College Football Just Imploded and Notre Dame is the New No. 1

There's little doubt that college football's final weeks of the regular season tend to be chaotic, but this weekend was absolutely nuts.

For the first time since December 2007, the top two teams in the BCS standings lost Saturday vaulting the Irish to the top spot and opening the floodgates for challengers—so long as they're from the SEC.

This scenario seemed unthinkable just a week ago when Kansas State moved atop the rankings with the vaunted Oregon offense nipping at the Wildcats' heels.

Now, the national championship dreams of those teams are shattered and the Golden Dome is shining a little brighter with the Irish once again ranked No. 1.

You can debate the merits of this team all you like. Notre Dame might not be the best team in the country, but thus far, they've earned the opportunity to prove it in the BCS title game.

Undeniable is the fact that ND is 11-0 and every other eligible team (how's that taste Buckeyes?) has lost at least once now.

Brian and I briefly discussed this kind of experience a couple weeks ago. We weren't really sure what would happen down the stretch, but we agreed that if you can finish the undefeated it's a special season regardless of what the stupid polls tell us.

I liken the Irish experience this year to my youthful days in Blacksburg during the Hokies' magical run to the national championship game in 1999.

No one really expected that to happen.

Tech was relying on a mobile redshirt-freshman quarterback, a stout defense filled with NFL talent and a whole lot of luck. Frank Beamer just hoped things would come together.

Along the road there were some close calls and furious comebacks and despite preseason predictions, Tech found itself in the BCS national championship game.

Sound familiar?

Now, as I told Brian during his late night post game call Saturday, don't go getting drunk and excited and order tickets to Miami just yet.

There's nothing more worrisome than a wounded team as talented the USC Trojans, especially in a big rivalry game.

USC has had plenty of troubles recently, and the biggest may be the potentially separated throwing shoulder of quarterback Matt Barkley.

Despite that and the fact that I—along with most people—don't think too highly of Lane Kiffen's coaching abilities, this will be a very difficult game.

USC coach Lane Kiffen practices his ND post game press conference responses. 

Even worrying about USC is looking too far into the future. Enjoy the moment Irish fans. Realize what this season has been so far and don't focus too much on the possibilities.

As the Hokie nation is painfully aware, seasons like these don't happen too often. They are special things to be savored and remembered for years to come.

The game next week will be just like the season. Tense moments with potential heartbreak that  can quickly turn to jubilation.

Just remember, you're No. 1 and no one can take that away.

Well, except maybe the Trojans.

More Tennessee Drama

Volnation.com is the place to go for independent Tennessee football and basketball coverage, message boards and the personification of the general ignorance of their entire fan base. However, it's been struggling to handle all the web traffic of the past few days.

The shocking resignation and hiring of Lane Kiffin at USC started the disaster. As students took to the streets, literally blocking Kiffin from leaving Tennessee's athletic complex for several hours until a police escort was put together, the internet ran wild with rumors.



So far, it would appear that Tennessee has been turned down by Texas defensive coordinator and "head coach in waiting" Will Muschamp and Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun.

There are plenty of rumors surrounding Mike Leach and David Cutcliffe, but my gut tells me UT will be reluctant about Leach, another high-profile, big-ego guy.

Most sources indicate Cutcliffe still doesn't have any interest in the Vols. You may remember they approached him last season, but he elected to continue building the Duke program. I can't see anything changing in one season, if anything Duke is a much stronger team and has a bright upside.

Here's a link to a Huffington Post article that includes some great pictures of the students and their handy work on one of those free expression rocks found on many campuses that students can repaint.

Also, word now is that my boy Al Groh is likely going to be the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins.

Lane Kiffin Heads Back To USC...LOLZ!

First, let me say that I'm extremely excited about the contribution of Mr. Chris Jones just below. I would have posted this last night as news broke, but I didn't want to bump his fine piece which I would encourage everyone to read.

That said, Lane Kiffin!!!! LOLZ!!!!

