Stone Cole'd Locks

2011 College Football Preview

2011-08-26T18:02:00.000-04:00

My predictions for the season include two polls. The first poll is my Power Poll. The Power Poll takes into account the odds for teams to make it to the end of the season undefeated along with their schedules (or the ease of that schedule) and the talent on those teams. The other poll represents how I think the season will turn out, including which teams will be in BCS games and the National Championship Game. I have also included my Conference Projections below the polls

	Power Poll		End of the Year Top 40
1	Oklahoma	1	Wisconsin	ACC
2	Alabama	2	Florida State	Big East
3	Wisconsin	3	Arkansas	Big Ten
4	Boise State	4	Boise State	Big 12
5	Florida State	5	Stanford	Pac-12
6	Arkansas	6	Oklahoma	SEC
7	Stanford	7	Alabama
8	Oregon	8	Oregon
9	LSU	9	Oklahoma State
10	Oklahoma State	10	LSU
11	Texas A&M	11	Notre Dame
12	Notre Dame	12	Texas A&M
13	Nebraska	13	West Virginia
14	West Virginia	14	Florida
15	USC	15	Northwestern
16	Southern Miss	16	BYU
17	Florida	17	Nebraska
18	North Carolina	18	Houston
19	Virginia Tech	19	Southern Miss
20	Northwestern	20	USC
21	BYU	21	Michigan
22	Texas	22	Virginia Tech
23	Houston	23	Tulsa
24	Mississippi State	24	North Carolina
25	TCU	25	TCU
26	Michigan	26	Mississippi State
27	Tulsa	27	Texas
28	Penn State	28	Michigan State
29	Michigan State	29	Georgia
30	Georgia	30	NC State
31	Ohio State	31	Penn State
32	NC State	32	Ohio State
33	South Carolina	33	South Carolina
34	Miami (OH)	34	Miami (OH)
35	Miami (FL)	35	California
36	California	36	Missouri
37	Missouri	37	Clemson
38	Clemson	38	Tennessee
39	Tennessee	39	Auburn
40	Auburn	40	Miami (FL)

	Projected Conference Winner		Projected BSC Birth
	ACC		Big 12
	Atlantic	1	Oklahoma
1	Florida State	2	Oklahoma State
2	NC State	3	Texas A&M
3	Clemson	4	Texas
4	Maryland	5	Missouri
5	Boston College	6	Texas Tech
6	Wake Forest	7	Baylor
	Coastal	8	Kansas State
1	Virginia Tech	9	Kansas
2	North Carolina	10	Iowa State
3	Miami (FL)		Pac-12
4	Georgia Tech		North
5	Virginia	1	Stanford
6	Duke	2	Oregon
	Big East	3	California
1	West Virginia	4	Washington
2	Pittsburgh	5	Washington State
3	South Florida	6	Oregon State
4	Louisville		South
5	Connecticut	1	USC
6	Rutgers	2	Arizona
7	Cincinnati	3	UCLA
8	Syracuse	4	Utah
	Big Ten	5	Arizona State
	Leaders	6	Colorado
1	Wisconsin		SEC
2	Penn State		West
3	Ohio State	1	Arkansas
4	Illinois	2	Alabama
5	Purdue	3	LSU
6	Indiana	4	Missisippi State
	Legends	5	Auburn
1	Northwestern	6	Ole Miss
2	Nebraska		East
3	Michigan	1	Florida
4	Michigan State	2	South Carolina
5	Iowa	3	Tennessee
6	Minnesota	4	Georgia
	Notre Dame	5	Kentucky
	Boise State	6	Vanderbilt

BCS National Championship Game: Wisconsin vs. Florida State

BCS National Champion: Wisconsin

Top 6 Heisman Favorites

1) Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2) Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

3) E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State

4) Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

5) Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

6) LaMichael James, RB, Oregon

5 Other Contenders

1) Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin

2) Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan

3) Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

4) Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina

5) Darron Thomas, QB, Oregon

Darkhorse Contenders

1) Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin

2) Dan Persa, QB, Northwestern

3) Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

When I was originally putting together my rankings, I had Arkansas at number 2 and Florida State at number 3; but when Knile Davis was lost for the season, that had to change. The reason I have Wisconsin ranked number 1 is the running game, the defense and most importantly: Russel Wilson. I believe Florida State will beat Oklahoma early in the season and tear through a weak ACC (the same way Wisconsin will tear through a weaker Big Ten). I think Arkansas will lose 1 game maybe 2, but not to Alabama (who I think will lose 3, maybe 4 games this season). With Arkansas losing at least once and an undefeated Wisconsin and Florida State, this will represent the first BCS National Championship Game without a SEC team since the 2005 Rose Bowl. Just remember while you watch the BCS National Championship Game between Wisconsin and Florida State, you saw it hear first.

Top College Rivalries (Part 4 of 4)

2011-06-14T13:00:00.004-04:00

10) Southern Cal vs. Notre Dame

Talk about loading the field with talent, no rivalry has done that more than USC and Notre Dame which have combined for 22 national championships, 14 Heisman Trophy winners, and 21 NFL Hall of Famers.

For decades, the rivalry pitted a clash of styles and worlds with the Midwestern Irish taking on the Southern Cal Trojans.

The teams have traded decades of dominance since 1960 with the Irish winning through 1966 before the Trojans ran the show through 1982. Notre Dame then dominated the series through 2001 before USC's current eight-game winning streak.

9) Harvard vs. Yale (The Game)

Harvard and Yale. They are two names that undoubtedly pop up when one thinks about the origins of college football. "The Game" is the second-longest continuing rivalry (behind Lehigh-Lafayette) and the third most played all-time (behind Princeton-Yale).

