large selection because conference couldn't fill allotment.
**Hawaii already accepted bid to bowl.
I still have Boise State in as an at-large BCS team, now playing Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. As for my conference champions, I am still projecting UCF to win Conference USA, Northern Illinois to win the MAC and Troy to win the Sun Belt.
I am still looking for a place to put Toledo. I know Rockets fans must think I am crazy for not having them in here. The problem is there are not that many at-large spots open because so many of the power conferences are going to have teams that end up being bowl eligible at 7-5 or 6-6. Lots of parity this year. I am still going with Ohio to get the No. 3 MAC nod ahead of Toledo.
Here are all of the non-AQ picks:
BCS National Championship Game: Oregon vs. TCU
Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs. Boise State
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Boston College* vs. Nevada
GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple vs. Troy
Liberty Bowl: UCF vs. Kentucky
Armed Forces Bowl: SMU vs. Army
Military Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. East Carolina
Independence Bowl: Clemson vs. Air Force
Little Caesars Bowl: Iowa State* vs. Northern Illinois
Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa vs. Hawaii**
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State vs. Navy
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Texas A&M*
St. Petersburg Bowl: ULM vs. Southern Miss
New Orleans Bowl: Houston vs. Middle Tennessee
Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio vs. UTEP*
New Mexico Bowl: BYU vs. Fresno State
*at large selection because conference couldn't fill allotment.
**Hawaii already accepted bid to bowl.
What we learned from the non-AQs in Week 10:
TCU is for real. Say whatever you want about how good Utah is, but you cannot deny the Horned Frogs' defense is fierce. They held yet another opponent to under 200 yards of offense in the 47-7 win over Utah, and have allowed 23 points in six league games. That includes two shutouts. TCU is also the only team in the nation to not allow an opponent to reach 200 yards passing this season. The defense lost its two best players, but is playing better than the team that went undefeated last season in the regular season. TCU came into the game with the No. 1 total defense and No. 1 scoring defense in the country. It showed exactly why in a game against a Top 5 team.
Jim Urquhart/AP PhotoGary Patteron's Horned Frogs showed why they have the No. 1 total defense and No. 1 scoring defense in the country.Boise State is for real. Many (including myself) thought Hawaii would give Boise State a real test. Not so much. Kellen Moore had a monster game with 507 yards passing, and the Boise State defense proved it is just as fierce as that group down in Fort Worth. The Broncos had seven sacks, and held Hawaii to 196 total yards, their lowest total in 12 years. Boise State went into the weekend with the No. 3 ranked total defense in the country. The beauty pageant between the Broncos and Horned Frogs is set to continue through the closing weeks of the season, as both try to jockey for a spot in the BCS national championship game.
Offense everywhere. If you like offense, then Saturday was the day for you. Boise State had a school-record 737 yards of offense. Nevada had a school-record 844 yards of total offense in a 63-17 win over Idaho, including 320 yards passing and five touchdowns from Colin Kaepernick. That was the highest offensive total of any FBS school since 2004. Navy scored a modern school-record 76 points in a win over East Carolina. Tulsa had 612 yards in a 64-27 win over Rice. BYU even got into the act with a season-high 516 yards and 55 points in a win over UNLV. TCU had over 500 yards of total offense, too. So did Fresno State.
Air Force reigns supreme. We have a new top dog for the service academies. Air Force captured the Commander-In-Chief Trophy for the first time since 2002 after beating Army 42-22 on Saturday. None of the Air Force players had ever seen the trophy before, because it had belonged to Navy for the past seven years. But Air Force beat Navy earlier this year, making the Falcons 2-0 against the academies this year. Tim Jefferson ran for two touchdowns and threw for two touchdowns in the win. The Falcons are now bowl eligible, while Army still needs one more win to reach six.
More bowl eligibility. Several other teams became bowl eligible on Saturday -- Navy punched its ticket to the Poinsettia Bowl. Southern Miss, Tulsa, UTEP and Fresno State all reached the six-win mark. Southern Miss beat Tulane, while UTEP had a strong win over SMU. Fresno State got 286 yards rushing from Robbie Rouse to beat Louisiana Tech.
TCU is for real. Say whatever you want about how good Utah is, but you cannot deny the Horned Frogs' defense is fierce. They held yet another opponent to under 200 yards of offense in the 47-7 win over Utah, and have allowed 23 points in six league games. That includes two shutouts. TCU is also the only team in the nation to not allow an opponent to reach 200 yards passing this season. The defense lost its two best players, but is playing better than the team that went undefeated last season in the regular season. TCU came into the game with the No. 1 total defense and No. 1 scoring defense in the country. It showed exactly why in a game against a Top 5 team.
Jim Urquhart/AP PhotoGary Patteron's Horned Frogs showed why they have the No. 1 total defense and No. 1 scoring defense in the country.Offense everywhere. If you like offense, then Saturday was the day for you. Boise State had a school-record 737 yards of offense. Nevada had a school-record 844 yards of total offense in a 63-17 win over Idaho, including 320 yards passing and five touchdowns from Colin Kaepernick. That was the highest offensive total of any FBS school since 2004. Navy scored a modern school-record 76 points in a win over East Carolina. Tulsa had 612 yards in a 64-27 win over Rice. BYU even got into the act with a season-high 516 yards and 55 points in a win over UNLV. TCU had over 500 yards of total offense, too. So did Fresno State.
