We (still) run LA: USC 50, ucla 0

What's the difference between a Pac-12 South Champion and merely a division representative playing in the conference championship game?

Answer: 50 points.

USC has spent the last two years with an arm, a leg and 30 scholarships tied behind its back. Still the Trojans made sure that anyone under the illusion of a closer gap between the two Los Angeles schools was abruptly slammed back to reality. By the end of the night, I couldn't tell if the chants of "One more year!" were for Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley or for UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel. Either way, it would be good news for USC.

UNC, Tennessee & the 10-second runoff that wasn't

Thanks to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl pitting North Carolina against Tennessee, an entire nation of football fans and passers by wake up to something that - for most of them at least - is a new concept: a 10-second runoff. Diehards who know "all the rules" may still be a bit confused by this concept, but that's what this blog is here for.

Admittedly, my own knowledge of when 10-second runoffs are applied was taken to task on Christmas night in the Cowboys-Cardinals game [How the Cards stole Christmas] when Arizona's game-winning drive would have been thwarted by draining the remaining 10 seconds from the clock after an illegal formation penalty. The Cardinals right tackle was uncovered on the line of scrimmage, but instead of a 10-second runoff and thus a Cowboys win, instead the Cardinals were merely penalized five yards and allowed to kick the game-winning field goal. Bah humbug.

As far as penalties go late in the game, it's widely known that "a game cannot end on a defensive penalty" at really any level of football. Offensively, however, it's a little more complicated. In fact, plenty of games end on offensive penalties -- just ask Cowboys backup tackle Alex Barron after his holding penalty cost Dallas a Week 1 win at Washington. I always knew that if the clock is running inside the two-minute warning, and a player gets injured in a tie game (or the players of the injured team is losing, presumably on offense), and that team does not have any more timeouts, 10 seconds are run off the clock (see NFL rule). This is to prevent players from faking injuries to stop the clock and give a team an unfair advantage in driving for the last-second score.

The 10-second runoff due to an injured player on a team lacking timeouts might even be common knowledge, albeit a rare occurrence in the NFL today. However it can also be applied on some offensive procedural penalties. I say some because I used to think it was all until the Christmas night Cowboys/Cardinals game corrected my beliefs. To clarify, an offensive procedural penalty is something like a false start, two men in motion at the same time and not getting set, motion toward the line of scrimmage, too many men or not enough men on the line of scrimmage resulting in illegal formation. So prior to the Cowboys loss in the desert, I would have thought that any of these sort of penalties would result in a 10-second runoff if an offense was without a timeout, tied or trailing under two minutes in a half, to prevent the offensive from stopping the clock and absorbing a 5-yard hiccup of a penalty all to preserve time. It is for that reason exactly why when the Cardinals were able to spike the ball with 10 seconds left in the Christmas night game without being properly set on offense that the Cowboys bench thought they had won. That and, frankly, Jeff Triplett leaves much to be desired when it comes to portraying confidence in the calls he makes (the man looks so beaten down with every call, he makes Toby from "The Office" seem peppier than Oprah giving away cars to her audience).

You know the rest of that game, the Cardinals ended up with 10 seconds left on the clock from the time the ball was spiked, no runoff for not getting their offensive line set on that spike-play, and kicked the game-winning field goal on the next snap.

And that's not the first time this has happened in the NFL either.

Pony Pride

Immediately following the eyebrow-raising presentation of the Heisman Trophy to Auburn's Cam Newtom -- eyebrow-raising because of his father trying to shop him around to different SEC schools before he eventually settled in at Auburn -- ESPN aired PONY EXCE$$, a two hour film about SMU football's prominence in the early 1980s followed by their ultimate demise through the death penalty.

If you get a chance to watch the 30 for 30 film about Southern Methodist University receiving the harshest punishment in the history of the NCAA, I'd strongly recommend it. Growing up in Dallas, I always knew that SMU once dominated the football landscape and eventually suffered what my father always said was a punishment the NCAA would never dish out again. But I never fully understood the depth of what was happening on Mockingbird until last night's feature.

Some background...

Lane Kiffin returning to USC

The reports have just hit the airwaves that former USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will return to the Trojans as the successor to Pete Carroll as the program's next head coach. Kiffin is walking away from the University of Tennessee after one year as head coach in the SEC (with a 7-6 record). My initial reaction as Trojans fan and alum: I like it.

Consider the lack of options out there for the next coach of the program. Frankly my first choice would be Pete Carroll, followed by Pete Carroll, and then my emergency plan would be to hire Pete Carroll. Unfortunately that is not an option as he was introduced this morning as the next coach of the Seattle Seahawks. The Trojans made a play for Oregon State's Mike Riley. Then Jacksonville Jaguar head coach Jack Del Rio.

But with the announcement that Lane Kiffin will be named the next Trojans head coach, the USC faithful should be just as enthusiastic about the entourage that Kiffin brings with him from Tennessee. Former Tampa Bay Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is just as much a defensive guru as Carroll, and former Trojans recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron is coming back as well. Those three men have the ability to take the existing talent pool and run with it. More importantly, they can continue the recruiting life-blood of this program as Kiffin and Orgeron know the Southern California recruiting trails.

UPDATE 6:51pm: Norm Chow to return as offensive coordinator. This is the football equivalent of getting the band back together. Kiffin himself may not have a ton of experience, but with the staff of coaches he is building, the Trojans are going to be a force again atop the Pac-10 in 2010.

UPDATE #2 1/13/10: The latest reports say that USC AD Mike Garrett wants to pursue Norm Chow, but an agent for Chow told ESPN that there has not been any contact between the school and the current UCLA offensive coordinator.

Kiffin's tenure as offensive coordinator was a bright one at USC with the exception of not having Reggie Bush on the field on 4th and 2 against Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl.

To put into perspective what some of the current Trojans are thinking, he's a quote from Brice Butler, Trojans receiver, from an article about the news on ESPN's website:

Tailback Allen Bradford and Barkley were among the leaders who called a team meeting before the offseason conditioning program began Tuesday, while receiver Brice Butler and Barkley planned to call all of USC's prospective recruits to urge them to stick with the Trojans.

"I would just tell them what my dad told me: 'Don't commit because of a coach, because that can change,'" said Butler, who came to USC from Georgia. "You've got to commit because of a program, and this is USC."

Butler is right. This is USC, and this a program that is historically capable and destined to be elite. It has been in the past. Carroll resurrected it after a lull, and now Kiffin has been tabbed to carry the torch.

Despite lingering potential NCAA sanctions and violations allegations, Kiffin is ready to bring back his hot-shot offense to the Coliseum and give Traveler plenty of reason to run. For Trojans fans, they have plenty of reason for optimism. Kiffin can get the job done at USC, and we're about to see it happen.

Here's the official announcement from USC's website:

Carroll heading to "Starbucks Nation"

It seems the days of Pete Carroll running the USC Trojans football program are done. For years, Carroll has been courted by a half-dozen NFL teams in the past, but he hadn't ever been seriously offered a chance to run a franchise.

