The NoTex Rant: 9/9/07

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Friday, September 14, 2007

- Position by position analysis

QB - Sam Keller vs. John David Booty

This position is more critical for Nebraska than USC. With the horses USC has up front and in the backfield, Booty usually doesn't need to be spectacular and take a game over. Keller, on the other hand, has less talent to work with. He maybe doesn't need to be spectacular, but he needs to be error-free and will be required to hit on more big plays than Booty.

Booty to me is a tad overrated, he's not as great as some think, but at the same time is a very good QB. Keller can do everything he can and is more capable of the spectacular. Keller's been wanting this game for 2 years now. It's a reason he came to Nebraska. He lives for games like this. I think you'll see a complete, effective, spectacular at times performance from him. Callahan's going to let him loose.

EDGE -

- Running Back - Marlon Lucky vs. A stable of thoroughbreds

Nebraska has one very good running back. USC has 7. The sheer depth of this backfield is astounding. A good question to ask yourself, where would Marlon Lucky sit on the depth chart if he was at USC? I'm not sure, but it wouldn't be #1 in my estimation.

Lucky is a different player this year, he's more assertive, has become a workhorse, and is breaking out nationally. But USC has multiple 5-star players at the position. I can't go against the depth and talent.

EDGE -

- Wide Receiver/Tight End

Before the season I would have given the edge to Nebraska. Losing Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett had pushed the edge to Nebraska. But after watching these first 2 games and seeing all the drops and how ordinary this receiving corps really is, I have to go with USC. Patrick Turner is a great talent who is just now getting his chance and Fred Davis is a top 5 tight end in the nation. Nebraska has no threat whatsoever at tight end.

EDGE -

- Offensive Line

Nebraska returned all the talent from a year ago, rushed for 400+ yards in the opener, was able to produce almost 400 yards of offense against a tough Wake Forest defense on the road in week 2, and has looked like the best line they've had since Eric Crouch's senior year in 2001. USC returns Sam Baker, a consensus All-American, but starts a freshman at center. When you have the strongest man in America at nose tackle staring that freshman in the eyes, it could be bad news. Give me Nebraska on this. USC still has a very good line, but they lost too much talent from last year.

EDGE -

- Defensive Line

Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson are studs for USC, look for them early and often. Suh is a beast at nose tackle for Nebraska, and should be 1st team all conference, but after him, Nebraska has no one capable of dominating. USC has better overall talent on the line and should give Nebraska's O-line fits all day.

EDGE -

- Linebackers

This could be the best 2 linebacking corps in the country going head to head. MLB Rey Maualuga, WLB Keith Rivers, SLB Brian Cushing are friggin' unreal. Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon, and Steve Octavien are damn good as well. Here's the key - Which team has a gamebreaking tight end that must be covered by a LB? USC. Who has the better defensive line capable of letting their LB's roam free and make plays? USC. Who has the edge? USC.

EDGE -

- Secondary

Larry Asante is a hitting machine. Courtney Grixby is playing light years better than last year. Zach Bowman is back making plays again and can match up with any WR USC has. FS Tierre Green is banged up and may not play, so this could be trouble. USC's secondary is just a bunch of guys, no one really stands out, but they are still very good. A starting CB was lost for the year earlier this week, so that downgrades this position for USC. Slight edge here.

EDGE -

- Coaching

This is huge. Can Callahan finally do it? Will the rumored USC 2007 gameplanning/looking ahead for a whole year pay off? Is he pointing to this game as his signature game as a Nebraska coach? And will that make him let it all hang out and call the game of his life? I've questioned him in the past, not necessarily the calls themselves, but why he would make them with the talent he has. I agree with his ballsy calls. But my complaint is he's calling those trick plays, fake punts, 4th down attempts, etc thinking he has the elite talent necessary for those plays to work. He has not had it in the past, so those calls have blown up in his face. I think he's very close to having that talent on board this year.

I see him calling a 2005 Colorado or a 2006 Texas game. In my opinion, 2 of the better games he's coached. He either had them so off balance they didn't know what was coming next or he called the correct nutsy calls at the correct time.

On the flip side, you think there's anything Pete Carroll hasn't seen? He's been in big games, has the best talent this side of LSU, and can design a killer defensive game plan.

I'm just betting this is the game Callahan puts it all together. He's got the difference maker at QB and RB he needs, he's at home, and he's been prepping for this chance for over a year. He needs this game, he wants this game, and he'll call it as such.

So how do I give the edge to a guy who's 24-16 in 4 years at Nebraska over a guy who's been 60-6 with 2 National Titles in the since 2003? Because Callahan figures it out this weekend, that's why. He takes that next step Saturday.

EDGE -

- Intangibles

This could be the difference right here. Nebraska is a totally different beast at home. They're hungry and sick of hearing how Nebraska football is on the brink of being elite but not yet there. They want to finally push it over the edge, they won't coast through this game, not at all. They're going to be about as focused as any team I've seen. This is their Super Bowl.

Don't believe the company line of, "USC isn't in our conference," "We don't need to beat them to accomplish our goal of winning the Big 12." Bullshat. This is the game they've been wanting for a long time. Don't buy that crap.

