The Beginning of Fall (Part I)

Always a bittersweet moment, the start of October is the precipice of the best month of college football - when teams are hitting the meat of their conference schedules and playing at their top level - but the beginning of the month also marks the end of a third of the season.

But after four weeks, the 2009 season is beginning to become clear. After three straight weeks of going to games (La Tech, South Carolina and West Virginia), I was able to sit back and enjoy a Saturday of football (thankfully Sheena declined the trip back to Athens for Arizona State, which would have been a second weekend of rain). But I was able to finally see teams play and coupled with Week 1 through 3 highlights, I'm ready to say what I've learned through the first four weeks:

Alabama is the best team in the nation. They have my No. 1 spot, and they had it prior to Tebow being knocked out. Alabama is the only team that looks to be a complete and they can back it with a competitive schedule. The Crimson Tide may have the best defense in the country (Oklahoma could also lay claim to that), but Bama shut down a Virginia Tech running game that dominated Miami and has now stifled a versatile aerial attack in Arkansas. Texas looks like they're getting better, but it's really hard to judge until the Red River Shootout, and Oklahoma is going to be better following their win next week in Miami.

Who knew Marcus Gilbert had a Kryptonite knee? Florida is the most talented team in the country and is deserving of being No. 1, but the team has lived on Tebow throughout the season, and now there will be questions of not only whether he can play but should he play. He's the the most dominant college football player on the field today - and perhaps ever - but once a concussion happens - especially one as severe as Tebow suffered - a lot of people have to begin to wonder about what happens after the playing days are done.

Numerous examples can be given for the dangers of concussions, but a more personal example is Auburn's Terry Beasley, who was the go-to receiver for Heisman winner Pat Sullivan. Due to 19 career concussions, Beasley is now a shell of his former self.

The pounding Tebow has taken over the years has been exorbitant, and he's had his bell rung many times; now the question is whether the coaches can honestly continue to put him in those same type of situations. Of course, if it's up to him, Superman will play the rest of the way.

"UF's back-up would start at 9 SEC schools." That's been the joke going around commentator booths through the first month of the season; now it looks like super-star recruit John Brantley might actually be tested. Brantley is a better passer than Tebow, so it could be possible that the Gators would have a more potent offense. But that means replacing a Heisman winner with an untested back-up.

Of course, Tim Tebow won't take a back-seat, and he will play against LSU in two weeks, but what happens when he takes another head shot - which you know the Tigers will be aiming for? And not to be too macabre, but if the coaching staff can't call the Tebow-bull rush plays for fear of concussions, might it be more effective to have Brantley in to open up the attack?

USC looks to be their most vulnerable since 2001, but... Was it because of USC's early loss to 2008's hapless Washington and Oregon's loss at Boise? Or maybe the fact that Cal hadn't blown an early kickoff in Minnesota? Or just that I picked Jahvid Best with the first pick of my fantasy football league? No matter, I bought into the Cal hype, and I did it fully knowing that the Bears never, ever, will take advantage and actually have a shot at winning the Pac-10.

With Washington's loss to Stanford, the Cardinal now are atop of the conference. Oregon still has a chance to right the ship (and I know that they will), but after this weekend, I still wouldn't put money on any other team being in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl than USC.

All eyes on Ohio. So Iowa tagged Penn State for the second year in a row. The Auburn game was on at the same time, so I didn't get to focus as much on this game as I'd like, but from what I saw, it appears that Iowa was able to knock around Daryll Clark and stuff Evan Royster. Iowa has a stellar defense, but their offense is awful and they were just able to keep Penn State honest and let the defense win the game.

Even though Iowa played well in Happy Valley, Purdue is good enough to tag someone, Wisconsin is (narrowly) unbeaten and Michigan is playing above it's head, who doesn't think that this conference is going to be won by the Buckeyes? Ohio State is a late Joe McKnight (not Matt Barkley) drive away from being in the top 4, and the Buckeyes are going to once again wind up in a BCS bowl.

It's a Red River World. Keep naming new, hot teams ready to finally take the Big XII. I'll stick with the winner of the Red River Shootout. After the first month, Oklahoma and Texas are clearly the top two teams in the conference and I can't see anyone else representing the South ... unless Houston can somehow petition to take Baylor's spot since the Cougars have already beat Oklahoma State and Texas Tech and have an offense that's humming along. Texas has a tough stretch in October, so even a win over the Sooners might not be enough to knock OU out of the championship game.

From the North, Nebraska hasn't beaten anyone of note, but the heartbreaking loss to Virginia Tech looks really good after the Hokies dominated Miami. Missouri is getting by, but Nevada stuck around for a while and the blowout win over Illinois might not be as impressive as it was after Week 1 - the Illini might just not be any good. Dan Hawkins can't seem to get Colorado playing anywhere near decent (after having promised 10 wins), the Bill Snyder Redux is failing at Kansas State, Kansas is beating up on nobody's as usual and Iowa State is, well, Iowa State.

I'm going on record for a Oklahoma-Nebraska championship game, making the Sooners 2-0 against the Huskers in '09.

Part II to follow on Thursday

Virginia Tech is National Team of the Week

For Immediate Release

For their 31-7 win over No. 8 and ACC rival Miami, Virginia Tech has been named the National Team of the Week for games played over Sept. 26 weekend. The Hokies, bouncing back from their opening day loss to Alabama, are now 3-1 following the throttling over the previously unbeaten Hurricanes.

