CFI Countdown: #18 Florida St. Seminoles

2008 Record: 9-4 (ACC: 5-3)
Bowl Game: Won Champs Sports Bowl vs. Wisconsin 24-21
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Stadium: Doak Campbell Stadium (82,300)
Head Coach: Bobby Bowden
Overall: 382-123-4 (44th season)
@ Florida St.: 309-91-4 (34th season)
Link to FSU Football Page

Following back-to-back 7-6 seasons (and unranked finishes) the Seminoles bounced back with a solid nine win campaign, including an impressive bowl win over Wisconsin last season. It was just the second time since they won the National Championship in 1999 that FSU finished the season ranked higher than they started. They are a year away from making a run at the top ten (and maybe more), but should be back in ACC title contention in 2009.

When the ‘Noles Have the Ball

Offensive Coordinator: Jimbo Fisher (3rd season)
Scheme: Multiple
Starters Returning: Eight
Key Losses: RB Antone Smith, WR Preston Parker (Dismissed), WR Greg Carr, WR Corey Surrency (Ruled Ineligible), K Graham Gano

With Florida St. returning all five starters along the offensive line, led by All-American candidate junior guard Rodney Hudson, they will have the top offensive front in the ACC, and perhaps the nation. In addition to Hudson, it wouldn’t be surprising to see sophomore left tackle Andrew Datko and junior center Ryan McMahon receive post-season honors. Line coach Rick Trickett has done nothing to hurt his reputation as one of the best in the business—turning a porous offensive line into the strength of the team in short measure. Benefiting from that improved line play will be junior quarterback Christian Ponder, a dual threat who is expected to progress as passer. He will need weapons to emerge at the receiver position with senior Richard Goodman and sophomore Bert Reed the likely candidates. Don’t count out the youngsters, including true sophomore Jarmon Fortson who provides a huge target (6’ 3”/231 pounds). Caz Piurowski is a solid tight end who can sneak up on people. The running game should be in good hands with sophomores Jermaine Thomas and Ty Jones handling the duties. Late in the season, both showed the ability to break off the big play—Thomas in particular could be special.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) OG Rodney Hudson (JR), 2) OT Andrew Datko (SO), 3) RB Jermaine Thomas (SO)

When the Other Team Has the Ball

Defensive Coordinator: Mickey Andrews (26th season)
Scheme: Multiple 4-3
Starters Returning: Five
Key Losses: DE Everett Brown, DE Neefy Moffett, LB Toddrick Verdell, LB Derek Nicholson, S Myron Rolle (Left For Oxford), CB Tony Carter

For the first time in several seasons, the onus is on the defense to live up to their end of the bargain if the ‘Noles are to make it back to the ACC Championship Game. The primary concern is finding a replacement for Everett Brown (and to a lesser extent, Neefy Moffett). Junior Markus White is expected to step up as their top pass rusher, with senior Kevin McNeil solid at the other end. They are experienced at the tackle spot, but youngsters Moses McCray (sophomore) and Jacobbi McDaniel (true freshman) the most explosive. Youngsters are looking to play a major role at linebacker as well—sophomores Nigel Bradham, Nigel Carr and Vince Williams are future stars with Bradham a potential breakout candidate starting at the WILL position. The leader of this unit and the entire defense is senior SAM Dekoda Watson, who is looking to end his career with a bang. The same could be said for corner Patrick Robinson, who saw his play drop off as a junior. Robinson has the size and speed to be a lockdown corner. The ‘Noles will have to replace two starters in the secondary.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) LB Nigel Bradham (SO), 2) CB Patrick Robinson (SR), 3) LB Dekoda Watson (SR)

The Schedule

The schedule is, in a word—tough. Jacksonville St. (week two) is the only non-2008 bowl team on the docket. They start with one instate rival in Miami (September 7th), face BYU and South Florida out of conference in September, and close out with an even tougher in-state rival in Florida. They “avoid” Duke and Virginia—the only two non-ACC bowl teams from last year, while facing North Carolina (on the road) and Georgia Tech from the Coastal Division. Within the Atlantic, FSU visits Clemson, their toughest challenger. The one plus is they will not have to play Virginia Tech, at least not in the regular season.

Pivotal Point

The pass—the ‘Noles need to be better at throwing the pigskin and as good as they were last season (number one in the ACC) at stopping the other guys from doing the same. Ponder is developing, but the bottom line is he completed just 55.7 percent of his passes and was only plus-one in touchdowns, throwing 14 to 13 interceptions. Making that growth more challenging are the losses suffered at receiver. Preston Parker (dismissed) and Taiwan Easterling (ruptured Achilles) would have been nice starters. Also gone are Greg Carr (used up eligibility) and Corey Surrency (ruled ineligible). If Easterling could make it back 100 percent it would go a long way. Defensively they must replace experienced starters in Tony Carter (CB) and Myron Rolle (S), not to mention their top pass rushers, Brown and Moffett. Both Brown and Rolle were juniors, Brown leaving for the NFL and Rolle for Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship.

CFI Final Analysis

The Seminoles will be better in 2009 with so many players having seen the field as freshmen and sophomores the past two seasons, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will have a better record. Nine or ten wins are likely in the offing for Bobby Bowden’s bunch. An ACC title and New Year’s Day bowl are legitimate goals as they work their way back to national contention.



College Football Insiders Top 25 Countdown:
The Next 25 (26-50) Plus 18 Bowl Teams
#25 West Virginia Mounainteers
#24 Tennessee Volunteers
#23 Clemson Tigers
#22 Pittsburgh Panthers
#21 Michigan St. Spartans
#20 Utah Utes
#19 Oregon Ducks

Contact Daniel Mogollon via email dan@collegefootballinsiders.com

Photo Credit: FSU Sports Information

Q&A: Bobby Bowden, HC, Florida St.

Click to Listen to Interview - Hosted by CFI Founder Daniel Mogollon

How much has recruiting changed over the years?

Bowden: It’s changed. I’ve been in coaching now 55 years, and you can imagine the changes that I’ve seen in five decades. When I first started coaching boys played both ways, you’d only need about 33 kids; that would be three teams (with today's rosters). Also, back in those days you didn’t recruit specialists, you just asked your kids, “Hey boys can anybody punt? Can anybody kick off?” because you didn’t have scholarships to take care of specialists. Well now it’s the other way around, you got specialists for everything. You got specialist catchers, specialist throwers, specialist receivers, specialist kickers, specialist punters, specialist pass rushers, so it’s really gotten more sophisticated down through the years and it’s a lot more competitive.

Are we any better at it? With all the information that is now available, are we any better at identifying the top players coming out of high school?

Bowden: I don’t know, but that’s the key to it, just what you said - it’s the evaluation. I think the reason we’ve dropped off the last five or six years is we have not done as good a job evaluating talent. Here’s what I mean by that: if you start trying to recruit off of the newspapers or off of the press and you go after all of the five-star guys and four-stars and all that, you can get yourself in trouble. You better evaluate them and see who can do the best in your program. I think we're doing a better job right now, the last couple of years, of evaluating prospects because that is a key.

Are you talking about guys like Fred Rouse (five-star) and a player like Rodney Hudson (three-star)?

Bowden: Coach (Rick) Trickett, who coaches our offensive line, I remember the first year he came here we had a five-star offensive lineman committed and he came in and said “I just don’t want that kid. I don’t want him, he doesn’t play hard. Give me those three-stars and I’ll make five-stars out of them.” He wants a hungrier football player. That’s not to say that all five-stars are that way, but it can be misleading.

