« November 2006 | Main | January 2007 »
December 31, 2006
2006 Bowl Predictions - Part 6
Few saw that one coming. Georgia, down 18, rallies back to beat what was probably the best team in the ACC by the end of the year. This was the Georgia team with little offense, that looked like they were throwing away the game in the first half, and yet, they end as the Pea...Chick-Fil-A Bowl champs.
Of course the opposite happened too. Everyone thought that Texas Tech would win, and they had to make the biggest comeback in bowl history in order to beat Minnesota. I was sitting there watching the television and couldn't believe my eyes as the Minnesota score continues to tick up while the Red Raiders were stuck on zero. And then, once I had given up all hope, of course they manage to come back. Football is a strange game.
So, more amazing feats to add to our bowl season checklist: Oregon State shows cajones going for two to win instead of just going to overtime, and gets it. Steve Aponavicius goes from goat to hero with a last second field goal to beat Navy. Iowa learned how to play football in the last month, but still lost to a superior Texas team. Rutgers was that good this year. Cal didn't give up on their season. Clemson's kicker did.
Six more games kick off on New Year's Day. Let's take a look at them all from morning to night.
Outback Bowl
This wasn't the same magical season for Penn State as last year, but this team was underrated overall. Yes, they lost big in the games that they lost, but look at the records of the opponents that beat them. 4 combined losses for the four teams that beat them. That is pretty stiff competition. Joe Paterno still showed that he could make the most from what he has on the field, breaking in a new quarterback (Anthony Morelli) which could have Penn State back on top next year. And the Nittany Lions have a punishing defense which has improved as the season moved on. They will need it against the team which did come back from the dead this season. Tennessee was an after thought for some, and a cautious contender pick for many. Bringing back David Cutcliffe to run the offense has turned Erik Ainge from another quarterback bust into one of the top quarterbacks in the nation this season. He has plenty of weapons to throw to, including speedster Robert Meachem, who averaged almost 19 yards per reception. Penn State may have been underrated but Tennessee has more talent and has been the more consistent team all year long. Look for the Vol passing game to give Penn State fits and as long as Erik Ainge doesn't suddenly revert to last season's form (can you say interceptions galore?), Tennessee should be taking this one.
MRI Predicts: Tennessee Confidence factor: 71.18%, 14 out of 32
Cotton Bowl
It's nice to see Nebraska back and competing again. Sure, they didn't seem to compete very well in the Big XII championship game where they came away with the loss that sent them here to the Cotton Bowl, but they did compete during the regular season. They came very close to knocking off Texas earlier in the season, and they played well enough to almost make it through the Big XII undefeated. They get Auburn in the Cotton Bowl, and there is probably no team that was picked to win more often in the pre-season. And Auburn disappointed despite a 10-2 record. 10-2 would be a great season for a lot of teams, but losses to Arkansas and Georgia don't make for happy Tiger fans, especially when it means you are left out of the SEC championship. Auburn also has a number of defensive players suspended for this game which could prove troublesome. This game will come down to how well Auburn is able to move against Nebraska's defense. Kenny Irons and Brandon Cox will have to do more than they have done lately if the Tigers hope to go home winners. The defense also has to stop Zac Taylor from getting rolling at any point in this game. The more confidence he gets in the pocket for Nebraska, the more trouble the Tigers will be in. Auburn should prevail in this game, but the Cornhuskers have the determination to come away with their 10th win of the season. Look for a close battle that could be decided in the final minutes, likely with a crucial defensive play.
MRI Predicts: Auburn Confidence factor: 71.18%, 16 out of 32
Capital One Bowl
From Auburn to Arkansas, the team that did surprise this season. Yes, I did pick them to win the West in the SEC, and then shuddered for 60 minutes as I watched them dismantled by USC. However, Arkansas came back, despite quarterback struggles and changes, despite all the odds, mostly on the back of Darren McFadden. McFadden only ran himself to second place in the Heisman race, and will likely be the pre-season pick for that award next year. Right now, he will have to figure out how to get through Wisconsin's tough run defense, along with running mate Felix Jones. One thing to remember here for Arkansas on offense. Auburn was supposed to have great stopping power against the run too and Arkansas ran all over them. Same with Florida in the SEC championship game. Arkansas is tough to stop. And yet, if anyone can do it, it might be Wisconsin who had the best defense in the Big Ten. Better than Ohio State's, better than Michigan's. Those are the teams you heard about, not the Badgers. For their own part on offense, Wisconsin will feature back PJ Hill who completed a nice freshman season with over 1500 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. Arkansas gives up some yards on the ground and should be vulnerable to the quick Hill. On offense for the Badgers, also watch tackle Joe Thomas who will most likely be among the first 10 players taken in the NFL draft. Should Wisconsin pass the ball much, Thomas will be protecting either John Stocco (shoulder?), or Tyler Donovan, long enough that they can eat sandwiches. The computer and I (despite my pre-season pick) think that Wisconsin's defense is enough to turn this towards them, but don't count out McFadden or Gus Malzahn's offense completely.
MRI Predicts: Wisconsin Confidence factor: 77.11%, 18 out of 32
Gator Bowl
West Virginia wanted to be playing for the National Title, but their defense let them down a few times this season. But let's be clear, Georgia Tech's offense is not Louisville, is not Rutgers. The Mountaineers can be vulnerable, but the connection of Yellow Jackets quarterback Reggie Ball to Calvin Johnson isn't what it should be. Running back Tashard Choice will need to step up big for Georgia Tech if they hope to even compete in this game. Why? Georgia Tech hasn't faced an offense like West Virginia all season. The spread option attack is difficult to counter. You have to be able to get outside quickly. You have to be able to defend the pass. You can't let the two headed monster of Pat White and Steve Slaton get the best of you with their trickery. Jackets defensive coordinator Joe Tenuta knows all that, but this is a lot to prepare for, even if your team has been sensational against the run all season long. It won't take much for West Virginia to open up a lead on Georgia Tech that is impossible for the stagnant offense of the Yellow Jackets to come back from. Georgia Tech is also reeling from losing to Wake Forest, of all teams, in the ACC championship. This one has Mountaineers written all over it, which probably means Georgia Tech will find a way to make a game of it. Still, the safe money is on Slaton helping West Virginia to run away with this one.
MRI Predicts: West Virginia Confidence factor: 65.81%, 25 out of 32
Rose Bowl
The Rose Bowl roses might seem a little more thorny this season than ever before, but Michigan and USC will still want to prove that they deserved more this season. Both teams feature very good defenses which is nothing new. One thing we know though is that Michigan has found a way to overcome those good defenses this season while USC has consistently struggled when the defense has been just above average. Michael Hart just announced that he will be returning next year for Michigan which gives them a great chance at a National Title next year. This season, he will want a Rose Bowl win. Hart is good enough to break through the USC defense, like he did against Wisconsin, like he did against Ohio State. Watch for USC to concentrate more than their fair share on stopping the back. That might leave Chad Henne enough room to get to the speedy Michigan receivers, who are at full strength for this battle. USC meanwhile will have to see if they can exploit the slower Michigan secondary, much like Ohio State did. Michigan has shown flashes of brilliance against the passing game (see Notre Dame), but USC's receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith, are some of the fastest in the game. If Leon Hall can return to form though, he should be able to neutralize at least half of that combination. And that should be long enough for LaMarr Woodley and Prescott Burgess to add into the pass rush and turn John David Booty to mush. This one should be a classic, much like the last two Rose Bowls, with the slight edge to the boys in blue.
MRI Predicts: Michigan Confidence factor: 53.25%, 1 out of 32
Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma seems to be able to rotate anyone into their lineup and win, at least this season. And now, the one man that they thought they would be counting on more than anything else this season has returned. Adrian Peterson has returned from his shoulder injury and should be able to provide at least some of the rushing attack for the Sooners against Boise State. That is bad news for the Broncos. Good news? Boise State has one of the better rushing defenses in the nation, although against much inferior competition. Good news? Boise State generates turnovers, which a less than 100% shoulder for Peterson might be susceptible to. Good news? Boise State has their own great back in Ian Johnson who only led the nation in rushing touchdowns this season. And he didn't do it only against the WAC. Johnson had 5 touchdowns against a certain Oregon State team who has pulled an upset or two this year. Plus the Broncos quarterback Jared Zabransky is just a little better than average. Together, they back one of the most potent offenses in the game, one that only scored less than 30 points twice this season, and less than 20 once. The key for Oklahoma will be making sure they have enough balance on offense. Paul Thompson will need to be smart with his throws because the speed of Oklahoma can beat the Boise State defensive backs. The computer likes Boise State and why shouldn't it? The Broncos have put some impressive numbers together this year. And Boise State has a lot to play for, being only the second non-BCS team to crash the BCS party. I am going to have to disagree with the microchips on this one. Oklahoma should be too fast, but don't expect them to totally shut down Boise State. This one should be a shootout with Oklahoma the better of the two teams in the end.
MRI Predicts: Boise State Confidence factor: 77.11%, 22 out of 32
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 3:00 PM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2006
The MRI vs. The World - Update #2
The Schwab is starting to open up a lead on the rest of the contestants. That normally happens when you only get two games wrong the entire bowl season. I think this is mostly Schwab taking this a little more seriously this year.
Last season, the fans defeated the Schwab and I think that made him mad. Haven't you ever watched "Stump the Schwab" and seen him lose? He gets angry, sort of like incredible hulk angry. You wouldn't like The Schwab when he is angry.
