Ivan Maisel has selected ESPN's 2009 Preseason All-America Team. As I'm sure you figured from the picture, Ndamukong Suh made the cut. In fact, he was the only defensive tackle named to the team. Also, Tim Griffin selected the All-Big 12 team, which included Suh and K Alex Henery. Out of the 26 players that made Griffin's squad, only 5 came from the Big 12 North.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
ESPN's 2009 Preseason All-America Team
Ivan Maisel has selected ESPN's 2009 Preseason All-America Team. As I'm sure you figured from the picture, Ndamukong Suh made the cut. In fact, he was the only defensive tackle named to the team. Also, Tim Griffin selected the All-Big 12 team, which included Suh and K Alex Henery. Out of the 26 players that made Griffin's squad, only 5 came from the Big 12 North.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Nebraska/Missouri Football Tickets
Starting today, Missouri is offering tickets to their homes games vs. Nebraska (Oct. 8) and Texas (Oct. 24) with a catch. That catch is if you buy a ticket for the Nebraska or Texas game, you must also buy a ticket for either the Baylor or Iowa State game - your choice!Hold on. It gets better.
Season-ticket holders paid $75 for the Nebraska game and $69 for the Texas game. To buy this ticket package for either the Nebraska game or the Texas game, it will only cost you $99. That means that for every ticket that Nebraska fans buy from Missouri, it's only going to cost you $24 to see your seat empty for the Baylor of Iowa State game (limit of 10) as I highly doubt you'll turn a profit on ebay. Score one for the away team.
To buy tickets, go here. The Tiger Athletic Department and Mizzouper Man are counting on you, Husker fans.
Thanks to Myles for the tip. He already has 4.
College Smokeshow of the Week: Oregon's Katelynn
#14 Oregon and #16 Boise State will meet on Thursday, September 3rd in what will be the first marquee game of the season. With one eye on the field and one eye on the sidelines, it should make quite the Thursday.Meet Katelynn (HT: BC) Katelynn is a senior cheerleader at Oregon and is pursuing her degree in sociology.
Her ambitions in life:
'Graduate college, get married, have kids, be successful and happy with all I do, and live life to the fullest while having a little fun along the way. ..'Her hobbies:
'Dancing, meeting new people/trying new things, outdoor activities, family/friends, painting, writing poetry, relaxing in over sized sweats, eating Red Ropes and Funfetti Cake, and being around positive people.'Enough with the small talk. Here's Katelynn in action:
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!Viva la Smokeshow!
Catching Up With Your Favorite Heisman Trophy Winners
As a relatively new website, Lost Letterman is "a database and blog dedicated solely to former college athletes.
Earlier in the week, they took a deep dive into a "Where Are They Now?" post about former Heisman Trophy winners. Good stuff.
To view the entire post, click here.
Some of the more interesting ones taken from their site:
1972: Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska) - Owns JetWear kid’s bedroom store in Omaha, NE (age 58)
1976: Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh) – Owns Tony Dorsett Foods specializing in barbecue sauces; resides in Frisco, TX (age 55)
1977: Earl Campbell (Texas) – Assistant to vice president of student affairs at Texas (age 54)
1978: Billy Sims (Oklahoma) – Owns chain of Billy Sims BBQ restaurants in Oklahoma, most recently apologized in December for screaming "Boomer!" 11 times after Sam Bradford won Heisman (age 53)
1979: Charles White (USC) – Rehabbed drug addict works at USC as computer service engineer and resides in Long Beach, CA (age 51)
1982: Herschel Walker (Georgia) - Founder and CEO of meat processor company Renaissance Man Food Services Inc.; resides in Dallas (age 47)
1983: Mike Rozier (Nebraska) - Stay-at-home dad living in Sicklerville, NJ (age 48)
1990: Ty Detmer (BYU) – Works with Chris Weinke (Florida State, 2000, age 37) - for Triton Financial investment firm in Austin, TX (age 41)
1993: Charlie Ward (Florida State) – Head football coach for Westbury Christian H.S. in Houston, TX (age 38)
1994: Rashaan Salaam (Colorado) - Promotes martial arts fights in China and resides in San Diego, CA (age 34)
1995: Eddie George (Ohio State) – Retired in 2004, getting MBA from Northwestern Business School and set to graduate in December (age 35)
1996: Danny Wuerffel (Florida) - Works for Hope Street Ministries in New Orleans, LA (age 35)
2001: Eric Crouch (Nebraska) - Owns playground equipment business called "Crouch Recreation" in Nebraska (age 30)
2003: Jason White (Oklahoma) – Owns memorabilia stores in Norman and Oklahoma City (age 29)
Earlier in the week, they took a deep dive into a "Where Are They Now?" post about former Heisman Trophy winners. Good stuff.
To view the entire post, click here.
Some of the more interesting ones taken from their site:1972: Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska) - Owns JetWear kid’s bedroom store in Omaha, NE (age 58)
1976: Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh) – Owns Tony Dorsett Foods specializing in barbecue sauces; resides in Frisco, TX (age 55)
1977: Earl Campbell (Texas) – Assistant to vice president of student affairs at Texas (age 54)
1978: Billy Sims (Oklahoma) – Owns chain of Billy Sims BBQ restaurants in Oklahoma, most recently apologized in December for screaming "Boomer!" 11 times after Sam Bradford won Heisman (age 53)
1979: Charles White (USC) – Rehabbed drug addict works at USC as computer service engineer and resides in Long Beach, CA (age 51)
1982: Herschel Walker (Georgia) - Founder and CEO of meat processor company Renaissance Man Food Services Inc.; resides in Dallas (age 47)
1983: Mike Rozier (Nebraska) - Stay-at-home dad living in Sicklerville, NJ (age 48)
1990: Ty Detmer (BYU) – Works with Chris Weinke (Florida State, 2000, age 37) - for Triton Financial investment firm in Austin, TX (age 41)
1993: Charlie Ward (Florida State) – Head football coach for Westbury Christian H.S. in Houston, TX (age 38)
1994: Rashaan Salaam (Colorado) - Promotes martial arts fights in China and resides in San Diego, CA (age 34)
1995: Eddie George (Ohio State) – Retired in 2004, getting MBA from Northwestern Business School and set to graduate in December (age 35)
1996: Danny Wuerffel (Florida) - Works for Hope Street Ministries in New Orleans, LA (age 35)
2001: Eric Crouch (Nebraska) - Owns playground equipment business called "Crouch Recreation" in Nebraska (age 30)
2003: Jason White (Oklahoma) – Owns memorabilia stores in Norman and Oklahoma City (age 29)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
2010 College Pick 'Em Contests
Join DXP with KU blog Oread Boom Kings and MU blog Mizzourah in our yearly college pick 'em contests.
The ESPN group is little more amateurish and you just pick games straight up on confidence points. The Yahoo group will be picked on point spreads with confidence points so the difficulty and excitement is twofold.
And when you sign up, make sure to put either a NU, KU, or MU next to your team name so you can be identified for better or for worse. In fact, it doesn't matter what school you are from, just identify yourself.
Here's the ESPN link:
Group Name: Big 12 North
Group Password: big12champs
Here's the Yahoo link:
Group ID #: 7272
Group Password: big12champs
We might be having a few more guests join in on the fun, but I wanted to let you get a jump start on the sign-up. Also, it's a good idea to have both groups send you a reminder on Friday to make your picks so you don't forget a week. There will be a message board at Yahoo so feel free to voice your enthusiasm or disgust as needed.
The ESPN group is little more amateurish and you just pick games straight up on confidence points. The Yahoo group will be picked on point spreads with confidence points so the difficulty and excitement is twofold.
And when you sign up, make sure to put either a NU, KU, or MU next to your team name so you can be identified for better or for worse. In fact, it doesn't matter what school you are from, just identify yourself.