What do you dislike the most about the direction recruiting has headed?

Bowden: I think it’s the kids making verbal commitments and then changing their minds, and I don’t blame it on the kid. I really wish we didn’t have verbal commitments; you’re putting too much pressure on a 17-year old. He’s getting recruited by men who are 35, 40, 50, 60 years of age and they’re so much more mature than he is and they can talk him into anything. I just really wish we didn’t have verbal commitments, now they can make a quiet commitment but not announce it and then just get it out on signing day, but that’s one thing that kind of gets you.

Does it scare you when you hear of 15-year olds making verbal commitments and all-star games for junior high kids before they even get to high school?

Bowden: Boy isn’t that something? That is something. In my generation we can’t understand that, we don’t believe that’s good.

Why so?

Bowden: What does a kid know when he’s 15? He’s going to know a lot more when he’s 17 or 18, and he might change his mind completely. I think the later you can put it off, the better.

How do you feel about your 2009 recruiting class, ranked sixth by Rivals.com?

Bowden: Well, I kid about that. Have you ever heard a coach say they had a bad recruiting year? Have you ever heard a coach say 'boy, we had a terrible recruiting year'? I feel we had a good year and you do because you’re picking up anywhere from 20-25 new guys and it’s got to be good. The question is - what are they going to do two years from now? You nearly have to wait two years before you can really say, “Oh man they were as good as they said they were or they were better than they said they were.”

What can you tell us about defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel and cornerback Greg Reid – a pair of five-star recruits – are they expected to contribute right away?

Bowden: Yes I do. In fact, we’re going to ask them to contribute right away. They are deserving to be named a five-star, whatever that means. As long they come in and work hard and give it everything they’ve got, we definitely think they have the talent to play for us next year, but we got some three stars and whatever else they star down there that we think can play too.

Who is the one that got away?

Bowden: As long as I’ve been coaching I can name a whole bunch of them. Nobody gets everybody they want, what you hope to do is get your share. Now you take down here in the state of Florida, you’ve got 150 kids signing 1A scholarships. That’s 150; I can’t sign but 20, Florida cant sign but 20, Miami cant sign but 20, that’s 60 kids so where are the other 90 going to go? So we select what we think is the best, that’s why I say evaluation is so important. But you don’t know; that kid that you turned down might end up greater because he’s only 17 years old. He might grow three more inches, he might gain 50 pounds and end up faster and stronger and beat you. Do you remember Tony Dorsett?

Yes.

Bowden: Well, I remember trying to recruit him when I was at West Virginia. Instead, he went to Pitt and we had to play against him every year and he was just unstoppable.

That’s funny that you mention him going to a rival cause when I spoke to your former coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mark Richt, his guy was actually Danny Wuerffel. He went to Florida and played against you guys...

Bowden: We tried to recruit Danny. That year there were three quarterbacks we had pin-pointed and we knew we would only get but one. One was Wuerffel, one was , and the other was a kid up in Minnesota who was real good, I forget his name right now. But anyway, we got Kannel because he committed to us first, then Wuerffel committed to Florida, the other kid I think went to Miami. Kannel did a great job for us, but Wuerffel did a super job in Florida.

Does luck ever play into this? You lose a kid you really want, but the kid you replace him with actually turns out better...

Bowden: Oh yeah there’s no doubt about it. You get surprises. Let me tell you a pretty good surprise. I don’t if you’re familiar with Gregg Carr.

Yes, the wide receiver who’s a senior, just graduated.

Bowden: Yes he’s a senior this year. Greg came from North Marion High School and he was kind of a late pick-up for us. We kind of took a chance on him; I don’t know how many other offers he had, I’m sure he had others. So we got him and then when we got him we just thought he would be a down-the-liner, but he came in and started his first year; he started every year for us. That’s why I say you’re just not sure how much they’re going to grow, how fast they’re going to get, or how big they’re going to get, or how bad they want it and all those things factor in.

Brett Favre, whose most famous college victory was probably against Florida St., wasn’t a highly touted player coming out of high school. Do you have any thoughts on Favre and his place in the history of the game now that he’s officially retired?

Bowden: There’s a great example right there. There’s a great example of a young man that probably wasn’t highly recruited. He didn’t go to Ole Miss, he didn’t go to Mississippi State, he didn’t go to Alabama, Auburn, LSU; he went to Southern Mississippi, which is an excellent school, but not in the SEC or ACC or the big conferences. We played against him as a freshman, I'll never forget that. He started as a freshman against us and we beat him pretty good, I think we might have beaten him by 40 points or something like that. The next year we didn’t play them; then the next year we opened the season with them over in Jacksonville and they beat us. We would have won the national championship that year because we beat Miami that year and Miami ended up winning the national championship. If we would have beat Southern Miss. we probably would have won the national championship, but Brett Favre just cut us to pieces. But don’t forget he also beat Alabama and he also beat Auburn that year, he was just a great quarterback.

How does Everette Brown compare to guys like Andre Wadsworth and Peter Boulware?

Bowden: I think he’d be close to those guys. Andre was so much bigger. Andre was about 6’5’’ 285 lbs. and ran a 4.6 40 and I think he was about the 5th or 6th guy taken in the draft. Brown would be very much like Boulware, very quick and very fast. It will be interesting to see because Boulware was rookie of the year when he came out. The thing about Brown is he has already graduated and if you can go that high and you already got your degree, you nearly have to come out.

Where do you think he will play at the next level? Could he move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme like Boulware did?

Bowden: That remains to be seen. I do believe this: with Brown’s character — he's very dependable, very honest, just a good kid with a great desire - he’s probably got those intangibles that will somehow make it.

Was Deion Sanders the best player you ever coached?

Bowden: I think he’s the best athlete I ever coached, but you throw in Charlie Ward and Warrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks and they played great too. But I definitely think Deion is the best athlete we’ve ever had.

Was Myron Rolle the brightest player you’ve ever coached?

Bowden: I don’t know anybody you’d put ahead on him, but we’ve had quite a few academic All-Americans here. Myron graduated in two and a half years and won the Rhodes Scholar and what a great thing that was. Our quarterback (Christian Ponder) this year graduated in two and a half years, he was only a sophomore and he had already graduated so he’s got pretty good academic potential also. But Myron was exceptional.

Which player made you say dag-gummet the most?

Bowden: Maybe Sammy Smith that we had back in the late 80’s. Great football player, but every now and then he’d lay that ball down and I’m sure I’d say dag-gummet.

Photo Credit: Florida St. University

RADIO: Coaches Corner With Bobby Bowden

Bobby Bowden has won 382 games in his illustrious 44-year career as a head football coach, which includes 309 wins in 33 years leading the Florida St. Seminoles. During an unprecedented 14-year run, Bowden’s Seminoles won at least 10 games every year from 1987 to 2000, including National Championship seasons in 1993 and 1999. He talks with All Access Football in our Coaches Corner series about the direction of recruiting, what it takes to build a winning program, the ‘Noles Class of 2009, future first round pick Everette Brown, his former players and playing against a strong-armed Southern Miss quarterback named Brett Favre.

*** CLICK TO LISTEN ***

Hosted By College Football Insiders Founder & NFL Draft Bible President Daniel Mogollon.

Check out Coach Bowden UNDER THE LIGHTS on Sun Sports.

Photo Credit: Florida St.

