SB Nation - Miami Hurricanes

Bump, Set, Three-peat

Bama Hawkeye — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:42:11 -0000

Congratulations to the Penn State women's volleyball team, which won its third consecutive NCAA Championship in dramatic fashion yesterday. After dropping the first two sets to Texas, the Lions rallied and won three straight sets and their third straight crown.

Penn State has now won 102 consecutive matches. That's the record in the sport. Only the University of Miami's tennis program, which won 137 straight matches in from 1957-64, holds a longer winning streak in any NCAA sport.

Don't Bet On It!: College Football Bowl Edition (Part III)

T Kyle King — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:50:18 -0000

Obviously, intervening considerations have sidetracked me after I offered the first two installments of my postseason predictions, for which I humbly apologize and which I now will endeavor to rectify by providing the next four bowl forecasts.

Two points bear making before I proceed, however. First of all, I am omitting the Independence Bowl from the mix because I will be giving special attention to the matchup in Shreveport between now and December 28. Secondly, my record as a prognosticator is not an impressive one, so, whatever you do . . . Don’t Bet On It!

Emerald Bowl: Boston College Eagles v. USC Trojans (Dec. 26): Southern California fell off a cliff in 2009, relatively speaking, earning the Men of Troy the highly unflattering distinction of "Team Schadenfreude." Boston College, meanwhile . . . um . . . wait a second . . . yeah, the Eagles quietly went a perfectly respectable yet nondescript 8-4 with five conference wins for a league mark above .500, which far outdistanced USC’s disastrous record of 8-4 with five conference wins for a league mark above .500. Hang on, that can’t be right, can it? Oh, yeah, it is. All right, then, I’m going with the Trojans.

Music City Bowl: Clemson Tigers v. Kentucky Wildcats (Dec. 27): While I hope this proves to be a preview of an SEC East divisional matchup in a couple or three years, I’m still a bit miffed that those Outback Bowl clowns slammed the door on the possibility of a renewal of the rivalry in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. These two clubs ought to be fairly evenly matched, since capturing an ACC division championship is approximately equivalent to finishing in the muddled middle of the SEC, but the Country Gentlemen have C.J. Spiller and the Wildcats have the 11th-ranked rushing defense in the Southeastern Conference. Yeah, I’m thinking Clemson wins a close one.

EagleBank Bowl: Temple Owls v. UCLA Bruins (Dec. 29): Absolutely nothing about this bowl makes sense to me. I don’t get the idea of playing a college football bowl game in Washington, D.C., home of the efforts to foul up the sport permanently. I don’t know what EagleBank is, although I’d be willing to bet that EagleBank uses magicJack for its telephone/internet/facsimile/séance/other communication services. I can’t wrap my brain around the concept of Temple playing in a bowl game. The only part of this whole thing that computes is the idea of the Bruins being there, and that only happened because the Army Black Knights couldn’t hold a halftime lead against the Navy Midshipmen. Since everything else about this bowl seems like something out of a Salvador Dali painting, a David Lynch film, or that "Star Trek" episode where Mr. Spock had a goatee, I’m going with the only sensible aspect of the entire affair and picking UCLA to emerge triumphant.

Champs Sports Bowl: Miami Hurricanes v. Wisconsin Badgers (Dec. 29): Are there two teams in the country tougher to figure than these two? We’re twelve games into the year for each of these squads and I have no idea how good either of them really is. While the Big Ten is a better conference than the ACC, that isn’t saying much, and whatever advantage Wiscy enjoys by virtue of its superior league affiliation is offset by the stellar ratings "The U" received. (Would a documentary about Wisconsin football called "The W" garner as many viewers? I think not, even on the Big Ten Network.) I’m going with the ’Canes to make the bold declaration, "Badgers? We don’t need no stinking badgers!"

I’ll pick up next time with the games being played on the eve of New Year’s Eve. In the interim, though, you should heed my regular advice and refrain from placing trust in my forecasts, so I will remind you once again: Don’t Bet On It!

Go ‘Dawgs!

ACC Football Decade Standings Kind to the Eagles

Brian @ BCI — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:52:53 -0000

This past decade was kind to the Eagles on the gridiron. While Florida State fans will be quick to point out that Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College were fortunate enough to avoid being dominated by the Seminoles in the early part of this decade, the numbers below are certainly interesting. This comparison isn't 100 percent apples-to-apples given ACC expansion but BC still fares pretty well if you look across the entire body of work this decade.

The chart below shows how the ACC fared this decade in football. The seven bowl-bound teams (Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami, Clemson, North Carolina, Boston College and Florida State) have one more game to play as we wrap up the aughts.