Air Force reigns supreme. We have a new top dog for the service academies. Air Force captured the Commander-In-Chief Trophy for the first time since 2002 after beating Army 42-22 on Saturday. None of the Air Force players had ever seen the trophy before, because it had belonged to Navy for the past seven years. But Air Force beat Navy earlier this year, making the Falcons 2-0 against the academies this year. Tim Jefferson ran for two touchdowns and threw for two touchdowns in the win. The Falcons are now bowl eligible, while Army still needs one more win to reach six.
More bowl eligibility. Several other teams became bowl eligible on Saturday -- Navy punched its ticket to the Poinsettia Bowl. Southern Miss, Tulsa, UTEP and Fresno State all reached the six-win mark. Southern Miss beat Tulane, while UTEP had a strong win over SMU. Fresno State got 286 yards rushing from Robbie Rouse to beat Louisiana Tech.
Non-AQ storylines to watch: Week 10
November, 4, 2010
11/04/10
10:15
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Come one, come all for your Top 10 non-AQ storylines for Week 10:
1. Who remains undefeated, TCU or Utah? You have got to love the national spotlight being placed on two teams from non-automatic qualifying conferences on Saturday. Both teams are terrific. It is a shame somebody has to lose and be relegated to the Las Vegas Bowl. Utah has a great home-field advantage, having won a Mountain West record 21 straight at Rice-Eccles Stadium. TCU has worked on silent counts all week and pumped crowd noise into practice in order to prepare for what is sure to be a wild atmosphere. The winner of the TCU-Utah game has earned an automatic bid into a BCS game each of the past two years.
2. TCU D vs. Utah D. OK so the defenses don’t play against each other, but they are the two units to watch in this game. Both are ranked in the Top 10 in total defense and scoring defense, and both are playing better than perhaps many people expected going into the season. TCU is rated No. 1, a spot it held at the end of 2008 and 2009. Both get tremendous play from their front seven to take the pressure off their secondary. Big plays on offense are going to be at a premium in this one.
3. Will Hawaii be able to pass on Boise State? Yes, but pay attention to what happens inside the red zone. In 46 trips inside the 20, the Warriors have scored 37 times. But they have only gotten 25 touchdowns. They are going to need to convert those opportunities into points against an aggressive Boise State defense and a secondary eager to prove its worth.
4. So who ends up ahead in the BCS standings on Sunday? That is asking to predict the unpredictable. If TCU and Boise State win, expect to see the Horned Frogs stay on top. They might even jump Boise State in the human polls, depending on the outcome of the game. If Utah and Boise State win, expect the Broncos to go back into the No. 3 slot. In any of those scenarios, we will all be tuned into the BCS show Sunday night to find out.
5. Which of the service academies becomes bowl eligible? Army, Air Force and Navy all have five wins and are on pace to have winning seasons in the same season for the first time since 1996. Army and Air Force play in West Point with the Commander-In-Chief Trophy on the line. Air Force beat Navy earlier this year and would win it with a victory over Army. Navy, meanwhile, tries to overcome its worst performance of the season at East Carolina. Navy has a bowl tie-in to the Poinsettia Bowl this year. Army has no guaranteed tie-in but is a backup in the Armed Forces Bowl. If they are passed over for that game, the Black Knights are a backup for the Military Bowl.
6. Who else has a chance to become bowl eligible? East Carolina, Houston, Tulsa, Southern Miss , UTEP, SMU, Miami (Ohio) and Fresno State also are one win away from bowl eligibility. UTEP and SMU play each other.
7. Houston offense vs. UCF defense. The Cougars have reinvented themselves with Case Keenum out for the season and have relied more on the run. But they are facing the best defense in Conference USA and one of the best defenses in the country. UCF is allowing right around 100 yards a game on the ground this season, and has confidence. Last season, the Knights upset the Cougars in Orlando for the first win over a ranked opponent in school history.
8. Does anybody want to win the Sun Belt? Troy has won four straight conference titles but opened the door for others to knock it off the perch after losing to ULM last week. If the Trojans win out, they still win the crown, but there is no margin for error anymore. FIU has one conference loss. ULM, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee each have two conference losses, but Troy has already beaten the Red Wolves and Blue Raiders.
9. Will the winless watch for Akron and New Mexico ever stop? Last season ended with two winless teams from the MAC (Eastern Michigan) and Sun Belt (Western Kentucky). This season could end with two winless teams, too. But both squads are playing opponents with losing records this week -- Akron against Ball State (2-7) and New Mexico against Wyoming (2-7).
10. Must win for BYU. The Cougars (3-5) come off their bye week facing a must win every week from here on out if they want to make it to a bowl game. They start against UNLV, a team struggling more than the Cougars are this season. After that, they play Colorado State and New Mexico before closing the season at Utah. So they have to win all three games before the season finale. Colorado State next week will be the biggest test in the upcoming three-game stretch.