Champs Sports Bowl: Florida St. 42, Wisconsin 13

They’re Back…

Since winning the National Championship in 1999, Bobby Bowden’s team has finished the season ranked lower than they began every year but one – in 2003 they started at #13 and finished at #11. The benefit of the doubt the second all-time winningest coach in FBC history built throughout the decade of the 90’s has run out – this year was the first time since 1982 that his ‘Noles were not in the pre-season AP poll.

However, for the first time in three years Florida St. should finish the season ranked. They were ranked 28th in the final poll leading into the bowls, and with their impressive showing they should crack the top 25 after opening up 31st in the nation.


Year-AP Pre-Season Ranking-AP Final Ranking
2007-#19-NR
2006-#11-NR
2005-#14-#23
2004-#5-#15
2003-#13-#11
2002-#3-#21
2001-#6-#15
2000-#2-#5

Here’s Why They Will Be Even Better in 2009:

* Quarterback: At quarterback, Christian Ponder did not put up spectacular numbers in the Champs Sports Bowl, but the sophomore did show moxie, toughness and playmaking ability, something the ‘Noles have lacked throughout most of the last decade. He probably saw the field a year too soon – 2008 was supposed to see either Drew Weatherford or Xavier Lee leading the way – but unlike previous FSU quarterbacks (read Weatherford/Chris Nix), Ponder may end up being better for being thrown into the fire early. Ponder is a playmaker and could leave Tallahassee a winner.

* Running Back: He will no longer have Antone Smith in the backfield, however with freshmen Jermaine Thomas and Carlton Jones returning, as well as fullback Marcus Sims, Florida St. should feature their best running game in years in 2009. Thomas, who only touched the ball three times in the Champs Sports Bowl, averaged 7.0 yards per carry on the season and could be a special back. Jones led Florida St. with his 55 rushing yards on just four carries against Wisconsin, displaying good strength bouncing off would-be tacklers and the burst to break off a big run. Sims came through with a solid block on Jones’ 14-yard touchdown run which put Florida St. ahead, 28-6, in the third quarter.

* Offensive Line: Maybe the biggest reason Florida St. could be a top-10 team a year from now is their offensive line. All five starters against the Badgers were either freshmen or sophomores. Center Ryan McMahon and left guard Rodney Hudson – the best of the bunch – were freshmen All-Americans in 2007, an honor bestowed upon left tackle Andrew Datko this season. The right side featured two true freshmen in guard David Spurlock and tackle Zebrie Sanders. None of the five weighs even 290 pounds, so another off-season of strength and conditioning should make this bunch one of the strongest, most experienced units in college football next season. As much as any other part of the game, a porous offensive line has played a significant role in Florida St.’s down seasons. Now it will be a major reason for their return to prominence.

* Wide Receiver: Gregg Carr, like Smith, has used up all his eligibility, but that does not mean Ponder will have to search for a big target to throw the ball to. Enter 6’6” freshman Cameron Wade who made his second and third career receptions against Wisconsin. Another seldom-used wide out who had an impact on their bowl win was sophomore Louis Givens, who did a great job picking up yards after the catch to set his team up in the red zone. Neither will be guaranteed any playing time in 2009, as junior Preston Parker and the freshman duo of Taiwan Easterling and Bert Reed are all scheduled to return.

* Defense: Defensively, even with junior Everette Brown expected to declare for the NFL draft, Florida St. should have six starters returning from a strong unit, with youngsters such as freshman linebacker Nigel Bradham ready to step up into bigger roles.

Besides, defense hasn’t been the problem over the last five years. They have averaged a 17.8 ranking in total defense during that span, including 16th this year. Last season’s 34th ranking was the only time they were outside the top 20 in total defense over the last five campaigns.

It’s Graham Gano Don’t Ya Know

The Seminoles’ offense did not put up any points until the final minute of the first half – a defensive score gave them a 7-0 lead – with kicker/punter Graham Gano as the pre-intermission MVP.

The senior’s first punt sailed 46 yards, leaving the Wisconsin Badgers at their three-yard line. On his second effort, Gano’s punt was a little bit shorter, 44 yards. However, that’s because he only had 45 yards to work with--the football was downed at the one-yard line. His third punt went out of bounds – at the one-yard line! Are you kidding me?

That’s three punts with a gross of 45 yards, a NET of 45 yards, and the Badgers starting drives at an average of their own 2-yard line after the first stanza.

Ironically, Gano won the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s best place kicker, but fell short when it came to being named the best punter in the land. With apologies to Oklahoma St.’s Matt Fodge, maybe the people at the Ray Guy Award selection committee should rethink their choice.

With a little more room to work with, his last two punts went for 48 yards (fair catch) and 58 yards (three-yard return to the Wisconsin seven-yard line) respectively, leaving him with 48.2 yard average on the day and four of five punts dropped inside the 10-yard line. That’s simply outstanding work by Gano.

Photo Credit: College Press Box; Florida St. University

Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Florida St.

By JOHN SEARS - BIG TEN INSIDER

December 27, 2008 * 4:30 * ESPN
Florida Citrus Bowl * Orlando, Florida

Florida State started with wins in six of their first seven, only to stumble down the stretch, losing three out of five. The Badgers climbed as high as ninth in the polls and had lofty expectations after a 3-0 start. But the scheduling of Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa in consecutive weeks (all losses) brought Wisconsin’s year-end hopes from National Champions down to mere bowl eligibility. They did manage to regroup, winning four of five to close out the season.

When the Badgers Have the Ball

It was easy to point fingers at the quarterback when Wisconsin pulled up lame out of the gates, opening their Big Ten schedule with four losses. Then-starter Allan Evridge struggled mightily, but that doesn’t override the under-performance of the Badgers’ bread-and-butter rushing attack. When P.J. Hill and John Clay were off, so was the team; they averaged 50 yards less and scored only three times in those three losses. Eventually, they became a powerful duo, both finishing in the top ten in the Big Ten in rushing (1,866) and touchdowns (21). Dustin Sherer replaced Evridge and eventually commanded the offense to four wins in their last five. There will continue to be no secret where the Badgers plan to go against the Seminoles – straight ahead, on the ground.

When the Tide Have the Ball

Florida State enters the bowl game with worries about their quarterback’s lack of consistency. Throwing as many interceptions as touchdowns is an unfortunate statistic Christian Ponder must live with. But the athleticism he demonstrates throwing and passing will be extremely helpful against a Wisconsin team that struggled all season with dual threat quarterbacks. Florida State is balanced (182 yards rushing, 186 passing) and Ponder is third on the team in rushing yards (404) and second in rushing touchdowns (four) behind senior Antone Smith (14). “Having the ball” should also include special teams, where the Seminoles hold a significant edge: look for FBS leader Michael Ray Garvin (33 yards/return) to prove his game-breaking ability one more time.

Final Analysis

It’s easy to see how turnovers have plagued both teams in their losses (combined 31 giveaways in nine games). With that equalized, Wisconsin brings to the table an in-your-face rushing attack (14th in FBS) and a hefty offensive line averaging 320 pounds. Fresno State, like Florida State will be, was severely undersized against the Badgers, but kept Wisconsin contained. Furthermore, Florida State boasts the 32nd best rush defense (182 yards/game) and the Badgers have shown they fall short running against strong defenses (Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa). But in three of the Seminoles’ losses, they have surrendered an average of 260 yards on the ground. Which Florida State defense will show up? It’s tough to say. Offensively, the Seminoles can keep the Badgers off balance just enough under Ponder and the kicker will be, well, the Seminoles’ kicker Graham Gano (Lou Groza Award recipient) – his 93% field goal percentage will be plenty to be sure the game-winning field goal does not sail “wide-right”.

