Burnt Orange Nation Realistic, Confident Against Buffs

Usually when you talk to a person who blogs specifically for their favorite team you get the company line but not with the people at Burnt Orange Nation, the biggest Texas Longhorns blog around. Peter from the Burnt Orange Nation blog took the time this week to answer my questions about Texas Longhorn football and the Big 12 Championship game.

He was realistic about what concerns him about the Longhorns and truthful about which player from Colorado he would take for his team. He was also confident, and you can’t blame him, about the Longhorns chances of winning the Big 12 Championship.

1. What gives you the most confidence about your team
going into the championship game?

The biggest thing is the talent gap. Colorado just doesn't have the athletes to play with the Horns, to the point that, even on their best day, and on our worst, we're still going to win most of the time. If Texas brings its A, or even B, game, the Buffaloes just have no chance.

It's worth noting, too, that Vince Young had what was probably THE best passing half of any quarterback this year in the first matchup against CU. Young completed 16 of 18 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown, plus three rushing touchdowns. Yikes…

2. What concerns you the most about your team?

We are our own worst enemy at this point. The only way we lose this game is if we're looking ahead to the Rose Bowl, or worried about post-season awards. I think the Heisman pressure really threw Vince Young off against A&M. It was a disappointing performance.

3. If you could take any player from the other team
who would it be and why?

This one's easy. Colorado's kicker, Mason Crosby, is the best in the country. Meanwhile, Texas' place kickers have combined to miss nine—NINE!—extra points this year.

4. Who is a player on your team that gets over-looked?

Texas always gets lots of hype, and has gotten even more this year with the undefeated season, but one guy that gets overlooked a bit, but is vital to the team, is tight end David Thomas. The guy can run block with the best of them and has broken every receiving record for a tight end at Texas. He's probably Vince's go-to guy, at least as a possession receiver.

5. Why is your team going to win the conference
championship?

See #1. We're just that much more talented. The other thing that's developed this year has been the leadership of Vince Young. It's developed so much that it's even spread to the coaches, who have loosened up under Vince's tutelage. Vince simply doesn't let the Horns lose. He won't on Saturday, either. The Horns win this one, 38-13.

Buster's Best

You always think your kids are perfect and then they go out and prove you right. Buster went 5-0 with his picks last week and overshadowed my 3-2, non-losing, performance.

Last Week’s Games

Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma
Buster took the Sooners to win and I picked them to cover the 19.5 points the were giving to the Cowboys. The worst OU season since 1999 and they are still 28 points better than OSU. Buster 1-0/Dad 1-0

Texas A&M @ Texas
Buster took the smart pick and went with the Longhorns. A&M was on the verge of their second losing season in two years. There was no way they weren’t going to cover the 27 points they were getting from Texas. Looks like I took the smart pick as well, Aggies and the points. Buster 2-0/Dad 2-0

Notre Dame @ Stanford
Buster picked the Irish and I took them to cover the 17.5 points they were giving to Stanford. Buster 3-0/Dad 2-1

Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys
Buster surprised me by taking the Broncos. It picked Denver to cover the 2 points they were giving to the Cowboys and an overtime field goal was all I needed. Buster 4-0/Dad 3-1

Miami Dolphins @ Oakland Raiders
Buster showed faith in my Dolphins and went 5-0 for the week. Here was my view on this game, “I don’t see any way they (Miami) can win in Oakland. I think Miami has hit rock bottom for the season. I’ll take the Raiders and the 7 points they are giving to Miami.”
Buster 5-0/Dad 3-2

For the season: Buster 46-19/Dad 29-35-1

This Week’s Games

UCLA @ USC
This game could fall under the category of the A&M Texas game last week. Buster likes the Trojans to win and I’ll take UCLA and the 21.5 points they are getting.

Middle Tennessee State @ Florida International
Buster is picking F.I.U. to winn and I am going the other way with this one. I’ll take the Blue Raiders to win and cover the 7 points they are giving.

West Virginia @ South Florida
Buster is picking the Mountainers, who have already wrapped up the Big East Conference championship, to win. I am taking West Virginia and the 9 points they are giving.

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Buster picked my Dolphins again and I’m afraid of falling into the fan trap here. Miami is a 4 point favorite at home in a home game that could put them in sole position of second place. I’ll take Miami to cover the 4 points.

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Seven of the last eight games between these two teams has been decided by a touchdown or less. Buster is picking the Giants to win and I will take the Cowboys to cover the 3 points they are getting from the Giants.

Hornets 102, Denver 95

Desmond Mason scored a season-best 26 points in the Hornets' 102-95 win over the Nuggets, who were without their star forward and their leader Wednesday night.
Nuggets coach George Karl was suspended two games without pay for publicly criticizing officials after the Nuggets' loss to New Jersey on Monday night.
Mason and Speedy Claxton (19 points) each had buckets to start the fourth quarter that capped a 9-0 run and put New Orleans ahead 86-77, and the Nuggets never got closer than three after that in losing their second straight game at the Pepsi Center.
Mason said that getting to play 40 minutes allowed him to settle in like he used to with the Bucks.
"I had the opportunity to go and relax and play basketball. The coach gave me quite a few touches, I got going and got into a rhythm," Mason said. "This is the way I'm used to playing. I had a tough start with the team, struggling, couldn't get anything to fall. It feels good to get this game under my belt."

Everett Sparks Sooners to 62-53 Victory

OU played their first road game of the season in front of a sold out crowd at Tulsa’s Reynolds Center. OU struggled with fouls and turnovers all night. Taj Grey only played two minutes in the second half before fouling out with 4:26 seconds left. He finished with 5 points and only two rebounds, OU also committed 16 turnovers in their 62-53 victory over Tulsa.

The Sooners were sparked by Terrell Everett who scored a career high 26 points and a stingy defense that forced 20 Tulsa turnovers. Michael Neal scored 14 points and Kevin Bookout had 10 rebounds and 6 points for the Sooners.

It looks like teams are going to double and triple Taj Grey this season and Kevin Bookout could get much of the same. That means the Sooners are going to live and die by the three point shot and Everett’s ability to create. That scares me because there will be games, like tonight, when the three doesn’t fall. Everett also has the uncanny ability to over dribble at times and turn the ball over.

The #5 Sooners have a huge game this Saturday at #4 Villanova. This is the type of game where the Sooners have suffered an early season blow-out in seasons past. It will be a measure to see if OU is deserving of their early #5 ranking.

photo from soonersports.com

Who Played the Strongest Schedule?

With the NCAA regular season pretty much over here are the 25 teams who played the strongest schedules.
1 . Michigan
2 . Oklahoma
3 . Stanford
4 . Ohio St.
5 . Arkansas
6 . North Carolina
7 . South Fla.
8 . Kansas
9 . Georgia Tech
10 . Northwestern
10 . Minnesota
12 . Tennessee
13 . Penn St.
14 . South Carolina
15 . Texas A&M
16 . Temple
17 . Arizona
17 . Georgia
17 . Washington St.
20 . Colorado
21 . North Carolina St.
22 . Florida
23 . Southern California
23 . Texas
25 . Ball St.

The two best teams in the country are tied for 23rd. For all the criticism the Big 12 gets there are five teams among the 25 strongest schedules.

See all 117 teams.

Blog Poll, Week 14

1 Southern Cal (28)
2 Texas (9)
3 Penn State
4 Louisiana State
5 Virginia Tech
6 Ohio State
7 Oregon
8 Auburn
9 Notre Dame
10 Miami (Florida)
11 Georgia
12 West Virginia
13 UCLA
14 Alabama
15 TCU
16 Florida
17 Louisville
18 Wisconsin
19 Boston College
20 Texas Tech
21 Michigan
22 Georgia Tech
23 Clemson
24 Fresno State
25 Iowa

Also Receiving Votes: Oklahoma(1.5), Florida State(0.6), South Carolina(0.6), Central Florida(0.3), Northwestern(0.2), Cal(0.2), Colorado(0.2), Toledo(0.1), Nevada(0.1), UTEP(0.0), Boise State(0.0), Rutgers(0.0),

Total Ballots: 37

Five Sooners Make All-Big 12 First Team

Three of the five Sooners selected are underclassmen. Junior defensive end CJ Ah You was named the defensive new comer of the year.

