ESPN

Bruce

  (1:53 PM)

Thanks for dropping by. I'm in rainy NYC today at the ESPN Magazine world headquarters, surrounded by a few Penn State grads. Am headed to Texas tomorrow for UT-OU.... I'm starting a few minutes early bc I might have to duck out in mid-chat for 5 minutes because a coach is supposed to call around 2:15 ET.

Marty (Minneapolis)

Last week you stated about Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh: "I know this -- he'll be in my top five this week because I doubt there are five better players in college football." However, this week, I noticed that Mr. Suh received no votes in the ESPN Heisman watch in which you are a voter. You are asked to vote for 5 players, yet you did not vote for Suh. What gives?

Bruce

  (1:55 PM)

Not sure what you saw Marty. He got my first place vote. I also take part in the Heismanpundit straw poll with a dozen or so actual Heisman voters and I noticed that me and another voter had Suh #1.

Ryan (Coeur d'Alene, ID)

Bruce,Idaho Vandals are having a great season so far. We have Hawaii, who is reelling with injuries this week but more importantly we go to Reno to play the Wolfpack next week. How do you like are chances in these games? Will our stingy run D be enough to shut down Kaepernick and his RB's?

Bruce

  (1:57 PM)

Am very impressed with the job that staff has done there, Ryan. I watched them play two weeks ago and thought DB Shiloh Key (SP?) was terrific, although containing Colin Kaepernick and that ground attack is a much tougher test. Regardless I think this team is going bowling this year and that's an incredible job by Akey and Co.

Benny the Beaver (Corvallis)

Bruce, how in the world do you not have us going to a bowl game? You do realize we still have Washington St. on our schedule.

Bruce

  (1:58 PM)

Apologies to the Beaver fans. Every week or at least every other week I feel like I end up snubbing someone in the bowl projections and Oregon State got it. Not sure they'll finish better than 8-4 because I think they have four more road games, but I def. see a bowl game for them.

Lauren Nash (Mobile, Alabama)

I understand the voters picking Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy as viable Heisman candidates, but what I can't wrap my head around is the thought of Jimmy Clausen being discussed as much as he is. He was being touted as a close contender with the likes of Tebow and McCoy when ND was unranked and he had a 4th rally to beat unranked Purdue. I don't see how a player like Suh or even Roland McClain or Mark Ingram form Alabama could go more unnoticed than Clausen. Do players get more praise and consideration for the Heisman simply because they are quarterbacks?

Bruce

  (1:59 PM)

Players do tend to get more consideration because they are QBs. I think that's always going to be the case. Clausen has a shot IF ND wins this weekend, if not, no shot.

David (Chicago)

What is your beef with Ohio State? You seem to be the leader of all the haters. You have OSU ranked considerably lower then all the other experts. Are you hating or are they all wrong?

Bruce

  (2:01 PM)

As I think I've written a few times in the past, I grew up as a Buckeye fan, so not a hater. My beef with OSU is I don't see what win they have that merits top 10 at this point. Now I do think they have a better argument than PSU, but right now I don't see a great case for them.

Matt (AL)

After watching BSU, could they possibly still make the title game?

Bruce

  (2:01 PM)

Yes, but they need A LOT of help. And for Oregon to run the table.

cory (florida)

South Carolina at Alabama?

Bruce

  (2:02 PM)

Bama. They're too complete and too tough on D. And they're home.

Nathaniel (Bristo, VA)

Bruce, is Ryan Williams the best player in college football this year that did not play last year? How do you see his college career the next few years?

Bruce

  (2:03 PM)

Maybe so. I did my top 10 list this week on best true freshmen and if it was all freshmen, he'd probably have trumped Pitt's Dion Lewis and USC's Matt Barkley.

Moose (Lebanon, OH)

Why did my Broncos have such a hard time with Tulsa last night?

Bruce

  (2:03 PM)

Tulsa was home and has some good talent and played very hard.

Ken (CA)

Bruce, If Tim Tebow win's the Heisman this year, how interesting of a storyline would it be in how differently he would win it? 2007 would be all about huge stats, 2009 would all be about Leadership and value to the team.

Bruce

  (2:04 PM)

That's a great point, Ken. If anything his stats (2-2 TD-INT ratio and barely 100 yards passing per game in 3 SEC games) are holding him back.

John (tallahasee)

Can USF pull off the upset tonight and prove there are 4 big teams in florida?

Bruce

  (2:05 PM)

John, I think they've already proved that.. I want to say yes but I think Cincy D forces BJ Daniels into too many mistakes and they lose a close one.

