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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (covers.com) :week 3 betting.
Brian Brohm and I have something in common: We both have thumb injuries after Saturday's college football.
His happened in the third quarter against Miami. Mine is a result of the brutal wear and tear of over a dozen hours of remote use on a day when seven games featured 14 teams in the top 25.
At least Brohm and the Louisville Cardinals finally have a win over the Canes and one of the NCAA's upper-tier teams from a conference outside the Big East. All I have to show for it is this lousy column.
But I'll be back next week, while Brohm will sit four to six with a dislocated thumb. That means the Cards are now without their two stars, running back Michael Bush and Brohm, the senior QB who was expected to lead their Big East title hopes.
Though Bush is out for the season with a leg injury, Brohm is hoping to return for Louisville's all important matchup with West Virginia on Nov. 2, which will likely determine the Big East champion. Between now and then, Louisville's biggest worry is a road game next week against Kansas State.
Sophomore Hunter Cantwell will take the snaps for that matchup and if Saturday is any indication, the Cards will be just fine. A talented and very composed Cantwell led touchdown drives on his first two series against Miami, and he racked up 113 yards on just three completions on four pass attempts.
Louisville easily covered the closing number of five points in a 31-7 win and the Cards are now a perfect 3-0 straight up and against the spread to start the season. They haven't been a bad halftime bet either, averaging over three touchdowns in the second half. On Saturday, bettors jumped on the pick ‘em halftime line set by oddsmakers when the Cards were ahead 10-7.
Miami bettors who jumped on the Canes were stung once again. Miami now has yet to cover a game or halftime spread through two contests that actually had odds - the other was an ugly Monday night defeat to open the season against Florida State.
What we're left with is a log jam in the ACC. It looks like Georgia Tech, Miami, and Virginia Tech could all win the Atlantic division, while Florida State's loss to Clemson in the Bowden Bowl Saturday night means the Atlantic Division is up for grabs amongst Boston College, Clemson, and the Seminoles.
Tommy beat Daddy, Bobby, 27-20 as a 4-point underdog, and may have put brother Jeff's offensive coordinator job at FSU in serious jeopardy. The Noles once again struggled to get any rhythm on offense and managed just 100 yards passing and 107 rushing.
Fortunately for the Noles they face a weaker Rice squad next week before entering back into ACC play. They'll need that game to get the offense in gear after the under has gone 2-1 in Seminoles games so far. The only game that played over was Saturday's, which did so by a mere half-point.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see No. 2 quarterback Xavier Lee get time in place of Drew Weatherford. The Noles desperately need to gain some confidence on the offensive side of the ball before tackling a schedule that still holds B.C. and Florida ahead.
Florida, especially, will be a challenge. The Gators are now 3-0 after nipping Tennessee on the road 21-20 Saturday, though they failed to cover the 3 ½ points. The Gators were among the three favorites who failed to earn the money amongst the games featuring a pair of top 25 teams. Notre Dame (-6), and Florida State were the others.
Auburn (-3 ½), Louisville, TCU (-1), and USC (-16 1/2), all helped the faves go 4-3 in those monster games, which shows you oddsmakers aren't leaving much margin for error. Here are my observations from Saturday's action that will hopefully help you in the coming weeks.
Gators need to strengthen Leak
Coach Urban Meyer spoke early in the week leading up to the Vols game that his team needs to get tougher to win on the road. We saw what he meant with less than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter when the Gators trailed 20-14 and they had the ball in Vols territory on third and five.
With no passing options available, QB Chris Leak decided to dash for the first down up the middle and he gained about four yards before Tennessee linebackers started closing in on him. Instead of busting for the extra yard, Leak slid like someone just put a home plate in front of him, which not only looked pathetic, but also brought up fourth-and-1.
Meyer brought in freshman QB Tim Tebow, who went out and pushed his way for the first on a keeper that had to have earned him a ton of respect amongst teammates at the expense of some for Leak.
That said, the senior came right back out and tossed the winning touchdown, but that slide isn't the stuff that wins you SEC championships. The Gators still have what I think is the most bruising stretch of games in college football on the horizon when they play LSU, (at) Auburn, and Georgia in October.
Those SEC battles are won on pure grit with the smallest mistakes coming back to haunt you.
Just look at LSU-Auburn
This was a classic SEC defensive scrap that, like the Florida-Tennessee game, went under the number. Auburn pulled out the 7-3 win and covered the 3 ½ points. The Tigers are now a perfect 3-0 against the spread on the season and you can see why they were garnering so much national championship discussion before the season began.
The offense has been talked about at length, but the defense showed its mettle Sunday and really why this team should be taken seriously as BCS title contenders.
But about those costly mistakes. LSU QB JaMarcus Russell was chased out of the pocket on the game's final drive with just over 30 seconds remaining. LSU had no timeouts remaining, and instead tossing the ball to the sidelines, he allowed himself to be sacked.
The clock kept running and nearly 14 seconds were wasted before Russell spiked the ball on the next play. If that wasn't bad enough, on the final play of the game as the clock wound down to zero when LSU stood on Auburn's 20-yard line, Russell completed a pass to Craig Davis. Only the problem was Davis was on the six-yard line.
Davis was tackled. Game over.
Russell is a junior now. He knows better than not to go for the end zone in that situation. Those are the kinds of things that cost you games when SEC powerhouses meet.
Notre Lame
Oh man, did Michigan put a whoopin' on the Irish. It started in the first minute when Prescott Burgess picked off a careless Brady Quinn pass and returned it to the end zone. The Wolverines thumped the Irish 47-21 and made the 6 ½-point underdog tag look ridiculous.
While Notre Dame just plain didn't play well, we learned a few things in this game. One: The cat is out of the bag on the Wolverines. For those who doubted them before, they won't now, even though they failed to cover lofty spreads in their first two games. They'll lay a bunch at home against Wisconsin next game.
