College Football Saturday--December 3, 2005

[POJO_Risin]

Well...we got some games today...

upset Saturday?

or ho hum?

We shall see...

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
upset Saturday?



Not unless Army beats Navy. :D

[POJO_Risin]

#5 http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/VATECH.gif vs. http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/FLST.gif

Well...I can't see an upset here...after FSU did it all up by losing three in a row coming into this game...

Crap for ACC's first championship game...

[POJO_Risin]

Preview
Florida State vs. Virginia Tech

GAME: Virginia Tech at Florida State
TIME: 08:00 P.M. EST
VENUE: ALLTEL Stadium


The inaugural ACC title game includes a team that wasn't even part of the conference two years ago and one that would have long been a fixture in such contests, though it hardly belongs this season.

While No. 5 Virginia Tech enters as a big favorite to win the conference's BCS bowl berth, Florida State looks to add another - but slightly different - ACC trophy to its collection on Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla.

Despite losing their last three games, the unranked Seminoles can steal the Hokies' spot in the Bowl Championship Series by winning the first league championship game in ACC history.

"It's still Florida State," Hokies defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis said. "That's a team people dream about playing."

To stay on track for a spot in the BCS - possibly a matchup with No. 4 Penn State in the Orange Bowl - Virginia Tech (10-1, 7-1) must halt an 11-game losing streak to Florida State that dates back to 1975, the year before Bobby Bowden took over.

Bowden has led Florida State (7-4, 5-3) to an ACC championship in 11 of its 13 seasons in the league, but has never had to win a conference title game to do it.

"At FSU, we used to win the ACC every year without a championship game. Now we get to have a championship game to try and win a championship," Seminoles tight end Matt Henshaw said. "With a win, it would really turn the season around. A lot of people would forget about the three losses that we have if we are able to go out there and take care of business on Saturday."

The Seminoles have been outscored 89-36 in losses to North Carolina State, Clemson and Florida, recording the program's longest losing streak since 1983. They have never lost four straight in the Bowden era.

"They've got great talent, great coaches and great history and they're going to be jacked," said Darryl Tapp, who tops the Hokies with nine sacks. "This little skid they've had - I'm not for sure about that. They could just be playing with everyone's head."

The low point for the Seminoles came last week with a 34-7 defeat to the rival Gators. That defeat dropped Florida State out of the AP Top 25 for the first time since November 2001.

"I told them we got a ball game next week as big as this one," Bowden said. "That's all you can do when you get beat."

The three-game skid, though, did not prevent the Seminoles from winning the ACC's Atlantic Division. They finished tied for first place with Boston College, which had a better overall record, but beat the Eagles 28-17 on Sept. 17 to hold the tiebreaker.

Like Boston College, Virginia Tech left the Big East to join the ACC last season and won the league title.

It appeared the Hokies may have blown their chance to play for this year's conference championship following a 27-7 home loss to Miami on Nov. 7. However, the Hurricanes were upset two weeks later by Georgia Tech for their second conference loss - their other one came to Florida State - and Virginia Tech routed Virginia and North Carolina in its last two games to win the Coastal Division.

"The last couple of weeks, we've kind of gotten in a groove," Hokies tight end Jeff King said.

Virginia Tech owns the top passing defense in the country, having not allowed a 300-yard passer since the season opener, and now faces the ACC's No. 1 passing offense.

Florida State's Drew Weatherford has thrown for 2,725 yards, 329 shy of Philip Rivers' ACC record for freshmen.

Weatherford's counterpart, Marcus Vick, was a first-team all-ACC selection despite being unimpressive recently. He's thrown for 321 yards and rushed for 40 over the last three games.

The rest of Virginia Tech's rushing attack has been outstanding lately. Branden Ore and Cedric Humes both had 100-yard games in each of the last two games, combining for eight touchdowns, while the Hokies compiled 610 yards on the ground.

