Cockiness: Not Too Bad, U.S.C.
By Paul Myerberg // Sep 2, 2010
This wasn’t South Carolina State, even if it wasn’t quite Alabama. Southern Mississippi is a solid non-B.C.S. conference team, one again headed towards yet another seven-win season culminating in yet another lower-tier bowl trip. So am I getting ahead of myself in dishing praise onto South Carolina? A little bit, yes, without question. On the other hand, you have to like what we saw from the Gamecocks in their 41-13 victory over Southern Miss last night: more solid defense, though not a perfect outing, to go with a great performance from the U.S.C. offensive line and backfield. Steve Spurrier has consistently preached a reliance on an effective running attack; perhaps last night showed that the Gamecocks have started to embrace this philosophy.
Tags: Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, Stephen Garcia, Steve Spurrier
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The Importance Of Utah-Pittsburgh
By Paul Myerberg // Sep 2, 2010
First-year starter Tino Sunseri will be key to Pittsburgh's success on offense.
There are 18 games on tonight’s docket, though only seven featuring two F.B.S. teams. U.S.C. opens its season at Hawaii — watch the Trojans make a statement, or at least try to score as many points as humanly possible. Ohio State opens its season on a Thursday, a rare occurrence for the Buckeyes. Northern Illinois and Iowa State is a game to watch, particularly with the Huskies looking to make a statement against a B.C.S. conference opponent. Likewise with Southern Mississippi, traveling to a distracted South Carolina; also with Middle Tennessee, which takes on Minnesota without Dwight Dasher, its all-Sun Belt quarterback. The game of the night, however, features No. 15 Pittsburgh at Utah, with both teams looking to start the 2010 season on a strong note. Why else is this game important?
Tags: Dion Lewis, Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh, Tino Sunseri, Utah
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Q&A: Eleven Warriors’ Luke Zimmerman
By Paul Myerberg // Sep 2, 2010
I asked Luke Zimmerman of Eleven Warriors about Terrelle Pryor, among other things.
My recent Ohio State preview predicted great things from the Buckeyes, though I fell short of projecting Ohio State as one of two teams playing for the national title in January. Was that a fair forecast for Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor and the rest of the Buckeyes? That’s a good question, and one I posed to Luke Zimmerman of the terrific Ohio State blog Eleven Warriors. That’s not all we discussed: I asked Luke what he thought of the Buckeyes in 2009 — were they better than most gave them credit for? What about Pryor’s Heisman chances? Ohio State also has a few position battles to watch: what does Luke think of brewing competitions going on at running back, wide receiver and free safety?
Tags: Eleven Warriors, Luke Zimmerman, Ohio State, Terrelle Pryor, The Heisman Trophy
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No. 1: Alabama
By Paul Myerberg // Sep 2, 2010
Saban reaches out over Alabama's podium, spreads out his hands and parts the Red Sea.
It’s taken 120 days, we’ve all gone up and down each team in the country, through the depth chart, the pros and cons, examined the coaching staff, the schedule, the team’s chances. Despite all that, we’re right back where we left off. Alabama is still No. 1, where it ended last season. The Tide are still led by an outstanding head coach, one whose thorough domination of his team’s next-closest SEC rival nearly sent another premier coach, Urban Meyer, into early retirement. The Tide still have a Heisman winner in the backfield, and if he’s not ready to go for SEC play, have the nation’s best backup at the position. Alabama still has every piece in place to make a repeat run at the national title. Don’t believe me? Just wait: this year’s team looks even better than it was in 2009.
Tags: Alabama, Nick Saban, The Countdown
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Revisiting the Big Ten Split
By Paul Myerberg // Sep 1, 2010
Jim Delany took a big chance splitting up Ohio State and Michigan, two longtime rivals.
Way back on June 12, way back when the Countdown had barely broken into double-digits, I took an early look at how the Big Ten might split following the addition of Nebraska in 2011. In that post, I assumed the conference would realign itself along one of three scenarios: by historic rivalries, by geography or by competitive balance. In my mind, each divisional split offered the 12-team conference some semblance of continuity, the deciding factor behind any eventual decision. Each scenario had its drawbacks, each its positives. Now that the divisional split is final — we think — let’s take a look at how my original projection compares with the real thing.
Tags: Big Ten, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
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No. 2: Boise State
By Paul Myerberg // Sep 1, 2010
The blue turf is what draws attention, but Boise spends plenty time in that orange section.
Hello, Cinderella. Does the shoe fit? If it doesn’t, don’t worry. The Broncos are good enough to have the ball come to them, instead of annually beating down the door of the B.C.S. year after year, year after year: Boise State is loaded. You like your college football a little more straightforward, a little less gimmicky, perhaps? Then look elsewhere. You think your team is better than Boise? Then you haven’t been paying attention, not for the last four years, at least. Boise State has everything we want in our national champion; everything but the pedigree, though that’s extremely overrated. You can have your pedigree: go sell some t-shirts, pack your 100,000-seat behemoth of a stadium. I’ll take Boise State, I’ll take them to win, I’ll take them against your star-laden roster every day of the week.
Tags: Boise State, Chris Petersen, The Countdown
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A Tough Road to Repeat
By Paul Myerberg // Aug 31, 2010
Mark Ingram heads to the sidelines, but his Heisman hopes remain alive.
Does Mark Ingram still have a shot at reclaiming his Heisman Trophy? Never say never, but it won’t be easy: Ingram will miss at least the season opener against San Jose State, most likely the marquee matchup against Penn State the next weekend, and perhaps the entire month of September. If Ingram simply misses San Jose State, no problem. That’s a tune-up game for the Tide either way, with Ingram likely to play only the first half and a series or two in the third quarter. He’d still put up 75-100 yards, maybe a score or two, but his output wouldn’t affect his Heisman candidacy in either direction.
Tags: Alabama, Mark Ingram, Nick Saban, The Heisman Trophy, Trent Richardson
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No. 3: Ohio State
By Paul Myerberg // Aug 30, 2010
Yet again, Tressel will lead the Buckeyes to the top of the Big Ten: that's seven straight.
There’s reason to love Ohio State. Begin with a loyal fan base, one that has come in droves to Ohio Stadium — at least 100,000 fans in the seats for 55 consecutive home games. Then there’s a coach who is nothing if not consistent: Jim Tressel has taken O.S.U. to seven B.C.S. bowls in nine years. Then there’s the way the Buckeyes ended last season, silencing critics throughout the nation by ending 2009 on a 6-0 run. The final victory, against Oregon in the Rose Bowl, propelled Ohio State into the spring on a very high note. Then there’s Terrelle Pryor, the much-hyped, much-maligned, better-than-you-think quarterback. The pieces are surely in place for another national title run.
Tags: Jim Tressel, Ohio State, The Countdown
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