1. Who remains undefeated, TCU or Utah? You have got to love the national spotlight being placed on two teams from non-automatic qualifying conferences on Saturday. Both teams are terrific. It is a shame somebody has to lose and be relegated to the Las Vegas Bowl. Utah has a great home-field advantage, having won a Mountain West record 21 straight at Rice-Eccles Stadium. TCU has worked on silent counts all week and pumped crowd noise into practice in order to prepare for what is sure to be a wild atmosphere. The winner of the TCU-Utah game has earned an automatic bid into a BCS game each of the past two years.
[+] Enlarge
Dale Zanine/US PresswireTCU has the No. 1 overall defense and the No. 1 scoring defense in the country.
Dale Zanine/US PresswireTCU has the No. 1 overall defense and the No. 1 scoring defense in the country.3. Will Hawaii be able to pass on Boise State? Yes, but pay attention to what happens inside the red zone. In 46 trips inside the 20, the Warriors have scored 37 times. But they have only gotten 25 touchdowns. They are going to need to convert those opportunities into points against an aggressive Boise State defense and a secondary eager to prove its worth.
4. So who ends up ahead in the BCS standings on Sunday? That is asking to predict the unpredictable. If TCU and Boise State win, expect to see the Horned Frogs stay on top. They might even jump Boise State in the human polls, depending on the outcome of the game. If Utah and Boise State win, expect the Broncos to go back into the No. 3 slot. In any of those scenarios, we will all be tuned into the BCS show Sunday night to find out.
5. Which of the service academies becomes bowl eligible? Army, Air Force and Navy all have five wins and are on pace to have winning seasons in the same season for the first time since 1996. Army and Air Force play in West Point with the Commander-In-Chief Trophy on the line. Air Force beat Navy earlier this year and would win it with a victory over Army. Navy, meanwhile, tries to overcome its worst performance of the season at East Carolina. Navy has a bowl tie-in to the Poinsettia Bowl this year. Army has no guaranteed tie-in but is a backup in the Armed Forces Bowl. If they are passed over for that game, the Black Knights are a backup for the Military Bowl.
6. Who else has a chance to become bowl eligible? East Carolina, Houston, Tulsa, Southern Miss , UTEP, SMU, Miami (Ohio) and Fresno State also are one win away from bowl eligibility. UTEP and SMU play each other.
7. Houston offense vs. UCF defense. The Cougars have reinvented themselves with Case Keenum out for the season and have relied more on the run. But they are facing the best defense in Conference USA and one of the best defenses in the country. UCF is allowing right around 100 yards a game on the ground this season, and has confidence. Last season, the Knights upset the Cougars in Orlando for the first win over a ranked opponent in school history.
8. Does anybody want to win the Sun Belt? Troy has won four straight conference titles but opened the door for others to knock it off the perch after losing to ULM last week. If the Trojans win out, they still win the crown, but there is no margin for error anymore. FIU has one conference loss. ULM, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee each have two conference losses, but Troy has already beaten the Red Wolves and Blue Raiders.
9. Will the winless watch for Akron and New Mexico ever stop? Last season ended with two winless teams from the MAC (Eastern Michigan) and Sun Belt (Western Kentucky). This season could end with two winless teams, too. But both squads are playing opponents with losing records this week -- Akron against Ball State (2-7) and New Mexico against Wyoming (2-7).
10. Must win for BYU. The Cougars (3-5) come off their bye week facing a must win every week from here on out if they want to make it to a bowl game. They start against UNLV, a team struggling more than the Cougars are this season. After that, they play Colorado State and New Mexico before closing the season at Utah. So they have to win all three games before the season finale. Colorado State next week will be the biggest test in the upcoming three-game stretch.
Boise State finalizes 2011 schedule
November, 1, 2010
11/01/10
7:33
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Boise State will play Nevada and Fresno State in 2011, filling out its non-conference schedule.
The Broncos will host the Wolf Pack on Oct. 1 and the Bulldogs on Oct. 8. Boise State leaves the WAC to join the Mountain West in 2011. But a ruling last week forces Nevada and Fresno State to wait until 2012 before joining the Mountain West, so it was expected that the schools would try to partner up to fill their scheduling holes.
Boise State’s non-conference schedule for next season also includes games at Ole Miss on Sept. 3, at Toledo on Sept. 1 and home against Tulsa on Sept. 24.
The Broncos will host the Wolf Pack on Oct. 1 and the Bulldogs on Oct. 8. Boise State leaves the WAC to join the Mountain West in 2011. But a ruling last week forces Nevada and Fresno State to wait until 2012 before joining the Mountain West, so it was expected that the schools would try to partner up to fill their scheduling holes.
Boise State’s non-conference schedule for next season also includes games at Ole Miss on Sept. 3, at Toledo on Sept. 1 and home against Tulsa on Sept. 24.
