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No. 17 LSU Tops Arkansas In Overtime, 33-30

2009-11-29T02:51:29Z

by Bill Haber - AP

about 9 hours ago: LSU running back Trindon Holliday, right, returns a punt around Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin (34) for a 87-yard touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Baton Rouge, LA (Sports Network) - Josh Jasper kicked his fourth field goal of the game from 36 yards out in overtime, as 17th-ranked LSU defeated Arkansas, 33-30, in another nail-biter between these SEC rivals.

Arkansas had its chance to respond in overtime, but Alex Tejada hung his kick of 36 yards out to the right to give LSU the thrilling win.

Terrible clock management in the waning seconds of last week's 25-23 loss to Ole Miss cost LSU its No. 10 ranking and a possible BCS bid. Les Miles' team didn't let that happen again, though, as the Tigers' two-minute offense went to work late in the fourth quarter for a second straight week.

With 1:18 to play, Jordan Jefferson moved the offense 43 yards to put the ball at the Arkansas 23 with nine seconds left for Jasper, who was true from 41 yards away to send the game to overtime.

Jefferson threw a pair of touchdown passes and completed 17-of-25 attempts for 179 yards. Brandon LaFell had four catches for 70 yards and a score, while Deangelo Peterson scored on his only catch of the day.

Trindon Holliday rushed nine times for 57 yards and took back a punt 87 yards for a touchdown for the Tigers (9-3, 5-3 SEC), who had lost two of their previous three games.

Ryan Mallett was 17-of-39 for 227 yards, one touchdown and one interception with Ronnie Wingo Jr. and Broderick Green both scoring rushing TDs.

Greg Childs was the recipient of five passes for 124 yards for Arkansas (7-5, 3-5), which was bidding for a fifth consecutive win.

Charlie's Last Hurrah? Stanford Tops Notre Dame In A Shootout, 45-38

2009-11-29T02:26:04Z

by Paul Sakuma - AP

about 9 hours ago: Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, right, scores against Notre Dame in the first quarter of their NCAA college football game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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Charlie Weis may be fired within the week, Jimmy Clausen got punched, his family sold their house, and he may be headed to the NFL, Bob Stoops may be headed to South Bend... Oh, and a football game!

Georgia Beats Georgia Tech At Their Own Game, Wins 30-24 In Rivalry Game

2009-11-29T01:32:22Z

by John Bazemore - AP

about 8 hours ago: Georgia's Washaun Ealey (24) struggles for extra yardage as Georgia Tech's Brad Jefferson is blocked by Georgia's Ben Jones (61) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday Nov. 28, 2009 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) s

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Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Washaun Ealey and Caleb King combined for 349 rushing yards, and the Georgia Bulldogs topped the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets, 30-24, in the annual "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" rivalry.

Ealey ran for 183 yards on 20 carries, while King had 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18 touches for Georgia (7-5), which has won eight of the last nine in this series. Joe Cox completed 8-of-14 passes for 76 yards and a score, and the Bulldogs defense held the second-ranked rushing offense in the country to only 205 yards on the ground.

The Bulldogs gave their opponents a taste of their own medicine, running for a total of 339 yards in the contest.

Josh Nesbitt threw for 135 yards and a touchdown on 6-of-12 efficiency for Georgia Tech (10-2), which had an eight-game winning streak snapped and will face Clemson next week in the ACC title game. Demaryius Thomas had five receptions for 127 yards and a score but dropped what seemed to be an easy catch on 4th-and-10 late in the game.

Jonathan Dwyer, who had run for more than 100 yards in each of his last four games, was held to just 33 yards on 14 attempts.

Mountain West: No. 19 BYU Triumphs In Overtime Over Utah, 26-23

2009-11-28T22:26:32Z

by George Frey - AP

about 1 month ago: BYU's Luke Ashworth hauls in a pass in a game against Utah State during an NCAA college football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/George Frey)

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The Cougars and Utes played hard-nosed, pushing, shoving, helmet-removing, facemask-snapping football. The winner, BYU, received something called the Beehive Boot. Goodness, that sounds uncomfortable.

Provo, UT (Sports Network) -Andrew George's 25-yard touchdown reception in overtime sent 18th-ranked BYU over 22nd-ranked Utah, 26-23.

The victory erased a subpar day from Max Hall, who completed only 12-of-32 passes for 134 yards and two scores for the Cougars (10-2, 7-1 MWC), who closed out the regular season with four straight victories.

Manase Tonga also recorded a TD catch, while Harvey Unga tallied 116 yards and a score on 23 carries.

Jordan Wynn was 21-of-41 passing for 198 yards and an interception for the Utes (9-3, 6-2), who dropped two of their final three games. Eddie Wide posted Utah's lone touchdown and 114 yards on 21 carries.

Joe Phillips began overtime with a 29-yard field goal which put Utah ahead, then Hall somehow found George all alone in the middle of the field, and he rumbled the rest of the way for the winning score.

A 39-yard field goal from Phillips gave Utah the game's first score, and Phillips was good again from 21 yards out for a 6-0 contest.

Mitch Payne was good from 28 and BYU got back within three early in the second, then Unga's two-yard TD pushed the Cougars in front 10-6.

Payne's 37-yard attempt was good with four seconds left in the half and the home team took that seven-point edge to intermission.

Hall's one-yard TD pass to Tonga pushed BYU ahead by 14 points early in the third quarter, and Utah didn't respond until Phillips connected on a 31-yard field goal seconds into the fourth.

The Utes managed to climb within three after Wide's one-yard touchdown run was followed by Wynn's conversion pass to David Reed for a 20-17 contest with 7:16 to play.

Phillips then hit from 40 yards out with 29 seconds left to deadlock the game, and BYU allowed the clock to run out on its following possession.

BYU has taken three of the last four meetings but Utah still leads the overall series, 53-34-4...The Utes outgained the Cougars 298-265.

Oklahoma Cooks No. 12 Oklahoma State In Panhandle, 27-0

2009-11-28T20:54:02Z

by Sue Ogrocki - AP

about 15 hours ago: Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles, left, takes a Landry Jones pass 47 yards as Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin, right, reaches out for the tackle in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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The unranked Sooners was hellbent on tipping the pan and spilling Oklahoma State's hopes all over the BCS kitchen floor.

If you're a Sooners fan who takes sadistic delight in your in-state rival's demise, head on over to Crimson and Cream Machine to jump in the conversation.