ACC All-Decade Standings (sorted by Overall Winning Percentage)

Team	Conf.*	Pct.	Overall	Pct.	Bowls	BCS	ACC Title	NFL Draft	1st Rd.
Virginia Tech	38-10	.792	98-32	.754	10	3	3	47	4
Miami (Fla.)	25-23	.521	92-32	.742	9	4	0	63	26
Boston College	26-14	.650	88-39	.693	10	0	0	21	7
Florida State	55-25	.688	84-44	.656	10	4	4	55	13
Georgia Tech	50-30	.625	81-47	.633	10	1	1	22	1
Clemson	47-33	.588	78-47	.624	9	0	0	24	3
Maryland	41-39	.513	71-52	.577	6	1	1	26	3
NC State	34-46	.425	65-58	.528	6	0	0	27	5
Virginia	32-48	.513	65-59	.524	6	0	0	32	6
Wake Forest	32-48	.400	61-60	.504	4	1	1	17	2
North Carolina	32-48	.400	53-67	.442	4	0	0	26	4
Duke	7-73	.088	19-97	.164	0	0	0	2	0

Decade Notes

Expansion Bang For The Buck. Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College run 1-2-3 in terms of best overall winning percentage on the decade. These three schools also account for 36 percent of all NFL Draft picks from ACC schools, as well as the same number of first-round Draft picks (37) as the rest of the pre-expansion teams combined. That number, of course, is largely propped up by Miami's 26 first-rounders.

Just How Bad Were The Carolina Schools? Pretty bad. NC State led the way with 34 conference wins, followed by Wake Forest and North Carolina at 32, and Duke managed just 7 wins in 10 years (and that included quite a few 0-8 seasons). In four less seasons, Virginia Tech managed to surpass every North Carolina schools' ACC win total. The four NC finished last in conference winning percentage, yet we continue to let these guys run the conference.

A Tale of Two Dynasties. Florida State dominated the pre-expansion ACC, winning 4 of the decade's first 6 ACC titles. Virginia Tech is the big winner post-expansion, claiming 3 of the decades final 6 titles. The Hokies and Seminoles run 1-2 in overall conference winning percentage.

A Perfect 10 for 10. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State and BC were the only ACC programs to appear in a bowl game every year this decade. Miami and Clemson appeared in 9 bowl games. Clemson fans will jump all over me if I don't mention that the Tigers were indeed bowl-eligible the one year they did not go to a bowl (2004), but they declined the invite as punishment for "The Brawl" incident in the season finale against South Carolina. On the other end of the spectrum, Duke, of course, went 0-for-bowling this decade.

The Century Mark. With a win in the Peach Bowl over Tennessee, Virginia Tech will finish one win shy of reaching the century mark for total number of wins this decade (99). Luckily for Duke, a season only had 11 games during the first half of the decade. Otherwise Duke would likely have eclipsed the century mark for total number of losses (97).

Team Notes

Boston College. If I were to tell you before 2000 that BC would produce more first-round NFL draft picks (7) than any ACC program other than Florida State (13) and Miami (26), you would have told me I was crazy, right? The Eagles .693 overall winning percentage and .650 ACC winning percentage are good for third among current ACC programs.

Clemson. The Tigers own the best ACC winning percentage (.588) of pre-expansion ACC teams that failed to win an ACC title this decade (a group that includes Virginia and all four Carolina schools). On a plus note, Clemson never turned in a losing season in ACC play over their last ten seasons.

Duke. Duke's sad trip through the aughts produced 6 winless ACC seasons. The Blue Devils waited nearly four full seasons before registering their first ACC win this decade (a 41-17 victory over Georgia Tech on November 8, 2003). This season alone, Duke earned 42 percent of their ACC victories this decade (3 of 7).

Florida State. Florida State's 55 NFL draft picks were good for second in the conference, only 8 behind Miami's 63 draft picks. However, Miami produced twice as many first-rounders as FSU this decade. The Seminoles .688 overall winning percentage is good for second in the conference, while their .656 ACC winning percentage leaves them fourth behind all three post-expansion programs. (I know, I know. Sample size, right?)

Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have produced 22 NFL draft picks, good for 9th this decade. However, their lone first-round draft pick (Calvin Johnson, 2nd overall in 2007) is the lowest number of first round picks for an ACC program not named Duke.

Maryland. Maryland's 1-7 ACC campaign ties them with Virginia as both programs finished 2 games over .500 in ACC play this decade. Maryland, of course, gets the nod for better program over UVA with an ACC Championship and a better overall winning percentage tipping the scales in the Terps favor.

Miami. A large part of the U's success this decade came well before their jump to the ACC. The Hurricanes' 92-32 overall record is largely the result of back-to-back BCS National Championship Game appearances. All four of their BCS bowl appearances occurred while a member of the Big East. I'm unsure but have to imagine that Miami's 63 NFL Draft picks and 26 first-rounders are a decade-best (next best USC with 61 and 15?).

NC State. NC State finishes the decade on a fairly sour note. Their 2-6 ACC mark in 2009 matches a decade-worst record in conference (2006). The Wolfpack finished with more losing seasons in the ACC (5) than winning seasons (1) with several 4-4 seasons sprinkled in. Tom O'Brien's record the last three seasons (16-21) is nearly identical to Chuck Amato's final three seasons in Raleigh (15-20) before Amato was shown the door.

North Carolina. A late-decade Butch Davis rebirth couldn't stave off a below-.500 decade in the ACC for the Tar Heels. The Heels finish the decade at .400 in the ACC, tied with fellow Tobacco Road program Wake Forest. Heels fans really suffered through a good part of this decade. UNC had two winning seasons to start the decade, followed by seven straight losing/.500 seasons (they can thank the Eagles for the lone .500 season), and only a couple of 8 wins seasons under Butch Davis to finish the decade off on a high note. A win in the Car Care Bowl will give the Heels the most wins in a season since Mack Brown's final season in Chapel Hill (1997).