Two: Notre Dame's secondary is weak, particularly No. 20 Terrail Lambert. Lambert was scorched for the third time when Mario Manningham broke away and caught a gorgeous Chad Henne pass in the end zone before taking out the woodwind section of the Michigan band. The fact it was the third time Lambert had been badly burned for a TD in the half suggests Notre Dame doesn't have anybody else.
That's a troubling sign for Charlie Weis as the Irish prepare for a strong passing attack at Michigan State this week.
Three: Now I know who was complaining about games being too long in college ball Irish fans. It always seems when a Notre Dame game gets out of hand that it drags on forever. Seemed like this game would never end.
Still doubting USC?
John David Booty looked as comfortable as Matt Leinart or Carson Palmer ever did while dismantling a good Nebraska team 28-10. He tossed for 257 yards, three touchdowns and helped USC cover the 16 ½ points.
The Trojans covered the 7 1/2-point halftime line, but that could be the last time you'll see value in them for awhile. The AP poll won't make the same mistake of dropping USC to fourth and they should remain at No. 2 until someone can prove otherwise.
Ohio State should remain at No. 1 after toppling defending national champion Texas in Week 2. And on that note…
Meaningless field-goal to cover the spread award
Goes to the Buckeyes. They nearly turned the ball over on a fumble with just over a minute to play against Cincy, but somehow recovered on a comedic play. South African sophomore Ryan Pretorius then stepped in to kick a 52-yard gem with 1:14 left on the clock, the longest boot of his short career. The field goal covered the spread by a 1 ½ points in a 37-7 OSU victory.
NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS: (covers.com): 2006 season finally taking shape.
The landscape of the 2006 college football season is finally starting to take shape.
How players, programs and pointspreads are viewed changed drastically as the scores trickled in into the wee hours of Saturday morning. With all the drama, it's easy for some things to get lost in the shuffle.
Here are three key observations from Week 3 in college football:
Bret Meyer can`t get it right against complex defenses
Meyer's talent, and a surprisingly stout ISU run defense, allowed the Cyclones to cover the spread, but there will be a lot of spots this season where Meyer will struggle to make the right read in the passing game.
Just take a look at the Cyclones' second half performance. After Iowa made the necessary second half adjustments, Meyer completed just 6-of-14 passes for 60 yards and ISU scored just three points. It got so bad that Iowa State simply pounded the ball up the middle four straight times while trailing by a touchdown with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. When the Hawkeyes finally forced Meyer to pass on the fifth play, a third-and-six from their own 35, Meyer forced a bad pass into double coverage, effectively ending the drive.
Then, after what could have easily been a game-changing interception by Iowa State with four minutes left (and could have ruined what was an otherwise flawless game from Drew Tate), Meyer was forced to pass. Iowa dropped seven into a prevent package and dared Meyer to throw it underneath. He threw three straight incomplete passes, two of which were almost picked off, before he almost saved the game with a nine-yard scramble on fourth-and-10.
Don't get too worked up about Michigan's win over Notre Dame
Chances are the win will vault Michigan onto the fringes of the nation's top five teams, and while that may or may not be warranted, much of the Wolverines success was because Notre Dame was simply terrible.
Does that mean Michigan's stock hasn't legitimately gone up? Of course not, but remember that the Wolverines forced two turnovers in the first quarter alone and Brady Quinn was awful. He routinely missed open receivers and looked confused by the seemingly vanilla looks the Wolverines defense was giving him.
This was also a great spot for Michigan, with the Irish coming off two hard fought games and the Wolverines coming in off two cupcake opponents against whom they showed very little. Now their playbook, like Notre Dame's, is open to the nation and you can bet the team that knocked off Notre Dame will be getting a little closer look from its opponents now.
Not that they weren't going to get big-time attention anyway, especially with the start of conference play coming up next week. And let's be honest, do you really think oddsmakers are going to do a public team like Michigan any favors coming off the program's biggest win in three years? Michigan is good, very good, but you can bet on the fact that the Wolverines aren't going to be quite as good as everyone says they are.
The USC Trojans are going to be playing in the national championship game
The Trojans looked very impressive in a 28-10 win over Nebraska as 16 ½-point favorites (though you could have had Nebraska at +18 ½ earlier in the week) that wasn't even as close as it looked.
USC marched up and down the field against Nebraska. The Trojans first drive of the game fell short because they couldn't advance the ball two yards in two plays from the Cornhuskers' 29-yard line and they were in position to score again at the end of the game before they let time expire.
While USC hasn't lost a step competitively from its dynastyesque run in the early part of the decade, make no mistake this is a very different USC team from last year`s group. For one, the Trojans' defense is as solid and any in the country. Nebraska came in having scored the second-most points in the country, albeit against sub par opponents. USC shut them down from the opening snap, and finished the game with almost double the yards (399 to 211) of Nebraska.
The offense is also a step down from the last few seasons. John David Booty looked eerily similar to predecessors Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, and any questions of his competence should have been answered with his performance on Saturday night. Where USC struggles now and struggles is a relative term is in the running game. The Trojans backfield is littered with freshman and true freshman. While they'll certainly improve, maybe even as the season goes on, the fact that the Trojans tried to pass instead of run when they needed the aforementioned two yards on fourth down tells you all you need to know about Pete Carroll's confidence in his running backs.
What this means it that USC, while just as dangerous as ever, is going to be seeing a bit smaller spreads than the titanic numbers they received in most of their games last season. Don't expect this offense to put up the requisite 50 points per game to cover the spread, but as an added bonus, the defense might just shut their opponents out, so you never know.
NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS (associated press): kansas state tight end suspended for louisville.
Tight end Rashaad Norwood, the leading receiver for Kansas State, was suspended for Saturday`s game against No. 8 Louisville following his arrest.
Oddsmakers have Louisville as 14-point favorites for the contest.
Norwood, a junior, was arrested early Sunday and charged with two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and obstruction of the legal process. His bond was set at $750, with an Oct. 3 court date.
Coach Ron Prince did not say whether the suspension will last longer than one game.
