Chat with Berry Tramel at 11 a.m.
Stop by at 11 a.m. today and ask Berry a few questions in today’s Power Lunch.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
College Football Week 9: An RV Gridiron Tour
I met Carl Pangia in a barbeque restaurant in Memphis last March during the NCAA basketball tournament. We got to talking, and I discovered he’s a relative of Billy Parese, who played baseball at OU in the 1960s and whose son was a pitching star at Owasso High School several years ago. Carl also is a big Jack Mildren fan.
Anyway, Carl is a college football nut who emails me from time to time. He’s spending this season in an RV, traveling from venue to venue, seeing big games and checking out campuses and traditions. I asked him to share some of his experiences.
Sept. 6: Colorado State at Colorado
CU had the prettiest and most spoiled coeds. Beautiful campus but very difficult to tailgate with a large RV, so I drove the Jeep. Beer was all around. Had good BBQ outside the stadium. Folsom Field was very impressive. A classic. Loved Ralphie. Best mascot and liked their tradition of band playing inside and coming out to field.
Coach and QB son must go! CU not well-prepared for game. Fans were really up throughout even while losing. Disappointed that they did not have a Hall of Fame or exhibits for all the great players. Also, they had the best game program.
Sept. 26: Iowa at Penn State
Got worried about outcome while driving through Kansas listening to Iowa sports talk that if Iowa won, it would not be an upset. They were better in special teams and line play. As week went on, got even more worried. Even PSU’ers weren’t as certain as week went on. Penn State does not have dominant o-line or receivers.
Nittany Stadium was awesome! The largest now that the Big House is under-going renovation. One can see the stadium lit up from the I-80 over 20 miles away. Over-powering, like a city in it self. I must be honest. This is probably my all-time favorite football school. I did like Army ball in the ’40s and ’50s with those Heisman winners being from the East. But Penn State was our team since Joe Pa took over in 1966, when I graduated from high school.
Penn State has the best hall of fame and museum (however, they did charge $5admission). Went to classic icons for dinner. Penn Stater Inn and Nittany Lion Inn. Both what you would expect. Rich with tradition. Will actually attend three 3 Penn State games this year. At Michigan and home on Nov. 7 vs. Ohio State.
Penn State was most orchestrated school by far. The days were all planned out and communicated well, except for that damn rain. Day of game, poured all day. A miserable, cold, wet game played at 8 p.m.
Saw the ESPN GameDay crew and talked with one of my faves, Franco Harris. He is huge. Never thought he was that big even playing for the Steelers. A real gentleman who sat through the rain signing autographs for all in line. Had an extra ticket that I could not sell and offered it to him but he had box (dry!) seats. He was no fool.
Friday night, attended pep rally at the old gym. Joe Pa led captains and the rest of the team into the gym. Joe Pa gave great speech. Then on Saturday the day was totally planned - bands, parties and even their Bryce-Jordan Center Fieldhouse. Very impressive, tied with Texas Tech’s United Spirit Arena. Joe Pa did visit Paternoville on Friday, an encampment of students who were there from Monday for best seats.
Everything again orchestrated to the minute. Blue Band marching to stadium, Team arriving by buses. Four exactly at 6:20 p.m.
Took forever to get into upper decks of stadium; 110,000 fans. They stood all of first quarter and pretty much all game. Everyone totally into it and their team. I was concerned about Iowa. I went to Michigan State and know Big 10 ball. (Kirk) Ferentz is a great coach and Western Pennsylvania product who attended my undergrad school, UConn, as a linebacker because Joe would not recruit a “slow, small white kid,” per Ferentz’s bio. My opinion is that Ferentz should replace Joe Pa when it is time.
I bought a BBQ sandwich (not as good as CU) outside stadium and they would not even let me bring it in. I had to sneak game program under my rain gear, and they still stopped me.
The stadium is just overwhelming. Massive steel, concrete structure all aglow like a spaceship in the rolling hills. A city all onto itself.
Stopped by the creamery. All the land-grant schools— even UConn and Michigan State - have ag programs and best ice cream in the world. I had the Peachy Paterno and yes it was outstanding. Very rich and creamy and huge strawberries everyday I was there.
Iowa slow and steady shut them down. Safety, blocked punt TD recovery and field goal. Game over. No big stars for Hawkeyes, just the QB who made no errors. Iowa defense outplayed and outscored Penn State’s offense. A miserable game. My team, first time in person and they got clabbered badly.
To end the fiasco, I got into a fender -bender in the rain leaving the stadium and waited 21/2 hours for police to take report. Got to Connecticut to see my dad at 6 a.m. after getting lost in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, just like the Lions.
One thing I must add. Joe Pa said he does not understand this phenomena of 60-year-old men walking around with WHITEOUT t-shirts on. I resented that because I am 60 years old exactly and am not old. And look pretty damn good. He did look great in person, a little limp in his walk but had more black hair then I did.
Oct. 3: USC at California
Worst stadium by far. A long and trying walk for all from the BART station. Best thing about attending Berkeley game? Arriving by BART. No toilets, just port-a-potties! No box or penthouses. Only thing was it did not pour rain like it did two years ago, but outcome was the same.
USC overwhelmed the Bears in a slaughter. Cal QB as bad as CU QB. Jahvid Best totally contained at line of scrimmage. There goes his Heisman hopes after two consecutive bad games with Oregon and USC. No passing attack, no running game.
Well, with third down 20 seconds before halftime, Cal on USC goal line, Jeff Tedford throws in towel. He goes for the field goal. Moans all over. He gave up and did not want to be shut out! He is too conservative a coach and has not developed a QB at CAL for years. Nate Longshore from two years ago a bust. I predict he is gone after this season.
Cal has had great athletes, going back to Chuck Muncie and my days with great quarterbacks Joe Kapp and Joe Roth, Aaron Rodgers, etc. They deserve much better. An expansion is on for the stadium, so better days will come.
Did not have time to see any memorabilia or training facilities. Don’t know about Hall of Fame, museums, etc. Do know it is the prize university in the West. Gorgeous campus. Just a classic. And I went to UDub (Washington) for grad school, which is more beautiful because of setting on Lake Washington.
Believe it or not, UConn in Storrs is beautiful and right up there with the others.
USC had best looking cheerleaders bar none! And Traveler is superb until I saw the Red Raider horse.
USC’s frosh QB is great, throws it like a pro. He really is that good. Unbelievable passing ability.
Cal gals were very pretty and eclectic. There was no food to be had at Cal. Fans were very knowledgeable and we sat pretty much all game, maybe because Cal showed nothing on offense. Some very loyal fans and many older, very wealthy alumni from Bay area in attendance.
Oct. 8: Nebraska at Missouri
Missouri has great stadium, sports complex, facilities, museums, Hall of Fame and coach in Gary Pinkel. He has done wonders for team, facilities and university.
I really like Mizzou. They have great tradition with Johnny Roland, Roger Wherli and Dan Devine, who later became Notre Dame coach. Great basketball arena and coach (Norm) Stewart and memorabilia for all sports.
The only problem is that all my favorite teams over 45-50 years are losing their games! And Mizzou was no different. Why the heck does it have to rain on me so much!
The only problem here is, you go to one game and it is an all day affair and you miss 20 others for the weekend.
Oct. 10: Penn State at Michigan
Big House awesome. Most tradition and tailgating so far. Very rich and many alumni means more money. Expanding stadium to over 110,000. Neither team that good! Daryl Clark got too big and bulky and can’t move. Thought this was the year for Penn State and OU. I was wrong!
Oct. 17: Oklahoma-Texas:
Colt McCoy was not that good. He made game-saving tackle of his own interception. Neither team looked that good - very bad officiating. Should have called roughing on UT on body shoulder slam on Bradford, sending him out of game! Also no face-mask call on Jordan Shipley punt return. All calls against OU. Pro UT refs.
