Shut Out The Irish? — Missouri Head Coach Pinkel's Comments Towards Notre Dame Raises Questions

By Kent Smith—BlockONation College Football Analyst

In an interview with ESPN, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel made comments about Notre Dame and whether or not the Irish should be allowed in the College Football Playoff being an independent rather than being a full-­time member of a Power ­5 conference.

“Give Notre Dame a year to join a league. They don’t have independents in the NFL," Pinkel said.

Though there is no rule that says Independent’s can’t make the college football playoff, it does make one wonder if Gary Pinkel is right.

The current system in place has a selection committee that picks four of college football’s best teams and those teams that are most likely to be selected are teams that play in the Power ­5 conferences, i.e. the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac 12, and SEC.

Notre Dame is not a full-­time member of any of those conferences, though, they are a “part-­time” sorta-­kinda member of the ACC, while still claiming Independent status.

Again, the CFB committee’s job is to pick the four best teams in college football, not just members of the Power ­5 conference. By staying Independent, many believe it gives Notre Dame an unfair advantage by having a mixed schedule and no conference championship game.

As frustrating as it may be to some that Notre Dame won’t join a conference, myself included, I also get why they don’t. Notre Dame has built their brand on being an Independent program that can schedule anyone they want, whenever they want, while being the only team played on a major television network.

Not only were they scheduling anyone anywhere—they were beating anyone anywhere.

America quickly fell in love with the Notre Dame program, with their championships, their winning big regular season games, those shiny gold helmets, the catchy fight song, countless All-­American players, legendary coaches, academic prestige and famous alumni.

The problem is, this was all happening from the 1930’s to the late 1980’s. Since then, Notre Dame has accomplished little to nothing. Zero national championships, a losing record against ranked teams, a losing record in bowl games, multiple seasons under .500, including losses to Navy and Air Force, several coaching changes, no Heisman winners, fewer All-­Americans, fewer NFL draft picks, fewer top national recruits, poor player conduct and last but not least, a dead, fake girlfriend.

All of this is enough to bring up one good question: What conference would Notre Dame win if they were a full-­time member?

If you go as far back as to the first year of the BCS in 1998, Notre Dame has only been in the discussion for the national championship four times (02, 05, 06, 12) and only once did they actually play for a national title back in 2012. They were embarrassed by Alabama 42-­14.

Though they lost in the title game, Notre Dame did go undefeated during the regular season that year, but many questioned the toughness of their schedule and the fashion in which Notre Dame won those games..

After all, style points do matter in college football—like it or not. 2012 might be the only year in which Notre Dame would have won one or two BCS/Power 5 conferences, but even then, I doubt it.

Yes, Notre Dame swept their B1G opponents, but would they have beaten a 12-0 Ohio State team that year? Unlikely.

Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde would’ve done to Notre Dame’s defense than what Alabama did to it in the BCS National Championship Game.

Would they have won the ACC in 2012? Very doubtful. Even though the ACC wasn’t very deep, both Florida State and Clemson had talented teams that would have likely been too fast and strong for Notre Dame, also like Alabama.

When you try to think back all the way to 1998 and figure out which conferences Notre Dame would have won you immediately think of the weaker conferences, like the old Big East or the ACC.

Looking back at all of Notre Dame’s records in the past 17 seasons, there are plenty of years where Notre Dame would have been a bad team in a bad conference.

If you were to go from 1998 to 2005, Notre Dame wouldn’t have won the Big East once. In that span, Notre Dame had 3 losing seasons and had just one 10 ­win season (2002).

During that span, the University of Miami had returned to national dominance and was still a member of the Big East. There is zero chance that Notre Dame would have beaten any Miami team in that span when Miami was a member of the Big East. Not to mention, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. Each had good teams as well while in the Big East.

The conference America has been begging Notre Dame to join since the very beginning is the Big Ten Conference. It not only makes geographical sense, but it also makes sense for Notre Dame to annually play other Midwestern powers such as Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Penn State.

The addition of Notre Dame to the B1G would likely make the B1G the most powerful conference, not only in college football but, in college sports. With the huge media markets the B1G already possesses, the addition of Notre Dame would bring a much bigger New York City following with the large amount of alumni living in New York City, and the fact that Notre Dame is a giant name itself.

TV revenue would be even higher, TV ratings would be higher, there would be less SEC bias (maybe) and more elite recruits throughout the country would commit to B1G teams. Notre Dame could play in the West Division where the opponents aren't as high profile or elite as several in the East Division are. The Irish could play for a B1G title almost every single year against a traditional power from the East.

Notre Dame would also be joining the best conference for academics, and the conference with the largest alumni bases throughout the country. I mean, what better way to promote a conference when Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan alum’s get together for a game at a bar while living in Southern California or Florida?

Instead Notre Dame not only chooses to remain independent, but to no longer schedule B1G teams and play five ACC teams per year. But why not join the Big Ten? Well I for one think it’s obvious and it’s a reason that Notre Dame and their fans will never own up to—Notre Dame would get crushed, and get crushed often in the B1G.

I looked up Notre Dame’s records every year from 1998 through 2014 to see what years they could have been competitive in the B1G and I was only able to find four seasons: 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2012.

In 2000, Notre Dame lost two games during the regular season and one of those losses was to Michigan State. 2000 was not a strong year for the B1G. The top 5 teams all won eight games while the non-­conference and bowl record was not impressive either.

Notre Dame’s other regular season loss was to Nebraska and they would eventually get crushed in the Fiesta Bowl by Oregon State, 41-­9. No conference championship for Notre Dame.

In 2002, Notre Dame finished with a 10-­3 record. They swept their B1G opponents, but again, it was not a strong year for the B1G.

They were having a good run until an upset loss to Boston College ruined their perfect season and then a beat down from the hands of USC in Los Angeles, losing 44-­13. Notre Dame would go on to lose the Gator Bowl to NC State 28-­6.

While Notre Dame did go 3-­0 against the B1G that year winning close games against Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue, it was another team in the B1G that brought home the national championship that year—The Ohio State Buckeyes, who pulled off what some called a huge upset over the "unbeatable" Miami Hurricanes.

Notre Dame may have given Ohio State a tough game and the final score could have been close, just like most games for Ohio State that year, but I don’t see Notre Dame defeating Ohio State, a team with arguably the best defense and special teams in America that year. Once again, no conference championship for Notre Dame.

Finally in 2005, Notre Dame was supposed to officially be “back” after hiring offensive guru Charlie Weis, the former offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, and also a Notre Dame alum. Notre Dame finally had the right coach with the right QB and they were going to return to elite status.

They got off to a good start by defeating Michigan in Ann Arbor in week 2 of the season, only to lose to Michigan State the following week in South Bend. That same year Notre Dame was involved in one of the most controversial games in college football history. Notre Dame hosted #1 USC and lost in the final seconds of the game on a play now referred to as “The Bush Push”.

Eventual Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush illegally pushed the current Heisman winner Matt Leinart over the goal line for a touchdown with just three­ seconds left in the game.

Notre Dame would go on to face Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl that year, and Notre Dame was actually favored. Many felt that given a month to prepare, Charlie Weis could pick apart any defense and his offense could not be stopped.

The game started off as a shoot­out like most expected, but it was the Buckeyes who put up the big offensive stats and came out on top with a 34­-20 win. The B1G was a little deeper in 2005 and Notre Dame wouldn’t have won the conference.

Finally that brings us to 2012. Notre Dame was coming off a disappointing season in which they were expected to make the BCS and possibly play for a national championship, as they had most of their starters returning and a favorable schedule.

They had a new true freshman QB in Everette Golson but also the eventual Butkus Award winner, LB Manti Te’o leading the defense. Other than that, they didn't have a lot of options and depth, hence why they were ranked 24th in the preseason by USA Today and not ranked at all preseason by the AP.

So to much surprise, Notre Dame not only swept their B1G opponents, but they ran the table and got to play for a national championship for the first time since 1990. Though they would go on to lose to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game 42-­14, it still gave Notre Dame a boost back into national relevance after going through five straight painful seasons.

Does that mean they would have won the B1G that year or any other conference (except the SEC obviously)? Yes, Notre Dame went 12-­0 during the regular season, but how many of those games did a call late in the game go in Notre Dame’s favor?

