Hokie Unis

The Captains for this 2010 Virginia Tech Football team have huddled, been given options for uniform combinations for the Orange Bowl this January, and selected their 5th different helmet of the year. This time, in a break from tradition, it's an orange base.

Again, this will be the 5th different helmet wore by the Hokies this season...beginning with the opening Blacks against Boise St as part of the big Nike Pro Combat team this year.


In our home opener, and second game of the year, we still hadn't donned the maroon caps that are our standards. We chose all whites (no stripes) in a blockbuster loss to 1-AA JMU. We chose to wear these again against Directional Michigan (with better results this time.)


Tech finally made it back to the regularly scheduled helmets on September 18 against ECU. We would wear these all maroons 7 more times over the course of the 2010 season.



These whites, with the center stripe, wear worn against both opponents from the Sunshine State, Miami and FSU in late November and during the ACC Championship game.



We'll see how the Hokies play in these new lids, with white jersey and pants. I think the combo will look pretty sweet, and hopefully we won't see it again for a while. The Orange for the Orange Bowl is a nice idea, and looks nice, but let's not make a habit of it...

Week 11

I don't have the energy to post my losing ways this week.
Be back next week with a few more post, number crunching, scenarios etc for the final push of the season.
GO HOKIES!!!

It's November!!!

I made it out of November above .500, at 31-26 ATS. There have been a few big upset, outright that have been predicted on here (and a few stink bombs too.) But, this is all in fun, right, so no harm in losing the house, or car, or dinner...

At first glance, this week is a little thin on the schedule, but the "good" games do have a major impact on the landscape of the remainder of the season. #3 vs #5, #6 vs #10, #13 vs #15. Let's see what we can do with this right here...

Baylor @ Oklahoma State (-7.5)
The Bears will continue the roll, coming off the high of beating the Longhorns and officially becoming the best team in Texas this year.
Baylor 36 Okie St 30


Illinois @ Michigan (-3)
Um, no. The Illini have found their grove, and continue it this week.
Fightin I's n L's 45 Meeeeeshigan 24


TCU (-5) @ Utah
Despite the love-fest for the Horned Frogs, the Utes will conjure up an awesome game to pull this one out late. You'll have to believe me on this one, as national TV is not showing it...
Utah 24 TCU 20


Alabama (-6) @ LSU
That clank that you heard was the horseshoe finally falling out of the Mad Hatters @$$. Bama now understands that they do have to prove themselves while needing some help from others. Cam Newton pried the door open, now Ingram and Richardson will kick it all the way open.
Tide is High 31 Tiggers 13


Arkansas @ South Carolina (-4)
The power of the Mullet is strong with this one. The 'ol ball coach has got THAT look to him...and the rest of the SEC should be scared.
Mullet > Mallet
Souf Cackolacki 37 Ourkansas 20


Oklahoma (-3) @ Texas A&M
Sooner Nation has too much for the Aggies, putting it away early, first quarter early.
Sooners 42 Aggies 17


Arizona @ Stanford (-9.5)
The wildcats think they can walk into the big Tree's house and push them around, but that won't be the case. There is only one in the Pac-10, and you are not it.
Dark Reds 59 Wild Kittys 20


Oregon (-35.5) @ Washington
5 plus touchdowns is a ton...and too much by 1.5 points. Locker has a nice game, but nice isn't even close in horseshoes.
Ducks 54 Huskies 30


Missouri (-4) @ Texas Tech
Mizzou got throttle last week. Now they're awake. The red raiders couldn't guard the dead in a phone booth. Gabbert lights them up, big for over 400 in the air.
Tigers 44 TT 13

Spooky College Picks

27-21 after 8 weeks. Meh. Let's find some spooky picks this weekend, and get that percentage up!

Miami(14.5) @ UVA
Miami will cover this by halftime, and cruise to a 27 point win. Jacory will hand out a candy int in the third, just to be a nice guy...
Canes 48 Cavs 21

Tennessee @ South Carolina(-17.5)
Phil Fulmer must be turning in his booth at the buffet. 17.5 dogs to the 'Ol Ball Coach?! My how Rocky Top has fallen. The Game Chickens will struggle to cover this, but will do it. late.
(Smokey joining the Game Cocks, too embarrassed to be a Volunteer anymore)
Souf Cakolacki 35 Rocky Bottom 14

Michigan State @ Iowa(-6.5)
The Vegas line for fake kicks is 3.5 this week. Take the over, but sadly, none of them will work for Sparty. After doing his best Les Miles impersonation last week, Ferrentz wakes up the hawkeyes to steamroll Sparty out of the top 10.
Iower 27 Sparty 13

Missouri @ Nebraska(-7.5)
Can you say hangover road trip?! Yes, Mizzou was impressive last week, but now you have Big Red in Lincoln. Welcome to a tie for the Big 12 North.
Black shirts 59 Mizzou 28

Florida - Georgia(-2.5)

Ah, the Cocktail party. I predicted things could get ugly the day before Halloween in Jacksonville, and they are just that. Combined 5-6 in conference play? Ugh. Jorgia is averaging over 40 ppg since UGA VI took the sidelines. It doesn't stop this weekend, despite the Gators' new jerseys. (Fla D scores 14...)