Inside the Numbers – Pass, Run & Catch

Wisconsin Badgers (7-5, 3-5)
Pass: Dustin Sherer – 1,257 yards, 5 TDs
Run: P.J. Hill – 1,021 yards, 13 TDs
Catch: David Gilreath – 515 yards, 3 TDs

Florida St. Seminoles (8-4, 5-3)
Pass: Christian Ponder – 1,807 yards, 12 TDs
Run: Antone Smith – 753 yards, 14 TDs
Catch: Greg Carr – 464 yards, 3 TDs

The CFI Prediction: Florida St. 24, Wisconsin 21

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Florida St. University)

This Date in College Football History

Dec. 27, 1971: At Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, 51,098 watch as Arizona State beats Florida State in the first-ever Fiesta Bowl 45-38. Tied 38-38, Sun Devil quarterback Danny White (1998 College Football Hall of Fame inductee) leads a 57-yard drive setting up halfback Woody Green's winning two-yard touchdown run with :34 seconds left in the game.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

CFI Radio Tailgate Show - Bowl Previews

FRIDAY * DECEMBER 26, 2008 * 5:00 PM EASTERN

** CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD **

CFI Co-Founder Daniel Mogollon previews this weekend's bowl games with special guests ZACK FOLLETT of Cal, RYAN STANCHECK of West Virginia, RUSTY SMITH of FAU and Central Michigan Head Coach BUTCH JONES. 1 HR.

BOWL GAMES:

December 26:

Motor City Bowl: FAU vs. Central Michigan

December 27:

Meineke Car Care Bowl: WVU vs. UNC
Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin vs. FSU
Emerald Bowl: Miami vs. Cal

December 28:

Independence Bowl: NIU vs. La. Tech

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communication

Fan's Weekend Guide - Week Fourteen

The Conference Title is on the Line When…
Oregon @ Oregon St. (November 29, 7:00, Versus): Coming into this game, the Beavers have rolled off six straight wins, keeping control of their Pac-10 destiny via their upset win over the Trojans back on September 15th. Their lone conference loss came in the final seconds at Stanford in the season opener; otherwise they would have a trip to Pasadena already locked up. A seventh straight victory would match their winning streak from 2000, which also happens to be the last time the Beavers made a BCS game (41-9 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl). However, OSU has not played in the Rose Bowl since 1965. Standing in their way are the hated Ducks, as Oregon makes the trip to Corvallis to play the 112th rendition of the Northwest’s version of the “Civil War”. The Beavers are banged up with both Lyle Moevao (who didn’t play last week) and Jacquizz Rogers (left last week’s game) nursing injuries. They overcame it last week at Arizona, but the Beavers would be best served with Moevao (1,967 yards, 14 touchdowns, 61.9 percent) and his 10-3 record as a starter handing off to their freshman phenom (1,253 yards, 11 touchdowns). Rogers is listed as doubtful. Oregon is led by sophomore signal caller Jason Masoli, who is coming off the best game of his young career (298 yards and two touchdowns passing; 89 yards and three touchdowns rushing). Joining Masoli in one of the Pac-10’s most talented backfields are tailbacks Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarrette Blount. A senior, Johnson leads the club with 863 yards (11 touchdowns), while the junior college transfer Blount has found the end zone a team-high 15 times (816 yards), while boasting a whopping 7.2 yards per carry average. There is no shortage of artillery in this “Civil War”.

Don’t Call it an Upset When…
LSU Visits Arkansas (November 28, 2:30, CBS): With the type of quarterback (17 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions) play the Bayou Bengals have been getting, it is hard to say they are supposed to beat anybody at this point in the season, particularly in SEC play. LSU has lost their last three conference games.

The Team That Can’t Afford to Look Ahead is…
Florida Visiting Florida St. (November 29): Not many teams have something to look ahead to beyond this week, so we’ll go with the Gators. Florida is already slotted into the SEC Championship game against Alabama next week, a virtual national semi-final. They have also dominated the Seminoles of late, winning four straight including a 45-12 thumping last season. Florida St. does possess a speedy defense that may have enough athletes to slow the Gators down, as much as any team can.

The Teams on the Cusp are…
Boston College Hosting Maryland (November 29, 3:30, ABC)/Virginia Tech Hosting Virginia (November 29, 12:00, ESPN): Finally, the ACC is easy to figure out…it’s win and they’re in.

Photo Credit: College Press Box

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack - Week Thirteen

By JOHN GARRETT

Michigan @ Ohio St. (November 22, 12:00, ABC): Often referred to as the greatest rivalry in sports, this will mark the 105th meeting between the two schools. With the Wolverines (3-8, 2-5 in Big Ten play) having a rough year under first-year head coach Rich Rodriguez, the No. 10 Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1 in Big Ten play) will have little sympathy for their hated rivals. But as with any good rivalry, you can throw the season record out the window and expect a battle. Ohio State can win a share of the Big Ten championship with a victory – their fourth straight – and Michigan would love nothing more than to rain on the Buckeyes’ parade after missing out on a bowl appearance for the first time in 33 years. Look for defensive standouts James Laurinaitis (in the running for six national honors), and Malcolm Jenkins (semifinalist for the Thorpe award) to be thorns in the side of the Wolverines all afternoon.

Super Senior: James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State

Star of Tomorrow: Obi Ezeh, LB, Michigan

Boston College @ Wake Forest (November 22, 3:30, ABC): The Demon Deacons (6-4, 4-3 in ACC play) will be trying to keep their hopes alive for a berth in the ACC Championship Game, while also trying to go three straight seasons with seven wins or more for the first time in school history. Wake Forest needs a win over Boston College (7-3, 3-3 in ACC play) as well as a pair of losses by Maryland in order to reach Tampa Bay on Dec. 6. The Eagles find themselves in a solid position heading into Winston-Salem after last week’s 27-17 victory over Florida State, and control their own destiny in the ACC Atlantic.

Super Senior: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

Star of Tomorrow: Mark Herzlich, LB, BC

Mississippi @ LSU (November 22, 3:30, CBS): In the first game of the newly created Magnolia Bowl series, the No. 18 Tigers (7-3, 3-3 in SEC play) will host the Rebels (6-4, 3-3 in SEC play) in the 97th all-time meeting between the two squads, dating back to 1894. While LSU has won the last six-straight meetings and three in a row at Tiger stadium, the last three have been decided by three points or less. With Ole’ Miss being bowl eligible for the first time since 2003 and having something to play for, look for another exciting finish.

Super Senior: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

Star of Tomorrow: Shay Hodge, WR, Mississippi

Florida St. @ Maryland (November 22, 7:45, ESPN): The Terrapins (7-3, 4-2 in ACC play) are the only team in the nation this season with four wins over ranked opponents, but after last week’s loss to Boston College, the Seminoles (7-3, 4-3 in ACC play) have more to worry about than just statistics. Florida State would love nothing more than to leave College Park with a win and the possibility of spoiling Maryland’s chances at the ACC Championship Game. However, that chance at winning the ACC championship for the first time since 2001, should have Maryland looking to defend its home turf at all costs.