USC has a great chance of underestimating this team. Superior athletes, if not motivated, can coast and be taken off guard. I expect Nebraska to hit them in the mouth and wear them down. USC has proven it doesn't enjoy this and this is the 1 way you can beat them. Hit, hit, hit, and hit some more until they're begging you to stop. You're going to have one team that's going to be ho-hum, just another game. And you're going to have one team that's playing like it's the National Championship.

And maybe an even bigger factor..........Memorial Stadium
I've been to Memorial Stadium pre and post renovations. In the past, the stadium was too wide open, nothing was closed in like most of the intimidating stadiums are. It was loud, but no different than a lot of the stadiums around the country.

They've added a huge press box on one side and have extended seating and a Platinum Club in one end zone. Closed it up big time. Noise now stays inside the stadium. I visited this summer and immediately knew it would be a better atmosphere this year. They, by my count, bumped the noise level up 3-4 times by making these changes.

That place is going to be loud as hell. It's going to sound/look like Colorado 1994, Texas 2006, and Colorado 1996. 3 of the louder/more intense games I can remember. The West Coast Offense that USC and Nebraska run can be easily influenced by crowd noise. If it's going to be as loud and crazy as I think it is, this could be trouble for USC.

Nebraska's prepensity for playing out of their minds at home, crowd noise, motivation, intensity. All intangibles that no doubt favor Nebraska.

EDGE -

- Final Prediction

By final count, Nebraska has a 5-4 edge. I'm biased, yes. But I tried to stay as objective as possible. With the college football landscape the way it is these days, there's not much difference in a top 5 team and a top 20 team. With a few exceptions obviously, and the only exception I see this year is LSU. USC is not as bulletproof as people think they are.

Their offense is no longer the explosive juggernaut it was during the Leinart/Bush days. It's a good offense, but it's not totally un-defenseable. The defense is stellar, but can be worn down by charging them up and hitting them in the mouth play after play.

Another thing that can't be discounted.....Booty threw 3 TD's last year to Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett, both now in the NFL. Those guys are gone and the replacements aren't near as good. Shut down the running game and make Booty beat you! He doesn't have the weapons out wide like he used to. You get it to where Booty must beat you, and you up your chances 10-fold.

Nebraska is just a different team at home. Plain and simple. They're top 10 at home, and top 40 on the road. Everyone for Nebraska has an agenda. Sam Keller needs payback for 2005. Marlon Lucky needs payback for USC not signing him out of North Hollywood High School. Bill Callahan needs to quiet doubters, beat a top 5 team, and get his signature win. The offensive line needs to prove that last year's performance was a fluke. The defense needs to prove it was in fact them, not USC's conservative play calling, that contributed to a very good performance last year in holding down USC's offense. And the whole program needs to prove it's back.

There's just too much motivation and desire on the Big Red's side.

Give it to me Lance (or Sam Keller).

24-22 NEBRASKA

- You've heard me, now hear it from around the country. From Kansas City.

Southern Cal has taken over the role of dynasty from the Huskers
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star
LINCOLN, Neb. | Matt Davison has played the ugly guest role Southern California assumes this weekend.

“We used to go into people’s houses assuming we were going to win,” said Davison, a split end on the 1997 national championship team. “Just like they’re coming into ours.”

When a different shade of red ruled college football, Nebraska was the uber-talented and confident program whose road show struck fear into the host.

Identities have switched. Saturday’s Nebraska-Southern Cal showdown is the nation’s biggest game not because the matchup is seen as two national championship contending teams, but because one is and the other is desperately trying to be once again.

As the first top-ranked team to visit Memorial Stadium since 1978, Southern California is college football’s elite, winners of two national championships since 2004 with no end in sight to its dominance. Nebraska’s No. 14 ranking in The Associated Press poll is the program’s highest since 2003. That was two years after the Cornhuskers handed off the baton to Southern Cal, signaling the end of one dynasty and the beginning of the next.

The final moment of the Husker dynasty can be traced to Oct. 27, 2001 — a glorious day for Nebraskans in Lincoln. No. 3 Nebraska beat No. 2 Oklahoma 20-10 in a thriller that thrust Husker quarterback Eric Crouch to the top of the Heisman Trophy watch list. At the time, it seemed like just another mega win for the Huskers, who went 8-3 against top-five opponents from 1994 to that day.

And, then, it all came crashing down.

A Nebraska loss Saturday would drop the Huskers to 0-5 against top-five teams since that late October day of 2001.

“Where we are now is a different feeling for our fans and different for the people who have been around for a long time,” Davison said.

Southern Cal, meanwhile, filled in nicely after the Huskers exited the national scene. It finished each of the previous five years ranked in the top four, played in BCS bowls, won the Pacific-10 and at least 11 games. The Trojans bring a Heisman Trophy front-runner in quarterback John David Booty, bidding to become the program’s fourth in six years, and 10 returning defensive starters, including what many believe is the nation’s best group of linebackers.

This program is, in many respects, what Nebraska fans cheered for just 10 years ago.

