Saturday, September 6th in College Football

Akron at Penn State, 11:00 a.m. on ABC / ESPN2 - Can jet lag help the Zips in Happy Valley in Week 2,  after Nittany Lions return from Dublin?

Arkansas State at Tennessee, 11:00 a.m. on SECN - Sun Belt opponent comes to Knoxville for Payday!

Buffalo at Army, 11:00 a.m. on CBSSN - The Bulls could spoil another one at West Point!

Central Michigan at Purdue, 11:00 a.m. on ESPN News - The Boilermakers seek second straight win vs. FBS opponent in Hazell era.

Florida Atlantic at Alabama, 11:00 a.m.SECN / SECN Video - Nebraska beat Owls 55-7 in season opener, so Cornhuskers fans will be watching closely for comparisons!

Howard at Rutgers, 11:00 a.m. on BTN - Scarlet Knights return home for home opener ahead of next week's B1G opener at home!

Kansas State at Iowa State11:00 a.m.FS1 - the Big 12 opener of '14 as the home team looks to regain a pulse after allowing 34 straight unanswered points in season opener vs. a FCS foe!

McNeese State at Nebraska, 11:00 a.m. on ESPNU - One site suggested 66-17, as the Cowboys seek third straight win over FBS opponent ...

Missouri at Toledo, 11:00 a.m. on ESPN - the MAC has opportunities to make noise in Week 2 of '14!

Oklahoma at Tulsa, 11:00 a.m. on ABC / ESPN2 - the Sooners have won seven straight by an average of 37 points per Phil Steele, so not likely to change.

SMU at North Texas, 11:00 a.m. on FSN Affiliates - rooting for Dan McCarney in Year 4 at Mean Green helm.

Stony Brook at UConn, 11:00 a.m. on SNY / ESPN-GP / espn3 - The Huskies should notch win ...

Western Illinois at Wisconsin, 11:00 a.m. on BTN - The Badgers return to Madison from Houston licking wounds and host MVfC team, FCS opponent in home opener.

Western Kentucky at Illinois, 11:00 a.m. on BTN - this could be a challenge for the Fighting Illini, but Tim Beckman's team stepped up in Week 2 last year!

South Carolina State at Clemson, 11:30 a.m. on ESPN-GP / espn3 / ACC Network - The Tigers look for win one in '14.

UAB at Mississippi State, 1:00 p.m. on FSN Affiliates / ESPN-GP / espn3 - the Bulldogs continue light load until Week 4 SEC opener.

Eastern Washington at Washington, 2:00 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) - Some have Eastern Washington #1 in FCS, so do they take care of business like North Dakota State vs. FBS big boys?

Fresno State at Utah, 2:00 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) - Fresno opened at Pac 12 USC in Week 1 to a big L.

Sacramento State at California, 2:00 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) - Okay, the Bears struggled in Week 2, but won only game last year, so they can double output in '14 already!

Ball State at Iowa, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 - The Cardinals have never scored on the Hawkeyes in two previous outputs (56-0, 45-0), so 34-0 will likely be 34-14, with Iowa's new '14 defense.

Ohio U at Kentucky, 2:30 p.m. on ESPNU - another MAC opportunity, as Mark Stoops looks reach win two of last year by Week 2.

Maryland at South Florida, 2:30 p.m. on CBSSN - the new B1G is looking to continue winning ways in '14.

Middle Tennessee at Minnesota, 2:30 p.m. on BTN - the Golden Gophers only won 24-17 in only prior meeting in '10.

Missouri State at Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m. on FSN Affiliates - The Cowboys look to rebound, after Week 1 loss to #1 Florida State.

Northern Illinois at Northwestern, 2:30 p.m.BTN - The Huskies are seeking third straight win over B1G for MAC pride.

USC at Stanford, 2:30 p.m. on ABC - Pac 12 opener with College Football Playoff positioning on the line in this slugfest ...

Eastern Michigan at Florida, 3:00 p.m. on SECN - The Gators were only 4-8 last year, but open with two soft FBS programs, before SEC opener in Week 3.

