Keys to the Big Games
Week Nine, Oct. 29
UCLA vs. Stanford---college fotball ---
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By John Harris---college fotball ---

a. You’re in Good Hands with Alston…and others – For as good as UCLA QB Drew Olson has been playing, the Bruins will only be as good as the running game, featuring Maurice Jones-Drew, will take them. To stop the Bruin run game, the Stanford linebackers, led by Jon Alston and Kevin Schimmelmann, will have their hands full stopping the star Bruin RB. Schimmelmann is the leading tackler, registering 50 tackles on the year – along with 4 tackles for a loss, for the Cardinal and is one of the best inside backers in the Pac-10. Smart and aggressive, he’s rarely out of position and he’ll have to dominate the game from tackle to tackle. He does have some help, though. Don’t be surprised if Alston isn’t the best linebacker in the Pac-10. His tackle numbers are down, but he leads the Cardinal in sacks with 5 and tackles for a loss with 7, as he’s a blur off the edge when he rushes the passer on passing downs. His quickness and speed are so completely disruptive on the edge that most runners either decide to cut back to the inside or take Alston head on. With Schimmelmann in the middle, neither of those are good options, with the way these two are playing. But, with the size of a strong safety, Alston isn’t big at all and UCLA must attack Alston on the outside to see if the consistent pounding will eventually open up the perimeter running game. Keep an eye on whether the Bruins will use some more draw plays when Alston is lined up at rush end. With his speed, he’ll try to take a high rush, allowing the Bruin tackles to push him by, opening up a huge hole to the outside for Jones-Drew to blast through and pick up big yardage. However, if the Schimmelmann-Alston duo can play off of each other, the Bruin run game will have some tough sledding, that’s for sure. ---college fotball ------college fotball ------college fotball ---

b. The Secret Weapon – Shhh, don’t tell anyone. That kid #9 from UCLA. He’s pretty good. His name is Marcus Everett and he might be the key to an undefeated season for the Bruins. After Junior Taylor tore his knee earlier this season, the Bruins had to have a perimeter threat step up. Anyone at all. Everett didn’t waste any time stepping up as the key guy. He won’t be the number one ace receiver for the Bruins, as that’s TE Marcedes Lewis claim to fame. But, Everett gives QB Drew Olson a consistent threat outside the hashes. With 19 catches in four games, Everett seemingly comes up with big catches time after time. Against a Stanford secondary that is giving up 281 yards per game through the air, the Bruin pass catcher’s role may be increased that much more. The thing about Everett is that Stanford won’t choose to double cover him, as they’ll want to focus on Lewis in the passing game, but Everett can get open against anyone in the league. He won’t put up massive numbers this week, but watch #9 closely, he’ll make a couple of key catches on third down to keep drives alive and could be a great option in the red zone.---college fotball ---
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c. The Harris Factor – After coming to the Farm with all of the promise of the legendary Stanford QBs that came before him, QB Trent Edwards is now starting to flash those skills each and every week. All it took was for QB coaching guru Walt Harris to take over at Stanford. Everywhere Harris has been QBs have gone from struggling nobodies to under the radar All-Conference stars. Bobby Hoying at Ohio State flourished under Harris, when he was OC at OSU. Former Pitt star Rod Rutherford became a consistent, sound decision-making weapon under Harris. And, you can see how much Tyler Palko has missed the teachings of the former Pitt head coach this season. But, it’s Edwards’s turn to blossom under the Stanford coach’s leadership. Thus far this season, he’s done just that. The fourth year player is completing 63% of his passes and has a 5 to 1 TD to interception ratio through six games (10 total TDs and only two picks). Now that Edwards has taken his game to a new level, the Cardinal offense is getting better every week. They’re not a juggernaut by any means, but then again UCLA hasn’t proven that they can consistently shut down decent offenses. The run defense from UCLA has been the thorn in the Bruins side, which makes Edwards presence all that much more important this weekend. The Cardinal doesn’t tear it up on the ground, but if UCLA proves they can’t slow down RB Anthony Kimble and company, then Edwards will have the entire playbook at his disposal. And, that’s exactly what Coach Harris wants.---college fotball ---
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Conclusion – The talk grows louder every week. Undefeateds – UCLA and USC – will meet in the Coliseum at the end of the year. Each and every win, the excitement grows and grows. But, the road hasn’t been good to the Bruins this year, well, okay, it was only one game, but another lackluster three quarter performance like the one that almost tripped them up at Pullman could spell trouble for the Bruins on the Farm. However, this UCLA team seems to have something that others before it didn’t have – heart, passion and a desire to play for one another. Escape this trap game, and the roar will continue to grow in Los Angeles. And, escape, they should. UCLA – 45 vs. Stanford – 35---college fotball ---
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Perspective Piece
Tennessee vs. Alabama, Oct. 22
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By Matthew Zemek---college football---