Norman, OK (Sports Network) - Ryan Broyles totaled over 300 all-purpose yards and returned a punt for a touchdown, as Oklahoma smothered 11th-ranked Oklahoma State, 27-0.

Broyles finished with 209 yards on punt returns, caught nine passes for 103 yards and had four yards on two carries.

Landry Jones completed 20-of-37 passes for 224 yards for the Sooners (7-5, 5-3 Big 12), who won two of their last three games to end a disappointing regular season.

Back under center after missing one game with a shoulder injury, Zac Robinson struggled for the Cowboys (9-3, 6-2), throwing for just 44 yards and one interception on 9-of-21 attempts.

- Via Sports Network.

Palmetto State Upset: South Carolina Knocks Out No. 18 Clemson, 34-17

2009-11-28T19:29:29Z

by Brett Flashnick - AP

14 days ago: South Carolina's Brian Maddox (10) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Moe Brown (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009, at Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)

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For more, check out SB Nation's Clemson blog, Shakin The Southland, and our South Carolina blog, Garnet And Black Attack.

Columbia, SC (Sports Network) - Kenny Miles ran for 114 yards and it was the ground game of South Carolina and a strong defensive effort against Clemson's C.J. Spiller that lifted the Gamecocks to a 34-17 victory over the 15th-ranked Tigers at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Stephen Garcia threw for just 126 yards in the victory and completed only 10- of-21 passes, but three of those completions went for touchdowns for the Gamecocks (7-5), who snapped a three-game losing streak and enhanced their bowl prospects.

Spiller returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, but Clemson didn't score again until the fourth quarter. The Heisman Trophy candidate finished with just 18 yards rushing on nine carries for the Tigers (8-4), who had a six-game winning streak stopped.

Clemson hadn't lost since a 24-21 setback at Maryland on October 3, but will play again next week in the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech.

The Gamecocks ran for 223 yards and held Clemson to just 48 on the ground.

Spiller had a short return on the opening kickoff, but South Carolina was offside and had to try it again. This time, Spiller found a seam along the left side and raced untouched to the end zone for a 7-0 Clemson lead.

That was it for the Clemson offense for awhile.

Garcia was intercepted on South Carolina's first drive, but the Gamecocks got the ball back after a Clemson fumble and Brian Maddox tied the game with a one-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.

Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker was picked off on the next series and South Carolina needed just two plays to score again, as Garcia threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Weslye Saunders.

Spencer Lanning drilled a 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter to extend the lead to 17-7.

Spiller fumbled after a reception on Clemson's first series of the third quarter, but the Gamecocks could not take advantage and had a Lanning field goal attempt blocked.

South Carolina got the ball right back after a Tiger punt and Garcia found Tori Gurley with a 14-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-7 midway through the third period.

Clemson finally answered early in the fourth on a 45-yard field goal from Richard Jackson, but Lanning followed with a 38-yard kick. The Tigers then went 64 yards for their only offensive touchdown, as Parker hit Michael Palmer with a 22-yard scoring pass to make it 27-17 with 3:46 to play.

South Carolina recovered the ensuing onsides kick, as Alshon Jeffery was able to return it 35 yards to the four-yard line. Garcia found Saunders with a one- yard scoring toss moments later for the final margin.

Spiller set an NCAA record with his seventh career kickoff return for a touchdown, breaking the old mark of six that was shared by USC's Anthony Davis and Tulsa's Ashlan Davis...South Carolina outgained Clemson, 388-260...The Gamecocks also held the ball for more than 36 minutes, while the Tigers had it for just over 23...Clemson had won nine of the last 10 meetings in Columbia.

- Via Sports Network.

Week 13: Teams That Dislike Each Other Because They Live Near Each Other

2009-11-28T17:08:15Z

by Steve Helber - AP

about 12 hours ago: Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell (10) is tackled by Virginia Tech defenders, Cody Grimm , left, and Davon Morgan, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

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Florida-Florida State, Virginia-Virginia Tech, and Miami-South Florida are underway. Jump in here and join one of our live game threads.

Saturday's early action is full of in-state rivalries. In the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Oklahoma, the winners of these games will win a complimentary Senate seat. Celebrate the democratic process by jumping into one of SB Nation's live game threads:

No. 23 North Carolina at North Carolina State
Game thread at Backing the Pack
Game thread at Carolina March
Live score

No. 15 Clemson at South Carolina
Game thread at Shakin The Southland
Game thread at Garnet And Black Attack
Live score

(12:21) No. 20 Mississippi at Mississippi State
Game thread at Red Cup Rebellion
Game thread at For Whom The Cowbell Tolls
Live score

(12:30) No. 11 Oklahoma State at Oklahoma
Game thread at Crimson and Cream Machine
Live score

(1:00) New Mexico at No. 4 TCU
Live score

Coach Steve Kragthorpe Fired By Louisville

2009-11-28T16:34:42Z

by Al Behrman - AP

5 days ago: FILE - This is an Oct. 24, 2009, file photo showing Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe and defensive end Rodney Gnat (58) leading the team onto the field at the start of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, in Cincinnati. Louisville started the season with major questions, now only one remains? Will coach Steve Kragthorpe will be back for a fourth season. (AP Photo/Al Behrman, File)

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This season, momentum has slowly been building on the notion that Louisville football coach Steve Kragthorpe would lose his job. Saturday morning, the dam finally broke, and SB Nation's Cardinals blog, Card Chronicle, is all over it:

What started as very early morning message board rumors, picked up steam at approximately 10:33 AM when Pat Forde joined the crew on Gameday for an announcement, and became basically official with multiple reports (ESPN.com, LSR, ITV), is the biggest news of the season, a sentence many of us have been waiting to write, read, say aloud, text or even Tweet: Steve Kragthorpe is no longer the coach of the University of Louisville football team. A noon news conference will make it official.

[...] Go find some oranges and hold them up to the sky, baby.

Save for the Charlie Weis saga, this is arguably the most-anticipated personnel change in college football. Keep checking back with Card Chronicle, where there is surely much, much more analysis and celebration to come.

Backyard Brawl Upset: WVU's Bitancurt Kicks Last-Second Field Goal To Top No. 9 Pitt, 19-16

2009-11-27T23:47:04Z

by Jeff Gentner - AP

1 day ago: West Virginia's Noel Devine carries the ball against Pitt during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Friday, Nov. 27, 2009, in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo/Mollie Woody)

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If you're a Mountaineers fan, or if you're a field goal enthusiast, you are encouraged to check out our West Virginia blog, The Smoking Musket.