OU big disappointment with or without Sam. Could not tell difference between him and backup. OU should have scored TD, not field goal, on first possession. Stoops got outcoached last three-fourths of game. UT not that impressive.
OU still almost wins game if DB (Brian Jackson) returns interception for TD. Spread was 3.5, a suckers bet on UT.
Just too much going on with State Fair,etc.
Will not go to Kansas-Texas in Austin because the UT fans are very obnoxious. Did not like some of the booing at game.
Oct. 31: Kansas State at Oklahoma
Hey, they got a street named after you in Norman! (Berry Road). I saw everybody at OU, including Barry Switzer and his custom home (from outside). Saw Bob Stoops, Sherri Coale and the girls basketball team and got autographs. Plus talked with president David Boren and media relations pics with Billy (I assume Sims).
I stayed at OU RV village and had great meal at Legends. Had the salmon and horseradish; excellent and plentiful. Had dinner with guy and girlfriend from Norman who now lives in OKC, and he knows Steve Owens very well and says he is the nicest guy, signs autographs plus talks withh all fans. Had great pizza at NY Pizza and Toto’s Italian place. Was treated royally by OU RV village. First night, Thursday, only a few of us and they let me have full-hookups. Walked through Lloyd Noble and they let me go through and see everything even with my little dog, all 11 pounds of her. They were great to me.
Then on Friday finally made Barry Switzer Center and saw Billy’s (Parese) name as letterman 1964 and of course Jack with Greg Pruitt and all their accolades. Many discrepancies, like Jack is not pictured as a graduate in OU 1972 yearbook. You know why not? It does not mention coaches between Bud ‘63 until Barry ‘1973. No mention of Chuck Fairbanks. Why not?
Liked everything about OU except still not as orchestrated as Penn State and probably Michigan. They have many traditions and alumni. OU facility, best multi-media scoreboard, head and shoulders over all others because always showing other game scores and two very large screens. Also, Switzer Center is free and Joe Pa’s cost a donation of 5 bucks. Barry’s was strictly football, but Penn State is all-sports museum. Overall, OUhands down best Hall of Fame and sports history, because five Heismans, plus statues in park plus outside letterman and all-American plaques. Best of anyone’s. And the more I think about it, best football tradition and results. Although Michigan and Penn State have best festivities and overall best stadiums.
Boy was I wrong on OU. Nowhere near as good as I thought nor. Too many holes to fill in skilled positions. No receivers or good o-line. Can Stoops recruit? I am doubting it. What do you think besides injuries to tight end and Sam B.? I don’t think that would have been enough. What is wrong with OU football? His coaching staff? Him?
Bill Snyder has done a great job - Big 12 coach of year - but they sucked vs. Texas Tech. Really surprised how well Kansas State is doing and how bad Missouri is doing.
I checked out OSU on the way out Sunday. Ready for a whole week there soon. Well, I’m at State College ready for Ohio State. So far the Big 10 has richer traditions and much more rich alumni and more of them than Big 12. However, Big 12 football is stronger and should be in BCS game unless UT screws up.
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK
10. Case Keenum: Houston’s loss at UTEP knocked the Cougars out of BCS contention and Keenum out of Heisman Trophy talk. But maybe Keenum needs to go back in. In a 50-43 victory over Southern Miss, Keenum completed 44 of 54 passes for 559 yards and five touchdowns.
9. Jerrel Jernigan, Troy: The smallish junior had been solid but not spectacular this season; no 100-yard games, 27 catches all season. But in a 42-21 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, Jernigan had 13 catches for 203 yards, including a 41-yard TD catch, as the Trojans virtually sealed the Sun Belt championship and New Orleans Bowl bid.
8. Florida State defense: The Seminoles beat North Carolina State, but needed a late touchdown to win 45-42 and allowed 538 total yards. So why the joy? Mickey Andrews announced he would retire as defensive coordinator after this season, in which Florida State has allowed 38 to Miami, 28 to BYU and Boston College, 49 to Georgia Tech and 20 to North Carolina.
7, Jerrod Johnson: The Texas A&M junior laid claim to be the Big 12’s best quarterback in 2010 with another solid game - 23 of 28 passing for 234 yards and three TDs in a 35-10 rout of Iowa State. Johnson now has 20 TD passes and three interceptions, and with Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing and Zac Robinson gone next year, Johnson might be the league’s best.
6. Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State: Already the Bulldogs’ career rushing leader, Dixon broke the single-game record, too, with 252 yards on 33 carries as Mississippi State kept alive its bowl hopes with a 31-24 upset of Kentucky. Mississippi State, 4-5, will need more upsets to go bowling, but the Bulldogs have made obvious improvements under first-year coach Dan Mullen.
5. Butch Davis: With a 16-16 record in almost three full seasons, the North Carolina coach was in need of a marquee victory. He got it with a 20-17 upset at Virginia Tech that put the Tar Heels (5-3) in solid bowl position.
4. Bernard Pierce: Few teams outrush Navy, but Temple did it in a 27-24 victory, and Pierce was the reason why. Pierce gave Temple its first lead with a 68-yard TD run and its last lead with a 41-yard run 2:41 from the end. Pierce, a freshman, gained 267 yards on 29 carries, becoming the first Own since Paul Palmer in 1986 to rush for at least 200 yards in consecutive games.
3. Greg Schiano: Once a hot coaching prospect, the Rutgers man could get that way again after a 28-24 win at Connecticut. Rutgers is 6-2 and could win at out - home games against South Florida and West Virginia, road games at Syracuse and Louisville.
2. Duke: Don’t look now, but the Blue Devils have the best chance to beat out Georgia Tech for the ACC’s Coastal Division title. Duke won 28-17 at Virginia to go 3-1 in the ACC. Coastal leading Georgia Tech is 5-1, but the Yellowjackets play at Duke on Nov. 14.
1. Pac-10 parity: One of college football’s longest-standing walls - USC’s domination of the Pac-10 - is about to crumble. Oregon’s 47-20 thumping of the Trojans likely will end USC’s seven straight seasons of winning the league. The Ducks have a two-game lead on SC and get arch-rival Oregon State at home.
DIVISIONS, DIVISIONS
We have a fantastic competition taking place in college football 2009. The ACC Atlantic and the Big 12 North are staging a battle royale to determine the worst division in the sport.
Not since baseball’s 1973 National League East have we seen such an awful division. The ‘73 Mets won the NL East with an 82-79 record; no one else in the six-team division had a winning record. Four teams in the NL West won at least 82 games.
First, a refresher on the teams that make up the ACC Atlantic, since you can’t go by geography. Boston College and Clemson lead the division at 3-2, followed by Florida State (2-3), Wake Forest (2-3), Maryland (1-3) and North Carolina State (0-4).
The Big 12 North, you know about. Kansas State (3-2), Nebraska (2-2), Iowa State (2-3), Kansas (1-3), Missouri (1-3) and Colorado (1-3).
Let’s compare the divisions.
Parity: The Big 12 North has more, since every team still has a shot, which is not a good thing when you’re trying to not be the worst division. Those three teams in last place are only 11/2 games behind in the standings. Meanwhile, NC State is 21/2 out of the lead. So give one point to the ACC Atlantic.
Records: The ACC Atlantic is 2-7 in crossover games; the Big 12 North is 3-9. Slight edge to the Big 12 North, so give another point to the ACC Atlantic.
Dangerous teams: Clemson actually is showing signs of life. The Tigers upset Miami two weeks ago and might make a decent opponent for someone in the ACC title game. No Big 12 North team shows life. Point to the Big 12 North.
Impressive wins: It’s crazy, but the ACC Atlantic actually has some notable victories out of conference. Florida State won at BYU. North Carolina gave Pitt its only loss. Wake Forest beat Stanford. Boston College beat Central Michigan, when everyone thought the Chippewas were capable of an upset. The Big 12 North counters with Kansas’ rout of Duke and Missouri’s neutral-field victory over Illinois back when we didn’t know that the Illini stunk. Point to the Big 12 North.