“They’re the modern-day dynasty,” Cornhuskers cornerback Cortney Grixby said. “Nebraska owned the ’90s. But since the millennium they’ve been the best team. For us to be the best, we have to play the best, and that’s them.”

•••

Nobody stays on top forever, and some never get there. Nebraska was king of the mountain for five years starting in 1993, and the Cornhuskers weren’t far from the top for much of the next four seasons.

The 60-3 record over that first five years and 42-9 over the next four included the three national championships, five conference titles and a grand total of four games played with the team ranked outside the top 10.

None who suits up for Nebraska on Saturday was part of that. Even the fifth-year seniors have never been part of a conference championship or BCS bowl.

They’ve never been on a team that’s won all of its home games, much less expect to blast every opponent.

“It’s important to be the kind of program that wins every home game,” Davison said. “We’ve gotten away from that.”

The Cornhuskers came close last year. They led fifth-ranked Texas late before a fumble set up the Longhorns’ game-winning field goal. It would have been the program’s first perfect home season since 2001.

Trojans coach Pete Carroll sounds like former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne from the previous decade.

“We’re accustomed over the years to playing teams that give us their best shot, and their fans are ready to answer the call,” Carroll said. “That’s what we’ve come to expect.”

•••

What does Nebraska expect on Saturday? Kevin Kugler, co-host for a drive-time sports talk show on KOZN in Omaha, said the week’s tone for Husker diehard callers was realism wrapped in optimism.

“The realistic fan seems to think that there’s a better-than-average chance they’ll lose this game,” Kugler said. “People realize this is the No. 1 team in the country and beating them, even at home, is a difficult task.”

What gives Davison hope is Nebraska’s progress on the recruiting trail under Callahan.

“I feel like we have players good enough to win this game for the first time in five years,” Davison said. “There’s a much better chance than last year.”

Nebraska lost at Southern California 28-10 on this weekend a year ago, and it could have been worse. The Trojans took a knee instead of attempting a final-play touchdown from the shadow of Nebraska’s goal line.

Callahan took criticism for a conservative game plan that produced 36 attempts and 68 rushing yards. The Huskers threw it 17 times and seemed to be playing to keep from getting blown out.

What’s different this time? For starters, Nebraska has a quarterback, Sam Keller, who had some success against the Trojans, at least for a half. Playing for Arizona State in 2005, Keller put Southern California on its heels and helped the Sun Devils to a 21-3 halftime lead. He raised his arms in triumph as he disappeared into the tunnel.

The second half became a nightmare as Keller threw four of his five interceptions and the Trojans rallied for a 38-28 triumph.

“I don’t look at it like redemption at all,” Keller said. “It’s such a distant, far-off memory that it doesn’t even come up in my head anymore.”

But memories aren’t always a bad thing at Nebraska.

“To get to the way it used to be,” Davison said, “we have to win a game like this. That’s how it starts.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday marks another chance for Nebraska to get its first major victory since beating No. 2 Oklahoma in 2001. The Huskers have lost their last four games against top-five teams. From the 1994 to 1997 seasons, they rattled off six straight wins over top-five teams and did it by an average margin of 18 points.

1994-2001: 8-3 record

Oct. 29, 1994: No. 3 Nebraska 24, No. 2 Colorado 7

Jan. 1, 1995: No. 1 Nebraska 24, No. 3 Miami 17

Jan. 2, 1996: No. 1 Nebraska 62, No. 2 Florida 24

Nov. 29, 1996: No. 4 Nebraska 17, No. 5 Coloardo 12

Sept. 20, 1997: No. 7 Nebraska 27, No. 2 Washington 14

Jan. 2, 1998: No. 2 Nebraska 42, No. 3 Tennessee 17

Nov. 14, 1998: No. 2 Kansas State 40, No. 11 Nebraska 30

Dec. 30, 1998: No. 5 Arizona 23, No. 14 Nebraska 20

Nov. 13, 1999: No. 7 Nebraska 41, No. 5 K-State 15

Oct. 28, 2000: No. 3 Oklahoma 31, No. 1 Nebraska 14

Oct. 27, 2001: No. 3 Nebraska 20, No. 2 Oklahoma 10

Since then: 0-4 record

Jan. 3, 2002: No. 1 Miami 37, No. 4 Nebraska 14

Nov. 13, 2004: No. 2 Oklahoma 30, NR Nebraska 3

Sept. 16, 2006: No. 4 USC 28, No. 19 Nebraska 10

Oct. 21, 2006: No. 5 Texas 22, No. 17 Nebraska 20

- From the Dallas paper.....

Facing No. 1 USC pivotal for Nebraska

01:02 AM CDT on Friday, September 14, 2007

Coach Bill Callahan put his signature on a new contract this month at Nebraska and may finally get a signature win to go with it.

For quarterback Sam Keller, it has become 2005 again, with every one of his five interceptions against Southern California dissected this week.

Receiver Maurice Purify got to explain how Southern Cal snubbed him. Marlon Lucky got to tell how he turned down the Trojans.

So many stories, so little time. And Nebraska can answer so many questions with a strong performance Saturday against the top-ranked Trojans.