Christian (Sayville, NY)

How come Best from Cal hasnt been mentioned in the heisman race??

Bruce

  (2:06 PM)

HE was but then he disappeared in the Oregon and USC games and that was it for him.

Chris (Arlington,Va)

Granted there is still a lot of football to be played, the way the season is playing out so far in your opinion which coaches could be getting the pink slip come the end of the season?

Bruce

  (2:07 PM)

Groh, Kragthorpe, Tommy West at Memphis, maybe Dan Hawkins at CU and maybe Charlie Weis and Zook. Think I'm forgetting someone else though.

Patrick (Mobile, AL)

Bruce, does ND have to keep it close or is it an absolute must win for Weis for him to keep his job. I just dont see him being there next year if ND gets blown out by USC again

Bruce

  (2:08 PM)

They must protect Clausen and get some turnovers.

Matt (Rogers, AR)

Will the Hogs "O" keep them in the game against Florida? Any chance of an upset?

Bruce

  (2:10 PM)

Doubt it. But there is the weird karma of Oct. 17 working for the Hogs since two of their four upsets of top-ranked teams came on OCt. 17.

Bruce

  (2:21 PM)

sorry..on phone

J (Kansas City)

Bruce, who do you have to win the Big12 North?

Bruce

  (2:22 PM)

Used to think Kansas..starting to waver for Neb.

Jeff (Washington DC)

If Nebraska manages to win the Big 12, is that enough to propel VT into the NC game over all the other one loss schools?

Bruce

  (2:23 PM)

It might be, although I think they'd need Iowa and the Big East winner to be a 1-loss team.

Jason (Atlanta)

Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech?

Bruce

  (2:23 PM)

Vt.

John (Stafford, VA)

As a Hokie fan, I support your case for Suh, I watched him against Mizzou and he was a game changer. My question is; how come some media outlets are saying a 1 loss Texas or USC would still jump a 1 loss VT? Think about this...USC plays one less game (no Pac-10 champ) and Texas has a cupcake schedule.

Bruce

  (2:24 PM)

It'd help if Neb keeps winning.

Jeff (Washington DC)

Are any of your projected coaching vacancies a good fit for VT defensive coordinator Bud Foster? What kind of job would it have to be to lure him off Beamer's staff?

Bruce

  (2:24 PM)

Why wouldn't UVA woo him really hard is beyond me.

Pete (Oxford, MS)

Bruce, after 6 games last year, Jevan Snead had 9td and 9int. In the remaining games he then finished with 13td and 4int. Currently after 5 games, he again has 9td and 9int, is there any reason why he cant finish strong again? keep up the good work!

Bruce

  (2:25 PM)

He needs the whole offense to step up. WRs have to start getting open and hanging onto the ball and the O-line needs to toughen up. It feels like if Dexter doesn't do everything, things break down there.

David (Atlanta)

How much does LSU miss Bo Pelini since they have fell off since he left?

Bruce

  (2:26 PM)

Quite a bit it seems. He was a discipline guy who was good at miminimizing break downs and busts.

Darrell (Miami)

even though VT lost to Alabama, they beat Nebraska and Miami beat OU. How does the top 2 in the ACC (tech and Miami) compare to the other conferences?

Bruce

  (2:27 PM)

Good, except when you compare it to the SEC.

Jason (Ohio)

Ohio State's body of work is a lot better than some of the teams that are in the top 10 like Cincinnati, Texas, Boise just to name a few. Their only loss came against a good USC team that Ohio State dominated for 58 minutes and seem to be pretty evenly matched.

Bruce

  (2:28 PM)

Cincy, Texas and Boise haven't lost. That's a big thing to overcome and Boise dominated Oregon, who is better than anyone OSU has beaten. And Cincy beat a decent Oregon State team on the road.

Steve (Ohio)

Homecoming in the "other" Athens (Ohio) this weekend.....Bobcats or Redhawks?

Bruce

  (2:28 PM)

Bobcats.

Paul (Houston)

Do you think anybody will let a VT Bama rematch if Bama wins the SEC and theres a group of 1 loss teams?

Bruce

  (2:29 PM)

Maybe. I wouldnt rule it out, but it's not likely.

John (Portland, OR)

bruce, what are your thoughts on the red river shootout (PC be damned)? how about the atmosphere (50-50 split, state fair, hated rivals, usually top ranked teams, tradition rich programs)? where does it rank on your list of cfb rivalries? and prediction for the game?

Bruce

  (2:30 PM)

Love it. Every CF fan should go. It's up there with OSU-Mich and Aub-Bama.. Army-Navy is special but it's just different all around.Going with UT.