So this year he is getting his revenge on all of us. We are only half way home so there is plenty of time for us all to catch him.
Updated Standings:
1. The Schwab, 15-2, 88%
2. Darin Darst, 13-4, 76%
2. The World, 13-4, 76%
2. Dennis Dodd, 13-4, 76%
5. Harmon Predictor, 12-5, 71%
6. The MRI, 10-7, 59%
6. Congrove Computer, 10-7, 59%
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Boston College: The MRI, Harmon, Congrove, The World
Navy: Darst, Dodd, Schwab
Alamo Bowl
Texas: The MRI, Darst, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Iowa: Dodd
Chick-Fil-A Bowl (formerly the Peach Bowl, stupid sponsorship)
Virginia Tech: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Georgia: None
MPC Computers Bowl
Nevada: The MRI, Darst, Dodd
Miami: Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Outback Bowl
Tennessee: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, The World
Penn State: Congrove
Cotton Bowl
Auburn: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, The World
Nebraska: Congrove
Gator Bowl
West Virginia: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Georgia Tech: None
Capital One Bowl
Wisconsin: The MRI, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove
Arkansas: Darst, Dodd, The World
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2006
2006 Bowl Predictions - Part 5
Four More Bowls! Four More Bowls! That's right, there are four more bowls after today before the ball drops and we say hello to 2007. Don't fret though. Over a third of the bowl season is yet to come once we hit next year. That is kind of sad when you think about it.
There used to be meaning to getting to play on New Year's Day or after. Now it seems that the bowls don't really start rolling until you get to New Year's Day. And you get to watch teams like Western Michigan, and Southern Mississippi, and Ohio yet.
But more on those games next time. For now, let's take a look at the final four bowls of 2006 before moving into next year's over the weekend.
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Navy accepted their bid early, prior to even getting to six wins. They were guaranteed a spot here and they draw Boston College which should make this one of the more interesting bowl games of the year that doesn't have the letters BCS attached to it. It is no secret that Navy runs the ball, a lot. They average over 300 yards on the ground a game. This will test the Boston College defense which has been very good this season at stopping the run, averaging less than 100 yards surrendered per game. Of course, the Navy triple option isn't like any rushing attach that BC has seen all year. It will be interesting to see if Navy can manage to stretch out that Golden Eagle defense and wear them down. For it's part, Navy will have a hard time dealing with the more athletic offense of BC. Matt Ryan has been consistent all year long at quarterback and should be able to find ways to pick apart the Midshipmen defense. Navy has a chance should they be able to wear down the BC defense, but don't expect points to come easily to the Midshipmen.
MRI Predicts: Boston College Confidence factor: 77.44%, 20 out of 32
Alamo Bowl
We all know Colt McCoy now. He has definitely proven that he can take over for Vince Young, and it won't be long before Texas is challenging again for the National Title. They may have had their chance this year had McCoy not gotten hurt against Kansas State, and then, still hobbled by the first injury, gotten hurt again against Texas A&M. The Longhorns lost those final two games to miss a shot at the Big XII title, but now with almost a month to recover, McCoy should be ready for the bowl game. He better be at least, because his backup, Jevan Snead, has decided to transfer and won't be available. With all the weapons on offense for the Longhorns (Limas Sweed, Jamaal Charles, Selvin Young, et al), Iowa's defense will be severely tested, especially with the loss of linebacker Mike Klinkenborg for the game. Injuries have plagued Iowa all season long and they have struggled to get a consistent offense together. That will make it even more difficult against what is a very good Texas defense, even if in general, the squad is down from last season. Defensive backs Aaron Ross and Michael Griffin will be put to the test by Hawkeye quarterback Drew Tate, but should come away with at least one interception on the day, probably a three-pack. Texas is the much better team this season and they should be able to walk away easily with this one, especially with the game in Texas.
MRI Predicts: Texas Confidence factor: 95.42%, 32 out of 32
Chick-Fil-A Bowl
If you are cheating and looking ahead to the pick, you might be surprised at how close this one looks by the MRI numbers. Part of that is giving Georgia the benefit of the doubt for playing in Atlanta with this one. Of course, I have seen Virginia Tech play in Atlanta before, and they are not going to be intimidated by a few fans from the various Peachtree roadways in the area. There is very little to intimidate them on the field either. The Georgia offense has struggled hugely this season, mostly because of the loss of a string of quarterbacks with a great deal more experience for the Bulldogs. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, has one of the best defenses in the country and shouldn't have any trouble stopping Matt Stafford, Kregg Lumpkin, and the rest of the Georgia offense. By the end of the season, Virginia Tech was playing the best football in the ACC, and if it hadn't been for two early losses in conference, they would be playing in the Orange Bowl a little later on this bowl season. Sean Glennon isn't a flashy QB with the last name of Vick, but he should be able to do enough with the help of fabulous sophomore Branden Ore at running back to make some waves in this game. This one might be over early with the Hokies just needed to hold on with defense to clinch the win. As a side bet, the over/under on blocked kicks in this one should be around 2.5.
MRI Predicts: Virginia Tech Confidence factor: 53.01%, 7 out of 32
MPC Computers Bowl
From what is probably the best team in the ACC right now to the team that probably needs the most help right now. The Miami Hurricanes enter their bowl game with a lot of issues to solve over the winter and spring before next year. They recently hired their defensive coordinator Randy Shannon as the head coach to replace Larry Coker who will be leaving after the bowl game. Shannon's first order of business will be to find someone who can revive what has been a pitiful offense for the Hurricanes. It is pretty bad when you only give up only 15 points per game but can't win more than six of them. The Nevada defense isn't the strongest unit in the country but can apply some pressure and will take the ball away, finishing +13 in turnover margin. Holding onto the ball has been a trouble spot for Miami, and that could be a major factor in this game. For Nevada, they will likely have to concentrate on passing the ball as Miami has one of the best front seven in the nation. Quarterback Jeff Rowe probably won't be used to all of the weight on his shoulders, but being one of the veterans on the Wolfpack offense should help him. Assuming that Nevada can get anything going with the run game should help out the passing attack. This one is a tough call as with Shannon still on the sideline next year, the Miami players can't take this one off. And the game is in WAC country at Boise State, and Nevada is used to playing there. Miami fans might not travel as well either because no one wants to go to Boise in the middle of December when you live in South Florida. The computer gives this one to the Wolfpack and I think that is probably the safe bet, but I won't be surprised if Miami can put one together for their outgoing coach.
MRI Predicts: Nevada Confidence factor: 71.60%, 12 out of 32
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 3:35 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2006
2006 Bowl Predictions - Part 4
Things we have learned this Bowl Season so far: Florida State does have an offense, there are too many bowl games, Colt Brennan can really really throw the ball, there are too many bowl games, BYU was overlooked by too many people this year, and did I mention there were too many bowl games?
The bowl season thunders on. By the end of the day though, we will have only scratched the surface still. There will be 12 bowl games complete, with 20 more to go. That also means that I am way behind on the bowl previews. So for your reading pleasure, some more 1 minute analysis on each game upcoming.
Music City Bowl
Clemson was the trendy pick at the start of the year to win the ACC crown. For a while it looked like they might until they stumbled badly down the home stretch. Kentucky was, in contrast, left for dead in the SEC East, but managed to do nicely, getting back to a bowl game for the first time since 1999 and will be looking for their first bowl win since 1984. The Clemson offense features a strong rushing attack of CJ Spiller and James Davis which should be of great use against a very soft Kentucky defense. If the two don't combine for 200 yards in the game, it will be a miracle. Kentucky's quarterback Andre Woodson will have his hands full with the Clemson defense including Gaines Adams on the defensive line. The only hope for Kentucky may be winning the turnover battle, and winning it big. Clemson should be able to overcome a few mistakes and take this one home.
MRI Predicts: Clemson Confidence factor: 76.58%, 29 out of 32
Sun Bowl
CBS draws the But Sun Bowl each year, and it will be interesting to see if what seems like the only two HD cameras that the station has can make it to El Paso for the game. Oregon State has had one roller coaster of a year. They were left for dead after being stomped by Boise State and Cal. And yet, they managed to turn it around and beat what was an undefeated USC team. They closed the season winning seven of their last 8 to get to 9-4 entering the bowl. Missouri's season has gone the other direction. After opening 6-0, they managed only two wins the rest of the way, making what was one of the great stories of the year, another ho hum event. Both offenses should be able to move the ball against the other, but Missouri will need a big, and clean, game from quarterback Chase Daniel if they are going to take this one. Neither team is going to be flashy, but they will get it done. Rumor is that Missouri has a flu bug running through it right now, which could give the slight edge to Oregon State in this one. The computer likes the Tigers, but this is one where I disagree.
MRI Predicts: Missouri Confidence factor: 71.60%, 13 out of 32
Liberty Bowl
South Carolina was supposed to be my team this year (after Arkansas, who I will still take all the props I can get for picking them to win the SEC West). I thought Steve Spurrier finally had this one figured out, putting together an offense to complement his very good defense. Blake Mitchell definitely looked at the end of last season like he was the quarterback that was going to do that, after he learned the Spurrier system better. That didn't happen. South Carolina stumbles into the Liberty Bowl, still without the dominant offense everyone was expecting, although the defense played well throughout the season. They take on Houston, who has no offensive problems at all. The Cougars, champions of Conference USA, put up 455 yards of offense per game, which was the 6th best number in the country. They rely not only on the arm of Kevin Kolb who got some early talk for the Heisman trophy, but also the dual headed running attack of Anthony Alridge and Jackie Battle. That offense will definitely be tested against the Gamecock defense, although if the running game can get going, that will sure help Kolb's time in the pocket. Look for some offense to come in this one, and hopefully not a one-sided affair.
