Coaching Carousel (Arkansas Razorbacks)

Arkansas Razorbacks

Unlike most of the schools that are looking for coaches, the University of Arkansas have know all season long that they would be hiring a new coach at the end of the season.  The Razorbacks are in this predicament because successful HC Bobby Petrino's incredibly dumb off the field decisions.  Arkansas tabbed John L. Smith to be the interim coach for the season.  Smith likely knew that he'd only be the coach for the year, but was going to use this year as a try out.


Everything was set up for success for Smith.  he had a veteran roster with a stud QB in Tyler Wilson, a returning star RB Knile Davis and an improved defense.  This team was built around the offense and Bobby's brother Paul was the offensive coordinator who many thought would pick up where older brother left off.

Instead this year has been a nightmare in Fayetteville.  It all started when they lost to Louisiana-Monroe.  Losing to a Sun Belt school isn't very good, but little did everybody know that it was going to go downhill from here.  In their match up against #1 Alabama the Razorbacks got blown out 52-0.  Two more games later they were sitting at a 1-4 record.  Arkansas rallied to win 3 of 4.  However with three games remaining against ranked team it doesn't look like they'll win another game.

Arkansas is sitting in a good spot.  They play in the tough SEC West, but the program has a ton of talent in it and there is a history of success.  Add in that they sit in a good recruiting spot and the Razorbacks are most likely the top job that will be open.  We know that John L. Smith won't be the coach next year, but who will?

Possible Candidates

Charlie Strong (Louisville Head Coach)
It's likely that Strong could have this job if he wanted it.  Strong has done a great job of rebuilding the Louisville program (ironically that Petrino also came from) into a team that will likely go undefeated in the regular season.  Strong is an excellent defensive mind who is a strong recruiter and has experience in the SEC (former Florida DC).  Add in that he is an Arkansas native and it all adds up.  But Strong could be holding out for a better job.

Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State Head Coach)
Another popular, but underrated name for this job is a former Arkansas coordinator.  Malzahn was a former Springdale High football coach who became the offensive coordinator under former HC Houston Nutt.  Malzahn has gone on to win a National Title at Auburn (offensive coordinator) and is now the current Arkansas State head coach.  Malzahn left a cushy OC job to take a Sun Belt HC job.  Likely to get some HC experience before a better job comes calling.  Why not a school where he has a lot of connections?

Butch Davis (Former North Carolina Head Coach)
Another Arkansas native that could be in the running is former Miami and North Carolina HC Butch Davis.  Davis has had success where ever he's gone.  But there is the whole NCAA violates situation at North Carolina that he has to deal with.  That could scare off the Arkansas administration.  But a lot of that wasn't necessarily his fault.  A lot of that can be blamed on John Blake and other academic staffers.  But the administration could go with Davis because he is a proven winner.

Tommy Tubberville (Texas Tech Head Coach)
One name that always seems to come up when their is an SEC opening is Tommy Tubberville.  The former Auburn and Ole Miss head coach wants badly to get back in the SEC and he isn't shying away from it.  This was the same coach that went undefeated at Auburn.  After a couple of so so season at Texas Tech he's shown that he can still build a team and has the Red Raiders actually playing some good defense.

Mike MacIntyre (San Jose State Head Coach)
A lesser name that has been tossed around is the current San Jose State HC.  You may be asking why MacIntrye?  Well despite San Jose State not having much success, MacIntyre has fielded some competitive teams and he is highly regarded in coaching circles.  But the main reason is that the former Dallas Cowboys assistant has a big fan in Arkansas alumn Jerry Jones.  Jones has a lot of sway and could thrown the Spartans HC's name in the mix.  Crazier things have happened.

College Football Kickoff (Week 11)

Games of the Week

#15 Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0)
This is a big game for both teams.  A&M is coming off a big win at Starkville and looking to show everybody they are a player in the SEC.  What better way then to knock off the Tide.  In Alabama's case, a win here would clinch their spot in the SEC Championship game and help pave teh way for an undefeated season.  The battle to watch is to see how QB Johnny Manziel does against the fierce Crimson Tide defense.  If Manziel can eliminate turnovers that hurt him against LSU the Aggie offense can put up points.  But you have to wonder what blitzes and schemes Saban will use to confuse the freshman signal caller.  A&M is also going to have to try and get to AJ McCarron while slowing down the power rushing attack.
Prediction:  A&M 13  Alabama 31


#4 Kansas State Wildcats (9-0) at TCU Horned Frogs (6-3)The big story line of this game is the health of KState QB Collin Klein.  Klein suffered some form of a concussion in last weeks game and his status is uncertain.  If Klein can't go, this game is a toss up.  Sure KState has RB John Hubert and some other weapons, but they aren't the same without the Heisman Front runner.  If Klein plays the Wildcats aren't a guaranteed winner.  TCU has a ton of talent and before QB Casey Pachall left the team they were a regular in the Power Rankings.  TCU also has a strong defense that will give the Wildcat offense fits.  Add in that TCU HC Gary Patterson is a KState alumn, they have extra motivation on their side.
Prediction:  KState 38  TCU 20


#23 Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-2) at #9 LSU Tigers (7-2)
Both of these teams are coming off losses and hoping to get back on track.  Mississippi State is on a two game losing streak and looking to show the nation that they didn't jump out to a 7-0 record only because they played crappy teams.  LSU is looking to avoid a 3 loss season and keep their chances of getting to a BCS Bowl.  Miss State got gashed last week by Texas A&M and they need to shore up some holes to prevent the LSU offense from exploiting them too.  QB Zach Mettenberger is coming off his best game of the year and the Tigers could really use him to have another one.  If he can do that the Tigers should roll with a victory.  It will also be interesting to see how Miss State QB Tyler Russell does with the talented LSU defensive line.  He did have issues last week against the Aggies.  Don't look for this one to be that close.
Prediction:  Miss State 6  LSU 24