Super Senior: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

Star of Tomorrow: Alex Wujciak, LB, Maryland

Photo Credit: Brian Westerholt of Sports on Film

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack - Week 12

By JOHN GARRETT

California @ Oregon St. (November 15, 3:30, ABC): Over the past four seasons the road team has come out victorious in this series. The Beavers are currently one-half game behind USC for the lead in the Pac-10, while the Bears are tied for fourth. The winner of this contest will look to have an inside track for an appearance in one of the top-tier bowl games in the conference. Cal comes in ranked sixth in the country in pass efficiency defense and tied for second in interceptions with 17. Three Cal players have earned Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week honors this fall: linebacker Zack Follett - one of the 15 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award as best defensive player, defensive end Cameron Jordan and linebacker Mike Mohamed.

Super Senior: Zack Follett, LB, California

Star of Tomorrow: Jacquizz Rogers, RB, OSU

Minnesota @ Wisconsin (November 15, 3:30, ABC): Get ready for the most-played rivalry in FBS football, as the Golden Gophers (7-3, 3-3) will travel to Camp Randall. Awaiting them, are the Badgers (5-5, 2-5) who hope to take the 118th meeting – and the Paul Bunyan axe – in what should be an entertaining Big Ten match-up. Despite a four-game losing streak midway through the season, Wisconsin is one win away from bowl eligibility, so look for them to throw caution-to-the-wind in an already heated rivalry. Minnesota, who is currently the No. 3 team in the nation in turnover margin, is a ball-hawking unit that will look to take advantage.

Super Senior: DeAndre Levy, LB, Wisconsin

Star of Tomorrow: Kyle Theret, DB, Minnesota

Oklahoma St. @ Colorado (November 15, 8:00, ABC): The Buffaloes (5-5, 2-4) look to close out their last home game of the season on a positive note, but the No. 9 Cowboys (8-2, 4-2) ride into town with something to say about that. OSU, who is 6-14 all-time at Boulder, should look to put Colorado away early, and not let them hang around. In their past three conference games against ranked teams, the Buffs have lost by a combined margin of 126-28, so home-field advantage may not be enough this time...

Super Senior: Ryan Walters, FS, Colorado

Star of Tomorrow: Kendall Hunter, RB, OSU

Boston College @ Florida St. (November 15, 8:00, ABC): No. 21 Florida State (7-2, 4-2) will try and keep its title hopes alive when the Eagles (6-3, 2-3) head into Tallahassee. But don’t think for a minute that Boston College forgot about last year’s meeting, in which the Seminoles came into Chestnut Hill and upset the then No. 2 ranked Eagles. This year, BC’s defense has helped the cause by holding three opponents scoreless and leading the nation in interceptions with 18. If Boston College can run the table – the Eagles will represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game for the second-straight season.

Super Senior: Paul Anderson, SS, Boston College

Star of Tomorrow: Everette Brown, DE, FSU

Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Athletic Communications

Fans Weekend Guide - Week Eleven

The Conference Title is on the Line When…
Oklahoma St. Visits Texas Tech (November 8, 8:00, ABC): When Graham Harrell connected with Michael Crabtree, the Red Raiders took the baton from the Longhorns and they are now the team to beat in the Big 12. Will they still be after Saturday? That is in doubt, as they play host to the Oklahoma St. Cowboys, who have proven their mettle with a win at Missouri and a hard-fought loss at Texas. No team may be more road-tested than the Pokes. They also have a deadly passing combination of their own in Zac Robinson to Dez Bryant. The sophomore wide out has more receiving yards (1,054 to 921) than Crabtree, matching the 2007 Biletnikoff Award winner touchdown-for-touchdown with 15 each. Get your popcorn…

Don’t Call it an Upset When…
Clemson Visits Florida St. (November 8, 3:30, ABC): The Seminoles are ranked No. 22 in the BCS Standings and are led by Bobby Bowden, who has 381 wins under his belt. The Clemson Tigers were playing so well, they fired their head coach (Bobby’s son Tommy Bowden) and are now led by Dabo Sweeney, who won his first game as a head coach last week. Quarterback Cullen Harper, coming off shoulder surgery, told CFI this week that this is the healthiest he’s been all season and tailback C.J. Spiller (55 rushing yards on eight carries, 105 receiving yards on six receptions, 18 yard punt return, 64 yard kick return) is coming off his best game of the season. This may not the “Bowden Bowl”, but expect it to be intense, as only one game separates the two teams in the ACC Atlantic Division standings.

The Team That Can’t Afford to Look Ahead is…
Penn St. Visiting Iowa (November 8, 3:30, ABC): Most of talk this week surrounding the Nittany Lions is about their chances of making the BCS Championship game. Now that they have knocked off the Buckeyes, it appears they have an open path, even with Texas Tech leapfrogging them in both the BCS standings and the AP rankings. However, before Penn St. makes it to Miami undefeated, Joe Paterno’s crew must win a few more football games beginning with their trip to Iowa this week. Iowa ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring offense (29.1 points per game) and second in scoring defense (13.2 points per game). In Shonn Greene (1,257 yards, 11 touchdowns), they have a difference maker.

The Team on the Cusp is…
Minnesota Hosting Michigan (November 8, 3:30, ABC): With a win in Ann Arbor, the Gophers not only claim the Little Brown jug, but should jump back into the land of the ranked.

Photo Credit: Texas Tech Athletics

Fan's Weekend Guide - Week Ten

The Conference Title is on the Line When…
Texas Visits Texas Tech (November 1, 8:00, ABC):
For the fourth straight week the Texas Longhorns play a game where something of significance is on the line—the Red River Rivalry, Texas pride, the Big 12 South and a spot in the BCS Championship game. While they still don’t have to leave the state of Texas, the ‘Horns are playing in enemy territory for the first time during this stretch. Colt McCoy has jumped out ahead of the pack in the Heisman race, leading Texas in passing (2,285 yards, 21 touchdowns) and rushing (412 yards, seven touchdowns). Defensively, Brian Orakpo (nine sacks) has been a force. His battle with Tech’s Rylan Reed, who kept Chris Long sackless in the Gator Bowl, will go a long way in deciding the outcome of this game. If given time, the combination of Graham Harrell (3,147 yards, 28 touchdowns) to Michael Crabtree (60 receptions, 794 yards, 14 touchdowns) could be too much to handle, even for the No. 1 team in the land. If too much attention is paid to the defending Biletnikoff winner, it will allow Detron Lewis, Eric Morris and Tramain Swindall to break free. With the duo of Baron Batch (537 yards, 7.5 ypc) and Shannon Woods (481 yards, 5.2 ypc) running the ball well, the Red Raiders may actually have the more balanced offense of the two.

Don’t Call it an Upset When…
Florida St. Visits Georgia Tech (November 1, 3:30, ABC): Quietly, the Seminoles have worked their way up to No. 15 in the country. They are winners of four in a row while the Yellow Jackets lost to Virginia last week and were banished from the land of the ranked (for now). This all points to a Florida St. win, yes? No. In the last five intra-conference games between a team that is ranked and a team that isn’t, the unranked team has won four times. In a conference where Duke beat Virginia, who beat Maryland, who beat Wake Forest, who beat Florida St., who beat Virginia Tech, who beat North Carolina, who beat Miami, who beat Duke…there are no upsets.

The Team That Can’t Afford to Look Ahead is…
Utah Visiting New Mexico (November 1, 9:30, The MTN): Heading into the weekend the Utes from Utah are the highest ranked non-BCS team—they stand at No. 9 in the Coaches Poll and No. 10 in both the AP Poll and the all-important BCS Standings. Their two biggest obstacles to their BCS dream are TCU and BYU. The Utes take on the Horned Frogs next Thursday, only five days after their trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lobos are only 4-5, but that is what makes them dangerous. New Mexico has won three in a row in University Stadium, including a 36-28 upset of Arizona. In senior tailback Robert Ferguson (865 yards, 5.0 ypc, 11 touchdowns), the Lobos possess the Mountain West’s leading rusher.

