SB Nation - Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

Georgia Bulldogs Likely Independence Bowl-Bound; Outback Bowl Remains the Class Clown of SEC Postseason Tie-Ins

T Kyle King — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:03:45 -0000

Earlier today, I was feeling pretty good about the Georgia Bulldogs' prospects for renewing their rivalry with the Clemson Tigers in the Georgia Dome, but, as the ensuing comment thread attests, the Tennessee Volunteers are likely to receive the Chick-fil-A Bowl bid because of the line of toppling dominoes set into motion by the Outback Bowl when it opted for the Auburn Tigers.

The Outback Bowl's selection is utterly indefensible, as Auburn is the weakest of the SEC's six 7-5 teams. As usual, C&F provides context and an explanation over at Team Speed Kills, where he sensibly observes:

While this is a surprise to rational people, it really shouldn't be given the Outback Bowl's history of bizarre bowl choice. Last year, the game selected 7-5 South Carolina pretty much out of necessity, though it could have gotten a better LSU team instead. The Gamecocks got waxed playing an Iowa team that they probably shouldn't have been facing.

That wasn't the first time the Outback Bowl officials made an asinine selection, either. Everyone in Bulldog Nation recalls the 1998 Kentucky Wildcats, who finished 7-4 overall and 4-4 in conference play. The 'Cats had lost in Lexington to the 'Dawgs, who finished 8-3 overall and 6-2 in SEC contests, yet Georgia ended up playing in what was then still the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve while Kentucky spent New Year's Day in Tampa losing to the Penn St. Nittany Lions by a double-digit margin.

Why did the Outback Bowl do such a stupid thing? Probably because the co-founder of Outback Steakhouse was a University of Kentucky alumnus. I was so incensed by the snub at the time that I refused to eat at an Outback Steakhouse for the next year, and I've been back very few times since. The more rational part of my brain has decided since then that the SEC should simply scrap the Outback Bowl as one of its tie-ins.

Where does that leave us, then? Apparently, bound for the Independence Bowl, possibly to face the Texas A&M Aggies and probably to confuse Brian Cook. As C&F shrewdly noted in his headline, the Outback Bowl loves Auburn and hates American values. (I know, that's redundant. Unlike those Aussies at the Outback Bowl, I love America, and, therefore, I hate Auburn.) Tennessee fans understandably are annoyed at being passed over by the Outback Bowl and I'm nonplussed at the thought of the Bulldogs spending the holidays in Shreveport.

Still, this can be a learning experience. Hopefully, Mark Richt can use the fact that his team got an even crappier bowl game than it deserved (which is saying something) as motivation: "You don't want to go to the Independence Bowl? Well, tough, 'cause the Independence Bowl is what 7-5 gets you. If you don't want to come back here, wrap up when you tackle! If you don't want to come back here, stop somebody on third and long! If you don't want to come back here, pay your parking tickets on time and quit getting fifteen-yard penalties! If you don't want to come back here, stop throwing interceptions and don't get caught emerging from an alley! The next time you go into the locker room with a two-touchdown lead on Kentucky at home, I'm going to ask you, 'Are you going to stay focused are or you going to go back to the Independence Bowl?' You know the difference between Shreveport and New Orleans? Practice and discipline!" This is a golden opportunity for Righteously Indignant Richt to do what needs to be done.

There are two other potential upsides to playing an early bowl game in Louisiana, as well. First of all, Louisiana-Monroe just fired its head coach, so maybe they'd be interested in interviewing Willie Martinez while he was in the Pelican State. (Please?)

Also, if Georgia does face the Aggies, at least we know we wouldn't trot out any new-fangled uniforms; it was against Texas A&M in the first home game of the 1980 season that the Bulldogs wore for the first time what we now think of as their traditional togs: Wally Butts-era silver britches, Vince Dooley-designed red helmets with the oval "G," and the red jerseys they had always worn. The classics never die.

By the way, the Bulldogs won that game 42-0. I'm just saying.

Go 'Dawgs!

Non-Automatic Qualifying Conference Races

utesfan100 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:52:38 -0000

So on Sunday I broke down the automatic qualifying conference races as part of my BCS analysis. For completeness I will now present the conference races for all remaining conferences.

None are anywhere near as tricky to discern as the PAC 10 was this week.

C-USA:

East:

The ECU and the UAB both control their own fate. S. Miss and UCF are still potential candidates for the championship game.

ECU wins if:

They beat S. Miss and UAB
They beat S. Miss and UCF beats UAB
They beat UAB and Tulsa beats S. Miss

UAB wins if:

They beat ECU and
- UAB beats UCF
- S. Miss beats ECU and Tulsa beats S. Miss and Tulane beats UCF

S. Miss wins if:

They beat ECU and Tulsa and UAB beats ECU or UCF

UCF wins if:

All of the following occur:

They beat UAB and Tulane
ECU loses to S. Miss and UAB
Tulsa beats S. Miss

West:

SMU wins if:

They beat Marshall and Tulane
Houston loses to Memphis and Rice
SMU splits with Marshall and Tulane and Houston splits with Memphis and Rice

Houston wins if:

They beat Memphis and Rice and SMU loses to Marshall or Tulane
They beat Memphis or Rice and SMU loses to Marshall and Tulane

MAC:

North:

C. Michigan and N. Illinois both control their own fate.

C. Michigan wins if:

Beat N. Illinois
Beat Ball State and Ohio beats N. Illinois

N. Illinois wins if:

Beat C. Michigan and
- Beat Ohio
- Ball State beats C. Michigan

South:

Temple and Ohio control their own fate.

Temple wins if:

They beat Ohio
Beat Kent State and N. Illinois beats Ohio

Ohio wins if:

Beat Temple and
- Beat N. Illinois
- Kent State beats Temple and loses to Buffalo

Kent State wins if:

Beat Temple and Buffalo and Ohio beats Temple but loses to N. Illinois

MWC:

TCU wins outright if:

beat Wyoming and New Mexico
beat Wyoming or New Mexico or the Utah-BYU winner loses to SDSU or Air Force respectively.

