Coaching Carousel (Wisconsin)

Wisconsin Badgers

It's safe to say that nobody really saw Bret Bielema leaving.  Bielema has had a ton of success at Wisconsin.  The Badgers have won the Big 10 three straight years and will also be playing in their third straight Rose Bowl.  Bielema has won 68 games in his seven years and has made it a bowl game year in and year out.  He's lead the Badgers to three top 10 seasons and in 2011 he was two hail mary throws away from competing for a National Title.  Why would Bielema leave a program that had a chance to win the Big 10 every year and getting to a National Title every couple of years?  But Bielema left because he thought he'd have a better chance of winning a National Championship in the SEC and at a school like Arkansas.  Add in that they paid him some good money and he was tired of being in Barry Alvarez's shadow and it becomes no longer a surprise why he left.

One thing is for certain.  Who ever is hired as the next Wisconsin coach is going to be walking into a good situation.  The foundation is set.  Current AD Barry Alvarez built the program and a lot of what he has done has continued.  The team loses some key players (Monte Ball, Ricky Wagner, and Mike Taylor) but still return a deep team that knows how to win.  Alvarez has done a great job of keeping the search close to the vest, but the Badgers should be able to get an accomplished coach who can carry on the tradition of Wisconsin football.  Here are a few names that are in the running.

Potential Candidates

Paul Chryst (Pittsburgh Head Coach)
It was Chryst's name that came up right away when the job opened.  And why not, Chryst was born in Madison, played at Wisconsin, and was a coach for the Badgers on two separate occasions (most recently as their OC).  Chryst is considered an offensive guru and it showed in his final season with the Badgers.  He just finished up his first year as a head coach at Pitt.  Chryst has openly said that he is committed to Pitt and has no interest in the Wisconsin job.  But with the fact that the job search has been so quiet, it's hard not to think that Chryst is actually considering it.  He would still be my favorite to get this job.

Mel Tucker (Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator)
Tucker is another alumn of the school who is getting a lot of attention for the job.  Tucker is currently the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars and has been a coordinator in Cleveland and with Ohio State.  Tucker's teams have always statistically been regarded as the best in the NFL.  Tucker has stated that he's not interested, but reports have been out that he's actually interviewed for the job.  Both Alvarez and Bielema had defensive backgrounds, that could help in Tucker's favor.  If Chryst is serious about him not wanting the job, it could be Tucker's to lose.

Darrell Bevell (Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator)
Here is another former Badger player that could be the next Wisconsin head coach.  Bevell is a former QB for the Badgers who helped current AD Barry Alvarez win the first Rose Bowl in the school's history.  For the past seven year's he's been the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and now currently with the Seattle Seahawks.  Bevell is a West Coast Offense guy and in Seattle he's help develop a team that is a physical smash mouth rushing attack.  Something that fits in well in Madison.  The problem with Bevell is that he's spent a majority of his time in the NFL and has little experience coaching in college.  Bevell also has never been a head coach.  But with Tucker and Chyrst both openly saying that they aren't interested, Bevell could be the top choice if Alvarez wants to hire somebody with connections. 

Matt Campbell (Toledo Head Coach)
One name that has been floated out there is Matt Campbell from Toledo.  Campbell is young (33) and has only been a head coach for a year.  But he is a hot name in the coaching circles and probably won't be at Toledo for many years.  But there has been talk that Alvarez has talked with Campbell and that could give the program somebody that will be around for a while.  However you have to wonder how good of a fit would Campbell be.  Campbell is known for a spread offense and that doesn't fit with Wisconsin so well.  He has also only coached for a year and that along with age make it difficult for him in the Big 10.  Campbell is probably a long shot, but with reports of Alvarez possible coaching next year too, he could have Campbell come in and  be the "coach in waiting,"

Chris Peterson (Boise State Head Coach)
I'm not one to just throw Peterson's name out there like a lot of other people do.  Peterson is a west coast guy and probably won't take another job unless it is the perfect fit and likely on the west coast.  However Wisconsin might be the job that doesn't fit his desire to coach out west but is a good fit for him.  Although some may feel that Wisconsin's style of play doesn't fit Peterson, that isn't true.  Peterson has run a run based offense that uses a lot of motion and different formations.  That's exactly what the Badgers have been over the past couple of years.  Madison is also relatively tucked away and has the Packers that takes most of the attention in the state.  That fits into Peterson who isn't a big fan of the media.  Does Peterson take this job?  Probably not, but I wouldn't be shocked if he did.

10 Things to Watch During Bowl Season

1.  Will the Big 10 win a bowl?
One of the primer conferences in college athletics has not enjoyed a good season.  Their best team is an undefeated Ohio State squad that isn't eligible for the post season.  Nebraska was the 2nd best team, but they got blowout to a 7-5 Wisconsin team.  The conference will send 7 schools to bowl games, but none of those 7 teams are favored to win.  Wisconsin has to play a tough Stanford team without their coach, Nebraska is facing a team that was 3 yards short of a National Title, and Michigan isn't a good match up for South Carolina.  The team with the best chance to win is Northwestern against Miss State.  But the Wildcats might not be able to match Miss State's physicality   It could be a long bowl season for Jim Deleaney.

2.  Which Washington team will show up?
When you beat Oregon State and Stanford this season you would think that the Huskies would be one of the top teams in the Pac 12.  But that same team also dropped a games to an average Arizona team and a horrible Washington State team.  Not a model of consistency.  Washington has a ton of talent, but it's a matter of them wanting it.  Will they want it against Boise State who always is up to play BCS teams.


3.  How many sacks will Jarvis Jones have?
Jarvis Jones has been dominant for most of the season.  He's one of the best pass rushers in the nation and finished 4th in the nation with 12.5 sacks.  He'll likely be a top 5 draft pick in the NFL Draft.  His Bowl opponent, Nebraska.  Nebraska's offensive tackles (Brett Qvale and Jeremiah Sirles) are not very good and have shown to give up a lot of pressure on Taylor Martinez.  I have a gut feeling that Jones could easily get 5 or more sacks in this game.  Add in Martinez's tendency to put the ball on the carpet, Jones could improve on his 7 forced fumbles too.


4.  Georgia Tech's Running Game
Everybody knows that Georgia Tech has one of the best rushing attacks in all of college football.  Their triple option attack is puts a strain on defenses and has allowed them end the regular season with the 4th overall rushing attack.  Usually triple option teams struggle in bowl games because teams have a month to get ready fort hem.  However USC has struggled to stop the run and in their biggest losses opponents have just gashed the Trojans.  USC is even giving up an average of 156 yards per game.  Will the Trojans be able to slow down the triple option?  Or will the Yellow Jackets be able to end their seven bowl losing streak and take advantage of a porous USC rush defense?

