College Football - Football Betting

2005-10-30T15:42:00.000-08:00

Miami Hurricanes

Oct. 29---College Football---
Miami 34 ... North Carolina 16---College Football---
Miami overcame a sluggish first half to score 27 unanswered points in the second half on three Tyrone Moss touchdowns and a blocked kick for a touchdown. North Carolina dominated the first half with two Ronnie McGill touchdown runs, but missed a chance to go up 23-7 when a pass just missed a wide open Jarwarski Pollack. Miami, thanks to Moss, outgained the Tar Heels 210 rushing yards to 102. The two teams combined for seven turnovers.---College Football---
Player of the game: Miami RB Tyrone Moss ran 24 times for 195 yards and four touchdowns. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: UNC - Passing: ---College Football---
Rushing: Ronnie McGill, 13-66, 2 TD. Receiving: Jesse Holley, 6-48---College Football---
Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 11-16, 111 yds, 3 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 24-195, 4 TD. Receiving: Darnell Jenkins, 3-38---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Yeah, Miami had a lot on its mind with all the hurricane distractions, but the win over North Carolina didn't exactly inspire a ton of confidence going into the Virginia Tech showdown. At this point in the season, QB Kyle Wright has to be much, much better. The defense turned it up a notch in the second half, but got pushed around way too much in the first half. If that happens against the Hokies, it won't be pretty. On the plus side, Tyrone Moss showed once again that he can be a workhorse, but Wright has to provide more for the passing game to become ACC champions.---College Football---
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Oct. 15---College Football---
Miami 34 ... Temple 3---College Football---
Miami got all of its points in the first half as Kyle Wright threw four touchdown passes with two going to Greg Olsen, and Devin Hester made a spectacular 48-yard punt return for a score. Wright missed the second half with an injured thumb, but he's not expected to miss any time, and the Canes couldn't put up any more points. Temple only managed a 40-yard Ryan Lux field goal.---College Football---
Player of the game: Miami QB Kyle Wright completed nine of ten passes for 196 yards and four touchdowns in the first half. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 9-10, 196 yds, 4 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 6-29. Receiving: Sinorice Moss, 3-122, 1 TD---College Football---
Temple - Passing: Joe Desanzo, 10-20, 96 yds---College Football---
Rushing: Umar Ferguson, 23-77. Receiving: M. Loveland, 3-27---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Miami, outside of the injury to Kyle Wright, got exactly what it wanted out of the Temple win. It was an easy win, all of the backups got significant playing time, and the team escaped relatively injury-free. Wright is supposed to be fine, so now the team can set its sights on the big ACC games ahead. Now, backup QB Kirby Freeman has a little bit of playing time under his belt if needed.---College Football---
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Oct. 8---College Football---
Miami 52 ... Duke 7---College Football---
Kyle Wright threw three touchdowns in a five minute span as the Hurricanes cranked out a 31-0 first half. Tyrone Moss added touchdowns runs of seven and one yards, and backup QB Kirby Freeman threw two touchdown passes in relief. Duke was outgained 557 yards to 128 with only eight yards of passing offense, but got an 81-yard touchdown run from Ronnie Drummer. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Miami QB Kyle Wright completed 18 of 31 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 18-31, 255 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 12-82, 2 TD. Receiving: Ryan Moore, 7-87, 1 TD
Duke - Passing: Zack Asack, 4-15, 8 yds---College Football---
Rushing: Ronnie Drummer, 9-101. Receiving: Ben Patrick, 1-5---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The 52-7 win over Duke was the type of ugly blowout the team needed. It's not like the Canes played poorly against Colorado and South Florida, but they're better when they have the type of swagger that comes from obliterating the truly awful. Expect more of the same next week against Temple. The key will be to tighten everything up, three turnovers against Duke isn't a plus, but it's hard to argue with a win when you allow eight yards passing. It's also a plus to get backup QB Kirby Freeman more meaningful work.---College Football---
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Oct. 1---College Football---
Miami 27 ... South Florida 7---College Football---
Miami took advantage of USF turnovers and got three touchdown runs from Tyrone Moss and two Jon Peattie field goals on the way to the easy win. The USF offense only managed 174 yards of total offense and didn't get into the end zone until late in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Peyton. The two teams combined for nine turnovers with Miami picking off four Bull passes. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Miami RB Tyrone Moss ran 22 times for 89 yards and three touchdowns. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 13-26, 173 yds, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 22-89, 3 TD. Receiving: Darnell Jenkins, 4-30---College Football---
South Florida - Passing: Pat Julmiste, 8-25, 47 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Andre Hall, 19-53. Receiving: Johnny Peyton, 3-30---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Miami appeared to go through the motions against South Florida not turning it on late because there wasn't much of a need to. The offense got enough out of Tyrone Moss and the defense forced enough mistakes to cruise to the win, but it would've been nice if the offense turned on the jets to come up with a dominant performance. The attack still hasn't exploded on anyone yet, but Duke and Temple are coming up. ---College Football---
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Sept. 24
Miami 23 .. Colorado 3---College Football---
Miami dominated on defense from the start, and eventually, the offense came around with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Sinorice Moss midway through the second quarter for a 13-0 lead. It was 16-0 Miami when Colorado finally struck on a 58-yard Mason Crosby field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Canes put it well out of reach on a two-yard Kyle Wright touchdown run. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Miami SS Brandon Meriweather made 12 tackles with two tackles for loss, one interception and a broken up pass.---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 20-39, 264 yds, 1 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Quadtrine Hill, 4-55. Receiving: Sinorice Moss, 5-111, 1 TD---College Football---
Colorado - Passing: Joel Klatt, 25-41, 228 yds, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Hugh Charles, 19-82. Receiving: Dusty Sprague, 9-55---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Miami's defense looked like the Miami defense again with too much speed for Colorado. The Buffs might have finished with 331 yards, but most of them came in the fourth quarter. The Cane offense finally got a huge play from Kyle Wright on a great deep throw to Sinorice Moss in what might be the pass to break the ice for the air attack. While it wasn't the prettiest performance for the Canes, it didn't have to be. With South Florida, Duke and Temple ahead, the key is to keep improving week after week, primarily on third downs, until the tough part of the ACC schedule kicks back in. ---College Football---
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Sept. 17---College Football---
Miami 36 ... Clemson 30 3OT---College Football---
In the second overtime, Miami's Tyrone moss ran for a 25-yard touchdown diving into the end zone for the final few yards. Clemson's chance fell short when Kenny Phillips picked off Charlie Whitehurst ending the thriller. Whitehurst was nearly perfect up until the final pass throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for a one-yard score with less than three minutes to play, and then led the Tigers to a game-tying field goal drive culminating in a 27-yard Jad Dean kick. In the first overtime, Moss scored on a six-yard run for the Cane, but Clemson answered with a five-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Baham on fourth down.
Player of the game: Miami RB Tyrone Moss ran 31 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 16-26, 152 yds, 1 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 31-139, 3 TD. Receiving: Ryan Moore, 4-54---College Football---
Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 31-55, 288 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Charlie Whitehurst, 5-58, 1 TD. Receiving: Chansi Stuckey, 7-71---College Football---
What to take away from this game: In the most hostile of environments, Miami was able to keep its poise and came through with the tough win over Clemson. The Hurricane coaching staff let Kyle Wright turn it loose only when it was absolutely needed forcing the running game again and again and again. Eventually, Tyrone Moss got the holes he needed despite the average play of the line for a second straight game; the line has to be much, much better in pass protection. The defense might not have been a rock, but stiffened more than Clemson's defense, for the most part, only allowing Clemson to convert three of 17 on third downs. The biggest issue? Penalties. Miami committed 14 for 117 yards. Clemson committed two for 15.---College Football---
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Sept. 5---College Football---
Florida State 10 ... Miami 7---College Football---
For a change in this classic series, Miami's special teams let them down from missed plays from kick returner Devin Hester to botched snaps and holds on field goals including one late in the fourth quarter on a game-tying field goal attempt; Florida State was able to run out the clock. The Seminoles scored all ten of their points in the first quarter on a one-yard James Coleman touchdown run and a 37-ard Gary Cismesia field goal, and then turned the game over to the defense which sacked Miami QB Kyle Wright nine times. Miami's points came on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Moore in the second quarter. ---College Football---
Player of the game: The entire Florida State defense for its pressure in the backfield and holding the Miami offense to seven points. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 16-28, 230 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 23-102. Receiving: Ryan Moore, 3-69, 1 TD---College Football---
Florida State - Passing: Drew Weatherford, 7-24, 67 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Lorenzo Booker, 12-63. Receiving: Lorenzo Booker, 4-33
What to take away from this game: Miami might be angry with itself for the way it lost to Florida State on dropped passes and missed plays on field goal attempts, but there's hope. QB Kyle Wright got better and better as the game went on looking like a star-in-the-making when he wasn't on his back. The offensive line was horrible against the Seminole pass rush, but Wright didn't appear to be shell-shocked. Yeah, Wright held on to the ball way too long, but he was a playmaker. RB Tyrone Moss is in for a huge season. ---College Football---
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2005 Schedule---College Football---
Sept. 5 – at Florida State (projected finish 8-3, 6-2 in ACC) – Offense: Is this the weakest Florida State offense in since 1981? The starting quarterback situation is a potential mess with Xavier Lee not looking ready for primetime this spring, Wyatt Sexton suspended and Drew Weatherford hurt. The best receivers are true freshmen, and the line doesn't appear to be anything special. What the Noles do have are two fantastic running backs with Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker needing to carry the offense until Lee gets his feet wet. Talent-wise, there's enough here to be explosive after fighting through a ton of growing pains, but the jury is out on whether or not Jeff Bowden is enough of a top-shelf offensive coordinator to be able to lead the attack to a better season after finishing 61st in the nation in total offense.---College Football---