After one average to very average season in Knoxville (and a Hokie butt-whoopin' to cap it all off) Lane Kiffin is returning to Southern California as the head coach of USC.

What USC sees in their former offensive coordinator is beyond me. I think he can be a good coach, but he's now failed to prove himself during two very brief head-coaching stints.

Of course Papa Kiffin will be along once again so the defense is covered, Ed Orgeron is along to handle recruiting and word is offensive guru Norm Chow will be returning to USC as well. Lane will be in charge of the most overqualified staff in America.

This one will be tough to screw up.

Here's what is almost legitimately Florida coach Urban Myer's reaction to the news. Judging by the time in the game of this clip, you can piece together that it's about when news was breaking.



And finally the obligatory picture of Lane's smokin' hot wife Layla.

What Day Is It? IT'S GAMEDAY!!! WOOOOOO!!!

See? Tennessee does have one redeeming virtue.

I look forward to a spirited game tonight that should go back and forth. I of course picked the fighting creamsicles (UT) in my preview, but there's no question where my allegiances lie.

I'm still a little concerned about the game, but Frank Beamer > Lane Kiffin any day of the week, and I like Lane for some reason (could it be his gorgeous wife Layla?)



Anyway, Go Hokies and to even out all these Vol photos, here are some lovely Tech ladies.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Preview: No.11 Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee

The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies will finish their season where it began, playing an SEC team in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Since they last met in the 1994 Gator Bowl when a young quarterback named Peyton Manning led Tennessee to a decisive victory, fans of the Hokies and Volunteers have been clamoring for a rematch.

The two fan bases have been intermingling for years and Hokies everywhere would love nothing more than regional bragging rights heading into the new year.

On paper, this may or may not appear to be an exciting match up. That all depends on your preferred brand of football.

This game matches two of the best defensive minds in football in Monte Kiffin and Bud Foster.

Despite Kiffin’s NFL background, the two coaches employ very similar defensive styles.

Both have aggressive, attacking defenses designed to hit the ball-carrier with multiple defenders with the goal of creating a turnover. They both use a myriad of coverage looks that have confused more than a few opposing quarterbacks.

Obviously the big name of Tennessee’s unit is All-everything safety Eric Berry.

The 2009 Thorpe award winner is the nation’s top defensive back, but he doesn’t really play like one.

Berry will drop back in coverage, but he also will play up near the line like an extra linebacker and if Tyrod Taylor has any success running the football, don’t be surprised to see Berry spy him.

Berry isn’t the only one Tech has to look out for on defense.

Senior Dan Williams is a 6’3”, 327-pound handful at tackle. He’s by far the largest defender on an undersized defensive line. What the Vols lack in size, they make up for in speed.

Chris Walker is a playmaker at defensive end, leading the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Despite those players, the Volunteer defense isn’t without weakness.

Tennessee is on their third middle linebacker of the season, losing the first two to injury.

Redshirt freshman Herman Lathers has been filling the middle down the stretch. In his four games as a starter the Vols have allowed just over 213 rushing yards per game.

That likely has the Hokie offensive lineman and tailback Ryan Williams licking their collective chops.

The Hokies should be able to run the football with Williams and Taylor, and there will be opportunities in the passing game.

The Volunteer schemes lend themselves to allowing short passes, something the Hokies have been improving as the season has progressed. A few well-timed screen passes would serve Tech well.

The Hokies will also look to challenge Tennessee down the field when Berry is playing close to the line. If Tech can hit a couple of big-gainers, they stand a terrific shot at winning the game.

The Volunteer offense has its share of weapons as well.

Senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton struggled at the start of the year, but recovered to have a very strong season. Crompton threw for over 2,500 yards with 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Crompton’s favorite target is who has 41 catches for 610 yards on the season, but the Vols have eight players with at least 10 catches on the year. Crompton clearly likes to spread the ball around.

Montario Hardesty is a strong runner who exhibits both power and speed. On the year, Hardesty rushed for 1,306 yards and 12 touchdowns.

