Punish the Conferences

USC got stripped of a title, Ohio State's Jim Tressel quit, these are just the latest stories of minor corruption in big time college football.

What pisses me off is that the conferences don't get punished. The Pac-10 got $17 million for USC's appearance in the Orange Bowl that year. Why don't they have to surrender that money? If the National Title was ill-gotten, wasn't the bid to the title game?

You might ask me why I'd want to punish U-Washington for something that happened at USC. But why does some teammate of Reggie Bush get punished for what Bush did? For how many of Bush's teammates was that achievement the pinnacle of their life? Bush gets his NFL salary, his NFL endorsements, but now his former teammates have "vacated" their title. What the hell does Bush care about Wikipedia listing USC's title as vacated?

Punish the conferences for violations like this. Then the conferences will actually try to police their own schools. And the Pac-10 benefited from Bush's presence just as much as USC did. Why should the NCAA have to watch all 120 programs? How come we never hear about the BigTen uncovering some scandal within their own conference? Because they're not looking. Why would they look?

All the power in college football is held by the conferences. The conferences concocted the BCS, not the NCAA. The conferences get all the money and decide where it goes. They get rewarded for their teams' successes, so why not also hold them responsible for their violations?

-The Commodore

South Carolina Suspends Stephen Garcia

South Carolina's Stephen Garcia was suspended indefinitely from the football program, less than two weeks after the quarterback guaranteed he would not get in trouble again. Athletic director Eric Hyman announced the suspension Wednesday.

"Stephen has exhibited behavior that is unacceptable for one of our student-athletes," he said. "Therefore, he has forfeited the privilege to participate in any football related activity until further notice."

Coach Steve Spurrier would not go into details of what caused Garcia's fifth suspension -- and second this spring -- since he arrived on campus in January 2007 (ESPN).

This kid has been giving way too many chance, and although he is decent he isn't anything special (20 TDs 14 INTs). The problem for South Carolina is that they are going to have to rely on backup Connor Shaw who has only thrown 33 passes in his career.

It really sounds like Garcia needs some help, because if you're showing up to team meetings drunk, one would think you have a serious drinking problem.

Auburn 22, Oregon 19

If you thought this game (which had an over/under of 75) would feature 41 total points, a game winning field goal, 2 goal line stops, and the same number of turnovers as touchdowns, you should consider quitting your day job and betting sports for a living. This game wasn't the shootout predicted by the experts, but it was just as exciting.

And the big difference was Auburn's defense. Their line was able to come up with some huge plays, like a safety, like a goal-line stand, like pressure that resulted in an interception, and so on.

I think Auburn's rigorous SEC schedule prepared them for such a tight contest. In that league, especially in their division, you have to be able to win tough games against good opponents. Repeatedly.

Oregon averaged a 30.9 point margin of victory this season. Auburn averaged an 18.2 margin, which was inflated by a few blowout wins. The Tigers played 5 games decided by 7 points or less. Oregon played in 1 such game. That might make Oregon sound better, but in hindsight, it makes Auburn seem more capable of winning close games. At the very least, they came in with more experience in them.

It's not that Oregon choked in this close game, just that Auburn didn't play with anxiety in that last drive.

This is the 5th straight BCS title for the SEC, and their 7th overall. Don't forget, Auburn went 13-0 in 2004 and were excluded from the BCS title game, so it's almost like #8 for the SEC.

It was a great end to another interesting and thrilling season. Auburn's schedule was full of instant classics, and they deserve their Championship. There were a few loose ends, with an undefeated TCU team floating around. "Power conferences" like the Big East and ACC downright sucked this season. And radical realignment of all conferences seems to be on the horizon.

Ultimately, I'm happy that the stupid, jersey changing team from Eugene has one set of apparel they'll probably never don again.

This guy must feel like an idiot.



Although he's probably felt like an idiot before.

-The Commodore

Nevada 20, BC 13

BC Football has been frustrating to watch all season. An outstanding defense undermined by an incapable offense. It's tragic in a way. BC entered this game with the 19th best scoring defense in the country. And they lived up to that reputation. They also brought the 109th scoring offense in the country, and lived up to that reputation.