TCU wins a share if:

beat Wyoming or New Mexico
the Utah-BYU winner loses to SDSU or Air Force respectively

BYU wins outright if:

Beat Air Force and Utah and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico

BYU wins a share if:

Beat Air Force or Utah and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico

Utah wins outright if:

Beat SDSU and BYU and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico

Utah wins a share if:

Beats SDSU and BYU and TCU loses to Wyoming or New Mexico

Air Force wins a share if:

Beats BYU and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico and Utah loses to BYU or SDSU

Sun Belt

Troy wins if:

Beat Florida Atlantic or LA Lafayette
The LA Monroe Middle Tennessee St. winner loses to LA Lafayette or Arkansas St. respectively.

LA Monroe wins if:

Beat Arkansa St. and LA Monroe and Troy loses to Florida Atlantic and LA Lafayette

Middle Tennessee St. wins if:

Beat LA Lafayette and Middle Tennessee St. and Troy loses to Florda Atlantic and LA Lafayette

WAC

Boise St. has won the WAC outright.

2009 Bowl Projections - Post Week 11

Bama Hawkeye — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:06:46 -0000

The Pac-10 is the best conference in college football.

There. I said it. It seems weird, but no other conference goes 6 deep with quality teams. Oregon, Stanford, USC, Arizona, California, and Oregon State give the Pac-10 depth that no one else can match. I will readily admit, that Oregon, the likely champ, does not compare to Floribama or Texas. It may not be as good as Ohio State, Cincinnati, or Georgia Tech for that matter. But when the other Pac-10 teams match up with the other conferences in bowl games, I expect to see an outstanding league record.

In the Big Ten, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Northwestern seem pretty well locked into their slots. It would take a huge chain of events to move them. I expect to see more movement of their opponents than of them as we go forward. There will be an Iowa/Penn State decision to be made, and don't expect the answer until December 6th. Unless Michigan shocks Ohio State next weekend, Michigan State and Minnesota can make their hotel reservations, too. Full projections for the Big Ten, BCS, and all other bowls after the jump.

Remember the rules.

These are projections. I am taking into account what will happen in future games, not assigning teams based upon current standings.
The best teams don't always go to the best games. In the end, butts in the seat and eyes to the television are the biggest factors.
The order of BCS selection is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Orange Bowl; 4) Fiesta Bowl; 5) Sugar Bowl.
The Champs Bowl picks its Big Ten team ahead of the Alamo Bowl this year.
For the full rules on BCS selections, look here.

			Did you see anything yesterday that changed this matchup? I didn't.
			With no traditional power or huge traveling fan base available, maybe the Orange Bowl takes TCU as the top ranked unbeaten team? The TCU defense against the Tech offense would be fun to watch.
			I am presuming that after the polls come out tomorrow, Iowa will be no lower than 17 in the BCS standings. If that's the case, a 10-2 Iowa will likely be in the Top 14 by the final rankings. I'm projecting that the Fiesta picks Iowa over 10-2 Penn State. If you want to argue otherwise, be my guest. It'll be a tough call. As for the other spot, does the Fiesta take a 10-2 Oklahoma State team (assuming that they win in Norman)? Maybe. But I'm guessing that they look to 13-0 Boise instead.
			Still think that this will be the SEC Championship loser versus the Big East champion. Pittsburgh is sure giving me pause...
			Congratulations, Ohio State. Now win.
			Again, if you want to flip Iowa and Penn State, be my guest. LSU is a lock for Orlando.
			I don't see any way in which Wisconsin moves from this spot. I think a 9-3 Iowa or Penn State squad gets selected ahead of the Badgers. I'm going with 7 win Tennessee over 7 win Georgia, 7 win Auburn, and 7 win Arkansas.
			Congratulations to Northwestern on reaching 7 wins. The fact that none of the teams below you accomplished that means that you get a great bowl matchup. Getting the 8th against Wisconsin won't move you up any further.
			6-6 Michigan State goes to San Antonio. If Sparty can upset Penn State, they'll go to Orlando for the Champs Bowl instead. Expect to see the Oklahoma/Texas Tech winner here.
			Barring an upset of Iowa, which would bump the Gophers over a 6-6 Michigan State, or a Wolverine win that sends the Gophers to Detroit, Minnesota is headed back to the desert for the third time in four years.
			Unless Michigan wins, this game goes unfilled by the Big Ten. Again.
			At this point, Indiana, Illinois, and Purdue have guaranteed themselves a winter without a bowl game. Michigan can reach 6 wins if they can pull the upset over the Rose Bowl bound Buckeyes on Saturday. If they do, they'll get the best bowl slot available for a 6-6 team (likely the Alamo Bowl). I'm not counting on it. I think that all four of these teams will be On the Couch with the Queso Bowl (now sponsored by Ro*Tel).

And now we add the other 23 bowl games...



			SMU controls its own destiny to win C-USA West. I think that they do, but they lose to ECU in the championship game. Troy has made this their annual winter home.
			BYU will be asked to go to Las Vegas every time they can. Oregon State is a good matchup.


			10-2 Pitt may be the biggest loser in the bowl pairings. With Notre Dame not earning a BCS bid, they'll go to the Gator Bowl and push all of the Big East teams down a rung. Pitt deserves better than this.
			Florida State will need to beat Maryland to keep their bowl streak going (you don't think they'll win in Gainesville do you?). Stanford stays close to home for a nice matchup.
			This would be a great matchup. Why doesn't this game happen during the regular season from time to time?
			Iowa State could get out to the Insight Bowl if they upset Mizzou next weekend.
			The ACC can't fill this spot. Ohio's 7 wins will get them a bid somewhere. I'm saying that somewhere is DC.
			The current projections have room for one 6-6 team. It's UCLA, and they will head north to the blue turf.
			Navy has clinched this bid. Will pent-up Aggie fans travel to Houston? I suspect they will.
			Stanford may end up with a better record, but this would be a dream matchup in San Diego.
			Houston is going to need help to win the Western Division of C-USA. I don't think that they get it. The good news is that they get a great matchup in Ft. Worth.
			Texas Tech fits well here. Look for the Cal/Stanford winner to be their opponent.
			Chick-Fil-A will have its choice of the Hokies, Clemson, and Miami. Clemson/Auburn wouldn't be a surprise either.
			Even Notre Dame haters would love a good Catholics vs. Convicts game.
			This would be a really good game. The MAC champion is not tied to any one game, and I suspect the league will try to get them a good matchup.
			6-6 Kentucky gets the SEC's last spot. The Big East places teams, and they'll want one of their better teams to face an SEC member.
			The Cowboys have cemented their place as second best in the Big 12. Auburn's loss to Georgia moves Ole Miss to a return trip to Dallas.
			Houston's loss sets up an ECU/SMU C-USA title game. I've got ECU winning and going back to Memphis. The Liberty Bowl is happy to have Arkansas.
			UL-M replaces the ACC, which can't fill its last two spots. A seven win ULM team will get chosen above a more (TV friendly" 6 win team.

