College Football Nation: Southern Miss
Are Frogs on charmed road back to BCS?
November, 14, 2011
11/14/11
2:57
PM ET
By
Jeff Caplan | ESPN.com
Improbable, but now not impossible, the BCS flame is rekindled for the streaking TCU Horned Frogs.
They'll need No. 11 Houston and No. 20 Southern Miss to each fumble a golden opportunity, while the No. 19 Frogs -- 8-2 and winners of five in a row -- can ill-afford a misstep of their own in their final two games against below-.500 squads Colorado State and UNLV.
Still, these Frogs, boosted by Saturday's huge road win at No. 5 Boise State that put a hammerlock on the Mountain West Conference championship, are the leading dark horse to earn a third consecutive BCS bowl berth.
How is this possible? Let's review:
When Baylor kicked the game-winning field goal with 1:04 to play in the season-opener, TCU swallowed the hard truth that just one game in and the BCS was all but dead to them. A month later, SMU's overtime victory in Fort Worth posed the question if the 3-2 Frogs were even capable of capturing a third consecutive league title?
Fast forward five weeks and Gary Patterson's boys provided that answer with Saturday's resounding, come-from-behind, 36-35 victory on the Broncos' near-invincible blue turf. The heart-and-guts effort, spearheaded by the tremendous play of first-year starting quarterback Casey Pachall, put TCU in the driver's seat for the conference title and, somewhat unsuspectingly, rekindled the BCS flame.
Here's how:
The BCS selection process offers two paths of entrance for non-automatic qualifiers like TCU. The first is a top-12 ranking in the BCS standings. At No. 19, that's highly unlikely considering the Frogs' final two opponents and the number of teams ahead of them. The second route grants a berth by finishing in the top 16 and with a ranking higher than that of a champion of one of the six AQ conferences.
Say hello to the Frogs' once-future home, the Big East.
That league currently boasts no teams ranked in the top 25 of the BCS standings. Cincinnati (7-2) dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, falling to 29th, and West Virginia is 27th. Neither team boasts a remaining schedule that would catapult it ahead of a 10-2 Frogs team, one that very well could claim a top-16 ranking.
Standing in the way is Houston (10-0) and Southern Miss (9-1). These two are on a collision course to meet in the Conference USA title game. If the Coogs win out, they'll be assured of the BCS berth. If the Golden Eagles win out, they'll likely hop the Frogs and earn the spot.
Pass-happy Houston, led by sixth-year quarterback Case Keenum, welcomes the disappointing Ponies (6-4) on Saturday (ESPN GameDay will be there) before traveling to Tulsa (7-3, 6-0) the day after Thanksgiving. Southern Miss has games against a pair of 2-8 teams in Alabama-Birmingham and Memphis.
The script favorable to the Frogs would see SMU or Tulsa knock off Houston, and then the Coogs beat Southern Miss in the title game, assuring each another loss.
If it plays out, the two-loss Frogs could very well become the first non-undefeated, non-AQ team to play in a BCS game.
If that happens, consider these Frogs charmed.
They'll need No. 11 Houston and No. 20 Southern Miss to each fumble a golden opportunity, while the No. 19 Frogs -- 8-2 and winners of five in a row -- can ill-afford a misstep of their own in their final two games against below-.500 squads Colorado State and UNLV.
Still, these Frogs, boosted by Saturday's huge road win at No. 5 Boise State that put a hammerlock on the Mountain West Conference championship, are the leading dark horse to earn a third consecutive BCS bowl berth.
How is this possible? Let's review:
When Baylor kicked the game-winning field goal with 1:04 to play in the season-opener, TCU swallowed the hard truth that just one game in and the BCS was all but dead to them. A month later, SMU's overtime victory in Fort Worth posed the question if the 3-2 Frogs were even capable of capturing a third consecutive league title?
Fast forward five weeks and Gary Patterson's boys provided that answer with Saturday's resounding, come-from-behind, 36-35 victory on the Broncos' near-invincible blue turf. The heart-and-guts effort, spearheaded by the tremendous play of first-year starting quarterback Casey Pachall, put TCU in the driver's seat for the conference title and, somewhat unsuspectingly, rekindled the BCS flame.
Here's how:
The BCS selection process offers two paths of entrance for non-automatic qualifiers like TCU. The first is a top-12 ranking in the BCS standings. At No. 19, that's highly unlikely considering the Frogs' final two opponents and the number of teams ahead of them. The second route grants a berth by finishing in the top 16 and with a ranking higher than that of a champion of one of the six AQ conferences.