Matt (Washington, DC)

Does ESPN use the name/location entered by posters in these chats for anything? Just curious, thanks!

Bruce

  (2:32 PM)

I imagine they do, but I have no idea why. I try to avoid picking the same person more than twice in a chat.

Jared (Virginia)

Would a Texas loss on Sat. drop them below VaTech/OSU who both have ony 1 loss to top 6 teams?

Bruce

  (2:33 PM)

Below Va. Tech but not OSU.

Eric (Santa Monica, CA)

Hey Bruce, Doesn't how well last years USC players are doing in the NFL this season (Sanchez, Rey Rey, Cush...)give good evidence that USC was better than Florida in 2008?

Bruce

  (2:33 PM)

Not following the logic there... Explain Eric, please.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

It's called data mining. If there are a bunch of chatters from Hawaii, there might be a ESPNHonolulu next.

rod (iowa)

iowa or wisky

Bruce

  (2:34 PM)

Tough call. I went with Iowa bc I won't go against them till they lose this year, evoking the Destiny's Child rule.

Amin (Austin)

Who is the front runner for the Heisman?

Bruce

  (2:35 PM)

Suh from Nebraska got my #1 vote this week.

Don (Buffalo, NY)

Riley Cooper or Jordan Shipley?

Bruce

  (2:36 PM)

Eric Decker. Actually I'd take Shipley over Cooper. He does more although like Decker I hear Cooper is a very good blocker. But you can't overlook how great of a return guy Shipley is.

ADAM (BOISE)

As a voter! Do you drop BSU or keep about the same after a road win over Tulsa?

Bruce

  (2:37 PM)

I wouldn't. Not for a win at Tulsa who is decent.

Victor (Atlanta, GA)

Who has been more impressive? Tyrod Taylor or Ryan Williams

Bruce

  (2:38 PM)

Tyrod has stepped it up and isn't making mistakes but if I had to pick one, I'd say Williams has been the bigger surprise considering no one seems to think Tech is missing Darren Evans.

Marc (Charlotte)

Can Butch Davis get the Tar Heel offense turned around before FSU comes to Chapel Hill in a week?

Bruce

  (2:39 PM)

Not sure. They've been a disappointment so far.

Richard (Fort Worth)

If you wouldn't drop Boise after a close win at Tulsa, then why did TCU drop after a win over Air Force in frigid Falcon Stadium?

Bruce

  (2:40 PM)

I can't speak for other voters. I saw one AP voter still had Ole Miss in his top 20 this week. Just like a lot of voters had PSU in front of Iowa right after they played.

Geoff (Raleigh)

Marc - as an FSU fan, trust me when I tell you to not worry about it. Our defense will turn your offense around in a hurry.

Amin (Austin)

Last eight times TX OU played, team with higher rushing yards has won. Texas' backs are hurt and OU has two really good ones in Brown and Murray. Advantage OU?

Bruce

  (2:41 PM)

Yeah, good point. OU has a good chance if their receivers don't drop so many passes as they did last week.BTW, I have a great stat on what Broyles means to that offense in today's Insider blog.

Darrell (Miami)

with each game, Miami seems to have an injured player.. what's going on and how long do you think they could last with the injuries mounting?

Bruce

  (2:42 PM)

Not sure. Half of their starters on defense are banged up. It has to make Shannon nervous, especially up front because they couldn't redshirt DT Curtis Porter.

Sean (DC)

How long will the grass be on Notre Dame's home field this week? Or, is there a chance that the sprinklers "accidently" turn on overnight if the temperature dips on Friday night?

Bruce

  (2:43 PM)

The grass will be so high you won't be able to see Mike Anello.

Kellen (Boston)

Since the mid 1990s, every time that Miami has beaten Florida State, the Sooners have beaten Texas. Take your money to Vegas now and take the points for OU!

Bruce

  (2:43 PM)

Really?

Ron (Atlanta)

UF/Arkansas--your thoughts? Any issues with all the emotion from LSU and Tebow last week? Ark D is pretty thin, so could this finally be the breakout game for the Gator offense now with Denote Thompson back full speed?

Bruce

  (2:44 PM)

At first I thought "trap game" and Ark has some firepower, but losing WR Joe Adams would hurt and their D is really bad. I think Tebow pads his passing stats in this one.

Doug (Fairfax, Va)

Eric from Santa Monica, You may have heard of a guy named Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy isnt doing too bad either. All it means is that USC had more guys go in the draft. Florida had no one from their defense enter the draft. Your logic is flawed.

Alec (Minneapolis, MN)

Lets say Nebraska wins out and wins the the Big 12 Championship. Would they get consideration for a title game shot?