A Win is a Win, But Some of These Guys Are Testing That Idea: Florida defeats MSU and Other Week 8 Action

cocknfire — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:30:25 -0000

More photos » by Jim Lytle - AP

Is Dan Mullen too close to Florida for comfort?

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KEEPING AN ENEMY CLOSER THAN YOU MIGHT LIKE
Florida 29, Mississippi State 19

That this game was so close really doesn't come as too much of a surprise. After all, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen probably knew as much about Tim Tebow as anyone else on the planet save Tebow and Urban Meyer, an advantage that's particularly pronounced when play a Florida team so dependent on the Golden Tebow.

But there's good reason for Florida fans to be as concerned as they now appear to be with the Gator offense. As someone who watched most of the game Saturday, I was actually somewhat surprised to learn that Florida ran for 249 yards on 47 carries. Part of that stems from the red-zone woes that gave the entire offense an air of ineptitude; part of it also probably comes from Tebow's passing issues (12-of-22, 127 yards, 2 pick-sixes).

And the meeting was perhaps closer than the final margin might suggest. The game was at one point tied 13-13, in large part because of Florida's own mistakes. The Gators still won the turnover battle -- Tyson Lee threw three interceptions -- and the game was not really over until a dubious interception-turned-"touchdown" by Florida's Dustin Doe in the fourth quarter. Even then, Tebow's second pick-six of the night gave the Western Division Bulldogs a moment of hope, even if that ended with the failed two-point conversion that left Mississippi State behind by 10.

One wonders if this is a temporary problem for Florida caused by Mullen knowing how Tebow thinks as opposed to a more permanent issue -- Mullen knowing how Meyer thinks. If it's the latter, then Saturday indicates that the Gators could have a problem with State for years into the future.

That's a problem Florida has the luxury of putting off until next year. Which is good. The Gators have enough to worry about right now if they're going to save the high hopes for this season.

DID ANYBODY WIN THIS ONE?
Alabama 12, Tennessee 10

It isn't hard to make the case that Tennessee outplayed Alabama in this game, at least offensively. The Vols outgained the Tide (341-256), gained more first downs than Alabama (20-16) and scored the game's only touchdown. Jonathan Crompton had a higher passer rating than Greg McElroy (things I thought I'd never say) and Alabama failed to complete a pass play for more than 19 yards.

So when Tennessee recovered the on-side kick, it suddenly seemed like they might pull off the upset. Simply move the ball down the field and kick a FG and the Vols would give Lane Kiffin a 1-0 record against the No. 1 Crimson Tide.

We all know what happened next. Mt. Cody entered Alabama lore by blocking his second kick of the day and preserving the 12-10 victory before running down the field without his helmet and sparking a series of events that ended with the losing coach earning his second reprimand from the SEC.

It's worth emphasizing that this is the second straight game in which Tennessee played much better than almost anyone expected them to. I don't buy that either team played particularly well, especially when it came to moving the ball, but limiting Alabama's offense to four FGs and moving the ball well enough to keep the game competitive was an accomplishment. Paired with the 45-19 waxing of Georgia two weeks ago, the close loss suggests that Tennessee might be able to make a late-season run, even though it's not yet clear just how good they could be.

The Tide, meanwhile, seems to be going in the opposite direction. Only the offensive incompetence of Ole Miss allowed Alabama to easily win that game, while South Carolina shot itself in the foot enough times to remove every toe and still had a chance to tie the game late. Now we have the third reason in as many weeks to think that Nick Saban's team might not be quite as good as we believed a couple of weeks ago.

Tennessee says they won't count a moral victory from the loss, and we should probably take them at their word. But Alabama should learn a lesson from what you might be able to call a moral loss.

THE PARTY'S OVER
LSU 31, Auburn 10

We'll get to the impressive performace by LSU in one of the more surprising games of the weekend in just a moment, but consider where Auburn is at this moment. The offensive turnaround that many saw in Auburn's early success has hit its low ebb; the Orange and Blue Tigers generated just 193 yards on 61 plays Saturday and turned the ball over three times en route to arguably the worst defeat of the young Gene Chizik Era and the second time in three games that Auburn lost by three TDs. The longest play of the night was 17 yards.

Back to LSU. The Bayou Bengals were more impressive than they have been on offense at practically any other point this season: 376 yards, 22 first downs and a solid performance from Jordan Jefferson (21-of-31, 242 yards, 2 TDs). The only quibble would be the running game's rather modest 122 yards on 32 carries and the continued disappearing act of Charles Scott, but when the offense has been as troubled as has LSU's, small problems can be forgotten for a day.

Auburn, now 2-3 in SEC play, has now been practically eliminated from the SEC West conversation. LSU is still very much alive at 4-1, but still has the most important games in the division ahead of it: at Alabama, at Ole Miss and against Arkansas. The Yellow and Purple Tigers' chances are much better if the offense performs like it did Saturday.

'WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' STYLE POINTS'
South Carolina 14, Vanderbilt 10

After losing their last two meetings with the perpetual underdog Commodores, the Gamecocks were going to take a win against Vanderbilt however they could get it. That's good, because this was your typical Vandy near-upset: South Carolina outgained the 'Dores by 158 yards, had a five-minute advantage in time of possession and should have won by almost any statistical measure you use, but ended up winning in the fourth-quarter on a 43-yard pass from Stephen Garcia to Alshon Jeffery.