Virginia. UVA has produced a lot of NFL talent this decade and only has one ACC co-championship to show for it. The Cavaliers produced the fourth highest total of NFL Draft picks (32) and first-rounders (6) in the ACC this decade. Only Frank Beamer and Bobby Bowden coached in more games this decade than Al Groh (112, which leaves him tied for third with Ralph Friedgen).

Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech has dominated the ACC since joining the league, posting a 38-10 (.792) record in six seasons. Out of Virginia Tech's 10 conference losses, no team has beaten the Hokies more than the Eagles (3 times - 2006, 2007, 2008) but sadly, never when it really counted.

Wake Forest. Jim Grobe should be commended for turning around one of the ACC's doormat programs into ACC Champs in 2006. Grobe inherited a team that had gone 38-74 the decade before, largely under the leadership of Jim Caldwell (funny what a head coach can accomplish with Peyton Manning as your quarterback). Grobe's 9 seasons in Winston-Salem produced a 59-51 record that gave Wake Forest a winning record this decade (61-60).

* ACC Championship Game results were not included in the final conference W-L record. Conference records for Virginia Tech and Miami are from 2004-present. BC's conference record is from 2005-present.

Ed note: most numbers were calculated by hand so there may be a few numbers slightly off. Keep me honest in the comments section or email us at bcinterruption at gmail dot com.

Ranking the Big Ten Bowls by Difficulty

Law Buckeye — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:48:55 -0000

It appears the mainstream consensus is that the Big Ten will suffer another disastrous bowl season. Just yesterday, ESPN's Pat Forde predicted we would match last year's 1-6 performance. A single win is a long way away from the four wins necessary to escape with a winning record. That got me thinking, just how high of a mountain do we have to climb? Let's look at how the seven bowls stack up against each other in degree of difficulty (easiest to hardest), and the likelihood of a Big Ten win in each one.

Don't forget to go back and submit your Bowl Prediction sheet for another chance to win a prize. For winning the regular season OPC, Seattle Hawkeye won...a hat. You may win...something cooler. Hardest bowls to pick so far are Stanford-Oklahoma and PSU-LSU.

7. Insight Bowl (Minnesota v. Iowa State) December 31st, Tempe, AZ

It's hard to get excited about two 6-6 squads going mano a mano on the NFL Network. It's also hard for Minnesota fans to shake the stigma that Purdue would have been a better Big Ten representative on the national stage. Although the Golden Gopher's offense is sometimes been less visible than the Emperor's New Clothes, Iowa State is the epitome of mediocre. It ranked 8th in the Big 12 in total offense, and 11th in total defense during the regular season. Minnesota ranked last in the Big 10 in total offense, but finished sixth in defense. Sadly, I think this is the Big Ten's "easiest" matchup.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 70%

6. Champs Sports Bowl (Wisconsin v. Miami) December 29th, Orlando, FL

Four games into the season it looked the "The U" had restored its swagger and was predestined to win the ACC. The Canes held Georgia Tech to 95 rushing yards, before giving up 287 to Virginia Tech. Wisconsin's offense is beautifully balanced (206 ypg rushing, 209 ypg passing), which makes me think they can do to Miami what they couldn't do to Florida State last year: sustain consistent drives. The potential for John Clay to run downhill makes this game the second most manageable for the Big Ten.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 55%

5. Capital One Bowl (Penn State v. LSU) January 1st, Orlando, FL

Although neither team has a quality win, I have to give a slight edge to Penn State here because of its defense. On the other hand, LSU has swapped helmet paint with a tougher slate of opponents, and might be battle tested. It's clear that Les Miles has had issues focusing this team, and the pressure on him to win might compromise his preparations.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 52%

4. Outback Bowl (Northwestern v. Auburn) January 1st, Tampa, FL

Northwestern's defense has had plenty of opportunities to prepare for the spread. They also have a more than functional offense, and a coach that's as meticulous as anyone in his preparations. Auburn's defense has been MIA since August. Still, the Tigers led No. 1 Alabama for three and a half quarters, and if their performance in the Outback Bowl comes anywhere close to matching that effort, Northwestern gets bruised.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 45%

3. Fed Ex Orange Bowl (Iowa v. Georgia Tech) January 5th, Miami, FL

Some people might be surprised to see me place a BCS bowl in the middle of the rankings, but I think Iowa matches up nicely against the Yellow Jackets. If the Hawk's come up with a defense that contends with Tech's vaunted triple option (and that's a big "if"), the physicality of Iowa's offensive line can steal the show. I've got faith in you, Norm Parker.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 44%

2. Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi (Ohio State v. Oregon) January 1st, Pasadena, CA

All eyes will be on Pasadena when the unstoppable Oregon Ducks meet the immovable Ohio State Buckeyes. But beneath the strength-versus-strength storyline there's the reality that Ohio State might not be able to finish drives against a surprisingly fast Oregon defense. So, the Buckeyes move the ball 60 yards and stall. What about Oregon? They'll be forced to to punt or settle for field goals through three and a half quarters. The difference here, is Oregon's quick-strike capability A few missed tackles in space and the Ducks can put the game out of reach. Moreover they score on any play. Ohio State can't.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 40%

1. Valero Alamo Bowl (Michigan State v. Texas Tech) January 2nd, San Antonio, TX

Michigan State's porous secondary spelled disaster against the Red Air-Raiders, and that was before Mark Dantonio suspended eight players. Without receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham, and defensive back Chris L. Rucker, the deck is stacked against the Spartans.

