College Football Nation: Nevada
Almost nailed the Miami (Ohio)-Bowling Green score right yesterday. More mid-week non-AQ football coming up tonight: East Carolina at UAB. My pick: East Carolina 41, UAB 35.
Now on to some links:
Rose Bowl officials have discussed the possibility of choosing between Boise State and Stanford as an at-large selection.
The Alford brothers will be on opposite sidelines once again Saturday when Utah plays Notre Dame.
How does anyone know who the best team in the country is on eyeballs alone, asks Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Nevada offensive lineman John Bender plays on the edge.
San Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he's not looking to bail out after two years with the Aztecs. His name has surfaced on the Minnesota wish list.
Rice athletic director Rick Greenspan has given coach Dave Bailiff a vote of confidence.
Marshall's Donald Brown won't live down "The Slide."
Arkansas State is ready for Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey.
Louisiana Tech's Phillip Livas is back to making big plays.
Northern Illinois stays grounded after its win against Toledo.
Now on to some links:
Rose Bowl officials have discussed the possibility of choosing between Boise State and Stanford as an at-large selection.
The Alford brothers will be on opposite sidelines once again Saturday when Utah plays Notre Dame.
How does anyone know who the best team in the country is on eyeballs alone, asks Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Nevada offensive lineman John Bender plays on the edge.
San Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he's not looking to bail out after two years with the Aztecs. His name has surfaced on the Minnesota wish list.
Rice athletic director Rick Greenspan has given coach Dave Bailiff a vote of confidence.
Marshall's Donald Brown won't live down "The Slide."
Arkansas State is ready for Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey.
Louisiana Tech's Phillip Livas is back to making big plays.
Northern Illinois stays grounded after its win against Toledo.
Come one, come all for your top 10 non-AQ storylines for Week 10:
1. Let the jockeying continue. Now that TCU has passed Boise State in the human polls, the race is on to see whether the Horned Frogs can stay there -- and grow their lead. Both need to happen for TCU to solidify its spot ahead of the Broncos in the BCS standings. TCU plays San Diego State (7-2) while Boise State plays Idaho (4-5) so it is unlikely Boise State will move ahead after this week. But looking ahead, TCU has one game left against New Mexico (1-8), while Boise State has games remaining against Fresno State (6-2), Nevada (8-1) and Utah State (3-6).
2. Is a letdown in store for TCU? The Horned Frogs are coming off an emotional 47-7 win over Utah, but this is not a team that loses focus easily. They have given up a total of 23 points in six league games, and have given up one touchdown at home in three league games. This is Senior Day, where TCU will say goodbye to a group of players who have not lost in the regular season since 2008. San Diego State is much improved, so we will see how the Horned Frogs handle their emotions.
3. How does the Boise State-Idaho rivalry end? Boise State and Idaho have no future games set as the Broncos depart the WAC for the Mountain West. But this game has not proved to be much of a rivalry over the last several years. The Broncos have won 11 straight over the Vandals, and have won those game by an average score of 51-18.
4. Can Utah bounce back? The Utes are coming off an embarrassing loss at home to TCU and travel to play a beaten down Notre Dame team. As badly as the Irish need to win, so does Utah, which wants to avoid having its season go down the drain due to one loss. After losing 55-28 to TCU last year, Utah rebounded with a 38-7 win over San Diego State. But that one was at home. This is going to be a tough challenge.
5. Will we get clarity in Conference USA? There are several big games for the league this weekend as UCF hosts Southern Miss, and Tulsa travels to Houston. UCF is the lone team that is undefeated in league play in Conference USA and can clinch the East Division with a win over Southern Miss and an East Carolina loss to UAB tonight. Meanwhile, Tulsa, Houston and SMU each have two losses in the West. Whoever wins would remain in the hunt.
6. Will we get clarity in the Sun Belt? Who would have thought when the season started we would be saying Troy and FIU would be meeting with Sun Belt title chances on the line? Both teams have one loss in conference play and the winner here would be in the driver’s seat. Whoever wins out, wins the league. It’s as simple as that.
7. Bowl eligibility time. Here are your teams that have a shot to become bowl eligible this week: Army, East Carolina, Houston and Troy. Army plays at Kent State, while East Carolina is at UAB, Houston hosts Tulsa and Troy hosts FIU. SMU (5-5) is off.