While winning was the goal in this game and the Gamecocks now sport a 6-2 record, you have to wonder if South Carolina can continue to win games with tough defense and an offense that seems incapable of actually scoring. You can say that yards will bring points eventually, but Gamecock fans have been waiting for that to happen for several weeks now, and it hasn't. Garcia is already rivaling the inconsistent Blake Mitchell for the best passer Spurrier has ever had in Columbia (Saturday: 22-of-33, 312 yards, 2 TDs, no turnovers, 166.08 rating), Jeffery has been amazing in recent weeks and a running game is beginning to emerge. But where are the points? After all, the scoreboard is what decides who wins the football game -- not the stat sheet.

Vanderbilt is largely playing out the string on this season, with a 2-6 record meaning the only path to a bowl game would be to sweep games against Georgia Tech, at Florida, against Kentucky and at Tennessee. That seems, to say the least, highly unlikely. They've found a nice running back in Warren Norman, but the rest of the offense needs to be completely overhauled if the 'Dores want to return to a bowl game in less than a quarter-century.

STILL GLAD YOU GOT RID OF HIM?
Ole Miss 30, Arkansas 17

By the time Ole Miss had taken a 17-0 lead with a little bit more than four minutes left in the first half, you got the feeling this game was pretty much over. And the result was decided, but the Rebels continued to pour on the yards, totaling 553 yards for the day in a game that might have gotten even more out of hand had Ole Miss not turned the ball over three times.

While Snead is held accountable for two interceptions the way these things work, he wasn't necessarily responsible for either and had one of his best days in a long time (22-of-33, 332 yards, 2 TDs). But the star was Dexter McCluster, the all-purpose player who generated 260 yards rushing and receiving while scoring a TD. He averaged almost nine yards a touch and was responsible for the Rebels' longest reception (64 yards) and run (19 yards).

Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, meanwhile, was erratic and sometimes highly inaccurate en route to a day where he completed just more than a third of his passes. His receivers didn't exactly help him, dropping some easily catchable passes, and a running game rendered worthless by the big halftime lead was also a nonfactor (45 yards on 22 carries). The Razorbacks need to turn things around quickly; their defense isn't going to win many games, and at this rate their offense won't either.

THE WILDCATS TAKE ON ONE OF THEIR TOUGHEST NONCONFERENCE OPPONENTS
Kentucky 36, Louisana-Monroe 13

With Louisville reduced via Kragthorpe'ing to a state in which even the Sun Belt would likely decide not to invite the Cardinals into their league, Kentucky's out-of-conference schedule has officially gone from "joke" to "stand-up comedy routine." Scheduling four completely overwhelmed schools to pair with a couple of SEC wins and go to a bowl game ought to be against the rules -- but it's worked well for the Wildcats for going on four years at this point, so why stop now? (And don't miss the blockbuster game against Eastern Kentucky in two weeks.)

That said, the Warhawks actually outgained UK by 47 yards in this game, had more first downs and were better on third-down conversions than the Wildcats. So maybe "completely overwhelmed" isn't quite the right way to describe Louisiana-Monroe -- and maybe that signals some trouble for Kentucky down the road?

Probably not. There's still a sixth win on this schedule somewhere if you assume that Eastern Kentucky is victory No. 5, which means UK will be bowling again at the end of the year. Scheduling this way might not be humane, but it's effective.

Home and Home Jerseys for Tennessee / South Carolina: the Biggest Halloween Party in the Country

Hooper — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:15:31 -0000

More photos » by Mary Ann Chastain - AP

Bring 'em! Just without the camouflage sleeves, please. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

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UPDATE: Ok, this was intended to be a plea to have this happen. This is NOT a breaking report that this has actually happened. But hey, I'm glad that Gamecock fans are on board with the idea! --Hooper

So we tried to get home and home jersey going for the Third Saturday in October, and somebody down south didn't like the idea. Moving on. This week, we have a rare night game. At home. On Halloween. With the home team sporting orange and the away team carrying an alternate all-black home uniform.

Please make this happen.

We haven't seen a home-and-home game yet in the SEC, and there obviously aren't many schools willing to do it. Tennessee has already shown interest in the idea, and now they can take it one step further by granting it on their home turf. This would make for one awesome party in Neyland Stadium as both teams take the field in Orange and Black.

This is the ESPN Game of the Night.

Not to be confused with GameDay, but it's kind of a big deal. Televisions will have it on nationally. And take a look at the games that will be on at the same time:

Eastern Michigan Eagles (0-7) at Arkansas Razorbacks (3-4) ESPNU
Mississippi St. Bulldogs (3-5) at Kentucky Wildcats (4-3) ESPN GamePlan
Kansas St. Wildcats (5-3) at Oklahoma Sooners (4-3) Regional
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (4-3) at Troy Trojans (5-2) Regional
New Mexico Lobos (0-7) at San Diego St. Aztecs (3-4) Regional
Washington St. Cougars (1-6) at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2) NBC, natch.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-1) at Vanderbilt Commodores (2-6) ESPN GamePlan
South Carolina Gamecocks (6-2) at Tennessee Volunteers (3-4) ESPN
Tulane Green Wave (2-5) at LSU Tigers (6-1) ESPN GamePlan
Michigan St. Spartans (4-4) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-4) Big Ten Network
Texas Longhorns (7-0) at Oklahoma St. Cowboys (6-1) Regional
Wyoming Cowboys (4-3) at Utah Utes (6-1) Regional
USC Trojans (6-1) at Oregon Ducks (6-1) Regional

Thanks to the ESPN/SEC contract, the only two games of national interest (Texas/OSU and USC/Oregon) are regional coverages (as of the typing of this post). Even if one or both of those get picked up on national broadcasts, the Tennessee / South Carolina game is one of the better ones available.

It's great for recruiting.

This will be fun. Tennessee should have a lot of recruits on official visits. Show them that the team and the stadium are all about having a great time (along with competing to win, of course).

It will sell.