The Seattle Seahawks are reportedly giving him that chance. Five years, $35 million.

And while the last nine seasons of USC football have been some of the most prosperous - including seven straight Pac-10 titles and BCS bowl berths, three Heisman Trophy winners, two National Championships - it's hard to argue with Carroll's departure. It would have been great to have him become a Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden for USC, guiding this program for the next 20+ years with a strong national presence. But the right situation has evolved in Seattle, and Carroll has been looking for that situation since his last NFL head coaching stint in the 90s.

His enthusiasm revitalized a college football powerhouse starved for success. He energized the Cardinal and Gold, winning the AP National Championship in just his third year, and the BCS Championship in his fourth. The Carroll era at USC was by any definition a dynasty.

After Thursday's BCS Championship game, college football experts were ranking the preseason Top 5 teams, and USC was No. 4 or No. 5 on most every expert's list. People around college football know what Carroll is capable of, and they know the kind of talent he has stockpiled in Los Angeles. Returning this program to the top after an otherwise forgettable year under Carroll's standards wouldn't be too difficult a task. As long as the Trojans had Carroll, they'd be fine. And now, they don't have that.

Meyer's Remorse

It's a classic case of Buyer's Meyer's Remorse.

One day after Urban Meyer announced he would resign as head coach of Florida's football program at the end of this season, the two-time BCS Champion coach has changed his plea. His new plan: to return for the 2010 season after an indefinite leave of absence in the offseason. Perhaps the magnitude of his decision -- halting the sports world for 24 hours -- hit Meyer. Or perhaps the finality of resigning didn't sit well with him.

Most likely, the stresses of hitting the recruiting trail immediately after coaching in the Sugar Bowl weighed on his mind as he decided to resign, but his love of actual coaching, being on the field with his players and preparing for an upcoming game, proved to be the Siren Song that has lured back so many coaches.

It's why College Football is so tough. Consider Meyer's responsibilities -- as with any college football coach -- that require year-round attention:

Bowl Bastardization

Found this story on Yahoo! and had to pass it along regarding the absurdity of Bowl game names these days:

The Worst College Bowl Sponsors
By Rick Newman , On Friday December 18, 2009, 1:22 pm EST

The "Tostitos Fiesta Bowl." I can live with that. Chips. A party. Football. They go together.

But a lot of the other college bowls are horrific-sounding concoctions that George Orwell couldn't have dreamed up. The marketing geniuses who ink these sponsorship deals mainly care about just one thing--getting the corporate name in front of the masses. If there's a particular message or product they're trying to sell, they cram that into the name too. And why worry if it sounds like self-parody? Football fans, they assume, are probably too thick to notice.

So with the sponsorship season coming to a climax, here are some of the absurdities that will be tripping across the TV screen:

Gators should be thankful for Urban Meyer

With the news coming down yesterday that Florida football head coach Urban Meyer is stepping down due to health concerns, my immediate thought was that there had to be more to it. Perhaps some sort of scandal he was trying to dodge, or getting out from behind the fan before the shit hit.

But while my initial skepticism may be more a result of living in a world of sports scandals, perhaps this is a genuine example of a man who realizes the pressures of big-time college football coaching aren't worth cutting his life-expectancy in half.

Meyer says his health has become too great a concern to overlook anymore. And while Florida Gator fans might be upset to see him walk away after only five seasons with years and years left on his monster contract, those same fans should be grateful for what he did for Florida football over the last half-decade. Two BCS Championships later, Meyer walking away from the program is a lot more forgivable.

Perhaps this could begin a trend of coaches walking away from coaching sooner than the Bobby Bowden's of the world. It's no secret how tough a job it is to run a big-time college football program. But in a world where big football means big business and big money, coaches who earn millions of dollar are expected to deal with those stresses while still achieving on-field success.

Here's to hoping a coach like Urban Meyer can maintain his health while still finding a way to contribute to college football.

USC 13, UW 16: Who let the dogs out?

A week ago the USC Trojans were flying high on the wings of a true freshman quarterback after knocking off the Ohio State Buckeyes in front of 105,000 angry i-dotting maniacs. Fast forward from Columbus to Seattle, and a week later the Trojans crashed and burned against a team that went 0-12 a year ago. The Washington Huskies 16-13 upset of the No. 3 USC Trojans is yet another example of a current Trojan team riding the same cocky wave that none of the most recent SC squads were truly worthy of.

Think about the 2003 USC Trojans, which were coming off a Pac-10 title behind Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Carson Palmer and defensive standout Troy Polamalu. The season began with high expectations, but no one knew just how high. Training camp saw a QB battle between a handful of untesteds: Matt Leinart, John David Booty and Matt Cassel. The first game was a 23-0 win at Auburn. SC got out to a 3-0 start to the season before one bad half of football cost them the game at Cal, the lone loss of a split National Title season.

The next two years saw the Trojans go on one of college football's most impressive runs in recent history, dominating all opponents in their path in 2004 en route to a 55-19 Orange Bowl win over the heavily-favored Oklahoma Sooners for the BCS Championship. Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart announced he would return to SC for his fifth year, and it was a forgone conclusion that USC would win a third straight National Title in 2005. That year, Trojans Bush-pushed their way past Notre Dame in a game that frankly lead to the aura of invincibility that surrounds this USC program.

Frankly, there was no way they should have beaten Notre Dame, but Dwayne Jarrett's big catch-and-run on 4th and 9 put the Trojans in position to win it on the final play of the game. Two and a half months later, the Trojans were seconds away from defeating Texas in the Rose Bowl before Vince Young stole the show and the BCS Championship running to his right, cutting the corner of the end zone and snapping the Trojans' 34-game winning streak. When the year ended, Leinart, Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, LenDale White and many others left for the NFL, but that aura remained - for better or worse.

USC carries itself with that aura of invincibility into each game. They have for years. Maybe that's how they've been able to squeak out several close-calls in recent years while only suffering a handful of loses. Or the loses to Oregon State and UCLA in 2006, Stanford and Oregon in 2007, and Oregon State in 2008 displayed that the Trojans walk around with falsely-deserved confidence that is simply lingering around from those National Title seasons of 2003 and 2004.

But now, counting Matt Barkley and Aaron Corp, the Trojans are four quarterbacks removed from Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer. They are three offensive coordinators removed from the days of Norm Chow. Yes, it is still Pete Carroll's team, but the true elements that helped him build a dynasty - and make no mistake, seven straight Pac-10 titles is a dynasty - are no longer in the Cardinal and Gold, and it's consistently catching up to the Trojans.