8. What does Navy do for an encore? The Midshipmen racked up 76 points and 521 yards on the ground against East Carolina last week. So what happens against Central Michigan (3-7)? Quarterback Ricky Dobbs reportedly missed a few days of practice with a slight concussion. If he cannot go, Kriss Proctor would get the start. But even without Dobbs, Alexander Teich has played well since replacing Vince Murray in the starting lineup. He averaged 11.2 yards a carry last week against the Pirates, and had a 200-yard game against Notre Dame.
9. What does Nevada do for an encore? The Wolf Pack may not have scored as many points as Navy, but they had more yards -- 844 in a 63-17 win over Idaho. Nevada sits at No. 21, behind several two-loss teams from power conferences. The question is whether voters see Nevada as a great team or merely a good team from a bad conference. How it does against a good Fresno State team on Saturday is important for perception.
10. The future is now. True freshman quarterbacks Pete Thomas and Jake Heaps face each other when BYU travels to Colorado State. Thomas has thrown for 2,273 yards for the Rams and is second in the league in passing, mostly because he has been put in situations where his team has fallen behind. But still, he is progressing well and coach Steve Fairchild believes Thomas' future is bright. Heaps has not been as successful, struggling as much as the rest of the BYU offense. He had his first good game against UNLV last week, throwing for 294 yards and a touchdown. The play of the quarterbacks is the key to the game.
1. Let the jockeying continue. Now that TCU has passed Boise State in the human polls, the race is on to see whether the Horned Frogs can stay there -- and grow their lead. Both need to happen for TCU to solidify its spot ahead of the Broncos in the BCS standings. TCU plays San Diego State (7-2) while Boise State plays Idaho (4-5) so it is unlikely Boise State will move ahead after this week. But looking ahead, TCU has one game left against New Mexico (1-8), while Boise State has games remaining against Fresno State (6-2), Nevada (8-1) and Utah State (3-6).
2. Is a letdown in store for TCU? The Horned Frogs are coming off an emotional 47-7 win over Utah, but this is not a team that loses focus easily. They have given up a total of 23 points in six league games, and have given up one touchdown at home in three league games. This is Senior Day, where TCU will say goodbye to a group of players who have not lost in the regular season since 2008. San Diego State is much improved, so we will see how the Horned Frogs handle their emotions.
3. How does the Boise State-Idaho rivalry end? Boise State and Idaho have no future games set as the Broncos depart the WAC for the Mountain West. But this game has not proved to be much of a rivalry over the last several years. The Broncos have won 11 straight over the Vandals, and have won those game by an average score of 51-18.
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Andrew Weber/US PresswireComing off a disappointing loss to TCU, the Utes have to go on the road to face Notre Dame.
Andrew Weber/US PresswireComing off a disappointing loss to TCU, the Utes have to go on the road to face Notre Dame.5. Will we get clarity in Conference USA? There are several big games for the league this weekend as UCF hosts Southern Miss, and Tulsa travels to Houston. UCF is the lone team that is undefeated in league play in Conference USA and can clinch the East Division with a win over Southern Miss and an East Carolina loss to UAB tonight. Meanwhile, Tulsa, Houston and SMU each have two losses in the West. Whoever wins would remain in the hunt.
6. Will we get clarity in the Sun Belt? Who would have thought when the season started we would be saying Troy and FIU would be meeting with Sun Belt title chances on the line? Both teams have one loss in conference play and the winner here would be in the driver’s seat. Whoever wins out, wins the league. It’s as simple as that.
7. Bowl eligibility time. Here are your teams that have a shot to become bowl eligible this week: Army, East Carolina, Houston and Troy. Army plays at Kent State, while East Carolina is at UAB, Houston hosts Tulsa and Troy hosts FIU. SMU (5-5) is off.
8. What does Navy do for an encore? The Midshipmen racked up 76 points and 521 yards on the ground against East Carolina last week. So what happens against Central Michigan (3-7)? Quarterback Ricky Dobbs reportedly missed a few days of practice with a slight concussion. If he cannot go, Kriss Proctor would get the start. But even without Dobbs, Alexander Teich has played well since replacing Vince Murray in the starting lineup. He averaged 11.2 yards a carry last week against the Pirates, and had a 200-yard game against Notre Dame.