Here's the ESPN link:
Group Name: Big 12 North
Group Password: big12champs
Here's the Yahoo link:
Group ID #: 7272
Group Password: big12champs
We might be having a few more guests join in on the fun, but I wanted to let you get a jump start on the sign-up. Also, it's a good idea to have both groups send you a reminder on Friday to make your picks so you don't forget a week. There will be a message board at Yahoo so feel free to voice your enthusiasm or disgust as needed.
Alamo Bowl Likely To Begin The Domino Effect
I have a feeling this is going to be the first piece to fall in what could be a moderately sized bowl shake-up by the time the 2010 season begins.Bud Withers of the Seattle Times first reported this story and Ted Miller from ESPN is now claiming that the Pac-10 is extremely close to signing off on a contract that will send the Pac-10's #2 team to the Alamo Bowl to likely face the Big 12's #3.
Withers is also claiming that the Insight Bowl is going to make a bid for the #4 Big 12 team. That would mean that if the Holiday Bowl were to keep it's Pac-10 and Big 12 tie-ins, then it would be likely left with the #3 Pac-10 vs. the #5 Big 12 - a definite downgrade.
This all started with the Alamo offering $3 million to the Pac-10 - a figure that the Holiday won't match. The contract between the Holiday and Pac-10 ends after this bowl season and I am sure that the Holiday Bowl and the city of San Diego will likely shop around before they reach any agreement.
Without the Alamo Bowl, it's anyone's guess as to where the Big 10's #4 will land, but a great option could be to simply send them over to the Houston Bowl or even to San Diego if the Holiday Bowl feels like getting a little nasty. Don't feel sorry for the Big 10 as I think there will be several viable options as they have a coveted television audience.
I, for one, am ready for anything that begins to resemble a bowl overhaul. It sure seems like that we are seeing the same match-ups again and again.
Kody Spano Tears ACL; Cody Green Next In Line?
Bo Pelini has confirmed that Kody Spano has torn his ACL for the second time on Wednesday in non-contact drills. After the first injury last spring, Spano made an incredible 4 month return just in time for the end of summer workouts.
Said Pelini:
Now the million dollar question becomes who is going to be the #2 man behind Lee and ready to lead this offense at the drop of a hat.
This following is what Bo Pelini told OU Insider's Peter Irwin at Big 12 Media Days on July 27th when asked, "Bo, can you tell us where your quarterback situation is right now and tell us a little bit about Zac Lee."
(and right after he elaborated on Lee and Spano, this is what he said...)
However, Cody Green must get his chance now.
If you remember last season, Terrelle Pryor took the starting Qb job from the veteran and accomplished Todd Boeckmann in a little less than a month into the season and he didn't arrive on campus until August. I'm by no means saying Green is the same caliber as Pryor. However, if Pryor was ready to lead Ohio State to the Fiesta Bowl, then I firmly believe Cody Green can be ready to lead Nebraska against the Big 12 North if needed.
For the coaches to pass up on a very highly touted quarterback in favor of a converted linebacker would shock me, especially when Green has been on campus since last January and has as much experience as Washington with this offense. We must assume from what the coaches are saying that Cody Green is the player they thought they had when they recruited him. Barring any setbacks due to injury, this roster spot has to go to Green, doesn't it?
Said Pelini:
"We'll be OK. Those guys are all coming along. We wish Kody was still with us, but he's not. It's part of the deal. I'm not worried about us. I'm worried about him. He worked his tail to come back. I feel bad for the kid. Kody's a strong kid and he understands. He's been around football his whole life, these things happen. You persevere and you move on."Although losing Spano will put a dent in the depth chart, his loss isn't a deal breaker for the 2009 season by any stretch of the imagination - unless Lee gets hurt!
"We have obviously Cody Green and Latravis Washington and we have Taylor Martinez and we brought Ron Kellogg back in," Pelini said of his back-up QB situation. "We'll be ok, those guys are all coming along.
Now the million dollar question becomes who is going to be the #2 man behind Lee and ready to lead this offense at the drop of a hat.
This following is what Bo Pelini told OU Insider's Peter Irwin at Big 12 Media Days on July 27th when asked, "Bo, can you tell us where your quarterback situation is right now and tell us a little bit about Zac Lee."(and right after he elaborated on Lee and Spano, this is what he said...)
"We have a true freshman in Cody Green, who's fairly limited. He had kind of a freak injury during the spring, before spring ball started. Nothing real serious, but it kind of limited him a little bit during spring ball. He's very talented. We're excited about his future in the program and what he can bring.We all know that it's not going to matter who takes the first snap on September 5th - the bottom line is the cumulative career pass attempts for the entire group of quarterbacks is 2. Everyone's a rookie at quarterback on this projected Big 12 North Championship team.Just see how fast he can develop and see how quickly we'd see him on the field.
And then a young man we moved back from linebacker last year because of injuries at quarterback, who really surprised us all with some of the things he brought to the table at quarterback in Latravis Washington. We feel real good about the quarterback position, and I know there's enough talent there to get it all done. "
However, Cody Green must get his chance now.
If you remember last season, Terrelle Pryor took the starting Qb job from the veteran and accomplished Todd Boeckmann in a little less than a month into the season and he didn't arrive on campus until August. I'm by no means saying Green is the same caliber as Pryor. However, if Pryor was ready to lead Ohio State to the Fiesta Bowl, then I firmly believe Cody Green can be ready to lead Nebraska against the Big 12 North if needed.
For the coaches to pass up on a very highly touted quarterback in favor of a converted linebacker would shock me, especially when Green has been on campus since last January and has as much experience as Washington with this offense. We must assume from what the coaches are saying that Cody Green is the player they thought they had when they recruited him. Barring any setbacks due to injury, this roster spot has to go to Green, doesn't it?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Lawrence Phillips: Same Song, Different Verse
Not to take anything away from fall camp today, but let's hope that the saga that never seems to end finally does end - for awhile anyways.On Tuesday, Lawrence Phillips was convicted of assault and other felony charges - a total of 7 counts to be exact. Those charges include assault with great bodily injury, corporal injury on a spouse or roommate, false imprisonment, making criminal threats and auto theft.
Phillips is currently serving a 10 year prison sentence for hitting three teenagers with his girlfriend's car during a pick-up football game in L.A. He was sentenced for that crime in October of 2008.
So what will he be facing when he returns to court on September 8th? Only an additional 25 years which means that the California penal system could serve as Phillips' temporary home until the year 2043. In other words, he will be out for the 50-year reunion of the 1995 National Championship team.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Virginia Tech's National Championship Run Takes A Giant Blow As RB Darren Evans Tears ACL
Being truthfully honest, I feel bad for this kid and for Virginia Tech.
The school announced today that So. RB Darren Evans tore his ACL and will miss the entire 2009 season. Evans was the Orange Bowl MVP and tallied 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns on his way to becoming a Freshman All-American.
Many of the pundits have predicted Va. Tech as a legitimate title contender with 16 starters returning. In fact, Andre Ware from ESPN had the Hokies at 11-1 this season while others have them running the table in the ACC on the way to the Rose Bowl.
Va. Tech has basically two options to go to now and neither has ever taken a collegiate snap - 4-star Redshirt-FR. Ryan Williams and 4-star True-Fr. David Wilson. The only running back on the roster with experience that could play is Josh Oglesby, who has 88 career rushing yards on 38 attempts. However, Heather Dinich at ESPN reported that Williams and Wilson were taking snaps with the first unit at the end of practice today.
Qb Tyrod Taylor now will have to shoulder almost the entire offensive load vs. Alabama on September 5th. Good luck with that.
And keeping on today's theme, the line in Las Vegas for the Virginia Tech and Alabama game is now off the board at BetUs.
The school announced today that So. RB Darren Evans tore his ACL and will miss the entire 2009 season. Evans was the Orange Bowl MVP and tallied 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns on his way to becoming a Freshman All-American.