We interrupt this SEC season for a game that’s all about hatred.---college football---

Yes, the Alabama Crimson Tide are pursuing an SEC West crown (and with it, the chance to obtain bigger prizes), and sure, the Tennessee Volunteers are—just like the good ol’ days—playing for the Citrus (well, Capital One) Bowl, but when they step inside Bryant-Denny Stadium this Saturday, it’s going to feel like the SEC Championship Game for a state that wants retribution, and a Tennessee coach who will want this game for very personal reasons.
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The Vols and Tide have never liked each other, but this year, there’s extra vinegar and venom surrounding their collision, which should be played at 11:55 p.m. Friday night for two reasons: A) the game would not start on the fourth Saturday of October, a sacrilege for a rivalry that has a revered place on the third Saturday of the tenth month of the year—the 21^st will be the “Third Saturday” five minutes earlier; B) the hatred between these schools has become so violent, fueled by the soap opera entangling Fulmer, former Bama coaches and boosters, and a lot of messy interactions with Ye Olde NCAA, that a back alley at midnight seems a more appropriate place for staging this confrontation, where the term “Crimson flood” does not apply to any Christian hymn-song, but to the river of fluid Bama fans want to see ooze from the broken, busted bodies of a beaten Tennessee team.---college football---
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Remember how Georgia fans—upon getting Steve Spurrier Between the Hedges for the first time in ten years—wanted the biggest, baddest bloodletting they could possibly imagine in September, when the Gamecocks traveled to Athens to meet the Bulldogs? It’s much the same principle in this game, as Fulmer—who has dominated the Crimson Tide during his stay in Knoxville—just might face a reckoning of massive proportions... at least if Rick Clausen can’t display the heroics that brother Casey did two years ago. In 2003, an improbable overtime win for the Vols was made possible by “The Ice Man” and a 4^th and 19 completion in the third overtime stanza that saved the Children of the Checkerboard against a Bama team reeling from the Mike Price scandal and ably coached on that day by Mike Shula. The quality of Shula’s coaching performance that day gave Tide fans hope that Don’s Son would be able to lead Bama back to the promised land... and back to the winner’s circle against Tennessee.---college football---
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But injuries would have something to say about that. ---college football---
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The 2004 campaign was hardly an indictment of Shula’s coaching ability, but out-of-control Bama fans (who, by the way, are anything but alone in their impatience; there seem to be zero college football fans who possess that great human virtue these days, including those from Tennessee and just about anywhere else) just couldn’t accept the fact that injuries, and not coaching, hurt their team. Against Tennessee, Shula had to toss a very inexperienced and not-tremendously-talented Spencer Pennington into the Neyland Stadium pit against John Chavis’ wolves. Predictably enough, the Vols chewed Pennington up and spat him out, preserving yet another Vol victory on a day when the Big Orange offense could do precious little. The 17-13 defeat seemed to many to be a wasted opportunity for Shula, and even an outrage in some quearters, given the Tide’s dominance on defense. But as coaches always say, “you are what you are,” and Alabama was just not equipped with enough healthy, top-shelf skill position players to be able to win that day.---college football---
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This year—against Tennessee and, for that matter, the rest of the SEC—is different in Tuscaloosa. ---college football---
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It’s funny what a healthy stud quarterback will do to change perceptions of a head coach, and that’s exactly what has happened with Brodie Croyle and Mike Shula. Having his main gunslinger back, renewed and focused in 2005 makes Bama—at least on that thing called paper—a clear favorite in this game. But being a clear favorite against Phil Fulmer-coached teams—a scenario that hasn’t existed very much to begin with—is a scary proposition for the school that has had to listen to the Vols sing “We Own Alabama!” all too many times over the years. For one afternoon, Shula, Croyle and the school supported by the Million Dollar Band want to walk off the field and feel like a million bucks, singing “Sweet Home Alabama!” with relish and conviction. After all that Fulmer has done to affect the health of their program, and after all the hard knocks they’ve taken from the Vols over the years, there’s nothing the Tide want more than to deal their Orange enemies a biblical dose of unforgettable retribution. Folks might say it’s all about winning the SEC for Bama—and that it’s all about staying in the East race for the Vols—but that would be patently false, a smokescreen you could decipher in a heartbeat.---college football---
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In a rivalry that’s always been something fierce, Tennessee-Bama now becomes even more vicious, nasty and brutal. It’s a Tide team that wants a bloodletting against a proud, defiant Tennessee coach who’d like nothing more than to turn around a dismal season by defending his turf against the school he dragged into the muck.
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This Saturday is the reason those Southern Marshals escort coaches on and off the field at the beginning and end of games. The new level of intensity associated with Vols-Tide makes Phil Fulmer’s entrance and exit almost as intriguing a spectacle as the game itself. ---college football---
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Tennessee-Alabama. It’s no longer a fixture on the Third Saturday of October, but the hatred is hotter than ever. That’s what makes this Saturday’s game crackle with so much life and intrigue.---college football---
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Computer, human polls disagree
BCS championship game again could omit worthy teams