9. What does Nevada do for an encore? The Wolf Pack may not have scored as many points as Navy, but they had more yards -- 844 in a 63-17 win over Idaho. Nevada sits at No. 21, behind several two-loss teams from power conferences. The question is whether voters see Nevada as a great team or merely a good team from a bad conference. How it does against a good Fresno State team on Saturday is important for perception.
10. The future is now. True freshman quarterbacks Pete Thomas and Jake Heaps face each other when BYU travels to Colorado State. Thomas has thrown for 2,273 yards for the Rams and is second in the league in passing, mostly because he has been put in situations where his team has fallen behind. But still, he is progressing well and coach Steve Fairchild believes Thomas' future is bright. Heaps has not been as successful, struggling as much as the rest of the BYU offense. He had his first good game against UNLV last week, throwing for 294 yards and a touchdown. The play of the quarterbacks is the key to the game.
» Predictions: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Non-AQ
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.
More midweek MAC football coming up. Tonight: Miami (Ohio) at Bowling Green. I will take Miami, 24-20.
Now on to some links:
Boise State's defensive line has been key this season.
Gary Patterson is in demand, and that's good for TCU.
Utah linebacker J.J. Williams finally makes his return from a lingering foot injury.
Nevada wide receiver Rishard Matthews is hitting his stride.
There is a chance Southern Miss wide receiver DeAndre Brown could play against UCF.
Is running the football the best option for UAB against East Carolina?
Houston linebacker Matt Nicholson suffered another knee injury, ending his season and career.
The WAC could add Texas-San Antonio, Texas State and Denver as early as today.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun deflected talk about the Colorado opening.
FAU is not proud of its poor offensive production.
Injuries have hit Middle Tennessee -- both starting cornerbacks could be out Saturday.
Now on to some links:
Boise State's defensive line has been key this season.
Gary Patterson is in demand, and that's good for TCU.
Utah linebacker J.J. Williams finally makes his return from a lingering foot injury.
Nevada wide receiver Rishard Matthews is hitting his stride.
There is a chance Southern Miss wide receiver DeAndre Brown could play against UCF.
Is running the football the best option for UAB against East Carolina?
Houston linebacker Matt Nicholson suffered another knee injury, ending his season and career.
The WAC could add Texas-San Antonio, Texas State and Denver as early as today.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun deflected talk about the Colorado opening.
FAU is not proud of its poor offensive production.
Injuries have hit Middle Tennessee -- both starting cornerbacks could be out Saturday.
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.
Ready for some MAC football tonight? The MAC West is on the line when Toledo travels to Northern Illinois.
Now on to some links:
Boos show how the standards at Utah have been raised, writes Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Idaho running back Deonte Jackson stirred the pot going into the Boise State game on Friday. When asked about comments Boise State president Bob Kustra made that were critical of Idaho fans, Jackson said, "I wouldn't expect anything different coming from the blue and orange snot."
TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte isn't interested in a football-only invite to the Big East.
Utah wants TCU to get a title shot.
Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick is all business as he returns close to home when the Wolf Pack play Fresno State.
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo's son is a budding high school football player and has drawn some interest from college programs.
A lack of playmaking has continued to hurt SMU.
More details emerge from "Replaygate" involving San Diego State and BYU.
Is a change coming at quarterback for Rice?
ULM receiver Brent Leonard is second nationally in fourth-down conversion receptions.
The Colorado State-BYU series is ending.
Now on to some links:
Boos show how the standards at Utah have been raised, writes Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Idaho running back Deonte Jackson stirred the pot going into the Boise State game on Friday. When asked about comments Boise State president Bob Kustra made that were critical of Idaho fans, Jackson said, "I wouldn't expect anything different coming from the blue and orange snot."
TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte isn't interested in a football-only invite to the Big East.
Utah wants TCU to get a title shot.
Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick is all business as he returns close to home when the Wolf Pack play Fresno State.
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo's son is a budding high school football player and has drawn some interest from college programs.
A lack of playmaking has continued to hurt SMU.
More details emerge from "Replaygate" involving San Diego State and BYU.
Is a change coming at quarterback for Rice?
ULM receiver Brent Leonard is second nationally in fourth-down conversion receptions.
The Colorado State-BYU series is ending.
