Conference Power Rankings: Week 6

Conference Power Rankings: Week 6
from: www.si.com

The Conference Power Rankings will take a different form over the next few weeks due to the lack of defining nonconference games on the docket. This past weekend there were only six games involving BCS teams from different conferences and only two head-to-head matchups (North Carolina topped UConn and Notre Dame held off Stanford). Next week, it will be more of the same, as all the must-see showdowns are conference games.
So this week, rather than rank 'em, we'll take stock of each conference to see who’s stood out and who's bombed through the season’s first six weeks.

ACC
Surprise team: Georgia Tech. A three-point loss at Virginia Tech is the only blemish on the Jackets’ 4-1 mark. They’ve grasped Paul Johnson's triple-option attack quickly and are fifth in the nation in rushing.
Disappointment: Clemson. The ACC preseason favorites haven’t dominated anyone but FCS teams. Alabama pounded them, and while the Tigers gutted out a lethargic win over conference rival NC State, they lost to inconsistent Maryland. Despite an abundance of talent, there will be no ACC title for the Tigers this year.
Keep an eye on: North Carolina. The Heels were off to a quick start with a big win at Rutgers, but when quarterback Tyler Yates went down in a three-point loss to Virginia Tech, it appeared UNC was not going to take advantage of its early momentum. But backup Cameron Sexton has directed two more solid wins over Miami and UConn and the now-ranked Heels are ahead of schedule in Butch Davis' second year.

Big East
Surprise team: UConn. There were fairly modest expectations for the Huskies, but after six games UConn sits just one win from bowl eligibility. The Huskies pulled out close wins against Louisville, Temple and Baylor and obliterated Rutgers. They’ll challenge for the league title.
Disappointment: Rutgers. Only one word can describe this Rutgers campaign: miserable. The Scarlet Knights are 0-4 against FBS foes and have a quarterback who punched a teammate. Where have you gone, Ray Rice?
Keep an eye on: Pittsburgh. The Panthers were left for dead after an opening week stumble against Bowling Green, but Pittsburgh quietly put together three-straight wins before staging a very loud upset at No. 10 South Florida on Thursday. Running back LeSean McCoy is starting to hit his stride.

Big 12
Surprise team: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are 5-0 and have scored at least 55 points in four-straight games. The Cowboys have not taken on the stiffest competition, but they’re no longer only known for having a coach who is 40 and is a man, either.
Disappointment: Texas A&M. Expectations weren't exactly through the roof for Mike Sherman's first team, but the Aggies did win 15 games in Dennis Franchione's last two years. The 2-3 Aggies may be underdogs in their final seven games.
Keep an eye on: Texas. Oklahoma is getting all the headlines with its deserved No. 1 ranking and potential Heisman quarterback, but the Longhorns have a chance to change all that this week in Dallas and become the team the college football world is talking about.

Big Ten
Surprise team: Penn State. A 6-0 start is not a major shock with its schedule, but Penn State is exceeding expectations with its play. The Lions are in the top 10 in both scoring offense and defense, with an average victory margin of 26.1 points.
Disappointment: Michigan. Again, speed bumps were expected, but not to this degree. Getting to a bowl game is going to be a challenge with the nation's 109th ranked offense.
Keep an eye on: Illinois. Quarterback Juice Williams is hitting his stride. The Illini have two losses, but both teams are in the top six (Missouri, Penn State). The Illini could run the table from here.

Pac-10
Surprise team: California. It was a challenge to find a Pac-10 team that has exceeded expectations. Cal's opening win over Michigan State was impressive, and the Bears are 4-1, with the lone blemish a no-show performance at Maryland.
Disappointment: Arizona St. Picked second in the Pac-10 by some, the Devils are in the midst of a three-game losing streak with a trip to USC on deck. The offense has dropped from No. 37 in scoring last year to No. 82 this year, despite having Rudy Carpenter back at the controls.
Keep an eye on: USC. The Trojans will fly under the national radar for a while with Texas-Oklahoma, LSU-Florida, Texas-Missouri, LSU-Georgia, Penn State-Ohio State and Florida-Georgia all dueling in October, but USC should be favored every game from here on out. It won’t be a surprise if the Trojans get right back into the national-title race.

SEC
Surprise team: Vanderbilt. Easy choice. The Commodores lost 13 starters from a 5-7 team, yet have gone 5-0 and earned a No. 13 ranking. They lead the nation in turnover margin and have come from behind in every game. The best part for Vandy fans? The ‘Dores started just four seniors against Auburn.
Disappointment: Tennessee. The Vols are a mess on offense. They’re searching for a quarterback and rank 107th in scoring. Saturday's 13-9 win over Northern Illinois was the latest disappointing performance for the Vols.
Keep an eye on: LSU. Now that Jarrett Lee has solidified the quarterback position, the Tigers are in position to battle for the SEC crown again. And remember, their game against Alabama is at Tiger Stadium.