Though Bowden is 13-0 all-time against Virginia Tech - Beamer is 0-6 against Florida State - the all-time winningest coach in Division I history knows his team will be hard-pressed to pull off a win Saturday. The Seminoles enter as two-touchdown underdogs.

"The thing that concerns me most is how good they are," Bowden said. "They've got it all."

AP NEWS
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Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[POJO_Risin]

#13 http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/GA.gif vs. #3 http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/LSU.gif

This should be an interesting game...everyone's jumping on the LSU bandwagon...but I DO think that Georgia can win this game...

[POJO_Risin]

Preview
LSU vs. Georgia

GAME: Georgia at LSU
TIME: 06:00 P.M. EST
VENUE: Georgia Dome


With the devastation to the Gulf Coast brought on by Hurricane Katrina, first-year LSU coach Les Miles may not have thought his team would have a successful season, much less play for a conference championship.

The third-ranked Tigers (10-1, 7-1 SEC) will face No. 13 Georgia (9-2, 6-2) on Saturday in the SEC championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta in a rematch of the 2003 title game.

"I really feel like this team has achieved a lot considering the start of the season and the unusual nature of the state of Louisiana," said Miles, who will be facing the Bulldogs for the first time. "We feel very fortunate to be in position to achieve a great majority of our goals and to be playing for a championship."

At stake is another game in Atlanta - the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl, which was moved out of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans.

Saturday's contest marks the third time in five years that LSU will play for the conference crown.

In 2001, backup quarterback Matt Mauck ran for two scores in 31-20 upset of then-No. 2 Tennessee. Two years later, LSU and Georgia, ranked third and fifth, respectively, met in the title game and the Tigers' Justin Vincent rushed for a championship-game record 201 yards in LSU's 34-13 rout.

Miles said this Georgia team will be like no other the Tigers have played this season.

"This Georgia defense will be the best that we have faced," he said. "We'll put that challenge to our offensive line and I think that they'll respond."

Five of LSU's victories this season - including ones over Florida, Auburn and Alabama - came by four points or fewer. Georgia, meanwhile, is 2-2 in games decided by seven points or less.

Miles said the Tigers cannot afford a letdown.

"Offensively, I think we need to run the ball more efficiently. We can't afford to have dropped balls against a quality opponent."

The Tigers' offense is keyed by quarterback JaMarcus Russell and running backs Joseph Addai and Vincent.

Russell has completed 60.6 percent of his passes (177-for-292) with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has thrown at least one scoring pass in nine straight games, the longest streak by an LSU quarterback since Herb Tyler's 11-game run in 1997-98.

Addai set career-highs in rushing (796 yards) and touchdowns (8) while Vincent added 494 yards and five TDs.

LSU's defense is one of the strongest in the nation, ranking in the top five in four categories. LSU is fourth in scoring defense (13.5 points per game), fifth in total defense (278.7 ypg), fifth in rushing defense (90.8 ypg) and fifth in pass efficiency defense (95.1 rating).

Russell and Vincent each scored and LaRon Landry's interception in the end zone on the final series helped the Tigers to their ninth straight win, 19-17 win over Arkansas on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Georgia is looking for its first conference championship since a 30-3 win over Arkansas in 2002, and its 12th overall.

The Bulldogs finished their season last Saturday with a 14-7 victory over Georgia Tech as D.J. Shockley's 19-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to Bryan McClendon proved to be the difference.

While LSU had to cope with natural disaster, there were some that didn't think Georgia was good enough to compete in the SEC East Division with traditional powerhouses Florida and Tennessee.

"People were saying that Florida and Tennessee were better than us, that they were going to be on top of the league," Shockley said. "We kind of used that as motivation to get better. We didn't want to let what people said in the papers affect how we do. We wanted to let our play stand for how we do."

Shockley spearheads an offense that averages 394 yards per game. That unit could present a problem for LSU, which has allowed an average of 232.4 yards in its last five games.

"He's got a rocket for an arm," Miles said of Shockley. "He's got the ability to throw it wrong and accurately. He's got the ability to avoid the rush, run the ball and pick up some scramble yards."