Let's take a look at the good and the bad for the non-AQs in Week 10.
The good: Boise State and TCU remained in the national title hunt with big wins this weekend. Though their offenses made headlines -- the Broncos racked up a school-record 737 yards and TCU had more than 500 yards -- both defenses played something fierce. They both held their opponents to fewer than 200 yards of total offense. Now they are the top two teams in the country in total defense and scoring defense. TCU is No. 1 in both categories. … Meanwhile, New Mexico won its first game of the season, 34-31 over Wyoming. Quarterback Stump Godfrey made his first career start as B.R. Holbrook sat out because of an injury and went 16-of-20 for 211 yards with two touchdowns. The Lobos, which had been giving the ball away as if it was a Christmas present, forced four turnovers. It was just the second time all season they won the turnover battle in a game. … How about Nevada racking up 844 yards of total offense? Not only did Colin Kaepernick have 300 yards passing, the Wolf Pack had three 100-yard rushers: Mark Lampford, Mike Ball and Vai Taua.
The bad: Western Michigan controlled its own bowl destiny heading into its game against Central Michigan. None of the four opponents left on its schedule had a winning record, so finishing up 7-5 or 6-6 seemed realistic. But the Broncos lost for the fifth straight time to their in-state rivals -- even though the Chippewas went into the game with just two wins. Backup RB Brian Fields fumbled 2 yards from the end zone with 1:37 remaining, the fourth lost fumble of the game for Western Michigan and the Chippewas held on 26-22.
The heartache: The Akron Zips are now the only winless team in the country, but missed out on a great opportunity in a 37-30 double-overtime loss to Ball State. After tying the score late to send the game into overtime, the Zips and Cardinals traded touchdowns in the first overtime. Ball State went ahead in overtime No. 2. But all hopes were lost for Akron when Patrick Nicely was intercepted on third down by Joshua Howard to end the game. Akron had more first downs and more rushing yards than Ball State and won the turnover battle as well. … Tulane had Southern Miss on the ropes heading into the fourth quarter. The two teams were tied at 30, but the Golden Eagles scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win 46-30. Tulane (402) outgained Southern Miss (358) and had 11 more first downs.
The off-balance: Utah and Hawaii went into their respective games as some of the highest-scoring teams in the country. But each were held to just a touchdown. Utah had been averaging 45.2 points a game, tied for No. 3 in the nation. Hawaii had been averaging 39. 2 points a game. … Meanwhile, BYU exploded offensively for the first time all season, posting more than 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing and a season-high 55 points against UNLV. The Cougars are 39-0 since 1972 and 5-0 under current head coach Bronco Mendenhall when passing for 300 and running for 200.
A few more helmet stickers: FIU WR T.Y. Hilton had 291 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in a 42-35 double-overtime win over ULM. He became the first Panther to score a touchdown three different ways in the same game, as he caught two touchdowns, ran for one and returned a kick for a score. … Central Michigan LB Armond Staten had 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and three forced fumbles in an upset win over Western Michigan. … San Diego State LB Miles Burris had a career-high 10 tackles, four tackles for loss (minus-39 yards), two sacks and two forced fumbles in a 24-19 victory over Colorado State.
A few injury items to note: Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson is questionable for the Nov. 16 game against Temple after reportedly getting into a fight outside a bar and sustaining serious injuries to his face. Coach Frank Solich would only say that Jackson is questionable for the game. Backup Phil Bates has been slowed by a shoulder injury, leaving the possibility that Ohio could burn the redshirt of true freshman Kyle Snyder. “We’re going to have to talk about it some more and look at it from different angles and make a decision about a player being brought out of redshirt if he needs to be,” Solich said. … Kent State star LB Cobrani Mixon is doubtful for Saturday’s game against Army with a shoulder injury, and starting quarterback Spencer Keith injured his thumb and is day-to-day. … BYU TE Marcus Mathews is out for the season with a lacerated spleen.
Week 11 look ahead: TCU plays San Diego State (7-2) in a classic letdown game. Will the Horned Frogs suffer an emotional low after an emotional high over Utah? Boise State has a big rivalry game against Idaho, perhaps made even bigger after comments during the offseason where school president Bob Kustra slammed Vandal culture as “nasty” and “inebriated.” Southern Miss travels to UCF in a big East Division game. The Knights, ranked for the first time in school history, control their destiny. We can’t forget about the big Tuesday night game between MAC West Division leaders Toledo and Northern Illinois.