Advertise Neyland Stadium as the biggest Halloween party in the country - maybe even the world. You'll be accurate.

Just please: do it.

Poll

Do you want Tennessee in Orange and South Carolina in Black on Halloween?

Yes! UT Orange and SC Black, head to toe!

617 votes

Yes! UT Orange and SC Black, but no orange pants!

129 votes

No!

45 votes

791 votes | Poll has closed

Kentucky 36, Louisiana-Monroe 13

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:43:00 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

I just wanna see this guy with the football, m'kay?

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Well, the score is much more impressive than the game. Yes, UK dominated this affair offensively, but the problem is, ULM managed to move the ball through the air very effectively against Kentucky.

Thanks to the Warhawks of ULM for coming up to Commonwealth and showing us why they are among the best teams in their league. Despite having their starting quarterback out with injury, they gave a fine account of themselves, and young Cody Wells was most impressive, both in ability and in bravery.

Cody Wells absolutely sold out against a powerful UK defensive line. Despite getting hit hard over and over and over again, Wells stood in the pocket and threw darts all night long. I was impressed with his effort, and if you were not, you must have been watching some other game.

While it's easy to criticize the Kentucky defense, the fact of the matter is, UK was just a little too quick to get on the board. That wound up being a problem, because Kentucky's defense is a bit depleted, and it showed. But at the end of the day, the 'Cats were way too much for their ~~CUSA~~ Sun Belt foe. That's good, considering that the 'Cats were so banged up (and even more so with Micah Johnson in a knee brace), but Brooks has plenty of things to criticize in this game, both offensively and defensively.

For my further thoughts, follow the jump ...

Randall Cobb was amazing. Why we don't get him the ball more is a mystery.
Derrick Locke played just the right amount of football -- enough to prove his leg was sound, but not enough to make it worse.
Cody Wells was amazing. He threw rocket shots to competent receivers who caught his footballs. Very impressive.
Kentucky's secondary was hapless. We are better than that.
Sam Maxwell -- linebacker!
Danny Trevathan is not bad, either.
The O-line and D-line were terrific.
UK's quarterbacking, with the exception of Cobb, just sucked. Period.
So much for the zero penalties, zero turnovers.
Nice pick six by Randall Burden. Very nice.
Special teams was sub-standard with the exception of Randall Cobb's remarkable punt return.
No matter how many things I find to criticize, Kentucky did not play bad at all. They won the game comfortably, and even though it sometimes got within two touchdowns, it was almost never closer.

This was a nice follow-on to our big victory at Auburn. No, it wasn't perfect or powerful. Yes, it was satisfactory and not embarassing. In the end, we beat a ~~CUSA~~ Sun Belt team exactly like we should have -- soundly, and without fear.

UK Football: Kentucky vs. Louisiana-Monroe Breakdown

Ken Howlett — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:41:30 -0000

Kentucky enters tonight's 7:00 EST home tilt with the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks looking to push their record over the .500 mark for the first time in a month. Coming off an inspiring 21-14 come-from-behind road victory at Auburn last weekend, UK (3-3, 1-3) figures to have confidence and momentum on their side. The Warhawks, though, aren't exactly Miami (OH). They enter tonight's Commonwealth Stadium contest at 4-2, and a league-leading 3-0 in the Sun Belt Conference.

With UK heading into a stretch of four straight games they should be favored (the 'Cats are favored tonight by 14 points), it's obviously important that the 'Cats continue to maintain focus, but for those battling the demons of complacency, a come-to-Jesus talk with a Wildcat possessing a long memory will result in a history lesson on UK's 42-40 near disastrous defeat to this same Warhawk team in 2006. Yeah, that team: Andre Woodson', Keenan Burton, Wesley Woodyard, Rafael Little, etc, etc. So, taking lightly this Sun Belt Conference member will very likely translate into a game similar to last season's nerve-rattling win over Middle Tennessee ... yet another Sun Belt Conference member.

Over the last three season's, Charlie Weatherbie, the Warhawks veteran coach, has competed very nicely with ULM's SEC opponents -- In 2007 ULM beat Alabama 21-14 (temporarily causing the state to enter into a period of mourning). And to go along with the near win at UK in 2006, last year ULM lost only 28-27 at Arkansas.

In ULM's offense, Kentucky will encounter an attack based on the spread-option ... with a twist; ULM presents the offense with lots of misdirection and motion. Rich Brooks had this to say about the unusual Warhawk offense:

"Offensively they totally mess with your mind. They false key. The pull linemen and run the ball away from where they're pulling them to. All your principles that you teach on defense are out the window in a game like this."

Adding additional question marks to the UK's defensive decision-makers is the absence of ULM starting quarterback Trey Revell. Revell injured his thumb in ULM's 16-10 victory against Arkansas State 11 days ago. He'll be replaced by redshirt freshman Cody Wells.

So without further time-wasting, here is the Warhawk team that UK must put away early:

Warhawk Offensive Personnel

Cody Wells: 6'0", 190 lb redshirt freshman quarterback -- Wells has played in only two games this season, completing seven of 13 passes for 76 yards and one touchdown. After replacing Revell in the Warhawks' game versus Arkansas State, Wells was 5-9 for 67 yards.

In the first five-and-half games of 2009, Revell orchestrated the ULM offense by throwing for 1,124 and eight touchdowns on 81-140 passing (57.9%). He's also proved to be an exceptionally talented runner, rushing 50 times for 194 yards (3.9 yards per carry), and three touchdowns. Wells played well in his relief effort last week, so he comes into Commonwealth with some confidence. He's highly mobile, which fits nicely into the offensive schemes the Warhawks employ.

Frank Goodin: 5'9", 203 lb junior running back -- The Warhawks top ball-carrier, Goodin has rushed 110 times of 558 yards (5.1 ypc), and nine touchdowns. He's also caught six passes for 48 yards (8.0 yards per reception).

Versus Florida International earlier in the year, Goodin ran 19 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He's a dangerous runner, possessing both speed and power.

Rodney Lovett: 5'9", 200 lb junior running back -- Lovett has carried the ball 38 times for 147 yards (3.9 ypc), and one touchdown.