Defense: The linebacking corps is among the best in America and safety Pat Watkins is a first round draft pick, but the rest of the defense is a major question mark after finishing seventh in the nation and fourth in scoring defense. The loss of rising star NG Clifton Dickson to academic problems and CB Antonio Cromartie to a knee injury is a huge hit for the rest of the D. The secondary will turn out to be fine if the star recruits of last year can quickly progress. ---College Football---
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Sept. 17 – at Clemson (6-5, 3-5 in ACC) – Offense: Former Toledo offensive coordinator Rob Spence will take over for Mike O'Cain after the Tiger attack finished 110th in the nation in offense and averaged a mere 21.45 points per game. The key will be an improvement on the line as the talent is there in the backfield and the receiving corps, even with the loss of top pass catcher Airese Currie, to see a night-and-day improvement. QB Charlie Whitehurst has to rebound after a lousy season, but he needs time to throw. The running game will be better with the expected emergence of RB Reggie Merriweather as a star for a full season.
Defense: New defensive coordinator Vic Koenning should be able to keep things rolling after a fantastic 2004. Plenty of experience returns, but there are some huge losses hurt most by the departure of LB Leroy Hill and CB Justin Miller. The run defense should be solid with a good front four and solid, deep linebacking corps. Even with the early defection of Miller to the NFL, the secondary will be good if CB Sergio Gilliam can play well right away. CB Tye Hill and FS Jamaal Fudge will be among the ACC's best.---College Football---
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Sept. 24 - Colorado (6-5, 4-4 in Big 12 North) – Offense: Colorado was brutally painful at times last year early, but it got better as the season went on against average teams. Against good defenses, the attack did absolutely nothing scoring nine against Missouri, seven against Texas and three against Oklahoma. With Bobby Purify graduating, the first step is to find a consistent running back to carry the offense. There are plenty of speedsters with several good options to choose from. The passing game needs QB Joel Klatt to revert to his 2003 form, but to do that the receivers have to start catching the ball and the line has to be better in pass protection. The tight ends, Joe Klopfenstein and Quinn Sypniewski, are outstanding.
Defense: The Buffs had a rough 2004 finishing last in the conference in total defense, but the potential is there for this group to be much better with a ton of returning experience that should be used to the 4-3 defense it switched to last year. The back seven should be tremendous and it'll be a major shocker if the pass defense gives up 260 yards per game again. The front four will have issues against great running teams, but it'll get into the backfield.---College Football---
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Oct. 1 - South Florida (3-8, 1-6 in Big East) – Offense: The potential is there for a big improvement after struggling to be consistent. Andre Hall is Big East's best running back working behind a rebuilding, but decent line. The receiving corps is deep and experienced led by tall, speedy Johnny Peyton. The problem is at quarterback where Pat Julmiste couldn't hit water last year if he was standing in the ocean, and Auburn transfer Courtney Denson is a former defensive back. If a steady passer emerges, this should be the Big East's surprise offense.---College Football---
Defense: The normally good Bull defense struggled last year with no pass defense and little success against the run with a line that was too small. Things should be better with a strong linebacking corps and the return of DT Tim Jones and SS Johnnie Jones after missing all of last year. The key will be the improvement in the corners after struggling to stop anyone, but they could use more of a steady pass rush.
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Oct. 8 - Duke (3-8, 0-8 in ACC) – Offense: The Blue Devils can go nowhere but up after finishing dead-last in total offense averaging 266 yards per game and averaging 16.6 points per outing. There's experience returning among the skill players with quarterback Mike Schneider returning for his third year as a starter getting two fantastic tight ends, Andy Roland and Ben Patrick, to work with. The backfield will be a strength as long as Cedric Dargan can stay healthy, but they won't produce much behind a rebuilding offensive line that returns one starter.---College Football---
Defense: The defense couldn't stop anyone's running game finishing 113th in the nation and allowed 426 yards per game of total offense. Expect that to change as the line has gone from a weakness to a strength with star tackle recruit Vince Oghobaase taking over in the middle along with the hopeful return of end Phillip Alexander from a broken leg. The secondary will be fine led by corner John Talley, but the linebackers will be a concern early until two new starters get their feet wet.---College Football---
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Oct. 15 – at Temple (predicted finish: 1-10) – Offense: The loss of do-it-all QB Walter Washington is a good and a bad thing. He was the Big East's best player, but the offense became too reliant on him. Pure passer Mike McGann will retake his starting job, but there's no depth whatsoever. The backfield and offensive line will lead to a strong rushing attack, but the new receiving corps has to make the offense more explosive.---College Football---
Defense: Injuries, inexperience and inconsistency led to a miserable season from the defense allowing 439 yards and 36 points per game. Despite the loss of the two best players, LBs Rian Wallace and Troy Bennett, things should be better with a solid front wall helped by the return of Antwon Burton in the middle and an experienced secondary helped by the healthy return of CB Ray Lamb.---College Football---
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Oct. 22 - Georgia Tech (7-4, 5-3 in ACC) – Offense: The offense's job will be to simply hold serve so the fantastic defense can win games. That could be a problem. QB Reggie Ball has been too erratic over his first two years throwing 18 interceptions last season. But unlike the talented backup quarterbacks, Ball is mobile making him more valuable playing behind an infant line that needs a ton of work. The running backs are among the best in the country if P.J. Daniels can stay healthy. Sophomore WR Calvin Johnson has future first-round draft pick written all over him, but there isn't a proven number two man to take the heat off.
Defense: It'll be a shock if this isn't one of the nation's best defenses. Nine starters (11 if you include DT Mansfield Wright who moved to offensive guard and CB Dennis Davis who returns from shoulder problems) come back from a defense that was a brick wall against the run and only allowed 18.9 points per game. The defensive front is tremendous with four starters who can do it all and four reserves ready to step into the rotation. Gerris Wilkinson leads a good linebacking corps that's missing experienced depth. The secondary will be better than ever with Chris Reis moving from linebacker to safety and Davis returning to man the corner spot opposite of Reuben Houston.---College Football---
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Oct. 29 - North Carolina (3-8, 3-5 in ACC) – Offense: Coordinator Gary Tranquill did a masterful job last year helping the Tar Heels to a big season finishing second in the ACC in total offense. The line is outstanding and the receiving corps is deep and underrated. There are concerns in the backfield needing new quarterback Matt Baker to be consistent, while inexperienced running backs Vince Wilson and Barrington Edwards need to pick up the slack for injured junior Ronnie McGill.---College Football---
Defense: Nine starters, not including top tackle Chase Page, return to a defense that finished 109th in the nation allowing 446.5 yards and 31.83 points per game. The most work has to be done in the run defense with the veteran linebacking corps needing to make far more plays to allow the safeties to play pass defense. The young, inconsistent line has to generate more of a pass rush and the secondary has to pick off more passes.---College Football---
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Nov. 5 – at Virginia Tech (9-2, 6-2 in ACC) – Offense: The offense was efficient last year, but it didn't move the ball much averaging almost 31 points per game despite only averaging 366 yards. Now this should be a devastating attack as long as Marcus Vick plays like he's supposed to. There are two great quarterback prospects (Sean Glennon and Cory Holt) also in the mix, but Vick is the type of player who can make this loaded attack special. There's too much talent at running back and receiver for one football, and the line is big and will be fine in time. Expect big, explosive numbers, but the question is whether or not someone can pick up the leadership slack left by Bryan Randall.---College Football---
Defense: While this probably won't be the killer defense it was last year when it finished fourth in the nation and second in scoring defense, it'll still be impressive with a tremendous front four, an experienced linebacking corps, and All-America corner Jimmy Williams leading the secondary. Depth is a bit of a problem in the back seven with decent, but mostly inexperienced prospects being shuffled around to find the right fit. Like always with the Hokies, expect plenty of great athletes, lots of big plays, and another good year.
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Nov. 17 – at Wake Forest (5-6, 3-5 in ACC) - Offense: You know what you're getting from Wake Forest. It'll be another great rushing attack led by Chris Barclay and strong backups Micah Andrews and De'Angelo Bryant working behind an experienced, but inconsistent line. The passing game has weapons with most of the top receivers coming back, so now the key is finding a quarterback to get them the ball. Ben Mauk and Cory Randolph are average passers at best and will be in a battle for the starting spot up until the opener.
Defense: The front seven will be the best in the Jim Grobe era with plenty of speed and good depth at almost every spot. The secondary will be the concern losing stars Eric King and Marcus McGruder from a group that wasn't all that great anyway. The safeties will have to be the strength early led by junior Josh Gattis, but the corners will have a hard time with several young players looking to find time. ---College Football---
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Nov. 26 - Virginia (7-4, 4-4 in ACC) – Offense: The Cavaliers had one of the nation's best offenses ... against average teams. Lack of a deep threat receiver and inconsistency in the backfield led to problems against teams like Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech. That should change now that quarterback Marques Hagans has a year of starting experience. The big, fast receivers should be better with more of a focus on the passing attack. The ground game will still be outstanding with Wali Lundy and Michael Johnson working behind a line that'll have to find a way to overcome the loss of Elton Brown and Zac Yarbrough.
Defense: The defense won't be quite the killer it was last year, but it'll be strong led by future millionaires Ahmad Brooks and Kai Parham on the inside. Even though there aren't the stars of recent Cavalier defenses, there are plenty of great athletes and plenty of good, steady playmakers like Brennan Schmidt on the end and Tony Franklin at corner. There's decent depth everywhere.---College Football---
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2005-10-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Player of the week---college football---
Missouri QB Brad Smith completed 21 of 36 passes fro 234 yards and a touchdown with an interception and ran 28 times for 246 yards and three touchdowns in the 41-24 win over Nebraska.---college football---