The good: Boise State and TCU remained in the national title hunt with big wins this weekend. Though their offenses made headlines -- the Broncos racked up a school-record 737 yards and TCU had more than 500 yards -- both defenses played something fierce. They both held their opponents to fewer than 200 yards of total offense. Now they are the top two teams in the country in total defense and scoring defense. TCU is No. 1 in both categories. … Meanwhile, New Mexico won its first game of the season, 34-31 over Wyoming. Quarterback Stump Godfrey made his first career start as B.R. Holbrook sat out because of an injury and went 16-of-20 for 211 yards with two touchdowns. The Lobos, which had been giving the ball away as if it was a Christmas present, forced four turnovers. It was just the second time all season they won the turnover battle in a game. … How about Nevada racking up 844 yards of total offense? Not only did Colin Kaepernick have 300 yards passing, the Wolf Pack had three 100-yard rushers: Mark Lampford, Mike Ball and Vai Taua.
The bad: Western Michigan controlled its own bowl destiny heading into its game against Central Michigan. None of the four opponents left on its schedule had a winning record, so finishing up 7-5 or 6-6 seemed realistic. But the Broncos lost for the fifth straight time to their in-state rivals -- even though the Chippewas went into the game with just two wins. Backup RB Brian Fields fumbled 2 yards from the end zone with 1:37 remaining, the fourth lost fumble of the game for Western Michigan and the Chippewas held on 26-22.
The heartache: The Akron Zips are now the only winless team in the country, but missed out on a great opportunity in a 37-30 double-overtime loss to Ball State. After tying the score late to send the game into overtime, the Zips and Cardinals traded touchdowns in the first overtime. Ball State went ahead in overtime No. 2. But all hopes were lost for Akron when Patrick Nicely was intercepted on third down by Joshua Howard to end the game. Akron had more first downs and more rushing yards than Ball State and won the turnover battle as well. … Tulane had Southern Miss on the ropes heading into the fourth quarter. The two teams were tied at 30, but the Golden Eagles scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win 46-30. Tulane (402) outgained Southern Miss (358) and had 11 more first downs.
[+] Enlarge
Douglas C. Pizac/US PresswireTCU shut down the high-powered Utah offense.
Douglas C. Pizac/US PresswireTCU shut down the high-powered Utah offense.A few more helmet stickers: FIU WR T.Y. Hilton had 291 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in a 42-35 double-overtime win over ULM. He became the first Panther to score a touchdown three different ways in the same game, as he caught two touchdowns, ran for one and returned a kick for a score. … Central Michigan LB Armond Staten had 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and three forced fumbles in an upset win over Western Michigan. … San Diego State LB Miles Burris had a career-high 10 tackles, four tackles for loss (minus-39 yards), two sacks and two forced fumbles in a 24-19 victory over Colorado State.
A few injury items to note: Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson is questionable for the Nov. 16 game against Temple after reportedly getting into a fight outside a bar and sustaining serious injuries to his face. Coach Frank Solich would only say that Jackson is questionable for the game. Backup Phil Bates has been slowed by a shoulder injury, leaving the possibility that Ohio could burn the redshirt of true freshman Kyle Snyder. “We’re going to have to talk about it some more and look at it from different angles and make a decision about a player being brought out of redshirt if he needs to be,” Solich said. … Kent State star LB Cobrani Mixon is doubtful for Saturday’s game against Army with a shoulder injury, and starting quarterback Spencer Keith injured his thumb and is day-to-day. … BYU TE Marcus Mathews is out for the season with a lacerated spleen.
Week 11 look ahead: TCU plays San Diego State (7-2) in a classic letdown game. Will the Horned Frogs suffer an emotional low after an emotional high over Utah? Boise State has a big rivalry game against Idaho, perhaps made even bigger after comments during the offseason where school president Bob Kustra slammed Vandal culture as “nasty” and “inebriated.” Southern Miss travels to UCF in a big East Division game. The Knights, ranked for the first time in school history, control their destiny. We can’t forget about the big Tuesday night game between MAC West Division leaders Toledo and Northern Illinois.