Say hello to the Frogs' once-future home, the Big East.
That league currently boasts no teams ranked in the top 25 of the BCS standings. Cincinnati (7-2) dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, falling to 29th, and West Virginia is 27th. Neither team boasts a remaining schedule that would catapult it ahead of a 10-2 Frogs team, one that very well could claim a top-16 ranking.
Standing in the way is Houston (10-0) and Southern Miss (9-1). These two are on a collision course to meet in the Conference USA title game. If the Coogs win out, they'll be assured of the BCS berth. If the Golden Eagles win out, they'll likely hop the Frogs and earn the spot.
Pass-happy Houston, led by sixth-year quarterback Case Keenum, welcomes the disappointing Ponies (6-4) on Saturday (ESPN GameDay will be there) before traveling to Tulsa (7-3, 6-0) the day after Thanksgiving. Southern Miss has games against a pair of 2-8 teams in Alabama-Birmingham and Memphis.
The script favorable to the Frogs would see SMU or Tulsa knock off Houston, and then the Coogs beat Southern Miss in the title game, assuring each another loss.
If it plays out, the two-loss Frogs could very well become the first non-undefeated, non-AQ team to play in a BCS game.
If that happens, consider these Frogs charmed.
ORLANDO – Bruce Miller got a phone call from his parents while he was eating lunch. Derrick Hallman started getting text messages in church. Jeff Godfrey saw it on the local news.
Good news does not take long to travel fast these days.
UCF had just earned the first ranking in school history – No. 25 in the AP poll and No. 23 in the coaches’ poll -- and players quickly started learning about it Sunday afternoon.
“I just felt appreciated,” said Miller, a defensive end who needs two more sacks to become the school career leader. “It was exciting. We’ve never seen that before. It was different and I know all the guys enjoyed that.”
UCF has been more of a star-crossed program than a successful one throughout its history. Fans have become accustomed to inconsistency and disappointment, to being told they were just not good enough to join a big-time conference the last time the Big East expanded. The insult was made even worse when the league decided on cross-state rival USF instead.
The joke going into this season was that it was an even-numbered year, and well, UCF just has plain old bad luck on even-numbered years. The Knights have made just three bowl games in their history, losing all three. But they have followed up each bowl appearance with a losing season.
They were embarrassed 45-24 to Rutgers in the St. Petersburg Bowl last season, but players believed their veteran group would break the string of inconsistency that has plagued this program. They set a goal when the season started to host the Conference USA championship game.
With nearly the entire defense returning and most players on offense back, the goal seemed realistic. Now it is on the verge of happening. The Knights (7-2, 5-0) are the only team that is undefeated in league play headed into the final home game of the season Saturday against Southern Miss (6-3, 3-2).
If East Carolina loses to UAB tonight, UCF can clinch the East with a win against the Golden Eagles.
“We completely understand what’s on the line and what we’re playing for this weekend and in the weeks to come,” Miller said. “We’re not playing for a ranking. We’re playing for our goal, which is a conference championship.”
Miller anchors a unit that was one of the best in the league last season and is one of the best again this season, ranking No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. Much of the focus this season has been on Miller, the Conference USA preseason pick for Defensive Player of the Year, so others have stepped up. That includes Darius Nall, who leads the team with 7.5 sacks. Nall has an inspirational story, having overcome cancer to return to the team last season.
But perhaps the biggest story of the season has been the emergence of Godfrey, a true freshman out of Miami. He chose UCF in part because the Knights allowed him to play quarterback. Many of the other schools that recruited him said he was too small for the position at 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, and wanted him to play something else.
He started the season behind Rob Calabrese on the depth chart, but saw spot duty. Many thought it was only a matter of time before he took over. Sure enough, he became the starter in Week 3 -- though Calabrese still played some. But Godfrey has been the full-time guy since Calabrese was lost for the season with a knee injury against Marshall in Week 6.
Godfrey has gotten better each week, and is a dual threat – he can run the ball, too. He has thrown for 1,300 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions, and rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns. Last week in a 40-33 win against Houston, he had 399 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.