By D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER , JEFF D'ALESSIO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With less than a week until the first Bowl Championship Series standings come out, college football looks like it could be headed for another mess.

Ten months after an unbeaten Auburn team was denied a shot at the national championship, the pollsters and computers can't agree on who's No. 1. - College Football -

Or No. 2, for that matter.

Southern Cal is No. 1 in all three major polls ... and No. 6 this week in the Colley Matrix rankings, one of six computer formulas that will count as one-third of the BCS formula when the standings come out Monday.

Unbeaten Alabama is sixth in one human poll, seventh in the two that count ... and 20th in Richard Billingsley's computer rankings, another formula the BCS uses.

The ACC has two unbeatens (Virginia Tech, Florida State). So do the SEC (Georgia, Alabama), the Big 12 (Texas, Texas Tech) and the Pac-10 (USC, UCLA). - College Football -

And then there's 6-0 Penn State — No. 9 in the Harris Interactive poll, No. 10 in the coaches poll and No. 1 according to Wes Colley's computer, for which strength of schedule is a major criterion.

"Penn State's opponents are a combined 17-13. USC's opponents are 9-15," the founder of the Colley Matrix rankings said. "Bottom line, both are undefeated, but Penn State has beaten better competition." (The Nittany Lions also have posted four wins against teams in the Colley Matrix top 50; the Trojans have beaten two.) - College Football -

Southern Cal steps up in competition this weekend when it travels to Notre Dame, one of several key games involving an unbeaten team that could have an impact on how the first BCS standings shake out. Second-ranked Texas hosts No. 24 Colorado. Penn State goes to Michigan.

A loss by any of them — especially No. 1 Southern Cal or No. 2 Texas — would throw the polls into a frenzy.

If the unbeatens all win this weekend, Southern Cal and Texas would likely sit 1-2 in the BCS standings, upsetting fans of Virginia Tech (No. 3 in both polls), Georgia (No. 4) and FSU (No. 5). The polls count for two-thirds of the BCS formula; the average of the computer polls counts for the other third. - College Football -

"Probably the only team that could be No. 2 over us would be Virginia Tech simply because they are No. 3 — unless things change in the next week," said Texas coach Mack Brown, whose 5-0 Longhorns are No. 8 — one spot behind a one-loss Oregon team — in the Colley Matrix rankings.

