Friday, September 30, 2011

Indians pick up Manny Acta's option - Buckeyes vs Michigan St. -College Football TV Schedule Week 5


College Football TV Schedule Week 5

Friday, Sept 9

8:00 PM
Utah State at BYU
ESPN
Will the Cougars of BYU get redemption since they lost to Utah earlier this year.

Saturday, Sept 10


12:00 PM
Texas A&M (14) vs. Arkansas (18)
ESPN
This game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Minnesota at Michigan (19)
Big-Ten Network
Michigan plays their first Big Ten game after starting the year 4-0.

Northwestern at Illinois (24)
ESPN-2
This will be the first game that Northwestern’s preseason Heisman hopeful Dan Persa will be playing.

Mississippi State at Georgia
ESPN-3.com
Georgia has won two straight games; is it a third this week?

Penn State at Indiana
ESPN-U
Indiana seems to only show up in the fourth quarter this year. It’s just too bad they’re losing by 24 when they decide to start playing

Rutgers at Syracuse
ESPN-3.com
Syracuse hung on last week to defeat Toledo. They won the game in overtime.

Toledo at Temple
ESPN-3.com
Temple went from one week, only scoring 10 points, to another week, having one running back score five times.

Air Force at Navy
CBS
CBS opens a big Saturday with two armed forces playing against each other.

12:21 PM
Kentucky at LSU (1)
ESPN-3.com
LSU is No. 1 in just one poll. Let’s see how they distance themselves from Oklahoma this week.

12:30 PM
Wake Forest at Boston College
ESPN-3.com
Tough call in this one as to who’s going to win. Both teams are pretty terrible.

Buffalo at Tennessee
ESPN-3.com
Tennessee has one of the best young quarterbacks in college football right now.

1:00 PM
Cincinnati at Miami (OH)
ESPN-3.com
It’s the battle of OHIO!

2:30 PM
Nevada at Boise State (4)
Versus
Last year, Nevada ruined Boise’s shot at a national championship and a perfect season. Look for BSU to hang 80 on Nevada.

3:30 PM
Georgia Tech (21) at North Carolina St
ABC
Georgia Tech has one of the nation’s best running attacks to go along with an OK passing game.

Bowling Green at West Virginia (22)
ESPN-3.com
WVU has a rebound game this week before starting Big East play.

Western Michigan at Connecticut
ESPN-3.com
In two UCONN losses this year, the Huskies have lost by a total of four points.

Marshall at Louisville
ESPN-3.com
Louisville is 2-1 on the season despite ranking 100th in points averaged per game.

Towson at Maryland
ESPN-3.com
Let’s see what Maryland wears this week.

Michigan St. at Ohio St.
ABC
At one time, this was a game between two top ten football teams. Now both are unranked.

Idaho at Virginia
ESPN3.com
Virginia losers to Southern Miss last week are on upset watch this week against Idaho.

Northern Illinois at Central Michigan
ESPN-3.com
Central Michigan is a very...very bad football team.

Bethune-Cookman at Miami (FL)
ESPN-U
The U takes on their rival Bethune-Cookman this week! Fun question, can anyone name where the Bethune-Cookman campus is?

4:00 PM
Arkansas State at Western Kentucky
ESPN-3.com
Ark. State, winners of last week’s battle of Arkansas against Central Ark.

6:00 PM
Clemson (13) at Virginia Tech (11)
ESPN-2
A great matchup between two of the top ACC teams gives us a reason to ignore the family dinner table.

7:00 PM
Florida Atlantic at Louisiana-Lafayette
ESPN-3.com
FAU Owls rank 116th in passing, 120th in rushing, 120th in points for and 112th in points against. They're due for a win this week.

Duke at Florida International
ESPN-U
The DOOOOOOKIES are on a two-game winning streak! DOOOOOOOOOOOOKIES!!!!!!!!!!

Hawaii at Louisiana Tech
ESPN-3.com
Hawaii’s quarterback last week threw seven touchdown passes in the first half. That’s right SEVEN!

Memphis at Middle Tennessee
ESPN-3.com
The combined records for these two teams, 1-6. I’ll let you figure out who has the victory.

8:00 PM
Alabama (3) at Florida (12)
CBS
Heavyweight match between two of the SEC’s top teams. And it’s going down in the Swamp in Gainesville. Giddy up!

Nebraska (8) at Wisconsin (7)
ABC
While you SEC backers are watching Bama vs. Florida, the rest of the country will be watching Nebraska’s first game inside of the Big Ten.

Notre Dame at Purdue
ESPN
Notre Dame leads the nation in red-zone turnovers.

9:15 PM
Ole Miss at Fresno State
ESPN-2
Closing out your television weekend is an Ole Miss team that may fire their coach at halftime of this game.










What to watch in the Big Ten: Week 5
By Adam Rittenberg

Here are 10 items to track Saturday as the league games finally kick off:

1. History for Huskers: After months of anticipation and a smooth transition into the conference, Nebraska finally plays its first league game as a Big Ten member. And it's a big one. The eighth-ranked Huskers visit No. 7 Wisconsin in the first Big Ten matchup pairing two AP Top 10 teams since 2008. Many forecast the game as a preview of the inaugural Big Ten championship. Camp Randall will be rockin'. Madison will be insane. "College GameDay" will be there. What more do you need? Get out your seat and jump around!

2. Ohio-bred Spartans invade Columbus: Other than winning bowl games, Mark Dantonio has one significant item left on his to-do list as Michigan State's coach. Ohio State is the only Big Ten team (besides new member Nebraska) that Dantonio hasn't beaten in his tenure as Spartans' boss. Beating the Buckeyes resonates for Dantonio, a former Ohio State assistant and a native of Zanesville, Ohio. It also resonates for the 25 Ohio natives on Michigan State's roster, including standouts like defensive tackle Jerel Worthy and receiver B.J. Cunningham. The large Ohio contingent likely contributed to Dantonio keeping his players off limits to the media this week. Bottom line: this game is personal.

3. Dan Persa returns: After a long rehab process, the Northwestern quarterback makes his season debut against No. 24 Illinois. While there are questions about Northwestern's Heisman Trophy campaign and the stop-and-start rhetoric surrounding Persa's health during the past six weeks, there's no doubt Persa has the ability to boost the Wildcats. How he performs and how much he plays in Champaign remains to be seen, but we should get a much better gauge on the Northwestern offense and potentially the entire team with No. 7 back on the field.

4. Russell Wilson vs. Taylor Martinez: Two of the Big Ten's most productive players take center stage Saturday night in Madison. Wilson has been brilliant so far for the Badgers, completing 75.8 percent of his passes for 1,136 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception. If he can put up big numbers against a quality Nebraska defense, he'll truly put himself on the Heisman Trophy radar. Martinez continues to gash defenses with his feet, ranking second in the Big Ten in both rushing (105.2 ypg) and touchdowns scored (7). Wisconsin's approach to defending T-Magic? "We just hope to get in front of him and make him fall down," coach Bret Bielema said.

5. Quarterback quandaries: Five Big Ten teams aren't fully settled at quarterback entering Week 5. Penn State's seemingly never-ending competition between Rob Bolden and Matthew McGloin continues at Indiana. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, want to see more from Ed Wright-Baker in the red zone or Dusty Kiel likely will get a shot. Minnesota heads to Michigan with packages designed for two quarterbacks (MarQueis Gray and Max Shortell). Purdue will start Caleb TerBush against Notre Dame, but Robert Marve is healthy and coach Danny Hope has talked extensively about having two quarterbacks ready. Will we get any QB resolutions around the league this week?

6. Braxton Miller put to the test: After some predictably mixed results in his first career start against Colorado, Miller faces a tougher challenge in Michigan State, which boasts the nation's No. 1 defense. Miller seemed to get more comfortable with his passes as last week's game went on and tossed two touchdowns to Devin Smith. He also remains a threat to run, although the Spartans have stifled opposing teams on the ground. Miller avoided major mistakes against Colorado but will have to be careful against Michigan State, which recorded four interceptions last week.

7. Denard Robinson's passing: There's no doubt Denard Robinson is arguably the most dynamic running quarterback in Big Ten history. But many folks still refused to call him a quarterback and scoff at his Heisman Trophy hype. The reason? Robinson is completing only 48.6 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and six interceptions. Intermediate to deep passes have been particularly troubling for "Shoelace" this year. Michigan says the problem goes beyond Robinson, but it needs to be rectified before the competition level spikes. Robinson on Saturday faces a Minnesota team ranked last in the Big Ten and 108th nationally in pass defense (278.5 ypg allowed). This is a good chance for Robinson to find a rhythm.

8. Clash for Chicago: Illinois and Northwestern play for the Land of Lincoln Trophy, but the real prize is an increased presence in the Chicago market. Northwestern last year launched a marketing campaign complete with the slogan "Chicago's Big Ten team," which has been a success. The tag line irked Illinois players, who took out their aggression on the Wildcats in a dominating win last November at Chicago's Wrigley Field. New Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas, meanwhile, has talked about having Illinois become the "King of Chicago." All the Chicago talk has added some spice to a rivalry that needs some.

9. Blackshirts at full strength: Nebraska's defense hasn't been nearly as dominant as pretty much everyone -- Huskers players, fans, media members -- thought it would be. But there's a silver lining: the Blackshirts' Big 3 of defensive tackle Jared Crick, linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard hasn't been on the field together this season. The wait ends Saturday night as Crick returns from a head injury to solidify the defensive front. If Nebraska's defense can slow down a Wisconsin offense averaging 48.5 points and 532.3 yards per game, the questions will go away.