Bulldogs 46 Gators 31

Texas Tech @ Texas A&M(-7.0)
Upset alert...Tubberville leads the Raiders on Halloween weekend, with the ghost of Leach looking over his shoulder, over the Aggies and all of their 12th men.
Red Raiders 27 Agricultural and Mechanical 24

Baylor @ Texas(-7.5)

The Bears are the best team in Tejas, right now. The only one ranked. The only one in the Big 12 with a winning conference record. The best offense, the best QB. Take advantage of it this year, my friend. Stay thirsty, run with it, and beat The Longhorns.
Bears 33 Tejas 23

Michigan(-3) @ Penn State
The Nittany Lions pull some funny stuff on Halloween Eve to beat the Wolverines.
PSU 29 Meeshigan 26

Oregon(-7) @ USC
This is the only chance for USC to be relevant this season. No post season, no polls, reduced scholarships, and let's be honest, beating UCLA this year isn't all that. Beat the Ducks and you've officially screwed with the BCS and NCAA football when you shouldn't be. (Even the ducks won't be able to find themselves in all black Saturday night.)
Trojans 47 Quacks 41

Week Ocho, Mid October Edition

Now that Oregon has once again scored a point a minute, its on to the Saturday lineup (almost exclusively at 3:30.)
Sitting at 26-17 ATS is respectable, so far. Let's see if we can improve up on that.

Quick hits, once again...
LSU @ Auburn (-6)
Low scoring game, the mad hatter still has the horseshoe to cover, but War Eagle wins.
LSU 24 Auburn 19

Wisconsin @ Iowa (-5.5)
Adam Robinson! nuff said.
Iowa 32 Wisconsin 21

Nebraska (-5.5) @ Oklahoma State
Weedon, Hunter, Balckmon. Too much for the black shirts.
Ok St 38 Nebraska 20

Oklahoma (-3) @ Missouri
Sooner Nation needs to keep up with Quack Attack.
Ok 48 Mizzou 17

Georgia Tech @ Clemson (-5.5)
Yellow Jackets, you hired Al Groh...nice. Welcome to losing every week, with dignity.
Clemson 27 GT 9

Week 7.. quick hits

Rocktober is here, and the fish are calling...

Quick hits for week 7.

BC +22

Pitt +1

Missouri +3.5

Texas +9.5

USC -2.5

Iowa -3.5

Auburn -3.5

ECU +7.5

Oklahoma Stat +3.5

TCU -29

Ohio State -4

Florida -7.5

Bama -21

Oregon State s/u

Bama - USC (the other one...)

The Game Chickens will be confused by the Tide this weekend, while getting hammered.

Week 6 Oktoberfest Edition

Here we are, right in the middle of the season. Last weeks performance of 5-4 was mediocre at best for the biggest week of the young football season. (Unfortunately, I went 1-5 in the post 7:30 games ATS on Yahoo! last week.) This week provides a little breather for some, and a little more light on some of the conference races.

To kick things off:

Pig Sooie(-6)vsThe Agricultural and Mechanical College of Tejas

(in the house that Jerry built)

Ryan Mallet and the Razorbacks step out of conference to face another highly touted QB in Jerrod Johnson. Both have next level potential, both have over 1200 yards passing so far, both have double digit touchdowns, both have a single tough loss this year. What Arkansas posses that A&M doesn’t is a defense. Johnson will find his spots, and the running game will help to cover the touchdown, but Arkansas will pull it out. I see a 4^th quarter cover, just coming up short in the end.

Arkansas 28 – A&M 24

Alabama (-7) @ South Carolina

The ‘Ol Ball Coach, at 3-1, getting dissed at home?! You better bet there has been more than a few sit downs with QB Mullet the past 2 weeks. “Don’t embarrass me on National TV like you did two weeks ago Stephen!!!” Well, sorry coach, he might not have a lot of control over the issue. This is the beginning of the games where Bama faces opponents that have had the week off prior. That’s good news for the opponents, but let’s face it, Bama is hot. The last thing a hot team wants to do is stop, and that’s something Bama definitely is not doing. There’s not even a 4^th quarter cool down lap this year. The Defense on this squad may actually be better collectively than last year’s team. Ryan Mallet managed 20 against them, and he’s a first rounder. The side show Burton couldn’t keep his 5 rushes-5 touchdown magic going, with no Gator td’s put on the board. Garcia has NO CHANCE. Spurrier’s only hope is some trickeration, some lucky breaks and bounces, and for Alabama to forget to get on the bus. This machine keeps rolling along, putting up over 40 on the road.

Bama 41 – USC 13

Sparty @ Meeshigan (-4.5)

Yes, Kirk cousins will rack up yards on top of yards on top of some more yards. The Wolverine secondary should be renamed thirdary because it stinks. However, 400 yards does not necessarily mean a victory or cover. Shoelace is playing, and that’s all that matters. Look for yet another double doubler, 200 passing AND rushing. The winged men, at home, are the Victors of the Day, playing Alexander the Great in defeating Sparta.

Michigan 37 – Michigan State 24

LSU @ the Gators (-7) in the Swamp

Is this the same Florida squad that didn’t even score 7 at Bama last week, that needed a 5 TD sideshow against Kaintuck, that had issues with Miami…the one in OHIO, had issues with Ol Rocky Top? Really? I know Les Miles sometimes forgets that he’s actually in control and has to do something, but a touchdown dog for an undefeated team. I know they are uglier than the Gators, but a touchdown? Not sure both teams combine for 7 points. Between the Center-QB relationship that is rockier than MLB umpiring and Jordan Jefferson providing 6 catches for opposing defenses, the punters may not have a lot of work to do. I see LSU driving, late in the 4^th quarter, taking 3 straight delay of game penalties backing up Josh Jasper…to make a 57 yarder in the final minute to win. This is an October baseball game, right?!

