C M Y K

E9 DAILY 09-22-07 MD SU E9 CMYK

The Washington Post x S Saturday, September 22, 2007 E9

CollegeGameday By Eric Prisbell THE RUNDOWN IF I NOON WERE IN Noon: No. 15 Clemson at North Carolina State, WDCA (Channel 20), WJZ (Channel 13) CHARGE Noon: East Carolina at No. 5 West Virginia, ESPN2 Noon: Georgia Tech at Virginia, ESPNU Ballcarriers would Noon: North Carolina at No. 23 South Florida, ESPN Noon: Syracuse at No. 18 Louisville, MASN have to be touched 1: Duke at Navy, CSTV by a defender to be 1: Army at No. 14 Boston College, ESPN Classic ruled down. The top half of the Big East promises to be as competitive and THE PROBLEM unpredictable as any conference. Offenses are Check out West Virginia, Louisville hindered at the and South Florida — all should earn college level victories today at home. All three Big because the ground East teams on display are dangerous, acts as the 12th but all have flaws. West Virginia has man on the field for more capable runners than perhaps the defense. In the any team in the country, including NFL, an offensive Southern California. Tailback Noel player can fall to the Devine became a YouTube legend ground, then get up long before he and continue ever stepped on a advancing the ball college football as long as he field. But West remains untouched Virginia has the by defenders. In same problem as Louisville: a suspect college, the field defense. Brian Brohm acts as an additional said it best after Louisville’s loss to tackler. Unlike in Kentucky: The Cardinals ruined the NFL, not all their chances of winning a national fields are in pristine title, but still have a shot to play in condition at the their second consecutive BCS game. college level. When While true, if the Cardinals harbor a player stumbles in dreams of winning the Big East title, college, it could be they must shore up their defense a function of poor fast. If Syracuse, perhaps the worst field conditions high-level team this side of South more than Bend, scores three touchdowns it anything. Offensive will be a bad omen for Steve players should not Kragthorpe’s team. Louisville still be penalized because the field has to play road games against West WASHINGTON POST PHOTO ILLUSTRATION; PHOTOS BY BIGSTOCKPHOTO Virginia and South Florida, so a BCS was not managed berth might be a long shot at this correctly. point. MY SOLUTION The same rule that AFTERNOON exists in the NFL 3:30: Maryland at Wake Forest, ESPNU should apply in 3:30: Michigan State at Notre Dame, WRC (Channel 4), Piling On college. A player WBAL (Channel 11) should be ruled 3:30: Northwestern at No. 8 Ohio State, ESPN down only if a 3:30: No. 10 Penn State at Michigan, WJLA (Channel 7), defender knocks WMAR (Channel 2) Having a Large Lead Against an Overmatched Opponent Isn’t Always Easy 3:30: No. 12 South Carolina at No. 2 Louisiana State, him to the ground WUSA (Channel 9), WJZ (Channel 13) or if a defender 3:30: Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, Comcast SportsNet Blowouts are not the easiest games to man- Is it possible to run up the score in the first And in some cases, it’s acceptable to com- touches him while South Carolina at Louisiana State age for coaches, even when their teams are on half? What lead is a safe lead? Do the backups pletely throw sportsmanship away and at- his knee is on the will offer some intrigue as Steve the winning side. deserve the chance to score touchdowns? Is tempt to score as many points as humanly pos- ground. Reward Spurrier brings the Gamecocks, who Some of the tougher coaching decisions are showing too much mercy a sign of disrespect sible. In 1968, Ohio State held a 28-point lead players who make are 3-0 for the first time in six years, made after a team takes a lead of 30 points or for the opponent? Will the poll voters look at against rival Michigan when the Buckeyes acrobatic catches. If to Baton Rouge with a chance to more, as evidenced by a handful of noncom- the entire game or only the final score? scored a final touchdown for good measure. a receiver makes a shake up the national landscape. petitive but important games this season. “With the BCS and all the ramifications that Instead of kicking an extra point, Coach diving catch in the Don’t expect it to happen. The best Coaches must decide when to pull starters come with the rankings,” Tennessee Coach succeeded on a two-point con- open field, he USC-LSU matchup will not take and what plays to call while weighing a num- Phil Fulmer told the Associated Press, “they version. should not be place today, but could occur in ber of factors after the game’s outcome has have basically put you in position to make you Asked why he went for two, Hayes replied, penalized because January in New Orleans in the long been decided. get your team to