``I`m disappointed in what happened, disappointed in the circumstances that would lead to such an event,`` said coach Ron Prince, whose Wildcats (3-0) face their stiffest test of the season against Louisville (3-0). ``Right now, all I`m saying is he won`t play this weekend.``
Norwood was among two groups of people in an argument in a parking lot near the student union, university police Sgt. Richard Herrman said. When the groups were asked to leave, Norwood continued to shout at the other group, Herrman said. Norwood refused to give police standard identifying information, he added.
Norwood leads the team with 13 catches for 143 yards. Jeron Mastrud, a redshirt freshman, was listed as the starter Tuesday.
Louisville will be without two key injured players - running back Michael Bush (broken leg) and quarterback Brian Brohm (hand surgery
NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS- (associated press) :backup may start for byu.
Jason Beck might take over at quarterback this week for Brigham Young starter John Beck, who is questionable for Saturday`s game against Utah State with a sprained right ankle.
Oddsmakers have Brigham Young as 30 1/2-point favorites with the total set at 51.
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said Tuesday that Jason Beck, no relation to John, is preparing to make his first start against Utah State.
Jason Beck played with the first team during practice Monday as John Beck rested his right ankle, which he reaggravated during a double-overtime loss at Boston College on Saturday.
John Beck has had ankle problems since the season opener but said his right ankle was especially sore after Saturday`s game. He was selected Monday as the Mountain West Conference offensive player of the week after passing for 436 yards, completing 38 of 59 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions Saturday.
Jason Beck, the Cougars` field goal holder, has completed 23 of 46 passes for 232 yards in his career, all coming in relief against Stanford two years ago
NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): florida to be without star freshman saturday.
No. 5 Florida could be without its most dynamic player Saturday against Kentucky.
Receiver Percy Harvin sustained a high ankle sprain in Saturday`s 21-20 victory at Tennessee and was wearing a protective walking boot Monday.
Gators coach Urban Meyer said he hoped Harvin could practice on a limited basis Wednesday.
Oddsmakers have Florida listed as heavy 23 1/2-point favorites. The total is set at 54 1/2.
Harvin, a freshman from Virginia, has seven carries for 81 yards and eight receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. The Gators (3-0) have lined him up wide, in the slot and in the backfield.
Running back DeShawn Wynn also was in a boot Monday, but Meyer said his sprained ankle was less severe. Wynn, who has 200 yards rushing in three games, was expected to practice Tuesday.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS (associated press) nc state changes quarterbacks.
North Carolina State`s slow start has prompted coach Chuck Amato to make a change at quarterback - and defend the direction of his program.
Amato said Daniel Evans will start against No. 20 Boston College on Saturday, elevating the reserve past Marcus Stone as the Wolfpack tries to overcome a 1-2 start. Evans came on in relief of Stone and had 97 yards passing and a touchdown during Saturday`s 37-17 loss at Southern Mississippi.
N.C. State have been set at 7-point underdogs and the total is set at 41.
Amato said it wasn`t clear whether Stone would still see time against the Eagles.
``We`ll have to wait and see,`` Amato said Monday. ``I don`t want Daniel to go in there and to be looking over his shoulder.
``The job`s his. We`re going to do everything in our power and Marcus is going to do everything in his power to help him succeed.``
The Wolfpack have lost two straight after beating Appalachian State, the defending Division I-AA national champion, to open the season. N.C. State lost to Akron 20-17 at home when the Zips scored a touchdown on the final play, then followed that with the lopsided road loss to the Golden Eagles.
Stone, a redshirt junior who replaced Jay Davis in the final six games last year, had thrown for 345 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions this season. He completed just 48.5 percent of his passes, starting with a 36-yard outing against the Mountaineers. He bounced back with 209 yards and two scores against Akron, and was 10-for-24 for 100 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions against Southern Miss.
Evans went 8-for-11 and had an interception in relief of Stone in that game.
Amato also defended his program, deflecting questions about the slow start by pointing out the Wolfpack`s five bowl appearances in six seasons. He also refused to answer a question about whether he believed his job was in jeopardy.
``A successful season is to have a winning record and go to a bowl,`` he said. ``Everything over and above that is gravy.``
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FRE PICKS- (associated press): notre dame not panicking after loss.
Charlie Weis wants to restore some sense of calm after Notre Dame`s first blowout loss since he became coach of the Irish last year.
Notre Dame was routed 47-21 loss to Michigan on Saturday, but Weis insists his message to his team remains the same: Get ready for the next game.
``You have to tell them that no matter what, that one game doesn`t make or break a season,`` he said.
Maybe not in the NFL, where the New England Patriots won three Super Bowls with a total of nine losses while Weis was offensive coordinator. But in college football, only two national champions since 1991 have had a loss - and both those teams lost by a touchdown or less.
The loss Saturday dropped the Irish (2-1) 10 spots in the poll to No. 12. It also put a dent in Brady Quinn`s Heisman Trophy hopes, as he threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball away once.
The lopsided loss also led some in the media to question whether Weis, who was given a 10-year contract before he finished his first season at Notre Dame, has been given too much credit too early. After all, both he and Tyrone Willingham had identical 11-4 records after 15 games - and both suffered embarrassing losses in their 15th game - the Irish were beaten 38-0 at Michigan.
When Weis entered Sunday`s press conference, he looked at the reporters in the room and quipped, ``Looks like murderer`s row.``
Despite the poor performance, though, Weis said his confidence in his team was not shaken.
``Not shaken, but stirred. Remember that?`` said Weis, who was in a relatively good mood despite the loss. ``I might be stirred, but it`s not shaken.``
Weis said he deserved to be criticized for the Irish coming out flat, for their poor play and for their lack of discipline in taking 11 penalties.
``Who else can you fault for the lack of discipline but yourself?`` he said.
He also said he did a poor job of play calling. With the Patriots and with the Irish last year, Weis was always able to find something in his bag of tricks in big games to at least make the games competitive. He found nothing against Michigan (3-0).
It didn`t help that the Irish had five turnovers, seven dropped passes, eight drives of three plays or less, and a paltry 4 yards rushing - their worst rushing game since getting minus-12 yards against Michigan State in 1965.