LSU 3 – Florida 2

Trojans @ The Tree (-9.5)

Jim Harbaugh and the big tree are raging mad that they got pissed on by a duck last week as it was flying over them, repeatedly. Being a fine California Institution of higher learning, they can either come out swinging or have a sit-in. I don’t see Jim as the pacifist type guy. Luck will be on point, taking advantage of the terrible Thirdary of boys of Troy. Bradford will continue his ground dominance, putting up over 150 yards on 15 carries, but the tree will get mad, get revenge, and just plain embarrass Lane Kiffin. Oh how the mighty have fallen. (Sidebar, enjoy this 9 win season while you can Stanford, the train ride stops after Luck and Harbaugh are no longer there next year…)

Stanford 41 – USC 17

Free $hoes University @ Da U (-6.5)

Jimbo comes to town 4-1, and 2-0 in the ACC. Jacory is home again, ready to complete passes, no matter what team they play for. This lends itself to be another amazing game in the series…not to the level of Wide Right, or Wide Left, but maybe kick starting what the ACC was hoping for when they expanded with an actual Florida presence that matters. These two are 1-2 in sacks, and that could keep the score down, or let things ride over the top with man coverage in the secondary. Jacory gets some smelling salts, sees the light, and has a career game to carry the hurricanes to victory.

Miami 27 – FSU 16

Rocktober Football Begins with a Bang

Wow, I think I’ve recovered from last weeks 2-4 record. That brings the overall season record to 14-9. This week has been circled on the calendar since mid-August because of the number of impact games. It doesn’t get any easier for the teams that expect to continue on their march to Glendale (or the BCS.) Given that fact, why not just jump into it and pick the big games instead of picking and choosing alone.

Buckle up kids. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!

Let’s start with Thursday night’s game: Texas A&M at Oklahoma State (-3)

Both are 3-0, but neither is ranked. I have a feeling the survivor of this one will crack the top 25 next week after tonight’s matchup. The Cowboys lead the country in yards per game, just shy of 600, and now lead is ppg at 57. A&M wasn’t smooth against FIU, but Jerrod Johnson has a ton of hype on the conference (and one of my fantasy teams is counting on him showing up tonight as well.) When all is said and done, Kendall Hunter will have over 200 yards from scrimmage, Blackmon will have 3 tds, and the Cowboys will bet he first to 40 for the home win and cover of the 3 points, with an over of the 66.5.

OSU 45 - A&M 37

Miami (-3) @ Clemson

Clemson played Auburn to the wire, while the Hurricanes were being downgraded in Columbus. Miami as road favorites, in Death Valley? That shows no respect for the old guard ACC, and proves the desire to push for the new guard to be relevant in order to upgrade the conference stature. Well, it won’t happen in this game. Jacory Harris is in a giving mood, and the Tigers will capitalize, this time, for the outright win at home.

Clemson 27 - 21

Virginia Tech (-3.5) @ NC State

The Hokies are coming off a shutout road win, and the Pack are the last undefeated team in the ACC. Get ready for a fight in this one. Although it doesn’t matter much outside of tobacco road, it has huge implications in the conference race, and the BCS race. The Hokies are coming into their own, the defense is looking like they actually have met Bud Foster before, and the special teams are showing up. However, Stiney is still asleep at the wheel, unable to stick it in. The lack of touchdown production was an issue to begin the season, but since the D is here, it hasn’t hurt us in the past 2 games. Give David Wilson some more touches, turn Williams loose, and grind Evans right up the middle. And when they aren’t looking, let Tyrod go up top to Boykin and Coale. Russell Wilson may be the next Phillip Rivers, having already surpassed the 1000 yard mark this year. The Wolf Pack is a well oiled machine, clicking on all cylinders at this point. But, VT is not Directional (Western) Carolina or Cincinnati this year. The Hokies roll into Raleigh and grab a hold of the Coastal lead with tough D and just enough scoring to cover the 3.5. It’s not pretty, and Tuffy II won’t like it, but that’s the breaks.

VT 23 - NC State 17

Meeshigan (-10) @ Indiana

Shoelace! There’s not much more to say, but there will be more written. Denard will play the first half, provide a lead for the Maize and Blue, and “rest” the leg in the second half. The Hoosiers won’t be able to tackle, or find Robinson as he puts up over 300 yards in the first half. Tandon Doss, with over 100 yards and 2 tds in the second half, will do his best to stage a comeback, but Meeshigan will leave with a win and cover.

Michigan 37 – Indiana 23

Texas – Oklahoma (-3.5)

The Longhorns are what they used to be. Neither are the Sooners, but they will be better than their foes this weekend. The Landry Jones to Broyles connection will be hot this weekend as OU takes a step closer to the Big 12 championship dance. Of course it would at least be nice if we could watch this game this weekend, but ABC/ESPN decided that nobody east of the Mississippi cares. Thanks. I’ll read about it Sunday morning.

Oklahoma 41 – Texas 20

Wisconsin (-1.5) @ Michigan State

Sparty needed OT (and a heart attack) to beat the Golden Domes, who are 1-3 btw, in East Lansing. This one might stay close for a half, but the Cheeseheads will prevail. Both teams will rack up over 300 yards on the ground, but turnovers will cost State dearly in the end.

Wisconsin 27 – MSU 24

Notre Dame (-2.5) @ Boston College

Notre Dame? The team that’s 1-3, and on the road this weekend, is favored, but almost a field goal, on the road, with only 1 win, is that right?! I guess the thing that really bothers me about this game is the fact that this is the ABC game Saturday night. At lest Matt Millen is doing this game, so we don’t have to hear him anywhere else. Sure, the Eagles were grounded and shutout last weekend, but putting them as home dogs to THIS team? Notre Dame is 99^th in the Country in rushing. Crist has been throwing the ball well, but the air in Chestnut Hill will be a little different than the pristine Saturday afternoons played before Touchdown Jesus. I see Montell Harris showing up big time and carrying BC to yet another victory over Notre Dame.