Time to really savor the games. The season is almost over! Then what?!
On to some links:
Utah attempts to pick up the pieces and move forward after a 47-7 loss to TCU.
TCU coach Gary Patterson reiterated that he didn't expect such a lopsided score.
Nevada's win against Idaho gives it a formula to potentially beat Boise State.
San Diego State is winning despite turning the ball over. The Aztecs have 11 turnovers during their four-game winning streak.
Spirits are high at UCF, where the Knights are ranked for the first time in school history.
Air Force has locked up the Commander-In-Chief Trophy, but the Falcons close with a bit of a letdown -- games against New Mexico and UNLV.
FIU coach Mario Cristobal was fired up after his team's double-overtime win against ULM.
Western Michigan lost to Central Michigan, calling fans to question coach Bill Cubit. But calls for him to be fired are irrational, writes Graham Couch.
On to some links:
Utah attempts to pick up the pieces and move forward after a 47-7 loss to TCU.
TCU coach Gary Patterson reiterated that he didn't expect such a lopsided score.
Nevada's win against Idaho gives it a formula to potentially beat Boise State.
San Diego State is winning despite turning the ball over. The Aztecs have 11 turnovers during their four-game winning streak.
Spirits are high at UCF, where the Knights are ranked for the first time in school history.
Air Force has locked up the Commander-In-Chief Trophy, but the Falcons close with a bit of a letdown -- games against New Mexico and UNLV.
FIU coach Mario Cristobal was fired up after his team's double-overtime win against ULM.
Western Michigan lost to Central Michigan, calling fans to question coach Bill Cubit. But calls for him to be fired are irrational, writes Graham Couch.
Vote: Capital One Impact Performance
November, 8, 2010
11/08/10
10:32
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Time once again to vote for the Capital One Impact Performance of the Week.
Here are your nominees:
Michigan's Roy Roundtree with 246 yards and three touchdowns in a triple-overtime win against Illinois.
Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon with 173 yards and a rushing touchdown, plus a 69-yard TD run against Baylor.
Boise State's Kellen Moore goes 30-of-37 for 507 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a win against Hawaii.
Nevada's Colin Kaepernick goes 20-of-30 for 320 yards with five touchdowns in a win at Idaho.
Here are your nominees:
Michigan's Roy Roundtree with 246 yards and three touchdowns in a triple-overtime win against Illinois.
Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon with 173 yards and a rushing touchdown, plus a 69-yard TD run against Baylor.
Boise State's Kellen Moore goes 30-of-37 for 507 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a win against Hawaii.
Nevada's Colin Kaepernick goes 20-of-30 for 320 yards with five touchdowns in a win at Idaho.
» 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.
TCU jumped Boise State and is now at No. 3 in the AP, Harris and coaches' polls, thanks to its decisive 47-7 win over Utah on Saturday.
That jump should allow the Horned Frogs to stay ahead of the Broncos when the BCS standings are released later tonight. This is the first time all season TCU has moved ahead of Boise State in the human polls. Only the Harris and coaches' poll count toward the BCS standings. TCU had already been ahead of Boise State in the computer average.
Now the question is whether the Broncos can do anything to jump back ahead of TCU in the human polls. The margin between them is slim, and Boise State has more first-place votes in all three human polls. But the BCS standings count the total number of points they each receive.
Utah dropped to No. 15 in all three polls after its loss. Meanwhile, UCF got its first national ranking in the AP and coaches' polls. The Knights (7-2) debuted at No. 25 in the AP poll and No. 23 in the coaches' poll, a milestone for the program. They are also No. 25 in the Harris poll, the first Conference USA team to be ranked all season.
“It’s very difficult when you’re not in the Top 25 from the start of the season to get there, and when you climb in it shows a lot of progress by your football team,” UCF head coach George O’Leary said. “I think it’s great for the kids, I really do. They don’t talk a lot about it because they are interested in one goal and that’s the conference championship. But when nice things happen like [getting ranked] it means you are doing some nice things on the field. It’s nice to be honored by your fellow coaches.
“I think it’s great for the school and for the football program to be ranked. But the key is to continue winning. That’s the name of the game.”
Nevada also climbed up to No. 21 in all three polls, giving the non-AQ conferences five ranked teams.