While publicly, Weis was taking the brunt of the blame, privately some Notre Dame players were hearing from Weis. He said he planned to meet individually with players that he thought deserved a bigger share of the criticism for not playing as well as expected.
``I let them know that, `Hey, it`s going to be this way, or we`ll just have to move you out, move somebody else in,``` Weis said.
He said he`s not trying to pin the loss on those players. He just wants to make sure they understand that if they can`t play better he will have to find someone who can. Because the Irish are not playing up to expectations.
Through three games Notre Dame has the nation`s 68th ranked offense, averaging 342 yards a game. That`s just 3 yards a game better than Notre Dame did in its final season under Willingham. The Irish are 102nd in the country in rushing offense at 84 yards a game.
Weis said his plan for getting ready for Michigan State (3-0) is to simplify the game plan to help players cut down on mental mistakes.
``I think one of the ways you do that is by cutting back on some of the stuff you do, see if you can`t do it better,`` he said.
Weis said the message to his team following the loss was to stick to his one-game-at-a time philosophy.
``I think this team is resilient,`` he said. ``This team has shown the ability to bounce back, and that`s what I`m expecting.``
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (associated press): louisville still humble after win against miami
Louisville coach Bobby Petrino has a simple solution on how to keep his players from getting ahead of themselves after one of the biggest wins in school history last week against Miami: practice.
Petrino joked that by the time the No. 8 Cardinals (3-0) leave the practice field this week in preparation for Saturday`s game at Kansas State ``they might not even know they`ve won three games.``
Oddsmakers have listed the Cardinals as 14-point favorites for Saturday`s contest.
It`ll be hard for Petrino, however, to erase his players` memories of Louisville`s 31-7 rout of the Hurricanes. Even Petrino admitted staring out his office window onto Papa John`s Stadium in the giddy aftermath, savoring the most significant win of his career.
Petrino knows the taste, however, could become bittersweet if Louisville can`t keep it going. He won`t have to look far for motivation when the Cardinals visit the Wildcats (3-0).
The last time the Cardinals were in the Top 10 was the third week of last season, when they reached No. 8 before a 45-14 loss at South Florida.
``It`s already been brought up,`` defensive tackle Amobi Okoye said. ``I`m going to keep on pounding it into our heads. I might not even bring up the game. I`m just going to let (my teammates) know that we`re going in as the No. 8 team in the nation and obviously they want to beat us. I mean, who wouldn`t? So let`s not let it happen.``
Overconfidence shouldn`t be a problem for the Cardinals this year after losing their two star players to injuries in the season`s first three weeks. Running back Michael Bush is out for the season with a broken leg, while quarterback Brian Brohm will miss at least a month while recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right (throwing) hand, an injury he suffered in the third quarter against Miami.
Now, the two players that helped lift the Cardinals to almost unprecedented heights have become the highest-profile cheerleaders in the country, putting Louisville`s less-heralded players in the spotlight for the first time. Ironically, it may be without Bush and Brohm that the Cardinals can make the biggest statement about how far they`ve come under Petrino.
``We need to just keep going,`` Petrino said. ``I think the depth that we`ve been working at and the recruiting and you know, the ability to play a lot of players in games last year and in the first two games this year helped us a lot. We`ve got guys that are very confident.``
Last year, the Cardinals struggled to find an identity without Brohm and Bush, both of whom missed time due to injury. That adversity, however, has helped prepare them for what lies ahead. Petrino admitted that depth was a problem last season. Yet by consistently upgrading the talent around Brohm and Bush, the Cardinals are now better equipped to play without the two players who have helped put the program on the map.
Though backup quarterback Hunter Cantwell`s steady performance after Brohm went down let Petrino know the offense is in good hands, it was the defense that seized the moment against Miami. The Cardinals are third in the nation against the run, allowing opponents just 34 yards per game and are fifth in sacks, averaging four per contest.
``Seeing the respect we deserve and everybody acknowledging us feels good,`` Okoye said. ``But that win is behind us now and we`ve got Kansas State next. ... We`re never satisfied. We want to be No. 1.``
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): sooners still mad after refeeres call.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Sunday he was ``incredibly disappointed`` after reviewing videotapes of a disputed onside kick and pass- interference penalty from the Sooners` last-minute loss to Oregon.
Stoops said he believes an Oregon player interfered with Oklahoma`s chance to recover an onside kick by touching the ball before it traveled 10 yards. The play gave Oregon possession and set up the Ducks` winning drive.
He also said an Oklahoma defender tipped a pass by Oregon`s Dennis Dixon, and Sooners safety Darien Williams should not have been flagged for pass interference on a play that set up the Ducks` winning score.
``The instant replay was brought up to eliminate issues like this. And here, there are a number of issues that are clearly - looking at video - wrong,`` Stoops said Sunday.
On the onside kick, Oregon`s Brian Paysinger jumped in front of Oklahoma`s Malcolm Kelly and appeared to knock the ball forward to a group of players from both teams. Officials ruled that an Oregon player recovered the ball and was down before the ball squirted out to Oklahoma`s Allen Patrick, who picked it up.
``I see my guy stepping up inside of 10 yards to go up and gain reception, gain possession of the football, I see their guy go in front of him and hit the football before my guy is allowed to at 10 yards and I see him collide with my guy inside of 10 yards as well,`` Stoops said.
``That`s illegal touching and interfering with the reception. And then I see my guy get up with the football that`s laying on the ground.``
Despite the loss the Sooners won the cash as 5-point underdogs.
Two plays later, defensive end C.J. Ah You tipped Dixon`s pass to Paysinger that resulted in a pass-interference call against Williams, Stoops said. Immediately after the penalty, Dixon found Paysinger wide open in the end zone on a 23-yard pass to give Oregon the lead with 46 seconds left.
As time expired, Oregon blocked Garrett Hartley`s 44-yard field goal try that would have given Oklahoma the win even after all the controversy.
Stoops said he hopes the sequence does not lead to the downfall of instant replay.