Big Ten's Chances of a Win: 25%

BLACK HEART GOLD PODCAST 17: SWINDLED

Hawkeye State — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:32:48 -0000

You'll need this for later. Trust us.

Episode 17, in the calm before the storm of bowl season, is a perfect opportunity to preview the Big Ten bowl slate with the only man who could compare LSU playcalling to a French absurdist play. That's right: It's Spencer Hall, the Artist Occasionally Known as Orson Swindle, joining your hosts to discuss Auburn's Island of Misfit Quarterbacks, how the Alamo Bowl resembles the opening scene from Monty Python's Meaning of Life, and things to do in Orlando when you're from Wisconsin.

Listen below or on iTunes.

BHGPodcast 17

Fortune Teller: 2009 Bowl Predictions (Part 1)

Brian @ BCI — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:16:14 -0000

For the third straight year, we preview the upcoming college football postseason. Here are our picks for bowls 1-17, which takes you from the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque to El Paso, Texas for the Sun Bowl.

Leave your thoughts on any of the first 17 matchups below.

New Mexico (December 19)

Matchup: Fresno State (8-4) vs. Wyoming (6-6)
The Line: Fresno State -11.5

The Lead: Wyoming makes only its second trip to a bowl this decade while Fresno State makes its 9th bowl appearance in the last 10 years. Fresno State returns to New Mexico for the second straight year (losing to Colorado State 40-35 last year).

Brian Pick: Fresno State -11.5
Jeff Pick: Wyoming +11.5

St. Petersburg presented by Beef ‘O’ Brady’s (December 19)

Matchup: UCF (8-4) vs. Rutgers (8-4)
The Line: Rutgers -2.5

The Lead: Rutgers just making a bowl game game is no longer exciting for their players and fans who had higher hopes coming into this season than to finish 3-4 in the Big East. UCF meanwhile will be playing less than three hours from their campus and should be thrilled to be there.

Jeff Pick: UCF +2.5
Brian Pick: Rutgers -2.5

R + L Carrier New Orleans (December 20)

Matchup: Southern Miss (7-5) vs. Middle Tennessee (9-3)
The Line: Southern Miss -3.5

The Lead: Southern Miss returns to the New Orleans Bowl for the second straight year. Last year, Southern Miss blocked a field goal in overtime to defeat Troy 30-27 in one of the more entertaining 2008 bowl games. Middle Tennessee State is one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 6 straight and reaching the 9 win plateau for the first time since joining Division I-A in 1999. Southern Miss has a perfect 3-0 record in the New Orleans Bowl.

Brian Pick: Southern Miss -3.5
Jeff Pick: Southern Miss -3.5

MAACO Las Vegas (December 22)

Matchup: Oregon State (8-4) vs. BYU (10-2)
The Line: Oregon State -2.5

The Lead: BYU was on top of the world after beating Oklahoma to start the season. Oregon State was on top of the college football world in the final Thursday night of the season when playing Oregon for the Pac-10 title. Things didn't work out as either team had hoped from those points on though and they both fell to the pre-Christmas Las Vegas Bowl. Oregon State has plenty to prove though as they attempt to beat BYU, TCU and Boise State in the next 11 months and serve as the non-BCS school killer.

Jeff Pick: Oregon State -2.5
Brian Pick: Oregon State -2.5

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia (December 23)

Matchup: Utah (9-3) vs. California (8-4)
The Line: California -3

The Lead: With BC losing to Vanderbilt last season, Utah now owns the longest active winning streak in bowl games, having won their last 8 games including last year’s Sugar Bowl over Alabama. Cal is riding a seven game streak for bowl apperances, the longest in school history.

Brian Pick: Utah +3
Jeff Pick: Utah +3

Sheraton Hawaii (December 24)

Matchup: Nevada (8-4) vs. SMU (7-5)
The Line: Nevada -15

The Lead: This game features a very good WAC team against a very good C-USA team but does that mean that they are actually good teams? It's tough to say. Neither team has a very impressive win this season and both seemed to lose all their games when they had opportunities to prove themselves. Will anyone watch the Christmas Eve game in Hawaii? Other than Brian?

Jeff Pick: SMU +15
Brian Pick: Nevada -15

Little Caesars (December 26)

Matchup: Marshall (6-6) vs. Ohio (9-4)
The Line: Ohio -2.5

The Lead: This game renews a rivalry game between the two schools located only 80 miles apart. Ohio and Marshall used to compete in the Battle for the Bell which is set to be renewed in 2010. Ohio leads the all-time series 29-17-6, however Marshall has won 8 of the last 10 matchups between the two geographic neighbors.

Brian Pick: Ohio -2.5
Jeff Pick: Ohio -2.5

Meineke Car Care (December 26)

Matchup: Pittsburgh (9-3) vs. North Carolina (8-4)
The Line: Pittsburgh -3

The Lead: What a disappointing finish to the season for Pittsburgh. Pitt lost to their backyard brawl rival West Virginia before losing to Cincinnati in a de-facto Big East Championship game. The Panthers led the entire game against Cincinnati but could not finish so now instead of the Orange Bowl they get a trip to Charlotte to play North Carolina in a "road" bowl game. Good luck getting your team fired up for this one, Dave!