Let's be positive and talk about the defense. Nevada averaged 42.6 points per game this year. BC held them to a season low 20. They averaged 535.5 yards per game (only Oregon was more prolific). BC held them to 304. They averaged 305.6 rushing yards this year. BC held them to 112.

But my favorite stat was this one: BC forced Nevada to punt 7 times. They averaged 2.3 punts per game this year. The Eagles also forced 3 turnovers, to go with those drives ending in punts.

One of those turnovers was an interception by sophomore All-American linebacker Luke Kuechly. This is one of the best players in the game. He's fast, he has a nose for the ball, and he's strong. Keep an eye on him next year.

That's the mantra for BC football. This was a "rebuilding year," to put it kindly. The offense needs to improve. Freshman RB Andre Williams has a bright year ahead of him. But freshman QB Chase Rettig looked like he was about to cry at the end of this game.

I understand the idea of starting Rettig, to get him experience and make him a solid QB as an upperclassman. However, the style of offense BC uses is too bland, too straight-up, too NFL-esque. Why not run more misdirection running plays? Why not try the option? Why are the Eagles using the same kind of offense that Matt Ryan ran? It won't work with mediocre QBs. Even if Rettig improves to serviceable, this offense isn't dynamic enough.

I'll put it like this: BC will never be stronger or faster than their top tier opponents. So trying to beat them eye-to-eye, nose-to-nose is suicidal. Be smart. Be clever. Be elusive. At the very least, be more exciting.

Anyway, a forgettable season with a semi-memorable ending. At least more memorable than losing to Vanderbilt or winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 9

The last three games. Two bowls that very few people care about, then the big enchilada in the desert. I'm 17-14 in my picks so far, and have selected each BCS game correctly.

Saturday - 12:00 PM - ESPN
BBVA Compass Bowl - Birmingham, AL
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Kentucky Wildcats
This would be a really good basketball game. Football? Not so much. Pitt can salvage their season with a win here. Kentucky was the SEC's whipping boy, going 2-6 in conference play, beating Vanderbilt and upsetting South Carolina. Wins against Western Kentucky, Akron, and Charleston Southern inflated their record. Pitt should walk.



Sunday - 9:00 PM - ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - San Francisco, CA
#15 Nevada Wolfpack vs. Boston College Eagles
Nevada only lost one game. They beat Boise State and won the WAC. They averaged over 42 points and 300 rushing yards per game. They'll face a BC defense that was actually 19th in the country, and might give them a fight. But BC was also 109th on offense, and so will ultimately lose. Though it might be close.



Monday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game - Glendale, AZ
#2 Oregon Ducks vs. #1 Auburn Tigers
The Ducks scored 49.3 points per game (#1 in the country), and allowed 18.4 (#14). But that was in a very shallow Pac-10. Oregon's biggest road win was at USC. I think this game will be close, and Auburn has more experience in close, difficult games. Oregon is a great team, and perhaps more talented all around. Cam Newton is such a load-carrying player, though. And his teammates play with character. They've proven so much more than Oregon.

Auburn wins, 31-27.









-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 8

It's 2011, with bowl season peaking, and the NFL playoffs about to start, it truly is a great time of year. Here are my picks for this week's bowl games:

Monday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Discover Orange Bowl - Miami, FL
#4 Stanford Cardinal vs. #13 Virginia Tech
The Pac-10 sent two teams to the BCS, but only four to bowl games. That's kind of odd. But Stanford deserves to be there, losing only to Oregon (in Eugene), and otherwise rolling through the soft Pac-10. 8th in scoring offense, 11th in defense. Virginia Tech comes out of the ACC, as their lone representative in the BCS. They won 11 straight after their 0-2 start, and are also very balanced. I have a back-of-the-mind feeling that VT might make some big special team plays and win this one, but I am picking Stanford.



Tuesday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, LA
#6 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. #8 Arkansas Razorbacks
This is the 4th bowl game between SEC and Big Ten teams. OSU only lost to Wisconsin in Madison. Arkansas only lost to Alabama and Auburn. On paper, OSU is better. I'm hoping Arkansas can help the SEC embarrass the Big Ten, but I'm picking Ohio State to win.



