After suffering a right ankle injury against Alabama nearly a month ago, Brantley appears set to make his return this weekend against Georgia after having very good practices the past two days.

“(He has done) a lot more than I thought he was going to be able to do, which that was encouraging,” offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said.

Read the Article »

Now in its seventh year, the College Football BlogPoll is a weekly effort of dozens of college football-centric Web sites representing a wide array of schools under the oversight of SB Nation. As always, this is an ever-evolving snapshot meant to judge teams exclusively on their existing resumés. It pays as little regard as possible to my guess as to what’s going to happen over the course of the season, or what would happen in a make-believe game “on a neutral field” or anywhere else. It’s subjective, but ideally, it’s not a guess: It’s a judgment on the evidence that actually exists. It is not a power poll.

LSU alternates back to the top in my weekly rotation between the Tigers and Crimson Tide, which (mercifully) has just one more week remaining before there’s a reason to actually rank one ahead of the other. For now, for the fourth edition in a row, they remain 1a and 1b, in no particular order. They have clearly been the two most dominant teams in the country over the first eight weeks and attempting to discern between them before they play is an exercise in futility.

• Cowboys are aliens. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State slides up another spot into Oklahoma‘s vacated No. 3 position, and I’m beginning to understand what the computers see in the Cowboys. I think some human pollsters have been a little slower to come around on OSU because a) They’re not a traditional power, a la Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma, and weren’t considered serious national contenders coming into the season, and b) They’re considered vulnerable defensively, a perfectly valid criticism for an outfit yielding well in excess of 400 yards per game.

On paper, though, Oklahoma State is competitive: Like Alabama and LSU, they’re winning by more than three touchdowns per game, have wins over a pair of teams currently ranked in every major poll (Texas A&M and Texas) and three “secondary” wins (over Missouri, Tulsa and UL-Lafayette) that easily rank alongside the Crimson Tide/Tiger routs over the bottom half of the SEC — the computers, in fact, tend to view the Cowboys’ schedule as the toughest of any ranked team except Texas A&M (see below). Caveats about the defense remain going forward, but they haven’t stopped OSU from putting together a first-rate resumé to date.

• Movin’ on up. Texas Tech and USC vault from out of the poll altogether to the mid-teens on the strength of big wins over Oklahoma and Notre Dame, respectively, and the Red Raiders may be my Restrospectively Overvalued Pick of the Week. I feel better about the Trojans, though, on the heels of what feels like a breakthrough win in South Bend: After a month of squeaking by the likes of Minnesota, Utah and Arizona, SC finally delivered its first legitimately impressive win of the Kiffin era. At the same time, it got a strength-of-schedule boost from Syracuse‘s surprising blowout over West Virginia, good enough to rocket it into its highest standing of the year — just in time to trashed by Stanford this weekend in the L.A. Coliseum.

• Parity before the storm. The Big 12 is the big winner this week with seven of ten teams in the poll at large, better than its nearest competition in the top-heavy SEC and muddled Big Ten (five teams apiece) and dramatically better per capita. Of course, those seven teams also have 13 games left to play against one another, and unbeaten Kansas State alone is about to embark on a four-week gauntlet against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas that could eject the Wildcats from the rankings in short order. But considering it’s going to survive the current round of conference realignment, after all, this isn’t a bad time to be in that league, unless you happen to be a defensive coordinator.

• Proof. This week’s resumé grid for public consumption:

L: Losses
PPG: Average margin of victory (points per game)
YPP: Average margin per play (yards per play)
Sked: Strength of schedule (as calculated by Jeff Sagarin)

As always, everything will be completely different next week.
- – -
Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Read the Article »

Notes on the Game of the Century of the Year.

Alabama is 8-0. LSU is 8-0. Between them, they currently control 232 of 234 first-place votes in the three major national polls. With Saturday’s demolitions of Auburn and Tennessee, respectively, there’s nothing standing between their collision as the two best teams in the country on Nov. 5 except a pair of open dates and the perils of campuses too giddy to think about anything else over the next two weeks.

The fans are in their blocks, the starter’s pistol is out… and the obsession is off and running.

• The Line. Most sports books don’t issue point spreads more than a week before the game, but the earliest line has Alabama as a four-point favorite, due almost entirely to the home field. Enterprising bettors may also find the Crimson Tide listed at —6, with an over/under for total points by both teams at 44, from which we can surmise an “official” Vegas prediction in the neighborhood of Alabama 24, LSU 20.