MRI Predicts: Houston Confidence factor: 77.44%, 21 out of 32
Insight Bowl
Minnesota almost lost to North Dakota State. Yes, the team that is giving the state of Wisconsin fits in basketball almost beat Minnesota in Minnesota. The Gophers have given up over 3000 yards through the air this year, which is not good when you consider that Texas Tech features an almost entirely air-based attack. Graham Harrell had over 4000 yards passing this year and threw for 36 touchdowns. Don't expect that to slow down any when the Red Raiders take the field in Tempe. Minnesota's only hope is to somehow turn their +16 turnover number to work for them and get something, anything, moving on the ground. It won't be easy, but it is possible especially late in the game if the Gophers can keep it close.
MRI Predicts: Texas Tech Confidence factor: 55.02%, 6 out of 32
Champs Sports Bowl
I said earlier this season that I thought that Maryland was the most overrated 8 win team in the country. Then they started losing and proving me correct. Purdue was never overrated and still won 8 of their 13 games. So, the night ends in Orlando with two teams who both won eight games and didn't impress anyone in the country. Should be a fun one to watch. Maryland barely has an offense to speak of, and that should be good news for Purdue who barely has what you could call a defense to put on the field. Anthony Spencer is the best of the bunch on the Purdue defense and should be the primary focus of containment for the Maryland offensive line. Don't look for too much excitement here folks. The computer give Purdue a slight edge here in what is the second closest game on paper in the bowl season. If I could make this one at all exciting I would try... Well, it is in Orlando... Maybe Mickey Mouse will show up.
MRI Predicts: Purdue Confidence factor: 55.02%, 2 out of 32
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 3:45 PM | Comments (0)
December 27, 2006
MRI2006: Week 5 - This is More Like It
Suddenly, everything is right with the world. Well, maybe not for Duke fans, but for our sanity, it might be. Clemson no longer leads the MRI rankings. They didn't lose. They just got passed by a far superior team.
If you look at the AP poll or the Coaches poll, there is one thing for certain. There are three teams playing stellar basketball right now, and there is everyone else. North Carolina, the MRI's new #1 team, Florida, and UCLA are at the top of their game. If the tournament were held today, those three teams could likely book their trip to the Final Four without even a thought.
The tournament isn't starting today though. We still have a few more months of conference action on the way, but it is getting to be about the time where the very good teams separate themselves from everyone else.
As I mentioned, North Carolina is the new leader of the pack with a very young team led by a sophomore of all things. This is not good news for the rest of the basketball world, assuming none of these players get ahead of themselves and bolt for the NBA after this year. Falling to #2 is Clemson who remain undefeated at 12-0.
Moving into the #3 spot is Florida, who made a big statement this week by defeating Ohio State with Greg Oden. That win also came with limited minutes from Al Horford, and a team which is still fighting to be totally healthy. There was no doubt coming into the season that Florida would be good, considering that they are returning all but one player from last year's championship team. It did take them a while to start clicking and they still are not 100% which could be very scary when they get there.
The #4 spot is still the Oregon Ducks, who finally seem to be playing like the team that everyone expected the last few seasons. The PAC-10 season could be the real test, considering the very difficult travel and play schedule that their season brings, but the way they have started the season is unlike any of the past few, and they will be a team that is rolling.
Rounding out the top 5 are the Connecticut Huskies. The Huskies are 10-0 and hold a slim lead over the also undefeated UCLA in the MRI rankings.
As a side note, the Wichita State Shockers lost two games this week, right after my article on their inflated human poll ranking. These losses dropped them to #57 in the MRI, #36 in the Sagarin Ratings, #53 in Ken Pomeroy's numbers, #49 in Massey, and #44 in the Colley system. Maybe the MRI and Ken Pomeroy were just a little ahead of the game last week. In contrast to the computers, the humans only saw fit to drop the Shockers to #16 in both polls. It almost makes you wonder what they are waiting for, another loss?
Check out all the rankings in the Week 5 of the MRI.
| And Now the Rankings | |||||
| Teams Dropped From The Top 25: | |||||
| Missouri (LW #11, TW #26), Michigan (LW #22, TW #33), Georgia (LW #23, TW #42), Tennessee (LW #25, TW #28) | |||||
| Other Teams People Might Care About | |||||
| Last Place this week: Winston-Salem (0-15) at -61.81. | |||||
| Biggest Gain this week: Georgetown gained 21.22 points (Beat Towson and Navy) | |||||
| Biggest Loss this week: Charleston Southern lost 19.86 points (Lost to New Mexico, Longwood, and Md.-Eastern Shore) | |||||
| Conference rankings this week: ACC, PAC-10, Big East, Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, MVC, Mountain West, C-USA, Atlantic 10, WAC | |||||
The MRI Rankings are copyright 2006 by MRISports.com. Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2006
The MRI vs. The World - Update #1
The MRI got off to a good start, thanks to the picking of a couple of upsets, including the San Jose State victory over New Mexico on the Wolfpack's home field. It is anything but over with so many games remaining on this year's bowl schedule, although watching some of these games has proven to be much more difficult than last year. There are only so many 30 point blow outs that one can stomach.
Updated Standings:
1. Darin Darst, 6-1, 86%
1. The Schwab, 6-1, 86%
3. The MRI, 5-2, 71%
3. Dennis Dodd, 5-2, 71%
3. Congrove Computer, 5-2, 71%
3. The World, 5-2, 71%
7. Harmon Predictor, 4-3, 57%
More predictions for your enjoyment.
Motor City Bowl
Central Michigan: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Middle Tennessee State: None
Emerald Bowl
UCLA: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Congrove, The World
Florida State: Schwab
Independence Bowl
Oklahoma State: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, The World
Alabama: Congrove
Holiday Bowl
Cal: The MRI, Darst, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Texas A&M: Dodd
Texas Bowl
Rutgers: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Scwab, Congrove, The World
Kansas State: None
Music City Bowl
Clemson: The MRI, Darst, Harmon, Congrove, The World
Kentucky: Dodd, Schwab
Sun Bowl
Missouri: The MRI, Congrove
Oregon State: Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, The World
Liberty Bowl
Houston: The MRI, Darst
South Carolina: Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Insight Bowl
Texas Tech: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Minnesota: None
Champs Sports Bowl
Purdue: The MRI, Schwab, Congrove
Maryland: Darst, Dodd, Harmon, The World
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2006
2006 Bowl Predictions - Part 3
The MRI is off to a great start, even with the less than interesting games which have been on the slate so far. With two losses on the tally, the MRI has great hope going into the remainder of the bowl season. But enough about me, let's look at some more games, and where the true favorite should be.
Motor City Bowl
I mentioned during the MAC Championship game preview that the winner got a chance to go back to Detroit and play in the Motor City bowl. At least that is normally what happens. Detroit made sure to lock in the best and most surprising team in the MAC before the championship game was even played. Dan LeFevour, the fabulous freshman quarterback was a big reason for the Chippewa success this year, and a return to Detroit should not be any difference. Central Michigan drew Middle Tennessee State in the bowl. This is the first bowl appearance for the Blue Raiders, and their loss to Sun Belt Conference Champion Troy was the difference between them playing here and playing in New Orleans. They make the bowl based on there not being enough Big Ten teams to fill all of the conference's slots. The Blue Raiders feature a strong defensive line (Erik Walden, Tavares Jones) so Central Michigan may not run away with this game as should be expected. However, the MAC squad is definitely the better team here.
MRI Predicts: Central Michigan Confidence factor: 77.78%, 17 out of 32
Emerald Bowl
Florida State had bigger hopes at the beginning of the year. They were by far the favorite to win their division in the ACC. That didn't happen. They were favored by some to win the conference and go to a BCS bowl. That didn't happen. In a year of tough breaks, including the firing/resignation of their offensive coordinator, Jeff Bowden, the Seminoles needed a pick me up, and that was finishing 6-6 and bowl eligible. Drew Weatherford has already been tabbed as the starter, despite some people thinking a switch to Xavier Lee would now be the correct move. Bobby Bowden was playing it close to the vest on what the plan would be for Lee in the bowl game. UCLA comes in after the biggest game of their season, defeating USC, and keeping the Trojans out of the National Championship game. The duo defensive ends of Justin Hickman and Bruce Davis will likely be in the face of Weatherford all game, which makes his selection to start even more confusing. With the quick defensive line, you would think you would favor the more mobile Lee to start. On offense, the Bruins will be looking to do well with the passing game, although they haven't tabbed their starting quarterback as of yet. Patrick Cowan has been doing well as the starter since replacing Ben Olsen because of injury and played a big part in the win against USC. Both teams have a great rushing defense, and therefore the passing game will be a big part here. I give the edge to UCLA, if only because Florida State's offensive line has been... well, offensive this season and the UCLA pass rush is brutal.