Many of the pundits have predicted Va. Tech as a legitimate title contender with 16 starters returning. In fact, Andre Ware from ESPN had the Hokies at 11-1 this season while others have them running the table in the ACC on the way to the Rose Bowl.Va. Tech has basically two options to go to now and neither has ever taken a collegiate snap - 4-star Redshirt-FR. Ryan Williams and 4-star True-Fr. David Wilson. The only running back on the roster with experience that could play is Josh Oglesby, who has 88 career rushing yards on 38 attempts. However, Heather Dinich at ESPN reported that Williams and Wilson were taking snaps with the first unit at the end of practice today.
Qb Tyrod Taylor now will have to shoulder almost the entire offensive load vs. Alabama on September 5th. Good luck with that.
And keeping on today's theme, the line in Las Vegas for the Virginia Tech and Alabama game is now off the board at BetUs.
The 2009 Week 1 College Football Lines & Some Housekeeping
Football season has officially arrived.
Several sportsbooks have released their opening lines for the first weekend. Click here for the complete listings. Here are some of the games that might be of interest to you:
Thursday, September 3rd
7:00 PM ET
(127) South Carolina
(128) North Carolina State -3 (44)
10:15 PM ET
(131) Oregon
(132) Boise State -6.5 (60.5)
Saturday, September 5th
3:30 PM ET
(165) Baylor
(166) Wake Forest -2 (53)
3:30 PM ET
(155) Georgia
(156) Oklahoma State -6.5 (62.5)
3:30 PM ET
(153) Nevada
(154) Notre Dame -16 (57.5)
3:30 PM ET
(161) Missouri
(162) Illinois -7 (60)
7:00 PM ET
(197) Florida Atlantic
(198) Nebraska -22 (60)
7:00 PM ET
(159) Brigham Young
(160) Oklahoma -21 (68)
7:00 PM ET
(179) New Mexico
(180) Texas A&M -14 (56)
7:00 PM ET
(201) UL Monroe
(202) Texas -40 (62.5)
8:00 PM ET
(181) Virginia Tech
(182) Alabama -3.5 (37)
9:00 PM ET
(185) Buffalo
(186) Texas El Paso -7.5 (60)
Sunday, September 6th
7:00 PM ET
(207) Colorado State
(208) Colorado -13 (54)
Monday, September 7th
4:00 PM ET
(209) Cincinnati
(210) Rutgers -7 (50.5)
8:00 PM ET
(211) Miami
(212) Florida State -4 (48.5)
Key items of note:
Secondly, we will be doing a few pick 'em leagues again. I'll have all the information here when it becomes available and we hope to get several other Big 12 blogs to join in again. If you recall, there has been some real domination going on over the past year from the regular season and the bowl season leagues from the Husker side. I'm not about to begin to think that's going to change anytime soon.
And finally, some important news to get to. It appears that we are almost ready - not quite - to make a move here. It won't be much of a change, but we are going to be getting rid of the 'blogspot' at the end of our URL and become simply www.doubleextrapoint.com. It's not a radical change, but the appearance will receive an upgrade as well as some new features that I hope you'll enjoy. When the time comes near, I'll be sure to let you in on some information as well as ask for your input on a few things.
In the meantime, sit tight and enjoy yourself. Football is almost here.
Several sportsbooks have released their opening lines for the first weekend. Click here for the complete listings. Here are some of the games that might be of interest to you:
Thursday, September 3rd
7:00 PM ET
(127) South Carolina
(128) North Carolina State -3 (44)
10:15 PM ET
(131) Oregon
(132) Boise State -6.5 (60.5)
Saturday, September 5th
3:30 PM ET
(165) Baylor
(166) Wake Forest -2 (53)
3:30 PM ET
(155) Georgia
(156) Oklahoma State -6.5 (62.5)
3:30 PM ET
(153) Nevada
(154) Notre Dame -16 (57.5)
3:30 PM ET
(161) Missouri
(162) Illinois -7 (60)
7:00 PM ET
(197) Florida Atlantic
(198) Nebraska -22 (60)
7:00 PM ET
(159) Brigham Young
(160) Oklahoma -21 (68)
7:00 PM ET
(179) New Mexico
(180) Texas A&M -14 (56)
7:00 PM ET
(201) UL Monroe
(202) Texas -40 (62.5)
8:00 PM ET
(181) Virginia Tech
(182) Alabama -3.5 (37)
9:00 PM ET
(185) Buffalo
(186) Texas El Paso -7.5 (60)
Sunday, September 6th
7:00 PM ET
(207) Colorado State
(208) Colorado -13 (54)
Monday, September 7th
4:00 PM ET
(209) Cincinnati
(210) Rutgers -7 (50.5)
8:00 PM ET
(211) Miami
(212) Florida State -4 (48.5)
Key items of note:
- Iowa State plays North Dakota State, Kansas plays Northern Colorado, and Kansas State plays UMass so good luck getting a line. Not exactly scheduling competition, aye?
- Keep an eye on UTEP at home vs. Buffalo. Kansas travels to UTEP to face Qb Trevor Vittatoe in week 2.
- The Missouri/Illinois line has shot up to 7 from 3 for Illinois. Too many question marks in the secondary to handle Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn?
- The Oklahoma State/Georgia line has also moved up - from 3 to 6.5 for OSU. New Georgia Qb Joe Cox better bring his 'A' game for the Bulldogs to have a chance.
- Baylor/Wake Forest is a huge measuring stick for the young Bears and Robert Griffin. WFU returns 9 starters on offense including Qb Riley Skinner. 2 points seems low.
- No doubt all Husker eyes will be watching Alabama/Virginia Tech on Saturday night. It's also going to be a terrible game to wager on. Save your money for Rutgers on Monday night.
Secondly, we will be doing a few pick 'em leagues again. I'll have all the information here when it becomes available and we hope to get several other Big 12 blogs to join in again. If you recall, there has been some real domination going on over the past year from the regular season and the bowl season leagues from the Husker side. I'm not about to begin to think that's going to change anytime soon.
And finally, some important news to get to. It appears that we are almost ready - not quite - to make a move here. It won't be much of a change, but we are going to be getting rid of the 'blogspot' at the end of our URL and become simply www.doubleextrapoint.com. It's not a radical change, but the appearance will receive an upgrade as well as some new features that I hope you'll enjoy. When the time comes near, I'll be sure to let you in on some information as well as ask for your input on a few things.
In the meantime, sit tight and enjoy yourself. Football is almost here.
Gambling Futures Related To The Polls & Conferences
RJ Bell, CEO of Pregame.com and someone who might be affiliating DXP, recently pointed out some interesting things regarding the college football preseason odds.As RJ said: "Las Vegas odds, properly analyzed, tell us what the betting experts really think. With the recent release of the USA Today College Football Poll, now is an interesting time to consider what the lone experts backing their opinions with millions of dollars really think."
I agree. So let's look at what he found. Here is the complete list of futures to win the BCS National Championship. Note that RJ's numbers were taken from a composite of the various sportsbooks and 'adjusted' to take away the commission charged by the sports book.
For starters, these five teams below have a combined 50% chance of winning the National Championship:
- Florida: 5 to 1
- USC: 13 to 1
- Texas: 14 to 1
- Oklahoma: 14 to 1
- Ohio State: 19 to 1
Secondly, of the teams that did hit the board to win the National Championship (any team not in the "field"), here are the breakdowns by conference:
- SEC: 25% (9 teams)
- Big 12: 20% (10 teams)
- Big 10: 19% (7 teams)
- Pac 10: 15% (8 teams)
- ACC: 14% (11 teams)
- Big East: 8% (6 teams)
At the time he did the article on Sunday, Ole Miss (ranked #10 in the coaches' poll) and TCU (ranked #17) weren't even in the top 54 according to the oddsmakers. Miami, FL., not ranked in the preseason poll, had the 15th highest odds on the board. Non-BCS schools also failed to make a strong showing. Boise State (ranked #16) had the 13th highest odds while Utah (ranked #18) was next with the 5oth highest odds.
ESPN's 2009 Preseason Power Rankings
ESPN's weekly College Football Power Rankings is comprised of 15 reporters/bloggers from the world wide leader that hardly rivals the CBS Sports' Blog Poll. However, ESPN did release their preseason poll yesterday with Nebraska in at #19 so it now becomes newsworthy. For the entire poll, click here.