#14 Oregon State Beavers (7-1) at #16 Stanford Cardinal (7-2)
Although neither of these teams will probably go to the Pac 12 Title game, this is a huge game for both teams.  The winner of this game could realistically make it to the Rose Bowl if Oregon stays undefeated.  The problem is avoiding having 3 losses.  Because you can't qualify for the BCS if you have three losses.  Both teams will bring good defenses to the game.  Stanford's physical defense will look to stop the passing attack of Oregon, while Oregon State's defense will have to deal with the power running of Stepfan Taylor.  The winner will likely be the team whose offense makes the fewest mistakes.  This game is also a battle of backup QBs as Cody Vaz took over for Sean Mannion when he got hurt and Kevin Hogan took over for Josh Nunes who has struggled to replace Andrew Luck.
Prediction:  Oregon State 17  Stanford 14


Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3) at #17 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2)
This game isn't getting a lot of nation hype, but it is still a very good game against two quality teams.  Penn State was the talk of college football for their 5 game winning streak, but are all forgotten about now.  All they did was lose to a good Ohio State team.  Nebraska in on a three game winning streak with two of those games had them coming from a double digit deficit.  Nebraska is in the drivers seat in the Big 10 Legends Division, but need to win out to control their own destiny.  But this will be tough against a physical Penn State defense that will look to slow down QB Taylor Martinez and the Husker rushing attack.  Penn State QB Matt McGloin has had a good season and is throwing the ball all over the field.  He'll test the blackshirt defense.  But HC Bo Pelini has a ton of success against immobile QBs and McGloin is your prototypical pocket QB.  This should be a fun game to watch.
Prediction:  Penn State 17  Nebraska 24

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Coaching Hot Seat

Derek Dooley
Record at Tennessee:  32-39
Bowl Appearances:  1

When Lane Kiffin left Tennesse after only serving one year on the job the administration chose to go in a different direction hiring Louisiana Tech Head Coach Derek Dooley.  The decision to hire Dooley was a cause for concern because he wasn't a hot coaching name and his 17-20 record at LaTech wasn't very good.  Heck he was 4-8 in his last year.  Not too impressive of a record coming into the premier college football conference.  You have to wonder if the AD hired Dooley with the thought he wouldn't leave for the next best job.

As many expected, things haven't gone very well for Dooley.  His first year was his best.  He ended with a 6-7 record and made it to the Music City Bowl.  In year two they finished with only 5 wins and only won one SEC game.  His hot seat was getting pretty warm in year 2.

This year looked like it could go pretty well.  The Vols entered the season with a ton of talent on the offensive with QB Tyler Bray and WRs Justin Hunter, Da'Rick Rodgers, and Cordalle Patterson.  However Rodgers was kicked off the team.  Tennessee started the season with a big win over NC State, but once SEC conference play started the wheels fell off.  They lost a 2nd half lead to Florida, lost by less than 10 points to Georgia, Miss State, and South Carolina but all of them are losses.  They haven't won a game in the SEC yet and almost lost to Troy.  The Vols only have 3 wins on the season and have to beat Missouri, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt just to be bowl eligible.

It doesn't look very good for Dooley.  Even if he wins out the rest of the year, the SEC is an impatient league and they'll likely be looking for a new coach.  The hot name is John Gruden who was a former GA at Tennessee and married a Tennessee alumn.  However Gruden is the hottest coaching name out there and will probably go for a better job.  Even with being in the SEC and having some tradition.  It's hard to recruit to Tennessee and that could scare some coaches off.  It will be interesting to see what they do.  The fan base wants more, but they might not get it.

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What happened to....

Iowa Hawkeyes
Going into this season the expectations for the Iowa Hawkeyes weren't great.  They were not favored to win their division and getting to 8 wins was seen to be their ceiling.  Heck some places even predicted them to be the second worse team in their division.  So why are they here?

If you remember back to the 2009 season the Hawkeyes finished with an 11-2 record and a win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.  Although not a super power the Hawkeyes have a history of competing for the Big 10 Title and regularly posting 9 win seasons.  However the Hawkeyes won 7 games in both 2010 and 2011.  This year Iowa has only 4 wins on the season with three remaining.  That means they'll have to beat Purdue and then either Michigan or Nebraska just to be bowl eligible.  That's a long ways from this team winning a BCS game three years ago. 

One of the biggest reasons the Hawkeyes have struggled is their offense.  They have always put out good offensive lines, but the skill positions haven't had the same impact that they did in previous years.  The running back position has been a mess.  Since the 2009 season the Hawkeyes have had a revolving door at RB.  Marcus Coker was a stud in 2011 but left the team.  This year their star is former Air Force FB Mark Wiseman.  But even he has missed games because of injuries.  Iowa fans have focused their criticism on former OC Norm Parker for his conservative style.  Parker retired and the Hawkeyes hired former Texas OC Greg Davis.  Davis was known for his spread offenses, but the Hawkeyes have continued to run the same style of offense that Parker did. 

Don't look for HC Kirk Ferentz to be on the hot seat.  He's owed over $20 million dollars on his contract and the University isn't ready to buy that out.  But some changes need to happen or the Hawkeyes could go from being on a bad stretch to being a forgotten program.

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How about....

Indiana Hoosiers
When you think of successful Indiana programs your first reaction is going to be towards their basketball program.  Not the football one.  But with the season that the Hoosier Football team is having, people do have to take noticed.

Last year Kevin Wilson took over a program that hasn't had hardly any success.    Wilson came from Oklahoma where he was the OC and a big part of some high powered offenses.  Wilson also won the Broyles Award for top assistant coach in the nation.  His first season was rocky at best.  He finished with a 1-11 record and was more famous for his exchange with Fox Radio hosts "Zach and Jack."  At one point Wilson had secured a commitment from top QB prospect Gunner Kiel, but Kiel later decommitted and ended up going to Notre Dame.