Jeff Pick: North Carolina +3
Brian Pick: Pittsburgh -3

Emerald (December 26)

Matchup: Boston College (8-4) vs. USC (8-4)
The Line: USC -9

The Lead: The 8-4 Eagles travel to San Francisco for the second time this decade to take on the 8-4 USC Trojans. This is the first time in seven years that USC hasn’t played in a BCS bowl game (5 Rose Bowls, 2 Orange Bowls). Good news for the Eagles is the last time Pete Carroll found himself in a non-BCS bowl game, the Trojans lost 10-6 to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. You don't think we would pick against BC now, do you?

Brian Pick: Boston College +9
Jeff Pick: Boston College +9

Gaylor Hotels Music City (December 27)

Matchup: Kentucky (7-5) vs. Clemson (8-5)
The Line: Clemson -7.5

The Lead: If Boston College's 2008 performance in the Music City Bowl is any indication of how Clemson might play this year after the disappointing ACC Championship Game, it's is going to be tough to watch for Tiger fans. But after losing to South Carolina, the ACC really doesn't need Clemson, or any of its top programs, to lose to mediocre SEC teams. Clemson ticket sales for the bowl have been soft but hopefully Dabo can rally this team to victory.

Jeff Pick: Kentucky +7.5
Brian Pick: Clemson -7.5

AdvoCare V100 Independence (December 28)

Matchup: Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Georgia (7-5)
The Line: Georgia -7

The Lead: Georgia wraps up an otherwise disappointing, up-and-down season in Shreveport, Louisiana. For every quality win for UGA, there seemed to be an equally puzzling loss this year. Defeat Arkansas, get crushed at Tennessee. Defeat Auburn, lose to Kentucky at home, come back and defeat in-state rival Georgia Tech. Texas A&M has had a similar up-and-down season, but seemingly backed into the postseason having lost 3 of their last 4 games.

Brian Pick: Georgia -7
Jeff Pick: Georgia -7

EagleBank (December 29)

Matchup: UCLA (6-6) vs. Temple (9-3)
The Line: UCLA -4

The Lead: UCLA had to wait to see the result of the Army-Navy game before getting officially invited to this bowl game. In the bowl's second season, I don't imagine that their will be much hype this year compared to last year's geographically favorable matchup of Wake Forest vs. Navy. Look for Temple to surprise some people and possibly knock off a BCS school in this one.

Jeff Pick: Temple +4
Brian Pick: Temple +4

Champs Sports (December 29)

Matchup: Miami (Fla.) (9-3) vs. Wisconsin (9-3)
The Line: Miami -3

The Lead: This year’s Champs Sports Bowl is a matchup of 9-3 ranked teams. Both teams are coming off strong finishes, each winning 4 of their final 5 games. Wisconsin finished the season with a 51-10 drubbing of Hawaii on the road, while Miami took care of USF 31-10. Miami is 2-0 all-time in the Champs Sports Bowl. Wisconsin played in Orlando last season, losing to Florida State 42-13. This is the last year the Big 10 will be represented in this bowl as the Big East will send a team to face an ACC opponent starting next season.

Brian Pick: Miami -3
Jeff Pick: Miami -3

Roady’s Humanitarian (December 30)

Matchup: Bowling Green (8-5) vs. Idaho (7-5)
The Line: Idaho +1.5

The Lead: Another game that might set an attendance record this season but not the kind of record that you want to be setting if you are putting this bowl together. Boise fans might already be on their way to the Fiesta Bowl so even getting a few locals to come out for this game will be difficult. Bowling Green has a pretty good WR, and Idaho plays home games in a dome. That's all I have for this one.

Jeff Pick: Bowling Green -1.5
Brian Pick: Idaho +1.5

Pacific Life Holiday (December 30)

Matchup: Arizona (8-4) vs. Nebraska (9-4)
The Line: Arizona -1.5

The Lead: Arizona - having defeated the Trojans 21-17 to move to 6-3 in conference - will represent the Pac-10 as its #2 team in the Holiday Bowl. Nebraska won the Big 12 North, finishing the season at 9-4, 6-2 in conference. The Cornhuskers are coming off a heartbreaking 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Brian Pick: Arizona -1.5
Jeff Pick: Nebraska +1.5

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces (December 31)

Matchup: Houston (10-3) vs. Air Force (7-5)
The Line: Houston -4.5

The Lead: The mighty Houston Cougars who knocked off Oklahoma State at home are only 4.5 point favorites against Air Force? Oh right, we later found out that Oklahoma State was not nearly as good as anyone thought the would be and failed to make a push for a BCS bowl by nearly losing to Colorado and then getting destroyed by Oklahoma to end the season. Air Force had another nice season but only managed a 1-5 record against bowl bound teams this season.

Jeff Pick: Air Force +4.5
Brian Pick: Houston -4.5

Brut Sun (December 31)

Matchup: Oklahoma (7-5) vs. Stanford (8-4)
The Line: Oklahoma -8

The Lead: This should be an intriguing matchup between the unstoppable force (Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and the 15th ranked Stanford Cardinal offense) and the immovable object (Oklahoma's 7th ranked defense). Oklahoma has had an otherwise disappointing season, that is, up until they put a 27-0 hurtin' on in-state rival Oklahoma State in Bedlam. Stanford may or may not be playing without the services of starting freshman quarterback Andrew Luck.