MRI Predicts: UCLA Confidence factor: 55.07%, 3 out of 32
Independence Bowl
Alabama didn't want to be here. Without a head coach, down badly from last season's magical 10-2 season, this was not the Alabama which was expected on the field. Throughout the year, they struggled on offense, especially in the passing game, although the running of Kenneth Darby has been a bright spot for them. Now, they need to deal with a very balanced offense in Oklahoma State. The Cowboys limped into the bowl game with two losses to end the season, but they played Oklahoma very well in their final loss. Oklahoma State also had a big win against Nebraska a few games earlier which is probably their signature win on the year. The Cowboys have shown they can play well against a rushing offense, and that passing attacks can be their undoing. John Parker Wilson will have to do well then for the Crimson Tide if they are going to have a hope in this game. I think, with all the uncertainty in Tuscaloosa, that this one is going for the Cowboys.
MRI Predicts: Oklahoma State Confidence factor: 52.76%, 8 out of 32
Holiday Bowl
Cal has a history in the Holiday Bowl, mostly because they have trouble breaking through and winning the PAC-10. And unfortunately for Cal, the history isn't good. Their last appearance here came on the heels of a 10-1 season back in 2004 when some lobbying by Mack Brown kept the Bears out of the Rose Bowl. Cal laid an egg against Texas Tech. Cal was picked to win the PAC-10 this season in some outlets (including MRISports.com), but some inconsistent play and some surprising wins by the USC, kept the Bears from passing the Trojans this season. Now, back again in the Holiday Bowl, they get Texas A&M to try and earn some revenge against. The Bears will bring their attack of Nate Longshore, Marshawn Lynch, and DeSean Jackson to San Diego for this one. Against a pretty good Texas A&M defense, they will need to mix it up often to move the ball. Don't forget that the Aggies were able to stop what had been a very good Texas offense, even if Colt McCoy was beat up a little headed into (and out of) the game. The Aggies cause turnovers, and that could be the difference for them in this game. Even with Jorvorskie Lane and Stephen McGee on the side of the Aggies, I think Cal has too many weapons, and even if the Holiday Bowl is not where they would want to be, I think they can win.
MRI Predicts: Cal Confidence factor: 71.60%, 11 out of 32
Texas Bowl
If the Big East wants to prove that it wasn't just a league that was overrated, this is the first chance to really show it. They already have one win by South Florida, but it came against East Carolina. Now Rutgers gets their chance to play a team from another BCS conference and help the Big East gain some more respect. In what has been a dream season by the Scarlet Knights, they can finish with 11 wins for only the second time ever in the history of the school, a history that includes the first football game ever played at the college level. Behind Mike Teel and Ray Rice, the boys from Piscataway have been the talk of the Northeast all season long. Kansas State shouldn't be an issue for the Scarlet Knights, although they do have a pretty intense pass rush. Josh Freeman is the young starter for the Wildcats and his play could mean the difference between this being a blow out or a classic close game. Rutgers has too much to play for here, and needs to truly assert that it has arrived as an elite program. Look for New Jersey to be celebrating once more this season.
MRI Predicts: Rutgers Confidence factor: 76.58%, 28 out of 32
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 5:05 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2006
Does Wichita State Warrant Their Ranking
Before I begin, let me say, I am of the mind that the Missouri Valley is the 7th best conference in the country. They deserve multiple tournament bids, and likely should get three or four this season. There is no doubt that from top to bottom, that is a tough conference to win in, and it can compete with the teams from the top 6 conferences. We have already seen wins this year to show us that. MIssouri State beat Wisconsin, Northern Iowa took out Iowa State and Iowa, Southern Illinois won against Virginia Tech, and Wichita State beat LSU and Syracuse.
Wichita State. They are one of five teams without a loss after beating Kennesaw State on Tuesday night. As a result, they have rocketed up the rankings to #8 in the country. I, however, am not sure the high praise is warranted.
Ken Pomeroy covered the Shockers earlier this week, looking at their schedule. To summarize, Pomeroy believes that Wichita State has one marquis win, coming on the road against LSU. The Tigers aren't as strong as everyone expected coming into the season, but they are still among the elite programs in the league and therefore, winning on their home turf is something to cheer about.
Other wins on the road that look good are Syracuse, George Mason, and Wyoming. Pomeroy dismisses the George Mason win, because they are definitely not the same team they were last season, and Wyoming is still coming back after a few off years. They may be 7-2 but they are not yet back to where they were a few years ago when beating Wyoming was a major win.
Syracuse is the one team that Pomeroy withheld judgement on. I think I might be ready to declare this less than impressive. The Orange lost to Drexel on Tuesday night. While I am excited that the Dragons managed their second Big East win of the year against Syracuse, it also came at the Carrier Dome. You have to wonder if the Orange have lost their mystique to drop two games now at a place that used to be an automatic loss for the visiting team, especially to teams like Wichita or Drexel. Since Carmelo Anthony left, they have not been the same team. Even that year, it took an amazing run in the tournament to get the title, something that was not expected from such a young team. Without Anthony though, the team struggled. With the Big East season still to come, it is doubtful that the Orange will end up in the top six of that league, and they will likely be scrambling to finish in the top half an be in position for a tournament bid.
Back to Wichita State, you have to wonder why they are getting so much attention then in the polls, given their schedule so far. Sure, going undefeated is a big feat, but to say that they are the 8th best team in the country might be stretching it.
Here are the other four teams without a blemish: UCLA, Clemson, Oregon, and Connecticut. Let's take a look at the computer rankings of those four teams.
UCLA - Pomeroy: 12, Sagarin: 1, Colley: 1, Massey: 1, MRI: 11...Avg: 5.2
Oregon - Pomeroy: 18, Sagarin: 5, Colley: 8, Massey: 10, MRI: 6...Avg: 9.4
Clemson - Pomeroy: 29, Sagarin: 6, Colley: 5, Massey: 7, MRI: 1...Avg: 9.6
Connecticut - Pomeroy: 7, Sagarin: 10, Colley: 26, Massey: 26, MRI: 4...Avg: 14.6
As to be expected, those four teams are at the top of the computer rankings. They may not be #1, based on how each computer determines strength of schedule, but they are all contenders on average. Now look at Wichita State
Wichita State - Pomeroy: 40, Sagarin: 8, Colley: 10, Massey: 8, MRI: 42...Avg: 21.6
They end up over #20 on average, and while some computers see them in the top 10, there are two here which do not. Without bias, I can say having the MRI agree with Ken Pomeroy at least means that the MRI is not too out of line on its view of the Shockers. Compared on average with the computer rankings, the human positioning of the Shockers just doesn't seem correct.
Now, it is no coincidence that the two computer rankings which have Wichita State out of the Top 25 are the ones that have their creators writing about the over reaction to the perfect record and the #8 ranking. Honestly, if Wichita State can get through the Missouri Valley Conference with only 2 or 3 losses, I think they definitely deserve their position in the top 10.
Every other team in a conference in the top 6 (read BCS) will have the benefit of the doubt when it comes to losing a couple of games in conference. However, we know that Wichita State will not be allowed that same leeway when it comes to losing, especially if the losses come against teams like Drake, Illinois State, or Indiana State. I do hope they can do it and manage to get a top 4 seed in the tournament, if only to see the look on Billy Packer's face when he has to announce the bracket.
But for right now, let's hold off on anointing Wichita State as a top 10 team. 40% of your computer friends feel very differently, and 60% have them barely in that position. Let's wait and see what happens when they play Missouri State, a team which is ranked higher in both the Pomeroy and MRI computers.
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 6:20 PM | Comments (0)
2006 Bowl Predictions - Part 2
With the Poinsettia Bowl under wraps for another season, it is good to know that the MRI will not go winless this year. TCU and what I will from now on call their "Sea of Purple" defense made Northern Illinois look like a high school team. Garrett Wolfe was unable to make any impact and I think that Dan Nicholson spent more time on his back than he did throwing the ball. As one astute fan commented during the game, it is never a good sign when the quarterback has grass stains on the top of his shoulder pads.
Everyone, except for Desmond Howard, picked the Horned Frogs to win last night, which means that everyone got off on the right foot. Here's hoping that this trend will not continue.
For your enjoyment today, more bowl previews, taking us through Christmas Day.
Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl
The award for longest bowl name almost goes to this game if it weren't for the Armed Forces Bowl. More on that game later. Las Vegas welcomes BYU and Oregon to play in this year's game. BYU will have the more dominant offense here, with John Beck at quarterback, and Curtis Brown at running back. The duo have a chance to get to 3000 yards passing and 1000 yards rushing for the second time as a pair. Beck was the offensive player of the year in the Mountain West conference and is probably the best quarterback that no one talks about. He should be able to move the ball, even against the good Oregon pass defense. He will take advantage of short passes to Jonny Harline and with some running help, they will score. Oregon probably wins the battle for best accommodations at the bowl, scoring rooms at the Venetian (sweet suites). However, that will be all they will be winning. The Ducks haven't been the same since defeating Oklahoma on some very questionable calls. It was almost as if that was the gift for them this season. They finished 4-5 in the PAC-10, including three straight losses to end the season. They will need to get Jonathan Stewart going if they are going to have a chance at winning. After a strong start, he tailed off near the end of the season.
MRI Predicts: BYU Confidence Factor: 65.36%, 27 out of 32
New Orleans Bowl
The Sugar Bowl-lite. This bowl is the warm-up for all the people involved in putting on the big BCS game. Look for both teams to air it out in this one. Rice will be passing to multiple All-American Jarett Dillard who had 20 touchdown receptions this season and has the second longest streak in history of games with a touchdown catch with 14. Troy will be throwing the ball on the arm of SunBelt Player of the Year, Omar Haugabook. Haugabook finished with over 2000 yards passing and 17 touchdowns, although he threw 16 picks also. Neither team has a punishing defense so look for this to be a high scoring affair in the dome. Rice hasn't been to a bowl since 1961 so they have a little more motivation in this one.