Callahan recently received a new five-year contract worth a reported $1.75 million annually. But the 14th-ranked Cornhuskers have yet to achieve a breakthrough win. They came close last season, but suffered narrow losses to Texas and Auburn.

The game at Southern California wasn't so close, a 28-10 loss.

For a fan base that long considered Lincoln the center of the college football universe, it's been difficult.

This week, Callahan has talked about how this is just another game, which instinctively tells you it isn't.

"In terms of your approach, it doesn't matter who you're playing," Callahan said at his weekly news conference. "The main thing is that you focus on what you have to get done and accomplish. The opponent is the opponent."

Keller knows the opponent better than most.

In a different life at Arizona State, Keller struggled against Southern California during a 38-28 loss. Four of his five interceptions came in the second half.

Since then, Keller won and then lost a quarterback duel with Rudy Carpenter and bolted the Tempe campus for Lincoln.

He has been only OK this season despite a gunslinger reputation. He's thrown more interceptions (three) than touchdowns (two) and hasn't erased memories of the departed Zac Taylor.

Keller has refused to call Saturday's game a potential defining moment or a chance at redemption.

For better or worse, he's familiar with the Trojans' athletic and aggressive defense, which he says looks much the same on film.

"You just have to be mistake-free," Keller said. "You have to take what they give you. You have to be very smart. You always have to be aggressive. You have to take shots at them, because they are that good."

Purify and Lucky had forgettable days against the Trojans last season. They weren't alone.

"You know the caliber of team they are," cornerback Cortney Grixby said. "It is hard not to look ahead, and you try to focus on not doing it, but it is here now, so it really does not matter."

DEFENDING LINCOLN
Nebraska will be hosting a No. 1-ranked team in The Associated Press poll for the first time since upsetting Oklahoma in 1978. Here's how the Cornhuskers have done recently at home against teams ranked in the top five:
Year Team (AP rank) Result
2006 Texas (5) UT, 22-20
2001 Oklahoma (2) NU, 20-10
1999 Kansas St. (5) NU, 41-15
1996 Colorado (5) NU, 17-12
1994 Colorado (2) NU, 24-7
1991 Washington (4) UW, 36-21

- From the Denver paper......

It's time Nebraska made move to restore power

By John Henderson
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 09/13/2007 11:54:24 PM MDT

It's Year Four on the Bill Callahan watch, Nebraska fans. Do you know where your former superpower is?

No one really knows, but you will Saturday night. Top-ranked Southern California visits Nebraska in one of the biggest litmus tests in Cornhuskers history. It's time Nebraska finally passed one. For the past six years, Nebraska has become nothing more than a good team with more spunk than talent. It's more of a pest than a power. What Nebraska fan wants his team to be merely a spunky pest?

Keep in mind the timing of Saturday night's game. There's usually a level of progress expected when new coaches take over, particularly former powers with more resources than patience.

The first year is thrown out.

The new coach is there for a reason. Callahan went 5-6 in 2004. The second- year progress must be shown. It's the second year of a new system and players no longer can fall back on the old adjustment excuse. Callahan went 8-4 and beat Michigan in the Alamo Bowl.
Then the third year, it's time to step up. Make a statement. Bare fangs. Show you have returned to the nation's elite. Last year, that didn't happen. Nebraska went 9-5 - 0-4 against top 10 teams - and fell out of the final rankings.

Nebraska has become a team that can't win the big one. It goes beyond Callahan's 4-6 mark against ranked teams and 0-5 record against teams in the top 10. Nebraska has won only five of its past 18 games against ranked teams and hasn't beaten anyone in the top 10 since Frank Solich's 2001 squad beat No. 2 Oklahoma 20-10.

Since then it has been seven straight losses to top 10 teams. Now here comes USC, the first top-ranked team to visit Lincoln since Oklahoma in 1978, and Callahan has the perfect NFL-style quarterback for his NFL- style offense. Win Saturday and the 14th-ranked Cornhuskers will leapfrog into the top 10 for the first time in five years and again be legitimate national title contenders.

Unfortunately, Callahan either is talking coachspeak or somehow hasn't grasped the urgency of the moment. In Tuesday's nationwide conference call, he said, "Our approach is no different than any other week."

Um, coach, USC is a bit different than Wake Forest. You can't commit three turnovers, rush for only 115 yards and go 3-for-15 on third downs and expect not to get humiliated with ESPN "GameDay" on your campus and millions watching on ABC.

Take a look at last year's failures and see that Nebraska still is missing that link that bridges the good from the great. Nebraska went to fourth- ranked USC and Callahan played conservatively to keep it close. Nebraska lost 28-10, but quarterback Zac Taylor threw a season-low 16 passes and the Cornhuskers' puny rushing attack wasn't enough to give them a chance to win.

No. 5 Texas came to Lincoln and Terrence Nunn's fumble on a first- down catch set up the Longhorns' winning field goal with 23 seconds left. Nebraska then met vastly improved No. 8 Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game, ran for only 84 yards and Taylor threw three interceptions in a 21-7 loss.