Well, nine weeks in and the time has come. I am removing Boise State from the national championship game. The latest BCS rankings make it clear that if the Broncos and TCU finish undefeated, it would be the Horned Frogs who finish as the top non-AQ team. So I am going with Oregon vs. TCU in the BCS national title game for this week.
This is still is a leap of faith on my part, because I have no idea whether the Horned Frogs would be able to hold off a hard-charging one-loss Alabama team, should the Tide win out. I still have TCU beating Utah and project the the Horned Frogs to go undefeated. I also am still projecting Boise State to go undefeated, and am guessing the BCS would take two non-AQs again. There is always the possibility it could go with two Big Ten teams rather than two non-AQ teams. Or even two Big 12 teams, depending on who they are.
Toledo is bowl eligible, but I have not been able to find a home for the Rockets just yet. They would need an at-large selection. UTEP is in the middle of a massive slump, and though I do project the Miners to be bowl eligible, I have them as the No. 7 team in Conference USA. That means they would also need an at-large berth. ULM is back in, but mainly because the Sun Belt serves as a backup to the Big East in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg.
BCS national championship game:Oregon versus TCU
Sugar Bowl: Alabama versus Boise State
Little Caesars: Michigan versus Northern Illinois
Military Bowl: North Carolina versus Tulsa
Liberty Bowl: UCF versus Kentucky
Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina versus Hawaii**
Armed Forces Bowl:SMU versus Army*
New Orleans Bowl: Houston versus Middle Tennessee
GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple versus Troy
Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio versus Iowa State*
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah versus Texas A&M*
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State versus Navy
Independence Bowl: Air Force versus Clemson
New Mexico Bowl:BYU versus Fresno State
Kraft Fight Hunger: Boston College* versus Nevada
Beef O’Bradys:ULM* versus Southern Miss
*=at large selection because conference doesn’t have enough teams to
fill tie-in.
**= accepted bid.
This is still is a leap of faith on my part, because I have no idea whether the Horned Frogs would be able to hold off a hard-charging one-loss Alabama team, should the Tide win out. I still have TCU beating Utah and project the the Horned Frogs to go undefeated. I also am still projecting Boise State to go undefeated, and am guessing the BCS would take two non-AQs again. There is always the possibility it could go with two Big Ten teams rather than two non-AQ teams. Or even two Big 12 teams, depending on who they are.
Toledo is bowl eligible, but I have not been able to find a home for the Rockets just yet. They would need an at-large selection. UTEP is in the middle of a massive slump, and though I do project the Miners to be bowl eligible, I have them as the No. 7 team in Conference USA. That means they would also need an at-large berth. ULM is back in, but mainly because the Sun Belt serves as a backup to the Big East in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg.
BCS national championship game:Oregon versus TCU
Sugar Bowl: Alabama versus Boise State
Little Caesars: Michigan versus Northern Illinois
Military Bowl: North Carolina versus Tulsa
Liberty Bowl: UCF versus Kentucky
Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina versus Hawaii**
Armed Forces Bowl:SMU versus Army*
New Orleans Bowl: Houston versus Middle Tennessee
GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple versus Troy
Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio versus Iowa State*
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah versus Texas A&M*
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State versus Navy
Independence Bowl: Air Force versus Clemson
New Mexico Bowl:BYU versus Fresno State
Kraft Fight Hunger: Boston College* versus Nevada
Beef O’Bradys:ULM* versus Southern Miss
*=at large selection because conference doesn’t have enough teams to
fill tie-in.
**= accepted bid.
Let's get ready for Week 9. Somebody pass the candy corns. ...
Utah true freshman Brian Blechen is thriving after switching from quarterback to safety.
Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn is developing a winning attitude.
Fresno State's game against Colorado has been rescheduled for a date to be determined.
One loyal San Diego State fan will attend his 700th Aztecs game this weekend in Laramie, Wyo.
Here is a breakdown of Army's game against VMI.
Tulane receiver Casey Robottom is not even the most famous member of his family. That would be his mother, Natalie, the first female and African-American to take the St. John Parish president post in Louisiana.
The Middle Tennessee secondary is hoping to keep up its momentum.
Rice is looking for ways to get backup quarterback Taylor Cook on the field.
Hawaii receiver Greg Salas has been invited to the Senior Bowl.
Western Michigan receiver Juan Nunez lets his game talk for him.
Utah true freshman Brian Blechen is thriving after switching from quarterback to safety.
Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn is developing a winning attitude.
Fresno State's game against Colorado has been rescheduled for a date to be determined.
One loyal San Diego State fan will attend his 700th Aztecs game this weekend in Laramie, Wyo.
Here is a breakdown of Army's game against VMI.
Tulane receiver Casey Robottom is not even the most famous member of his family. That would be his mother, Natalie, the first female and African-American to take the St. John Parish president post in Louisiana.
The Middle Tennessee secondary is hoping to keep up its momentum.
Rice is looking for ways to get backup quarterback Taylor Cook on the field.
Hawaii receiver Greg Salas has been invited to the Senior Bowl.
Western Michigan receiver Juan Nunez lets his game talk for him.