Brown doesn't expect many teams to be unbeaten come the end of the regular season; the SEC and ACC championship games and the Texas-Texas Tech and USC-UCLA games will take care of at least four of them. - College Football -

But there could be as many as four teams from BCS conferences with no losses headed into bowl season — the winners of the SEC and ACC championship games and the champions of the Pac-10 and Big Ten (if it's Penn State). Neither the Pac-10 nor the Big Ten has a conference title game.

That would be sure to reignite the cry for college football to go to a playoff format."The [BCS] system is based on two opinion polls and a computer poll. That's just the system," said Grant Teaff, president of the American Football Coaches Association, which organizes the USA Today coaches poll. - College Football -

"Everybody, I think, certainly felt badly for Auburn last year, but again, it is the system that we are under. There is not anything that we can do about it."

© 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

College football: Special teams help revive SNC

By Paul Adamski
Press-Gazette correspondent

DE PERE — When St. Norbert College was at its best over the past few football seasons, its offense and defense ranked among the nation’s best in NCAA Division III. - College Football -

Not far behind, however, was the play from the special teams.

When the six-time defending Midwest Conference champs got off to a slow start this season, the special teams weren’t making any momentum-changing plays. - College Football -

During last week’s 48-13 win over Knox College, the Green Knights showed flashes of being the powerhouse of years past.

The driving force was the special teams. - College Football -

“We saw some new things showing up (against Knox) that didn’t show up the first three weeks,” Purtill said. “One was turnovers, then big plays from the special teams and good field position.”

The special teams blocked a punt, intercepted a pass on a broken punt attempt, averaged more than 25 yards per return and helped land the Green Knights their best starting field position of the season.

On back-to-back returns, former Ashwaubenon star A.J. Phillips set up the St. Norbert offense in Knox territory. - College Football -

In the Green Knights’ first three games, they started on the opponent’s side of the 50-yard line just twice — and both were barely past midfield. Against Knox, seven of their 11 drives started in Prairie Fire territory.

“(Special teams) was a big factor,” Purtill said. “We had some short fields that made for short drives. We (also) had a couple of big plays when they tried to punt the ball, and even when (Knox) did score, we had good returns.” - College Football -

If SNC wants to make a run at a seventh consecutive conference title, Purtill says the play of the special teams will be crucial.

With six conference games left, the Green Knights (2-2 overall, 2-1 MWC) trail Monmouth College (4-0, 3-0) by one game.

The Green Knights and their opponent today, Illinois College (2-1, 1-1), are among a group of five teams with one loss. They’ll play in Jacksonville, Ill. - College Football -

Green Bay Press Gazette

JC FOOTBALL: 3-quarter meltdown costs Mendo College
By JEFF CASPERSEN\The Daily Journal

UKIAH Last week, Mendocino College dazzled in its final three quarters after looking atrocious in the first while beating College of the Redwoods 42-31.

On Saturday, the Eagles offense started strong and fell off the face of the Earth in quarters two through four. Diablo Valley College (2-1) capitalized, rebounding from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to top host Mendocino 17-16 in a down-to-the-wire defensive affair.

Freshman quarterback Dayton Edwards and the Mendocino College offense had no trouble moving up and down the field in the first quarter, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game. - College Football -

Brad Cintas capped a 10-play, 54-yard opening drive with a 1-yard TD run at the 9:22 mark in the first.

Moments later, Edwards connected with Ryan McCullough on a 52-yard scoring strike. Edwards eluded heavy pressure before dumping off a mid-length pass to McCullough over the middle. The big receiver darted past several defenders, closed in on the left sideline and hugged it all the way to the endzone. - College Football -

That was the last time the Mendocino offense would see the endzone. The defense added a third-quarter safety, but that was the last of the points the Eagles (1-2) would put on the scoreboard.

That didn't mean Mendocino didn't have its opportunities to score. The Eagles' safety was set up by a failed march that ended a yard short of paydirt.

Diablo Valley's defense came up with a huge goal-line stand on the opening drive of the second half. Starting from their own 12-yard line, the Eagles advanced all the way to the DVC 1, where, with 12:25 to go, the visiting Vikings kept their opponents out of the endzone on a fourth-down running try. - College Football -

From there on, it all unraveled for Mendocino. A fumbled punt, an Edwards' interception and a series of failed offensive drives plagued the hosts as DVC posted TDs in both the third and fourth quarters to complete its comeback.