Remember the 2004 Trojans, the "Leave No Doubt" Trojans? They did just that. They left NO doubt. It was undeniable the talent on that squad and what they were going to do week in and week out. Fast forward to the recent Trojans teams, and we see doubt all across the USC program. Starting QB Matt Barkley is hurt, and Aaron Corp just set back the Trojans passing game 15 years. The highly touted "stable" of running backs just put the ball on the turf four times on Saturday. Defensive jedi Taylor Mays missed a game with an injury for the first time in his career, and the defense on the field allowed the Huskies to march down the field for the winning field goal. The Trojans lost the turnover battle, 3-0, and went 0-for-10 on 3rd downs while the Huskies were nearly 50% on 3rd down conversions.

Doubt!

Lots and lots of doubt.

Now USC may bounce right back and go on to win the rest of its games just like last year's squad. The 2008 Trojans and quarterback Mark Sanchez finished the year with a very respectable Rose Bowl win over Penn State and a record seventh Pacific-10 Conference title. Great. The Trojans missed out on a National Title shot, and frankly that's part of the beauty of college football's lack of a playoff. Can you balance on the high wire for the entire fall, or will you do just that, fall? The Trojans have slipped up enough in recent years to miss out on return trips to the BCS Championship game.

Perhaps a loss to Washington will be damaging enough to cost the Trojans a title shot even if they salvage the rest of their season and win out. Easier said than done. Perhaps the Trojans can bounce back and put together a strong enough season to contend for the Pac-10 title and a BCS berth. Or perhaps this is just another example of an aura of greatness still lingering around a program that has long since lost much of the magic.

Another Texas Triumph

In a few days, the Oklahoma Sooners will take the field in an attempt to win a second BCS National Championship under coach Bob Stoops. Stoops has had no trouble getting his team into the championship game, but he's struggled to close the deal in recent years (see 55-19 vs USC and 21-14 vs LSU). But while OU continues to struggle through their BCS bowl games, its rival six hours south along I-35 is celebrating yet another big BCS win, a win that could easily give the Longhorns a shot at a split national championship this season.

Yesterday's Fiesta Bowl was simply the third installment of Longhorn's deja vu. We've seen this game before. Twice before, actually.

Texas put together a thrilling last-minute drive to overtake Ohio State, 24-21, in the Fiesta Bowl. The Longhorns are now 3-0 in BCS games. Texas has put together three come-from-behind thrilling wins to earn each BCS Bowl victory.

Side note: Perhaps the Ohio State University should be banned from BCS Bowl games until they can win a lower level game like the Capital One Bowl. At least this time they weren't the sacrificial lambs to an SEC championship slaughter.

In 2004, the Longhorns earned a berth in the Rose Bowl against Michigan on New Years Day 2005. The Vinsanity began as Vince Young ran wild and Dusty Mangum kicked Texas past Michigan as the clock expired. No one will ever forget VY's return to the Granddaddy of Them All one year later against USC for the BCS title. Another last-minute drive. Another thrilling victory.

The least surprising aspect of the win: Mack Brown politicking for a share of a national championship after the game. Yes, Texas beat OU. And yes, I believe that Texas should probably have been in the BCS title game over OU based on their head-to-head win in the Red River Rivalry Shootout. But frankly, there's not much the Longhorns can do about it.

Look at USC. The Trojans plastered the Big Ten champion Penn State Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl, 38-24, in a game that only looks like it was "respectable" because the Trojans dominant defense let off the gas down the stretch allowing two meaningless Penn State touchdowns. After the game, Trojans coach Pete Carroll said that he thought USC was the best team in the country.

Oh, wait. What about Utah, the nation's only undefeated team and champions of the Sugar Bowl?

The fact of the matter is the system is flawed, but there isn't a clear-cut simple solution. I know, I know, put in a playoff. And don't get me wrong, I've argued for a playoff in the past. I've even tried to design a playoff model. But I have yet to see one that is actually doable. Do you shorten the regular season? Do you keep the kids out of an extra few weeks of classes to play? What about the fans who'd travel to the game? And can you really turn different bowl games into "semifinals" without cheapening the meaning of winning the bowl game itself?

I'm not saying there will never be a playoff, but what is the simple solution? The answer is that there isn't one. So for now, it's Florida and Oklahoma for the national championship. Texas got screwed this year. But it's no worse than Auburn going undefeated but not having a seat at the table while USC and OU battled for the championship in the Orange Bowl a few years back. The only reason Texas has a case is because they did actually play a head to head game against OU, unlike any other case in recent memory.

And yet, Texas can only sit back and hope voters make them national champions. There's nothing more the Longhorns can do. And because of that, let's stop all the campaigning.

Weekend Quickhits

The Cowboys and Steelers are just a few hours of renewing a rivalry between two of the most historic teams in the NFL.  And as I sit on my couch eating my coconut-topped cake donut and small hot chocolate from the place down the street, there's a few thoughts I need to get out from this past week in sports.

+  Watching the USC game last night, did anyone else chuckle at the awkward silence following the back-to-back uniform-induced timeouts to start the game? With Mike Patrick and Todd Blackledge calling the game for ABC/ESPN, and as the referee announced the timeouts (for the home jersey followed by UCLA's voluntary timeout), here's how it went down:

(Flag thrown)

Referee: "Failure to wear required equipment. By the kicking team. That is a violation. That is a charged timeout. The first of the half by USC. Charged timeout, UCLA, their first of the half. Those will run concurrently. 30 second timeout"

Mike Patrick: "Sounds like the O.J. sentencing."

(silence for my count of 7-Mississippi)

+ I wonder if NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wakes up each morning and gets some sort of national security style briefing like the President does, except Bettman's contains a report on who call whose girlfriend a slut. As much as I think the Stars will be better off without Avery, sort of an addition by subtraction, and that's simply based on what everyone in that locker room is saying, I do think this whole league-imposed suspension is a grown-up version of the middle school assistant principle sending a kid to detention for name-calling.

If the Stars really didn't like what he said, they could have suspended him before the league did, but that wasn't going to happen. If Dallas is really serious about moving on without Avery, they should follow the lead of the NFL's Eagles and Buccaneers when those teams deactivated receivers Terrell Owens and Keyshawn Johnson. Both teams followed Super Bowl seasons, and both teams decided that their high-priced headaches weren't worth it. The Stars, coming off a successful season, might just want to get rid of this name caller. Gawsh!

+ Cowboys are playing the Steelers today without Marion Barber and a questionable DeMarcus Ware on a cold, blustery day in Pittsburgh. If weather could ever truly describe a city, today might be the perfect Pittsburgh day. Chance of snow, Wind chill in single digits. And the only people nuts enough to go outside at all today will be the 65,050 at Heinz Field. With a healthy Barber and Ware, the Cowboys could take down Pittsburgh, but without these two Pro Bowlers, could we see the resurrection of the Steel Curtain? The Cowboys offense better find a spark with Tashard Choice or hope that there's a Doomsday revival on the other side of the ball.