be as dominant as you can.” “Because they wouldn’t let me go for three.” his catch required a national title game if Southern dive. Allow him to California meets the Tigers. LSU’s advance the ball as defense has shown it is as dominant long as he is not as any in the country. The Tigers Too Much of a Good Thing? touched. lead the country in total defense and Managing a blowout victory is no easy task. Each of these four teams faced different and difficult questions against overmatched scoring defense. Michigan will WHY IT attempt to take a first step toward opponents this season. WILL WORK the Big Ten title today after a rather The rule works just eventful first few weeks of the RUTGERS OKLAHOMA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAWAII fine in the NFL. season. Just when you thought Notre Beat Norfolk State, 59-0, Beat North Texas, 79-10, Beat Nebraska, 49-31, on Sept. 15 Beat Northern Colorado, 63-6, Plus, the NCAA is on Sept. 15 on Sept. 1 on Sept. 1 Dame has reached rock bottom, the Predicament: You’re Pete Carroll. looking to give Fighting Irish find a new low. Watch Predicament: Can a team run up Predicament: When does showing The previous week, Louisiana State Predicament: . The only chance offenses the Notre Dame the score in the first half? Some mercy become demeaning for an took 19 first-place votes from your quarterback has to stay advantages. offensive line. accused Rutgers of doing so during a opponent? Oklahoma had to figure team, which didn’t even play. Do you in the Heisman discussion is to rack Kickoffs were Michigan State 42-point second quarter in which out ways not to score in the game’s try to impress voters with a up ridiculous statistical totals moved back five has 17 sacks this the Scarlet Knights called three late latter stages. That approach, while in resounding blowout? Or do you risk against weak opponents. Does a yards to the 30 this season. Notre timeouts to try to tack on more the interest of sportsmanship, might backups letting the game get sloppy coach weaken his quarterback’s season. The Dame has been points against a division I-AA team. dull a team’s competitive edge. and the score not reflecting the true Heisman chances by not letting him oft-criticized 2006 sacked 23 times. Solution: Don’t risk your program’s Solution: Oklahoma ran the ball 16 dominance of the Trojans? play a down in the second half? rule that started the Of Notre reputation by trying to score a times in the fourth quarter and Solution: Establish your team’s Solution: Don’t schedule I-AA clock as soon as the Dame’s first seventh touchdown in one quarter attempted one pass. Good move. dominance then pull your starters to patsies. All it does is leave fans ball was kicked off eight against an overmatched opponent. : “We were telling our avoid the chance of a late-game wondering how Brennan would fare was changed to opponents, this Greg Schiano: “If your starters are guys not to score. If they broke free injury. Forget the voters, for now. against a nationally ranked team. allow for more is its best chance to win. in there, you play the game the way we were telling them to take a knee. Pete Carroll: If polls “were a big Unfortunately, that question won’t late-game you coach it. The first half of a Their style of play didn’t really help deal for us, we would have played be answered this season. comebacks. On NIGHT football game, you coach and teach either. They got to the line and this game differently.” June Jones: “We got a little ragged kickoffs and punts, your kids to play.” snapped the ball with 20 or so Grade: A. Carroll strengthened at the end with all the new guys in sometimes the best 6: Arizona at No. 6 California, Versus way to field errant 6: No. 21 Kentucky at Arkansas, ESPN2 Grade: D. Mike Teel and Ray Rice did seconds left on the play clock.” morale by allowing backups to play. there, but I’m glad they got a chance 7: Delaware at Towson, Comcast SportsNet not play in the second half, but Grade: B. Oklahoma could have And because Nebraska scored three to play.” kicks is with a knee 7:45: No. 22 Georgia at No. 16 Alabama, ESPN taking three timeouts at the end of looked like it was taking too much fourth-quarter touchdowns, Carroll Grade: C. Hawaii should have on the ground. 