"There's nothing to say. We gave up the game," said a fiery and frustrated Eagles head coach Tom Gang after the game. "We just made too many mistakes. We were the better football team here today."

Vikings running back Jason Palmer, who finished with 90 yards on 26 carries, pounded home each of his team's TDs on short runs. - College Football -

Edwards finished the day 11-of-35 for 230 yards, but faded down the stretch, missing on 22 of his last 27 tosses. Marcus Hansen was the quarterback's favorite target of the day as DVC's secondary keyed in on fellow wideout Robert Kirvin. Hansen had four receptions for 107 yards.

Running back Brent Barstow saw a fair share of carries early before the Eagles went primarily to their passing game. He racked up 43 yards on 14 takes.

The Mendocino defense held up well, putting heavy pressure on DVC quarterbacks. Adrian Dunn and Jo'Dane Craigman were busting through the Viking line with regularity, each in on several sacks. Gary Norris had the Eagles' lone interception. - College Football -

Mendocino College will attempt to climb back to the .500 mark at De Anza College (Cupertino) next Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.

BuckeyeQ: Ohio State, from A to Z
Everything you need to know about Ohio State.

Somehow, in all their years of playing big-time college football, the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes have never bumped into each other on the gridiron. So, it's no wonder the two schools don't know very much about each other and their proud football traditions. But if you want to be in the know for the big game, the Showdown at the Shoe, here's a short primer on all things Buckeye, from Archie to Zwick. - College Football -

— John Maher

A - Archie: Griffin remains college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner, taking that award in 1974 and '75. He now heads Ohio State's Alumni Association and is quite possibly the most popular Buckeye ever.

B - Brutus Buckeye: A buckeye is a brown and tan nut that resembles the eye of a buck deer. It's considered a good luck charm, but it's not the easiest thing to transform into a football mascot. The first Brutus, who debuted in 1965, was a roly-poly thing with human legs. The look has changed several times over the decades. - College Football -

C - Columbus — Pronounced C'lumbus by the locals. It's home of the Bucks and the capital of Ahia, as some natives pronounce their state — except when singing school songs.

D - Defense has been the key for recent Ohio State teams and this year's version is anchored by linebackers A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter.

E - Earle Bruce. Like Fred Akers at Texas, Bruce had the misfortune of following a coaching legend. Earle couldn't please fans in spite of a .755 winning percentage from 1979-87. He later worked radio broadcasts of Ohio State games.

F - Fiesta Bowl. The 31-24 national championship upset of Miami happened almost three years ago but they're still replaying it in the local airport. - College Football -

G - Ginn. Receiver Ted Ginn Jr. is OSU's latest Heisman hopeful.

H - "Hang on Sloopy." Forty years after it was a No. 1 hit for the McCoys, this song is still played by the OSU band when the team needs a defensive stand.

i - Dotting the i is the biggest and most loudly cheered tradition of the self-proclaimed "The Best Damn Band in the Land" (TBDBITL). After the band spells out a script "Ohio," a sousaphone player breaks formation to dot the i.

J - John Cooper. Took over for Earle Bruce and from 1988-2000, he developed the reputation of being able to recruit better than he could coach against the Bucks' biggest rival.

K - Kirk Herbstreit. The former Ohio State quarterback (1992) not only is a host of ESPN's "College Football GameDay," he also does some local radio in Columbus.

L - Leaves. Buckeye leaves are the thingies on the Ohio State helmets. They're awarded for exceptional plays, a tradition that started in 1967. - College Football -

M - Mirror Lake. The campus' beauty spot.

N - Nuuuge. Good news for Texas fans is that they won't hear this sound. Place-kicker Mike Nugent, the school's all-time leading scorer and the first kicker to be named the team's MVP, has moved on to the New York Jets. The Buckeyes will now be desperately searching for someone to pull out all those close games they play.

O - Oval. The campus' central commons area.