“I knew once he got settled in and got his feet beneath him, he was going to be our best player,” said Hallman, second on the team in tackles. “I told him, ‘You’re going to be a prodigy in this program. By the end of this year, you’re going to be the face of this program.’ ”
UCF has a bright future with Godfrey at the helm, but first this program has to start building consistency for more than a few seasons. The ranking is nice. But there is more to be done.
“We’re not done yet,” Godfrey said. “We want to get to our destination, and that’s the conference championship.”
Good news does not take long to travel fast these days.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Phelan M. EbenhackJeff Godfrey and his Central Florida teammates are excited about their top-25 rankings in the AP and coaches' polls.
AP Photo/Phelan M. EbenhackJeff Godfrey and his Central Florida teammates are excited about their top-25 rankings in the AP and coaches' polls.“I just felt appreciated,” said Miller, a defensive end who needs two more sacks to become the school career leader. “It was exciting. We’ve never seen that before. It was different and I know all the guys enjoyed that.”
UCF has been more of a star-crossed program than a successful one throughout its history. Fans have become accustomed to inconsistency and disappointment, to being told they were just not good enough to join a big-time conference the last time the Big East expanded. The insult was made even worse when the league decided on cross-state rival USF instead.
The joke going into this season was that it was an even-numbered year, and well, UCF just has plain old bad luck on even-numbered years. The Knights have made just three bowl games in their history, losing all three. But they have followed up each bowl appearance with a losing season.
They were embarrassed 45-24 to Rutgers in the St. Petersburg Bowl last season, but players believed their veteran group would break the string of inconsistency that has plagued this program. They set a goal when the season started to host the Conference USA championship game.
With nearly the entire defense returning and most players on offense back, the goal seemed realistic. Now it is on the verge of happening. The Knights (7-2, 5-0) are the only team that is undefeated in league play headed into the final home game of the season Saturday against Southern Miss (6-3, 3-2).
If East Carolina loses to UAB tonight, UCF can clinch the East with a win against the Golden Eagles.
“We completely understand what’s on the line and what we’re playing for this weekend and in the weeks to come,” Miller said. “We’re not playing for a ranking. We’re playing for our goal, which is a conference championship.”
Miller anchors a unit that was one of the best in the league last season and is one of the best again this season, ranking No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. Much of the focus this season has been on Miller, the Conference USA preseason pick for Defensive Player of the Year, so others have stepped up. That includes Darius Nall, who leads the team with 7.5 sacks. Nall has an inspirational story, having overcome cancer to return to the team last season.
But perhaps the biggest story of the season has been the emergence of Godfrey, a true freshman out of Miami. He chose UCF in part because the Knights allowed him to play quarterback. Many of the other schools that recruited him said he was too small for the position at 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, and wanted him to play something else.
He started the season behind Rob Calabrese on the depth chart, but saw spot duty. Many thought it was only a matter of time before he took over. Sure enough, he became the starter in Week 3 -- though Calabrese still played some. But Godfrey has been the full-time guy since Calabrese was lost for the season with a knee injury against Marshall in Week 6.
Godfrey has gotten better each week, and is a dual threat – he can run the ball, too. He has thrown for 1,300 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions, and rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns. Last week in a 40-33 win against Houston, he had 399 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.
“I knew once he got settled in and got his feet beneath him, he was going to be our best player,” said Hallman, second on the team in tackles. “I told him, ‘You’re going to be a prodigy in this program. By the end of this year, you’re going to be the face of this program.’ ”
UCF has a bright future with Godfrey at the helm, but first this program has to start building consistency for more than a few seasons. The ranking is nice. But there is more to be done.
“We’re not done yet,” Godfrey said. “We want to get to our destination, and that’s the conference championship.”
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 TCU, Boise State talk in mailbag
November, 10, 2010
11/10/10
5:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Time to dip our toes into a midweek mailbag. Would it surprise you that it jammed up with one overriding question:
Why is TCU ranked higher than Boise State?
Lots of Broncos fans are angry about the human polls and BCS standings, which have TCU at No. 3 and Boise State at No. 4. Both teams won impressively last week, but TCU beat No. 5 Utah on the road. That is my way of explaining why TCU jumped ahead in the human polls. I know Boise State fans want an explanation based on stats or something else, but I can only give you my best guess. I still have Boise State ahead. I think both are so even right now that I have no reason to move TCU ahead at this point.
As for the computer rankings, each one takes into account a different formula. Only one, Colley Matrix, publishes its formula. Each one does account for strength of schedule. The Anderson & Hester ranking puts a heavy emphasis on strength of conference. But other than those nuggets, most of everything else about how the computer rankings are done are kept a secret for proprietary reasons.