Bad losses: Maryland lost to Middle Tennessee State (and needed overtime to beat James Madison). But Kansas State lost to Louisiana-Lafayette and Colorado got whacked at Toledo. Point to the Big 12 North.
Chances of embarrassing finish: Clemson has a shot at going 6-2 in the ACC Atlantic. The Tigers finish with Florida State, at North Carolina State, Virginia. And if Florida State beats Clemson, the Seminoles could finish 5-3 (at Wake Forest, Maryland). No way will a Big 12 North team finish 6-2; 5-3 might be asking a lot. In fact, Kansas State is 3-2 and finishes with home games against Missouri and Kansas, plus a road game at Nebraska. It’s not hard to see the ‘Cats going 1-2 in that stretch. Nebraska hosts OU this Saturday and then goes to Kansas. Kansas and Missouri play on a neutral field. Well, you get the point. The Big 12 North champ very well could finish 4-4. Point to the Big 12 North.
Add it up, and the Big 12 North wins 4-2. The Big 12 North is the worst division in college football. History.
REALITY RANKINGS
The top 10 based not on what we think teams will do, but what they have done, along with their toughest game remaining:
1. Iowa: at Ohio State, Nov. 14
2. Florida: SEC title game, Dec. 5
3. Cincinnati: at Pittsburgh, Dec. 5
4. Texas: at Texas A&M, Nov. 26
5. Alabama: SEC title game, Dec. 5
6. Georgia Tech: ACC title game, Dec. 5
7. Boise State: Idaho, Nov. 14
8. Oregon: at Arizona, Nov. 21
9. TCU: Utah, Nov. 14
10. Southern Cal: Arizona, Dec. 5
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK:
10. Bill Stewart: Nicest guy in the world, but the West Virginia coach might not be cut out for the job. His Mountaineers lost 30-19 at South Florida, falling to 6-2 with a finishing schedule of Louisville, at Cincinnati, Pitt, at Rutgers.
9. Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane has played in bowl games five of the last six years, but that stretch might end after a 27-13 home loss to SMU. On the same field where Tulsa played Boise State to a virtual standstill, TU was dominated by the Mustangs and fell to 4-4.
8. Michigan State: The Spartans lost 42-34 at Minnesota to fall to 4-5. All five losses have been one-possession games. Michigan State’s five defeats have been by a total of 25 points.
7. Ole Miss: The Rebels were preseason top 10 but are 5-3 after a 33-20 loss at Auburn. Ole Miss’ wins are over Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana, Vanderbilt, Alabama-Birmingham and Arkansas.
6. Urban Meyer: The Florida coach suspended linebacker Brandon Spikes for one half of the upcoming game against Vanderbilt after Spikes tried to gouge the eyes of Georgia’s Waushan Ealey. After much criticism, Spikes announced he would suspend himself for the entire game. Good to know that someone is the adult.
5. New Mexico: A miserable season continued for the Lobos, who lost 23-20 to San Diego State, falling to 0-8 in a year in which first-year coach Mike Locksley’s status is uncertain because of allegations he assaulted an assistant coach.
4. Michigan: The hits just keep coming for the beleaguered Wolverines, who now are 8-13 under coach Rich Rodriguez. Michigan lost 38-13 to lowly Illinois, and while Michigan, 5-4, might still make a bowl, it’s obvious improvement in Ann Arbor is very small.
3. Boise State: The Broncos did their usual taking-care-of-business with a 45-7 rout at San Jose State and seem on the verge of a third undefeated regular season in the last four years. But Boise State was passed in the BCS rankings by TCU, and if the Horned Frogs beat Utah on Nov. 14, it seems likely that TCU will get the mid-major BCS spot that Boise State covets.
2. Big Ten officiating: Everyone is eat up with the SEC crews, but the replay calls in the Iowa-Indiana game were atrocious, especially an overruled Indiana touchdown that was pivotal in allowing Iowa to rally for a 42-24 victory. Officials on the field ruled Terrance Turner’s touchdown catch good, and replays seemed to show the call was correct. But it was overturned, then IU missed a field goal that would have extended its 24-14 lead late in the third quarter.
1. Tradition: Georgia wore black helmets for the first time ever and Tennessee wore black jerseys for the first time in at least 87 years. The motivational effects were mixed. Georgia lost 41-17 to Florida, but Tennessee routed South Carolina 31-13. But the wardrobe changes failed the aesthetic look. Tennessee’s white helmet, black shirt, pale orange pants rivals Wyoming as the worst look in college football. And Georgia sacrificed one of the nation’s most regal helmets for no good reason.
BOWL PROJECTIONS
New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 19, Albuquerque, N.M.
Air Force vs. Fresno State
St. Pete Bowl, Dec. 19, St. Petersburg, Fla.
South Florida vs. East Carolina
New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 20, New Orleans
Marshall vs. Troy
Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 22, Las Vegas
Utah vs. Stanford
Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 23, San Diego
BYU vs. Oregon State
Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24, Honolulu
SMU vs. Boise State
Emerald Bowl, Dec. 26, San Francisco
Nevada vs. UCLA
Motor City Bowl, Dec. 26, Detroit
Northwestern vs. Ohio
Meineke Bowl, Dec. 26, Charlotte, N.C.
Boston College vs. Pittsburgh
Music City Bowl, Dec. 27, Nashville, Tenn.
Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina
Independence Bowl, Dec. 28, Shreveport, La.
Kansas State vs. Kentucky
Champs Sports Bowl, Dec. 29, Orlando, Fla.
North Carolina vs. Michigan
EagleBank Bowl, Dec. 30, Washington, D.C.
Duke vs. Navy
Holiday Bowl, Dec. 30, San Diego
Oklahoma vs. California
Humanitarian Bowl, Dec. 30, Boise, Idaho
Kent State vs. Idaho
Texas Bowl, Dec. 30, Houston
Texas A&M vs. Northern Illinois
Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 30, Fort Worth, Texas
Kansas vs. UTEP
Sun Bowl, Dec. 31, El Paso, Texas
Nebraska vs. Arizona
Insight Bowl, Dec. 31, Tempe, Ariz.
Michigan State vs. Missouri
Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31, Atlanta
Clemson vs. Auburn
Outback Bowl, Jan. 1, Tampa, Fla.
Ohio State vs. Tennessee
Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1, Orlando, Fla.
Wisconsin vs. Ole Miss
Gator Bowl, Jan. 1, Jacksonville, Fla.
Miami vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, Pasadena, Calif.
Iowa vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, New Orleans
Alabama vs. TCU
Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2, Arlington, Texas
LSU vs. Oklahoma State)
Liberty Bowl, Jan. 2, Memphis, Tenn.
Houston vs. vs. Georgia
International Bowl, Jan. 2, Toronto
Rutgers vs. Temple
PapaJohns.com Bowl, Jan. 2, Birmingham, Ala.
West Virginia vs. Arkansas
Alamo Bowl, Jan. 2, San Antonio
Minnesota vs. Texas Tech
Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 4, Glendale, Ariz.
Southern Cal vs. Cincinnati
Orange Bowl, Jan. 5, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Georgia Tech. vs. Penn State
GMAC Bowl, Jan. 6, Mobile, Ala.
Southern Miss vs. Central Michigan
Big Bowl, Jan. 7, Pasadena, Calif.
Texas vs. Florida
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
More OU-Nebraska celebrations
Last autumn, Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione organized a reunion of the 1971 OU-Nebraska game, which the Sooners lost 35-31. But it was such a monumental competition, so gloriously played, that it is still revered not just in Nebraska, but in Oklahoma as well. Dozens of players convened on the OU campus the night before the OU-NU game to reminisce.
This year, Nebraska is returning the favor. Husker athletic director Tom Osborne has organized a celebration in Lincoln on Friday night. All major award winners were invited — Heisman Trophy, Outland, Lombardi, Butkus, etc.