For example, the Stanford game? Or the following week where they avoided an upset to BYU, escaping 17-­14? Then, two weeks later against Pitt where Pitt missed multiple, costly field goals to keep Notre Dame in the game. Notre Dame would eventually win 29­-26.

Other notable games that year include a 13-­6 win over an average Michigan team, a 20-­3 win over an improving Michigan State team, a 41-­3 win over a bad Miami Hurricanes team, a 30-­13 win over Oklahoma in which OU collapsed by mid-season, and a 22-­13 win over USC, a team under NCAA sanctions and reduced scholarship players.

The 2012 Notre Dame Fighting Irish might be the only Notre Dame team in the last 17 years that would MAYBE win the B1G. Again, Notre Dame did sweep their B1G opponents but they did not have to face Ohio State or Wisconsin. My final answer is maybe.

The remaining 13 seasons going back to 1998 would have been forgettable years for Notre Dame if they were full-­time members of the B1G. If Notre Dame had a losing record against Rich Rodriguez when he was the head coach at Michigan, then how in the world could Notre Dame have competed against the consistent teams in the B1G like Ohio State?

You could even do a “what ­if” of Notre Dame vs. Ohio State between 1998 and 2014 and Ohio State would have a similar if not better record versus Notre Dame as they do against Michigan in that time frame. Since 2001, the Buckeyes are 12-2 vs. the team from Ann Arbor. That is just in case any TTUN fans might be reading this!

Notre Dame will always be a recognizable and admired brand to many, and whether or not you like them, they are good for college football.

Notre Dame joining a conference would do even more positive things for college football and it’s fans, but Notre Dame seems selfishly content remaining an Independent for now.

Until they do join a conference, this college football fan sees Notre Dame as a program that many of today’s recruits will only recognize as a program that used to be great—many, many years before any of them were born.

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Brand NEW Week 10 Top 25 College Football Rankings

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder



What an exciting week of college football we had.

There were a few surprises and some close calls for a couple of top rated teams. There could have been major shakeups at the top, but Alabama and Notre Dame each survived upsets scares.

Here are my week 10 rankings, along with the each teams ranking from the previous week.

For the full poll, visit TheBestDamnPoll.com.

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1. KANSAS STATE (1)

2. OREGON (2)

3. ALABAMA (4)

4. OHIO STATE (5)

5. NOTRE DAME (3)

6. GEORGIA (7)

7. LOUISVILLE (9)

8. FLORIDA (8)

9. CLEMSON (10)

10. FLORIDA STATE (11)

11. LSU (6)

12. STANFORD (15)

13. SOUTH CAROLINA (12)

14. OKLAHOMA (16)

15. TEXAS A&M (18)

16. OREGON STATE (20)

17. NEBRASKA (19)

18. USC (13)

19. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (23)

20. LOUISIANA TECH (24)

21. UCLA (NR)

22. TEXAS (NR)

23. KENT STATE (25)

24. TOLEDO (NR)

25. UCF (NR)

Dropped out: Mississippi State, Boise State, Texas Tech, West Virginia

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Behind Enemy Lines—What It's Like To Be a Buckeye Fan Living In SEC Country

By Brad Washington —BlockONation.com Special Contributor

Ever since November 22, 1997, I’ve been hooked on Ohio State Football.

Every Ohio State fan and every Michigan fan should always remember that day.

For Michigan fans, Charles Woodson sealed the Heisman Trophy. For Ohio State, it was a blown chance to go to the Rose Bowl and even possibly compete for the national title.

For me, it was the beginning of a lifelong fandom and dedication to Ohio State football.

Unfortunately, I live in Columbia, South Carolina—The home of the South Carolina Gamecocks. There wasn’t much room for me to express my love for my favorite team at first, but I made room anyway.

The life of being a Buckeye fan in SEC country is, well, rough.

In elementary school, I let my fandom be known, and was called a traitor, idiot and all sorts of names routinely for not succumbing to liking the USC Gamecocks.

They didn’t understand that beating Michigan was more important than their rivalry with Clemson.

And without a doubt, it was.

As Jim Tressel came and succeeded in winning Big Ten titles as well as a national title, I was always the target of jokes whenever we had an embarrassing loss or whatever the case was.

Because I live in South Carolina, everyone expects that if you aren’t a USC or Clemson fan, you must like another team in in the SEC.

For me, how I saw an SEC fan: An SEC fan wouldn’t let you live down that infamous bowl record. And I mean that literally.

I could recall in high school not wanting to go to school the day after both national championship games,because I knew I would be brutally teased by the Florida and LSU fans respectively.

Any Ohio State football fan can tell you that those two years were the hardest. Being reminded that your team can’t compete with the speed of the SEC stings a bit.

I knew better. I knew Jim Tressel wasn’t being aggressive enough. I knew he came in thinking Tresselball would be successful. But to them that never mattered.

In the midst of that, I had to deal with USC fans who didn’t know their place.

I can’t remember a time when a USC fan didn’t bring up how Ohio State lost to the Gamecocks twice in the Outback bowl.

Yes, the two games held in the 2000 and 2001 bowl seasons.

All of that ended whenever I would ask how many conference/national titles they won though.

Although it was a burden, I never backed down from my pride in Ohio State.

If Ohio State was the brunt of jokes in America after those national title losses, the state of South Carolina convinced me it was the chairman of the board, assisting the charge.

Everyone else lead behind Florida and continued to add insult to injury to every Buckeye fan imaginable. Including me, of course.

But, that wouldn't last forever. The greatest, most recent great memory I have is our win versus Arkansas in the 2011 Sugar Bowl.



When I heard that Ohio State was to battle Arkansas that January, the jokes and SEC criticism started coming back slowly but surely.

Had I lived in Columbus or anywhere in Ohio, I would have been able to celebrate with fellow Buckeye fans and join in their optimism and hopefulness. We would have all believed that this game would finally end the streak against the SEC.

But I wasn’t, I was in South Carolina being reminded that my Ohio State Buckeyes couldn’t compete with Arkansas because we’re too slow.

I knew we had the potential to win, but wasn’t allowed to believe it.

But when Ohio State did actually beat Arkansas, I had a tear come down. Finally, there was no more "too slow" or "not good enough to compete" talk. It was finally over and so were the jokes.

Being an Ohio State Buckeye fan in Columbia South Carolina is like being the black sheep of a family. After the win over Arkansas, the SEC jokes died down, but USC didn’t forget to tell me about their success the past two seasons.

I more than likely will be a Buckeye fan for life. The love is that strong. But growing up a Buckeye in South Carolina, more specifically SEC country isn’t an easy thing to do.

Buckeye fans from Ohio to California go through the same thing, except for me, it's worse than for most. I’m in the heart of the criticism, and it's not always an easy thing to swallow.

I'll still be here in South Carolina for the time being, representing Ohio State football on Saturdays, during every off season, and come bowl time (after this season).

It doesn’t matter where I am. My allegiance to Ohio State will remain. Yes, even here in SEC country.

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@BlockONation


Brad @theGURO15

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Attention eSECpn, Dennis Dodd, and All OSU Buckeye Haters

Yes, we get it already.

You hate Ohio State and you're running with this story faster than a fat kid runs to the buffet at Golden Corral.

In the words of former Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez, "Get a life."

Jim Tressel received several emails in early April, 2010 that stated that two of his players were involved with a somewhat less-than-reputable tattoo shop owner who was currently the subject of a federal investigation.

The emails suggested that the players may have sold or traded personal items (trophies, rings, etc) to the shop owner in exchange for money and tattoos, but Tressel did not confirm his knowledge of the situation until December.

Here's where we separate people of my ilk from the clueless dolts who have nothing better to do than assume they know everything that transpired and that Tressel indeed knew what was going on the minute these emails arrived in his email inbox.

The problem here for you haters is that just because Tressel received those emails does not mean he needed to pick up the phone and call the NCAA to inform them that violations had occurred.

Ever hear of due-diligence, or did you just expect Tressel to assume the emails were written by Jesus, so they are 100% true?

If you know anything about the lawyer who penned said emails, then you know he's about as believable as George H.W. Bush when he said and I quote, "Read my lips, no new taxes."

