I haven't listened to the podcast, but Brian has to be taking ND for the sole purposes of throwing the whammy on the Irish, right?

My Top 25, obviously done before Thursday night:

1. Southern Cal
2. LSU
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. West Virginia
6. Penn State
7. Texas
8. Louisville
9. Cal
10. Georgia Tech
11. Wisconsin
12. Georgia
13. Clemson
14. Nebraska
15. Ohio State
16. Miami
17. UCLA
18. Virginia Tech
19. Arkansas
20. Oregon State
21. Auburn
22. Oregon
23. Tennessee
24. Florida State
25. South Carolina

Pick of the week: Duke +17 over Virginia. I'm 1-0 so far.

I will not watch LSU vs Virginia Tech, as I'm tired or ABC / ESPN exploiting April's tragic shootings on Va Tech's campus. Shutup about it already, I want to watch football. And if you're a football player and someone shoots me, don't worry about having to win games on my behalf.

Hey guys, just got back from my honeymoon, I just wanted to check to see if I missed anything big last weekend...

Oh my. Well. Excuse me, I need to go laugh for a few hours. And I thought life couldn't get any better.

#2- No love for teh Jersey?

The AP announced this morning that Div. I-AA team will now be eligible for ranking in the top 25. Thanks to Michigan, new ground is being broken all over the college football world!

Trogdor, congratulations. Go anywhere nice?

#1 -- most of the discussion about the ND-PSU pick had to do with the large spread.

I didn't see much discussion about the biggest game of the week: Appalachian State vs. Lenoir Rhyne. I'm expecting an emotional drain after last week's big victory. It's our first home game this year and I'll have to walk over early to 'The Rock' to get a good seat. The rumor is that Lenoir Rhyne has promised to make us 'their Michigan', which is apparently a reference to something that sometimes happens in prison. I don't quite get it. Has anyone ever heard that phrase before? To make someone your Michigan?

Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32

Hah, the 6 team playoff/home field 1st/2nd round is my playoff idea too! It really is the only fair thing to the Big 10...I wouldn't have the Rose Bowl be the permanent site of the championship though, why give the Pac 10 home field every year?

Anyway, I'm surprised both of you are going with LSU -11.5. To me, this (like every VaTech game) has 21-16 written all over it. VT is good for 1 D/ST touchdown, and if you watched the LSU/MSU game last week you saw how sluggish LSU's offense was with Flynn at qb. I don't think VT will win, mainly since they won't be able to move the ball, but their defense will keep it close.

What, no picks for Lenoir-Rhyne @ Appalachian State?!

I'm going to go out on a limb and just pick some random numbers....

Appalachian State 34
Lenoir-Rhyne 32

I have no idea why those numbers came to me.

Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32

I'm only going to keep going until a) Michigan beats us or b) Lenoir-Rhyne upsets us this weekend.

We really appreciate the game. We haven't got it yet, it's a hard climb up the mountain for the mail-mule, but are eagerly looking forward to watching it, hopefully before the game tomorrow. I have never seen Boone this excited. Just a huge smile on everyone's face and the first topic of conversation out of everyone's mouth. It's the first time we've ever been able to talk crap to a major football power, let alone the greatest football power in history. Plus, we're all rooting for Michigan to go undefeated the rest of the way for obvious reasons. We don't normally root for Canadian teams down here, but we're all eagerly hoping for Michigan domination the rest of way.

4- Last week I called Rutgers the most overrated team in the country and picked them to go 8 - 4. I think every team I have listed would beat them on a neutral field, as well as a few teams I don't have listed (Missouri, Boston College, TCU, and others).

If you're a Rutgets fan, please don't be offended- it's just a prediction and I could be wrong.

Is there a website like football outsiders devoted to college football rankings? Or better yet, are you guys thinking about working up your formulas for college football as well.

Fall weddings should be banned. Hopefully I can manage to catch at least some of Miami-Oklahoma and LSU-VT, but I'm not optimistic.

Trogdor, congrats. Let me know how tOSU looks, since I missed last week's game, will ya? This way you can tell your wife (I'm assuming) it's an obligation, and you have to watch the game.

Fall weddings should be banned.

God Bless you, sir.

I think a 30-point loss to Georgia Tech is worse than a two-point loss to Appalachian State.

I strongly disagree. It's about the result. "Georgia Tech beats Notre Dame" is no big deal. "Appalachian State beats Michigan" is.

Besides, I think you're underrating Georgia Tech quite a bit there. I think Miami and FSU will be "back", but I still see GT as a legitimate threat for the ACC title and a possible top ten team.

#2: AMEN BRUTHA!!! Although I have to ask why you just can't watch with the sound off. That's what I plan on doing.

I don't care who they are playing. If Boise State is on TV - I'm going to watch it. Just in case they decide to open up their playbook again. I know I will never see that again, but still.

ND/PSU. Yuck. I don't even know what to say.

VT's defense is actually likely better than LSU's. But the mismatch of LSU D / VT O > VTD / LSU O. If Scott Glennon turns in any performance, VT has no chance. The Scott Glennon I know is a two-bit punk surfs the internet all day at work while "delegating" everything but taking credit. Sean Glennon (who I don't think is related to Scott), is servicable. He won't win for you, but he can do enough to keep it close. LSU wins, but I take the points.

I'm openly rooting against Virginia Tech, not only this week but in every game. The absolute last thing I ant to see is them beating LSU and their players/the media crediting the win to inspiration from the dead students or something. Enough is enough. Plus it's the Vick Brothers' old school. I was already vehemently against them, and this cements it even more.

Of all the schools for a gunman to go on an insane killing spree at...

I guarantee though, if they lose two games they'll suddenly become irrelevant, sugary sweet story or no. Here's to the first loss coming Saturday night!

I'll add congrats to Trogdor.

I have to admit, after tonight's Rutgers game, I'm not so sure that kevin's that far off. The offense looks fine, but if they can't do something about their run defense, and stop all the stupid penalties, they could have some serious issues. Seriously, if Navy had just decided to never throw the ball, they would have had a good shot - there were two picks in the end zone and three overall.

The triple option is really unlike any other offense. There's not much you can draw from this game (and that goes for Rutgers's impressive offensive performance too) on either side. I think things would have been more lopsided if Rutgers wasn't missing its starting NT and MLB.And Schiano, for the love of God, Rice does not need that many carries.

I could see LSU covering the spread- VT would be down 6 late, and Glennon throws a terrible INT into triple coverage that's run back for a TD. Anyone who's seen Glennon impersonate a QB realizes that's incredibly likely.

#22
Actually its the battle of the tragedies as commentators like to act like Baton Rouge was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Although unlike the shooting spree, Katrina barely hit LSU so I am not even sure why Katrina is brought up when LSU is playing.

Upset watch: Marshall 13, #3 West Virginia 6, halftime. West Virginia hasn't moved the ball at all except for their one TD drive.

Way too early: Akron 2, Ohio State 0, 1st quarter. Akron's punter has pinned tOSU inside the 10 twice, the first leading to a safety (initially ruled down on the 1, but reversed on replay).

Favorite names of the day:

Darius Passmore, Marshall WR.
Reggie Corner, Akron DB.

I just came back from working out next to the stadium. My favorite Tee-shirt so far, "Where's Ann Arbor?"

Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32

Miami's offense is DOA. If Kirby Freeman is the best they can do, ouch. OU 21. UM 3.

Ohio State 3, Akron 2, halftime. Ohio State's turned the ball over 3 times, while Akron's punted on all 8 of its possessions.

cognet.catch22.org for IRC football chat, #fo

Re: 34

Well, We're a bunch of very nice, polite mountain kids here so we have different creative expression than one might expect from Ohio State. Obviously we all know Ann Arbor is in Canada, somewhere, it's not like Miss South Carolina is coming to Appalachian State. Oh, wait, she is.