WAC resolution hurts Mountain West
October, 28, 2010
10/28/10
11:28
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Fresno State and Nevada will stay in the WAC through June 30, 2012, in a resolution reached with the league announced Thursday, dealing a blow to the Mountain West in its bid to become an automatic-qualifying conference.
Why? Fresno State and Nevada wanted to join the Mountain West in time for the 2011-12 season, which would have given the conference 10 members and allowed it to count their records and BCS finishes toward AQ status. The current four-year evaluation process will be made according to league membership as of Dec. 4, 2011. That means the accomplishments of Fresno State and Nevada will not count for the MWC.
The Mountain West will gain Boise State for the 2011 season, but is losing Utah and BYU. The loss of the Cougars is a blow to AQ status as well because the Mountain West will not have Fresno State and Nevada in the fold in time. But none of this necessarily means the Mountain West has no shot at becoming an automatic qualifier. If the conference falls short of the three guidelines set out in the BCS handbook, it can apply to the Presidential Oversight Committee for an exemption if it meets certain criteria.
The settlement between Fresno State, Nevada and the WAC ends an ugly breakup that began when Fresno State and Nevada decided to jump to the Mountain West in August. The WAC filed a lawsuit against both schools, hoping to collect a $5 million exit fee from each and force them to stay through 2011-12 because they failed to meet the July 1 deadline for giving notice. Boise State had met that deadline, and that is why the Broncos are free to leave for 2011.
Just before Fresno State and Nevada bolted, all WAC members had agreed to a $5 million exit penalty to try to keep WAC membership intact. This was around the same time the WAC was in discussions with BYU to join as a member in all sports but football. When Fresno State and Nevada decided to leave, negotiations with BYU fell apart. Now the Cougars are going independent in football.
As part of the resolution, Fresno State and Nevada owe $900,000 each in an exit fee, drastically reduced from the $5 million the WAC wanted. This allows the WAC to continue on as an eight-member conference while it works on inviting other teams into the fold to cover its losses. Montana, UT-San Antonio and Texas State are considered the front-runners for two spots as football members. The WAC is also looking at Denver and Seattle as non-football members.
Why? Fresno State and Nevada wanted to join the Mountain West in time for the 2011-12 season, which would have given the conference 10 members and allowed it to count their records and BCS finishes toward AQ status. The current four-year evaluation process will be made according to league membership as of Dec. 4, 2011. That means the accomplishments of Fresno State and Nevada will not count for the MWC.
The Mountain West will gain Boise State for the 2011 season, but is losing Utah and BYU. The loss of the Cougars is a blow to AQ status as well because the Mountain West will not have Fresno State and Nevada in the fold in time. But none of this necessarily means the Mountain West has no shot at becoming an automatic qualifier. If the conference falls short of the three guidelines set out in the BCS handbook, it can apply to the Presidential Oversight Committee for an exemption if it meets certain criteria.
The settlement between Fresno State, Nevada and the WAC ends an ugly breakup that began when Fresno State and Nevada decided to jump to the Mountain West in August. The WAC filed a lawsuit against both schools, hoping to collect a $5 million exit fee from each and force them to stay through 2011-12 because they failed to meet the July 1 deadline for giving notice. Boise State had met that deadline, and that is why the Broncos are free to leave for 2011.
Just before Fresno State and Nevada bolted, all WAC members had agreed to a $5 million exit penalty to try to keep WAC membership intact. This was around the same time the WAC was in discussions with BYU to join as a member in all sports but football. When Fresno State and Nevada decided to leave, negotiations with BYU fell apart. Now the Cougars are going independent in football.
As part of the resolution, Fresno State and Nevada owe $900,000 each in an exit fee, drastically reduced from the $5 million the WAC wanted. This allows the WAC to continue on as an eight-member conference while it works on inviting other teams into the fold to cover its losses. Montana, UT-San Antonio and Texas State are considered the front-runners for two spots as football members. The WAC is also looking at Denver and Seattle as non-football members.
Boise State beat Louisiana Tech 49-20. Is that good enough to silence its critics? Stay tuned for my video on that topic.
Now on to some links:
Boise State still has some issues to correct with a big game against Hawaii looming.
TCU coach Gary Patterson noticed a pep in his team's step this past week.
Making a BCS bowl this year would be financially beneficial for Utah.
Southern Miss receiver Kelvin Bolden is turning heads.
Fresno State and Nevada are still negotiating the details in their departure from the WAC.
Three prominent San Diego State boosters have sent a letter to the BYU president asking him to "stop stonewalling" and find out what happened in the replay booth in the Aztecs' loss to the Cougars.
If Hawaii becomes bowl eligible this weekend, you can bet the Warriors will begin lobbying for its C-USA opponent in the Hawaii Bowl.
Looking ahead cost Miami (Ohio) in its loss to Ohio.
Middle Tennessee OT Mike Williams has been suspended for the first half of next Tuesday's game against Arkansas State by the Sun Belt for allegedly punching an opposing player.
Now on to some links:
Boise State still has some issues to correct with a big game against Hawaii looming.