``I would hope not,`` Stoops said. ``Even though they acted as they did, at least the whole country and everybody sees what was ... and what really happened.``
Pacific 10 commissioner Tom Hansen said the conference will review the onside kick and pass interference plays and announce Tuesday whether they were called correctly.
``I imagine they`ll have some kind of reply to the what the issues are and that`ll be it,`` Stoops said.
Athletic director Joe Castiglione said Oklahoma was requesting a ``comprehensive review of specific officiating decisions and use of instant replay`` in the game.
``There should be no mistaking our very serious concerns about the events that transpired and the energy we will exert in voicing those concerns,`` Castiglione said in a statement.
However, Castiglione noted the game`s outcome was irreversible and Oklahoma would be moving on in preparation of its next game against Middle Tennessee.
``In the end, it isn`t going to change anything,`` Stoops said. ``In the end, I`ve got to look at a bunch of kids who fought hard and have a loss right now.``
It`s the second time in a span of six games that an Oklahoma loss has been clouded by controversy. In Oklahoma`s last previous loss, three of the 12 plays on Texas Tech`s game-winning drive last November were reviewed using instant replay - including a 2-yard touchdown run by Taurean Henderson that gave the Red Raiders the lead.
Video replays on whether Henderson extended the ball across the goal line were also deemed inconclusive.
FREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (covers.com): top ten ats teams.
1 Auburn
2 Louisville
3 Ohio State
4 Southern California
5 Arkansas
6 Ball State
7 Central Michigan
8 Hawaii
9 San Jose State
10 Syracuse
FREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press) saturday sept 20, 2006 notre dame @ mich state preview.
Charlie Weis` goal of restoring Notre Dame as a storied program encountered a major setback last week.
The Fighting Irish look to bounce back from last week`s devastating loss and try to end their struggles against Michigan State when they meet at Spartan Stadium on Saturday.
Oddsmakers have listed the Irish as 3 1/2-point favorites and the total is set at 59.
No. 13 Notre Dame (2-1) suffered its most-lopsided home loss in 46 years last Saturday, as it lost to Michigan 47-21. It was the second-most points ever scored by an opponent at Notre Dame Stadium, and the Wolverines led 26-7 before the Irish had their initial first down.
``They stopped us in the passing game. They stopped us in the running game. They beat our defense. They really just beat our complete team,`` Notre Dame tailback Darius Walker said. ``It was a complete team loss.``
Brady Quinn, touted as a Heisman Trophy favorite, completed only three of his first 13 pass attempts for 14 yards, and finished with three interceptions.
``With as many mistakes we made as a team, I don`t think anybody would have overcome that,`` Quinn said.
The loss dropped the Irish 11 spots from No. 2, and hurt their chances of returning to a BCS bowl game for the second consecutive year.
``I was surprised that we collectively, from me on down, laid an egg,`` Weis said. ``I expected us to have a better performance.``
Notre Dame gave up 34 first-half points, the most allowed in any half by an Irish team since 1998, when the they gave up 42 points in the first half of a 45-3 loss at Michigan State (3-0).
Notre Dame has lost seven of its last nine meetings with the Spartans, but has won its last two visits to East Lansing.
At home, the Irish used a 21-point second-half comeback on Sept. 17 of last season to send the game to overtime, but Michigan State prevailed with a 44-41 overtime victory. The win was the Spartans` fifth straight at Notre Dame Stadium, and they celebrated by sticking their flag into the turf at midfield.
``Here is what I think we have to do,`` Weis said. ``I think we have to put the flag incident and Michigan behind us because if we sit there, and when you use something like the flag incident, try to use that as your motivation for the game, that lasts for about five minutes once the game starts. Once you start hitting each other in the mouth a few times in the game, that stuff is over with.``
However, asked if the Spartans` celebration last year was still on his team`s mind, Quinn replied: ``I guess I`d be lying if I told you no.``
Quinn threw for a career-high 487 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in last season`s loss to Michigan State. He has thrown for 805 yards and seven touchdowns in three career games against the Spartans, and has thrown for 767 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in his first three games of this season.
Walker rushed for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns last season, but has rushed for only 180 yards and one touchdown in three games this year. The junior rushed for just 25 yards on 10 carries against Michigan.
The Spartans have allowed just 123 rushing yards in their last two games, and held Pittsburgh scoreless during the second and third quarters of a 38-23 victory on Saturday.
``I`m not going to sit here and say we`re one of the top defenses in the country,`` defensive lineman Clifton Ryan said. ``We`ve got a ways to go. We`re making improvements. But we didn`t play a complete game on the defensive end. We`ve got to build on the things we do well and correct the things we didn`t do so well.``
While its defense is playing well, Michigan State`s strength continues to be offense. The Spartans are ranked third in the nation in total offense (506 yards per game) and seventh in the nation in scoring average (39).
Drew Stanton has thrown for 677 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions this season, and passed for 327 yards, three touchdowns and one interception last season against Notre Dame.
After falling behind 10-0 to the Panthers last Saturday, Michigan State scored 38 unanswered points as Stanton led second-half drives of 75, 64, 83 and 99 yards.
``I really thought we faced adversity well,`` Spartans coach John L. Smith said. ``You`re going to have adversity in every ball game, and we`ve had it in every game. And we`ll continue to have it in every game.``
COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (associated press) penn state @ ohio state sept 20, 2006 preview.
Two narrow losses last year cost Ohio State a shot at the national title. Avenging both defeats so quickly would put the team well on its way to playing for it this season.
Two weeks after winning a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown, the top-ranked Buckeyes look to win the matchup of last year`s Big Ten co-champions as they open conference play against Penn State on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes are 16-point favorites and the total is set at 46.
Any thoughts Ohio State had of a perfect 2005 season abruptly ended in its second game of the year with a 25-22 home loss to eventual national champion Texas. Four weeks later, the Buckeyes traveled to Happy Valley and lost 17-10 to the Nittany Lions.
``We`ve got a bad taste from last year,`` Buckeyes guard T.J. Downing said. ``You never forget the losses.``
Ohio State did not lose again in 2005, earning a share of the Big Ten crown as Penn State suffered its only loss to Michigan.