1. QB Matt Leinart, Sr. USC---college football---
Leinart completed 19 of 25 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns in the 51-24 win over Washington.

2. QB Vince Young, Jr. Texas---college football---
Young completed 12 of 22 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and ran seven times for 45 yards and a score in the 52-17 win over Texas Tech.

3. RB Reggie Bush, Jr. USC ---college football---
Bush ran eight times for 51 yards, caught two passes for 18 yards, and returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown in the 51-24 win over Washington.

4. QB Brady Quinn, Jr. Notre Dame---college football---
Quinn completed 32 of 41 passes for 467 yards and six touchdowns in the 49-23 win over BYU.

5. RB Maurice Drew, Jr. UCLA---college football---
Drew ran 21 times for 120 yards, caught three passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns, and returned two punts for 63 yards in the 51-28 win over Oregon State.

6. RB Laurence Maroney, Jr. Minnesota---college football---
Maroney ran 43 times for a career-high 258 yards and a touchdown in the 38-34 loss to Wisconsin last week. This week will be his make-or-break game against Ohio State.

7. QB Marcus Vick, Jr. Virginia Tech---college football---
Vick completed 14 of 23 passes for 211 yards and three interceptions, and ran 16 times for 133 yards and a touchdown in the 28-9 win over Maryland.

8. LB A.J. Hawk, Sr. Ohio State---college football---
Hawk led the Buckeyes with seven tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack in the 41-10 win over Indiana.

9. RB Brian Calhoun, Jr. Wisconsin---college football---
Calhoun ran 20 times for 62 yards and caught five passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-20 win over Purdue.

10. The Honorary Number Ten ... Alabama S Roman Harper made six tackles, half a tackle for loss, and forced two fumbles including the one that went through the end zone for a touchback to stop a sure Tennessee scoring drive.

