HOOVER, Ala. - The dominant Southeastern Conference is home to 12 of the most powerful programs in the United States and well as the keepers of college football's holy grail. Three teams from the league - Florida in 2006 and 2008, LSU in 2007 and Alabama last season - have combined to win the last four national championships in college football and six of the 12 championship games in which they have played. In some ways, it's not unlike the stranglehold the Big East has established over college basketball over the last 30 years. The SEC is going through what commissioner Mike Slive likes to refer to as a "Golden Age" in which the 2009 season culminated with the two top-ranked teams in the country - Alabama and Florida - playing each other for the SEC championship in Atlanta and the Tide going on to defeat Texas to win the BCS national championship. More than half of the first team All-American selections were from the SEC last season. In addition to Alabama's sophomore running … [Read more...] about College Football: In the SEC, the most pressure-packed conference in nation, losing is not an option
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News’ College Football Preview: Preseason Top 25 rankings
Remind us never to underestimate Florida coach Urban Meyer again, having watched him coach Utah to an unbeaten season in 2004 and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Pitt, and then lead the mighty Florida Gators to national championships in 2006 and 2008. This could be his best team ever, with at least eight players - QB Tim Tebow, C Maurkice Pouncey, TE Aaron Hernandez, WR/KR Brandon James, DE Carlos Dunlap, LB Brandon Spikes, CB Joe Haden and S Ahmad Black - who could make somebody's All-American team. Repeating is never easy, especially in the rugged SEC, but Meyer's players are excited about the possibilities. "Three national championships and a chance to rewrite history," Spikes said. "It would be a great thing, a chance to be remembered forever, go down in the books as one of the greatest teams ever."Here is the Daily News Preseason Top 25 (2008 records in parentheses):It may be hard to believe, but this Gators team could be better than last year's national champions. Florida, which won … [Read more...] about News’ College Football Preview: Preseason Top 25 rankings
Georgia Bulldogs top polls for college football pre-season rankings
It didn't take long for controversy to start swirling following Georgia's 41-10 destruction of Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The Bulldogs, with seven straight wins to end the season, finished 11-2 and were ranked second in final Associated Press poll. But that wasn't good enough for Georgia president Michael Adams, who felt the Dawgs - who didn't play eventual champion LSU during the regular season - deserved a shot to play for the national title. So he proposed the NCAA institute an eight-team playoff for Division I-A teams, and the concept generated some talk-show conversation but little action. The Dawgs will have a chance to rectify that perceived slight this year. They have the most complete team in the SEC - by far, the best conference in the country - and will start the year at No.1 in the polls. Interestingly, not everyone is convinced of the Dawgs' superiority. SEC writers who have caught Tim Tebow fever voted Georgia second in the conference's East … [Read more...] about Georgia Bulldogs top polls for college football pre-season rankings
Doyel: Notre Dame football punishes N.C. State, surges toward College Football Playoff conversation
SOUTH BEND – Notre Dame is rampaging now, stacking one ruthless victory on top of the next, the latest a 35-14 splattering of No. 15 North Carolina State on Saturday. Led by emerging Heisman Trophy candidate Josh Adams, the No. 10 Fighting Irish beat N.C. State like they beat USC before that, and UNC before that, and Boston College before that. They are winning resoundingly, even angrily.They are barreling down on the College Football Playoff.They are fulfilling prophecy.It was Irish linebacker Drue Tranquill who prophesied after Notre Dame’s 20-19 loss to Georgia on Sept. 9 that the Irish were going to “punish each and every opponent we play” from here on out.“I’m scared for other teams,” Tranquil said, audacious words that didn’t go viral for whatever reason, perhaps because they were spoken for the team’s in-house postgame show and broadcast only around Notre Dame Stadium, perhaps because the words sounded so hollow at the time. … [Read more...] about Doyel: Notre Dame football punishes N.C. State, surges toward College Football Playoff conversation
State college football roundup: Butler, Marian pick up easy wins
Saturday's college football action from around the state:>> BUTLER 44, MOREHEAD STATE 6: Duvante Lane scored three rushing touchdowns and carried the ball 14 times for 99 yards to lead Butler over Morehead State in Pioneer League play on Saturday.Despite the Bulldogs’ offensive output, it was Butler’s defense that established control early. Xavier Colvin’s sack of Lawson Page forced a fumble that Matt Hawkins recovered for Butler (3-3, 1-2) at the Eagles’ 35-yard line.Anthony Scaccia then ended a 6-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give Butler the lead. Later in the first, Scaccia added a second touchdown with a 19-yard run for a two-touchdown lead. The Bulldogs took a 24-0 lead into halftime.Butler ran for 253 yards on 44 carries and scored six touchdowns on the ground. Moorhead St. (2-4, 1-2) was stymied at the line of scrimmage rushing 21 times for 48 yards.Page threw for 135 yards and average just 5.6 yards per completion.>> NORTH DAKOTA … [Read more...] about State college football roundup: Butler, Marian pick up easy wins