10. Purdue aims for statement win: Remember Purdue? The Boilers have gone largely unnoticed this season -- and, for that matter, during most of Danny Hope's two plus seasons as coach. But Saturday night, Purdue has a chance to grab the spotlight as it hosts Notre Dame at Ross-Ade Stadium. Love 'em or hate 'em, the Fighting Irish generate attention, and Purdue will garner exposure if it upsets the crew from South Bend. "If things don't work out right, it's not the end of the world," Hope said this week. "But a win on Saturday could change our world in some ways."



4. Will Michigan State or Ohio State start Big Ten play on the right foot?

The Buckeyes have concerns at quarterback, where freshman Braxton Miller will make his second start in Saturday's game against the Spartans. Michigan State's offensive line is still suspect, although it played well in last week's 45-7 rout of Central Michigan. The Spartans haven't beaten OSU since 1999 and they're 0-2 against the Buckeyes under coach Mark Dantonio, who was OSU's defensive coordinator under former coach Jim Tressel during a national championship season in 2002.



Indians pick up Manny Acta's option
CLEVELAND -- Manny Acta's second season managing the Indians was stressful. Next year, he can relax a little.
One day after Acta led Cleveland to a second-place finish in the AL Central, general manager Chris Antonetti announced the club has exercised its 2013 option.
Acta kept the Indians in contention for much of this season before injuries overwhelmed the young club, which finished 14 games behind AL Central champion Detroit. A rash of injuries torpedoed a 30-15 start, but the Indians still managed to finish 80-82 -- an 11-game improvement over Acta's first season.
"When we reflect on the successes we've had and the progress we've made, it began with Manny and his coaching staff and the tone they set in spring training," Antonetti said Thursday. "I feel much better about where we are today than where we were a year ago, and I think a lot of that has to do with Manny's leadership."
Acta is 149-175 in two seasons with Cleveland.
"I'm very happy that I know I will be here for at least two years," he said. "This is a place I want to be."
Following a tough 2½ seasons in Washington that ended with being fired, Acta was hired by the Indians before the 2010 season. He chose Cleveland over Houston despite playing, coaching and managing in the Astros' system. Acta picked the Indians because he felt they were closer to contending, and he's helped them get there.
"I made the decision based on some facts, and over the last two years they have been confirmed," he said. "That was based on our farm system, our young players who are making an impact at the big league level and our chances of being competitive and eventually winning. I've seen it in two years."
Acta's staff will look considerably different next season. On Wednesday, bench coach Tim Tolman disclosed he has Parkinson's disease and will not be back, and pitching coach Tim Belcher stepped down to spend more time with his family. Both will remain with the Indians in other roles.
Acta said replacing Tolman, who worked with him in Washington, and Belcher will be difficult.
"Those are the two guys I relied on the most during the game," said Acta, who was ejected from Cleveland's season finale in Detroit. "It's not going to be easy. We're going to work hard to bring two guys in to help me."
Antonetti said the remainder of Cleveland's coaching staff will return. Sandy Alomar Jr., who has coached first base the last two seasons, will move to the bench in 2012. Hitting coach Bruce Fields, third-base coach Steve Smith and bullpen coach Scott Radinsky also will be back.
Antonetti said Radinsky will be considered for the pitching coach vacancy.
Alomar is reportedly a candidate to replace Ozzie Guillen as manager of the Chicago White Sox. Antonetti wouldn't say whether the White Sox have asked for permission to talk to Alomar, but added the Indians will not stand in his way.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Walter Payton Book Reveals Dark Side-Candidates for '12 Hall of Fame induction announced - NBA Lock-Out: Its Now or Never



And They Are IN! St. Louis, Tampa, Texas, Brewers 1st Round




Walter Payton Book Reveals a Darker Side to the Man we knew as Sweetness!
To Read exerts from Walter Payton's Book Click HERE to go to si.com






Candidates for '12 Hall of Fame induction announced

CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Retired coaches Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells and Marty Schottenheimer are among the modern-era candidates for the 2012 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Cowher is eligible for the first time, as are players Keyshawn Johnson, Tiki Barber, Drew Bledsoe, Stephen Davis, Rod Smith, Will Shields, Troy Vincent and Mike Vanderjagt.
Parcells and Schottenheimer previously were eligible under different requirements.
In 2008, the Hall of Fame made it mandatory for coaches, like players, to be retired five consecutive seasons. Before that, coaches were eligible immediately upon retirement, allowing Parcells to be a nominee in 2001, 2002, and 2003, and Schottenheimer in 2000. This is their first year of eligibility under the new provision.
Altogether, 103 men are eligible; voting will take place in February the day before the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. From the original list of nominees, the selection committee will choose 25 semifinalists in November. That group of semifinalists will be further reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists and announced in early January.
The final list of candidates also will include two senior nominees: former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jack Butler and former Detroit Lions guard Dick Stanfel.
Between four and seven enshrinees will be announced on Feb. 4, and will be inducted in August.


NBA Lock-Out: Its Now or Never
by marc stein
When NBA labor talks resume Friday, NBA commissioner David Stern is planning to threaten players with the cancellation of the entire 2011-12 season if the sides haven't made major progress toward a deal by the end of the weekend, according to sources close to the talks.
Although sources said the union views such an extreme stance as more of a negotiating tactic than a legitimate threat, Stern went almost that far in his comments to reporters in New York on Wednesday after a second straight day of negotiations.
Referring to meetings scheduled Friday that are expected to attract as many as 15 owners and star players such as the Heat's LeBron James, Stern said: "I'm focused on let's get the two committees in and see whether they can either have a season or not have a season, and that's what's at risk this weekend."
Why is David Stern suddenly talking tough about settling the lockout? It might be that he sees the right time to strike a deal, writes Henry Abbott. Blog
No matter what game you're playing, there comes a time when you realize you're going to lose. The NBA players are at that stage now, writes J.A. Adande. Blog
The NBA denied Thursday night that Stern has any such extreme intentions. "It's simply not true," NBA senior vice president Tim Frank said.
In 1998-99, which ranks as the only season in NBA history in which regular-season games were lost to a work stoppage, no deal was reached until Jan. 6, 1999, with a 50-game season finally starting on Feb. 6, 1999.
It remains to be seen if Stern's remarks to the media Thursday will have the intended "scare" effect and convince a players to accept a deal now on the premise that the NBA is not willing to stage a shortened season this time.
At a minimum, sources said, cancellation of regular-season games next week is a certainty if a deal isn't within sight by Monday.
The league and the union did agree Wednesday to meet again Friday and likely through the weekend, but Stern warned that there are "enormous consequences at play" in coming days. Sources said that the sides need to have an agreement in principle by the middle of the next week at the latest in order to ensure that the entire 82-game regular season, scheduled to begin Nov. 1, can be played.
Two days' worth of talks ended Wednesday to allow negotiators from both sides observer the Rosh Hashanah holiday that began Wednesday night at sundown.
Each side has summoned its respective bargaining committee to New York on Friday for the most important stretch of the lockout to date, pledging to meet through the weekend if progress toward a new collective bargaining agreement is being made.
NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter has called for his executive committee members, as well as some of the league's superstars such as Kobe Bryant and James, to meet Friday in New York, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard. Bryant, though, has been in Europe all week on a Nike promotional tour and is not expected to back in time for Friday's session.
Sources told Broussard that Stern is also scheduled to meet with league owners Friday, with owners and players expected to end up in the same room for negotiations. If James attends, that could result in his first face-to-face meeting with Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert since James left Cleveland for Miami last summer.

“I'm focused on let's get the two committees in and see whether they can either have a season or not have a season, and that's what's at risk this weekend. ”-- David Stern

Union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers said of the expanded meetings: "I think it points more toward the calendar than actually being able to measure progress. It points to the realities that we face with our calendar and that if we can't find a way to get some common ground really, really soon, then the time of starting the regular season at its scheduled date is going to be in jeopardy big-time."
Fisher said some of the league's biggest names could join the executive committee in Friday's meeting, and Miami guard Dwyane Wade has committed to attend.
Wade was part of a meeting about labor issues at the 2010 All-Star weekend in Dallas, when players were briefed about owners' plans for dramatic changes to the league's salary structure.
"I look forward to learning something that I didn't learn two years ago," Wade told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Hopefully, it's different information, something that will move us forward. Hopefully we don't walk out of the meeting back at where we were at the All-Star game two years ago."
Wade has been in New York for the past couple days for business meetings. When the invitation came to attend Friday's session, he did not hesitate.
"I've talked to a couple guys," Wade said. "I'm here. ... I was going to leave tomorrow, but I'm going to stay in town and go to the next meeting."
With the scheduled Nov. 1 season openers just over a month away, Stern said there would be "a lot of risk" attached to a failure to reach an agreement in principle by the end of the week. But both sides made it clear in press briefings after Wednesday's talks that there hasn't been enough progress to put them on the verge of a deal.

The lockout entered its 90th day Wednesday.

During Tuesday's bargaining session in New York, Stern offered a new proposal to the players' union that budged slightly from the owners' long-held position on establishing a hard cap, league sources familiar with the negotiations told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.
Stern wouldn't comment Wednesday when asked whether owners had softened their salary-cap stance. Nor would he say if the season could still start on Nov. 1 without having any preseason play at all.
"I shouldn't deal with hypotheticals here," he said.
"All I'd say to that is that there are enormous consequences at play here on the basis of the weekend," Stern continued. "Either we'll make very good progress -- and we know what that would mean, we know how good that would be, without putting dates to it -- or we won't make any progress and then it won't be a question of just starting the season on time, there will be a lot at risk because of the absence of progress."
The NBA owners have locked out the players, and little progress has been made in negotiations. ESPN.com Topics keeps you up to date with all of the latest on the NBA's ongoing lockout. Topics Page »
Training camps have already been postponed and 43 preseason games scheduled for Oct. 9-15 were canceled last week. The league has said it will make decisions about the remainder of exhibition play as warranted, but further cancellations were expected at week's end even before Stern turned up the pressure with his comments Wednesday.
Fisher said the players' executive committee could be joined Friday by other star players who would be invited if their schedules allowed. The owners' labor relations committee consists of 11 members, but Fisher acknowledged that there could be about 15 owners present.
"I can't say that common ground is evident, but our desire to try to get there I think is there," Fisher said. "We still have a great deal of issues to work through, so there won't be any magic that will happen this weekend to just make those things go away, but we have to put the time in."
Bucher reported Tuesday night that owners did not offer players a finite annual team limit on salaries but are willing to relax their insistence on a hard cap only if certain conditions are met.