Morgantown, WV (Sports Network) - Tyler Bitancurt made a game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired, and West Virginia got some revenge against No. 8 Pittsburgh in a 19-16 victory in the Backyard Brawl.

Bitancurt made four field goals, while Noel Devine ran for 134 yards and a score for the Mountaineers (8-3, 4-2 Big East), who in 2007 were ranked second when they were upset by Pitt to see their national title game hopes disappear.

Two years later, West Virginia paid its rival back, as the Panthers (9-2, 5-1) suffered their first Big East loss and are now looking up in the conference standings.

Cincinnati, which topped Illinois earlier Friday to stay undefeated, is 6-0 in the conference and can clinch the title with a win at Pittsburgh on December 5.

Bitancurt's kick came nearly three minutes after Pitt had rallied to tie the contest. The Panthers trailed by 10 shortly into the fourth quarter, but got a 36-yard field goal from Dan Hutchins with 7:37 to play to get within 16-9.

West Virginia had to punt on its next series, and Pitt took over at its own 25 with just over four minutes to play. Quarterback Bill Stull led the Panthers downfield in just three plays, first completing a 15-yard pass to Jonathan Baldwin before finding Mike Shanahan for 10.

Stull then aired out a pass for an open Baldwin for a 50-yard touchdown, as Pittsburgh evened the game.

But with 2:54 on the clock, West Virginia had plenty of time to move into field goal position. The Mountaineers faced a 3rd-and-10 at the Pitt 45 before quarterback Jarrett Brown was stopped a yard short of the first down. But Ryan Clarke picked up the necessary yard on the next play to move the chains, and Devine ran for seven yards to get the ball to the 28-yard line.

Clarke moved it two yards closer before West Virginia called a timeout with three seconds to play, and Bitancurt lined up and booted the ball through the uprights to give the hosts the win.

Brown finished 19-of-31 for 164 yards for West Virginia, with seven of those passes going to Alric Arnett for 71 yards.

Dion Lewis matched Devine's big rushing day for Pitt, going for 155 yards on 26 carries. Stull completed 16-of-30 passes for 179 yards and the TD, and was intercepted twice. Baldwin ended with eight catches for 127 yards.

Hutchins missed a 46-yarder on Pittsburgh's opening drive, and West Virginia missed out on a scoring chance late in the first quarter. The Mountaineers had a 1st-and-goal at the 10-yard line, and after Clarke was thrown for a one-yard loss, Jock Sanders ran for eight on the last play of the frame.

Brown then ran for two yards to make it a 4th-and-goal at the one, but Brown was sacked for a 10-yard loss as Pitt took over.

The Mountaineers failed to convert a 4th-and-9 in Pittsburgh territory later in the quarter, and the Panthers turned the ensuing possession into the first points of the game, as Hutchins kicked a 37-yarder with 3:21 left in the half.

West Virginia then had to punt, but got the ball back after Keith Tandy intercepted Stull in Pittsburgh territory. The Mountaineers took over at the Panthers' 40 and again advanced the ball inside the 10.

A nine-yard rush by Devine made it a 1st-and-goal at the one, but an incomplete pass and false start gave the Mountaineers a 2nd-and-goal from the six with time running down. Brown ran for three yards before Bitancurt kicked a 20-yarder, and the teams went into the break tied.

Bitancurt put WVU ahead with a 43-yarder a little under six minutes into the third quarter, though Pitt responded with a 30-yard kick by Hutchins to make it a 6-6 game.

On the first play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive, Devine ripped off an 88-yard TD as the Mountaineers took a 13-6 lead with 4:34 left.

Hutchins missed a 53-yard attempt on the next Pitt series, and early in the fourth quarter Stull was intercepted by Robert Sands. West Virginia started a drive at its own 39 and reached the Pitt 22 before Bitancurt's 39-yard kick made it a 16-6 game with 10:05 to play.

WVU totaled 369 yards compared to 325 for Pitt...Pitt had won the last two editions of the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers have not won three in a row in the series since winning seven straight from 1976-82. Pitt still holds a 61-38-3 lead in the series...The Mountaineers play at Rutgers on December 5.

- Via Sports Network.

Iron Bowl 2009: Auburn Jumps Out To 14-7 Lead On No. 2 Bama

2009-11-27T20:31:41Z

by Dave Martin - AP

24 days ago: FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2009, file photo, Alabama running back Mark Ingram (22) goes for first down yardage as quarterback Greg McElroy (12) looks on during an NCAA college football game against North Texas at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. LSU and Alabama each have young quarterbacks and great defenses, raising the likelihood that both teams will rely heavily on the run in what is expected to be a low-scoring slugfest this Saturday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

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No. 2 Alabama 26, Auburn 21: Tide Survive Tigers To Win Iron Bowl

2009-11-27T20:04:24Z

by Dave Martin - AP

1 day ago: Alabama's Roy Upchurch (5) reacts after scoring on a 4-yard pass from quarterback Greg McElroy late in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. At right is Auburn's Neiko Thorpe (15). Alabama won 26-21. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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The Tigers were trackin' em (see: our blog Track 'Em Tigers), but 'Bama rolled (see: our blog Roll 'Bama Roll).

Auburn, AL (Sports Network) - Greg McElroy led a 15-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a four-yard touchdown pass to Roy Upchurch with 1:24 to go, and second-ranked Alabama kept its undefeated season and national title hopes alive with a gutsy 26-21 win over Auburn in the annual Iron Bowl.

McElroy finished the game with 218 passing yards and two touchdowns on 21-of- 31 throws for the Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 SEC), who wrapped up a second consecutive undefeated regular season and will meet Florida in the conference championship for a likely BCS title game berth on December 5.

Julio Jones caught nine passes for 83 yards, including four receptions for 33 yards and two third-down conversions on the game-winning drive, for Alabama, which has won two straight in this series after losing the previous six to the Tigers.

Colin Peek added three catches for 53 yards and a score, while Trent Richardson had 15 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. Mark Ingram was limited to 30 yards on 16 carries in the win.

Chris Todd threw for 181 yards with two touchdowns and one interception on 15- of-25 passing for Auburn (7-5, 3-5), which actually led for most of the game but lost its second straight contest. Darvin Adams caught four passes for 138 yards and a score, and Terrell Zachery added a 67-yard rushing TD early in the game.

The game was tied, 14-14, at halftime, and both teams went three-and-out to begin the second half.