+ Oh, Canada! Today the Buffalo Bills are playing their first "home" game in Toronto, the NFL's first ever game in Canada. We saw a Cardinal/49ers regular season game in Mexico a few years ago. Now the NLF is invading the Great White North. I understand playing in Mexico and England, but Canada has the CFL. Grey Cup enthusiasts will be plenty upset aboot these hosers, eh. All three other major pro sports in the US have Canadian-based teams (although technically, I'd argue the NHL is really Canada's league that we're allowed to play in), and now the NFL is beginning it's move to embrace the Canucks. Goofy-looking 20-yard end zones not required.

+ Did the Mavericks find a useful player in J.J. Barea. He put together solid games against the Clippers, Suns and Hawks, and the Mavs are rolling along at 11-8 now. It's still only good for 7th in the West, but it's a great improvement from 2-7. All without Josh Howard, by the way. Now if they can just take care of Mark Cuban's kindergarden haircut, they'll be great.

+ The GBL made Rickey Henderson a $1M offer to go into the Hall of Fame as a San Diego Surf Dawg. Some league critics on message boards are upset that a league that history doesn't spend a lot of money would solicit Rickey for seven-figures. And that's the genius of it all. Because the Hall of Fame has the final say on which cap a player wears into the HOF, the league knows the possibility of Rickey as a Surf Dawg is virtually none, while the publicity generated is virtually a lot.

+ I tried to get through this week without talking about this, but I just can't. I'm weak. But how the heck does a world class athlete shoot himself in the freakin leg?! I swear, carrying a gun in your sweatpants. Plaxico Burress could lose up to $27M in salary and spend years behind bars. Doesn't make Terrell Owens look so bad now, huh?

+ Obligatory mention of Manny Pacquiao defeating Oscar De La Hoya. I don't care. Moving on.

+ Looks like the college football national championship will go down between Oklahoma and Florida, a pair of one-loss teams, but the Rose Bowl match up between USC and Penn State should be just as good. Penn State runs the spread, while USC has been led by a defense that gave up 93 points on the season. Oh, and these two teams have just one loss each as well. The BCS title will be decided in Miami, but the best game of the BCS Bowls will be played in Pasadena.

+ Finally, speaking of BCS Championship games, we're seen plenty more blowouts than close, amazing games. Here's some of the recent bloodlettings in the title game:

Blowouts
2007-08: LSU 38, Ohio State 24 - enough OSU
2006-07: Florida 41, Ohio State 14 - so much for being undefeated
2004-05: USC 55, Oklahoma 19 - OU was supposed to roll; rolled over instead
2003-04: LSU 21, Oklahoma 14 - not as close as 7 point difference
2001-02: Miami 37, Nebraska 14
2000-01: Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2
Nail-biters
2005-06: Texas 41, USC 38
2002-03: Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2OT)

Happy football watching today. I'll be back Monday with some thoughts on the Cowboys-Steelers, providing I don't repeatedly slam my head into a wall during this match up.

BCS predictions: Big XII South

Before I step out the door to get to Texas Stadium, I wanted to sling around some BCS predictions. The latest results will be in by the time I get back, so we can then all laugh at just how wrong I was. After Saturday night's blow out in Norman, the Sooners have created a mess atop the BCS. Here's how I believe things will shake out at the top today:

1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Texas Tech
6. USC
7. Utah
.....

How to determine who gets the nod between Texas, Texas Tech, OU in the Big XII South:

In the head to head, they are all 1-1 with Tech beating Texas, Texas beating OU and OU beating Tech. Round and round we go. So, factors:

OU lost on a neutral field by 10 points in mid-October. And I've been to the UT-OU games before, and YES they are legitimately played on a neutral field. Save it. Oklahoma just beat the nation's #2 team, 327-21 (approximate score). OU's non-conference schedule might be weak (Chattanooga, Cincinnati, @Washington, No. 24 TCU), but when you have to play so many top teams all within your conference, I could ordinarily overlook that. Now, because it's come down to this tie, we'll have to see how the other non-conference opponents of Texas and Tech stack up.

Texas lost to Tech the first weekend of November on essentially the final play of the game on the road. Non-conference schedule included Florida Atlantic, @UTEP, Arkansas and Rice. Only one game left, at home against Texas A&M. Watch for UT to try to hang 100 on the Aggies to impress voters.

Texas Tech didn't do itself any favors losing the way they did. Yes it was on the road where Bob Stoops is virtually unbeatable in Norman (only lost there twice ever). Was a darling Cinderella this season, but carriage is once again a pumpkin after getting demolished 42-7 ... in the first half. Non-conference schedule includes: Eastern Washington, @Nevada, SMU, Massachusetts. Uh oh. That won't help.

Of these three, Texas should probably be the highest ranked of them all based on all that evidence, but considering that OU's loss was the least recent, OU just destroyed Tech by an embarrassing margin, and that Texas was off this week, the Sooners will easily jump them. Late season losses are always more devastating than early-season struggles, and that favors the Sooners.

The BCS will be the deciding factor of which of these three teams plays in the Big XII championship game. Frankly, I think that is a horrible tie-breaker (prepare for a lot of public outrage after the standings are released and two schools begin the "flawed system" arguments), but it's the only tie-breaker they have, so it'll have to do.

Wreck 'em?
Hook 'em?
Not likely.

Boomer Sooner lives.

Obama needs to back off playoff push

President-elect Barack Obama is continuing his college football playoff rhetoric, and frankly, this is none of his damn business. Don't get me wrong, I think there's a lot of good that Obama will accomplish as president, but in no way should he be poking around with how college football decides its national champion.

Obama first talked about how he'd like to see a playoff instead of the current BCS system on his Monday Night Football appearance the night before the election. Now he's talking about this on 60 Minutes.

"If you've got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner. We should be creating a playoff system," he tells CBS' Steve Kroft in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

According to Obama's proposed system, eight teams would play over three rounds to settle the national champion.

"It would add three extra weeks to the season," he said at the conclusion of a wide-ranging interview. "You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do."

Thanks for trying to do the right thing, President Obama, but I've always felt that sports and politics are a lot like church and state: they need to be separated.

I've been a major BCS-antagonist, especially since USC was left out of the 2004 Sugar Bowl after finishing the 2003 season ranked No. 1 in both human polls. During last season's unset-filled college football season, I even thought that perhaps a 12-team playoff was the answer. But regardless of what the answer is, the responsibility to find that answer is not President-elect Obama's. This is a man who is taking over a country in what we're told is the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression. We're in two wars. The general attitude is "things are bad," and Obama wants to work on - what? - the college football crisis? Get real.

I realize that this isn't on the top of his priority list. And I know that this is probably just talk from a politician coming off a high of winning the office of the President. But leave the college football playoff talk to those equipped to handle it.

The government does a lot to try to get involved with the sports realm. Congress held hearing on steroids in baseball. The Mitchell Report. How about a meeting over the cruelty of the personal seat license? Or $115 hockey tickets? Or $75 parking passes at NFL games?