The Hokies used classic Beamerball to jump on top of the favorite Hurricanes. The defense knocked around heralded Miami QB Jacory Harris, forcing him to fumble on the fifth play of the game and leading to the Hokies first touchdown, while the punt team blocked a kick and returned it for a touchdown to take a 21-0 second quarter lead.

Playing in a downpour in Blackurg, neither quarterback was effective, but Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor was efficient enough and lead the Hokies to their second touchdown. The Hokie offense was lead by RB Ryan Williams, who rushed for 150 yards on a career-high 34 carries and two touchdowns, while the defense stopped Harris cold on third downs, forcing the Hurricanes to a paltry 1-for-13 on third downs.

Other nominees for Southern Fans' National Team of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 26:

No. 16 Houston
W - Texas Tech, 29-28
The unbeaten Cougars took down their second Big XII opponent this season, as QB Case Keenum threw for 435 yards on 38-of-58 passes and a touchdown, but scored the game winning touchdown with his legs with only 49 seconds remaining to cap a 95-yard game-winning drive.

Iowa
W - No. 5 Penn State 21-10
The Hawkeyes used a swarming defense and four second-half turnovers to rally from a 10-0 deficit to beat unbeaten Penn State in State College.

Oregon
W - No. 4 California 42-3
Ducks QB Jeremiah Masoli completed 21-of-25 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns, while the Oregon defense stuffed early season Heisman contender Jahvid Best, as the Ducks routed unbeaten and Pac-10 favorite California in Autzen Stadium.

South Florida
W - Florida State 17-7
The Bulls now have a 1-0 series lead over Florida State, as reshirt freshman QB and Tallahassee native B.J. Daniels, in his first start, accounted for 341 of the Bulls' 368 yards, threw two touchdown passes, and extended South Florida's winning streak against Florida teams to seven games.


The Southern Fans' Poll began naming a national team of the week in 2008. Members of the Southern Fan's pool of voters decide the weekly honor. Each week during the 2009 college football season, the Southern Fans will name the National Team of the Week through the bowl season.

2009 Southern Fans' National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: William & Mary Tribe
• Weekend of Sept. 12: Houston Cougars
• Weekend of Sept. 19: Washington Huskies
• Weekend of Sept. 26: Virginia Tech Hokies

The Southern Fans' College Football Poll
September 28, 2009
24 Pollsters

Ranking	Team	Points	Previous
1	Florida [14]	370	1
2	Texas [6]	359	2
3	Alabama [4]	347	4
4	Boise State	260	9
5	Virginia Tech	254	13
6	LSU	243	7
7	Cincinnati	197	12
8	Southern Cal	189	11
9	Oklahoma	184	10
10	Texas Christian	169	15
11	Houston	141	16
12	Ohio State	137	14
13	Iowa	88	NR
14	Kansas	46	NR
15	Oklahoma State	43	NR
16-T	Auburn	32	NR
16-T	Oregon	32	NR
Other's Receiving Votes: Penn STate 29, Miami 28, Georgia 27, Michigan 27, UCLA 10, South Carolina 9, South Florida 9, Wisconsin 7, Missouri 6, California 5, BYU 4, Ole Miss 4, Nebraska 4, Georgia Tech 3

How to Stop (or maybe just Slow) the Gators

Kudos to Greg for finding this website, which breaks down how Monte Kiffin attempted to limit the effectiveness of the Urban spread. Of course, you can't fully stop Tebow, no matter what the game plan, but this breakdown shows how other teams will be successful against the Gators (cough, Alabama, cough).

With Gus Malzahan's wily Auburn offense headed to Knoxville this week, you know that Monte's going to have a great scheme ready. Of course, it won't help that the injury bug has hit the Vols pretty hard.

Monte Kiffin's Scheme to Stop Urban Meyer's Offense, from SmartFootball.com.

Pick'em Results

Pollster Pick'em
Week 4: 8-6
Final Tally: 30-33-2, or 47.6%

Pollster	This Week	Overall	Overall Percentage
Jordan Renna	8-6	36-27-2	57.1%
Rob Carlton	9-5	34-29-2	54.0%
Jeff Renfro	6-8	33-30-2	52.4%
Nathan Wilson	8-6	33-30-2	52.4%
Doug Bendinger	9-5	33-30-2	52.4%
Sean Hardin	9-5	33-30-2	52.4%
Max Renfro	6-8	31-31-2	59.2%
Michael Coker	8-6	31-31-2	49.2%
Greg Frayser	8-6	31-31-2	49.2%
Kumar Chadha	7-7	30-34-2	47.6%
John Buzbee	5-9	28-35-2	44.4%
Edwin Sweeten	8-6	28-35-2	44.4%
Mark Houston	8-6	28-35-2	44.4%
Jarad Wilson	5-9	25-38-2	39.7%
Brian Smith	8-6	25-38-2	39.7%
Eddie Slep	8-6	24-39-2	38.1%

A great finish for a crazy week in college football. Starting to see some separation in the standings, and congrats go out to Doug, Sean, and Rob for going 9-5. Lets keep on moving up from here.

Oh, the Coaches Poll...

... College Football News points out how the USA Today coaches poll is a waste, and implicitly, shows how a group of dedicated fans can create a better poll.