Thursday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
GoDaddy.com Bowl - Mobile, AL
Mid Tennessee Blue Raiders vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks
Miami won the MAC. Mid-Tenn finished 3rd in the Sun Belt. And Miami actually lost to some decent teams (at Florida, at Missouri). Miami should roll through the Red Raiders like Ben Roethlisberger through a Georgia bar.



Friday - 8:00 PM - Fox
AT&T Cotton Bowl - Arlington, TX
#11 LSU Tigers vs. #17 Texas A&M Aggies
It's kind of cool that the Cotton Bowl moved to a new time, and a new location. It's a nice game to have between the Sugar Bowl and the National Championship game. And it's nice that it's in a large, modern venue. LSU can't pass the ball, but they have a decent running game and a ferocious defense. They lost to Auburn and Arkansas, both on the road. And Baton Rouge is only 450 miles from Arlington. A&M's not great at one particular aspect of the game, but they're solid all around. They're playing close to home, and playing for Texas pride. A&M hasn't won a bowl since 2001, and have lost 5 straight in the Cotton Bowl. This is actually the 50th meeting between these two teams.

I'm picking the Aggies.



We'll have the last set of picks on Friday, including the National Championship Game.

-The Commodore

Mike Leach Would Be A Great Coach For Maryland

"One day after Ralph Friedgen coached his final game with Maryland, the school ramped up the search for its next head coach. According to multiple reports, former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach met with Maryland on Thursday. Two sources told the Washington Post the meeting went well (ESPN)."

This might be a perfect situation from Mike Leach. Maryland is not a powerhouse by and stretch, but they are in a major BCS Conference that could easily be taken over in a couple years. Florida State, Maimi, VT are all good but not great. I think this conference is ripe for the pickin' and Leach can get himself to major Bowl games quickly.

Leach has been linked to a lot of pro and college jobs, but if he is to stay in the college game I really think this could be a nice fit.

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 7

There will be 6 games played on New Year's Day. We might as well call it Big Ten day as 5 Big Ten teams will be in action. Three of them will be playing SEC opponents.

12:00 PM - ESPNU
TicketCity Bowl - Dallas, TX
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
This game will be played at the Cotton Bowl, and the Cotton Bowl will be played at Cowboys Stadium. Both these teams went 7-5, and can be happy to be in a New Year's Day bowl game. northwestern limped down the stretch, losing 5 of their last 7, including a 70-23 dismantling at the hands of Wisconsin. Meanwhile, TTU had a 3-5 stretch of their own. They crushed weak opponents, but struggled against the quality. Still, I'll take Texas Tech in this one.



1:00 PM - ABC
Outback Bowl - Tampa, FL
Florida Gators vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Two top-tier programs having off years. Florida was 4-4 in the SEC, but 0-3 against the SEC West. They lost to the only good team in the East (South Carolina), and their most impressive win was over South Florida. The Gators are close to home, but I think PSU wins this one.



1:00 PM - ESPN
Capital One Bowl - Orlando, FL
#16 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. #9 Michigan State Spartans
Bama lost 3 games, to 3 pretty good teams (Auburn, LSU, South Carolina). Michigan State only lost once. To Iowa. They beat eventual champ Wisconsin. However, they never had to face Ohio State. And even though the Big Ten was deep this year, MSU's schedule looks childish compared to Alabama's. I have to go with my heart, and pick the Tide.



1:30 PM - ESPN2
Progressive Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, FL
#21 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
How deep was the SEC West? 2 BCS berths, and 5 ranked teams. Not too shabby. The Bulldogs 4 losses came against the other 4 ranked teams in their division. They lost to Auburn by 3, and Arkansas needed 2 OTs to finish them off. In other words, they've had a good season. They can run the ball, and they have a solid defense. Michigan can also run the ball, and they can score. They put up 34.3 points per game, but also allowed 33.8 (102nd). My brain says Mississippi State. But my gut says Michigan. I'll pick Michigan.