The Team on the Cusp is…
California Hosting Oregon (November 1, 3:30, ABC): A 41-20 victory over UCLA was not enough to vault Jahvid Best (643 yards, 7.0 ypc, six touchdowns) and the rest of the Golden Bears into the rankings, but a win over No. 24 Oregon this Saturday certainly will.

Fans Weekend Guide - Week Nine

The Conference Title is on the Line When…
Oklahoma St. Visits Texas (October 25, 3:30, ABC):
Yes, the Longhorns have positioned themselves well for a run at the National Title. After all, they sit atop the BCS standings and it’s late October. However, before they get ahead of themselves, they are one of three Big 12 South schools that remain undefeated and in the top 10. One of those challengers is this weekend’s opponent, Oklahoma State. With Zac Robinson (19 total touchdowns) leading the huddle, Kendall Hunter (955 yards) knifing through opposing defenses and Dez Bryant (45 receptions, 809 yards, 11 touchdowns) snatching balls out of the air in a single bound—the Cowboys’ offense is difficult to slow down. Senior tight end Brandon Pettigrew is as healthy as he’s been for a couple of weeks and could be the x-factor, as he works his way back into the offense. The key factor will be the play of their offensive line, which has allowed just five sacks this season. The Longhorns’ defense has recorded 24 sacks to date, led by stellar senior Brian Orakpo (eight sacks, 12 tackles for a loss), who is coming on strong. Labeled a freak by some, Orakpo possesses raw power as well as electric speed off the edge—a rare combination. If the Cowboys pay too much attention to Orakpo, another athletic standout, Sergio Kindle (4.5 sacks), can and will burn them. On the flipside, the Cowboys’ defense knocked Chase Daniels’ Heisman train off the tracks in Missouri two weeks ago and they will try to do the same to Colt McCoy (19 touchdowns, 1,894 yards) on Saturday in Austin. That is a task that is easier said than done, as McCoy has been close to perfect this season having completed an eye-popping 81.2 percent of his passes.

Division Pride is on the Line When…
Kansas Hosts Texas Tech (October 25, 12:00, ESPN): After a valiant effort in Norman last week, the Jayhawks get another chance to take on one of the big boys from the Big 12 South and this time, it’s at home. Quarterback Todd Reesing needs to keep doing what he does, but with the Jayhawks’ struggling defense, will it be enough?

Don’t Call it an Upset When…
Alabama Visits Tennessee (October 25, 7:45, ESPN): The No. 2 Tide are undefeated, while the Vols are 3-4, hoping to claw back to .500. But this is an intense rivalry, and this year it takes place in Knoxville, where UT has won five of six from the Tide and Phillip Fulmer is 11-4 against ‘Bama. Tennessee is coming off their best performance of the season, while Alabama continues to have second half letdowns, allowing unranked foes Mississippi and Kentucky to hang around. Quarterback John Parker Wilson needs to be keenly aware of where safety Eric Berry is at all times. The super sophomore has recorded an interception in three straight games and last week set the SEC all-time interception return record.

The Team That Can’t Afford to Look Ahead is…
Georgia Tech Hosting Virginia (October 25, 3:30, ESPNU): Tech looks like the team to beat in the ACC with FSU on tap next week, but Virginia comes in hot, riding a three-game winning streak.

The Team on the Cusp is…
Minnesota Visiting Purdue (October 25, 12:00, ESPN Classic): The Gophers are ranked 25th in both polls, but still do not have the public’s respect. A road win could build credibility.

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack…

Georgia @ LSU (October 25, 3:30, CBS): This one will be an SEC battle between two of the conference’s perennial powerhouses—the teams have combined to win five of the last seven SEC titles. This meeting marks the fifth consecutive time in which both teams come into the game ranked No. 13 or higher in the national polls. No. 9 Georgia looks to get senior linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and senior tight end Tripp Chandler back on the field for the contest against No. 11 LSU. The duo has missed the last two games due to injury.

Superior Senior: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

Star of Tomorrow: AJ Green, WR, Georgia

Virginia Tech at Florida St. (October 25, 3:30, ABC): The No. 24 Seminoles have won five straight against the Hokies in Doak Campbell Stadium, and had won the previous 12 meetings until last year’s 40-21 loss in Blacksburg – Frank Beamer’s first win against Bobby Bowden. Look for FSU to run early-and-often, with Antone Smith (10 touchdowns this season). Tech should look to attack through the air, considering the Seminoles have held opponents to 79.5 rushing-yards per game.

Superior Senior: Orion Martin, DE, Va. Tech

Star of Tomorrow: Rodney Hudson, OG, FSU

Wake Forest at Miami (October 25, 12:00, ESPNU): The Hurricanes own a 5-3 lead in a series that dates back to 1928, and have won the last four. The Demon Deacons should have something to prove after losing to Maryland 26-0 last week. It was the first time the Deacs had been shutout since 1998. Look for quarterback Riley Skinner to spread the ball around—he’s thrown a touchdown to six different Wake receivers this season. A key match-up is Miami quarterback Jacory Harris, coming off a five-touchdown performance (four passing, one rushing), against cornerback Alphonso Smith (3 interceptions) and safety Kevin Patterson (3 interceptions).

Superior Senior: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

Star of Tomorrow: Jacory Harris, QB, Miami

Michigan St. at Michigan (October 25, 3:30, ABC): In the 101st meeting between the two schools, the only thing for certain is that one team will be bringing home the Paul Bunyan trophy. Both teams have something to prove coming off of losses in which they both gave up 45 points or more. A key match-up will be Michigan’s run defense (120.9 yards-per-game) against Javon Ringer (147.4 yards-per-game, 14 TD’s).

Superior Senior: Tim Jamison, DE, Michigan

Star of Tomorrow: Charlie Gantt, TE, MSU

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media

Between the Hashes: Debating Season

GOOD EVENING MEMBERS of the college football nation. We would like to welcome you to this Football Forum “Debate” hosted by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.

Moderator: Lets start with the gentleman from the “Heart of America”. What is your position on APR (Academic Progress Rates)?

Kansas Coach Mark Mangino: I'm in favor of the APR. But I'm concerned about the student athletes that just didn't have the resources in high school to prepare them for the challenge of college. Does that mean they shouldn't have an opportunity to go to college? I don't think so. In fact, I know so. Every young man and young lady should have an opportunity to get an education if they want to, and if it's because of an athletic scholarship, I think that's great.

Moderator: Can we here from the gentleman from the south, Dr. T.K. Wetherall (Florida St. University President)?

Dr. Wetherall: Once you make that commitment to admit that student, I think that student deserves every opportunity that any other student would get, including while they're in high school. Now, that violates a number of NCAA rules. We have a program called “Care at Florida State”. You look at U.S. News & World Report, you'll see we're actually graduating African American students at a higher rate than we are white students at one of the highest rates in the nation. The reason we're doing that is the programs we put in place before they get to Florida State. But if I send those same counselors out to talk to a football player, I'm going to be slapped with some kind of a violation. That doesn't seem right to me. But you've got to take the chains off of us if we're going to deal with those students.

Moderator: Coach Jim Tressel, representing the great state of Ohio. What’s your take on recruiting younger players?