``It`s a little payback time,`` Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. ``What an opportunity to play the team we tied for the title.``
It seemed clear that revenge would be on the Buckeyes` minds early this season with September matchups against Texas and Penn State.
One down, one to go.
The Buckeyes (3-0) rolled to a 24-7 victory over Texas in Austin on Sept. 9 in the first meeting of the nation`s highest-ranked teams since 1996.
``They have (wideouts) Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez, all these different pieces,`` Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said. ``It`s so hard to take an educated gamble and say, `Let`s do this and focus on this and dare them to do this.` So you`re kind of stuck.``
The Nittany Lions` biggest test of the year came on the same day and they were not nearly as impressive, losing 41-17 at Notre Dame.
Ohio Stadium is the only Big Ten venue where Penn State (2-1) has not won since joining the conference in 1993. The Lions are 0-6 in Columbus since winning there 30 years ago.
That skid also includes the last time Penn State played the nation`s No. 1 team, losing 28-9 at Ohio Stadium in 1998. The Buckeyes are looking to even the all-time series at 11 wins apiece.
``It`s going to be big,`` Buckeyes tailback Antonio Pittman said. ``It`s a battle every week (in the Big Ten). Our house, their house - it`ll be a true battle because we all want that league championship.``
Both teams struggled in the early going against inferior teams last Saturday only to end up winning handily.
Ohio State rushed for 2 yards in the opening quarter and trailed late into the second quarter before pulling away to beat Cincinnati 37-7 for its 10th straight win.
Penn State could not take the lead until midway through the second quarter of a 37-3 victory over Division I-AA Youngstown State.
``We were a little erratic in some things that we have to improve on,`` coach Joe Paterno said. ``But I think overall we made some progress. We are certainly not good enough yet.``
Paterno`s team likely must be at its best to win on the road against the Buckeyes, who have averaged 426.7 yards per game and have been tough to stop against the pass and the run.
While Pittman has rushed for 340 yards and 6.7 per carry, Troy Smith has hooked up with Ginn and Gonzalez a combined 31 times for 533 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith, one of Ohio State`s eight returning starters on offense, has completed 69.1 percent of his passes for an average of 256.3 yards per game.
Penn State`s defense already had a tough time with one Heisman-hopeful quarterback this season, allowing Notre Dame`s Brady Quinn to complete 25 of 36 passes for 287 yards with three touchdowns. In their only game against a potent offense this year, the Lions failed to force a turnover while allowing the Irish to total 397 yards.
The duo of Anthony Morelli and Tony Hunt will try to find holes in an Ohio State defense which has surrendered only 26 points this season.
Hunt, a 1,000-yard rusher last season, is coming off his best performance of the year with 143 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against Youngstown State. He was held to 110 rushing yards through the first two games.
Morelli played poorly last week as he went 11-of-27 for 154 yards. He failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in three games.
The junior faces a Buckeyes team which had eight sacks, including three by defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, and three interceptions last week.
``They`re coming together as a unit. We`re making progress and growing in confidence,`` Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock. ``Now it`s the Big Ten. Not it`s for real.``
NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS: (associated press): usc @ arizona sept 20, 2006 preview.
The offense may not be as high-powered and the lineup isn`t loaded with Heisman Trophy candidates, but Southern California still looks pretty impressive.
The second-ranked Trojans begin their quest for a fifth straight Pac-10 title when they visit Arizona on Saturday in the conference opener for both teams.
Oddsmakers have listed USC as 21-point favorites and the total is set at 49 1/2.
USC racked up 638 points last season with an offense that featured Heisman winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush at quarterback and tailback, respectively, not to mention fellow NFL draft pick LenDale White.
This year`s team isn`t scoring points at that level, but it`s winning just the same.
The Trojans (2-0) beat then-No. 19 Nebraska 28-10 last Saturday for their 36th win in 37 games, with the only loss coming to Texas in last year`s national championship game.
USC has been dominant in Pac-10 play in recent years with 23 straight victories. A win this week would give the program a conference-record 12th consecutive road victory.
The Trojans have won a school-record 16 straight away from home overall, and haven`t lost in September since a 34-31 triple-overtime defeat to California on Sept. 27, 2003. That also was the team`s last Pac-10 loss.
With John David Booty providing solid play at quarterback, Emmanuel Moody and Chauncey Washington doing their best to replace the Bush-White tandem and All-American receiver Dwayne Jarrett off to a strong start, the Trojans have shown little reason to believe this season will be much different from the past four.
``I`m really pleased, to be honest,`` Booty said. ``It doesn`t seem like we`re scoring quite as fast as the guys did last year, but we`re really kind of a scrappy group. The main thing is that we`re winning games. I think we`ll only get better as the season goes on.``
Booty has yet to throw an interception while completing 69 percent of his passes for 518 yards and six touchdowns. Moody, a 195-pound freshman, is averaging 8.0 yards per carry while the 220-pound Washington is averaging 5.4 per rush.
Jarrett had 11 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns against the Cornhuskers, giving him a school-record 31 career TD receptions, one more than Mike Williams.
He needs one more to tie the Pac-10 mark, set by Stanford`s Ken Margerum from 1977-80.
``Dwayne`s awesome - the best receiver I`ve ever seen,`` teammate Kyle Moore said. ``He makes catches in practice that you never see in a game. He makes catches in games, too.``
While the offense is doing its best 2005 impersonation, the defense appears to have improved from last year, as was evident in wins over Arkansas and Nebraska.
The Trojans held the Cornhuskers to 211 total yards, including 68 rushing on 36 carries. They allowed 287 yards against Arkansas.
Last year, the defense gave up 361 yards per game.
Playing USC will be a good test for Arizona (2-1), which has victories over BYU and Division I-AA Stephen F. Austin this season, but generally plays better against ranked foes.
In last season`s contest, the Wildcats trailed USC 28-21 after three quarters before losing 42-21.