• Programming Note. The SEC’s contract with CBS calls for one primetime game per year, determined well before the start of the season; all other after-dark kickoffs are the province of ESPN. This year, for the second year in a row, that game was Alabama-Florida on Oct. 1. CBS was so desperate to get Alabama-LSU in primetime, though, that it orchestrated a kind of trade with ESPN to move the start time from 3:30 pm ET to 8 pm, in exchange for “future programming considerations for next season” — i.e., ESPN will likely get to take CBS’ place at the top of the pecking order for a week or two in 2012, allowing it first pick of SEC games for that week.

Two other networks also found their way into the deal. To fill the void in the afternoon slot, CBS traded with NBC for Army-Air Force, which was scheduled to air on NBC’s cable channel, Versus. In return, Versus gets the rights to Colorado State-TCU on Nov. 19 from CBS’ cable channel, CBS Sports Network. And if you suddenly see Verne Lundquist popping up in a cameo as Kathy Bates’ new love interest on “Harry’s Law,” don’t say you weren’t warned.

• The Big Question. What’s the status of LSU’s suspended stars, Tyrann Mathieu and Spencer Ware? Their absence didn’t make the slightest difference against Auburn, where Mathieu’s replacement at cornerback (Ron Brooks) returned an interception for a touchdown and backups Michael Ford and Kenny Hilliard churned out 147 yards in Ware’s place in the backfield. But that was at home, against a quarterback in his first career start and one of the worst defenses in the SEC. They might come in slightly more handy in Tuscaloosa, where deploying the offense’s resident hammer between the tackles and the most reliable defensive playmaker in the country could be the difference in SEC and BCS championships and another consolation prize.

There’s still no official word from LSU on the subject — neither Les Miles nor anyone else at the university has offered any on-the-record acknowledgement that two of the Tigers’ best players were nowhere to be found against the defending national champs — but latest reports suggest both Mathieu and Ware (as well as nickel corner Tharold Simon) could be back on Nov. 5 if they meet a series of stipulations for reinstatement. If that’s the case, and they somehow fail to clear the bar for the biggest game of their lives, LSU’s probably just as well off making the trip without them.

• Look, aren’t we getting a little carried away with… No. Stop. Don’t speak. I know what you’re saying. Nick Saban is saying the same thing. But he cannot defeat the hype, and neither can you. Embrace it. Revel in it. Because it’s got two weeks to build, and it’s not going away.

Obviously, it’s frustrating for the rest of the country to endure proclamations that this is the de facto national championship game, a full month before either team can appear in the conference championship game, or hints at a possible rematch of a game that hasn’t happened yet. It was frustrating the last time there was a regular season game of this magnitude, too, when No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan duked it out to such impressive effect in 2006 that the Wolverines felt legitimately snubbed two weeks later when voters picked Florida to play the (heavily favored) Buckeyes for the BCS title game instead. Anyone who considers the rest of the season after Nov. 5 mere prologue hasn’t been watching this sport for very long.

But anyone who doesn’t lose their mind a little over the prospect of a 1 vs. 2 showdown between a pair of undefeated, blue chip-laden powers who have yet to be challenged — who have yet to break a sweat — over the first two-thirds of the season is a little shortsighted, too. Outside of the championship game itself, there have only been four 1 vs. 2 games in the BCS era; outside of the 2008-09 SEC Championship matches between Florida and Alabama, there’s never been a 1 vs. 2 game featuring two SEC teams. Regular season games can’t possibly get any bigger.

It’s not worth pretending the winner has ascended into another realm that allows it to pass directly to the championship podium on Jan. 9. But it’s no use pretending it doesn’t deserve to be treated like the rare spectacle that it is, either.

- – -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Read the Article »

Now in its seventh year, the College Football BlogPoll is a weekly effort of dozens of college football-centric Web sites representing a wide array of schools under the oversight of SB Nation. As always, this is an ever-evolving snapshot meant to judge teams exclusively on their existing resumés. It pays as little regard as possible to my guess as to what’s going to happen over the course of the season, or what would happen in a make-believe game “on a neutral field” or anywhere else. It’s subjective, but ideally, it’s not a guess: It’s a judgment on the evidence that actually exists. It is not a power poll.

Alabama rotates back into the top spot in the weekly swap as we count down the Saturdays to the Day of the Crimson Tiger on Nov. 5. Otherwise, nothing has changed: Both ‘Bama and LSU have won big road games outside of the conference, both have blown Florida to smithereens, both have avoided anything resembling a letdown. Between them, they represent the only loss over the first seven weeks for four different teams in this week’s top 20: Arkansas, Oregon, Penn State and West Virginia. So both remain 1a and 1b until further notice — that is, until one of them beats the other in three weeks.