MRI Predicts: Rice Confidence factor: 52.47%, 9 out of 32
Papajohns.com Bowl
East Carolina and South Florida meet in this one. South Florida should be looked at as the headliner here. Remember that they beat West Virginia to keep the Mountaineers out of the race for the Big East title. Matt Grothe is their outstanding freshman quarterback, and picked up the freshman player of the year in the conference. The Bulls also had two defensive starters on the first team all conference, including Stephen Nicholas and Trae Williams. Williams had 7 interceptions on the season and is currently second on the all-time list at South Florida. Turnovers could be the key in this game as neither team is very adept at holding onto the ball.
MRI Predicts: South Florida Confidence factor: 52.47%, 10 out of 32
New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico grabs what amounts to a home game against the surprising San Jose State Spartans in this one. It is amazing that the Spartans made it here. This was a program that almost went away due to money issues and very poor facilities. If you haven't been to the SJ State stadium, trust me, you aren't missing much. With the home field advantage and also a strong rushing game, New Mexico should run over the Spartans. San Jose State hasn't been to a bowl since 1990... The Raisin Bowl. New Mexico has much more bowling experience here, and that combined with the tougher offense should give them the edge. However, my computer disagrees. Who knew?
MRI Predicts: San Jose State Confidence factor: 55.07%, 4 out of 32
Bell Helicopter Armed Force Bowl
This game will be all about defense as the two teams sport their respective conferences' Defensive Players of the Year. Tulsa sports linebacker Nick Bunting, who finished with 65 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4.5 tackles for loss. He was also joined on the Conference USA first team by two other Tulsa defensive players, Robert Latu, and Bobby Blackshire. Tulsa had the top defense in Conference USA this season. Utah brings out defensive back Eric Weddle, who won his conference's honor for the second straight season. Weddle had the most interceptions in conference was and was 10th overall in the nation with six. Tulsa boasts the better offense of the two teams, and therefore should test the Utes defense more.
MRI Predicts: Tulsa Confidence factor: 77.78%, 19 out of 32
Hawaii Bowl
Once again, Hawaii welcomes in another team for their annual celebration of a 14th game. This has got to be the greatest scam in the history of sports, hosting your own bowl game. Especially this season, when Hawaii finished second in the WAC and could have gone to the fabulous MPC Computers Bowl. Ok, yeah, that is the one held in Boise, so maybe Hawaii made the right choice. They bring in Arizona State to be their victim this time. No team has done more this season to self destruct and it is a miracle that they managed to win 7 games with all of the distractions they brought to themselves. And next year, they get the pleasure of Dennis Erickson as their coach, a year after he committed to bring back Idaho to prominence. Idaho, the team that finished 4-8 and was trounced, beat up, and crushed by this Hawaii team, 68-10. Arizona State's only hope is to beat Hawaii in a shootout, much like Oregon State did in the final game of the season. Hawaii though can score at will with Colt Brennan at quarterback. This one goes to Hawaii in grand style.
MRI Predicts: Hawaii Confidence factor:73.88%, 31 out of 32
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 4:45 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2006
The MRI vs. The World... Again
With bowl season upon us, it is time for the MRI to take on the World again. In past years, we have tied Trev Alberts, lost to Dennis Dodd (badly), and been even up with the Harmon Forecast, a computer competitor.
This year, we are going to expand the field, which means no fancy table this year to track the results. That's right, we have a few new entrants this season, including, well, the actual world. How did I manage this? We will be using the Fan Consensus from our friends over at FanIQ as one of the entrants. The team getting the majority of the fan support the pick 'em polls will be "The World"'s selection.
Of course, this makes tracking the results a little difficult with the table. It also make the showing of picks difficult, especially ahead of time. Let's be straight here. The MRI will not change its picks. They will be set in stone once the Poinsettia Bowl flips its coin tonight. The only bowl which could likely change according to the computer is the Rose Bowl, which right now leans towards Michigan. USC (with the home field advantage), has a slim possibility of becoming the favorite based on the results of the prior bowl games. But the MRI will stick by its Michigan selection, since our opponents will also.
With that said, off to the picks, at least the first few.
First, the contestants. This year we will again be able to renew the rivalries with Dennis Dodd, The Schwab, and the Harmon Forecast. In addition, the MRI will take on "The World" as I mentioned. It will also face off against Darin Darst, also of CBS Sportsline, and one of the better selectors during the college football season. We will also add another computer, the Congrove Computer.
Links to the selections can be found here:
- CBS Sportsline Affiliated: Darin Darst, Dennis Dodd, and the Harmon Forecast
- ESPN: The Schwab
- Computer Challenger: Congrove Computer
- The World
For each bowl, we will list the MRI's pick with the helmet of the team. We will then list the challengers who picked each of the teams (World picks will be updated daily as they are finalized). Good luck to all (except Dennis Dodd, who had a sick 18 wins last season).
Poinsettia Bowl
TCU: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Northern Illinois: None
Las Vegas Bowl
BYU: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Oregon: None
New Orleans Bowl
Rice: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Congrove, The World
Troy: Schwab
Papajohns.com Bowl
South Florida: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
East Carolina: None
New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico: Dodd, Harmon, Scwab, Congrove, The World
San Jose State: Darst, The MRI
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (formerly the Fort Worth Bowl)
Tulsa: The MRI, Harmon
Utah: Darst, Dodd, Scwab, Congrove, The World
Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii: The MRI, Darst, Dodd, Harmon, Schwab, Congrove, The World
Arizona State: None
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 6:30 PM | Comments (0)
2006 Bowl Predictions - Part 1
The title is actually semi-humorous as I think about it. With the addition of a few more games this year to the bowl season, it actually feels like I will have to make 2006 bowl predictions before the end of football this year. But it is really only 32. The whole thing kicks off tonight with the Poinsettia Bowl. Note to the players: Keep the plant you get away from your house pets... assuming you like your house pets.
The game features TCU and Northern Illinois. Be lucky Army didn't win six games or you would have them instead of the Huskies here. In case you forgot, the Black Knights made a deal with this bowl at the beginning of the season that if they reached the magic six, they would be headed to San Diego. No one really thought it would happen. Army finished at 3-9 and will be watching the game on television.
TCU and Northern Illinois didn't think they would be here either. Both had higher aspirations as the season took off.
TCU was tabbed as the BCS buster this year. They were expected to go undefeated and represent the Mountain West conference in the BCS bowls. Two straight losses to BYU and Utah early in the season didn't allow that to happen. They didn't even get to win the conference, and so are headed to San Diego.
Northern Illinois faced a similar path. On the legs of Garrett Wolfe, they were expected to run through the MAC, but three losses in conference kept them from the MAC title game. The Huskies were also unable to pull off upsets against Ohio State or Iowa, which left them short of the high expectations. Wolfe, who did manage to lead the country in total rushing yardage, also fell short as the year went on, having four games in a row where he failed to reach even 70 yards on the ground after his explosive start.
And Wolfe will be the key in this game against the Horned Frogs. TCU only surrendered 68 yards a game on the ground this season. Even in their two losses, the Horned Frogs held the opposing team to less than 100. Therefore, it will be important for Wolfe to get off to a good start if they hope to have his quarterback, Dan Nicholson, off to a good game. Nicholson was forced into action when Phil Horvath went down with a season ending knee injury. He threw for 377 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions over the final two games of the year. Therefore, with a backup in the game, they will need Wolfe.
TCU is a little more lucky. They will have the ability to open up their entire offense against Northern Illinois, including quarterback Jeff Ballard, who was named TCU's MVP for the second time in his career. Ballard is 18-2 as a starter for the Horned Frogs. He has thrown for over 2000 yards this season with only 5 interceptions to 12 touchdowns. On the running side, TCU has Aaron Brown and Lonta Hobbs to split carries.
In the spirit of equal time, on the defense, look for two people. First, watch Larry English as the end on the Huskie line. He was the team leader in sacks with 11 and was a first team All-MAC selection. With Ballard likely throwing the ball often (as did the teams which beat the Huskies this year), English will have a chance to add to that mark, or at least will be a factor in what happens to the TCU passing game. On the TCU side, watch senior safety Marvin White. With Northern Illinois likely having to go to a passing based offense against the very good Horned Frog defense, White will have a chance to add to his 4 interceptions this year. He was a first team All-Mountain West selection.
TCU is the more talented team here, even adding in Garrett Wolfe. This one should definitely be going their way.
MRI Predicts: TCU Confidence Factor: 65.36%, 24 out of 32
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 11:50 AM | Comments (0)
MRI2006: Week 4 - Memo Missed?
I must have missed a memo somewhere. Where was it written that Clemson was this good? This marks the third week that the Tigers have held the top spot in the MRI. They aren't the only team surprising.
How about Connecticut? Remember the team that the Huskies had last season? That was the team that was supposed to trounce everyone in the tournament. Unfortunately for UConn, many of the players tried to use the tournament games as a showcase for their own talents and not for the team. Chalk them up as one of the losses for George Mason.
With all those stars gone, who would have expected that the Huskies to still be rolling with a zero in the loss column. They have climbed their way into the #3 spot in the MRI, thanks in good part to that perfect record.
