AP
With Stewart Mandel stationed in Dallas for the Red River Shootout, I was left to tend to the other early games. And let me tell you, folks -- "slim pickings" is putting it lightly. Watching Michigan-Toledo and KU-Colorado over OU-Texas is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. And that somebody is me.
Mandel will satisfy your appetite for Red River Shootout analysis with a full College Football Insider, but in the meantime chow down on this appetizer of Non-Shootout early observations:
• Holy Toledo! Two weeks after seemingly breaking through in the second half against Wisconsin, Michigan lost to lowly Toledo, 13-10 -- UM's first ever defeat to a MAC team in 25 games. Growing pain? Pssshhh, more like growth stunt.
The Wolverines, who missed a 26-yard field goal that could have sent the game into overtime, have taken an enormous step back over the past two games. At this point, the offense is back to square one. Michigan is no closer to finding a suitable spread-option quarterback than it was on August 30.
The unforgiveable defeat drops Michigan to 2-4, putting bowl eligibility in serious jeopardy. Michigan's 33 straight bowl games is the longest current streak in the nation and two short of Nebraska's all-time mark (35). But looking at the Wolverines' remaining schedule, 6-6 seems like wishful thinking:
- Oct. 18 at Penn State
- Oct. 25 vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 1 at Purdue
- Nov. 8 at Minnesota
- Nov. 15 vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 22 at Ohio State
Unless there's a huge turnaround in Ann Arbor, Rich Rodriguez's first Michigan team will snap America's longest bowl streak and record the program's first losing season since 1967. We all knew this was going to be a process, but it's hard to ask Wolverines fans to stay positive after a loss like today's.
• No. 16 Kansas ended up beating Colorado 30-14, but once again their offense looked completely flat in the first half. KU travels to Norman next weekend and that game could get very ugly within the first 15 minutes. Not only will the Sooners be thirsting for blood after a loss in the Red River Shootout, but they've outscored opponents 110-6 in the first quarter. This overrated KU team definitely won't be able to sleepwalk through the first half against Sam Bradford and Co.
• Juice Williams threw for 462 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota ... and Illlinois lost?!? The Illini had three turnovers, including a fourth-quarter fumble by Williams that was returned nine yards for a touchdown and basically put the game away. This is a crushing home loss for Illinois (3-3), but a fabulous win for Tim Brewster's Golden Gophers. After finishing 2007 at 1-11 (0-8 in the Big Ten), Minnesota is bowl eligible at 6-1.
• Surprise, surprise -- Steve Spurrier's playing musical quarterbacks again. After earning SEC offensive player of the week for his performance at Ole Miss, Chris Smelley was replaced by Stephen Garcia during South Carolina's 24-17 win over Kentucky. Garcia played well off the bench, maybe earning the starting nod next week against LSU. As the season progresses, this will be quite an entertaining situation to follow -- at least for non-Gamecocks fans ...
• How 'bout them Cavs?! After scoring 36 total points during a 1-3 start, Virginia has racked up 66 combined points in consecutive wins over Maryland and East Carolina. Much of this success can be attributed to the emergence of senior RB Cedric Peerman, who has rushed for 283 yards and three touchdowns in the past two weeks. What in the name of Skip Holtz happened to ECU? With today's 35-20 loss, the Pirates are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Did they really peak in the second week of the season? Holtz's stock fits the current economy.
• West Virginia's offense has sputtered all season long, and with Pat White on the shelf today, the Mountaineers looked dreadful in a 17-6 victory over Syracuse. It got so bad that a simple first down at the end of the third quarter evoked a raucous cheer from the WVU faithful. The silver lining: Noel Devine ran for a career-high 188 yards and a touchdown.
Ireivy Guerra
Jessica Trainham
Mavs Dancers
College Football, Top 25 Review
Comments (15) Add A Comment
ECU is still probably the best of the mid-majors, given their victories over top teams. Had Utah or BYU played even mid-level BCS teams they would have losses as well.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
Please don't make any assumptions on what Michigan fans think. Win or lose, Michigan has a long tradition of carrying on the fighting spirit until the last second, whether it be Appy State '07, MSU '05, or UVA '95, and I'm happy to see RR continue that tradition on.
PinkHouse
Silver Spring , MD
Total Comments (1)
I think Penn State will be in tough with the Hawkeyes who could be their spoilers for a Big Ten championship. Although unranked the Hawkeyes have one of the best defenses nationally and their running game is coming on strong. Very underrated IMHO.
Natal
Fairfield , IA
Total Comments (7)
WVU's Bill Stewart hasn't a clue about how to run an offense. They can't throw more than 5 yards downfield. And they have no power running back. Just key on Devine and the QB running the ball and they have nothing else. It is sad to watch this team this year.