If there’s anyone happy about the bowl game break, it’s Hardesty. In Tennessee’s final two games of the regular season, he carried the ball 71 times.

The Hokie run defense improved dramatically as the year progressed. Pass defense has been a bit more inconsistent and won’t be helped by the absence of starting corner Stephan Virgil who was declared academically ineligible for the game.

Either Cris Hill or freshman punt returner Jayron Hosely will fill in for Virgil. It’s also possible both will play as Hill struggled in the game he started earlier this season against Marshall.

Look for Crompton to test the Hokie pass defense early and often. The weak spot is right down the middle as Alabama can tell you. The Crimson Tide attacked free safety Kam Chancellor time after time and exploited the weakness quite effectively.




PREDICTION

Under Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech is a miserable 2-11 playing in domes. Tech is 0-2 in Atlanta this season and has never won back-to-back bowl games during the Beamer era. Of course, Lane Kiffin hasn’t won any bowl games and it’s difficult not to weigh his lack of experience in bowl preparations when picking a winner here.

The Hokies have laid a few eggs in their last couple games against an SEC opponent, and even though the Hokies are a better team on paper, Tennessee is a much better club than their 7-5 record would indicate.

My heart, my college degree and the majority of my wardrobe tell me the I love Virginia Tech and the Hokies can pull this one out. My brain on the other hand tells me that until they prove they can beat an SEC team on a big stage, it’s a risky pick.


Tennessee 24

Virginia Tech 21

College Football Quick Picks: Week 5

So we need a big week this time around and there's a very solid slate of games starting with an interesting Thursday night match up. I will give fairly careful consideration this time around. I'll at least take more than the thirty-seconds per game I took last week.


Colorado @ West Virginia

This sounds like a cool match up when you read it, but these two teams are certainly falling short of their collective reputations. I watched Colorado look completely incompetent against Toledo a few weeks ago and while they seem to have righted the ship a bit, there's bad trouble in Boulder. By the same token, the Mountaineers are reeling a bit after a tough loss at Auburn in their last outing. I think they've found a solid QB in Jarrett Brown and they'll really dig deep in the playbook tonight.

West Virginia Wins


Virginia @ North Carolina

This one worries me. Neither team has any sort of offense whatsoever. the Cavaliers rank 113th in total yards while North Carolina is 106th. The final score in this one will probably be 10-6, and Carolina has a much better defense than the 'Hoos. What worries me is UVA considers UNC to be their "true" rival, probably because it's the only rival they can consistently beat. Since I was born in 1985 UVA is 18-5 against Carolina. With that said, this UVA team is really, really bad. This one will be close, no thanks to Al Groh.

North Carolina Wins


No. 4 LSU @ No. 18 Georgia

This is a very interesting match up. LSU is ranked a little too highly for my tastes. They have an excellent defense but I think their offense has some room for improvement. Georgia is flying under the radar somewhat as quarterback Joe Cox and wideout A.J. Green have developed a nice little rhythm. Home field is crucial and I like the hedges in this one by just a little bit.

Georgia Wins


No. 7 USC @ No. 24 California

After Cal thoroughly embarrassed themselves (and me for picking them) last week, I have a hard time justifying picking them again. Is that reason enough to pick against them? No, not really. I like Cal a lot. They have a classic stadium from 1923 that is still standing despite being built directly on top of the Hayward Fault (the fault line runs almost exactly from goalpost to goalpost). A 1998 seismic study considered the building and "appreciable life hazard" in the event of an earthquake. There's also a fine view of Strawberry Canyon from the stadium, which is just an awesome name. Man I like Cal.

USC Wins


No. 8 Oklahoma @ No. 18 Miami

After being thoroughly dressed down last weekend in Blacksburg, the media lovefest for Miami has died down to a whisper. The thing is, they're still good, they simply ran into a buzzsaw last time out. Oklahoma will still be without Sam Bradford, and while Landry Jones has played terrific for a freshman, he hasn't done it against any opponents of note. I like Miami to rebound at home in south Florida.