• We’re still here. The initial BCS standings cast the national championship race as a four-team gauntlet to be decided by a pair de facto “semifinal” games, LSU at Alabama on Nov. 5 and Oklahoma at Oklahoma State on Dec. 3. If it plays out that way, it will be to the never-ending shame of the BCS if it also comes at the expense of Boise State, Stanford and/or Wisconsin, all of whom continue to grind inferior competition to dust in weekly bloodbaths. Georgia, a 35-21 loser to Boise State on opening night, is the only opponent the Broncos, Badgers or Cardinal have failed to dispatch by at least 20 points.

Unlike Boise, Wisconsin and Stanford’s schedules will improve dramatically down the stretch — the Badgers still have to go through Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois; Stanford gets Washington, USC, Oregon and Notre Dame, and both teams also have their respective conference championship games, if they get there — but they will not have a realistic opportunity to jump an undefeated Big 12 or SEC champion. A Badger-Cardinal showdown in Pasadena would be one of the greatest Rose Bowls of all-time, and easily the strongest indictment yet of a system that cuts off the championship credentials after two. Which is saying something.

• B1G Time. In retrospect, I’m regretting Penn State at 14 — I over-valued the Lions’ win over Iowa and their “good” loss to Alabama, and overlooked the fact that they’ve beaten Temple, Indiana and Purdue by a combined 15 points — but it’s a strong showing by the Big Ten at large this week in the middle of the poll. Michigan State’s defense looked like the real thing against Michigan; Nebraska‘s win over otherwise unbeaten Washington continues to hold up, while the ‘Huskers’ comeback over Ohio State got a little more valuable with the Buckeyes’ win over Illinois; and Michigan still gets a lot of credit for beating surging Notre Dame, even it was in disconcertingly X-Box-ian fashion. Illinois‘ still hanging on at No. 23, too, to give the Big Ten six teams here altogether — more than any other conference.

• Nice pair of Ls you got there. I may look back on this on Friday and think, “What was I thinking?” but for the moment I’m feeling very magnanimous toward two-loss Texas A&M on the heels of the Aggies’ win over Baylor, considering a) Those two losses came by a combined four points against a pair of top-10 outfits (Arkansas and Oklahoma State) that are a combined 11-0 against opponents that aren’t Alabama, and b) The Aggies’ three most impressive victims (Baylor, Texas Tech and SMU) are 13-2 against the rest of their schedules — and both of those losses came courtesy of 6-0 Kansas State.

I’m not going to vouch for the teams Baylor, Texas Tech and SMU have actually beaten, but I think that means Texas A&M is pretty good. And now that they’ve finally closed out a halftime lead against a respectable opponent, maybe they’re on track to make things a little interesting for Oklahoma in a few weeks.

• Proof. This week’s resumé grid for public consumption:

L: Losses
PPG: Average margin of victory (points per game)
YPP: Average margin per play (yards per play)
Sked: Strength of schedule (as calculated by Jeff Sagarin)

As always, everything will be completely different next week.

- – -
Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Read the Article »

Read the Article »

Alabama appeared tired of playing second fiddle to fellow undefeated national champion contenders LSU and Oklahoma and decided to make a statement Saturday in a 52-7 win against Ole Miss.

And at the forefront of that declaration was running back Trent Richardson, whose 198 yards and four touchdowns demonstrated that he didn’t wanted to be counted out as a Heisman contender. He even did a little showing off as he shimmied and shook an Ole Miss defender out of his shoes during 76-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Overall, Alabama played like a team that deserved to battle for a national title. It had 641 yards of total offense, the most for an Alabama team under coach Nick Saban. And its 52 points were the most the program has scored against an SEC opponent under Saban. The previous high was 38 against Kentucky in 2009, the year the Tide went on to win the national title.

- – -
Graham Watson is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow her @Yahoo_Graham.

Read the Article »

Read the Article »

Making the morning rounds.

• Does the probation prohibit setting opposing defenses on fire? Tulsa senior Damaris Johnson, the NCAA’s career leader in all-purpose yards as a rusher, receiver and return man, pleaded guilty to felony embezzlement along with his girlfriend, both of whom received a one-year deferred sentence. Johnson and his girlfriend, Chamon Jones, were charged days before the start of the season for allegedly using Jones’ debit card on two different occasions to ring up more than $2,600 worth of merchandise at a Macy’s department store where she worked for a little over $13.