He has his own legal issues and has even had his license to practice law suspended on at least one occasion, so forgive coach Tressel if he wanted to look into the allegations before sounding the alarm.

Tressel and Ohio State could face further sanctions from the NCAA once they conclude their investigation, but don't believe the ridiculous "hammer-to-come-down" hype being spread by CBS college football "analyst"/resident Buckeye hater Dennis Dodd—This isn't the second coming of SMU, I promise.

And as for this talk of Ohio State being repeat offenders and how they should be punished as much or more than what USC was...

Talk about blowing this entire situation completely out of proportion.

USC bought OJ Mayo for their basketball team and knew that Reggie Bush and his family had been given cash and a free condo on "Slippery" Pete Carroll's watch.

The players and coach Tressel broke various rules (not to say that makes the rules in question right), but nobody at Ohio State gave these players money or houses to come to Columbus.

Instead, the players sold their own items for money that they needed/wanted.

The coach was informed of the situation but he could not just assume at the time that it was true beyond a reasonable doubt.

Then, of course, the haters like to ignore that whole ungoing federal investigation that Tressel could have unraveled all in the name of NCAA bylaw 10.1, which bans "unethical conduct."

Where I'm from, interfering with a federal investigation is much worse, and far more punishable that not telling your A.D. or the NCAA that you "think" some of your players "might be" involved in certain activities deemed unacceptable for the standards set forth upon student-athletes.

Just remember, these kids aren't allowed to have jobs and the stipend they get does not allow them to do much of anything other than eat. And most of them aren't from well-to-do, upper-middle class, or upper-class families.

Since when does being a college athlete mean you're supposed to be poor and never have money to enjoy college life, or to be able to afford to go out with your friends, all while you make MILLIONS for the university you attend and the TV network that hates you so much?

Apparently since right now...


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Arkansas Talking Trash About Ohio State and (Shocker) Piggybacking the SEC

Hey guys, HD here. Before you read the following article, I wanted to preface it and reveal its' origin.

It was penned by one Brad Wilkerson and recently appeared on a SEC blog known as Saturday Down South.

Whenever fans of a program (Arkansas) that has never beaten a Big Ten team in a bowl game or really ever had any national significance trash-talks a program like Ohio State, it is just too priceless not to share here on BlockONation.

And certainly no other grouping of college football fans in the nation can piggyback the accomplishments of the legit teams in their conference like those KINGS OF PIGGYBACKING SEC fans...

Please forward a link to this article to every Buckeye fan you know!

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Razorbacks Criticize Buckeyes



It’s THE school that has never beaten an SEC team in a bowl game. It’s THE Alma Mater of such great Americans as Maurice Clarett. It’s THE State University of THE state known for its flaming rivers, the rust belt and Lebron James fleeing like the place was on fire… It’s THE Ohio State University. But what do we really know about Ohio State? This is the first in a series designed to introduce SEC fans to the team that will take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.


Part One: Q & A

Q: Hasn’t Ohio State been in the news recently?

A: Yes they have. You might recognize University President E. Gordon Gee as that goofy guy in the bow tie that appointed his self as spokesperson for all BCS schools when he blasted TCU and Boise State for playing the “Sisters of the poor.” Mr. Gee went on to refer to Ohio States Schedule as a “Murderer’s Row” which should strike the SEC fan as interesting considering that THE Ohio State University defeated exactly zero teams ranked in the final regular season BCS top 25, compared to the four that Arkansas defeated.


Q: Who is that nice looking man in the sweater vest?

A: That man is Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel but don’t let his looks fool you. Tressel has been at the center of several pay-for-play scandals involving such high profile recruits as Troy Smith and Maurice Clarett.


Q: Maurice Clarett… What ever happened to that guy?

A: You mean inmate #37224? Well, after dominating college football as a true freshman, Mr. Clarett fell on hard times that included several arrests, a dismissal from the team and a failed NFL career (this probably had something to do with allegedly drinking Grey Goose Vodka before practice, or “Getting my Goose on” as he was fond of saying) . It all seemed to hit rock bottom when Clarett was arrested in 2006 after a high speed chase with police. A Kevlar-clad Clarett was arrested with several assault rifles, a samurai sword and, of course, a bottle of his precious “Goose” after he drove over a spike strip laid out by police.



Q: What are their fans like?

A: The Ohio State fan base is comprised mostly of people known as F.I.F.O.’s. F.I.F.O. is an acronym (word made up of the first letter of other words, for the Ohio State fans reading this) used to describe any resident of the Buckeye State. I’ll let you figure out what the first “F” stands for but the rest is “Idiot from Ohio”. Ohio State fans are some of the most nostalgic in college football. If you didn’t know any better you would think that Archie Griffin still played for Ohio State based on the way fans incessantly talk about his Heisman Trophy winning days of the mid 1970’s.


Q: Surely they can’t be that bad…

A: Think of the most obnoxious, D-cell battery throwing, LSU fan you have ever encountered…Now, give him a northern accent, take away any class he might have had along with all common sense and shorten his vocabulary to pretty much just the F-word, and you have a F.I.F.O. Beware of these people. Your southern hospitality might make you feel so inclined as to welcome these visitors to the South but I would advise against it. Any communication with an Ohio State fan will more than likely just result in a bottle of Jagermeister or Ed Hardy Vodka being poured on your head.


Q: How do I spot an Ohio State fan?

A: They will be wearing a jersey. It’s not known exactly why, but Ohio State fans LOVE wearing jerseys. This may seem odd to anyone from the South where we tend to leave the jersey wearing to the players on the field but it is a way of life for them. You might catch some Buckeye fans in a T-shirt but you can rest assured you will never see one wearing a collared shirt.


Q: Do they have any unique school cheers?

A: They spell the name of the state they live in, seriously. Yep, O-H-I-O is as creative as it gets for the Buckeyes. Don’t be surprised if you see a few F.I.F.O.’s ducking for cover the first time Razorback Nation stands up and calls the Hogs as they will have no idea what is going on due to their limited mental capacities.


Q: What does an Ohio State fan do after the game?

A: Riot. Win, lose or draw the Buckeyes love a good riot. Need proof? Just ask former University President Karen Holbrook who, in a job interview, was quoted as saying of the student body “When you win a game, you riot. When you lose a game, you riot. When spring comes, you riot. African-American Heritage Festival weekend, you riot”. She went on to say “They think it’s fun to flip cars, to really have absolute drunken orgies.” Certainly looks like a great way to celebrate a win…



The article abruptly ends there without any closure or mention of an actual Part 2 that might be in the works, but we'll keep an eye out for any future garbage from Brad and SDS. We can always use, and share, a few more good laughs.


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Ohio State—Arkansas: National Rankings Favor Buckeyes Despite SEC-Bowl Game Woes

0-9.

There, I said it.

It's the elephant in the room, and the giant gorilla on Ohio State's back.

Here's another one for you.

0-3.

Jim Tressel has faced, and lost to three SEC teams in bowl games since taking over at Ohio State—South Carolina in 2001, Florida in 2006, and LSU in 2007.

On a positive note that might favor Ohio State, Arkansas is 0-3 in bowl games vs. teams from the Big Ten.

Someone's o-fer streak will finally come to an end this year.

We all know the history (key word history), so now that we have that out of the way, let's move forward and talk about this game and this year.


Ryan Mallet / Knile Davis: Buckeye Killers?

I keep hearing (from Arkansas/SEC fans and of course eSECpn) that QB Ryan Mallett is going to pick apart the Buckeye secondary, RB Knile Davis is going to run over and through the Buckeye front seven, and once again (and this one is my favorite of all), Ohio State's offense will be shut down by the blazing SEC speed Arkansas apparently possesses simply by being a team from said South-Eastern-Conference.

Can we change the *#$%^@ record already?

Mallet's best performances this season came against Tennessee Tech, Louisiana-Monroe, Georgia, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, UTEP, and Mississippi State. These teams aren't exactly defensive powerhouses.

Davis had exactly five big games (out of 12 played) the entire season—that is it.

The teams that allowed the most yards to Davis are South Carolina, LSU, Mississippi, UTEP, and Mississippi State.