Checkout signature for reference.

Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32

Akron today: 10 possessions, 2 first downs, 10 punts. Still only 6-2 midway through the 3rd quarter though.

Akron hasn't gained a first down in its last 11 possessions. 13-2 Ohio State, end of the 3rd quarter.

So much for Marshall's attempt at a defense. A small lead at halftime over WVU is nothing to get optimistic about.

Russell- your Edelstein lock on the OU game looks safe. Just a guess.

#40-

I think the call to go for it on 4th down rather than punt is Exhibit A there.

Duke covers- I'm 2 - 0.

My date for the evening kicked out, so it looks like I will be watching LSU vs Virginia Tech after all. The only alternatives are Auburn vs UCF and Colorado vs ASU. :(

Its Auburn-South Florida.

Looks like Saban will win his 1st SEC game against Vandy unless something crazy happens in 4 minutes.

Remember...Oregon is a very good team. This game is not just about Michigan.

Thanks to all for the well wishes and all that. For those who were curious, we did indeed go to Akron (city motto: we're not far from the Hall of Fame or Quaker Steak and Lube!). The historic Rubber Bowl, the awe-inspiring blimp hangars, that's plenty to fill up ten days. Or in reality, we went to ye olde Pacific Northwest, splitting time in Seattle, the Cascades, and Olympic National Park. If you haven't gotten to that part of the country, I can't recommend it highly enough.

As for it being a fall wedding, we actually picked the date (8/25) because we could take an extended honeymoon and not miss much sports-wise, since the first week of CFB looked to be such a dog (and UFC 74 hadn't been scheduled yet). Little did I know that Michigan would become such a laughingstock while I was gone - I didn't expect it until at least this week, or maybe next. That's the last time I underestimate them! (On a side note, we should all root for Penn State and Oregon today, so we can see ABC try to hype their premier game between legendary 0-2 teams.)

In football news, it's probably a good thing I have no idea what channel OSU was on today. I understand the offense should take a step back, but come on. It reminds me of the Purdue game a few years ago, when their secondary was so depleted they had AJ Hawk spend significant time at corner. In one of the few times I've ever agreed with Trev Alberts, he praised Hawk's effort, but basically said "Come on, you're Ohio Freaking State. Surely you must have an athlete good enough to plug in there." The same applies today. Sure, you lost a lot of good offensive players. So freaking what? You're playing Akron - plug the new guys in there and steamroll them. It's not like last year's backups didn't get significant playing time. Is it going to be that kind of year?

Miami's radio color guy sounds freakishly like commedian Brian Regan, and if he's trying to be taken seriously, he's almost as funny. I think their hiring qualifications consisted of "won't cheer on helmet-swinging brawls".

I despise it when PI isn't called because the ball isn't catchable, but if not for the PI it very well might've been. Nebraska got majorly lucky that wasn't called, and eked out a win against a decent team playing a backup sucky QB. I know he looked great that one year at ASU, but Keller just doesn't look like a good QB now. Unless it's just a matter of being severely rusty from a year off (although he should've been practicing all along), it looks like the Koetter fiasco totally screwed him.

"My date for the evening kicked out, so it looks like I will be watching LSU vs Virginia Tech after all. The only alternatives are Auburn vs UCF and Colorado vs ASU. :(
"

Or UFC 75! Henderson/Rampage should be a great fight, and the Bisping/Hamill and Cro Cop/Congo fights should be outstanding as well. I'm also looking forward to seeing Alexander again (after the way he destroyed Jardine), and Sakara should be a good test for him. Some of the dark matches have good fighters in them as well (Silva, Etim), so it could wind up being a great card. If only it was on live...

Bizarre decision by Bellotti to go for two there, making it 11-7 Oregon.

Looks like the Michigan gameplan against the spread offense is "hope they shoot themselves in the foot with false starts". Worked once to hold them to a field goal, not so much the second time.

Well, if you're going to go for 2 early, it might as well be on a trick play from the swinging gate.

Hart still looks like a beast. Is this his last year finally?

I've never seen the 'direct snap to the tight end for the two point conversion in the first quarter' before but there is a first time for everything, I guess.

And now a fumble. Wow.

BTW, congrats to Trogdor

Nice adjustment by English going with the "bad snap and dropped pass" defense. Not sure I get the all-out blitz on 3rd and 17, but it only almost backfired instead of completely backfiring, so I guess it worked, sort of. Good job.

I can't believe you get 42,000 channels on that satellite, and you can't get the British one that's showing it live. They've made enough good decisions to have earned a little trust, but I just don't get this one. I'd be willing to pay a little to watch it live or at my convenience before the free airing (not the full 40/50 necessarily, but maybe 20, especially if I could zip through commercials between fights).

While I'm at it, I'd like to apologize to Randy Couture for ever doubting him. I thought Gonzaga was exactly the type of fighter that had chased him out of the heavyweight division - a good enough grappler to hang with him, and big enough to wear him down (see Rodriguez and roid-aided Barnett). It looks like the time off after losing to Liddell did Couture some serious good. He's been one of my favorites ever since the first time he whooped up on Belfort, but I wouldn't have imagined he'd still be this good at that age. Amazing.

OK, so he missed the kick. But if you're Oregon, why not try a bit harder to block it? They clearly have protection issues, and the kicker looked like he was about to wet his pants in terror. And that ends my UFC comment with enough football-related substance to be on-topic.

Ok, I thought Dixon was avoiding contact earlier, but that was ridiculous. He was like 3 yards away from the endzone on third down

I agree with that call (going for it on 4th and 2 from the 3) a lot more than I did with going for 2. Fortunately for Oregon, both worked extremely well. It's still hard to believe how easily they're running it right up the middle - I know Michigan lost a lot this offseason, but still.

While flipping through the channel guide looking for some British channel showing UFC live, I saw a show on the History Channel called "Dogfights". Thanks to Vick, the first thing I thought of is radically different than it would've been just a few months ago.

What's with the invisible names on Oregon's jerseys?

So much for Miami being a sleeper team. That final score was ugly.

Why is Clemson only ranked #25?

Mike Hart has deceptive speed! (according to Bellotti)

In all seriousness, he's been easily the most impressive aspect of this Michigan team.

No hangover for Appalachian State - they lead Lenoir-Rhyne 38-0 at halftime.

Henne's been around long enough he should be able to read these blitzes, and it looks like he is somewhat. Are the receivers just not adjusting? It seems like every time Oregon blitzes they end a drive. Even the interception was on a blitz that was blocked perfectly - but the receiver was bumped off (lucky a penalty wasn't called - there shouldn't have been, but you never know) and there was a safety there anyway. I don't know why Michigan can't take advantage of these blitzes with a ninth-year QB and experienced giant receivers (is it just me or do all of them look like tight ends?), but they're really struggling.

And #22 just got blocked by his own guy, turning a four yard gain into a much larger one. When you struggle that badly against the spread to begin with, you can't go blocking your own guys by taking such horrible angles like that. Or am I confusing chicken and egg?

Amazing play idea: The statue of liberty has become so well known, you can now FAKE the play and score.

Wow, a fake Statue of Liberty. Egads. A trick play set up by an earlier trick play - this is TDZ worthy.

Anyone else not surprised seeing an accurate, mobile QB wearing #10 in a spread attack making a mockery of Michigan's defense? I swear I've seen this before at least four times the last three years...

I'm going to be incredibly depressed when Michigan STILL finds a way to beat PSU in a few weeks.

Being from Oregon, I see a lot of U of O games and I must say that they run about the most creative offense of any BCS conference team.

I think Appalacian State underachieved last week.

Michigan's defense can't defend the run or the pass! A 85 yard touchdown and a 61 yard touchdown.

Too expand on how bad the Michigan D has been: They've given up 390 yards and it isn't even half-time yet.