Those conditions include:
• The "Larry Bird exception," which allows teams to exceed the cap to retain their own free agents regardless of their other committed salaries, is limited to one player per team per season.

• The mid-level exception, which the league valued at $5.8 million last season and could be extended by as many as five years, is reduced in length and size.

• The current luxury tax, the $1-for-$1 penalty a team must pay to the league for the amount it exceeds the salary cap, is to be severely increased.

In last week's negotiating session, owners proposed that the players' share of basketball-related income (BRI) be sliced from 57 percent to 46 percent. Broussard reported Tuesday that the owners' BRI offer had increased to 48 percent.
Sources say that the owners also want a five percent reduction on all existing salaries for this season, a 7.5 percent reduction of all 2012-13 salaries and 10 percent reduction of 2013-14 salaries.
Bryant, meanwhile, said Wednesday during his tour stop in Italy that it's "very possible" he'll play there if the lockout drags on, noting that he regards the country like home because he spent part of his childhood there while father Joe "Jellybean" Bryant was playing professionally in Italy.
Virtus Bologna has made numerous contract offers to the Los Angeles Lakers star. The club told The Associated Press that the latest talks are centered on an offer a $2.5 million offer for 10 games over 40 days from Oct. 9 to Nov. 16. That would come out to about $1.5 million after taxes.
"It's very possible -- it would be a dream for me," Bryant said Wednesday in Milan, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "There's an opportunity that we've been discussing over the last few days. It's very possible and that's good news for me."



Titans at Browns
1:00 PM ET

After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Titans-Browns matchup.
1. Establish some sort of rushing attack: Since reporting late after holding out for a new contract, Titans RB Chris Johnson has just 98 yards after three games for a 2.1 yards-per-carry average. Tennessee QB Matt Hasselbeck is a lot more effective when throwing off the play-action fake. He does an excellent job of carrying out the fakes and consistently freezes coverage for a step as they react to the possible run.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Heisman Watch - MLB Comes Down to the Game 162 -Buckeyes in the NFL



Down to the wire again: Playoff fates on the line in Game 162
Five thoughts on the playoff picture after the Rays and Red Sox both won in the American League, and the Cardinals won while the Braves lost in the National League.

1. This will be the eighth consecutive year at least one playoff entrant is decided on the regular season's final day. In each of the last seven seasons, at least one playoff spot remained up for grabs on the final day of the season, and that streak is now eight, as neither wild card has been clinched. The Rays and Red Sox are tied in the AL; the Braves and Cardinals are tied in the NL.
The great appeal of both March Madness and the NFL playoffs is their one-game, winner-take-all approach, and baseball could have a taste of that this week. In 2007, '08 and '09 baseball saw a 163rd game added to the regular season, twice to decide the AL Central and once to determine the NL wild card.
Such a scenario is in play this season, with a twist -- if the AL teams both win or both lose and the NL teams also remain in sync, then baseball could have two one-game playoffs on Thursday. It could be a preview of what's to come every year if a second wild card is added to each league, as has been rumored to happen in the upcoming new collective bargaining agreement.
(Major League Baseball announced Tuesday afternoon that, if necessary, the AL one-game playoff would be 4 p.m. Eastern at Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field and the NL game would be at 8 Eastern at St. Louis' Busch Stadium; both sites were determined by head-to-head record.)

2. Cardinals show more fight than Braves in NL wild-card race. Here's one difference between Atlanta and St. Louis right now. The Braves, who are 9-17 in September, fell behind the Phillies 6-0 after five innings and did little to retaliate before falling 7-1 (RECAP | BOX). They were retired in order for four straight innings before Martin Prado hit a meaningless solo homer in the ninth for their only run. Sure, they were facing a tough starter in Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt, but they only scratched out four hits and one walk for the entire game.
The Cardinals, who are 17-8 this month, fell behind the Astros 5-0 after three innings and did something about it, roaring back for five runs in the fourth inning and eight more runs later in the game for the eventual 13-6 win (RECAP | BOX). Granted, they were facing a middling starter in rookie Henry Sosa, but they are also in the midst of team's best offensive month since April.
In fact, St. Louis has scored the second-most runs in the NL this month (120) while the Braves have scored the 15th most (84). Neither, however, will face a first-rate starting pitcher on Wednesday. Atlanta's opponent, Joe Blanton, has a 5.03 ERA and has made just one start, which lasted two innings on Saturday, since May 14. Houston's Brett Myers has a 7-13 record and a 4.31 ERA, although he has allowed just one earned run in each of his last five starts spanning 36 1/3 innings.

3. The Rays and Red Sox will send their Opening Day southpaws to the hill with the season on the line. Home runs ruled Tuesday for the wild-card contenders: the Red Sox hit four, including the first two of rookie catcher Ryan Lavarnway's career, in their 8-7 victory over the Orioles (RECAP | BOX); the Rays hit two in their 5-3 defeat of the Yankees (RECAP | BOX), with the decisive blow coming in the seventh inning when Matt Joyce hit a three-run blast off reliever Rafael Soriano.
Both the Sox and Rays have their top lefty starter taking the ball -- Jon Lester for Boston, David Price for Tampa Bay -- but the quality of their opponents could vary considerably. The Sox are facing an Orioles team that, though it has played well in September, is a distant last place in the division but will play everyone and relish the role of spoiler. Alfredo Simon, who has been the team's No. 4 starter since July, takes the ball. His only start against the Sox was his first, back on July 9 when he allowed three runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings and took the loss.
Also, Lester is starting on only three days' rest, though he did throw only 55 pitches in that outing, and has allowed 16 runs in his last 13 2/3 innings, spanning three starts. He's started only once against Baltimore, and it was back in April. He won that game, allowing two runs in eight innings.
The Rays' opponent, on the other hand, is the Yankees, who have long since clinched the best record in the AL. New York manager Joe Girardi has said that he'll start his normal lineup -- though he hasn't committed to playing them the whole game -- but hasn't named a starting pitcher and plans to piece together nine innings primarily from pitchers who won't be used extensively in the playoffs. That's his right and it's totally defensible, given that New York has only one off-day before hosting ALDS Game 1 on Friday.
Price is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in four starts against the Yankees this season; his win came in the most recent start on Aug. 12, when he allowed one run in eight innings.

4. Veteran starters did their teams no favors. Three of the four playoff-chasing teams started a 30-something veteran: Bedard for the Red Sox, Lowe for the Braves and Westbrook for the Cardinals. All three got clobbered and failed to complete the fifth inning.
In Baltimore, Bedard needed 84 pitches just to get through 3 1/3 innings while allowing three runs on five hits and three walks; in relief of him, however, Alfredo Aceves needed just 36 pitches to get through 3 2/3 innings while allowing one run on three hits and no walks.
Lowe allowed five runs on six hits in four-plus innings and took the loss, his 17th of the season.
Westbrook's stint on the mound was the shortest of them all: He lasted just 2 1/3 innings, which was still long enough to yield five runs on seven hits and a walk.
In contrast, the Rays started rookie Jeremy Hellickson, who took a no decision while spinning a rulebook quality start of three runs in six innings. Though he walked five and gave up six hits, he faced a Yankees lineup that essentially started eight of nine regulars. Hellickson finished the regular season with a 2.95 ERA in 189 innings while calling the AL East home, which ought to be sufficient credentials for the league's rookie of the year award.

5. Arizona keeps pace with Milwaukee. The Brewers won 6-4 on Tuesday night (RECAP | BOX) thanks to a three-homer outburst from Prince Fielder, and after the Diamondbacks fell behind the Dodgers 6-1 in the 10th inning, Miller Park seemed like a safe bet to be hosting Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS this weekend. Instead, Arizona staged in an improbable six-run rally with two outs and the bases empty, capped by a Ryan Roberts walkoff grand slam for a 7-6 win (RECAP | BOX). As Roberts rounded first, he gave a celebratory double pump with his arm, harkening images of his manager, Kirk Gibson, doing that after his epic 1988 World Series Game 1 walkoff homer.
The stakes weren't as high in this game as in Gibson's, but the race for the NL's No. 2 seed is of value for two reasons: 1) the winner avoids playing the Phillies in the first round, and 2) the winner gets homefield advantage, which is no small matter for these two teams.
Grabbing homefield advantage is more important for the Brewers than for any other team in the majors. They have 56 home wins this season, which is four more than anyone else in baseball, and their +17 difference between home wins and road wins is the NL's only double-digit discrepancy. At home Milwaukee has scored 4.8 runs per game with 99 homers and a .813 OPS; on the road it has scored 4.1 runs per game with 83 homers and a .698 OPS.
Arizona, meanwhile, has a +8 win differential, which is the third-largest in the NL, and an offensive home/road split that's only a little less pronounced than the Brewers'. In games at Chase Field, the D-backs score 4.9 runs per game and have hit 91 homers with a .783 OPS; on the road they score 4.1 runs per game and have hit 79 homers with a .691.
In the AL, the Rangers' magic number to clinch the AL's second-best record -- which comes with the dual perks of having homefield advantage in the ALDS and of avoiding the Yankees -- is one after they blew out the Angels 10-3 in a five-homer explosion Wednesday night (RECAP | BOX). Texas would wrap it up Wednesday with a win or a Detroit loss.







Heisman Watch
1 Andrew Luck QB | Stanford
Next Game: 10/1 vs. UCLAAndrew Luck and the Cardinal were off in Week 4.