State college football roundup: Butler, Franklin get wins
A roundup of college football action from around the state:>> BUTLER 37, CAMPBELL 23. Sam Schrader ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass on a trick play to lead Butler past Campbell.Schrader threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cord Collier when he took a pitch from Will Marty and rolled to his right before he stopped and threw to the left side of the field to Collier for a 10-0 Butler lead.After Darius Barnes’ 1-yard touchdown run brought Campbell to within 10-7, Schrader ran for a 21-yard score with 1:20 left before halftime.On Campbell’s ensuing drive, Josh Willis forced a fumble when he sacked Daniel Smith for an 11-yard loss that Butler’s Mason Brunner recovered. Drew Bevelheimer booted a 20-yard field goal as time expired in the second half for a 20-7 Butler lead.Schrader added a 9-yard TD run the fourth quarter for a 34-17 lead.Butler (5-3, 3-2 Pioneer Football League) held Campbell to 34 yards rushing. Smith threw for 321 … [Read more...] about State college football roundup: Butler, Franklin get wins
Bowl projections: Clemson, Ohio State join the College Football Playoff field
A weekend of surprises and dramatic wins among the contenders have changed the outlook for this year's College Football Playoff.Out are Penn State and TCU after losses tough road losses. In are Clemson and Ohio State, which join Alabama and Georgia in the projected field of four. The scenarios that could evolve in the final five weeks are endless. However, don't expect much change if the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide win out until the SEC title game and the Tigers and Buckeyes emerge unscathed in the ACC and Big Ten, respectively. HEISMAN WATCH: Oklahoma's Mayfield closes gap on Penn State's Barkley RE-RANK: Notre Dame, Ohio State jump into top five after big victories That leaves Notre Dame, Oklahoma or another one-loss Big 12 team and Washington all needing some help in the final weeks.For those keeping score, there are 39 bowls (78 totals spots) this season, not counting the College Football Playoff championship game. Among the 130 schools in the … [Read more...] about Bowl projections: Clemson, Ohio State join the College Football Playoff field
Bold predictions for Week 10 in college football
It's that time again. The USA TODAY Sports college football staff — Paul Myerberg, Lindsay Schnell, George Schroeder, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Dan Wolken — weigh in with their expertise and offer up some bold predictions ahead of Week 10 of the college football season: Eddie TimanusSince this is ‘fall back’ weekend and you’ll have an extra hour to recover Sunday morning, you owe it to yourself to stay up and catch this Saturday’s #Pac12AfterDark special featuring Arizona at Southern California.The Pac-12 is an extreme long shot now to send a team to the College Football Playoff. But the winner of this game takes charge of the South Division. Most of all, though, it should be loads of fun. The Trojans appear to have regained their offensive mojo with Ronald Jones II now healthy to lend ground support to Sam Darnold, and the Wildcats’ defense isn’t exactly a brick wall. But then neither is USC’s, … [Read more...] about Bold predictions for Week 10 in college football
First-year grades for every offseason coaching hire in college football
While 2017 is shaping up to be a monster year for movement in the college coaching ranks, 2016 was relatively tame. Only two elite programs went into the marketplace for new coaches, with Texas making the obvious hire of Tom Herman and LSU simply taking the interim tag off Ed Orgeron. Meanwhile, Bob Stoops’ surprise retirement in June didn’t cause much movement as the school simply moved Lincoln Riley from offensive coordinator. With a month left in the season, we have a pretty good idea of how effective each new coach has been in their first year, so it’s time to go ahead and give them grades. And it might be a surprise who leads the pack. Grade: A Butch Davis, Florida International: Though the amount of talent in South Florida should help any coach be competitive here, it’s still a tough job. And Davis, at age 65, is knocking it out of the park with the Panthers at 5-2. His predecessor, Ron Turner, won just 10 games total in 3 1/2 … [Read more...] about First-year grades for every offseason coaching hire in college football
Critical matchups that will decide biggest games in Week 10 in college football
The final month of the regular season brings high drama as teams are fighting for position in the College Football Playoff rankings and conference championships. When two teams are evenly matched, there's a small margin for error between winning and losing. The implications can be significant, however. Here's a look at five of this week's biggest showdowns and what will be the decisive factor in determining a winner (all times Eastern): Oklahoma State offensive line vs. Oklahoma defensive line TIME/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m., FS1 All of the attention in this game is going to the quarterbacks. And rightfully so. Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph are two of the players in the country. It's hard to see either defense slowing them down. The Sooners have an advantage with one of the nation's top offensive lines to protect Mayfield and give him a reliable running game. It's hard to imagine the Cowboys being able to slow them down. That's where their offensive line comes in. The … [Read more...] about Critical matchups that will decide biggest games in Week 10 in college football