All things considered, taking a timeout with 1:12 left in the half is probably a better decision than rushing the backup QB in for 4th and 12. I can't believe that was what they were actually going to do.

And Henne shakes off the cobwebs and throws a strike. Amazing how when you do the logical thing, better things happen for you. Lucky break on the chinstrap malfunction.

I'd just like to know from what university did they truck in those attractive girls in UM jerseys?

So much for Michigan getting a little momentum going into the locker room...

My Michigan grad BOL is at the game...talking to my MSU grad wife on the phone right now...it's a pretty brutal conversation...

He is saying that his section is trying to organize a walkout...leave at half and not come back.

Not good times at the Big House.

End of the season?! When the team comes out for the second half, Carr shouldn't be on the sidelines with them, he should be gone already.

Someone HAS to lose their job after this game. Carr, English, somebody.

For Carr to gripe about the OFFENSE at halftime proves he very well might be clinically insane.

No, coaching out this season will not be good enough, even if it's understood Carr won't be back. The Wolvies need a new coach ASAP. It's not as if they could possibly do any worse than with Carr.

Re: 78

Start with the 1999 Arizona Wildcats, who beat Middle Tennessee by 15 when a 43.5 point favorite, then lost to Stanford by 28 when a 13.5 point favorite.

Michigan was favored by somewhere between 25 and 28 points last week, if you could find a line.

Oh, and I have to add tat if Oregon somehow finds a way to lose this, then Belotti should be fired.

So either way, this game should be the last for *one* of the coaches in it.

OK, I'm watching this, and Chad Henne does not look like a top QB at all. A lot of his throws are high, and he's taking too many sacks at key times.

Michigan's defense looks bad, but the offense has still only scored 7 points. They're supposed to be the strength of the team.

80:

For Carr to gripe about the OFFENSE at halftime proves he very well might be clinically insane.

Or that he knows the defense is so bad that the offense has to make up for it in a big way.

Here's the game plan for every team remaining on Michigan's schedule.

Make sure the offense shows up in time for the game and runs the spread. Even lining up in a spread formation should cause the Michigan defenders to faint with fear at this point. On defense, line up 10 in the box to stop Hart, since nobody else on the team can beat you. Get a two TD lead, and then blitz away on Henne. Rinse, lather, repeat.

BTW if not for one false start penalty Oregon would have 4 more points. Think about that one for a bit.

Michigan's offense has just one less first down than Oregon's (17 for Michigan, 18 for Oregon) and has piled up quite a few yards (307) but they've been killed by turnovers (1 interception, 1 lost fumble, and the turnover on downs) and an inability to move the ball in the red zone.

What would be the point in firing Carr after the game and letting him finish the season? What if he won the next ten?

Have I mentioned that Michigan has BCSed three of the last four seasons? Sorry, but any fan that is unhappy after that defines the term "spoiled".

The whole "I'm unhappy, so I must make someone else unhappy by punishing them" thing is lame.

It's two games, guys. Get a grip. :)

85:

Whiskey, it’s worse than that. The offense gained 307 yards, was inside the Oregon 30 on all six of its first half possessions, and still scored only 7 points.

Exactly. Talented seniors should produce in the red zone, not take long sacks or get a delay of game penalty to get knocked out of field goal range.

Unfortunately the only other game I can watch at the moment is NC State-BC. The NC State QB has thrown what seems like ten INTs.

#81: Remember the year when Arizona was SI's cover pick to win the national title and they wound up losing something like 5 games? Bruschi's senior year I think.

Re: 78

Colorado in 2005 missed the spread by 45 (against Nebraska) and 31.5 (the 70-3 Texas beatdown) at the end of the season.

That should be 41.5 vs. Texas.

Wait, a stop by the Michigan defense?

Uber-recruit Ryan Mallett is coming in for the Wolverines- Henne is hurt.

#88: Wins their next ten?! Have you SEEN them play at ALL this season? Or in their last two games of last season?

They're about to lose 4 in a row for the first time in FORTY YEARS, looking worse every time, and you're yammering on about how Carr should get another chance, unbelievable.

If anybody deserved to be fired from any job in America right now, it's Lloyd Carr. Keeping him on another week will just ensure at least 4 more losses.

I honestly don't think Michigan's even getting to a bowl this year, and all they'd need is 6 wins out of 12 games. The way they've "responded" to the loss last week is about as bad as it gets--they've basically confirmed that everyone who talked trash about them was right on the money.

86: But if they followed those instructions, they'd get out of the shower with shampoo still in their hair.

I honestly don't know what's wrong with Michigan's offense. They've put up some good stats and all, and as one friend described them, "They're much too good to be that bad". With all that talent (Henne, Hart, Manningham, possibly Arrington, and probably a few O-line guys will all be in the NFL soon) it's astounding that they can't convert more of their opportunities into points. I don't fault Carr for being pissed at the offense. Even with the defense struggling, it could easily be 32-24 or something if the offense wasn't scarfing down chicken bones in a noble attempt to choke away every chance at points.

One more: Fresno State last year missed spreads by 26, 26, and 28 in three consecutive weeks. The next week, they failed to cover as a 31-point underdog.

Hypothetical: If Carr were to be fired immediately after this game (not happening), who is there to replace him?

"Hypothetical: If Carr were to be fired immediately after this game (not happening), who is there to replace him?"

I'll do it. I work cheaply, and I lead W&M to numerous titles on the PS2. :)

Not a misprint: Western Kentucky, which just moved up to I-A, is leading West Virginia Tech (who I think is D-II) 49-0 in the first quarter. Western Kentucky has 3 non-offensive TDs already.

I also don't see how firing Carr now would help anything. Who exactly would take over, and why would you expect it to be any better? And Michigan certainly has the talent to win a whole bunch of games still - an 8-4 season is completely realistic, and if OSU is as down this year as they looked today Carr might even get a win there. (All that changes if Boeckman somehow becomes a dangerous run/pass option, of course)

Heck, even this game isn't over! It would be an amazing comeback, of course, but it's only four scores, and they have the weapons to (theoretically) put up points in a hurry. An offensive score, and maybe a big turnover or special teams play, and suddenly the pressure's squarely on Oregon. It's not likely, but in college anything can happen.

There's far, far too much talent on this team to count them out so early in the season. We've seen teams go 0-2 and become monsters before this (FSU started one season losing to Clemson and Favre, then blew everyone out the rest of the way; I think Colorado came back from 0-2 to whining about not being in the title game in 2001), and it wouldn't be shocking to see Michigan do it. There's a reason we're all so shocked to see such a meltdown, remember.

That said, this loss is especially bad. Last week was bad, but everyone lays an egg once in a while. But to respond with an effort like this... yeesh.

Reason # 406 why Comcast SUCKS. IN Chicago, we aren't getting ESPN or espn2 at the moment. I called and they said it wasn't their issue, it was ESPN's issue. Is anyone else having problems with ESPN or espn2?

Comcast can go #@&! themselves.

More bad news for Russell- Notre Dame is up 7-0 after Morelli throws a terrible pass that is picked and run back for 6.

I'm getting both of them. ND just returned an interception for a TD, and the Cocks just scored on Georgia somehow.

97- Exactly.

Have we all forgotten how MESSY college football coach searches can be? Just ask a Nebraska, Alabama, or a Notre Dame fan how frustrating those can be.

95- I saw highlights of last week's game, and all of today's so far. Switching to Georgia vs South Carolina now.

I am growing increasingly concerned that the Big 10 is, well, not so hot. I take heart in WI beating AK in January with most of the current roster.

But still. This is eerie stuff I'm watching.

I continue to maintain that Henne is a pedestrian qb made to look better by surrounding talent. He's Elvis Grbac. And that might be a dig at Elvis....