Nationally, LSU has a top 10 defense and Mississippi State is decent (27th), but South Carolina (48th), UTEP (58th), and Mississippi (108th) all gave up plenty of yards and a lot of points to just about every team they faced.

Don't misconstrue my sentiments here. Mallett and Davis are fine players despite some of the lackluster defenses they faced, but why so many fans and so-called experts are so quick to praise them and project that they are going to dominate in the Sugar Bowl is beyond me...


Ohio State Defense / Arkansas Offense

Am I having a bad dream and this some some alternate universe where the Buckeye defense that gave up just 23 total scores all season is somehow considered mediocre and slow, and thus dismissible?

Let me say that again. This Ohio State defense gave up just 23 total scores (16 touchdowns, seven field goals) all year.

They are No. 2 in total defense (250 yards per game) and No. 3 in scoring defense (13.3 points per game).

On offense, Arkansas is 65th in rushing (151 yards per game), 3rd in passing (338 yards per game), 16th in scoring offense (37.3 points per game) and 10th in total offense (489 yards per game).

I'm not saying Arkansas won't be able to gain yards or score points, but it is very unlikely that the Hogs will equal their season averages. This is the best defense that they will face all year.

Don't expect 500 yards and 40 points from Arkansas. It's not going to happen.

I'm not just making these numbers up either. I have read these kind of projections on numerous SEC-friendly forums and blogs and even on a couple Buckeye sites that the OSU-hater trolls have infiltrated.


Arkansas Defense / Ohio State Offense

The Razorbacks are 34th in total defense (340 yards per game) and 44th in scoring defense (22.8 points per game).

Something of interest worth mentioning—Auburn and Cam Newton, a team and a QB that has been compared to Ohio State and QB Terrelle Pryor, hung 65 on the Hogs "D".

Take that for what it's worth to you, but it could be foreshadowing the future—just saying...

The last time Ohio State gave up 60-plus was in 1994 to Penn State. That season, the Buckeyes were 9-4, while Penn State was 12-0. The Nittany Lions scored 45 or more seven times that year.

The Buckeye offense is 14th in rushing (220 yards per game), 55th in passing (229 yards per game), 11th in scoring offense (39.4 points per game) and 18th in total offense (449 yards per game).


Closing Thoughts

If either of these two teams is going to close in on 500 total yards and 40 points, my money is on the Buckeyes.

That being said, I do not believe either team is going to be that prolific in yards gained or points scored.

On paper, the Buckeyes finally appear poised to earn their first bowl game victory over an SEC opponent in their 10th attempt dating back to 1977.

The game however will be played on the turf (not paper) in New Orleans and when toe meets leather on January 4th at 8:30PM, you can bet this one will be a dogfight.


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Ohio State vs. Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl—Ryan Mallett, Buckeyes Meet Again

When former Michigan QB Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas as a freshman on January 9, 2008, nobody would've imagined that the highly-touted superstar would see the Ohio State Buckeyes ever again.

Fast forward almost three years where Mallett has developed into a top-10 NFL prospect under the eye of Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino and taken the Razorbacks to their first-ever BCS bowl game.

And in an ironic twist of fate, Mallett's BCS opponent is none other than the team we all thought he would share battles with in Ann Arbor: the Buckeyes.

Mallett's transfer happen two months before Terrelle Pryor committed to Ohio State in March of 2008, meaning that a chance to imagine a Mallett vs. Pryor matchup in The Game never materialized.

The Arkansas gunslinger has gotten a taste of Ohio State's defense, filling in for Chad Henne in a rainy and windy contest in 2007 where he was 1-3 for just eight yards and was sacked once.

But this is different. This is a fully-developed QB under a coach who has coached in the NFL, albeit for only 13 games, and who loves to air it out.

And the defense Mallett will face is a much different unit compared to the group he saw in 2007.

This OSU defense is much more aggressive and faster than the 2007 defense, and most of all, they are opportunistic, tied for 12th with 29 takeaways.

The difference for Mallett is that he has seen good defenses in the SEC, including against Alabama and LSU, so this challenge may be nothing new to him.

And although OSU is ranked No. 4 in passing defense, they have not faced a better passer all season than No. 15 for the Razorbacks.

But for Mallett, looking back at his experience and his year at Michigan, he might have an extra edge to play against Ohio State simply because of that year with the Wolverines.

Even Jim Tressel felt relieved that he did not have to worry about seeing Ryan Mallett in Michigan, as he told The Ozone's Brandon Castel on Sunday.

"What was my reaction when he left? I'm not gonna lie, I was happy," he told Castel. "I thought I was done with Ryan Mallett."

Even back in early 2008, Tressel knew of the type of talent that Mallett would turn out to be.

And he has lived up to that billing and so much more.

Just imagine for a second if Les Miles had taken the Michigan job instead of Rich Rodriguez and had Mallett as his QB...

Scary thought. That winning streak over Michigan would not be as easy to extend as it has been in the past three seasons.

But nevertheless, Tressel must gameplan to shut down one of the game's best passers and arguably the best pure passer OSU has faced since NC State's Philip Rivers in 2003.

The OSU secondary has been banged up tremendously all season, but DBs Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence have been very good and should help take away favorite targets in WRs Jairus Wright and Joe Adams.

Rarely does a transfer from one big school to another work as a benefit for a QB.

But for Ryan Mallett, it has worked out better than anyone could have imagined.

Now he gets his chance to show his old rivals just how much he has improved since his days under Lloyd Carr at Michigan.


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Written by BlockONation Contributor Tim Bielik

Eight Possible Bowl Game Destinations for the Buckeyes and the Path Leading to Each

The Buckeyes will be going "Bowling" for the 11th straight season, as they are already bowl eligible with eight wins.

The past five seasons Ohio State has played in a BCS game, including two National Championship Games, and since the inception of the BCS in 1999, the Buckeyes have made the most appearances of any program in BCS games with eight (5-3).

This season, the Buckeyes are again back in the hunt for a BCS Bowl game, and have an extreme, outside shot at playing for the national title.

Depending what happens the rest of the season, Ohio State could find itself in one of eight different bowl games, barring a complete implosion.

If they win out, the Buckeyes will ensure a BCS invite. If they lose any of their three remaining games, they'd need a lot of help to go BCS-bowling.

In order of likeliest to least likeliest, here are the possible Bowl games Jim Tressel and his team could find themselves in this post-season.


At-Large BCS Bowl (Fiesta, Orange or Sugar)

Ohio State currently ranks No.11 in the BCS standings. If the Buckeyes win out, beating Penn State, Iowa and Michigan, there is no way that an 11-1 team whose fans travel they way they do is kept out of a BCS Bowl game.

Even if Wisconsin and Michigan State both win out, and there is a three-way tie for the Big Ten Championship, Ohio State would still get the nod to play in either the Orange, Sugar or Fiesta Bowl based on their higher BCS ranking.

No more than two teams from one conference can play in the BCS Bowl games, if the Badgers, the Spartans and the Buckeyes all win out, Wisconsin will likely play in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State would be the other Big Ten team in the BCS mix.

The Buckeyes are ranked higher than the Spartans in this week's BCS standings and they have a tougher remaining schedule than Michigan State does, so there's no way Sparty jumps Ohio State in the BCS.

Win out, and Ohio State will find itself in a BCS Bowl game, period.


Rose Bowl

In order for Ohio State to play in its' second straight Rose Bowl, it needs a little help from Purdue, Indiana, Michigan or Northwestern.

Those are the remaining opponents for Wisconsin, and if the Badgers and Buckeyes both win out, it will be Wisconsin representing the Big Ten in Pasadena.

The Badgers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Ohio State and if the Big Ten were to finish in a three-way tie for first with the Buckeyes, Wisconsin and Michigan State, the school ranked highest in the final BCS standings will play in the Rose Bowl, according to Big Ten conference tiebreakers.

It's not impossible for Wisconsin to lose. The Badgers play the Wolverines in Ann Arbor the second-to-last week of the season, a place where they haven't won since 1994.

After playing Michigan, Wisconsin will host Northwestern the final week of the regular season. The Wildcats had Michigan State on the ropes for much of the Oct. 23 game between the two, and they stunned the Badgers last year, beating them 33-31.