On the radar screen: Alabama QB Brodie Croyle, Texas Tech QB Cody Hodges, Missouri QB Brad Smith, Memphis RB DeAngelo Williams, Northwestern RB Tyrell Sutton, Oregon State WR Mike Hass, Penn State QB Michael Robinson, UCLA QB Drew Olson, Louisville DE Elvis Dumervil---college football---
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2005-10-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

A plug for Ball State

You don't need one: The campus is judged best in the U.S. for wireless Web access

By Erika D. Smith

Would you like to watch a college football game live on your laptop while you're stuck doing homework in a basement laboratory?

Or identify the flower you're looking at without getting up from a bench in the arboretum?

If you're a student at Ball State University, you can.

When it comes to putting up points for wireless Web access and using them in ingenious ways, even off-campus, Ball State has every university in the nation beat, according this year's Most UnwiredCollege Campuses survey by Intel Corp. - College Football -

The midsize Muncie university came in No. 1, topping Indiana University-Bloomington -- last year's No. 1 school -- which didn't even make this year's list.

Ball State also surpassed Purdue University, last year's No. 2 school, which ranked No. 15 on this year's survey.

"I am very pleased that Ball State is included on this list with a number of high-tech institutions," said O'Neal Smitherman, vice president of information technology for Ball State. "I don't want to give the impression that we've accomplished this and now we can rest on our laurels. Technology changes constantly." - College Football -

Truth is, wireless Web technology, better known as Wi-Fi, hardly seems high-tech anymore.

It's becoming more and more common, both on and off college campuses, for people to whip out their laptops and go online at coffeehouses and public parks. Students expect wireless Web service to be on campus when they enroll.

"Last year, it was almost a novelty," said Bert Sperling, principal author of the survey. "This year, it's almost expected." - College Football -

Sperling examined nearly 1,000 colleges across the United States. The top 50 were ranked based on the amount of Wi-Fi coverage, how the technology was used, the number of undergraduate students enrolled and the computer-to-student ratio.

Colleges with as few as 1,000 students were considered. That's quite a change from the 2004 survey, when Sperling studied only a few hundred large universities.

The change reflects a rush to the technology by smaller schools, such as Ball State. Schools that didn't continue deploying Wi-Fi at a breakneck pace slid in the rankings as others blew by.

"The surprise is just how quickly Wi-Fi has been implemented," Sperling said. "Even small schools without much of a budget have been able to implement it."

At Ball State, wireless access points, which broadcast signals to get on the Web, began going up in 2002. But most of the campus wasn't covered until this year. - College Football -

Wi-Fi is accessible in all of the academic, classroom and administrative buildings, plus the commons areas of most residence halls, athletic venues and grassy knolls adjacent to those buildings.

It has more than 625 wireless access points spread across about 600 acres.

"Students can work on projects wherever they are," Smitherman said.

But what really sets Ball State apart is how it uses the technology. The university treats its network almost like a science experiment. In some ways, it's an extension of the decades-old Middletown Studies. - College Football -

Those studies, conducted by Robert and Helen Lynd, established Muncie as the most studied city in the United States and the "average" American town.

Now there's Digital Middletown -- an ongoing project that examines how average Americans use technology. Ball State encourages new and broad applications of its Wi-Fi network for research and development.

For instance, Ball State extended its wireless network to two elementary schools to see how students react to lessons with streaming video and other perks that come with ultra-high-speed Internet access. And it's testing even faster wireless technology -- called WiMAX -- at various spots on and off campus. - College Football -

"We need to extend that knowledge (of the Middletown Studies) and see what middle America looks like in a digital age," Smitherman said. "How does middle America respond to that?"

So far, Ball State has spent $500,000 to $600,000 putting up wireless access points.

Ball State has an advantage, though, because of its smaller size, said Mark Bruhn, associate vice president for telecommunications at IU. - College Football -

It took 1,000 wireless access points to blanket the core of the Bloomington campus because it's so much larger that Ball State.

Still, the fallen No. 1 university has been covered in Wi-Fi since early 2004. Now it is concentrating on outlying areas where students congregate.

Still, IU isn't deploying wireless access points at the super-fast pace of the past.

"As theses colleges essentially catch up with us," Bruhn said, "we're not going to be able to compete in that way." - College Football -

Purdue is in the same boat.

"It's much easier to set up a network on a smaller campus than one the size of the city like Purdue," said Steve Tally, senior communications manager for Purdue's information technology department.

Purdue's campus spans about 250 acres and 97 percent of it is Wi-Fi accessible. That includes the stadium, where students can look up players' biographies and statistics during sporting events. - College Football -

"We'll have to agree to disagree," Tally said of Purdue's No. 15 spot on the Intel survey. "I think our network is unsurpassed in the world."

In a few years, Sperling said such arguments over rankings wouldn't matter.

All colleges will have wireless Internet access because students will want to stay connected all the time. - College Football -

Wi-Fi will be as ubiquitous as the cell phone, he predicted. And the ways it will be used -- whether for taking tests or collecting data for experiments -- will have no bounds.

"That's the neat thing about Wi-Fi," Sperling said. "It's like engineers inventing a tool and people finding unique ways to use that tool."

Copyright 2005 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved

2005-10-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Albion faithful are fervent for the Purple and Gold

Football Saturdays date to 1884, and the biggest on the schedule each year is homecoming weekend.

By Terry Foster / The Detroit News

ALBION, Mich. - Saturday was a typical fall day for the Vieira family.

The Vieiras, University of Michigan football season-ticket holders, dressed in blue T-shirts with maize lettering to support U-M in its showdown game with Michigan State.

Then they piled into the car at their Lake Orion home and headed off to the big game ... at Albion College, from where Colleen Vieira graduated 20 years ago.

Colleen sat near the 40-yard line at Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium with her husband, Randy, and 7-year-old daughter, Stephanie. Son Thomas, 10, paced near midfield listening to the radio broadcast of Michigan-Michigan State from East Lansing, feeding mom every scoring change and big play. - - College Football - -

"The reception is better down there," said Colleen, pointing toward her son.

On the day of this state's biggest college game, a standing-room crowd of 3,572 witnessed the Britons' crushing 30-27 overtime loss to Adrian as part of the school's 170th homecoming celebration. - - College Football - -

The turnout shows that bigger is not always better. The Albion faithful came from as far away as Seattle to honor a school that never left their blood, no matter how long they've been gone or how far they've traveled.

Colleen came to see her old band director, Richard Blatty. Although she loves Michigan, this was the place to be.

"I knew I was coming here all along," Colleen said. "I am glad I came. The only thing I need are headphones." - - College Football - -

College life

Under a cloudless sky, Albion was a perfect setting for a homecoming.

Women took photos of one another in front of "The Rock." Purple and gold ribbons wrapped around oak trees, and the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity roasted a pig for charity.

Hundreds of alumni and their families walked through campus. The British Eighth marching band put a charge into the serene setting as it proceeded down South Hanna Street to the stadium.