CFN Analysis: Oh COME ON! ... Cal is 19th and Oregon is 25th? Coaches, you're not even trying. How is Oklahoma State (12) still ahead of Houston (15)? The Cougars not only beat the Cowboys in Stillwater, but they proved themselves against Texas Tech last week. The other major miss is Penn State ranked 13th and Iowa ranked 17th. Uhhhhh, the game was on TV, people. The other monster problem is Ole Miss ranked 18th ahead of South Carolina, WHO ISN'T EVEN IN THE TOP 25. Nebraska is ridiculously low, and Auburn at 28 is a joke.

The Coaches' Poll:
RK Team W-L Points
1 Florida (58) 4-0 1474
2 Texas (1) 4-0 1410
3 Alabama 4-0 1364
4 LSU 4-0 1226
5 Boise State 4-0 1144
6 Virginia Tech 3-1 1091
7 USC 3-1 1081
8 Oklahoma 2-1 1055
9 Ohio State 3-1 1036
10 TCU 3-0 928
11 Cincinnati 4-0 848
12 Oklahoma State 3-1 665
13 Penn State 3-1 627
14 Georgia 3-1 616
15 Houston 3-0 539
16 Kansas 4-0 508
17 Iowa 4-0 462
18 Mississippi 2-1 424
19 California 3-1 356
20 Michigan 4-0 304
21 Miami 2-1 298
21 BYU 3-1 298
23 Missouri 4-0 295
24 Nebraska 3-1 242
25 Oregon 3-1 198
Others receiving votes:
Georgia Tech 186, South Florida 117, Auburn 103, South Carolina 92, Wisconsin 53, Utah 40, UCLA 27, Notre Dame 23, Stanford 20, North Carolina State 8, North Carolina 7, Florida State 4, Minnesota 2, Arizona 2, Rutgers 1, Texas A&M 1

Cocks Rock Rebs

Gamecocks take down No. 6 Ole Miss
by John Buzbee

That was it. That's what he'll be remembered for. It took five seasons, but Steve Spurrier finally has his signature win with the Gamecocks. USC finally has a win over a top five team at home.

And it was over Ole Miss.

Feels kinda empty, doesn't it?

Now the Rebels are obviously not playing like a top 5 team, but that doesn't change the facts. South Carolina dominated the majority of the game with a suffocating defense that kept a very good Jevan Snead off rhythm, while the Gamecock offense did just enough to get by.

And that's been the trend for Spurrier in Columbia. While he finally has a QB that might be capable of showing some signs of a fun n' gun offense, the Gamecocks have lived off their defense, and it has to be killing him.

When Spurrier came to Columbia in 2005, there was talk of when he would get the Gamecocks over the hump and into the SEC Championship Game. But that was before Urban was terrorizing the East. Now, the question is whether he can get USC into the top half of the division (... yes, technically they were in third last season, but that's considering a 4-4 record and tie with Vanderbilt as an achievement).

So congratulations to South Carolina for nipping the Rebels, but after seeing how the 'Cocks handle success (see: 2007 loss to Vandy when ranked No. 7), don't be surprised if Spurrier sees yet another five loss season in Columbia.


Ole Miss. Well that was quick.

The media darlings were fringe candidates to not just win the West (which they have yet to do out-right), but also to repeat the magic and beat Florida, this time in the SEC Championship Game. That thought seems ludicrous after the vaunted Ole Miss offense was thoroughly shut down last night.

The Rebels only converted one of 13 third down opportunities and Snead was held to 7-for-21 with a touchdown. Perhaps that could have been because they didn't get the ball into their playmaker's hands. Dexter McCluster had 15 carries for 85 yards with zero receptions, and needed many more touches. The senior WR is the most dynamic player Ole Miss has on the field and needs at least 20 touches per game if the Rebels are going to threaten the West elite... also, he's on my fantasy team, and 8 points won't cut it.

But who didn't see this coming? The Rebels have now lost six straight SEC openers, and Houston Nutt routinely drops this type of game. Ole Miss will beat someone they shouldn't, and they are a very talented team, but lackluster efforts like Thursday night's will mean a fourth place finish in the West.


ESPN announcers. Jesse Palmer is starting to grow on me as a color analyst. He generally gives pretty good in-sight (though he is still apt to give a goof of a comment every quarter or so), but he's mainly dead-on with most analysis, appears to have done research on the teams, and doesn't get swept up in the possibility of an upset (cough, Brent Musburger, cough). Of course, for the ESPN family of networks, keeping track of player's names is apparently enough to be an above average commentator ... at least after having watched Bob Davie and Mark Jones.

I still hate Craig James.

And I still hate you, ESPN, for taking the Ron Franklin-Mike Gottfried team away from me.


Preseason Polls. Yes, yes, polls come out too early and there's no real way to know exactly how good a team is when the preseason poll comes out. People are using Ole Miss' loss shows that preseason polls harm college football's national championship chase. One of the better arguments against polls was made by voter Doug Lesmerieses of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who told ESPN, "what people think in August [when filling out preseason Top 25s] is at least partly based on what Phil Steele and Athlon thought in April [when their preview magazines are written]. A multi-gazillion-dollar industry based on people putting 15 minutes into a poll that is based on a magazine that did its rankings in April is not a good system."

But I'm tired of hearing that preseason rankings hurt a team's chances to win the national championship. Attacking the publication of preseason polls is useless - the reason they were invented were to create controversy and sell newspapers. And people can speak out about preseason polls until they're blue in the face, but they'll always exist, if nothing more than for TV Networks to market the game better. And the best example of their harm - Auburn in 2004 - doesn't hold water because USC and Oklahoma would've been No. 1 and No. 2 if the polls would've started in Week 2, 7 or 12.