5.  Old School Rose Bowl
In case you are new to college football, the spread has taken over.  Teams are employing three and four wide receiver sets on a consistent basis.  Even teams like Arizona and Oregon who are two of the best rushing teams run their offenses out of the spread.  So it's rare to see teams run a traditional power running attack.  But we have two of them in this game.  Both Wisconsin and Stanford are known for their smash mouth rushing attacks, big strong offensive lineman, and dominating the line of scrimmage.  Old School football fans will be in heaven for this game.  We shouldn't see a high scoring affair, but at the end of the game we'll see plenty of grass, blood, and sweat all over their uniforms.  It should be great to watch.

6.  Conference Supremacy
Because it takes only winning all of your games or sometimes losing just one game to make the national title teams aren't willing to play a lot of marquee games in the non-conference.  Sure we get the occasional Oregon vs LSU or Michigan vs Alabama, but most schools have FCS programs on their schedule and non AQ schools so they can go undefeated entering conference play.  So it's hard to get a real feel for which conference is the best.  But Bowl Games do give us a chance to have conference vs conference.  And even though it isn't an exact science  we can see which con fence wins the most bowl games and has bragging rights.  But then the SEC has had bragging rights for a while since they've won six straight national titles.  Though it's still fun to see which conference will win the most bowls.


7.  How will Northern Illinois do in their first BCS Bowl?

The term BCS buster has become a common term lately.  It all started with Boise State in the 2006-2007 season when the Broncos beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.  From there on we saw Utah, Hawaii, and TCU all make BCS Bowls from non-AQ schools.  This year we have another and it's the first appearance from a MAC school.  Northern Illinois has enjoyed a great season going 12-1 and beating Kent State in the MAC Title Game.  Their lead by QB Jordan Lynch and a high powered offense.  Under normal circumstances the Huskies would be underdogs against a one loss Florida State team that many considered to be a National Title contender.  But add in that Northern Illinois will be without their head coach, Dave Doren, who left to take the North Carolina State job.  How will the Huskies play?  Will they be motivated to prove they belong?  Or will Florida State's superior athletes run wild over them?

8.  Will UCLA and Baylor score more than 90 points combined?
If your a fan of defense and low scoring games, then don't watch this game.  Both UCLA and Baylor are known scoring points.  Baylor is as high flying as they come and are averaging 44  points per game.  UCLA isn't rated as high, but they do average 35 points per game.  UCLA has an improved defense, but they are still giving up 25 points per game and Baylor will be able to score on anybody.  Add in that Baylor's defense can't stop anybody and Brett Hundley and Jonathan Franklin shouldn't have any trouble finding the end zone.  This game should be the highest scoring game of the bowl season.

9.  Battle of Heavyweights 
One of the best things about bowl season is seeing some great one on one match ups between elite players.  This year is no different.  In the Outback Bowl we get to see arguably the best pass rusher against one of the best left tackles in college football.  Jadeveon Clowney is a beast. No other way of saying it.  He was second in the nation in sacks with 13 and has given tackles in the SEC fits all year long.  In this game he'll be going against Michigan LT Taylor Lewan whose nutrerlized every player he's seen this year.  He's projected as the second best tackle in the 2013 NFL Draft and will likely be a top 15 pick.  I don't know about anybody else, but I'm excited to see how these two heavyweights do against each other.  Will Clowney have his way?  Or will Lewan show why NFL GMs are in love with him?


10.  Will the SEC win their 7th straight National Title?
It's been no secret that the SEC has dominated college football the past decade.  So much that they've won 6 straight National Titles.  This year is no different.  Alabama has made it back to the BCS Title Game and look to win their second straight National Title.  That would give the SEC their 7th in a row.  Something that is just unheard of.  They have a great shot to do so.  They'll be facing off against a good Notre Dame team.  But it's a Notre Dame team that isn't necessarily a world beater.  Yes they won all 12 games but they've done  so without a consistent offense.  Alabama brings one of the best defenses in the nation and an offense that has a strong running attack.  It should be a close game, but Alabama holds the edge.

Heisman Watch (Early Prediction)

Now that the Heisman has officially been given out to redshirt freshman QB Johnny Manziel (by the way that makes 5 years in a row I've successfully predicted the top 3 in the Heisman) it's time to look ahead to next year.  Who will bring home the hardware next year?  Will it be one of the favorites to start the season, or will we see somebody come out from nowhere again to win the award?  It's way too early to tell, but for fun let's take a look at what it could look like.

1.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Why he could win:  Miller has some momentum.  As a sophomore he was dynamic in Urban Meyer's spread offense and was a huge reason why they finished 12-0.  Miller finished 5th in the 2013 Heisman voting and that was on a team that was on probation and couldn't play in the Big 10 Title Game, all of which didn't help generate any buzz for Miller.  With Ohio State now eligible, the Buckeyes will be the favorite to win the Big 10 and that only helps Miller.  Add in that he'll be a junior and a second full year in Meyer's system we could see a huge year out of him.

What stands in the way:  The schedule.  This could go either way.  An easy schedule will allow Miller to have gaudy numbers which will impress some voters.  However, most Heisman winners win the award because their performances against top level teams.  You don't get that against weak competition.  Injuries.  This is something that did hurt Miller this year.  Because of his style of play, Miller often got hit a lot and had to leave several games.  He can't do that if he wants to win a Heisman.

2.  Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
Why he could win:  He's already done it once, why can't he do it again?  Sounds simple.  Manziel had a huge year this year and only stands to improve.  He'll be in his second year in the system where his knowledge and skills will improve.  Playing in the SEC he'll get plenty of exposure (not that he doesn't now anyways) and will have plenty of chances to impress during conference play.

What stands in the way:  He's already won it once.  Only one other player in Heisman history has ever won the award twice.  Some have been finalists more than once, but only Archie Griffin has done it.  Because of that, some voters don't want somebody to win it again.  They know about him.  This sort of things happens all the time.  A guy has a breakout season and then the next year he is above average.  The SEC is full of good defensive coaches and they'll be more than ready for him next time around.  Injuries.  A player of Manziel's stature and the way he plays, he's bound to get banged up and could miss time.

3.  Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
Why he could win:  Year in and year out we are starting to see more defensive players as finalists.  One of these years we are going to see a defensive player win the award.  Could 2013 be the year?  If so, Clowney has a great shot.  He finished 6th this past year and is arguably one of the best defensive players in the country talent wise.  Clowney had 13 sacks last year and another year he could be even better.  As a defensive end he has the ability to dominant games.  Do that enough in the SEC and people take notice.

What stands in the way:  He plays defense.  Look how it took a freshman to win the award, it could be even longer for a defensive player to do so.  It may have to take a down year (much like this year) for somebody to break through.  Even Ndamukong Suh's huge 2008 year wasn't enough.  Cloweny also has to deal with offensives scheming to neutralize him.  It's much easier to take a defensive player out of the game than an offensive.

4.  Taylor Martinez QB Nebraska
Why he could win:  Experience.  Martinez is entering his fourth year as a starter.  Each year he has improved.  Next year is setting up pretty nicely for him.  Nebraska returns all their skill players which provide him the opportunity to have some monster games.  Their offense is built around him to be successful and if Taylor can continue to improve his throwing skills, the sky is the limit.