Osborne said he expects about a dozen players from each school, along with Barry Switzer, at the dinner. In addition, 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers has organized a series of autograph sessions, in a couple of small Nebraska towns on Friday, in Lincoln on Saturday and in Omaha on Sunday. Rodgers hopes to include OU Heisman winners Steve Owens, Billy Sims and Jason White and fellow Nebraska Heisman winners Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch. Billy Vessels (OU’s 1952 Heisman winner) is deceased, and Sam Bradford is needed elsewhere.
Anyway, it should be a fun weekend of OU-Nebraska tradition.
“It was really nice of Joe Castiglione to invite the 1971 team last year,” said Osborne, Nebraska’s legendary coach from 1973-98, now its athletic director and an assistant coach on the ‘71 team. “I think it will be a neat deal.”
The award winners will be introduced at halftime of the game Saturday night.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
BCS a longshot for OU or OSU
When you’ve got a team of interest challenging in the BCS rankings, they are interesting to study. The computer rankings, the polls, how the danged thing all fits together in the first place. You can spend 10-15 minutes deciphering information from the expanded BCS chart.
But if you’ve got no team in the fight, it’s like studying pig-Latin. Doesn’t really get you anywhere.
No reason for Oklahomans to study the BCS chart in 2009. Oklahoma State is 19th and Oklahoma is 24th in the BCS rankings. About the only drama left in this season is if the Sooners or Cowboys can win out and what bowl game that would earn.
A BCS bowl is the best consolation prize for a non-Big 12 champion, but that’s very unlikely for OU or OSU, even if one of them wins out.
It’s not so much that they wouldn’t crack the top 14 in the BCS and thus be eligible. I think OSU in particular, but OU, too, would be in the top 14 if they win out. The Sooners would be 9-3 and rising fast, with three close losses to good teams, all with Sam Bradford sidelined for all or more than half the game. The Cowboys would be 10-2 and, coming off a win in Norman, well into the top 14.
But the problem is too many marquee teams also likely to be eligible. The BCS has four at-large teams. Two of the slots are virtual locks: the Florida-Alabama loser, probably to the Sugar Bowl, and either TCU or Boise State, whichever finishes higher in the BCS. Boise State isn’t likely to lose the rest of the year, but if TCU goes unbeaten, too, the Horned Frogs will likely be ranked higher.
So that leaves two slots. Let’s look at the chief contenders:
* Southern Cal. The Trojans are 12th and will move higher if they win out, against a relatively easy schedule. At Arizona State, followed by home games against Stanford, UCLA and Arizona. A 10-2 USC would be more attractive to, say, the Fiesta Bowl than a 9-3 Oklahoma or a 10-2 OSU.
* The Penn State-Ohio State winner. Those Big Ten powers play Saturday in State College, Pa. If Penn State wins, it would be 9-1, with games remaining against Indiana and at Michigan State. If Ohio State wins, it would be 8-2, with games remaining against Iowa and at Michigan. BCS contenders should hope for an Ohio State victory, because the Buckeyes are more likely to lose again.
* Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are 22nd in the BCS, barely ahead of OU, but the meat of its schedule is in the past. Notre Dame is 6-2 and finishes with Navy, at Pitt, Connecticut and at Stanford. The last three games are losable, but also winnable. If Notre Dame wins out to get to 10-2, they will be in the top 14 and will be in the BCS.
* Boise State. Don’t laugh. Let’s say TCU and Boise State win out and finish something like 4-5 in the BCS. TCU would be automatically included, but Boise State would be awfully attractive. A Boise State-USC Fiesta Bowl? Are you kidding me? FOX would eat up another David-Goliath showdown.
So if you’re OU or OSU, and you want the BCS, here’s how to cheer.
Hope TCU loses, probably to Utah. Hope Notre Dame loses, and at Pitt on Nov. 14 is the most likely candidate. Hope Ohio State beats Penn State, then loses to Iowa or Michigan. Hope USC loses one of its final four Pac-10 games.
With a lot of help, the Bedlam winner could claw back into BCS contention. But that’s a longshot.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
OSU homefield advantage not what we thought
The Oklahoma State-Texas football series always seems to deliver the unusual. Close games when you’re thinking rout; routs when you’re thinking close games. The only constant is a Longhorn victory. But here’s another kooky element to the Oklahoma State-Texas series: the Cowboys seem to play as well in Austin as they do in Stillwater. Which is most definitely not the case with most teams and most series.
OSU now is 2-22 vs. Texas and 1-13 in the Big 12 era. But look at the recent games in Stillwater. Discounting the 38-35 classic in 2007, the ‘Horns largely have won easily this decade: a 41-14 drubbing Saturday night, 47-28 in 2005 (despite OSU’s 28-9 lead, that’s the one blown lead everyone expected), 55-16 in 2003, 45-17 in 2001, 34-21 in 1999.
Meanwhile, down in Austin, we had 28-24 in 2008 in a great game, 36-10 in 2006, 56-35 (after OSU led 35-7, a comeback that really was a stunner), 17-15 in 2002, 42-7 in 2000, 37-34 in 1998.
So that’s three close calls for Texas in the last six games at Austin, plus a game in which the Longhorns had to rally from a 28-point deficit. Meanwhile, at Stillwater, there’s one close call, one decent game (34-21) and one big comeback.
Everyone says Stillwater is a tough place to play, and I believe it. But does the evidence support such a theory? In Bedlam, obviously the answer is yes. Against Texas Tech, yes. The home team has won every game in that series since 2001.
But against Texas A&M this decade, OSU is 2-3 at home and 2-3 at College Station, with both routs and close calls in both venues both ways.
The North Division is tougher to analyze, since there are only half as many games. But OSU’s win over Missouri on Oct. 17 was the first home victory in the series since 1993. Home teams are 3-4 in the last seven OSU-Kansas games. And home teams have lost the last four OSU-Colorado games. During the Big 12 era, home teams are 5-1 in the OSU-Kansas State series and 5-2 in the OSU-Iowa State series.
Big 12 competition suggests that OSU’s home advantage and road disadvantage is not as great as maybe we’ve been led to believe.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
Big 12 North update: KSU, KU or MU
The Big 12 South football race is over. Texas will play in the Big 12 championship game. The Longhorns would have to lose twice to miss Arlington. UT could lose, I suppose, at Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night, but no way will the ‘Horns lose at home to Kansas or at Baylor.
But that doesn’t mean we know who Texas will play in the Big 12 title game. The North Division is wilder (more mediocre) than ever. Let’s review the standings and who each team has left.
Kansas State 3-2: Kansas, Missouri, at Nebraska
Nebraska 2-2: OU, at Kansas, Kansas State, at Colorado
Iowa State 2-3: OSU, Colorado, at Missouri
Kansas 1-3: at Kansas State, Nebraska, at Texas, Missouri in Kansas City
Missouri 1-3: Baylor, at Kansas State, Iowa State, at Kansas
Colorado 1-3: Texas A&M, at Iowa State, at Oklahoma State, Nebraska.
Every team remains in contention, even Colorado, even though the Buffs seem to have gone belly up.
Let’s give each team its expected victories and defeats, and adjust the schedule.
Kansas State 3-2, with a schedule of Kansas, Missouri, at Nebraska
Missouri 3-3, with a schedule of at Kansas State, Kansas in Kansas City
Nebraska 2-3, with a schedule of at Kansas, Kansas State, at Colorado
Iowa State 2-4, with a schedule of Colorado, at Missouri
Kansas 1-4, with a schedule of at Kansas State, Nebraska, Missouri in Kansas City
Colorado 1-4, with a schedule of Texas A&M, at Iowa State, Nebraska.
Looking at the league that way, the North race comes down to a handful of games. Kansas at Kansas State. Missouri at Kansas State. Kansas-Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium. Maybe the Nebraska games.