WEEK 3 AT ARIZONA
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
173.9 325 2 0 64.5
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
36 0 12.0
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
173.4 786 8 1 67.1
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
47 1 5.9


2 Kellen Moore QB | Boise State
Next Game: 10/1 vs. NEVIn just 2½ quarters, Moore made his presence known. Boise State's signal-caller lit up the scoreboard, tossing four touchdown passes and completing 23 of 29 passes.

WEEK 4 VS. TULSA
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
205.6 279 4 0 79.3
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
-6 0 -3.0
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
192.6 995 12 2 79.0
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
-4 0 -1.0


3 Marcus Lattimore RB | South Carolina
Next Game: 10/1 vs. AUBLattimore's versatility was on display in South Carolina's win over Vanderbilt. The sophomore sensation ran for 77 yards and one TD and caught three passes for 73 yards and another score.

WEEK 4 VS. VANDERBILT
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
77 1 3.8
RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
3 73 24.3 1
2011 SEASON
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
611 8 5.7
RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
12 139 11.6 1


4 Robert Griffin III QB |Baylor
Next Game: 10/1 at KSURobert Griffin III was nearly perfect against Rice, completing 29 of 33 passes for 338 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-31 rout. Griffin has 13 touchdowns on the season -- and just 12 incompletions.
WEEK 4 VS. RICE
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
223.9 338 5 0 87.9
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
51 1 8.5
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
236.2 962 13 0 85.4
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
167 1 7.0


5 Russell WilsonQB | Wisconsin
Next Game: 10/1 vs. NEBThe Wisconsin freight train rolled through its next stop -- this time a helpless South Dakota team -- and Wilson continued his impressive start. He passed for 345 yards and three touchdowns. The Badgers face their first true test next week against Nebraska.

WEEK 4 VS. SOUTH DAKOTA
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
231.5 345 3 0 76.0
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
-2 0 -0.4
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
218.4 1136 11 1 75.8
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
108 1 6.8


Buckeyes in the NFL
Player, Position, Team Week 3 NFL Stats Season-to-date stats
Will Allen, DB, Steelers none Played in 3 games starting 0.
Jake Ballard, TE, Giants 1 catch for 15 yards Played in 3 games starting 2. 4 catches for 87 yards.
Alex Boone, T, 49ers none Played in 3 games starting 0.
Justin Boren, G, Ravens none Signed to Ravens practice squad in September.
Bryant Browning, G, Panthers none Signed to Panthers practice squad in September.
Bobby Carpenter, OLB, Lions 1 tackle Played in 3 games starting 0. 1 tackle.
Chimdi Chekwa, CB, Raiders 4 tackles & 2 passes defensed Played in 3 games starting 0. 5 tackles & 2 passes defensed.
Maurice Clarett, RB, Free Agent none Signed by Omaha Nighthawks of UFL.
Adrian Clarke, OG, Free Agent none Signed by Florida Tuskers of UFL.
Nate Clements, CB, Bengals 5 tackles & 1 pass defensed Played in 3 games starting 3. 14 tackles & 2 passes defensed.
Kurt Coleman, FS, Eagles none Played in 3 games starting 3. 7 tackles.
Jim Cordle, C, Giants none Signed to Giants practice squad in September.
Na’il Diggs, LB, Chargers 2 tackles Played in 2 games starting 0. 3 tackles.
Chris Gamble, CB, Panthers 1 pass defensed Played in 3 games starting 3. 5 tackles & 3 passes defensed.
Vernon Gholston, DE, Free Agent none Cut by Bears in September.
Thaddeus Gibson, LB, Free Agent none Cut by Redskins in September.
Ted Ginn Jr., WR, 49ers 2 kickoff returns for 59 yards3 punt returns for 20 yards. Played in 2 games starting 0. 1 rush for 0 yards. 4 catches for 38 yards. 6 kickoff returns for 235 yards & 1 TD (102).12 punt returns for 157 yards & 1 TD (55).
Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Colts none Played in 1 game starting 0.
Larry Grant, OLB, 49ers 1 tackle Played in 3 games starting 0. 2 tackles.
Roy Hall, WR, Free Agent none Released by Colts last season. Signed by Omaha Nighthawks of UFL.
Brian Hartline, WR, Dolphins 4 catches for 87 yards Played in 3 games starting 2. 10 catches for 170 yards & 1 TD.
Ben Hartsock, TE, Panthers none Played in 2 games starting 1.
A.J. Hawk, ILB, Packers 3 tackles Played in 3 games starting 3. 9 tackles, .5 sack & 1 pass defensed.
Cameron Heyward, DE, Steelers none Played in 3 games starting 0. 1 tackle.
Jermale Hines, DB, Rams none Played in 0 games starting 0.
Santonio Holmes, WR, Jets 1 catch for 19 yards Played in 3 games starting 3. 10 catches for 131 yards & 1 TD.
Ross Homan, LB, Free Agent none Cut by Vikings in September.
Louis Irizarry, TE, Free Agent none Signed by Virginia Destroyers of UFL.
Malcolm Jenkins, FS, Saints 5 tackles Played in 3 games starting 3. 15 tackles & 2 passes defensed.
Michael Jenkins, WR, Vikings 9 catches for 88 yards Played in 3 games starting 1. 15 catches for 143 yards & 1 TD.
Dexter Larimore, DT, Free Agent none Cut by Saints in September.
James Laurinaitis, MLB, Rams 4 tackles. Played in 3 games starting 3. 24 tackles & 1 pass defensed.
Nick Mangold, C, Jets none Played in 2 games starting 2. Injured - High ankle sprain.
Jake McQuaide, LS, Rams none Played in 3 games starting 0.
Donnie Nickey, FS, Free Agent none Not re-signed by Titans.
Mike Nugent, K, Bengals made 2 of 2 FGs Played in 3 games starting 0. Made 7 of 7 FGs & 4 of 4 XPs.
Shane Olivea, OL, Free Agent none Signed by Virginia Destroyers of UFL.
Aaron Pettrey, K, Free Agent none Released by Bengals last season.
Quinn Pitcock, DT, Free Agent none Cut by Lions in September.
Ryan Pickett, DE, Packers 1 tackle Played in 3 games starting 3. 5 tackles.
Terrelle Pryor, QB, Raiders none Played in 0 games starting 0 (suspended).
Jay Richardson, DE, Free Agent none Not re-signed by Seahawks.
Brian Robiskie, WR, Browns none Played in 3 games starting 1.
Brian Rolle, LB, Eagles 2 tackles Played in 3 games starting 0. 3 tackles.
Robert Rose, DE, Free Agent none Cut by Dolphins in September.
Anderson Russell, DB, Dolphins none Signed to Dolphins practice squad in September.
Brandon Saine, RB, Packers none Signed to Packers practice squad in September.
Dane Sanzenbacher, WR, Bears 5 catches for 27 yards & 1 TD. Played in 3 games starting 1. 9 catches for 66 yards & 2 TDs. 1 rush for -4 yards.
Darrion Scott, DE, Redskins none Played in 0 games starting 0.
Rob Sims, G, Lions none Played in 3 games starting 3.
Ray Small, WR, Free Agent none Released by Colts last season
Troy Smith, QB, Free Agent none Not re-signed by 49ers. Signed by Omaha Nighthawks of UFL.
Will Smith, DE, Saints 6 tackles Played in 1 game starting 1. 6 tackles.
Austin Spitler, LB, Dolphins none Played in 3 games starting 0. 1 tackle.
Devon Torrence, DB, Free Agent none Cut by Vikings in September.
Mike Vrabel, LB, Chiefs none Retired in July.
Donald Washington, CB, Chiefs 8 tackles & 1 forced fumble Played in 2 games starting 0.
Taurian Washington, WR, Free Agent none Signed by Virginia Destroyers of UFL.
Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals none Played in 2 games starting 2. 32 rushes for 183 yards & 2 TDs. 4 catches for 12 yards. Injured - Hamstring
Donte Whitner, SS, 49ers 2 tackles & 1 pass defensed Played in 3 games starting 3. 11 tackles, 6 passes defensed & 1 INT.Injured - Hip.
Matt Wilhelm, LB, Free Agent none Not re-signed by Packers.
Antoine Winfield, CB, Vikings 7 tackles. Played in 3 games starting 3. 28 tackles, 1 pass defensed, 1 INT & 1 forced fumble.
Doug Worthington, DL, Redskins none Signed to Redskins practice squad in September.
Ashton Youboty, CB, Free Agent none Cut by Buccaneers in September.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

10 Things We Learned from Braxton’s First Start - Buckeyes' LaQuinton Ross ineligible - Ohio State, UNLV among teams with most lackluster schedules



Ohio State, UNLV among teams with most lackluster schedules
Ohio State
A national title contender with a lot of returning talent and a lot of bogus games on its schedule.
The rundown:
Two multiple violators (South Carolina-Upstate: hyphen, in-state directional modifier; Jackson State: SWAC, State that's not a state)

-- Two additional punctuation marks (Texas-Pan American and Miami (Ohio))

-- One additional in-state directional modifier (North Florida)

-- One additional State that's not a state (Wright State)

-- One military institute that's not part of the U.S. military (VMI)

Yes, the Buckeyes get Florida and Duke (in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge) at home and play at Kansas and South Carolina, but for a loaded team with experience, way too much roughage and not enough meat.






10 Things We Learned from Braxton’s First Start
By Brandon Castel


1. Braxton is the real deal. It wasn’t exactly a fair situation for the youngster, but after last week’s debacle in Miami there had to be some doubters. Miller showed flashes of his athleticism, but it was all but blotted out by his inability to hold on to the football. Fans were anxious to see how he would respond to being named the team’s starter, and he didn’t disappoint. That passing numbers weren’t gaudy, but he threw two beautiful balls to Devin Smith. Couple that with the way he ran the ball Saturday, it’s hard not to think it was the start of something special.