Georgia Tech at Tulane, 3:00 p.m. on ESPN News - first meeting in long series, since '82 as Green Wave return outdoors at new campus stadium today.

Nicholls at Arkansas, 3:00 p.m. on SECN - the Razorbacks lost SEC season opener, so lick wounds on FCS foe ...

Ole Miss at Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN - Week 2 SEC opener for each squad.

Michigan State at Oregon, 5:30 p.m. on FOX / FOX Deportes - one of these teams will rank in College Football Playoff top 4 with win!

Arizona State at New Mexico, 6:00 p.m. on CBSSN - Did you hear the joke about the Pac 12 going to a MWC venue ... what's the punchline, as Lobos have lost 17straight over Sun Devils?

East Carolina at South Carolina, 6:00 p.m. on ESPNU - Can the Gamecocks pull even in '14, as they are 4-5 vs. ECU since '91?

Rhode Island at Marshall, 6:00 p.m. on CSBA / ASN - Yawn, as top C-USA East leader continues soft non-conference slate to open '14!

San Jose State at Auburn, 6:00 p.m. on ESPN2 - The Tigers open non-conference slate, after 1-0 start in SEC.

SE Missouri State at Kansas 6:00 p.m. on ESPN-GP - Jayhawks are safer vs. FCS in season opener, than fellow Big 12 foe ...

BYU at Texas, 6:30 p.m. on FS1 - The Longhorns are 1-3 vs. the Cougars, after 40-21 loss at BYU last year.

The Citadel at Florida State, 6:30 p.m. on FSN Affiliates / RSN / ESPN-GP / espn3 - Doesn't help Seminoles SOS for '14.

Lamar at Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m. on SECN - Who was Johnny Football, as Kevin Sumlin's plug & play offense enjoys '14 with SEC win in Week 1.

Michigan at Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m. on NBC - As the year to year series comes to an end with the ACC-lite Fighting Irish.

Northwestern State at Baylor, 6:30 p.m. on FSN Affiliates - defending Big 12 champs lost bowl game to close '13 welcome '14 FCS opponent ahead of Week 3 road trip to MAC?

Sam Houston State at LSU, 6:30 p.m. on SECN - The Tigers enjoy four staight at home, after B1G win in Houston in Week 1.

Towson at West Virginia, 6:30 p.m. on RSPI - The Mountaineers should notch first win in Week 2, after loss to Bama in opener.

North Dakota State at Weber State, 7:00 p.m. on ALT / NBC ND (cable) / Big Sky Video - So, are the Bison primed for a fourth straight FCS title or will winning ways come to a close in '14 under new head man?

San Diego State at North Carolina, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN News / 4SD (cable) - The Tar Heels were 7-6 this year and haven't played a major foe yet in '14 to be ranked from our vantage point.

Virginia Tech at Ohio State, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN - Could this be Urban Meyer's first regular season loss in Columbus, as he begins Year 3 at Buckeyes helm?

Memphis at UCLA, 9:00 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) / Pac-12 Video - Bruins home opener, before another road trip East to Arlington.

Air Force at Wyoming, 9:15 p.m. on ESPNU - The Mountain West opener for each team ...

Colorado State at Boise State, 9:15 p.m. on ESPN2 - The Rams are an underdog in this MWC opener, after a nice in-state win over the Colorado Buffaloes.

Oregon State at Hawaii, 9:30 p.m. on CBSSN - The Rainbows host another Pac 12 opponent ahead of next week's date with the UNI Panthers.

Texas Tech at UTEP, 10:00 p.m. on FS1 - The Red Raiders look to take care of business on the road ...

Alcorn State at Southern Miss, 6:00 p.m. on $CSLive Video - The Golden Eagles have only one win in now the third year, so a win would be nice boost.

Campbell at Appalachian State, 5:00 p.m. on espn3 - Home opener aftet

Colorado at UMass, 2:00 p.m. on espn3 - another MAC opportunity in rare Big 5 home date.

Duke at Troy, 6:00 p.m. on espn3 - Trojans seek win #2 in 13 games vs. ACC foes in a nice home game vs. a Big 5 conference opponent.

Eastern Kentucky at Miami of Ohio, 2:30 p.m. on espn3 - FCS upset alert?