Derrick Williams is fast, although he could have just cut to the sideline instead of cutting inside and making me sweat. I thought for sure there was a block in the back there. PSU-ND tied at 7.

It wouldn't be a Mike Patrick broadcast without random meaningless uses of the word "poise". Of course, immediately after having his poise talked up, Clausen takes an Aaron Brooks drop and heaves up a not-quite-grounding duck.

And a punt return TD. Awesome. Just for the ABC promos, we all need Penn State to win tonight. The two winningest programs in NCAA history (history = not this year), next Saturday on ABC!

How awesome would it be next week if they could somehow both lose?

Was the Notre Dame idiot kicked out? I had it muted because Patrick theoretically could've been talking, but it looked like the kind of thing someone should be thrown out of the game for.

Nice beatdown by those two ND players on a PSU guy already on the ground on that punt BTW. Somehow I don't think that's what Weis meant when he said he wanted more physical play.

#112-

I don't think he was kicked out- if he was, the ref didn't say so. He deserved to be.

#112: It's Notre Dame so of course not. In fact I'm astonished there was even a flag there--the ref looked like he wanted to settle in and grab some popcorn while that beatdown was going on.

Just got back from "The Rock". Second team in during the second quarter, third string in for the fourth. Gave up a touchdown with 45 seconds left. Final 48-7. So, how are the big boys doing? ..........oh.

Appalachian State 48 Lenoir-Rhyne 7
Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32
Appalachian State 42 Oakland Raiders 10

Just checking if Raiderjoe is on.

It's not Carr's fault that Michigan was ridiculously overrated heading into this season. It's time for the college football world to accept that the 2007 Wolverines simply are not particularly talented (and they weren’t all that great last year, either). Carr is a good coach of a not very good team.

Holy Shit, Russ. I am sorry.

Fresno State-Texas A&M (on most Fox Sports regional channels) heading to OT tied at 29.

In case anyone cares, WV Tech is NAIA.

Look at it this way. Michigan is stuck on 860 wins and 11 National Championships.

Ah, it's a good day today! Lloyd Carr will still be around for a few more games, but another loss to tOSU and bowl game (or God forbid missing a bowl game!) and he's gone. Too bad. But Bellotti just served some notice that the Pac-10 should not be underestimated this season. Along with USC and Cal, whom I consider to be the two fighting for the top, UCLA, UW and UO are all looking pretty good and could pull some upsets and make things interesting.

Absolutely awful replay review in A&M-Fresno. The Fresno WR caught a 24-yard pass on the first play of OT, tried to stretch the ball over the goal line, and lost possession without being touched. They ruled that the WR stepped out-of-bounds on the play, and didn't overturn it despite clear evidence to the contrary.

This is insane. I'd say this was an out-and-out screwjob, but A&M is the home team.

Ref reviews it again, reverses it, BUT finds a roughing-the-passer against A&M. I don't understand what they're doing.

Anyone have a clue what Morelli's thinking? Anyone? I bet he doesn't even know. What a stupid, stupid play. You know it's awful when Mike Patrick calls you out, and is absolutely correct to do so.

I have a hard time believing Anthony Morelli is a senior right now. Dear God was that stupid.

Re: 119 I’m not willing to stipulate that the the 2007 Wolverines are not particularly talented, but if that’s the case, whose fault is that?

Touche, MDS, but look at it this way: Let's say Michigan goes 6-6 this year. That sounds about right to me at this point, though perhaps I continue to be a bit generous. That seems absolutely awful if you thought this was an 11-1 or 12-0 quality team, as a lot of people mistakenly did. However, if you, much more realistically, were predicting, say, an 8-4 season, as I did in the comments section of this feature two weeks ago, then it appears to be only slightly underachieving. 8-4 is a perfectly respectable record in a very tough Big Ten conference, and it's no shame to recruit "only" 8-4 level talent. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people for some reason still think that Michigan has national championship level talent (they most certainly do not), and that is grossly distorting the perception of Carr's coaching performance.

Michigan has had top 5-10 recruiting classes forever. Every season they have about 5-10 players considered good enough to go on the first day of the draft. The talent is there. Carr just does nothing with it. He does less with more than any college coach I've seen with the exception of Ron Zook.

If Michigan keeps this clown on, they are screaming to the world that they gladly and happily tolerate incompetence and don't really care about winning football games. If that's the statement they want to make, fine. But don't try to have it both ways and pretend your program is anywhere near the elite.

Can anyone tell me what channel Fox Sports Net is on DirecTV? I always have the hardest time finding it.

DolFan: It depends which area you're in. They range from 620-655, but you only get the ones in your local area, unless you have the sports pack.

No wonder hart was benched for half the game against Appy State last week. He's the only Michigan player who actually seems to show emotion and try to win out there. I guess Carr can't have that.

Don't look now but Southern Miss is up on the Vols 13-7 in Knoxville early. Is it just me or is home field advantage not nearly what it used to be in college football?

Western Kentucky up 87-0, 13:34 to go. Can they break 100?

#136: Thanks much. It's 630 for me as it turns out.

#133: 6-6 vs. 8-4 is not underachieving "a bit". It's underachieving a lot. I think 6-6, with the way Michigan is playing now, could easily be a reach. Who're they going to beat easily? East Michigan, you hope (okay, they should still beat East Michigan) - but other than that, you've got to figure Wisconsin, OSU, PSU, are losses. That's five losses right there!

If Michigan doesn't beat Notre Dame next week, Carr should immediately resign for his own health. If Michigan doesn't make any bowl, something could very well explode.

The 2003 New England Patriots opened their season with a 31 - 0 loss to the Buffalo Bills. They wound up going 14 - 2 and winning the Super Bowl.

My guess is that Michigan will play much better as the season progresses.

#138: True story: my alma mater beat an NAIA team 97-7 during my junior year. The other team's only score was on a kick return. And they called off the dogs in the 4th, otherwise they'd have broken 110. Link in my name (hopefully).

Just a bit more on the 8-4 vs. 6-6: Michigan's got 3 games versus ranked teams this year right now. If they went 9-3, or 8-4, the losses would probably be against teams you could say "well, those were really good teams, so no big deal." That's the difference between 8-4 and 6-6: when you lose 6 games, you probably lost all of your games vs. ranked teams, and several vs. unranked teams.

#141: This isn't the NFL. There isn't that much parity.

And, incidentally, don't try to paint game that as a common thing. It was pretty much the most unlikely loss in the NFL in the past 8 years.

Indianapolis should just draft Penn State's special teams. Jeez.

#144: Actually the Pats loss to my Fins in '04 was not only the most unlikely loss of the past decade, but in terms of difference in the records of the teams, the biggest upset in NFL history :-)

Hey, I'm a DolFan, I need ONE good moment per season.

#146-

Seeing as how the Dolphins always seem to give the Pats fits @Miami, that really isn't too shocking. :)

Michigan hasn't lost 6 games in a season since 1984. They haven't lost 4 in a row since 1967. A 6-6 season would most definitely be an underachievement of the most massive scale, especially considering the players who returned just to beat Ohio State.

Basically what Michigan has done is become the reason why preseason polls are abolished starting next year.

#146: Nah. It wasn't that huge a loss. Wacko bizarro losses between teams happen (the Texans vs the Colts!!!), but usually it's close. The loss to Buffalo was 31-0, and New England proved later it was much, much better than Buffalo (by beating them 31-0). That 62-point swing is the largest between rematched teams since 2000 (and maybe longer, I didn't go back farther).

141- I'm saying that a team's performance can rise and fall dramatically.

Look at Clemson last year. When they played and destroyed Georgia Tech, they looked like a Top-5 team. But they weren't- they were just hot that night. Last year Georgia looked awful against Kentucky, but they rebounded to beat Virginia Tech in their bowl.

Maybe Michigan won't bowl this year, but I'm not counting on it.