Miami Wins


Auburn @ Tennessee

Auburn has been impressive on offense and Tennessee has not. I actually like Lane Kiffin for some reason, but I don't think this first season is going to go particularly well. It hasn't hurt his recruiting though.

Auburn Wins


UCLA @ Stanford

This should be a good game. I like both of these teams, but I think Stanford has a few more weapons to work with (first time I've ever said that). It's shaping up to be a big season for the Cardinal.

Stanford Wins

College Football Quick Picks: Week 2

After a satisfactory opening weekend, I hope to improve on my winning record. I probably will since two of my picks are "stone-cold locks". The irony of course being that there's no such thing in college football.


Clemson @ No. 15 Georgia Tech

I really don't think Clemson has much of anything to fear this season. Georgia Tech on the other hand is a force to be reckoned with. Jonathan Dwyer is the truth. Granted, I'm not sure they deserve all the hype they've gotten as far as winning the ACC is concerned, but time will tell on that one. With the Hokies losing week 1 the hype machine is only going to rev up more.

Georgia Tech Wins


Stanford @ Wake Forest

Wake lost a tough opener by three to Baylor and Brian and I have both been drinking Jim Harbaugh's special mix of Kool-Aid and think the Cardinal have a chance to be quite good this season. But, Stanford has to travel just a little further than Baylor did to get to Winston-Salem. That and Riley Skinner make the difference.

Wake Forest Wins


Pittsburgh @ Buffalo

This is a tough one. It's by far the big home game of the year for Bulls fans, but Pitt is a game bunch. Buffalo will be without their all-time leading rusher James Starks who is now out for the year after injuring his shoulder. Buffalo needed to run the football to take the pressure of the passing game. Not good.

Pittsburgh Wins


East Carolina @ West Virginia

Both teams struggled in their openers against teams thought to be "lesser" opponents. ECU having a tough time with Appalachian State is much more respectable than Liberty giving WVU trouble at home though. Patrick Pinkney is the difference here to make it two straight wins over West-by-God-Virginia. It may be a long season for the Mountaineers.

East Carolina Wins


UCLA @ Tennessee

I don't know much at all about these two teams. All I know is Lane Kiffin coaches the Vols. While he may be crazy, I think he may just be crazy like a fox. UCLA also had to go across the country while the fire unrest still is very much an issue back home.

Tennessee Wins


No. 3 USC @ No. 8 Ohio State

Ah yes, the big one on the banks of the Olentangy. Sadly, this won't live up to the hype. If there's one thing I know, it's that Big Ten teams A: aren't very good and B: are much much slower than Pac-10 teams. This one might be interesting for a while, but if Navy (a very solid team no doubt) can almost win in "The Horseshoe", I'm pretty certain USC can.

USC Wins


Ok there you go for week 2. Go out there and enjoy yourselves and we'll meet back here for picks next week.

Al Groh Up Some Day

Oh Al Groh, that NFL savvy architect of the budding (any time now) football dynasty at the University of Virginia. While Al takes breaks from ironing his sweatshirt to continue to recruit and scheme for the 2010 national championship run that he's been building towards for nearly a decade, his team has become the worst in the ACC football conference. After losing to an up-and-coming Duke squad (that's the only non-sarcastic part of this post) this past Saturday, the 'Hoos look to rebound against a surprisingly game looking Maryland squad.

The website linked below was started by some Hokies. The aptly named, "Dontfirealgroh.com" pokes fun at one of the easiest targets in college football. Since his hiring as UVa's head football coach in 2001, Groh has helped to insure that Virginia Tech has a lockdown on recruiting in the Commonwealth of Virginia and on good football. His help will not soon be forgotten.

The website is now set up like Facebook, the comments Al's "friends" leave him are great. For example after being fired by the Oakland Raiders today, the fake Lane Kiffin had this...

Lane Kiffin Wrote: Hey, quick question...may seem out of the blue. Just out of curiosity, would you mind emailing me the dimensions of your office? Thx.


Don't Fire Al Groh