Said ESPN:
Interestingly, Pat Forde and Rece Davis were the lone two of the 15 that didn't rank Nebraska at all. Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com senior writer and a closet Husker fanatic, voted the Huskers at #12.
Said ESPN:
 | 19 | Nebraska | 0-0 | 85 | Joe Ganz is gone, and the Huskers give the QB keys to Zac Lee in '09. He's thrown only two passes at Nebraska, but the running game, anchored by a solid offensive line, should help with the transition. |
Interestingly, Pat Forde and Rece Davis were the lone two of the 15 that didn't rank Nebraska at all. Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com senior writer and a closet Husker fanatic, voted the Huskers at #12.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Turnover Margin: Why Nebraska Should Be Even More Successful In 2009
Several factors probably went into why many have picked Nebraska to finish 1st in the Big 12 North. The resurgence of the running game with Roy Helu and Quentin Castille behind a strong offensive line is certainly up there as well as a dominating defensive line loaded with NFL talent that will demand double teams from suspect offensive lines. However, one of the biggest reasons why I think Nebraska will be all alone at the top of the division is in the title of this post and is often overlooked. I've mentioned this several times previously and I promised I'd elaborate.
Offensively in 2008, Nebraska ranked 93rd in turnovers lost with 28. The Huskers were 42nd in interceptions thrown with 11 and 110th in fumbles lost with 17. Horrid.
Defensively in 2008, Nebraska ranked 97th in turnovers gained with 17. The Huskers were 59th in passes intercepted with 12 and 111th in fumbles recovered with 5. More horrid.
Group the two units together and Nebraska was 107th in turnover margin with -11.
Why is this important for 2009 you ask? Well, let's throw these numbers into one of Phil Steele's magnificent probability equations from the Orlando Sentinel and his 2009 College Preview magazine to see what we come up with.
Basically, here's the gist of it. Teams that have a positive double-digit turnover ratio the previous year rarely improve their record the following year and teams that have a negative double-digit turnover ratio (i.e. Nebraska -11) typically improve their record the following year.
Here are the numbers:
Compare the 2007 and 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers. In 2007, Nebraska had a -17 turnover ratio. And as bad as it sounds, Nebraska's 'improvement' in 2008 to a -11 turnover ratio (+6) helped them to go from a 5-7 record to a 9-4 record.
In fact, when Phil Steele took the 13 worst teams in turnover ratio in 2007 and followed them through the 2008 season, he found that 9 of the teams improved their record and 1 had the same record. Some of those teams include Nebraska, Ole Miss, Minnesota, and Northern Illinois - all teams with a losing record in 2007 that went to a bowl game in 2008.
There are many examples from year to year with all of the results consistent. The bottom line is that turnover margin matters and matters a great deal.
And since we are on the topic, let's take a look at the Huskers' opponents this season and what their turnover ratios were in 2008:
Oklahoma +23
Baylor +16
Virginia Tech +14
Arkansas State +9
Texas Tech +8
Iowa State +4
Kansas +3
Missouri -4
Louisiana-Lafayette -5
Kansas State -7
Colorado -7
Florida Atlantic -9
Nebraska -11
As Phil Steele points out from the Orlando Sentinel link above: "Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule but think about a team like USC, Florida or Ohio St. This decade USC has a record of 93-22 or 80% wins. Ohio St has a record of 91-23 (79.8%) this decade and Florida has a record of 87-29 (75%) in that span. Think of how often USC, Florida or Ohio St loses and that is how often the system does not work!"
The same could also hold true for teams like Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. But, how about teams like Baylor, Texas Tech, and Arkansas State? Not so much.
If you look up and down the Husker roster for 2009, it's almost impossible to imagine the turnover margin getting worse. It's almost certain that it won't be. What's going to have an obvious positive effect this season will be the talent and experience at running back, the offensive line, the defensive line, and the secondary. Less fumbles lost, more fumbles gained, and more passes intercepted for the defense are what's going to come of that. What could have a negative effect is obviously Zac Lee and the youth at wide receiver. More interceptions is definitely not out of the realm of possibility.
However, the greatest effect will be the fact that the coaches are in their second year and the system is in place. Make no mistake that Nebraska is light years ahead of any team in the Big 12 North defensively, which is because Bo Pelini is in a class by himself when it comes to coaching defense. It took Pelini one season to make this group the 2nd best in total defense in the Big 12. Nebraska finished second with 349 yards/game and Texas finished first with 343 yards/game.
Defense wins championships. It's that simple.
Before the championship game vs. Oklahoma last season, the Gator defense ranked 8th in total defense, 4th in scoring defense, and 2nd in pass efficiency defense. More importantly and to get back to the theme of this post, Florida was 3rd in turnovers gained with 35 and was 4th in turnovers lost with 13. That's good for 2nd best in turnover margin in 2008 and a National Championship.
Improving on the -11 turnover margin in 2009 should result in at least another Big 12 North Championship for Nebraska. The numbers certainly support it.
Offensively in 2008, Nebraska ranked 93rd in turnovers lost with 28. The Huskers were 42nd in interceptions thrown with 11 and 110th in fumbles lost with 17. Horrid.Defensively in 2008, Nebraska ranked 97th in turnovers gained with 17. The Huskers were 59th in passes intercepted with 12 and 111th in fumbles recovered with 5. More horrid.
Group the two units together and Nebraska was 107th in turnover margin with -11.
Why is this important for 2009 you ask? Well, let's throw these numbers into one of Phil Steele's magnificent probability equations from the Orlando Sentinel and his 2009 College Preview magazine to see what we come up with.
Basically, here's the gist of it. Teams that have a positive double-digit turnover ratio the previous year rarely improve their record the following year and teams that have a negative double-digit turnover ratio (i.e. Nebraska -11) typically improve their record the following year.
Here are the numbers:
- Since 1996, of the 235 teams that had a positive double-digit turnover ratio, only 54 of those teams improved their record the following year. That's only 23%.
- And in that same time, of the 191 teams that had a negative double-digit turnover ratio, 130 of them had a better record the following year. That's 68%. In fact, if you want to count teams that had the exact same record or better the following year, that number shoots up to 80%.
Compare the 2007 and 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers. In 2007, Nebraska had a -17 turnover ratio. And as bad as it sounds, Nebraska's 'improvement' in 2008 to a -11 turnover ratio (+6) helped them to go from a 5-7 record to a 9-4 record.
In fact, when Phil Steele took the 13 worst teams in turnover ratio in 2007 and followed them through the 2008 season, he found that 9 of the teams improved their record and 1 had the same record. Some of those teams include Nebraska, Ole Miss, Minnesota, and Northern Illinois - all teams with a losing record in 2007 that went to a bowl game in 2008.
There are many examples from year to year with all of the results consistent. The bottom line is that turnover margin matters and matters a great deal.
And since we are on the topic, let's take a look at the Huskers' opponents this season and what their turnover ratios were in 2008:
Oklahoma +23
Baylor +16
Virginia Tech +14
Arkansas State +9
Texas Tech +8
Iowa State +4
Kansas +3
Missouri -4
Louisiana-Lafayette -5
Kansas State -7
Colorado -7
Florida Atlantic -9
Nebraska -11
As Phil Steele points out from the Orlando Sentinel link above: "Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule but think about a team like USC, Florida or Ohio St. This decade USC has a record of 93-22 or 80% wins. Ohio St has a record of 91-23 (79.8%) this decade and Florida has a record of 87-29 (75%) in that span. Think of how often USC, Florida or Ohio St loses and that is how often the system does not work!"
The same could also hold true for teams like Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. But, how about teams like Baylor, Texas Tech, and Arkansas State? Not so much.
If you look up and down the Husker roster for 2009, it's almost impossible to imagine the turnover margin getting worse. It's almost certain that it won't be. What's going to have an obvious positive effect this season will be the talent and experience at running back, the offensive line, the defensive line, and the secondary. Less fumbles lost, more fumbles gained, and more passes intercepted for the defense are what's going to come of that. What could have a negative effect is obviously Zac Lee and the youth at wide receiver. More interceptions is definitely not out of the realm of possibility.