Coach Mike Stoops has beaten ranked teams for two of his five Division I-A victories and the Wildcats have been within a touchdown of beating three other ranked squads.
``I hope we can play to the level of this competition,`` he said.
Quarterback Willie Tuitama, who suffered a concussion in Arizona`s 45-3 loss to then-No. 8 LSU two weeks ago, is expected to start after coming off the bench last Saturday to go 6-of-9 for 61 yards and a touchdown in a 28-10 win over Stephen F. Austin.
Tuitama, however, has completed only 50.8 percent of his passes this season while throwing for two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Helping Tuitama will be junior college transfer Chris Jennings, who ran for 201 yards on 26 carries against Stephen F. Austin in his first career start.
``The game comes pretty easy to him,`` Stoops said.
USC has won the last four meetings with Arizona and holds a 23-6 lead in the all-time series. The Trojans are 8-3 in Tucson.
NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS (associated press): lsu ad criticizing officials.
LSU athletic director Skip Bertman sharply criticized the officiating in last Saturday's game at Auburn as well as the Southeastern Conference's subsequent backing of the officials' decisions on two key calls.
"The SEC Office has stood by the officials' calls, and we respectfully but strongly disagree," Bertman said in a statement released by LSU on Tuesday. "We strive for excellence every day in LSU athletics, and we expect the same level of excellence from the officials that are assigned to us by the SEC."
Late in the game, Auburn defensive back Zach Gilbert was flagged for interfering with receiver Early Doucet deep in its own territory in Auburn's 7-3 win over then-No. 6 LSU. The flag was waved off because officials deemed that Eric Brock's tip of the ball made it uncatchable.
Another controversial fourth-quarter call went Auburn's way when LSU's interception on third-and-29 was negated because Daniel Francis was penalized for interference on receiver Courtney Taylor, giving Auburn an automatic first down.
That pass was ruled a catchable ball, and SEC media relations director Charles Bloom said that call also was correct.
The victory helped Auburn climb from No. 3 to No. 2 The AP Top 25 poll, while LSU fell to No. 10.
LSU coach Les Miles complained after the game about both calls.
"There were obviously a number of calls by SEC officials in our game against Auburn that had a dramatic impact on the game," Bertman said. "Coach Miles went through the proper procedure of addressing these calls with the SEC Office and I appreciate the manner in which he has expressed his dissatisfaction with the officials' decisions."
NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS- (espn.com) :usc complains about musberger.
Southern California formally complained that ABC-TV's Brent Musburger revealed privileged information in play-by-play commentary during Saturday's game against Nebraska.
The university sent a letter to ESPN, which oversees sports programming on ABC, saying Musburger, with less than 10 minutes to play and the Trojans leading 21-10, began describing how USC quarterback John David Booty lets receivers know he has spotted a certain kind of coverage.
"John David told us that his signal when he finds one-on-one and they're coming, it's that 'hang loose,' that familiar sign you've seen surfers use," said Musburger, referring to the sign where the thumb and little finger are raised.
USC sports information director Tim Tessalone sent a formal complaint to ESPN/ABC game producer Bill Bonnell on Monday and sent a copy to the Pacific-10 conference office.
In a letter to ESPN, USC said it considered the discussion private and background-only in nature.
"We're supposed to be partners in this, but this is certainly going to make us think twice about trying to help them have as good a broadcast as possible," Tessalone said. "What he did was unconscionable."
Last Friday, announcers and producers met with coaches and star players as part of their game preparation. During the meeting, there was discussion about how a replay of the Ohio State-Texas broadcast showed Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith tapping the top of his helmet to let receiver Ted Ginn Jr. know he's noticed one-on-one coverage.
Booty was asked if Southern California had a similar signal, and Booty told Musburger about his "hang loose" signal.
"We are very mindful of what we learn in pre-game meetings in terms in what is appropriate for broadcast and what is for our background. We're sorry this led to an unfortunate misunderstanding, which was never our intention," ESPN said in a statement released by spokesman Josh Krulewitz.
Musburger, through an ESPN spokesman, said: "We've explained to USC that during our pregame meeting we discussed how we used replays to illustrate a specific signal the week before in the Ohio State-Texas telecast. In that context, we asked if USC has a similar way of communicating and the specific signal was offered.
"Clearly, there is a misunderstanding of our intentions, and we regret the confusion. We look forward to working with USC on future telecasts as we continue to cover [its] great program."
Asked about Musburger's on-air revelations, USC coach Pete Carroll said with a laugh, "Just wondering what they're going to tell us next. I'm not worried about it. There's a million signals, a million ways to do it."
NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): uconn safety arrested
Connecticut starting safety Marvin Taylor has been arrested for the second time in just over a year, charged with larceny relating to an illegal use of a credit card, campus police said.
Taylor, a 6-foot junior, turned himself in on Friday after learning there was a warrant for his arrest. Police accused Taylor of obtaining a credit card number and using it for several purchases without the owner's consent. He was charged with sixth-degree larceny and illegal use of a credit card.
"Coach [Randy] Edsall is aware of it and it's a pending legal matter. We will have no further comment on it," UConn athletic department spokesman Mike Enright said Tuesday.
Taylor, of New Brunswick, N.J., remains with the team. A day after his arrest, Taylor started in UConn's 24-13 home loss to Wake forest. He had 5½ tackles and forced a fumble.
Taylor was one of five players arrested in a pellet-gun shooting outside a Willimantic convenience story in May 2005. Charges were dismissed against two players.
Taylor and two other teammates were granted accelerated rehabilitation, a program for first-time offenders. Charges against them would be dismissed if they successfully completed two years of probation. Taylor's latest arrest could affect his probationary status.
Larceny in the sixth degree, a misdemeanor, is punishable by up to three months in prison.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS (associated press). Bounaconti honored celebrities
More than $3 million was raised at a dinner to honor former Citadel football player Marc Buoniconti, who was paralyzed while making a tackle in 1985.