USC vs. SEC: Time to settle this once and for all

USC vs. SEC: Time to settle this once and for all




The big game is a huge letdown, unless you're a Southern California fan - or enjoy public floggings. A futbol game breaks out in the SEC. Buffalo and Temple play a thriller, really. And scratch one potential BCS buster off the list.
Week 3 of the college football season left a coach on crutches, the Pac-10 (minus USC) humbled and the road to the national title game pretty well mapped out.
No need to go over the gory details of the Trojans' 35-3 pounding of Ohio State, but suffice to say it will take an immense upset to keep USC out of the national title game.
Sure, USC lost two conferences games each of the last two seasons, including that perplexing one to Stanford. And, yes, 2007 showed the college football world there are no sure things.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Three weeks into the season, the race for the national championship already has a clear favorite, and only a handful of other contenders need to be taken seriously.
Mark it down: USC will be in Miami for the BCS national title game.
This USC team might be the best of coach Pete Carroll's amazing run. Mark Sanchez is the Trojans' most talented quarterback since Carson Palmer. They're about five deep at running back and wide receiver. The defense might have the two best linebackers in the country in Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing.
And who's going to beat USC? Check out the Pac-10 results from Saturday. Seven Pac-10 teams lost.
So the rest of the season comes down to determining an opponent for USC in the national title game. Forget any Big East or Atlantic Coast Conference teams. The Big Ten? Sorry, Wisconsin.
Either the Big 12 champion or SEC champion will play USC for the national championship on Jan. 8 - and here's hoping it's an SEC team.
No offense to the Big 12 folks, but this USC-SEC thing has been simmering for a while. In 2003, USC and LSU never got a crack at each other. In 2004, Auburn got passed over and USC was left to pummel Oklahoma. There was talk of a USC-Georgia Rose Bowl last season, but it didn't happen.
Despite all USC has done during its six-plus seasons as college football's 1,000-pound gorilla, SEC fans still look with skepticism at the Trojans because they've never played the SEC champions.
It's time to get this settled.
BCS Busters
Still going:-BYU 59, UCLA 0. This was supposed to be a major hurdle for the Cougars on what they hope will be the road to getting into the BCS from the Mountain West Conference.
-East Carolina 28, Tulane 24. Pirates coach Skip Holtz warned anybody who would listen that getting his team focused after two emotional victories would be a challenge.
Gone:
Wisconsin 13, Fresno State 10. Memo to Bulldogs coach Pat Hill: While playing anyone, anywhere at any time is commendable, and makes for a catchy slogan, it's not necessarily the way to get into the BCS. Just ask Hawaii, which spent most of last season playing no one at home and got rewarded with a big check from the Sugar Bowl.
Knock it Down
Of course, Temple doesn't know how to defend the last-second desperation pass into the end zone. How often have the Owls had to protect a late lead?
Buffalo's Drew Wily heaved the pass and Naaman Roosevelt went above a group of Temple defenders, all seemingly stuck to the ground, for a 35-yard touchdown pass that gave the Bulls a 30-28 victory on the last play of the game.
It was the play of the day, but it's also worth noting these once-laughable programs are making progress as members of the Mid-American Conference under coaches who could be in line for more lucrative jobs soon.
Buffalo is 2-1 under coach Turner Gill, who got a look from Nebraska, his old school, after going 5-7 with the Bulls last year. Temple's Al Golden was among UCLA's coaching candidates after winning four games last season.
Heisman Worthy
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri. His quarterback, Chase Daniel, was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, but no player in the country is more spectacular to watch than Maclin. The do-it-all receiver had six catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers' 69-17 victory over Nevada.
Return to Mediocrity
At 2-0, there's little doubt Notre Dame will zoom past the three victories it had last season. The Fighting Irish's 35-17 victory was as much about Michigan's generosity - six turnovers! - as Notre Dame's improvement, but this is no time to bash the Golden Domers and coach Charlie Weis, who will be hobbling around with a knee injury for a while after getting undercut on the sideline by a Michigan player.
Up next for Notre Dame is a road trip to improving Michigan State.
No Offense
Auburn and Mississippi State made SEC history Saturday night in Starkville, Miss., and here's hoping no one ever has to go through an experience like that again.
The Tigers beat the Bulldogs by a soccer-like 3-2 score. It was the first 3-2 game in SEC history, according to the league.
Lookahead
It's the first of several huge weekends in the SEC with LSU going to Auburn and Florida playing at Tennessee.
The two Tigers of the SEC West have created quite a rivalry in recent seasons. They've split the last four meetings with a combined victory margin of 14 points.
Points could be tough to come by on the Plains for both teams. Auburn's spread offense is still sputtering, see above; LSU's hasn't worked out its passing game.

TOP 50 MOST INTRIGUING PEOPLE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS YEAR

TOP 50 MOST INTRIGUING PEOPLE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS SEASON