Moving into #2 is Arizona, who dropped an early game to Virginia, but haven't lost since. The Wildcats have the talent to be this high in the rankings, but sometimes, you have to wonder about a team with so many options and whether egos will cause them trouble. They are joined in the top 5 by fellow PAC-10 team, Oregon. The Ducks have also made it through without a blemish this season.
Rounding out the fab five at the top is Illinois, even with two losses. They face a tough Missouri team on Tuesday which should determine if they can stay there. For now though, the Illini are riding high.
Check out all the rankings in the Week 4 of the MRI.
| And Now the Rankings | |||||
| Teams Dropped From The Top 25: | |||||
| Gonzaga (LW #14, TW #26), Villanova (LW #24, TW #28), Oklahoma State (LW #25, TW #27) | |||||
| Other Teams People Might Care About | |||||
| Last Place this week: Denver (1-11) at -55.51. | |||||
| Biggest Gain this week: San Diego gained 15.81 points (Beat Campbell and Furman) | |||||
| Biggest Loss this week: Central Florida lost 16.35 points (Lost to Minnesota) | |||||
| Conference rankings this week: ACC, Big Ten, PAC-10, Big East, SEC, Big 12, MVC, Mountain West, C-USA, Atlantic 10, WAC | |||||
The MRI Rankings are copyright 2006 by MRISports.com. Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 10:30 AM | Comments (0)
MRI2006: Week 3 - Clemson? Really?
Editor's Note: These ratings cover the games through December 10th.
I would have never counted on this. The Clemson Tigers are undefeated. Ok, maybe I could have counted on them being undefeated but not being the best team in the MRI through December 10th. And I definitely didn't count on them holding that spot for two weeks in a row.
Yet, Clemson is sitting on top of the world right now. Behind them are names you would probably expect to be at the top. Duke, Florida, Pittsburgh, Connecticut. But not Clemson.
The ACC season is tipping off soon, so we will quickly learn if this is a fluke, or for real. Clemson seems to do this every year (although not #1), and yet they drift away as the season moves on to where they are struggling to make the NIT. 10-0 is nothing to laugh at though. They are half way to that magical 20 win season.
Check out all the rankings in Week 3 of the MRI.
| And Now the Rankings | |||||
| Teams Dropped From The Top 25: | |||||
| Texas A&M (LW #10, TW #30), Xavier (LW #20, TW #35), Butler (LW #21, TW #27), Nevada (LW #23, TW #45) | |||||
| Other Teams People Might Care About | |||||
| Last Place this week: Winston Salem (0-12) at -41.34. | |||||
| Biggest Gain this week: Vanderbilt gained 25.39 points (Beat East Tennessee State, Lipscomb, and Georgia Tech) | |||||
| Biggest Loss this week: South Dakota State lost 18.83 points (Lost to Minnesota and Montana) | |||||
| Conference rankings this week: ACC, Big East, Big Ten, PAC-10, SEC, Big 12, MVC, Mountain West, C-USA, Atlantic 10, WAC | |||||
The MRI Rankings are copyright 2006 by MRISports.com. Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 9:30 AM | Comments (0)
Time to Catch You Up
Apologies for my absence over the last week or so. I was out of town with little access to my computer or the MRI spreadsheets.
The good news? There is a lot to tell you about.
The bad news? There is a lot to tell you about.
I will start with the last two weeks of the MRI rankings, move into college football bowl games (yes, there are still those), perhaps the MRI will take on the World again this year if I can find some predictions, and finally, the coaching changes. Can someone tell me how to pronounce the name of the new BC coach?
Stay tuned to this channel
Posted by bmiraski at 9:11 AM | Comments (0)
December 5, 2006
The Jimmy V Classic
Today is my favorite basketball day of the year. No Championship is on the line, and no tournament berths are at stake.
Instead, the basketball world comes together for one night to celebrate the life of one its own, and help to save the lives of many more. Tonight is the Jimmy V Classic.
Jim Valvano lept into the spotlight when his North Carolina State Wolfpack defeated the Houston Cougars (of Phi Slamma Jamma) to win the 1983 NCAA Basketball Championship. Valvano ran around the court like a madman, just looking for someone to hug.
Jimmy V was stricken with cancer and less that 10 years after the celebration of his amazing victory, Valvano was fighting for his life. However, while cancer took away the life in his body, it never took away the life in his spirit or his drive and passion.
During his last few years, he dedicated himself to raising money for cancer research, not to save himself, but to help those that came after him. The Jimmy V Foundation was set up to do just that. When he announced the formation of the foundation, he was accepting the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 1993 ESPY awards. This is probably my favorite speech of all time, at any event, anywhere, and you can read it at the Jimmy V Foundation website. (I would normally post it here, but the speech rights are owned by the foundation and there are no public domain videos of it. You can see a full length video here.)
It is rare that there is a charity where 100% of everything you contribute goes to research and the Jimmy V Foundation does just that. They recently received an endowment which allows them to give all of the donations to fight against cancer, not to pay bills. As I am sure is the case with many of you, a lot of people I know have been touched by cancer. Some have fought and won, others have fought and lost. I hope for a day when we can eliminate the second group and everyone fights and wins.
It is the holiday season and many of us are busy spending on gifts for our loved ones so there is probably not a lot of extra money to go around. If there is, please consider giving some to the Jimmy V Foundation.
I am sure Jimmy V would appreciate it.
"Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up."
Posted by bmiraski at 5:20 PM | Comments (0)
MRI2006: Week 2 - Early Losses Shake It Up
When the Clemson Tigers beat Minnesota in the ACC - Big Ten Challenge, it was expected. However, Clemson has won every other game they have played so far this season.
And that is enough to get them the #1 spot in the MRI this week.
They had some help. Big names, like last week's #1 Ohio State, #2 Marquette, #4 Florida, and #5 Illinois, all lost during the week, dropping them down the rankings. Meanwhile, Clemson just kept on winning.
They are joined in the top 5 by Missouri at #2 who is also without a loss early this season. However, like the football team, you have to wonder if they will be able to keep up this run once the Big XII season starts. Right now, the firing of Quin Snyder looks like a great move in Columbia.
Pittsburgh moves up three spots to #3 this week after again rolling through their week. Jumping huge into the top 25 is Providence. The Friars look like they could be a surprise leader within the Big East this season as some of the normal names we follow from that conference are struggling early.
Rounding out the top 5 is Duke, who won two sloppy games, but keeps doing what it is necessary to stay at the top of the MRI.
Check out all the ratings in Week 2 of the MRI.
| And Now the Rankings | |||||
| Teams Dropped From The Top 25: | |||||
| Old Dominion (LW #8, TW #37), Georgia Tech (LW #13, TW #32), New Mexico (LW #18, TW #72), Arkansas (LW #23, TW #40), Michigan State (LW #24, TW #31), | |||||
| Other Teams People Might Care About | |||||
| Last Place this week: Alcorn State (0-8) at -35.73. | |||||
| Biggest Gain this week: Liberty gained 42.37 points (Beat East Carolina) | |||||
| Biggest Loss this week: Elon lost 33.16 points (Lost to Virginia Commonwealth and Davidson) | |||||
| Conference rankings this week: ACC, PAC-10, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, SEC, MVC, Mountain West, C-USA, Atlantic 10, WAC | |||||
The MRI Rankings are copyright 2006 by MRISports.com. Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)
December 4, 2006
MRI Football 2006 - Rankings Regular Season Final
Sorry Lloyd. The MRI doesn't have a say in the BCS. You would have at least gotten a little computer love if it was. Of course, the computers weren't your problem (Florida and Michigan tied in the computer component), but at least you would have gotten some satisfaction.
The MRI has never wavered. Michigan has been the best or second best team all year in the rankings. Ohio State had to work their way up there, but the two teams haven't move from their perch for a while now. Meanwhile, Florida has bounced around like a ping pong ball. The latest win was not even enough to get them to the top 5.
LSU remains strong at #3 on their off week. They get a nice trip to the Sugar Bowl and should be heavily favored against Notre Dame. Moving into #4, Louisville. The Cardinals took care of Connecticut in their final game and got a little help from West Virginia to take the Big East title. They get a trip down to the Orange Bowl to face Wake Forest.
And at #5, Boise State, the only other team without a blemish. The Broncos stray from the blue turf down to Arizona, where they will play Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
Other BCS participants not in the Top 25: Wake Forest, came in at #27, even after winning the ACC.
Check out all the ratings in the Regular Season Finale of the MRI.
| And Now the Rankings | |||||
 Ohio State |
|||||
 Michigan |
|||||
 LSU |
|||||
 Louisville |
|||||
 Boise State |
|||||
 USC |
|||||
 Florida |
|||||
| West Virginia |
|||||
| BYU |
|||||
| Wisconsin |
|||||
| Teams Dropped From The Top 25: None | |||||
| Other Teams People Might Care About | |||||
| Last Place this week: Temple (1-11) at -75.31. 9th week in a row. | |||||
| Biggest Gain this week: Central Michigan gained 8.66 points. (Beat Ohio in MAC Championship, 31-10) | |||||
| Biggest Loss this week: Louisiana Tech lost 18.06 points. (Lost to New Mexico State, 50-23) | |||||
| Conference rankings this week: Big East, SEC, Big Ten, PAC-10, Big 12, ACC, Mountain West, C-USA, WAC, MAC, Sun Belt | |||||
The MRI Rankings are copyright 2006 by MRISports.com. Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 9:00 PM | Comments (0)
Grading The Experts - Harris Poll
From the Editor: With sports guru and FanIQ blog editor, Critical Fanatic on vacation in Paris, I was called in to assist. That might be why it has been a little light around here lately. This article originally appeared on the FanIQ blog. This article is part of a recurring series on the 'Q'.