Last season against Arkansas Lovett rushed 17 times for 66 yards.

Darrell McNeal: 6'0", 220 lb senior wide receiver -- McNeal has made 24 catches for 360 yards (15.0 yards per reception) and four touchdowns. He also returns punts for the Warhawks; 14 returns for 52 yards (3.7 yards per return).

McNeal has accumulated over 1,600 receiving yards in his career, and he will at times be called upon to take the direct snap out of the "Wildcat" formation. He recorded four rushing touchdowns last season out of the "Wildcat," but has yet to score on the ground this season. Earlier in the year versus Florida International, McNeal made six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

LaGregory Sapp: 6'3", 209 lb fifth-year senior wide receiver -- Sapp has 18 catches for 336 yards (18.7 ypr), and one touchdown.

The deep threat receiver made seven catches for 96 yards earlier this year in a game versus Florida Atlantic.

Luther Ambrose: 5'10", 175 lb sophomore wide receiver -- A triple-threat in every sense of the term, Ambrose has make 14 catches, good for 207 yards (14.8 ypr) and one touchdown, to go along with 13 carries for 121 yards (9.3 ypc) and another touchdown. Not satisfied with double-duty, Ambrose also returns kick-offs; 19 returns for 425 yards (22.4 yards per return).

In ULM's first game of the year versus then-No. 2 Texas, Ambrose recorded 207 all-purpose yards (receptions, rushes, returns). Ambrose is another weapon utilized in an unorthodox manner; UK must be ready for him to receive the ball both through the air and on the ground.

Alvin Jordan: 6'2", 253 lb junior tight end -- Jordan has made 13 catches for 100 yards (7.7 ypr), and one touchdown.

Warhawk Defensive Personnel

Cardia Jackson: 6'2", 230 lb senior linebacker -- The Warhawks leading tackler with 52 on the year (34 solo), the First Team All-Sun Belt Conference member is regarded as ULM's defensive stalwart. He's also recorded two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups.

In 2008, Jackson averaged 10.6 tackles per game, racking up 18 against Ole Miss. In 2006 versus UK, he made nine tackles.

Aaron Morgan: 6'4", 235 lb senior defensive end -- The Second Team All-Sun Belt performer has made 30 tackles (25 solo) with a team-leading 9.0 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He's also had six quarterback hurries.

This season, Morgan has two, two sack games, versus Arizona State and Texas Southern.

Darius Prelow: 6'1", 205 lb sophomore defensive back -- Prelow has made 38 tackles (31 solo), one tackle for loss, and seven pass breakups.

Josh Thomas: 6'2", 228 lb senior cornerback -- Thomas has 38 tackles (30 solo), two tackles for loss, two sacks and three pass breakups.

Thomas, who has started 30 straight games in his college career, recorded a season-high six tackles versus UK in 2006.

Troy Evans: 6'2", 252 lb sophomore defensive end -- Evans in 2009 has made 16 tackles (10 solo), four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and three quarterback hurries.

Evans is the reigning SBC Player of the Week after forcing two fumbles late in ULM's 16-10 victory over Arkansas State 11 days ago.

Grant Clayton: 5'7", 160 lb freshman kicker -- Clayton, who handles the kick-off duties, has kicked-off 32 times, recording only one touchback, but opponents are averaging only 20.5 yards per return.

Warhawk Vitals

Louisiana-Monroe boasts the 12th ranked rush defense in the nation, allowing only 93.3 yards rushing per game ... Last week versus Arkansas State, ULM held ASU to a .9 yards per carry average ... In a 38-14 loss to Arizona State, the Warhawks held the Sun Devils to only 3.1 yards per carry ... ULM is a plus 2 on the season in turnover margin, but were a minus 3 in their loss to Arizona State ... ULM beat Texas Southern 58-0 in the seasons second game ... The Warhawks average 30.7 points per game, but give up 27.8 points ... ULM has more than doubled their opponents rush yards; 1,167 (4.6 ypc) to 560 (2.8 ypc) ... ULM converts 42% of their third down opportunities, but their opponents convert 43% ... In red zone chances, ULM has scored 83% of the time (24-29), but their opponents have scored 91% of the time (20-22) ... The Warhawks have also given up a high number of touchdowns in the red zone, 17 of 22 (77%) ... ULM is off to their best start since 1993 ... ULM quarterbacks have been sacked only five times all year ... The Warhawks have recorded a healthy 34 pass breakups.

Charlie Weatherbie

In his seventh year at Louisiana-Monroe, Weatherbie (29-44) has done what he's done twice before: Turn around a moribund football program -- As coach at Utah State, he took the Aggies to their first bowl game in 15 years. In his first season as head coach at Navy, Weatherbie went 9-3 with an Aloha Bowl win. This, coming on the heels of 15 straight losing season for the Midshipmen. He's also the first coach in Navy history to record back-to-back winning seasons --Weatherbie took over a ULM program in 1993 coming off a one win season, and in 2005 won the Sun Belt Conference championship, the Warhawks' first conference title since 1992.

Weatherby will be a formidable adversary for Rich Brooks tonight, and with the uncertainty surrounding the ULM quarterback situation, look for some out-of-the-box strategy from the cagey veteran coach.

Derrick Locke

Kentucky's top running threat is expected to play tonight. Locke, coming off an MCL strain suffered last week at Auburn, practiced lightly this week. Alfonso Smith, coming off a thumb, injury appears to be near 100%. UK will need both backs healthy in their effort to quash any confidence surges from the visiting Warhawks.

Ideally, Locke will rest in the second half of tonight's game, with Smith and Moncell Allen taking over the ball-carrying duties.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Defensively, UK must "stay home," and stay true to their assignments. ULM will use a variety of offensive sets, mixing in the spread-option with the "Wildcat." But, UK has the better athletes, and if the 'Cats attack and wrap-up the way they did last week, holding the Warhawks well below their season scoring average should be an attainable goal.