Auburn got the ball back at its own 24 after an Alabama punt and went ahead quickly. On the second play of the series, the Tigers picked up a corner blitz perfectly, and Todd found Adams streaking down the right sideline for an easy 72-yard pitch-and-catch for a touchdown.

Leigh Tiffin got the Tide back to within four on a 27-yard field goal with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third, and, following an Alabama interception, Tiffin drilled a 31-yarder just before the end of the quarter for a 21-20 game.

Auburn had a prime opportunity to extend its lead but didn't take advantage. A Clinton Durst punt pinned the Tide inside their own five, and Alabama went three-and-out. The Tigers got the ball back on the opposing 44-yard line but just moved backwards, and Alabama forced a punt that gave it the ball on its own 21 with 8:27 to play.

McElroy converted a pair of third downs early in the series. On 3rd-and-3 from the 28, he hit Jones on a crossing route for nine yards, and on 3rd-and-5 from the 42, Jones had a six-yard reception for another first down with just under five minutes left.

Two more pass completions to Jones -- for 11 and seven yards -- put Alabama at the Auburn 28, as the clock ticked under three minutes, and a screen pass to Richardson gained 16 yards down to the 11-yard line.

McElroy handed the ball to Richardson for each of the next two plays for a total of seven yards, bringing the clock down to 1:29 after Auburn called a pair of timeouts. On 3rd-and-3 from the four, McElroy rolled out to his right and hit Upchurch perfectly in stride for a touchdown and a 26-21 lead with 1:24 left following an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt.

On the ensuing Auburn possession, Todd led the Tigers to the Alabama 37 after a 17-yard pass to Adams with three seconds left. He quickly spiked the ball, leaving one second on the clock, and heaved a desperation pass into the end zone as time expired, but the ball was knocked to the ground to end the game.

Auburn used some gutsy play-calling to take an early 14-point lead.

On the Tigers' first possession, they called an end-around for Zachery, who weaved his way through the entire Alabama defense for a 67-yard touchdown run.

Auburn then called an onside kick, which kicker Wes Byrum recovered to give the Tigers the ball back at their own 42. A 22-yard pass from Todd to Adams on 2nd-and-15 from midfield helped move the chains, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Tide helped Auburn gain 1st-and-goal from the eight.

On 3rd-and-goal from the 1, Tate was stopped for no gain, but the Tigers chose to go for it on fourth down. The decision worked out, as Todd threw a touchdown pass to Eric Smith in the front part of the end zone for a 14-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game.

Alabama, though, responded by tying the game in the second quarter.

Richardson capped a 10-play, 58-yard drive with a two-yard scamper into the end zone on the fourth play of the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide got the ball back after forcing a pair of Auburn punts.

Alabama needed to go only 45 yards to record the game-tying score, which was a 33-yard pass from McElroy to Peek with 5 1/2 minutes until the break.

Alabama leads the all-time series between the two rivals, 40-33-1...Auburn outgained the Tide, 332-291, and held Alabama to only 73 yards rushing...The Tigers committed eight penalties for 68 total yards, while Alabama was penalized four times for 26 yards.

- Via Sports Network.

Week 13 NCAA Football Buffet: Previewing All The Games Worth Consuming

2009-11-27T17:36:08Z

by Steve C Wilson - AP

7 days ago: BYU quarterback Max Hall, right, looks to pass as teammate R.J. Wiling, left, blocks during the first half of their NCAA college football game against Air Force Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, in Provo, Utah. BYU beat air Force 38-21. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)

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SB Nation's Sean Keeley previews Rivalry Weekend where there's plenty of Egg & Apple on the menu. You can eat in the Backyard or on the Border, so take a look at what's happening in college football and get ready to gorge.

The menu is stacked on rivalry weekend with plenty of Egg and Apple. You can eat in the Backyard or on the Border, just try to keep it Civil. You'll be sure to get plenty of Iron, I can assure you. Let's find out what looks tasty and what might be worth pushing to the side of your plate in this weekend's college football buffet. (All times are Eastern.)

GIVE ME A HEAPING HELPING

No. 22 Utah @ No. 18 BYU (5:00 PM, MTN) - With both teams assured of bowl bids and with identical records, this game is all about pride. The prevailing thought does seem to be that BYU has more to lose than Utah.

I'LL HAVE A SCOOP OF THAT, PLEASE

Arkansas @ No. 17 LSU (7:00 PM, ESPN) - These two teams are playing for The Boot. It might surprise you to know it's resided in Arkansas for two years running now...will they make it three?

No. 2 Alabama @ Auburn ( 2:30 P.M., CBS) - They say anything can happen in the Iron Bowl. Truth be told, that notion is simply not true. The team with the better record almost always wins. Sorry bout that, Auburn.

I'LL TASTE IT FIRST...

UCLA @ No. 24 USC (10:00, FSN) - This should be the most competitive USC-UCLA game in years. A win for the Bruins could take them to the next level.

Notre Dame @ Stanford (8:00 PM, ABC) - Win or lose, not many people expect Charlie Weis to make it much further than this game. He might be coaching for the right to be there at Notre Dame's bowl game in this one.

Nevada @ No. 6 Boise State (10:15P.M., ESPN2) - One of the offenses in this game is being hailed as one of the greatest rushing offenses in the history of college football. Would it surprise you to know it's Nevada?

No. 8 Pittsburgh @ West Virginia (7:00P.M., ESPN2) - The Backyard Brawl will have a big effect on the Big East title race and bowl picture. It should all come down to which kind of car West Virginia comes out as.

No. 3 Texas @ Texas A&M ( 8:00 P.M., ESPN) - The key to stopping the Aggie offense may be limiting their ability to run the ball. If A&M is smart, they'll try to keep the ball in the Longhorn rusher's hands all day and out of Colt McCoy's. Do that and they have a chance to shake up the Big 12 and national title picture.

I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR THE NEXT TRIP

Georgia @ No. 7 Georgia Tech (8:00 PM, ABC) - If historical statistics are any indiciation, Georgia doesn't stand much of a a chance against the Yellow Jackets.

No. 19 Miami @ South Florida (3:30 PM, ABC) - For Miami, its a chance to regain some status in the state of Florida. For USF, it's a chance to remind another member of The Big Three that they're in the discussion now.

Florida State @ No. 1 Florida (3:30 PM, CBS) - There's a lot of great memories in this series, even if this year's game probably won't measure up. It could be worse, Seminole fans...Jeff Bowden could still be in charge of your offense.