You could always fall back on the old standby of giving tossup games to the home team. Going by that method, the projected standings look this way:
Kansas State 5-3
Missouri 3-5 or 4-4
Nebraska 3-5
Iowa State 3-5
Kansas 2-6 or 3-5
Colorado 3-5
So K-State has the big edge, with those two home games against Kansas and Missouri. If KSU wins those, it will win the North. Lose one, and it opens up the field. Lose both, and no telling what will happen.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
Emails in on Dez Bryant & NCAA
The new emails are in, and Dez Bryant is the overwhelming topic.
Jordan: “A lot of people are using the Jerrell Harris/Alabama case as precedent to the Dez Bryant case. If I read correctly, Harris lied to compliance officials at the University of Alabama, not to a NCAA investigator. It was also the university that gave the ruling that Harris would be suspended for six games (the NCAA accepted that punishment and everyone went on their way). Though it is for the most part precedence, the situation was not handled in the same manner by the university. Would Okie State have been better off telling the NCAA that Dez lied and he was suspended for the next x-amount of games rather than saying he is suspended indefinitely and we want to reinstate him, basically putting the onus on the NCAA? I would have to agree that none of this would have happened if all parties involved just kept their mouths shut, but I think Oklahoma State (and, to be fair, the majority of universities) is ethically above doing something like that. Okie State has gotten burned by the NCAA before and knows it does not want that to happen again. I think self-reporting infractions is admirable, but it might have been a better situation for OSU to come up with their own reasonable punishment. I found it quite curious that the NCAA did come out and rule on the situation at a time like this. OSU is back in the spotlight in the national media since the loss to Houston (that’s just because they are playing Texas). There is going to be a prime-time football game on ABC/ESPN2 in Stillwater. The NCAA just threw the game announcers a gigantic bone if there is ever a slow spot in the game. I agree that the NCAA makes decisions for self-preservation. It just seems like someone made a huge PR blunder in the announcement of the Dez ruling. An argument against the NCAA is a lot easier if there is a ruling as opposed to a slow-play on a ruling (or in their case, information gathering).”
I just don’t believe in NCAA conspiracies. Did you see the committee that will decide Dez’s appeal? Associate athletic directors from Miami and Ole Miss. Faculty rep from Utah State. Athlete from Wisconsin. Associate commissioner from the Big Ten. People like that. The NCAA is not a star chamber. The NCAA is made up of people from member schools. I don’t believe you can get people like that to conspire. And it’s a good point about the timing. Some say the time was meant to hurt OSU. But the timing in truth makes the NCAA vulnerable to criticism.
Lewis: “Do you think OSU can beat Texas AND the NCAA Saturday? Can you imagine Dez Bryant’s punishment being given a player from Notre Dame or Ohio State or Michigan or Penn State? It hurts the kid but it severely handicaps his school and team.”
Yes, I think OSU can beat Texas, and I don’t think the Cowboys are playing the NCAA. Yes, the NCAA hands out punishment like this to athletes from most every school. I just think this punishment was over the top.
Wes: “I think you’re right on with the Dez commentary. These college players are still only kids who are growing up. They’re going to make mistakes. I feel like they came after Dez. It must have been an intimidating experience to say the least. They certainly were not trying to help him help them understand the facts. I believe that young adults such as Dez should have the right to some sort of counsel if the NCAA comes around asking questions. The NCAA should have to, at the very least, go through the compliance people at the university before they may speak with a player. It’s a completely different ballgame investigating teams and programs than it is to single out young men who hadn’t done anything wrong at that. The NCAA headhunters do no favors to the college sports when they pull stunts like this. The NCAA leadership probably felt the need to ‘cloak itself in righteousness.’ It will not get rid of the foul odor left behind.”
I don’t know what counsel or compliance people Dez had available. And I know he did wrong multiple times. But I agree that the entire system is set up to help everyone but the individual athletes.
Cecil: “I’ve always liked you, but we have usually disagreed about the NCAA. Bravo for speaking out against their ludicrous decision on Dez Bryant! The NCAA is an organization that has lost touch with reality and whose leadership is drunk with power. The member schools need to take charge and completely overhaul the infrastructure or someone from outside - Congress or the courts — will eventually do it for them. And the result will be a train wreck for college sports.”
But as I’ve said, there is no empirical power called the NCAA. The NCAA is made up of those people we talked about. People who are on the job in Arizona and Louisiana and West Virginia. It’s possible that the NCAA is off track, but it’s not because anyone is drunk with power. Overworked, perhaps, but not drunk with power.
Don: “I read between the lines and feel something is missing. Did Bryant do something other than this and it’s not being brought up? Is the NCAA being vindictive toward OSU? The NCAA declared an Oklahoma State baseball player (Andy Oliver). He lost a year of play. Oliver sued the NCAA and the court had him reinstated. Later he sued the NCAA for money damages and collected $750,000 dollars as a settlement. Bryant is spoiled from athletic prowess and, conversely, is scared. He wants to escape the poverty cycle. Can he pull it off? He waits. Bryant’s baggage: He visited Deion Sander’s house. Any young black male would want to do that! The NCAA asked Bryant if he had visited Sanders’ home. Since the NCAA asked, Bryant assumed he had done a wrong. He said he had not visited the house of Deion. More than once, he lied. This is Bryant’s crime; he lied! It turns out, it was not wrong for Dez to visit Deion. If it is not wrong for Bryant to visit in Deion’s home, why did the NCAA ask? More than once they asked. Is this a setup? Is it a setup to punish Oklahoma State over Oliver? The NCAA wants to make college sports pure as the driven snow. Is the NCAA pure as snow? Or do they pick who the pick on?”
The Dez Bryant and Andy Oliver cases are not related. The idea that Dez is retribution for the Oliver case is silly. No one set up Dez Bryant. He set up himself. He did this to himself. All I’m saying is a little mercy is warranted.
Chris: “The true lesson of the story is not ‘to tell the truth.’ The lesson is ‘don’t speak to them.’ Reggie Bush hasn’t. The NCAA has been investigating USC for four years. I realize that Dez had eligibility remaining. However, I would have an attorney present everytime the NCAA came calling. I think Dez should sue the NCAA. Not for the money. He’ll make plenty in the NFL, but for the vindication. Just to show that the NCAA is not absolute power.”
Not talking certainly is a reasonable means of response for schools. But I don’t know if athletes with eligibility remaining have that kind of option. And of course Dez would have been better off with an attorney. But not knowing enough to have an attorney is what got him in such a mess in the first place.
Josh: “The exact same thing crossed my mind when I read the official suspension, that this was a witch hunt. How this organization can start it off by saying they have ‘reinstated’ a student athlete is beyond me. It spews hypocrisy, and it shows this organization is a farce. To quote Gundy, ‘it makes me want to puke.’ I am just glad OSU still has Zac Robinson, Russell Okung and that great offensive line. Hopefully they’ll get Kendall back, too. They still have a chance to beat Texas and win the Big 12 South. I am going to focus on that.”
I don’t like spin. I don’t like people telling me something when the truth is opposite and apparent. That’s my biggest beef with the NCAA in the Dez case. If they declare no mercy, OK. But if they declare they’re doing him a favor, I’m calling bogus.
Brad: “Something is driving me crazy. I continue to hear these radio hosts blast the NCAA on the Dez Bryant delay. Please remind everyone of the following. Oklahoma State, NOT the NCAA, suspended Dez Bryant. If OSU felt that Dez did little-to-nothing wrong, then they would be playing him now. Obviously, those in the know understand it would be too risky for OSU to activate Bryant’s status. There is something much more severe to the story than the young man got nervous and fibbed to the NCAA three times. He just stopped by to go on a jog with Deion? Are you kidding me?”
Hey, I believe the Deion story. There might be something more to it, but I believe it could have happened the way they said it did. College kids are starstruck over superstars. Some superstars - Deion at the top of the list - remains a jock-sniffer who can’t bring himself to leave the spotlight. I can buy that. You’re right, OSU suspended Dez. But not necessarily because they believe something else went on. They suspended because he did break NCAA rules, he lied to investigators, and that by rule makes him ineligible.