8: Iowa at No. 9 Wisconsin, WMAR (Channel 2) the second quarter was unnecessary. pity on an opponent, but the Sooners has something for his team to work exhausted all efforts to schedule a Under the current 8: Washington State at No. 1 Southern California, WJLA rule, doing so would (Channel 7) would have looked far worse had on. better opponent for Brennan to 9: Purdue at Minnesota, ESPN2 they accumulated 80-plus points display his skills against. down the ball where 11:30: Washington at UCLA (joined in progress), against North Texas. the knee touches Comcast SportsNet the field. Under the The Trojans are so loaded they have NFL rule, a kick a Heisman Trophy hopeful at returner would still quarterback — and he’s not even have an opportunity that key of a figure on the team. The No Mercy Result Year Why it crossed the line to return the ball defense is stifling. The offense has a Five of the most Houston def. SMU, 95-21 1989 Houston Coach Jack Pardee thought about punting on third down, but opted not to. and put his team in bevy of capable tailbacks. They blatant cases of Houston def. Tulsa, 100-6 1968 Houston scored 49 fourth-quarter points against a team ravaged by illness and injuries. better field should not be challenged by position, which is teams running Notre Dame def. Boston College, 54-7 1992 called a fake punt with a 37-0 lead. Washington State. Spring the money another advantage and tune into Texas Christian’s game up the score in Ohio State def. Michigan, 50-14 1968 With a 34-point lead, the Buckeyes attempted a two-point conversion. for offenses. with Colorado State, if only to think the modern era: Miami def. Notre Dame, 58-7 1985 The Hurricanes blocked a punt with five minutes left and ran a reverse with 1:15 to play. what might have been. From the time TCU entered the locker room holding a 10-0 halftime lead over Texas on Sept. 8, the season has gone into the tank. The Horned Frogs squandered a chance to earn a THE PLAYBOOK landmark victory against the Longhorns and then suffered a FIRST DOWN SECOND DOWN THIRD DOWN FOURTH DOWN devastating overtime loss to Air Force. Georgia’s visit to Long Goodbye ‘Stinkin’ Loud’ Injured Colt He’s Back Country is the game to watch. Georgia Coach Mark Richt closed The drama in South Bend Wyoming Coach Joe Glenn Hawaii quarterback Colt Oregon State standout practices this week for the first time intensified after the accused Boise State of Brennan has a golden wide receiver Sammie during his seven-year tenure as head Fighting Irish initially pumping in crowd noise opportunity to accumulate Stroughter appears to be coach in Athens. If Alabama can win, balked at releasing departed over the speakers during the Broncos’ ridiculous statistics tonight against back in sync after taking an 18-day the Crimson Tide has a realistic quarterback Demetrius Jones from his victory last week. “Our coaches could Charleston Southern, but the Heisman absence from the team for personal chance to start 8-0 under Saban, scholarship. In a span of a month, Jones hear it, and they turned it off in the hopeful could be limited, if he plays at reasons. Stroughter had been grieving which would make the Nov. 3 home went from being the starter in the second half, but that’s not right,” Glenn all. Brennan was wearing a soft cast after the deaths of two family members game against his former school, LSU, opener to abruptly deciding to transfer said. “You don’t do that stuff. It’s and using crutches this week as he and a longtime Oregon State assistant. a rather big affair. to Northern Illinois. Jones, who did not against the law, against the rules, nursed an ankle injury suffered before After sitting out the season opener board the team bus heading to Ann trying to gain an unfair advantage.” A last week’s victory against Nevada-Las against Utah and looking rusty against Arbor last week, has criticized how Boise State official said the school Vegas. Despite the ankle being swollen Cincinnati, Stroughter caught nine OTHER TOP 25 Coach Charlie Weis handled the would never pump in crowd noise over and discolored, the injury did not passes for 160 yards and two quarterback competition. According to the speakers and that the noise was the hamper Brennan, who ran for three touchdowns in a 61-10 victory against No. 3 Florida at Mississippi, 12:30 p.m. No. 7 Texas vs. Rice, 7 p.m. the Chicago Tribune, however, Jones sound of stampeding broncos, a touchdowns and passed for two more Idaho State last week. Stroughter was No. 13 Oregon at Stanford, 10 p.m. was released from his scholarship and stadium tradition. Boise State Coach in the 49-14 victory. Brennan said he is finally laughing and smiling again. “He No. 17 Virginia Tech vs. William & Mary, 1:30 p.m. has softened his stance on Weis. “He Chris Petersen told a Boise television preparing to play tonight, but the ankle was excited,” Coach said. No. 19 Hawaii vs. Charleston Southern, made an impact on my life, how to be a station, “I think Bronco Nation was so is not healed. “It was definitely shades of his 12:05 a.m.

No. 24 Nebraska vs. Ball State, 12:30 p.m. family man,” Jones said. stinkin’ loud that it sounded like they personality that haven’t always been

No. 25 Missouri vs. Illinois State, 2 p.m. were pumping in noise.” there in the last month.”

C M Y K E9