It was safe to say that the second year of Wilson's tenure wasn't very highly anticipated.  But this year has not only exceeded expectations, but blew them out.  Indiana has 4 wins so far and 2 of them are in conference.  Because Penn State and Ohio State cannot compete in the Big 10 Title Game the Hoosiers are tied with Wisconsin for the lead in the Leaders Division.  Indiana's offense has also taken a big jump this year.  They are currently 3rd in the Big 10 in total offense and 1st in passing yards per game.  Add in that the Hoosiers have 3 four star commitments and the future looks good for this once doormat program.

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Player Spotlight

William Gholston

Height:  6'6
Weight:  280
School:  Michigan State
Year:  JR
Position:  Defensive End

Going into the season there were some high hopes for Gholston.  He had the frame and physical skills to be a dominant defensive end.  He is your prototypical get off the bus first player.  He looks the part.  As a sophomore he was inconsistent and had the tendency to disappear at times.  Going into his junior year many were looking to see Gholston become more consistent and dominate more.

So far as a junior it's been too much the same as last year.  At times he's looked as a top 5 pick, then the next game he disappears and you forget he is on the field. Gholston does a great job taking on blockers and still being able to make plays.  With skills like this he'd be a good fit as a LDE in a 4-3 defense, but he could also fit well as a 5-technique defensive end in a 3-4 defense.  Teams could use him a lot like Arizona does with Calias Campbell.  Gholston might be better off staying at Michigan State for his senior year, but he does come out some team in the 2nd round will likely pull the trigger on him.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 10)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0) LW 1
There was a point in the 4th quarter where I was thinking that Oregon was going to move up to the #1 spot, but AJ McCarron lead the Crimson Tide to a come from behind win and keeps the Tide's undefeated record in tack.  There's no rest for Alabama as they must host a red hot Texas A&M team looking to prove themselves in their new conference.


2.  Oregon Ducks (9-0) LW 2
USC made it interesting towards the end, but Oregon was in control of this game from the start.  RB Kenjon Barner was the star with his 321 yard 5 TD night.  The defense wasn't great, but they did enough to slow down the high powered USC attack enough to ensure the win.  Now Oregon must avoid a trap game against Cal before facing off against Stanford.


3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-0) LW 3
It took two OTs, but the Fighting Irish avoided a terrible loss to Pittsburgh and keep the undefeated mark intact.  But things had to be a little nerve racking when Notre Dame was down 20-3.  Luckily the defense regained their form and Golson got the offense back on track.  Now the Domers move on to face off against Boston College in the annual Catholic Bowl.


4.  Kansas State Wildcats (9-0) LW 4
Kansas State may have won the game against Oklahoma State, but they may have lost their Heisman front runner and heart and soul of the team.  QB Collin Klein left the game in the 3rd quarter and never came back.  He didn't look to bad on the sidelines during the game, but with KState not sharing any info about injuries and it will keep us wondering all week long.  Because without Klein, the Wildcats might be toast.


5.  Georgia Bulldogs (8-1) LW 6
After having a horrible game last week against Florida, QB Aaron Murray bounced back for the tune of 384 yards and 4 TDs to give the Bulldogs their 8th win of the season and put them one step away from getting to the SEC Championship Game.  All they have to do is not get upset by a very bad Auburn team.


6.  Florida Gators (8-1) LW 7
After getting beat by Georgia even though they picked off Aaron Murray 3 times, the Gators were looking to bounce back and get back to their dominating ways.  Instead they played another clunker and should have lost to Missouri.  Missouri QB James Franklin threw 4 INTs and they were all bad.  If he could have just taken care of the ball the Tigers would have escaped with the win.  Florida better figure things out because Florida State is just around the corner.

7.  Florida State Seminoles (8-1) LW 8
The Seminoles had the weekend off as they get ready to travel to Virginia Tech on Thursday.  Must be nice having a bye week before playing a short week.  But VaTech is struggling and the Seminoles should have an easy game.  But week day games have the tendency to get crazy and VaTech isn't without talent.  FSU better come ready to go, cause the Hokies would love to knock them off.


8.  Clemson Tigers (8-1) LW 9
I don't know why Clemson isn't getting very much attention.  They've only lost one game and it was a close one to Florida State and yet they get no talk in the media and it's taken them a while to get back into the top 10 in both the AP and Coaches Poll.  There tied with FSU for their Division and if the 'Noles lose another game, the Tigers will go to the ACC Championship game.  Don't get it.

9.  Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0) LW 10
Don't think that I'm not listing Ohio State higher because of their NCAA sanctions.  They may be undefeated, but they really haven't played a tough schedule and haven't really been winning to convincingly (expect Nebraska).  They should have lost to a bad Purdue team and almost got knocked off by Cal.  I don't see them beating any of the teams ahead of them in these rankings.  The biggest reason they are having such a great year is Braxton Miller.  Without him they could easily have 3 or 4 losses.

10.  LSU Tigers (7-2) LW 5
If I were to tell you that QB Zach Mettenberger played his best game of the year and the Tigers were winning in the final minutes of the 4th quarter you'd probably assume they'd win.  But the Tiger defense just couldn't get that one last stop and allowed Alabama to drive the field and score the winning touchdown.  Now the Tigers must bounce back against a Miss State team that just got embarrassed against A&M to avoid dropping their third game of the year.

11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) LW 11
The Gamecocks had a weekend off after narrowly beating Tennessee the week before.  This week they face off against a Arkansas team that has struggled all year.  This is a must win for South Carolina as they have to hope that Georgia and Florida lose so they can back their way into the SEC Title Game.  But that's a lot to ask.


12.  Oklahoma Sooners (6-2) LW 12
Even though the game was never really that close score wise, the Sooners had their hands full with the pesky Cyclones looking to knock off the Sooners.  But Landry Jones had another big game throwing for 405 yards and 4 TDs to lead the way.  Now the Sooners will move on to their game against  Baylor hoping they can do enough to get an at large BCS berth.