2. Ditto for Devin Smith. It could also be the start of something special for Devin Smith, who seems to be Braxton’s favorite downfield target. With DeVier Posey and Philly Brown missing, the Buckeyes desperately need someone to take that next leap, and Smith isn’t waiting around for Verlon Reed or Chris Fields to do it.

3. Braxton worked on his ball security. Miller’s rushing numbers were solid and his passing will come along, but maybe the best statistic from Saturday’s game was a zero—as in zero turnovers. After his shaky showing against Miami, it was obvious Miller worked on his ball security in practice. He was carrying the rock close to his chest this week and not leaving it out there to be poked away the way he did last week. That says two things. First off, he is committed to getting better, and secondly he is receptive to coaching.

4. Jordan Hall is the most important player on the field. Braxton is going to get most of the publicity for this victory because, well, he’s the quarterback, and he’s not Joe Bauserman. But the real star of the show was tailback Jordan Hall. Every time this guy touches the ball he seems to make something good happen. It’s remarkable how he has made the jump from being a decent backup running back last season to the best player on the field. The light seems to have gone on for him the way it did for Boom Herron in the second half of the year as a junior last season.

5. John Simon is an animal. Speaking of the light going on, how could you watch Saturday’s game and not notice John Simon on the defense? With Nathan Williams sidelined by a knee injury, Simon has quickly become the most unstoppable force on Ohio State’s defense. Despite playing a new position (Leo), Simon has been all over the field making plays. Officially, he had only three tackles against Colorado, but that proves how meaningless statistics can be without facts to support them. Simon was constantly in the backfield Saturday. Whenever he wasn’t, it was usually because he was being held. The guy is a beast and it’s time somebody took notice.

6. Fickell isn’t afraid to shake things up. Where are all the Fickell haters now? I’m sure they are still out there, but give Fickell a lot of credit for shaking things up on both sides of the ball this week. Ohio State’s coaching staff has not been know to make a lot of drastic changes from week to week, but Fickell took this one by the horns. He handed his future over to a freshman quarterback, shuffled the rotations on offense and even made some changes to the defense. All of it was exactly what Ohio State needed after last week.

7. The defense needed some tweaking. The biggest change to the defense Saturday was sophomore Christian Bryant replacing redshirt junior Orhian Johnson at safety. Bryant has been one of the best 11 all season, and he needed to be on the field. He responded by leading the team in tackles, but the Buckeyes also made some changes to their scheme. Because teams are spreading them out, they added a new dime look where Bryant slides down to the star position and Johnson comes back on as a safety. They also replace Adam Bellamy and Garrett Goebel with two guys who can get after the quarterback in Michael Bennett and J.T. Moore.

8. It’s all about field position. Colorado's average starting possession against the Buckeyes was at its own 18-yard line while Ohio State’s was at Colorado’s 47-yard line. That right there could have been the entire game story. Ohio State’s is a little deceiving because they started one drive at the 10-yard line after Jordan Hall’s 90-yard punt return, but that kind of discrepancy is never going to lead to a close game. The Buckeyes did a better job creating turnovers this week, and punter Ben Buchanan had another solid showing. He averaged 39.2 yards per punt this week despite pinning Colorado inside their 20 three times. One of them led to a muffed return and an OSU field goal.

9. The Buckeyes are a better team than they showed at Miami. We don’t know exactly how many tackles Ohio State missed against Colorado, but it’s safe to say it won’t be anywhere close to the 27 they missed last week. It’s quite possible that showing last week in Miami will be the worst this team looks all season long, especially now that Miller is leading the offense. The defense also looked rejuvenated Saturday and there were a lot more silver helmets flying to the football. Like after most of their losses, Ohio State showed they are a better team than what we saw against the Hurricanes.

10. Things are only going to get tougher. The Buckeyes might be better than they showed against Miami, but this Colorado team wasn’t on the same level as that team either. Based on what we saw Saturday, their talent level is probably closer to what we saw from Toledo with a little bit of Akron sprinkled in. It was the perfect kind of game for Ohio State coming off a big loss, but things take a dramatic step up next week as they start conference play. The next four games are against Michigan State, Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin. Ohio State might not be favored in any of them.



Buckeyes' LaQuinton Ross ineligible
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Acclaimed Ohio State recruit LaQuinton Ross will not play for the team after the NCAA ruled he had not qualified academically.
Ross, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward, is from Jackson, Miss., and played in high school at Life Center Academy (N.J.).
The Buckeyes, who open practice Oct. 14, play their opener on Nov. 11 at home against Wright State.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Week 4 College Football Poll - Stewart Wins Again - Rampage No More -



Jones outclasses Rampage, retains UFC light heavyweight title

"He's great, guys. I thought it was hype. The kid is good."
The gushing over Jon Jones came from someone who, based on several weeks of back-and-forth barbs, had to be considered an unlikely source. But there was Quinton Jackson standing in the Octagon being interviewed following the main event of UFC 135 in Denver, his face nicked up and puffy, a cavernous wound over his right eye slathered with a cut man's futile best try, a proud man humbled and deferential.
Any concern that Saturday night's beating at the hands (and feet ... and knees ... and elbows) of the light heavyweight champion had left Jackson in something other than sound mind, however, was dispelled by his next words. "I have to take my hat off to him," Jackson said of the 24-year-old, the slightest smile creeping onto his face as he lifted a hand holding a ball cap. "See? My hat is in my hand right now." That's Quinton being Quinton, even after having had the "Rampage" beaten out of him.
What else could he say? In a fight that lasted over 16 minutes, there wasn't a second in which Jackson (32-9) was anything but thoroughly outclassed. The end came officially at 1:14 of the fourth round, when "Bones" Jones (14-1) became the first UFC fighter to finish Ramage, after clamping on a rear-naked choke that induced a quick tap-out. But, really, the fight was over much earlier, as soon as it became clear that Rampage was unable to penetrate Jones' 84½-inch reach, which the champ had used to his advantage even before the fight began, slapping hands with fans on both sides of the aisle at the same time as he made his way to the Octagon.
Incapable of reaching Bones with his heavy hands (14 career KOs), Jackson could do nothing more than stand at the end of Jones' array of punches and kicks, which came from all angles and landed with regularity ... and with cumulatively damaging effect.
"The game plan was to prove that we could strike with Quinton Jackson," Jones said afterward. "You know, he kind of insulted me, saying I had no punching power. He insulted my striking. So me and [striking coach] Mike Winkeljohn, we got together and we really cleaned up my striking to prove a point. And I think we did that."
You think? According to CompuStrike stats, Jones outstruck Jackson by about a 3-1 margin, landing 66 total strikes, 48 of them kicks and knees. Those numbers actually aren't nearly as lopsided as the fighting appeared as it unfolded. There were long stretches when Jackson was unable to touch Jones with a fist, his puncher's chance dwindling as he stood in front of Jones but didn't throw down. Rampage launched only 37 punches all fight, and landed but 10. He was busy playing defense.
In that part of the game, Rampage actually did better than anyone else who's been in the cage with Jones. He fended off four of Jones' six takedown attempts. He did eat a few of the champ's spinning punches, elbows and knees, but he ducked under several that could have done him in.
"This is the best I've ever been," said Jackson, who held the light heavyweight title for a little over a year before losing it to Forrest Griffin in the summer of 2008. "Jon Jones, I'm telling you, the kid is here to stay, guys. Whoever fights him next, I don't know, man."
Standing not far away in the cage was that very man, Rashad Evans, another former champion. He and Bones have been circling each other menacingly for much of this year, after Jones replaced an injured Evans in the title bout and let it be known that he wouldn't be averse to fighting his then-training partner. When Rashad was shown on the arena video screens, the crowd booed. And after a microphone was put in his face and he said a few nice things about the efforts of both Rampage and Bones, Evans just stood there as Jones came over and proclaimed to the crowd, "He's going to be doing a lot of talking. I'm not going to say anything, I promise you guys, leading up to this fight. I'm not going to say much. I'm just going to prove that he's ruined my special night twice now, and the time will come."
Oh, please. Evans didn't ruin this night for Jones any more than he ruined things last March when he was ushered into the cage following the Bones win over Shogun. Once again, Rashad was in the Octagon not of his choosing but because the UFC had put him there -- to be booed by the fans -- to hype up the next step in Bones's ascension.
That is, if there's even any more rising for Jon Jones to do. When he dominated the first dozen professional fighters he faced, an ear-piercing buzz arose but it was met head on by a who's-he-fought skepticism. Then Bones crushed a previously unbeaten Ryan Bader, and six weeks later he was thrashing "Shogun" for the belt. The doubters were fewer, but there still were some -- such as Rampage, who saw Rua as a rusty sitting duck for Jones and also dusted off the old fight game adage: You can win a title, but you're not a champion until you've defended the belt.
Jon Jones has done all of that now. And no one -- not even Quinton Jackson -- is doubting him now.








