Brad (Gadsden,Alabama)

Steve, Will Alabama take care of business aganest Ole Miss Sat.?

Steve Muench

  (2:02 PM)

Alright alright let's get it started with a bama question. Ole Miss is obviously good enough to knock Florida off in the swamp so there's reason to be apprehensive. But I like Alabama in that one especially since they are playing in Tuscaloosa.

Derrick Herndon, VA

Hey Steve I watched TCU lose last night which was said to be the nations longest CFB winning streak...but as a graduate of Tuskegee University...I know this not to be true...Tuskegee is riding a 23 game CFB winning streak...although we are a D II school...I think it should still be noted that this is the nations true longest win streak..also we have produced a lot of great athelethes at Tuskegee (Drayton Florence (SD), Frank Walker (NYG), Dimitri Patterson (KC), and a ton of others on teams practice squads...I just would like to see my beloved ESPN give credit were credit is due that's all! TUSKEGEE GOLDEN TIGERS!

Steve Muench

  (2:03 PM)

I haven't fact checked this but I'll take Derrick's word for it. Good looking out Derrick.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

Mr. Muench: Do you think any (or maybe all three) of the PSU senior wideouts will be chosen in the 2009 draft?

Steve Muench

  (2:04 PM)

I think all three get drafted. In fact, I'd be shocked if they didn't.

mike (chicago)

Steve - Two questions, given Notre Dame's campaign last year, most thought this would be a down year recruiting, to date, most have ND ranked with a top 10 recruiting class, does this surprise you? What is your take on Cierre Wood, seems like he is a dynamic player that could have an immediate impact at Notre Dame?

Steve Muench

  (2:09 PM)

I guess I'm niot surprised for a couple of reasons. Notre Dame is now clearly willing to play freshmen and they are on tv so much. So if you are looking to play early and on tv going there makes sense. Obvioulsy there's a lot of tradition there. And I think that a lot of these kids like head coach Charlie Weis and what he did as New England's offensive coordinator. As far as Wood goes, he certainly has the talent to make an immediate impact in some kind of role. He's got great quickness, speed, atheltic ability and size potential.

Craig (PA)

Why do Notre Dame fans brag about their recruiting classes? Charlie has had top classes for a few years now and hasn't produced anything but hype.

Steve Muench

  (2:10 PM)

Wow. I think you have every right to question Weis' progress thus far but personally I think we should give him another year.

Kris, PA

Steve, approximately what round do you forecast WVU's Pat White being drafted, and for what role? Receiver/kick returner? As a WVU fan, I know it won't be QB.

Steve Muench

  (2:12 PM)

yeah I don't think it will be quarterback either. I think it will be receiver and that's why his off-season workouts aree going to be key. He has to show scouts he can run crisp routes and catch the ball well if he's to go in the middle rounds. He could play running back but his problems staying healthy make it less likely.

Wes (San Diego)

Steve, Do you think Willy Korn has what it takes to lead Clemson? I am hoping so. Also, Will Clemson's recruiting take a big hit with Bowden gone?

Steve Muench

  (2:14 PM)

First off, the recruiting situation is a potetnial nightmare and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. Secondly, yes I think Korn has what it takes to lead the Tigers but it's going to take time and patience. He's a great talent but you can't just expect him to step in and make miracles happen.

Craig (PA)

Steve, in response, why do you give Charlie or ND for that matter more margin of error than other programs (and for that matter easier rules under the BCS system)? Charlie Weis was a good assistant in a NFL program proved to be cheaters and now a bad college coach when given a great deal of talent, a weak schedule, and a lot of voter help.

Steve Muench

  (2:18 PM)

Where to start? I don't think I give him or ND a bigger margin of error. I think that I give coaches and AD's a bigger margin of error than a lot of fan bases and possibly local media. But I don't play favorites. I do think you make a good point about the schedule but I don't the voter help. Please explain.

Steve Muench

  (2:20 PM)

As far as spy gate, everyone feels strongly one way or the other and you seem to think those teams cheated their ways to super bowls fine. That said, it's easy to forget the talent level of the Pats team that beat the Rams. Weis did a heckuva lot with a marginal playoff team. To me, that makes him a whole let better than how you describe him.

Zack, (SC)

Steve, do you think that Stephen Garcia is finally the answer for South Carolina's offense?

Steve Muench

  (2:21 PM)

He's a step in the right direction but I think the offensive line has to play a lot better.

Wes (San Diego)

I heard a rumor that Clemson is looking to sign Lane Kiffin and his father as the defensive coordinator as a package deal. Good Call?

