Bowling to say farewell to 2010

So much to catch up on, as I have neglected the blog for a couple of weeks. In fact I was virtually off the grid for a few days and even let me email password expire...

As I write this post, UCF leads Georgia in the Liberty Bowl 10-6 with 3:16 left. I say (again) UCF is a a sleeping giant in college sports. The bball team is undefeated and ranked and the aforementioned football team has the best record of any team in the state.

Miami got trounced by Notre Dame this afternoon and frankly were horrible. Jacory Harris would not ever be my starting QB. South Florida beat Clemson earlier today and to be fair most of the December bowl games have been ho hum. Exceptions include UNC's OT win over Tennessee last night and the Iowa win over Mizzu. Georgia Tech lost to Air Force, but Paul Johnson had his team stand behind the Falcons as the AFA alma mater was played. VERY classy coach, even if I don't care for his option oriented offense in the big leagues.

Speaking of option oriented teams, Georgia Southern made it all the way to the semi finals of the FCS and Coach Baker and the rest of the Eagles will carry a lot fo momentum into next season!

ESPN is reporting that Charlie Weiss will be Will Muschamp's offensive coordinator at UF. Big Charlie has been a top notch OC in the NFL, but was a goof ball at Notre Dame(IMO). I just don't know what to expect from the Gators tomorrow in the Outback bowl against Penn State. I hope Urban goes out a winner!!

I LOVE college football, but I have to say again how pathetic the NCAA is as an organization. So hypocritical and inconsistent. Ohio State a a handful of guys in trouble but the don't sit them for the bowl game....they penalize them next season.

My high school lost their coach as Matt Brunson left to go back to Baker. A win - win situation and a great opportunity for Crestview High to go get a top flight coach.

With 31 seconds, Georgia is down to the UCF 29 yard line.

Now UGA is down to their last play (2 seconds put back on the clock)...nothing against the Dawgs, but GO KNIGHTS!! :) Hail Mary knocked down! Knights win!

FSU and South Carolina tonight in the old Peach Bowl. I'm afraid Marcus Lattimore will dominate but that will not keep me from yelling at the TV for Jimbo and the Noles to prevail! Win or lose tonight, I am encouraged regarding FSU going forward as Jimbo is a good coach and the recruiting is going great!

Later and Happy New Year!

A playoff for college football? Really?

Yep, college football now has a playoff to determine the champion. In fact, every level of college football has a playoff EXCEPT the FBS or football bowl subdivision. All those poor student athletes in NAIA, D2 and the FCS, somehow manage to remain good students AND play a few more games into December.

Georgia Southern was not a lock to get into the FCS playoffs, with some struggles this season, but they did get in and now are taking full advantage of the opportunity. Wins against South Carolina State, William and Mary and now Wofford, have the Eagles in the semi finals! They will play this Saturday against Deleware - Noon on ESPNU. I'm looking forward to it!

Way to go coach NATE! I know brother in law John is enjoying the Eagles playoff run, and calls from the press box!


Some great prep playoff action this weekend. Up in Georgia, Starrs MIll lost to Chattahoochee, but had a great season. In Florida, Cocoa pulled off the 3 peat without Chevelle Buie, beating Glades Central 14-13. Ocala Trinity Catholic beat University School 56-55 stopping a 2 point conversion in the 3rd OT. I'm looking forward to the 6A final this Saturday night, Dr Phillips vs Miami Central :)

New Head Gator

Will Muschamp will take over as head football coach for the University of Florida. He has a great resume and is well thought of in the "up and coming" coaching circles. It is ironic though, that UF hired a Georgia Bulldog alum...Since the next 6 weeks ARE the recruiting season, Muschamp is talking to recruits already, not waiting until after the Outback Bowl and Urban vacating the premises. The key to me will be who he gets to run the offense. Will is a defensive mastermind, but the Gators have been woeful on offense, since Dan Mullen left. Major Applewhite is the name that I have heard. We will see. I'm not anti Muschamp, but they didn't go after Stoops, to Tony Dungee (my personal fav) or any other marquee name...oh well

Miami hired Al Golden away from Temple today. If you can win at Temple, you can certainly win at the "U". I think this will be a great hire.

sCam Newton

I could pretend that Cam Newton's success at Auburn doesn't bother me, but it would be dishonest. I have a big case of sour grapes to deal with as he wins the Heisman trophy on Saturday night. Lets face it Gator fans, it HURTS to see this guy dominate like he has this season. When he came to Gainesville, he was a promising QB recruit, but could not beat out a guy named Tim Tebow. Then, instead of being that awesome back up, he managed to get in trouble repeatedly and in addition to his criminal activities, he was in academic hot water all the time. When he left, it was a shame, but I really expected John Brantley to shine and minimize the loss of Newton. Instead, Cam found his way to JC and then to Auburn where he dominated this season like few players in my lifetime. And, it ticks me off!