#147: Yeah, but the '04 Fins beating the '04 Pats? That's the worst team in one franchise's history beating the best team in the other's, and coming from multiple scores behind to do it.

So yeah, it's shocking. Get that Bills game outta here :-)

#149: Okay, now that you put it that way...

One example I'll always remember is the Pats beating the Jets 56-3 in '79, and losing the rematch by a point. But even that's a mere 54-point swing.

Oh boy. Notre Dame and Dick Vitale. Good thing I'm not really watching that game.

And Fresno loses by not making the 2-point conversion in the 3rd OT after an outstanding TD catch by the tight end.

When's the last time Michigan didn't go to a bowl game? Seriously, if that happened, bricks would get thrown through Carr's house windows. I know Michigan fans are a bit more morose than OSU fans when faced with adversity, but there's only so much you can take.

#145-

After the punt coverage there, PSU's boys would fit in perfectly. Uh oh.

Yeah, I spoke too soon.

Great work by the PSU defense to keep ND out of the end zone. PSU should be running away with this but is only up 17-10.

South Carolina is up 13-3 on Georgia with 4 minutes left in the 3rd. From what I've seen, UGA keeps trying to throw underneath. They finally let their monster-armed QB go downfield and he hits the TE down the middle for a big gain. Also, Blake Mitchell seems to do something dumb every time I watch.

It sounds like a 1-11 season won't even matter to the fans as long as Michigan beats Ohio State.

#158: Now THAT would be the most hilarious thing ever.

TCU defensive TD on an INT return, methinks Colt McCoy is a wee bit overrated. Mack Brown seen on sideline speed-dialing Vince Young to see if he has any eligibility left.

horrible roughing call

#157: It's kinda fluky at this point. The interception return for a touchdown makes it look a lot better - 24-3 would look pretty bad, and even 17-3 (giving back the special teams TD) looks like a solid lead. PSU's outgained Notre Dame by a factor of two right now.

Brian (mgoblog Brian) was definitely right to pick Notre Dame, though. With the defense as good as it is, they're not even going to really try to gain an 18 point lead. Right now they'll just be content to end the game.

Penn State going to roll in this game. PSU Class of '98, baaaaaaaaaaaby!

Did I hear the announcers say Notre Dame had one first down for the GAME before they got one off that roughing call?! That can't be right, even for them.

Looks like next week will be the battle of the resistable force against the movable object.

Spurrier's boys go up by ten, which is the equivalent of a 20-point lead in any non-SEC game.

#163: It isn't right. They've had 5 first downs. All the other ones were in the first quarter, though.

I must've misheard then. But they still look horrendous.

Don't look now, but Hawaii is trailing LA Tech 21-14 in the first half. Could the Brennan Heisman Campaign be over before it begins?

166- Hopefully the "Hawaii In The Sugar Bowl" campaign will be over.

Of course, right after I say "yah, expecting Penn State to not cover is smart," they're driving down the field at 5-10 yards a play, and less than 20 yards away from covering.

South Carolina choke in progress, they'll lose this thing to Georgia it OT. Book it, Danno.

Anyone else besides me wonder what happened to Texas's offense? Down 10-0 to TCU at the half.

And the Vols are locked in a battle with Southern Miss, ahead only by a point.

All these fans are going to be upset if top 25 teams keep losing at home.

OK, now it's pretty clear that if this game went another 2 quarters, it'd be a blowout. Penn State's offensive line is just shoving them around like rag dolls now, and Notre Dame's offense is gaining less than 2 yards per play.

Clausen throws an endzone INT, Notre lame and Michigan to meet next week in the Stupor Bowl.

Before the ND gang beatdown: ND 7 PSU 7. Afterwards: PSU 24 ND 3. Just saying.

I know it might seem like I'm twisting the knife into Michigan's back but I'm not here to make Russell feel worse, I'm just genuinely angry at the level of supreme incompetence on full display in Ann Arbor. I actually sort of like Michigan, but this is an insult to me as a fan of football.

Man, I was at the Colorado State-Cal game today, and let me tell you, CSU was the better team. They should have won that game but had three killer turnovers and very conservative (read: crappy) playcalling. They were who we thought they were! And we let them slip away!

Let me just crawl into a corner and die now...two straight wins spoiled by a coaching staff.

Did I say Georgia would win in OT? I meant regulation.

Spurrier's boys are about to blow this thing by allowing Georgia to score on their last 3 drives after holding them to 6 points the entire game before that.

I'm going to celebrate tonight, baaaaaaby! I'm gonna get zooted with homie Pat.

Re- 175

No, SoCa will beat UGA.

Wow. SC INT. 6 seconds left.

I'm not putting it past Mitchell to pull a Pisarcik though.

Notre Dame's offense is truly painful to watch. They had 26 rushes for 0 net yards. And I notice that Washington beat Boise State. Anyone wanna remind me why Charlie Weis is considered a (offensive) genius with a ten-year contract and Tyrone Willingham is the supposed crappy coach who couldn't get it done?

Second week in a row that the Nittany Lions haven't allowed any net yards rushing. Insane.

I'm beginning to think that the Ohio State/Penn State game will be won 3-0 or something. Too bizarre that both of my alma maters are basically identical teams.

I can't believe Georgia lost this game. Especially since the Cocks were trying their best to give it away in the 4th.

Typical SEC gumfest. Now for the Auburn game, where three TDs by both teams combined for the whole game might be a pipe dream, even though UCF already has one.

Re: 179 Notre Dame’s offense is truly painful to watch.

In their defense, the Irish started the season against two of the very best defenses in the country. They're likely to look a whole lot better against Michigan.

Damn, I'm really liking this whole time change thing in Hawaii. Late Penn State game, and I've still got the entire evening open.

And tomorrow, the Eagles game will be over before noon. Fantastic.

I watched the ND game with Penn State fans; even they were sympathetic by the end. That offense is atrocious. I don't know whether the skill positions are any good because that line is just so godawful. I'm amazed the defense only(?!) allowed 31 because they got no help (NONE) from the offense and precious little from the special teams. And the penalties! My god, the penalties! Part of that is youth, most of it is coaching. I don't know if Weis can't figure out how to simplify his offense while maintaining it's effectiveness, or what, but this clown college bullshit is for the damn birds.

I've done the exact opposite of Pat, moving from the West (Oregon) to the East (NYC). Having lived my whole in Oregon and California until now, I'd been used to games starting at 10:00 AM and running until 8:00 PM. I can't tell you how much it sucks now that I have to wait until the afternoon for games to start and to have games running until past midnight. Some of my favorite West Coast teams are having games starting as late as 10:00 PM Eastern time and I have to leave for work by 6:30 the next morning.

Would VT's defense please report to Tiger Stadium? The game has already started.

LSU INT. I don;t think the Hokies offense realizes the game started either.

Could LSU win THIS game 45-0?!

Have I mentioned that I dislike Sean Glennon way more than I should dislike someone I've never met?

Jeez, Russell was prophetic. Brennan's up to 468 yards and 3 TDs after a slow start. Man. What a change from Big Ten football. Bizarre.

"That 62-point swing is the largest between rematched teams since 2000 (and maybe longer, I didn’t go back farther."

The 1940 Chicago Bears had a 77-point swing in their favor in their rematch with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins beat the Bears 7-3 in the regular season, and then the Bears obliterated the Redskins in their rematch in the Championship Game, 73-0. That 73-0 beatdown was the biggest blowout in NFL history (regular season or postseason), and the score would have been worse if the officials hadn't asked the Bears to stop kicking extra points at the end of the game since they were running out of footballs because so many of them had gone through the uprights into the crowd. (Click my name for details.) That was the game in which the Bears unveiled their revolutionary T-formation.

Colt Brennan vs. Michigan's secondary. What's the over/under?