13.  Louisville Cardinals (9-0) LW 13

When Temple returned the opening kickoff and then added another score in the first quarter it looked like Louisville was going to be in for a tough game.  However the Cardinals quickly overcame that deficit and shut down the Owls to take a commanding lead.  QB Teddy Bridgewater was amazing again for the Cardinals as he threw for 324 yards and 5 TDs.  He may not make it as a finalist for the Heisman, but he's giving leading the Cardinals to an undefeated season and should be a favorite in next year's race.

14.  Oregon State Beavers (7-1) LW 14
After losing their first game of the season against Washington, the Beavers bounced back and avoided a second straight loss.  Oregon State took control in the early parts of the 2nd quarter and didn't look back.  The win gives the Beavers their 7th win and puts them in contention of making their first BCS Bowl since 2000.  But they'll have to knock off Stanford this next weekend if they want to make it to the Rose Bowl.

15.  Stanford Cardinal (7-2) LW 18
It must be fun for Pac 12 schools when they see Colorado as their next opponent.  Colorado is terrible and Stanford wasted no time ending this game in a hurry.  Stanford used a 28 point 2nd quarter to blow the game up before ending with a 48-0 win.  But the big story was that Stanford made a QB move.  Kevin Hogan replaced the struggling Josh Nunes.  But it won't be till the Oregon State game before we see if he is any better.


16.  Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) LW 19
In a battle of SEC West teams the Aggies made little work of Miss State and cruised to a 38-13 win.  The game was not even as close to what the final score was.  QB Johnny Manziel was dynamic in this game and basically did whatever he wanted.  He threw for 311 yards and rushed for 129 yards.  A&M now moves on to face Alabama and will be Alabama's last hurdle for an undefeated regular season.


17.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2) LW 20
Ever since the Huskers lost to Ohio State they have been a different team.  That was evident in their win over Michigan State.  Down 10 in the later stage of the 4th quarter the Huskers stepped up the defense and got two TDs that helped them pull out the victory.  If Nebraska can beat Penn State this Saturday they have a great shot at a 10 win season and should be the Big 10 Champions.  But they can't afford any slip ups.


18.  Texas Longhorns (7-2) LW 21
Going into their match up against Texas Tech there was a thought that the Longhorns weren't the best team on the field and that the Red Raiders would win.  Especially with the struggles Texas has had lately on both sides of the ball.  QB David Ash regained his earlier form throwing for 264 yards and 3 TDs.  Defensively the Longhorns held Tech to only 22 points which helped ensure the win.  If the Longhorns can keep playing good defense they should have a good end to their season.

19.  USC Trojans (6-3) LW 16
Well it wasn't the blow out that many people thought could happen, but the Trojans couldn't slow down the Ducks enough to get the win.  You would think that 51 points would win you most other games, but the lack of depth on defense really hurt the Trojans.  The loss is their 3rd on the season and with games against UCLA, Notre Dame, and possibly Oregon left, the Trojans can't afford any more losses.

20.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-1) LW 22
Their game against Texas San Antonia was a penalty fueled game that saw the Bulldogs pull away in the 4th quarter to get 9th consecutive WAC conference win.  LaTech was lead by QB Colby Cameron who had 348 yards passing and 3 TDs.  The Bulldogs now turn their attention to another FBS newcomer Texas State, which should be another easy win.

21.  UCLA Bruins (7-2) LW NR
The Bruins have kinda be a forgotten team lately after a couple of tough losses, but with their 66-10 win over Arizona it's clear that the Bruins have gotten the ship righted.  Also pair in USC losing to Oregon, the Bruins have a chance to make it back to the Pac 12 Title Game, but this time they won't be backing their way into it.  But to do so they'll need to beat USC and Stanford.


22.  Toledo Rockets (8-1) LW NR
Toledo makes their first appearance in the rankings and have done so with a great season under HC Matt Campbell.  Their only loss on the season is to Arizona to start the year, but they have a big win over Cincinnati on their record.  The Rockets are the favorites to in the MAC West Division and match up with either Ohio or Kent State in the conference championship game.  But to do so, they still have to beat Northern Illinois who has only 1 loss on the season also.

23.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-2) LW 15
It was interesting to see Miss State climb so high in the polls despite the fact that they really haven't played anybody that good.  Before the Alabama and Texas A&M games their toughest opponent was either Tennessee or Arkansas.  Not really juggernauts.  But they even climbed to the top 10.  But when the played teams like Alabama and A&M they got blown out.  Heck I almost dropped them out of the top 25 because of that.  But for another week they get to stay.

24.  Northwestern Wildcats (7-2) LW NR
I don't think that people truly appreciate the success that Northwestern is having this year.  They are 7-2 and the two teams they've lost to they had a chance to win the game.  Penn State and Nebraska scored in the final seconds to win those games.  That's pretty good for a private school that doesn't get very many top athletes.  But if the Wildcats want to earn some more respect they'll need to beat a Michigan team that wants to sneak into the Big 10 Title Game.  Should be a tough one.


25.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-1) LW 25
After dropping their last game to Kent State the Knights had an extra week to think about losing their undefeated season to a MAC school.  Now Rutgers has to face off against an Army team that is coming off a huge win against Air Force.  Rutgers can't find themselves looking past Army to their game against Cincinnati or they could drop a second game in a row.



Dropped From the Rankings:  Texas Tech, West Virginia

Heisman Watch (Week 10)

1.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week:  245 yards passing 0 TDs, 64 yards rushing 1 TD vs Oklahoma State (44-30)  Next Week: vs at TCU
Comments:  Klein was off to his typical big game, he had 310 total yards and a TD midway through the 3rd quarter.  However Klein took an awkward hit and never returned to the game.  It didn't look bad, but KState doesn't disclose injuries so it's up in the air how bad the injury is and if Klein is going to miss next weeks game.  However Klein was observed on the sideline laughing and not showing any ill affects.  So maybe they took him out just to prevent anything worse happening.  Because if Klein can't go, neither will this team.

