Ohio State's Updated All-Time Head-To-Head Win/Loss Record Vs. Every Big 10 Team

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

I consider myself a fan of history.

Specifically, I'm both a Civil War and College Football enthusiast.

I only read about American History, but I do occasionally write about Ohio State football here on the blog.

I guess that's why I was curious what Ohio State's record was against every current Big Ten team, so much so, that I did a lot of research, compiled the numbers, and posted an article with my findings way back in 2010.

Two years later — and with a new member in the conference — feels like a good time to bring myself and my readers up-to-date.

Here then are the all-time W/L/T records vs. every member of the Big Ten (including former member Chicago) up to, and including, the 2011 season.

10 wins, 2 losses, and 2 ties vs. the Chicago Maroons (no longer in DI/B10)

64 wins, 30 losses, and 4 ties vs. the Illinois Fighting Illini

68 wins, 12 losses, and 5 ties vs. the Indiana Hoosiers

46 wins, 14 losses, and 3 ties vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes

44 wins, 58 losses, and 6 ties vs. the Michigan Wolverines

27 wins, 13 losses, and 0 ties vs. the Michigan State Spartans

43 wins, 7 losses, and 0 ties vs. the Minnesota Golden Gophers

2 wins, 1 loss, and 0 ties vs. the Nebraska Cornhuskers

59 wins, 14 losses, and 1 tie vs. the Northwestern Wildcats

14 wins, 13 losses, and 0 ties vs. the Penn State Nittany Lions

38 wins, 14 losses, and 2 ties vs. the Purdue Boilermakers

54 wins, 18 losses, and 5 ties vs. the Wisconsin Badgers

As you can see above, the only team in the conference to have an advantage over the Buckeyes is Michigan, but since 1919, the series is even at 44-44-5.

The Michigan lead in the series was "padded" in the first 15 meetings between 1897 and 1919.

The Wolverines dominated a very young Ohio State program, with Michigan winning 13 of those 15 games — the only caveats for OSU coming in 1900 and 1910, when the teams battled to a 0-0 tie and a 3-3 tie, respectively.

Even with the very lean John Cooper years (2-10-1 vs. UM), Ohio State still leads the head-to-head series 32-28-2 from 1950-2011, a span widely considered as the modern era of college football.

Michigan is the all-time wins leader in college football with 895, so to be trailing only them (by 14 wins) all-time, head-to-head in the conference is nothing to be ashamed of — especially since the Buckeyes have narrowed the gap significantly over the last decade.

I know I went on a bit of a rant there. Instead of the previous five paragraphs, I probably could have just said "I hate Michigan" — the end, but ripping on them and pointing out that they only lead because of their pre-WWI wins against a H.S. level program in its infancy is so much more fun.

In closing, you may be interested to know that the picture above is of Ohio State's 1890 football team, its first ever team.

It's safe to say from 1890-2011, Ohio State has certainly come along way in football.

Here's to the next 122 years of Buckeye football history.

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Ohio State EA SPORTS NCAA Football 2013 Heisman Legends Commercial — Is That Desmond Howard?

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

This commercial is too great not to share, but thank goodness it's only a commercial — Enjoy!



There is also a good one featuring Les Miles with the LSU Tiger mascot, and another one featuring two Georgia fans, full of shame.

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Around The Block: BlockONation's Buckeye Bits, Volume 2 — May 16, 2012

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

Hello again all — I only have a few bits to share with you today, but I trust you will enjoy them thoroughly, so let us dive right in.

— First off, two former Ohio State Heisman Trophy winners, Troy Smith & Hopalong Cassady, will each be signing autographs at The Buckeye Room this Friday in the Polaris Mall, Columbus, from 6-8PM. Event details and info can be found here.

— I'm assuming there might be moderate interest in Ohio State's post-Spring depth chart that was just released. Click here to view the current two-deep. Although not listed yet, Noah Spence, David Perkins and Jamal Marcus should also all be expected to have an impact in 2012 according to coach Meyer.

— BTN's Tom Dienhart takes a look at Ohio State's 2012 schedule in his ongoing schedule analysis series.

— Ohio State AD Gene Smith spoke with ESPN B1G Blogger Adam Rittenberg regarding potential playoff models that the B1G conference favors.

— Yahoo's Dan Wetzel writes about the B1G's undying devotion to the Rose Bowl and the conference's decision to stay true to that tie-in tradition rather than fighting for potential near-future Midwest playoff games.