What stands in the way:  Inconsistency.  When Martinez is on, he's really good.  But when he's not there is a big difference.  Taylor struggles with turnovers and will force when pressed.  If he wants to win a Heisman and help his team win the conference he'll need to stop having so many peaks and valleys and show more consistency.  The rest usually takes care of its self.

5.  Jordan Lynch QB Northern Illinois
Why he could win:  The biggest reason why Northern Illinois will be playing in the Orange Bowl is because of their junior QB.  Lynch has be the catalyst of their offense.  He rushed for 1,771 yards and had 19 TDs while throwing for 2,962 yards and 24 TDs.  That is quite remarkable.  But it allow him to finish 7th overall in this past year's Heisman voting.  If he has a big game against Florida State's defensive  it can really set him up for a huge 2013.

What stands in the way:  Lack of exposure.  Many people have no idea who Jordan Lynch is.  Add in that he plays in the MAC and it's going to be near impossible for him to do it.  So he'll need to have a huge games when they get their most attention.  Add in that they'll need to go undefeated for him to even have a shot. 

Heisman Watch (Final)

The Heisman Presentation is only days away, players have been invited, and now we are going to find out who is going to with the 78th Heisman Trophy.  How will I do this year?  So far I've successfully predicted the top 3 of the Heisman four years running.  Will this be the 5th?  Lets find how where everybody is projected to fall.

1.  Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
Season Stats:   3,419 yards passing 24 TDs 8 INTs, 1181 yards rushing 19 TDs
Comments:  The winner of the 2012 Heisman Trophy will go to Johnny Manziel.  Manziel winning the award will make history as he will be the first freshman to win the award.  Manziel caught every body's attention with his dynamic play leading A&M's potent offense against some of the best defenses in the nation.  But it was after he lead A&M in an upset of then #1 Alabama which propelled him from a Heisman contender to leading the way.  Manzeil didn't play like a freshman, showing poise and leadership.  That was what helped the Aggies win 10 games in their first season in the SEC.  Also doesn't hurt that Manziel set the SEC record for most yards in a single season.  He should win going away.

2.  Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame

Season Stats:   101 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 INTs
Comments:  It looks like Te'o is going to finish 2nd in the voting, but I don't get it.  Te'o had a good year and is a great story.  But he still doesn't deserve to finish in the top 5.  There are players that were much more dominant or had better seasons.  What makes matters worse the arguments I see for Te'o focus on that he's the captain of the #1 team in the nation.  That their defense is one of the best, so because he's getting some first place votes.  If I'm not mistaken the Heisman is suppose to be going to the best player in college football.  Let's not go back to giving it to the best player on the best team.  Heck Luke Kuechly had a better year than Te'o, but because Boston College was horrible last year, he didn't sniff any Heisman talk.  Te'o is a stud, but he shouldn't be in this spot.

3.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Season Stats:   2,490 yards passing 15 TDs 7 INTs, 890 yards rushing 22 TDs
Comments:  I'm glad to see that Klein got invited to New York, but I still don't understand how Klein went from leading the race for most of the year, to having one bad game and now have him third on the list.  Do we forget that Klein was KState's offense.  He carried this team on his back and leading the Wildcats to an 11-1 record and even a #1 ranking at one point.  But that lost to Baylor was just too much to overcome.  It's too bad because the season that Klein had doesn't happen very often.

4.  Marqise Lee WR USC

Season Stats:   1,680 yards receiving 14 TDs
Comments:  Lee wasn't invited to the ceremony, but he'll still going to finish within the top 5 in voting.  Everybody knew that Lee was talented, but felt that teammate Robert Woods would be the star of this offense.  Instead it was Lee that dominated the competition on route to 1,680 yards which was second most in the nation.  That's quite the feat for a wide receiver in a pro style offense and with defenses schemed to stop him.  Lee also had 14 TDs on the season which was third most in the nation.  This is also the highest a wide receiver has finished in years.

5.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Season Stats:   2,039 yards passing 15 TDs 6 INTs, 1,271 yards rushing 13 TDs
Comments:  Miller may finish in fifth place this year, but he should be a favorite to win the award one of the next two years.  Miller is the perfect quarterback for Urban Meyer's spread option system and it showed this year.  Miller was a dual threat for the Buckeye's offense that didn't have many play makers.  Miller was dangerous running the ball and often was able to change the momentum of a game with his long TD runs.  But him missing time in games due to injury and Ohio State not being able to play in the Big 10 Title Game hurt his chances of making a bigger impression on voters.

Heisman Watch (My vote)

This is different than my previous Heisman Watches because instead of ranking the player's chances at winning the Heisman, I'm listing how I'd vote (if I had a vote.  I will at some point!)  I'll have a prediction on who wins the Heisman later this week and extend my streak of successfully predicting the top 3 for four straight years.  Anyways here would be my ballot if I had one.

1.  Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M

Before Manziel began this year, A&M was know for being an underachieving program.  Always with a ton of potential to be great, they never were.  Manziel's talent and leadership really turned around this team and now are the hottest team in college football.  Manziel has been dynamic this year.  He has 4,600 total yards which set an SEC single season record.  Pair that up with his 43 TDs and it's hard not see why everybody loves him.  Even as a freshman he is the best player in the country and would end up being the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.  I wonder what his next three years will bring.

2.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
It's a shame that everybody is forgetting about Collin Klein.  Klein was the favorite for most of the season, but a sort of bad game in a loss against Baylor and he gets dropped in people's minds.  Yeah Manziel deserves it more than he does, but Klein desrves 2nd place.  Just looking at the KState team and you'll see that Klein meant so much to them.  He was their offense.  He had 37 TDs on the year.  3,380 combined yards.  Quite impressive considering that opposing defenses knew exactly what he was going to do, but still couldn't stop it.  But it's too bad he won't finish 2nd, mainly because he plays at KState.

3.  Jarvis Jones OLB Georgia
You aren't seeing Jones in any finalists lists for the Heisman, but that's a shame.  The award is suppose to go to the best player in college football this year and Jones is one of them.  Manti Te'o is getting a lot of hype about possibility of winning the Heisman Trophy and I don't get it.  Te'o is good, but he's getting attention because how good the Irish defense is.  Jones has been the far better player.  Jones has 12.5 sacks, 19 QB hurries, 7 forced fumbles, and 1 INT on the year.  Jones has just dominated games.  Against Missouri he was a one man wrecking crew.  You can't say that about Te'o.  Sure he may have more tackles, but Jones has been one of the most dominate players this year.

