Taking care of my preview story for tomorrow (I expect a close game) and of course watching Cincinnati's offense do whatever it wants against Illinois. Is it too late to start Pike for the Heisman again?
Cincinnati needs to be impressive here just in case Texas gets knocked off. I just wasn't impressed by the Longhorns yesterday, but if they don't lose they are in the title game.
As far as the Huskies, the Syracuse defense is depleted with no Artur Jones, Max Suter or Derrell Smith, but Doug Hogue has had a big year. 16.5 tackles for a loss. That's an astronomical number for a linebacker. The Orange still can run the ball with Delone Carter and Greg Paulus is accurate. I can't understand what Mike Williams was doing just leaving the NFL, but good luck.
The Orange have played tough this year and that's and I am not sure they have anything left, but they certainly are moving in the right direction with Doug Marrone. Big East needs a good Syracuse team.
Bowls? It's still a little dicey, but the Huskies have no worry at 7-5 with wins in their last two games. If Stanford defeats Notre Dame, the Huskies will get a Big East bowl for sure, so even at 6-6 there is no worry. If Notre Dame beats Stanford and steals the Gator Bowl (which is theft, and I think would make the bowl a laughingstock) then UConn may be in trouble at 6-6.
The best way to look at this is for any non-bcs teams that are say 6-5 and playing today. If those teams get to 7-5 (like bowling green this weekend) then they go bowling before 6-6 UConn by NCAA rule. That rule applies only to at-large teams. If there is one of the 6 Big East bowls eligible, then UConn will slide into a Big East bowl at 6-6. To be honest, if Notre Dame loses and UConn wins Saturday, Huskies are in somewhere.
Also keeping an eye on Rutgers-Louisville, Doug Beaumont is knocked out on the field. Hope he is OK. Is it me, or does Rutgers knock a lot of players out of the game? They concussed Frazer last year and ended Cody Endres' season this year. What's the deal?
2 comments:
Do your homework...
Gator Bowl is one of the most prestigious bowl games on the schedule. Teams/COaches/Players read like a who's who in college football.
When Rutgers, UConn or any Big East comes close to the draw/history/tv ratings as Notre Dame... they will be taken seriously for Gator Bowl. Let's just say I don't see that happening within next 50 years.
Please, it's prestigious because of the teams that have played in it.
The bowl game is prestigious because of the quality of teams that have played in it.
Besides, if the Gator hates its big east team why even sign the contract? Good riddance.
Notre Dame in this game is a straight money grab and not a quality game.
Having, for example, a 7-5 Notre Dame team in the bowl diminishes the game because the Irish aren't good, and it would be a freak show and everyone would comment on how awful that the BE No. 2 or No. 3 didn't get in.
They played two Big East teams, and lost to both of them.
You can't even make an argument for Notre Dame over say Cincinnati if Pittsburgh happens to win.
It's one thing to pass Boston College over in favor of Clemson, it's another to choose a 7-5 Notre dame over a top 10 team. In Pitt's case, a top 10 team that defeated the Irish during the year should go.
If the Gator wants a money grab, fine, they will be the laughingstock of the bowl season.
Yes, bowls are about money and fans, but it's within reason. I don't find Notre Dame to the Gator reasonable now.
If the Gator Bowl wants to embarrass itself with it, it is more than welcome to do it.
The Gator is/was prestigious, if it takes Notre Dame over a 10 win Cincinnati or Pittsburgh team, it diminishes the game.
If Pitt loses it's final two and West Virginia splits, and there is no definitive No. 2, then maybe.
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