2005 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
Pos. Player School Class Hometown/Previous School(s)
QB Vince Young** Texas Jr. Houston Texas/Madison
RB Adrian Peterson [r] Oklahoma So. Palestine, Texas/Palestine
RB Taurean Henderson Texas Tech Sr. Gatesville, Texas/Gatesville
FB J.D. Runnels Oklahoma Sr. Midwest City, Okla./Carl Albert
WR Todd Blythe Iowa State So. Indianola, Iowa/Indianola
WR Jarrett Hicks Texas Tech Jr. Houston, Texas/Sharpstown
WR Joel Filani Texas Tech Jr. Phoenix, Ariz./Paradise Valley
TE Joe Klopfenstein Colorado Sr. Aurora, Colo./Grandview
OL Justin Blalock** [r] Texas Jr. Plano, Texas/East
OL Davin Joseph** Oklahoma Sr. Hallandale, Fla./Hallandale
OL Jonathan Scott [r] Texas Sr. Dallas, Texas/Carter
OL Will Allen Texas Sr. Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls
OL Mark Fenton Colorado Jr. Inglewood, Calif./Westchester
OL Tony Palmer Missouri Sr. Midwest City, Okla./Midwest City
PK Mason Crosby** [r] Colorado Jr. Georgetown, Texas/Georgetown
KR/PR Charles Gordon Kansas Jr. Carson, Calif./Santa Monica



DEFENSE
Pos. Player School Class Hometown/Previous School(s)
DL Rod Wright Texas Sr. Houston, Texas/Alief Hastings
DL Dusty Dvoracek [r03] Oklahoma Sr. Lake Dallas, Texas/Lake Dallas
DL Charlton Keith Kansas Sr. Akron, Ohio/Buchtel/Minnesota/Minnesota West CC
DL Tim Crowder Texas Jr. Tyler, Texas/John Tyler
DL Nick Leaders Iowa State Sr. Omaha, Neb./Millard West
LB Rufus Alexander Oklahoma Jr. Baton Rouge, La./Christian Life
LB Nick Reid Kansas Sr. Derby, Kan./Derby
LB Aaron Harris Texas Sr. Mesquite, Texas/North Mesquite
DB Michael Huff [r] Texas Sr. Irving, Texas/Nimitz
DB Dwayne Slay Texas Tech Sr. Brunswick, Ga./Reedley College
DB Cedric Griffin Texas Sr. San Antonio, Texas/Holmes
DB Willie Andrews [r] Baylor Sr. Longview, Texas/Longview
DB LaMarcus Hicks Iowa State Sr. Clarksdale, Miss./Clarksdale/Southern Miss/Coahoma JC
P John Torp Colorado Sr. Louisville, Colo./Monarch



** - Unanimous selection
[r] - Repeat selection from last season
[r03] - Repeat selection from 2003
Ties in the voting created an additional position on the first team for offensive line.

Bowl Games Provide Happy Ending and Hope, For Some

As the college football season steamrolls into the moth of December the bowl season is just weeks away. There are 28 bowl games this year. That means 56 teams get to play an additional game and 26 teams get to end their season with a post-season victory.

Teams like Michigan and Oklahoma, who have taken the BCS free fall, can finish with an additional victory that will have fans looking forward to next season with hope.

Penn State is playing in their first ever BCS bowl game. For the Nittany Lions a BCS bowl victory would provide a happy ending in Happy Valley. It would solidify that the Lions really are back.

But what happens if they lose? For teams that go to the post season and lose there is only fuming and frustration for eight months. They still get the extra practices that come with participating in the bowl season but for teams like Michigan and Miami those practices could be wasted because a bowl loss could mean a coaching change.

Lloyd Carr is definitely on the hot seat at Michigan and a bowl loss could be the final nail in his coffin. If Penn State looses it would pour fuel on the “The Big 10 is over-rated fire.” The talks of Joe Pa being out dated and needing to move into retirement would pick back up as well.

No doubt there is a lot to win or lose this bowl season. That is why it is so great to watch. There are a hundred story lines before each game and a hundred more after. The fun begins December 20th.


Bowl Schedule

New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans, LA (at Cajun Field in Lafayette - due to Hurricane Katrin
Tuesday Dec. 20
8 p.m. (ESPN)

GMAC Bowl
Mobile, AL Wednesday Dec. 21
8 p.m. (ESPN)

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas, NV Thursday Dec. 22
8 p.m. (ESPN)

Poinsetta Bowl
San Diego, CA Thursday Dec. 22
10:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Fort Worth Bowl
Fort Worth, TX Friday Dec. 23
8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Honolulu, HI Saturday Dec. 24
8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Motor City Bowl
Detroit, MI Monday Dec. 26
4 p.m. (ESPN)

Champ Sports Bowl
Orlando, FL Tuesday Dec. 27
5 p.m. (ESPN)

Insight Bowl
Phoenix, AZ Tuesday Dec. 27
8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

MPC Computer Bowl
Boise, ID Wednesday Dec. 28
4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Alamo Bowl
San Antonio, TX Wednesday Dec. 28
8 p.m. (ESPN)

Emerald Bowl
San Francisco, CA Thursday Dec. 29
4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Holiday Bowl
San Diego, CA Thursday Dec. 29
8 p.m. (ESPN)

Music City Bowl
Nashville, TN Friday Dec. 30
12 noon (ESPN)

Sun Bowl
El Paso, TX Friday Dec. 30
2 p.m. (CBS)

Independence Bowl
Shreveport, LA Friday Dec. 30
3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Peach Bowl
Atlanta, GA Friday Dec. 30
7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Meineke Car Care Bowl
Charlotte, NC Saturday Dec. 31
11 a.m. (ESPN2)

Liberty Bowl
Memphis, TN Saturday Dec. 31
1 p.m. (ESPN)

EV1.net Houston Bowl
Houston, TX Saturday Dec. 31
2:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Cotton Bowl
Dallas, TX Monday Jan. 2
11 a.m. (FOX)

Outback Bowl
Tampa, FL Monday Jan. 2
11 a.m. (ESPN)

Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, FL Monday Jan. 2
12:30 p.m. (NBC)

Capital One Bowl
Orlando, FL Monday Jan. 2
1 p.m. (ABC)

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Tempe, AZ Monday Jan. 2
4:30 p.m. (ABC)

Nokia Sugar Bowl
New Orleans, LA
(in Georgia Dome in Atlanta due to Hurricane Katrina) Monday Jan. 2
8:30 p.m. (ABC)

Fedex Orange Bowl
Miami, FL Tuesday Jan. 3
8 p.m. (ABC)

Rose Bowl
Pasadena, CA Wednesday Jan. 4
8 p.m. (ABC)

Top Ten College Football Dynasties

The New York Post has put together it's list of the Top Ten College Football Dynasties and I thought it was worth passing along since my Sooners are #1 and #8.

1. Oklahoma 1953-58 Record: 60-3-1
The Sooners won 47 in a row, two national titles and defeated teams by an average of 28.6 points per game.

2. Notre Dame 1946-49 Record: 36-0-2
Frank Leahy's Fighting Irish won three national championships and never trailed over four years. The only blemishes are two ties with Army in '46 and USC in '48.

3. USC 2003-present Record: 36-1
If the Trojans win another national title, they move to the top of the list.

4. Army 1944-46 Record: 27-0-1
Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis helped the Cadets capture two national titles. The defense wasn't bad, either, giving up an average of 5.8 points per game.

5. Nebraska 1993-95 Record: 36-1
An 18-16 loss to Florida State in the 1994 Orange Bowl kept the Cornhuskers from winning three titles in a row. Tommie Frazier and Co. scored 40 or more points 22 times.

6. Miami 1986-92 Record: 76-6
It began with Heisman winner Vinny Testaverde and ended with Heisman winner Gino Torretta. In between, the Hurricanes won three national championships and dominated college football.

7. Nebraska 1970-71 Record: 24-0-1
Johnny Rodgers led the Cornhuskers to two national titles. They won 23 games in a row, including the 35-31 victory over Oklahoma, considered the greatest college game ever played.

8. Oklahoma 1973-75 Record: 32-1-1
Barry Switzer's crew won national titles in '74 and '75 and finished third in '73. The Sooners averaged 35.8 points per game and allowed 11.1.

9. Alabama 1964-66 Record: 30-2-1
The Crimson Tide captured national championships in '64 and '65 and finished third behind Notre Dame and Michigan State in '66 despite an 11-0 record.

10. Alabama 1977-79 Record: 34-2
National championships in '78 and '79 put the bow on Bear Bryant's career.

NFL Round-Up, Week 12

Dolphins win at the Black Hole
An undermanned Dolphin defense racked up seven sacks including one for a safety. Gus Frerotte passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns and the Ronnie Brown/Ricky Williams duo ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns on their way to a 33-21 win over the Raiders.

At 4-7 the Dolphins are only two games out of first place in the division with the Bills, Jets and Patriots all left on the schedule. I’m afraid that its just false hope for Dolphin fans.

Miami is an improved team and this win over the Raiders snapped a three game losing streak but I don’t see them winning out, which is probabally what they would need to do win the division.

I’m anxious to see how much energy this team brings home against Buffalo this Sunday. A win against the Bills would put Miami in second place.


Division Rankings
AFC West 27-17
NFC South 25-19
NFC East 24-20
AFC South 23-21
AFC North 22-22
NFC North 20-24
NFC West 19-25
AFC East 16-27


Big Game
Indianapolis Colts 26, Pittsburg Steelers 7
On their very first offesive play Peyton Manning hit Marvin Harrison for an 80 yard touchdown strike and the Colts never looked back. Manning passed for 245 yards and two touchdowns and Ed James added 124 yards as the Steelers defense seemed to have trouble keeping up with the Colts offense.

The Colts defense held the Steelers to just 197 total net yards.

Big Upset
New Orleans Saints 21, New York Jets 19
Its not a big upset but the Saints ended a six game losing streak agaist a Jets team that is struggling. Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks was the hero tossing three touchdown passes and Jets kicker Mike Nugent was the goat when his 53 yard field goal fell short with 15 seconds left, forget the fact that he made four field goals earlier in the game.

Worst Game
Carolina Panthers 13, Buffalo Bills 9
This game featured one touchdown and that was with just over two minutes remaining. Jake Delhome tossed a 3 yard touchdown pass to Michael Ganes.

Looking Ahead to Next Week

Big Game
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
This game could be for the NFC East Championship. Both the Cowboys and the Giants are 7-4 and a division loss here will be hard to catch up.
Prediction: Cowboys 27/Giants 20

Possible Upset
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns
The Jaguars will be without starting quarterback Byron Leftwitch and could be walking into an ambush in Cleveland.
Prediction: Browns 20/Jaguars 14

My Vote in The Blog Poll

New to my ballot this week are Florida, Boston College and Clemson.
Gone from my ballot this week are Florida State, Colorado and Iowa State.