You have probably seen a lot about the Harris Poll already. The 113 voters are supposed to be statistically representative of the Division 1-A college football landscape, and should eliminate bias, blah, blah, blah. As we talked about when the names were first announced, it seemed difficult to understand the process of selecting these members, including Boomer Esiason, who last time I checked paid more attention to the NFL (His ballot wasn't so bad.).
You can see the full list of voters and links to their votes on the official Harris Football Poll website. Here though are some of the highlights as only FanIQ can bring them to you.
Sammy Winder (Former Denver Bronco, Southern Mississippi)
8. West Virginia
9. Cal
15. Oklahoma
17. Wisconsin
Cal at #9? Maybe before they played USC. I think Cal continues to show us they can not win the big games, which makes it interesting that Jeff Tedford is being rumored as a candidate at Alabama.
Grade: C-, because I am grading on a curve here.
Ed Podolak (Former KC Chiefs player, Iowa), who apparently was only watching the SEC and Big XII championship games on Saturday.
6. Louisville
9. Rutgers
19. West Virginia
Grade: C, remember, this is on a curve.
Bert Emanuel (Former NFL Player, Rice)
4. Boise State
25. Rice
Rice? Really Bert? Homer.
Grade: B-
And now, those who deserves some failing grades:
Tim Neverett (Broadcaster for UNLV, Mountain West, Colorado ESPN Radio)
2. Florida
3. USC
4. Michigan
5. Oklahoma
6. Louisville
7. LSU
8. Boise State
9. BYU
USC still at #3, and ahead of Michigan? I am going to find Tim's email and ask him if he is taking the Trojans in the Rose Bowl. If he says no, you know he was a "rematch hater"
Paul Zeise (Writer, Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
2. Louisville
3. Florida
4. Michigan
9. Wake Forest
Louisville at #2, which would have made sense had they beaten Rutgers. Yes, they are one of the best teams in the country, but not this good, are they? This is what you call not making the decision that matters.
Larry Keech (Retired sportswriter, Greensboro, NC)
2. Boise State
3. Michigan
4. Wisconsin
5. Florida
8. Notre Dame
9. LSU
I understand what Keech is saying here. Boise State was the only other team to not lose a game, but be honest, do we think Keech really thinks this? Florida at #5 and LSU below Notre Dame just don't make any sense.
Robert Lawless (Consultant, former president of Tulsa and Texas Tech)
2. Michigan
3. Wisconsin
4. Louisville
5. Florida
6. Boise State
Another of the Florida #5ers. I don't see it.
And last, but certainly not least, Jim Walden (former coach at Washington State, Iowa State), who needs to re-examine his voting method, which apparently involved his own calculations, the position of the sun on a Thursday at 3PM, the cost of the tea in China, and a butterfly flapping its wings in Mongolia.
1. Florida
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Oklahoma
5. Boise State
7. Wake Forest
11. LSU
23. Texas
There's a lot wrong here. I just have no idea where to begin, so I will leave it for you to start. Comment away on the strangest piece of the BCS, the Harris Poll.
Editor's Note: Thanks to Google for helping me figure out who these guys are...
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 7:25 PM | Comments (0)
Grading The Experts - Coaches Poll
From the Editor: With sports guru and FanIQ blog editor, Critical Fanatic on vacation in Paris, I was called in to assist. That might be why it has been a little light around here lately. This article originally appeared on the FanIQ blog. This article is part of a recurring series on the 'Q'.
Guess who Lloyd Carr thought was the #2 team in the country? Yep, that's right. Michigan.
Guess you can't blame him. Urban Meyer doesn't vote, so he had to hope the other 61 coaches would see things his way.
Looking at the board, 50,000 feet up: 18 coaches liked Michigan at #2, 44 liked Florida. Guess they went with Meyer.
All the coaches had their votes released as per the agreement for the last week of the regular season. Let's see who really was watching this season, and who needs a little extra coaching.
Howard Schnellenberger (F) - Florida Atlantic - He liked Florida. But he apparently didn't watch a lot of football on Saturday, or the rest of the season for that matter.
#5 USC
#7 Boise State
#8 Notre Dame
#10 Rutgers
#13 West Virginia
#15 LSU
#18 Oklahoma
Grade: F
John L Smith (M) - Michigan State - Can we still say that? He smacked himself hard enough to agree with Howard about Notre Dame. He was a Michigan supporter.
#4 Wisconsin
#7 USC
#8 Notre Dame
#9 Oklahoma
Grade: C-
Charlie Weis (M) - Notre Dame - Our round mound of coaching fun liked Michigan and his own team (#8), but apparently there is one coach out there who liked his team, Notre Dame, better
Phillip Fulmer (F) - Tennessee - The man in Orange liked Florida at #2, and does not like the Big East.
#6 USC
#7 Notre Dame
#10 Louisville
#11 Oklahoma
#13 Tennessee
#15 West Virginia
#16 Rutgers
Grade: D+, plus a homer vote since Tennessee finished 18th in the final tally.
Bob Stoops (F) agrees with Steve Spurrier (F) on two things. Florida is #2, and Oklahoma is #4. Spurrier didn't vote for Duke this time, go figure. He didn't vote for his own team either, which got two points. He obviously didn't like Notre Dame, who he had #16. Larry Coker (F) liked them just a little better, putting the Irish #15.
One last note. Ron Zook (F) doesn't hold a grudge. He voted Florida #2, and was the only coach from the Big Ten or SEC to vote against the team in their conference.
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 6:50 PM | Comments (0)
Grading The Experts - AP Poll
From the Editor: With sports guru and FanIQ blog editor, Critical Fanatic on vacation in Paris, I was called in to assist. That might be why it has been a little light around here lately. This article originally appeared on the FanIQ blog. This article is part of a recurring series on the 'Q'.
It's that time again... Time to grade your favorite experts and their votes in the numerous polls. Even better? This week, we should be getting all the votes released in the AP, Coaches, and Harris Polls. (Editor's Note: Here is a fun little deal. We are going to label the voters with (F) or (M) based on the higher team in their poll.)
Coaches Poll: Jim Tressel (I)
First, I want to say that I think what Jim Tressel did - not casting his vote in the Coaches Poll - was a good move. With the actual votes being released in the final tally, you don't want to look biased one way or another, especially when the drama around #2 is so large. I think he might still have cast his vote had USC won. There was little doubt that USC was going to be #2 if they had beaten the Bruins. But that didn't happen and Tressel showed class in not directly involving himself in the controversy. It is a shame that this might cost him his vote in the poll.
Grade: A+
AP: Susan Miller Degnan (F) - Miami Herald
You can't fault her for voting Florida #2. She has to go to work everyday and sell papers, and it doesn't pay to upset your readers. But...
7. Auburn
8. USC
9. Notre Dame
10. Boise State
11. Oklahoma
Did I miss something? Didn't Oklahoma just win the Big XII? 21-7? I know they have two losses, but ranking them below Auburn, ND, and Boise State is a little out of whack, especially when the Sooners finished 7th when all the votes were counted.
Grade: D
AP: David Jones (F) - Florida Today
Something in the water in Florida.
6. USC
7. Louisville
8. West Virginia
9. Boise State
10. Auburn
11. Oklahoma
At least he realized that the Sooners were better than Notre Dame.
Grade: C-
AP: Mark Tupper (M) - Decatur Herald
#11 Wisconsin
That's it. His poll otherwise doesn't look too bad, but 11? And below SC, Arkansas, Auburn, and Boise State.
Grade: B-
AP: Jason Whitlock (F)
Oh, Jason, still up to your old tricks...
#4 Oklahoma
#14 Wisconsin
#17 Boise State
#18 Nebraska
#19 Texas
Wackiness. And how do you rank Nebraska above Texas when the Longhorns beat them, beat Oklahoma who beat them, and have the better record?
Grade: D
AP: Kirk Herbstreit (M)
So this week, Herbie got a little criticism from the Ombudsman for ESPN that he should rethink his vote in the AP. I don't know if that is right or not, since he probably watches more ball than the other voters, and there are other ESPN/ABC voters on the panel too. However this is too good.
#2 Michigan - Didn't I see Herbie on ESPN saying that he thought the BCS got it right with Florida in the title game? Then how does he vote Michigan #2 in his own vote?
#5 USC - They lost, but apparently the cheerleaders still looked nice on television.
Grade: See Me
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 6:15 PM | Comments (0)
Championship Weekend Recap
From the Editor: With sports guru and FanIQ blog editor, Critical Fanatic on vacation in Paris, I was called in to assist. That might be why it has been a little light around here lately. This article originally appeared as three pieces on the FanIQ blog.
One piece of the BCS picture came into focus. One piece got a little more interesting.
Wake Forest 9 Georgia Tech 6 The guy at halftime won $60,000 and had a better performance than Reggie Ball in the entire game. It amazes me that he has been there four years and Georgia Tech has never recruited a better signal caller. It is so bad that the Jackets used pass interference penalties as the majority of their offense.
Wake didn't do much better but did enough. Kickers decided it (almost like the World Cup final, only I think Italy and France might have scored more if they played this kind of football.) Ummm, can anyone believe that Wake Forest will be playing in the Orange Bowl? That's still a BCS game right?