Buoniconti honored celebrities such as Lance Armstrong, Patrick Ewing and Norman Schwartzkopf on Monday at the 21st Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner. More than 1,300 people attended the event in support of The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
"In the not-too-distant future, people in wheelchairs will be walking because of what we're doing. Together, we will be able to look back and smile and say, 'It's about time.' " Buoniconti said.
Other honorees were tennis star Michael Chang, baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, former North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith and former All-Pro NFL receiver Michael Irvin.
Buoniconti has recently reconciled with The Citadel, which plans to honor him Sept. 30 when the Bulldogs play Chattanooga.
The Buoniconti Fund supports the Miami Project, the world's most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center based at the University of Miami.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FRE PICKS- (associated press): clarrett gets 3' years.
When the day comes that Maurice Clarett can be released from prison 3½ years from now, the former Ohio State football star's life story will hardly have been told in full.
If his lockup ends on the earliest possible date, Clarett, who struck an unexpected plea deal Monday for robbery and concealed weapons charges, will be all of 26 years old. His 8-week-old daughter, who was present for his sentencing, will not yet have turned 4.
I'd like to apologize for my behavior, and I accept the time that was given to me," Clarett said Monday."It's in a range that will allow him to get his life back together after his release," Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said.
Judge David Fais announced the agreement on the day Clarett's aggravated robbery trial was to begin. He was sentenced to 7½ years with release possible after 3½ years, and five years of probation.
A bearded Clarett, wearing handcuffs and jail-issue clothing, remained expressionless throughout Monday's hearing.
"I'd like to apologize for my behavior, and I accept the time that was given to me," Clarett said when asked if he wished to address the court.
After the judge accepted the deal, Clarett looked over at his mother in the first row of the gallery. She was sobbing and holding his infant daughter while sitting next to his girlfriend.
Minutes later, one of his attorneys summed up Clarett's saga -- from the time he was one of college football's brightest stars to the day he began life as an inmate.
"He was up here," Michael Hoague said, raising his arm up to eye level. "He got down here," he said, lowering his arm to his waist. "And he's going to be back up here again."
Clarett's father, Myke, issued a statement that said he watched the last year of his son's life in anguish.
"Somewhere along the way, that positive energy and focus turned into something else. Something that only Maurice can verbalize and he has chosen not to do so at this time," he said.
The 22-year-old Clarett has almost nowhere to go but up after Monday's appearance in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, where jury selection was set to begin in a case in which he was accused of holding up two people outside a bar.
The concealed-weapon charge was from Clarett's Aug. 9 arrest after a highway chase with police, who found four loaded guns in Clarett's sport utility vehicle. They stopped him by spiking his tires, then used pepper spray to subdue and handcuff Clarett, who was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Had Clarett been convicted on all charges, he would have faced three to 34 years in prison. Assistant Prosecutor Tim Mitchell said he expects Clarett will serve just over four years, with his last six months spent at a community-based facility.
As a freshman tailback, Clarett led Ohio State to the 2002 national championship, scoring the winning touchdown in the second overtime in the title game against Miami. That was the last time he played for the Buckeyes, and his life has spiraled out of control ever since.
He was suspended for lying to NCAA investigators before the 2003 season and dropped out of school. He lost a U.S. Supreme Court case challenging the NFL's requirement that players wait three years after high school before turning pro. The Denver Broncos made Clarett a surprise third-round pick in the NFL's 2005 draft, only to cut him during the preseason.
"It's really a shame that someone puts themselves in that position," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Monday. "I'm just hoping when he does get out that he's learned his lesson and comes back with a mind-set that he's going to be productive [in society]."
Authorities said Clarett flashed a gun and robbed two people of a cell phone early Jan. 1. He turned himself in around the time that many of his former Buckeyes teammates were putting the finishing touches on a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame.
Clarett had been drinking heavily on New Year's Eve, Hoague said. But the attorney did not explain why Clarett had a gun in his waistband.
"Obviously, that was a bad decision," Hoague said.
Clarett's attorneys said the guns police found in the SUV belonged to Clarett and came from his mother's house. They said he had the guns because he was trying to give them to acquaintances to hold for him, but the attorneys did not elaborate.
A victims' assistant from the prosecutor's office read a statement from the robbery victims, who said the ordeal has been hard on all aspects of their lives.
"Mr. Clarett, we hope you will use this opportunity to help someone along the way," the statement said.
His attorneys said they hoped Clarett's hopes of playing pro football are not dashed.
"There are institutions in Ohio that actually have opportunities to work out and train for football and other athletics," Hoague said. "We're hoping he can do that, and stay in shape and be focused on that."
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (espn.com): stanford looses wide reciever.
Stanford wide receiver Evan Moore will miss Saturday's game against Washington State with a stress fracture in his right foot and could be sidelined up to four weeks.
Moore was being examined again Tuesday and the timetable for his return was anywhere from two to four weeks, coach Walt Harris said.
The loss of Moore, a senior who hurt his foot leading into last week's 37-9 loss to Navy, is another big blow to a reeling Cardinal offense that already is without two key players because of injury. Stanford opened the season 0-3 for the first time since 1987.
On Friday, two-year starting fullback Nick Frank announced that his football career was over after being diagnosed with a narrowing of a vertebra in his spine. The Cardinal also are playing without receiver Mark Bradford, who could miss the rest of the season with torn ligaments in his right foot sustained early in the team's 35-34 loss to San Jose State on Sept. 9.
Bradford had nine catches for 108 yards in Stanford's season-opening loss at Oregon and Moore leads the team with 146 receiving yards and an 18.2-yard average per catch. His eight receptions are second on the team.
Now, quarterback Trent Edwards will be throwing to a pair of freshmen this week: Richard Sherman and Austin Yancy, named by Harris as the starter to replace Moore.
"Sure, you'd love to have those guys -- we love those guys," Harris said. "That's just the way it is. You can't sit there and feel sorry for yourself. ... You can't cry about it. You have to move on."
For Moore, this is another frustrating setback. He missed all of last season with a dislocated hip that he hurt in the first game in 2005 against Navy after making three catches for 66 yards. Moore also played basketball for the Cardinal until January 2005 when he decided to only focus on football.
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