4.  Marqise Lee WR USC

Going into the season it was his teammate Robert Woods that was getting all the attention.  But it was Lee who really shined this year despite the struggles of his own team.  Lee was dynamic all season long, hauling in 112 receptions for 1680 yards.  That's astonishing considering the Trojans liked to run the ball.  Heck they even had him working at CB in practice because of the lack of depth and poor play there.  Lee is clearly one of the top 5 players in the country and I'd have no issues with him finishing higher either.  Defenses just had no answer for him.

5.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Even though Ohio State finished 12-0 and Braxton Miller finished one heck of a sophomore year.  Could you imagine how much better they could be with more weapons on offense?  But I guess that goes to show how good of a season Miller truly had.  Miller finished with 3,310 total yards of offense and 28 touchdowns.  He did this with defenses knowing he was going to have the ball in his hands.  Miller could be higher on this list.  But his final couple of games he was just average.  You wonder if the Buckeyes would have been able to play in the Big 10 Title game could have put him higher on the list?  Who knows.

All Americans

1st Team

QB:  Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
RB:  Kenjon Barner, Oregon
RB:  Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
WR:  Marqise Lee, USC
WR:  Stedman Bailey, West Virginia
TE:  Joseph Fauria, UCLA
OT:  Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
OG:  Chance Warmack, Alabama
C:  Barrett Jones, Alabama
OG:  John Cooper, North Carolina
OT:  Taylor Lewan, Michigan

DE:  Damontre Moore, Texas A&M
DT:  Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame
DT:  Star Lotuleilei DT Utah
DE:  Bjoern Werner, Florida State
LB:  Anthony Barr, UCLA
LB:  Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
LB:  Jarvis Jones, Georgia
CB:  Jordan Poyer, Oregon State
S:  Phillip Thomas, Fresno State
S:  Matt Elam, Florida
CB:  Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregen

P:  Ryan Allen, Louisiana Tech
K:  Dustin Hopkins, Florida State
RS:  Tavon Austin, West Virginia

2nd Team

QB:  Collin Klein, Kansas State
RB:  Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
RB:  Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona
WR:  Terrance Williams, Baylor
WR:  DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson
TE:  Zach Ertz, Stanford
OT:  Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
OG:  David Yankey, Stanford
C:  Braxston Cave, Notre Dame
OG:  Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA
OT:  Eric Fisher, Central Michigan

DE:  Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
DT:  Will Sutton, Arizona State
DT:  Jordan Hill, Penn State
DE:  Dion Jordan, Oregon
LB:  Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
LB:  Kevin Minter, LSU
LB:  Arthur Brown, Kansas State
CB:  Demarcus Milliner, Alabama
S:  Eric Reid, LSU
S:  Tony Jefferson, Oklahoma
CB:  Ricardo Allen, Purdue

K:  Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State
P:  Kyle Christy, Florida
RS:  Venric Mark, Northwestern

Coaching Carousel (South Florida)

South Florida Bulls

A couple of years ago, Skip Holtz was an up and comer in the college football coaching circles.  After winning the Conference USA title two years in a row at East Carolina Holtz got his first crack at a BCS conference job.  Holtz took over at South Florida for Jim Leavitt who was fired for alleged abuse of players.

It started out well for Holtz.  His first year in Tampa was alright.  They won 8 and beat Clemson in the Mieneke Car Care Bowl.  However the success of that initial season didn't last.  They only won 5 games last year and only 3 games this season.  His best year was with Leavitt's players.  They've gotten worse every year.  At the end of three years the administration felt that they needed a change.

The South Florida job is one that many thought could be a sleeping giant.  They are in the fertile Florida recruiting grounds and even though Florida State, Miami, and Florida rule the state the Bulls can still get plenty of players.  They've improved their facilities and play in an NFL stadium which can be enticing to prospects.  Let's remember that Leavitt had them all the way up to #2 in the nation at one point before he was fired.  So the potential to have success is there.

Potential Cadidates
Mario Cristobal (Florida International Head Coach)
It was Cristobal that was a hot name last year and was reportedly offered the Rutgers, Penn State, and Pittsburgh jobs.  Cristobal turned down all those jobs hoping that his veteran team would allow him to get a better job this next year.  Well injuries ruin their season and Cristobal isn't as hot of a name anymore.  But he is still a good coach and would be a perfect fit for the Bulls.

Willie Taggert (Western Kentucky Head Coach)
Unlike Cristobal, Taggert is a very hot name for available jobs but he has been very selective on where he wants to go.  He wants to find the right fit for himself.  That might be at South Florida.  Taggert is a Florida native and has had success recruiting within the state.  Most importantly he has the support of a lot of top high school programs within the state.

Chad Morris (Clemson Head Coach)
Morris' name hasn't been thrown around too much for this job.  Mainly because he's been rumored to higher profile jobs.  But this could be a great first head coaching job for him.  He can bring his spread offense to South Florida where he can get the fast athletes he is use to at Clemson.  But his lack of head coaching experience could hurt him.

Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State Heach Coach)
Much like Morris, Malzahn would bring an exciting style of offense to South Florida.  But also unlike Morris, Malzhan has experience running a program and that could give him an edge.  He is an up and coming name having success where ever he has been.  Malzahn could be interested in this job because it would be a step up job wise and give him a shot at a BCS level job.

NCAA Top 25 (End of Regular Season)

1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0) LW 1
With their spot in the National Title game all wrapped up, the Irish got to sit back and watch the SEC Championship Game to see who they will play.  It will be interesting to see how Notre Dame does against the Crimson Tide who will be far the best team they played.


2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) LW 2
They didn't look pretty doing it, but the Crimson Tide were able to hold off a final Georgia drive to secure their second consecutive spot in the BCS Championship Game.  The Crimson Tide matches up well against a Notre Dame team whose offense is pretty pedestrian.  If the Tide can crack the Irish defense they could bring home another National Title.


3.  Oregon Ducks (11-1) LW 4
The Ducks might not have won their conference, but they'll make it back to another BCS Game as they face off against Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl.  The match should benefit the Ducks whose speed will give KState all sorts of fits.


4.  Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) LW 3
Its a shame that Georgia only loses two games all year but since they lost in the Conference Championship Game Florida moves ahead of them and the Bulldogs have to settle for the Capital One Bowl.  Ignoring the fact that Georgia beat Florida.


5.  Florida Gators (11-1) LW 5
By losing to Georgia and not playing Alabama in the conference title game, the Gators were able to sneak their way back into the BCS in a Sugar Bowl game against Louisville.  The Gators should make easy work out of a Louisville team that has struggled late in the season.


6.  Kansas State Wildcats (11-1) LW 6
In their final game of the season the Wildcats were able to use a 35 point 2nd half to blow out Texas and win the Big 12.  The win secures the Wildcats spot in the BCS as they face off against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.


7.  LSU Tigers (10-2) LW 7
Must be rough to be in a conference where you only lose two games, finish in the top 10, but don't make it to a BCS Game.  Because Florida took the SEC's second spot, the Tigers are now heading to Atlanta to play Clemson in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl. Should be a fun game to watch though.