Most wore Albion colors and name tags and rooted for their school as passionately as Wolverines and Spartans fans did about 40 miles north. - - College Football - -

"If you go to that stadium, you will find vibrancy and the cheering of their friends and family every bit as strong as you will at Michigan," Albion President Dr. Peter Mitchell said. "It is just 5,000 instead of 105,000, but I will tell you it is a very important part of ourcollege life."

Bill Stouffer understands the passion. He is nicknamed Mr. Albion. He served as the town's mayor from 1982-86, owns Albion Machine and Tool, has been a trustee of thecollege and is now a chief fund-raiser. - - College Football - -

"This is my alma mater, and I would not be anyplace else," Stouffer said. "There is just something about Albion College. Maybe it is the same with all small colleges."

Football pride

Albion is a competitive place. The Brits don't play simply for love of the game.

It began in 1884, when Albion and Michigan played the first collegiate football game between Michigan schools. The Wolverines won, 18-0. - - College Football - -

Since then, Albion has won more than 500 football games, a record 32 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships, and the 1994 Division III national title.

The Brits play for themselves and for their rich history. That is what made the loss to Adrian so tough. - - College Football - -

It was their fourth straight loss to the Bulldogs, and Albion players didn't take kindly to some Adrian players who taunted fans by extending four fingers.

"It is a source of pride to wear this uniform," defensive lineman Mike Sheldon said. "You not only are playing for yourself, but you are playing for all the guys who wore this uniform before and for those who will come after you." - - College Football - -

The loss to Adrian turned a festive day into a silent march out the stadium. Families and friends filed onto the field to hug their sons, fraternity brothers and classmates.

Scenes like this make quarterback Steve Wasil glad he is a Briton.

"I went to high school with people and we became closer when we came to Albion," Wasil said. "It is a smaller community, you are together in class, and maybe you live together. This place helps bond relationships better." - - College Football - -

2005-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Football a Trufant family affair
Marcus in NFL, but brothers best at video games

By MARCUS TRUFANT

When my younger brother graduated from high school, the coach joked with me he might not have another winning team until they had another Trufant. - NFL Football -

That was Don Clegg at Wilson High School in Tacoma.

I played cornerback and running back there. So did my younger brother, Isaiah, who's now a senior cornerback at Eastern Washington.

But my youngest brother just started playing football at Wilson. That's Desmond. He's 15, and a freshman, and he's trying to step out and play quarterback. Change the game up a little bit.

It makes me real excited to know that he's following in the footsteps and he really enjoys playing the game. - NFL Football -

The way we are as a family, it's not really a competition. Everybody is just going out and basically having fun. Our family is very supportive so it's not like they're trying to go out and outdo me. Everybody is trying to go out and do what they can do and have fun while doing it.

As for football, it's just one of those things. Growing up as young kids we all loved to watch it. We all loved to be outside playing and running around. We've always been a family that loves to play, run and jump and do all those things. It just kind of fell into place. - NFL Football -

My dad, Lloyd, used to race all the way up until middle school, and he could beat us for a long time. My mom, Constance, played a little bit of softball. We've got good genes.

It's going to be a busy season for my parents. Desmond's JV games are on Thursdays. Isaiah plays on Saturdays, and then my games are on Sunday.
At training camp at Eastern Washington, I got to see my brother a lot in between breaks. Lunch time, all that good stuff. I went to his house a couple of times, played video games. I think it's a pretty cool deal for me because I get to see him. - NFL Football -

He has always been able to beat me at video games. I'm the older brother, but I'm the worst at video games.

When we play Madden football, people always ask if I control myself on the video game. Every now and then, but my brothers tend to talk a little trash if they're beating me and stuff like that. That's how it works. - NFL Football -

Desmond can beat me, but he and my other brother, they kind of go head to head.

I'm still the older brother, though. I'm the biggest so they can't talk too much.

2005-09-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

College football notes: Fans remember Katrina's victims

By Seattle Times news services

Hurricane Katrina's wrath was felt throughout the college-football mad Southeast as well as the rest of the country.

In Starkville, Miss., the game between Mississippi State and Murray State had a somber tone: Instead of running onto the field, coach Sylvester Croom and the Bulldogs walked solemnly to the sideline, with their helmets under their right arms, and the scoreboard showed a tribute to Katrina's victims. - College Football -

Mississippi State officials said about 2,000 evacuees claimed free tickets to the game.

Some Alabama fans stayed home to give at least 300 refugees from Hurricane Katrina a chance to see a Crimson Tide game.

For the past several days Alabama fans have been dropping off their tickets to the Middle Tennessee-Alabama game at a Red Cross shelter at the university's recreation center, which has been home to about 500 refugees. - College Football -

"This will give them four or five hours to get their minds off what they've been doing and keep them from thinking about where their relatives are," said Pat Plott, a Red Cross volunteer at the shelter who helped organize the ticket drive.

At games across the country, fans contributed money to help victims of the hurricane.

Fans at Wisconsin's 56-42 season-opening win against Bowling Green filled American Red Cross collection canisters, and there was a moment of silence before the Michigan-Northern Illinois game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle encouraged Badgers fans to be generous in their support. - College Football -

"If the 80,000 fans who attend Saturday's game all give just one dollar, we will raise $80,000 from Wisconsin to help them recover from this tragedy," Doyle said.

2005-08-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

UA Football Notes: Barnett will play nose tackle; hunt on for snapper

JOHN MOREDICH
Tucson Citizen

Some expected junior college transfer Byron Smith to be the Arizona football team's new nose guard, but he has been moved aside for Yaniv Barnett. - College Football -

Barnett is listed as the starter for Friday's game at Utah, along with defensive tackle Paul Philipp and ends Marcus Smith and Copeland Bryan in the defensive front. - College Football -

"Yaniv is a lot more physical than he was a year ago and a stronger presence," UA coach Mike Stoops said. "He is developing into a very good football player. He has made a lot of strides."

Barnett played in five games last year, making five tackles, two for losses.

Smith is listed behind Barnett, and Lionel Dotson is the backup to Philipp.

Long snapper gone

The Wildcats are breaking in a new long snapper after J.C. Zahradnik unexpectedly quit the team.

Stoops did not seem overly concerned and would not elaborate about Zahradnik.

"I like our snappers," Stoops said. "We will use a couple of guys. We will decide as we go through the week." - College Football -

Garen McHone, a walk-on junior, is the long snapper on this week's depth chart.

Coaching reunion

Former Wildcats offensive lineman and assistant coach Charlie Dickey is part of the Utes' staff.

Dickey, who was with the Washington Huskies a year ago, is coaching Utah's offensive front. As a player with the Wildcats from 1983-84, he took part in 1,230 consecutive plays.

Dickey coached the Wildcats' offensive line from 1992-2002 and the tight ends in 2003.

Former Arizona tight ends, running backs and special teams coach Jay Boulware, after two years at Stanford, has also landed at Utah. - College Football -

2005-08-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Corky: Pima football owes debt to Scurran

It's inspiring to see the football team at Pima Community College rarin' to go into its fifth season, and we wish Mark Hourany and his staff great success.

You have to wonder what the student body was thinking last fall when it voted to change the school colors to navy and black.