Shockley enjoyed a breakout season, passing for 2,199 yards and 19 TDs. Over his last five games, he has thrown for 1,032 yards with 11 TDs and two interceptions.

"We need to make sure we have containment, understand our rushing lanes, yet still pressure him. He is a quality quarterback," Miles said.

LSU leads the all-time series, 14-10-1.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[POJO_Risin]

#2 http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/TX.gif vs. http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/CO.gif

Well...this would be a major upset...and I'll leave it at that...

[POJO_Risin]

Preview
Colorado vs. Texas

GAME: Texas at Colorado
TIME: 01:00 P.M. EST
VENUE: Reliant Stadium


Texas has been here before.

A conference title game. An opponent it pounded during the regular season. And a chance to play for the national championship game.

The second-ranked Longhorns try to take that final step Saturday as they play Colorado for the Big 12 Conference title at Reliant Field in Houston.

Texas (11-0, 8-0 Big 12 South) is trying to erase the painful memories of 2001, when it absorbed a stunning 39-37 loss to Colorado (7-4, 5-3 North) in the Big 12 title game. The defeat cost the Longhorns, who had routed the Buffaloes 41-7 earlier in that season, a shot in the Bowl Championship Series title game after the path had broken perfectly for Mack Brown's team earlier in the day due to a series of upsets.

"I was just trying to get a conference championship," Brown recounted. "They all heard (the national title talk) and ran over me trying to get to the field. We played so excited we didn't play very well until we got settled back down."

This time around, the Rose Bowl has been the goal for the Longhorns since last season ended. Quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Vince Young has been masterful in leading Texas, which has won 18 straight games, to this point, but also knows the must-win game brings added pressure.

"I think we have a lot of pressure," said Young, who has thrown for 2,576 yards and 23 touchdowns and run for 793 yards and eight scores. "When you have fans saying, 'I got my Rose Bowl tickets already,' that puts pressure on you, but we have to stay focused."

We're so close," he added. "We can smell the Rose right now."

Young arguably had his best game of the season in a 42-17 rout Oct. 15 over the Buffaloes, completing 25 of 29 passes for a career-high 336 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for TDs as the Longhorns raced to a 35-3 halftime lead. But Brown has warned his team that the previous game means nothing, something senior safety Michael Huff has taken to heart.

"If we lose this game, we don't go to the national championship," said Huff, who has 91 tackles and was a redshirt freshman in 2001. "Everybody is looking forward to the Rose Bowl. We're not overlooking anybody, but we do see what's down the road."

While teams focus to stop Young, the Longhorns have a series of tailbacks that can get the job done. Jamaal Charles, Ramonce Taylor, Henry Melton and Selvin Young have combined for 2,014 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns, including 34 on the ground.

The Buffaloes backed into the title game thanks to Iowa State losing its season finale Saturday at Kansas. Colorado, which has been in the Big 12 title game four of the last five years, has little momentum entering this game after a 30-3 home loss Friday to Nebraska.

The two defeats, coupled with the Buffaloes lopsided losses to ranked teams Texas and Miami, have left coach Gary Barnett looking for reasons why his team has failed to put forth quality performances against quality opponents.

"I'm sure there probably is an explanation for it, and we'll examine it and handle it with the team as we practice and approach this game," said Barnett, who admitted he didn't watch the Iowa State game after being so disgusted with his team's performance. "I'm sure there is some approach we can take."

Barnett hopes his team will come out stronger than it did the first time around against Texas. The coach counted at least seven mental mistakes among the first 15 plays that set the tone of the game and put the Buffaloes under too much pressure.

"We made it easier for Texas than we had to, no question," Barnett said. "You can't play a team like that and make the mistakes we made and still be in the game."

The Buffaloes need big games from quarterback Joel Klatt and tailback Hugh Charles to have any chance for a second Big 12 title. Klatt has gone consecutive games without a touchdown pass while Charles has not topped 100 yards since rushing for 132 against Oklahoma State on Oct. 1.