That jump should allow the Horned Frogs to stay ahead of the Broncos when the BCS standings are released later tonight. This is the first time all season TCU has moved ahead of Boise State in the human polls. Only the Harris and coaches' poll count toward the BCS standings. TCU had already been ahead of Boise State in the computer average.
Now the question is whether the Broncos can do anything to jump back ahead of TCU in the human polls. The margin between them is slim, and Boise State has more first-place votes in all three human polls. But the BCS standings count the total number of points they each receive.
Utah dropped to No. 15 in all three polls after its loss. Meanwhile, UCF got its first national ranking in the AP and coaches' polls. The Knights (7-2) debuted at No. 25 in the AP poll and No. 23 in the coaches' poll, a milestone for the program. They are also No. 25 in the Harris poll, the first Conference USA team to be ranked all season.
“It’s very difficult when you’re not in the Top 25 from the start of the season to get there, and when you climb in it shows a lot of progress by your football team,” UCF head coach George O’Leary said. “I think it’s great for the kids, I really do. They don’t talk a lot about it because they are interested in one goal and that’s the conference championship. But when nice things happen like [getting ranked] it means you are doing some nice things on the field. It’s nice to be honored by your fellow coaches.
“I think it’s great for the school and for the football program to be ranked. But the key is to continue winning. That’s the name of the game.”
Nevada also climbed up to No. 21 in all three polls, giving the non-AQ conferences five ranked teams.
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.
Headed to Salt Lake City for the big game between TCU and Utah. Now on to some links as we get closer to game day!
Boo Jackson did it all for Ohio in a 34-17 win over Buffalo.
Big game tonight between Houston and UCF. Houston is trying to take it one game at a time.
Boise State's only loss of the season could be to the BCS.
Utah has to get TCU quarterback Andy Dalton out of rhythm.
Nevada cornerback Doyle Miller quietly leads the secondary.
Were there spies at the Hawaii practice?
Air Force wants the Commander-In-Chief Trophy. The game is personal for Army fullback Jared Hassin.
Western Kentucky tackles Wes Jeffries and Preston King have formed a tight bond.
Boo Jackson did it all for Ohio in a 34-17 win over Buffalo.
Big game tonight between Houston and UCF. Houston is trying to take it one game at a time.
Boise State's only loss of the season could be to the BCS.
Utah has to get TCU quarterback Andy Dalton out of rhythm.
Nevada cornerback Doyle Miller quietly leads the secondary.
Were there spies at the Hawaii practice?
Air Force wants the Commander-In-Chief Trophy. The game is personal for Army fullback Jared Hassin.
Western Kentucky tackles Wes Jeffries and Preston King have formed a tight bond.
Time for a little trivia and your weekly installment of non-AQ Did you know? Thanks to the school and league sports information departments for these notes, along with ESPN Stats & Information.
The Mountain West is the only league in the country with four teams ranked in the Top 10 for fewest sacks allowed. Utah is tied for second with Oregon with three through eight games. San Diego State is tied for seventh with Army (four). Air Force and TCU are tied for ninth with five.
TCU has allowed opponents to convert just 23.9 percent of third downs, best in the nation, but it is the Utah defense that is best on third-and-short. With 3 yards or fewer to go, opponents are converting on Utah at a rate of 38.1 percent.
Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick needs two rushing touchdowns to break the school record of 53 held by Chris Lemon. He is five passing touchdowns away from the school record of 78, held by Eric Beavers.
Utah State will honor the 10-year anniversary of Emmett White’s NCAA single-game all-purpose yards record at halftime against New Mexico State, the same school that White set his record against 10 years ago. White had 578 yards against New Mexico State, rushing 34 times for a school-record 322 yards, while adding 134 yards on seven receptions, 2 yards on one punt return and 120 yards on four kickoff returns. He also had four touchdowns in the win.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNLV’s Las Vegas Bowl victory, the entire 2000 Rebel football team will be honored during next week’s game against Wyoming. Representatives of the team will serve as honorary captains, and the entire squad will take the field to be recognized between the first and second quarters.
The team, coach by John Robinson, was the last one from UNLV to make a bowl game. That fall, the Rebels won their last three games of the regular season in dramatic fashion to earn a spot in the Las Vegas Bowl, where they beat Arkansas 31-14 to finish 8-5.