Gator Bowl

If the Buckeyes slip up in any one of their final three games, they could find themselves playing in the Gator Bowl.

The Gator Bowl pits the No.4 or No.5 team in the Big Ten against the No.6 team in the SEC.

If Ohio State were to lose one of its' final three games, it would likely be in Kinnick Stadium against Iowa. Assuming that's where the loss occurs, the Buckeyes would need help to avoid playing in the Gator Bowl.

Now, there's all sorts of possibilities and scenarios for what Bowl game Ohio State could play in should it lose, but the simplest one is this:

* The Buckeyes lose at Iowa
* Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan State all win out
* Wisconsin is the only Big Ten team invited to a BCS bowl game.

With Wisconsin potentially in the Rose Bowl, and if either Iowa or Michigan State were to get an at-large bid to play in a BCS game, the Buckeyes would play in the Outback bowl, a game reserved for the No. 3 team in the Big Ten.


Capital One Bowl

With a loss to Iowa, Ohio State could very well wind up in the Capital One Bowl.

Iowa would likely get a BCS at-large bid, regardless if Wisconsin loses or not. The Hawkeyes would have wins over the Buckeyes and Michigan State, and their only loses would be to the Badgers and Arizona.

With Wisconsin playing in the Rose Bowl and Iowa receiving an at-large bid, the only thing standing between Ohio State and the Capital One Bowl would be a Spartans loss—like a Wisconsin loss, not impossible.

Michigan State plays in Happy Valley against Penn State to close out the regular season. Look for that one to be one of the Nittany Lions customary white-out games, and a difficult game for Sparty.


Outback Bowl

The Buckeyes started their 11-year streak with back-to-back appearances in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina.

In 2001, Ohio State loss to the Gamecocks 24-7 in coach John Cooper's last game and in 2002, the Buckeyes fell again 31-28 after a late comeback attempt fell short.

If Ohio State loses any of their remaining games, and depending on how the season unfolds for Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Iowa, the Bucks could find themselves heading back to Tampa.

Again, there are tons of scenarios and possibilities for what could happen, but if the Buckeyes were to lose, the simplest way they could end up playing in the Outback Bowl would be if:

* The loss came against Iowa
* Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan State all win out
* Two of those three teams get bids to play in a BCS game

Under those circumstances, the team (out of Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan State) that does not get a BCS bid will play in the Capital One Bowl, which has a spot reserved for the Big Ten's No.2 team, but if two Big Ten teams play in BCS games the spot would go to the next Big Ten team in line.

Ohio State could also find itself in the Outback Bowl if it loses to Iowa and only one Big Ten team (Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl) plays in a BCS game, and Michigan State loses.


BCS National Championship Game

While not all that likely, it is possible—think 2007.

Ohio State could find its way back into the National Championship mix if it wins out and has a TON of help.

In 2007, the Buckeyes fell to No.7 in the BCS with one game to play after losing to Illinois, only to find themselves ranked No.1 when the final standings were released.

In order for Ohio State to play in this year's title game, it's going to need something similar to happen, but on steroids.

As crazy as this sounds, the Buckeyes DO have a chance to play for the championship.

One of my buddies has come up with an ultimate plan for Ohio State to reach the National Championship game. I have to say, at first I thought he was insane when he unveiled it to me, but after thinking about it, it is possible, albeit extremely far-fetched.

It is a bit complex, but in order for the Buckeyes to be playing on Jan. 10 in Arizona, all of the following needs to happen.

1. Ohio State needs to win out

2. Texas A&M beats Oklahoma

3. South Carolina beats Florida

4. Oklahoma beats Baylor/Oklahoma State winner

5. Alabama beats LSU

6. Alabama beats Auburn

7. Arizona or Oregon State beats Oregon

8. Nevada beats Boise State

9. South Carolina beats Alabama in SEC Championship game

10. Oklahoma/Oklahoma State/Baylor/Texas A&M beats Nebraska in Big 12 Championship game (key is anyone to beat Nebraska in title game needs two losses)

If ALL of that happens, Ohio State could play for the MNC versus the undefeated TCU/Utah winner, a one-loss Auburn or a one-loss Wisconsin.

Crazy—I know, but still not impossible.

However, the Badgers almost have to lose too. It's hard to imagine the Buckeyes jumping them in the BCS if they both have the same overall record at 11-1, considering Wisconsin beat Ohio State head-to-head.

Either way, Wisconsin needs to keep on winning for now, because as the Badgers move up in the BCS, they'll take the Buckeyes with them.

At the end of the day, the Buckeyes best odds are playing in a BCS game—most likely the Orange or Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State could definitely beat their remaining three opponents, but it probably won't be enough to jump ahead of Wisconsin in the final BCS standings for that spot in the Rose Bowl.

Although, Wisconsin could be the beneficiary of late-season carnage (as the Buckeyes were in '07') and find itself playing for the National Championship, which could in-turn find the Buckeyes playing in Pasadena on New Year's Day.

There's a lot of football to be played and things are going to change week-by-week, so we really won't know which of these scenarios come to fruition for a few more weeks, but it's going to be a blast watching it all unfold!


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This article was written by Aaron Green and originally published on 11/06/2010 at BleacherReport.com

Florida, Ole Miss Prove Southeastern Conference Greatness is Exaggerated

For more than three quarters earlier today, Miami (Ohio) outplayed a sloppy Florida Gators team in the swamp. The Gators had less than 50 total yards on offense in the third quarter before finally waking up in the fourth.

Both teams finished with 212 total yards. In the end, UF won the game 34-12 despite their horrible showing. Lucky for them they weren't playing a team that had more than one win in 2009.

New quarterback John Brantley was overwhelmingly unimpressive and it was apparent that UF has virtually no weapons at wide receiver.

Even worse for SEC-ville was the embarrassing performance of the Ole Miss Rebels against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks of FCS fame.

Junior Marques Ivory and true freshmen quarterback Coty Blanchard outplayed both Nathan Stanley and Jeremiah Masoli as they combined to lead the Gamecocks to the huge win in double overtime.

Ivory tossed the first touchdown pass, a seven-yard score to Alan Bonner to put the Gamecocks ahead 41-34.

Brandon Bolden tied the game at 41 with a two yard touchdown run, then Ole Miss took the lead in the second overtime on a two yard touchdown run by Enrique Davis.

That's when the magic happened. Blanchard scrambling for his life, hit Kevyn Cooper in the back of the end zone for the 30 yard touchdown on 4th down and 15 from the 30 yard line.

After calling timeout, Jacksonville State decided to avoid a third overtime and go for the win.

On a bootleg right and just as he was nearly caught for a dream-crushing sack, Blanchard found his man at the goal line for the conversion, and the win.

Surely SEC fans who read this are going to post comments chock full of excuses and saying that Ole Miss sucks anyway, etc, etc.

Here's the problem with that just so you all know ahead of time.

You all claim each others wins and BCS titles as a conference so by God, you're going to own this loss by Ole Miss as a conference just the same.

P.S. There goes that whole "The SEC is the best conference top to bottom in the country" crap...


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Images Copyright of ESPN & the AP / Rogelio V. Solis

Block-O-Nation's Top 10 Running Backs In College Football For 2010

I usually only write about Ohio State football, but if you look through the archives, you'll notice, that's not always the case.

This is my list of the top 10 running backs in the country heading into the 2010 college football season and a few thoughts on why each of them made this list.


No. 10—Roy Helu Jr—Nebraska Cornhuskers

Helu will be a senior in 2010, and will look to build on a solid 2009 campaign in which he rushed dor 1,147 yards and scored nine touchdowns. The Big 12 could be down in 2010, but many believe Coach Bo Pelini has Nebraska on the threshold of a return to the top 10. If they get there or not, Helu's production will be a big part of why they do or don't met those expectations.


No. 9—Lance Dunbar—North Texas Mean Green

As bad as the Mean Green have been, junior-to-be tailback Lance Dunbar has been conversely outstanding. In 2009, he gained 1,378 yards and scored 17 rushing touchdowns. He also added 300 yards receiving and caught three TD passes. You can bet Dunbar will be the catalyst if North Texas exceeds their 2009 win total of two in 2010.