Texas has won four of the last five games between the teams to take an 8-7 lead in the all-time series.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[POJO_Risin]

#11 http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/UCLA.gif vs. #1 http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/logos/USC.gif

I don't know what to make of this game...both teams should be up...so we'll see...but it looks to be a USC blowout...

[POJO_Risin]

Preview
Southern California vs. UCLA

Preview
GAME: UCLA at Southern California
TIME: 04:30 P.M. EST
VENUE: Los Angeles Colliseum


Southern California has turned back every challenge in its bid for a third consecutive national championship. Another real big one stands in its way.

One win from again playing for the national title, the top-ranked Trojans take on their biggest rival Saturday when UCLA travels across town to decide the Pac-10 championship and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

A win would send USC (11-0, 7-0) to the Rose Bowl, where it likely will meet No. 2 Texas in the BCS title game.

"I do know this - if we win, we'll probably be playing in the Rose Bowl," said Trojans coach Pete Carroll, whose team outlasted then-No. 16 Fresno State in a 50-42 win Nov. 19. "The BCS people are probably pretty happy with the way things are now."

UCLA (9-1, 6-1), which enters at No. 11 in the AP Top 25, gave the Trojans one of their toughest games of last season, losing 29-24. But that Bruins squad was unranked and went into the game with just a 6-4 record, having lost three of its previous five games.

This time, UCLA has been ranked for most of the season, and star tailback Maurice Drew will be healthy. Drew, the Bruins' version of USC star Reggie Bush, played just two snaps last year due to an ankle injury.

"We're anxious to prove that we're a pretty good football team," Bruins coach Karl Dorell said. "We've made those positive steps along the course of the season. I don't think anybody really anticipated for us to be where we are."

Bush, meanwhile, looks to further cement himself as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. He may have supplanted teammate Matt Leinart as the front-runner with a tremendous performance against Fresno State.

Bush totaled a school-record 513 all-purpose yards, including 294 rushing with two touchdowns on 23 carries. He had a 43-yard reception on the drive that led to the go-ahead touchdown, and the Trojans extended their overall winning streak to 33 games and home win streak to 26.

"Records don't matter, nothing matters when you take the field," said Bush, who has 2,338 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns. "All the hype is going to be there. It's one of the biggest rivalries in college football. This is one of the biggest games of the season."

Bush and LenDale White both have topped 1,000 yards rushing and have combined to run for 32 touchdowns. White is expected to play despite suffering a bruised left shoulder Monday in practice.

Leinart has thrown for 3,217 yards and 24 touchdowns, but has just 446 yards and one score in his last two games.

UCLA has bided its time for USC and has not played since a 45-35 win Nov. 12 over Arizona State. The rest served the Bruins well last year, when they waited an equal amount of time before playing the Trojans at the Rose Bowl.

"We played well in that circumstance last year," said Bruins quarterback Drew Olson, who has thrown 30 TD passes this season. "Going through it last year and seeing how we played, we played pretty well against them. Mentally, I think that helps us, knowing that we can come out of a three-week bye and play some good football.

"It's kind of like a bowl game in a way. Guys were just more fired up."

Olson has been intercepted just three times in 322 attempts and leads the nation with a 172.5 passer efficiency rating.

Olson has gotten a huge boost this year from Drew, who has 1,226 yards from scrimmage and another 407 on punt returns while scoring 19 touchdowns. He and Olson have powered the Bruins to 40 points and 444.4 yards per game.

While the offense may be able to keep pace with the Trojans, Dorrell knows his biggest concern is on defense. He concedes it may be impossible to shut down Bush, so his team must find a way to at least limit his production.

"I don't know if you ever really can stop him," Dorrell said. "But we need to make sure we're paying attention to him and we need to restrict as many opportunities as we can."

UCLA has allowed 219.5 rushing yards and 30.6 points per game.