Mildred: “Would it be possible for your sports department to run legal background checks on the NCAA officials playing god with a young man’s college career? Let’s see if they are squeaky clean. If there’s anything there, publish it in your paper.”
Not a terrible idea, but remember, we’re not talking about executives in plush offices at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. We’re talking about people who live in Oxford, Miss., and Coral Gables, Fla., and Madison, Wisc.
Rick wrote about OSU-Texas: “OK. Now it is time to take this to another level. General consensus in Austin is that Texas will win. Discussion is how much. HOW MUCH!! Style points for the BCS. Everyone talking about Florida-Alabama. One will lose. What happens if Iowa undefeated? Could they jump the Longhorns. Hawkeyes presently rated No. 1 on the computers. Big 10 has two other team in the BCS 25. OSU is the last Big 12 team standing in the BCS 25 for the Horns. Texas fans want and expect a BIG win for BCS points. Absolutely no respect for the Cowboys. Call them ‘one half wonders.’ They point out OSU has only beaten Texas once since the creation of the Big 12. Come on, quit being nice in the reporting.”
I’m sure Texas fans are saying such things. Who cares? Fans are kooky. The Longhorn players and coaches are very complimentary of the Cowboys, I promise you that. I was in Austin and heard them with my own ears.
Lynn wants to talk baseball: “I think one of the weaknesses of baseball is that the best hitter on a team is often eliminated from the game, particularly in key situations, via the designated walk. Has anyone ever proposed making a change in the rule correcting this? For example, I would make it a rule that if a batter was walked with four straight balls, the batter gets two bases as opposed to one. That would make sure that a batter would get at least one pitch to swing at during his time at bat. The negative effect would be that umpires might be tempted to expand the strike zone for a borderline ball four, but I think in that case, the pitcher is taking his chances with a borderline pitch.”
I don’t like it. It bastardizes the game. I think you just have to live with intentional walks. There are about 1,000 things afflicting the game before that one. Albert Pujols led the majors in intentional walks this season with 44, twice as many as the next guy, San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez. That doesn’t seem like an excessive number to me. If someone wants to walk your guy, thank them and get on with the game.
Brad: “I am serious. Is Mike Leach trying to get fired? Most of the time his goofy demeanor is a breath of fresh air. But lately, it has come across as staged. The ‘fat girlfriend’ comments may be the one that costs him. It is to the point to where it is not funny anymore. Leach is very insecure. Thus. on purpose, he acts super goofy to deflect from his team’s embarrassing performance vs A&M. He is a brilliant deflector. But it’s OK to be super odd when you are 10-2.”
I don’t think Leach is insecure. I think he’s odder than a $4 bill, but I don’t think he’s insecure. And maybe he is trying to get fired. Though I wouldn’t recommend it. He’s been trying to get some other jobs and had no takers.
Dewayne wrote about my blog ranking the top four OU quarterbacks, Jack Mildren, Josh Heupel, Jason White and Sam Bradford: “The QBs mentioned in your article are all great players in OU history and well deserving of the praise. The one thing that always seems to amaze me, though, is no one ever considers the likes of Jimmy Harris when they talk about great OU quarterbacks. Here is a QB that never lost a game in a career that spanned three years. This was during a time when the quarterback not the coaches on the sidelines, was required to call the plays. Whereas players like Heupel and Bradford had the luxury of looking to the sideline for the next play, Harris had to call the play he thought he should run. Is there a reason why you don’t believe that Harris should be considered when we talk about the greatest Sooner QBs?
This is one of my most frequently asked questions. I Harris. Gotten to know him in recent years and really think the world of him. I just don’t believe he was the greatest Wilkinson quarterback. I would rate Jack Mitchell and Eddie Crowder ahead of Harris. He was an excellent leader, but he was not the playmaker that other QBs were. In ‘55, Tommy McDonald actually threw for more yards than did Harris. As far as calling plays, I think that’s more than offset with the complexity of defenses today. I would rank Harris 10 or 11 all-time. Very good player. Historic player. But not among the greatest 5 OU QBs.
Randy: “Here’s a headline I’d like to see at the end of the season: Brody Eldridge Voted Winner of the Paul Thompson Award for the most selfless, team-first player on the OU squad.”
I love Paul Thompson. We did some radio work together, and I really enjoyed it. But I’ve never understood the idea that Thompson was selfless in moving back to quarterback. It’s a sacrifice to be the OU quarterback? That makes no sense.
Carolyn: “I certainly agree with you about Jack Mildren being the No.1 quarterback. I realize that Eddie Crowder did not put up the stats that these other quarterbacks have done. And I would not consider him No. 1. But I did watch him in person and he could hide the ball behind him when he was going to pass the best I have ever seen. I loved watching him do that but have to admit he did not pass all that much.”
My dad long ago regaled me with stories about Eddie Crowder’s ballhandling. He sounds like a 1950s Jamelle Holieway. Anyway, I rank Crowder somewhere in the top 10, but outside the top five, of OU quarterbacks.
Greg wrote about my Bill Snyder column: “I am pleased that the Evil Old Prince has returned to Manhattan. It is refreshing to see a person who has embarked on a labor of love for something he enjoys doing and doing well. I expect to see a very competitive KSU team this Saturday. Welcome back, Coach Snyder. Don’t get me wrong, but I enjoy seeing KSU do well. My parents are both KSU grads before they took the train to OKC to look for something new, found it and eventually became OU fans with a KSU heart. My father was just like Coach Snyder described. KSU fans, even letterman, were proud of their school, but when it came to football, they had just given up. I asked him in 1959 when we got our first season tickets at OU why OU and not go to Manhattan once in a while. He responded and said, he would always be a Wildcat for basketball and track & field, his two sports, but he liked OU and Coach Wilkinson because he taught the fans along the way how to be good football aficionados, was accountable for things when things went awry and taught everyone it was OK to expect the best every darn Saturday afternoon.”
One more example of why I always Bill Snyder’s coaching job is unrivaled in college football history.
Marc also wrote about Snyder but took exception with my statement that only Bobby Bowden and Lavell Edwards are so closely identified with one program: “Good article. One thing you left out, though. Bowden and Edwards, yes. But who is more identified with a school than Bear Bryant at Alabama, even after all of these years? The ultimate shadow over a program.”
Well, I can’t argue. But I didn’t list the Bear because Bama football had a decent history before him (went to the Rose Bowl in the ’20s) and has won big without him. Same is not true of the others. And I probably should have tossed in Joe Paterno’s name, too.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
OSU-Texas: a defensive game?
The most common theme in OSU-Texas games has NOT been the Longhorns’ vaunted comebacks. It’s been offense.
Texas’ offense has rolled against the Cowboys, but the Cowboy offense has rolled against Texas.
Last season included. Texas won 28-24, which sounds like a good solid football game, but the ‘Horns had only eight possessions. That’s four TDs in eight tries, a 50 percent success rate that is damning of a defense.
In other games, the score tells the tale: 38-35, 36-10 (in 2006, OSU was no threat), 47-28, 56-35.
But here’s a prediction. Defense rears its head Saturday in Stillwater.
The Texas defense is the pride of the team. The Texas offense, counting special teams, is the weak link.
Meanwhile, OSU’s defense has played better. I predicted UT 28-23, but I don’t think it’s going to be a game like last year. I think both teams will get a lot more than eight possessions.
“We’ve got pride in stopping offenses,” said Texas middle linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy. “It’s fun on Saturdays to know you contributed.”
Some are comparing this UT defense to the ‘05 Longhorn defense, which won the national title and placed all 11 starters in the NFL. “I don’t want to compare it to ‘05,” Muckelroy said. “We can get better.”
The ‘05 ‘Horns held a shaky OU offense to 12 points. The ‘09 Horns held a shaky OU offense to 13 points.