8.  Texas A&M Aggies (10-2) LW 8
It was quite the first year in the SEC for the Aggies.  Picked to finish towards the bottom of their division they rode freshman QB Johnny Manziel to 10 wins and an upset over then #1 Alabama.  Their reward for this season in a Cotton Bowl match up against former Big 12 rival Oklahoma.


9.  Stanford Cardinal (11-2) LW 9
For the second week in a row the Cardinal beat UCLA.  But this time it was for the Pac 12 Title and a birth in the Rose Bowl.  But unlike their first meeting, the Cardinal needed to score 10 straight points to get out with a 3 point victory.  Next up is Wisconsin, which if your a fan of smash mouth power football you'll love.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0) LW 10
Ohio State ended their season two weeks ago with their win over Michigan.  You gotta love Ohio State's ignorance that they didn't take their bowl ban last year when they finished with a 6-6 record.  They could have easily missed out on the Gator Bowl and be possibly playing in the National Title Game this year.  But that's Ohio State for you.


11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2) LW 11
Even though they beat Georgia in the regular season by 28 points, because they lost two additional games they weren't able to go to the SEC Title Game.  They also missed out on a possible BCS Game because of it also.  Now they face off against a Michigan team in the Gator Bowl who should bring an interesting offense.


12.  Florida State Seminoles (11-2) LW 12
Florida State entered the ACC Championship against Georgia Tech as a heavy favorite.  It looked like the Seminoles would roll to an easy win after a 21-3 start.  But then their offense stalled and the Yellow Jackets were able to add 12 more points to make an interesting finish. But FSU won and will make it back to their second straight BCS Bowl.


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) LW 13

Oklahoma was all set to play Florida State in the Orange Bowl, but with Northern Illinois win over Kent State gave them enough to bust the BCS and knock the Sooners out.  So instead of a high profile match up and a big check.  The Sooners will settle for a high profile match up with a smaller check.  But it should be a fun shootout to watch against former Big 12 foe Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.


14.  Clemson Tigers (10-2) LW 14

Despite not playing for the ACC Championship or going to a second straight BCS Game it was a pretty good season.  The Tigers continue to improve and as long as QB Tajh Boyd comes back, they should be right in the mix for the ACC Championship and a dark horse candidate for the National Championship.


15.  Northern Illinois Huskies (12-1) LW 17
With their victory over Kent State the Huskies continued their record setting year and now will go to their first BCS Bowl in school's history.  This is also the first BCS Bowl that a MAC school has had.  But with their HC Dave Doren taking the NC State job, it will be interesting to see how they do since he isn't coaching.  It's too bad for the players who really matter here.


16.  Louisville Cardinals (10-2) LW 19
In a conference where it seemed nobody wanted to win, it was the Cardinals who finally won the Big East outright with their 20-17 victory Thursday night over Rutgers.  The win gets the Cardinals back into the BCS for the first time since Bobby Petrino was the HC.  But it could come at a cost as current HC Charlie Strong is top target for coaching openings this year.


17.  Oregon State Beavers (9-3) LW 21
It seems weird that Oregon State played a game on the same weekend as the Pac 12 Title game, but that was because their game got postponed due to Hurricane Issac earlier this year.  But Nichols State might have been better off canceling the game since they gave up 77 points to the Beavers in a complete route. 


18.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3) LW 15
It would be very easy for me to drop the Huskers quite a bit after their drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin.  It was an embarrassing loss in a game that the Huskers were favored to win.  But it's hard to ignore the season Nebraska had winning 10 games and their division.  Now they'll face Georgia in the Capital One Bowl and look to end the season on a high note.


19.  Northwestern Wildcats (9-3) LW 22
Northwestern doesn't get a lot of attention or praise, but their three losses all were games that they had won.  Penn State used some returns to take the lead, Nebraska came from double digits to win, and Michigan had a hail mary that allowed them to win in OT.  That's the difference between playing for the Big 10 Title and the Gator Bowl.


20.  UCLA Bruins (9-4) LW 20
Jim Mora Jr. was emphatic that UCLA didn't tank the first meeting with Stanford, but with the way they played on Friday the critics will have a lot of fuel.  Unlike their beating they took in the first game, the Bruins controlled most of the Pac 12 Championship before giving up 10 straight points to lose the game.  But the Bruins improvement this season is quite remarkable and they are set up for a bright 2013 season.


21.  Kent State Golden Flashes (11-2) 16
Their MAC Championship Game against Northern Illinois was one of the top games of the season with both teams fighting for the title.  Kent State came up short and watched as Northern Illinois got a BCS invite.  But Kent State is no slouch and should be proud of the season they had.   


22.  Michigan Wolverines (8-4) LW 23
When the season started the Wolverines had high expectations.  They were favored to win the Big 10 and contend for a National Title.  Instead they struggled against the top teams and as a result dropped four games.  But they did find out that Devin Gardner can play QB and they have somebody to build around in the post Dennard Robinson era.


23.  Utah State Aggies (10-2) LW 24
It's too bad that the WAC Bowl tie ins are so bad because Utah State's prize for winning the conference is to go to Boise to play in the Potato Bowl.  With the season the Aggies are having it would have been nice to see them matched up against a BCS caliber team.  But instead they'll have Toledo in what should still be a pretty good game.


24.  Boise State Broncos (10-2) LW 25
Well the post Kellen Moore era of Bronco football has had it's successes (10 wins) and it's struggles (55th in scoring offense).  It will be interesting to see how they continue to do.  They've always had a good QB, but this team relied on a stingy defense that only gave up 14.9 points per game (6th best).


25.  Texas Longhorns (8-4) LW 18
Texas loss to Kansas State was a perfect synopsis of how their season went.  Leading 17-14 towards the end of the 3rd quarter it looked like the Longhorns were going to pull the upset.  Instead their defense couldn't stop Collin Klein and gave up 4 straight TDs and put the game out of reach.  You have to wonder what this program will do next.  Because you have to know these years of mediocre football is not sitting right down in the heart of Texas.

Coaching Carousel (Boston College)

Boston College

The hiring of Frank Spaziani was a curious one.  Boston College had just lost Tom O'Brien who left for North Carolina State (also was just fired) and then a couple of years later Jeff Jagodzinski was fired for interviewing for the New York Jets opening.  Because they had two coaches (basically) leave, Boston College wanted a coach who wanted to be there.  So instead of going out and finding the best qualified coach, they chose to go with somebody they felt was safe and would be there for the long term.  Unfortunately for them, the safe choice ended up being a bad decision and now they are looking for a new coach again.


Spaziani enjoyed some early success winning 8 games his first year, but his wins went down each year.  Spaziani lost both bowl games he took the Eagles to.  But when you only win 4 games and then follow that up with with 2 wins and it's no surprise that Spaziani is gone.

Boston College isn't one of the primer openings in college football, but it still underrated.  The Eagles have had success and have had their share of NFL talent come through.  Heck they were even ranked #2 in the nation at one point under Jeff Jagodzinski.