Florida A&M at Miami-FL, 6:00 p.m. on espn3 - Hurricane look to rebound vs. FCS opponent,  after losing ACC opener on Labor Day!

Gardner Webb at Wake Forest, 5:30 p.m. on espn3 - Demon Deacons need to win these games ...

Grambling at Houston, 7:00 p.m. on espn3 - Cougars host FCS opponent early in '14.

Idaho at Louisiana Monroe, 6:00 p.m. on espn3 - Welcome to Sun Belt Vandals!

Idaho State at Utah State, 7:00 p.m. on MWC Video1 / MWC Video2 - The Aggies should roll ...

Louisiana Tech at Louisiana Lafayette, 6:00 p.m. on espn3 - Does Tech QB Cody Sokol, former Hawkeye, lead team to road win?

Murray State at Louisville, 6:00 p.m. on espn3 - Home field advantage is back under coach Bobby Petrino?

Navy at Temple, 12:00 p.m. on espn3 - The Midshipmen fell to Ohio State, as they hit the road to the MAC ..

New Mexico State at Georgia State, 1:00 p.m. on espn3 - States fight for state bragging rights, really?

Northern Colorado at UNLV, 9:00 p.m. on MWC Video1 / MWC Video2 - Will Vegas rock vs. FCS at home?

Old Dominion at North Carolina State, 5:00 p.m. on espn3 - Monarchs come a marching to battle Wolfpack!

Richmond at Virginia, 2:30 p.m. on espn3 - Job changer as ex-Richmond coach looks for wins in '14 and Year 5.

South Alabama at Kent State, 1:00 p.m. on espn3 - Not a sexy MAC out of conference game in Week 2.

VMI at Bowling Green, 2:30 p.m. on espn3 - Falcons seeking first win in '14.

Wagner at Florida International, 5:00 p.m. on $CSLive Video / $Video - The Golden Panthers lost last year vs. FCS opponent to finish 1-11.  FIU opened with back to back home FCS games in '14.

Our early look at College Football Playoff Top 4:

1. Florida State
2. Oklahoma
3. Alabama
4. winner of Michigan State @ Oregon
Next: winner of USC @ Stanford

B1G is off to 0-1 start, so can Michigan break the tide vs. K-State in Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl tonight?

December 28, 2013

Minnesota falls 21-17 to Syracuse in Texas Bowl - Recap

Next up for Big Ten: Michigan (7-5) vs. Kansas State (7-5) 

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl

Tempe, Arizona

9:15 p.m. kickoff on ESPN (HD)
Big Ten Preview on game

Tempe, AZ -- The Big Ten Conference is off to a 0-1 start, with Minnesota's 21-17 loss to Syracuse. Some may say 0-3, since both Maryland and Rutgers also fell, and they will both join the Big Ten in 2014.

This is the first game ever between the Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten) and the Kansas State Wildcats (Big 12). It will come in the 25th annual Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke (1-1 in bowls at Michigan) is in his third season in Ann Arbor, as a head coach. The Wolverines finished with a disappointing 3-5 Big Ten record, including four losses in their final five B1G games. The Wolverines are 20-22 in bowl games, with a 23-20 overtime in the 2012 Sugar Bowl over Virginia Tech, but last year lost 33-28 to South Carolina late in the Outback Bowl.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has coached 22 years in Manhattan. He is a former Iowa offensive coordinator, so faced the Michigan Wolverines from 1979 to 1988, when Iowa-Michigan played, so Snyder is very familiar with the Wolverines tradition in the Big Ten. The Wildcats finished 5-4 this season in the Big 12, winning five of their final six conference games. Kansas State is 6-10 in bowl games, with five straight losses, including a 35-17 loss to Oregon in last year's Fiesta Bowl.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, in his
22nd season, as head coach.

Kansas State - Michigan preview from the Kansas City Star
Prediction by the Star: Kansas State 28-21 fueled by the Wildcats seeking to end five game bowl losing streak.

Kansas State is favored by five points in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

Michigan Pedigree from the official bowl site:
"The blue-blood Wolverines are competing their 134th season of college football. They boast 910 all-time wins, the most of any institution at any level of college football."