ACC
Robert Marve, Miami
The indelible image of the '07 Hurricanes was the 48-0 curtain-closer at the Orange Bowl. Who knew that Virginia was bringing its own wrecking ball to the OB finale? Enter Marve, a redshirt freshman who two years ago broke Tim Tebow's state prep records for passing yardage (4,380) and TDs (48) in a season, as well as a 31 year-old record for completions (280) in a season. How many days until the first 'Marve-lous!' headline?
Orlando Franklin, Miami
Orlando comes to Miami via Jamaica and Canada. Got that? The 6-7, 330 pound sophomore was born in Jamaica and moved to Toronto with his mother as a child. Last season, as a freshman, he held Virginia’s Chris Long without a sack, inspiring the future No. 2 pick in the NFL draft to visit Franklin’s Facebook page and write, "You’re going to be a real good player. Just keep having fun and I’ll see you on the next level."
BIG EAST
Demetrius Jones, Cincinnati
Jones, who took the first snap of the season for Notre Dame last August, may well do the same for Cincinnati on August 28 versus Eastern Kentucky. The former Parade All-American dual threat QB is one of three former Fighting Irish QBs occupying a slot on a two-deep chart this fall (Zach Frazer, U Conn, David Wolke, Western Kentucky). A fantastic athlete, Jones may shine away from the high-pressure clime of South Bend.
Hunter Cantwell, Louisville
Mel Kiper, Jr., projects Cantwell as the top QB in the '09 NFL draft. This despite the fact that the 6'5" senior is a former walk-on who sat behind Brian Brohm the past three seasons. Should someone check Mel's meds? Or is Cantwell about to become the sport's next one-year wonder?
Bill Stewart, West Virginia
His act may seem a little hokey, but Stewart's a Mountaineer through and through. Part Bill Graham, part Jimmy Stewart, the affable assistant filled the void admirably when Rich Rodriquez decamped to Ann Arbor by whupping Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. He's Richie Cunningham with a headset, both the antipode and antidote to his predecessor. And, by the way, he has a five-year contract that totals $4 million...which is exactly what Rodriguez owes WVU as his buyout.
Pat White, West Virginia
Home dates versus Auburn (Oct. 23) and South Florida (Dec. 6) will likely determine whether White, college football's active leader in career rushing yards (3,506), wins the Heisman. The most exciting open-field runner in the game welcomes back sensational sophomore tailback Noel Devine as well as all five starters from a stellar O-line (WVU finished 3rd in rushing in '07). The 4-year starter at QB will garner a slew of "Lifetime Achievement Award" votes--as long as the Mountaineers do not stumble in their final home game, as they have the previous two seasons.
BIG TEN
Paki O'Meara, Iowa
The Big Ten has provided the FBS with its only repeat Heisman winner (Archie Griffin) and its all-time leading rusher (Ron Dayne). And here comes O'Meara, a walk-on who a year ago at this time was not even on the Hawkeye depth chart. The son of a Samoan mother and Irish father, O'Meara's childhood included stops in North Carolina, Melbourne, Australia, Western Samoa and finally, Cedar Rapids, where he rushed for 349 yards in a high school game. Entering fall camp he is listed No. 1 on Iowa's depth chart at RB.
Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
He left an offense that featured a Heisman front-runner and its entire O-line returning intact for one that returns two (insignificant) starters. His quarterback transferred specifically because of him. He whiffed on the nation's top recruit (Terrelle Pryor), who chose Michigan's hated rival. Oh, and he owes his old bosses $4 million. On the other hand, Joe Paterno thinks his wife is hot (see recent Big Ten media session, in which JoePa waxed fondly on her days as a WVU cheerleader). Something tells us R-Rod will have the last laugh.
Stephen Threet, Michigan
Ryan Mallett, who two years ago was considered the No. 2 prep QB in the nation (behind Jimmy Clausen), transferred to Arkansas. Terrelle Pryor, the No. 1 prep stud overall last winter, chose Ohio State. Thus Threet, a former valedictorian at nearby Adrian High, will be the likely starter under center for the Wolverines when Utah visits on Aug. 30th. Surely Threet will be a quick-study, but as one of nine new starters on offense, will it matter?
Javon Ringer, Michigan State
Once best-known (and, in South Bend, reviled) as the Spartans' designated flag-planter, Ringer has matured into one of the game's best backs. Ringer nearly tripled his rushing output from '06 to '07, eclipsing 125 yards five times last season.
James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
Hardware hog. The Buckeye 'backer, the cornerstone of the nation's top-rated defense in '07, was a top-10 NFL draft pick for sure if he'd come out last spring. Instead, Laurinaitis, who won the Nagurski Award in 2006 and the Butkus Award in 2007, returns to Columbus for his senior season. Heisman, anyone?
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
If there could ever be such a thing as a 6-star recruit, the Jeannette, Pa., native would be it. The Buckeye-bound quarterback is the first high school quarterback in Pennsylvania state history to both pass and run for 4,000 yards...and you may have heard that the Keystone State has produced a decent quarterback or two (Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, etc.). The Buckeyes are loaded on offense, but look for Jim Tressel to employ him the way Urban Meyer did Tim Tebow when he was a frosh.
Brett Bielema, Wisconsin
Madison's most eligible bachelor joins Fielding Yost and Jim Tressel as the only Big Ten coaches to win 21 games in their first two seasons. Of course, old Fielding won his first 56 games in Ann Arbor (something to shoot for, Coach Rodriguez) and the Vested One has already appeared in three national title games. Can Bielema, 38, lead the Badgers to a BCS bowl before his 40th birthday?
BIG 12
Robert Griffin, Baylor
The blue-chip quarterback recruit graduated high school last December. After devoting himself exclusively to spring football, he went out and won the 400-meter hurdles at the Big 12 track & field championships. In June, Griffin advanced to the semis in the 400 hurdles at the Olympic Trials in Eugene. Word of warning to Big 12 DBs: Dive for Griffin's legs and you'll wind up on SportsCenter.
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
No one uses the term "diaper dandy" in football, but if they did Maclin would be the dandiest. All the Kirkwood, Mo., native did in 2007 was set an NCAA freshman all-purpose yardage record (2,776) while also being the only player in the nation to score via run, catch, punt return and kickoff return. The kickoff run-back, which went for 99 yards, was Mizzou's first in a quarter-century.
Jeff Wolfert, Missouri