1 Southern Cal (1) 11-0
2 Texas (2) 11-0
3 Louisiana State (3) 10-1
4 Penn State (4) 10-1
5 Virginia Tech (5) 10-1
6 West Virginia (6) 9-1
7 Notre Dame (7) 9-2
8 Oregon (8) 10-1
9 Miami (Florida) (9) 9-2
10 Ohio State (10) 9-2
11 Auburn (11) 9-2
12 Georgia (12) 9-2
13 TCU (14) 10-1
14 UCLA (15) 9-1
15 Alabama (16) 9-2
16 Texas Tech (17) 9-2
17 Louisville (18) 8-2
18 Wisconsin (21) 9-3
19 Florida (NR) 8-3
20 Boston College (NR) 8-3
21 Oklahoma (23) 7-4
22 Clemson (NR) 7-4
23 Michigan (24) 7-4
24 Fresno State (13) 8-3
25 Georgia Tech (20) 7-4
The official blog poll will release Wednesday after 10:00 a.m.

Lions Fire Mariucci

The Detroit Lions fired coach Steve Mariucci and some of his assistants on Monday, a team official told The Associated Press.

After Detroit lost 27-7 to the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving to fall to 4-7, reports swirled that the team was considering firing Mariucci. When Mariucci was not let go over the weekend, some thought his job was safe for the final five games of the regular season.

Mariucci and the assistants were fired late Monday morning, said the team official, who spoke with the AP on the condition of anonymity because the team had not yet made the official announcement.

Mariucci's record with the Lions was 15-28.

Bedlam Blow Out

The Sooners may have started the season as an inexperienced group of youngsters but they finished as an experienced group of veterans. After starting the season 2-3 OU finished 5-1 over their last 6 games.

The biggest improvement for OU this season came on the offensive side of the ball. Freshman quarterback Rhett Bomar passed for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Sooners 42-14 rout of Oklahoma State. Freshman receivers Manuel Johnson, Juaquin Iglesias and Malcolm Kelly combined for 6 receptions for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. The star of the game was sophomore running back Adrian Peterson who finished with 237 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The OU defense dominated the OSU offense holding them to only 14 points and 190 total net yards. OSU was never within 14 points and the game was never in doubt.

OU now waits for their bowl assignment. The two biggest possibilities are the Holiday Bowl with a possible match-up against Oregon or the Alamo Bowl with a possible match-up against Iowa.

photo from newsok.com

College Football Round Up, Week 13

Fiesta for the Irish?
Assuming top-ranked Southern California and No. 2 Texas each win their games next week to set up a title-game clash in the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl will have the first choice among the other BCS bowls to pick an unattached team.
With a 38-31 win over Stanford Saturday night, Notre Dame qualified for their first BCS bowl in five years. With the fan base that the Irish have the Fiesta Bowl would be foolish to not select Notre Dame.

"When you get yourself into position to be picked one of the top eight teams in the country, that's a very strong statement for your program," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. "I'm not into politicking. We're 9-2 and one of the best teams in the country, and we're going to be in one of the BCS games. I'm not worried about all those other teams, because we're going to go somewhere and we're going to make one of those games proud."

Someone Left the Back Door Open Again
All Iowa State had to do was win their last game of the season and they were in the Big 12 Championship game for the first time but Bret Culbertson missed a 24 yard field goal in regulation. The Cyclones lost 17-14 in overtime to the Missouri Tigers and sent Colorado to the Big 12 Championship game.
That was last season. This year the Cyclones left the back door open again for Colorado. Bret Culbertson missed another field goal, 41 yards in overtime, and the Kansas Jayhawks beat Iowa State 24-21 keeping them out of the Big 12 Championship game for the second year.

"It's rare in life to get second opportunities," Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said. "Sometimes you wait 10, 15, 20 or 30 years and don't get another opportunity like we did today, coming up short like we did last year in overtime. We had that opportunity today again in overtime, but again we came up short."

West Virginia Wins Big East
The ACC, Big 12 and SEC will play their conference championship games this weekend to see who represents them in BCS bowl games.
The Big East conference doesn’t have a championship game and thanks to UConn’s 15-10 upset victory over South Florida the conference doesn’t have to wait until next week to declare their champion.

West Virginia will receive criticism for playing in the watered down Big East but at 10-1 the Mountaineers are a solid team. I have them ranked #10 in my blog poll and I think they will make a solid performance in a BCS bowl. My best guess is that they will be in the Sugar Bowl against the SEC champion.

Best Offensive Performance – Oklahoma - 42 points and 581 yards against Oklahoma State
Worst Offensive Performance – Kent St. – 3 points and 116 yards against Akron

Best Defensive Performance – Memphis – 3 points and 154 yards allowed against Marshall
Worst Defensive Performance – Stanford – 38 points and 683 yards allowed to Notre Dame

photos from yahoo

Texas Band Gets Dumped On

A sophomore in the Texas A&M's Mounted Cavalry was charged Friday with throwing a shovel full of horse crap onto members of the Texas band just before the A&M-UT game.

John Richmond Sullivan, 20, was seen by a University Police Department lieutenant throwing a shovel full of horse feces onto band members at Kyle Field at about 10 a.m. Friday, according to an officer's affidavit.

UT band director Robert Carnochan told police that he and the band members did not want to press criminal charges, though they did want Texas A&M to discipline Sullivan, the court documents state.

Sullivan was arrested and charged with criminal mischief because the feces had to be removed by Texas A&M personnel, causing "substantial inconvenience and a pecuniary loss of $50 or more," according to the affidavit.

Heisman Performances

Vince Young did nothing to answer the performance Reggie Bush gave last weekend. He turned the ball over on a fumble and interception and was pretty much held in check by a horrible Aggie defense.

Brady Quinn has moved up to second on the list because of his performance against Stanford and his overall numbers are more impressive than Leinart and Young who each have one more opportunity to earn the top spot on our list.

Right now it belongs to Reggie Bush and I don’t see him giving it up.

1. Most Deserving – Reggie Bush (RB) USC – Off
Overall Stats - 163 carries 1398 yards, 12 TD’s, 31 receptions 383yards 2 TD’s.

2. Close Second –
Brady Quinn (QB) Notre Dame – 25-38 432 yards, 3 TD’s, 2 INT’s
Overall Stats – 263-405 3639 yards, 32 TD’s, 7 INT’s

3. Needs One More Big Game – Matt Leinart (QB) USC – Off
Overall Stats – 233-351 3216 yards, 24 TD’s, 7 INT’s. 4 rushing TD’s

4. Losing Ground - Vince Young (QB) Texas – 13-24 162 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 11 carries 19 yards.
Overall Stats – 168-268 2576 yards, 23 TD’s, 9 INT’s, 128 rushes 793 yards, 8 TD’s.

Last Minute Football Notes

This is the final weekend in Big 12 Conference play and the north title is still on the line. Colorado needs a win against Nebraska or an Iowa State loss to secure a rematch with Texas for the Big 12 title and Iowa State needs a Colorado loss and a win over Kansas to advance to the championship game.

Big 12 Power Rankings
1. Texas – Can finish with the best season of the Mack Brown era.
2. OU – Staying put because of official blunder.
3. Iowa State – The Cyclones are now big Husker fans.
4. Colorado – Beat Nebraska and get Texas for a reward.
5. Texas Tech – Don’t blame them, blame the refs.
6. Nebraska – Has a chance to play spoiler agains Buffs.
7. Kansas – Has to beat Iowa St. to become bowl eligible.
8. Texas A&M – Horrible season could get much better with a win over Texas.
9. Kansas State – Not going bowling but Snyder went out with a win over Mizzou.
10. Missouri – Upset victims yet again.
11. Baylor – Bears have a chance to not finish in the cellar.
12. Oklahoma State – Lost all the ground from the Texas Tech win with a loss in Waco.

Big Game
Texas @ Texas A&M
The Longhorns need this win to continue their race to the Rose Bowl. The Aggies need this win to become bowl eligible. Texas is the better team, better coaching and better talent, but College Station is not an easy place to win. Its not out of the question to see an Aggie upset but it is unlikely. The fact that this is a rivalry game and that A&M needs to win to become bowl eligible could keep it close. USC had their close call. Will Texas have theirs?

A&M could pull off the upset if…
• They find a way to generate offense. Courtney Lewis is a solid running back and McNeil is a run threat at quarterback. The Longhorns will be focusing on stopping the running game so look for some play-action passing and look for the tight ends to have a huge role.
• Their linebackers can contain Vince Young. I have said this every time I do a Texas preview. He is going to get his passing yards but they have to contain him to prevent him from beating them with his feet. A passing Vince Young is easier to beat than a running/passing Vince Young. USC may be the only team in the country capable of doing this.
• They take advantage of turnovers. Texas is usually good for two or three turnovers. If a team is able to capitalize on those turnovers they could push Texas to the limits.

Texas should win if…
• They don’t get caught looking ahead. This shouldn’t be a problem for an experienced team but it does happen. College station is one place where lack of focus will get you beat.
• They take care of the football. As long as Texas doesn’t give A&M opportunities their defense should make scoring difficult for the Aggies.
• They stick to the game plan. So far this season not a single team has been able to knock the Longhorns off their game plan. As a result they are 10-0.