— Lastly, you may know of Robby Donoho and the Ohio State movie trailers he has created and posted on YouTube over the past several seasons. He just released his first video for the upcoming season today, simply titled, 2012 Ohio State Football Movie Trailer Prequel — Give it a look!



See you next time, around the Block — HD

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College Football Bowl Season Proves That It Really IS All About The Benjamins

by Nick Weaver - BlockONation Contributor

Since it is bowl season, I figured would show a summary of what the Buckeye football program does for the rest of the athletic programs.

The Ohio State football program brought in $60,837,342 last year alone.

The program spent $34,373,342 last year, meaning the University banked $26,463,498!!!

That put them 17th on the most profitable list out of 50. That revenue includes media, ticket sales, and memorabilia (individual player memorabilia sales and tattoos-for-autographs excluded).

The Big Ten Network pays $19.3 million annually for football and basketball games combined. This figure is a few million less because the Buckeyes had one less home game this year than last year.

The football program supports 36 sports programs. It is broken down by 17 women’s programs, 16 men’s programs, and 3 coed programs. Each of those programs is fully funded by scholarships that are allowed by the NCAA. That is 1,076 student athletes who reap the benefits of the football program.

When it is all said and done, the athletic program only shows a $93,678 profit. This profit doesn’t even cover all the other expenses associated with the athletic programs.

Operations cost another $40 million, with over $5 million going back to the university to pay for the athletic department’s share of overhead, which includes insurance, payroll services, purchasing and accounting.

Where does the rest of the money come from? The university gets grants, endowments, and the money given to the “Buckeye Club”.

This is why bowl season is so important to college football and the universities.

The bowl payouts range from serious money (tens-of-millions) from the BCS games combined, down to "chump change" (one million or less per) in the nobody bowls.

That is why it will be a hard sell to ever see a playoff system in lieu of bowl games.

There are 35 bowl games this year with 70 teams in the competition and a lot of money to be earned, whereas a playoff system would likely only involve four, or eight, or 12 or 16 teams at most.

As they say, money talks -- always.


Follow Nick on Twitter @nick_weav

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BlockONation.com / @BlockONation College Football Bowl Mania ESPN Pick'em League

Hey all -- It's that time of year again!

It's time to create your entry for the 2011-2012 BlockONation.com / @BlockONation College Bowl Mania League!



The league is public and open to anyone (even State Penn fan @NittanyNation88).

League winner will receive an autographed football card of former Ohio State and 2002 BCS championship QB, Craig Krenzel.

Entries must be submitted to the league on ESPN.com by the posted deadline.

Have fun and good luck to everyone!

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College Football Best of the Best: Week 3 Must See Matchups

These are the best week three games to watch, times and channel info included when available.


Friday 9/17
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Nevada (2-0) vs. California (2-0) - 10PM - ESPN2/ESPN3.com


Saturday 9/18
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No. 2 Ohio State (2-0) vs. Ohio U (1-1) - Noon - Big Ten Network


No. 4 TCU (2-0) vs. Baylor (2-0) - 4:30PM - Versus


No. 6 Texas (2-0) @ Texas Tech (2-0) - 8:00PM - ABC


No. 7 Oklahoma (2-0) vs. Air Force (2-0) - 3:30PM - N/A


No. 8 Nebraska (2-0) @ Washington (1-1) - 3:30PM - ABC/ESPN3.com


No. 9 Iowa (2-0) @ No. 24 Arizona (2-0) - 10:30Pm - ESPN/ESPN3.com


No. 10 Florida (2-0) @ Tennessee (1-1) - 3:30Pm - CBS


No. 11 Wisconsin (2-0) vs. Arizona State (2-0) - 3:30PM - ABC


No. 16 Auburn (2-0) vs. Clemson (2-0) - 7PM - ESPN/ESPN3.com


No. 19 Stanford (2-0) vs. Wake Forest (2-0) - 11:15PM - ESPN2/ESPN3.com


No. 21 West Virgina (2-0) vs. Maryland (2-0) - Noon - ESPNU


Michigan State (2-0) vs. Notre Dame (1-1) - 8PM - ABC


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Week 2 College Football Rankings: BlockONation's Latest Top 25 Forecast

Many of you that follow the site know that I am a weekly top 25 voter in The Best Damn Poll In The Land.

It wasn't easy this week, but I basically all but ignored my preseason and week one rankings, instead preferring to rank the teams on my ballot this week from scratch, based on what I've seen so far through week two.