2.  Kenjon Barner RB Oregon
Last Week:  38 carries for 321 yards rushing 5 TD vs USC (62-51)  Next Week:  at California
Comments:  If you didn't know Kenjon Barner before this week, you sure know him now.  In Oregon's route over USC Barner set a Oregon single game record with 321 yards rushing.  He also did it on 8 yards per carry.  That's impressive on it's own.  While teammate De'Anthony Thomas has gotten a lot more Heisman hype, it's been Barner who has been the one who has stood out game in and game out.  Barner had 1,295 yards rushing so far this season and 19 TDs.  With games against Stanford, Oregon State, and likely USC again look for Barner to have some more highlights when the spotlight is on.

3.  Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame

Last Week:  7 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 1 sack vs Pittsburgh (29-26)
Next Week:  at Boston College 

Comments: It wasn't the best games for Te'o and the Golden Domer's, but they escaped the Pitt game with a with and that's what really counts.  Te'o didn't have a huge impact statically with only 7 tackles and a sack.  But Te'o was always in the mix and helped the Fighting Irish buckle down in the second half and overtime to give their offense a chance to come back.  This next weekend they'll travel to Boston College where Te'o probably won't be on the field too much because BC isn't very good.  If Te'o wants to be the first defensive player to win the Heisman, he'll need a couple huge games coming up.  

4.  AJ McCarron QB Alabama
Last Week:   165 yards passing 1 TD, 1 rushing TD at LSU (21-17)  Next Week:  vs Texas A&M

Comments:  This wasn't McCarron's best game of the year, but when Alabama needed him to step up, he did so.  Down three with in the final minutes McCarron lead the Crimson Tide down the field before finding RB TJ Yeldon on a 28 yard pass to win the game.  The win allows Alabama to stay undefeated and keep their chances of an undefeated season alive.  McCarron although statstically wasn't good, keeps his slim Heisman chances alive.  Without that last TD drive, McCarron would have been out of the race.  But other former SEC Heisman Winners have won the award in the final weeks.  Can McCarron do that too?

5.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Last Week:  226 yards passing 2 TDs, 73 yards rushing 1 TD vs Illinois (52-22)  Next Week: Bye
Comments:  Not a whole lot to say about this Miller this week.  The Buckeyes faced an Illinois team that has quit on the season.  Miller did what he needed to do and got out without getting injuried.  He had 299 combined yards and 3 TDs.  Miller continues to play at a high level, but there really isn't a whole lot of talk about it.  Having a bye next week doesn't help out either.  But there game against Michigan coming up could really do wonders for his Heisman chances.

Others to Watch

7.  Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
8.  Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville 

Coaching Carousel (Idaho Vandals)

Normally the coaching carousel doesn't start going till after the season starts, but the Idaho Vandals wasted little time in making a decision.  Idaho fired Akey in the middle of his 7th season with the Vandals with a  20-50 record with the school and only one bowl appearance.

Akey came to Idaho to replace Dennis Erickson who left after spending 10 months at the school.  Before coming to Idaho Akey was the defensive coordinator at Washington State.

His best year came in 2009 where they went 8-5 and won the Hummanitarian Bowl in a thrilling game against Bowling Green.  However the Vandals only won 6 games the next year before a miserable 2-10 year and then a 1-7 start to this year.   Administration stated that they did so they could start immediately to find his replacement. 

The biggest problem that Idaho is going to have when finding their next coach is they won't have a conference to call their own.  Idaho is currently in the WAC, but because of conference expansion the Vandals have been left out in the cold.  Nobody wanted them and they will become a Independent after this season.  Being an Independent will be very hard for Idaho who will have no bowl tie ins and might struggle to schedule games.  This may also cause some candidates to pass on the job.

Possible Candidates

Dan Hawkins (Former Colorado and Boise State Head Coach)
This would probably be their top choice and a great hire.  Hawkins had a ton of success at Boise State and knows how to recruit to the area.  However there is a lot of talk that Hawkins isn't interested in the job and would prefer to go somewhere where it is easier to get recruits to.

Jason Gesser (Current Interim Head Coach)
Gesser is the Vandals offensive coordinator and was tabbed as the interim coach when Akey was fired.  Gesser is the former Washington State QB who lead the Cougars to the Rose Bowl in 2003.  Given Idaho's situation as an Independent the best strategy to find a young energetic coach who can get players to Moscow.  Add in that Gesser played at WSU he is fimilar with the area.

Beau Baldwin (Eastern Washington Head Coach)
It may be hard for Idaho to persuade a FBS coach to come there or even a coordinator.  However one route they can go is down to the FCS ranks.  It worked with Ohio State who took Jim Tressell from Youngstown State, maybe the Vandals can dip down and land a successful coach.  Beau Brown won a National Championship at Eastern Washington and would bring a wide open spread offense that might be able to attract some talent to Moscow.  However it will take a lot for Baldwin to leave a school that he's winning at a high rate.

Blaine Bennett (Central Washington Head Coach)
If they can't get one of the top FCS coaches, what about moving down to Division II?  It's not ideal, but the Vandals aren't in the most ideal situation.  Just because it's DII doesn't mean there isn't good coaches there.  Brian Kelly was a former DII coach before making his way up to Notre Dame.  Bennett has done a great job of building the Central Washington program up.  He's won the conference title three out of four years he's been there.  Bennett was also an assistant at Purdue and Michigan State before returning to his home state of Washington. 

Paul Wulff (Former Washington State Head Coach)
One name that isn't getting a lot of attention, but could be a great sleeper candidate.  You may remember Wulff from his horrible four years at Washington State where he only won 9 games.  Now he wasn't succesful there, but when he was at Eastern Washington he was a regular in the FCS playoffs.  He isn't a big name, but he could be looking at a second chance at being a head coach.