Prediction: Longhorns 38/Aggies 17

Possible Upset
Nebraska @ Colorado Colorado has had an amazing season and need this victory to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship game. The Huskers are still needing that one quality victory to solidify their season. This could be it! I believe Nebraska has the ability to play with Colorado and make the game interesting. They must avoid the slow start that has plagued them in games this season. They longer the Huskers stick around the better their chances are of pulling off the upset.
Prediction: Huskers 28/Buffalos 27

Must Win
Iowa State @ Kansas
The Jayhawks are one victory away from becoming bowl eligible and the Cyclones could back door into the Big 12 Championship game, with some help from Nebraska. This game becomes much bigger with a Husker upset on Friday.
Prediction: Iowa State 24/Kansas 13

Bedlam Series Turns 100

Saturday marks the 100th time the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys play each other in football. Both teams have been on a learning curve this season and both are coming off heartbreaking losses last week.

OSU is just outmanned in this game. They haven’t played good on the road once this season and after last week’s debacle in Lubbock the Sooners will be out for blood. This is a game that could get away from OSU quickly.

For OU this game could be the difference between San Diego or San Antonio for a bowl game.
Prediction: OU 45/OSU 17

Buster's Best

Buster is starting to reap the rewards for spanking dad in football picks this season. He will get to go to his first Beldam football game Saturday. I’ve decided that next season I’m going to make him pick against the spread instead of straight up. He’s killing me!

Last week’s games

Game One
Oklahoma @ Texas Tech
Buster picked the Sooners to win and I went with OU to cover the 7.5 points they were getting from the Red Raiders. We both should be 1-0. Buster 0-1/Dad 1-0

Game Two
Fresno State @ Southern Cal
Buster picked the Trojans and I thought they would win going away covering the 24 points they were giving to the Bulldogs. Buster 1-1/Dad 1-1

Game Three
Oklahoma State @ Baylor
Buster picked OSU and I said they would cover the 2.5 points they were getting from Baylor. I should have known better. Buster 1-2/Dad 1-2

Game Four
Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys
Buster picked his Cowboys and I took the Lions to cover the 8 points they were getting. Buster won’t look back from here. Buster 2-2/Dad 1-3

Game Five
Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns
Buster broke my heart and went with Cleveland. Turns out he was right! I took the Dolphins and the 2 points they were getting from the Browns. Buster 3-2/Dad 1-4

For the season: Buster 41-19/Dad 26-33-1

This week’s Games

Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma
Buster is taking the Sooners who are a 19.5 point favorite. OSU has not had one road game this season where they played well. OU got jobbed last week and I think they will take out their frustration on the Pokes. I’ll take the Sooners and the points.

Texas A&M @ Texas
Buster took the smart pick and went with the Longhorns. The Aggies are getting 27 points from Texas in a rivalry game in which they are competing to be bowl eligible. I’ll take A&M and the points.

Notre Dame @ Stanford
Buster is going with the Irish who are a 17.5 point favorite on the road. I’m taking Notre Dame and the points.

Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys
Buster surprised me by taking the Broncos. Denver is a 2 point favorite and I’ll take them to cover as well. Too many weapons for the Cowboys defense to cover.

Miami Dolphins @ Oakland Raiders
Again Buster pulls the surprise by picking the Dolphins. I don’t see any way they can win in Oakland. I think Miami has hit rock bottom for the season. I’ll take the Raiders and the 7 points they are giving to Miami.

Make sure to check out Buster’s Best and read his random thoughts on sports. Leave him a comment or two. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Blog Poll, Week 13

1 Southern Cal (30)
2 Texas (10)
3 Penn State
4 Louisiana State
5 Virginia Tech
6 Ohio State
7 Notre Dame
8 Auburn
9 Oregon
10 Miami (Florida)
11 Georgia
12 West Virginia
13 UCLA
14 Alabama
15 Fresno State
16 TCU
17 Louisville
18 Florida
19 Georgia Tech
20 Florida State
21 Wisconsin
22 Texas Tech
23 Michigan
24 Boston College
25 Iowa State
Also Receiving Votes: Clemson(1.5), Iowa(0.7), Colorado(0.7), South Florida(0.6), South Carolina(0.4), Oklahoma(0.3), Cal(0.1), Central Florida(0.1), UTEP(0.0), Northwestern(0.0),

Total Ballots: 41

Owens Suspension to be Reduced

from yahoo sports

According to a report in Newsday, arbitrator Richard Bloch is expected to reduce Owens' four-game suspension from four games to one or two games later Wednesday.

Owens was suspended four games by Reid for conduct detrimental to the team November 9. The NFL Players Association is seeking to have the suspension reduced and wants the Eagles to cut Owens if they have no intention of playing him again.

The report indicates that the Eagles, who planned to de-activate Owens for the remainder of the season, will release the mercurial superstar receiver instead. Philadelphia is concerned that Owens will cause a distraction if the ruling allows him to return to the Eagles' practice facility.

Owens has stated all along that he wants to return to the Eagles, but would want to be released if Philadelphia didn't plan to play him. If released, Owens would go through the league's waiver system, with the worst team getting the first shot of claiming him.

Around the Rim, College Basketball

Bucknell does it Again
In January Bucknell broke #10 Pittsburgh’s 48 game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. In March the Bison sent the third seeded Kansas Jayhawks packing in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Now you can add the Syracuse Orange to their list of upset victims.

Syracuse trailed most of the first half before going on a late 10-3 run to take a 28-27 halftime lead. Then Bucknell took only 17 shots in the second half, making all but three of them to knock off the 17th ranked Orange 74-69.

"We never take the underdog role," said Kevin Bettencourt, who led Bucknell with 20 points and keyed a late 13-2 run that decided the game. "We think we can win every game."

Zags & Spartans go to Triple O.T.

The college basketball season is still very young but there may not be a better game all season than the one between Gonzaga and Michigan State Tuesday.

There were 13 lead changes in the final 7:30 of regulation, four in the final 1:14. Maurice Ager of Michigan State tied it at 80 at the final buzzer of regulation with his fifth 3-pointer over the final 7:10.

The first overtime ended with Gonzaga having a chance to win, but the Bulldogs missed three shots in the final 9 seconds.

The second overtime ended with the officials putting 0.9 seconds back on the clock after a Michigan State turnover just before the buzzer but Gonzaga couldn't take advantage.

Then, finally, Morrison made two free throws with 19 seconds left in the third overtime to give Gonzaga the lead for good at 107-106. Michigan State freshman Goran Suton missed a layup with 4.6 seconds left.

To bad this game was played in November and not in March. The Bulldogs will play #3 Connecticut for the championship tonight.

Kansas Goes Down in Maui
Aloha means goodbye. The Jayhawks are 0-2 at the Maui invitational proving that this young team doesn’t have what it takes to run with the big boys at this time. Kansas at times has look both very impressive and unimpressive. They have a ways to go still but are a talented team and should be very solid when conference season rolls around. Playing teams like Arizona and Arkansas at the beginning of the season can only make you stronger.

Texas Wins Guardians
The Longhorns struggled in the first half but were solid in the second half and game away with a 68-59 win over # 18 Iowa in the championship game of the Guardians Classic.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out as the Longhorns erased a 7-point halftime deficit. "I think we understood the importance of the game," said point guard Daniel Gibson, who had 16 points. "I think we understood that every night we come out to play, we come out to win. We knew that wasn't one of our better halves, so we took that as motivation."

My Top 10
Here is how I rank the best 10 teams in the country this week.
1. Duke
2. Texas
3. Connecticut
4. Villanova
5. Oklahoma
6. Gonzaga
7. Louisville
8. Michigan St.
9. Arizona
10. Kentucky

NCAA suspends Bradley University basketball players

Yet another basketball post where players are in trouble.

Two Bradley basketball players were suspended by the NCAA on Tuesday for getting paid for work they didn't perform while on their summer jobs.

Two other players also accused of being paid for work they didn't do were forced to repay the money.

Center Patrick O'Bryant was suspended for eight games and point guard Will Franklin must sit out six games. The suspensions were handed down Monday and the school appealed the move. The NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Division upheld the decision on Tuesday, the university said.

photos from yahoo

Beckett and Lowell going to Boston

The Red Sox and Marlins reached a preliminary agreement Monday night on a trade that would send Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell to Boston for three prospects.

Florida would get touted shortstop Hanley Ramirez and minor league pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Jesus Delgado in the deal, which was pending physicals, according to a baseball official who requested anonymity because the trade was yet to be finalized.

NFL Round UP, Week 11

Division Rankings
AFC West 24-16
NFC East 23-17
NFC South 22-18
AFC North 21-19
AFC South 20-20
NFC North 18-22
NFC West 17-23
AFC East 15-25

Big Game
Indianapolis Colts 45, Cincinnati Bengals 37
Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes in an offense that reached the end zone on its first five possessions Sunday, setting up a 45-37. Tight end Dallas Clark had six catches for 125 yards both career highs. “Peyton's the best," Clark said "If he sees it, we're going to take advantage of it.”

Big Upset
Arizona Cardinals 38, St. Louis Rams 28
Kurt Warner threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns against his former team as the Cardinals manhandled the Rams in St. Louis.

"As special as it was, I'm two years removed now and I don't feel like I'm as much a part of this organization as I did when I first left," Warner said. "You still have a lot of friends, I still love those guys over there and still enjoy competing against them."

Worst Game
Denver Broncos 27, NY Jets 0
The Jets may be in competition with the Miami Dolphins for the worst offensive performance on Sunday. While Denver seemed to be able to do what they wanted on offense New York struggled accumulating only 195 total net yards including only 22 rushing yards.