Brian Pick: Stanford +8
Jeff Pick: Oklahoma -8

Could Big Ten Expansion Force the SEC to Bring In a New School?

T Kyle King — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:15:09 -0000

Big Ten expansion talk is all the rage, even here in SEC country, and, while the Notre Dame Fighting Irish remain atop the list despite being obviously unattainable and the Pittsburgh Panthers make the most sense, much attention is being paid to the apparently interested Missouri Tigers, with respect to whom Big Ten aficionados not only have an idea, they have a plan.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that happens. Short of the Golden Domers climbing down from their high horse (which isn’t going to happen now that the arrival of Brian Kelly has ensured Notre Dame’s inevitable return to ~~relevance~~ ~~competence~~ dominance), conference expansion is a zero-sum game; if the Big Ten increases from eleven teams to twelve by poaching Mizzou, the Big 12 decreases from twelve teams to eleven. The Big 12 is going to need a new team.

Maybe it’s just the traditionalist in me, but it seems to me that there can be only one choice for Big 12 expansion should Missouri bolt for browner pastures. The Arkansas Razorbacks have a longstanding rivalry with the Texas Longhorns, currently have a series going with the Texas A&M Aggies, and have deep Southwest Conference roots. Turnabout is fair play, so a Big Ten that includes Missouri could mean a Southeastern Conference sans Arkansas.

If the first domino falls, the line could topple all the way to the SEC’s doorstep, raising the question . . . where would the SEC turn if it had to replace the Hogs? The options, it would seem, are these, in no particular order:

Louisville Cardinals: U. of L. shares an in-state rivalry with the Kentucky Wildcats and just hired longtime SEC defensive coordinator Charlie Strong. The ‘Ville would bolster the league’s basketball reputation but the Cardinals have been only intermittently good at football. Still, as a current member of an automatic BCS-qualifying conference, Louisville would have to get a look, although it’s too bad the Cards would be brought in to replace Arkansas, because a series between Bobby "Pignocchio" Petrino’s current and former schools would be fun to watch.

South Florida Bulls: I’m not saying they deserve it, but any number of SEC coaches would love another annual opportunity to travel to the recruiting hotbed of the Sunshine State. Tampa is an attractive market and USF has been consistently respectable (albeit no more than that) since making the jump to the Big East. You’d have to think the Florida Gators would scream and howl at having to add an in-state conference rival to their existing slate, though. This brings us to . . .

Florida St. Seminoles: Let’s not mince words here. If you were an SEC football fan in 1991, you thought Bobby Bowden ducked the SEC in order to pad FSU’s schedule with ACC games. It’s time to atone for that gutless decision now that the Jimbo Fisher era is underway. This would make great sense for the Gators, whose season-ender against the ‘Noles would count as a conference game, although it likely would increase the pressure on the Saurians to schedule the Miami Hurricanes more frequently. Regular trips to Tallahassee by the Georgia Bulldogs would please the conspiracy theorists among the Red and Black fan base, who would wonder regularly whether Mark Richt would just stay put once he got back to his old stomping grounds. While we’re on the subject of in-state out-of-conference rivals, I suppose I should mention . . .

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: I would be 100 per cent opposed to this idea, but you’d have to admit it makes sense. The Engineers played in the SEC for many years and were a part of some of the league’s great rivalries at one time. The Ramblin’ Wreck left the conference at the tail end of the Bobby Dodd era and had their efforts to rejoin the league rebuffed, so both sides might be lukewarm on a reconciliation. After both of this year’s ACC division champions fell to middling SEC East outfits that came into their battles for local bragging rights sporting 6-5 ledgers, it’s doubtful whether the Orange Bowl-bound Golden Tornado would want to trade a shot at a big-money bowl in the soft ACC for a lower spot in the league pecking order. In theory, Georgia Tech could enjoy home town advantage in an SEC championship game, but, honestly, that’s not much of a risk.

Clemson Tigers: Admittedly, I’m biased, but this option makes the most sense to me. The Country Gentlemen are comfortably within the SEC’s geographic footprint and share longstanding rivalries with the ‘Dawgs and the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Fort Hill Felines also share a common heritage with several other SEC schools which would make league games intriguing: Walter Riggs and John Heisman established strong ties between Clemson and the Auburn Tigers; the Alabama Crimson Tide have produced numerous coaches for the Orange and Purple, including Frank Howard, Danny Ford, and current skipper Dabo Swinney; Charley Pell landed both Clemson and Florida on probation; the LSU Tigers could host the Country Gentlemen in Death Valley before traveling to face them in Death Valley. Culturally, the Tiger faithful are a much more comfortable fit with the rabid fans of the Southeastern Conference than with the Big Ten wannabes of the Atlantic Coast Conference and an SEC association certainly wouldn’t hurt the proud Clemson baseball program. Should we be willing to trade the Razorbacks for the Tigers? Ken Hatfield certainly was, and he was an Arkansas alum.

If it were up to me, the Big Ten would add Missouri, the Big 12 would add Arkansas, the SEC would add Clemson, and the ACC would . . . actually, I don’t care what the ACC does. I say let’s ship the Hogs back to their old stomping grounds, move the Tennessee Volunteers over from the SEC East to the SEC West (where the Vols properly belong, given their natural rivalries with Alabama and Auburn), add Clemson to the SEC East, and have at it.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Comparing Dynasties - USC vs. The U

Paragon SC — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:21:03 -0000

Lets have some fun...This will be an interesting comparison but hardly scientific. I wanted to look at this a little more carefully but 'tis the season and there is still much to do with work and such.