In the 17-14 Cotton Bowl loss to No. 10 Auburn, Nebraska did nothing after a strong opening and unsuccessfully went for it on fourth down from the Auburn 30 on its final drive as it was out of kicker Jordan Congdon's range.

At least you can say Callahan is getting closer - unlike a certain "guru" who, in his third year, has put Notre Dame into five-speed reverse. But close only counts in Nebraska during harvest season and won't cut it again Saturday, despite USC's prowess.

Nebraska has a quarterback in Sam Keller who faced the Trojans two years ago and nearly beat them, throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Nebraska fans just have to block out his four interceptions in the second half and USC coming back to win 38-28. Also, USC's defense is not the kind of proving ground for a quarterback who did little but hand off against Nevada and looked rattled against pressure at Wake Forest.

At least he knows what he's up against Saturday against the Trojans.

"They haven't changed much because I know how great they are," Keller said. "They are no less than great. They are great. You have to be mistake-free, take what they give you and be very smart. Also, you have to be aggressive and take shots. They are that good."

Isn't it time Nebraska became that good? The clock has been ticking for four years. And the nation is waiting.

- A report on ESPN's College Gameday

NU players, fans excited for GameDay

BY MITCH SHERMAN
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — The stage is almost set — literally — for Nebraska's return to the college football limelight.

An ESPN crew today will construct the traveling platform from which Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit will broadcast this weekend at Memorial Stadium.

The fun begins Friday night, with a pre-taped segment on SportsCenter. The network's popular "College GameDay" program originates live from the center of the Tom Osborne Field Saturday at 9 a.m. The two-hour show, which set out to tour the nation's top college venues in 1993 and hasn't stopped since, is back at NU for the first time since 2001.

The return of College GameDay — and don't kid yourself, they're here primarily to see No. 1-ranked Southern California — represents a milestone nonetheless for Nebraska.

Since GameDay last visited Lincoln for third-ranked Nebraska's 20-10 victory over No. 2 Oklahoma nearly six years ago, the Huskers have endured a painful coaching transition, a losing season and numerous other low moments.

But tune in Saturday morning, and you'd likely never know it. Nebraska already holds the unofficial GameDay attendance record of 15,808, set Sept. 8, 2001, before the Huskers faced Notre Dame.

A crowd to rival it is expected this time.

"We're honored that they chose us," Nebraska tight end J.B. Phillips said. "That's what you want for your program."

The show itself is something of a phenomenon. Fowler; Corso, a former coach; and the ex-quarterback Herbstreit have been together since 1996. Almost every week during the fall, ESPN picks the most important game as the site for its show.

The show has traveled to see the Trojans seven times since the start of the 2005 season.

"Everybody expects it, all that extra hype," USC tight end Fred Davis said. "We just go out there and do what we're supposed to do."

Nebraska is 5-0 when GameDay visits Lincoln, winning in 2001 over OU and Notre Dame, Washington in 1998, Colorado and UCLA in 1994.

And for what it's worth, the GameDay people are happy to be back.

"The Nebraska fans are the best in America," Corso said. "They're the most knowledgeable, respectful people watching college football. They respect the way college football should be played. It's my favorite place. You can't compare to Nebraska."

Don't expect Corso, though, to forecast an NU victory at the end of the show.

Herbstreit, part of the ABC crew calling the game, will not make a prediction. But that won't stop some in attendance from voicing their displeasure with him.

A group of NU fans, mostly students, have pledged to ignore all that Herbstreit says during the show by turning quiet and holding newspapers in place over their faces every time he talks.

Organized by freshman Josh Peterson, the fans are upset with Herbstreit for comments he made last December about Nebraska during ESPN's all-time college football playoff.

Herbstreit pouted repeatedly as fans voted Nebraska's 1971 and 1995 teams into finals of ESPN's mock bracket. He threatened on air, jokingly, to boycott the feature if the NU teams were declared better than his choices — 2001 Miami and 2004 USC.

"Personally I've always thought of Kirk as a valid broadcaster," said Peterson, a broadcasting major who graduated from Omaha North High School. "But when that happened, some of the stuff he said and did, I was just like, 'Come on.'"

Peterson said his group, arranged through several Web sites, had grown to more than 2,600 by Thursday.

"Really, we're just trying to have fun," he said.

Fans will sit in the west stands, facing the back of the stage, with the audio piped over the stadium speakers and the show displayed on the HuskerVision screen in the north end zone.

The GameDay crew will remain inside the stadium Saturday night, broadcasting from a smaller set off the southeast corner of the field. They will air live segments on ABC before the game and at halftime.

Let's get this thing on.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Weekend TV Preview

- Big time preview of Saturday's game with #1 USC tomorrow.

- Here's your schedule for the weekend. Keep this schedule and you won't have to talk to a wife/girlfriend for 60 hours.