Louisville 48 Connecticut 17 This game was never close, except when Connecticut scored a touchdown early that was reversed on replay. Brian Brohm threw for 340 yards and 4 touchdowns, two to junior Harry Douglas, including a 67 yarder. The Louisville players are now the biggest West Virginia fans out there. A win by the Mountaineers will send Louisville to the BCS.
And the update from last night, which I forgot earlier:
Houston 34 Southern Mississippi 20 Kevin Kolb had 258 yards and three touchdowns (2 pass, 1 run), as the Cougars won the C-USA crown. Only 6% of the fans and experts at the beginning of the year thought that the title would go to the Cougars, so this was a mild upset over the course of the season. (By the way, I predicted 35-28... so close). Houston will be heading to the Liberty Bowl thanks to their victory.
USC better find those roses from a couple weeks ago. They are going to need them again...
UCLA 13 USC 9 Well, doesn't this make things interesting? We know one thing now -- USC will not be in the National Championship game. UCLA definitely stepped up in this one and played the Trojans hard every second of the game. If they would have just played that way in the last few minutes of the Notre Dame game, think about the season they would have had (8-4, 3rd place in Pac-10, anyone?). This secures USC in the Rose Bowl playing a yet unknown opponent. Michigan and LSU are the most likely suspects.
By the way, the hit on Cowan in the 4th quarter may be the second best hit I have seen all year in college football.
Cal 26 Stanford 17 I didn't really expect anything different, but I thought I would include it. Cal was supposed to be the team that would unseat USC as the leader in the PAC-10 this year. Something went terribly wrong with that plan along the way. Holiday Bowl, here we come.
Navy 26 Army 14 No offense to anyone, but this is the greatest rivalry game in sports. If you think it is hard to get a ticket for Ohio State - Michigan, try getting one to Army - Navy. Navy retains the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy (they had to steal it from Notre Dame). The seniors for the Midshipmen never lost to Army or Air Force in their four years, a first in the history of the service academy football tradition
Well, Michigan and Florida fans are going to be sweating all day tomorrow... More on that game in a bit, but first the other games of interest.
Oklahoma 21 Nebraska 7 A little over a minute left here, but this is all but over. The football gods must have played with Oklahoma enough at the beginning of the season. They turned their disfavor on USC to end the year. Oklahoma, left for dead in all races, comes back to win the Big XII title. Talk about something no one thought would be happening when they were 3-2.
They win the "Boise State Challenge" Cup and will head to the desert and the Fiesta Bowl. This is a huge reward for the Sooners after a tough season, and that they beat their long standing rival Nebraska to do it must make it all the sweeter. (Predicted score? 24-13... Let's not talk about how off I was on the SEC championship final tally.)
West Virginia 41 Rutgers 39 I have a feeling Jarrett Brown is going to be the honorary governor of the state of Kentucky on Monday. The freshman stepped in for an injured Pat White and led (and I mean led, this kid was good) West Virginia to victory over the surprising Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Louisville will therefore be the representative from the Big East in the BCS because of their win earlier today. It took 3 OTs and a missed 2 pt. conversion but this was a game worth watching til the end. Who said the Big East isn't exciting? Oh right, ACC fans *snicker*
Troy 26 Florida International 13 The Panthers of FIU fail to get a win this year, and they had the brawl in Miami. Maybe next year they should schedule Duke. The loss by FIU gives Troy the SunBelt championship and a trip to New Orleans to face Rice.
Florida 38 Arkansas 28 And the big one... At halftime, this looked like a decent defensive game. Apparently the coaches pulled out all those extra pages that they hide in their back pocket for the second 30. Double passes, reverses turning into passes. Does it ever stop?
Arkansas had three players throw touchdown passes but it wasn't enough. Now the Gators have to hope they did enough to change the minds of the voters. According to the math I did earlier, they will probably need 7 voters in the coaches poll to change their support from the Wolverines. I didn't do the math on the Harris poll, because honestly, there are too many voters, and it will be too difficult to exclude the possibility of a rogue voter.
Guess we will all be watching the Bowl Selection show tomorrow...
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 5:30 PM | Comments (0)
December 3, 2006
Big XII Recap - Championship Game
Let’s say that this Big XII Championship had a little less drama associated with it than it has recently. It might be the renewal of an old rivalry in Nebraska and Oklahoma, but this game didn’t have the stakes of the last few contests.
Go back.
2003 – Oklahoma was the leader all season and lost(!) the game yet still went to the BCS championship game. And then they lost to LSU, causing the only split champion under the BCS system.
2004 – Oklahoma again had to put their unblemished record on the line for a chance at the BCS title game. A win got them a chance to be blown out by USC.
2005 – Texas had to roll through this game on their way to the National Title.
So, far be it for this game to attract a lot of attention when the National Title isn’t on the line. All that was at risk was the “Boise State Challenge Cup”. The winner’s greatest victory was getting a chance to play the upstart Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl in January. Well, that and a great deal of cash.
Oklahoma, who the football gods apparently had a grudge against earlier in the season, managed to overcome adversity to get to the game. They lost what they thought was their opening day quarterback. Their best running back broke is collar bone. They lost a controversial game at Oregon because of obvious replay issues. They needed two losses by South division leader Texas in order to pass them. And yet, Oklahoma kept on running, earning their berth in Kansas City.
Come Saturday, the Sooners took all that adversity and changed it to a positive, winning 21-7 over Nebraska.
The Sooners had to rely on the throwing arm of Paul Thompson more than at any time this season in order to win the game. While Nebraska shut down the running game, holding Oklahoma to only 42 yards, they attacked through the air.
Thompson finished 19 for 34, gaining 265 yards. He threw two touchdowns and only one interception. All told, this was by far his best performance of the year. Not bad for a quarterback who was expected to be a wide receiver during spring practice.
His counterpart, Zac Taylor, did not have as great a day. Taylor threw three interceptions, which were just the beginning of the issues for Nebraska who had 5 turnovers, a title game record.
The game was also record setting for a few players. Malcolm Kelly, who caught both touchdowns for Oklahoma, had 142 yards receiving, breaking the title game record. The Nebraska punter also set a record. Dan Titchener hit 6 punts inside the 20, a testament to how poor the offense was for the Cornhuskers, but also a lesson in great kicking.
With the victory, Oklahoma will go on the Fiesta Bowl to play Boise State. Nebraska gets a trip to the Cotton Bowl to face the Auburn Tigers.
Ben Miraski writes for MRISports.com and is a featured blogger on FanIQ. His Big XII recap appears weekly on Blogcritics.org as part of their NCAA Tailgate Cleanup. Readers can contact Ben at bmiraski@mrisports.com
Posted by bmiraski at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 1, 2006
Conference USA Championship Game Preview
Conference USA is a conference in search of an identity. When it was created, it was supposed to be the big basketball conference. It had names that rang of tradition in hoops, like DePaul, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, and Louisville.
Now, all four of those schools play somewhere else.
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that this is the next great football conference. Just look at last year’s title game between Central Florida and Tulsa. Where was Central Florida the year before? At the bottom of the nation in terms of win and strength, that’s where. But George O’Leary did wonders there. Tulsa just beat out Mike Price and UTEP for the berth in the title game. Price brought that program back from nothing. And Tulsa is a name we hear over and over again as one of the top programs not in a BCS conference.
And this year, we have Houston, another program with some tradition, and Southern Mississippi, the alma mater of a certain quarterback who now plays in Green Bay.
This is a conference on the rise, and could be the next group of teams to break into the BCS party, maybe as early as next season.
When the teams take the field on Friday night, it will be a showcase for C-USA offensive player of the year Kevin Kolb. Kolb had some early Heisman talk about him, but his team’s performance didn’t help him. Losing three straight to Miami, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Southern Mississippi will do that to an award chase.
However, the loss to Southern Mississippi was their only blemish in conference and Kolb ended the season with over 3000 yards passing and 25 touchdowns. He is a legitimate NFL prospect, and has thrown for 3000 yards in three of his four seasons. This game will be his tryout for the scouts who have been following him all year. He will have to show he can do it in the big game, something that will be important at the next level.
Before you think that Houston is all about passing the ball, the two running backs would like to talk to you. Both Anthony Alridge and Jackie Battle had over 800 yards rushing this season and Battle led the team with 12 touchdowns. This is a high powered offense that Southern Mississippi was only able to hold to 27 points the first time around.
It is no surprise that Houston can score, with one of the best offenses in the country. However, they did lose that first game against the Eagles. And a lot of that loss could be attributed to the play of Jeremy Young who had three touchdowns (2 passing, one rushing) in that game. The defense for Houston will have to concentrate on stopping Young, who has already shown he knows how to play in a big game.
The Eagles also feature a 1000 yard rusher in freshman Damion Fletcher. He is the leading touchdown scorer for Southern Mississippi and had 80 yards in the first game between these two. He is also only a freshman which means we will likely be hearing his name mentioned in bigger circles in a few years.
I honestly can’t see a reason why Houston won’t win the rematch. The first time was a fluke and Houston didn’t do a good job of containing Young. Remember that this was also the third game of the losing streak. That had to play on Houston’s mind.
Southern Mississippi has the second best defense in the conference, but I think this time around, Kevin Kolb has some extra incentive, like a few million dollars for a good draft slot. If he can avoid the pass rush of the Eagles (24 sacks this year), this one goes the Cougars’ way.
Houston takes this, 35-28.
Posted by bmiraski at 5:00 PM | Comments (0)