Here is what I came up with for my top 25 ballot this week.


1. ALABAMA - Here until they lose, or barely win really ugly vs. an inferior team


2. OHIO STATE - Proved they have a great overall team in win over Miami-FL


3. TCU - Best "mid-major", touting star QB Andy Dalton and a great "D"


4. NEBRASKA - Great defense, good QB and very good running back in Helu Jr


5. BOISE STATE - Still top 5 but the Va Tech loss to James Madison hurt them


6. IOWA - QB Stanzi and RB Robinson are playing great, plus still great on "D"


7. OREGON - Two great backs and even with slow start vs. Tenn, still blew them out


8. OKLAHOMA - Proved they were a top 10 team even though FSU was picked to upset them


9. WISCONSIN - Played down to the competition in week 2 but still worthy of this slot


10. TEXAS - UT won easily over a veteran Wyoming team and rounds out the top 10


11. STANFORD - Andrew Luck is one of the nation's best QB's and Stanford killed UCLA


12. ARKANSAS - Ryan Mallet has been lights out and Hogs might challenge Bama in SEC West


13. UTAH - Looking good at 2-0 but we will know more later when they face TCU and
Notre Dame


14. TEXAS A&M - Super tough schedule coming but looking good so far, especially QB Jerrod Johnson


15. MICHIGAN - QB Denard Robinson has UM at 2-0 with his nearly 900 yards of offense


16. FLORIDA - John Brantley is no Tim Tebow and UF is extremely fortunate to be 2-0


17. HOUSTON - Case Keenum was injured this past week but if he doesn't miss any games, Houston should remain in the top 25


18. SOUTH CAROLINA - The Gamecocks entered my top 25 after RB Marcus Lattimore emerged and their solid "D" helped them beat previously ranked Georgia


19. MISSOURI - The Tigers could challenge Nebraska in the Big 12, and QB Blaine
Gabbert is underrated


20. AUBURN - QB Cam Newton has nearly 600 total yards and has already scored seven TDs for the 2-0 Tigers


21. MARYLAND - They aren't flashy but I really like RB Davin Meggett and the 2-0 Terps have a pretty stingy defense


22. LSU - Last week I dropped the Tigers after their narrow win over a depleted UNC team, but not this week, only because there was really no one worth moving ahead of them


23. NEVADA - I don't care what anyone say, Wolfpack QB Colin Kaepernick is amazing and he alone is worth this ranking


24. CALIFORNIA - The Bears, who face Nevada next Friday in what could be a real dandy, are 2-0 and have emerging stars in both QB Kevin Riley and RB Shane Vereen


25. AIR FORCE - The Falcons just beat BYU to go 2-0, and are leading the nation with (and this is not a typo) over 420 rushing yards per game


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2010 College Football Predictions: Top Five Running Back Duos in the Nation

There is always a lot of talk, conjecture, and debate when it comes to individually ranking the top running backs in the nation.

But what about the top running back duos—that is, the best backs who are teammates.

Here are my top five. I encourage everyone to post your comments on which of my rankings you agree or disagree with.


Duo Number Five

Brandon Saine and Dan Herron - Ohio State

In 2008, Herron replaced the injured Beanie Wells and impressed the coaches so much that he entered 2009 as the starter.

Saine came back healthy in 2009 and led the Buckeyes in rushing yards by a running back with 739. He also had 224 receiving yards and scored six total touchdowns.

Herron added 600 yards on the ground and seven touchdown runs.

Entering 2010, it appears that Saine is the No. 1 back with Herron a very close second.

With the O-line expected to be one of the best in the country, another huge year from the Buckeye backfield should be on tap.


Duo Number Four

Adam Robinson and Jewell Hampton or Adam Wegher - Iowa

With Hampton out for the season due to injury, Robinson led the Hawkeyes rushing attack in 2009 with 834 yards and five touchdowns, and Wegher added another 641 yards and eight scores.

Before being injured, Hampton was considered to be the guy who would take over for NFL-departed Shonn Greene.

In 2008, Hampton rushed for 463 yards and scored seven times as Greene's backup.

I'm sure Robinson did enough in 2009 to be Iowa's No. 1 or No. 2 in 2010, so the only question is who will be his main sidekick, Hampton or Wegher?

I'm still leaning towards Hampton, but no matter who it ends up being, expect plenty of production behind their big line and the reduction of pressure on turnover-prone quarterback Ricky Stanzi.