Potential Candidates
Al Golden (Miami Head Coach)
Golden is the hot name in this search and the rumor is that Golden has talked with BC Administration.  Golden is a Northeast guy who was an assistant at Penn State and turned Temple into a respectable program.  Him being at Miami doesn't seem like a good fit to me and then when you add all the sanctions they'll likely have, I see him wanting to get out.  This might be a great opportunity to do so.  This is likely their home run hire and he'd be the best case scenario.

Pete Carmichael Jr. (New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator)
Carmichael is a Boston College alumn who has helped engineer one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL.  The Eagles had success under Jagondzinski who was also a offensive guru, so they could be looking to getting back into that frame.  But Carmichael hasn't had any head coaching experience, so that could hurt his chances. 

Bob Diaco (Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator)
Diaco's name has been talked about quite a bit lately and reports are he has talked with BC administration.  Diaco has done a great job of building an Irish defense into one of the  best in the nation.  He has ties to the Northeast from his days at Virginia.  As it looks now, he is the front runner.

Pete Lembo (Ball State Head Coach)
Lembo isn't getting a lot of attention, but he could be the sleeper candidate for this job.  Lembo is a program builder and has done it at Lehigh, Elon, and now Ball State.  He might be perfect for what BC needs.  Lembo has the ties to the Northeast and is a native New Yorker.  This hire might not win fans interest, but it might be the best choice.

Coaching Carousel (Auburn)

Auburn Tigers

To say that Gene Chizik's tenure at Auburn was a roller coaster is an understatement.  Fans were unhappy that Auburn hired Chizik (who had a 5-19 record at Iowa State) and felt there were better coaches out there.  Chizik answered a lot of critics with a National Championship season in his second year.  Lead by Heisman Trophy winning QB Cam Newton the Tigers went undefeated and beat Oregon in the National Championship Game.  So it's hard to imagine how a coach who won a National Championship two years ago can be fired two years later.

However it was what happened after the National Title season that caused Chizik to be fired.  In year three things started to slide.  Auburn only won 7 games during the regular season, but was dominated by the top teams in the conference.  Without Cam Newton the offense struggled and it was clear there wasn't a lot of talent.  Defensively it wasn't much better.  It was clear that Chizik wasn't brining in the top talent needed to compete in the SEC.
Chizik could have had another year to get things on track, but this year was just flat out awful.  Auburn finished the season with only 3 wins and didn't win a single game in conference.  You can't do that in the SEC and expect the administration to just stand by.  It was a time for a change.

Potential Candidates
Bobby Petrino (Former Arkansas Head Coach)
Remember when Petrino was at Louisville and Auburn tried to hire him before they fired Tommy Tubberville?  Well they wanted him then, they can sure get him now.  For all the crap that Petrino has caused he is a proven winner and would be a great hire for the Tigers.  But do they want to deal with all the headaches associated with that?

Kirby Smart (Alabama Defensive Coordinator)
Smart has been a hot head coaching candidate for the past couple of years.  And Auburn would be wise to kick the tires and see if he is interested.  Smart has coordinated the Crimson Tide defense which has been one of the top defenses in the nation.  But you have to wonder how much of that is him or is it Saban.  Plus you wonder if Smart would be willing to go to Alabama's big time rival and have to compete against Saban.  Doesn't seem to likely.

Charlie Strong (Louisville Head Coach)
Rumor is that Strong has already interviewed for this job.  Don't know if that is true because that usually doesn't take place till after the season.  But Strong would be a great choice.  He has built the Louisville program back up that they are returning to the BCS.  He is a good recruiter and has experience in the SEC.  It's only a matter of time before he gets a better job.

Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State Head Coach)
Another popular name in the coaching search is former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.  It was Malzahn who guided the Tigers offense that won the National Title.  Without Malzhan the Tigers struggled this past season.  Auburn also has a history of hiring defensive minded coaches and may want to bring in an coach whose speciality is offense.  Malzahn also went to Arkansas State to get some head coaching experience which should help when he gets to a BCS job.

Larry Fedora (North Carolina Head Coach)
Fedora has only been at North Carolina for a year, but your sure to hear his name come up in coaching searches.  Mainly because the NCAA is going to be laying down some punishment on the Tar Heels and Fedora may not want to deal with all those sanctions.  He is a very good coach and a proven winner at Southern Miss.  His first year at North Carolina he lead them to the Coastal Division Title, but they can't compete because they are on a bowl ban. 

College Football Kickoff (Week 14)

Games of the Week

#20 Louisville Cardinals (9-2) at Rutgers Scarlett Knights (9-2)
Even though the Big East doesn't have a conference championship game, this is their de facto game.  Right now Rutgers leads the Big East and a win would give them the title.  But if Louisville wins that forces a 4 way tie and the team with the higher BCS ranking will get the title.  That team is likely Louisville.  Both teams come into this game with strong defenses, so expect this game to be low scoring.  The Cardinals do have the advantage on offense.  QB Teddy Bridgewater has slowed down, but he is still a dynamic player.  His play will be the difference in the game.
Prediction:  Louisville 14  Rutgers 13

#19 UCLA Bruins (9-3) at #9 Stanford Cardinal (10-2)
If you feel like this game is deja vu, your not alone.  Because we just saw it last weekend.  In that game Stanford laid the wood to UCLA with their power run game and physical defense to win the game 35-17.  They basically beat down the Bruins.  But there are some that felt UCLA didn't give it their all because they were holding back for this game.  Bruin fans better hope that was true, because last weeks game wasn't pretty.
Prediction:  UCLA 24 Stanford 31

#17 Northern Illinois Huskies (11-1) vs #16 Kent State Golden Flashes (11-1)
Can you remember the last time that the MAC Title Game had both teams ranked?  Let alone both teams being in the top 20.  Maybe one of the teams, but not both.  But with the Huskies and Flashes enjoying record breaking years, it's only fitting that they face off against each other for the Conference Championship. Both teams come into this game with high powered offenses and like to score points.  So you may want to take the overs in this one.  Kent State features a pair of 1,000 yard rushers, while Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch was putting up numbers that had some thinking of putting him on their Heisman ballot.  The difference will be the defense and that favors the Huskies who are only giving up 17 points per game.  But they haven't faced a running attack like this one.
Prediction:  Northern Illinois 38  Kent State 31

#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1)  vs #3 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1)
Who says that college football doesn't have playoffs?  The SEC Championship game between the #2 and #3 ranked teams will have the winner go face off against Notre Dame in the BCS Championship.  Sounds like a semi final round if you ask me.  Much like every other SEC game, this is a match up of elite defenses.  If Georgia wants to win this game they'll need QB Aaron Murray to have a flawless game and not throw any INTs that has hurt him in previous games.  If Alabama wants to win this game they'll have to find running holes against a very stout Georgia run defense.
Prediction:  Alabama 14 Georgia 10

#15 Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) vs Wisconsin Badgers (7-5)
A tale of two teams in this Big 10 Title Game.  This is Wisconsin's second straight Conference Championship game and they're looking to get back to their 3rd straight Rose Bowl.  Nebraska is in their first Big 10 Title Game and looking to win the Big 10 for the first time in school history.  The Huskers also haven't won a conference championship since 1999.  In their previous meeting this year the Huskers killed themselves with early turnovers, but fought back to win 30-27.  Nebraska is clearly the better team, but Wisconsin has the experience.
Prediction:  Nebraska 27 Wisconsin 24

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Coaches Corner

Gary Pinkel
Record at Missouri: 90-61
Bowl Appearances: 8

Gary Pinkel is no stranger to the coaching hot seat.  Pinkel's first four years at Missouri were pretty uneventful.  They never finished over 3rd in their division, despite having some talented teams.  The term "Pinkeled" was coined from the fact that he seemed to lose games because of bad coaching.  Pinkel's seat started to become warm and there were thoughts that another bad season could cause him to be fired.