5:00 PM - ESPN
Rose Bowl Game Presented By VIZIO - Pasadena, CA
#5 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #3 TCU Horned Frogs
Where's the love for TCU? Where are the protests? Where's the outrage? They went 12-0 in a conference that was better than the Big East, a conference that had four 8+ win teams. They're not as cartoonish as Boise State. They actually play football. These two teams tied for 4th in the country, averaging 43.3 points per game. But while Wisconsin was 20th in defense, allowing 20.5 per game, TCU gave up a paltry 11.4 points per game. This is going to be a hell of a game. And TCU will prevail.



8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ
UConn Huskies vs. #7 Oklahoma Sooners
Don't underestimate UConn. They won the Big East by beating West Virginia and Pitt and Syracuse. They did lose to some awful teams, and winning the Big East is only a few steps above winning C-USA these days. But they play close games. They win close games. Oklahoma is going to defeat UConn, but it won't be sheer domination, as everyone expects.



More picks on Monday. Happy New Year!

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 6

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, which means alcohol and football galore. Here are my picks for tomorrow's games:

12:00 PM - ESPN
Meineke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte, NC
South Florida Bulls vs. Clemson Tigers
Clemson squeezed 6 wins out, although they did take Auburn to OT, if you remember. They also got fat off North Texas (who did nothing but help teams like Army attain bowl eligibility) and Presbyterian. Both USF and Clemson have good defenses. Both have awful offenses. Although USF lost to every decent team they played, they took care of the rest of their business. I'm picking the Bulls and the under at 40.5.



2:00 PM - CBS
Hyundai Sun Bowl - El Paso, TX
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Miami Hurricanes
If the USF/Clemson game bores you, you can watch this one and pretend it's 1989. Miami is the more balanced team, but they have their occasional moments of token silliness. I haven't had any respect for Notre Dame this season (or ever), so I'm picking the Canes.



3:30 PM - ESPN
AutoZone Liberty Bowl - Memphis, TN
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Central Florida Knights
UCF have some nice numbers on their side. 10 wins, 18.0 points allowed per game, 33.8 points scored per game, 192.5 rushing yards per game. But an 0-2 record against BCS teams, and a weak C-USA schedule raise some question marks. However, there are no question marks around Georgia. It's a well known fact that they suck. If not for their games against UL-Lafayette and Idaho State, they wouldn't be here. UCF should win this one.



7:30 PM - ESPN
Chick-fil-A Bowl - Atlanta, GA
#20 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. #23 Florida State Seminoles
This is the match of the day. Both teams won 9 games. Both teams played in their conference's title games. Both teams are within driving distance of Atlanta. Neither team floors you with their stats, but both find ways to win. The Cocks lost to Auburn twice, as well as Arkansas. FSU lost to Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. The Cocks also lost to Kentucky. The Noles also lost to UNC and NC State. I really can't wait to see this game. I'm going to pick Jenn Sterger. I mean Florida State.



More picks later today.

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 5

There are 19 bowl games in a 5 day stretch from December 28th to New Year's Day. That's pretty cool. Here are the previews for all the games to be played tomorrow.

12:00 PM - ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl - Dallas, TX
Army Black Knights vs. SMU Mustangs
This game will be played on SMU's campus, which is kind of messed up if you asked me. Thankfully, there are a lot of Army personnel stationed throughout Texas, and hopefully they'll show up to support their team. While $MU are hardly a powerhouse, they were 4-2 at home (losses against TCU and Houston), and Army's 6-6 record includes wins against North Texas and VMI. Nevertheless, i'm a sentimental fool, and I'm picking the Black Knights.



3:20 PM - ESPN
New Era Pinstripe Bowl - New York, NY
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Syracuse Orange
K-State lost to every decent team on its schedule. Meanwhile, Syracuse surprised people and finished with the 13th best defense in the country. But how much of that was a product of playing in the Big Least? And adding the likes of Colgate and Maine to the schedule? SU was 99th in points per game, and I think KSU will grind out a win in the Bronx.



6:40 PM - ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl - Nashville, TN
UNC Tar Heels vs. Tennessee Volunteers
There needs to be a cap on the number of bowl games, and the number of letters used to name a bowl game. Despite loads of controversy, UNC won 7 games. Look for lots of passing in this game, along with few points scored, and a North Carolina win.