UCF now has the third-longest active winning streak in conference play among FBS schools. The Knights have won their past 10 C-USA matchups, trailing only Boise State (19) and TCU (14). UCF is also ranked in the NCAA’s top 15 nationally in all four major team defensive categories, leading Conference USA in all but one (rushing defense). The unit is ninth in total defense (279.8 ypg) 11th in scoring defense (16.5 ppg) 13th in rushing defense (100.9), while placing 15th in pass defense (177.5 ypg).
Ball State senior running back MiQuale Lewis is approaching the school career rushing record. Lewis has 3,659 career yards and needs 344 yards rushing to break Marcus Merriweather’s mark of 4,002 yards. There are three games left in the season for the Cardinals, who host Akron on Saturday.
Temple has posted consecutive shutouts against Buffalo (42-0) and Akron (30-0) for the first time since 1971 (at Connecticut and vs. Xavier).
ULM quarterback Kolton Browning has thrown for more than 200 yards in seven straight games -- the longest streak at the school since Robert Cobb’s seven-game streak in 1993. His 1,741 passing yards are the most through eight games since Raymond Philyaw had 1,762 in 1996. Browning has thrown a touchdown pass in seven of ULM's eight games this season; the Warhawks are 4-3 in those games.
Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey needs 62 yards for his first 1,000-yard rushing season. Rainey has rushed for no less than 64 yards in a game this season.
The Mountain West is the only league in the country with four teams ranked in the Top 10 for fewest sacks allowed. Utah is tied for second with Oregon with three through eight games. San Diego State is tied for seventh with Army (four). Air Force and TCU are tied for ninth with five.
TCU has allowed opponents to convert just 23.9 percent of third downs, best in the nation, but it is the Utah defense that is best on third-and-short. With 3 yards or fewer to go, opponents are converting on Utah at a rate of 38.1 percent.
Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick needs two rushing touchdowns to break the school record of 53 held by Chris Lemon. He is five passing touchdowns away from the school record of 78, held by Eric Beavers.
Utah State will honor the 10-year anniversary of Emmett White’s NCAA single-game all-purpose yards record at halftime against New Mexico State, the same school that White set his record against 10 years ago. White had 578 yards against New Mexico State, rushing 34 times for a school-record 322 yards, while adding 134 yards on seven receptions, 2 yards on one punt return and 120 yards on four kickoff returns. He also had four touchdowns in the win.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNLV’s Las Vegas Bowl victory, the entire 2000 Rebel football team will be honored during next week’s game against Wyoming. Representatives of the team will serve as honorary captains, and the entire squad will take the field to be recognized between the first and second quarters.
The team, coach by John Robinson, was the last one from UNLV to make a bowl game. That fall, the Rebels won their last three games of the regular season in dramatic fashion to earn a spot in the Las Vegas Bowl, where they beat Arkansas 31-14 to finish 8-5.
UCF now has the third-longest active winning streak in conference play among FBS schools. The Knights have won their past 10 C-USA matchups, trailing only Boise State (19) and TCU (14). UCF is also ranked in the NCAA’s top 15 nationally in all four major team defensive categories, leading Conference USA in all but one (rushing defense). The unit is ninth in total defense (279.8 ypg) 11th in scoring defense (16.5 ppg) 13th in rushing defense (100.9), while placing 15th in pass defense (177.5 ypg).
Ball State senior running back MiQuale Lewis is approaching the school career rushing record. Lewis has 3,659 career yards and needs 344 yards rushing to break Marcus Merriweather’s mark of 4,002 yards. There are three games left in the season for the Cardinals, who host Akron on Saturday.
Temple has posted consecutive shutouts against Buffalo (42-0) and Akron (30-0) for the first time since 1971 (at Connecticut and vs. Xavier).
ULM quarterback Kolton Browning has thrown for more than 200 yards in seven straight games -- the longest streak at the school since Robert Cobb’s seven-game streak in 1993. His 1,741 passing yards are the most through eight games since Raymond Philyaw had 1,762 in 1996. Browning has thrown a touchdown pass in seven of ULM's eight games this season; the Warhawks are 4-3 in those games.
Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey needs 62 yards for his first 1,000-yard rushing season. Rainey has rushed for no less than 64 yards in a game this season.
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