No. 8—Montel Harris—Boston College Eagles

Last season, Harris rushed for over 100 yards in eight of BC's 13 games, totaling 1,457 yards and 14 touchdowns. In week seven against NC State, he had a career day, amassing 264 rushing yards and finding the endzone five times. Much of 2009, the talk surrounding BC was about Mark Herzlich's battle with cancer, but in 2010, with Herzlich set to return after treatment, Harris is good enough that he might end up being the number one topic of discussion pertaining to the Eagles, and could find himself in the discussion for the 2010 Heisman.


No. 7—Ricky Dobbs—Navy Midshipmen

Technically, Dobbs is a QB, but at Navy, the QB is a running back. He passed for over 1,000 yards and tossed six TD passes in 2009, so why is he on this list you ask? Because, it was the damage he did carrying the ball out of the Navy triple-option where he truly excelled and made his mark in "09". Dobbs rushed for 1,192 yards and scored 27 rushing touchdowns in his first full season as a starter. Here's some perspective on just how good Dobbs was / is—He missed two games last year or he might have had closer to 1,500 yards rushing and over 30 rushing touchdowns, numbers certainly attainable for him in 2010 if he remains injury-free.


No. 6—Noel Devine—West Virginia Mountaineers

Devine did indeed decide to return to Morgantown for his senior season and the Mountaineers are glad indeed to once again have his services. Last season, his first without star-QB Pat White next to him in the backfield, he rushed for 1,465 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. In 2010, he could once again be asked to shoulder the bulk of the workload as outgoing QB Jarrett Brown must be replaced. Another 1,400+ yards and, give or take, 15 touchdowns certainly is a likely possibility for Devine, if WVU doesn't become too one-dimensional with a new, under-experienced signal caller.

I'm sure even though I have corrected my unintentional error and added him to this top 10 list in place of Marshall's Darius Marshall who I originally thought had returned to school, there will be those the believe he isn't ranked high enough. To those of you that take that stance, that is certainly OK by me. We do not always need to see everything eye-to-eye.I suggest you go write your own article, with your own top 10, and rank him wherever you want. IMO, he's right where he deserves to be on my list—so to those this applies to, thanks in advance for your new articles.


No. 5—Jacquizz Rodgers—Oregon State Beavers

In two seasons, Rodgers has rushed for over 2,700 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. With USC's dominance now in question, and Oregon having a Miami-Florida type off-season so far, Oregon State could finally be the team to beat in the Pac-10. He has had some ups and downs, but overall, Rodgers has done his part up to this point, and I expect nothing less than more of the same from him in 2010. I believe another 1,500 yards, give or take, and 15-20 touchdowns could be on-tap for Quizz in 2010.


No. 4—John Clay—Wisconsin Badgers

Clay led the Big Ten in rushing as a sophomore in 2010 with 1,517 yards and he added 18 touchdowns. He was voted the Big Ten Offensive POY, and should be on track for another big year with the progression of the Badger's passing game under QB Scott Tolzien. The passing game and running game should compliment each other very well in 2010, allowing Clay to post another huge year statistically. He ran wild on practically every opponent but one last season. Ohio State held him scoreless and to only 59 yards on 20 carries in 2009. At least he only has to face them once in 2010.


No. 3—Ryan Williams—Virginia Tech Hokies

It's funny how things work out sometimes. In 2008, freshman tailback Darren Evans was a beast for the Hokies. He gained 1,265 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, so when he tore his ACL prior to the 2009 season, Hokie Nation held it's collective breath, unsure of who, if anyone, could fill the void left by Evans. Enter freshman Ryan Williams. Not only did Williams fill the void, but he practically made Va Tech fans forget about Evans, as he gained 1,655 yards and hit paydirt 21 times. With Evans returning, it's hard to say who will be Coach Frank Beamer's No. 1 guy, but that's a great problem to have.


No. 2—Mark Ingram—Alabama Crimson Tide

Despite not having the best overall numbers for a tailback last year, Ingram became the first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy. Don't get me wrong—Ingram is a great tailback, but I can't help but think Stanford's Toby Gerhart was the more deserving of the two, but I digress. Ingram had 1,658 yards and he scored 17 touchdowns for the Tide over the course of the season, including 113 yards and three scores, and 116 yards and two scores, against Florida in the SEC title game, and against Texas in the BCS title game respectively. If the Tide's O-line can fill a couple spots and open holes in 2010 for Ingram like they did in 2009, he will have a good shot at etching his name in the books next to Archie Griffin's as the only two-time Heisman winners.


No. 1—Dion Lewis—Pitt Panthers

If a true freshman has ever stated his case for legit Heisman consideration, Lewis was that guy in 2009. When LeSean McCoy decided to skip his senior season at Pitt, I'm not sure anyone saw what Lewis would go on to do coming. After all, Lewis was only offered a scholarship from three schools—Pitt, Miami-OH, and Tulane. Regardless, he rushed for 1,799 yards (third best in the nation) and he crossed the goal line 17 times. Did I mention, he was a true freshman who was barely recruited? With QB Bill Stull graduating, Lewis may see even more carries and he could have an amazing season. Of course, the Panthers will have to hope they can replace Stull and pass the ball down the field to prevent defenses from stacking the box and keying on Lewis. If they can succeed at that task, I believe Lewis could approach, if not top 2,000 yards and 20+ touchdowns in 2010. There sure are a lot of if's but if Lewis puts up similar stats, he might be the fourth straight sophomore to win the Heisman.


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Photo copyright The New York Times

How Has The SEC Gotten Away With Not Playing Meaningful OOC Road Games For So Long?

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Seriously, can anyone answer this question, with at the very least, a semi-cognizant thought?

Since 1991, I think most people would agree the best team from the SEC has been the Florida Gators, and Alabama has arguably been a close second, just edging out LSU and Georgia in my opinion.

Over that span, Florida has won three national championships (1996, 2006, 2008) and Alabama has won two (1992, 2009).

Now, I know that basically every Florida, Alabama, and SEC fan in general will try to defend their pathetic out-of-conference road schedules until the death, but facts are facts, and they cannot be ignored any longer.

If UF, Bama, and the rest of the teams from the SEC do not start playing at least one true OOC road game per year during the regular season versus a decent team from a BCS conference, instead of some hopeless and weak FCS cupcake (examples: Charleston Southern, Memphis, Hawaii), then I say the entire conference should be banned from playing in the BCS title game indefinitely.

(I fully expect to, and cannot wait to hear from the likes of Le Roi, Larry, Carson, Sean, etc. after that last paragraph!)

I'm not just shooting my mouth off without the facts to back up my statements here. To further strengthen my stance, let's compare the OOC road games played by Florida, Alabama, and,—oh I don't know,—how about Ohio State—say from 1991, through 2009.


Florida Gators (1991-2009) OOC Road Games (0-1)

1991 @ Syracuse, a 38-21 loss

Sadly, that's it--that's the entire list of OOC road games for UF.


Alabama Crimson Tide (1991-2009) OOC Road Games (4-3)

1991 @ Memphis, a 10-7 win

1992 @ Tulane, a 37-0 win

1996 @ NC State, a 24-19 win

2000 @ UCLA, a 35-24 loss

2002 @ Hawaii, a 21-16 win

2002 @ Oklahoma, a 37-27 loss

2003 @ Hawaii, a 39-27 loss

2004-present, no OOC road games for the Tide (and no, "neutral site" games do NOT count as true road games).


Ohio State Buckeyes (1991-2009) OOC Road Games (10-3)

1992 @ Syracuse, a 35-12 win

1993 @ Pitt, a 63-28 win

1994 @ Washington, a 25-16 loss

1995 @ Pitt, a 54-14 win

1996 @ Notre Dame, a 29-16 win

1997 @ Missouri, a 31-10 win

1998 @ West Virginia, a 34-17 win

2000 @ Arizona, a 27-17 win

2001 @ UCLA, a 13-6 loss

2004 @ NC State, a 22-14 win (NFL star Phillip Rivers was the NC State QB)

2006 @ Texas, a 24-7 win (Colt McCoy was the UT QB)

2007 @ Washington, a 33-14 win (a healthy Jake Locker was the UW QB)

2008 @ USC, a 35-3 loss


Over the past two decades, you can plainly see, UF has played one OOC road game outside of the state of Florida, Alabama has played seven true road games away from the state of Alabama (excluding neutral site games), and Ohio State has played 13 OOC road games outside of Ohio—and not against the likes of Memphis, Tulane, and Hawaii either.