The real culprits that harms the national title chase are not the preseason polls, but voters who won't change their opinions. South Carolina's win was pretty dominating, especially against a team perceived to be an SEC and (fringe) national title contender. The Rebels are a very talented team, but they're not playing like one, and voters must have the polls reflect that. Ole Miss should drop at least 14 spots in the next poll - and cannot be ranked ahead of South Carolina.


Oh the pressure. Congrats to you Bradley Sowell; I'm sure Ole Miss fans are thoroughly excited about your confidence.. What did the Rebel offensive lineman think of his team's highest ranking since 1970? "I'm glad it's over with," he said, "so everyone can just stop talking about it." Well, just so you know, we're glad it's over too.

Pick'em Picks

The Pollster's have spoken, and here is how we see the weekend playing out. After taking one on the chin for Ole Miss (what a game by the real USC), we're looking to close the weekend strong.

Ole Miss (-3.5)
Florida (-21.5)
Texas (-35.5)
Arkansas (+17)
California (-5.5)
Penn St (-10)
LSU (-12.5)
Virginia Tech (+3)
Boise St (-17)
Wash St (+45)
Cincinnati (-17)
Ohio St (-14)
Texas Christian (+3)
Texas Tech (+1.5)

Washington is National Team of the Week

For Immediate Release

With its 16-13 upset win over No. 3 Southern California, the Washington Huskies have been named the Southern Fans' National Team of the Week for games played over the Sept. 19 weekend. The Huskies - who went win-less in 2008 - defeated USC for the first time in eight attempts.

Behind the arm of QB Jake Locker, Washington erased a 10-0 USC lead with a 16-3 run, mainly on 237 passing yards. After USC tied the game at 13 with four minutes remaining, Washington took its final lead, riding the arm - and legs - of Locker and the foot of Erik Folk, who hit a 22-yard field goal with three seconds remaining.

The game was one of firsts: Washington's first PAC-10 victory since beating California in 2007; the first time USC has been held to less than 125 passing yards in ten years; and the first time a Pete Carroll Trojan squad was an unable to convert any third- or fourth-down opportunities . However, it was not the first time USC lost to an unranked opponent - that has now happened at least once in the past four seasons - nor the first time the Trojans lost a conference road game loss - that's happened six of the past eight seasons.

Other nominees for Southern Fans' National Team of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 19:

Florida State (2-1)
W, BYU 54-28
Behind the arm of QB Christian Ponder, who went 21-of-25 with 195 passing yards and two touchdowns, Florida State ended BYU's 18-game home winning streak with a 54-28 dismantling of the No. 6 Cougars.

Miami (2-0)
W, Georgia Tech 33-17
The Hurricanes improved to 2-0, but more importantly those two wins are over ACC rivals. A season after being run over by Tech to the tune of 472 rushing yards, Miami dominated the Yellow Jackets on both sides of the ball, most notably holding the vaunted Paul Johnson option attack to 95 rushing yards.

The Southern Fans' Poll began naming a national team of the week in 2008. Members of the Southern Fan's pool of voters decide the weekly honor. Each week during the 2009 college football season, the Southern Fans will name the National Team of the Week through the bowl season.

2009 Southern Fans' National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: William & Mary Tribe
• Weekend of Sept. 12: Houston Cougars
• Weekend of Sept. 19: Washington Huskies

Week 3 Poll

The Southern Fans' College Football Poll
September 21, 2009
26 Pollsters

Ranking	Team	Points	Previous
1	Florida [20]	408	1
2	Texas [5]	387	2
3	Alabama [1]	352	4
4	California	301	7
5	Penn State	298	5
6	Ole Miss	262	10
7	LSU	260	10
8	Miami	232	NR
9	Boise State	210	9
10	Oklahoma	151	12
11	Southern Cal	124	3
12	Cincinnati	114	16
13	Virginia Tech	104	14
14	Ohio State	74	13
15	TCU	72	15
16	Houston	32	NR
Other's Receiving Votes: Kansas 27, Oklahoma State 25, North Carolina 24, Florida State 23, Michigan 13, BYU 12, Auburn 10, UCLA 9, Georgia 4, Washington 4, Nebraska 1, Wisconsin 1

Pick'em Results

Pollster Pick'em
Week 3: 6-7-1
Final Tally: 22-27-2, or 44.9%

Pollster	This Week	Overall	Overall Percentage
Jordan Renna	9-4-1	28-21-2	57.1%
Jeff Renfro	7-6-1	27-22-2	55.1%
Rob Carlton	6-7-1	25-24-2	51.0%
Nathan Wilson	7-6-1	25-24-2	51.0%
Max Renfro	7-6-1	25-24-2	51.0%
Doug Bendinger	4-9-1	24-25-2	50.0%
Sean Hardin	6-7-1	24-25-2	50.0%
Michael Coker	5-8-1	23-26-2	46.9%
Greg Frayser	6-7-1	23-26-2	46.9%
Kumar Chadha	7-6-1	23-26-2	46.9%
John Buzbee	8-5-1	23-26-2	46.9%
Ashley Chadha	6-7-1	22-27-2	44.9%
Edwin Sweeten	7-6-1	21-28-2	42.9%
Jarad Wilson	6-7-1	20-29-2	40.8%
Mark Houston	6-7-1	20-29-2	40.8%
Brian Smith	5-8-1	17-32-2	34.7%
Eddie Slep	5-8-1	16-33-2	32.7%

Pretty Good Week overall, some games defintely could've gone better, like maybe a VT touchdown, but that is too much to ask of Stiney's "offense." Also, the "Corps" at USC could've shown up as well. A nice week for Jordan who went 9-4-1. Keep up the good work everyone, let's get back over .500, with some big games this week!