If the government wanted to help sports fans, they've somehow find a way to limit the monster contracts that teams pay out and would find a way to get that savings passed along to the fans. I'd much rather be able to afford to see my favorite teams play than have the comfort of knowing the national champion in college football was 100 percent legitimate.

President-elect Obama, congratulations, you won. Heck, you even had my vote (I know, after all this ranting, you wouldn't have guessed that, would you?). But please don't think that people like me voted you into office so you could change college football. And frankly if anyone would vote for a candidate based on that issue, it probably would have been me. Just stick to solving the other problems that our country is facing.

As far as determining who should play for college football's national championship, that really seems more like a "second-term" issue for you to handle.

How USC can still make the BCS Championship

Let the college football world scoff at USC's 17-3 win over Cal at the Coliseum this weekend. Coach Carroll isn't trying to impress anyone. The only problem is he really needs to if the Trojans are going to gain ground in a tight BCS race with only four weeks of football left before bowl season.

When a team from the SEC wins 17-3, it's a defensive struggle. Real, old-school, hard-nosed football. The way the game was meant to be played. If it's a Pac-10 team that wins 17-3, it's offensively offensive. Ugly. But don't ask Pete Carroll about style points.

The Trojans defense once again held their opponent without a touchdown - the fifth time they've done so this season - and improved their defensive points-per-game average to 6.0. Six?! With that kind of defense, you can win some football games.

Speaking of the number 6, that's now USC's place in the latest BCS rankings (one spot lower than they were on Oct. 19 when the initial BCS rankings came out). While the Trojans are not technically in the drivers seat in the Pac-10 (and they zero help from less-than-useless UCLA against Oregon State), their national championship hopes are currently being gashed by a slew of teams - most of which are from the same division - who refuse to lose, even to each other.

As the college football season dwindles down, the USC Trojans' slim chance of making the BCS Championship gained a sliver of hope with Penn State's loss to Iowa. One BCS trend remains: late season losses means less likeliness of a title game berth.

The current BCS rankings now have:
1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Texas
4. Florida
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Penn State
9. Boise State
10. Georgia

So how can USC reach one of those all-important top two spots in the BCS?

Well, let's look at the remaining schedules of the teams ahead of USC and find out what, if any, hope the Trojans have.

Alabama
11/15 - Mississippi State
11/29 - Auburn
12/6 - vs. No. 4 Florida

After killing Mississippi State, Bama plays Auburn in a tough rivalry game, but with the game at Alabama, I have to assume the Tide rolls. That leaves only a match up with No. 4 Florida in the SEC Championship, where a win would put either team in the BCS Championship game.

Texas Tech
11/22 - @ No. 5 Oklahoma
11/29 - Baylor

If the Red Raiders beat Oklahoma in Norman, a rare accomplishment for any Big XII team, all they will have to do is dollop the icing on their BCS cake with a win in Lubbock over Baylor. Beat OU, and Tech can book their plane tickets. Lose to OU, and doesn't that open the door for the Sooners before the Trojans? Yes, there will be the formality of the Big XII Championship game in cold, cold Kansas City against an angry Missouri team, but Tech already beat them 56-31. While that game will be much closer to Tiger territory, a Tech loss would only muddy the BCS waters instead of clearing a path for USC.

Texas
11/15 - @ Kansas
11/27 - Texas A&M

This isn't last year's Jayhawks. With Kansas no longer among the nation's Top 25 teams, Texas has no more ranked teams to impress pollsters. The Longhorns nearly survived the toughest stretch of a schedule (facing #6, #11, #6 and #7 in back-to-back-to-back-to-back weeks), losing to Tech in Lubbock. A Texas loss gives USC room to move up, but if Texas wins out, they still would finish ahead of USC in the BCS, and rightfully so. The lone Texas loss was to the now-No. 2 team in the nation.

Florida
11/15 - No. 25 South Carolina
11/22 - Citadel
11/29 - @ No. 19 Florida State
12/6 - vs. No. 1 Alabama

The Gators have one of the tougher finishes to their regular season. Still two regular-season ranked opponents before a conference title game with No. 1 Alabama. While Florida is currently playing some of the best football in the nation (they've blown out then-No. 4 LSU and then-No. 6 Georgia this year), if they falter against "other USC" or FSU and then beat Alabama to win the SEC, that would most likely eliminate all SEC teams from a BCS title berth. It's not likely, but possible.

Oklahoma
11/22 - No. 2 Texas Tech
11/29 - @ No. 13 Oklahoma State

The Sooner can catapult themselves right back into the thick of things with a home win over the Red Raiders in two weeks. Both teams have an off week to prepare for the game. OU can cause problems for the Big XII by beating Tech to create a three-way tie between OU, Tech and Texas for the Big XII South title. With three one-loss teams, all losing to each other, and all currently ahead of the Trojans, that still doesn't open the doors for USC. Okie State will give the Sooners their toughest test in this rivalry in recent memory. An OSU wins would have major ramifications for the Trojans waiting in the wings.

USC
11/15 - @ Stanford
11/29 - Notre Dame
12/6 - @ UCLA

Two winnable Pac-10 games left, both on the road. A home game in the school's second-biggest rivalry against the Fighting Irish. USC needs to win out and win big. While Coach Carroll has said he doesn't want to play for style points, three big blow outs to end the season can't hurt his squad. If USC runs the table to go 11-1, here's what they'd "realistically" need to happen to get into the BCS Championship...

11/15
No. 1 Alabama beats Mississippi State
Kansas beats No. 3 Texas
No. 4 Florida beats No. 25 South Carolina
No. 6 USC beats Stanford

RESULTS: Kansas win over Texas gives Longhorns a second loss, ending their run at a national title and dropping them below USC.
1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. USC

11/22
No. 2 Texas Tech beats No. 5 Oklahoma
No. 3 Florida beats Citadel

RESULTS: Oklahoma earns its second loss of the year, effectively eliminating the Sooners from national championship contention. The top of the BCS would look as follows:
1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech**
3. Florida
4. USC
**(slight chance Tech could jump Bama with big win @OU, but it's still meaningless as long as you're in the top 2)

11/27
Texas vs. Texas A&M no long has any bearing on National Championship picture

11/29
No. 1 Alabama beats Auburn
No. 2 Texas Tech beats Baylor
Florida State beats No. 3 Florida
No. 4 USC beats Notre Dame
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State no longer matters as each team would have two losses

RESULTS: The biggest piece of USC's championship puzzle desperately depends on Florida losing a game between now, the second weekend of November, and the SEC Championship game. If a two-loss Florida team makes it to the SEC championship, the Trojans are in business. Alabama is playing well enough to not get tripped up, even by a big rivalry game. The BCS standings would now appear:
No. 1 Alabama
No. 2 Texas Tech
No. 3 USC

12/6
SEC Championship: Florida beats No. 1 Alabama
Big XII Championship: No. 2 Texas Tech beats Missouri
No. 3 USC beats UCLA

RESULTS: Tech wraps up the Big XII in a nice and neat fashion, leaving no doubt who should be in a BCS Bowl (unlike last year when OU beat Missouri to earn a BCS Bowl bid and bouncing 1-loss Mizzou from the BCS all together). Florida wins the SEC, and Alabama is ousted from title-game contention (unless they earn a spot like Oklahoma in '03, which went to the BCS Championship game over USC despite not winning their own conference). USC would then be the effective "last man standing" to face off against Texas Tech in the BCS Championship.