Duo Number Three

Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray - Texas A & M

A year ago, Michael just edged Gray to lead the Aggies in rushing with 844 yards and 10 touchdowns. Gray added 757 rushing yards, 226 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving).

QB Jerrod Johnson, who is also a pretty decent ball carrier himself, is one of the best passers in the Big 12 and is expected to pass more than scramble this season.

That should allow Michael and Gray even more running room in 2010.

1,000 yards seasons could be possible for both.


Duo Number Two

Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson - Alabama

Everyone knows about Ingram, the 2009 Heisman winner. He gained 1658 yards on the ground and had 334 receiving yards. In total, he scored 20 touchdowns (17 rushing, three receiving).

Not everyone knows about Ricahrdson, but they soon will. He is considered by many experts and fans alike as one of the best non-starters in college football.

Last season, he averaged nearly 5.2 yards per carry, as he rushed for 751 yards and scored eight touchdowns.

Only a sophomore in 2010, he's tough,fast, and just might someday be Alabama's second Heisman winner.

He was twice named the SEC freshman of the week in 2009 and was also tabbed as a member of the SEC All-Freshmen team.

QB Greg McElroy seems more of a game manager type to me, so it's not hard to imagine another huge year rushing for the Tide with both Ingram and Richardson carrying the rock.


Duo Number One

Ryan Williams and Darren Evans - Virginia Tech

Coach Frank Beamer has a huge problem on his hands heading into 2010.

However, it's not a problem he minds having.

How will he decide which one of his star running backs will be 1A and 1B?

In 2008, freshman Darren Evans rushed for 1,265 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Prior to the 2009 season, Evans tore the ACL in his left knee and was lost for the entire season.

Hokie fans were at a loss and many thought the season would be a disaster.

But for the second straight season, a freshman, this time Ryan Williams, ran wild.

Williams unexpectedly had one of the best statistical seasons of any back in the nation, gaining 1,655 yards and finding the end zone 21 times.

Expectations are sky high for the 2010 Hokies, and Williams and Evans are two of the biggest reasons, justifiably so.


That's it. That's the list. Now let's hear from my fans and haters alike.

Let the debating begin.


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College Football's Top 10 Running Backs For 2010, Unbiased Edition

I usually only write about Ohio State football, but occasionally I like "talking shop" about college football in general.

As fall camps and the start of the 2010 college football season nears, I made a few changes to an article I had previously posted here on B/R, and this is the end result. I figured, where's the harm in getting a bit more mileage out of this topic, eh?

These, in my opinion, are the top 10 running backs in the country heading into the 2010 college football season, along with a few thoughts on why each of them made my list.


Honorable Mention—Brandon Saine—Ohio State Buckeyes

It has truly been a long time coming, but Saine, who is in his final season at Ohio State, should get his chance to be the No. 1 back for the 2010 Buckeyes, although Dan Herron will also see the field plenty as option 1-B for the Bucks.

If not for the fact that I am unsure of just how much Herron (possibly along with Jaamal Berry and Jordan Hall) might be used in place of Saine throughout the season, I'd probably have him in my top 10.

He possesses a nice combination of speed and power, which allows him to run inside or out on the edges, and he's also dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield or in the slot.

If he can avoid the injury big that has plagued his career at Ohio State, I fully expect Saine to have the breakout year every Buckeye fan has been expecting from him since he first arrived on campus in 2006, and ultimately for him to ascend into the top 10 by seasons' end.


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 for 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

Sometimes, depsite the team or the conference a player is on or in, you can't help but notice them and give them the recognition they deserve.

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 quietly 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.

For 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 No. 1 topic of discussion pertaining to the Eagles. He could even find himself in the discussion as a darkhorse for the 2010 Heisman.


No. 7—Ricky Dobbs—Navy Midshipmen

Technically, Dobbs is a QB, but at Navy, the QB is a glorified 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 decided to return to Morgantown for his senior season and the Mountaineers and their fans are glad 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 15-plus touchdowns certainly is a likely possibility for Devine. That is, if WVU doesn't become too one-dimensional with a new, under-experienced signal caller.


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 offseason so far, Oregon State could finally be the team to beat in the Pac-10.

Rodgers, who has been mentioned as a possible early Heisman candidate, has done his part up to this point, and I expect nothing less than more of the same from him 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, and it will be at home in Madison, witihin the friendly confines of Camp Randall Stadium.