P - Pass. Only three things can happen when you throw one, and two of them are bad. That used to be the Buckeyes' credo in the Woody Hayes era (just like at Texas under the equally legendary Darrell Royal), but the school has since attracted a lot of quarterbacks good enough to at least kick around in the NFL for a few years. - College Football -

Q - Quiet. Oddly enough, that can frequently describe the 101,000 fans at Ohio State games, who are louder only than Penn State fans. But, with a night game after a day of tailgating, Texas won't hear this unless the Longhorns jump out to a 21-0 lead.

R - Redcoats. The keepers of the gates at the stadium whose responsibilities include trying to keep out liquor.

S - Shoe. The Shoe is the nickname for Ohio Stadium, although expansion has cost it its famous horseshoe shape.

T - Tressel. Coach Jim Tressel is the guy on the sidelines in the sweater vest.

U - Up North. As in the school up north, Buckeye code for the hated Michigan Wolverines.

V - V.C. The Varsity Club, hugely popular pregame hangout.

W - Woody Wayne Woodrow Hayes, who coached the Buckeyes to 238 wins from 1951-1978.

X - X's and O's. Never an OSU strong point as they prefer to try to out-hit and out-talent people, but Tressel and his staff may put in a few wrinkles for Ginn. - College Football -

Y - Years to remember. 2002 and 1968, Ohio State's most recent national championships.

Z - Zwick. Justin Zwick opened the season for the Bucks at quarterback, but whether he'll start against Texas remains to be seen as Troy Smith, the star of last year's Michigan game, will be eligible after sitting out the opener. - College Football -

Copyright 2001-2005 Cox Texas Newspapers, L.P. All rights reserved.

Hottest college football talking point: Strength of schedule

Huntsville Times

As the 2005 college football season approaches, this business of scheduling continues to resonate with the fans, particularly in the Southeastern Conference.

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated is a case in point.

As part of a centerpiece story about the longtime woes at Temple University, SI includes a side-by-side graphic that ranks the magazine's choices for the toughest and easiest non-conference schedules among the major colleges.

It would be hard for a reasonable person to quibble with the toughest, which is labeled "The Gutsiest.'' The first two, anyway.

Notre Dame, which is not affiliated with any conference, plays five teams ranked in the preseason Top 25 - Pittsburgh, Michigan and Purdue on the road, Southern California and Purdue at home. The Irish certainly qualify as the No. 1 Gutsiest.

Southern California, which has won two straight national championships, ranks No. 2 based on four non-Pac 10 opponents - Hawaii, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Fresno State.

Then comes Texas (Louisiana-Lafayette, Ohio State and Rice), Arkansas (Southwest Missouri State and Louisiana-Monroe) and Georgia Tech (Auburn, Connecticut and Georgia).

Personally, I'd put Georgia Tech at No. 3, but that's me.

In "The Wimpiest'' category, SI picks Texas Tech (Florida International, Sam Houston State and Indiana State) at the top, followed by Penn State (South Florida, Cincinnati, Central Michigan), Washington State (Idaho, Nevada, Grambling), Alabama (Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss, Utah State) and Oklahoma State (Montana State, Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State).

No argument there.

Of this year's SEC teams, Tennessee and Georgia probably deserve to be 1-2 on anybody's list of toughest non-conference schedules. The Vols, who traditionally play the league's hardest schedule, open with perhaps the best UAB team in history and later play Notre Dame (in South Bend) and Memphis. The Bulldogs have a dangerous opener against Boise State along with Louisiana Monroe and the traditional tester against Georgia Tech.

Most of the other SEC schools will play only one imposing outside challenger this season: Auburn has Georgia Tech, for example. Florida has Florida State. Kentucky has Louisville. LSU has Arizona State.

It's only natural for fans of a certain age in our state to long for the days when Alabama and Auburn could proudly rate their football schedules alongside anybody's in the country.

Remember when Alabama played Nebraska, Southern California, Louisville and Miami in 1977 and Nebraska, Missouri, Washington and Virginia Tech in 1978?

Remember when Auburn played Texas, Southern Miss, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Maryland in 1983 and Miami, Texas, Southern Miss, Florida State and Cincinnati in 1984?

Of course, that was before the SEC expanded from 10 to 12 teams and before everybody had to play eight league games. It's an altogether different era now - and not necessarily a better one.

©2005 al.com