TCU coach Gary Patterson noticed a pep in his team's step this past week.
Making a BCS bowl this year would be financially beneficial for Utah.
Southern Miss receiver Kelvin Bolden is turning heads.
Fresno State and Nevada are still negotiating the details in their departure from the WAC.
Three prominent San Diego State boosters have sent a letter to the BYU president asking him to "stop stonewalling" and find out what happened in the replay booth in the Aztecs' loss to the Cougars.
If Hawaii becomes bowl eligible this weekend, you can bet the Warriors will begin lobbying for its C-USA opponent in the Hawaii Bowl.
Looking ahead cost Miami (Ohio) in its loss to Ohio.
Middle Tennessee OT Mike Williams has been suspended for the first half of next Tuesday's game against Arkansas State by the Sun Belt for allegedly punching an opposing player.
It's Tuesday, so that means it's game day. Louisiana Tech travels to No. 3 Boise State in a game that will air on ESPN2. Who you got? Give me Boise State 49, Louisiana Tech 17.
Now on to some links:
Idaho senior linebacker JoJo Dickson broke his leg against New Mexico State and is out for the season, ending his college career.
Brandon Burton is a lockdown corner for Utah.
Fresno State is gearing up for a tough stretch.
The race is on for the second guaranteed bowl berth in the Sun Belt.
The numbers don't tell the full story for East Carolina.
A loss to East Carolina would likely knock UCF out of the Conference USA race.
Western Michigan defensive backs Damond Smith and Doug Wiggins say their on-fight disagreement was blown out of proportion.
Bowling Green and Central Michigan are desperate for a win.
Hawaii punt returner Ryan Henry is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Since joining FBS in 1987, Akron has never gone winless. The Zips are 0-8 with four games left.
UNLV has reinstated WR Phillip Payne.
Now on to some links:
Idaho senior linebacker JoJo Dickson broke his leg against New Mexico State and is out for the season, ending his college career.
Brandon Burton is a lockdown corner for Utah.
Fresno State is gearing up for a tough stretch.
The race is on for the second guaranteed bowl berth in the Sun Belt.
The numbers don't tell the full story for East Carolina.
A loss to East Carolina would likely knock UCF out of the Conference USA race.
Western Michigan defensive backs Damond Smith and Doug Wiggins say their on-fight disagreement was blown out of proportion.
Bowling Green and Central Michigan are desperate for a win.
Hawaii punt returner Ryan Henry is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Since joining FBS in 1987, Akron has never gone winless. The Zips are 0-8 with four games left.
UNLV has reinstated WR Phillip Payne.
Here are your non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each league.
Conference USA
Offense: Tulane WR Casey Robottom. Had a career-high 10 receptions for a career-best 151 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a 34-24 win over UTEP. His 43-yard touchdown catch gave the Green Wave the lead for good with 5:30 remaining in the game.
Defense: Houston LB Sammy Brown and UCF DE Darius Nall. Brown led the Cougars with eight tackles, two sacks and a forced a fumble in a 45-20 win over SMU. In the past two games, Brown has recorded nine tackles for loss and four sacks. Nall had 2.5 sacks, forced a fumble, had a pass pressure and tied for the team lead with six total tackles as UCF defeated Rice 41-14.
Special Teams: Houston KR Tyron Carrier. Scored on a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a win over SMU. It was the sixth of his career. Clemson's C.J. Spiller holds the NCAA career record with seven kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Mid-American
East Division
Offense: Kent State WR Tyshon Goode. Had a career-high 12 catches for a season-high 158 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-6 win at Bowling Green. He also extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to 15.
Defense: Temple DT Muhammad Wilkerson. Led the Owls with six tackles and a career-high 2.5 sacks in a 42-0 win at Buffalo. Temple had its first shutout since 1992 and first shutout of a BCS opponent since 1984.
Special teams: Kent State K Freddy Cortez. Scored 12 points in a 30-6 victory at Bowling Green. Cortez tied his career-high with three field goals (29, 32, 30), while making all three extra points. He missed a 51-yarder.
West Division
Offense: Western Michigan WR Juan Nunez. Had six receptions for a career-high 192 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-10 win over Akron.
Defense: Northern Illinois LB Tyrone Clark. Had two interceptions in a 33-7 win over Central Michigan. Both came in the second quarter to stop Chippewa drives and ensure that the Huskies would have a halftime lead.
Special Teams: Toledo KR Isaiah Ballard. Returned three kickoffs for 103 yards, including a 56-yard return, in a 31-24 win over Ball State.
Mountain West
Offense: TCU RB Ed Wesley and Utah QB Jordan Wynn. Wesley had a career-high 209 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 28 carries to help the Horned Frogs beat Air Force 38-7. Wynn completed 23 of 29 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of action in a 59-6 win over Colorado State.
Defense: BYU LB Brandon Ogletree. Had career highs of five solo tackles and three tackles for loss in a 25-20 win over Wyoming. Four of the tackles came on Wyoming’s final drive of the game, and two were for a loss.