I got a real kick out of Watching ESPN's 30-and-30 documentary on "The U."

I thought it was fascinating. Miami was the team that kept me interested in CFB when I first moved to the east coast.

I saw a lot of this team when I moved to the east coast...they were "THEE team". Back then SC wasn't on TV unless it was a bowl game or an ND game. Occasionally they would have the USC/ucla game on but most of time it was ACC/Big East or Miami on TV when I lived in DC.

Miami was an absolute monster program back then. Miami defined the term "reload". They had some of the toughest and nastiest players in Division 1 and they had plenty in reserve. Miami has put a ton of players into the NFL. They hold the record of at least one UM player drafted in the first round for 14 straight years.

After watching "The U" twice I decided to check out the the 'Canes boards for their take. I knew that some of the Miami faithful would not be happy with how the program was portrayed. There were a few things left out (like BC beating Miami or the probation that the program was put on under Schnelly) and few players that weren't interviewed for the piece that played significant roles in the porgram over the years (Jim Kelly, Warren Sapp (he declined), Ray Lewis, Randy Shannon (not allowed by UM) etc). The University of Miami did not sanction or support this piece in any way but regardless of that, the piece was pretty much spot on.

I was curious as to what Miami fans thought bout the piece and in do so I did find one interesting thread over on the 'Canes Scout Board that I thought was pretty thought provoking (I am going to cut and paste a lot of this and jump around a bit).

At first glance who had the better run?

	USC (2002-2008)	Miami (1986-1992)
Overall Record	82-9	78-6
Bowl Record	6-1	5-2
MNC's	2	3
Played in MNC Games	3	5

Pretty impressive records.

Miami has the better Win/Loss % but USC has a better Bowl record.

The "Played in MNC Games" is a bit misleading because of the fraud that is the BCS coming into the picture after Miami's run and SC being tied to the Rose Bowl.

Some other intangibles (pulled from various posts in the thread but cross checked at CFB DataWarehouse)...

SC went on their run with about 15 fewer scholarships.

Miami's longest winning streak was 29 vs. USC's 34.

USC won 38 straight regular season games while Miami won 35. Miami did not lose a home game in that time frame (they hold the record at 58)

USC in the polls #4 #1 #1* #2 #4 #3 #3 (All AP), 7 straight Pac-10 titles. *33 straight weeks ranked #1

Miami in the polls #2, #1, #2, #1, #3, #1**, #2 (All AP). **20 straight weeks ranked #1 (#2 behind USC's 33 weeks). Miami was independent until they joined the Big east in 1991

SC has a better "OOC schedule" but because Miami was an Independent for most of that time frame they played a lot of tough teams as well but it also looks like scheduled a few non-division 1 schools too.

SC was hamstrung by a weaker than normal Pac-10. It is tough to make this comparison but I still have to lean Miami here. They played a lot of top teams back then and beat a number of conference champions. For the most part they hid from no one...

Home vs. Away games is pretty balanced between the schools.

Miami had a running start for their run with six solid seasons previous to the time frame in question while SC basically had to start from a standstill. This goes to recruiting talent and TV exposure. Miami had their pick of the litter while SC started from scratch...and the first building block for USC was Shaun Cody. Miami was always on TV nationally while SC languished because of Hansen's lack of vision in promoting the Pac-10.

Now this is just a comparison to Miami. You can't ignore what FSU and Nebraska did in the 90's. Both of those programs were incredible as well.

Anyway, I thought this was interesting...so I wanted to throw it out there.

I kind of have to lean towards Miami because they played a lot of tough teams throughout this run. They had some cupcakes here and there but they weren't hampered by a down conference like SC was because USC was so dominant.

I anyone has any more pertinent info please post it up!

So, who was more dominant in your eyes?

Ranking The 2009-2010 Bowls: Part 2

Mark Kieffer — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:31:13 -0000

In Part 1 of the series, I listed the bowls that I would not be mad at missing. With this Part 2, I'm continuing the countdown. This set of games are those that I would like to see, but I'm not going to make any kind of sacrifices to watch these games.

During the holidays, especially when traveling to a bowl game myself, you're sometimes going to miss some. Click on the jump, to see the 12 bowls that I have in my middle tier of games!

#20: Outback Bowl (Northwestern vs. Auburn), 1/1/2010, 10am CST, ESPN

After a night of partying in Tempe on New Years, there's no way in hell I'm going to get myself up early to watch this. I'm not really one of those ISU fans obsessed with Chizik anyways. This game could have easily gone in my Part 1 post. Honestly, I think Auburn rolls in this one anyways, but you never know.

#19: Texas Bowl (Navy vs. Missouri), 12/31/2009, 2:30pm CST, ESPN

There's no way I'm seeing this game, (although I would've liked to) so it ranks this low. I'll be at Sundevil Stadium when this is getting underway, but I'll be scoreboard checking during the game. Not a bad matchup at all, and could be an entertaining game. Navy has that triple option, while Missouri has a good passing game behind Danario Alexander.