No. 11 Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma (12:30 PM, FSN) - The Sooners are suffering through their worst season in years and coming off their worst lost since 2005. You'll have to excuse the Cowboys if they don't have sympathy.

No. 20 Mississippi @ Mississippi State (12:00 PM, SEC Network) - Has Dan Mullen figured out how much MSU fans value Ole Miss' suffering yet? Folks were hoping this would be the most important Egg Bowl ever. It's not...but both schools are on their way there.

No. 15 Clemson @ South Carolina (12:00 PM, ESPN) - What will it take for the Clemson/South Carolina game to be nationally important? Getting both teams ranked at the same time would be a good start.

I DON'T KNOW...SMELLS KINDA FUNNY...

Tennessee @ Kentucky (7:30 PM, ESPNU) - It's been 24 years since Kentucky beat Tennessee. That's the longest active annual winning streak in college football.

Texas Tech vs. Baylor (6:00 PM, FSN) - There's talent on the Baylor side of the field, but there's more talent on the Texas Tech side. The Red Raiders should continue their last season surge.

No. 14 Virginia Tech @ Virginia (3:30 PM, ABC) - UVa has nothing to lose and it's the last game in Hooville for its seniors and its coach.If the Hokies can't match that intensity level, it's very possible for them to lose. Would be par for the course in the ACC this year.

Missouri @ Kansas (3:30 PM, ABC) - This year's Border War packs a bit of extra meaning. Missouri has a chance to end both Todd Reesing's career and Mark Mangino's tenure in Lawrence with a single victory; meanwhile, Reesing and Mangino have a chance to extend their lives with an upset win in what is potentially their last game together.

Arizona @ Arizona State (3:30 PM, ABC) - The Cardiac Cats are coming off a tough loss to Oregon. They can get back on the right track with a win over rival Arizona State, who will not be bowling this year.

No. 23 North Carolina @ North Carolina State (12:00 PM, ESPN2) - Wolfpack fans are in "we'll watch only because we have to" mode. Meanwhile North Carolina is wondering why they're not part of the BCS bowl selection discussion.

Nebraska @ Colorado (3:30 P.M., ABC) - Dan Hawkins will almost undoubtedly live to coach another day. Nebraska has already clinched the Big 12 North. With the off-field drama resolved, Colorado and Nebraska fans can sit back and enjoy the game...unless the local affiliate is showing Oprah instead.

Illinois @ No. 5 Cincinnati (12:00 P.M., ABC) - Can Illinois win? Probably not...but that's why they play the games. Cincinnati has shown weaknesses: most glaringly, their ability to stop a running game. If Illinois can pound the rock, or at least get Juice moving his feet forward, they could score on Cincinnati. Tony Pike gets the start for Cincy.

NO THANKS, PLATE'S FULL

Washington State @ Washington (6:30 PM, FSN Northwest) - UDub hasn't been playing well, but that's still no excuse for them if they lose to this terrible Washington State team.

Boston College @ Maryland ( 3:30 PM, ESPNU) - Could this be Friedgen's last stand? The Terrapins need something, anything they can hang their hat. BC has somehow won 7 games and they're looking for No. 8.

New Mexico @ No. 4 TCU (1:00 PM, MTN) - New Mexico won last week. Of course, that was their only win of the season. Meanwhile TCU is one win away from a BCS bowl bid and an outside chance at the national title game. Don't blow it, fellas.

Syracuse @ Connecticut (12:00 PM, Big East Network) - Fresh off their upset of Rutgers, Syracuse is playing for bowl positioning...just not their own. They'd love to knock off the Huskies, who are trying to get bowl eligible.

Wake Forest @ Duke (12:00 PM, Raycom) - It's Duke, not Wake Forest, who is playing for a bowl bid. Wake will be taking December off for the first time in four years.

Rutgers @ Louisville (11:00 A.M., ESPN2) - Are you ready for some A.M. football, folks? The Steve Kragthorpe Era will almost certainly come to a close today in Louisville. Whatever Rutgers can do to help that along will do wonders for their flagging reputation after losing to Syracuse last week.

Lone Star Showdown: Texas Defeats Texas A&M 49-39

2009-11-27T01:19:18Z

by Jeff Roberson - AP

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Texas defeated Texas A&M, 49-39, in the Lone Star Showdown, despite unusually poor play by Will Muschamp's defense against the Aggies.

College Station, TX (Sports Network) - Colt McCoy threw four touchdowns and rushed for another, as third-ranked Texas kept its national title hopes alive with a 49-39 victory over Texas A&M at Kyle Field.

McCoy completed 24-of-40 passes for 304 yards and rushed for a career-high 175 yards for the Longhorns (12-0, 8-0 Big 12), who will play Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game next weekend. Tre' Newton carried the ball 16 times for 107 yards and a score.

Malcolm Williams caught nine passes for 132 yards for Texas, which has won 11 of its 12 games by double figures. Jordan Shipley had eight catches for 88 yards and two scores, while James Kirkendoll hauled in four passes for 63 yards and two TDs for the victors.

Jerrod Johnson connected on 26-of-33 passes for 342 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception for the Aggies (6-6, 3-5), who were coming off a 38-3 win over Baylor. Johnson also rushed for 97 yards on 14 carries.

Christine Michael carried the ball 19 times for 83 yards and a score, while Jeff Fuller caught six passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Howard Morrow had a TD catch for Texas A&M, which remains bowl eligible.

- Via Sports Network

Colorado Rewards Dan Hawkins' 3-8 Season By Keeping Coach Around Another Season

2009-11-26T19:20:22Z

by Charlie Neibergall - AP

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Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen Will Reportedly Enter NFL Draft

2009-11-26T16:49:56Z

by Michael Conroy - AP

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Rotoworld has a report from Joe Schad that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft in April. This report comes a day after news broke that the Clausen family has sold its South Bend home, a sign that Jimmy planned to leave Notre Dame after this season.

The Redskins have already sent scouts to South Bend to take a look at Clausen. Drafting a QB with their first round pick despite glaring needs on the offensive line and at running back is exactly the type of bone-headed move we've come to love from Dan Snyder & Co.

Boise State's Last Test: Previewing Friday Night's Broncos-Nevada Showdown

2009-11-25T15:39:32Z

by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

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The Civil War: Why Homefield Advantage Is Key To Oregon St. At Oregron

2009-11-25T15:30:54Z

by Don Ryan - AP

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Michigan State Football Players Reportedly Involved In Campus Brawl

2009-11-25T02:07:57Z

by Al Goldis - AP

7 days ago: Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio looks at the scoreboard during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Penn State won 42-14. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

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Michigan State football players were allegedly involved in a Sunday night altercation on campus that left several male and female students injured.