I'm not proud of being bitter. But I am. There.

I guess I should be touting the positives of "2nd chances", but I'm jealous that his success happened at Auburn, not at Florida.

Oh well it should be a great BCS championship game between Auburn and Oregon.

Not So Fast...

Lee Corso was honored at the college football awards tonight. Fantastic profile, that had me in tears before it was over. You can't love college football like I do and not feel appreciation for the guys who cover the sport well. Lee has been on College Game Day since it started in 1987. His health is not what it once was, but he has entertained me well for nearly 25 years. A former do everything player for Florida State, he was also a successful coach at Louisville and Illinois.

WELL DONE LEE!

Urban

Gator Coach Urban Meyer is resigning, effective after the Outback Bowl against Michigan State. The guy was a shooting star in college coaching, winning TWO national championships in his first 4 years in Gainesville. He came to the point where he wants to spend more time with his family. Good for him. Should not have to worry about money anytime soon and hey, life is short.

Now, the Gators need to find a top shelf coach as soon as possible. The recruiting season is coming to a climax and FSU is poised to swipe 5 star players from the UF and Miami folds. And all those SEC teams as well.

Not sure where Jeremy Foley will turn, but the WHITE HOT offensive coordinator is Gus Malzahn (sp?), now at Auburn. Dan Mullen will be on the list, as will some other good ones. We will see.

THANKS Urban, YOU WERE AWESOME!

Turn Out The Lights...

The Party's Over ...for Dandy Don Meridith. It was a big deal to watch Monday Night Football when I was growing up, and it is sad today to say goodbye to Dandy Don. Way back in those "old days", football was not on every day of the week, nor on the world wide web (Gore had not invented it yet :)). When it first came on, I would bargain with my dad to stay up until half time and I was tickled to get that concession.

Over the years, I lost track of Don, but I certainly sang his song (really Willie Nelson's) many a time when a game was "out of reach".

Bowl games and high school playoffs later this week. For tonight, the party's over...

Hail to the Champions

OK, so Auburn is dang good. Perhaps a team of destiny this season. I am looking forward to the BCS title game. Oregon and Auburn should be a fun, high scoring shoot out. The Tigers thumped South Carolina like it was a scrimmage with the 3rd stringers. The rout was over early in the 2nd half. S E C ... S E C...S E C...:)

UCF won the Conference USA championship and will be the highest ranked (ok the only) team in Florida. We find out tonight, but a bowl match up against Tennessee or Georgia will be fun.

Oklahoma fought off Nebraska in a very evenly matched game. South Florida put up a gallant effort but also fell victim to destiny, as UCONN kicked a long FG to earn their first ever BCS bowl berth.

Florida State played pretty well offensively, and EJ Manuel will replace Christian Ponder very well next season. The defense, hardly slowed down Tyron Taylor and the Hokies. At least this beat down was easier to take than a fluke last second loss. FSU has a lot to build on for next season, at least Jimbo's debut team gave us back hope.

Georgia Southern beat William and Mary on the road and now get to go play SOCON foe Wofford (again). Keep it going Eagles!

Hail to the champions and on to the bowl games!

Championship Sat part 2 - ACC & Big 12

The football gods cooperated last weekend for the Seminoles. They whipped the Gators for the first time in 7 tries AND Maryland beat NC State, to let FSU back into the ACC title match against Va Tech. To some this represents FSU being "back". While they are not back, they are much improved. The Noles are not great, nor are any other ACC team, but the Garnet and Gold guys are two plays away from being 11-1. Oklahoma beat FSU in every facet of the game in September, not denial here. The other two losses came down to the last play of the game, with the Noles fumbling at the NC State 3 yard line with not one but TWO receivers wide open in the end zone, and then the annual missed field goal misery - this time against the Tar Heels. Football is a game of inches, but had those two plays gone our way, we would be talking about a team ranked in the top 10 with a bunch of national noise and Jimbo getting coach of the year acclaim.
I'm certainly not over confident for the Noles to win the game tonight in Charlotte, but I do like our chances. Make Tyrod Taylor pass and we have a good shot. Just don't turn the ball over! I can't wait :)