Bruce

  (2:46 PM)

Depends. They'd certainly not get it over VT. I wonder if they'd get it over Miami since they lost in a closer game.

Kim (Louisville, ky)

You seem to be hating on Penn State a lot in this chat. If Iowa keeps winning their loss doesn't look bad.

Bruce

  (2:48 PM)

Really? I didn't think I was... it's just that their non conference schedule is awful and right now, who would be their biggest win on their resume? At Illinois?The editor behind me points out it was "at Illinois" and that's a tough place to play.

Brian (Columbus, OH)

Is there anyone you're not hating on, Bruce? Haha, I mean stop hating on Gonzaga women's basketball.

Bruce

  (2:50 PM)

I know. But I understand people are passionate about their teams and don't want to see them slighted.

Brett Haupt (Tucson, AZ)

Who wins in a 40 yard dash? You or Suh??

Bruce

  (2:51 PM)

Right now, Suh would I'm afraid. I'm pretty sure I could beat a lot of the O-linemen. I haven't gotten fat. Old? that's another story.

Fred (FL )

Hottest Seat, Charlie Weis, Dan Hawkins or Bobby Bowden?

Bruce

  (2:52 PM)

Today? Hawkins. Sunday? It might be Weis.The Bowden situation is just different.

Troy (Montrose, CA)

Can a 1-loss USC team jump over an undefeated MWC, WAC, and/or Big East team(s) into the BCS National Championship Game?

Bruce

  (2:53 PM)

Maybe. It would't shock me if it happened. A lot of voters probably would give USC the benefit of the doubt from past years of seeing them stub their toe early and then being dominant late in the season.

Sean (DC)

The Popeye's I had for lunch is hating on me.

Bruce

  (2:54 PM)

Does fried food like that ever really go down and stay down smooth?

Stephen (Knoxville)

Did Crompton turn a corner or is Georgia just that bad at pass defense?

Bruce

  (2:55 PM)

Not sure. I do think all of that USC offense of boots and rolls is good for him because he seems more comfortable throwing on the move. UGA's D also is always pretty ripe. Everyone has been having a career day on them this year.

Christian (Hurley, MS)

Does Mark Ingram have any chance of winning the Heisman?

Bruce

  (2:56 PM)

He might have a shot. He was terrific against a good Ole Miss D last week. He needs to continue to produce like that. We have a little story on him coming out in the next issue of ESPN Mag, where one of our analysts makes the case that he's the best player in the country.

Chris Danter (Charleston, WV)

I feel like my question is a good question so may I please have it answered

Bruce

  (2:57 PM)

post it again.

Nat (Chattanooga, TN)

Would Virginia Tech be #1 in the country right now had they beaten Alabama?

Bruce

  (2:58 PM)

No, I think most voters would've stayed with UF.

Bruce

  (2:58 PM)

Three more questions...

Sean (DC)

Where is Ed Oregen (sp?)?Houston Nutt seems to have walked into a nice setup. It will be interesting to see where that turns.

Bruce

  (2:59 PM)

He is an assistant at Tennessee.

Justin (Clearwater, FL)

Are George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul one of the best DE duos in college football?

Bruce

  (2:59 PM)

They're up there but Oklahoma and UF have duos that are outstanding too.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

Which gets you a better bowl game: 11 wins in a mediocre schedule or eight wins in a tough one?

Bruce

  (3:00 PM)

11-1 vs. 8-4? Probably the 11-1.

Trey (Las Vegas, NV)

I lost money because of your picks. You don't know jack and I want my money back.

Bruce

  (3:04 PM)

How did you lose money on my picks? I'm two over for the season against the line. I mean that wouldn't be making you anything, but it wouldn't be losing you either. BTW, I'm a writer/reporter. I don't live in Vegas and plug stats into a computer formula. I even posted at the start of the year, because I had such a good year against the line last season, it meant I was probably due for a bad year.

Mike (Cincinnati,OH)

If the Bearcats win today do you think that will earn them a spot in the top 5?

Bruce

  (3:04 PM)

At least top 6.

Ifeanyi (Loma Linda, Ca)

Is Allen Bradford USC's best pro prospect at running back?

Bruce

  (3:06 PM)

Probably. He's a bruiser with speed. Joe McKnight might be better suited at WR or as a change of pace Kevin Faulk 3rd down back.

Bruce

  (3:08 PM)

Thanks for all of the questions-- Chris D fom WV, sorry I never saw that other question. You guys can send me questions either through my blog and I'll answer it on my mailbag or via Twitter at BFeldmanESPN.