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 pay dirt 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-ever 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 Ingram can keep his "backup" Trent Richardson off the field (which may prove to be an impossible task) and if the Tide's O-line can fill a couple spots and open holes for Ingram in 2010 like they did in 2009, he might have a shot at etching his name in the record books next to Archie Griffin as the only two time Heisman winners in college football history.


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 Lewis 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), crossing 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 be able to pass the ball down the field effectively enough 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-plus touchdowns in 2010. There are a few "ifs" to overcome, but should Lewis puts up similar stats to those he posted in 2009, he very well could become the fourth straight sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.

Whether or not he ultimately wins the Heisman, I believe that Lewis deserves this ranking as my No.1 running back in the nation.

That's it, that's the list.

So what do you think?

Who'd I miss?

Who should I have not included?

MAKE SOME NOISE PEOPLE!


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Block-O-Nation's All-Inclusive Top 10 Quarterbacks in College Football for 2010, Unbiased Edition

I hate to see any top 10 list that omits teams or players just because they are not from a BCS "power" conference.

To me, that sort of list would be authored by a clueless, shallow-minded person who has very little useless knowledge about the nationwide college football landscape as a whole.

For that reason, I now offer you "the real" rankings of the top 10 quarterbacks in the nation for the 2010 season, regardless of team or conference affiliation.

I hope you enjoy my take, and whether you agree or disagree, I welcome all replies.

Please post your thoughts in the comment section below—Thank you.


Number 10—Jacory Harris (Miami-FL)

Harris, who is very similar to Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, is a slightly-more accurate passer, however, he lacks the explosive individual game-breaking ability of Pryor. His team does have a few other playmakers though, so be sure you do not miss their potential game-of-the-year battle on September 11, when Ohio State hosts Miami in The Horseshoe.


Number Nine—Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M)

Johnson had a tremendous season in 2009. In my opinion, he is undervalued as both a QB, and as the leader of his team. Johnson could likely be the best field general in the Big 12 this coming season and could also be poised to will the Aggies to only their second-ever BCS Bowl game appearance—the only previous BCS appearance by the Aggies being a loss to our own Ohio State Buckeyes in 1999. Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas could each potentially derail that thought, but maybe, led by Johnson, the Aggies break through as the best team in the conference this season.


Number Eight—Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech)

A great supporting cast of dual-1000-yard-tailbacks (Darren Evans, Ryan Williams) should open up huge passing lanes for third best dual-threat QB in the nation. He sits only behind Pryor and Baylor's Robert Griffin in my estimation. If the Hokies are to meet expectations by winning the ACC and challenging for a BCS bid, Taylor won't have to shoulder the entire load, but he will have to make significant positive contributions.


Number Seven—Robert Griffin III (Baylor)

Griffin had an awesome—and I do mean awesome—freshmen season in 2008. He is second only to Pryor in my top dual-threat QB race, which begs the question—How has everyone forgotten about him? I know he missed nearly the entire 2009 season due to injury, but can I really be the only blogger and fan of college football who is not suffering from short-term memory loss? Wake up people...


Number Six—Terrelle Pryor (Ohio State)

I am a Buckeye fan so I may be accused of homerism (although I'd actually claim I'm being a bit modest) with my ranking and this statement about Pryor, but nobody can realistically dispute the fact that he is clearly the best dual-threat QB in the country. The 2010 Rose Bowl win vs. Oregon was his coming out party as a passer. He will be surrounded by great WR depth in 2010, so look for many more of his future performances to resemble the one he had against the Ducks.


Number Five—Andrew Luck (Stanford)

This kid is my runner-up to Washington's Jake Locker as the best QB in Pac-10, but only because of the experience factor. Luck is entering his second season under center for the Cardinal, while Locker is a fifth-year senior in his fourth year as the Huskies starter. The then-redshirt freshmen dazzled fans in 2009 as he led Stanford to wins over Oregon and USC (both were ranked in the top 10 at the time) in 2009 before breaking his finger against Notre Dame the last week of the regular season. The injury forced him to miss Stanford's Sun Bowl loss vs. Oklahoma. With the departure of running back, and Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart, all eyes and hopes will be on Luck as the Cardinal chase the Pac-10 title in 2010.