The lack of bowl games for these Ivy League institutions and the fact the game is held as the regular season finale only ups the stakes. As of 2010, the Harvard Crimson and Yale Bulldogs have met 127 times beginning in 1875, when American football was evolving from rugby. The Harvard-Yale game is played in November at the end of the football season, and the venue alternates between Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl. As of 2010, Yale leads the series 65-54-8.

The Game is the second oldest continuing rivalry and also the third most-played rivalry game in college football history, after the Lehigh-Lafayette Rivalry (1884) and the Princeton-Yale game (1873). Sports Illustrated On Campus rated the Harvard-Yale rivalry the sixth-best in college athletics in 2003, though, more recently, others have claimed that the rivalry has lost its intensity.

8) Oklahoma vs. Nebraska

This rivalry was once one of the most storied rivalries in the history of college football, highlighted by the 1971 "Game of the Century" between #1 Nebraska and #2 Oklahoma. However, the rivalry may have ended in 2010 due to Nebraska joining the Big Ten. No future games are scheduled at least until 2020 where the two may meet but nothing has been confirmed.

Oklahoma has offered to schedule Nebraska for a home-and-home series for 2020 and 2021, but Nebraska has not been able to commit to the games. Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne cited the unknown status of future Big Ten Conference future schedules as the cause, explaining that Nebraska could not commit to an away game in a year where there may not be enough conference home games. Although a two-game Nebraska-Oklahoma series in 2020-2021 cannot yet be confirmed, both schools have indicated that it remains a possibility.

The game's former placement on Thanksgiving brought it national recognition for many years.

Oklahoma and Nebraska first met in 1912 with Oklahoma now leading the series 44-38-3.

7) Florida State at Miami (FL)

For over a decade, the feud between the Hurricanes and Seminoles exemplified a shift in college football powers. Out from the northern states and the traditional southern powers, this Florida-based rivalry possessed some of the most tightly contested games, determined national championships and featured countless All-Americans and future NFL stars.

One could break down each edition for a good 15-year span from the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, but if you don't know about the rivalry you must have been living under a rock.

The Hurricanes currently lead the football series 31–24, with Florida State having won the most recent matchup. Since the late 1980s, one or both squads have often been highly ranked coming into the game, adding national championship implications to an already heated rivalry. Kicks have played an important role in the series with many wide right, wide left, blocks and other mistakes that would have won the game for the fallen.

The series has consistently drawn very high television ratings with the 2006 Miami – Florida State game being the most-watched college football game—regular-season or postseason—in ESPN history, and the 2009 and 1994 meetings being the second- and fifth-most watched regular season games, respectively.

The series is also known for its history of important missed kicks. In 1991, FSU Kicker Gerry Thomas missed a kick wide to the right which led to a 17-16 Miami win and a split National title for Miami with Washington (becoming know, thanks to Keith Jackson, as Wide Right I). In 1992, FSU Kicker Dan Mowrey missed a field goal to the right, and the Seminoles lost to the Hurricanes in Miami, 19-16 (Wide Right II). Miami took an undefeated record to the Sugar Bowl and lost the national championship to Alabama. Florida State did not lose again, and finished the season ranked second. In 2000, Miami took a 27-24 lead after a Ken Dorsey touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey, but Seminole quarterback and 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke moved the Seminoles into field goal range during a last minute drive in Miami's Orange Bowl stadium. Florida State kicker Matt Munyon missed a field goal attempt again to the right to seal the Hurricanes' victory (Wide Right III). Controversy erupted later in the season when the Seminoles were ranked higher by the BCS and picked to play in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma for the national championship despite Miami being ranked higher in both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. The Seminoles lost to the Sooners 13-2, while the Hurricanes defeated Florida 37-20 in the Sugar Bowl. Miami would finish #2 in the polls that year. In 2002, the defending champion Hurricanes staged a comeback against the underdog Seminoles to take a 28-27 lead with only minutes remaining in the game in Miami. The Seminoles drove down the field to give kicker Xavier Beitia a chance to win the game with a last second field goal. Beitia missed the kick to the left, giving Miami the victory (Wide Left I). FSU went on to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 9-5 overall record, but lost in the Sugar Bowl to Georgia. Miami would finish the regular season undefeated and then lose in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, to Ohio State, in what is considered to be one of the greatest games in college football history. The 2004 Orange Bowl, a rematch of the regular season game won by Miami. In this contest, Beitia missed a field goal—wide right (IV)—that could have given the Seminoles the lead with about 5 minutes remaining in the game. This game was of lesser importance on a national scale compared to the other Wide Right games, but continued the streak of Florida State losses determined by a single kick. With the win, Miami would finish #5 in the polls that year. It was the first and only bowl meeting between the rivals, as Miami's move to the ACC the next season would make the schools intra-conference rivals and, for all practical purposes, eliminate the possibility of the teams ever meeting in a bowl game again. In 2005 the Florida State Seminoles finally gained some redemption for the past Wide Right heartbreaks. Trailing 10-7, the Hurricanes drove down the field to set up a game-tying field goal with 2:16 left. When the ball was snapped, it was mishandled by holder Brian Monroe and the ball never reached the kicker's foot. This ultimately led to a Florida State victory.

6) Lehigh vs. Lafayette (The Rivalry)

Simply dubbed "The Rivalry," Lehigh and Lafayette have duked it on in eastern Pennsylvania a record 146 times since 1884, making it the most-played football rivalry in the nation. It is also the longest uninterrupted rivalry, since the teams have met every year since 1897. "The Rivalry" is also one of the closest geographic rivals as they stand just 17 miles apart. The two sides also own the longest, uninterrupted series having played every year since 1897. Lafayette leads the all-time series by a 76-65-5 margin.