And the nickname "Aztecs" may eventually run up against the power of political correctness, although the NCAA and National Junior College Athletic Association probably don't have jurisdiction over a long ago Mexican culture.

But first things first, and right now the program appears to be legally named, doing well and coming off a 9-3 season last year.

As one who said years ago that football would never make it at Pima, I am still amazed.

The man who made it work was Jeff Scurran. And the ONLY man who could have made it work was Scurran. The former Sabino High School coach convinced the right people that he could find enough athletes, a place to practice and play, and more importantly, enough money to buy equipment and uniforms.

He even finagled a practice field out on East Irvington Road - an artificial turf practice field - for his team.

he man is a football genius and as long as the game is played at Pima, the school, the students and the players will owe him a debt of gratitude. Four-year NCAA institutions who use Native American mascots are now in gross disfavor, but as we mentioned, Aztecs ought to be a fairly safe nickname for Pima. If, however, the school should ever be forced to change from Aztecs, it might to consider "Scurrans" or "Lord Jeffs," the unique name used by Amherst College. School colors at Pima are interesting. When the junior college first opene

d, at the West Campus on Anklam Road, the colors were brown and orange. Some of us are fond of those colors. Scurran most assuredly was not.

And when we suggested to him that first year he had a chance to put a team on the field in the same colors as the Cleveland Browns, he said, "Forget it." He put them in black uniforms with baby-blue helmets.

He also changed the name to "Storm," giving identity, I suppose, to the East Campus just off Irvington. The Storm have subsided, thankfully, and the nickname returned to Aztecs. But they can be gowned in rustling silk with team colors of eggplant and ecru and called the "Cell Phones," as long as the program can give local high school athletes who don't project to NCAA Division I caliber an opportunity to play football.

For that we can thank Scurran and, this season, Hourany.

CORKY SIMPSON
Tucson Citizen

2005-08-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

Aggies QB moves to wide receiver spot

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Paul Dombrowski`s college football career got off to a good start on a September night three years ago and it seemed he was headed for a long run as the Aggies` quarterback. - College Football -
Dombrowski, then a redshirt freshman, rushed for 136 yards in his first career start and led the Aggies to a 24-13 win over New Mexico in Las Cruces. He went on to set the school record for rushing yards (868) in a season by a quarterback and scored 12 touchdowns.
"That was an incredible night and I couldn`t have asked for more out of that first game," said Dombrowski. "That first season was awesome."
The next two seasons were not.

Dombrowski spent his sophomore and junior years platooning at quarterback with Buck Pierce. Both battled a series of injuries and last season former coach Tony Samuel also used Dombrowski at running back and wide receiver. - College Football -
Samuel was fired after the 2004 season and New Mexico State hired former Kentucky coach Hal Mumme. In Mumme`s wide open passing attack, Dombrowski has moved permanently to wide receiver and feels he`s finally found a home.
"I`m happy to be in one position only and know my role," said Dombrowski. "I feel like I`m a big part of this offense and that`s all I can ask for."
Dombrowski last year rushed for 161 yards, completed 12 of 40 passes for 247 yards and caught 28 passes for 392 yards and four touchdowns. His career stats headed into this season include 1,420 rushing yards and 2,395 passing yards. - College Football -
"Last year was difficult because I never really got to practice with the receivers much, but I was playing there in the games" Dombrowski said. "It was difficult (platooning). Now that`s totally out of my mind. In this offense, I feel like I`m going to get plenty of touches."
A good bet given that Mumme`s offense could easily average 50 or more passes a game.
New Mexico State, coming off back-to-back losing seasons, begins play in the Western Athletic Conference this season. The Aggies, as they have over much of the past three decades, are expected to struggle, but Dombrowski says the Aggies have plenty of reasons to believe the program is headed for better days. - College Football -
"It`s a whole new system, a whole new atmosphere" he said of the change in coaching staffs. "The strength program has been much tougher and we have new uniforms. The locker rooms have been redone and we`re getting into the WAC. You feel that you`re at a higher level program." - College Football -
Dombrowski, who is scheduled to graduate in December with a degree in family and child science, said despite all the changes he`s gone through on the field, he never considered quitting.
"I love to play football, I love the challenge," he said. "Being moved around gives you a chance to show your versatility and these guys (teammates) start to feel like your family. You can`t give up on people that you care about." - College Football -

Associated Press

2005-08-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Football star Devine leaves Deion, returns to North
Coach would welcome troubled player back

The News-Press has learned that former Southwest Florida football star Noel Devine has returned to North Fort Myers. Devine, 17, who emerged as a top college football prospect in thenation as a sophomore at North Fort Myers High School in 2004, was living in Prosper, Texas, with NFL star Deion Sanders and his family. Sanders is a North Fort Myers graduate.Sanders, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, was in the process of taking over legal guardianship of Devine. Devine's grandmother, Lee Bertha Thomas, is currently the legal guardian.Sanders told The News-Press that Devine drove himself to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Monday and boarded a plane headed to Fort Myers, leaving the keys to Sanders’ SUV in the vehicle. - College Football -
“We were really in a state of shock,” Sanders said. “We couldn’t believe it. I wish we saw a sign but there was nothing. He was wonderful. Now I understand what his grandma was going through for years. Some people don’t want to be helped.”Sanders called Thomas Monday night and informed her that Devine had flown back.Thomas went to the North Fort Myers home of Robert and Liz Harlow and found Devine there. - College Football -
Thomas also said she had a chance encounter with Devine at North Fort Myers High this morning. She said he was headed to the School Choice office with Liz Harlow. Devine had been temporarily living with the Harlow family of North Fort Myers before leaving for Texas.According to the Lee County School District's public information office, Devine is currently listed on the enrollment books as a student at North Fort Myers High School.North Fort Myers football coach James Iandoli said no one has told him Devine is officially back at the school. If Devine does indeed return to North, however, Iandoli said he would welcome him back to the football team.“There’s no ill will,” Iandoli said. - College Football -
“Everybody I’m sure would be looking forward to his return.”Devine, who’ll be a junior this season, left Fort Myers July 29. He enrolled at Prosper (Texas) High, under the guardianship of Sanders, who had Thomas’ blessing to adopt the blue-chip tailback. Sanders was working with lawyers in Texas to take over guardianship. “It’ll be complete Friday,” Sanders said. “But I’m not going to fight those people. I have five kids that I have to manage. I did everything that God told me to do. At this point, it becomes a choice of his. If he doesn’t want to make that decision, I just pray for him and wish him the best. - College Football -
”Thomas sounded frustrated with the latest developments.“He’s got seven months before he’s 18,” said Thomas, adding that she won’t stand in Devine’s way. “I’m tired of being humiliated. I’m not going to keep going through it with him.”Devine spent one day in Texas before leaving with Sanders for the Ravens’ training camp in Maryland on July 31. Sanders said his Baltimore teammates took to Devine right away. Devine helped out at practice, spotting the ball, and received individual attention after workouts from Sanders and Baltimore coaches. Devine also met with former University of Miami tailback Clinton Portis during the Ravens’ scrimmage against Washington.“He was one of the best kids you’d ever want to meet,” Sanders said. “I was proud to call him my son. He and my 11-year-old son were like two amigos, getting ready for their seasons. He was a great kid.”Devine returned to Texas Sunday and spent time with his new teammates at Prosper.“Some of the kids went out to eat and lifted weights together,” Prosper coach John Pease told The News-Press Tuesday afternoon. “They all went by a coach’s house Sunday and even a father of one of my players said (Noel) was ready to get started and put the pads on and was ready to go. My quarterback told me the same story.”But Devine was a no-show Monday for what would’ve been his first practice with the team, having departed for Florida hours earlier. He found his way to the airport from Sanders’ home – a 45-minute drive – where Sanders suspects a prepaid ticket was waiting. - College Football -
Attempts to reach Devine and the Harlows were unsuccessful.Thomas questioned his decision to reject a new start. “He said he didn’t want to go,” Thomas said. “He should’ve made it known. He had a choice. He didn’t give it a good chance.”Sanders said it’d be difficult to trust Devine again to welcome him back. “You just hope and pray that one day a light goes on in his head and he understands the opportunity he had. God bless him, but he’s jeopardizing my family now and that’s an issue. - College Football -