A Resurgence at Quarterback U?

Reality finally set in for the Jackets. Their inconsistent play for four quarters in the two openers, finally caught up to them. But this game leaves a couple questions to be answered: First, was Georgia Tech over-hyped, or just not roused against the Canes? Second, if not, is Miami back?

Having watched the entire game, this Miami team looked good. Maybe Tech isn't the team people thought, and maybe Miami had an extra week... blah, blah, blah. But Jacory Harris, Greg Cooper, the offensive line, and the receiving corps looked flawless. Now coached by OC Mark Whipple, this offense was a site to behold. The O-line gave Harris more than enough time, and Harris just picked the Jacket defense apart, and with ease.

All-in-all, I'm left wondering if the Jackets left the passion in the second quarter of the Clemson game. But I also think that teams need to watch out for Quarterback U. This team may be the new face of the ACC. And even a Jacket fan can admit it... Welcome Back.

Go Jackets

Pick'em Tallies Are In

Alright pollsters, here is how we see this weekend shaking out, but before we get to the weekend, we get two great games, Georgia Tech vs Miami on Thursday night, then Fresno St vs Boise St on Friday night. Finally, more College Football.
We were pretty favorite heavy, but that could work out in our favor.

Thursday,
Georgia Tech (+4.5)

Friday
Boise St (-7)

Saturday
FLORIDA (-29.5)
TEXAS (-17.5)
USC (-20.5)
ALABAMA (-32)
PENN ST (-30)
BYU (-7.5)
California (-14)
LSU (-26.5)
OKLAHOMA (-14.5)
Ohio St (-20.5)
VIRGINIA TECH (-3.5)
Cincinnati (Pick)

Houston is National Team of the Week

For Immediate Release

The Houston Cougars knocked off the No. 5 team in the nation and in doing so have become the first team to receive two Southern Fans' National Team of the Week honors. The Cougars took down Oklahoma State in Stillwater 45-35 on Saturday to improve to 2-0.

Cougars QB Case Keenum completed 32-of-46 passes for 366 yards with an interception and three touchdowns, the last of which came on a fourth down pass that was tipped high into the air before falling into RB Bryce Beall's hands. But it was DB Jamal Robinson who sealed the game after the Cougars squandered a 17-point halftime lead.

Robinson intercepted a Zac Robinson pass and returned it 26 yards for the final score with three minutes remaining. That touchdown capped a 21-point fourth quarter for the Cougars. The Houston defense held all-star Cowboy WR Dez Bryant to five catches for 85 yards.

The victory was Houston's first over a top 5 team in 25 years, when the Cougars defeated No. 3 Texas in 1984. Interestingly, this is the third straight time Oklahoma State has fallen after reaching the top 5; the last game the Cowboys won as a top 5 team was also in 1984.

Other nominees for Southern Fans' National Team of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 12:

Central Michigan, 29-27
W - Michigan State
Central Michigan ran the gambit of emotion on Saturday, as the Chippewas scored its final touchdown on a Dan LeFevour 11-yard pass to Paris Cotton with 32 seconds remaining but then saw LeFevour misfire on a two-point conversion attempt to take the lead; CMU then executed a perfect onside kick to get the ball in position for a 42-yard game winning field goal by Andrew Aguila to defeat the Spartans and extend their winning streak over Big Ten teams to two - following a 15-game Big Ten losing streak which dated back to 1993.

Michigan, 38-31
W - Notre Dame
Michigan frosh QB Tate Forcier completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Greg Matthews with only 11 seconds remaining to give Michigan three of the past four games over the rival Irish. ND had overcome an 11-point fourth quarter deficit but ND coach Charlie Weis helped U-M save timeouts near the end of the game, as the Irish continued calling passing plays while up 34-31. The game marked only the fifth time the Wolverines scored 30-or-more points on ND - all wins.

Southern Cal, 18-15
W - Ohio State
In a low scoring game more fitting of the No. 11 Buckeyes than the No. 3 Trojans, USC came out on top after being held tight all game. USC needed a late fourth quarter drive to overcome the Buckeyes in Columbus, as frosh QB Matt Barkley teamed up with RB Joe McKnight to take the Trojans 86 yards in 14 plays. The Trojans went to 33-1 in non-conference games, won it's tenth straight over Ohio State, and took it's seventh consecutive game against Ohio State.

The Southern Fans' Poll began naming a national team of the week in 2008. Members of the Southern Fan's pool of voters decide the weekly honor. Each week during the 2009 college football season, the Southern Fans will name the National Team of the Week through the bowl season.