Michigan State football finished the season with a 6-6 record, good for sixth place in the Big Ten and a mediocre-at-best bowl bid. Sunday night was the Spartans' end-of-year awards banquet, and maybe reminiscing over the 2009 campaign stirred up some lingering hostilities, because several players allegedly celebrated afterwards by roughing up a few classmates:

A group of men, some of whom were described by witnesses as MSU football players, "stormed into the dormitory and hit and injured about seven students, some of them women," the State News reported.

A University spokesman refused comment on the potential involvement of any student athletes, citing the ongoing investigation, and so far no charges have been filed.

The Alphabetical, Week 12: In Which There's No Such Thing As A Boring Saturday

2009-11-23T20:18:19Z

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Saturday was supposed to be a boring slate of college football action. The Pac-10, Les Miles and Harvard-Yale made sure that wasn't to be, as we learn from SB Nation's Spencer Hall, who recaps Week 12, A-Z.

A is for Abkhazia. A territory between Georgia and Russia, a disputed space on the map caught somewhere between statehood and being ruled by outside powers, and in the opinion of some, a nonexistent space altogether. Much like college football as a national sport of any sort, it can't really be said to exist, but like many breakway republics and their news, you can't say it isn't an interesting concept, even if there's no proper way to determine a champion, no single league, no management, and very few common rules on how things are done across the board. And yet it moves...

B is for Bollocks. This weekend was far better than anticipated, thus bollocksing the weeklong "WAAAAAHH BORING" columns peppering the media leading up to it. Colorado and OK State ruined your early bedtime on Thursday by taking the game deep into the fourth quarter in Stillwater, Boise State was at least spectacular in their 28-point second quarter against Utah State, and Saturday's lackluster slate of games roared past all expectations from the 12 o'clock hour through the crescendo of the evening's ludicrously entertaining slate. [Ed. note: Some of us missed the evening games because of the deep sleep the noon games put us in.] The lesson is the same here as it is with the rest of life: keep expectations low and you never come away disappointed, kids.

C is for Continental Divide. Harris Poll voters likely didn't see any of it since it was past their bedtime, or because "confound it Alice, what did you do to the picture box?" but the Pac-10 put on a late-night Fiesta west of the Continental Divide on Saturday with the twin billing of the Big Game and Oregon/Arizona.The best football in the nation top to bottom has been played in the Pac-10 this year, but the on-the-field japery has been SEC-quality: first Harbaugh and Carroll getting into it at midfield last week, then this week's booing of Tiger Woods and whatever the hell the Arizona fans were doing at the end of the game in Tucson indicate a conference-wide shift to Telemundo-level drama. This column approves of this whole-heartedly, and hopes the bowl season will validate the belief in the Pac-10's on-field 2009 superiority and its newfound commitment to being interesting off the field, as well. Yes, that does mean I want LeGarrette Blount to attempt to dot the I in Ohio and dare anyone to tell him he can't.

D is for Disaster. Oh, you thought this would be Les Miles. Apologies. Someone pulled the ring to inflate their raft of FAIL with greater force and verve this college football weekend, and it was not the Mad Hatter.

1:40 second mark, please.

Up 10-7 with 2:25 to go, Yale coach Tom Williams decided on just the thing to put out all those fireworks of victory: a heaping helping of gasoline. Facing 4th and 22 on their own 26, Williams called for a reverse fake, a play gaining 16 yards, a sum significantly less than 22, meaning Harvard got the ball on the Yale 42 with the game on the line. Harvard only needed a field goal to tie, but they courteously spared Yale the trouble of OT by scoring the go-ahead TD to win the game 14-10.

You might say this is no different than Urban Meyer calling a fake punt from his own 15 on 4th and 10 in the 2006 SEC Championship game, but there are two key differences: a.) Jemalle Cornelius was running Meyer's fake, and b.) that one only needed ten yards, not a whopping 22 yards, a conversion distance somewhere between "Terra incognita" and "f--k no" in terms of probability. This was not, as the Harvard Crimson reporter calls it, "a Belichick." This was nothing short of a "Full Williams," because I've never, ever seen a fake call this gaudily insane, and I grew up watching Hal Mumme and Steve Spurrier coach in the SEC. The new terminology has been proposed, and awaits ratification by the readership.

E is for Eh, Excellent, YAWN. It would have really helped Mark Mangino's case for keeping his job if he'd beaten Texas, but Colt McCoy had earned enough XBox Live points playing to downgrade all defenses he faces this year to "Junior Varsity Difficulty." 32/41, 396 yards, 4 TDs, and zero picks against Kansas mean postseason awards with copyrighted names and awkward poses for him, though why a similar effortless run through the Big 12 didn't earn Vince Young the same remains a question for the ages. (Voters that year were really, really impressed with Fresno State's defense <---only possible explanation.)

F is for Finest Essential Oils, ESPN. If you lived on the East Coast and have a cable company too busy selling infants for meat to offer ESPN 360 to its customers like a non-evil company would, I extend my deepest sympathies. It's fun to nutpunch ESPN because on so many occasions they deserve it, but remember that stupid people need television, too (see: Around the Horn, or its slower drooling older brother The Sports Reporters), and that they offer ESPN 360. Having the computer open to bounce around between four games with the TV on full blip is as amped as a Ritalin Commando can be on Saturday. Also, it got us the capper of all cappers, the gonzo Oregon/Arizona game on Saturday night. If your cable company does not offer it, commit acts of violent resistance immediately.

G is for Great Moments in Accidentally Brilliant Coaching. After Brandon Graham destroyed his playcalls on 1st and 2nd down singlehandedly, Jim Tressel called a screen on third down and goal . Watching Tressel attempt to call an offensive game can be like watching a mad dog attempting to eat a brick--i.e., it takes forever, involves a lot of chipping away at the objective, and can be hard to watch--but the call became a moment of accidental beauty. Tressel attempted a timeout, the official missed the coach rushing in for a TO, and the snap went to Pryor, who waited out the rush and hit Boom Herron on the play, which in the muddle turned into a kind of busted-but-completely-open-screen.