Boston College 36 – Notre Dame 16

Florida @ Alabama (-7.5)

The past two years, the winner between these two has gone on to win the National Championship. That may or may not be the case this year, but it lines up as another great matchup. There are more than a few questions on the Gator side of the ball: Can Pouncey find the QB snapping out of the shotgun? Can Brantley find his grove against what is proving to be another stout Bama defensive backfield? Is Burton a real threat (5 rushes, 5 touchdowns???!!!) or just a gimmick that worked against a weaker SEC foe? Will the issues and injuries affect the on field play come Saturday night? That’s a lot of issues for a 4-0 team ranked #7. As for Bama, the answered some questions last week, like: How will they play from behind in the second half? How will Mark Ingram fit back into the offense in a big game? How will the D look against one of the top rated QB’s? Let’s add that up real quick…3 positives for Bama, 4 negatives for Florida. But that's why they play the games on the field and not on paper. Florida’s defense keeps them in the game till the end, just enough to win on the road.

Florida 31 – Alabama 24

Penn State @ Iowa (-7)

The Nitany Lions have already experienced a tough beating on the road, which will prepare them for the trip home Sunday. Adam Robinson will be a workhorse for the Hawkeyes, carrying the ball over 30 times for over 180 yards and 2 scores in a snoozer.

Iowa 28 – PSU 10

Stanford @ Oregon (-6.5)

The over/under for the game is 65. Is that the game, or first half? Oregon ducked under a point per minute average after last week, but didn’t relinquish the lead in ppg (57.8), having to battle back from 14 down to beat the Sun Devils on the road. On the other side of the ball, Stanford is 4^th nationally in ppg at 48.0. They might need a third digit for the score board Saturday night. I’m just happy we get a chance to watch this one since it was originally scheduled for 11:15 est. All the attention has been on Luck and his passing ability, and potential #1 pick status. This game is the one to shine in if you want to solidify your financial future, and maybe even your trophy collection come December and January. But, look at Oregon’s signal caller, and he’s 90 yards and 1 td behind Luck in the stats column. It will be a matter of who executes better, and more often as to who comes out on top. Both of these defenses aren’t too shabby, and can hold their own. Honestly, I don’t see each of them scoring at will this weekend, playing more of chess match than a track meet, feeling each other out along the way and trying to wear the other one down. Oregon is at home, giving them an advantage, and giving Brent Musberger tons to babble about. The ducks wear all yellow (1 of over 512 combos they have available) and cut down the tree.

Oregon 34 – Stanford 22

Ramblin Wreck

There are very few things different this year for the Yellow Jacket team...

But there is one addition. The Defensive Coordinator is ex-UVA coach Al Groh.

The offense hasn't necessarily been the issue, they have just given up a ton of points.

Don't worry Georgia Tech Fans...it GROHS on you.

Mascot on Mascot Crimes, Week 4

Mascot on Mascot Crimes must end, NOW!!!
We've all seen the attack of the Ohio U. Bobcat of The Ohio State Buckeye, socking him right in the Nut. My biggest question is: How does a person don the outfit when they aren't even enrolled in that University??? The kid in the mascot outfit isn't even a student at Ohio U. Maybe he can pull a Masoli and transfer to mascot at another school this year.

Let's do this, to simulate this:

Boise already is in the heads of the Beavers...just where they need them. Let the campaigning begin!

This week, if the status quo plays out, could make the strong stronger, and provide a little cushion between the field. That is, IF things play out... Since when has that occurred? On to this weeks predictions:

Georgia is a road dawg? Weren't they favored last week against Arkansas, a team that needed a last minute brain fart by the secondary to win? A game that could have played out with Jeorjia pulling it out. Now, they are traveling to Starkville as underdogs? No, this will not stand. Mark Richt will find some way to win this bad boy outright, even if he has to buy AJ Green's jersey back himself.

Wake Forest is a 19 point underdog to Free Shoes University this week. Stats time...Wake is averaging a touchdown more that the Noles this year, so far. The triple option, free for all that is being run in Winston-Salem may not be up to the level of the Yellow Jackets of 2009, but they will easily cover the 19 this weekend.

The next dog that will bark this weekend is Kentucky. Easy, I'm not saying they will beat the Gators. Just that they will cover the 14.5 set forth (even if it is by a hook only.) Don't worry Flo Rida fans, the D will account for 10 points, at least, ensuring the win. However, if there was ever a year that the Cats would rise up, this could be it. Pouncey plays bouncey, still, snapping the ball to Brantley. Gainey is gone. Urban is taking it easy. Wins are coming, but don't rest easy in the Swamp...

The third ranking scoring offense in the country is...the Tree, the Band, and the remaining 105 Cardinal football players at Stanford. Averaging over 52 points a game, the matchup next week against Oregon should be a shootout. They might have to add a third number to the scoreboard for that one. But, before that is this week against the Golden Domers. Of course, all the ND fans are counting that Michigan State game as half a win because Sparty shouldn't be allowed to call that play in the first place. They all believe they will run the table and be invited to the BCS championship game, just because. Easy there big fella (oh, wait, he's no longer there. My bad.) Notre Dame will face a different kind of QB attack this week with Andrew Luck, although he won't need any on Saturday. Luck will rack up over 350 yards and 4 tds en route to an easy cover of the 4.5. Btw, Crist will also put up over 300 yards, but 3 picks will hurt the effort and seal the cover for the Tree.

The Mountaineers travel south to Baton Rouge this weekend to play in Death Valley. Hey, it got it's name for a reason. Stewart has the 'Eers attention now, and has them playing decently. Les has his Tigers rolling along, with no clear leader, but no clear failures. Well, Death Valley is a scary place after dark, and that includes kids named Geno and Merry Christmas. Tiger Bait. Tiger Bait!! TIGER BAIT!!!!!!! WVU feeds the tiger, and fails to cover the 9 points laid out before them.