USC has won the last six meetings, its longest streak in the 76-year rivalry. The Trojans lead the series 40-27-7, and the Bruins have not won since 1998.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by EbDawson
Not unless Army beats Navy. :D

Funny story...

In the early '90's, when I was stationed in the Pentagon, of course the Army-Navy game is a big deal...

Not for enlisted people, but for officers, which of course is the majority of the people stationed there...

So the game comes around one of those years, and our division officer, who just happened to be a female Navy Captain (division officers in the Navy are usually Lieutenants), starts making a big deal out of the game....

My buddy, who's a hick from the swamps of Florida, tells her;

"Ma'am, with all due respect, that's Commissioned Officer bullshit"....

Kills me everytime I think about it....

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
Funny story...

In the early '90's, when I was stationed in the Pentagon, of course the Army-Navy game is a big deal...

Not for enlisted people, but for officers, which of course is the majority of the people stationed there...

So the game comes around one of those years, and our division officer, who just happened to be a female Navy Captain (division officers in the Navy are usually Lieutenants), starts making a big deal out of the game....

My buddy, who's a hick from the swamps of Florida, tells her;

"Ma'am, with all due respect, that's Commissioned Officer bullshit"....

Kills me everytime I think about it....

Neat!

Where's Pojo's take on this game. Navy's had a good year, they're 6-4. They'll be in the first Poinsetta Bowl Dec. 22 in San Diego vs. Colorado State. I'm thinking about going. Army's only 4-6 but they've won 4 straight. Unique rivalry to say the least. I think it's on the same time as USC-UCLA so most will be watching that one. I'll be flipping the channels.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Well, let me throw the old cliche out there....

"The records get thrown out the window on this one"....

And it's true for the most part...

The emotion of the game is something I think most of the other rivalry games can't match....

Having said that...

GO NAVY !!!!

[DlocRoth]

Yep I gotta go Navy here too....

I'll be on the horn with my granddad during this one....

Fuck Army!!

[ALinChainz]

Army-Navy is always pretty interesting regardless of the records.

USC-UCLA MIGHT be ...

Other than that, let me cast out the first HO-HUM ...

[POJO_Risin]

I never ho-hum on college football gameday my friend...nevah...

cuz you just never know...

Texas up 14-nil vs. Colorado...who just picked off Vince Young...and have the ball on the Texas 5...

[conmee]

I prefer boats to barracks... GO NAVY!!! lmao

Texas is just playing around now... 40something to 3 at the half... although I do cheer on the Buffaloes and Ralphie... much better mascot than that tired steer... he looks like he's ready for a spot on the grill next to a baked potato with all the trimmings... lol

Icon.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Looking like two BIG blowouts for the top dogs...

And yes, Navy is victorious once again.....

Gotta give those guys credit...

Not only do you have to get nominated to go to one of the service acadamies, you also have to make a 5-7 year commitment in the service...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

And is it just me, or does the UCLA QB look like he's throwing dying quails everytime he passes ???

[twonabomber]

i watched a half-hour of the Texas game when i was on break at work, and saw three touchdowns. unreal...

[ALinChainz]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
I never ho-hum on college football gameday my friend...nevah...

cuz you just never know...

Texas up 14-nil vs. Colorado...who just picked off Vince Young...and have the ball on the Texas 5...

I know ... and I thought these games might be closer than they were ...

I ended up watching more of the UofM-ND college hoop game.

How sad is THAT ...

[Warham]

Boring games.

I don't know how anybody could have sit through those that wasn't a fan of either school.

[ALinChainz]

Was a good time for a zzzzzzzzzzz .....

[Warham]

Wouldn't that be college football's worst nightmare if Florida State actually won that game tonight? What are they, 6-4? lol

[Brett]

Originally posted by Warham
Boring games.

I don't know how anybody could have sit through those that wasn't a fan of either school.

It was fucking awesome sitting in the stands though. :)

Fuck UCLA, fucking losers.

[Warham]

I'm sure you loved it. ;)

[Warham]

FSU just went up 10-3.