I know a lot of the responses will include references to UF and LSU beating the Buckeyes in 2006 and 2007, and that's fine. I won't dispute that, but I will say this.

If the teams of the SEC are so great, why not step up and play at least one real OOC game per year lke the Buckeyes do, instead of relying on the totally false "our conference schedule is too tough, so we need a break in our OOC games" excuse / crutch?

Florida beat Ohio State after they has nearly 60 days off, and LSU beat OSU essentially at home in 2007 in New Orleans.

Forgive me if I want to see just how well UF, LSU, or Alabama would fare against the Buckeyes in Columbus—and no, not just because of the weather.

That could be a factor depending on when played, but I'm more interested in seeing how those teams would deal with playing on the road, after living out of a hotel for three days, and then playing in front of 105,000+ Buckeye fans in a hostile environment behind enemy lines instead of always in the SEC backyard...


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College Football 2009: How the North Conquered the South Once Again

Written By BT
BleacherReport.com Senior College Football Writer / Featured Columnist


The War Between the States, also known as the Civil War or the War of Northern Aggression, has been over for 145 years.

Still, there are those in both geographic areas who continue to follow the adventures of only schools in a specific state, conference, or region.

Fans do take issue with teams across the state or throughout conference affiliation, but any criticism of league or region brethren is often met with resistance.

Less than two weeks ago a friendly discussion erupted among several Bleacher Report writers concerning the projected outcome of the Miami-Wisconsin bowl game.

Ohio State and Penn State fans rose to champion the Badger cause and a long time Florida State supporter rose in defense of the Hurricanes.

The conversation ended with each side claiming the other doesn't understand the skill and coaching ability available in the region they live in.

Fascinating to read, but what causes this sudden "Mother Hen" feeling during the bowl season? During the year no Buckeye or Nittany Lion fan would bother to speak on behalf of the Badgers, and no Seminole fan would ever rise up in defense of Miami.

Could it be that all too often the Bowls pit the "North" versus the "South"? Thus generating a territorial conflict among supposedly separate allegiances?

Perhaps that is the intent of the match-makers when they schedule so many intersectional battles with the conference tie-ins to a specific bowl game.

Southern football fans are an interesting lot. Many feel it is their duty to support the teams of their region against opponents from other areas.

For those unfamiliar with the terms being used, let's explain that "the South" is the 11 states of the old Confederacy stretching from Texas to Virginia.

In addition, since Maryland and Kentucky are below the Mason-Dixon line, they account for the remainder of the region.

The South is a multi-BCS conference region with a dozen teams from the SEC, 11 of the 12 in the ACC, four of the Big 12, and two from the Big East in the form of USF and Louisville.

Those are 29 BCS programs to choose from, not to mention the two in the BCS Title Game.

Add to this several teams from the Sun Belt, Conference USA, Mountain West(TCU), and WAC (Louisiana Tech), and the Southland is well represented in the pigskin market.

It seems Southerners do not consider Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, or Tulsa as "northern". In fact, no one seems to know what to call them.

So, how well did this avalanche of southern schools perform in the 34 bowls?

In six bowls both teams were from the south so they do not factor in this equation. These clashes include the BCS Title Game along with the Independence Bowl, Music City Bowl, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, Liberty Bowl, and the New Orleans Bowl.

The Cotton Bowl found Ole Miss beating Oklahoma State, the Sun Bowl provided the opportunity for Oklahoma to defeat Stanford. As stated earlier, there is really no logical way to approach the Oklahoma teams, so let us put them aside for the time being.

In all, 15 Bowl games matched southern teams directly against those from outside the South. The following is a specific listing of those bowl games, along with the outcome.


Bowls Won by the South

Gator—Florida State over West Virginia

Alamo —Texas Tech over Michigan State

Sugar—Florida over Cincinnati

Outback—Auburn over Northwestern

Hawaii—Southern Methodist over Nevada

International—South Florida over Northern Illinois


Bowls Won by the North

Papa John—Connecticut over South Carolina

Capital—Penn State over LSU

Champ—Wisconsin over Miami

Orange—Iowa over Georgia Tech

Fiesta—Boise State over Texas Christian

Meineke—Pittsburgh over NC

St. Petersburg—Rutgers over Central Florida

Armed Forces—The Air Force Academy over Houston

GMAC—Central Michigan over Troy


That is a 9-6 win for the North over the South.

A case could be made for Ole Miss in some corners but, that would certainly require dismissing the Oklahoma win.

The best the South can come out of this scenario is a wash for the Cotton and a win in the Sun or eliminate Oklahoma and count Ole Miss as a win.

Nine to six or nine to seven, the South loses again.

You don't believe we had the wrong teams in the BCS Title Game, do you?

The Top 100 Twitter Feeds to Follow For College Football Fanatics

If you just can’t get enough college football, you don’t have to wait for game day to roll around to read articles, find out the latest rumors and make your picks for your fantasy football teams. Here are 100 Twitter feeds that will make it easy to follow your favorite teams and ensure you have the inside scoop on everything college football related.

CFB News

Check out these feeds to learn about the latest news in college football.

1. @CollegeFootball: Check with this feed regularly to get the latest NCAA football news.


2. @CollegeF00tball: Read interesting stories about college football through the links in this feed.


3. @College_FB: Here you’ll find tweets from the College Football Observer.


4. @Lv_NCAA_FOOTBLL: The news from this feed will help to keep you in the loop.


5. @CollegeFB__News: This news feed focuses on information about the players.


6. @si_ncaafb: Get your college football news through Sports Illustrated with this feed.


7. @cfbhighlights: Learn about some of the biggest and best highlights of this week’s games through this feed.


8. @College_Sports: Start following this feed to read updates about your college team.


9. @footballncaa: This feed will ensure that you never miss an important story on college football.


10. @CFTalk: Chat it up about college football through this feed and accompanying website.


11. @CFBHeadlineNews: Whether you play fantasy football or just want to follow your favorite teams, this feed will make sure you know what’s going on.


12. @AP_Top25: This feed is full of updates about the top 25 college football games each season.


13. @Big12SportsNow: Check out this feed to keep up with all of the Big 12 teams.


14. @TheACCFootball: Find out what’s going on with the ACC in this feed.

Football and More

These feeds offer some great football news but also cover other college or professional sports.

15. @NCAADoubleAZone: This is the official feed of the NCAA, and you’ll find stories on everything college sports related.


16. @NCAA: Keep up with what’s going on in college football, basketball and more through this feed.


17. @InsidetheNCAA: Find inside information on college sports through this feed.


18. @ncaablotter: Read about everything NCAA here, from baseball to hockey to, of course, football.


19. @SportsJabber: This feed will help you keep up with news on all kinds of college sports.

ESPN

If you like to get your sports coverage from ESPN then try out one of their many college football feeds.

20. @ESPN_SEC: Check with this feed for updates about the teams in the SEC from ESPN reporter Chris Low.


21. @ESPN_BigTen: Here, Adam Rittenberg writes about all the latest news on the Big Ten teams.


22. @ESPN_BigEast: East coasters can find all the important college football info they need from writer Brian Bennett here.


23. @ESPN_Big12: Follow this feed from Tim Griffin to make sure you know what’s going on with the Big 12.


24. @ESPN_ACC: Fans of ACC teams will appreciate the posts on this feed by reporter Heather Dinich.


25. @ESPN_Pac10: The West coast shouldn’t feel left out as this feed offers frequent updates on the Pacific 10 teams from Ted Miller.


26. @ESPN_Others: If your favorite teams don’t fall into any of these categories, not to worry, ESPN has you covered with this feed.


27. @schadjoe: Read tweets by Joe Schad, ESPN’s National College Football Reporter, on this feed.


28. @espn4d: Get ESPN reporter insights from ESPN columnist Pat Forde here.


29. @cbfowler: Check out this feed to read college football posts by ESPN host and commentator Chris Fowler.

Stats and Scores

Use these feeds to find out schedules, scores and player information.