Tonight

West Virginia (-16.5) at Maryland - ESPN - 6:30 pm
West Virginia has not impressed me in the least. They've been able to score points against inferior teams, but have not been able to play defense worthy of a top 5 team. Maryland is a tough team at home, always plays good defense, and loves Thursday night games.
Pick - Maryland +16.5

TCU (-8) at Air Force - CSTV - 7:00 pm
I'm a big believer in going against a mid-major team the week after they play a top team. And Texas was able to have some success by wearing the TCU defense, which is the MO of Air Force. They beat Utah on the road last week, which impresses me in the mid-major world. Give me the points.
Pick - Air Force +8

Friday

Oklahoma St. (-10) at Troy - ESPN2 - 7:00 pm
A QB controversy is brewing in Stillwater. Bobby Reid injures his ankle last week and his fill-in plays great. Now there are rumblings that Reid, after a mediocre start, needs to be benched. My guess is he's feeling the pressure and is rushing back from injury this week in order to save his job. Not good. Let's keep the underdog theme going here.
Pick - Troy +10

Saturday -
A pretty weak batch of 11:00 AM games, but from 2:30 on, get on your couch, risk getting baboon ass, break out the Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, and get ready for 11 straight hours of great matchups.

Central Michigan at Purdue (-21) - ESPN2 - 11:00
Purdue's defense may suck, but they have a potentially elite offense that has been lights out the first 2 weeks. The matchup may suck, but you'll be entertained by this offense.
Pick - Purdue -21

Iowa (-17.5) at Iowa State - Versus - 12:30
Iowa State absolutely sucks. On the level of Duke and Temple. Take Iowa HUGE.
Pick - Iowa -17.5

Texas Tech (-28) at Rice - FSNSW - 2:00
Texas Tech will finally put a full game together with offense and defense.
Pick - Texas Tech -28

Notre Dame at Michigan (-7.5) - ABC - 2:30
In the past I would say always take Michigan at home against a rookie QB, but this year? Who knows? Still, I think Notre Dame sucks that bad, so give me Michigan to finally cover and win a freaking game.
Pick - Michigan -7.5

Tennessee at Florida (-7.5) - CBS - 2:30
A classic SEC matchup, was the game of the year in the 90's. The swamp is one of the best home field advantages in all of college football, and makes it a must watch just for that reason, to see how loud and crazy the stadium can get. I'm going with Tennessee b/c I can't see either team being able to blow the other out. Also take the under.
Pick - Tennessee +7.5

Ohio State (-4) at Washington - ESPN - 2:30
I just hope this Washington bandwagon doesn't take a sharp turn this weekend and I get thrown off. I'm officially on it. That QB Jake Locker is a running and throwing machine. Ohio State is overrated and from the Big 10. Upset special of the day, #10 goes down.
Pick - Washington +4

Texas (-18.5) at Central Florida - ESPN2 - 2:30
Texas looked like garbage in the 1st half against TCU, and then athletes took over in the 2nd half. Central Florida has beat a major team on the road (NC State), so that counts for something with me. Give me the points, not calling upset, but I can see a 14 point game.
Pick - Central Floria +18.5

UCLA (-14) at Utah - ESPNU - 4:00
Utah has disappointed me big time this year. I thought with an athletic, experienced QB that was finally healthy, they might potentially be a Boise State-type of team. How I was wrong. UCLA is stout as hell and finally has an Offensive Coordinator able to take advantage of their offensive talent.
Pick - UCLA -14

Arkansas at Alabama (-3) - ESPN - 5:45
Arkansas is hurting. McFadden and their top WR Monk will play injured, but the defense will be missing 2 starters. Alabama was one of my sleeper teams this year because of their defense and enough returning talent on offense to be decent. On the other side, Arkansas was one of my overrated teams, so of course I'm taking Bama at home by a field goal.
Pick - Alabama -3

Louisville (-6.5) at Kentucky - ESPN Classic - 6:30
Maybe this is on EPSN Classic because of the high probability it will be an 80-75 final score. Rarely do these offensive showdowns live up to the hype, but this has a great chance to do it. A top 5 team only a touchdown favorite on the road to an unranked team? Louisville's on borrowed time with that shatty defense. This will be my first chance to see Andre Woodson, apparently the SEC's best QB, an ESPN 1st All-American, and the next highly drafted QB. I wouldn't know because I've never seen him. Should be the most entertaining game of the day. The Kentucky Bourbon Bowl. I'll drink some Blanton's Whiskey to honor this game.
Pick - Kentucky +6.5

USC (-10) at Nebraska - ABC - 7:00
I haven't been able to think/concentrate all week because of this game. This hasn't happened in a while. I believe the last time was in 2001, when Oklahoma came to town and it was #1 vs. #2. I was a wreck. And I'll be a wreck Saturday waiting for this game. Preview tomorrow. It needs its own day on the blog.