Offensively, it's the immovable object (ULM rush D) against a surging 'Cat ground attack. After posting the highest team rush total (282 yards) since Bill Curry was calling the plays, UK looks to continue its ground dominance, utilizing Randall Cobb out of the "Wildcat." But, with freshman quarterback Morgan Newton once again earning the start, look for UK to open up the passing game against a Warhawk team that allows 262.5 yards passing per game.

Fearless Prediction

Kentucky 34 ULM 17

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- ULM Edition

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:16:22 -0000

This edition of the BBDM is dedicated almost exclusively to the ULM-Kentucky game, and a few other football-related links. This is a huge game for Kentucky coming off a big win at Auburn, and UK cannot take the Warhawks lightly -- they are just too good for that.

Lets get right to the links:

Midseason 2009: Which Way Kentucky? - Team Speed Kills
Things are looking up for the Wildcats right now, but a better defensive effort is the only way to get to eight wins.

Nice analysis by Team Speed Kills.
State-Journal.com - Can Fat Cats be Good Cats?
Long-suffering UK fans should be well aware that Fat Cats rarely equate to Good Cats. Despite the clear strides made in the UK program under Rich Brooks and his coaching staff, I would still argue that the Wildcats struggle to handle success.

I struggle to call 3-3 "Fat Cats."
Warhawks, Wall highlight weekend
Locke not a lock- UK star tailback Derrick Locke has been upgraded to probable for tomorrow, with a mild MCL strain. Rich Brooks isn't crazy about giving Locke an abundance of touches Saturday, so look for the Cats to come out firing and try to build an early lead.

I would rather see Alfonso Smith come in and pick up the load. I worry about Locke's durability.

Kicking it with Kentucky's Randall Cobb - SEC - ESPN
"He is the ultimate playmaker and leader and as exciting a football player as I’ve ever been around," Brooks said. "He’s almost taken it upon himself to carry us on his shoulders in the fourth quarter the last two games."

Chris Low talks with Randall Cobb, football player.
Quarterback plot thickens for UK, Louisiana-Monroe | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Lovers of mystery might want to tune in Saturday when the University of Kentucky football team hosts Louisiana-Monroe. There are sure to be deceptions and red herrings, unforeseen plot twists and characters whose roles change throughout the night.

Nothing like two teams with quarterback questions.
Auburn players say losing streak will end | Dothan Eagle
The Tigers are 5-2, still in the mix for the SEC West crown — with a whole lot of wins and a few prayers — and by no means discouraged with their season to date heading into tonight’s primetime showdown with No. 9 LSU in Baton Rouge.

I guarantee a win for the Tigers. I predict a win for the version from Auburn.
Tom's Links
Tom Leach has a few links for today's game.
Tom Leach - Kentucky Football, Kentucky Basketball, UK Football, UK Basketball
Take a listen to Tom's podcast of Frank Hoffman of Louisiana-Monroe and Dana O'Neil of ESPN.
UK Football Fan: Bowl Projections? Not yet.

Go Cats!!

Week 8 Preview: Some Saturday in October

cocknfire — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:16:52 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Whatever will they do without their orange uniforms?

Browse more photos »

The Weekend Open Thread begins as always at 11 a.m. ET

~~THIRD~~ FOURTH SATURDAY IN OCTOBER
Tennessee at No. 1 Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

I'll stop making that joke when the SEC scheduling office returns to tradition and starts putting this game on the correct weekend. But for now, we'll have to tolerate the grudge match being set one week late and mercilessly mock the quasi-corporate hacks who seem to have moved this game for no real reason.

This is really a confusing game to try to figure out this week. If the Vols had played last week, we would have had an opportunity to assess how much of what we saw against Georgia was real and how much was either a bad weekend for the Dawgs or a good weekend for Boy Wonder's team. But all we have now is a team that looked for all the world like it was dead in the water before rebounding by annihilating Georgia 45-19.

Alabama, we're more certain of. The Gamecocks put up a nice fight in Tuscaloosa last week, but despite the fact that the score and at times the game were both close, the Tide was always pretty firmly in control. The only game where Alabama fans really had to hold their breath was against Virginia Tech; other than that, Alabama has methodically dissected every opponent that's crossed their path. As the Ole Miss and South Carolina games showed, it's not always pretty. But it's effective.

The key to Tennessee having any chance in this game is for Jonathan Crompton to play efficiently. He doesn't have to reprise his role against Georgia as a Peyton Manning impersonator, but he has to complete 60 percent or so of his passes and avoid killer interceptions. The problem is that Alabama's defense is exceptional on getting pressure on quarterbacks; they average three sacks a game, good for first in the SEC and 11th in the country, and their defensive line is likely good enough and fast enough to keep Lane Kiffin from using the bootlegs and roll-outs that proved effective against the Dawgs.

For its part, Alabama would like to get Greg McElroy back on the right foot but also knows they don't have to force the issue. If he's having trouble against Monte Kiffin's defense -- a distinct possibility -- continue to feed the ball to Mark Ingram and let him try to build up some more Heism@n hype. Tennessee has a great rushing defense statistically, but a solid one didn't help South Carolina, which feel from 54th nationally and 5th in conference before playing Alabama to 74th and 9th, respectively.

Alabama 37, Tennessee 13

BETE NOIRE
No. 2 Florida at Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

You've almost certainly already heard this at least once this week, but Ronald Reagan was president the last time Florida won in Starkville. Steve Spurrier lost both of his trips there as head coach of the Gators -- a bizarre decision to set the 1991 game in Orlando spared him another visit -- and we all remember what happened when Ron Zook ventured into eastern Mississippi.

The pieces would seem to be in place for another upset. The Gators haven't looked as good as we all thought they would be at the beginning of this season and just escaped a potential loss to Arkansas last week. And Mississippi State not only has Dan Mullen's insights into the thinking of Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, they have a team that looks good enough to pull an upset before the season ends.

But I find it hard to believe that the upset will actually occur. Florida got its warning shot last week and isn't likely to let anyone else close enough to see if it learned its lesson, even if the result will be another defensive win.