Special Teams: BYU KR Cody Hoffman. Had 104 kick return yards in the victory over Wyoming. In all, Hoffman averaged 26.0 yards on four kick returns.
Sun Belt
Offense: Western Kentucky QB Kawaun Jakes. Went 18-of-22 for a season-high 262 yards and one touchdown in a 54-21 win over Louisiana, snapping a 26-game losing streak. He also picked up 28 rushing yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. He led the Hilltoppers to scores on nine straight offense possessions.
Defense: Arkansas State DB Adrian Hills. Recorded a career-high two interceptions, including one returned 37 yards for a touchdown, over the final 10 minutes of a 37-16 fourth-quarter comeback victory against Florida Atlantic.
Special Teams: Western Kentucky K Casey Tinius. Score 12 points in the Hilltoppers’ victory over Louisiana. His 47-yard kick as time expired in the first half tied a career long.
WAC
Offense: Hawaii running back Alex Green. Ran for a career-high 172 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries in a 45-7 win at Utah State. He had a career-long rush of 60 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Defense: Hawaii linebacker Corey Paredes. Had a game-high 10 tackles and two interceptions at Utah State. Paredes helped anchor a defense that held its opponent to 181 yards of total offense, the fewest in a game for the Warriors since 2005.
Special Teams: Fresno State K Kevin Goessling. Made all four of his field goal attempts in a 33-18 win at San Jose State. Goessling was also 3-for-3 on extra point attempts to run his consecutive streak to 116 -- 12 shy of the all-time WAC record.
Conference USA
Offense: Tulane WR Casey Robottom. Had a career-high 10 receptions for a career-best 151 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a 34-24 win over UTEP. His 43-yard touchdown catch gave the Green Wave the lead for good with 5:30 remaining in the game.
Defense: Houston LB Sammy Brown and UCF DE Darius Nall. Brown led the Cougars with eight tackles, two sacks and a forced a fumble in a 45-20 win over SMU. In the past two games, Brown has recorded nine tackles for loss and four sacks. Nall had 2.5 sacks, forced a fumble, had a pass pressure and tied for the team lead with six total tackles as UCF defeated Rice 41-14.
Special Teams: Houston KR Tyron Carrier. Scored on a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a win over SMU. It was the sixth of his career. Clemson's C.J. Spiller holds the NCAA career record with seven kickoff returns for touchdowns.
Mid-American
East Division
Offense: Kent State WR Tyshon Goode. Had a career-high 12 catches for a season-high 158 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-6 win at Bowling Green. He also extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to 15.
Defense: Temple DT Muhammad Wilkerson. Led the Owls with six tackles and a career-high 2.5 sacks in a 42-0 win at Buffalo. Temple had its first shutout since 1992 and first shutout of a BCS opponent since 1984.
Special teams: Kent State K Freddy Cortez. Scored 12 points in a 30-6 victory at Bowling Green. Cortez tied his career-high with three field goals (29, 32, 30), while making all three extra points. He missed a 51-yarder.
West Division
Offense: Western Michigan WR Juan Nunez. Had six receptions for a career-high 192 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-10 win over Akron.
Defense: Northern Illinois LB Tyrone Clark. Had two interceptions in a 33-7 win over Central Michigan. Both came in the second quarter to stop Chippewa drives and ensure that the Huskies would have a halftime lead.
Special Teams: Toledo KR Isaiah Ballard. Returned three kickoffs for 103 yards, including a 56-yard return, in a 31-24 win over Ball State.
Mountain West
Offense: TCU RB Ed Wesley and Utah QB Jordan Wynn. Wesley had a career-high 209 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 28 carries to help the Horned Frogs beat Air Force 38-7. Wynn completed 23 of 29 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of action in a 59-6 win over Colorado State.
Defense: BYU LB Brandon Ogletree. Had career highs of five solo tackles and three tackles for loss in a 25-20 win over Wyoming. Four of the tackles came on Wyoming’s final drive of the game, and two were for a loss.
Special Teams: BYU KR Cody Hoffman. Had 104 kick return yards in the victory over Wyoming. In all, Hoffman averaged 26.0 yards on four kick returns.
Sun Belt
Offense: Western Kentucky QB Kawaun Jakes. Went 18-of-22 for a season-high 262 yards and one touchdown in a 54-21 win over Louisiana, snapping a 26-game losing streak. He also picked up 28 rushing yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. He led the Hilltoppers to scores on nine straight offense possessions.
Defense: Arkansas State DB Adrian Hills. Recorded a career-high two interceptions, including one returned 37 yards for a touchdown, over the final 10 minutes of a 37-16 fourth-quarter comeback victory against Florida Atlantic.
Special Teams: Western Kentucky K Casey Tinius. Score 12 points in the Hilltoppers’ victory over Louisiana. His 47-yard kick as time expired in the first half tied a career long.
WAC
Offense: Hawaii running back Alex Green. Ran for a career-high 172 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries in a 45-7 win at Utah State. He had a career-long rush of 60 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Defense: Hawaii linebacker Corey Paredes. Had a game-high 10 tackles and two interceptions at Utah State. Paredes helped anchor a defense that held its opponent to 181 yards of total offense, the fewest in a game for the Warriors since 2005.