Herron strolled to the endzone for a 21-10 lead, answering Michigan's score and effectively ending the game. Brandon Saine's TD run earlier came on a flub, too: the manager and Tressel each sent in different plays, and blockers scattered in all directions on the play. Why yes, that is pure rubbing alcohol Michigan fans. Hope we're not pouring it too quickly into that open wound.

H is for Hellbent. If Les Miles and Tom Williams are the poster children for ill-advised testicularity this week, please see Chip Kelly and his protege Jeremiah Masoli as the shining beacons of vindicated ballsiness this week. Oregon rode the lightning and won Saturday night, tying the game at 24 off a field goal that hit the cross bar and doinked over for the late-game tie. This kind of grandeur requires--nay, demands!--Microsoft Paint.

(Art credit: Duck Voodoo.)

The FG was the least of the heroisms littering the game for the Ducks: picking off a potential game-icing TD for a pick in the endzone, converting 4th and 5 on the final drive of regulation on the way to the TD, the simply mental catches made by Jeff Maehl and Ed Dickson for the winning and tying TDs, or the Nate Costa dig of a horrid snap into the dirt on the game-tying extra point. Games this fun are category one narcotics, and should be banned from public consumption due to the desire to ditch work immediately and watch it again.

I is for I'm so, so sorry. The University of Arizona's President had to apologize for Wildcat fans' behavior at the end of the game, including the throwing of water bottles. One found the noggin of an Oregon cheerleader who was taken to the hospital after being knocked out. As stated earlier: as disgraceful as injuring a cheerleader is, I don't know where you've taken the old courtly Pac-10, new, entertaining and angry Pac-10. If you've stuffed him in a trunk somewhere, we suggest losing the keys, because this is a vast improvement over the old model.

J is for Jab. New Mexico knuckled down and rolled with the punches in their first victory of the season over Colorado State, 29-27. Congrats to Mike Locksley, who removes the Lobos from the Ofer 2009 Dinner Club, whose remaining members are Eastern Michigan (0-11) and Western Kentucky (0-10). Keep swinging, boys: it worked for Coach Locksley, and it will surely work for you (at the very least you'll serve a one game suspension for decking an assistant.)

K is for Kilt. Alabama and Florida beat Chattanooga and Florida International, respectively, by a combined score of 107-3. If you're basing your SEC Championship Game pick on who actually allowed points to the legless men brought in to face these brave gladiators for a mid-November cash grab of no confidence, it was Florida. Make your wagers accordingly.

L is for Lissome. A variation of lithesome, meaning nimble, a word Shane Vereen wore out on 42 carries for 193 yards and 3 TDs against Stanford. Cal has regrouped magnificently towards the end of the season, and offensive cooridnator Andy Ludwig did a fine job working in the Wildcat to maximize Vereen's touches to keep Toby Gerhart and Andrew Luck off the field. The best evidence of this besides the score; Cal had 31 first downs to Stanford's 16, with the Cardinal gulping down big plays while Cal ground away with Vereen. The turtle strategy worked, though Toby Gerhart's 29 yard reception in the waning minutes had Stanford in position for the killshot. (Andrew Luck's game-ending INT was firing said killshot, but then suffering a cruel and fatal ricochet.)

M is for Masterful: As in this sign at OSU/Michigan;

N is for Not So Fast: ...but the sign of the day goes to Arizona fans, who happen to be very bit as entranced by 8-bit video game jokes as I am:

(HT: College Game Balls.) Free sign idea, Oregon fans: Photoshop the duck holding two beavers in the same 8-bit graphics with the caption "THIS JUST BLEW YOUR MIND."

O is for Oblate. As in the bouncing of of the oblate spheroid called a football, one that bounced in several random ways of great importance, something we will review in the next entry. As if 11 men facing off against 11 men didn't have enough randomness, the very shape of the ball itself lends itself to unpredictable, often cruel bounces. You are a bitch-goddess of a mistress, football. If you weren't so sexy you wouldn't be worth the pain and the trouble, and if you don't believe us, ask Notre Dame fans, whose team has been riding paper-thin margins and bounces of varying outcomes throughout the year.

P is for Paroxysm. Les Miles has already endured the scrutiny from his own fanbase for the insane mismanagement of the game down the stretch in the 25-23 loss to Ole Miss. No words can equal whatever voodoo-inspired arrangements were left on his door Sunday morning, or whatever oaths and curses are being sworn against him after a loss to their most hated rival.

So, conditionals: there is no guarantee LSU wins that game if they get another play, or even on a hurried field goal. All taken as granted. What is inexcusable is not taking the final timeout with twenty-six seconds on the clock after the failed screen on third-down and maximizing the time you did have on the clock.

Miles clearly is in the grip of some kind of stroke here, an occlusion of the blood flow to the brain possible only due to a blockage of some sort. There is no reason why a highly paid professional with a $3 million dollar plus salary does not take their final timeout there aside from some kind of grievous medical condition, stroke, seizure, or as they enjoyed calling it in the 19th century, a good old-fashioned "paroxysm." Ditto for the spike/not spike call: Miles is either seizing at that point, or has been hit by a blowgunned dart full of a powerful hallucinogen from the stands.

Q is for Questionable: Or worse still, dismiss this question: what if the brilliant gambler of 2007 was just making shit up all along, and getting fabulously lucky on the margins like no gambler in his position before? Ohio State scored three TDs against Michigan in random fashion that had little to do with strategy or play-calling. Oregon came within a single bad snap of blowing a shot at the Rose Bowl. Georgia botched one toss sweep to Kentucky and lost. The random plays far larger an element in football than anyone cares to admit, but in Les Miles' case the random is combined with a gambling instinct pressed past the edge of reasonable risk management.

Any question about whether Miles is some genius of risk/reward management or not is over after this weekend. He is a bomb waiting to go off with a headset. When you put him in the right place, he does what you want him to, and when you leave it in the car with the fuse burning you are going to need a new car in a rapid and dramatic fashion.

R is for Rich. "I'm sure we were at fault." --Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin, NOT criticizing several calls made against Tennessee during his coaches show on Sunday.

S is for Salute. Saturday was Military Appreciation Day in Clemson, something Tigers TE Dwayne Allen celebrated by giving a salute to the crowd after scoring a TD. You assume the referees knew this or cared, Dwayne Allen, and that they were human beings. This was your first mistake.