2006 is when things started to change.  Pinkel was able to bring in a lot of talented players that would later go on to the NFL.  Guys like Jeremy Maclin, Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman, Martin Rucker, William Moore, Evander Hood, Blaine Gabbert and Sean Weatherspoon all were a part of the program at this time.  And because of all this talent, the Tigers were annual contenders to win the conference.  Missouri won the North Division of the Big 12 three of the next four years and were even ranked #4 in the final AP Standings.

So why would somebody like this now be on the hot seat? In 2011 most of that talent was gone from the program and Pinkel wasn't getting the same impact players in.  They finished the season 8-5.  This was Missouri's last year in the Big 12 and were moving to the SEC.

This past season was the Tigers first in the toughest conference in college football.  There wasn't a whole lot of expectations, but nobody thought the Tigers would be this bad.  Winning only 5 games all season and having their high powered offense sputter.  They finished 81st overall in passing.

Don't expect Pinkel to lose his job this year.  But word out of Columbia is that they aren't too pleased with the teams performance and Pinkel was out coached on a week end and week out basis.  If the administration wants to be a player in the SEC, they could make a move if it doesn't look like Pinkel will get the job done.

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What happened to....

Big East Contenders
Does anybody want to win the Big East this year?  I know teams are leaving left and right for better conferences, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't want to win the Big East Title.

For a better part of the season the Big East was a three team race.  Cincinnati, Rutgers, and Louisville were all in the running for the title and a birth in a BCS Bowl.  With the three teams playing each other in the final weeks of the season we would be treated to some good fought games.  Instead each  teams has dropped games to inferior competition.  Louisville lost consecutive games to Syracuse and UConn.  Rutgers lost to Kent State and Pittsburgh.  And Cincinnati lost to Toledo.  Now with Rutgers and Louisville playing, if Louisville wins we would have a 4 way tie.  They would have to look at BCS rankings to determine the winner.

Doesn't sound like anybody wants this title.  But nobody wants to be in this conference anymore, so I don't blame them.

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How about....

Texas A&M

For a school that has a lot to offer and has been thought to be a potential power school in college football, they really have underachieved.  I guess that's why they have always been considered a sleeping giant rather than a giant.  They struggled for years in the Big 12 to break through and with them going to the SEC West it looked like it could get even worse for the Aggies.

But lucky for them they were able to hire Kevin Sumlin from Houston to replace Mike Sherman.  They were also lucky that Sherman was able to get Johnny Manziel to come to A&M.  Under Kevin Sumlin's tutelage  Manziel has been the talk of college football and is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.  The Aggies finished the regular season with a 10-2 record and a signature win over then #1 Alabama.  The Aggies weren't thought to be able to content in the SEC West, but this year they look like they can contend for years to come.

Maybe the Aggies were just a bad fit in the Big 12.  Maybe they needed to get out of Texas' shadow.  But anyway you slice it.  It's hard to ignore the season they are having.

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Player Spotlight

Tavon Austin

Height:  5'9
Weight:  172
School:  West Virginia
Year:  Senior
Position:  Wide Receiver

When West Virginia was enjoying a ton of attention for their early season success, it was QB Geno Smith getting most of the talk.  But one player that can't be ignored is Austin.

Austin is a jack of all trades.  He does most of his work out of the slot.  Austin uses his quickness to get of the line and in and out of cuts.  He has good hands and catches the ball cleanly.  He is also a force in the return game.  He gets to his top speed in a hurry and that allows him to break away from defenders.  Austin is at his best in the open field where his shiftiness and ability to change directions makes it impossible to take him down.  Surprisingly another strong suit we've seen is his ability to run the ball.  West Virginia has also used him as a running back and he even had 344 yards rushing against Oklahoma.  That's one game.

It's hard to compare Austin to another player because there really isn't anybody like him.  Easy comparisons would be Dexter McCluster or Percy Harvin.  But both of those players are a lot thicker than he is.  I don't see Austin holding up much in the NFL if he is going to be taking multiple hand offs.  Austin is starting to get some attention as a possible late 1st round pick, but it will be interesting to see how a team will use him.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 13)

1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0) LW 1
It's now official the Fighting Irish are now in the National Championship Game with their 22-13 win over USC.  Now Notre Dame gets to wait to face the winner of the Alabama and Georgia game.  The good thing about the Irish is that with their elite defense and neither Alabama or Georgia having explosive offenses, they'll have a great shot to win.


2.  Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) LW 2
There was no sleep walking in Alabama's final regular season game against rival Auburn.  The 49-0 beatdown of the Tigers puts the Tide in the SEC Title game and helps the Tigers end one of the worst seasons in their program's history.  Now the Tide moves on to Georgia and a chance at the National Title.


3.  Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) LW 3
Just think about this for a second.  It was two years ago that Georgia finished 6-7 on the season.  Then in 2010 the Bulldogs lost their first two games of the season.  Richt's seat was red hot and he was in danger of losing his job.  The Bulldogs rattled off 10 straight wins and he kept he job.  Now he has the Bulldogs at 11 wins and a chance to go to the National Title Game. 


4.  Oregon Ducks (11-1) LW 4
Even with their win over Oregon State, there is nothing the Ducks can do to get into the Pac 12 Title Game.  That's unfortunate for a team that only lost one game all year.  Instead they'll have to wait and see what bowl game they will be going to.  They are likely headed the the Fiesta Bowl against either KState or maybe Oklahoma.


5.  Florida Gators (11-1) LW 7
The Gators won a hard fought battle with in state rival Florida State.  The game went back and forth, but a 24 point 4th quarter gave the Gators the final lead.  The win gives the Gators their 11th of the season, but that one loss to Georgia is keeping them out of the SEC Title Game and possible National Title Game.  But we should see the Gators back in the BCS as an at large team.


6.  Kansas State Wildcats (10-1) LW 6
After losing the week before the Wildcats have an extra week to stool about it.  But with Texas coming up this weekend they can't think too much about Baylor or they could suffer a second straight loss and really ruin their once promising season.  A win against the Longhorns would give the Wildcats their first conference title since 2003.