Coach Tressel: I know what's happening in our state, a lot of the schools from out of the state, colleges from out of state, are coming in and just offering all kinds of sophomores. We really haven't gotten to know them as well, and it puts a little bit of heat on us being the home school and all that, so it's put a little bit of -- all of a sudden now you're trying to find out more about that 010 guy or 011 guy. I'm hoping we don't get into the eighth and ninth grade deal, but everything in this world is getting faster.

Moderator: I turn to the man from the great northwest, Coach Ty Willingham. What needs to be done to increase the number of African American coaches?

Coach Willingham: We need programs of all natures to develop a coaching pool. We need programs that teach the skill sets that are needed. But you also -- we must have legislation. I think it's clear. We're not changing the numbers based on how we've done it in the past. So therefore it's necessary to have something not to mandate that a president or an athletic director hire an African-American or a minority, but at least they have an opportunity to sit down and then you expand the pool and can determine what young men are capable, and maybe they create another opportunity through that interview in itself. We've gone too long with the numbers the way they are, and to sit around and explain them and rationalize them, and we could be coming up with all the different programs, they're good, they're necessary, but we have to change the face of what we're doing, and the only way to do that is legislation.

Moderator: Lets go to the state of Texas, Coach Gary Patterson of TCU, what are your thoughts on a playoff?

Coach Patterson: If you think the playoff system is going to be fun for the kids except for the team that wins the final game, we'd all be kidding ourselves because you put the amount of -- every ballgame is a National Championship game. It's going to be -- because to get to the next round, so you're talking about six hard days of work, we let them take one day off, somewhere we'll work finals in between all of it, and then yeah, we'll end up with the National Championship winner, but there's not going to be anybody else happy.

ACC Power Rankings - Week Six

By JOHN TALTY - ACC INSIDER

1) Virginia Tech (5-1, 2-0): Yes, that loss to East Carolina looks even worse these days, but it seems that despite suffering losses on both sides of the ball, Virginia Tech is surviving at this point. They were able to easily defeat Western Kentucky this weekend and now have an extra week to prepare for their game against Boston College on October 18th.

2) Wake Forest (3-1, 1-0): After a loss to a sub par Navy team, Wake Forest had their bye week to think about what went wrong. Wake is still considered by some to be the favorite to win the ACC, but with Clemson and Maryland looming as their next two games, the Demon Deacons are going to have to play their best football to come away with wins.

3) Georgia Tech (4-1, 2-1): Much was made of the match-up between Georgia Tech and Duke, but the Yellow Jackets came out and proved very quickly who the better team was, crushing the Blue Devils, 27-0. Outside of that close loss to Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech has been rolling this year and seem to really be buying into what new coach Paul Johnson is preaching.

4) North Carolina (4-1, 1-1): North Carolina continues to just do what it needs to do and after destroying Connecticut, they now find themselves ranked in the AP Top 25. A win against Notre Dame could boost them big time in the Top 25 and could make UNC a favorite in the ACC.

5) Florida State (4-1, 1-1): Besides their loss against Wake Forest in which they only scored three points, the Seminoles have been lighting up the scoreboard. Even though Florida State teams have not been known for their offense recently, the team has been flourishing under new offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, putting up close to 40 points in every game. They need to keep the momentum going and avoid a letdown against lowly NC State this weekend.

6) Boston College (4-1, 1-1): Yes, Boston College is 4-1, but they have zero quality wins at this point. Wins against such powerhouses as Kent State, Central Florida, Rhode Island, and NC State don’t really inspire too much confidence. After their upcoming bye week, Boston College will finally get their chance to prove themselves when they take on #18 Virginia Tech.

7) Maryland (4-2, 1-1): A horrible 31-0 beat down at the hands of Virginia puts the Terrapins in the middle of the pack of the ACC. After wins against California and Clemson it looked as if they might be a contender for the ACC, but as shown by losses to UVA and Middle Tennessee State, you never know what Maryland team is going to show up. Consistency is the mark of a good team…the Terps clearly aren’t there yet.

8) Clemson (3-2, 1-1): The Tigers got a whole week to think about how bad that loss to Maryland was, and to focus on Thursday’s game against Wake Forest. A win against Wake Forest could put Clemson back into the ACC mix, but a loss would eliminate them from a chance at an Atlantic division title.

9) Duke (3-2, 1-1): Duke showed us this week that it’s a little too early to consider Duke an ACC contender. There is no question that this is a much better Duke team than in past years, but they are still nowhere near the top of the ACC in terms of talent.

10) Miami (2-3, 0-2): There is certainly talent on this football team, but they simply cannot finish games. They had opportunities for wins against both North Carolina and Florida State, but couldn’t get the job done. Randy Shannon’s team is going to have to start winning some games or Shannon’s seat will start to get a little warmer.

11) Virginia (2-3, 1-1): Virginia came out and shocked the world with a 31-0 drubbing of Maryland. Seemingly playing for Al Groh’s job, the Cavaliers just dominated the Terrapins in every aspect of Saturday’s game. Whether this game was a fluke or not is yet to be known, but Virginia could go a long way to proving they aren’t as bad as everyone thinks they are if they can pull off a win against East Carolina on Saturday.

12) NC State (2-4, 0-2): The Wolfpack are just not a very good football team at this point. They were able to put up 31 points in a loss to Boston College, but it seems as if they just can’t seem to get the job done when they need to. Their Thursday night game next week against Florida State could get real ugly in a hurry.

Fans Weekend Guide - Week Six

Conference Pride is on the Line When…
North Carolina Hosts Connecticut (October 4, 7:00, ESPN2): Which conference has more to prove—the Big East or the ACC? The Tar Heels enter this game 3-1, including an impressive 44-12 win over Rutgers in their lone trip up north. Meanwhile, the undefeated Huskies took care of their previous ACC foe when they handled Virginia 45-10. Connecticut now must cross the Mason-Dixon Line for an inter-conference battle. UConn will be without their leader, Tyler Lorenzen went down last week and could be out for up to two months. Sophomore Zach Frazer will attempt to replace the talismanic Lorenzen. The Huskies still boast the nation’s leading rusher in Donald Brown (906 yards, 11 touchdowns). They won’t receive any sympathy from North Carolina, who lost their starting signal caller Tyler Yates a week earlier. Third stringer Cameron Sexton stepped in last week and threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns in UNC’s comeback win over Miami.

The Conference Title is on the Line When…
USC Hosts Oregon (October 4, 8:00, ABC): Entering the week, the Ducks sit atop the Pac-10 standings with a 2-0 record in conference play, while the Trojans are still smarting over their loss on Thursday night to Oregon St. USC is happy not to have to make the trip back to the great northwest, and Oregon should not expect a gracious host this Saturday. A week after USC lost the “Quizz Show”, you can be sure the Ducks will look to feed tailbacks Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarrett Blount. The onus will be on the Trojans’ talented front seven, led by stellar senior linebackers Rey Maualuga in the middle and Brian Cushing (below) at the strongside position.

Don’t Call it an Upset When…
Alabama Visits Kentucky (October 4, 3:30, CBS): OK…you can call it an upset. The Tide have ripped through two top teams in September, but everyone is susceptible to the upset bug. UK has an underrated front seven. Linebacker Braxton Kelley (above) leads the team with 21 tackles and three sacks and if Micah Johnson can return healthy, they may have enough bulk to handle Alabama’s physical rushing attack.

The Team That Can’t Afford to Look Ahead is…
Texas Visiting Colorado (October 4, 7:00, FoxSports): The ‘Horns take on the Sooners next week in Dallas in what figures to be a match-up of top five foes. However, before they get there, UT must conquer the Rockies. The Buffs are coming off a loss to FSU, but are dangerous at home— they knocked off No. 21 West Virginia this year and No. 3 Oklahoma last season.