Hawaii in OT with LA Tech now. I thought their schedule was supposed to be ludicrously easy?

#193: It is. They play 2 I-AA teams, and the only BCS team they play is Washington at home at the end of the season. But Hawaii usually struggles on the mainland, and this isn't an ordinary road game, it's the first leg of a 12-day, 8,000 mile road trip.

Hawaii scores in 2 plays, Louisiana Tech answers, goes for 2, but the pass is broken up. Hawaii wins 45-44, with Brennan putting up a pedestrian 42 for 60, 551 yard, 4 TD (+1 rushing), 1 interception game.

This UCF-Auburn game is just indescribably and brutally bad football.

Yeah, I have to say it's just unfair to ask Hawaii to play on the mainland without a decent amount of time to adjust - like, 3-4 days. Going east sucks.

Going west sucks too, but that's only because people are utter morons on planes when the sun seems stuck in the sky. "Gee, the sun's still up! I guess that means we can keep talking the entire 10 hour plane flight! Even though it'll effectively be 4 in the morning when we land!"

USF (South Florida of the Big East, not Central Florida of the MAC) finally hits the tying FG on its 4th try.

Upset watch: UNLV 10, Wisconsin 9, mid-3rd quarter (on Versus, DirecTV 603). Wasn't this the game Wisconsin offered to pay $1,000,000 to switch to Madison?

USF intercepts an Auburn pass and returns it to the 3. The score is tied, 17-17, although USF has missed a zillion (give or take a few) field goals - they could be winning this.

It's now 3rd and goal. Auburn is holding pretty strongly. USF is doing better in the air than on the ground - they should have tried at least one pass in the three attempts from the 3 yard line. Now they may have to try another field goal to take the lead.

And it's missed. A 22 yard field goal, to take the lead, at Auburn, with a few minutes to go...and it's missed. USF I think right now is deserving the JLS Trophy for some of these late-game decisions.

Auburn has five turnovers. I don't believe UCF has any. And UCF has missed FGs on the drives immediately following four of those turnovers, all in Auburn territory.

Possibly one of the worst games I've ever seen.

And now Brandon Freaking Cox of all people is doing his best Peyton Manning impersonation.

UNLV BTW was the team that best Wisconsin in this year's NCAA men's hoops tournament. If they beat them in football too they'll officially own the Badgers.

Is anyone still watching VT-LSU? Is anyone watching it still awake?

Karma dictates that Auburn miss this kick.

USF drops an interception and burns its last timeout with the clock stopped, followed by a 46-yard Auburn FG. Auburn doesn't deserve to win this game, but USF is losing it.

%$#@&!!! Auburn makes the kick and now Wiscy takes the lead over UNLV. Ah well...

And here's a big UCF kick return to set them up in good position for another FG miss.

re- 199

Are you drunk? This USF-Aub game is great. Excellent drama. Who cares if there are a bunch of tunrovers?

I have seen a bunch of crap games. This is not one of them. It's freakin' 20-17 with 2 minutes left. You want a crap game? Put on ESPN and watch that 48-7 LSU-Va Tech game.

UCF HAS to go for the TD here. They CANNOT trot that kicker back out on the field unless he's kicking an extra point. Which he'd probably miss even if they did somehow score.

GO FOR THE TD UCF!!! DO IT!!!

Oh dear lord in heaven, they're bringing out the damn kicker. Miss #5 coming up!

Oh, dear God. Wisconsin too? Looks like Russell's comment of "Penn State might be the class of the Big Ten" is looking more and more accurate.

WHAAAAAAT?!?!?! He MADE it?!

I...I'm in shock. If it's possible to be shocked by someone successfully making a 19-yard FG, and it is if you've been watching this game.

I still think Auburn will score somehow before regulation ends though.

I'm sorry.

The USF coach, win or lose, should be getting the JLS Trophy this week.

USF has missed 4 field goals, and has 4th and goal on the 1 yard line, down 3, with 1:55 to go. And Leavitt decides to take a 5 yard delay of game penalty in order to attempt another field goal.

Seriously? You're USF. What have you to lose? Go for the freaking win. Even if you tie it, you leave Auburn a minute, with all 3 times out, to go for the win. And if Auburn can't manage it, you still have to win in overtime.

Yeah, the guy made the kick. But I still think it was a terrible decision.

UNLV REGAINS TE LEAD!!! SHADES OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT I'M TELLING YOU!!!

Auburn returns the kickoff to the 35 yard line. They gain 30-40 yards, and their kicker (who is kicking decently) gets a great chance to win the game.

USF's defense is doing well here but I'm just really confused.

And Auburn decides to let the time run out. Man there is some really weird coaching going on here.

#208: Oh no doubt.

As I said before, they HAD to go for the TD there no matter what.

Now all he does is set up his kicker to attempt another FG in OT, because lord knows USF can't actually punch it in.

Furthermore, the announcers keep talking about how it's demoralizing to keep sending the kicker out there to miss field goals, but necessary, because the coach has to show he believes in the kicker.

But is the offense demoralized by the fact that the coach seems to show zero faith in them in the red zone? Not just laying down on 4th and goal from the 1 with a minute to go - their red zone offense in general has been pedestrian.

Auburn FG in OT, game over.

Oh I know, technically USF gets the ball, but I think we all know how this thing's going to end...

HORRIBLE spot by the ref there. Just awful.

But USF gets the first anyway, good for them.

Again, that spot was criminally bad.

The right team won.

The Big East is now 14-2 this year, including 0-2 for Syracuse, possibly the worst team in a BCS conference.

And Tuberville gets what he deserves. Only Ara Parseghian can play for the tie and get away with it. Everybody else has to play for the win.

And naturally the game ends with a USF TD, in complete defiance of everything that's happened to this point.

And I'm glad. It was *extremely* hard for me to watch Auburn continue to get lucky break after lucky break. By rights they should be 0-2.

Plus being a DolFan I just like Florida teams :-)

TOUCHDOWN SOUTH FLORIDA.

Auburn goes down in overtime, right as I'm about to post that USF's 3rd/4th/OT offense is a bit predictable. Mea culpa.

Wow, what a weird season, and we're only two weeks in. Auburn goes down today, Wisconsin is down with a few minutes to go to UNLV, Michigan and Notre Dame with historically bad seasons.

Is it possible to have a "rebuilding year" for an entire conference? Cuz if so, that's the Big Ten.

Wisconsin touchdown. It's taking about 17 years to review the play, but it sure looked to me like it was a touchdown.

And South Florida wins when they try for the touchdown rather than settling for another doubtful field goal attempt. Funny how that works, huh?

Their coach needs to share the JLS with Tuberville for this one, though. That late FG attempt was mind-boggling (even though it worked), and Auburn's running out the clock to go to OT was just as insane.

It looks like Wisconsin just scored to take the lead late, but you never know what replay will turn up...

#218: I started out not really caring about this game one way or the other, and ended it rooting like hell for USF. That's what I love about football.

It just goes to show how some people just vote for the name on the jersey instead of what actually happens on the field. The sad part is these same people determine in large part who plays for thew title.

Now COME ON UNLV!!! YOU CAN PULL THIS OFF!!!

TD and 2 for Wisconsin after the entire UNLV team bites on a play fake. Still 1:53 to go for UNLV to score the tying TD, but I haven't been impressed by their offense, and the returner made the dumb decision to take the kickoff out of the end zone.

What is UP with all these QBs who just stand there and take sacks instead of GETTING RID OF THE BALL?!

UNLV is done. Ah well, at least their men's hoops team beat the Badgers...

"That late FG attempt was mind-boggling (even though it worked)..."

I'm new here. I going to make a note.

Note to self: Don't go to FO on Saturday nights. Too many drunks.