Number Four—Jake Locker (Washington)

I'm sure there will some grumblings that I have Locker too low, and perhaps I do, but time will tell. While I believe he has the size, arm, and the play-making ability to succeed at the next level, I need to see him protect the ball and make better decisions on the field at this level before I can consider him top three material. In his three year career at UW, he has thrown 36 touchdown passes, but he has also been intercepted 26 times. That's not a great TD to INT ratio. Overall, his stats haven't been terrible, but he has a measly 9-20 win/loss record as a starter. I'm just not sold on him enough to put him any higher than fourth as of right now.


Number Three—Kellen Moore (Boise State)

Moore has put up big numbers and recorded an incredible 26-1 record in his two seasons at the helm for the Broncos, but can he continue those trends against BCS conference foes Virginia Tech and Oregon State this season? On paper, history says yes as BSU has defeated three of the four ranked opponents they've faced with Moore under center, but will that hold true in 2010? If indeed it does, Moore may be the first small-school player to legitimately challenge for, and possibly win, the Heisman Trophy since Houston's Andre Ware won it in 1989. Boise State will be favored in all of their games outside of the trip to D.C. to face Va Tech. They would likely become the first team from a non-automatic-qualifying conference to play for the national title since the 1998 inception of the BCS if they run the table. With Moore leading the way, it just might happen.


Number Two—Ryan Mallet (Arkansas)

Mallet possesses a strong arm, and he is all set for a statistically huge season in 2010. The Razorbacks might now win the SEC, but Mallet and crew will make some noise and it should be fun to watch them do it. He actually began his college career at Michigan, and played sparingly in 2007 behind current Miami Dolphins starting QB Chad Henne. When Rich Rodriguez came to Ann Arbor in 2008, Mallet withdrew soon after and transferred to Arkansas. Mallet was one of the best QB's in the SEC and the nation last year. After sitting out the 2008 season per NCAA transfer rules, he threw for over 3,627 yards and tossed 30 touchdowns, both Arkansas school records. Too bad UM didn't keep Mallet and reject Dickrod. Those poor Michigan faithful just can't catch a break...


Number One—Case Keenum (Houston)

Let's forget the "system QB" or "weak conference" excuses right now and acknowledge the facts about Keenum. He puts up ridiculously amazing passing stats, and pretty much all of Houston's wins in 2009 can solely be credited to him. If it wasn't for a pathetic defensive unit last season, Keenum, not Alabama's Mark Ingram, might have been the 2009 Heisman winner. Other than in Houston's bowl game vs. Air Force, Keenum blew up opposing defenses all season long. He passed for 5,671 yards and 44 touchdowns to only 15 interceptions. It's just too bad that his amazing play couldn't help Houston's wet-paper-towel defense. The Cougars, who went 10-4 last year, outscored most of their opponents comfortably thanks to Keenum. More of the same should be expected from him in 2010, and maybe for once the Heisman will actually be given to the best player in the nation instead of the best player on the best team as in recent years.


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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

BlockONation's Ridiculously Way-Too-Early Top 10 For 2010—Number Nine

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Welcome to our 10-part series highlighting our picks for the way-too-early top 10 preseason teams in the nation for 2010.

One at a time, our top 10 will be revealed, leading up to No. 1.

As always, we want to know what you think as well, so please post your thoughts in the comment section.

Bookmark the site if you haven't already and feel free to tell all your friends about us too!

---

Now, on with the countdown...



Number 9—TCU Horned Frogs

TCU had an amazing season in 2009, going unbeaten (12-0) and busting the BCS to earn a spot in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl.

Unfortunately for them, the BCS Monopoly forced them to play fellow BCS Buster Boise State rather than Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa, or Georgia Tech.

The game was fairly evenly matched, and Boise won to cap off a perfect season of their own (14-0), but we really wanted the opportunity to see just how good the two teams were against the big boys.

Maybe next year, but probably not...

Speaking of 2010, TCU should once again be highly ranked to start the season, and deservedly so, as most of their key starters return.

The Horned Frogs lose only two starters on offense—left tackle Marshall Newhouse and tailback Joseph Turner, meaning their somewhat unheralded star QB Andy Dalton will be back for his senior season.

Dalton threw for over 2750 yards, 23 touchdowns, versus only eight interceptions, while posting a 151.8 QB efficiency rating.

Seven starters are coming back on the defensive side of the ball, but defensive end Jerry Hughes, linebacker Daryl Washington, and cornerbacks Nick Sanders and Rafael Priest leave pretty big shoes to fill.

TCU will open its season at Dallas Cowboys Stadium against Oregon State on Sept. 4.

The Horned Frogs also have a home game against Baylor and a road game at SMU in their non-conference schedule.