Florida 23, Mississippi State 10

TIGER VS. TIGER
Auburn at No. 10 LSU, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

If you're familiar with the history of this game, you know why I'm hestitant to hazard a guess at who might win. It is an unpredictable series in some respects, not just as to what might happen on the field but also as to what might happen off of it. (One well-documented incident was a large fire that raged outside the stadium in 1996 as the game was in progress.)

But we'll take a shot at looking at the actual football that likely will not matter once the whistle blows in Baton Rouge. You know Auburn as the team with no defense and quite a bit of offense. You know LSU as the team with no offense and a pretty decent defense. So we can probably expect enough points to keep things interesting even if the promised bizarreness never occurs. Of course, that bizarreness could mean that we can expect a game in which fewer than 20 points are scored.

We also have to factor in LSU's very good record at home at night. Perhaps CBS oversold the case a bit during the Florida game, but it is worth noting that the Bayou Bengals seem to do particularly well when they play in the dark in Louisiana. That is just as likely as anything else to decide this one.

LSU 21, Auburn 20

BETE NOIRE (2)
Vanderbilt at No. 23 South Carolina, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

One thing that is not supposed to happen in SEC football is Vanderbilt defeating Steve Spurrier. It didn't happen the first 14 times the Head Ball Coach faced off with the Commodores and would certainly never happen twice in a row. So most people assumed that 2007's Vanderbilt win was one of those things that happens in football and last year would prove it a fluke.

Except that a few lucky breaks last year once again gave Vanderbilt the victory and continued the Commodores' first winning streak against Spurrier. It is that streak that the Visor and his team will be looking to end when they welcome Vanderbilt into Columbia on Saturday night.

Neither team is very good on offense, but South Carolina appears to have the defensive edge. It's difficult to tell with Vanderbilt, because the 'Dores have spent too much time playing from behind to accurately assess how bad their run defense is and how good their pass defense might be if tested. It's just hard to see Spurrier losing three in a row to Vanderbilt. Then again, it was never supposed to get that far.

South Carolina 23, Vanderbitl 17

NUTT BOWL II
Arkansas at Ole Miss, 12:21 p.m. ET, SEC Network

At first glance -- and at second glance for that matter -- this looks like a game of offense vs. defense. After all, Ole Miss' offense hasn't performed particularly well and, save for the last two weeks, neither has Arkansas' defense. So who does that bode well for? The Rebels, after all, have played well on defense but have played just one team anywhere near as pass-happy as the Razorbacks: South Carolina, which relies on its air attack but is not nearly as good as Arkansas on that side of the ball.

Meanwhile, Houston Nutt's old team has been ringing up the yards and points against teams with little to no defense; the best teams that Ryan Mallett and Co. have faced limited the Hogs to point totals of seven (Alabama) and 20 (Florida). So it's not like Arkansas has been tearing it up against the defensive cream of the crop.

If Jevan Snead can finally find his head, this game could get out of hand pretty quickly. Ole Miss has the potential to be almost as good as Arkansas on offense and much better on defense. But if he continues to have problems, it will be a close one.

Ole Miss 27, Arkansas 24

YAWN
Louisiana-Monroe at Kentucky, 7 p.m. ET, FSN

Thought we were done with these games? Not by a long shot. Several teams still have clunkers like this one left on the schedule, but it's Kentucky's turn to get only a little attention because there's not much to pay attention to. ULM is a good Sun Belt team and is not foreign to beating at least one SEC team I can think of, but the Warhawks aren't exactly a likely candidate to upset SEC teams on a regular basis. In fact, they lost their two forays into BCS play this season by a combined 97-34. Kentucky shouldn't have an overly difficult time picking up their next win on the road to bowl eligibility.

Kentucky 32, Louisiana-Monroe 12

BYE: Georgia

Don't Bet On It!: National Game of Disinterest

T Kyle King — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:54:43 -0000

Your patience is about to be rewarded, faithful reader. You have reviewed the national games of interest and followed me around the SEC, so just one stop remains on our tour of the weekend’s college football action. It is now time to take a look at tomorrow’s least compelling matchup, to which we here at Dawg Sports refer as the national game of disinterest.

It was tough to find this week’s least worthy contest. Dishonorable mention goes to the Indiana Hoosiers’ visit to the home of the Northwestern Wildcats for a game pitting a pair of 4-3 teams sporting 1-2 records in Big Ten play. Consideration was given to recognizing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights’ face-off with the Army Black Knights, which is going on even as I write and which does not feature jousting, despite the names of the contestants.

State University of New Jersey alumna Kristin Davis was not pleased by the preceding dig at her alma mater, but, as a professional actress, she was able to hide her outrage effectively.

At the end of the day, though, there could be only one choice for the national game of disinterest:

Florida Atlantic Owls at Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

Honestly, this would be more intriguing if you took the college football teams out of it altogether and just went with the mascots. I was a "Twin Peaks" fan and I saw "Southern Comfort," so I can tell you with absolute certainty that a fight between large fierce birds embodying evil spirits and rural Louisianans inebriated to the point of anger on homemade alcoholic beverages would be much more fun to watch than a Sun Belt Conference outing.

The real problem with this game, though, is that I, like 98 per cent of all college football fans, can’t tell either of these teams from their in-state rivals.

Be honest. If I’d just said it was the Owls, you wouldn’t have known for sure whether we were talking about FAU or FIU. At this very moment, you’re giving serious consideration to running a surreptitious Google search to see whether the Owls are the ones who are coached by Howard Schnellenberger.

Having one team like that in a game is bad enough, but you had the same reaction to the other competitor. If I’d just said it was the Ragin’ Cajuns, you wouldn’t have known for sure whether we were talking about Louisiana-Lafayette or Louisiana-Monroe. At this very moment, you’re giving serious consideration to running a surreptitious Google search to see whether the Ragin’ Cajuns are the ones who used to be the Indians until they changed their mascot to something more politically correct. (Hey, "Ragin’ Cajuns" is just as politically correct as "Warhawks," which is to say, not.)

When knowledgeable college football fans don’t know for sure who either team is, you have all the ingredients of the national game of disinterest. All that’s missing, really, is pervasive doubt over whether either or both of these teams plays in the Atlantic or Coastal Divisions of the ACC.

Go ‘Dawgs!