At one time, Kansas State before the arrival of coach Bill Snyder in 1989, the Wildcats were one of the lowest, most unsuccessful major college football programs. In the last twenty years, the Wildcats have played in 15 bowl games.

Michigan freshman
QB Shane Morris
(5-9 for 65 yards)
will start in bowl game.

Michigan will start a true freshman at quarterback for the bowl game, after junior Devin Gardner was injured during the 42-41 loss to Ohio State in the final Big Ten game. Shane Morris is a 6-3, 201 pound player, who was highly regarded out of high school, will get his first start. Gardner played through the injury in the loss to Ohio State.

 "I think he's had some great preparation. Obviously we were trying to figure out if Devin was going to be able to go," said coach Hoke. "Snap-wise Shane has taken a lot of the snaps between him and Russell Bellomy. He's done a tremendous job. I know his teammates have supported him. So we're excited about that."

Kansas State QB
Jake Waters as
a prep at Council Bluffs
St. Albert lead his
high school to two Iowa 1A State Titles,

Kansas State is lead by JUCO transfer Jake Waters, a 6-1 210 pound junior, who played at Iowa Western Community Council in 2012. Last year, Waters led his junior college to the national title. The Council Bluffs native lead his high school team to two state titles, as well.

Michigan has been in a lot of close games in 2013, after beginning the season with five straight wins, before the four overtime loss at Penn State. Hoke said, "No question, this football team is 11 points away from being 11-1. We haven't finished games and executed the way we needed to at the end of the games. If you look at Kansas State, they've been a dominant fourth-quarter team the last six football games. That's something that we've talked about. Our players understand that we need to do a better job of finishing football games. Also educating them about the success that Kansas State has had in the fourth quarter. They've scored 72 points and given up 31 in those last six games."

Since arriving in Ann Arbor for the 2011 season, Michigan has been transitioning from the spread attack of former coach, and present Arizona coach Rich Rodriquez, to a pro-set offense. The 2013 season was projected by many as a break-out season, but it was Michigan State, rather than Michigan, who broke out in the Big Ten.

Michigan has had trouble establishing a quality, consistent running game. In 2013, the offensive line has been struggling in many games. A running game could take some pressure off Morris in his first start. Senior Fitz Toussaint only averaged 3.5 yards per carry in 2013. Is Hoke turning to youngsters, when he said, "De'Veon (Smith), Derrick (Green), then Fitz (Toussaint). There's a good place in there for him also."

But, Hoke may look to pass in the bowl game, as he goes on to talk about Morris by saying, "number one, he's very athletic. He's a guy that can move around well in the pocket, can move up in the pocket. He's a guy who has a very strong arm. He can make all the throws. Obviously we recruited him at Michigan to be the quarterback at Michigan. This is a great opportunity. We have a lot of faith in how he goes about his business getting ready to play."

How will the offense and defense respond in the final game for the Michigan seniors? At the beginning of the season coach Hoke spoke a lot about the importance of seniors and leadership. He said this about winning the Buffalo Wild Wings game for the senior class, "it would be huge. It would be awesome. You want to win every game. Obviously that didn't happen. You want to be successful, do all these things. Going out with a win would feel phenomenal."

On the importance of finishing games in the fourth quarter, Hoke said ... "It's huge. This is a team that plays extremely well in the fourth quarter, Kansas State. We've done a good job throughout the year of getting consistently better. But we've fallen short a couple times."

On how big it would be to pick up a win, Hoke said ... "It's very important. It's not everything in the world. Obviously, you want to go out with a win. It's not detrimental to your program. But it's great for the seniors and putting the next team in position."

Kansas State QB Jake Waters running for daylight in 2013.

On the Kansas State quarterbacks' styles presenting a challenge Hoke said... "It does. It does. (Jake) Waters is a guy who probably gets short-selled a little bit on the athlete that he is. He's a good athlete who can run with the football also. But he's a guy they seem to be more comfortable with throwing the football. And (Daniel) Sams is a guy who is very athletic. He's like a tailback in there and will throw the ball, but most of the time they like to run it with him."