It's not simple, and it's not probable, but the Trojans still cling the life in the BCS. If it's going to happen, that's how it'll go down. If not, USC can take solace that they will probably find themselves playing in another Rose Bowl, their seventh straight BCS Bowl appearance. Oh, what a pitty.

BCS may stink, but so does USC loss at Oregon State

It's no secret the BCS is, um, embattled. And usually, I'm at the front of the line to criticize the system over and over (and over and over). It's been a hard season watching the USC Trojans, widely considered a preseason favorite to reach the championship game (btw, that sounds familiar), continue to slide in the polls each week after trouncing opponents. And while Pete Carroll recently said he doesn't understand the system and thinks it stinks, the Trojans have no one to blame except themselves. And Oregon State.

The formula for USC was a simple one: undefeated season = BCS title berth. The Trojans slipped in Corvallis, and now would need some serious help to make the title game. Heck, they still need the Beavers to lose to win their own conference. I agree with Carroll that the system stinks, but let me explain to coach Carroll - from the perspective of a very pro-Trojans blogger - why USC is falling. It's actually quite simple.

BCS Standings Week 1:

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Penn State
4. Oklahoma
5. USC
6. Oklahoma State
7. Georgia
8. Texas Tech
9. Ohio State
10. Florida

USC started out fifth in the initial BCS standings behind three undefeated teams as well as 1-loss Oklahoma, who lost to No. 1 Texas. The Trojans also got the nod ahead of undefeateds Oklahoma State and Texas Tech largely based on reputation.

BCS Standings Week 2:

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Penn State
4. Oklahoma
5. USC
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Florida
9. Oklahoma State
10. Utah

The Top 5 remained unchanged with everyone winning. Florida jumped two spots with another SEC win over Kentucky, but mainly because the Oklahoma State loss to No. 1 Texas dropped the Cowboys down a few spots. The Trojans remained ahead of still undefeated Texas Tech after the Red Raiders defeated their only ranked opponent of the season so far (No. 23 Kansas). While USC clung to a 17-10 win at Arizona, the Trojans remained No. 5 in the BCS thanks to a jump from No. 10 to No. 6 in computer average.

BCS Standings Week 3:

1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Penn State
4. Texas
5. Florida
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. Utah
9. Oklahoma State
10. Boise State

USC falls two BCS spots despite a 56-0 win over a doormat Washington team. Why? Because Texas Tech who had been camped out behind the Trojans with an undefeated record beat No. 1 Texas, catapulting them to the front of the line for a BCS title game berth. Texas remained in near the top with their only loss being to the new No. 1 team - the same way Oklahoma stayed near the top two weeks earlier with their only loss being to the No. 1 team. The Trojans were also leapfrogged by Florida who stomped SEC preseason favorite Georgia, sending the Bulldogs into a free fall from No. 6 to No. 13 in the BCS.

While the eyeball test says Florida is playing better than almost every other team out there, the eyeball test also suggests that USC is killing crappy opponents. The argument has always been that USC can't control their conference schedule. They aren't playing in a mid-major. They're in a BCS conference (then again, where are any contenders from the ACC or Big East?) and schedule a competitive non-conference slate. But look at their one loss compared to other 1-loss teams.

USC's loss:
21-27 at Oregon State
Oregon State record: 5-3 (4-1 Pac 10)
USC strength of schedule (to date according to cbssports.com): 62
Oregon State strength of schedule: 45

Texas's loss:
33-39 at (7) Texas Tech
Texas Tech record: 9-0 (5-0 Big XII)
Texas strength of schedule: 1
Texas Tech strength of schedule: 26

Florida's loss:
30-31 vs. Mississippi
Mississippi's record: 5-4 (3-3 SEC)
Florida's strength of schedule: 13
Mississippi's strength of schedule: 11

Oklahoma's loss:
35-45 vs. (5) Texas (neutral site)
Texas's record: 8-1 (4-1 Big XII)
Oklahoma's strength of schedule: 12
Texas's strength of schedule: 1

Oklahoma State:
24-28 at (1) Texas
Texas's record: 8-1 (4-1 Big XII)
Oklahoma State's strength of schedule: 64
Texas's strength of schedule: 1

Perhaps this is just a case of the Big XII South being so good so early that they'll all eventually go away when they finish playing each other, or perhaps the Big XII South is the SEC of 2006 or 2007. But just watching these teams, it's easy to see they are good. Really good.

Watching USC, it's easy to tell that they are very good as well. But it's even more evident that the teams they are playing bad. Really, really bad.

The Trojans just beat Washington, 56-0, which would be great if Washington had perhaps won a friggen game so far this season. But USC hasn't even put up the most points against the Huskies. It was sixth loss by at least 21 points that Washington has suffered this season.

The previous week, USC edged Arizona, 17-10, the same team that lost to New Mexico. Ooh, but the Wildcats did beat Idaho and Toledo. Impressive.

The Trojans embarrassed Wasington State in Pullman, 69-0. Wow, they just killed them. Or they were the fourth team in the conference to score 60+ on the Cougars. Cal (66-3), Oregon (63-14) and Oregon State (66-13) all kicked the Cougars teeth in. So USC's 69-0 loss doesn't look too cool anymore.

Arizona State failed to score against USC, falling 28-0 at the Coliseum. Yes, but the Sun Devils haven't won since September 6 and are currently in the middle of a healthy six-game losing streak. (Washington is not impressed)

So while USC is killing these teams, there isn't much they can do except continue to systematically exterminate the rest of the Pacific 10 conference and hope that somewhere along the way Oregon State falters. At that point, USC can make the Rose Bowl and face off against probably an undefeated Penn State team, giving the nation what could be considered an amazing BCS Bowl season.

National Championship Game:
Alabama vs. Texas Tech in a battle of unbeaten teams

National Championship Game 1a:
USC vs. Penn State in Joe Paterno's last hurrah of a season

But if Oregon State doesn't drop a game and they do win the Pac 10 conference and Rose Bowl berth, USC won't be able to blame the BCS. Teams that don't win their conference shouldn't play for the national title (are you listening 2003 Oklahoma? -- yes I'm still bitter). Same applies to the Men of Troy. And if USC thinks that stinks, I'd be afraid to ask Coach Carroll's opinion of the Holiday Bowl.

---------------------------

Just for fun, some captions from the USC/Washington game:

"Isn't there a mercy rule?"

"wweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

"You're winning by thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much."