Johnson and Jones must each complete 80 hours of community service, pay $500 to the court fund and $250 to the victims compensation fund, but will not serve jail time and will have charges dropped after completing a one-year probation. Johnson remains indefinitely suspended from the team, but the apparent settlement of his legal ordeal “might open the door for him next year,” according to coach Bill Blankenship. “Honestly, it’s the first I’ve heard about it,” Blankenship told the Tulsa World. “I can’t foresee anything changing this season.” [Tulsa World]

• LaMichael in limbo. Oregon has remained conspicuously mum on the status of star tailback LaMichael James, and James himself told reporters Tuesday — even while wearing a sling containing the arm he injured in gruesome fashion during last Thursday’s win over Cal — that he’s still hoping to play Saturday against Arizona State. Quarterback Darron Thomas, however, didn’t sound so optimistic: “[We're] practicing, getting ready, trying to push a little harder, knowing we’re going to be without LaMichael,” Thomas said after Wednesday’s practice. “We’ve got Kenjon [Barner] in the backfield with me. He is a step behind LaMike, doing the same things. We’ve got Tra Carson doing well for us. I can’t wait to see him play. And De’Anthony [Thomas], everybody knows about De’Anthony. The running backs just have to hold their own and do it for LaMichael.” [The Oregonian]

• Stairway to “day to day.” Penn State receiver Derek Moye, easily the Nittany Lions’ most potent weapon with 485 yards and three touchdowns on 28 receptions, showed up to Wednesday’s practice wearing a protective boot after reportedly falling down some steps on Tuesday night. His status for Saturday’s homecoming date against Purdue — or for the rest of the season — is in the air. [Daily Collegian, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

• Let the games begin. The annual round of musical chairs in college coaching is already underway at Florida Atlantic, where athletic director Craig Angelos personally named Mike Leach, Randy Shannon and Jim Leavitt as likely targets to replace retiring FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger after the season. “A lot of times when you give people a second chance they are better than the first time,” Angelos said. “They’ve learned from mistakes. They’re hungrier. That was the case with our basketball coach Mike Jarvis, and he won the conference here after three years.”

The sentiment is not necessarily reciprocated. “A close associate” told the Herald Shannon “prefers a higher-profile job,” specifically the newly vacant head-coaching gig at Arizona, though Leach — a local resident in Key West since being fired at Texas Tech — might be more receptive. “I do plan to coach,” Leach said. “Craig [Angelos] is a great man and FAU is a great program. Anything negative that happens to Miami [as a result of an ongoing NCAA investigation] can only help FAU and FIU.” [Miami Herald]

Quickly… Big East presidents vote against raising exit fees. (I can’t imagine why.) … Linebacker Dee Finley is transferring from Florida. … Ohio State is keeping its backup quarterback situation close to the vest. … Maryland suspends a backup fullback for (altogether now) undisclosed violations of team rules. … Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy on managing a blowout. … The ACC chastises an official for moving the ball during a measurement in Wake Forest’s win over Florida State. … Inside a halftime at Alabama. … Steve Spurrier actually prefers his quarterback in gloves. … Wisconsin‘s fourht-string quarterback on the reaction to his garbage time touchdown in last year’s blowout over Indiana. … And finally, someone talked Denard Robinson into staying healthy.

- – -
Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Read the Article »

Read the Article »

Gumbo brings people together – especially a really big pot of it.

That’s what New Orleans chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto and former Alabama and Miami Dolphins nose tackle Bob Baumhower are cooking up on Nov. 5 for the annual LSU-Alabama rivalry game to help raise money for Alabama tornado relief.

The day-long (LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl) extravaganza will be the creation of the world’s largest pot of gumbo by chefs Folse and Tramonto, along with Baumhower and his Executive Chef Steve Zucker. The team will create a monster pot of gumbo, using a 300-year-old cast iron pot from the sugar cane fields of South Louisiana. The World’s Largest Gumbo recipe calls for 750 pounds shrimp, 450 pounds catfish fillets, 100 pounds claw crabmeat, 50 pounds white crabmeat, 200 pounds alligator meat, 25 pounds Louisiana crawfish tail meat, 200 pounds diced onions, 75 pounds diced celery, 100 pounds diced green bell pepper, 150 pounds sliced okra, 50 pounds dehydrated garlic and 20 pounds butter. After simmering for three hours, the pot will be weighed via a forklift, and the world record will be confirmed by Guinness Book of World Record. Then, the delicious, steaming contents will be doled out to hungry football fans during the spirited pre-game tailgate at the University of Alabama.

The proceeds of the LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl, which will be held outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium will go to Nick Saban’s charity, Nick’s Kids, and Caring Days Adult Day Care.

So if you happen to be at the LSU-Alabama game, be sure to stop by and get your gumbo. Sounds like a lot of deliciousness right there.

Read the Article »