The Team on the Cusp is…
Michigan St. Hosting Iowa (October 4, 12:00, ESPN2): Javon Ringer (897 yards, 12 touch-downs) is trying to single-handedly carry the Spartans into the top 25, but if they are to earn a ranking, the MSU defense will have to perform better than they did last week at Indiana.

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack…

Illinois @ Michigan – (October 4, 3:30, ABC): This match-up will mark the 90th meeting between the two Big-Ten programs, with Michigan holding a 9-1 advantage in the last 10 contests. Look for Illinois junior quarterback Juice Williams (above) to try and attack the Wolverines via the pass. Michigan’s defense has held opponents to 88.5 rushing yards per game, while allowing 220.8 through the air this season. The Illini’s porous run defense (182.5 yards per game) should allow freshman Sam McGuffie to have quite a day in “The Big House.”

Super Senior: Brit Miller, LB, Illinois

Star of Tomorrow: Sam McGuffie, RB, UM

FSU @ Miami – (October 4, 3:30, ABC): The Hurricanes and the Seminoles both enter the contest with very stingy run defenses. Miami ranks seventh nationally in rushing defense (65.0 yards per game), while FSU is eighth nationally in rushing defense (67.2). Just a hunch, but some pass plays may factor into the both game plans. Also look for Miami to have an extra-large chip on its shoulder coming off a heartbreaking loss to North Carolina. The Canes will be looking to take out their frustration on someone after falling victim to a scoring pass with 46 seconds left in their ACC opener last Saturday.

Super Senior: Derek Nicholson, LB, FSU

Star of Tomorrow: Sean Spence, LB, Miami

Arizona St. @ Cal – (October 4, 3:30, ABC): The Bears have won four of the last five meetings with the Sun Devils, but will be looking to avenge last year's 31-20 loss in Tempe. A match-up to keep an eye on is Arizona State’s senior signal caller Rudy Carpenter against the play-making corners of Cal, led by Syd’Quan Thompson and Brett Johnson.

Super Senior: Keegan Herring, RB, Arizona State

Star of Tomorrow: Shane Vereen, RB, Cal

Auburn @ Vanderbilt – (October 4, 6:00, ESPN): No. 13 Auburn has won its last 13 games against No. 19 Vanderbilt. But the Commodores, who are 2-0 in the SEC for just the third time since 1956, lead the nation in turnover margin (+2.25) and are tied for the national lead in fewest penalties (11). This should be a good test for a Vanderbilt squad that is nationally ranked for the first time since 1984. Look for a rugged SEC battle in this one.

Super Senior: Reshard Langford, S, Vanderbilt

Star of Tomorrow: Zac Ethridge, SS, Auburn

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, John Pyle

This Date in College Football History

Sept. 24, 1966: Florida State quarterback Gary Pajcic throws two touchdown passes, while future Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell returns a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown as the Seminoles down Miami 23-20 in the Orange Bowl.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

This Date in College Football History

September 20, 1997: Florida State WR Peter Warrick tallies 372 all-purposes yards at Death Valley en route to a 35-28 win over conference rival Clemson, giving future College Football Hall of Fame head coach Bobby Bowden his 200th win at FSU. The Seminoles move on to clinch the ACC Championship

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

National Football Foundation Announces 2008 On-Campus Salute Schedule

On-field presentations...an NFF tradition for more than six decades

DALLAS, August 19, 2008 - Archie Manning, chairman of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc. (NFF), recently announced the On-Campus Salute schedule for the NFF's 2008 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) College Football Hall of Fame Class.

PLAYER POSITION SCHOOL YEARS ON-CAMPUS SALUTE DATE
TROY AIKMAN QB UCLA 1987-88 TBA
BILLY CANNON HB LSU 1957-59 Nov. 22 vs. Ole Miss
JIM DOMBROWSKI OT Virginia 1982-85 Aug. 30 vs. USC
PAT FITZGERALD LB Northwestern 1993-96 Oct. 18 vs. Purdue
WILBER MARSHALL LB Florida 1980-83 Sept. 6 vs. Miami (Fla.)
RUEBEN MAYES RB Washington State 1982-85 Sept. 27 vs. Oregon
RANDALL McDANIEL OG Arizona State 1984-87 Sept. 20 vs. Georgia
DON McPHERSON QB Syracuse 1984-87 Nov. 1 vs. Louisville
JAY NOVACEK TE Wyoming 1982-84 Sept. 13 vs. North Dakota State
DAVE PARKS SE Texas Tech 1961-63 Sept. 13 vs. SMU
RON SIMMONS NG Florida St.1977-80 Nov. 15 vs. Boston College
THURMAN THOMAS RB Oklahoma State 1984-87 Nov. 29 vs. Oklahoma (tent.)
ARNOLD TUCKER QB Army 1944-46 Sept. 20 vs. Akron (tent.)

COACHES

JOHN COOPER
Career Record: 192-84-6
Tulsa 1977- 84
Arizona St. 1985-87;
On Campus Salute: ASU-Sept. 20 vs. Georgia
Ohio State 1988-2000;
On Campus Salute: OSU-Oct. 25 vs. Penn State

LOU HOLTZ
Career Record: 249-132- 7
William & Mary 1969-71
N.C. State 1972-75
Arkansas 1977- 83
Minnesota 1984-85
Notre Dame 1986-96;
On Campus Salute: ND- Sept. 13 vs. Michigan
South Carolina 1999-2004

"The On-Campus Salute is not only a unique tradition that allows our Hall of Famers to be honored in front of their home crowds again," said Manning, a 1989 College Football Hall of Fame inductee. "It is also a great opportunity for fans to see some of the most storied players and coaches in the history of their school's football program."

Throughout the football season, each Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) Hall of Fame inductee returns to his school for the special on-field event, where a commemorative plaque is presented to the university for permanent display. Beginning with the Foundation's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1951, the On-Campus Salute has served as the first of numerous highlights in the Hall of Fame experience, giving each inductee one more chance to take the field.

"I was humbled to tears as I shared my halftime salute with many of my teammates, family and friends," said Rex Kern, a 2007 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Ohio State. "To hear the thunderous roar of the fans while standing on the fifty-yard line took me all the way back almost 40 years ago when our teams went 27-2. ... The excitement in the air just reminded me again as to why college football and [my] university are so special to me."

NFF representatives, including staff from the national office and board members like 1986 College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin, who took part in Kern's salute, present the plaque during the ceremony.

"Incorporating our many nationwide constituents, especially our board members, in the On-Campus Salutes allows us to continually build on our efforts to be border-to-border and coast-to-coast," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "The salutes are an important platform for us to expose fans and the media to the NFF's mission and our many initiatives."

The 2008 Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner, held at New York City's historic Waldorf=Astoria Hotel on Tuesday, December 9. The National Hall of Fame Salute at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl follows on January 5, giving the class recognition on a national stage, and events culminate with the College Football Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Ind., July 17- 18.

This year's On-Campus Salute schedule is filled with exciting match-ups, including intrastate rivalries between Florida and Miami on Sept. 6 and Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on Nov. 29; Arizona State hosts preseason No.1 Georgia on Sept. 20; a potential Big Ten title showdown between Ohio State and Penn State on Oct. 25; and the 50th anniversary of Billy Cannon's historic Halloween-night run as LSU takes on Ole Miss on Nov. 22.