College Football Kickoff (Week 10)

Games of the Week

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) at #5 LSU Tigers (7-1)
This years game doesn't have the same feel as last year, but that was because LSU was also undefeated, instead of having one loss.  But the stakes are still the same.  Winner of this game "should" win the West and move on to the SEC Title Game.  Alabama so far has been the clear cut #1 team in the nation and hasn't really had a close game.  But the have to travel to Death Valley at night which is never easy.  If LSU wants to get the win here they are going to need a HUGE game from QB Zach Mettenberger.  They'll need him to make plays, not just manage to offense.  Defensively the Tigers can slow the Alabama offense but unless the defense can make some plays to put points on the board it could be a long night.
Prediction:  Alabama 20  LSU 10


Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-2) at #4 Kansas State Wildcats (8-0)
Oklahoma isn't ranked, but they are right on the cusp of the top 25.  They're looking to make a mark on the season and end Kansas State's magical season.  But if they are going to, they'll need to score a lot of points against a Wildcat defense that held West Virginia to 14 and Oklahoma to 19.  Defensively they'll have to make some plays because KState looks to wear defenses down with QB Collin Klein and RB John Hubert.  If Oklahoma State wants to win they'll have to get early 3 and outs to keep their guys fresh.  But that's easier said than down.  Just ask Oklahoma and West Virginia.
Prediction:  Oklahoma State 16  Kansas State 45


#2 Oregon Ducks (8-0) at #16 USC Trojans (6-2)
A week ago this game had more hype around it.  But that was before the Trojans dropped a game to Arizona to give them their second loss on the season.  You have to wonder how USC is going to handle Oregon's offense considering they struggled against an Arizona attack that isn't as good.  USC has struggled to stop the run and that is what the Ducks will do to you.  Add in that USC doesn't have a lot of depth along the defensive line and that could be a disaster keeping up with the Oregon fast paced attack.  But will Oregon's improved defense be able to slow down the USC receivers and running backs?  Oregon is favored to win on paper, but USC is out to prove that they are better tahn their record indicates.  Don't be surprised if you see an upset.
Prediction:  Oregon 49  USC 27


#19 Texas A&M Aggies (6-2) at #15 Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1)
The big match up in the SEC West is in Baton Rouge, but this game in Starkville is just as important.  In this battle of surprise teams, the winner still has an outside shot at the West Division crown.  But they'll need some help to do so.  It will be fun to watch A&M's high powered offense match up with the veteran Miss State defense.  As we've seen so far, A&M will go as far as QB Johnny Manziel will take them.  In the games they've lost he's taken care of the ball and made plays.  When they lose it's because he has turned the ball over.  Miss State also hasn't face an offense that is as good as Texas A&M all year.
Prediction:  Texas A&M  31 Mississippi State  24

#21 Texas Longhorns at #23 Texas Tech Red Raiders
The last time that Texas and Texas Tech had a huge game against each other we got an amazing game with Michael Crabtree hauling in a TD pass in the closing seconds to give the Red Raiders the victory.  Will this game against top 25 teams yield the same results?  I don't know, but this game will still be intriguing and a battle to move into the 3rd spot behind Kansas State and Oklahoma.  Just when Texas QB David Ash started to really play well, he took a step back.  Is he going to be able to get it back against an improved Red Raider defense?  Will the Texas defense be able to slow down Tech's offense enough to give their offense a chance?
Prediction:  Texas 20  Texas Tech 34

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Coaching Hot Seat

Gene Chizik
Record at Auburn:  31-17
Bowl Appearances:  3

To say that Gene Chizik's tenure at Auburn has been a roller coaster is an understatement.  Fans were unhappy that Auburn hired Chizik who had a 5-19 record at Iowa State prior to him coming to Auburn.  Many felt that there were better coaches out there and Chizik hadn't proved that he's worthy of this level of a job.  They felt that Turner Gill (former Buffalo HC) was more qualified and a better choice. 

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 winning a lot of close games in route to beating Oregon in the National Championship Game.  So it's hard to imagine how a coach who won a National Championship two years ago can already be on the hot seat.

It was year three where things started to slide.  Auburn only won 7 games during the regular season, but was dominated by the top teams in the conference.  After the regular season was over Auburn also lost three key members of their team.  RB Michael Dyer was kicked off the team, DC Ted Roof left for a DC job at Central Florida, and OC Gus Malzahn left to be the HC at Arkansas State. 

If year three was a downer, this current year is flat out depressing for Tigers fans.  Currently the Tigers are 1-7 and haven't won a game in the SEC.  Their only win was against Louisiana Monroe and they had to go to OT to do that.  They should win two more games (New Mexico State and Alabama A&M) but a 3-9 record isn't going to sit well in the SEC.  One of the biggest issues that Chizik has had at Auburn is not getting talent in there.  Sure there are good players on their roster, but they are few and far between. 

It is uncertain if Chizik will lose his job or not.  You'd think that National Championship would by him some time.  But in the SEC patience wears thin.  Auburn's administration could see that outside of the year that Cam Newton and Nick Fairley were there, the Tigers have underachieved.  It's truly amazing what a dominant player can do for a team.

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What happened to....

Mountain West Conference

Do you remember when the Mountain West was at one point the 5th best conference in college football ahead of the ACC and the Big East.  Utah and TCU had made it to BCS games while BYU and San Diego State were up and coming teams.  Boise State (who was a regular in the top 10) was set to join in 2011.  With the likes of those teams the Mountain West was beginning to get into the discussion of possible becoming  BCS Automatic Qualifying conference.

However 2011 was the year the conference started to fall apart.  Utah got an invitation to the Pac 10 and left.  BYU was upset that they didn't get invited and went independent.  Boise State still joined, but without BYU and Utah the conference didn't have the same star power.  TCU added to the teams leaving when they got an invite to the Big East and agreed to leave (but ended up in the Big 12 instead).  In an effort to strengthen the conference, the Mountain West added Fresno State, Utah State, and Hawaii.  Both those teams aren't TCU, Utah, and BYU. 