A few more common questions: If Alabama and Oregon both lose, then yes -- Boise State and TCU would be the next likely candidates to meet in the BCS national title game should they win out.
Bowl projections: If a non-AQ team makes it into the BCS national title game against a Big Ten or Pac-10 team, then the Rose Bowl is NOT required to take an at-large non-AQ team. Also, teams are not slotted into their respective bowl games based on conference order of finish. Greg in Fort Worth asked about LSU. If both LSU and Alabama are available for the Capital One Bowl, then I am betting Orlando goes with the Tide even though they lost head to head. Why? LSU was here last year, and the Capital One Bowl would jump at the chance to have the defending national champions. Alabama has not played in the game since 1995.
Same for the Big Ten. If Ohio State and Iowa are both available, I am betting the Capital One Bowl goes with the Buckeyes even if they lose to the Hawkeyes. Ohio State has not been to the game since 1996.
Now on to some questions:
Pam in Meridian, Idaho, writes: Andrea, do you REALLY think that Utah was worthy of their No. 5 position when they played TCU? After all they only played a very mediocre Pitt early in the season. Isn't TCU given a little too much credit here for blowing out Utah?
Andrea Adelson writes: Where would you have liked an undefeated Utah team to be placed, at No. 15 based on its schedule? Utah was obviously not up to the challenge, and TCU deserves every ounce of credit it goes for going on the road to beat an undefeated team by 40 points.
Andy in Hattiesburg, Miss., writes: What are your opinions on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles this year? I mean, they are only a couple of points away from being 8-1.. Besides huge penalties an inconsistent play, what are the keys to finishing 3-0 against UCF, Houston, and Tulsa. Can it be done? If not, where do you see this team next year?
Adelson writes: Southern Miss is a confounding team to me. I thought the Golden Eagles would be a serious threat to UCF, but a few of their losses have me scratching my head. You cannot discount the penalties and inconsistent play, because those are usually the difference between really good and really bad teams. It obviously has hurt that DeAndre Brown has been out. Don't forget the offensive line is young. The defense has been a disappointment with nine starters returning -- they are giving up 26 points a game. Keys to win -- don't turn the ball over, and find a way to control the ball against UCF, Houston and Tulsa, three teams that have the ability to score in bunches. As for next year, let's see how this season finishes up.
Barry Nelson in Bastrop, Texas, writes: I as a viewer want to see TCU and Boise State matched up against top teams in the BCS. If Oregon and Auburn finish out undefeated, I would imagine that they will be in the National championship game. ... We need to push the entities that choose the bowls to match up both Boise and TCU with the No. 5 and 6 teams respectively. I will not watch a TCU and Boise State game. I would watch TCU play LSU or someone with one loss. And the same goes for Boise State. Allow these teams to prove themselves, and allow us as viewers to root for that underdog.
Adelson writes: Conference tie-ins preclude a No. 5 or No. 6 playing Boise State or TCU, but we get your drift. And wholeheartedly agree.
Sean Jeffries in McCall, Idaho, writes: Being a WSU Cougar, I know a lot about losing lately, but I see Boise State win every week and drop. Has there ever been a team rated No. 3 to start the year, win every game and most by over 30 and drop? What is this conspiracy against Boise State? They have the longest winning streak, they have a top rated defense and offense, they have possibly the best QB in the game.
Adelson writes: I don't think it's a conspiracy. Critics point to the strength of schedule, judge and laugh. It's as simple as that.
Sheri in Oregon writes: A few "old" commentators are stuck on the notion that the SEC is the only division that plays "real football." Why don't we let the SEC play by themselves and the rest of the country can also have a national championship game?
Adelson writes: I've often wondered the same thing.
Matt in Orlando writes: With UCF finally being ranked for the first time in the school's history, what do you think the programs outlook is like? The starting freshman, Jeffrey Godfrey, is a true freshman, but looking anything but one. Do you think he can lead UCF to become a TCU or Boise State? The program's gone through a lot of heartbreaks. Do you think everything is looking up now?
Adelson writes: I have always maintained that UCF should be the next Boise State or TCU given its location. You have a wealth of talent in your backyard, go out and get them and build up your program. This is obviously a breakthrough with the first national ranking in school history, but this program has taken steps before and then giant leaps backward. However, Godfrey is a special player and he could bring even more of those top recruits from Miami into Orlando. What will be interesting to see is whether the school gets an invite to the Big East.