Tony Stewart wins at New Hampshire
LOUDON, N.H. -- Tony Stewart's season has gone from winless to winning streak at crunch time.
Don't ask Smoke to explain it.
While Chase drivers around him run out of gas, Stewart has the fuel to go the distance and inject the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship with a dose of dominance that has him a formidable front-runner for a third title.
Stewart smoked 'em again and made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, pulling ahead when Clint Bowyer ran out of gas with two laps left to win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday.
"You don't see it coming," Stewart said.
Only a few weeks ago, Stewart considered his car in the Chase a waste of a spot. Bad runs, bad luck, bad everything.
Seems like a different a season.
Stewart is on a roll with eight races left, building on last week's Chase-opening victory at Chicagoland Speedway with another strong late-race surge at New Hampshire. Both of his victories this season have come in the Chase and have propelled him to the top of the points standings.
The outcome was a complete reversal of the race at New Hampshire last fall, when Stewart's tank ran dry a lap from the checkered flag and Bowyer pounced for the victory.
"If that's not a flip-flop from last year, I don't know what is," Stewart said over the radio as he crossed the finish line.
Stewart had called this season a "miserable year" before getting hot in the final two races before the Chase. He was third at Atlanta and seventh at Richmond -- just a little sneak preview of what was to come in a Chase he has absolutely owned, this one on a track he loves. In 26 career starts at Loudon, Stewart has three wins and 16 top-10s.
Stewart overtook Kevin Harvick for the points lead and made himself the car to beat after a rather pedestrian regular season. Even Stewart counted himself out him before the Chase, declaring he would call himself, "a total bumbling idiot," if he won the championship. He might win his third title -- but don't expect Smoke to call himself a favorite.
"Got eight long weeks still, man," Stewart said. "It's way too early to start counting chickens."
How about counting wins?
Stewart, who won Cup titles in 2002 and 2005, is the second driver to ever open the Chase with consecutive victories.
"The potential's been there all year," he said. "You wonder when the bad luck string is going to stop. You hope (good luck) happens another eight weeks now. We hope we're through with it and we can keep clicking off top-fives, top-10s. If we could get a couple of more wins, that would be awesome."
Stewart led a pack that included four other Chase drivers in the top 10.
Brad Keselowski was second, Jeff Gordon was fourth, Matt Kenseth was sixth and Carl Edwards finished eighth. Gordon rocketed from 11th to sixth in the standings and is still a legitimate contender for his fifth championship.
Gordon ran out of gas last week and was forced to conserve fuel over the waning laps at New Hampshire.
"It's something that we need to be better at," he said.
For at least one Chase driver, it's time to start planning for next season.
Denny Hamlin, who entered in 12th and a whopping 41 points out, finished 29th and was the worst Chase finisher. A year after he went into the finale with the points lead, Hamlin's shot at his first championship is over. While the nine drivers behind Stewart range from seven to 29 points behind him, Hamlin is 66 points back and 32 out of 11th.
"We're just figuring out what we need to do to be a little bit more competitive," Hamlin said.
Jimmie Johnson, the five-time defending champion, finished 18th and is 10th in the standings.


Sprint Cup Standings
Tony Stewart won at New Hampshire for his second straight win to open NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. The win vaulted him to the top of the standings where he now owns a seven-point lead over Kevin Harvick.

Cup Standings
1. Tony Stewart
2. Kevin Harvick (-7)
3. Brad Keselowski (-11)
4. Carl Edwards (-14)
5. Jeff Gordon (-23)
T-6. Kyle Busch (-29)
T-6. Matt Kenseth (-26)
T-6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (-26)
9. Kurt Busch (-28)
10. Jimmie Johnson (-29)
11. Ryan Newman (-34)
12. Denny Hamlin (-66)


Other Chase driver results saw Kyle Busch finish 11th; Harvick 12th; Dale Earnhardt Jr. 17th; Kurt Busch 22nd; and pole winner Ryan Newman 25th.
Fuel mileage was a deciding factor with several contenders falling away when they ran out of fuel. Bowyer, still looking for at least one victory this season before he leaves Richard Childress Racing, thought he could stretch his gas until the very end. He wound up 26th.
Stewart couldn't believe his good fortune a year after the same problem derailed his shot at a victory.
"I know exactly what that feels like," Stewart said. "I know exactly how he feels right now. I saw him slowing down the back and I thought, 'Oh, no, you're kidding me.' That's not the way you want to win it."
Greg Biffle, the only other driver to open the Chase with two straight wins, was third. Brian Vickers was fifth.
Round 3 of the Chase is next week at Dover International Speedway.
Stewart's win last season snapped a 32-race losing streak and helped Stewart-Haas Racing take the checkered flag for the second time this season. Newman and Stewart finished 1-2 at New Hampshire in July.
Stewart was cryptic about the turnaround after he got out of the No. 14 Chevrolet at New Hampshire.
"We got rid of some dead weight earlier this week, so, it's made it a lot easier It's been a big weight lifted off our shoulders," he said, without explanation. "Sometimes you've got to make adjustments in your life, and we did that, and it's definitely helped this weekend for sure. These guys have never quit, man, these guys have never given up, and we've got a shot at this thing."
Pressed on the issue in the media center, Stewart declined to address it.
"We're just going to leave it at that," he said.
Whatever he meant, it seemed more personal than professional. Crew chief Darian Grubb said there were no personnel changes on the team.
"Maybe he's talking about me and I just don't know it yet," said Grubb, laughing.
With results like these? Not a chance.





AP Top 25 Week 4 College Football

1 LSU (42) 4-0 1471 2
2 Oklahoma (12) 3-0 1422 1
3 Alabama (5) 4-0 1413 3
4 Boise State (1) 3-0 1280 4
5 Oklahoma State 4-0 1209 7
6 Stanford 3-0 1205 5
7 Wisconsin 4-0 1177 6
8 Nebraska 4-0 991 9
9 Oregon 3-1 985 10
10 South Carolina 4-0 950 12
11 Virginia Tech 4-0 883 13
12 Florida 4-0 820 15
13 Clemson 4-0 744 21
14 Texas A&M 2-1 734 8
15 Baylor 3-0 659 17
16 South Florida 4-0 585 18
17 Texas 3-0 466 19
18 Arkansas 3-1 434 14
19 Michigan 4-0 417 22
20 TCU 3-1 338 20
21 Georgia Tech 4-0 298 25
22 West Virginia 3-1 280 16
23 Florida State 2-2 239 11
24 Illinois 4-0 179 24
25 Arizona State

Friday, September 23, 2011

Frosh Miller to start for Ohio State - Week 4 College Football TV Schedule -


Fickell pulls the trigger, will start true frosh at QB for Buckeyes
by John Taylor
Many fans — and some people around these parts you may know — had been calling for true freshman Braxton Miller to start at quarterback for Ohio State even before the season start.
After watching Todd Boeckman Joe Bauserman start the first three games and morph into the dictionary definition of the word “pedestrian”, those calls grew louder. Thursday, those calls were heard. And answered.
During his radio call-in show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus earlier today, head coach Luke Fickell confirmed that Miller will start Saturday’s game against Colorado for the 2-1 Buckeyes. The move was first reported by Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch prior to Fickell’s official radio announcement.
In explaining the move from Bauserman — 69th in the nation in pass efficiency — to Miller, Fickell said that the first-year player possesses a lot of ability and needs to be given the opportunity to display it. The decision was something the coaching staff had considered during the week leading up to each game of this season.
While Miller will start, Bauserman is expected to get playing time against the Buffaloes.
There have been many comparisons made between Miller and former OSU QB Terrelle Pryor since the former became an official member of this year’s recruiting class, and the symmetry at this point in time is undeniable. In the fourth game of the 2008 season, and with the Buckeyes coming off an embarrassing 35-3 loss to USC, Pryor made his first career start as a true freshman. Fast-forward three years, and coming off an embarrassing 24-6 loss to Miami, Miller will make his first career start in the fourth game of the season.
In Pryor’s starting debut against Troy, the top-rated player in the Class of 2008 accounted for all four touchdowns — with each coming through the air — in a 28-10 win. Fickell and the Buckeyes can only hope for a similar performance from Miller — on the field only, of course.






Frosh Miller to start for Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- An 18-year-old true freshman is being given the keys to the Ohio State offense.
Interim coach Luke Fickell made it official on Thursday when he announced that Braxton Miller would take over as the starting quarterback against Colorado on Saturday.
Fifth-year senior Joe Bauserman had started the first three games for the Buckeyes (2-1), but the passing game - with Bauserman and Miller splitting time - was almost nonexistent in Saturday night's 24-6 loss at Miami. The two quarterbacks combined to hit just 4 of 18 passes for 35 yards with an interception (by Miller), with all four completions going to running backs.
"It's a 'give him a shot,"' Fickell said moments after disclosing the decision on his weekly radio show. "The reality is it is a big thing. But we need both of them. The way we handle it is key. But it's time to give him a chance."
The switch comes at a symbolic crossroads for the Buckeyes, who climbed as high as No. 15 before stopping a late Toledo drive to pull off a narrow 27-22 win and then falling flat in their first regular-season game ever in Florida.
Ohio State fans have been clamoring for more of Miller - a five-star recruit from just an hour down Interstate 70 in suburban Dayton - since he enrolled at the school last January.
Earlier this week, Colorado coach Jon Embree said far too much emphasis is put on who starts at the position.
"I hate cliche, but too much credit is given to the quarterback when it is good and too much blame when it goes bad," he said. "It takes a lot of people. I don't think it is just a one-guy problem with the passing game (at Ohio State). The other games they were doing OK with it, so I'm not buying the sky is falling in Columbus."
Miller, listed as 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, received one-quarter of the snaps in spring ball, with Bauserman, redshirt freshman Taylor Graham and third-year sophomore Kenny Guiton also getting equal playing time in workouts.
Shortly after preseason camp opened in early August, Bauserman and Miller were separated as the top two and they've been dueling ever since. The depth chart has listed them as co-starters all season.
Bauserman had spent the last two years watching from the sidelines as Terrelle Pryor played almost every down for teams that went 11-2 and 12-1.
But everything changed during a tumultuous few months during which decade-long coach Jim Tressel was forced out, several players were suspended and Pryor gave up his senior season to jump to the NFL. All or much of that was a result of an NCAA investigation that found that players had accepted cash and tattoos from a local parlor.
With Pryor suddenly gone, the Buckeyes were left with inexperienced quarterbacks who had seen almost no action under pressure.
The 25-year-old Bauserman had a banner opener, hitting on 12 of 16 passes for 163 yards, while Miller was 8 of 12 for 130 yards in the second half of a rout over Akron. Even though Fickell and offensive coordinator Jim Bollman asserted Bauserman and Miller would share the job, Miller curiously never left the sidelines against Toledo while Bauserman did just enough (16 of 30 of 30 for 189 yards and a touchdown passing) to get the Buckeyes a victory.
But in high heat and humidity against an active Hurricanes defense on Saturday night, nothing went right. Bauserman hit on just 2 of 14 passes for 13 yards, while Miller had his only two completions (in four attempts, for 22 yards) on the final two plays.
Bauserman and the offense were booed by Ohio State fans during the Toledo game because he elected to throw the ball away rather than chance a turnover. Ineffective at times, he still had no interceptions and no fumbles this season.
Miller, however, has lost two fumbles and thrown an interception in far less playing time.
But with the offense stuck in neutral during the Miami game, Fickell - whose job is not guaranteed beyond this one season - began thinking the time was right to test a young player.
"I've said it a million times - we have a plan," Fickell said. "But this is where we are right now. And we know that Braxton is the guy who's going to start this game."