2009 Southern Fans' National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: William & Mary
• Weekend of Sept. 12: Houston

Week 2 Poll

The Southern Fans' College Football Poll
September 14, 2009
25 Pollsters

Ranking	Team	Points	Previous
1	Florida [20]	394	1
2	Texas [1]	363	2
3	Southern Cal [4]	350	3
4	Alabama	331	4
5	Penn State	279	6
6	BYU	245	8
7	California	228	10
8	LSU	200	9
9	Boise State	173	12
10	Ole Miss	166	7
11	Georgia Tech	123	13
12	Oklahoma	109	14
13	Ohio State	102	11
14	Virginia Tech	78	15
15	TCU	43	NR
16	Cincinnati	40	NR
Other's Receiving Votes: Utah 29, Miami 28, Nebraska 27, Oklahoma State 24, Houston 15, Kansas 13, Michigan 9, North Carolina 9, Missouri 8, Oregon 6, Georgia 4, Auburn 3

Pick'em Results

Pollster Pick'em
Week 2: 5-5-1
Final Tally: 16-20-1, or 44.4%

Pollster	This Week	Overall	Overall Percentage
Doug Bendinger	5-5-1	20-16-1	55.5%
Jeff Renfro	6-4-1	20-16-1	55.5%
Jordan Renna	5-5-1	19-17-1	52.7%
Rob Carlton	6-5-1	19-17-1	52.7%
Michael Coker	4-7-1	18-18-1	50.0%
Nathan Wilson	5-5-1	18-18-1	50.0%
Max Renfro	5-5-1	18-18-1	50.0%
Sean Hardin	5-5-1	18-18-1	50.0%
Greg Frayser	6-4-1	17-19-1	46.2%
Kumar Chadha	5-5-1	16-20-1	44.4%
Ashley Chadha	5-5-1	16-20-1	44.4%
John Buzbee	4-6-1	15-21-1	41.7%
Jarad Wilson	5-5-1	14-22-1	38.9%
Edwin Sweeten	5-5-1	14-22-1	38.9%
Mark Houston	3-7-1	14-22-1	38.9%
Brian Smith	3-7-1	12-24-1	33.3%
Eddie Slep	3-7-1	11-25-1	30.6%

Much Better than last week, but again who thought Houston was going to beat Oklahoma St at T. Boone Stadium, or Ohio St would put up a fight against USC. Nice work Rob, Jeff, and Greg for posting 6 wins. Only 3 more days till more College Football!

Pick'em Tallies

Alright pollsters, sorry for the late post, Comcast still thinks I don't need Internet or Cable (crossing my fingers it'll be back on for kick-off). Anyway, here they are...
USC (-6.5)
BYU (-17)
LSU (-14.5)
Virginia Tech (-19)
Texas (-33.5)
Florida (-36.5)
Alabama (-34)
Oklahoma St (-15)
Syracuse (+29)
Boise St (-36.5)

Good Luck

Showdown at Bobby Dodd

In a game that almost went down as an incredible comeback, Georgia Tech fans were a heart attack short of a let down at Historic Grant Field. It a run of 20+ unanswered points for both sides, the Jackets turned to Scott Blair for a 36 yard field goal with one minute remaining. Last season, the kid was about 50% from anywhere on the field, but he was 3/3 from 24, 34, and 36, leading the Jackets over a very good Clemson team.

Georgia Tech’s defense started out with a bang, holding Clemson to 17 yards and a turnover on downs. Then the Tech passing game, yes I’m going to call it that, yielded a quick interception on the first play. But the defense answered the call again, holding Spiller and Co. to 7 yards and a punt.

PJ decided that on this play maybe we should try the triple option, and Nesbitt read it to perfection, tossing to Anthony Allen right as the Defense collapsed on him, and Allen rumbled for 82 yards and the first TD of the game.

Now up 7-0, and quickly at that, the defense was called upon again, and again held the Tigers and forced a potential 56 yard field-goal. Not sold on the FG attempt, Tarrant for the Jackets backed up to the 10, and low and behold Clemson tries to pooch kick to the corner. Tarrant was waiting, fielded the punt cleanly, and then somehow squeeze in between 4 Clemson defenders, and then beats the kicker for an 85 yard TD.

The ensuing Clemson possession lead to an interception and on 4th down, the Jackets appeared to send out the offense, but quickly sent in the FG unit on 4th and 13 from the 34. Clemson, confused in the quick switch, forgot about Bebe Thomas on the sideline, and Blair faked the kick only to throw it to Thomas, wide open, on the 10 and an eventual TD.

Soon after a Blair FG put Tech up 24-0 in the middle of the 3rd. Clemson though would counter several times with huge plays of their own. Parker hit Spiller in stride down the Clemson side line for a quick hit 63 yard TD, then Clemson followed with a solid drive and an eventual TD on a 7 yard pass from Parker. Clemson defense would stall the triple option on 4 straight drives, holding Tech to only 53 yards on those drive, and Parker rapidly assumed the offense again, only to hit Jacoby Ford for a 77 yard TD pass. A 53 yard FG from Clemson, that would have been good from 60+, would give Clemson an incredible 27-24 lead after being down 24-0.

This in previous years under Gailey, would be where the Jackets had a tendency to roll over. However, PJ has already won several big wins when old “Mo” is on the other side (BC and FSU last year alone). Finally Tech woke up, and showed its character, piecing together a 69 yard drive and a Blair FG to tie it up
The ensuing Clemson drive was stalled by a clearly questionable holding call, a play that would have resulted in a Ford catch on the Tech 30 yard line, and Clemson was forced to punt. With a sense of urgency, Clemson’s defense held the first 2 option plays from Dwyer, and forced Tech into a 3rd and 11.

Nesbitt who at the time was 2-13, backed up and incredibly hit a well covered Thomas right over his shoulder. Tech would then wind some clock down, and Blair would kick the game tying FG with just under a minute to play.