Special Teams: Fresno State K Kevin Goessling. Made all four of his field goal attempts in a 33-18 win at San Jose State. Goessling was also 3-for-3 on extra point attempts to run his consecutive streak to 116 -- 12 shy of the all-time WAC record.
Time for the latest bowl projections for the non-AQ teams. I have done these for all of college football from the beginning of the season, but now is when things truly get interesting in the fight for bowl eligibility. It is a huge guessing game, but also keep in mind -- the projections are not necessarily where the teams are going to finish.
Bowls are not required to take teams based on order of finish in the conference if they feel there is a more intriguing team that is available to them. Hawaii, for example, might finish second in the WAC, but would go to the Hawaii Bowl regardless.
One change - I am now projecting UCF as the winner of Conference USA. SMU's loss to Houston on Saturday night had a hand in that. But right now UCF and East Carolina are the two best teams in the conference, with a big showdown looming this week in Orlando. I also have Houston back in the projections after the big win.
I still have Boise State in the national title game. The more No. 1 teams that lose, the more that helps the Broncos.
Here are the latest projections after Week 8:
BCS national championship game: Oregon vs. Boise State
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. TCU
Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa vs. Hawaii
Armed Forces Bowl: East Carolina vs. Army
Eagle Bank: Maryland vs. Southern Miss
Liberty Bowl: UCF vs. Kentucky
New Orleans Bowl: UTEP vs. Middle Tennessee
GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple vs. Troy
Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio vs. Idaho
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Washington
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State vs. Navy
Independence Bowl: Air Force vs. NC State
New Mexico Bowl: BYU vs. Fresno State
Little Caesars: Penn State vs. Northern Illinois
Beef O’Bradys: Louisville vs. SMU
Kraft Fight Hunger: Houston* vs. Nevada
* = at large because conference cannot fill bowl allotment.
Bowls are not required to take teams based on order of finish in the conference if they feel there is a more intriguing team that is available to them. Hawaii, for example, might finish second in the WAC, but would go to the Hawaii Bowl regardless.
One change - I am now projecting UCF as the winner of Conference USA. SMU's loss to Houston on Saturday night had a hand in that. But right now UCF and East Carolina are the two best teams in the conference, with a big showdown looming this week in Orlando. I also have Houston back in the projections after the big win.
I still have Boise State in the national title game. The more No. 1 teams that lose, the more that helps the Broncos.
Here are the latest projections after Week 8:
BCS national championship game: Oregon vs. Boise State
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. TCU
Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa vs. Hawaii
Armed Forces Bowl: East Carolina vs. Army
Eagle Bank: Maryland vs. Southern Miss
Liberty Bowl: UCF vs. Kentucky
New Orleans Bowl: UTEP vs. Middle Tennessee
GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple vs. Troy
Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio vs. Idaho
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Washington
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State vs. Navy
Independence Bowl: Air Force vs. NC State
New Mexico Bowl: BYU vs. Fresno State
Little Caesars: Penn State vs. Northern Illinois
Beef O’Bradys: Louisville vs. SMU
Kraft Fight Hunger: Houston* vs. Nevada
* = at large because conference cannot fill bowl allotment.
These should help get you through the last day before a huge Week 8 Saturday.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said Ed Wesley was never in harm's way, trying to calm a brewing storm over a verbal confrontation he had with the team doctor that was caught on camera. Wesley had sustained a concussion, but now Patterson and Dr. Sam Haraldson are blaming poor communication on the incident.
Utah comes out a big winner in Pac-12 divisional alignment.
Boise State is focusing on finishing strong.
If Fresno State center Joe Bernardi can play against San Jose State, he will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline: his father, Gary, the Spartans' offensive line coach.
Houston is working to tighten up its third-down defense.
Trey Ragland will kick field goals for UAB this weekend, taking over for Josh Zahn, who is just 3-of-12 on the season.
UCF RB Ronnie Weaver landed in the right place.
Football pedigree is a vital part of the search for a new coach at North Texas.
Temple is going with two quarterbacks against Buffalo -- Chester Stewart and Mike Gerardi.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said Ed Wesley was never in harm's way, trying to calm a brewing storm over a verbal confrontation he had with the team doctor that was caught on camera. Wesley had sustained a concussion, but now Patterson and Dr. Sam Haraldson are blaming poor communication on the incident.
Utah comes out a big winner in Pac-12 divisional alignment.
Boise State is focusing on finishing strong.
If Fresno State center Joe Bernardi can play against San Jose State, he will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline: his father, Gary, the Spartans' offensive line coach.
Houston is working to tighten up its third-down defense.
Trey Ragland will kick field goals for UAB this weekend, taking over for Josh Zahn, who is just 3-of-12 on the season.
UCF RB Ronnie Weaver landed in the right place.
Football pedigree is a vital part of the search for a new coach at North Texas.
Temple is going with two quarterbacks against Buffalo -- Chester Stewart and Mike Gerardi.
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