The football game is always sold out months in advance and has inspired books and a PBS television documentary narrated by the late Harry Kalas. In 2006, ESPNU ranked The Rivalry #8 in their Top Ten College Football Rivalries and Sports Illustrated has told its readers that seeing it "is something you have to do once in your life."

During a 17-0 Lehigh victory in 1918, it is rumored that Lehigh halfback Raymond B. "Snooks" Dowd ran 115 yards for a touchdown. As Lehigh Athletic Media Relations relate the story, "Dowd ran the wrong way, circled his own goalposts," and then ran the length of the field for the touchdown. Some reports have been exaggerated to credit the length of the run to as much as 160 yards.

5) Texas vs. Oklahoma (The Red River Rivalry/Shootout)

Texas and Oklahoma have long been national powers. The schools proximity, battles for recruits and the game's effects in the polls make this one of the country's best rivalries. The name is derived from the Red River that forms part of the boundary between the U.S. states of Texas and Oklahoma. The game originated in 1900, while Oklahoma was still a United States territory and the Oklahoma campus was still in Oklahoma Territory. Until the 2005 meeting, the 100th meeting between the schools, the game was called the Red River Shootout. In 2005 it was sponsored by SBC Communications, and the game was officially renamed the SBC Red River Rivalry, with the word "Rivalry" replacing "Shootout" out of a desire not to convey an attitude of condoning gun violence. Since 2006, with SBC's merger with AT&T, the game is referred to as the AT&T Red River Rivalry. In 2005, the Dallas Morning News asked the 119 Division 1A football coaches to identify the top rivalry game in college football. The Red River Rivalry ranked third, behind Michigan-Ohio State and Army-Navy.

One or both of the teams have been ranked in the Top 25 in 60 of the last 65 meetings. The rivalry raised the bar even further over the last decade as either Texas or Oklahoma have played for the national championship in six of the last ten years. The game typically has conference or even national significance. Since 1945, one or both of the two teams has been ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation coming into 61 out of 66 games. Texas leads the all-time series 59–41–5, with a 47–37–4 edge in Dallas. Since 1945, considered the post-war era, the series is very close with Texas holding a three-win lead, 33-30-3. Six of the last ten showings featured one of the participants in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game (2000, 2003–2005, and 2008–2009), including national titles won by Oklahoma in 2000 and by Texas in 2005.

The rivalry is also very well alive in basketball where Oklahoma leads the overall series 47-32. Texas leads OU 19-18 in games played since the inception of the Big 12. Texas has held the upper hand in recent years, winning 16 of the last 21 meetings (2003–11) and 11 of the last 13.

4) Alabama vs. Auburn (The Iron Bowl)

It is undoubtedly one of the game's marquee rivalries. "The Iron Bowl" stretches to 1893 and the teams and their fans have been in-state blood rivals ever since. Once a neutral site game, "The Iron Bowl" became a home-and-home series for good in 1995.

The games are played at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn every odd-numbered year, and in Bryant–Denny Stadium at Tuscaloosa every even-numbered year. For much of the 20th century the game was played every year at Legion Field in Birmingham. Alabama has a 32–15 record in games played at Legion Field, while Auburn has a 7–3 record in games played at Jordan–Hare Stadium and a 7–1 record in games played in Tuscaloosa (5-1 at Bryant-Denny Stadium). In 2007, the game was pushed back to Thanksgiving weekend due to a new Southeastern Conference rule banning any team from scheduling a bye week before the SEC Championship Game.

The game regained prominence in the hunt for a national title the last two years. In 2009 Trailing 21–20 with 8:27 remaining, unbeaten Alabama (#2 AP) marched down the field on a 15-play, 79 yard drive capped by a 3 yard touchdown pass from Greg McElroy to Roy Upchurch. Alabama took the lead 26–21 with 1:27 remaining and held on for the win. Alabama would go on to win both the SEC Championship and the BCS National Championship.

In 2010 Led by quarterback Cam Newton, unbeaten Auburn (#2 AP) came back from a 24–0 second quarter deficit to win 28–27 over 9–2 Alabama (#9 AP) in Tuscaloosa. It was both the largest comeback in the history of Auburn football and the largest comeback ever allowed in Alabama football history. It was also the largest crowd to ever witness the rivalry game with 101,821 spectators in attendance. Auburn went on to win both the SEC Championship and the BCS National Championship.

3) North Carolina vs. Duke (The Battle of Tobacco Road, The Battle of the Blues)

The biggest rivalry in college is basketball is none other than Duke-Carolina. It is considered one of the most intense rivalries in all of sports: a poll conducted by ESPN in 2000 ranked the basketball rivalry as the third greatest North American sports rivalry, and Sports Illustrated on Campus named it the #1 "Hottest Rivalry" in college basketball and the #2 rivalry overall in its November 18, 2003 issue. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented by the proximity of the two universities, which are located only eight miles apart roughly along U.S. Highway 15-501.

After Duke took the early lead in the series in 1924 by winning the first game between the two, 19-18, the Tar Heels fought back and currently lead the series 132-101. Since 1955, at least one of the schools has been ranked when they have met. Two surprising facts: Coach Mike Krzyzewski is 34-35 lifetime against the Heels, and the two giants have never met in the NCAA Tournament.

The football rivalry was once as bitter as the basketball rivalry, but has been less intense for much of the last quarter-century. North Carolina has won 20 of the last 21 meetings with Duke. North Carolina claims a 58-35-4 lead, a claim supported by the ESPN Sports Almanac. Duke claims UNC leads 57-36-4. The dispute centers around an early game in the series, in which both teams thought they were supposed to be the home team.

2) Army vs. Navy

No matter the success in the standings, the Army-Navy rivalry lives on as one of the game's best because of its endearing spirit, message and greater cause of the participants.