However, the greatest effect will be the fact that the coaches are in their second year and the system is in place. Make no mistake that Nebraska is light years ahead of any team in the Big 12 North defensively, which is because Bo Pelini is in a class by himself when it comes to coaching defense. It took Pelini one season to make this group the 2nd best in total defense in the Big 12. Nebraska finished second with 349 yards/game and Texas finished first with 343 yards/game.
Defense wins championships. It's that simple.Before the championship game vs. Oklahoma last season, the Gator defense ranked 8th in total defense, 4th in scoring defense, and 2nd in pass efficiency defense. More importantly and to get back to the theme of this post, Florida was 3rd in turnovers gained with 35 and was 4th in turnovers lost with 13. That's good for 2nd best in turnover margin in 2008 and a National Championship.
Improving on the -11 turnover margin in 2009 should result in at least another Big 12 North Championship for Nebraska. The numbers certainly support it.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Football Schedule Generators
Just a few quick ideas for some handy television and schedule guides that you can print off or download to your computer. Both will be updated throughout the season as new information becomes available.
First, Matt Sarz from mattsarzsports.com does a broadcast schedule from week to week and conference to conference. It's a great guide to utilize on a week to week basis throughout the fall and to take to the sports bar with you so you don't spend half of the day watching your waitress try to find your game on satellite. Check it out here.
Another great site for links to schedules, television listings, lines, previews, and polls is LSUFootball.net. You'll definitely want to bookmark it or just use the link "LSU Football" on the sidebar here for easy access.
The best schedule generator out there comes from Strangest Brew. There you can select any team, any conference, or a giant conglomeration of teams that only you care about and create a season schedule complete with helmets, television listings, and times. From there, just print off and hang in your office or at home. Trust me, that C+ paper hanging on your refrigerator needs to come down to make room for this thing. It's great. Check it out here.
Finally, on a side note, I've recently started following about 25 Division 1 coaches on DXP's Twitter account. Interesting stuff. It shouldn't come as a surprise that by far the most entertaining one out there is Pete Carroll. You're sure to get everything from new music, inspirational video links that he shows to the team, and of course shout-outs to all of his coaching friends around college football.
Said Peter Carroll to new Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian yesterday: @coachsark hey sark, good luck getting started with camp. i'd send a message to kiff but i think he got kicked off twitter already
First, Matt Sarz from mattsarzsports.com does a broadcast schedule from week to week and conference to conference. It's a great guide to utilize on a week to week basis throughout the fall and to take to the sports bar with you so you don't spend half of the day watching your waitress try to find your game on satellite. Check it out here.
Another great site for links to schedules, television listings, lines, previews, and polls is LSUFootball.net. You'll definitely want to bookmark it or just use the link "LSU Football" on the sidebar here for easy access.
The best schedule generator out there comes from Strangest Brew. There you can select any team, any conference, or a giant conglomeration of teams that only you care about and create a season schedule complete with helmets, television listings, and times. From there, just print off and hang in your office or at home. Trust me, that C+ paper hanging on your refrigerator needs to come down to make room for this thing. It's great. Check it out here.Finally, on a side note, I've recently started following about 25 Division 1 coaches on DXP's Twitter account. Interesting stuff. It shouldn't come as a surprise that by far the most entertaining one out there is Pete Carroll. You're sure to get everything from new music, inspirational video links that he shows to the team, and of course shout-outs to all of his coaching friends around college football.
Said Peter Carroll to new Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian yesterday: @coachsark hey sark, good luck getting started with camp. i'd send a message to kiff but i think he got kicked off twitter already
Friday, August 07, 2009
2009 USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll: Nebraska #22
USA Today has just released the 2009 preseason coaches' poll and to the surprise of no one, Florida was an almost unanimous choice at #1 with 53 of the 59 first place votes.
The Big 12 had just four teams in the Top 25: Texas @ #2, Oklahoma @ #3, Oklahoma State @ #11, and Nebraska @ #22. Receiving votes were Kansas @ #26, Texas Tech @ #28, Missouri @ #34, and Colorado tied @ #53.
Three very important games the first weekend:
**Statistic of the Day: Since November 2001, 63 of 65 BCS teams have beaten a Top 19 team. The only two who haven't? Duke and Nebraska.**
The Big 12 had just four teams in the Top 25: Texas @ #2, Oklahoma @ #3, Oklahoma State @ #11, and Nebraska @ #22. Receiving votes were Kansas @ #26, Texas Tech @ #28, Missouri @ #34, and Colorado tied @ #53.
Rank | Team (first-place votes) | 2008 record | Points | Final 2008 rank | |
| 1. | Florida (53) | 13-1 | 1,466 | 1 | |
| 2. | Texas (4) | 12-1 | 1,386 | 3 | |
| 3. | Oklahoma (1) | 12-2 | 1,358 | 5 | |
| 4. | 12-1 | 1,321 | 2 | ||
| 5. | 12-2 | 1,134 | 6 | ||
| 6. | 10-3 | 1,126 | 11 | ||
| 7. | 10-4 | 1,020 | 14 | ||
| 8. | 11-2 | 988 | 8 | ||
| 9. | 8-5 | 917 | NR | ||
| 10. | 9-4 | 889 | 15 | ||
| 11. | 9-4 | 861 | 18 | ||
| 12. | 9-4 | 711 | 25 | ||
| 13. | 10-3 | 707 | 10 | ||
| 14. | Oregon | 10-3 | 694 | 9 | |
| 15. | 9-4 | 559 | 22 | ||
| 16. | Boise State | 12-1 | 542 | 13 | |
| 17. | 11-2 | 461 | 7 | ||
| 18. | 13-0 | 404 | 4 | ||
| 19. | 9-4 | 371 | 23 | ||
| 20. | North Carolina | 8-5 | 293 | NR | |
| 21. | 9-4 | 257 | 20 | ||
| 22. | 9-4 | 236 | NR | ||
| 23. | Notre Dame | 7-6 | 194 | NR | |
| 24. | 10-3 | 178 | 21 | ||
| 25. | Oregon State | 9-4 | 165 | 19 | |
| Others receiving votes (with 2008 records) | |||||
| Kansas (8-5) 138; Michigan State (9-4) 136; Texas Tech (11-2) 114; Cincinnati (11-3) 90; Pittsburgh (9-4) 64; West Virginia (9-4) 55; Rutgers (8-5) 51; Miami (Fla.) (7-6) 46; Missouri (10-4) 44; Illinois (5-7) 38; Clemson (7-6) 30; South Carolina (7-6) 18; UCLA (4-8) 14; Auburn (5-7) 12; Nevada (7-6) 11; South Florida (8-5) 11; Kentucky (7-6) 9; North Carolina State (6-7) 7; Arkansas (5-7) 6; Wisconsin (7-6) 6; Northwestern (9-4) 5; Southern Mississippi (7-6) 4; Wake Forest (8-5) 4; Arizona (8-5) 3; Boston College (9-5) 3; Central Michigan (8-5) 3; East Carolina (9-5) 3; Colorado (5-7) 2; Maryland (8-5) 2; Navy (8-5) 2; Tennessee (5-7) 2; Houston (8-5) 1; Michigan (3-9) 1; Minnesota (7-6) 1; Troy (8-5) 1. | |||||
Three very important games the first weekend:
- #5 Alabama vs. # 7 Virginia Tech on September 5th in the Georgia Dome. Va. Tech wins that and Nebraska will get a crack at a Top 5 team on September 19th.
- #11 Oklahoma State vs. #13 Georgia on September 5th at home. The Cowboys not right outside of the Top 5 surprised me. They'll get their chance.
- #14 Oregon travels to #16 Boise State on Thursday, September 3rd.