One for the road...
Auburn hosts the Ol Ball Coach this week. Is it just me, or is it kind of nice to have him relevant again? Leach is out, Bobby Knight is in hiding, Kiffin is on parole on the left coast, fat boy is out at ND (see above). It's nice to have a Spurrier quote here and there. Enjoy it while it lasts. Garcia has managed the games well enough to get the higher ranked USC to 3-0 so far atop the SEC east. Auburn at night is deadly place. With a 3 point line, I can see a push, meaning a War Eagle win to stay in stride with Bama, to date.

Ok, maybe one last one...
VT wins, Bc covers the 4. Here's hoping, right?!

Thus far: 12-5 in lines/over-under predictions on here, and 8-2-1 on the Key Play. Hopefully this week won't be a speed bump.

60's Weekend

It was hip to be retro this weekend, turning the clock to the 50's and 60's. That's scoring, of course. Oregon INCREASED it's points per minute average to over 1.0 by posting 69 points this weekend (In a 69-0 trouncing might I add.) Bama posts 62 on the road, Stanford 68 late, Nebraska 56 in Washington, Boise 51 after a week off and Oklahoma State posts 65 with 722 total yards. Even Directional (Central this time) Michigan got into the game putting up 52, and we have to tip our hats to Nevada posting 52 early on Friday night.

LaMichael James made his 2010 debut in style, rushing for 227 yards on 14 carries (That's a 16.2 average) and a pair of scores. Mark Ingram came back from a scoped knee to post over 100 yards in the first quarter. Justin Blackmon caught only 6 passes, but 3 were for scores. 174 yards leads the FCS this week. Possibly more impressing is Torey Smith catching 3 passes, 2 for scores, and 149 yards for a 49.7 yards average. The Terps lost to the 'Eers this weekend however, taking the luster off the Navy win a little bit.

How about some trickeration?! Who would have the intestinal fortitude or the wherewithall or craziness to call a fake field goal, in overtime, to win. Good on ya Sparty! (Notre Dame still covered though.)

It's nice to see the Hokies have finally found something that works. Stiney finally looked like he had half a clue, and the defense didn't look like a pee-wee team chasing the ball around. Maybe we can have a repeat of the 95-96 season, starting 0-2 and going on to win 10 straight and the Sugar Bowl. Here's hoping anyway...

Oregon faces off against Stanford in 2 weeks, which should give us a look into the Pac-10 a little better, and potentially what these quakers are made of this year. Stanford is 3rd in the Nation in scoring, so don't expect a ton of defense in this one. It's an 11:15 game, so set the DVR on the east coast.

And Now, Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming...

Now that things have shaken out for a few teams (the Chokies...) the regular season can continue with an eye towards November and beyond. The ACC and Big East have looked horrific thus far this season, with very little potential for change anytime soon. That is unless Duke beats Bama this weekend; yeah right. With matchups between the conferences, the only thing they can do is beat each other up. NC State and their new dog mascot roaming the sidelines (Tuffy II, because Tuffy I didn't work out in week 1,) beat Cincy last night. Maryland is squared off against West Virginia at noon on Saturday. Now that the 'Eers have jammed it into second gear going up hill, they should be able to roll along. Wake has a #19 Stanford team and Clemson travels to #16 Auburn. In the Big East, Louisville travels to #25 Oregon State. Looks like another longggg weekend for these two conferences.

In the Maryland-West Virginia battle, I definitely take the over (17.5) in couches burned on campus on gameday, combined.

The lock of the weekend is Nebraska -3 at Washington. I'm definitely not on the Husker band wagon, but for all of the hype, and to only be 3 point favorites, that look like easy pickings to me. Yes, Jake Locker is hyped to be all-world, but they will not cover the 3 against Big Red.

How in the world can the Hokies (0-2) be nearly 3 touchdown favorites (-19.5) against ECU (2-0)??!! The Purple Pirates are averaging 50 points a game! Does anyone think the Hokies can score 70 to cover?! This one makes no sense what so ever.

Michigan State, coming off wins against Directional Michigan and Florida I/A University, and is favored against the Golden Domers. This looks like a good weekend for Christ and Floyd to hook up for about 3 scores and easily cover the 3.5 point dogs.

While the Golden Domers are lighting up East Lansing, Mack Brown takes his chuck wagons into Lubbock to face Tuberville and The Red Raiders for the first time since the tip toe touchdown from Crabtree. This should be an amazing matchup, with whomever has the ball last with control of the game in their hands. I see the depth of Texas coming out on top, but definitely not due to the running game. The Long Horns are starting their third tailback in three weeks, showing a little chink in the armor. All three are serviceable backs, and with carries getting spread around, starting does not mean what it used to, but there is no clear number one. Garrett Gilbert will step up to the challenge, and take care of business in the second half coming from a double digit deficit to win late.

Keep an eye out to see if Utah can eclipse the 50 point barrier this weekend. They are playing a week New Mexico squad that has given up 72 and 52 in their first two weeks. The Utes bring a #14 ranking and a balanced offense into this game looking to capitalize on a defense that has been swiss cheese thus far.

Another curious line this week is UGA favored (-2.5) over Ryan Mallett and the Razorbacks. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Bulldogs get it handed to them last week, and isn't Arkansas ranked #12. I understand this is between the hedges, but Arkansas has had two weeks to become a well oiled machine, and should shine, easily covering the line and winning outright on their kickoff to the SEC slate.