Complete College Football TV Schedule for Saturday, September 25th (9/25/11)

12:00 ET North Carolina @ Georgia Tech (ESPN, ESPN3.com)
12:00 ET Central Michigan @ Michigan State (ESPNU)
12:00 ET Toledo @ Syracuse (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
12:00 ET Eastern Michigan @ Penn State (ESPN2, ESPN3.com)
12:00 ET Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh (ABC)
12:20 ET Georgia @ Ole Miss (ESPN3, ESPN Game Plan)
12:30 ET Temple @ Maryland (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
1:00 ET Massachusetts @ Boston College (ESPN3.com)
1:00 ET Bowling Green @ Miami (OH) (ESPN3.com)
2:00 ET Ohio @ Rutgers (ESPN3.com)
2:00 ET Army @ Ball State (ESPN3.com)
3:30 ET Oklahoma State @ Texas A&M (ABC)
3:30 ET Florida State @ Clemson (ESPN, ESPN3.com)
3:30 ET Tulane @ Duke (ESPN3.com)
3:30 ET Colorado @ Ohio State (ABC, ESPN2, ESPN3.com)
3:30 ET Southern Miss @ Virginia (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
3:30 ET Kansas State @ Miami (FL) (ESPNU)
3:30 ET Arkansas @ Alabama (CBS)
4:00 ET New Mexico State @ San Jose State (ESPN3.com)
4:30 ET Middle Tennessee State @ Troy (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
5:00 ET Fresno State @ Idaho (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
6:00 ET Connecticut @ Buffalo (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
6:00 ET Louisiana Lafayette @ Florida International (ESPN3.com)
7:00 ET Vanderbilt @ South Carolina (ESPN2, ESPN3.com)
7:00 ET Florida @ Kentucky (ESPN, ESPN3.com)
7:00 ET UTEP @ South Florida (ESPN3.com)
7:00 ET Florida Atlantic @ Auburn (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
7:00 ET North Dakota State @ Minnesota (Big Ten Network)
7:00 ET Indiana @ North Texas (ESPN3.com)
7:00 ET Lousiana Tech @ Mississippi State (ESPNU)
7:30 ET Nebraska @ Wyoming (Versus)
8:00 ET Missouri @ Oklahoma (FX)
8:00 ET LSU @ West Virginia (ABC)
8:00 ET Colorado State @ Utah State (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
8:00 ET Central Arkansas @ Arkansas State (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)
10:15 ET Oregon @ Arizona (ESPN2, ESPN3.com)
10:15 ET USC @ Arizona State (ESPN, ESPN3.com)
12:00 ET UC Davis @ Hawaii (ESPN3.com, ESPN Game Plan)




Dolphins at Browns
Florio’s take: The Dolphins already have their backs to the wall in the AFC East, two games behind each of the other three teams, after only two games. The good news? They’re not playing at home. The better news? The Browns’ still-evolving 4-3 defense may not be able to deal with the improving Miami offense, which is led by a former Browns offensive coordinator who likely would love to stick it to his old team.

Florio’s pick: Dolphins 23, Browns 20.

Rosenthal’s take: No team has had an easier early slate than Cleveland, which is why they have a good shot to go 2-1 despite playing blah football. It wasn’t a great sign they couldn’t run on the Colts. For Miami, it’s already desperation time. Desperate teams usually play well. Both of these teams just look like 1-2 squads.

Rosenthal’s pick: Dolphins 24, Browns 20.



Miami Dolphins (0-2) at Cleveland Browns (1-1)
Peter King
I remember a long time ago -- like, back in August -- when I picked the Dolphins to finish fourth in the AFC East, and I got 4,519 tweets from Dolfans telling me how preposterous that was. The general tenor of the messages was that even if Chad Henne struggled mightily, the D would hold them in games. Well, through two weeks, Miami is dead last in defense, and has allowed 30.5 points per game. Not good.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Delonte West explains the night of his arrest - Ohio State Depth Chart for Colorado - Dale Jr's Chase Chances




Dale Jr. isn't a title threat, but can still leave mark on the Chase
tim tuttle
Dale Earnhardt Jr. resurfaced at Chicagoland, finishing third in the Chase opener. Considering how he'd closed out the regular season, it seems unlikely anybody saw Earnhardt coming, but it didn't surprise him.
"You know what, I felt like we would do well in the Chase," Earnhardt said. "These are good tracks for me. And the tracks where I ran poorly just aren't. If you look at my track record, I don't run good at those tracks. I felt we would rebound and kind of return to the form we started at the beginning of the year."
Earnhardt hadn't had a top-five finish since taking second at Kansas on June 5. Chicagoland was his third top-10 in the past 14 races. Earnhardt was third in the points leaving Kansas and he was the final automatic Chase qualifier on points.
Making the Chase was an accomplishment for Earnhardt. He hadn't been in Sprint Cup's 10-race championship since 2008 and was coming off seasons of 25th in the points in 2009 and 21st in 2010. Rick Hendrick's decision to shuffle crew chiefs following last season worked out well for both Jeff Gordon and Earnhardt, who was paired with Steve Letarte.
"We've had a good run this year," Earnhardt said. "We've been a good team. We really overshadowed just how good we were with how poorly we ran in the last 10 weeks. Hopefully, we'll take this opportunity in the Chase to prove to everyone and ourselves how good we can be."
The Chase will define Junior's season. He hasn't shown the speed to win the championship or a race, but some top-fives and a cluster of top-10s could land him in the top three or four in points and thrust him into the offseason with momentum that would carry into Daytona in February. Earnhardt and Letarte would know they're really on the right track.
Earnhardt is capable of winning one of the so-called fuel mileage races and there figures to be more this season. He's skillful at saving fuel and maintaining a decent pace. He showed it at Chicagoland and his second at Kansas was the same type. So was his win at Michigan in 2008.
It was going to be a top-10 at Chicagoland for Earnhardt regardless of how much was left in his tank. He was sixth with two laps to go.
"Obviously, we gained a lot of spots there at the end with guys that were short of fuel," Earnhardt said. "But we were running really well at the end. The car struggled off and on throughout the day. We didn't have great track position, either. I was real happy with being able to adjust the car, improve it. That's all you can ask for as a driver, that the car gets better all day long.
"We tried to be really smart and utilize every minute in practice and try to really focus on practice and get everything out of it. And we tried to just be really smart about our adjustments and what we were trying to learn from the car throughout the weekend so we could put a good car out on the grid. I think we did a good job of that. We never worried about our fuel mileage. We started saving gas and backing off with about 20 to go. It started running out at [Turn] 4, but ran to the finish line. It wouldn't have made another lap."
Earnhardt will be returning to tracks in the Chase where he's had his best results this season. In addition to Kansas, he was also second at Martinsville. Talladega is the most unpredictable race remaining, but Earnhardt is one of the best restrictor-plate racers in Sprint Cup and was fourth there in April. He was seventh at Charlotte, ninth at Texas and 10th at Phoenix.
A fast start and a fast finish to this season would suit Earnhardt just fine, and it seems within his reach.









Delonte West explains the night of his arrest
msnbc.com
We’ve heard all sorts of stories about how DeLonte West was arrested driving a three-wheel Can-Am Spyder with multiple weapons in the trunk. We heard how the league suspended him 10 games. How he had to serve out probation. How he had to have treatment for his bipolar disorder. Through it all a caricature of a gun-toting West developed.
What we had never heard was West’s side of the story.
As part of a great feature at SLAM — go read the whole thing — West explains what happened that fateful night in the summer of 2009. The story starts with how West — an avid hunter — had the guns secured in the basement recording studio of his home in Maryland.
Everything was fine—the guns remained safely hidden—until, on the night of September 17, feeling unusually tired, West went to his bedroom pretty early, took his nightly dose of Seroquel (a drug that treats bipolar disorder) and got in bed. Shortly after falling asleep, he was startled awake by shouting.

“Ma Dukes came running upstairs into my room, cursing me, saying she wanted all these MFers out of my house,” recalls West. “I came to like, What’s going on? I was already on my Seroquel trip. A few of my cats had found some stuff in the studio and they were living the whole gangsta life thing—guns in the air and this and that,” continues West. “And I said, ‘Oh my God. What the f— are y’all doin’ in here? Y’all got to go. Momma ain’t on that. Kids are running around upstairs. It’s time to go.’”
Gassed up from the commotion, West decided it would be prudent for him to relocate the guns to an empty house he owned nearby…
“I’m on the Beltway, cruisin’,” West says, voice high, emotional and inimitable. “Soon I start realizing I’m dozing in and out. I open my eyes and I went from this lane to that. I’m swervin’, and by the time I wake up, I’m about three exits past my exit.
“There’s this truck flying beside me—” West pauses; this next part is crucial—“and I’m scared to death. So I seen an officer coming up and I try to flag him down. I pull up next to him. He slows down and I get up in front of him. I tell the officer I’m not functioning well and I’m transporting weapons… The rest of the story is what it is.”

