Tomorrow is D-Day #1 for the Tide. LSU is coming to town, and if they are going to choke like a porn star on a 14 incher, tomorrow will be the day. I expect them to lose every single game, just so it won't hurt so much.
Boise St keeps being turned down for a 2011 game I'm guessing that's what Puffman is referring to. And yes, BSU is playing VaTech at a "neutral" site in Washington, DC's FedEx Field next year. No home and home though. And BSU is looking for just an away game against any major program with a 2011 vacancy. Great article detailing how some teams purposely schedule FCS teams Basically if you're guaranteed to go to the National Championship if you win out, why risk losing to a team like Boise St when no one's going to look at your strength of schedule anyway? One thing I'd like to see implemented is a requirement that you have to play half your OOC games on the road. For instance, Florida has zero OOC games away from the Swamp. Part of that is because of a home-home agreement with Florida State, but that doesn't take away from the fact that they don't leave Gainsville except for conference games this year.
I am a born and bred Iowa fan through and through. It hurts deep down knowing that the perfect season is lost because of injuries. There have been way too many vital injuries this year, yet they've kept afloat, but having an offensive backfield of freshmen just isn't going to get it done. At least with Stanzi in there was enough experience to keep it together. Hopefully Vandenberg's accuracy issues were just due to nerves and he can get it together for next week if Stanzi is still going to be out. It was painful watching him overthrow open receivers, underthrow open receivers, and just completely miss his targets. Yeah, maybe the refs missed some calls that could have given Iowa a better chance, but you can't blame that loss on the refs. I'm not mad about losing out on the possibility to be in the BCS championship game, cause it probably would have been a blowout, I'm just upset with how much bad luck the team has had to overcome. Go Nittany Lions!
Seconded. The game was just a travesty overall. The play where Stanzi got hurt was just a bad call by O'Keefe, but if Stanzi was willing to curl up and take a safety, he probably could have avoided the injury (and the fumble). The refs had bad moments, like the holding call that brought back Wegher's TD run and the final Iowa possession where there were clear PI calls that didn't happen. But more than anything, that game was lost due to poor execution by Iowa. After the first 2 possessions, it seemed like Stanzi, until he got hurt, just wanted to throw the ball deep. I was surprised to not see some of the roll outs to McNutt that were so successful last week, though they may have been trying that when Stanzi got hurt, so maybe it would not have been a successful play this week. Overall, like you said, just a disappointing day, and a hard way to lose the undefeated season. I can confidently say that if Stanzi hadn't gotten hurt, Iowa moves to 10-0. But hopefully they can come out an beat OSU next week and wrap up a Big Ten title against Minnesota.
"I'd like to see a race between Trindon Holliday and a......... duck." Come on, Vern. You're making Gary Danielson not be the biggest dumbass in the booth. Goddamn it, I hate Gary Danielson... Why the FUCK does LSU not only keep running the option that they are terrible at, but only do it to the short side of the field?
Hey, all it took for Julio Jones to get a TD was to put a safety on him and run a screen. I can't believe that's what it took to get the team's best fucking receiver the ball. Saban better straighten out that offense, STAT.
Jesus fucking christ. On fourth and 1 down by 3 in overtime, Paul Johnson goes for it. That's after Wake Forest calling a time out then Georgia Tech failing to draw Wake Forest offsides and calling their time out. Tech converts and scores the go ahead td a play later but goddamn did that game take years off my life.
I'm going to make a left field prediction here: If Stanford can beat USC on Saturday and go on to win their remaining two games(which they should), Toby Gerhart is a lock for the Heisman. He is having an unbelievable season and he basically carries the Stanford Offense.
I doubt it. I just don't see how he would get in over Ingram, especially if they beat Florida. Then you have to consider Keenum (his numbers are insane) and Clausen.
Gerhart has twice as many touchdowns as Ingram, and rushes for an average of nine yards a game more. I'll give you that Keenum has insane numbers, but it is mostly due to the system, like TT and Hawaii QB's; look at Harell Brennan and Chang, all had the numbers but didn't get the Heisman. If Florida manage to beat Bama again Tebow might repeat, but I doubt it.
I don't know about you guys but this has been one of the most dour, predictable seasons in a long time. But you know what? I'm strangely OK with it. The last two seasons have been some of the best in decades, especially 2007, and I remember having a blast throughout them all. 2009 has been a sobering experience, which is good, especially considering the fact that I work every Saturday night and miss most of the better match ups of the year. I will put a vote in for that Stanford-USC game - doesn't compare to their win in 2007, but what a fucking win by the cards. Who's that quarterback for Stanford? Can he really, realistically make a run for the Heisman? (fingers crossed that they at least don't give it to Tebow)
\ They're QB is named Luck I think. He's a redshirt freshman whose main job is to just hand the ball to Toby Gerhart and watch the yards pile up. I love my Trojans, but we played pathetically that game and giving up in the 4th quarter was sad. We were still in it going into the 4th then they just bent us over and spanked us. Gerhart for Heisman imo, screw Tebow/McCoy
Luck played a very good game on Saturday. Gerhart was the reason they won (basically a guaranteed 7 yards every time he had the ball), but Luck threw some great passes. He should be a very fine QB over the next 3 years. After what Gerhart did to two teams ranked in the top-10, he should be very much in the heisman talk. I think playing on the west coast, where most of the media does not watch will hurt though. However, this weekend is the big game and then next weekend they play ND. Both games should get some coverage and if Gerhart plays those games like the last two, he should be in strong contention. Pretty impressive for the Cardinal and Jim Harbaugh that assuming they beat Cal, they do no worse then second in the PAC-10, and if whoever wins the Arizona-Oregon game loses their final game, Stanford will play Ohio St in the Rose Bowl.
Gerhart is definitely in the Heisman talk, especially with the game he had against USC. However, Ingram still has 1.4 yards per carry more than Gerhart, and about 150 more yards receiving. From what I've seen he's the better back, but Gerhart just gets a lot more carries. It's pretty close right now, but if Mccoy or Tebow get the heisman it's a fucking joke.
Ingram still has half as many touchdowns then Gerhart. Ingram also is from a top tier program and has a better O-Line and better teammates that other teams have to key off on.
In total touchdowns he has 19 to Ingram's 13. The receiving scores should count too. I know it's a close race. I just don't see either candidate pulling away. As for Ingram having better teammates, it's not exactly like Alabama has a great passing game. Luck's numbers are better than McElroy's (slightly). Plus, you have to keep in mind Ingram is playing against much better defenses. SEC defense is outstanding this year.
I would love to see Gerhart win the Heisman. That guy is absolute beast. It seems to me that a lot of people still don't respect Stanford simply because of their past. Whenever I mention Gerhart as a Heisman candidate people laugh or look at me like I'm crazy. Although I've pretty much accepted that Tebow or McCoy are going to win it. The media loves them and they win games, no matter how ugly. I guess it's a matter of what's more important, individual stats or leading your team to a championship.
I think there is an addendum to Heisman qualifications: giving out inarticulate but impassioned speeches. I haven't watched Gerhart play at all this year to make a decision. What type of offense does Stanford run? I thought it was some sort of shotgun spread with a heavy tilt towards running ala Rich Rodriguez but someone said there's a lot of power running in it as well. Anyone care to enlighten?
Yeah they do a lot of I-Form punch you teeth in style football. They have a good blocking fullback in Marecic and aren't afraid to use him. Most experts have it a two horse race between Gerhart and Ingram.