Deron Snyder

2005-07-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

Rebels' QB Spurlock gets second chance

HOOVER, Ala. - Micheal Spurlock will sit at one end of a conference table in a posh hotel today surrounded by sports writers.In that regard he will be just like 23 other college football players who will represent 12 Southeastern Conference schools at the league's media days through Friday.There is one striking difference between Spurlock and his peers, however.He's the guy who can't take starting for granted. - College Football -
Micheal Spurlock left spring drills hearing his coach talk about a wide-open quarterback competition in August. Ed Orgeron went so far as to include incoming freshman Billy Tapp in the mix, even though he has experienced players Robert Lane and Ethan Flatt to go along with Spurlock.He's since shortened that assessment to a two-man race between Lane and Spurlock.With Lane - favored by many Ole Miss fans - injured for the second half of spring, Spurlock got the bulk of the attention. He moved the team at times but didn't do enough to lock up the starting job. - College Football -
His mere presence at this event says that Orgeron expects him to positively impact Ole Miss football. If it isn't as the quarterback, it will be at some other position.His first chance will be at quarterback, however, if for no other reason than this widely known coaching profession fact:They have egos.Coaches by nature are control freaks, confident in themselves and their systems.A new guy coming in can look at Spurlock's athleticism and become almost giddy. - College Football -
Ed Orgeron will look at Spurlock's speed and talent and say to himself, "I can get it out of him. I can make him a productive player."Maybe he can. Maybe an offense that moves the quarterback out of the pocket more will be Spurlock's cup of tea.If the cup turns over, and the offense spills across the Liberty Bowl turf Sept. 5, the hook needs to come quickly. This time there's someone to turn to.Lane, a sophomore, has shown himself to be a talented, productive player. He was pivotal in the win against South Carolina and led the Rebels past Mississippi State in the season finale. - College Football -
He brings a tougher mindset than Spurlock and a different type of mobility, running through defenders or dragging them, rather than running away from them.Lane will get a chance to win the job in August.The odd man out in last year's mid-season three-quarterback rotation is Flatt, a nine-game starter and 60 percent passer but a mobility liability."Etched in sand" is the catch phrase Ole Miss coaches like to use when pressed to comment on depth charts.For Spurlock, wobbling in ankle-deep sand is far better footing than he had at the end of last season.He has a second chance to justify the faith of his head coach, albeit a different one. - College Football -

Daily Journal

2005-07-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

New changes to BCS are dollar-driven

Expansion of bowls, regular season by one game adds to college football's confusion.It's easier, perhaps, to put it in football terms: Almost without fail, when faced with third-and-long, the NCAA's board of directors runs a draw play.And that's what college football fans saw again this week as the powers-that-be punted another golden opportunity. - College Football -They could have passed on the easy money while restoring some of the credibility of the institutions they serve. Instead, they simply gave us more of the same.Among the rulings handed down this week, effective fall 2006, are the following:• An expansion of the Bowl Championship Series by one game, but no playoff-style format.• The addition of a 12th regular-season game for Division I-A schools.• And an allowance for Division I-A teams to count one victory over a Division I-AA school toward bowl eligibility each season. - College Football -The result is merely a concession to the money pit that college athletics has become, complete with window dressing designed to appease, if not altogether please.To the conference commissioners who were complaining about a lack of access to the BCS and about loopholes that could cost major conferences millions of dollars? Well, now there are two more invitations to the party, though no one's sure yet who will be mailing those invitations.To the college coaches who were outspoken in their opposition to adding a 12th game, citing fatigue and injuries with fewer scholarship players? Well, now that the rules regarding I-AA competition have changed, you can rest easy -- and rest your starters -- as most schools will choose an extra scrimmage rather than add a bona fide opponent.To the lonely voices shouting for academic reform? (And, yes, the Knight Commission still exists.) Well, NCAA president Myles Brand, who used to think and act like a university president, insists the extra game won't hurt the athletes as students because the actual regular-season calendar isn't being lengthened. In fact, Brand suggested, the student-athletes might even perform better in the classroom, basing that ridiculous notion on recent NCAA graduation rates, a non sequitur if there ever was one. - College Football -And to the two constituencies that should matter most: the players who play and the fans who cheer? Well, at least they'll still have something to complain about.Here's my biggest complaint, though: Can't they at least be honest about it?When asked this week to explain what compelled the NCAA to add a 12th game, ignoring the pleas of the American Football Coaches Association and the Knight Commission -- strange bedfellows, indeed -- Kansas chancellor Bob Hemenway, who is chairman of the NCAA board of directors, said, "It was not just about money." - College Football -Of course, that's exactly what it was about. An extra home game means $3 million-$4 million in additional revenue for major Division I-A schools such as Michigan and Tennessee and Oklahoma, and perhaps as much as $500,000 for some of the smaller mid-major opponents who will gladly travel to take their lump-sum payments. Athletic directors will rejoice, even as season-ticket holders grumble at the prospect of another $50-plus home date against Northeast (fill-in-the-blank) State.As for the BCS, that might be the only common ground here, because everyone agrees it's not the right system. Only problem is, no one can agree what to do about it, including the BCS conference commissioners themselves. This week's BCS expansion wasn't the switch to a "plus-one" playoff model that some had anticipated. There was no overhaul of the controversial BCS formula, either, even after The Associated Press pulled out. Instead, there's talk of adding a new "expert" poll to the decimal soup, and a plan to add a game to the rotation. And still no assurance of an undisputed champion. - College Football -"Well, college football in general is a little bit confusing right now," Texas coach Mack Brown said last week.Some things, it seems, never change.NotableStill to be determined is whether teams will be bowl-eligible with a 6-6 record when the 12-game schedule is allowed starting in 2006. The NCAA board is recommending that teams be required to finish with a winning record to qualify.... Notre Dame's clout takes a hit in the new BCS deal beginning next season. The Irish no longer will received a full conference payout -- roughly $15 million-$16 million -- whenever they qualify for a BCS bowl. Instead, they'll get the equivalent of a conference at-large share, or about $4.5 million. In the years they don't qualify for a BCS game, they'll get a $1 million BCS payout. They are guaranteed a spot if they finish in the top eight of the BCS standings and must finish in the top 12 to be considered for an at-large spot. - College Football -... Another rule change from the NCAA this week dealt with attendance. A rule that required schools to average crowds of 15,000 to remain in Division I-A has been modified to allow teams to average that figure either in actual or paid attendance. That means mid-major schools, most notably Eastern and Central Michigan locally, can buy their own tickets when necessary to reach that paid-attendance threshold.... Sure, San Diego beats, say, Detroit as a winter holiday destination. But it's hard to imagine a stampede at the box office in December when the fans of two college teams learn they've been invited to play in the new Poinsettia Bowl. Actually, it's officially the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. And, no, this is no joke. The newest addition to the bowl season is a Dec. 22 game at Qualcomm Stadium that will feature a Mountain West Conference team against an at-large opponent. - College Football -... And finally, some hope for the rest of college football. Southern Cal might be unbeatable, but now Pete Carroll's players are beating up each other. An altercation between receiver Steve Smith and tight end Dominique Byrd -- over a video game, no less -- left Byrd with a fractured jaw this month. The two quickly patched things up, however, and neither was disciplined. So, Fight On for ol' SC.