Steve Muench

  (2:23 PM)

I'd be surprised if Monte is included in the deal but I heard the rumor about Lane and I think he would be a great hiring. he has the potential to be an excellent collegiate head coach in my opinion.

Dave (Lansing, MI)

Ohio State or Michigan State?

Steve Muench

  (2:23 PM)

Ohio State in a close one.

Pavlo (Saratoga Springs)

Steve, what do you think about the current BC team? Going into a huge game with VTech on prime time TV. If they win and win big, where go you put them with the rest of the ACC and winning the ACC?

Steve Muench

  (2:27 PM)

Crane is up and down as you probably know and that concerns me against that Hokie defense. On the other hand, VT hasn't done a great job of thrwoing the ball and the Eagles are real stout agaisnt the run. Tough front seven to run on. If they win, I think it will be in a close one as well. In addition, they still have to play at wake and at FSU. Two very tough games so I'm not a win this weekend will be all that substantial though it will admittedly help.

Craig (PA)

To explain, first off, from the BCS rules "A special case is made for independent Notre Dame, which receives an automatic berth if it finishes in the top eight". Secondly, in terms of voter help, when ND has a mediocre record, due to their large fan base, they are placed into better bowl games (over more deserving teams), as seen when they have been demolished year after year. So where is this Charlie magic, when Claussen signed up, wasnt the spikey haired wonder claiming he'd have 4 rings before he was done?

Steve Muench

  (2:30 PM)

Clausen is either arrogant or real confident and I think I know which side of that argument you fall on. That being said, is Weis fault that ND has such a big fan base and bowls like to choose teams that bring in the most money? Honestly it sounds like your beef is more with the NCAA and bowl selection committees than it is with Weis. In addition, this is Clausen's seocnd year and he's made great strides. I think he will continue to do so and next year this team will earn the respect you think it's gets for free.

Alex (Richmond VA)

VT or BC? I'll help you decide...one team has beaten two of the top teams in the ACC and another hasn't beaten a team with a winning record.

Steve Muench

  (2:32 PM)

Thanlks Alex and I too like VT but I'd be careful about bragging about a team that has a weak passing game and beat Western Kentucky by just two scores. The Hokies have been living on the edge.

Chris, Tennessee

After the pummeling of LSU, is there any doubt Florida has what it takes (speed, athleticism, overall talent) to win the National Championship? It's not like BYU's schedule is worthy of being top 10...

Steve Muench

  (2:34 PM)

I'm not sure there ever was a doubt. That said, they also lost to Ole Miss at home earlier this year so I dont like them as much as Texas or Oklahoma right now.

Craig (PA)

Steve, long story short, Charlie's only successful year with with Ty Willingham's kids. Maybe the short-sighted ND fans shouldn't have given Ty the boot so quick. Oh, and can you do me a favor and send out a: WE ARE...

Steve Muench

  (2:36 PM)

Look it's important not to blur lines here. I think that ND made a mistake firing Willingham. But Weis had zero to do with it. In addition, if you don't think they should have fired Willingham how can you think they should fire Weis? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Lance (Phoenix, AZ)

Hi Steve..... Do you think Arkansas should be given a liitle more credit. The facts are, 95% of all teams would have the same record considering theyve lost to current #1,#2, and #5 teams. Im not a big Arkansas fan but their schedule is the steepest!

Steve Muench

  (2:39 PM)

The win over Auburn is an important one but it had just fired its offensive coordinator and looked pretty vulnerbale all year. As far as the rest of the schedule goes, you can't give a team credit for getting blown out by great teams even if a lot of other teams might have the same record or even worse had they played the same schedule.

john (cincinnati)

steve, who's most over-rated team in top10...penn state or texas tech? neither has beaten anybody in top 20, atleast ttech will play a tougher upcoming schedule whereas penn st plays in the nerfy soft big10.

Steve Muench

  (2:41 PM)

Penn State face Ohio State on the road and Michigan State at home. They beat Illinois and Wisconsin on the road, which is tough to do even if the Badgers have underachieved this far.

Steve Muench

  (2:43 PM)

Texas Tech really hasn't beaten anyone yet so personally I think they are more overrated at this point. But you make a great point. The red Riaders in better position to prove they belong because they have a four game stretch of at Kansas and then Texas at home, Oklahoma State at home and at Oklahoma. That's brutal and if they come out of that unscathed I will be supremely impressed.