Looking at the Mountain West this year and you can see that the conference is down compared to what it is.  Boise State is still the cream of the crop, but they are down this year.  San Diego State  hasn't had the same success that they did when Brady Hoke was there.  What makes matters worse is that Boise State and San Diego State will be leaving for the Big East in a couple of years.

What will come of this conference then?  Sure can't count on Fresno State and Utah State to carry the BCS buster torch.

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How about....

Sun Belt Conference

For the longest time the Sun Belt was a conference that a lot of teams laughed at.  Normally when BCS level teams scheduled Sun Belt teams it would be an easy win that they didn't have to even worry about.  It was also a place where young coaches went to die.  You rarely ever saw programs dip into the Sun Belt to get their next coach.

But things are changing.  The Sun Belt is no longer a laughing matter.  Just look at Louisiana-Monroe.  They were the early talk of the college football season with a win over Alabama and near wins over Auburn and Baylor.  Western Kentucky even knocked off Kentucky.  Looking at the current standings Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Monroe are already bowl eligible.  Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee State are a win away.  Troy and Louisiana-Lafayette have great shots at 6 wins.  When was the last time this conference had 4 teams bowl eligible?

Another area of strength in the Sun Belt is the coaching.  No longer are coaches afraid to lead these schools and BCS schools are considering these coaches.  Just look at Hugh Freeze.  He went from Arkansas State to Ole Miss.  Other coaches that will likely be hot names include:  Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State), Todd Berry (Louisiana-Monroe), Dan McCarney (North Texas), Mario Cristobal (FIU), Mark Hudspeth (Louisiana-Lafayette), and Willie Taggart (Western Kentucky). 

It's safe to say that the Sun Belt is on the rise and with all the talent that is in the south, these schools have the potential to keep getting better.

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Player Spotlight

Kevin Minter 

Height:  6'2
Weight:  242
School:  LSU
Year:  JR
Position: LB

Minter broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore in 2011 and has never looked back.  With all the talent that is on the LSU defensive line, Minter doesn't necessarily get a lot of attention.  But with all the talent Minter has, it's beginning to be hard to ignore him.  In their game against Florida it really showed the type of player Minter really is.  Against a heavy Florida running attack, Minter finished with 20 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble.  Minter is at his best when he is playing downhill to stop the run.  He hits like a freight train and makes you pay for it.  He can shed blocks well and get to the ball carrier.  Minter has good speed and lateral quickness, but has some struggles in coverage.  Minter reminds me a lot of former LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard who is with the Buffalo Bills right now.  However Minter is probably a better athlete and football player. 

NCAA Top 25 (Week 9)

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) LW 1
Is it possible that the team that won the National Title last year and has been the #1 ranked team most of the year is underrated?  Maybe forgotten?  In a season where we are all trying to see who is the 2nd best team it seems that Alabama is being overlooked.  But they go out and dominate week in and week out.  This weekend was no different as they gave Miss State their first loss of the season.  Now they can move on to LSU.


2.  Oregon Ducks (8-0) LW 2
To me it's a shame that Oregon is #4 in the BCS.  I know it's all because of their schedule, but they are clearly the second best team in the nation.  Offensively they are unstoppable averaging over 53 points per game.  This weekend they had 56 on Colorado at half.  Defensively they are much better, but because they pull their starters so early, their scoring defense isn't a good reflection.  Their game against USC this weekend will be a good showcase of how good they truly are.


3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-0) LW 3
If you haven't taken Notre Dame serious so far this season, it's about time you do.  After racing out to a 7-0 start, the Fighting Irish had to travel to Oklahoma to face the top 10 rated Sooners.  Not only did Notre Dame win, but they pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 30-13.  Manti Te'o was the star of the game totalling 11 tackels, a sack, and the game clinching INT.  The win keeps the Irish unbeaten and gives them a great shot at a possible National Title appearance.


4.  Kansas State Wildcats (8-0) LW 5
Kansas State has had a habit of blowing out ranked teams.  After only beating Oklahoma by 5 the Wildcats smothered both West Virginia and Texas Tech in route to big victories.  With each game QB Collin Klein seems to be turning in bigger game after game.  This past weekend he had 4 TDs to go along with his 316 yards.  Will this trend continue against Oklahoma State?


5.  LSU Tigers (7-1) LW 6
LSU fans had to be pleased with the performance the Tigers had coming from behind to beat Texas A&M.  Now all the Tigers get to do is rest up and prepare to play host to Alabama.  The winner of this game would be in the drivers seat to the SEC Title Game and more than likely the National Championship game.


6.  Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) LW 14
After getting blown out by South Carolina and only narrowly beating Kentucky it looked like the Bulldogs were going downhill and their game against Florida was going to be their second loss.  Instead the defense stepped up and got them the win.  The biggest reason was that they forced the Florida offense into six turnovers!  It's pretty hard to lose when you are doing that.  But if Georgia wants to win the SEC East, they'll need Aaron Murray to play a better game than he did this weekend.


7.  Florida Gators (7-1) LW 4
All the Gators had to do was beat Georgia and they would clinch the SEC East and be assured their spot for a possible National Championship opportunity.  However it's hard to win games when you turn the ball over 6 times.  It stings even worse when you force 3 INTs your self and still lose.  But that's what happens when you have a ball control offense.  Now the Gators must hope that Georgia losses another game or their left on the outside looking in.


8.  Florida State Seminoles (8-1) LW 11
Florida State is another team that people are tending to forget about.  They were considered by some to be a National Title contender before they lost to NC State, but they've bounced back and have a great shot at meeting Florida in the final week for state supremacy.  This past weekend they handled a Duke team that surprisingly is pretty solid.  Next up is Virginia Tech.


9.  Clemson Tigers (7-1) LW 12
Wake Forrest really didn't have a chance.  Especially when QB Tajh Boyd sets school records for passing yards (428) in a game and TDs (5) and WR Sammie Watkins set the new school record for most receiving yards (202) in a game.  You also have to be impressed with the defense only giving up 13 points in a blowout.