10:00 PM - ESPN
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl - San Diego, CA
#18 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Washington Huskies
Jake Locker finally made a bowl game. And he should enjoy it before it's played, because it probably won't go well. Washington were well balanced, with the 93rd ranked defense, and 93rd ranked offense in the country. Nebraska can run the ball well, and should hold Washington's offense to negative points. I saw one spread for this game to be 14 points. Nebraska should win by at least double that.



We'll have the previews for the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day games tomorrow.

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 4

It's after Christmas, before New Years. You're full of food and alcohol, the weather outside sucks, and the college football is getting better and better. God bless America. Here are the previews for three games to be played tomorrow:

2:30 PM - ESPN
Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman - Washington, DC
East Carolina Pirates vs. Maryland Terrapins
The Terps won 8 games, and went 5-3 in the not-so-good ACC. ECU was 118th in points allowed, so expect Maryland's ho-hum offense to rack up a few TDs. The Terps are playing close to home, and ECU was 1-2 against ACC opponents this season. Maryland wins with ease.



6:00 PM - ESPN
Texas Bowl - Houston, TX
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Baylor Bears
Illinois can run the ball, they just can't throw it. Baylor, on the other hand, has a solid and balanced offense. Baylor also has home field, as their campus in Waco is less than 200 miles away. Baylor should win in a rout.



9:15 PM - ESPN
Valero Alamo Bowl - San Antonio, TX
#14 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Arizona Wildcats
OSU contended for the Big XII South title, falling 6 points shy of Oklahoma in the Bedlam game. But don't let Arizona State's 5 losses, and 4 straight to end the season fool you. Two of those losses were at Stanford and at Oregon. Another was in double OT by 1 point. The Wildcats were 9th in the country in passing, and have a respectable defense. I'm picking Arizona in an upset.



We'll have more previews for you tomorrow as the bowl games keep on coming.

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 3

It's almost Christmas. That means a nice mishmash between obscure bowls, and those middle class bowls that actually have history and meaning. Here are the previews for three of those upcoming Bowls.

Sunday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
Little Caesars Bowl - Detroit, MI
Florida Int'l Golden Panthers vs. Toledo Rockets
Toledo has a slightly more impressive record, and they're playing in the heart of MAC-country. I'm picking Toledo. I can't find a picture of a hot Toledo girl, so here's William Shatner singing "Rocketman."



Monday - 5:00 PM - ESPN2
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl - Shreveport, LA
Air Force Falcons vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
If you hate the forward pass, this game is for you. Air Force was 117th in passing this year, Tech was 119th. Conversely, Air Force was 2nd in rushing (317.9 yards per game), and Tech was 1st (327 per game). So this will be like watching football in 1890. I'm picking Air Force.



Tuesday - 6:30 PM - ESPN
Champs Sports Bowl
#22 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. NC State Wolfpack
The first bowl game between BCS conferences is a nice matchup. WVU nearly won the Big East, and NCSU vied for the ACC Atlantic title. Don't expect many points, and expect WVU and the #2 defense in the country to propel the Mountaineers to victory.



Tuesday - 10:00 PM - ESPN
Insight Bowl - Phoenix, AZ
#12 Missouri Tigers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa stumbled down the stretch, and struggled mightily against good teams. Missouri, on the other hand, held their own. They even beat Oklahoma. I'll take Mizzou.



More picks after the Holiday and the weekend.

-The Commodore

My College Football Playoff Format

There needs to be a playoff. The BCS is a complete failure. It's led to multiple champions in one year, and frequently led to great teams being left out of the title game. TCU is only the latest victim in a long history of teams getting screwed. So here's my basic plan:

#1: The regular season ends on Thanksgiving weekend
Every team's schedule, including conference title games, should be completed by the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This will allow the playoff games to be played BEFORE the start of bowls games.

#2: Top 6 teams qualify
This keeps the playoffs exclusive, maintains the importance of each regular season game, and rewards the #1 and #2 teams with a bye. All 6 teams would be qualified for a BCS Bowl. But before that happens, the 6 and 4 seed would play at the 4 seed's stadium. And the 5 would play at the 3 seed's. The winners would advance and play the 1 and 2 seeds at their stadiums.

#3: Non-BCS bowls selected and played just as before
Playoff games would be held the first and second weekends of December. Regular bowl games start on the third weekend.