Speaking of SEC, it should be interesting to see the snap deliveries this week by Florida. After the Vols volunteered 48 against the Ducks, John Brantley should be poised for a big day if he can get the ball snapped to him. There will be one less target to throw to this weekend, which may actually easy the clutter and allow the flow to grow with the Gator offense. Two touchdowns is a funny number, especially late in the game, but I don't expect the Orange to scare the Gators in any manner on Saturday.

Anyone ready for a track meet this weekend? Oklahoma State and Tulsa! OSU is averaging 53 ppg, while giving up 27.5. The Golden Hurricanes are giving up 35.5 ppg while passing for nealry 380 ypg. These two teams should have over half a mile of offense combined, with the over or 69 points being passed by in the third quarter. Expect big numbers from Weeden, Hunter and Blackmon for the Cowboys and Kinne to not lower his season passing average for Tulsa.

Hey, didn't you used to be Major Harris?!

Still Light at the end of the tunnel?

The following was part of a recent article in the SI mailbag. I agree with him, and more so, hope he's right...

Should Frank Beamer be on the hot seat at Virginia Tech? Ten wins each year and a few conference championships is great, but the program has reached a plateau, and now losing to JMU can only hurt the recruiting efforts in Virginia (which is already in trouble with Mike London taking over at UVa).
-- Chris, Centreville, Va.

It sure feels like the end of an era at Virginia Tech. Is Frank Beamer's situation like Lloyd Carr's in 2007 at Michigan (besides the obvious App State comparison) where the game just passed him by while he refused to adapt? Or is it more like Bobby Bowden at FSU in 2006, where personal loyalty to an offensive coordinator trumps performance?
-- Adam Cruz, Dayton

It's been a rough week for the Hokies. I get that. People are distraught. The season feels like it's over before it started. But I think we can safely assume that no person of reasonable mind or authority in the Virginia Tech administration has suddenly decided that "Ten wins each year and a few conference championships" is no longer good enough and has begun drawing up a severance package for the man who made the school relevant to begin with.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I don't view the James Madison loss -- as embarrassing as it was -- as a sign of the Hokies' impending destruction. Too often fans view results in a vacuum of Xs and Os, ignoring the human element of the sport. Last Monday, Virginia Tech suffered a crushing last-minute loss to a top five team. You can't tell me the letdown and the short turnaround didn't directly impact the Hokies' performance on Saturday. I'm not saying it excuses the loss. Virginia Tech should never lose to James Madison. But I wouldn't go penciling the Hokies into the EagleBank Bowl, either. My guess is they'll bounce back and will still be in contention for their division heading into a late-November road trip to Miami.

The one reasonable criticism of Beamer (besides his questionable late-game management against Boise) is his undying loyalty to offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring, whose squads have chronically underperformed. This is a ridiculous stat: Virginia Tech hasn't finished higher than 50th nationally in total offense since 2003. I thought for sure the Hokies were going to turn the corner this year, what with a fourth-year quarterback (Tyrod Taylor) and three talented tailbacks (Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and David Wilson), but it was apparent from the opening minutes of the Boise State game that the Hokies' offensive line is a mess. Maybe they'll still get it turned around, but Tech's offensive staff is long past due for an infusion of new blood.

The Carr comparison is interesting, though not entirely valid. First of all, there had been numerous signs pointing to Carr's impending retirement before the '07 season even began. I've heard no such thing about Beamer. However, Carr might not be the worst model for Beamer to follow. The Michigan team that lost to Appalachian State (and got crushed by Oregon the following week) wound up finishing 6-2 in the Big Ten and beating Florida in a bowl game. As of today, I'm guessing Tech fans would gladly take a similar outcome. And I believe it will happen.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/stewart_mandel/09/15/heisman-trophy-mailbag/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0zjIFdo3j

The Biggest Week, Yet

Week 2 of the college football season is upon us with a plethora of big games. This week may not determine the overall feel, but should set the tone for the next few weeks. I'm surprised Game Day chose the Bama-Penn State game to set up shop, especially with the Gators showing up in 3 weeks, but bey, they are the #1 team, for now.

As far as the Tide game goes, they should easily cover the 12 point spread over the true Freshman QB for JoPa. True, Mark Ingram is out again, but how much are they loosing without him? Robinson is more than serviceable as an SEC tailback starter. Bama won't loses nay votes this week!

BJ Daniels and the South Florida Bulls are treking north about 2 hours to Gainesville. The Gator center was quoted in August that Chris Rainey was going to be the whole offense this year. I guess he wanted to make sure he was right in attempting to snap the ball to him directly, or at least where he could pick it up off the turf every time. Talk about making your predictions come true. For the record, Rainey had 3 carries for 1 yard and 6 catches for 34 yards and a TD. If that's the whole offense, it could be a really long year for the #4 team in the nation. Hey Pouncey, get the ball to Brantley and let the boy do work!

South Carolina and Georgia open up their SEC tilts against one another yet again. This has been the opening matchup every year since the Game Cocks joined the SEC in 1992. Let's see how many grey hairs Garcia can give the 'ol Ball Coach this week. Despite AJ Green being sidelined by a used jersey, the Bulldogs will be just fine on the road this weekend. The tailgating restrictions won't affect the UGA faithful this weekend, meaning success all the way around.

The UGA contingent will be out in full force this weekend.

The Seminoles are traveling to Norman, OK to take on the Sooners. The line has moved a point towards the Noles, which is a little curious. Stoops versus Stoops is the headline, but the players on the field will ultimately determine the outcome. The DeMarco Murrary/Ryan Broyles show will be in full effect this weekend for a national audience, sending Free Shoes University back to Fla with an L, and not even a cover on the 7.5 points.