Wolfert attempted one - one! - kick in high school, a kickoff. The Overland Park, Kans., native swung his leg so hard into the ball that he broke his hip and missed the rest of the season. But that was okay, since he had a scholarship offer to Missouri - as a diver. Two years later, he forsook the pool in order to walk onto the Tiger football team. How's that working out for him? Wolfert has yet to miss a field goal or PAT in Big 12 play (90-of-90, including 26-26 on field goals) and has converted his last 64 kicks overall.
Marlon Lucky, Nebraska
How much has Husker football changed since Tom Osborne's coaching days? Lucky, a senior I-back, was the nation's leading receiver among running backs (75 catches) last season. Lucky is also old-school, though, as he is the Big 12's leading returning rusher as well.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Update: He's a man. He's 41.
Artrell Woods, Oklahoma State
Unless you live in Big 12 country, you vaguely recall the story of the Cowboy player who nearly was paralyzed in a freak weight-room accident last July. The sophomore-to-be lost his balance while returning weights to a rack and needed three hours of emergency spinal-fusion surgery to regain the use of his legs. One year later, Woods not only can walk, but he will start at wideout.
Michael Crabtree & Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
What we are witnessing is the most prolific passing tandem in NCAA history. If Harrell (10, 260 yards and 86 TD passes the last two seasons) simply averages this season what he has the past two, the Ennis, Texas, native will leave Lubbock No. 2 on the all-time passing yardage chart and No. 1 in TD passes. All Crabtree did as a redshirt frosh was set new NCAA freshman marks for catches (122) and TD receptions (22).
CONFERENCE USA
June Jones, SMU
Buy low, sell high, make lots of money. In his first year as Hawaii head coach in 1999, Jones led a squad that had gone 0-12 the previous year to a 9-4 finish. That's an NCAA record for the most dramatic one-year about-face. Now Jones leaves his 12-1 Warriors for a Mustang program that finished 1-11 last season, while doubling his salary to nearly $2 million per year.
Damion Fletcher, Southern Miss
Who heads into this season with more rushing yardage over the past two autumns than any player in the nation? Fletcher, whose 2,974 yards outdistance the likes of Wisconsin’s P.J. Hill (2,781) and West Virginia’s Pat White (2,554). The Biloxi native lost his home - and trophies - to Hurricane Katrina as a high school senior. His roomie in Hattiesburg is 311-pound defensive tackle Anthony Gray.
Gus Malzahn, Tulsa
Three years ago he was the head coach at Springdale (Ark.) High. Two years ago he followed his prize recruit QB, Mitch Mustain, to Arkansas, where in his first season as an offensive coordinator above the prep level he helped Darren McFadden to a runner-up Heisman finish. Last year, in his first season in the same role at Tulsa, Malzahn, 42, directed the nation's top unit in total offense (543.9 ypg). Is Malzahn the next Norm Chow or is a head coaching job in his future?
MAC
Dante Love, Ball State
To quote Lenny Kravitz, "Let Love rule." Last year, the Ball State wideout set a MAC single-season all-purpose yardage record with 2,690 yards, 100 of them coming on a kickoff return against Central Michigan. Alas, you may remember him best for dropping a potential game-winning TD pass at Nebraska with :22 remaining.
Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan
NFL scouts know the Chippewa QB even if you don't. Last year, the 6'3" Chicago native became only the second player (the first being Vince Young) to pass for more than 3,000 yards (3,652) and run for better than 1,000 (1,122) in the same season. As a point of comparison, LeFevour nearly doubled the passing yardage output of Notre Dame and gained more yards on the ground than the top three Irish rushers combined.
Eugene Jarvis, Kent State
Don't overlook the nation's leading returning rusher (1,669 yards) simply because he plays in the MAC and, more precisely, because he stands 5'5". Heavyweight Joe Louis once said of his foes, "They can run, but they can't hide." The ability to do both is the secret to Jarvis' success.
Mountain West
Max Hall, BYU
His name sounds like an over-stuffed freshman dorm. His uncle (Danny White) and granddad (Wilford "Whizzer" White) were legends at Arizona State, which is where Hall first enrolled. After a red-shirt year in Tempe followed by an LDS mission, Hall endeared himself to the Provo populace by leading the Cougars on a 10-game win streak and by being the nation's most prolific sophomore passer (cough, Tebow, cough) with 3,848 yards.
PAC 10
Thomas Weber, Arizona State
How can a kicker who lives in the desert have so much ice water coursing through his veins? As a true freshman last season, Weber converted an astounding 24 of 25 field goal attempts. His lone miss came at Oregon, where on his next attempt he nailed the first 50-yarder of his career. The Lou Groza Award winner (the first frosh to win the award) also handled the Sun Devils' punting duties. Talk about setting the crossbar high.
Rick Neuheisel, UCLA
This is the sideline where the charismatic Neuheisel has always belonged. Nearly three decades ago, the Arizona native eschewed admission to Princeton in order to walk on in Westwood...four years later the bright-eyed kid was the MVP of the Rose Bowl. Pete Carroll finally has a worthy adversary in town.
Everson Griffen, USC
Last spring, Trojan coach Pete Carroll arranged to have LAPD officers storm a team meeting and arrest his precocious defensive end for "physically abusing" freshmen offensive linemen. Last season, Griffen, a 6’3, 280-pound monster from Avondale, Ariz., became the first true freshman defensive linemen to start USC’s season-opener since 1986. Griffen is the next in a seemingly endless wave of dominant Trojan defensive studs.
Taylor Mays, USC
When your school song is "Fight On," you don't need an extra incentive to loathe Notre Dame. But Mays, a 6-3 All-American free safety in the mold of Troy Polamalu and Ronnie Lott, has one: he's Jewish. The son of former NFL defensive lineman Stafford Mays and Nordstrom executive V.P. Laurie Black (who's Jewish), Mays was bar mitzvahed when he was 13.
Jake Locker, Washington
The Pac-10's leading returning rusher is U-Dub's sophomore quarterback. This summer, the Ferndale, Wash., native spent weekends playing center field for the minor-league Bellingham Bells. You know who else was born in Washington? John Elway.
SEC
Julio Jones, Alabama
Quite an eventful February for the 6-foot-4 Foley, Ala., native who was the nation's most coveted wide receiver recruit. On national signing day, Feb. 6, he announced that he would roll with the Tide. Thirteen days later, he testified as an eye-witness in a murder trial (the assailant, LaBarron McDonald, was convicted and sentenced to life without parole). Curiously, Jones took the stand wearing an Oklahoma Sooners hoodie. You tell us.