**Statistic of the Day: Since November 2001, 63 of 65 BCS teams have beaten a Top 19 team. The only two who haven't? Duke and Nebraska.**
Two Reminders This Weekend
Fan Day will be Saturday from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Stadium. However, the afternoon practice session - Nebraska's first - will be closed to the public. That means that my personal umbrella assistant and I will not be blogging from practice.
Also, on an unrelated note, best wishes to Jeffie and Lauren who will be tying the knot this weekend down in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Dr. D was sent to cover the wedding TMZ style and should have exclusive photos and videoas soon as if he makes it back across the border.
Congratulations Jeffie Husker!!!
Also, on an unrelated note, best wishes to Jeffie and Lauren who will be tying the knot this weekend down in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Dr. D was sent to cover the wedding TMZ style and should have exclusive photos and video
Congratulations Jeffie Husker!!!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Joe Ganz Dating Melissa Midwest ?!?!?
First off, don't kid yourself. I know that you know who Melissa Midwest is so I'll leave the introduction out. However, feel free to double check who she is with the link below at home later. Secondly, it's not like I go visit Melissa Midwest's website once a week everyday so I wouldn't know this without help from one our readers, PJD.
Here's Melissa's July 28th post which I'll quote word for word:
If you're wondering about Ganz' NFL career, he just recently said that he was on a 'call list' for a few teams and the CFL was still an option. In other words, he's got time.
Move over for the second time, Sam Keller. Unless Melissa is blatantly lying and Casey Connelly has started her own 'adults only' website, then Joe Ganz has outdone you once again. NFL or not, it looks like it's paying to be a Husker quarterback these days.
God (and anyone who knows more) help me.
**Update: Many thanks to one of our readers - skerfan - for getting the scoop:
 |  |
"Wow the last 10 days have been really crazy for me and this update will work out perfect! It’s time for an all time favorite set so I used some of my favorite Husker Football pics. These are some of my crazy ones after some games and yes I was pretty drunk in most of them ha ha. It’s getting close to kick off just over a month and don’t tell, but I have been going on some dates with an ex husker quarterback. I won’t say his name but I bet you can figure it out. lol! I never been on a date with a quarterback but I guess it fits I was after all a cheerleader. Also don’t forget I am doing bachelor parties again.... "Since we don't have the proper sources or a paid subscription at this time to 100% confirm this, we're simply putting 2 & 2 together. You can read for yourself here - LINK NSFW OBVIOUSLY - second entry down on the right, next to the Husker gameday/topless/hot dog pictures.
If you're wondering about Ganz' NFL career, he just recently said that he was on a 'call list' for a few teams and the CFL was still an option. In other words, he's got time.
Move over for the second time, Sam Keller. Unless Melissa is blatantly lying and Casey Connelly has started her own 'adults only' website, then Joe Ganz has outdone you once again. NFL or not, it looks like it's paying to be a Husker quarterback these days.
God (and anyone who knows more) help me.
**Update: Many thanks to one of our readers - skerfan - for getting the scoop:
Ok here is the skinny on this story.
Joe was back in Lincoln recently for an autograph session. They went out on a couple of dates, but that is where the fairy tail ends. He has since flown back home and the two have gone separate ways.
Glad I could help!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Top 12 Upset Alerts in the Big 12 Non-Conference Schedule
I've been slowly chipping away at this post here and there so I could get it done before fall camp started and hysteria began. Finally.
After I completed the 'Big 12 Non-conference Preview' several months back, I wanted to focus a tad harder on some of the individual games that caught my eye. The list here has a few of the more intriguing non-conference games that in some cases might be easily forgotten about.
Below, you're going to find 12 non-conference games where the Big 12 team will (as of now) be favored in - there are no Big 12 underdogs in the list. Simply put, these are games the Big 12 Conference should win according to the experts in Las Vegas. And if I were the given Big 12 team in each of these games, I'd be paying close attention to these opponents as they'll all rightfully come in with upset on their minds.
The rankings are based on my chances of the upset happening with #1 being the highest.
Here are the only lines available at this time courtesy of everyone's favorite, the Golden Nugget. If there's a game in question, make sure to check out the lines first. I threw in the line for the games where applicable and something to help with the eyes as you read.
Enjoy.
** The Top 12 Big 12 Upset Alerts **
#12 - Oklahoma (-21) vs. BYU (Arlington) (9/5)
You're going to be mildly surprised to see Oklahoma make the list twice here, and I've got to give Oklahoma and Bob Stoops some credit as they certainly don't forget about scheduling coast to coast. The MWC is going to be a dogfight this season with BYU, TCU, and Utah, and many experts have BYU pegged as the team to beat in 2009. Returning are 3 All-MWC offensive players in QB Max Hall (3,957 yards, 35/14 TD/Int), bruising RB Harvey Unga (1,132 yards), and TE Dennis Pitta (1,083 yards, 6 TD's.) However, it's the other side of the ball that will be making the difference. With 8 starters returning on defense - including 7 of the front 8 - from last season, the Cougars think they'll be mightily improved in an area they've been notoriously soft in. Make no mistake that the BYU players and fans are excited and optimistic at a shot vs. the Sooners on a big stage in a neutral site. Of course, I'm by no means chalking up a BYU win, but I do think they have the tools to make this one close.
#11 - Houston @ Oklahoma State (9/12)
If there's ever been a classic letdown game, this is it. Oklahoma State will be one week removed from their showdown with Georgia. In last year's game, the Cougars were leading at halftime before giving up a total of 699 yards to Oklahoma State (L 37-56.) Houston QB Case Keenum has the potential to shatter the record books this season. Keenum, a dark horse Heisman candidate, threw for 5,020 yards (67%) and had a 44-11 TD/Int ratio in 2008. Last year's CUSA Frosh-POY RB Bryce Beall (1,247 yards, 6.3 avg.) and all of the top WR's from a year ago are back. And all although Houston did lose last year in Stillwater, these players have played here before which matters. Not once last season did the Cougars not gain at least 400 yards and it'll be interesting to see how far along the Cowboys' defense has come. It will be even more interesting to see how this team responds one week after Georgia leaves town.
More on Houston later.
#10 - Colorado State @ Colorado (-13) (9/5)
When looking at the 13 point spread, keep in mind that before last season the last 6 games between the schools have been decided by a combined 25 pts. This game is back in Boulder for the first time since 2005 and is one of the biggest non-conference rivalries outside of Missouri/Illinois. The Rams return 12 starters from their 7-6 team a year ago and must replace their starting QB and RB but will have 1st team All-MWC WR Rashaun Greer and 4 returning starter on the OL. CSU had a young defense that grew as the season went on last year - starring Fr. All-American Mychal Sisson at LB - and they have the potential to slow down what many think will be an explosive Colorado offense. Not likely.
#9 - Kansas @ UTEP (9/12)
I know I'm in the minority here, but something tells me 2009 has the potential to implode on the darlings of the Big 12 North early. Although I'm not calling for the upset here, I am saying I wouldn't be looking past Mike Price's Miners, especially down in west Texas. Back are 15 starters including QB Trevor Vittatoe, who had 3,274 yards and 33 Td's in his sophomore season and who Mike Price predicts will break the record books in El Paso. Potential All-CUSA WR's Kris Adams and Jeff Moturi along with 5 returning starters on the offensive line give this team more than a chance of blindsiding the Jayhawks. And if that doesn't concern you as a Kansas fan, then consider that the Jayhawks are 2-10 in the last 12 years in their 1st road game of the year.
More on Kansas later.
#8 - Iowa State @ Kent State (9/19)
It's hard to call this an upset alert when dealing with two schools like Kent State and Iowa State at the present time, but the Cyclones will come into this one favored and thus I need to deal with it. The Golden Flashes have 15 starters returning -as does Iowa State - that will be geared up for the Big 12 at home here. The Golden Flashes finished only 5-8 last season, but when they traveled to Ames and lost 28-48, they outgained the Cyclones 410-374 in total yards, had a 20-14 first down advantage, and had 6 turnovers. I think Paul Rhoads is going to have his hands full here on the road.