Randall McKinney in Halls, Tenn., writes: When TCU, Boise State, or any other non-AQ beats a team that’s EVER WON A NATIONAL TITLE then you let me know. When they take an October trip to a stadium with 80,000 hostile fans to play a team with just a shred of tradition and a few NFL prospects you let me know. ... Yes Utah did beat Bama in Sugar Bowl. A Bama team that even then had the 2008 and SEC title game on their mind. All this TCU-Boise talk is a joke. Boise's season was over in September. That's saying enough right there. And finally, a few years ago the average SEC team played non-conference cream puffs and the national media was all over it. Now you guts praise teams who play nothing but cream puffs. Both TCU and Boise would have losing records in the SEC, Big 12, and Big Ten.
Adelson writes: I think you answered your own question at the top there, Randall. Oh, and TCU has beaten national champions Oklahoma, Clemson and BYU in the last five years. Boise State also beat Oklahoma. Oh, and Utah won at Michigan, too. Oh, and you might want to check your calendar. Utah is headed to Notre Dame on Saturday. I believe Notre Dame qualifies as a place with 1) hostile fans and 2) a shred of tradition.
Why is TCU ranked higher than Boise State?
Lots of Broncos fans are angry about the human polls and BCS standings, which have TCU at No. 3 and Boise State at No. 4. Both teams won impressively last week, but TCU beat No. 5 Utah on the road. That is my way of explaining why TCU jumped ahead in the human polls. I know Boise State fans want an explanation based on stats or something else, but I can only give you my best guess. I still have Boise State ahead. I think both are so even right now that I have no reason to move TCU ahead at this point.
As for the computer rankings, each one takes into account a different formula. Only one, Colley Matrix, publishes its formula. Each one does account for strength of schedule. The Anderson & Hester ranking puts a heavy emphasis on strength of conference. But other than those nuggets, most of everything else about how the computer rankings are done are kept a secret for proprietary reasons.
A few more common questions: If Alabama and Oregon both lose, then yes -- Boise State and TCU would be the next likely candidates to meet in the BCS national title game should they win out.
Bowl projections: If a non-AQ team makes it into the BCS national title game against a Big Ten or Pac-10 team, then the Rose Bowl is NOT required to take an at-large non-AQ team. Also, teams are not slotted into their respective bowl games based on conference order of finish. Greg in Fort Worth asked about LSU. If both LSU and Alabama are available for the Capital One Bowl, then I am betting Orlando goes with the Tide even though they lost head to head. Why? LSU was here last year, and the Capital One Bowl would jump at the chance to have the defending national champions. Alabama has not played in the game since 1995.
Same for the Big Ten. If Ohio State and Iowa are both available, I am betting the Capital One Bowl goes with the Buckeyes even if they lose to the Hawkeyes. Ohio State has not been to the game since 1996.
Now on to some questions:
Pam in Meridian, Idaho, writes: Andrea, do you REALLY think that Utah was worthy of their No. 5 position when they played TCU? After all they only played a very mediocre Pitt early in the season. Isn't TCU given a little too much credit here for blowing out Utah?
Andrea Adelson writes: Where would you have liked an undefeated Utah team to be placed, at No. 15 based on its schedule? Utah was obviously not up to the challenge, and TCU deserves every ounce of credit it goes for going on the road to beat an undefeated team by 40 points.
Andy in Hattiesburg, Miss., writes: What are your opinions on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles this year? I mean, they are only a couple of points away from being 8-1.. Besides huge penalties an inconsistent play, what are the keys to finishing 3-0 against UCF, Houston, and Tulsa. Can it be done? If not, where do you see this team next year?
Adelson writes: Southern Miss is a confounding team to me. I thought the Golden Eagles would be a serious threat to UCF, but a few of their losses have me scratching my head. You cannot discount the penalties and inconsistent play, because those are usually the difference between really good and really bad teams. It obviously has hurt that DeAndre Brown has been out. Don't forget the offensive line is young. The defense has been a disappointment with nine starters returning -- they are giving up 26 points a game. Keys to win -- don't turn the ball over, and find a way to control the ball against UCF, Houston and Tulsa, three teams that have the ability to score in bunches. As for next year, let's see how this season finishes up.