Your second mistake was assuming a crew headed up by Ron Cherry would not call this for a 15 yard penalty and set up UVA's 45 yard TD drive off a short kick, which they did. Why do you hate America, Ron Cherry? And insist on giving clean, good ole-fashioned Patriotism the business? Traitorous officiating aside, Clemson is going to the ACC Championship in Tampa, a feat increasing Dabo Swinney's pay to the ACC median next year by contract and a great excuse for Clemson fans to explore the Tampa Bay area and its cornucopia of amateur dance studios. (A lot of them have bars in them. Go figure.)

T is for Titles: Pac-10 awaits the result of the Civil War, with the winner of Oregon State/Oregon headed to the Rose Bowl. Ohio State wins the Big Televen after a disastrous start and despite losing to Purdue, but all Jim Tressel knows how to do is make babies, win Big Ten titles, and rock a razor-sharp crease in grey slacks. (Don't hate.) Texas is going to win the Big 12 when they meet Nebraska and you avert your eyes for four quarters, barring the biggest conference championship upset of the young millennium. The SEC is down Florida versus Georgia in Alabama, the ACC will be Georgia Tech versus Clemson in a rematch of an early season Tech victory in Atlanta, and the Big East will come down to Pitt/Cincy in two weeks. Boise rules as the sovereign in the WAC, while the Mountain West is TCU's on lockdown, Troy is in the lead in the Sun Belt, and the MAC will come down to Central Michigan versus--prepare thyself--Temple in the championship game.

Conference-USA will determine who hosts the championship game this coming Saturday if ECU beats Southern Miss, If they do, ECU will host Houston for the title. If not, Houston hosts it, and everyone's gonna need to watch their helmets after the game.

U is for Ungainly. Bonus Clemson Youtube, but only because it's necessary. If you ever watched Clemson come down the hill and wondered, "Is that perfectly safe?" Demonstrably, the answer is no (:30 mark):

Quick work by pointing and laughing guy there. Pointing and laughing guy! Where there is embarrassing public spectacle, he and his pointing figure are there.

V is for Vaya Con Dios: Mickey Andrews, longtime Florida State defensive coordinator, left his last home game victorious after Maryland allowed a late score by the Seminoles to win 29-26. No one exits alone in this game of zero-sums: Ralph Friedgen is all but done at Maryland, meaning two veteran coaches of great esteem met very different ends on Saturday.

W is for Weeping. Sean McDonough, you made it dusty in here when discussing the death of your former broadcast partner Chris Spielman's wife. Charlie Weis tearing up made us pity an otherwise hard-to-pity man when his team unexpectedly linked arms with him when they took the field. Randy Edsall, though, put the waterworks on full blast when, after upsetting Notre Dame on their homefield following what has been a legitimately tragic season for them, he wept openly on camera during the postgame interview.

X is for Xe. The new name of Blackwater, who will likely be the new security detail for BCS officials now that they're raiding the Bush administration's personnel files for employees .

Y is for Yosemite. El Capitan is 3,500 feet or so tall, and if Nevada's rushing totals could be applied as climbing credit, their 574 yards against New Mexicao State on Saturday would get them a bit over halfway up it. The main problem will be finding a sleeping ledge big enough for Colin Caepernick, but if all else fails he can just sleep in his harness.

Z is for Zeppo. The lost Marx brother, or sort of the role Mark Stoops plays in the Stoops Brothers ensemble. He's the one who fell to his knees in exasperation in the first overtime of the Oregon game, the image still lingering with me as the enduring one of week 12.

The 25th Anniversary: Doug Flutie's Hail Mary, And Why College Sports Matter

2009-11-23T18:13:58Z

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Today marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most memorable plays in college football history. On November 23,1984, Doug Flutie changed the course of one program's history, his own life, and according to some, the sport of college football. From Forbes Magazine:

It's clear enough by now that the play stands as more than just the most memorable in college football history. No one could have foreseen it at the time, but Hail Flutie helped usher in a whole new era of growth for the sport, helping to drive the marriage of a newfound East Coast audience, drawn to the college game by an unlikely star, to a burgeoning television presence led by upstart ESPN. [...]

"Certainly a watershed moment," says ABC-ESPN football announcer Brent Musburger, who was at the microphone for CBS that day. Musburger even played the video clip two days later on NFL Today, the pro football pregame show he anchored for CBS. It was the only time that show ever played a college highlight. Pop "Flutie Hail Mary" into the YouTube search box today and you'll find 28 videos totaling over a million page views. [...]

...Ask sports business consultant Marc Ganis--without provocation--who he sees as college football's single most important driving figure of the past 30 years, and you'll get a quick answer.

"Doug Flutie," flat out. His rise to the national stage "re-established the Northeast, that part of the country with the densest population and the highest concentration of media decision makers."

But more than just a moment that changed college football--change that likely would have happened either way--Flutie's Hail Mary changed a school. I went to Boston College, and can testify firsthand: that play put the school on the map. What had been a regional school was suddenly a national draw, as applications skyrocketed, donations did the same, and one play ushered an academic institution into the upper echelons of America's higher education.

Of course, most college football fans will look back on that magical play and think about the wonders of the sport. But for me, it's greatest resonance is what sport can do. One good football player, you could argue, completely altered the history of a school. It may have happened without him, but look at some of the other football programs in the area: Holy Cross is no longer Division 1, Boston University doesn't have a football team, and today, Northeastern announced plans to cut funding to its football team.

Without Flutie, who's to say BC wouldn't have suffered a similar fate? And without a high profile football team, would Boston College enjoy the glamorous profile it does now? And it all changed on that one, magical Friday afternoon. The day after Thanksgiving, BC-Miami was the only game on CBS. With that, and that beyond-phenomenal ending, the entire country realized that Boston College had a football team, and the rest is history. Flutie won the Heisman, BC football continued to rise, and the whole school rode the wave of the Flutie sensation to become, today, one of the better universities in America.

It's a lesson, really: Next to you hear some nebbishy professor wonder "What the hell have sports ever done for an academic institution," remember Flutie. Overnight, he put Boston College on the map, applications skyrocketed, and it changed school's whole trajectory. It happens every year with different storybook success stories. Remember George Mason? The same thing happened to them after that unbelievable Final Four run in '06. Check the jump in their applications between 2006 and 2007 (pdf here):

College sports may not be the most important thing in the world, and there's more to a college experience than just sports. But the next time someone hits that familiar refrain in academia and tries to pretend they're a waste of time or money, and we should all feel guilty about pouring so many resources into them, remember Doug Flutie and the Hail Mary. There's no telling what sports can do.

And besides, you can't beat moments like this (1:50 mark):