The Horseshoe will see a Hurricane this weekend in Jacory Harris. The Buckeyes think they have the ultimate QB in Pryor, but they haven't met Jacory yet. Both may be sitting side by side in new York in December for a trophy presentation, but only one can win this game. There is very little respect for the Canes with a 9 point line. They will easily cover this, and might even scare the Buckeyes a little late in the fourth. This game will be decided in the last 30 seconds, but OSU won't cover the line.

THE premiere game of the weekend, and what will be the most talked about game for the next month because of the meaning to each Institution is the Michigan - Notre Dame game. Both programs have had a rough few seasons, and appear ready to jump back into relevance. Two will enter, one will leave. This game will have a little bit of everything, a controvesial call by the refs, highlight reel catches, big hits by the D, turnovers, mistakes, dropped passes, bad clock management, basically everything that has been Wolverine and Irish football the past few seasons. The difference this year will be the level of the great plays/players will far outshine recent history, leading to an instant classic. Neither team will lead by double digits during the game. Both will miss "key" field goals. Both teams will post 400 yards of offense. But at the end, the Blue and Maize will leave the Victors of the Day.

The questions of the Oregon - Tennessee game: What will the Ducks wear this week? Can the Vols hold the Ducks under 72, in 3 quarters?!

A Lock, Nut and Screw

Time for some predictions...

A Lock:

Missouri will cover the 13 points against Illinois. As a double, Nebraska will easily cover the 38.5 against Western Kentucky.

A Nut:

John Brantley will put up crazy numbers today, making everyone clamor for #12 jerseys.

A Screw:

North Carolina will still play LSU tight, but won't be able to seal the deal. The line has moved from LSU -3, to -1, to -9.5 now. The big question is will the reserve defense be able to write it's own destiny this year, or will they hire someone to do it for them?

One last thing to throw out there...the Hokies will win 31-19 Monday night!!!

SEC Sacrilege

Are the new restrictions they are enacting at Georgia allowed by the SEC? With such traditional things being excluded, will their SEC football card be revoked?

Here's an excerpt from the August Chronicle:

TAILGATING

In an ongoing effort to curb damage to the historic North Campus on game days, stringent regulations have been enacted.

Tailgating on North Campus -- which includes all areas bounded by Broad, Lumpkin, Baldwin and Jackson streets -- will be allowed four hours before kickoff, which for Saturday's opener is 12:21 p.m.

Now prohibited on North Campus are tents, kegs, grills, coolers, generators, televisions, amplified music, tables longer than 4 feet and household furniture.

Tailgaters who still wish to bring their traditional accessories are encouraged to find other spaces. One option is the D.W. Brooks pedestrian mall that extends through the heart of campus from Carlton Street.

The alleyway on the northeast corner of the stadium has been transformed into a 30,000-square-foot gathering area called Reed Plaza, with new restrooms and additional concessions.

NO grills, tents, kegs, even coolers??? That's against the SEC religion on Saturdays isn't it? First, no Uga VIII, now this?

Opening night review

Musings from the opening night.

The game touted as the premier attraction lived up to its hype. Utah – Pittsburgh went to overtime after three attempts to kick the game-tying field goal by Pitt. The fact that it went to overtime doesn’t necessarily mean it was a great game, just simply that it was a closely battled contest, as predicted. What I took away from that game is the Pitt QB, Sunseri, had better mature quickly. There is plenty of time before the WVU game after Thanksgiving, but if he continues to “manage” this team as he did last night, the back yard brawl will only be for bragging rights, not for the Big East.

USC is LOADED. Sure they won’t be playing in the post-season, but they will just put up gaudy numbers in their own little world. Matt Barkley may be the best actual QB USC has seen in quite a while (despite the alumni playing on Sundays.) They put up 523 yards of offense last night while scoring two touchdowns in each of the first three quarters before they pulled the reigns back. Sure, they gave up 588 yards (170 in the 4^th quarter against the second team) and 36 points, but believe me, Hawaii is going to do that often this year, no matter the opponent. If the USC defense tightens up just a little, this squad could handle nearly anything thrown at them, despite Lane Kiffin.

Stephen Garcia managed the game well enough to be able to start next weekend for the ‘ol ball coach. He didn’t give the ball to the other team and even ran for two touchdowns. South Carolina looked like a Steve Spurrier team (not the Redskins ones, the Gators and Blue Devils ones…) They will be fun to watch this year.

Jacory Harris had a passer rating of 263.6. For those of you wondering, that’s a 158.3 in the NFL. Matt Barkley threw 5 td’s and still is behind him. WOW! Of course, it was FCS underachiever Florida A&M that he was passing against…

Tyrell Prior managed the game well enough to put Marshall away before halftime. The Herd’s only score came off of a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. It appears the Buckeyes will be ready for Jacory Harris and the Hurricanes next weekend.

The Soft ACC?

2010's Opponent Winning % (Based on 2009 Records)
Foe Foe Foe Tms W/
Rank Wins Losses Win % Win Rec
1 LSU 98 56 63.64% 9
2 Minnesota 96 55 63.58% 8
3 Iowa St 97 56 63.40% 9
4 S Carolina 98 58 62.82% 11
5 Miss St 96 57 62.75% 9
6 N Carolina 97 60 61.78% 9
7 Virginia Tech 95 59 61.69% 8
8 Duke 94 60 61.04% 8
9 San Jose St 100 65 60.61% 8
10 Pittsburgh 92 60 60.53% 8
11 Wyoming 91 60 60.26% 6
12 Miami, Fl 92 61 60.13% 9
12 Auburn 92 61 60.13% 9
14 Washington St 91 61 59.87% 10
15 Alabama 84 57 59.57% 8
16 Tennessee 91 62 59.48% 8
17 Texas A&M 91 63 59.09% 8
18 USF 89 62 58.94% 8
19 Illinois 90 63 58.82% 7
19 Oregon St 90 63 58.82% 8
21 NC State 91 64 58.71% 9
22 Syracuse 81 57 58.70% 7
23 Oklahoma 90 64 58.44% 8
23 UCLA 90 64 58.44% 8
25 UNLV 97 69 58.43% 9
26 Penn St 88 63 58.28% 6
27 Michigan 87 63 58.00% 6
28 Georgia Tech 87 64 57.62% 7
29 Vanderbilt 89 66 57.42% 10
30 Washington 88 66 57.14% 9