#4: Eliminated teams given BCS bowl berths
The two surviving teams would meet in the title game in January. The 4 teams knocked out would participate in BCS bowls, along with 4 teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.

So you still get all the good parts of the bowl system, and also get legitimate National Championships.

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 2

It's a great time of year. Spend the day at work, do Christmas shopping in the evening, then come home to watch some college football. On a weeknight! We actually have some intriguing games to watch, including one that's a whopper. So here are our previews for all of the week's games:

Tuesday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg Bowl - St. Petersburg, FL
Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. Louisville Cardinals
Louisville actually beat UConn, and Syracuse. But they lost most of their other games. They were 3-6 against BCS teams. I think Southern Miss will take this game seriously, and prevail.



Wednesday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
MAACO Bowl Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV
#19 Utah Utes vs. #10 Boise State Broncos
Not a bad pre-Christmas matchup. The Broncos will find their way to the Mountain West, where Utah will be their biggest competition. I'm rooting for the Utes, because I'm tired of the hype surrounding Boise State. Unfortunately, I think they're slightly more talented, and will win in a close, high scoring, and entertaining game.



Thursday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego, CA
Navy Midshipmen vs. San Diego State Aztecs
Both teams will be well-supported. SDSU, obviously, is playing close to home. But there are around 20,000 sailors stationed in San Diego. I'm going to go with Navy in this one.



Friday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl - Honolulu, HA
#24 Hawaii Warriors vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Hawaii won 10 games. Of course, they played 13. They only lost once at home, and have the #1 passing game in the country. They throw for 387.8 yards per game, and scored 9th most in the country at 39.9 points per game. They're also 109th in rushing. Tulsa has a solid offense, but was ranked 84th in scoring defense. So I'll take Hawaii, and the over.



More picks to come on Thursday.

-The Commodore

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 1

It's bowling season. Which means a few dozen games between teams none of us have even seen yet. It means unpredictability. It means surprises. It means tantalizing inter-regional matchups. All three of these bowl games are this Saturday.

2:00 PM - ESPN:
New Mexico Bowl - Albuquerque, NM
BYU Cougars vs. UTEP Miners
Bowl season begins with a pair of 6-6 teams, so you'll forgive me if I don't get too excited. BYU's had a down year, but did have a 5-3 conference record. UTEP lost 5 of 6 down the stretch. I'll go with BYU in this one, purely based on conference records.



5:30 PM - ESPN:
uDrove Humanitarian Bowl - Boise, ID
Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Fresno State Bulldogs
NIU won 10 games, and ran the table in the MAC until the conference title game. Fresno nearly beat Nevada, and none of their 4 losses came to embarassingly bad teams. I'll pick Fresno State simply due to reputation.



9:00 PM - ESPN:
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, LA
Ohio Bobcats vs. Troy Trojans
An 8-4 MAC team against a 7-5 Sun Belt team. And who says we have too many bowl games? I'll pick Troy out of proximity. They're in Alabama, I think. But I'll still use an Ohio girl.



More picks on Tuesday.

-The Commodore

BC to Play in San Francisco

Once again, BC will make the trip to San Francisco, this time to play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. They'll once again face a quality opponent, this time in #15 Nevada. The Wolfpack are 12-1, their only loss coming at Hawaii. They were the ones who beat Boise State.

Oh, and San Francisco is about 220 miles from Reno. So, don't expect BC to be the favorites in this once. Then again, I think the Eagles' defense might prevent utter humiliation. And if BC do somehow find a way to win, it'll be a nice cap to a forgettable season. Though, that's wishful thinking.

BC football has gotten to the point that they're expected to make bowl games, even when having off years. That's good. But they've been stuck in this rut, cycling through the same low-level ACC affiliated bowls, for some time now. Can the program move forward, and contend for those higher games, like the Chick-fil-A and Champs Sports Bowl?

I doubt it, at least in the foreseeable future. And down the road in Storrs, the UConn Huskies are going to a BCS Bowl. They won the big game at the end of the year, which BC has failed to do in years past. And winners get the glory.

The game will be played in the Giants' homefield of AT&T Park on January 9, at 9.