30. @ncaafscores: Stay up-to-date on football scores by following this feed.


31. @ncaastats: Keep up with how your favorite team is stacking up with this stats-filled feed.


32. @ncaa_palace: This feed will let you know when and where your favorite teams are playing.


33. @NCAAFootball: Here you’ll find scores for all the latest games.


34. @StatSheet: Check with this feed to find out fun new ways to visualize sports stats.

Commentary

Get a fresh take on the games you love to watch with these commentary-filled feeds.

35. @cftailgate: Visit this site for football news, blog information, and general discussion.


36. @BCSisBS: This fan has strong opinions about which teams rule and which, not so much.


37. @RootZooNCAAF: Try following this feed for news, rumors and football analysis.


38. @NCAAGridironGab: Check out this feed not only for news but commentary, predictions and tasty tidbits as well.


39. @DailyTailgate: This daily sports newsletter will help ensure you stay informed about all things college football.


40. @fanblogs: Find tips, news and more on this football fan feed.


41. @GameDayFootball: Here you’ll find tips on fantasy football, news, and helpful commentary.


42. @MattZemek_CFN: Learn more about college football from this columnist at CollegeFootballNews.


43. @DrSaturday: Matt Hinton writes Yahoo’s college football blog called Dr. Saturday and you can find his commentary here.


44. @MrCFB: Get updates on college sports from broadcaster and writer Tony Barnhart here.


45. @slmandel: This writer for Sports Illustrated shares his thoughts on college football through this feed.


46. @davidpollack47: Learn about former college player David Pollack’s take on college sports here.

Fan Feeds

Check out these feeds from true college football fans.

47. @CFCafeteria: This twitterer loves college football (with the exception of the BCS) and tweets about it here.


48. @NCAAFanHouse: Join these fans in talking about the teams they love the most on this feed.


49. @Kyle_Fisher115: This feed is home to posts about football, life and more.


50. @OverThePylon: If you want to keep up with a fan of Ball State football, follow this feed.


51. @bcondotta: This feed will help you learn what’s going on with the Washington Husky football program as well as other West Coast teams.


52. @JeffCaves: Check up with this site to find out about Idaho sports, including football.


53. @40AcresSports: This Texas Longhorns fan feed will help you learn everything you need to know about the team.


54. @footballfringe: Follow this feed to learn about all the goings-on in college football.

Teams

If you want team specific coverage try one of these feeds. If you don’t see your team, don’t worry, nearly every team has a feed and they just couldn’t all be included on one list.

55. @OhioStFootball: Those who love Ohio State will love the team support on this feed.


56. @BlockONation: Here you’ll find fan posts on OSU.


57. @oklafootball: Supporters of the Sooners will find team information and more on this feed.


58. @MSUFootball: Check with this feed for information about the Michigan State Spartans.


59. @beckerjerry: Here, fan Jerry Becker supports his favorite team, the Tennessee Volunteers.


60. @MUTigersdotcom: Follow Mizzou athletics on this sports-focused feed that’s not just limited to football.


61. @UWBadgersdotcom: On this feed you’ll find official news from UW Athletics, including football.


62. @BurntOrangePost: This feed is supposedly maintained by the Texas Longhorn’s mascot.


63. @USC_Trojans: Get into the spirit of supporting the USC teams by following this feed.


64. @TCU: Find information on the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs through this Twitter feed.


65. @TheIowaHawkeyes: With no professional sports teams in the state, this college team inspires some fervent followers that you can find here.


66. @Spartan_FB: Spartan fans should make sure to follow this feed that provides loads of team information.


67. @ECUAthletics: Get up-to-speed on what’s going on with the ECU Pirates here.


68. @Aggie_Athletics: With tweets on football and more, this site is a great place for true Aggie fans.


69. @michigan_fball: Here you can find information about this heavy-hitting football team.


70. @kywildcats: This feed is the unofficial way to keep up with all the sports happenings of the Kentucky Wildcats.


71. @VolNation: Tennessee Volunteers fans should check back with this feed regularly to get the latest news.


72. @HuskersGameday: This feed is a great place to get Nebraska Cornhuskers football coverage.

Coaches

Get into the mind of your favorite college football coach through these Twitter feeds.

73. @Play4brew: Follow this feed to learn about the moves of Minnesota Gophers Football Coach Tim Brewster.


74. @RonZook: If you like U of I football, you can follow the head coach’s tweets here.


75. @UM_CoachRod: Here you’ll find the feed of Michigan Wolverines Football Coach Rich Rodriguez.


76. @JayPaterno: Penn State University’s assistant football coach tweets here.


77. @BretBielema: If you’re a Badgers fan, make sure to follow this coach’s feed.


78. @BoPelini: Check out this feed for information straight from Nebraska Cornhuskers Football Coach Bo Pelini.


79. @mizzoufootball: Get into the Tiger spirit with this feed from head coach Gary Pinkel.


80. @CoachSherman: Aggie fans can find updates about their team on this Texas A&M Aggies coach feed.


81. @CoachSnyder: Marshall University Thundering Herd Football Coach Mark Snyder posts tweets here.


82. @NDHFC: If you want to learn more about what the Notre Dame team is up to, check out this feed from coach Charlie Weis.


83. @CoachUrbanMeyer: Florida Gators Football Coach Urban Meyer posts his thoughts here.


84. @LSUCoachMiles: Learn more about LSU Tigers Football Coach Les Miles here.


85. @LaneKiffinUT: Try this feed for information on the Tennessee Volunteers.


86. @rollwiththetide: All of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football coaches post here.


87. @MarkRicht: Georgia Bulldogs Football Coach Mark Richt uses this feed to share information about the team.

Fantasy Football

If you like to play fantasy football on the college level, then these feeds can be a great way to keep yourself in the loop and make sure you do well each week.

88. @MyFantasyLeague: Check out this feed to learn more about this website and the moves you should be making to ensure fantasy victory.


89. @CFFInsider: Make sure you’re in the know when it comes to fantasy football by following this feed.


90. @CFBRumorCentral: Learn rumors about who will play and who won’t, gameplans, recruits and more here.


91. @fyifootballplay:If you’re worried that some of your starters might not play because of injuries, check with this feed to find out for sure.


92. @vincemullins: Follow this feed from the founder and Fantasy College Football Analyst at Fantasy College Blitz.


93. @FF_Today: This feed offers both professional and college fantasy football content.


94. @BrianCFFInsider: This writer from CFFInsider maintains this fun feed.


95. @philsteele042: Get some big tips from Phil of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.


96. @CFootball: This feed will give you news about college football and tips about how to improve your fantasy team.

Miscellaneous

From talking about some of the best college players to ever grace the game to letting you know about new recruits, these feeds offer a range of information on football.

97. @collegehof: Here you can find tweets from the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.


98. @CH_ColFootball: This group meets up to specifically talk about and watch college football.


99. @FOOTBALLRECRUIT: Watch videos and read stories about the most promising college football recruits here.


100. @BFeldmanESPN: Check out this ESPN blog to learn more about the world of college football recruiting and more.

Thanks to Amber for the heads up on this original article.

2009 College Football Conference, Heisman, and BCS Title Game Soothsayer Predictions

By HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


There are a lot of questions for many teams heading into the 2009 season.

And fans from every team wonder is this the year my team wins their conference, or makes a BCS game or even the title game, and could my favorite player win the Heisman?

Here are my projections for those burning questions for the 2009 season.

These are solid predictions. If you're asking yourself how can I be so sure—I was Nostradamus in one of my previous lives.

"The Big Six" Conference Champions

Big Ten - Ohio State

Big 12 - Texas

Big East - West Virginia

ACC - Georgia Tech

SEC - Florida

Pac 10 - Cal

Heisman Winner

Jahvid Best - RB - Cal

BCS Championship Game

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Ohio State

The Five Non-Automatic-Qualifier Conferences

Conference USA - Houston

Mid-American (MAC) - Central Michigan

Mountain West - Brigham Young

Sun Belt - Troy

Western Athletic (WAC) - Boise State

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If you have a different take on any of our conference champions picks or the Heisman and BCS title game predictions (mainly Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and USC fans), feel free to post a comment and tell us who, what, when, where, and why.


CLICK HERE for more from BlockONation