Dolphins Lay a Goose Egg
The Dolphins lost more that two linebackers on Sunday, they lost their pride as well. Browns running back Reuben Droughns ran 75 yards to pay dirt on Cleveland’s first play of the game and the 22-0 rout was on from there. Droughns finished with 166 yards for the day and the Dolphins looked like they were finished for the season.

Linebackers Junior Seau and Zack Thomas both left the game with injuries and the offense proved that two solid running backs don’t make up for not having a quarterback. Miami is still only a game out of second place in the division but a long away from being a contender of any kind. It’s time to start getting our draft board ready.

Looking Ahead to Next Week
Big Game
Pittsburg @ Indianapolis
The Steelers are hurting and have no chance in this game if Big Ben doesn’t play for them. I don’t believe the Steelers have a quarterback who can move ball other than him. The Colts proved against Cincinnati that they are still capable of winning a shootout and the Steelers aren’t capable of competing without their starting QB.

I’m going to assume that Roethlisberger plays because the Steelers realize they have no chance without him. I picked the Steelers to win this game initially, but I think there are too many intangibles that go against them here. The Colts will fall at some point but not here.

Prediction: Colts 27/Steelers 17

Possible Upset
Baltimore @ Cincinnati
The Bengals had their bubbles burst by the Colts on Sunday and are now primed for an upset. Baltimore has a stingy defense but the Ravens struggle on offense I think they will pull the upset in a surprisingly low scoring game.

Prediction: Ravens 17/Bengals 14

My Vote in the Blog Poll

Call me a homer but I didn’t drop OU out of my poll this week. I didn’t move Texas Tech up either. I just don’t feel like the Sooners should be punished or the Red Raiders rewarded for one of the biggest officiating blunders in years.

New to my ballot this week are Georgia Tech and Iowa State. Gone from my ballot this week are South Carolina and UTEP.

Biggest Rise: Georgia Bulldogs move up from #15 to #12.
Biggest Fall: Alabama continues their free fall going from #8 to #16.

1 Southern Cal (1) 11-0
2 Texas (2) 10-0
3 Louisiana State (4) 9-1
4 Penn State (5) 10-1
5 Virginia Tech (6) 9-1
6 West Virginia (7) 8-1
7 Notre Dame (9) 8-2
8 Oregon (10) 9-1
9 Miami (Florida) (3) 9-2
10 Ohio State (11) 9-2
11 Auburn (12) 9-2
12 Georgia (15) 8-2
13 Fresno State (13) 8-2
14 TCU (14) 10-1
15 UCLA (16) 9-1
16 Alabama (8) 9-2
17 Texas Tech (17) 9-2
18 Louisville (18) 7-2
19 Florida State (20) 7-3
20 Georgia Tech (NR) 7-3
21 Wisconsin (21) 8-3
22 Colorado (24) 7-3
23 Oklahoma (23) 6-4
24 Michigan (19) 7-4
25 Iowa State (NR) 7-3
The official blog poll will release tomorrow after 10:00 a.m.

Musburger Fined for Alcohol

Brent Musburger was charged with drinking in a moving vehicle, and paid a $144 fine. Musburger was a passenger in the vehicle.

The 66-year-old Musburger was cited Sept. 17 outside Memorial Stadium after calling Nebraska's game against Pittsburgh. He was one of several people cited for similar alcohol offenses that Saturday, police said.

According to records from the Lincoln city attorney's office, Musburger paid the fine on Oct. 20 rather than show up in court. He was fined $50 for the open container of alcohol, $50 for drinking from it and $44 in court costs.

Making Good on a Bet

I made the Blog Bet on the OU/Texas Tech with Richard from the Cheap Seats. The Sooners went down and Richard's blogs go up on My Opinion on Sports. He has three blogs. The Cheap Seats, a sports blog about Sports in Texas and the Big XII Conference by a guy who loves sports. Double T Ranch, covers everything Texas Tech. Spur of the Moment, covers the San Antonio Spurs. Make sure to check the out!

College Football Round Up, Week 12

USC Survives Bulldogs 50-42
The Trojans won their 33 consecutive games as Reggie Bush made his claim for the Heisman. Bush ran for 294 yards on 23 carries and scored on runs of 45 and 50 yards.

"I was really feeling it -- I was in synch tonight," Bush said. "They were trying to take angles on me early in the game, and I remembered that and cut back on them as the game wore on."
A Texas/USC Rose Bowl is looking like it will be a great game!

Miami Tanks in Again
For the second straight year, the Hurricanes failed to come through in a late-season game at the Orange Bowl. Last year their bid for a Bowl Championship Series berth ended with a loss to Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale. This year it was a home loss to Georgia Tech. The loss puts Virginia Tech in the drivers seat to play in the ACC Championship game.

Penn State Wins the Big 10
JoePa and the fifth-ranked Nittany Lions locked up their first Big Ten title in 11 years and the BCS bid that goes with it by defeating Michigan State 31-22 Saturday.
Michael Robinson ran for 90 yards and a touchdown and passed for another score, and Alan Zemaitis had three interceptions for Penn State.

Georgia Wins the SEC East
Georgia (8-2, 6-2 SEC) squandered its first two chances to win the SEC East, losing to Florida and Auburn by a combined five points.

But the Bulldogs wrapped up their third division title in four years with an emphatic victory in the final game of the season between the hedges. Now, it's on to the Dec. 3 championship game, just 75 miles down the road in Atlanta.

"I'll remember coming into this year with all the doubts, starting with people picking us to finish third in the East," said Shockley, who was among more than two dozens seniors honored before the kickoff. "I'll remember everyone picking out different guys and saying, 'Can they do the job?' -- like myself."


End of an era in Manhattan
Bill Snyder coached his final game Saturday and in typical fashion pilled off the upset beating the Missouri Tigers 36-28. The job that Snyder has done at Kansas State is quite possibly the best coaching job in the history of college football.

Tech Sneaks Past OU

I was screaming at my television, “Watch the Draw! Watch the Draw!” I saw it coming and so did OU linebacker Rufus Alexander. Alexander seemed to make the tackle on Texas Tech running back Taurean Henderson, and then came the stretch. Henderson wisely stretched the ball across the goal line. Henderson appeared to be down before he stretched the ball across the goal line but referees saw it differently, if they saw it at all.

It was side judge Scott Koch who gave the touchdown to Henderson, only after running around OU cornerback DJ Wolfe and poking his head into the pile. OF COURSE THE BALL WAS ACROSS THE GOAL LINE BY THEN! This call should have been made by the umpire Steve Storie who was right in the middle of the action. Storie made no touchdown signal meaning he didn’t see the ball cross the goal line. If the side judge is going to make that call then he has to make it when the running back goes down, not after he has run into the pile and investigated. It was a bad end to a badly officiated game.

Give Texas Tech credit for holding the Sooner offense in check most of the first three quarters. Give Taurean Henderson credit for running crazy a week after OSU held him to minus yards. Give Texas Tech credit for putting together a game winning drive with seconds left on the clock. Give Mike Leach credit for a gutsy call as time expired. And give OU credit for getting hosed!

There were three plays reviewed in the final 30 seconds of the game two of the three went against OU despite the evidence on the replay.

• First, Tech receiver Danny Amendola came down with a deflected 4th down jump ball on the OU 24, a yard shy of the first down. The officials spotted the ball at the 23 and even when the replay showed him down on the 24 it was not overturned.
• Second, Tech receiver Joel Filani bobbled the ball through the side of the end-zone and the play was called a touchdown. Replay did go the Sooners way this time but why was this called a touchdown in the first place? It wasn’t even close. This is where the officials messed up and what cost the Sooners the game. If they get this call right then the goal line play doesn’t happen.
• Finally, Henderson’s touchdown.

The Sooners had a gut check in the fourth quarter after Tech went up 17-7. OU responded with an 89-yard drive and scored on a 13-yard TD pass from Rhett Bomar to Malcolm Kelly to make the score 17-14. On their next possession OU took the lead when Adrian Peterson ran 13 yards for a score to cap a 51-yard drive.

Then came the drama as Tech got the ball for their game winning drive. There is no doubt that both teams left it all on the field. Too bad we can’t say the same thing about the refs.

Heisman Performances

After the performance Reggie Bush put on Saturday night he has moved into the top spot on my list this week. He single handedly won the game for USC to keep their streak alive. I can honestly say that it was one of the most impressive performances I’ve seen this season. The leapfrogging between Bush, Young and Leinart continues.

It May be sacreligous but I dropped Leinart to fourth place behind Brady Quinn. Quinn’s passing attempts and yards are very close and he has more TD’s and fewer INT’s than Leinart.

In my opinion it is a two man race right now between Bush and Young.

1. Most Deserving
– Reggie Bush (RB) USC – 23 rushes 294 yards 2 TD’s, 3 reception’s 68 yards
Overall Stats - 163 carries 1398 yards, 12 TD’s, 31 receptions 383yards 2 TD’s.

2. Close Second – Vince Young (QB) Texas – Off Week
Overall Stats – 155-244 2414 yards, 22 TD’s, 8 INT’s, 117 rushes 774 yards, 8 TD’s.

3. Charging – Brady Quinn (QB) Notre Dame – 21-37 270 yards, 2 TD’s
Overall Stats – 238-367 3207 yards, 29 TD’s, 5 INT’s

4. Losing Ground - Matt Leinart (QB) USC – 22-33 198 yards, 1 TD,
Overall Stats – 233-351 3216 yards, 24 TD’s, 7 INT’s. 4 rushing TD’s

Sooners Win Season Opener 68-41

OU struggled early and Samford made their first five shots to take an early 11-6 lead. Then the Sooners clicked. OU tied the game at 13 and then went on a 12-0 run. The Sooners led 27-17 at the half and started the second half with a 22-5 run and cruised to a 68-41 win.