There are no scholarships and rarely is there a future in making football a profession for the players. This is about pure effort, guile and bragging rights. The Army-Navy Game drips in Americana.

Unfortunately for Army, once a national powerhouse in the mid-1940s, the Black Knights have watched their series lead slip away as Navy as built a consistent winner this decade. The Midshipmen have won nine of the last 10 meetings and now claim a 55-49-7 lead.

It is one of the most traditional and enduring rivalries in college football. The game is nationally televised by CBS, having previously aired on ABC from 1992–1995. Instant replay made its college football debut in the 1963 Army-Navy game. The winner of the game is awarded the Thompson Cup, named after its donor, Robert M. Thompson. The game is now played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1) Michigan vs. Ohio State (The Game, The Toledo War)

The legend of the Toledo War: Michigan's early dominance and national powerhouse, Ohio State's rise under Woody Hayes, The Ten Years War between Bo Schembechler and Hayes, 18 National Titles, 80 Bowl appearances, 256 All-Americans, 1,696 combined victories, The Horseshoe, The Big House, Gold Pants and Winged Helmet, Buckeye Stickers, Archie, 50-14, Redemption of '69, The "Heisman Pose," Charles Woodson, Tressel Domination, The 2006 Game of the Century, and now enter a scandal and Brady Hoke. All the ingredients into making the Ohio State v. Michigan the greatest rivalry in the sport and that’s just football. Michigan leads the football rivalry 57-44-6, but Ohio State has won nine of the last ten. The two bitter rivals also have played baseball since 1895 along with basketball, hockey and every other sport.

The rivalry has attracted particular national interest over the last four decades as most of the games have determined the Big Ten Conference title and the resulting Rose Bowl match ups, and many have influenced the outcome of the national collegiate football championship. The game was ranked by ESPN in 2000 as the greatest North American sports rivalry.

The annual match-up between the two Midwest state schools has been held at the end of the regular season since 1935 (with exceptions in 1942, 1986, and 1998). Since 1918, the game's site has alternated between Columbus, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has been played in Ohio Stadium since 1922 and Michigan Stadium since 1927. Through 2009, Ohio State and Michigan have decided the Big Ten Conference championship between themselves on 22 different occasions, and have affected the determination of the conference title an additional 26 times.

Developing and Potential Rivalries

Colorado vs. Utah- A rivalry that will be renewed with the new Pac-12.

Nebraska vs. Iowa- A Corn lover’s dream that will take off in the new Big Ten.

Long Beach State vs. California State Fullerton- Baseball-onl- rivalry that has taken off in recent memory.

Nebraska vs. Michigan- After the wild end to the 2005 Alamo Bowl, this will become one of the biggest cross-division rivalries in the new Big Ten.

Ohio State vs. Penn State- These two will battle every year for the Big Ten Leaders Division Champion.

Nevada vs. Boise State- Has had increased importance in the last few years and could determine the Mountain West winner every year.

Notre Dame vs. Penn State- If Notre Dame joins Big Ten, this potential rivalry will become an interesting one.

Penn State vs. Pittsburgh- If Pittsburgh joins Big Ten, this rivalry will be renewed for sure.

BYU vs. Notre Dame- If both schools do end up as independents for the long run, this will turn into a fierce rivalry. Think about it, the biggest and most prominent Catholic school against the biggest and most prominent Mormon school, should be good.

Top College Rivalries (Part 3 of 4)

2011-06-13T13:00:00.002-04:00

15) Texas vs. Texas A&M

Another under-appreciated rivalry, "The Lone Star Showdown" between the Longhorns and the Aggies are the two biggest and oldest public universities in the state of Texas. The rivalry has a special uniqueness to it considering Texas was the general, open public university in the state while Texas A&M is still very much aligned to its military-based roots.

The line between Longhorn and Aggie is a clear marker in the state reaching back to 1894 with the Longhorns leading the all-time series 76-36-5. Since 2004, the series (including all aports) has been known as the State Farm Lone Star Showdown with the series being titled the Lone Star showdown as early as 1996.

Part of the Lone Star Showdown, the Longhorns and Aggies vie each year for the coveted and aptly-named Lone Star Showdown Trophy.

This competition includes all sports and was essentially designed to recognize, or give some recognition to, the non-mainstream sports—which likely means sports other than football or basketball.

14) Oregon vs. Oregon State (The Civil War)

The seventh oldest rivalry in college football goes back to 1894. The two sides played for the Platypus Trophy until 1961 before it was lost and recovered in 2005. From 1997 to 2006, the winner alternated by who wore the home uniforms. The Ducks lead the all-time series 58-46-10.

Basketball- The men's basketball rivalry is one of the most contested games between any two teams in the nation, with an NCAA record 331 games played as of the end of the 2009 season. The Beavers also hold the NCAA record for most wins against a single team (the Ducks) with the series' 183-150 record.

The all-time record baseball record between the schools stands at 155-147 in favor of Oregon State. The 2005 and 2006 seasons saw a rare unity between the schools in rooting for the Oregon State baseball team during the 2005 and 2006 College World Series. The Beavers went two-and-out (i.e., lost their first two games in the double-elimination event) in 2005, but won the national title in 2006 and 2007. With the recent success of the Oregon State Baseball program, the University of Oregon reinstated their baseball program in 2009, renewing the rivalry.

13) Kansas vs. Missouri (The Border War)

"The Border War" is the closest rivalry of them all. It's so close in fact that the series record is disputed depending on which sideline you find yourself. Although 56–54–9 for MU is the often stated series result, there is an ongoing dispute about whether the 1960 game should have been counted as a win for Kansas, making the series a tie at 55–55–9. The Big 8 retroactively forfeited the win to Missouri due to Kansas player Bert Coan being voted ineligible following the 1960 season. The record books of the University of Kansas, and the NCAA, state the record as a win for Kansas, fueling the controversy. Several other publications have referenced the series record more to the favor of Kansas due to the NCAA official record books record of the game as well as Kansas actually winning the game on the field. Kansas and Missouri own the second-longest running on-field rivalry having first met on Halloween 1891.