McCoy should learn from Leinart

On the eve of what could very well be the highest scoring game in recent college football (Texas @ Texas Tech), let's reflect on the recent decision by Longhorns starting quarterback Colt McCoy to declare he's returning to Austin next fall for his senior season. So let's kick around the question that plagues so many collegiate junior football stars:

Stay in college or turn pro early?

Colt McCoy is currently quarterbacking the nation's top team. Texas is scoring at will against all opponents and against a porous pass defense like Texas Tech, McCoy might throw for 12 TDs this Saturday (and based on Graham Harrell's ability against Texas's similarly flawed pass defense, McCoy might need to).

And he has valiantly proclaimed he'll be back in Texas instead of in an NFL locker room next fall. Much rejoicing in Austin indeed. Much like the cheers in Los Angeles when USC's Heisman-winning quarterback decided to pass up the opportunity to be the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and returned for a his senior year.

When Leinart announced he would return to USC in January 2005, the USC fight song started playing in my head. Dreams of an unprecedented third straight national championship filled my mind. I didn't agree with Leinart's decision, but as a USC fan, I loved it.

Here we are in the middle of the 2008 NFL season, and it's clear Leinart is not better off for remaining one extra year in the college football ranks.

Had the USC QB entered the 2004 NFL Draft after guiding the Trojans to an Orange Bowl route over Oklahoma to clinch the national championship, Leinart would have most certainly been the No. 1 overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers. Instead, San Fran drafted Alex Smith, signing him to a six-year, $49 million contract which included $24 million guaranteed. One year later after losing the national championship game to Texas and Vince Young, Leinart was drafted No. 10 by the Arizona Cardinals, receiving a six-year $51 million contract with $14 million guaranteed.

Leinart was also the very last member of his draft class to finally sign his contract. Basically, he thought he was worth his 2005 value. Well, as we all know in looking at today's economy, sometimes stocks can go down.

Now, realize Leinart didn't bomb out. He still received a good contract, and he'll take over the reigns in Arizona next season as Kurt Warner will retire at the end of the year. Both Leinart and Smith have dealt with season-ending injuries and being replaced as starters in their young careers. Leinart will still more than likely be a better pro than Smith. But Leinart could have been the beginning of a great overhaul in San Francisco that restored that franchise to the top of the ranks. Instead, here we are in 2008, three years into Leinart's career.

Maybe next year Matt will contribute. And maybe while he is, Colt McCoy will be in the NFL along with him, where he belongs.

College Football: What a weak

The chaos began Thursday night in Corvalis, Ore., when unranked Oregon State upset No. 1 USC in a game that made me physically sick.  Forget the fact that Pac-10 officials can't properly determine a horse collar tackle (trust me, I have seen Roy Williams' entire Dallas Cowboy career, so I'm practically an expert), and ignore the fact that USC Offensive Coordinate Steve Sarkisian was trying to do his best Houston Nutt impression.  Oregon State flat out came prepared to face the nation's near-consensus top team.

The Trojans (now 2-1) now have a painstakingly difficult road to the national championship - let alone a BCS Bowl.  Of course, winning the conference title earns an automatic BCS berth, however the Trojans - participants in six straight BCS Bowls - would rather play in the big game.

But the Trojans left Reser stadium with not only a loss of their stranglehold on the top spot and inside track to the title game, but also without all-universe linebacker Rey Maualuga.  And now, with today's slate of Saturday games unwinding, the Trojans could find themselves slipping even further thanks to a schedule full of teams that have about as much consistency as jello.

Here's a quick look at the teams on USC's schedule and how they are doing today and this season:

Virginia (W 52-7) ... Record 1-3
Lost to Duke - yes, that Duke - almost as badly as they lost to the Trojans.  The Blue Devils demolished Virginia, 31-3, dropping the Cavaliers to 1-3 on the season.

(5) Ohio State (W 35-3) ...  Record 4-1
Thank goodness for The Ohio State University.  After the Trojans rolled the Beanie-less Buckeyes, OSU has put together consecutive double-digit wins (albeit over Troy and Big Ten bottom-feeder Minnesota) to improve to 4-1.  Next week, the Buckeyes travel to conference foe and (as of now) No. 9 Wisconsin.  If both USC and Ohio State finish the season with one-loss each, the Trojans will get the nod before the Buckeyes to go to the BCS title game.  It would be a much simpler process if it weren't for...

Oregon State (L 27-21) ... Record 2-2
...dam Beavers.  They played a great game Thursday, giving USC its standard "how did this happen?" loss of the season (see Cal '03, UCLA '06, Stanford '07).  The Beavers (2-2) will no doubt launch into the Top 25 this week, right before next week's date with ranked Utah in Utah.  Time for the Beavers to help USC's cause by proving the Pac-10's collective strength over a ranked team.

As for the teams USC has to look forward to...

Oregon (10/4) ... Record 3-1
Last week's loss at home to Boise State doesn't help the already image-conscious Pacific-10.  The Ducks finished non-conference play 2-1.  Currently leading the Cougars in Pullman, Wash.

Arizona State (10/11) ... Record 2-2
The Sun Devils are taking the week off after hosting preseason No. 1 Georgia.  ASU lost to the Bulldogs, 27-10, but give them credit for taking on a top team.  Their 2-1 non-conference record should gives the conference a boost, which is good considering the likes of...

Washington State (10/18) ... Record 1-3
...conference doormat Washington State.  Non-conference schedule includes blowouts to Big XII embarrassments Oklahoma State and Baylor.  If not for the Cougars 48-9 thrashing of Portland State (Portland is a state?), Wazzu would be winless in 2008.  With one more non-conference game to go (Nov 29 at Hawaii), don't expect anything Wazzu does to benefit the Pac-10's image.

Arizona (10/25) ... Record 3-1
Non-conference record of 2-1 includes a 70-0 win over Idaho (geez, USC didn't even beat them that badly last season) and  a 41-16 win against Toledo.  Zona did fall at New Mexico.  The Wildcats have been a tricky team the past few seasons, but 2008 will depend on they handle the teams they should beat - the same teams they've had trouble with in past years.

Washington (11/1) ... Record 0-3
Yes, they haven't won yet in 2008.  Two non-conference losses to then-No. 15 BYU and then-No. 3 Oklahoma didn't make things easy for the Huskies.  It's realistic for UW to pick up a non-conference win when Notre Dame comes calling on Oct. 25.  Decent chance to get a win tonight hosting Stanford, but definitely not a sure thing.

California (11/8) ... Record 2-1
Currently winning at home over Colorado State.  Traditionally a strong team nationally, but a loss to Maryland while being ranked No. 23 pushed them back outside the Top 25.  Eh?

Stanford (11/15) ... Record 2-2
Two wins at home.  Two losses on the road.  Surprisingly, the Cardinal opened the season with a win over this week's stunning Oregon State Beavers.  Look for the Cardinal to win again tonight at Washington.