Kevin Bookout had a double-double scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He looked healthy and at times dominant. Bookout is going to be a force inside this season along with Taj Grey who added 8 points. The Sooners won the rebound battle 41-11 and Samford did not get an offensive rebound the entire game.

"It was taking us three and four shots just to score," Sampson said. "But I don't worry about that. The encouraging part is how we fought for the rebounds.”
"We are really going to have to work on finishing our plays because it shouldn't take three and four rebounds to finally make the basket."

The Sooners were led in scoring by Michael Neal who had 15 points, all on three point shots.

The Sooners play next at home against Binghamton on Wednesday night at 7:00. It will be televised on the Sooner Sports Network.

Last Minute Football Notes

Two weeks left in the regular season then we get to go bowling. Here are my thoughts on the Big 12 power rankings and the bowls I think the teams are heading to. I’d be glad to know your thoughts about the bowl season.

Big 12 Power Rankings/Bowl Predictions
1. Texas – Barring a major upset the Longhorns are Rose Bowl bound to face USC.
2. OU – Cotton Bowl
3. Iowa State – Holiday Bowl
4. Colorado – Houston Bowl
5. Missouri – Independence Bowl
6. Texas Tech – Alamo Bowl
7. Nebraska – Champ Sports Bowl
8. Kansas – Has to beat Iowa St. to become eligible. The Jayhawks will be staying home.
9. Texas A&M – Has to beat Texas to become eligible. Don’t see it happening.
10. Oklahoma State – Cowboys have to win out against Baylor and OU. Not happeninig.
11. Kansas State – Missouri game is Snyder’s last as a coach and the Wildcats Bowl.
12. Baylor – Joins Kansas State as not eligible.

Big Game
Oklahoma @ Texas Tech
I made the blog bet this week with R.D. Baker from who has three blogs, The Cheap Seats, Double T Ranch, and Spur of the Moment. If OU wins you can read about my site on all three of these next week and if the Sooners lose you can read about them here at My Opinion on Sports.

Many are saying that this game is for the Cotton Bowl but I think the Sooners are heading to Dallas regardless of how this game turns out. Dallas likes the Sooners and the Sooners like Dallas. OU fans will bring a lot of money to the metroplex because Sooner fans travel in mass to bowl games.

As for the game itself I’m a little worried. Tech was embarrassed by Oklahoma State last week and that should only motivate them further this week. OU’s secondary has been very questionable at times this season but the Tech offense has looked very average against Baylor and OSU.

OU is in trouble if…
• Defensive ends can’t get pressure on Cody Hodges. Consistent pressure from the DE’s will allow more opportunity for blitzing linebackers and defensive backs.
• Defensive backs can’t tackle. I don’t think it’s possible to play shut-down defense against Tech’s passing attack so the Sooners are going to have to protect against the deep pass and make sure tackles on the short passes.
• Adrian Peterson is not able run effectively. There is no doubt that he is the spark that makes the Sooner offense run and an effective Peterson means an efficient passing attack.

Tech is in trouble if…
• They can’t keep pressure off the quarterback. The Sooner defense has 14 sacks in the last two games.
• Henderson doesn’t have a big game. Just as Peterson is the spark for OU, Henderson is the same for Tech. Henderson was held to -6 yards rushing on 8 attempts and 23 receiving yards on 8 catches in Tech’s loss to Oklahoma State last week. Another performance like that would spell doom for the Red Raiders.
• They can’t stop Adrian Peterson and the OU rushing attack. Last week Mike Hamilton ran for 161 yards to lead OSU on their way to 303 total rushing yards.

Bottom line is this is a toss up game and it really could go either way. There are a lot of intangibles here with the possibility of Brent Venables being the leading candidate for the Kansas State job and the ankle injuries to OU QB Rhett Bomar and RB Adrian Peterson.
I’ll take the Sooners in a game that should be both close and entertaining.

Prediction: Sooners 31/Red Raiders 28

Possible Upset
Missouri @ Kansas State
The Tigers are already bowl eligible and this will be the Wildcats bowl game as they try to send off Bill Snyder with a victory. Missouri is the better team but emotion could carry Kansas State to victory.
Prediction: Wildcats 24/Tigers 13

Must Win
Oklahoma State @ Baylor
With their upset of Texas Tech last week the Cowboys are still in the bowl hunt but they have to win out in order to become elgible. This is a game that the Pokes can win and with their bowl hopes on the line it’s a game that they must win.
Prediction: Cowboys 24/Bears 10

McNabb told to have surgery

Donovan McNabb was told Thursday to have surgery that probably would end his season.

The Eagles' quarterback is considering his options.

He will miss Philadelphia's game against the New York Giants on Sunday with a groin injury, but hasn't made a decision beyond that.

McNabb has played with a sports hernia most of the season. He re-injured his groin while trying to tackle Cowboys safety Roy Williams following an interception on Monday night.

Dr. William Meyers recommended that McNabb have surgery now to correct the sports hernia after an examination Thursday morning.

McNabb had planned to have surgery after the season, but he said Wednesday he wasn't sure if he'd do it sooner. Mike McMahon, who had been the third string quarterback, will start in McNabb's place.

"He's our leader. If he's out, it's a major hit," tight end L.J. Smith said. "It's definitely a blow to our offense."

Run Ricky Ruunnnn!

Sometimes you see a photo you just can't pass up.

Buster's Best

I went 3-2 last week which is a winning record but Buster still beat me by going 4-1.

Last Week’s Games

Game One
New England @ Miami
Buster picked the Patriots to win and I had them to cover the three points they were favored by. I’m glad that I went with my mind and not my heart.
Buster 1-0/Dad 1-0

Game Two
Dallas @ Philadelphia
Who can explain what happened here? This was the craziest game since the last time the Cowboys played on Monday night. Buster picked the Eagles and I had them to cover the 3 points they were favored by. Thanks to Roy Williams we both lost!
Buster 1-1/Dad 1-1

Game Three
Texas A&M @ Oklahoma
Buster picked the Sooners to win and I did as well but I said they wouldn’t cover the 13 points they were favored by.
Buster 2-1/Dad 2-1

Game Four
USC @ Cal.
Buster picked the Trojans and I said they would cover the 19 points they were favored by.
Buster 3-1/Dad 3-1

Game Five
Memphis @ Tennessee
Buster picked the Volunteers and I said they would cover the 19.5 points they were favored by. What has happened to Tennessee?
Buster 4-1/Dad 3-2

For the season: Buster 38-17/Dad 25-29-1

This week’s games

Game One
Oklahoma @ Texas Tech
Buster is picking the Sooners who are getting 7.5 points from the Red Raiders. I’m concerned about this game but I do think the Sooners will cover the 7.5 points.

Game Two
Fresno State @ Southern Cal
Buster is going with the Trojans and I am going with them as well. USC is a 24 point favorite and and the Bulldogs could sneak up on the Trojans and make it close but I don’t think so. I’ll take the Trojans and the points.

Game Three
Oklahoma State @ Baylor
Buster is taking OSU and I’m scratching my head. Baylor has been aweful the past few weeks and OSU had been aweful most of the season but respectable the past two weeks. I would suspect a letdown game for the Cowboys but the way Baylor has played it may not matter. I’ll take the Pokes to cover the 2.5 they are getting from the Bears.

Game Four
Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys
Buster is taking the Cowboys and who wouldn’t after the Monday night miracle? The Lions are getting 8 points from the Cowboys and I have a huntch they are going to cover it. I’ll take the Lions getting the points.

Game Five
Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns
Buster is going with the Browns who are a 2 point favorite over my Dolphins. I totally disagree! This is not a pick of the heart. I really believe that the Dolphins are a better team than the Browns. I’ll take Mimai and the 2 points they are getting.

You can check out Buster’s picks and his reasons for picking the way he does at Buster’s Best. You can also read the sports perspectives of a 9 year old there.

Around the Rim, NBA

Lakers 97, Knicks 92
The last time these coaches went against each other it was for the NBA Championship. Now they are both trying to rebuild teams, Brown in a different location.

Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 42 points and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 97-92 Wednesday night, snapping a three-game losing skid.

Channing Frye led the Knicks with 21 points, the second time the rookie has done so in three nights. Eddy Curry added 17 points.

Stephon Marbury was held to a season-low four points -- 12 below his average, and had 10 assists.

Bobcats 122, Pacers 90
Kareem Rush Rush scored a career-high 35 points and rookie Raymond Felton added 18 points and 10 assists in his first career start to help the Bobcats snap a five-game losing streak with a 122-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

It was the both the most points scored and the largest margin of victory for the second-year Bobcats.

"The pressure was there to keep taking shots but when you're not making them you don't want to take as many," said Rush, who made 6-of-7 3-pointers. "But tonight was one of those nights and hopefully this will boost my confidence where I want to go out there and take tough shots."

Clippers 109, Bucks 85
Who would have thought that the Clippers would be tied with the Spurs for the best record in the west? I say it won’t last until the end of the month.

Sam Cassell had 23 points and nine assists before sitting out the fourth quarter, Corey Maggette added 21 points and the vastly improved Clippers breezed to a 109-85 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.

The Clippers are off to their best start in franchise history and so are the Grizzlies.

Grizzlies 115, Suns 103
Damon Stoudamire scored 12 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies won their third in a row, 115-103 over the Phoenix Suns. Mike Miller, questionable before the game because of a bruised right knee, added 24 for the Grizzlies, who were swept by Phoenix in the first round of last season's playoffs.