7.  LSU Tigers (10-2) LW 8
It got a little nerve racking in the second half, but the Tigers were able to hold off Arkansas and secure their 10th win of the year.  But the season didn't go the way they wanted with two losses and no BCS game in their future.  Instead they'll have to settle for the Cotton Bowl against a 2nd tier Big 12 team.


8.  Texas A&M Aggies (10-2) LW 9
In a battle of former Big 12 teams and now new SEC foes, the Aggies were able to keep their momentum going and keep Missouri's struggles going for another week.  Not only did A&M win 59-29, but Johnny Manziel might have sown up the Heisman by breaking Cam Newton's single season yardage record in the SEC.  Not a bad year for their first in the SEC.


9.  Stanford Cardinal (10-2) LW 11
Not too many people gave Stanford a chance this year.  Losing all those pieces on offense and another year removed from Jim Harbaugh.  Instead they exceed expectations and with the win against UCLA the Cardinal got their 3rd straight 10 win season.  But they can't get ahead of themselves because if they want to win the Pac 12 they'll have to beat UCLA twice in two weeks.  A very tough thing to do.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0) LW 12
Without a chance at winning the conference or going to a bowl game, the Buckeyes finished the season with a perfect 12-0 record.  They did so by beating hated rival Michigan with 9 straight points to get a 5 point win.  They may be undefeated, but I'm not sold on this team as one of the best.  They did win their games, but they struggled in all but one.  I'd take every team ranked ahead of them here any day over the Buckeyes.


11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2) LW 13
Steve Spurrier loves to talk and he has never pulled any punches against in state rival Clemson.  However Spurrier and the Gamecocks were able to back it up.  South Carolina's defense was able to slow down the Clemson offense  and put 27 points on the board themselves.  The win also made Spurrier the all time winningest coach in South Carolina history.


12.  Florida State Seminoles (10-2) LW 5
The Seminoles may have lost against the Gators, but they are still going to the ACC Championship Game and with a win over Georgia Tech will get back to a BCS Bowl.  But you have to look at their two losses and wonder what could have been.  They lost in the final seconds to NC State and then lost a 2nd half lead against Florida.  Win those two and they could be in the National Title Game.


13.  Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) LW 14

Landry Jones threw for 500 yards and 3 TDs in Oklahoma's overtime win against Oklahoma State.  But you have to wonder what has happen to the Sooners defense.  Remember when that is what they were known for.  I mean Bob Stoops is suppose to be a defensive genius.  Instead it's their offense that is getting them most of their wins.  They finish the season against TCU who is looking for a signature moment to end their season.


14.  Clemson Tigers (10-2) LW 10
With all the talent on the Clemson team, they just can't beat their in state rival South Carolina.  Their 27-17 loss was their 4th straight to the Gamecocks.  Offensively they were held to only 17 points which is 25 points under their average.  You would have thought if they held SC to only 27 they would probably win with their offense.  Not the case here. 

15.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) LW 15
It had all the makings of a trap game.  The Huskers had the Legends Division all but wrapped up and were looking ahead to the Big 10 Title Game and possibly their first conference title since 1999.  All that stood in their way was a 4 win Iowa team.  And for the better part of the game it looked like they were going to lose.  But a late Rex Burkhead TD gave them the lead and they never looked back.


16.  Kent State Golden Flashes (11-1) 22
Kent State continued their record setting season with win over Ohio in their season finale.  The 28-6 win was impressive considering many thought Ohio could go undefeated this year.  Now the Golden Flashes will face off against another 11 win team in Northern Illinois to decide the MAC Title. 

17.  Northern Illinois Huskies (11-1) LW 25
In one of the worst weather condition games of the year, the Huskies were able to throttle Eastern Michigan 49-7 and set up their match up against Kent State in the MAC Title Game.  The win was even more impressive considering that the field was covered in snow and had to be hard to move at full speed.  But that didn't stop the Huskies from racking up the yards.


18.  Texas Longhorns (8-3) LW 16
Just when you think Texas righted the ship after a couple of losses, they fall right back down with an ugly loss against TCU.  QB David Ash was terrible with 3 turnovers and was pulled for Chase McCoy.  It's too bad because they have a ton of talent on that team, but just can't put it together at the QB position.  With KState coming this weekend, it could get worse.


19.  Louisville Cardinals (9-2) LW 17
In typical Big East fashion, the Cardinals dropped a game they should have won heading into their final game against Rutgers.  But that is the story of the Big East.  Just when you think you have a team or two separating themselves, they end up losing to a weaker team.  Now we have a four way tie atop the conference standings.  These teams are lucky that they still have a automatic bid to the BCS, because if this was next year, we wouldn't see a Big East Champion in the BCS.


20.  UCLA Bruins (9-3) LW 18
With UCLA's loss to Stanford that sets up a rematch with the Cardinal this week in Palo Alto.  It will be interesting to see how the Bruins do in the second game.  You would think that their chances would go down since they already lost to Stanford at home and now the game is at Stanford.  Unless you buy in that UCLA didn't go 100% in the first match up.


21.  Oregon State Beavers (8-3) LW 19
Unlike most Pac 12 teams, the Beavers season is not over.  They still have Nichols State this weekend in a game that was suppose to be played first week but because of a hurricane was pushed back.  This will allow the Beavers to finish their season on a high note after getting blown out in state rival Oregon.

22.  Northwestern Wildcats (9-3) LW NR
The Wildcats have been a yo-yoing in and out of the top 25 the past couple of weeks.  However with their win over in state rival Illinois the Wildcats got their 9th win of the season and a pretty successful season at that.  It's too bad that the Wildcats are in the Legends Division because they could have easily won the Leaders Division and made it to the Big 10 Title Game.


23.  Michigan Wolverines (8-4) LW 20
On the surface 4 losses isn't a great season.  But when you look at who they lost to, it's still a good season none the less.  The Wolverines dropped games to #1 Notre Dame, #2 Alabama, #10 Ohio State, and #14 Nebraska.  It's not like they were losing to Illinois or Purdue.

24.  Utah State Aggies (10-2) LW NR
Gotta give some love to the Aggies from Utah State.  Their win over Idaho gives the Aggies an undefeated record in the WAC and their first WAC Conference Title.  Pretty good for a program that hasn't had much success at the FBS level.  But their success comes at a price because their HC Gary Anderson is likely going to be pursued for a BCS level job and probably will be gone.


25.  Boise State Broncos (10-2) LW NR
I've been reluctant to put the Broncos in my rankings in the past because I don't feel they are that great of a team.  Top 25 sure.  But I don't see them being a top 16 team like a lot of AP voters.  Who have the Broncos really beat?  The only BCS level team they played they lost to, and Michigan State isn't very good.  Other than that, Boise has been average.

Dropped From the Rankings:  Michigan, Rutgers, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State