Chris Rainey, Florida
At the Gators’ spring game, coach Urban Meyer lined up some of the school’s fastest non-scholarship students against his sophomore running back. He promised a full scholarship to anyone who beat Rainey in the 40-yard dash. Rainey blew the doors off the competition, then blew away Gator fans by rushing for 75 yards and scoring on a 65-yard pass play. Just what Florida so desperately yearns for: a playmaker in the backfield.
Tim Tebow, Florida
Even those witty folks who compile "Chuck Norris Facts" (e.g., "Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table because he only recognizes the element of surprise") would admit that their Texas Ranger bows at the altar of the Florida Gator. Tebow earned a national championship as a freshman and a Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. When he isn't circumcising 3rd World infants or speaking at state penitentiaries, the home-schooled wonder is shunning overtures from Playboy to appear in their preseason All-America photo. It wouldn't surprise us one bit if he could fly.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
Georgia's sophomore sensation was actually raised up north in Springsteen territory (Middletown, N.J.). And yes, baby, he was born to run. Although he did not become a starter until the Dawgs' seventh game, Moreno compiled 1,334 rushing yards. The last and only other Georgia to breach the 1,000-yard barrier? Herschel Walker.
Mark Richt, Georgia
The Bulldogs' youthful-looking coach, 48, has it made in the shades. The USA Today/Coaches' Poll has tabbed Georgia as the preseason No. 1, but there's more to the likeable top Dawg than just a top ranking. His wife, Katharyn, serves as a water girl during games. Their oldest son, Jonathan, is a freshman quarterback at Clemson. Two adopted children were orphans from the Ukraine. And this past spring Richt took two dozen of his players to a poverty-stricken town in Honduras to do service work. Good coach, good guy.
Herman Johnson, LSU
Someone needs to accost the folks in Baton Rouge who dole out nicknames. Two years ago the Tigers had a 6'8", 310-pound hoopster named Glen Davis (now with the Celtics) who was famously dubbed "Big Baby." So where does that put Johnson, LSU's mammoth (6'7", 351) left guard who weighed in just two ounces shy of 16 pounds at birth? Believed to have been the biggest baby ever born in Louisiana, "The House" has actually lost 50 pounds since matriculating at LSU.
Michael Oher, Mississippi
The son of a crack addict, Oher was essentially a homeless child on the streets of Memphis. Adopted by a wealthy white family, Oher grew (and grew) into a 6'6", 320-pound offensive tackle considered by most NFL scouts as the nation's best. It would make a great story. In fact, it already is. Author Michael Lewis (Liar's Poker, Moneyball) chronicled Oher's childhood in his 2006 best-seller, The Blind Side.
Eric Berry, Tennessee
An aspiring dentist -- he graduated high school with a 3.75 GPA and interned at a dentist's office this summer -- Berry also led SEC freshmen last year with 86 tackles ("This may hurt a little"). The son of former Vol team captain James Berry also had five interceptions in '07, most notably a pick against Heisman winner Tim Tebow that he returned 96 yards for a TD.
SUN BELT
Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic
Howard Schnellenberger presided over the genesis of Miami football as we know it, nurturing future NFL greats Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. His latest passing protégé is Smith, a 6'5" stud who had more success throwing the football last season than Tim Tebow. The Jacksonville native couldn't draw a sniff from any SEC schools as a high school senior, but NFL scouts are drooling.
Giovanni Vizza, North Texas
Apparently being the nation’s leader among true freshmen in completions (223), passing yardage (2,388) and touchdowns (16), on a team that finished freaking 2-10, is not enough to secure a starting job. Vizza, the Sun Belt Conference Frosh of the Year in ’07, is being pushed for the starting job by incoming freshman Riley Dodge...whose dad is the head coach. Isn’t the "This town ain’t big enough for the both of us" the plot of every Western?
WAC
Pat Hill, Fresno State
You rarely see mustaches such as Hill's outside of biker bars or porn films, but that hairlip is no disguise for the fact that Hill, 56, is the most fearless coach in college football. Hill's credo — "Anybody, any time, anywhere" — has led the Bulldogs to visit USC (where they almost shocked the No. 1 Trojans in '05), LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee in the past five seasons. This September, Wisconsin, a preseason Top 15, visits the Valley.
INDEPENDENTS
Navy's Trident: Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, Eric Kettani and Shun White
Ever so quietly, the Middies have become the first school in the NCAA annals to lead the nation in rushing for three consecutive seasons. Mark it down for four, as three of the team's four leading rushers from a unit that averaged a school-record 444.1 ypg in '07 return. White's career per-carry average is a school-record 9.4 yards-per-carry, while Kettani, the leading rusher, was stopped for a loss just once in 152 carries last year. Quarterback Kaheaku-Enhada frustrates secondaries as much as he does play-by-play men, averaging an Academy-record 17.1 yards per completion. These sailors excel in ground assault ops.
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
Seven and six. As in seven touchdown passes and six interceptions. Certainly this was not the season the nation's most highly-touted freshman quarterback anticipated, but it was hardly Clausen's fault. Notre Dame's offensive line got its QBs sacked 58 times last season (worst in the nation), but you know what? Notre Dame's very own Beer Olympian (photos that underscore just how powerful a microscope he operates under) never made excuses, though plenty of valid ones, such as inexperience and injury, existed. Brady Quinn's freshman numbers? Nine and fifteen.
Armanti Edwards, Appalachian St.
The most dynamic Mountaineer QB in the nation may not play for West Virginia after all. Last year as a sophomore, Edwards helped App. State to its third consecutive FCS national title as well as that jaw-dropping 34-32 upset of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Whereas Pat White had 14 TDs passing and rushing, Edwards pulled a 17-17 combo despite missing four games due to injury.
Ryan Perrilloux, Jacksonville St.
From MVP of the SEC championship game to All-Cautionary Tale team. Last season Perrilloux rescued LSU's perilous national championship hopes by stepping in for injured quarterback Matt Flynn and leading the Tigers to victory against Tennessee in the SEC title game. Four months later, Les Miles booted his misadventurous QB off the team and he has since landed at this FCS school in northeast Alabama. Can you say, "CFL-bound"?