KingYaz
Total Comments (143)
Illinois would appear to be below average in the Big 10.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
Yes, I understand that the MAC is, well, the MAC. Yes, I understand that Michigan is usually a great team and this is an epic defeat (no - let me take that back: Michigan has had too many epic defeats in recent years to be able to use that term any more....). I get it, alright! Still, do ya think Toledo might have done something right to win this game? Can we hear about that? What were the outstanding Toledo performances that made this game happen?
DavidCorliss
Plymouth , MI
Total Comments (3)
Agreed. I think the media hypes them up because of the Juice factor.
keithshyne
Carrollton , TX
Total Comments (49)
OK, poor Mich.
The real story is...why is Mizzou even ranked?
beachgator
Total Comments (145)
Are you all serious? Or just had too much tailgating fun this Saturday?! ECU is the best mid-major? Why is Mizzou ranked? I know the tendency after a college FB Saturday is to over-analyze the upsets, but let's return to reality and look at things a little more objectively, please. ECU is now 3-3 having lost to a Virginia team who lost 31-3 to Duke!! And, may I point out that ECU lost by 15 points, or exactly one less than UVA's 16 point victory over 1-AA (excuse me, FCS) Richmond!!!!!!!!!!!! And, as the year goes along and we see how poor WVU's offense really is, ECU's win over the Mountaineers is becoming less and less significant.
As for Mizzou being ranked... Hmmm, they went 12-2 last season, with their only 2 defeats coming to Oklahoma (ranked #5 and #9 in each respective meeting), and were undefeated going into this game. Oh, and let's not forget that they lost to an undefeated Oklahoma State team as opposed to Florida and USC who both lost to unranked opponents who shouldn't have even been able to stay on the same field with them, much less beat them!!
Sorry for the rant, but let's remember that it is a long season and any number of crazy things can and will happen between now and January and, despite the controversy, most often things shake out to having the best teams play in the BCS and title games.
I predict that Missouri will drop out of the top 10, but not very far (11 or 12) and will give Texas a run for its money next weekend.
LUFan
Cedar Falls , IA
Total Comments (6)
LU Fan,
You said a lot of intelligent things that I agree with, but, hate to point it out, RARELY do the two best teams play in the BCS. It's a flawed system. It's a flawed championship. It's a flawed champion. I love your 'things shake out' comment - I'd rather the teams sort it out on the field, than have the 'experts' determine how it 'shakes out' via a ranking system or a computer. It's the only sporting league in the world (that I know of) that orchestrates its own champion. It's absurd.
NOTB
Total Comments (43)
for beachgator - Mizzou is ranked for the same reason TexTech is ranked. Both have done very well against inferior opponents, just as Vandy has done in the SEC. The problem with Mizzou is that when you have no defense and your offense is knocked off track you lose to teams like OK St, another team with no quality wins in its resume. With the exception of OK I think we are seeing the Big 12 unravel as it ends its exhibition season.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
I should have said with the exception of OK & Tex we are seeing the Big 12 unravel. I do not rank Texas above OK right now, but clearly Tex is #2 in the conf, not Mizzou, as I have long maintained.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
go rockets
The Tang Emperor
Toledo, OH
Total Comments (122)
How can you rank Texas after OK when the Longhorns just beat them on a neutral field?! That doesn't make any sense. I am much more familiar with ACC and SEC teams, so I don't consider myself an expert on the Big 12. Until they lose though, I don't see how you don't give Texas their props.
Tacy
Winston Salem, NC
Total Comments (26)
NOTB,
You are, of course, right about the flawed BCS system. But, my argument was that the best teams played in the top BCS bowls as well as the title game. I guess my point is that while we may quibble over the top 2 teams getting to the championship game, rarely, if ever, is there a controversy over who the best 3-4 teams in the country are. I don't advocate for a full 16 or 32 team play-off (pretty unrealistic anyway), but I would love to see a true "Plus-one" game - like a Final Four. While number 5 would be upset, I think the controversy would be greatly reduced.
I am also realizing this year that the teams in the BCS games (beyond the title game) are not always the best teams either. I hope everyone realizes that it may be possible this year to have two (or even three - BYU/Utah winner, Boise State, Ball State) non-BCS teams ranked in the top 25 and even possibly undefeated and at least one or two left out of the BCS games in favor of an unranked Big East champ?! Or, for that matter, an unranked ACC champ.
I know they have the money and the power, but that is what drives me nuts about college FB more than anything else!
LUFan
Cedar Falls , IA
Total Comments (6)
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