Read this when you get sober-
The late field goal attempt was the smart move. I will also note that it worked and South Florida won the game.

re-206
It is either Penn State or Wisconsin. I thought that before the season. Now there is no doubt.

#225: Way to endear yourself, newbie.

What "won the game" for USF was FINALLY deciding to go for a TD instead of doing that same lame old QB run into the line for 3-4 yards every play. Had they just done that at the end of regulation, they'd have still won. And a lot sooner. Deciding to kick was a bad decision that turned out right, nothing more nothing less. I severly doubt you'd have made the above post had the kicker missed. For a 5th time.

UNLV deserved to win that game. Wisconsin's offense looked terrible. The Badgers have some serious work to do on offense, and they might have lost their most talented WR. Penn State is the Big Ten favorite.

I would have said, "That kicker won't be the kicker next week. He'll be another waterboy." I don't see how you can eschew a very short FG attempt based on the fact the guy missed some longer kicks earlier in the game.

I got a free ticket to the Virginia Tech-LSU game. I should have sold it for a buttload of money instead (I was on the 15 yard line in the 2nd row...good seats)

Since the kicker had just missed a straight-on 20-some yarder on his previous attempt, and had been incredibly shaky all game, playing for the field goal from an awful angle was a terrible move. That it happened to work doesn't suddenly make it a good decision. Given that he was 1-5 at that point, I'd have to think the odds were significantly higher of scoring from the 1 than of making the field goal. And since a touchdown would give the lead, where a field goal would leave them tied (requiring the defense to hold in regulation, and then to win in overtime despite a severe disadvantage in the kicking game), every element of that decision says going for the touchdown was the right call. That the stars aligned properly and all of those unlikely events happened to occur does not make the decision any less awful.

Decisions must be judged based on what is known at the time. And with what we knew at the time, risking the field goal attempt (note: not "settling for the field goal", as is often the case; their kicker was so terrible in that game that trying the field goal was a huge risk compared to attempting a play from the 1) was a terrible decision.

Let me give another example. Last year, Arizona State was trailing USC by one score with little time left, and faced a long 4th down. There was not enough time for ASU to get the ball back if USC simply knelt on it. Is punting there ever the right decision? Of course not. But what if, by some amazing stroke of luck, USC had fumbled the snap, ASU recovered and ran it in for the tying or winning score? Would that have made their awful coach a genius? Of course not. He'd still be an awful coach who made an idiotic decision, and got insanely, ludicrously, inexplicably lucky. The decision to punt remains absolutely indefensible, no matter what the outcome. And of course, in reality USC simply knelt, and ASU never got the ball back, and the coach was fired not long after (for that and other bouts or idiocy).

This case is not quite as strong as that one was - really, almost nothing could be. But it was very, very heavily in favor of attempting the TD. Hence, risking the field goal was the wrong decision, and the amazing string of fortune (including making the FG) that followed that decision in no way changes that.

TELL IT LIKE IT IS, TROG!!!

That seemed like a sober post to me :-)

Again, all Leavitt had to do what was he did in the OT and South Florida wins much sooner.

I dont even like College ball, but these game summaries are riveting.

I think some teams are better than people thought.

Regarding Wisconsin, the player injured was Paul Hubbard. It was his knee and no word on severity.

UNLV did a fine job of pass coverage. I thought there a couple of times where it looked like guys were holding but since it went both ways no real issue.

It was 99 degrees at game time. Wow. According to a guy doing a web log of the game it never really seemed to cool off.

This was quarterback Tyler Donovan's fourth start in his career. I have my doubts but the fact is the guy didn't turn the ball over and made a big run at the end of the game.

A Barry Alvarez coached team would always start slow and finish strong in a season. So my hope is that Bielama has the same mojo going. Wisconsin is working in a lot of new folks and some of the players expected to be key contributors are starting out really slow. Matt Daugherty at DE hasn't really made a play of consequence the first two games and he was projected to be a big-time player for Wisconsin. Same for Jake I. the cornerback. And punter Ken Debouche has been pretty mediocre for a senior with a big leg.

I know they play the Citadel next week but pardon me for thinking that I will really start to get an idea about this team when it plays Iowa.

Regardless, I'm a bit worried that the Big Ten is going to get simply embarassed in the Bowls this year. I didn't get to see Wisconsin, so bear with me, but I have seen Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. Penn State's the best of those three (by a good margin - they at least have the potentiality of an offense compared to OSU) but they're a far, far cry from the 2005 Penn State team which was a viable NC contender. A BCS bowl? This team, from what I've seen so far? Eck. That'd be embarassing.

Pat:

First, a correction on my part. The Wisconsin defensive end is Matt Shaughnessy. I think just the thought o of spelling that name caused me to shy away in the wrong direction.

Second, I didn't think going into the season Wisconsin was capable of competing for a NC. Do I think they will be a very good team? Sure. But right now they are working out kinks.

Regarding Wisconsin the Badgers have played two decent teams to start the season. Note I wrote "decent". Not great. Not good in the sense they should be ranked. But decent. The UNLV quarterback is a capable player who can run or pass while on the move. I think everyone by now knows how a guy like that can cause issues. At least a Michigan fan would. (sorry, had to take the shot)

In this game the Wisconsin receivers had numerous drops. Hubbard, Beckum, and Swan all dropped some pretty easy throws. Swan's drop cost the Badgers position at the 2 yard line. And a lot of these drops were for first downs. Donovan continues to surprise me in putting the ball in some fairly tight quarters.

The Badgers special teams was a mixed bag. The field goal kicker nailed one from 51 yards and Taylor looks to be quite ready for a good year. But everything else was spotty. I already mentioned the punter who cost the team field position by kicking into the end zone and then mishandled a snap on an extra point. An egregiously bad block in the back nullified a solid punt return.

Against Washington State the Badgers were a bit surprised early by the Cougars running out of the spread but after the first quarter and a few minutes Wisconsin adjusted. After giving up 164 yards in the first 2 drives Wisconsin gave up 160 odd yards the rest of the game. The WSU final touchdown came with a short field thanks to a ridiculous 1 yard punt coupled with a 15 yard penalty on the punter! He shanked his kick and then when he downed his own punt batted it forward which is a penalty. WSU then got lucky with a few throws and put it in the end zone. But Wisconsin turned the ball over twice, made stupid penalties, had a blocked kick BY their special teams which should have been a big play FOR Wisconsin turn into a first down by the Cougars(!) when the ball bounced into the hands of the punter who ran for the first down. There were these two crazy plays and a few other minor "odd" plays that all went WSU's way. Yet Wisconsin won by 21 points against a team with a senior dominated offense that I think is going to be pretty capable this season.

Basically, I think Wisconsin has played a "fair" opening two games against decent Division 1-A opponents including going on the road in a pretty tough playing environment (absurd heat) and winning both games. Contrast that with how many top 25 teams lost this weekend and I have no real complaints. Ultimately, I think Wisconsin has played a "fairer" test than most of the other teams in the conference when you compare who was played and where.

As to the Big 10 as a whole, I think the leadership has to be concerned. Minnesota has to go into overtime to win its game against Miami of Ohio after losing last week to Bowling Green. Both at home. Northwestern has played Northeastern and Nevada and needed 16 fourth quarter points to beat Nevada. If Bowling Green had been able to pass protect better Michigan State would have been in real trouble. Indiana was bold enough to play on the road but if Western Michigan doesn't turn the ball over 5 times it's right in that game. I know folks will be quick to point out the "and if my aunt had you know what she would be my uncle" card. But Indy recovered three fumbles and I THINK everyone here by now knows the random nature of THAT fact.

I know folks are going to read this and my moniker and just dimiss me as a "homer". So be it.

Though I don't know what is being a "homer" about recognizing your team's flaws and judging that THEIR flaws can be fixed while other teams in the same conference have a few more issues. Wisconsin can work to reduce penalties, hold onto thrown balls and improve its special teams play. I don't know what other conference teams can do about having mediocre players in key roles like quarterback. That's a sticky wicket as the English might say...........