Barry Nelson in Bastrop, Texas, writes: I as a viewer want to see TCU and Boise State matched up against top teams in the BCS. If Oregon and Auburn finish out undefeated, I would imagine that they will be in the National championship game. ... We need to push the entities that choose the bowls to match up both Boise and TCU with the No. 5 and 6 teams respectively. I will not watch a TCU and Boise State game. I would watch TCU play LSU or someone with one loss. And the same goes for Boise State. Allow these teams to prove themselves, and allow us as viewers to root for that underdog.
Adelson writes: Conference tie-ins preclude a No. 5 or No. 6 playing Boise State or TCU, but we get your drift. And wholeheartedly agree.
Sean Jeffries in McCall, Idaho, writes: Being a WSU Cougar, I know a lot about losing lately, but I see Boise State win every week and drop. Has there ever been a team rated No. 3 to start the year, win every game and most by over 30 and drop? What is this conspiracy against Boise State? They have the longest winning streak, they have a top rated defense and offense, they have possibly the best QB in the game.
Adelson writes: I don't think it's a conspiracy. Critics point to the strength of schedule, judge and laugh. It's as simple as that.
Sheri in Oregon writes: A few "old" commentators are stuck on the notion that the SEC is the only division that plays "real football." Why don't we let the SEC play by themselves and the rest of the country can also have a national championship game?
Adelson writes: I've often wondered the same thing.
Matt in Orlando writes: With UCF finally being ranked for the first time in the school's history, what do you think the programs outlook is like? The starting freshman, Jeffrey Godfrey, is a true freshman, but looking anything but one. Do you think he can lead UCF to become a TCU or Boise State? The program's gone through a lot of heartbreaks. Do you think everything is looking up now?
Adelson writes: I have always maintained that UCF should be the next Boise State or TCU given its location. You have a wealth of talent in your backyard, go out and get them and build up your program. This is obviously a breakthrough with the first national ranking in school history, but this program has taken steps before and then giant leaps backward. However, Godfrey is a special player and he could bring even more of those top recruits from Miami into Orlando. What will be interesting to see is whether the school gets an invite to the Big East.
Randall McKinney in Halls, Tenn., writes: When TCU, Boise State, or any other non-AQ beats a team that’s EVER WON A NATIONAL TITLE then you let me know. When they take an October trip to a stadium with 80,000 hostile fans to play a team with just a shred of tradition and a few NFL prospects you let me know. ... Yes Utah did beat Bama in Sugar Bowl. A Bama team that even then had the 2008 and SEC title game on their mind. All this TCU-Boise talk is a joke. Boise's season was over in September. That's saying enough right there. And finally, a few years ago the average SEC team played non-conference cream puffs and the national media was all over it. Now you guts praise teams who play nothing but cream puffs. Both TCU and Boise would have losing records in the SEC, Big 12, and Big Ten.
Adelson writes: I think you answered your own question at the top there, Randall. Oh, and TCU has beaten national champions Oklahoma, Clemson and BYU in the last five years. Boise State also beat Oklahoma. Oh, and Utah won at Michigan, too. Oh, and you might want to check your calendar. Utah is headed to Notre Dame on Saturday. I believe Notre Dame qualifies as a place with 1) hostile fans and 2) a shred of tradition.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
Just three days until the big showdown between Utah and TCU. Who's pumped?
Now on to some links:
The big news yesterday came out of the Big East, which wants to expand. TCU and UCF are at the top of the list, but the invites might be football only.
What about Houston?
Arkansas State routed Middle Tennessee on Tuesday night.
Utah cornerback Lamar Chapman has overcome life's challenges to star for the Utes.
TCU would love to avenge its loss in Salt Lake City in 2008. Utah would love to avenge its loss to TCU last season.
Idaho coach Robb Akey downplays his team's penalty issues.
No word on whether Southern Miss WR DeAndre Brown and CB C.J. Bailey will be able to play on Saturday at Tulane.
SMU DL Szymon Czerniak has put family problems behind him to make an impact this season.
The Mountain West had determined a botched call against San Diego State in a loss to BYU was the result of "combined human error."
Kent State has confidence headed into its game against Temple.
Now on to some links:
The big news yesterday came out of the Big East, which wants to expand. TCU and UCF are at the top of the list, but the invites might be football only.
What about Houston?
Arkansas State routed Middle Tennessee on Tuesday night.
Utah cornerback Lamar Chapman has overcome life's challenges to star for the Utes.