Celtics guard indicted on aggravated battery charges

We can’t end a basketball post without a story about a player getting in trouble.

Boston Celtics guard Tony Allen was indicted Wednesday on three counts of aggravated battery stemming from a fight that escalated into a shooting outside a Chicago diner in August.

Cook County state's attorney spokesman Tom Stanton said the indictment was read to Allen during a hearing Wednesday. Allen did not enter a plea.

Allen, who was charged last month with aggravated battery and released on a $150,000 bond, is scheduled to return to court Dec. 6 for arraignment, Stanton said.
Aggravated battery carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Allen's attorney, Michael Zaslavsky, said he had not seen the indictment.
"I expect we will vigorously fight the charges," he said.

Allen is accused of being involved in an early morning fight at a diner south of the downtown business district. According to police, he punched another man in the face, breaking the man's left eye socket.

Another man was shot in the left arm and left side, but police spokesman Pat Camden said Allen is not suspected in the shooting.
photos from yahoo

Nuggets 91, Hornets 81

Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 31 points and keyed a decisive 13-point run in the fourth quarter to help Denver put the game away.

The Hornets went on a 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter, but Anthony scored seven points as Denver pulled away with a 13-0 run of their own to go up 84-69.

"The ball was dropping for me," Anthony said. "My shot's falling, I'm taking good shots and getting out in the open court and getting easy baskets."

Chris Paul scored 18 points and David West added 16 for the Hornets who have now lost four in a row.

Next: @ Atlanta, Friday night.

Blog Poll Week 12

1 Southern Cal (26)
2 Texas (11)
3 Miami (Florida)
4 Penn State
5 Louisiana State
6 Virginia Tech
7 Notre Dame
8 Alabama
9 Ohio State
10 Oregon
11 Auburn
12 Georgia
13 West Virginia
14 UCLA
15 Fresno State
16 TCU
17 Michigan
18 Louisville
19 South Carolina
20 Florida
21 Florida State
22 Wisconsin
23 Texas Tech
24 Minnesota
25 UTEP
Also Receiving Votes: Boston College(1.8), Oklahoma(1.3), Iowa State(1.1), Virginia(0.5), Colorado(0.5), Cal(0.2), Northwestern(0.2), South Florida(0.2), Clemson(0.1), Central Florida(0.1), Toledo(0.1), Georgia Tech(0.0),

Total Ballots: 39

Around the Rim, College Basketball

Ugliest man in basketball gets win number 500

John Chaney has been around college basketball long enough to reach many milestones. For the 73-year old Hall of Fame coach, getting his 500th victory at Temple on Tuesday night was just another night on the job.

"I'm just a blue-collar guy that goes to work," Chaney said. "In any job I've ever had, I've never thought about a time when I would leave. I just go to work."
Chaney directed the Owls to a 69-37 season-opening victory over Army in the first round of the Preseason NIT.

Kansas sophomore center to be suspended

Kansas sophomore center Darnell Jackson will miss the first nine games of the season while serving an NCAA suspension.

Jackson, a potential starter who averaged two points and 1.7 rebounds as a freshman, has been connected to a Kansas booster near Jackson's hometown of Oklahoma City. The suspension is expected to be announced Wednesday.
Jackson becomes the highest-profile player since Connecticut's Charlie Villanueva in 2003 to serve such a lengthy NCAA suspension.

Huggins still on the recruiting trail

When Bob Huggins lands a coaching job this spring he will also bring in a strong recruiting class. According to CBS SortsLine.com here are some recruits who are waiting to see where the Huggins lands.

Jason Bennett: Bennett is a consensus top-100 recruit who says he would've committed to Cincinnati in August had Huggins received a contract extension instead of a pink slip. Bennett could have signed this week with Georgia, Clemson or Miami -- among others -- but a source close to Bennett says he is waiting to see where Huggins lands.
Ramar Smith: Smith, a 6-2 shooting guard generally ranked among the top 40 seniors, had been committed to Connecticut until he jeopardized his freshman eligibility by withdrawing from prep school this fall. The Huskies rescinded the scholarship offer, and Smith is back in Detroit, unsigned and uncommitted. At this time last year, Cincinnati was his top choice.
Ryan Pettinella: Pettinella, a 6-9 forward, transferred from Penn to Cincinnati this summer but was released from his scholarship after Huggins was let go. Pettinella, who averaged 4.8 points and three rebounds as a Penn sophomore, is attending Monroe (N.Y.) Community College but not playing. Like Bennett and Smith, he is letting the early signing period slip past. He'll have two years of Division I eligibility beginning in 2006-07, and his father says he wants to play for Huggins.
Herb Pope: Pope, a 6-9 forward from the class of 2007, is a top-10 recruit and a likely McDonald's All-American. When Huggins was at Cincinnati, Pope had the Bearcats among his favorite schools before committing in March to Pittsburgh. Five months later Pope backed off that commitment, and a source close to Pope says he is monitoring Huggins' future. The connection is Pope's AAU coach, J.O. Stright, founder of the Pittsburgh J.O.T.S. and one of Huggins' closest friends. How close? When Huggins suffered a massive heart attack in September 2002, he called Stright. Stright called the paramedics.
O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker: These are two more top-10 recruits from the Class of 2007, maybe even the two best recruits from that class. Mayo, 6-5, is one of the top backcourt prospects since Kobe Bryant. Walker, 6-6, is less refined but a Vince Carter-like athlete. Both play for North College Hill (Ohio) High near Cincinnati, and both became close to Huggins after regular unofficial visits to campus. Until Huggins was fired, Cincinnati was considered the front-runner to land Mayo, Walker and 6-11 teammate Keenan Ellis.

Do athletes get special privileges? Naahhhh

UConn point guard A.J. Price, 19, was charged with three counts of felony larceny and lying to police, a misdemeanor and he and teammate Marcus Williams are accused of trying to sell four stolen laptops last summer.

Despite already being suspended for the 2005-06 basketball season, Price was granted a special form of probation Tuesday for his role in the theft of laptop computers from dorm rooms.

Under the accelerated rehabilitation program for first-time offenders, Price will have no criminal record if he successfully completes 18 months of probation and 400 hours of community service unrelated to basketball.

In granting Price accelerated rehabilitation, Superior Court Judge Marcia Gleeson alluded to what she called a "life-altering event," a brain hemorrhage Price suffered a year ago that forced him to miss the 2004-05 season.

Price is considered a first-time offender despite an arrest in May 2004 in his hometown of Massapequa, N.Y., on misdemeanor criminal trespass charges. Prosecutors in New York initially chose not to pursue the case and charges were dismissed. But they have since decided to reopen it.

#3 Texas cruises past Southern 89-56


PJ Tucker is back on the court for the Longhorns and could take them a long way if he can stay eligible. Tucker scored 18 points on 7-11 shooting as Texas cruised. The Longhorns led 46-32 at the half then held Southern to just 24 second half points.

#14 Alabama struggles with Miami (OH)

The Tide definitely didn’t roll Tuesday night as the Redhawks played them to a 31-31 tie in the first half. Bama was able to pull away to a 64-58 win but needs to shake the rust off or the will be falling in the rankings instead of rising.

Chuck not a Long Shot for KSU Job

Who will be the next OU assistant to defect and become a college football head coach? My bet is on offensive coordinator Chuck Long. Many people assume that the replacement for Kansas State coach Bill Snyder will be Brent Venables the current OU defensive coordinator.

While Venebles may be the popular choice, my pick for the logical choice is the coordinator on the other side of the ball. Chuck Long has not only led a high power offense at OU he has coached a Heisman Trophy winner and a runner-up. He has taken a young team this year that struggled at the beginning and made them a solid unit that has won four in a row and has a 5-1 conference record.

Long played football for Snyder at Iowa and has a great relationship with the soon to be retired coach today. Long has more experience as an assistant than Venables and also has an age advantage over the 34 year old defensive coordinator.

My Opinion on Sports hits 5,000

Today My Opinion on Sports got it's 5,000th visitor. I would like to thank all of you who read my posts daily and contribute with your own comments. It's been a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to 10,000.
God Bless
Matt

Pujols named NL MVP

Albert Pujols was named NL MVP for the first time in his brilliant young career Tuesday, beating out the Braves' Andruw Jones and the Cubs' Derrek Lee for the award.

The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman received 18 first-place votes and 14 seconds for 378 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jones, the Atlanta Braves center fielder, got 13 first-place votes, 17 seconds and two thirds for 351 points.

The 25-year-old Pujols ranked in the top three in the NL in homers (41), RBI (117) and batting average (.330) and led the majors in runs (129) for the third season in a row.

Pujols has finished in the top four in MVP voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America in each of the last four campaigns, when the award went to Bonds.

Player 1st-place votes 2nd 3rd Points
Albert Pujols, Cardinals 18 14 0 378
Andruw Jones, Braves 13 17 2 351

Baseball Gets Tough on Steroids

Major League Baseball players and owners agreed to toughen penalties for steroid use to a 50-game suspension for a first failed test and a lifetime ban for a third, The Associated Press learned.

The deal, which also adds testing for amphetamines, was described to the AP by two congressional aides on condition of anonymity because it had not been officially announced.

A formal announcement was planned for later Tuesday, a baseball official told the AP.

Baseball's current steroid penalties are a 10-day suspension for a first offense, 30 days for a second offense, and 60 days for a third. The earliest a player could be banned for life is a fifth offense.