#18: Emerald Bowl (Boston College vs. USC), 12/26/2009, 7pm CST, ESPN

This should be an evenly matched game for the most part. USC has had a down year by their standards, but I think this year was pretty good for Boston College. I'm not really a fan of either team, which is why it ranks relatively low on my list.

#17: Liberty Bowl (Arkansas vs. East Carolina), 1/2/2010, 4:30pm CST, ESPN

You have a pretty good offense in Arkansas against an East Carolina team that won the CUSA, and has been on a roll down the stretch.

#16: Independence Bowl (Texas A&M vs. Georgia), 12/28/2009, 4pm CST, ESPN

Georgia has the better defense, and better overall team, while A&M has the better offense. You can't ignore Georgia's win over Georgia Tech; that was impressive. I think this has the makings of a good game, and it might suprise some people.

#15: Champs Sports Bowl (Miami vs. Wisconsin), 12/29/2009, 7pm CST, ESPN

I like watching Miami. Been a fan of them since I've been following College Football. Growing up in Minnesota, I've seen a lot of Wisconsin as well. A game between two programs I'm familiar with. Miami likes to pass it, and is a very athletic team. Wisconsin, plays your typical Big 10 style of game: running the ball and trying to play defense.

#14: Chick-Fil-A Bowl (VA Tech vs. Tennessee), 12/31/2009, 6:30pm CST, ESPN

Lane Kiffin is just a drama-machine. Seems like controversy follows him around, and that alone may be worth watching. It will also be interesting to see how VA Tech plays, when they've been eying a BCS Bowl game all year, and feel a little snubbed. Tennesee has played close to teams all year, with a pretty solid defense. This could end up being similar to the Nebraska vs. VA Tech game earlier in the year.

#13: Capital One Bowl (Penn State vs. LSU), 1/1/2010, Noon CST, ABC

If you like watching a good defensive game, this one is for you. Both teams have issues scoring at times, but have no issues stopping the opposing offense.

#12: Cotton Bowl (Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss), 1/2/2010, 1pm CST, Fox

This is the battle between two disappointing teams. Both were ranked high at the beginning of the year, and neither really did much of anything notable on the national scale. I'm still confused as to how Oklahoma State just laid an egg against Oklahoma, along with how Ole Miss was supposed to have this Heisman contender in Snead. I don't really think either fanbase is that excited about the game either. With how inconsistent these teams have been all year, I don't think anyone knows what to expect in this one, and maybe for that, it's worth tuning into for a little bit.

#11: Holiday Bowl (Arizona vs. Nebraska), 12/30/2009, 7pm CST, ESPN

These teams are pretty even on paper. I can't see scores outside of the teens in this one. Heck, this game could be 10-9 or something like that. It's really too bad for Husker fans that their offense was so bad this year, as it's really brought this team down. I have also come around to being a big fan of Suh, and it's extremley fun to watch him dominate the line of scrimmage all game long. Even if he doesn't get the tackle or sack, Suh has an impact on the play.

#10: Poinsettia Bowl (Utah vs. Cal), 12/23/2009, 7pm CST, ESPN

Jahvid Best is back for the Golden Bears, and he's a lot of fun to watch. Really good to see that he's going to be able to continue playing, after that scary concussion he suffered not too long ago. Honestly, when I saw that play, I thought his playing days in the future could be in jeopardy. This game is likely going to come down to the wire, as they are dead even on paper.

In Part 3, I'm going to countdown the bowls that are must-see for me. By process of elimination, you can figure out which bowls they are, but you will have to see on Thursday as to what the order is.

----

Part 1

The NFL Draft says, "ACC > Big 10!"

BirdGT — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:00:17 -0000

A lot of the Big 10 talking heads have flooded our humble abode since the Orange Bowl announcement. They have denounced, degraded, and mocked the ACC's defensive state of affairs. One thing they fail to bring is facts. I like facts. I like facts that are numbers. Here are two numbers for Big 10 fans: 19 and 3. The ACC has had 19 defensive players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since full expansion in the 2005 season. The Big 10 has had 11. The ACC has had 3 Pro Bowlers emerge from those 19 1st rounders (Beason, Mario, and Cromartie). The Big 10 has had 0. Those are some interesting facts for Big 10 fans to mull over. Here are 5 more interesting facts about ACC/Big 10 defensive players taken in the 2006-2009 NFL Drafts:

5. Georgia Tech has had 6 defensive draft picks since 2006. That's more than Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.

4. Duke hasn't had a player taken in the NFL Draft since 2005.

3. The Big 10's highest Draft Pick since 2006 was A.J. Hawk, the fifth overall pick. He was four picks after Mario Williams.

2. All four Drafts saw more ACC defensive players taken than Big 10 players.

1. The ACC has had 81 defensive players drafted since the 2006 NFL Draft, which is 6.75 players drafted per team. The Big 10 has only had 62, which is 5.63.

Really when you factor Ohio State and Penn State out of the Big 10, there's not much talent going to the NFL. It's the definition of a blue collar conference. Good defensive coaching is what keeps them afloat in major out of conference match ups. I kinda believe they play the isolationism game and simply avoid major OOC games until bowl season. The ACC and Big 10 have met only 9 times since full expansion. The ACC holds a 6-3 edge over the Big 10 in that time span.

What do you think about the Big 10 talent level? Do you think the Big 10 hides behind their conference schedule? Let me know your thoughts.