The hardwood version of the "Border War" began in 1907 and, since that time, the teams have played over 260 times. The Jayhawks have a decided advantage over the long haul 171-94 and have taken eight of the last nine. In Baseball, Missouri leads 212-123-2 or Missouri leads 195-124-2 (disputed). MU currently leads the baseball series, although the series history is disputed by the two schools. The KU media guide shows that the first game played between the two schools was in 1899, while the first recorded game in the MU media guide was in 1901 (the MU guide lists the entire 1899 season as "unknown"). The Kansas media guide lists the series with MU ahead 195-121-2 while the Missouri media guide lists the tigers ahead 212-123-2.

12) Michigan vs. Notre Dame

Michigan and Notre Dame have not played as many games as other rivalries on this list, but they are two of the nation's most historic programs who have rejuvenated a game that started in 1887.

Michigan football and Notre Dame football are considered to be among the most elite college programs. Michigan and Notre Dame respectively rank #1 and #2 in winning percentage and #1 and #3 in all time wins. The rivalry is heightened by the two schools' competition for all-time win percentage, which each has held during their history, as well as national championships, with each school claiming 11. Fierce competition for the same type of student-athletes as well as disputes over Notre Dame's potential conference membership in the Big Ten conference also serve to fuel the rivalry.

The series took a 35-year break from World War II until 1978, but since then the two rediscovered ancient tensions. The rivalry gets added juice from Notre Dame's continuous flirtations regarding Big Ten expansion.

The two teams will play the 2011 version of the game at night titling the game “Under the Lights.” Both teams will wear retro “Legacy” uniforms designed by Adidas. The game will be the first game played at the Big House at night.

Currently, Michigan leads the all-time series 22-15-1; since the 1978 renewal, the two teams are 13-13-1.

11) California vs. Stanford (The Big Game)

The Big Game has been played since 1892 in an battle for bragging rights of Northern California. The two sides have played for the Stanford Axe since 1933 with Stanford leading the all-time series 56–46–11. Of course, the rivalry was made famous nationwide for "The Play" during the 1982 edition.

The basketball game may take some time to really pick up, but the script is a good one, as former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery now hangs his hat at Cal and there is some animosity there.

Montgomery hopes to rebuild Cal the way he did at Stanford before things went south, while Johnny Dawkins is just getting started there. Although there may not be any real sparks yet, this one could play out nicely for the Pac-10.

Top College Rivalries (Part 2 of 4)

2011-06-12T13:00:00.001-04:00

20) Georgia vs. Georgia Tech (Clean Old-Fashioned Hate)

With straight to the point nickname, "Clean Old-Fashioned Hate," the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech have done battle on the gridiron since 1893 with Georgia leading 61-39-5. The two schools are separated by 70 miles and have been heated rivals since 1893.

With the Yellow Jackets in the ACC and the Bulldogs in the SEC, the two schools have been limited to midweek baseball contests during the past few seasons. That aspect hasn't lessened the importance of the rivalry, as the schools now play at Turner Field - home of the Atlanta Braves. Perhaps even more impressive, the series between the Jackets and Dogs began in 1902.

In regards to basketball Georgia Tech leads 101-86, Georgia Tech has not won a Men's basketball game at Georgia since 1976.

19) Florida vs. Florida State

The Gators of Seminoles have played some of the most memorable rivalry games in recent college football history. However, the duration of the rivalry's intensity does not go back far enough to move it up the list.

Only starting with the rise of Florida State in the late-1980s and Steve Spurrier's return to Gainesville in 1990 did this rivalry really take shape. The pair played unforgettable games in the 1990s including "The Choke at Doak", the 1996 edition of No. 1 Florida v. No. 2 Florida State and of course the 1997 Sugar Bowl.

The Gators lead the overall series 33–20–2, but the series has been split 18–18–1 in the last thirty-seven meetings. For the past three decades, one or both squads have usually been highly ranked coming into the game, adding national championship implications to a rivalry already heavily weighted with in-state bragging rights.

This is definitely a born-in-football baby, but the games in the gym are getting more interesting, as both teams have become solid, consistent teams. Of course the Gators have two national titles to their credit and the Seminoles have nothing close to this, but the game is usually a good one. It may never rival the football grudge, though. Florida's current six-game winning streak over the Seminoles kicked open a 33-19-2 margin.

18) Utah vs. BYU (Holy War)

"The Holy War" pits another pair of in-state rivalries with two of the best mid-major football programs in the nation. The state-owned, secular Utes v. Mormon Cougars have added a level cultural differences to a rivalry that stretches back to 1896. Utah currently leads the rivalry 54-34-4. The winner of the game receives the Beehive Boot.

The rivalry is also one of the few true rivalries where basketball came before football, as the first of 250 games between the two teams took place in 1909. Amazingly, the series is tied at 125.

17) Florida vs. Georgia (The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, Florida vs. Georgia Football Classic)

"The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" has been played since 1915 and in Jacksonville, Florida since 1933 making it one of the few remaining neutral-site rivalry games. The two teams disagree as to the overall series record, as a result of their disagreement over whether to count 1904 game. Following the 2010 contest, Georgia held a 47–40–2 overall record by its reckoning, and 46–40–2 by Florida's.[6] However, Florida has compiled an 18–3 record in the series since 1990 (Georgia winning in 1997, 2004 and 2007), following a dominating 15–5 streak by Georgia in the 1970s and 1980s.