Who says the ACC is soft?! The conference has 4 of the top 12 toughest schedules this year based on opponents winning percentage last season. The percentage includes in-conference tilts, but also includes the out of conference games this season. In the first two weeks this year we'll see UNC-LSU, VT-Boise, Miami-Ohio State, all teams ranked in the top 20. I guess we'll know quick how tough the conference really is.

Iowa lineman walks away from terrifying moped crash (video) | National Football Post

Iowa lineman walks away from terrifying moped crash (video) | National Football Post
Wow. I'd have to put him in as a wedge buster on kick offs.

Hokie Pride 2010: Theatrical Trailer #1

Get hyped for the Boise game.
We're not their typical opponent!

2010 Virginia Tech Football: A Prelude to Perfection?

A little motivational video for the 2010 season.
NSFW audio, thanks to Al Pacino.

Virginia Tech Enter Sandman Entrance

Just in case you need a little motivation...

Next Question Please

Some questions to ponder as we enter the 2010 college football season:

-How many different uniform combinations with Oregon wear this year? This team has a mind boggling 512 uniform combinations with helmets, jerseys, pants, socks and shoes in white, black, green and yellow. It should be noted, there is a green jersey with silver numbers and a green jersey with yellow numbers also, which are the only ones of the bunch that do not have the wings on the shoulder. In fear of becoming stale, 12 games produced 12 different combos last year, including 5 different helmets and six different jerseys, as well as an all white and an all black version. Oregon Duck Tracker

-When will Uga VIII be picked? Poor Uga VII suddenly passed away from a heart attack last November with a 16-7 record after less than two years of representation. His half brother, Russ stepped in with a 2-0 record, winning over Georgia Tech and Texas A&M. Unfortunately, Russ is a bit of a runt by English bulldog standards and doesn’t posses a pure white coat, a requirement for UGA standards. This means he will not be promoted to Uga VIII status. However, to date, there is not an Uga VIII selected for the opener this weekend. Uga page

-Will Penn State find a sober cheerleader to don the mascot outfit? The one picked to wear the costume for the opener against Youngstown State was issued a citation for under aged drinking and will be suspended for a month. One of his predecessors was suspended for the 2009 Rose Bowl after receiving a DUI.

-Can a Non-big 6 conference school crash the BCS national title game party? Better yet, will Utah (Pitt), TCU (Oregon State), Notre Dame (Purdue) and Boise State (Virginia Tech) make it out of the first weekend with wins?

-Will UNC find enough players to put 11 on the defensive side of the ball? Butch Davis and the athletic department have proposed rolling suspensions so as to not have everyone sit at once. I have a suggestion, how about not breaking the rules so you don’t have to worry about how sits out the challenge this week.

-Can Jeremiah Masoli hang out in a graduate program for Parks and Rec for a year just to play football again? I 100% agree with the NCAA decision on Masoli. Yes, they could have told him sooner, but allowing him to run from one program and play at another sends a bad message for the future and in fact skirts the intent of the NCAA rule.

this interview is over...

play video here
Cool interview of Lou "can I fit another marble in my mouth" Holtz by a fraternity brother of mine on Fox News this morning.

Nike's new Unis

Nike unveiled their 2010 lineup of Pro Combat uniforms for 10 Universities this morning: Alabama, Boise State, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon State, Pitt, TCU, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

TCU will be the first to wear the new unis with lizard-skin pattern over the entire uniform this weekend against Oregon State.

Boise State with their silver and blue will battle Virginia Tech in the all black from head to ankle (there are orange shoes…) on Labor Day night.

The Gators and their gator-skin design will throw them on in the World’s Largest Cocktail Party.

Bama and the houndstooth numbers will take on Mississippi State in November.

Miami dons “throwbacks” that are mainly bright orange, with green sleeves, green socks and, as Michael Irvin put it, money green helmets, against the Hokies on November 20.

The Back Yard Brawl will have both teams dressed out in the new unis. WVU’s uniforms harkens thoughts of a coal miner exiting the mines, with canary yellow shoes. Pitt has a strong theme of steel in the font shape and color throughout.

Ohio State will once again wear non-traditional unis against Michigan. This time, with all red helmets.

The Civil War will close out the new duds on both the Beavers and Ducks.


all image credits: Nike website

QB mullets

Ah, fall is in the air, the first hurricane is about to leave some rain for us, and the pigskin is about to be kicked off to start the season. With Mark Ingram’s surgery yesterday, it makes the season even more wide open, especially in the SEC. Florida has another slinger that may turn out to be one of the best yet to go through Gatorville. It should be interesting to see how the ‘ol ball coach handles him. Oh, wait. That’s right. Spurrier is at USC, the one NOT on probation, and has to deal with a quarterback dilemma. His starter, Stephen Garcia, brings 2,862 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with him from the 2009 season. He brings his own dog bowl since he’s spent so much time in the doghouse. And let’s not forget his mullet, and conscience, Matthew McConaughey:

Remind you of anyone from another brilliant QB:
He sure won’t be confused with South Carolina gunslinger Steve Taneyhill at any point, at least on the field. He compiled 8,380 yards in total offense, completing 753 of 1,245 passes along with 62 touchdown passes in his career.