The Big 12 championship features Oklahoma and Nebraska in a game with lots of story lines. Growing up, the Sooners and Cornhuskers was one of those annual rivalry games that we always watched. Then it was ONE channel for college football and the teams were in the Big 8 conference. Yep I'm almost 50 :) Nebraska defects over to the Big 10 next year (which will give that conference 12 teams and leave the Big 12 with 11, unless Colorado gets to leave early for the Pac 10...). Anyway it is a big game and I want Oklahoma to win. Be fun to see Pelini melt down again :)

I stayed up Thursday night watching Arizona State at Arizona. Terrific game that came down to Arizona having a PAT blocked to send the game into OT. Then the typing PAT in OT was blocked to give the Sun Devils the win in Tuscon. Tough to lose with kicks, as we FSU fans know all to well.

UCF is leading SMU 7-0 late in the 2nd Qtr. It is a beautiful day here in Central Florida, blue skies and about 69 degrees. Perfect. Over on ABC, Pitt is playing the Cincinnati Bearcats in a snowstorm. A gloomy grey day with white covering the ground and swirling down in freezing conditions. Guess thats why my state is even more crowded this time of year.

Outlaw

Championship Saturday :)

High noon on the first Saturday in December. UCF and SMU just kicked off in the CUSA Championship game in BrightHouse stadium. I started to drive over to that one, but the 50" Samsung is doing the job nicely. UCF is a sleeping giant in college sports. They are the 2nd largest university in the country (really) and are in very fertile recruiting zone geographically. The football team is led by George O'Leary who is a boring no nonsense kind of old school guy. They lost oh so close games to NC State and to Kansas State, and tripped up against Southern Miss. But with freshman Jeff Godfrey at QB, they are a very good team. The Knights have a AQ level defense and now with Godfrey (think Charlie Ward if you are old enough) they can move the chains and score points. They will need to against the Ponies of SMU because June Jones has a prolific passing attack, just like when he coached the Falcons and Hawaii. If UCF wins and I think they will, they will probably play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Liberty Bowl. Oh yes, the Knights basketball team beat the Gators on Wednesday night. UCF is coached by Donnie Jones, a Billy Donovan protoge. The team is led by a number of local players like Keith Clanton, as well a kid from Illinois named Marcus Jordan. His dad played a little hoops back in the day - Michael Jordan.

Before I move on to the other college games, A few notes from the prep ranks. Starrs Mill edged Tucker last night up in cold Georgia. They will have a battle of 14-0 teams for the 4A title next weekend, as the Panthers face Chattahoochee (I'm not crazy:)). In Tallahassee, Navarre and Lincoln went to 3 overtimes, before Lincoln prevailed thanks to a missed PAT. Lincoln hosts Gainesville next week for the right to get beat by the Dwyer/Armwood winner in the Florida 4A title game. In 6A, the north semi final will be Dr Phillips at Sanford Seminole, while down south Miami Central plays Weston Cypress Bay. A Dr Phillips vs Central championship game would be the best AND the one I predicted. In 5A, the semis have Lakeland vs Plant, and a big rematch between St Thomas Aquinas and Bradenton Manatee. I'm glad the championship games are in Orlando again this year.
Up in Alabama, Daphne beat Hoover 7-6 for the 6A crown. Out in Texas the big game was Coppell trying to unseat Trinity Euless, but Euless won 41-40! South Panola won the Mississippi big school crown again and next year that start a home and away series with Hoover. One more prep note, Colquit County Georgia has lost 5 games (including a spanking by South Panola) this season under Rich Probst, but have now navigated their way to the championship game in the largest classification in Georgia. Camden, Valdosta and Lowndes are all at home, while Colquit is still playing. Olathe North made it to the Kansas 6A championship, but lost. Olathe North is a juggernaut in Kansas. Down 435 across the state line, Rockhurst Missouri won the state championship again!

OK, Georgia Southern continues their FCS playoff quest with a trip up to William and Mary today. Go Eagles!

At 4:00, we have the SEC Championship in Atlanta, with Auburn and South Carolina in a rematch. The SEC is the ultimate league for college football. Nothing against the Pac 10, Big 10 or Big 12, they are all good, but the SEC is another level of passion. I'm on the record for not liking Auburn, but they have been amazing this season and Cam Newton has been the best player in the country this season. The war beagles have also been very lucky. But it takes luck to go undefeated in the SEC.

When South Carolina played at Auburn a couple of months ago, the Gamecocks turned the ball over 4 times in the 4th quarter to allow the game to slip through their fingers. I'm picking coach Spurrier to find a way to win his 8th official SEC title this evening.