John Niyo / The Detroit News

2005-07-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

BCS's new poll won't start until after season begins

At 9:30 a.m. Monday, then-Tropical Storm Frances continues to lash the bay area (NASA-GFSC GOES image).
NEW YORK - Bowl Championship Series officials have wanted to do away with preseason college football polls for a while. - College Football -
In recent years, they've asked the coaches to consider waiting until after games are played to begin ranking the top 25 teams. They made a similar proposal to The Associated Press, which coordinates the media poll.
Neither of the sport's two major polls made the switch.
Given the chance to create a new poll, the BCS got its way. - College Football -
Called the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, it will rank the top 25 teams on a weekly basis, starting Sept. 25 -- four weeks into the season. Plans call for 114 voters, and the panel will be comprised of former coaches, players and administrators, plus media members. Potential panelists were provided by the BCS.
"In terms of the human polls that have been part of this system, we always felt that preseason polls are a weakness of the human polls in a sense that it is important to see the results of games played in that season before it is best to conduct a ranking of teams," BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said Monday during a conference call.
The season's first BCS standings will be released Oct. 17. - College Football -
Critics of preseason polls say highly touted teams get an unfair headstart in the rankings.
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said the preseason rankings put his team at a disadvantage last year as it was trying to catch Southern California and Oklahoma in the BCS standings because the Tigers had too much ground to make up before games were even played.
"This allows for some games to be played in the current season rather than allow teams to be ranked purely on preseason expectations," Weiberg said. - College Football -
Auburn, which began the 2004 season ranked in the teens in the polls, went unbeaten but never could pass the Trojans or Sooners, who were Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the preseason.
All three teams finished the regular season unbeaten, and USC and Oklahoma played for the national title in the Orange Bowl. Auburn went to the Sugar Bowl, finished the season 13-0 and had to settle for a final ranking of No. 2 in the polls behind national champion USC.
The new poll replaces the AP poll, which the BCS had used in its formula for ranking teams since 1998. Last season, however, the AP told the BCS it could no longer use its media poll.
The AP preseason poll will be released Aug. 20, with the first regular-season poll Sept. 6. The AP national champion will be crowned after the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4.
In addition to the new poll, the BCS will continue to use the USA Today coaches' poll and a compilation of six computer rankings -- each counting for one-third of a team's grade. The coaches will continue with a preseason ballot. - College Football -
Recently, ESPN pulled out of participating in the coaches poll.
The coaches agreed to have their final ballots made public for the first time this season. The new Harris poll will take the same approach, releasing only the final ballots.
"We thought it was important for there to be consistency with the two human polls," Weiberg said. "To make the ballots public on a weekly basis during the season, we feel the focus would be on who voted for whom and detract from the games being playing.
"There isn't a gag order on voters to release ballots, but we will make sure all season-ending ballots are released," he said.
Last season, the BCS standings emphasized the polls more than ever before and AP voters' ballots, which have never been secret, were scrutinized as three unbeaten teams competed for the top two spots. - College Football -
When Texas made up late ground on California in the BCS standings last season and grabbed a spot in the Rose Bowl, Cal and Pac-10 officials called for the coaches' votes to be made public.
Harris Interactive Inc., a marketing company hired by the BCS last month to coordinate the new poll, is in the process of compiling a panel from 300 possible participants. Voters' names will be made public and all 11 Division I-A conferences and independent teams will be represented in the panel.
Each conference nominated 27 people to be placed into a pool of possible poll voters, and each conference will have 10 of its nominees in the panel. - College Football -
"We've made very good progress in terms of people responding affirmatively to wanting to be part of the poll," he said.

Associated Press

2005-07-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Student presses trustees for LCC football program

Lassen Community College student Johnaleen Castro wants a football team at the college.Castro, a journalism student, presented a packet of information regarding Feather River College’s football program to members of the LCC board of trustees.“I am here to present the idea of starting a football program again, this time with actual numbers and statistics,” Castro told the board at its July 28 meeting. - College Football -

“The package I have handed out to everyone is based on the overwhelming positive example that Feather River College has had since the startup of their new football program. This school has changed things very quickly and now brings over 70 new FTE's to their campus a year. This positive change took place in less than three years.”According to Castro’s figures, it cost FRC $230,000 to launch the team and the program now generates “a positive profit margin of over $450,000 per year. - College Football -

”Castro asked the board to look over the material she provided and revisit the issue.“Honestly, if you look at the data that I have provided for you, this is a viable option and the numbers are very encouraging.”The board may discuss the possibilities of a football team at LCC, originally proposed by Mark Nareau, LCC’s women’s basketball coach, at its next regularly-scheduled meeting set for Tuesday, July 12.

Lassen County News

2005-06-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

Groh picks up a recruit
Intensity of U.Va. coach pulls Herzlich to join the Cavaliers

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Perennial NCAA power Johns Hopkins offered Mark Herzlich a lacrosse scholarship, but he wants to play football in college. He plans to do so at the University of Virginia.

Herzlich, a 6-4, 245-pound linebacker from Conestoga High in Berwyn, Pa., near Philadelphia, committed to U.Va. this week. The rising 12th-grader chose Virginia over Boston College and also had scholarship offers from North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Duke and Army.
U.Va. and BC were "pretty much neck and neck," Herzlich said Monday night, but he found coach Al Groh's intensity appealing and liked the warmer weather in the South.
Conestoga plays a 5-2 defense that is similar to U.Va.'s 3-4 scheme. Herzlich, who made 145 tackles as a junior, is projected to play inside linebacker at Virginia. He's the sixth player to commit to the Cavaliers for 2006.
Herzlich, who carries a 4.5 grade-point average and scored 1,320 on the SAT, said he grew up watching Marquis Weeks star for Conestoga. Weeks started at safety for U.Va. as a graduate student in 2004. - Jeff White
Richmond Times-Dispatch

College Football Bowl

2005-06-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

College Football Bowl