These ‘Horns have given up 20 to Louisiana-Monroe, 10 to Wyoming, 24 to Texas Tech, 7 to UTEP, 14 to Colorado and 7 to Missouri.
Those ‘Horns had their moments but also were a little vulnerable, giving up 3 to Louisiana-Lafayette, 22 to Ohio State, 10 to Rice, 20 to Missouri, 17 to Colorado and Tech, 28 to OSU, 0 to Baylor, 14 to Kansas, 29 to Texas A&M, 3 to Colorado in the Big 12 title game and 38 to USC in the national title game.
So statistically, this Texas defense has performed better. “We’ve been great the last couple of weeks, but we have a long way to go,” said safety Earl Thomas. “We’re doing a great job of swarming the ball. We know our offense is going to get it rolling.”
That’s the thing. UT’s offense has been just so-so, even to the point of threatening Colt McCoy’s Heisman Trophy campaign. A 41-7 rout of Missouri last week, with 35 first-half points, turned around that trend.
“We just wanted to give them some life,” McCoy said of the UT defense. “‘We’ve got your back.’ After the first half, they told us, ‘great job.’”
Texas took its foot off the gas in the second half vs. Missouri. “We’re going to be smart,” coach Mack Brown said. “Protect Colt.”
The Longhorn defense says OSU will be a stiff test. Strange but true: Texas already has played OU and Tech, but the Cowboys will be the best offense the ‘Horns have faced so far.
“They’ve got a good team,” Muckelroy said. “Lot of playmakers. They can run the ball, they can pass the ball.”
But I think Texas’ defense is up to the task. And I think OSU’s defense can slow down McCoy and Co. That’s why I say it will be a defensive game.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 8: A visit to Baylor High
KEEPING UP WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Every Sunday starting in October, after the first BCS rankings are out, Mack Brown gathers his team and talks about the landscape of college football.
Where the Longhorns are ranked; who’s ahead of them and who’s creeping up. Where Texas stands in the Big 12 South and who they might be playing from the North in the Big 12 title game.
What were the big upsets from the previous and what were the close calls.
Brown said he does that to inform his players, who will be asked about it all week, so they might as well know.
Then there’s Bob Stoops, who says he never talks to his team about other games or rankings or standings.
Stoops said spending energy or focus on other teams is a waste of time. “You can’t do anything about it,” Stoops said. “Focus on what we have to do. We still have five Big 12 games left. A lot could change and has in the past.”
I’m not saying one method is right and another wrong. I’m not saying one method is better than another. To me it’s just interesting that two highly-successful coaches approach a similar situation in such drastically different ways.
BAYLOR HIGH
Going to a game at Baylor is fun. It’s sort of a throwback. Like going to a high school.
No offense intended. But you can drive right up to the stadium. We parked on some grass, walked right in. That’s the way you do it at most high school stadiums. I’ve never done that anywhere in college football, with the exception of Northern Illinois, and that’s going back a quarter century.
The fans turned out decently and cheered, but it wasn’t life or death. The post-game was low key. Didn’t need an army of security officers.
Baylor, of course, would like to change all that. But there’s something charming about going to a game in Floyd Casey Stadium.
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK
10. Southern Cal defense: Remember when the Trojans had a defense for the ages? You know, back in September. USC held Ohio State to 15 points, Washington to 16 and Cal to three. But in victories over Notre Dame (34-27) and Oregon State (42-36), the Trojans have proven vulnerable. Oregon State had 482 total yards and 22 first downs.
9. Louisiana-Lafayette: Only one carrot exists for a Sun Belt team. Win the league and go to the New Orleans Bowl. The Ragin’ Cajuns were keeping step with Louisiana-Monroe and Troy - and had both of those foes at home – until a 51-29 home loss to Florida Atlantic.
8. Indiana: The Hoosiers were flirting with bowl eligibility, with a 4-3 record and a 28-3 lead over Northwestern. But the Wildcats scored the final 26 points of the game, including a game-winning field goal with 21 seconds left. Now IU is 4-4 with Iowa, Wisconsin and Penn State awaiting.
7. Lane Kiffin: The Tennessee coach had a chance at a landmark victory - an upset of second-ranked Alabama, in Tuscaloosa. But Bama blocked a 44-yard field goal on the last play of the game, and Kiffin was partly to blame. He let the clock run down in the final 30 seconds, settling for a 44-yarder. Kiffin must have thought he still was in the NFL, where a 44-yard field goal is close to automatic. Not so on campus.
6. Michigan: Rich Rodriguez’s rebuilding has gone awry again. The Wolverines lost 35-10 at home to Penn State, and while 5-3 Michigan will make a bowl, it will be hollow. Other than Notre Dame, the Wolverines’ victims are Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Indiana and Delaware State.
5. Notre Dame hearts: Unbelievably, the Irish played their sixth straight game that went right down to the wire. Notre Dame beat Boston College 20-16 only when Brian Smith intercepted a pass with 98 seconds left in the game. That game was a rout compared to the final-seconds finishes the previous five weeks.
4. Miami: The Hurricanes were on a BCS track until the longest volley since Evert-Navratilova. Miami and Clemson took turns scoring in a game with 10 lead changes; Clemson won 40-37 in overtime and knocked Miami into fifth place in the ACC Coastal Division.
3. South Florida’s reputation: The Bulls’ collapse is happening again. In 2007, South Florida started 6-0 with victories over Auburn, North Carolina and West Virginia but finished 9-4. In 2008, USF started 5-0 with victories over Kansas and North Carolina State but finished 8-5. USF this year started 5-0 with a win over Florida State but has lost two straight, 34-17 to Cincinnati and 41-14 at Pitt.
2. Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson: Bo Pelini has returned big-time defense to Lincoln, but Nebraska’s offense is awful. The Huskers committed eight turnovers in a 9-7 home loss to Iowa State, a week after a 31-10 home loss to Texas Tech. Husker fans have been calling for a quarterback change. Soon enough, they will call for a coordinator change.
1. Mike Leach: Sometimes, the emperor wears no clothes. Texas Tech’s 52-30 home loss to Texas A&M brought out the worst in Leach, who referred to his players listening too much to their “fat little girlfriends.” Then Leach declined to revise his comments. Hey, I know you love Pirates, Mike, and I know pirates were mean. But let’s just admit it. A&M’s toy soldiers took it to your pirates.
REALITY RANKINGS
Rankings based not on what we think a team might do but what a team has done.
1. Iowa:
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Cincinnati
5. Georgia Tech
6. Southern Cal
7. Boise State
8. TCU
9. Oregon
10. Texas
RADIO WARS
Driving back to Dallas from Waco on Saturday evening, we went old-fashioned and listened to football on the radio. Texas Tech-Texas A&M and Texas-Missouri.
A&M’s radio crew was not very good. Way too emotional. Couldn’t really follow the game. UT’s Craig Way, of course, is a fantastic announcer. Texas-Missouri was a much less interesting game but much more listenable simply because of the broadcaster.
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK
10. MiQuale Lewis & Cory Sykes: The Ball State tailbacks set an NCAA record for single-game rushing yards by two teammates. In a 29-27 victory over Eastern Michigan - in a battle of winless teams - Lewis rushed for 301 yards on 26 carries and Sykes for 203 yards on 23 carries. And it was a good thing; Ball State completed just two of 10 passes for 1 yard.
9. San Diego State: Brady Hoke’s first year with the Aztecs got a big boost with a 42-28 victory at Colorado State, With a home game against New Mexico approaching, San Diego State could get its first two-game winning streak since Chuck Long’s 2007 team.
8. Running game: Navy did not throw a pass in beating Wake Forest 13-10. In a torrential downpour, Navy ran triple option to raise its record to 6-2. Navy also beat SMU a year ago without attempting a pass, becoming the first team since Ohio U. in 1997 to not throw a single time.