No, Trogdor. It was the correct move. The coaching staff knows the kicker better than you or I. Because the move worked, it was the correct decision.

#236 I disagree with you, and agree with Trogdor and DolFan. Judging after the fact based solely on results is a poor way to do analysis.

Just look at the situation. You're one yard away from winning at Auburn. That's a great position to be in...take advantage of it.

"Because the move worked, it was the correct decision."

That right there is the heart of the disagreement. A decision has to be judged against optimal strategy based on information available at the time. In this case, going for it was by far preferable to kicking. Or would you be willing to say, in the ASU/USC example above, that punting the ball away while trailing without enough time left to guarantee getting it back would have been a good decision if by some miracle it had "worked"? Your position would have to be that it was a good decision, and that would be absurd.

Or for another example. Say you have a bunch of money invested in mutual funds that are gaining about 14% a year. You sell them all off, take the money to a casino, and throw it all on one number at the roulette table. Would your wife be happy with your decision-making skills? Even if you hit, absolutely not. She'll know you're a moron who just got incredibly lucky, and if she had any sense she'd divorce you to take what she can and get out (or possibly kill you to get it all). And if she presented the case that you gambled your life savings on roulette, the judge would hardly retort that "He obviously made the right decision because it worked!" He would know, as do we all, that it was an insanely stupid decision, regardless of any later events.

I would also ask whether the Eagles made a good decision to turn the ball over to the Giants while trailing with no timeouts and a minute or so left way back when. It obviously worked - without giving the ball back, there's no way Pisarcik would have fumbled, and Herm Edwards couldn't have scored the winning touchdown! All hail the optimal strategy of giving the ball back when your opponent can kneel and end the game! It worked, so from now on we should have our offense fail intentionally, and hope for the miracle fumble return. It worked once, right?

It appears that Nebraska is going to hang on and beat Wake, but I really fail to see what the fans and administrators like about Callahan. This doesn’t look like a well-coached team to me at all.

The quality of play and the depth of the team has increased immensely since 2004. Callahan is a great recruiter. As for game-day coaching, yes, the jury's still out on that. I take solace in the fact that this was a road game in tough weather against a decent team (Wake is much better than its record would indicate). I also remember that the knock on Tom Osborne for his first 20 years was that he 'couldn't win the big one'.

I think Nebraska, having made the decision to hire Callahan and ditch the option, is smart to be patient. But was there any need to give him an extension this week?

It was a pretty standard extension, since for recruiting purposes you want to have your staff locked down for the next 4-5 years. The buyout clause isn't terribly onerous in the unlikely case they want to change coaches.

Re: #236

Preposterous. Just because something does or does not work doesn't mean it is or is not the correct decision. Betting your life's savings on 23 coming up on a roulette wheel may be lucky if 23 comes up, but it's rarely the right decision. Trogdor's ASU example is a good one.

It sorta reminds me of some sportscasters when you see a team go for it on 4th (in this case), or run a fake punt or something. If it succeeds, they say "Wow, what a great play call. It takes real coaching acumen to go for that there." If it fails, the very same announcer says something like "Wow, what a stupid move, that was just not the right decision for his team." Sometimes, even when the coach does exactly what the announcer said he should do, the announcer talks about how stupid it was afterward.

In fact, sometimes, in cases of replay, you get to hear both, which really shows how unthinking the announcers are. The original call is, say, completed pass on 4th down, and the announcers rave about how great a call it was. Then on review it gets overturned, and they immediately shift into saying that it was a big mistake, despite seconds earlier saying it was great.

In fact, you see this often on any replay. How often have we (as in, the "FO people") seen a case where during a replay review, one commentator is saying "Oh, look at that. It's so clearly obvious to me that it was a fumble. See, his arm is still 0.003" from the ground when the ball came out. I can't see any possible way that can't be ruled a fumble. It's definitely a fumble." Referee comes out "Ruling on the field is that his arm was down." *BZZZT*Engaging reality switcher*BZZZT* Exact same announcer: "Yeah, that was clearly the right call - his arm was down, you just can't call that a fumble. Good ruling by the referee."

Whether or not it's the right call to kick or go for it there is independent of whether or not it worked. It's a function of what gave the team the best odds to win at that given moment - the fact that they won later, with what may have been a lower percentage play, doesn't change that.

USF had been inside the 25 multiple times in the 3rd and 4th quarters. They had missed four field goals, and at one point had first and goal from the 3 and couldn't punch it in. The Auburn defense was completely smothering them. The options were to go for it, and need one yard to win the game, or kick, in which case:

1. They'd have to make the kick (noting that he missed a 22-yarder minutes before).

2. They'd have to stop Auburn from getting within field goal range in the last minute of the game (Tuberville was nice enough to just decide to go to overtime - wrong decision, Tommy).

3. Their offense, which in the 3rd and 4th quarters were not moving well against the Auburn defense, would have to get in a position for either a shaky kicker to make a field goal, or get into the end zone, which they had not been able to do the entire second half.

The fact that all those things happened, to me, doesn't change the fact that the odds of all those things happen are lower than the odds of them simply managing one yard on 4th and goal.

The real question is, let us say that he missed that kick - given that he missed a 22-yard kick just moments earlier, it isn't that far fetched - would you be saying it was the right call to kick, or that he should have gone for it?

#240: I hear that! It drives me nuts when announcers talk out of both sides of their mouths.

Allow me to state the obvious: the coaches' poll is ridiculous. Absolutely freakin' ridiculous.

Is it ridiculous because it exists to begin with, or ridiculous because the voting is absurd this week?

It's not ridiculous for it to exist Heck, it would be a good thing if they didn't make such a mess of it.

OK, IMO there are two teams that have a good argument for the #1 spot: LSU and Oklahoma. They each BLEW OUT teams that look pretty good. If you think USC should be #1 and ranked over Oklahoma...I disagree, but I can see it.

But West Virginia over Oklahoma? That's mind-boggling.

Let's talk about the AP poll. Who the hell is voting for Appalachian State, and why? Can they possibly be that impressed with the Michigan win NOW? Does anyone REALLY think there are less than 25 teams that are better than App. State is?

Here's my Top 25, which I will repost in next week's adventure column. Thanks to Russell, Vin, and everyone else that contributes here- you make College Football Saturdays even more enjoyable for me.

1. LSU
2. Oklahoma
3. Southern Cal
4. Florida
5. West Virginia
6. Texas
7. Penn State
8. Cal
9. Georgia Tech
10. Nebraska
11. Clemson
12. Louisville
13. Wisconsin
14. UCLA
15. Ohio State
16. Oregon
17. South Carolina
18. Missouri
19. Tennessee
20. Texas A & M
21. Arkansas
22. Arizona State
23. South Florida
24. Georgia
25. Boston College

Check out the latest Billingsley ratings: Virginia Tech, who lost 48-7 to LSU, swapped places with Georgia Tech, who beat Samford 69-14. This might make sense, but Virginia Tech is the team moving up.

funniest part of this thread was DolFan316 repeatedly calling the Bulls "UCF".

#245:
Obviously, VT is given credit for playing a quality opponent, while GT is punished for playing a cupcake team. Never mind that VT got the tar beat out of them. They were playing LSU, so they automatically become a better team just by stepping on the field with such a formidable opponent. GT, meanwhile, lost some of its talent when it played Samford, a team that is notorious for sucking the talent out of higher ranked opponents...at least when it's not busy letting them put up 60+ points on the board.

Or maybe Billingsley just has no idea how a rating system should work, and completely disregarded statistical rigor and logical thought in creating his rating system?

...Nope. VT just got better on Saturday. 40+ point losses build character, and we all know how important character is in winning football games.