College Football's Clutch Performers

Clutch non-BCS players through history

The following is a list of 10 of the non-BCS' top clutch performers. This list is in no way comprehensive. There are too many players who have made too many clutch plays to create a comprehensive list. But these players were responsible for some of the most clutch performances in college football.

Joe Montana, QB, Notre Dame -- Notre Dame's comeback kid produced six major come-from-behind victories, including the infamous Chicken Soup Game where he slurped chicken broth during an ice Cotton Bowl to stave off hypothermia and the flu.
Roger Staubach, QB, Navy -- Was dubbed "Captain Comeback" in the pros with the Dallas Cowboys, but the legend started at Navy in 1962 when Staubach led Navy to two wins over Army and won the Heisman in 1963.
Jared Zabransky, QB, Boise State -- Led the Broncos to a perfect 13-0 season in 2006, including throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns in an overtime win against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
George Gipp, TB/QB, Notre Dame -- One of the Irish's best athletes to ever play. Battling injury and illness, Gipp scores the game-winning touchdown to stave off an Indiana upset bid in 1920.
Jeff Ballard, QB, TCU -- Led TCU to an 18-point comeback to beat BYU 51-50 for the Mountain West championship in 2005. Ballard had thrown just one pass in his career prior to the game but went 8 of 12 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Ballard was 19-2 as a starter.
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU -- Tomlinson put TCU back on the map helping it end a 41-year bowl drought in 1998. If a play needed to be made, Tomlinson was the one to get the ball.
Robbie Bosco, QB, BYU -- Led the Cougars to a 24-17 fourth-quarter comeback victory over Michigan in the Holiday Bowl to give BYU its first national championship in 1988
Ian Johnson, RB, Boise State -- The other half of the dynamic duo that led Boise State to a win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in 2006. He rushed for 101 yards, a touchdown and scored the game-winning two-point conversion.
Jim McMahon, QB, BYU -- Led BYU back from a 20-point deficit with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter against SMU in the Holiday Bowl. The game would later be called the "Miracle Bowl."
Davey O'Brien, QB, TCU -- One of the most decorated athletes in TCU history. In 1939, he threw a touchdown pass and kicked a field goal to beat Carnegie Tech 15-7 in the Sugar Bowl and earn TCU a national championship.

A look at 'most clutch' players in Big 12 history

The Big 12's short history has been dotted by key performers with a knack for making the big plays. Here are 10 of the most notable. I'd be curious to know if anybody has any other thoughts as well.

* Texas QB Major Applewhite (1998-2001) His mettle was shown in his freshman season when he led a comeback at Nebraska, snapping the Cornhuskers' 47-game home winning streak. And he wrapped up his career by leading Texas back from a 19-point deficit late in the third quarter in a comeback triumph over Washington in the Holiday Bowl in his final game.

* Kansas State QB Jonathan Beasley (1996-2000) Not nearly as flashy as his predecessor, Michael Bishop, but Beasley just had a knack for producing in key situations. He became the only quarterback in school history to lead the Wildcats to back-to-back bowl victories, but he's more remembered for leading the Wildcats for a game-winning touchdown in a driving snowstorm against Nebraska to clinch the 2000 North title.

* Colorado K Mason Crosby (2003-06) The most consistent clutch kicker in Big 12 history made 12 of 13 field goals in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 10 of 10 in the final 8 1/2 minutes of a game.

* Nebraska QB Eric Crouch (1998-2001) Big 12's career rushing leader among quarterbacks wrapped up the 2001 Heisman Trophy with dramatic 63-yard throwback pass from Mike Stuntz against Oklahoma, taking the Cornhuskers to the national championship game. But his 95-yard TD run against Missouri -- longest in league history by a quarterback -- showed some moxie.

* Iowa State NT Brent Curvey (2003-2006) Massive 295-pounder was one of the best run-stuffers of his era. But he also earned the nickname of "Big Play Curvey" with three career touchdown returns, including a dramatic 66-yard interception return as a senior that wrapped up a victory over Colorado in 2005.

* Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell (2006-present) Has a knack for bowl comebacks, leading the Red Raiders back from double-digit fourth-quarter deficits in the last two seasons. Included was a 24-point fourth-quarter comeback against Minnesota in the 2006 Insight Bowl.

* Texas A&M RB Sirr Parker (1995-98) Although hampered by injuries most of his senior season, he delivered a performance for the ages in the 1998 championship, scoring on a game-winning 32-yard TD pass from Branndon Stewart in overtime after earlier scoring a TD and a two-point conversion to tie the score in regulation.

* Missouri QB Brad Smith (2002-05) Started early by leading comebacks from his freshman season. He finished with his biggest clutch performance, directing the Tigers back from an early 21-0 lead in a 38-31 victory over South Carolina in the 2005 Independence Bowl.

* Oklahoma S Roy Williams (1999-2001) His leaping blitz helped cause an interception of Chris Simms that was returned for a touchdown by Teddy Lehman, sealing a dramatic victory over Texas in 2001. But he had a repeated flair for key plays throughout his career, helping earn him the nickname "Superman" while playing for the Sooners.

* Texas QB Vince Young (2003-05) Arguably the best clutch player in recent college football history, he had a knack for making big plays at key moments. He tormented Oklahoma State with comebacks, made Mark Mangino erupt after a fourth-quarter scramble and saved his best for last with a performance for the ages beating USC for the national title.

Most clutch ACC players
Brock Berlin -- In 2003, he helped Miami score 28 unanswered points for a 38-33 comeback win against his former team, Florida.

James Davis -- Davis scored the game-winner in 2005 against rival South Carolina, a 2-yard run with 5:58 left that gave Clemson the 13-9 win. He also scored the game winner in 2006 against Florida State, a 1-yard run with eight seconds left for the 27-20 win.