7. Oregon mindset: The Ducks dismantled Washington 43-19 in Seattle, the same site where the Huskies upset Southern Cal. That should soar Oregon’s confidence going into this week’s USC-Oregon showdown in Eugene.
6. West Virginia fans: The Mountaineer fan base gave Connecticut a standing ovation as the Huskies took the field in Morgantown, in recognition that UConn was playing with a heavy heart in the wake of the murder of cornerback Jasper Howard. West Virginia’s fans were treated to a good game, too, won 28-24 by the Mountaineers on Noel Devine’s 56-yard TD run with 2:10 left in the game.
5. Houston Nutt: Arkansas didn’t want Nutt as coach after the 2007 season, so Nutt went to Ole Miss and now Nutt twice has whacked the Razorbacks, 23-21 a year ago in the Ozarks and 30-17 Saturday in Oxford.
4. TCU’s BCS hopes: The Horned Frogs went to Brigham Young and rolled the Cougars 38-7. Now TCU has moved ahead of Boise State in the BCS and might stay there.
3. Christian Ponder: Florida State has had quarterback problems since Chris Weinke won the Heisman in 2000. But those days seem gone. Ponder threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns as the Seminoles rallied from a 24-6 deficit and beat North Carolina 30-27. Ponder this season has completed 70 percent of his passes with 12 TDs and one interception.
2. State of Iowa: Few days have been so glorious in the Prairie State. First, Iowa State crossed the state line and won in Nebraska, 9-7, for the first time since 1977. Then Iowa protected its unbeaten season with a thrilling 15-13 win at Michigan State, earned when Ricky Stanzi threw a seven-yard TD pass to Marvin McNutt on the last play of the game.
1. Old coaches: Troy’s Larry Blakeney is 62. His team beat North Texas 50-26. Florida Atlantic’s Howard Schnellenberger is 75. His team beat Louisiana-Lafayette 51-29. Florida State’s Bobby Bowden is 79. His team beat North Carolina 30-27. Penn State’s Joe Paterno is 82. His team beat Michigan 35-10. Kansas State’s Bill Snyder is 70. His team beat Colorado 20-6. South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier is 64. His team beat Vanderbilt 14-10. Nevada’s Chris Ault is 62. His team beat Idaho 70-45. UTEP’s Mike Price is 63. His team beat Tulsa 28-24. San Jose State’s Dick Tomey is 71. His team didn’t play, which is good news for whoever they would have played. Old coaches had quite a week.
BLOCK PARTY
We ate dinner Saturday night at Uncle Julio’s a Mexican place at Wycliffe and Lemmon just north of downtown Dallas. Very good. I would go back.
And it was about the best people watching you’ll ever see. It was a block party in the Cedar Springs area, which meant tons of people in Halloween costumes strolled up and down the streets. Saw some wild stuff.
Dallas is an underrated city. I’ve always liked it. Lots of interesting neighborhoods. Traffic is bearable, if you know what you’re doing. Lots going on. And parts of it are very attractive. The Dallas skyline is gorgeous. You don’t have to have mountains or oceans to look cool.
BOWL PROJECTIONS
With the upheaval in the Big 12 North, did you know the Big 12 could have 10 bowl-eligible teams? Not that there are enough slots to go around.
New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 19, Albuquerque, N.M.
Air Force vs. Nevada
St. Pete Bowl, Dec. 19, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Connecticut vs. Central Florida
New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 20, New Orleans
East Carolina vs. Troy
Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 22, Las Vegas
Utah vs. California
Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 23, San Diego
BYU vs. Oregon State
Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24, Honolulu
Tulsa vs. Fresno State
Emerald Bowl, Dec. 26, San Francisco
Kent State vs. Stanford
Motor City Bowl, Dec. 26, Detroit
Marshall vs. Central Michigan
Meineke Bowl, Dec. 26, Charlotte, N.C.
Clemson vs. Pittsburgh
Music City Bowl, Dec. 27, Nashville, Tenn.
Boston College vs. Georgia
Independence Bowl, Dec. 28, Shreveport, La.
Texas A&M vs. Tennessee
Champs Sports Bowl, Dec. 29, Orlando, Fla.
North Carolina State vs. South Florida
EagleBank Bowl, Dec. 30, Washington, D.C.
UCLA vs. Navy
Holiday Bowl, Dec. 30, San Diego
Oklahoma vs. Oregon
Humanitarian Bowl, Dec. 30, Boise, Idaho
Wyoming vs. Idaho
Texas Bowl, Dec. 30, Houston
Nebraska vs. Northern Illinois
Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 30, Fort Worth, Texas
Colorado State vs. Texas-El Paso
Sun Bowl, Dec. 31, El Paso, Texas
Kansas State vs. Arizona
Insight Bowl, Dec. 31, Tempe, Ariz.
Northwestern vs. Kansas
Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31, Atlanta
Miami vs. Kentucky
Outback Bowl, Jan. 1, Tampa, Fla.
Michigan vs. Ole Miss
Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1, Orlando, Fla.
Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
Gator Bowl, Jan. 1, Jacksonville, Fla.
Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, Pasadena, Calif.
Iowa vs. Southern Cal
Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, New Orleans
Alabama vs. Boise State
Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2, Arlington, Texas
LSU vs. Oklahoma State
Liberty Bowl, Jan. 2, Memphis, Tenn.
Houston vs. Auburn
International Bowl, Jan. 2, Toronto
Rutgers vs.Ohio
PapaJohns.com Bowl, Jan. 2, Birmingham, Ala.
West Virginia vs. Arkansas
Alamo Bowl, Jan. 2, San Antonio
Minnesota vs. Texas Tech
Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 4, Glendale, Ariz.
Penn State vs. Cincinnati
Orange Bowl, Jan. 5, Miami Gardens, Fla.
TCU vs. Georgia Tech
GMAC Bowl, Jan. 6, Mobile, Ala.
Missouri vs. Temple
Big Bowl, Jan. 7, Pasadena, Calif.
Florida vs. Texas
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
Who will win the Big 12 … South?
I asked Bob Stoops who will win the Big 12 North. He laughed and said, “Who’s going to win the Big 12 South?”
That, my friends, is an example of optimism. Stoops isn’t giving up, not yet, on catching the Longhorns and the Cowboys, who play Saturday night for South Division supremacy after the Sooners seemingly have been kicked to the curb.
You can’t blame Stoops for standing in swinging. Twice in the last three years he’s lost to Texas and still won the Big 12 title. But 2009 will be a harder road for such a script.
OU needs Texas to lose twice. It’s happened before and I suppose could happen again, but not likely, in this watered-down conference that might be as bad as it’s ever been. Heck, even if OSU beats Texas on Saturday, the Cowboys might need someone else to beat Texas.
OU has a puncher’s chance at a three-way tie. If OSU beats Texas and OU beats OSU, and the teams win out the rest of the way, then presto, under three-way tie. But this time, Texas almost certainly would advance as the South representative, because of the BCS standings. The Longhorns would be ranked higher than both OU and OSU under such a scenario.
So the Sooners need Texas to lose somewhere else. Either at Baylor on Nov. 14, or home vs. Kansas on Nov. 21, or at Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night. You can’t rule out an upset by the Aggies –they’ve done it before — but it’s not very likely.
At least the Cowboys have their fate in their own hands. Beat Texas and win out, and OSU is the South champion. Of course, winning out is doubly difficult for State, since the Cowboys have to play in Norman on Nov. 28. The Sooners have lost just two games at Owen Field since the John Blake days.
Let’s give OSU, Texas and OU victories in all the other games in question. What kind of chance does each have?
Let’s say OSU has a 35 percent chance against Texas. I think that’s about right. Let’s say OSU has about the same chance against OU. Let’s say Texas has a 90 percent chance against A&M.
So, Texas’ chance of winning the South is 81.5 percent. OSU’s chances: 12 percent. OU’s chances: 6.5 percent. Tall, tall odds for anyone besides the Longhorns winning the South.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