They should have a legit chance of going 12-0 again if they come close to meeting the high expectations that will be placed upon them.

Although they will likely begin the season in or near the AP top 10, in the end, I personally don't see them remaining unbeaten, or thus in the top 10 too far into the 2010 season.

2010 Regular Season Projection

Possible Losses
Oregon State, Baylor, BYU, and Utah

W/L Record
It's tough to say for sure, but I think TCU wins eight games for sure, and maybe as many as 10 depending on the health of Robert Baylor from Baylor and if they are a little lucky as I expect Oregon State, BYU, and Utah to all be top 25 teams this coming season.

Last season, the Horned Frogs went 8-0 in the Mountain West. I don't believe they will repeat that feat in 2010, but ultimately, they could win the MWC if they don't lose to both BYU and Utah.

I expect to see them in a decent bowl game, but not likely another BCS game this coming year.


Number eight, coming soon!


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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?

BlockONation's Ridiculously Way-Too-Early Top 10 For 2010—Number 10

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Welcome to our 10-part series highlighting our picks for the way-too-early top 10 preseason teams in the nation for 2010.

One at a time, our top 10 will be revealed, leading up to No. 1.

As always, we want to know what you think as well, so please post your thoughts in the comment section.

Bookmark the site if you haven't already and feel free to tell all your friends about us too!



Number 10—Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers proved me wrong in 2009. I thought seven wins would be about the best they could hope for, but after treading on thin ice for the past two so-so seasons, Bret Bielema has Wisconsin back on track.

To almost everyone's surprise, the Badgers beat Miami 20-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl to finish the season 10-3.

With running back (and Big Ten Offensive POY) John Clay coming back, and quarterback Scott Tolzien exceeding the output I foresaw for him, the Badgers could be scary good on offense in 2010.

Tight end Garrett Graham is the only offensive starter leaving. Five defensive starters will have to be replaced, but that unit wasn't exactly the Badgers strong suit in 2009, so they should be just as good defensively in 2010—whether or not that is saying much, or not, remains to be seen.

Much like 2009, the Badgers' out-of-conference schedule isn't exactly full of challenges. UW will travel to Vegas to take on UNLV, and they will host San Jose State, Arizona State and FCS foe Austin Peay.

In conference, Wisconsin will travel to Michigan State, Iowa and Michigan, but will host Ohio State at Camp Randall in what should prove to be their toughest game of the year.


2010 Regular Season Projection

Probable / Possible Losses
Ohio State, Iowa / Michigan, Northwestern

W/L Record
For my money, 10-2 is possible and the most likely record for Wisconsin in 2010, but 8-4 is also possible. I believe UW will win nine or 10 games, and finish third in the Big Ten, likely behind Ohio State and Iowa.


Number 9, coming soon!


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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.

The Top 10 Winningest College Football Programs of All-Time

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Teams such as Florida and LSU may have found recent success in the BCS-era, but neither of those programs have had the prestige and historical significance of the teams that comprise the all-time top 10.

In the what have you done or me lately world of college football, we sometimes forget the great teams, players, coaches, and programs that came before our time—but to the LSU's and the Florida's of the world, I say, you have a long way to go to try to catch up with these top 10 schools.

Team Win/Loss/Tie records are current through November 19, 2009.


No. 10—USC Trojans (772-306-54)

38 Pac-10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: OJ Simpson, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer

==============================


No. 9—Tennessee Volunteers (781-332-55)

16 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

6 National Championships

A few names you know: Peyton Manning, Reggie White

==============================


No. 8—Oklahoma Sooners (794-304-53)

42 Big 12 Conference Titles

5 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford

==============================


No. 7—Alabama Crimson Tide (809-316-43)

22 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

12 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Namath, Derrick Thomas, Shaun Alexander

==============================


No. 6—Penn State Nittany Lions (810-351-43)

3 Big Ten Conference Titles

1 Heisman Trophy winner

2 National Championships

A few names you know: Kerry Collins, LaVar Arrington, Larry Johnson

==============================


No. 5—Ohio State Buckeyes (817-308-53)

34 Big 10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Santonio Holmes, Troy Smith

==============================


No. 4—Notre Dame Fighting Irish (833-289-42)

0 Conference Titles (Independent)

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Tim Brown, Brady Quinn

==============================


No. 3—Nebraska Cornhuskers (834-340-41)

46 Big 12 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Trev Alberts, Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green

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No. 2—Texas Longhorns (842-320-34)

29 Big 12 Conference Titles

2 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedrick Benson, Vince Young

==============================


No. 1—Michigan Wolverines (877-303-38)

42 Big 10 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Jim Harbaugh, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Tom Brady



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USC Knows "Expected" Win Over Terrelle Pryor, Buckeyes Won't be Automatic

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor is a dual-threat quarterback in the mold of Vince Young—exactly the type who gives Trojans fits—forcing them to make tough choices to defend both pass and run.