-The Commodore

I Love the South

The University of Alabama fired a part-time employee for playing unscripted and unapproved songs before Alabama's game with Auburn last Friday. The employee played songs that mocked the allegations surrounding Cam Newton, such as "Take the Money and Run," and "Son of a Preacher Man."

While I think the school is right to fire this guy, as their procedure is that all PA music be pre-approved, and while I think Cam Newton is innocent until proven guilty, I found this hilarious. And I commend the guy who had the stones to lose his job for a joke. Hell, his season of work at the football stadium was over anyway.

-The Commodore

Proving The Big Ten Is A Joke

"Illinois and Northwestern agreed Friday to run every offensive play toward the same end zone in their showdown at Wrigley Field this weekend to avoid the possibility of players running into a padded brick wall at the other end of the field.

The surprising announcement came just one day before Saturday's game at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said the NCAA waived several playing rules "in the interest of student-athlete safety (CBS)."

Are you fucking kidding me? What is this a two hand touch game in the backyard? What a joke. If the field doesn't fit, then don't play there. It is really that simple.

How the fuck did no one measure this before committing to having the game there? I mean I hope someone is getting fired. Another funny thing is what about those people who bought tickets near the endzone that they aren't going to be playing towards? I mean that sucks, now all the action is going to be on the opposite side of the field.

Anyways, this wouldn't happen in the SEC and the Big Ten should be ashamed of themselves.

College Football Picks: Week 9

It was an awful week for me, as my picks were 3-6. I had some close calls, but this isn't horseshoes. My record against the spread is now an unremarkable 19-16-2. So let's hope as conference play continues, I can go on a nice run heading into the bowl games. Here are my picks for this week in college football. I took the odds from Doc's Sports Service.

Thursday 7:30 PM - ESPN
#16 Florida State Seminoles @ NC State Wolfpack
I have to take the Noles -3.5 here. The ACC seems to produce a contender, then reduce them to fraud shortly thereafter. And NC State has been pretty good this year. But FSU is having a nice rebound season. FSU -3.5



Friday 8:00 PM - ESPN2
West Virginia Mountaineers @ UConn Huskies
WVU has fallen off a bit, and the game is in Storrs. But I've picked UConn like three times already this season, and lost every time. So it's time for the Huskies to make me money. West Virginia -6.5.



All these games are on Saturday:

12:00 PM - ESPN3
Clemson Tigers @ BC Eagles
Boston College has a decent defense, but has no offensive capabilities whatsoever. They'll probably put up a good fight against Clemson, but I think the Tigers win, and cover the 7 point spread. Clemson -7.



12:00 PM
Northwestern Wildcats @ Indiana Hoosiers
I'll take Northwestern -3, and yes, I know I'm picking lots of road favorites so far. So what?

3:30 PM - ABC
#6 Missouri Tigers @ #14 Nebraska Cornhuskers
It's kind of hard to believe that this game will be the most important Big XII clash of the year, maybe even more important than the Conference title game. I'm taking Mizzou +7.5. Even if Nebraska wins, they'll win close in a defensive struggle.

3:30 PM - CBS
Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs (Jacksonville, FL)
Remember when this game meant something? I'll take the Gators +3, because Georgia sucks.



3:30 PM - ESPNU
Wake Forest Demon Deacons @ Maryland Terrapins
WFU are 2-5, 1-3 in ACC play, have lost 5 straight, and haven't won a road game all season. I'll take Maryland -5.5.





6:00 PM - ESPN2
#1 Auburn Tigers @ Ole Miss Rebels
Look, I know that #1 teams have lost three straight weeks, all on the road. And here's the #1 team on the road. But Ole Miss isn't Missouri, and Oxford, Mississippi isn't Madison, Wisconsin. I'll take Auburn -7.



7:00 PM - Versus
#13 Stanford Cardinal @ Washington Huskies
This is a pure gut-feeling pick. Stanford's on the road, Washington's been solid, and the spread's not bad. Washington +7.5.



8:00 PM - ABC
#2 Oregon Ducks @ USC Trojans
Oregon should be #1. And they're on the road. Against a tough opponent. In a tough place to play. So according to the trend of the last few weeks, they should lose. USC +7.



-The Commodore