Boston College at Georgia Tech (-7) - ESPN2 - 7:00
Ok, so they beat a shatty Notre Dame team and killed a 1-AA? Hold off on all of this hype for Georgia Tech. BC has beaten Wake Forest (an underrated team) and another conference foe (NC State). I'll take those skins along with all the returning talent. Give me BC and the points against an always overrated Tech team.
Pick - Boston College +7

CROWN GAME
Florida State (-4) at Colorado - ESPN - 9:00
Colorado's 2nd straight week in the Crown Game. They came out firing last week in the first half, building a 14 point lead, only to fade faster than I did after a full day of drinking whiskey in Lubbock. I hate Florida State, think they suck, and have to take Colorado at home. Depending on the outcome of the USC/Nebraska game, I'll either be staring blankly at the TV watching the 2nd half of this game, or taking celebratory shots of a $200 bottle of Crown Royal Extra Rare.
Pick - Colorado +4

Sunday

Indy (-7) at Tennessee - CBS - 12:00
Indy looked damn good last week. That defense looked stout as hell. Not this week. I'm a VY believer and he'll keep them in this thing, like he did both times last year against Indy. Take the dog at home.
Pick - Tennessee +7

Dallas (-3.5) at Miami - FOX - 3:00
This won't be close. Dallas's defense may suck, but Miami couldn't score on Celina HS. Romo continues to build his RomoSexcual Fan Club and nails J Lo and Gloria Estefan after the game.
Pick - Dallas -3.5

Kansas City at Chicago (-12) - CBS - 3:00
I couldn't believe how pitiful KC looked last week. Chicago's defense might shut them out. Any team with Damon Huard at QB can't have a rosy outlook on their season.
Pick - Chicago -12

San Diego at New England (-3.5) - ESPN - 7:15
Can't wait to hear Bill Simmons' defense of Belicheck and his cheating ways. As much as I couldn't stand Belicheck before, I now despise him even more. Give me San Diego just to spite Simmons and his premature crowning of this team as the best ever.
Pick - San Diego +3.5

- T-New and Greg Ellis back at practice. Newman more likely to suit up Sunday.

Cowboys' Newman, Ellis back at practice

12:01 AM CDT on Thursday, September 13, 2007
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
cwatkins@dallasnews.com

IRVING – The Cowboys' battered defense received some positive news Wednesday afternoon when cornerback Terence Newman and outside linebacker Greg Ellis returned to practice.

A day earlier, the Cowboys lost one of their veteran starters for the season when nose guard Jason Ferguson was placed on injured reserve with a torn right biceps muscle.

But coach Wade Phillips said it was encouraging for Newman (partially torn right plantar fascia) and Ellis (bursitis in left Achilles' tendon) to get back on the practice field after missing the season opener.

Newman practiced in shoulder pads with the scout team to test his foot. Jacques Reeves, who started in place of Newman in the season-opening victory over the New York Giants, worked with the first team.

Newman, who said he won't speak to media until Friday, is a vital cog to a Cowboys secondary that was partly to blame for allowing 438 total yards, two catches of 25 or more yards and 16 receiving first downs to the Giants.

The cornerback would only smile when asked if he's playing against Miami on Sunday.

"He moved around pretty well, had a nice interception," Phillips said. He's "still not completely comfortable moving in certain directions, but he wanted to get out there and see what he can do, so we'd know where he is and what his limitations are."

Ellis did some light individual drills during practice. He said he's still in pain, but it's more manageable than before. He also said Britt Brown, the Cowboys' associate athletic trainer, is taping his foot differently to give him more comfort.

"It's week-to-week," Ellis said before practice. "I'm still having problems with it, and I'll see what I can go fight through. I'd love to be out there this weekend, I'd have loved to be out there last weekend, but it's kind of moment-to-moment as far as practice."

Ellis, who didn't practice in pads, said he wants to practice fully today, but that will depend on how his surgically repaired Achilles' feels.

Ellis was cleared to practice in individual drills at the start of training camp, but he stopped less than 30 minutes into the session because when he was engaged with a blocker he felt pain pushing off. He pushed off during the early portions of practice Wednesday and didn't seem to have problems.

"I'll just see what happens," Phillips said regarding Ellis' practice status for today.

Ellis most likely would have to practice in pads at least a full week before he participates in a game. The team wants to see how he copes with the pain and handles blockers and then figure out what to do with him on the field.

He could make his debut Sept. 23 at Chicago.

"I got nine years of practice in," Ellis said. "But the drop steps are still kind of new to me, but rushing the passer, I do that against my wife, so I can do it; that's not a question."

First-round pick Anthony Spencer is the starter in place of Ellis. The Cowboys could bring Ellis off the bench on passing downs until he gains more strength in his heel.

Having Ellis, the team's second-best pass rusher, should help a unit that had no sacks from its starters Sunday night. The only sack came from backup nose guard Jay Ratliff, who is now a starter.

The Cowboys had six quarterback pressures, with starting outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Spencer combining for four.

The pressure on the quarterback could increase with Ellis' presence.

Defensive end Chris Canty compares Ellis' status to Michael Jordan when he was sick during Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

"When Mike had the flu, he went for [38]," Canty said. "That's G-Money [Ellis]. That's what he is to this team."

- Devin Harris extended 5 more years, 6 if you count next year. Now give him the F'ing reins and let him go. He's a #5 pick, going into his 4th year, stop it with the 25 minutes a game bit. Stop pulling him after a bad play. Let the dude play, it will only help him and the team. They're now officially committed to him, now show it on the court.