Notre Dame (11/29) ... Record 3-1
Today's win over Purdue actually made the Fighting Irish seem like a football team.  The Irish play three Pac-10 teams this season including USC.  But if ND finishes the year ranked - yeah, I'm in shock that it's possible too - don't be too surprised.  Other than USC, the Fighting Irish may not play another ranked team in 2008.

UCLA (12/6) ... Record 1-3
As if the Washington schools weren't doing enough to hurt the image of the Pacific-10 conference!  Another loss today, this time to No. 25 Fresno State at home in the Rose Bowl.  After a brilliant overtime win over then-No. 18 Tennessee to open the season, the Bruins fell hard in a 59-0 groin-kicking loss at then-No. 18 BYU.  In all fairness, UCLA has had the most consistently tough schedule of any Pac-10 team to start the season (three ranked opponents in their first four games).  That sparkling win over Tennessee is ever-more appearing as a glaring aberration than the standard in Westwood.  My good friend Ed Hart summed it up best: Tough week to be a Trojan. Tough year to be a Bruin.

As for the rest of college football, USC is getting help across the nation as other top teams are struggling.  Here's a look at notable games already in the books today...

(4) Florida lost to unranked Ole Miss, 31-30 in the swamp

Michigan dropped No. 9 Wisconsin, 27-25, at the Big House

Navy (goes without saying they are unranked) wins at No. 16 Wake Forest, 24-17

No. 15 Auburn barely held on to win, 14-12, at home vs. Tennessee

Houston killed No. 23 East Carolina (it goes without saying a directional-Carolina not starting with "North" or "South" should never be ranked)

Speaking of: North Carolina defeated Miami (not Miami of Ohio, but the good Miami - err, once-good Miami), 28-24.  While neither team is ranked, it begs the question: what the hecks going on out there??

Maryland went to No. 20 Clemson and used 14 second-half points for a 20-17 win.

High-step hijinx

Perhaps I've fallen ill to the "good ol' days" syndrome, and I'm representing a sec of unsportsmanlike sore losers and bad winners.  Or maybe - just maybe - college football is getting a little too sensitive.

I sure think so.

In the first quarter of tonight's FedEx Orange Bowl, a Kansas defensive back intercepted a Virginia Tech pass and had nothing in front of him but yards of open field and end zone.

The DB took off, crossed midfield, started to pull away from the nearest Hokie, and as he got within the 10 yard line kicked his legs up a la Deion Sanders.  He high stepped in for six points.  Touchdown Kansas!

I guess that is disrespectful to Virginia Tech to high-step into the end zone, but I can't see that being such a flagrant display of poor sportsmanship that it merits a 15-yard penalty - which ended up being the result.  The same thing happened on a more flamboyant play in the Rose Bowl when USC's Desmond Reed flipped into the end zone.

I don't think the flip should have been a 15 yard penalty, but I can see how if perhaps a player flipping around got hit in midair, or perhaps missed the landing an twisted an ankle, it could be a problem.  But to that I would say, "Dont showboat into the end zone if someone is close enough to you where you might not score!"

But if you're got nothing but wide open spaces between you and the nearest defender and want to high-step into the end zone, there's no reason that merits a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

If anyone should be penalized, it should be the Virginia Tech QB who threw a ball that was destined for nothing but six Jayhawk points.  I think the "powers that be" of college football are getting too sensitive to these sort of things.

In the NFL, if a player spikes a ball after a non-scoring play, I understand a penalty in that situation because that does in fact slow down the game because someone must then go retrieve the ball before the next play is run.  But we are talking about a scoring play!

What's next?  Will referees be required to determine if players are in fact running full speed the entire time they have the ball en route to the end zone.  If a player slows up and jogs into the end zone after a long kick return or reception with no opposing player in sight, perhaps he deserves a 15-yard penalty.  Although, then officials must determine if he slowed down while approaching the end zone because he was tired or because he wanted to showboat.

What if a player dunks the football over the uprights?  Now he's not only mocking the football players but also basketball players!  EGREGIOUS! OUTRAGEOUS!    Or maybe it's just fun.

So why not let the players play.  Let them enjoy their highlight reel moments.  Even let them *gasp* high-step into the end zone.  In looking at the biggest problems in sports these days (referees gambling, performance-enhancing drugs, accepting money from boosters or agents, or even spying on other teams), high-stepping into the end zone shouldn't be the biggest problem.

Flutie not head-over-heels for flips

During the Rose Bowl halftime show, ABC/ESPN analyst Doug Flutie made a comment that perplexed me (not that that's a tough thing to do, but nevertheless--).

He said - and I'm paraphrasing - that Desmond Reed's flip into the end zone after a perfectly executed wide receiver pass was completely and totally uncalled for and that, if he were the USC coach, he'd sit Reed down for the rest of the game to teach him a lesson.

Hey, Doug, ease up man. Seriously, this is not an egregiously vicious helmet to helmet hit on a quarterback. Reed didn't take the ball and perform an elaborate two-minute skit a la the Bengal's Chad Johnson. He flipped into the end zone. Something that plenty of college football players have been doing all season.

Was it a little much? Eh, I don't think so. It's the Rose Bowl. As a player, you're fired up and when you get a chance to score a touchdown you should embrace it. Reed what excited to score. He was head-over-heels as we all saw. But to claim that Reed should be benched in the second half is ridiculous.

Overwhelming underclassman

Tonight Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy and broke the barrier for all underclassman who came close but couldn't claim the award for most outstanding college football player.

Tebow had a ridiculous season.  Absolutely insane.  He both threw and ran for more than 20 touchdowns - the first player ever to do so.  But when he went up there to accept the award, I couldn't help but feel for Darren McFadden.  The Arkansas running back finished as the Heisman running up two years in a row.  This season he finished with the highest percentage of the vote ever received by a runner up.

McFadden just finished his junior year.  As a sophomore in 2006, he lost the Heisman to Ohio State's Troy Smith.  McFadden had a great 2006 and could have won the Heisman as a sophomore had a sophomore previously won the award.  This season he played very well again, but the numbers Tebow put up spoke volumes about that Gator's performance.

Because Tebow has now taken the award home as a sophomore, more sophomores - and even freshmen - winners will begin to show up.  No it won't happen all the time.  After all, the juniors and seniors have the extra years of experience to build on.  But when underclassmen have the sensational seasons comparable to Tebow (2007), McFadden (2006), and even Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson (as a freshman in 2004), they will get more of a chance to take home 25 pounds of bronze.

There won't be a ton of underclassmen winners.  Decades to come will still produce numerous more upperclassmen winners than youngsters, but freshmen and sophomores won't be shut out completely.

Tebow has opened the doors.  It's a shame, however, that super seasons past underclassmen put up did not get recognized with a Heisman.  But because it has now happened - a sophomore has taken the Heisman home - it will no longer take a Herculean season by an underclassman.  From now on, they will be judged based upon their performance that year instead of weighting their score based on their age.