#7 - Colorado @ Toledo (Friday, 9/11)
I'm not exactly sure what the circumstances are involving moving a game from Saturday to Friday, but I can almost assure you that this isn't in Colorado's best interest. To go along with 16 returning starters, the Rockets return virtually their entire team by losing only 7 lettermen - 7! Back are QB Aaron Opelt and his 4,507 passing yards and So. RB Morgan Williams, who had 1,010 rushing yards including a 330 game vs. Miami all the while playing second string. If that doesn't sound the alarm, then think about this. The last two times the Rockets have played a Big 12 team at home: Kansas in 2006 - W 37-31 - and Iowa State in 2007 - W 36-35 (friday night.)
#6 - Kansas State @ Louisiana-Lafayette (9/12)
Whoever was scheduling the Wildcats for the 2009 season wasn't thinking clearly with this one. It's hard to make any sense at all from - #1 traveling to Lafayette in the first place and #2 then having to turnaround and head to UCLA the following week. What other BCS team would do that? You could argue that it's Louisiana-Lafayette. I'll argue that this is a Ragin' Cajuns' team that went 6-6 last season - including a 37-45 loss in Manhattan - and returns 16 starters including 9 on defense. I wouldn't give this game a chance in Manhattan, but down in the Bayou it's a different story. The young wildcat offense will have some growing up to do in a hurry with these two road games in September.
#5 - Southern Miss @ Kansas (9/26)
Clearly, Kansas will have the upper hand here in Lawrence as this is their last non-conference game before Big 12 play begins. The young, talented Golden Eagles were 2-6 last season before rolling off five wins (including a bowl win) to finish at 7-6. Back are 19 - yes, 19 - starters that have all had one year now under 2nd-year HC Larry Fedora and his spread offense. QB Austin Davis, who had 3218 passing yards and 23 TD/8 Int, potential All-American WR DeAndre Brown (6'6 with 1,117 receiving yards as a true-freshman), and Sr. RB Damon Fletcher (two-time 1st team All-CUSA) will form one of the more notable triple threats in college football this season. If you didn't read my Kansas preview, then know that the Jayhawks better find a defense that is better than last year's 447 yards/game to avoid this one. (Anyone from Nebraska remember when Southern Miss came to Lincoln in 2004?)
#4 - Oklahoma (-10) @ Miami, FL. (10/3)
10 pts. isn't much when you consider Oklahoma will come into this off a bye and Miami will have only week to prepare after a visit to Virginia Tech. However, this is Oklahoma and Miami. Back for the Hurricanes are 15 starters - 16 if you count QB Jacory Harris - including their top 2 RB's, top 4 WR's, top TE, and 3 O-lineman. Defensively, the Hurricanes have 7 of their top 10 tacklers back that will improve their overall defense that gave up only 317 yards/game last season. One other nugget of information you might want to consider is that Miami will have already played @ Florida State, Georgia Tech, and @ Virginia Tech before they get their crack at what could be the #1 team in the nation in Coral Gables. Circle it.
#3 - Georgia @ Oklahoma State (-3) (9/5)
The early line on this game is -3 for the Cowboys and with Georgia's recent success, that might come as a surprise to many outside the Big 12. We all know replacing QB Matthew Stafford with Joe Cox (5th year Sr.) and RB Knowshon Moreno with Caleb King is going to be a step down, but keep in mind the Bulldogs return their entire offensive line along WR's AJ Green and Michael Moore. Also helping the situation, the Bulldog defense returns 8 starters including two 1st-team All-SEC and one 2nd-team All-SEC players. And how is Mark Richt vs. ranked opponents on the road you ask? He's an unbelievable 10-2 in that category, he's 30-4 overall on the road, and he's never lost a season opener. Do not assume Oklahoma State will roll over the Bulldogs here. In fact, I'm already eyeing the moneyline.
#2 - Missouri (-5) @ Nevada (9/25 Fri.)
In last season's 69-17 drubbing of Nevada in Columbia, Gary Pinkel ran a fake field goal with the score 45-17 to make it 52-17. Nevada hasn't forgotten that. Besides dealing with the travel to Reno and playing at an elevation of 4600+ feet, the Tigers must find a way to contain QB Colin Kapernick, who was the WAC Player of the Year last season with a cool 2,800+ yards passing and 1130 yards rushing, and RB Vai Taua, who had 1521 yards last season as a rFR and was 1st team All-WAC. 14 returning starters who played in that game in Columbia last season, Friday night on ESPN, and a dark-horse Heisman candidate at QB spells major, major trouble for a young Tigers' team that lost 7 All-Big 12 players from their 2008 #98 ranked defense. We'll know much more about this Tiger defense after seeing what they can do with Illinois' QB Juice Williams and WR Arrelious Benn, which means you might want to bet this one now at +5 if you like Nevada.
#1 - Texas Tech @ Houston (9/26)
This game might not even be an upset by late September, but as of right now it is and it makes my #1. Texas Tech is in a bad, bad spot here. The Cougars will have two full weeks to prepare for the Red Raiders after their trip to Stillwater. More importantly, Texas Tech will only be one week removed from their oddly scheduled game @ Texas on September 17th. I have no doubt Mike Leach - the notorious cream puff - couldn't have anticipated the nightmare this one holds on the road. With only 11 starters back from last year's squad, Texas Tech isn't going to have much time to get things clicking to Leach's liking. I've already mentioned what the Cougars have back above and you cannot underestimate their desire for a win here with a home game vs. a BCS team from Texas. QB Case Keenum will have every opportunity in the world in the non-conference to showcase his talents, and if he can take advantage of it by the end of September, then he might emerge as one of the front-runners for the Heisman by the time he lights up CUSA.
After I completed the 'Big 12 Non-conference Preview' several months back, I wanted to focus a tad harder on some of the individual games that caught my eye. The list here has a few of the more intriguing non-conference games that in some cases might be easily forgotten about.
Below, you're going to find 12 non-conference games where the Big 12 team will (as of now) be favored in - there are no Big 12 underdogs in the list. Simply put, these are games the Big 12 Conference should win according to the experts in Las Vegas. And if I were the given Big 12 team in each of these games, I'd be paying close attention to these opponents as they'll all rightfully come in with upset on their minds.
The rankings are based on my chances of the upset happening with #1 being the highest.
Here are the only lines available at this time courtesy of everyone's favorite, the Golden Nugget. If there's a game in question, make sure to check out the lines first. I threw in the line for the games where applicable and something to help with the eyes as you read.
Enjoy.
** The Top 12 Big 12 Upset Alerts **
#12 - Oklahoma (-21) vs. BYU (Arlington) (9/5)
You're going to be mildly surprised to see Oklahoma make the list twice here, and I've got to give Oklahoma and Bob Stoops some credit as they certainly don't forget about scheduling coast to coast. The MWC is going to be a dogfight this season with BYU, TCU, and Utah, and many experts have BYU pegged as the team to beat in 2009. Returning are 3 All-MWC offensive players in QB Max Hall (3,957 yards, 35/14 TD/Int), bruising RB Harvey Unga (1,132 yards), and TE Dennis Pitta (1,083 yards, 6 TD's.) However, it's the other side of the ball that will be making the difference. With 8 starters returning on defense - including 7 of the front 8 - from last season, the Cougars think they'll be mightily improved in an area they've been notoriously soft in. Make no mistake that the BYU players and fans are excited and optimistic at a shot vs. the Sooners on a big stage in a neutral site. Of course, I'm by no means chalking up a BYU win, but I do think they have the tools to make this one close.#11 - Houston @ Oklahoma State (9/12)
If there's ever been a classic letdown game, this is it. Oklahoma State will be one week removed from their showdown with Georgia. In last year's game, the Cougars were leading at halftime before giving up a total of 699 yards to Oklahoma State (L 37-56.) Houston QB Case Keenum has the potential to shatter the record books this season. Keenum, a dark horse Heisman candidate, threw for 5,020 yards (67%) and had a 44-11 TD/Int ratio in 2008. Last year's CUSA Frosh-POY RB Bryce Beall (1,247 yards, 6.3 avg.) and all of the top WR's from a year ago are back. And all although Houston did lose last year in Stillwater, these players have played here before which matters. Not once last season did the Cougars not gain at least 400 yards and it'll be interesting to see how far along the Cowboys' defense has come. It will be even more interesting to see how this team responds one week after Georgia leaves town.More on Houston later.