Mavs sign Harris to five-year extension

11:32 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 12, 2007
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com

The Mavericks consider Devin Harris one of the cornerstones for their future. They proved that Wednesday by agreeing to a lucrative five-year contract extension with the 6-3 point guard.

Harris, entering his fourth season, will earn $3.99 million this season. According to a source, the extension will kick in for the 2008-09 season and is worth more than the five-year, $42.6 million deal Milwaukee point guard Mo Williams signed recently.

That would put Harris' salary around $8 million in the first year of the extension, presuming 10.5 percent raises through the life of the contract.

"Devin, along with Josh [Howard], those guys will carry the baton for us into the future," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "Devin's deal was something we were hopeful of getting done so that it doesn't have to be weighing on his mind this season.

"Devin definitely wanted to be here, and the feeling was mutual."

The negotiations between Nelson, owner Mark Cuban and Henry Thomas, Harris' agent, were going slowly, Nelson said, until things began to move rapidly Tuesday and Wednesday.

Harris, 24, was the fifth overall draft pick in 2004, coming to the Mavericks in a draft-night trade with Washington.

Harris averaged career highs last season with 10.2 points, 3.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26 minutes per game. He was one of the few Mavericks who had a strong series in the first-round upset loss to Golden State, averaging 13.2 points and five assists.

Harris is expected to be the full-time starter this season at point guard. The Wisconsin product has increased his scoring and assists in each of his first three seasons.

"All he has to do now is just play," Mavs coach Avery Johnson said. "You look at what the Spurs did with Tony Parker. They signed him to an extension, and it's paid dividends for them. Devin, we think, has a enormous amount of talent and potential."

Harris, along with Howard, who signed a four-year extension last summer that kicks in this season, are locked up long term. The team also signed Jerry Stackhouse earlier in the summer to a three-year contract and has Dirk Nowitzki locked up for four more seasons and Jason Terry for five more.

- The Good

- The Bad

- Now that I'm at least a partial-season ticket holder, I'm allowed to batch about the Stars. I haven't seen the sweater yet, but the team will reveal some new ones today. The rumored new look is shown above. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to uniforms. I hate it when teams switch looks in order to appease to the MTV/pop culture crowd. See: the Univ. of Miami, the Star's ugly black alternates that were canned, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, the Seattle Sonics 96-era uni's, the Detroit Pistons turquoise disaster, Vancouver's new look, etc. Give me tradition and stability.

I thought the Stars had a great looking sweater that would rank up there with some of the best in the league. They were the types of sweaters that were new but yet classic along the lines of Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Chicago, etc. Very unlike the rest of the NHL teams that come out with new sweaters. They're usually ugly and forced. Why are they changing a good thing???

I'm not saying that Turco photo is a bad look. It's not just horrible, actually would probably grow on me. I just love their current sweater, I think it's on the fringe of top 5 in the league. We'll see if the photo up top is in fact the new sweater, and if so, bad move considering they didn't need a change to begin with.

Stars set to reveal worst-kept secret

New uniforms will be revealed Friday, but news has already leaked

11:29 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 12, 2007
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com

As secrets go, this one has sprung more leaks than a 1980s goalie.

Want to know what the Stars' new uniforms are going to look like? You could wait until 6 p.m. Friday and see the official unveiling at American Airlines Center.

Or jump in chat rooms or on message boards, including one on the Stars' Web site, where you can see players have been photographed by fans' cellular phones while testing the uniforms, the Stars' youth select teams have already worn the new sweaters in a local tournament and goalie Marty Turco wears the new threads on a commercial running in Canada.

"It was a long time to try to keep a secret," Stars president Jim Lites said. "There were too many factors involved."

The NHL is switching its uniform to the technologically advanced RBK system this season, and many teams have taken the opportunity to change their look – the Stars included.

Out are the old star-shaped sweaters, and in are simpler lines. Out is much of the green that has been a base color in recent years, and in is a uniform heavy on black and white.

Decisions on the style of uniforms were pretty much in place by last season's All-Star Game, played at AAC, so keeping the prototypes in the dark was no easy task. Players needed to see them. So did marketers. And the Stars needed to have sweaters for such things as preseason photos and commercials.

That's why the team first considered releasing the designs at the NHL entry draft in June.

The problem is, while Reebok could provide plenty of uniforms for team purposes, it could not produce enough for the fans. So the Stars had to make a decision: release a jersey they weren't yet able to sell, or wait until stores were filled with merchandise.

The Stars chose to wait, and understood the risks. So when the youth select teams wore a replica of the uniforms in a Labor Day tournament, Lites could only shrug.

"I mean, we couldn't make them get two sets of uniforms," he said. "It was simple logistics."

And when the message boards went crazy, the Stars just had to grin and bear it. In fact, they even threw out hints to their all-black home uniforms by telling fans, "Black is the new green," on invitations for the unveiling.

Still, they believe Friday's event will have plenty of buzz.

"While there are glimpses of the jersey out there, nobody has really seen it up close," said Rob Scichili, the team's senior director of communications. "These uniforms are very impressive when you see them in person, and we're very excited about them."

- My Top 5 Uni's by Sport

- NHL

#1