10.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) LW 10
I know that Ohio State isn't allowed to be ranked in the BCS standings or even the Coaches Poll, but you have to wonder how well would they do if they were?  I know the Big 10 is down, but the Buckeyes are likely go to undefeated.  Would they be a title contender?  Either way they scored a huge victory over Penn State this weekend.  Let's call it the "Ineligi-Bowl."  Braxton Miller continued to show us how good he is and that he can bounce back from his trip to he hospital.  Now it should be easy sailing for Ohio State until their end of the year rivalry game with Michigan.


11.  South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) LW 13
They may have beat Tennessee, but it feels .like the Gamecocks lost.  Probably because of the injury to RB Marcus Lattimore is such a blow.  Not only are you losing your best player, but you feel awful for the young man that he's having to deal with this again.  They do have a weekend off to get things figured out before facing Arkansas in on November 10th.


12.  Oklahoma Sooners (5-2) LW 8
Beating Notre Dame would have given the Sooners the jump start that they needed to get back into the National Title picture.  Instead a poor fourth quarter gives the Sooners their second loss of the season and ends their chances.  Now the Sooners hope to win out and get back into a BCS Bowl.


13.  Louisville Cardinals (8-0) LW 15

All Louisville needs to do is beat Cincinnati and Rutgers and they should finish with the Big East Title and an undefeated season.  Louisville got one part of that done on Friday Night beating Cincinnati in OT 34-31.  The Cardinals intercepted Cincinnati and then kicked the winning field goal to get the "Keg of Nails" and stay unbeaten.

14.  Oregon State Beavers (6-1) LW 9
Oregon State's dream season came to an abrupt end at the hands of Washington.  It was the same Washington team that knocked off Stanford.  Oregon State mounted a comeback, but it was for not because Washington was able to get the game winning field goal.  Oregon State's season isn't over and they still have a chance to beat Oregon in a couple of weeks

15.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1) LW 16
Mississippi State didn't move a lot in the rankings because it's hard to fault a team that has only one loss and that loss was the consensus #1 team Alabama.  It's hard to gauge how good the Bulldogs really are against such a good team, but we'll find more out when they host Texas A&M this weekend. 

16.  USC Trojans (6-2) LW 7
Do you remember when USC was considered the best team in the nation and thought to go undefeated.  Well after losses to Stanford and now Arizona have ruined the Trojans season.  What makes matters worse is that they face off against Oregon this weekend and a loss there would give them their third of the season.  Add in Notre Dame at the end and we could be looking at a USC team with 4 or more losses.


17.  West Virginia Mountaineers (5-2) LW 19
This bye week couldn't have come at a better time for West Virginia.  After riding high for their first five games the Mountaineers have gotten punched in the mouth two straight weeks.  Hopefully they can take some time to get things figured out offensively and get back to the same team we saw early in the season. 


18.  Stanford Cardinal (6-2) LW 21
If it wasn't for their defense we could be talking about a Stanford team with more than two losses.  Instead the defense continues to play at a high level and give the offense enough breathing room to get wins.  After disposing of Washington State the Cardinal move on to face hapless Colorado.  That should be an easy win before they face Oregon and Oregon State.

19.  Texas A&M Aggies (6-2) LW 25
You'd be a lier if you thought A&M would be contending for the SEC West at the beginning of the season.  But the Aggies have only two losses and in both games they were leading by double digits.  A&M didn't want that to happen against Auburn where they jumped out to an early 42-7 lead at halftime and cruised to an easy victory.  Now the Aggies have a little tougher competition against Miss State this weekend.  The winner here still has an outside shot at the SEC West.  The loser will be eliminated.


20.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2) LW NR
After Nebraska lost big to Ohio State it looked like the Huskers had too many questions and not enough answers.  But the Huskers got things figured out after their bye week and got big wins at Northwestern and against Michigan.  Now Nebraska is in the lead of the Legends Division and has four winnable games to end the season.  With the Big 10 down this could be a great opportunity for the Huskers to make it back to a BCS Bowl.

21.  Texas Longhorns (6-2) LW 24
You have to be a little concerned how Texas only beat a horrible Kansas team by 4 points.  Ever since the Oklahoma game the offense has really taken a nose dive.  QB David Ash is on the verge of losing his job and the defense is a sieve.  They better get it fixed because an improved Texas Tech team in coming to town and they have a great opportunity to beat Texas and drop them out of the rankings.

22.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-1) LW NR
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs made an appearance a couple of weeks ago in the rankings but fell after a tough loss to Texas A&M.  But they've rattled off two straight wins and are setting at 7-1 on the season.  Pair that up with four very winnable games left and the Bulldogs should finish with an 11-1 record. 

23.  Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-2) LW 23
Sure Texas Tech lost to Kansas State, but they didn't get blown out and they did a lot better against the Wildcats than West Virginia or Oklahoma did.  Was it luck or are the Red Raiders better than we think?  We can find this out this weekend as they travel to Austin to face the Longhorns.  If the Red Raiders can win that game they will be in 3rd place and and chance to play in an upper tier bowl game.

24.  Penn State Nittany Lions (5-3) LW 17
Penn State's five game winning streak came to and end this weekend at the hands of Ohio State.  Going into the game the Nittany Lions were playing like one of the conferences best, but the talented Buckeye team was just too much for this undermanned team.  Penn State now faces off against a reeling Purdue team before they travel to Lincoln to play the red hot Huskers.

25.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-1) LW 18
There is something about MAC schools ruining the Big East race.  Last week it was Toledo that ended Cincinnati's perfect season, and now Kent State did the same against Rutgers.  What makes matters worse is that Rutgers now has a week off to think about the loss before they play Army in two weeks.


Dropped From the Rankings:  Ohio Bobcats, Michigan Wolverines