Doug Flutie -- Is there a play that defines "clutch" better than Flutie's Hail Mary pass against Miami? Flutie left school as the NCAA's all-time passing yardage leader with 10,579 yards.

Chris Gould -- Virginia wouldn't have been the ACC's most current clutch team had it not been for Gould. He kicked 16 field goals last season and his kicks in five games were the difference (game winners vs. Middle Tennessee and UConn, 5 FGs in 22-20 win over UNC, early FG vs. Maryland in 18-17 win and early FG vs. WFU in 17-16 win).

Sebastian Janikowski -- He set Florida State and ACC records with 27 field goals in 1998. A year later, Janikowski made 84.4 percent (27-of-32) and led the nation with an average of 2.23 per game.

Calvin Johnson -- The No. 1 draft pick finished with 178 career receptions for 2,927 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ranks first in school history in career receiving yards, second in receptions, first in touchdown receptions, and first in most career 100-yard receiving games with 13.

Frank Reich -- Can't forget the King of the Comeback. In 1984, trailing defending national champ Miami 31-0 at halftime, Reich completed 12 of 16 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns for a 42-40 win and a trip to the Orange Bowl. Eight years later, he orchestrated one of the NFL's greatest comebacks. His Buffalo Bills trailed Houston, 35-3, but Reich came in for an injured Jim Kelly and won, 41-38, in overtime.

Philip Rivers -- The number of clutch plays this guys made is worth a separate entry, as he made six comeback wins his freshman year alone.

Matt Ryan -- His two-touchdown come-from-behind win over Virginia Tech in Blacksburg last season with 2:11 left on the clock will always be remembered.

David Treadwell -- Treadwell kicked game-winning field goals inside the last five seconds against Georgia in consecutive years. He kicked a 46-yard field goal on the last play in 1986 at Georgia, then kicked a 21-yarder with two seconds left to beat the Bulldogs in 1987. He also kicked a field goal on the last play of the game in 1985 to beat Virginia Tech.

The SEC's 'most clutch' players of all-time

Doug Atkins, DE, Tennessee: The Vols went 29-3-1 with Atkins on the field and won the 1951 national championship. He was ahead of his time as an athlete and only lost one SEC game during his career.

Kevin Butler, K, Georgia: One of the best clutch kickers in college football history, Butler set the NCAA record with 27 multiple field-goal games and was a part of two SEC championship teams.

Billy Cannon, RB, LSU: They still talk about his famous punt return on Halloween night in 1959 to beat Ole Miss. Cannon, a speedster by even today's standards, was the centerpiece of the Tigers' 1958 national championship team.

Lee Roy Jordan, LB, Alabama: Considered the best inside linebacker in Alabama history. Jordan's 31 tackles against Oklahoma in the 1963 Orange Bowl is the stuff from which legends are made.

Barry Krauss, LB, Alabama: His memorable tackle on the goal line against Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl to preserve Bear Bryant's next-to-last national championship was a snapshot of a career that epitomized clutch play.

Archie Manning, QB, Ole Miss: He didn't play on great teams, but remains perhaps the best all-around quarterback to play in the SEC. Manning played with a broken arm as a senior and was called by Bear Bryant the best college quarterback he ever saw.

Ken Stabler, QB, Alabama: Stabler was 28-3-2 as a starter at Alabama, which has produced its share of great quarterbacks. His "Run in the Mud" to beat Auburn in 1967 remains one of the most famous plays in Tide history.

Herschel Walker, TB, Georgia: Has any other player in SEC history had a greater impact? The Bulldogs went from 6-5 the year before to 12-0 and a national championship when Walker arrived. He won an SEC title all three years he was in school.

Al Wilson, LB, Tennessee: The heart and soul of Tennessee's 1998 national championship team, Wilson willed the Vols to victory more than once and left school with a pair of SEC championship rings.

Danny Wuerffel, QB, Florida: He didn't have a prototypical NFL arm and wasn't very big, but "Danny Wonderful" was a machine at finding open receivers. The 1996 Heisman Trophy winner threw an SEC-record 114 touchdown passes and won four SEC titles.

Pac-10 clutch performers from the past

Terry Baker, QB, Oregon State: The first Heisman Trophy winner from the West Coast, Baker's 99-yard touchdown run was the only score in the Beavers' 6-0 victory in the 1962 Liberty Bowl. That season, Baker was a one-man wrecking crew, passing for 3,476 yards and 23 TDs and rushing for 1,503 yards and 15 TDs. The Beavers wouldn't win another bowl game until the 2001 Fiesta Bowl.

Vic Bottari, HB, California: A three-year starter, team captain and consensus All-American in 1938, "Vallejo Vic" lost just one game his entire career, in which he scored a school-record 145 points. He scored both TDs in Cal's 13-0 victory over Alabama in the 1938 Rose Bowl. That dominant team -- the "Thunder Team" -- finished 9-0-1 and outscored its foes, 201-33. The Bears haven't won a Rose Bowl since.

Jason Gesser, QB, Washington State: Gesser is the program's winningest QB and the only Cougar to be elected team captain three seasons. He led the Cougars to the 2003 Rose Bowl because he engineered a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Carson Palmer and USC.

Joey Harrington, QB, Oregon: His NFL struggles can't obscure what he did in college, which was lead the Ducks to a 25-3 record in his starts, including nine fourth-quarter comebacks and a 3-0 record in bowl games. He threw 59 TD passes and led Oregon to final rankings of No. 7 and No. 2 after the 2000 and 2001 seasons, respectively.

Matt Leinart, QB, USC: He won two national championships and played brilliantly in a losing effort trying to win a third against Texas after the 2005 season. He won the 2004 Heisman Trophy, and was at the center of one of the most amazing comebacks in college football history: USC's 34-31 victory at Notre Dame that included a fourth-and-9 completion and a "Bush Push" QB sneak for the winning score with three seconds remaining.