#10 - Colorado State @ Colorado (-13) (9/5)
When looking at the 13 point spread, keep in mind that before last season the last 6 games between the schools have been decided by a combined 25 pts. This game is back in Boulder for the first time since 2005 and is one of the biggest non-conference rivalries outside of Missouri/Illinois. The Rams return 12 starters from their 7-6 team a year ago and must replace their starting QB and RB but will have 1st team All-MWC WR Rashaun Greer and 4 returning starter on the OL. CSU had a young defense that grew as the season went on last year - starring Fr. All-American Mychal Sisson at LB - and they have the potential to slow down what many think will be an explosive Colorado offense. Not likely.#9 - Kansas @ UTEP (9/12)
I know I'm in the minority here, but something tells me 2009 has the potential to implode on the darlings of the Big 12 North early. Although I'm not calling for the upset here, I am saying I wouldn't be looking past Mike Price's Miners, especially down in west Texas. Back are 15 starters including QB Trevor Vittatoe, who had 3,274 yards and 33 Td's in his sophomore season and who Mike Price predicts will break the record books in El Paso. Potential All-CUSA WR's Kris Adams and Jeff Moturi along with 5 returning starters on the offensive line give this team more than a chance of blindsiding the Jayhawks. And if that doesn't concern you as a Kansas fan, then consider that the Jayhawks are 2-10 in the last 12 years in their 1st road game of the year.More on Kansas later.
#8 - Iowa State @ Kent State (9/19)
It's hard to call this an upset alert when dealing with two schools like Kent State and Iowa State at the present time, but the Cyclones will come into this one favored and thus I need to deal with it. The Golden Flashes have 15 starters returning -as does Iowa State - that will be geared up for the Big 12 at home here. The Golden Flashes finished only 5-8 last season, but when they traveled to Ames and lost 28-48, they outgained the Cyclones 410-374 in total yards, had a 20-14 first down advantage, and had 6 turnovers. I think Paul Rhoads is going to have his hands full here on the road.#7 - Colorado @ Toledo (Friday, 9/11)
I'm not exactly sure what the circumstances are involving moving a game from Saturday to Friday, but I can almost assure you that this isn't in Colorado's best interest. To go along with 16 returning starters, the Rockets return virtually their entire team by losing only 7 lettermen - 7! Back are QB Aaron Opelt and his 4,507 passing yards and So. RB Morgan Williams, who had 1,010 rushing yards including a 330 game vs. Miami all the while playing second string. If that doesn't sound the alarm, then think about this. The last two times the Rockets have played a Big 12 team at home: Kansas in 2006 - W 37-31 - and Iowa State in 2007 - W 36-35 (friday night.)#6 - Kansas State @ Louisiana-Lafayette (9/12)
Whoever was scheduling the Wildcats for the 2009 season wasn't thinking clearly with this one. It's hard to make any sense at all from - #1 traveling to Lafayette in the first place and #2 then having to turnaround and head to UCLA the following week. What other BCS team would do that? You could argue that it's Louisiana-Lafayette. I'll argue that this is a Ragin' Cajuns' team that went 6-6 last season - including a 37-45 loss in Manhattan - and returns 16 starters including 9 on defense. I wouldn't give this game a chance in Manhattan, but down in the Bayou it's a different story. The young wildcat offense will have some growing up to do in a hurry with these two road games in September.#5 - Southern Miss @ Kansas (9/26)
Clearly, Kansas will have the upper hand here in Lawrence as this is their last non-conference game before Big 12 play begins. The young, talented Golden Eagles were 2-6 last season before rolling off five wins (including a bowl win) to finish at 7-6. Back are 19 - yes, 19 - starters that have all had one year now under 2nd-year HC Larry Fedora and his spread offense. QB Austin Davis, who had 3218 passing yards and 23 TD/8 Int, potential All-American WR DeAndre Brown (6'6 with 1,117 receiving yards as a true-freshman), and Sr. RB Damon Fletcher (two-time 1st team All-CUSA) will form one of the more notable triple threats in college football this season. If you didn't read my Kansas preview, then know that the Jayhawks better find a defense that is better than last year's 447 yards/game to avoid this one. (Anyone from Nebraska remember when Southern Miss came to Lincoln in 2004?)#4 - Oklahoma (-10) @ Miami, FL. (10/3)
10 pts. isn't much when you consider Oklahoma will come into this off a bye and Miami will have only week to prepare after a visit to Virginia Tech. However, this is Oklahoma and Miami. Back for the Hurricanes are 15 starters - 16 if you count QB Jacory Harris - including their top 2 RB's, top 4 WR's, top TE, and 3 O-lineman. Defensively, the Hurricanes have 7 of their top 10 tacklers back that will improve their overall defense that gave up only 317 yards/game last season. One other nugget of information you might want to consider is that Miami will have already played @ Florida State, Georgia Tech, and @ Virginia Tech before they get their crack at what could be the #1 team in the nation in Coral Gables. Circle it.#3 - Georgia @ Oklahoma State (-3) (9/5)
The early line on this game is -3 for the Cowboys and with Georgia's recent success, that might come as a surprise to many outside the Big 12. We all know replacing QB Matthew Stafford with Joe Cox (5th year Sr.) and RB Knowshon Moreno with Caleb King is going to be a step down, but keep in mind the Bulldogs return their entire offensive line along WR's AJ Green and Michael Moore. Also helping the situation, the Bulldog defense returns 8 starters including two 1st-team All-SEC and one 2nd-team All-SEC players. And how is Mark Richt vs. ranked opponents on the road you ask? He's an unbelievable 10-2 in that category, he's 30-4 overall on the road, and he's never lost a season opener. Do not assume Oklahoma State will roll over the Bulldogs here. In fact, I'm already eyeing the moneyline.#2 - Missouri (-5) @ Nevada (9/25 Fri.)
In last season's 69-17 drubbing of Nevada in Columbia, Gary Pinkel ran a fake field goal with the score 45-17 to make it 52-17. Nevada hasn't forgotten that. Besides dealing with the travel to Reno and playing at an elevation of 4600+ feet, the Tigers must find a way to contain QB Colin Kapernick, who was the WAC Player of the Year last season with a cool 2,800+ yards passing and 1130 yards rushing, and RB Vai Taua, who had 1521 yards last season as a rFR and was 1st team All-WAC. 14 returning starters who played in that game in Columbia last season, Friday night on ESPN, and a dark-horse Heisman candidate at QB spells major, major trouble for a young Tigers' team that lost 7 All-Big 12 players from their 2008 #98 ranked defense. We'll know much more about this Tiger defense after seeing what they can do with Illinois' QB Juice Williams and WR Arrelious Benn, which means you might want to bet this one now at +5 if you like Nevada.#1 - Texas Tech @ Houston (9/26)
This game might not even be an upset by late September, but as of right now it is and it makes my #1. Texas Tech is in a bad, bad spot here. The Cougars will have two full weeks to prepare for the Red Raiders after their trip to Stillwater. More importantly, Texas Tech will only be one week removed from their oddly scheduled game @ Texas on September 17th. I have no doubt Mike Leach - the notorious cream puff - couldn't have anticipated the nightmare this one holds on the road. With only 11 starters back from last year's squad, Texas Tech isn't going to have much time to get things clicking to Leach's liking. I've already mentioned what the Cougars have back above and you cannot underestimate their desire for a win here with a home game vs. a BCS team from Texas. QB Case Keenum will have every opportunity in the world in the non-conference to showcase his talents, and if he can take advantage of it by the end of September, then he might emerge as one of the front-runners for the Heisman by the time he lights up CUSA.
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