Jeriah (Norman, Oklahoma)

I know It's still early, but can you see Sam Bradford being a legit quarterback in the future of the NFL?

Steve Muench

  (2:44 PM)

I certainly can because of his greatest traits in my opinion is his football IQ. He makes great reads and gets the ball out of his hands so quickly, which is so key in the NFL.

Nick (LA, CA)

How's Jim Harbaugh's recruiting looking at Stanford? Is he collecting enough talent to compete with USC for Pac-10 championships down the road?

Steve Muench

  (2:47 PM)

He's a long ways off from signing the classes Pete Carroll brings in at USC but I think he's steadily improving the talent level there. I think they have a verbal committemt from QB Josh Nunes who Oklahoma, Tenessee and FLorida also reportedly had interest in. That's a good sign.

Carter (AZ)

Speaking of Notre Dame and there automatic BCS berths, and so called "large fan base". Do you have any idea when their media contracts to televise all their games is over? and when will they get the same bcs deal as any other team. just my thought, but people would rather see good teams play on saturday then have to watch a ND team (that's not even good) play a scrub team. what are your thoughts?

Steve Muench

  (2:49 PM)

I'll be honest I don't know when the contract is up and I apologize for that. It's interesting though because I tend to agree with you but I also know that these tv execs are great bussinessmen. They obviouosly did their research and think that Notre Dame is a very profitable program to sell so they went in that direction.

mark (fort worth, tx)

some people have knocked ou's schedule saying that havent beaten anyone. Does TCU's dominating victory legitimize ou's ranking any?

Steve Muench

  (2:52 PM)

Everyone has a right to their opinion and OU's schedule hasn;t been too taxing thus far but TCU isn't a nobody. Some people will say that BYU was a paper tiger and last night's win doesn't mean much but I disagree. The TCU defense is something else so I think that was an important win for the Sooner. Now they have a chance to shut people up with a big win against Kansas.

Kyle (OH)

What college senior (so far) has drastically improved his draft stock compared to his junior year evaluation?

Steve Muench

  (2:55 PM)

Tough question and one I am going to think about this week but off the top of my head I think its RB Javon Ringer. In the interest of full disclosure, I have seen more of Ringer than a lot of other players so far. That said, I can't tell you how impressed I am with how effcient a runner he is.

ray gordon reid ruston louisiana 71272

QUESTION to espn;S /cfb steve muench at 2.55 pm hi STEVE TEXAS TECH AT TEXAS AM

Steve Muench

  (2:55 PM)

Texas Tech

Ben (Athens, ga

Do you see Mathew Stafford and/or Knowshon Moreno leaving UGA for the NFL after this year?

Steve Muench

  (2:56 PM)

There is an exceleltn chance both leave because as I've said before the senior qb and rb classes don't have a great deal of talent at the top,

AJ (MD)

Who's the best linebaker in the country?

Steve Muench

  (2:56 PM)

wake forest OLB Aaron Curry.

Steve (NJ)

Hey Steve, Tell Carter that their automatic BCS berth is no different than any other non-BCS team. They have to be top 8 to get a guaranteed bid and top 12 to be considered for an at large berth (which they'll usually get deserving or not). Also, their media contract is with NBC and thus our games are not aired instead of other games. Saturday. NBC only airs ND games and they just re-upped for another 10 years.

Steve Muench

  (2:57 PM)

I'll let you tell him yourself.

Lindsay (Lexington, KY)

Hi Steve! At this point, who would you give the early edge to and who do you think will win - PSU or Ohio State?

Steve Muench

  (2:58 PM)

I know how tough that game is going to be for Penn State to win but everything I've see so far points to the Nittany Lions doing just that.

virginia, charlotte

please answer LSU question

brett sc

USC or LSU?

Steve Muench

  (3:00 PM)

I like USC a bit more than LSU. I

Ben (Athens, GA)

Do you believe that both Stafford and Moreno will go in the first half of the first round if they come out early?

Steve Muench

  (3:00 PM)

There's a very good chance of that happening.

Andre (Akron, OH)

Steve---Hi. Having said what you did about PSU...and they are obviously a consesus top 3/top 5 team....IF OSU beats them...dont they deserve to be in the top 6, 7? thanks man!

Steve Muench

  (3:02 PM)

I feel more comfortable with 7 and a big reason for that is Wisconsin's struggled and getting blow out by USC. Rememebr they beat the Badgers by just three points.

Steve Muench

  (3:03 PM)

Alright that's all for this week. Enjoy the games this weekend, stay safe and make sure you come back next week. Take care