Jethro Franklin has seen it before.

As an NFL defensive line coach for eight seasons, he schemed against some of the most prolific dual-threat quarterbacks of the last decade.

Michael Vick and young Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper were among those who tested his players, not to mention his patience.

And in his first tour of duty at USC, Franklin was on the Rose Bowl sideline when Texas quarterback Vince Young carried the Longhorns to a victory over the Trojans in the 2006 Bowl Championship Series title game.

On Saturday, third-ranked USC will play eighth-ranked Ohio State, which features quarterback Terrelle Pryor, a Young-like 6 feet 6 inches of speed and elusiveness.

Asked if the sophomore merits comparison to Young, Franklin did not miss a beat.

"Ask me after the game," the Trojans' defensive line coach said, breaking into a hearty laugh.

Coach Pete Carroll does not need to wait. He describes Pryor as "almost un-tackle-able."

That sounds a lot like Young, who ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 267 yards in Texas' 41-38 victory over the Trojans nearly four years ago.

To return to the BCS title game, once again at the Rose Bowl, USC probably will have to contain Pryor and get past Ohio State.

"He can do whatever he wants to do," Carroll said of Pryor on Monday. "You think you're going to keep him in the pocket and then he just scoots up and gets back out again.

"You can holler at guys for not containing and it doesn't matter -- you contain-rush and he just dips and goes."

Whether Pryor is the second coming of Young remains to be seen. But there is no doubt Pryor has come a long way since last September, when he split time with senior Todd Boeckman in a 35-3 loss to the Trojans at the Coliseum.

Pryor rushed for 40 yards and completed seven of nine passes that day. He moved into the starting lineup a week later.

He finished the season as a 60% passer, throwing for 12 touchdowns with four interceptions. He also ran for more than 600 yards and six touchdowns.

Against Navy on Saturday, Pryor completed 14 of 21 passes for 174 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He rushed for 30 yards in five carries.

"He's faster than he looks and then he's so big and strong, guys bounce off him and slip off him all the time," Carroll said.

But Pryor now appears capable of winning games with his arm as well as his feet.

Steve Clarkson, a private quarterback coach whose proteges have included USC's Matt Barkley, Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart among others, has witnessed the change.

Pryor attended two camps run by Clarkson, one before his final season at Jeannette High in Jeannette, Pa., and one before his freshman season at Ohio State.

"You could see he had tons of talent, and the thing you liked about him more than anything was he wanted to learn," Clarkson said. "Physically, he was undeniably a beast."

Pryor, Clarkson said, has grown dramatically as a passer since arriving in Columbus.

"They've done an unbelievable job with him over there," Clarkson said. "Rarely do you see a kid get better mechanically when he goes to a program like that. This kid clearly got better.

"He throws the ball more accurately -- he looks like a quarterback. I think he's a much better passer than Vince Young was."

Pryor's running ability, though, remains his calling card. And running quarterbacks have caused trouble for USC in the Carroll era.

Kansas State's Ell Roberson, Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall, Oregon's Dennis Dixon and, of course, Young gave the Trojans problems.

Now comes an improved Pryor, running an offense tailored to his talents.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio State ran the option five times against Navy and averaged 7.4 yards per play.

"I think that we definitely feel really comfortable doing it, and Terrelle makes real good decisions out there, so hopefully we'll see it a lot more," tailback Brandon Saine told the newspaper.

Pryor also ran four quarterback draws, the Plain Dealer reported, and a bootleg for a two-yard touchdown. He scrambled once for seven yards.

"He's a playmaker . . . so this is a week where the emphasis for us has to be on tackling," USC middle linebacker Chris Galippo said. "No arm tackles. Forceful hitting has to occur or it could be a long game."

Franklin sees it the same way, so he is stressing that his charges remain disciplined in their pass-rush lanes while keeping an eye on Pryor.

"He's hard to bring down," Franklin said, "so we've got our hands full."


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Original article written by Gary Klein of the L.A. Times

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.


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