Seriously, you need to go read the whole story.
West is now off the house arrest that hampered him last season (there was not arriving early to Celtics practices or even attending unofficial team events).
West is a free agent whenever the lockout ends. He is sure to get interest from teams to provide depth at guard.

Ohio State Depth Chart for Colorado
Quarterback Situation
Are you kidding me! Let the youngster go. What do you have to lose at this point?

Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller are once against listed as co-starters for the game against Colorado.
Bauserman is still listed ahead of Miller with an “OR” between them, which means the Buckeyes apparently plan to rotate them again this week.

Offensive Notes
After starting the first three games at tailback, Carlos Hyde is now listed as a co-starter with Jordan Hall for week four against Colorado.
Hall is listed as the No. 1 punt returner, ahead of Fields. Hall and Jaamal Berry are listed as the two kick returners.
Neither Berry nor Rod Smith appears at tailback on the latest two-deep.
Verlon Reed is listed as the starter at one WR spot, while Chris Fields and Philly Brown are listed as co-starters at the other WR spot.
Brown missed the game against Miami and did not travel with the team because of an ankle injury.
Sophomore Marcus Hall continues to be listed as the starter at right guard, while Corey Linsley is once again listed as his backup. The two split time at right guard against Miami.

Defensive Notes

Redshirt freshman J.T. Moore is listed as the starter at DE (Leo) for the Colorado game.
True freshman Steve Miller is listed as Moore’s backup, meaning Nathan Williams will not play this week against Colorado. He had his knee scoped last Wednesday and is expected to miss a few more games.
Travis Howard is back on the depth chart this week, listed as a starter alongside Bradley Roby at cornerback. Sophomore Dominic Clarke listed as the backup.
The starting safeties will continue to be Orhian Johnson and C.J. Barnett. Sophomore Christian Bryant is listed as the backup to Johnson at safety and Tyler Moeller at “Star.”

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Heisman Candidates - College Football Power Rankings



They Are Making a Statement and Staying PAC!!!!!!!




Forde Yard Dash
Pat Forde espn.com
I love these every week. To read more go to espn.com
The Interim Guy
One is thriving. One is writhing.

Winner: Everett Withers (4), North Carolina. Shoved into the head-coaching job when Butch Davis was fired just days before the start of fall camp, Withers has kept the Tar Heels on task. In one of those stats that seems hard to believe, Carolina is 1-0 in the ACC for the first time since 2000 after beating Virginia 28-17 on Saturday.

Loser: Luke Fickell (5), Ohio State. Since Jim Tressel resigned Memorial Day, Fickell had two more months of interim prep time than Withers -- but five fewer key players. Those are the suspended Buckeyes (and Terrelle Pryor) who must miss the first five games of the season for NCAA rules violations. Without them, Ohio State looks as bad as it has looked in a decade, maybe longer. In the 24-6 loss to Miami on Saturday, the Buckeyes completed a Cro-Magnon four forward passes. This is about the time some Wacky Morning Radio Personality decides to live on a billboard until Urban Meyer is hired.


Coach who should take the bus to work
Rick Neuheisel (38), UCLA. After a 29-point home beatdown against Texas, the Bruins are 3-8 since upsetting the Longhorns last year. They've won just one of their last six games, and that was against San Jose State. Even with USC vulnerable, UCLA has made up no ground on its crosstown rival.

Putting out an APB for
Errict Rhett (39), the ground-based portion of Steve Spurrier's early Fun 'n' Gun offenses at Florida. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the Gators' all-time leading rusher, please apprise The Dash.

Meanwhile, The Dash is pleased to report that last week's APB subject, former Stanford wide receiver Ken Margerum, is reportedly alive and well and living in the Bay Area, where he is an assistant coach at Scotts Valley High School. Previously Margerum had coached extensively at the college level, most recently at San Jose State -- where his bio said his daughters' names are Sunny and Windy. The Dash thanks all spies who passed along tips.


Point after
When hungry and thirsty and in need of football viewing in Tallahassee, The Dash recommends a visit to Tomahawk Sports Bar & Grill (40) on the main drag near campus. Solid beer selection, good burgers, enough TVs to catch all the action. Check it out and thank The Dash later.



College Football Power Rankings - Week 3
RK (LW) TEAM REC PTS COMMENT
1 (1) Oklahoma (17) 2-0 616 Gut check? Check. Florida State asked questions of Oklahoma and the Sooners responded with a go-ahead TD and a defensive stand in the fourth quarter to earn a 23-13 win in a hostile environment. Missouri visits Saturday.
2 (3) LSU (8) 3-0 603 The Tigers earned a second win away from home over a ranked opponent after beating Mississippi State -- their 12th straight win over the Bulldogs. The road doesn't get easier this week, as LSU travels to West Virginia on Saturday.
3 (2) Alabama 3-0 579 North Texas forgot to bring the Mean for its visit to Tuscaloosa, so the Tide provided it in a 41-0 win, led by Trent Richardson's three touchdowns. SEC play begins Saturday with a visit from Arkansas.
4 (4) Boise State 2-0 537 Kellen Moore set a career high in completions (32) and tied his previous best in TD passes (5) as Boise State cruised to a 40-15 win over Toledo. The Broncos play in Boise for the first time this season Saturday when Tulsa pays a visit.
5 (6) Stanford 3-0 508 Stanford settled into a rhythm after a nervy start at Arizona, winning 37-10 to earn its first Pac-12 win. Andrew Luck's two touchdown passes gave him 53 for his career, moving him past Jim Plunkett into sole possession of third place in school history.
6 (7) Wisconsin 3-0 497 Wisconsin improved to 3-0 for the eighth consecutive season after another offensive clinic, this time against Northern Illinois. Russell Wilson continues to impress for the Badgers, who have one final tuneup before Big Ten play begins against Nebraska.
7 (8) Oklahoma State 3-0 458 Mother Nature merely delayed the inevitable, as inclement weather pushed the start of Oklahoma State's game with Tulsa to after midnight. Once on the field, the Cowboys beat the Golden Hurricane (by a lot) and the sunrise (barely).
8 (9) Texas A&M 2-0 446 The Aggies passed their first two warmup tests. Now it's on to the big one: Oklahoma State in their Big 12 opener. Last season's matchup proved to be a classic, albeit in the Cowboys' favor. What will this year's game say about both teams?
9 (5) Florida State 2-1 389 Despite the loss of a big-play receiver and its starting QB during the game, Florida State clawed back to tie OU in the fourth quarter. The Seminoles didn't have enough in the tank to overcome the Sooners, however. ACC play begins Saturday at Clemson.
10 (12) Oregon 2-1 385 Oregon has taken the frustration of its season-opening loss to LSU out on its next two opponents to the tune of 125 points. The Ducks begin Pac-12 play Saturday with a visit to Arizona.





Tracking the Candidates
Sept. 20, 20111
Andrew LuckQB
| StanfordNext Game: 10/1 vs. UCLAThe Cardinal didn't start firing on all cylinders until the second half but once they found their rhythm, they were able to sweep aside Arizona on the road. Luck passed for 325 yards and two touchdowns.
WEEK 3 AT ARIZONA
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
173.9 325 2 0 64.5
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
36 0 12.0
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
173.4 786 8 1 67.1
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
47 1 5.9


2 Kellen MooreQB
| Boise StateNext Game: 9/24 vs. TLSAMoore was at it again Friday night, carving up the Toledo defense at every turn. The senior quarterback threw for 455 yards and five touchdowns. He also had a career-high 32 completions in 42 attempts.
WEEK 3 AT TOLEDO
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
201.7 455 5 1 76.2
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
2 0 1.0
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
187.6 716 8 2 78.9
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
2 0 1.0


3 Marcus LattimoreRB |
South CarolinaNext Game: 9/24 vs. VANThe numbers tell the story: 37 carries, 246 yards and three touchdowns. Lattimore scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter to save South Carolina against Navy and allowed the Gamecocks to run out the clock on a 24-21 win.
WEEK 3 VS. NAVY
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
246 3 6.6
RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
4 25 6.3 0
2011 SEASON
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
534 7 6.1
RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
9 66 7.3 0


4 Robert Griffin IIIQB
| BaylorNext Game: 9/24 vs. RICEMother Nature halted the game in the third quarter, but there was still plenty of time for Griffin to impress. He passed for 265 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 78 yards in Baylor's win over Stephen F. Austin.
WEEK 3 VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
237.1 265 3 0 90.9
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
78 0 9.8
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
244.5 624 8 0 83.7
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
116 0 6.4


5 Landry JonesQB |
OklahomaNext Game: 9/24 vs. MIZZJones passed for just 199 yards and threw his first two interceptions of the season, but he accounted for both of Oklahoma's touchdowns in a road win at Florida State, including the go-ahead touchdown pass to Kenny Stills in the fourth quarter.
WEEK 3 AT FLORIDA STATE
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
126.0 199 1 2 66.7
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
-10 1 -3.3
2011 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
140.3

Michigan Banns Photographer Linked to Pryor
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan has banned Dennis Talbott from photographing its teams on campus.
Talbott has been linked to ex-Ohio State star Terrelle Pryor in the Buckeyes' memorabilia-for-cash scandal.
Michigan spokesman Dave Ablauf says Ohio-based media outlet This Week in Football asked for a credential for Talbott, listing his first name as "Jay" on the application. Ablauf says Talbott shot an image of Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson during the season-opening game against Western Michigan and it appeared on SI.com after being distributed by Icon Sports Media.
Website sportsbybrooks.com was the first to report Talbott was credentialed by Michigan.
ESPN's "Outside The Lines" has reported Pryor was paid $500 to $1,000 each time he signed mini football helmets and other gear for Talbott, a Columbus businessman and freelance photographer.