TCU would love to avenge its loss in Salt Lake City in 2008. Utah would love to avenge its loss to TCU last season.
Idaho coach Robb Akey downplays his team's penalty issues.
No word on whether Southern Miss WR DeAndre Brown and CB C.J. Bailey will be able to play on Saturday at Tulane.
SMU DL Szymon Czerniak has put family problems behind him to make an impact this season.
The Mountain West had determined a botched call against San Diego State in a loss to BYU was the result of "combined human error."
Kent State has confidence headed into its game against Temple.
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.
Come one, come all for your top-10 non-AQ storylines for Week 9:
1. Do No. 4 TCU and No. 8 Utah stay undefeated headed into their big showdown next week? TCU travels to UNLV and Utah travels to Air Force on Saturday. The Horned Frogs have been inconsistent in two true road games this season, trailing early to SMU and leading only 6-0 at halftime against Colorado State. TCU is a heavy favorite to beat lowly UNLV, but this is a good road test before its trip to Salt Lake City. Utah faces a much more difficult test at Air Force. The games between the two schools are generally close, and the Falcons are smarting after two straight losses. Many have complained about the “weak” Utah schedule to this point. A win here might answer some of those critics.
2. Who becomes bowl eligible? Eleven non-AQ teams are one win away from becoming bowl eligible this Saturday, with some new faces scattered in there. San Diego State (5-2) has not been to a bowl game since 1998 and plays at Wyoming, a game it should win. Toledo (5-3) and UTEP (5-3) have not been to a bowl game since 2005. East Carolina (5-2) and UCF (5-2) play each other so only one will get to six wins. Hawaii (6-2), Nevada (6-1), Navy (5-2), Ohio (5-3) and Southern Miss (5-2) are all favored to win their games. Air Force (5-3) has a big game against Utah, as mentioned above.
3. Does UCF break through and beat East Carolina? The two rivals have combined to win each of the past three Conference USA championships and four of the past five East Division titles. Both have won all their league games, marking the latest that two undefeated teams have played since the league expanded to 12 teams in 2005. But East Carolina has won four straight in the series and holds an 8-1 overall edge. Many people thought this might be a rebuilding year for the Pirates, but they have won behind Dominique Davis. The UCF defense is going to have its hands full.
4. Navy has a chance to win four straight. The Midshipmen were down and out after losing to Air Force 14-6 earlier this season. A team that has known nothing but dominance over its fellow service academies has been strengthened because of that loss, running off three straight wins. None was more convincing than a 35-17 victory over Notre Dame last week that was vintage Navy. It hosts Duke on Saturday.
5. How does TCU quarterback Andy Dalton play on the road? In three neutral site/road games this season, Dalton has three touchdowns to four interceptions. At home: 11 touchdowns to one interception. TCU closes with three of its final four games on the road, starting Saturday. Coach Gary Patterson said earlier this week, “We’ll probably go as Andy Dalton goes. If he plays at a high level, we’ll have a chance to win more of those games than we lose.”
6. Can the Utah defense be as effective as TCU at stopping Air Force? A lot of people like to scoreboard watch as a way to measure teams against each other. TCU and Utah both are in the top 10 in the nation in total defense. So which will be able to handle the Air Force triple option better? TCU held Air Force to a season-low 184 yards rushing last week.
7. Ohio is asserting itself in the MAC. The Bobcats have won four straight games behind solid play from quarterback Boo Jackson. Of course, it has helped that they also got to beat up on Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green and Akron. But last week’s win over Miami (Ohio) was big. They have outgained five consecutive opponents on the ground for the first time since 2006. During the four-game win streak, Ohio has scored 151 points, the most points in a four-game stretch since 2002. They get Sun Belt Louisiana this week and Buffalo next before a huge game against East Division opponent Temple on Nov. 16.
8. Two of these teams are going to get to two wins on Saturday: San Jose State, New Mexico State, North Texas and Western Kentucky. The season has been especially unkind to San Jose State and North Texas, who have lost multiple players to season-ending injuries. The Mean Green have lost 10 starters, the Spartans 15 starters and key reserves. North Texas travels to play Western Kentucky, coming off its first win of the season, while San Jose State goes to Las Cruces.
9. How does Mike Canales fair in his first game as a North Texas interim head coach? Canales takes over for Todd Dodge, who was fired last week after winning just six games for the Mean Green. This is a job audition for Canales, who would love to become a head coach and has learned under some of the best. Most recently, he served as offensive coordinator under Jim Leavitt at USF before coming to North Texas this season.