What a game, up 24-0, down 24-27, then final of 30-27. Great game, Go Jackets!

National Player of the Week

BYU's Hall is Southern Fans' first award winner

Brigham Young QB Max Hall has been named the Southern Fans' National Player of the Week for games over Labor Day weekend.

Hall, the 6-1, 200-pound senior from Mesa, Ariz., completed 26-of-38 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns. His second TD pass came with 3:03 remaining in the game to give BYU a 14-13 lead over No. 3 Oklahoma. His final pass came on fourth down-and-four and capped a 16-play 76-yard drive.

The game was squarely on Hall's shoulders, as the Cougars were reduced to just 28 rushing yards. Hall had to overcome four turnovers, two of which were his own, but with the game on the line, the QB marched his team down the field and found WR McKay Jacobson alone in the back of the endzone. Hall and the Cougars now have more to play for than just busting the BCS; with games against Florida State, Colorado State, TCU, Air Force and Utah, an unbeaten BYU squad could be the first non-BCS team to have a legitimate shot at the national title game.

Other nominees for National Player of the Week:
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Ingram, a 5-10, 212-pound sophomore from Flint, Mich., rushed for one touchdown, gained a career-high 150 yards on the grounds, and put the game out-of-reach with an 18-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter of the Crimson Tide's 34-24 win over Virginia Tech in the Georgia Dome.

Jacory Harris, QB, Miami
The 6-4, 190-pound sophomore completed 21-of-34 passes for 386 yards with two touchdowns for his hometown Hurricanes; his biggest throw came late in the fourth quarter on a 40-yard perfect lob into double coverage that set-up the go-ahead touchdown run as Miami knocked off bitter rival Florida State 38-34.

B.W. Webb, DB, William & Mary
Webb, a 5-11, 160-pound redshirt freshman from Newport News, Va., intercepted three passes and returned one 50 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter that sealed the Tribe's 26-14 upset victory at Virginia.

The Southern Fans' began naming a National Player of the Week this season; this award is in addition to pollsters naming a National Team of the Week, which started in 2008. Each week during the 2009 season the Southern Fans will select a national player of the week from nominations made by individual pollsters.

ACC Showdown at Bobby Dodd

Alright pollsters, the picks are in... The pollsters think Georgia Tech, a 5.5 point favorite, will cover the spread at home against the Tigers. In what is sure to be a display of future NFL backs in CJ Spiller and Jonathan Dwyer, pollsters think the Jackets take one from Dabo and Co tonight at Historic Grant Field. Good Luck, and Go Jackets!

William & Mary named National Team of the Week

For Immediate Release

With their 26-14 win over Virginia, William & Mary has been named the Southern Fans' National Team of the Week for games of Labor Day weekend. William & Mary is the first team from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) to be recognized with the honor.

With Virginia attempting to install a new west coast offense, the Tribe were able to force seven turnovers, with B.W. Webb intercepting three passes, the last of which he returned 50 yards for a touchdown to ice the game. William & Mary had to fight back from an early deficit, when Virginia went up 7-0 on a 34-yard run where RB Vic Hall went untouched for the touchdown just 2 minutes into the game. But from then on, it was all W&M, as the Tribe outgained Virginia 309-269.

The win over the Cavaliers is William & Mary's first win over an ACC team since 1986, when the Tribe defeated ... Virginia, 41-37. After going unbeaten against FBS schools in 2008, the subdivision took its first loss from the FCS since opening weekend in 2007, when Appalachian State defeated Michigan and Iowa State fell to Northern Iowa.

Other nominees for Southern Fans' National Team of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 5:

BYU (1-0)14-13
W - Oklahoma
Max Hall threw for 329 yards and hit McKay Jacobson for the game-winning score with 3:03 left in the game as the Cougars beat a team ranked among the nation's top three for the first time since Sept. 8, 1990 vs. then-No. 1 Miami.

Alabama (1-0)
W - Virginia Tech 34-24
Mark Ingram ran for 150 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Crimson Tide topped Virginia Tech, 34-24, in an opening-week showdown in Atlanta.

Miami (1-0)
W - Florida State 38-34
Jacory Harris threw for 386 yards and a pair of scores and the Hurricanes thwarted Florida State's final drive on the goal line in a thrilling 38-34 win in Tallahassee.

Oklahoma State (1-0)
W - Georgia 24-14
In their first home win over a ranked opponent in more than 30 years, the Cowboys avenged a 2007 loss to the Bulldogs, as Zac Robinson hooked up with Dez Bryant for two TD passes and Kendall Hunter added 75 yards on the ground and the defense held UGA to three points after giving up a game-opening touchdown.

Charleston Southern (0-1)
L - Florida 62-3
NCAA college football prostitution update: This week the Buccaneers were paid $450,000 to travel down to Gainesville and get pounded by the John Holmes of the NCAA. They held up their end of the bargain, taking it on the chin to the tune of 62-3. Surprisingly they were able to put together a 48 yard drive and hang 3 points on Florida’s first string D.

The Southern Fans' Poll began naming a national team of the week in 2008. Members of the Southern Fan's pool of voters decide the weekly honor. Each week during the 2009 college football season, the Southern Fans will name the National Team of the Week through the bowl season.