Cade McNown, QB, UCLA: His NFL career never flourished, but UCLA fans remember him as the QB who beat USC four times, including a rally from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit for a 48-41 OT victory in 1996. Further exploits: A 41-38 overtime win over Oregon in 1998; three TD passes in a 31-24 1997 victory at USC; two TD passes and another on the ground in a 29-23 Cotton Bowl victory over Texas A&M.

Marques Tuiasosopo, QB, Washington: He engineered five fourth-quarter comebacks during the 2000 season and won the Rose Bowl MVP award. His most dramatic work? A three-play, three-completion, 80-yard TD drive with less than a minute remaining and no timeouts to beat Stanford.

Jake Plummer, QB, Arizona State: Jake "The Snake" was the swashbuckling face of the 1996 Sun Devils. He led them to a double-overtime victory over USC and accounted for three TDs in the final eight minutes in a comeback win over UCLA. He nearly led ASU to a perfect season, falling victim to a late Ohio State TD in the Rose Bowl.

Charles White, RB, USC: The 1979 Heisman Trophy winner finished his career with nearly 6,000 yards rushing, but it was his MVP performance in the 1980 Rose Bowl that cemented his name in clutch lore. White rushed for a bowl-record 247 yards in the Trojans' 17-16 comeback victory. On the game-winning drive, he carried six times for 71 yards.

Max Zendejas, K, Arizona: As a freshman in 1982, his 48-yard field goal with no time remaining gave Arizona a 16-13 win over then-No. 9 Notre Dame. He went on to kick critical field goals in two victories over Arizona State and rewrite the school's record book.

Big Ten's clutch players from the past

Anthony Carter, WR, Michigan [1979-82] -- Carter was only a freshman when he played a part in one of the greatest plays in Michigan history, hauling in a 45-yard touchdown pass as time expired to beat Indiana in 1979. The wideout/return man had 37 touchdown receptions in three seasons.

Kerry Collins, QB, Penn State [1991-94] -- Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993, and Collins made his mark the next year. He led the Nittany Lions to a 12-0 record, which included three road victories (Michigan, Indiana, Illinois) by seven points or fewer.

Ron Dayne, RB, Wisconsin [1996-99] -- The NCAA's all-time rushing leader made his mark in big games, winning back-to-back Rose Bowl MVP awards after rushing for 246 yards and 200 yards in Badger victories. Dayne also had a 246-yard effort in his first bowl appearance, a Cotton Bowl win against Utah.

Bob Griese, QB, Purdue [1964-66] -- Griese's near-flawless performance in Purdue's upset of No. 1 Notre Dame in 1965 stands as one of the greatest in team history. The next year he led the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl appearance and a 14-13 win against USC.

Brian Griese, QB, Michigan [1994-97] -- After coming off the bench to rally the Wolverines past Ohio State in 1996, Griese cemented himself as a clutch quarterback the next season. He led Michigan to a 12-0 record and a national championship, winning five games by 10 points or fewer, including a 21-16 triumph over Washington State in the Rose Bowl.

Jim Harbaugh, QB, Michigan [1983-86] -- Considered by many to be the best quarterback in school history, Harbaugh led Michigan to a 27-23 win against Nebraska in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl. He won four games by three points or fewer as a senior.

Nile Kinnick, RB, Iowa [1937-39] -- The stadium is named after him for a reason. Kinnick did it all for Iowa, including a 63-yard punt that pinned No. 1 Notre Dame at the 6-yard line in a 7-6 Hawkeyes win in 1939.

Craig Krenzel, QB, Ohio State [2000-03] -- He took heat for his arm strength, but no one could question his late-game toughness. The two-time Fiesta Bowl MVP led Ohio State to a national title in 2002 with his arm and his legs.

Chuck Long, QB, Iowa [1981-85] -- A dramatic fourth-down touchdown run against Michigan State kicked off a memorable 1985 season for the Hawkeyes and Long, who many believe should have won the Heisman Trophy. Two weeks later, Long rallied Iowa past Michigan.

Mike Nugent, PK, Ohio State [2001-04] -- Record-setting kicker was nearly unshakable under pressure. He kicked game-tying and game-winning field goals to beat Purdue in overtime in 2003, and his game-winning 55-yard kick against Marshall stands out in an otherwise forgettable 2004 season.

North Carolina upset by Maryland, Roy Jones Jr. v's Trinidad, Ohio State loses to Tennesee

College basketball's #1 team came to a road block today as Maryland stunned them at North Carolina. I guess I shouldn't really say stunned seems how Maryland had control of this game, or was hanging around by a few points the entire game. Congrats to Coach Williams and his Terps for getting a huge win on the road and a win quality win at that. Should help them since they will probably be a bubble team...... in the NIT!
Speaking of NIT, how about them Buckeyes and their problem with the SEC teams no matter what the sport is this year. The football team starts off great and then just as you get your hopes up, boooooooooooom!!!!!!! It's put your head down and run back to Ohio. Basketball Bucks almost did the same thing today versus Tennessee. Don't get me wrong, they are a very talented team and very deserving of there ranking, but the young Buckeyes had them on the ropes. The real disappointing aspect to me as a true Buckeye fan is that the state's all time leading scorer (John Diebler) and best three point shooter, couldn't come close to buying a bucket in the final seconds and they left him wide open. What does that tell you, Diebler? I'll tell you what. Welcome to the big ten where you are too slow and can't play defense. Not only do you not start now, but your time is going to dwindle down quickly. Buckeye fans will remember this comparison and name.......... Brandon Fuss-Cheatem anyone?????
Roy Jones Jr. versus Felix Trinidad. All I have to say is that if Jones Jr is still sponsored by Jordan, then he wins in unanimous decision.