16) Auburn vs. Georgia (The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry)

"The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry" is right up there with the most even matchups in all of college football's rivalries. These two schools, looking over the border at each other, first played in 1892 which went to Auburn with a 10-0 victory. Through the 2010 season, the rivalry is tied for the seventh most played college football series at 114 games and is known as being quite even, with Auburn holding a 54-52-8 lead. To further exemplify the equality of the rivals, Georgia leads the cumulative score by thirty-eight points: 1,809-1,771, or a per-game average of 15.86-15.53.

Top College Rivalries (Part 1 of 4)

2011-06-12T02:12:00.003-04:00

A while back, a friend and I had a conversation about the biggest rivalries in college sports, he said Carolina-Duke, I said Michigan-Ohio State. Now I have put together a list of the top 35 rivalries in college sports. This list is compiled from other lists on the internet, plus my own extensive personal knowledge of college sports. This list is primarily college football and basketball influenced, with some attention paid to baseball and hockey (although I don’t specifically mention hockey). The list takes in to account the history and record of the rivalries along with the games’ impact on conference championships and national championships. Without further adieu, I present Part One of the best rivalries in college sports:

35) Michigan vs. Minnesota- This battle between two Big Ten foes is known for it’s trophy, The Little Brown Jug and is the oldest rivalry trophy in American sports (including professional sports). Michigan leads the series 66-22-3

34) Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan- Considered one of the biggest mid-major rivalries (if not the biggest). The winner is awarded the Victory Cannon (also known as the CMU-WMU Rivalry Trophy). Western Michigan leads the series 43-36-2

33) Indiana vs. Purdue- The two Indian schools compete every year on the Gridiron for the Old Oaken Bucket with Purdue leading the series 56-27-3. The teams are also intense basketball rivals, with Purdue leading the series 112-84

32) Michigan vs. Michigan State- The Paul Bunyan Trophy goes to the winner of battle of the top two schools in Michigan. Michigan leads the series 34-22-2.

31) North Carolina vs. Virginia (The South’s Oldest Rivalry)- The two oldest member of the ACC are also the oldest rivalry in the FBS. North Carolina leads the all-time series, 57–54–4, but Virginia is 20–7–1 in the rivalry since 1983.

30) Minnesota vs. Wisconsin- The two frozen schools battle every year for Paul Bunyan’s Axe (which used to be the Slab of Bacon Trophy). The rivalry is also the most played rivalry in college football history. Minnesota leads the series 59-53-8

29) Arizona vs. Arizona State (The Duel in the Desert)- This rivalry is most intense in baseball, where both teams are perennial Pac-12 title contenders along with national title contenders. The Territorial Cup is given to the winner of the football game. Arizona leads the series 46-37-1

28) Connecticut vs. Syracuse- Games between steady Big East heavyweights the Huskies and the Orange usually have an impact on league title hopes for one or the other. Oh yeah, and there was that one game in the Big East tourney a couple of years back, aptly remembered as "The Game."

27) Washington vs. Washington State- The “Apple Cup” is awarded to the winner of this in-state rivalry. Before 1962, It was known as the “Governor’s Cup.” Washington leads the series 66-31-6.

26) Mississippi vs. Mississippi State-The “Egg Bowl” is the 10th longest uninterrupted rivalry game in college football. The rivalry began in 1901 and now Ole Miss leads the all-time series 60–41–6. The baseball rivalry may be even bigger than the football rivalry. The series began in 1893 in a game that ended with a 6-3 MSU victory. The win set the stage for many Bulldog victories. State holds a 231-186-5 series lead.

25) Kentucky vs. Louisville (Battle for the Bluegrass)- The in-state rivalry, known as the "Battle for the Bluegrass," became more intense, if possible, when "Traitor” Rick Pitino took over at Louisville. Though they first played in 1913, the two met only five times between 1916 and 1983. They have also met four times in the NCAA Tournament but not since 1984. Kentucky leads series 28-14. The yearly football game is played for the Governor’s Cup Trophy. Kentucky leads the series 14-9 all time, while Louisville leads the series since 1994 9-8 (wasn’t played between 1925 and 94)

24) Pittsbugh vs. West Virginia (The Backyard Brawl)- The oldest, most notable, and most bitter football rivalry within the Big East, the Backyard Brawl was first played in football 1895 and typically receives major media coverage. The basketball rivalry, first played in 1905, is equally as intense. The schools, separated by only 70 miles, have met over 100 times on the gridiron and 180 times on the hardwood. The rivalry spills across all mutually sponsored sports, with exceptionally intense fan involvement, including several incidents that received national attention. Pittsburgh leads the Football series 61-39-3 while West Virginia leads the basketball series 95-87.

On Saturday, December 1, 2007 the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl took place at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. The 4–7 Panthers upset the second-ranked Mountaineers 13–9, knocking West Virginia out of the BCS National Championship Game. The game was one of the most important Backyard Brawls, one of the biggest upsets for the Pittsburgh Panthers, and one of the biggest upsets of the season, voted as the "Game of the Year" by ESPNU. The Mountaineers would get a measure of revenge when the series returned to Morgantown in 2009, upsetting the #8 Panthers 19–16 on a game-ending field goal. The 2009 Backyard Brawl was the most watched game in the history of ESPN2.

23) Pennsylvania vs. Princeton- - No national star-power here, but for the Ivy League, it is all that. No conference has seen the type of dominance that these schools have shown in the past 50 (yes, 50) years.

Until the emergence of Cornell in the past two years, Penn and Princeton had won or shared the title in all but four seasons dating back to 1960. And they don't really like each other.

22) Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State (The Bedlam Series)

The first Bedlam football game was held at Island Park in Guthrie, Oklahoma. It was a cold, and very windy day with the temperatures well below the freezing mark. At one moment in the game when the Oklahoma A&M Aggies were punting, the wind carried the ball backwards behind the kicker. If the Oklahoma A&M squad recovered the ball it would be a touchback and if the University of Oklahoma squad recovered it, it would be a touchdown. The ball kept going backwards and rolled down a hill into the half-frozen creek. Since a touchdown was at stake, members of both teams dove into the icy waters to recover the ball. A member of the OU team came out with the ball and downed it for a touchdown, eventually winning the game 75-0. The game was described as being "like bedlam." Thus was the beginning of the Bedlam series. Oklahoma currently leads the series 81-17-7.

The baseball series usually starts with a single game in Tulsa, Okla. It then moves to AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City for games two and three. In 2007, the Cowboys swept the Sooners in the regular season series before dropping a single game to OU in the Big 12 Tournament. Though OSU experienced a wealth of success last season, they lead the overall series just 143-137, which equates to a winning percentage over 51%. In basketball, the Sooners have owned the series, 126-90

21) Clemson vs. South Carolina (Battle of the Palmetto State, Palmetto Bowl)

The annual South Carolina-Clemson football game is the longest uninterrupted series in the South and the third longest uninterrupted series overall, having been played every year since 1909. South Carolina won the first meeting in 1896 (12-6) and the last meeting in 2010 (29-7). In between, there have been 106 meetings for this in-state rivalry that is led by Clemson with a mark of 65-39-4. The two sides play for Hardee's Trophy.

South Carolina leads the basketball series 87-74 while Clemson leads the baseball series 168-125-2. The rivalry has taken a deeper hold in the 2000's, as twice in the decade the two teams battled, ironically in the semifinals both times, with the Tigers being 2-0 and needing only one win to advance to the championship, and the Gamecocks losing the first game and having to win twice to reach the finals out of the double elimination repechage round in both situations.

Legacy Uniforms for 'Under the Lights'

2011-06-11T18:10:00.000-04:00

Michigan has just released the new 'Legacy' uniforms for the Michigan v. Notre Dame game (a.k.a. 'Under the Lights'). The game is going to be the first night game ever played at the Big House, mostly because the Big House didn't have night lights until just recently. Notre Dame also has 'Legacy' uniforms for the game against Michigan ready to go. The jersey's will go on sale for both teams on August 1st and assuming I find a job soon, I'll the first to buy a Wolverine jersey on MDen.com. Adidas will also be releasing an ‘Under the Lights’ fan collection that will include retro style t-shirts, hats, jackets, and sweatshirts that will feature a vintage feel and design inspired by Michigan and Notre Dame football history and their long-standing rivalry.

The Wolverines' uniform combines design elements from different eras of Michigan football into its look. Featured is a large block M on the chest, player numbers above the heart, repeated striped sleeves and a quilted stitch design on the letters and numbers. For the first time since the late 1960s, player numbers also appear on Michigan's signature winged helmet. Celebrating the team's decorated history, "132 Years of Championship Football" is stitched on the inside collar and Michigan's National Championship years are displayed on the inside bottom hem of the jersey.

"We are excited about playing in this intense rivalry, and this historic night game provides an opportunity to wear a retro-looking uniform that pays homage to our rich history," said Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke. "Our players like the throwback uniforms and it will be something that is exciting for the fans."

To salute the rich history of Notre Dame's football program, the "Under the Lights" Irish uniform includes a white-based jersey with Kelly Green lettering and shoulder stripes, old gold pants, green-striped socks and white shoes. The traditional gold helmets are adorned with a large shamrock for the first time since the early 1960s. Also on the bottom hem of Notre Dame's jersey are the years of their National Championships.

These jerseys and other clothing that come out later will only lead to better history and rivalry that is already one of the best in college football.

Conference Re-alignment

2011-06-08T20:10:00.002-04:00

All the talk right now in college football is about Ohio State and their situation, but what I want to talk about is the conference re-alignments. Now personally, I would love to go back to how it used to be. When you had the Big Ten with Ten teams, The original Big Eight Conference, The Southwestern Conference, The Southeastern Conference, the Original Big East and Atlantic Coastal and original independents. I would love to go back to hay day of college football, when bowl games meant something and when it was all about the school and pride. But that’s gone, now it’s about money, no longer about tradition of fight songs. So let’s embrace it, lets try and fix college football while keeping as much tradition as possible. The first thing needed is contraction, less teams, less bowls. Schools like Denver and Middle Tennessee shouldn’t be division I-A (or FBS as it’s now known as). Since the conferences as hell bound on getting bigger, lets eliminate some of the small conferences like the Sun Belt and the WAC and review some of the smaller schools to see if they should be division 1 schools.

The Conferences should be as follows: ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC, Mountain West, and a merge of the C-USA, Sun Belt and the MAC

ACC

Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virgina, Wake Forest, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Boston College

Divisions

· Atlantic- Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State, Wake Forest

· Coastal- Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Big East

Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, East Carolina, Louisville, Marshall, Rutgers, South Florida, Southern Miss, Syracuse, TCU, Temple, UTEP, West Virginia

Divisions

· North- Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Rutgers, Temple, Syracuse, West Virginia

· South- Central Florida, South Florida, Southern Miss, Marshall, TCU, UTEP, East Carolina

Big Ten

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Wisconsin

Divisions

· Legends- Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Minnesota, Notre Dame

· Leaders- Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Pittsburgh

Big 12

Baylor, BYU, Iowa State, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

Divisions

· North- BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Houston

· South- Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

Pac-12

Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, Southern Cal, Utah, Washington, Washington State

Divisions

· North- Oregon, Stanford, Oregon State, Washington, California, Washington State