2009 Southern Fans' National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: William & Mary

Week 1 Poll

The Southern Fans' College Football Poll
September 8, 2009
25 Pollsters

Ranking	Team	Points	Previous
1	Florida [22]	397	1
2	Texas [1]	364	2
3	Southern Cal [2]	331	4
4	Alabama	323	6
5	Oklahoma State	282	10
6	Penn State	240	6
7	Ole Miss	186	11
8	BYU	178	NR
9	LSU	177	9
10	California	175	13
11	Ohio State	159	8
12	Boise State	144	16
13	Georgia Tech	122	14
14	Oklahoma	72	3
15	Virginia Tech	71	5
16	Miami	40	NR
Other's Receiving Votes: North Carolina 26, Utah 16, TCU 16, Missouri 14, Notre Dame 13, Nebraska 13, Kansas 8, Cincinnati 7, Oregon 5, Michigan State 5, Iowa 4, Georgia 4, Oregon State 3, Auburn 2, Tennessee 2

Commodore Siege

'08's 117th-ranked 'O' tallies 620 yards in route of WCU
by Greg Frayser

To those suggesting that the Vanderbilt Commodores' flirtation with the Top 25 last year, along with its bowl victory over Boston College, was just a temporary aberration, this year's 'Dores had a message on Saturday. Vandy marked the start of the 2009 season with a 45-0 dismantling of Western Carolina, shutting out an opponent for the first time in 10 years.

The 'Dores put up an impressive 620 yards of offense (including 433 yards rushing), featuring a no-huddle Wildcat offense helmed by redshirt sophomore Larry Smith. Yes, you read that right. The 'Dores put up an impressive 620 yards of offense.

With Jared Hawkins nursing a foot injury, Vanderbilt passed the tailback duties to two freshmen, Warren Norman and Zac Stacey, who both rushed for more than 100 yards and a combined three TDs. VU's passing game looked equally impressive, with Smith showing off a strong arm and good decision-making. Smith had to leave the game after falling on the ball awkwardly, but reports have said it was nothing more than cramps and dehydration.

On defense, the Commodores displayed nice speed and athleticism. It remains to be seen how that defense will hold up against some of the better (and larger) SEC offenses, but regardless of the opponent, this is clearly a young and explosive Vanderbilt team that looks poised to build on the successes of last year.

It will be important to watch home games against both Georgia and Georgia Tech. A win in either would likely be the key to a 6-7 win season necessary for Vanderbilt's first ever back-to-back bowl appearance.

Season Prediction: 7-5
09.05 vs. Western Carolina 45-0
09.12 at LSU
09.19 vs. Mississippi State
09.26 at Rice
10.03 vs. Ole Miss
10.10 at Army
10.17 vs. Georgia
10.24 at South Carolina
10.31 vs. Georgia Tech
11.07 at Florida
11.14 vs. Kentucky
11.21 at Tennessee

What a Great Weekend ... For Games At Least

Just to sum up... South Carolina and NC St was like watching a high school football game, Georgia Tech's first play from scrimmage went 74 yards for a TD, Navy was a two-point conversion shy of showing how overrated Ohio St is, USC's running game obliterated San Jose St, Notre Lame showed it has a pulse, The ACC takes a huge hit on the conference scale (UVA lost to William and Mary, Duke loses to Richmond, Maryland gets embarrassed, I could go on), Oklahoma St showing it had a Defense, Kiffin starts his era with a 63-7 beatdown of W. Kentucky, LSU tries to lose to Washington, Boise blowing up Oregon, Alabama all but blanked VT's "offense," Iowa blocking two late field goals with 18 seconds left to beat N. Iowa, and then Bradford falls along with Oklahoma to BYU.

But even with all that craziness, I have to figure Vegas lost some money over the weekend, much like the pollsters did with the pick'em challenge.

Final Tally - 11 wins, 15 losses
This weeks best - Doug comes in at 15-11, and leads the challenge by a game. After some more picks are in, I'll get everything posted.

Lets put a better week together next time.

Pick'em Tallies Are In

Are you ready for some College Football? Finally, after some mediocre games to start, minus Blount punching out Boise St (he had -5 yards on 9 carries), some really big games are coming up. With some huge spreads, like the NY Times giving Charleston Southern 73 points against Florida., our pollsters made their picks on this weekends games, and are looking to finish at 24-2 after a poor 0-2 start (thanks Utah for allowing Utah St to gain 325 yards... Sure you have a defense?). So here they are, and just to keep you interested, I've posted these in order of confidence in the pick (highest to lowest total votes.)

Auburn (-13) vs Louisiana Tech

Utah (-20.5) vs Utah St (Loss)

Texas (-41) vs University of Louisiana-Monroe

Washington vs LSU (-17)

Virginia (-27) vs William and Mary

Oregon St (-33) vs Portland St

Penn St (-27) vs Akron

Memphis vs Ole Miss (-16)

Ohio St (-21.5) vs Navy

Boise St vs Oregon(+4)

Kansas vs Northern Colorado (+47.5)

Georgia Tech (-32) vs Jacksonville St

USC (-34.5) vs San Jose St

Nebraska (-22) vs Florida Atlantic

Michigan St vs Montana St (+43)

Iowa vs Northern Iowa (+42.5)

West Virginia (-41) vs Liberty

North Carolina vs Citadel (+42)

Arkansas (-35.5) vs Missouri St

*Alabama vs VaTech (+7)

Oklahoma vs BYU (+22)

Notre Dame vs Nevada (+14)

Florida St vs Miami (+6)

California vs Maryland (+21.5)

Florida (-66) vs Charleston Southern

Oklahoma St vs Georgia (+5.5)