The sport's second new steroids agreement in 10 months came after lengthy negotiations prompted by urging from Congress -- including the threat of legislation that would require higher penalties and stricter testing standards.

NFL Round Up, Week 10

Big Game
Seattle Seahawks 31, St. Louis Rams 16
Just crown Seattle Kings of the West. The Seahawks now have a three game lead on the Rams and unless they are plagued by the injury bug they will win the NFC West going away.

Shaun Alexander ran for 165 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries to help the Seahawks sweep the Rams this season and win their fifth game in a row. It’s the most games in a row Seattle has won since 1999.

Big Upset
Minnesota Vikings 24, N.Y. Giants 21
I love quoting myself when I’m right. Here is what I said last week on the NFL Round Up, “I believe that the Giants are getting just a little too cocky. Look for Minnesota to humble them a little on Sunday.”

I believe the Giants win this game 9 out of 10 times but Sunday was that one time for the Vikings. They became the first team in NFL History to return a punt, kickoff and interception for touchdowns. They managed just enough offense to set up a game winning 48 yard field goal for Paul Edinger.

Worst Game
Chicago Bears 17, San Francisco 49ers 9
What do you get when you combine a good defense against a bad offense and 38 mph wind gusts? An ugly game! 49ers quarterback Cody Pickett attempted just 13 passes and completed only one of them.

We did see some history in this game as Chicago’s Nathan Vasher returned a missed field goal 108 yards for a TD, the longest play in NFL history.

Division Rankings
NFC East 21-15
NFC South 21-15
AFC West 20-16
AFC North 19-17
AFC South 18-18
NFC West 15-21
NFC North 16-21
AFC East 14-22

Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have turned into heartbreakers for all of their fans. They played Atlanta surprisingly close last weekend and then on Sunday seemed to throw a knock-out punch against the Patriots only to see them get up off the canvas and throw a haymaker of their own.

After the Dolphins took a 16-15 lead late in the fourth quarter Tom Brady connected with Benjamin Watson and a two point conversion put the Patriots up 23-16. Miami quarterback then drove the Dolphins 70 yards to the 5 yard line with a minute left but then his fourth down pass fell incomplete.

Oh yeah, and my Dolphins now play in the worst division in football (See division rankings above). Next, Miami plays at Cleveland.

Looking Ahead to Next Week

Big Game

Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati
The Bengals are neck and neck with the Steelers for the AFC North division. Keep in mind that Cincinnati has struggled against teams with winning records and I think they will continue to struggle against the Colts. Are the Colts reminding anyone else of the 85 Bears?

Prediction: Colts 31/Bengals 24

Possible Upset
Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are coming off an emotional win and a short week and the Lions are a team that could take advantage of that. I think this game will be close.

Prediction: Lions 17/Cowboys 14

My Vote in the Blog Poll

Gone from this week’s poll are Northwestern and Georgia Tech. New to the poll this week are South Carolina (22), Oklahoma (23), and UTEP (25).

Biggest Fall: Florida State fell from #12 to #20.
Biggest Rise: Auburn jumped from #19 to #12 and Fresno State moved from #20 to #13

1 Southern Cal (1) 10-0
2 Texas (2) 10-0
3 Miami (Florida) (4) 9-1
4 Louisiana State (5) 8-1
5 Penn State (6) 9-1
6 Virginia Tech (7) 8-1
7 West Virginia (8) 8-1
8 Alabama (3) 9-1
9 Notre Dame (10) 7-2
10 Oregon (11) 8-1
11 Ohio State (16) 8-2
12 Auburn (19) 8-2
13 Fresno State (20) 8-1
14 TCU (21) 10-1
15 Georgia (14) 7-2
16 UCLA (17) 9-1
17 Texas Tech (9) 8-2
18 Louisville (22) 7-2
19 Michigan (24) 7-3
20 Florida State (12) 7-3
21 Wisconsin (15) 8-3
22 South Carolina (NR) 7-3
23 Oklahoma (NR) 6-3
24 Colorado (18) 7-3
25 UTEP (NR) 8-1
The official blog poll will release tomorrow after 10:00 a.m.

A-Rod Wins MVP

Associated Press


NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez won the American League Most Valuable Player award for the second time in three seasons, beating David Ortiz on Monday in a vote that rewarded a position player over a designated hitter.

Rodriguez, in his second season as the New York Yankees' third baseman, received 16 first-place votes, 11 seconds and one third for 331 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Ortiz, the DH for the Boston Red Sox, got 11 firsts and 17 seconds for 307 points. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero received the other first-place vote and was third with 196 points.

Player 1st-place votes 2nd 3rd Points
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees 16 11 1 331
David Ortiz, Red Sox 11 17 0 307
Vladimir Guerrero, Angels 1 0 9 196
Manny Ramirez, Red Sox 0 0 9 156
Travis Hafner, Indians 0 0 5 151
Paul Konerko, White Sox 0 0 2 128
Mark Teixeira, Rangers 0 0 1 106
Gary Sheffield, Yankees 0 0 0 84
Mariano Rivera, Yankees 0 0 1 59
Derek Jeter, Yankees 0 0 0 23

Sooners Survive Aggies 36-30

OU started fast and finished strong but it was what happened in the middle that gave Sooner fans ulcers. After posting 277 yards and four touchdowns in the first quarter on Saturday the Sooners looked well on their way to another A&M rout, then came the second and third quarters.

After Allen Patrick ran 28 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter to make the score 28-7 A&M out scored OU 17-2 in the second and third quarters to make it a 30-24 game going into the fourth. Then came A.D., Peterson ran the ball on 7 of OU’s next 10 plays, including five in a row, for 45 yards to set up an 8 yard Rhett Bomar to Travis Wilson touchdown pass to put the game out of reach.

OU is still a young team and they are still learning how to put teams away. I think the first quarter performance is an indication of what we could see out of this team in the next two seasons. The Sooners are definitely starting to walk with a swagger and are improving both offensively and defensively each week as well as finding out areas to improve on.

I like Bomar’s confidence and his presence and leadership on the field. Adrian Peterson is beginning to look more and more like the superstar he is and the offensive line is maturing with both of these guys. Travis Wilson has had a solid career at OU, he will leave as a top 10 all-time receiver. However, the new superstar receiver at OU is Malcolm Kelly. Kelly hauled in 5 catches for 118 yards. He has gone over the century mark in receiving the last two games. He and Bomar are both freshmen so look for them to hook up a lot more over the next few years.

I said this after the Nebraska game and here it is again. This team reminds me so much of the 99 squad.

Fast Facts
• The Sooners have won four in a row and are 5-1 in conference play.
• With two games left OU is 6-3 and now bowl eligible.
• Rhett Bomar had a career day completing 71% of his passes for 298 yards 1 TD and 1 INT.
• The Sooners racked up 569 net yards of offense.
• The OU defense has 14 sacks in the last two games.

My Player of the Game – RB Adrian Peterson - 135 yards rushing, 2 TD’s

photos from newsok.com

College Football Round Up, Week 11

South Carolina moves into the Top 25
Steve Spurrier and his South Carolina Gamecocks are in the Top 25 for the first time in his tenure as coach thanks to a 30-22 victory over his previous school, Florida. The Gamecocks made it to No. 19 in The Associated Press media poll Sunday.
The win over Florida ended South Carolina’s 14-game losing streak to the Gators.
"Well, that's wonderful," Spurrier said Sunday when told the Gamecocks broke into the AP rankings. "That was one of the goals, for the team to finish the regular season ranked."

Longhorns Clinch Big 12 South
Two more games and the Longhorns get their shot at the National Title. After beating down the Kansas Jayhawks 66-14 on Saturday Texas secured the Big 12 South Championship and are on their way to Houston to play for the Conference Title.
Before they get to Houston they will have to stop by College Station for their final regular season game against the Texas A&M Aggies the day after Thanksgiving. Not only is this a rival game on the road for the Longhorns but the Aggies are playing to be bowl eligible. With just five wins this season the only hope for A&M to go bowling is an upset win over Texas.
Texas won the South Division in 1999 and 2001 under coach Mack Brown but lost both times in the conference championship game.

Bowden Bowl goes to Tommy
Florida State continued it’s free fall from the Top 10, this time at the hands of 6-4 Clemson. After taking a shot to numb his throwing shoulder, Charlie Whitehurst threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Tigers over the No. 17 Seminoles 35-14 Saturday. Chansi Stuckey had 11 catches for 156 yards and two TDs for Clemson.
The win gave Clemson coach Tommy Bowden his second win over dad Bobby in their last three games.
"Tommy just blew us out today," Bobby Bowden said. "I'm real proud of him, but that doesn't help me."

Cal Just a Bump in the Road for Trojans
The Trojans are just two wins away from playing for a third straight national championship and their defense is showing it's ready to carry its share of the load.
"We take it as a challenge. But on this team what else can you point too?" defensive back Scott Ware said. "Our offense is just awesome.”
The Trojans beat California 35-10 on Saturday for their 32nd straight victory. Their last loss was a 34-31 triple overtime defeat at Cal in 2003.
Despite playing most of the game with two freshmen backups at linebacker, the Trojans held the nation's eighth best rushing team in check. They limited the Golden Bears to 299 total yards and kept them out of the end zone until Cal scored a touchdown in the final two minutes with USC's first-stringers on the sidelines.
"I think we've always been a defensive team. The head coach is the defensive coordinator," linebacker Keith Rivers said. "I think now maybe we'll get more respect. Coming into the year we had a lot of questions about our defense. I think we've started to answer those."