10. The BCS standings will look how? Depends on what happens with everybody else. The big question moving forward: If TCU and Utah are undefeated next week and the Horned Frogs win, will that give them a boost toward climbing ahead of Boise State? They are just 0.0013 points behind Boise State this week. If Utah wins, will that give the Utes a boost? That is much less likely because they still have far to climb, especially in the human polls.
1. Do No. 4 TCU and No. 8 Utah stay undefeated headed into their big showdown next week? TCU travels to UNLV and Utah travels to Air Force on Saturday. The Horned Frogs have been inconsistent in two true road games this season, trailing early to SMU and leading only 6-0 at halftime against Colorado State. TCU is a heavy favorite to beat lowly UNLV, but this is a good road test before its trip to Salt Lake City. Utah faces a much more difficult test at Air Force. The games between the two schools are generally close, and the Falcons are smarting after two straight losses. Many have complained about the “weak” Utah schedule to this point. A win here might answer some of those critics.
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Christopher Hanewinckel/US PresswireRyan Lindley and the Aztecs are on the brink of bowl eligibility.
Christopher Hanewinckel/US PresswireRyan Lindley and the Aztecs are on the brink of bowl eligibility.3. Does UCF break through and beat East Carolina? The two rivals have combined to win each of the past three Conference USA championships and four of the past five East Division titles. Both have won all their league games, marking the latest that two undefeated teams have played since the league expanded to 12 teams in 2005. But East Carolina has won four straight in the series and holds an 8-1 overall edge. Many people thought this might be a rebuilding year for the Pirates, but they have won behind Dominique Davis. The UCF defense is going to have its hands full.
4. Navy has a chance to win four straight. The Midshipmen were down and out after losing to Air Force 14-6 earlier this season. A team that has known nothing but dominance over its fellow service academies has been strengthened because of that loss, running off three straight wins. None was more convincing than a 35-17 victory over Notre Dame last week that was vintage Navy. It hosts Duke on Saturday.
5. How does TCU quarterback Andy Dalton play on the road? In three neutral site/road games this season, Dalton has three touchdowns to four interceptions. At home: 11 touchdowns to one interception. TCU closes with three of its final four games on the road, starting Saturday. Coach Gary Patterson said earlier this week, “We’ll probably go as Andy Dalton goes. If he plays at a high level, we’ll have a chance to win more of those games than we lose.”
6. Can the Utah defense be as effective as TCU at stopping Air Force? A lot of people like to scoreboard watch as a way to measure teams against each other. TCU and Utah both are in the top 10 in the nation in total defense. So which will be able to handle the Air Force triple option better? TCU held Air Force to a season-low 184 yards rushing last week.
7. Ohio is asserting itself in the MAC. The Bobcats have won four straight games behind solid play from quarterback Boo Jackson. Of course, it has helped that they also got to beat up on Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green and Akron. But last week’s win over Miami (Ohio) was big. They have outgained five consecutive opponents on the ground for the first time since 2006. During the four-game win streak, Ohio has scored 151 points, the most points in a four-game stretch since 2002. They get Sun Belt Louisiana this week and Buffalo next before a huge game against East Division opponent Temple on Nov. 16.
8. Two of these teams are going to get to two wins on Saturday: San Jose State, New Mexico State, North Texas and Western Kentucky. The season has been especially unkind to San Jose State and North Texas, who have lost multiple players to season-ending injuries. The Mean Green have lost 10 starters, the Spartans 15 starters and key reserves. North Texas travels to play Western Kentucky, coming off its first win of the season, while San Jose State goes to Las Cruces.
9. How does Mike Canales fair in his first game as a North Texas interim head coach? Canales takes over for Todd Dodge, who was fired last week after winning just six games for the Mean Green. This is a job audition for Canales, who would love to become a head coach and has learned under some of the best. Most recently, he served as offensive coordinator under Jim Leavitt at USF before coming to North Texas this season.
10. The BCS standings will look how? Depends on what happens with everybody else. The big question moving forward: If TCU and Utah are undefeated next week and the Horned Frogs win, will that give them a boost toward climbing ahead of Boise State? They are just 0.0013 points behind Boise State this week. If Utah wins, will that give the Utes a boost? That is much less likely because they still have far to climb, especially in the human polls.
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.
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