· South- Southern Cal, Arizona State, UCLA, Utah, Arizona, Colorado

SEC

Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Divisions

· West- Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Auburn

· East- Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Mountain West

Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, Wyoming

Divisions

· North- Boise State, Colorado State, Air Force, Fresno State, Hawaii, Wyoming

· South- Nevada, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Rice, SMU, Tulsa

C-USA/MAC/Sun Belt

Air Force, Akron, Army, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo (subject to subtraction), Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan (subject to subtraction), Kent State, Memphis, Miami (OH), Navy, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, UAB (subject to subtraction), Western Michigan, Troy, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, North Texas

Divisions

· North- Akron, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo

· South- Air Force, Army, Memphis, Navy, Northern Illinois, UAB, Troy, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, North Texas

Other Conferences

The Ohio State Problem

2011-06-08T17:05:00.004-04:00

Today, I read an article on Scout’s College Football News about the Ohio State situation and how the NCAA needs to react to this and other situation like it. In the end of the article, the author, Pete Fiutak, states the following:

I’ve written and said this in every way possible. NCAA, it’s time. Just let the players make money.

The schools don’t have money lying around to increase the stipend – the extra TV money should go into the underfunded academic programs.

Really, was it so bad that Terrelle Pryor allegedly made money from signing things? (By the way, I write that in plain view of the Pryor-signed football given to me as a gift last year.) Is it really that bad if a booster wants to take a player out to dinner, or hand him $100, or give him a car? Is it really morally wrong to make a deal with a marketing company while still in college, sell a t-shirt for some extra cash, or go to a party thrown by an agent? Of course not.

NCAA, it’s time to change the focus of your mission. Instead of trying to police all the minutiae, realize what’s truly important. Do more research on the concussion problems. Finally start doing something about the underreported and completely unnoticed steroid and performance enhancing drug problem. Work harder at helping players be students. Basically, focus your energy elsewhere.

NCAA, this is fixable, but you have to become realistic. Times have changed, and you need to, too.

This is absolutely the wrong approach to fixing the problems in the NCAA. Introducing more money into the system will only make it worse. By taking this approach, recruiting will become a bidding war, boosters will offer $100,000, $200,000 or $500,000 for top recruits, introducing more corruption and greed into a sport that is already overrun with both. College Football is supposed to be about pride, winning for your school, beating your archrival, singing you school fight song, hot cheerleaders, wearing body paint in 5 degree weather, but not money, greed and corruption.

This problem can only be fixed by taking money out of the equation. If a program like Ohio State does something like this, the people responsible need to be punished. Jim Tressel should face a ban on coaching college football, and heavy fines. The Athletic Department should be cleaned out and banned from working on college campuses. Terrelle Pryor and the players who broke the rules should pay for anything they sold and pay back all scholarship money the school spent on them along with heavy fines. The team should lose scholarships, vacate wins, ban the boosters and people involved from any Ohio State related events but shouldn’t penalize the current players and fans who didn’t do anything wrong by banning Ohio State from bowls (trust me that is saying a lot coming from the world’s biggest Michigan fan and Ohio State hater).

College sports are supposed to be the purest form of sports, it’s supposed to be a about winning for you school, not a paycheck. I know this sounds a little pie in the sky, but it should be. College is a place where dreams come start, kids party at tailgates, scream at kickoff, shout obscenities at the opponent, get into the hot girls' skirt sitting next to you during the game and realize the money isn’t everything all the while they live without money, but have the greatest time in their life. That is what college football (or baseball, basketball, hockey, whatever) needs to be, the players who excel such as Pryor will have the opportunity to make money after school and if they are good enough they’ll make millions and that’s who capitalism works (I promise that’s the only political mention I’ll make) but College Football is COLLEGE FOOTBALL, not pro. Us fans want players to play for their teammates, their coaches, their fans, for trophies and for glory not for a paycheck, that’s what the NFL is for.

Time to Stop Using the Race Card

2011-06-08T15:37:00.004-04:00

This Post originally appeared on Why Liberty?

A few months ago former NFL Quarterback Warren Moon suggested that NFL Prospect and potential first round draft pick Cameron Newton is being judged solely on his skin color and not his talent. Moon said this to CBS Sports:

A lot of the criticism he's receiving is unfortunate and racially based. I thought we were all past this. I don't see other quarterbacks in the draft being criticized by the media or fans about their smile or called a phony. He's being held to different standards from white quarterbacks. I thought we were past all this stuff about African-American quarterbacks, but I guess we're not.

The problem with Moon’s statement is that it is 100% false. What Moon is commenting on is what ProFootballWeekly's Nolan Nawrocki had to say about Newton. Nawrocki wrote:

Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and always will struggle to win a locker room.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t get a racism vibe from this statement, what I get from it is that Newton is cocky, me-first, screw-the-team type of player and that has nothing to do with his race.

Moon also implies that black quarterbacks in general don’t get a fair shake because of their color. This, once again, is 100% false. If a quarterback is skilled and good enough, he will make it, if not, he won’t make it, it’s that simple. We need to stop playing the race card in this country whenever it is convenient. The truth on this subject is simple, the reason black quarterbacks (generally) haven’t been as successful (no super bowls) is that their style of play (run first, pass second) isn’t all the contusive to the NFL, Period.

We can also apply economics to this situation, if an owner of a team thinks Cameron Newton or any other mobile quarterback is going to win and make them money, he’ll invest in that quarterback. The reason owner are starting to shy away from mobile quarterbacks (who tend to be black) is that they simply don’t get the same results as quarterbacks such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rogers.

So once again, my message to Warren Moon or anyone else who wishes to use race as an excuse or reason . . . STOP!! The NFL and it’s owners only care about one color, green.