On Kansas State junior receiver Tyler Lockett Hoke said... We have great respect for Tyler Lockett. He's a guy who gets behind people in a lot of cases. Runs good routes. The comebacks they like, does a nice job of that. The timing between the quarterbacks and him, you can tell there's been a lot of work in it is off-season done."

Kansas State may know what is at stake tonight in Tempe

"If I'm not mistaken, it's been about 4,018 days since the last time K-State won a bowl game - 11 years exactly from today," Kansas State senior safety Ty Zimmerman said. "I know we're all ready for that streak to end. We've got a chance to do it tomorrow, so let's get it done."

The last bowl win by Kansas State was during the 2002 season, when Kansas State defeated Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl 34-27. Ironically, the Wildcats will be playing in the Sun Devils home stadium, so will karma favor Kansas State in Arizona?

The Big Ten may be stuck in the wake with the Michigan-Kansas State game. We shall see, who closes it out in the fourth quarter. Kansas State is the favorite, based on experience under center.

Final Saturday of 2013 brings us four bowl games from NYC, NC, Orlando & Tempe

Saturday, December 28th

Pinstripe Bowl:

Notre Dame (8-4) vs. Rutgers (6-6) at 11 a.m. on ESPN (HD)

The Fighting Irish square off with future B1G, Rutgers in Yankee Stadium to close out 2013 season!

Belk Bowl:

Cincinnati (9-3) vs. North Carolina (6-6) at 2:20 p.m. on ESPN (HD)

The AAC vs. ACC in Charlotte, so basically a home game for the Tar Heels!

Russell Athletic Bowl:

Louisville (11-1) vs. Miami-FL (9-3) at 5:45 p.m. on ESPN (HD)

Louisville's Charlie Strong returns to Sunshine State to face the Hurricanes and coach Al Golden!

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl:

Kansas State (7-5) vs. Michigan (7-5) at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN (HD)

Bill Snyder's Wildcats face off with Brady Hoke's Wolverines in Sun Devil Stadium!

Two Sunday games, while 8 FBS programs fall to FCS teams in Week 1

Two more days of the Labor Day Holiday Weekend.  The NFL kicks off on Thursday night, so the only football today is in the College ranks.

Ohio U at Louisville 2:30 p.m. ESPN (HD) - Last year the Bobcats opened with an upset victory at Penn State, but coach Charlie Strong should have the Cardinals ready in this MAC vs. AAC match up.

Colorado vs. Colorado State in Denver 5:00 p.m. CBSSN (HD) - The battle for Colorado bragging rights is on the line in Denver today.

No FCS vs. FBS match ups today, but a great first weekend for many FCS programs knocking off the big school.  Eight FCS programs went on the road and defeated FBS teams to open the 2013 College Football season.

#1 FCS North Dakota State nailed Kansas State 24-21
Southern Utah downed South Alabama 22-21
Towson beat UConn 33-18
Sanford defeated Georgia State 31-21
Eastern Washington beat Oregon State 49-46
McNeese State drilled South Florida 53-21
Eastern Illinois downed San Diego State 40-19
Northern Iowa beat Iowa State 28-20

There will likely be more upsets before the end of the season.

Delany: Kirk Ferentz "great" coach and leader in College Football

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Big Ten Conference commissioner Jim Delany called University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz one of the best coaches in the country Thursday morning during a visit to Iowa City.

The 25-year commissioner is visiting all 12 conference institutions as part of a Fall Football Practice Tour. During the visit, UI director of athletics presented Delany a wooden, rocking chair in recognition of his service.

"Kirk has done a fabulous job here," said Delany. "They have not won as much as they would liked the last couple of years, but I think he is one of the great football coaches and leaders in the country. I am sure they'll be more competitive (this season)."

Delany talked about the difficulty of sustaining success, year-in-and-year-out. The Hawkeyes finished 4-8 in 2012 and weren't bowl eligible for the first time since 2000.

"One of the things I talking with Kirk about was the challenge of sustaining success," said Delany. "Michigan had a drop-off, but they were the only major team in the country to win eight games every year for 20-25 years. Sustainability is a difficult thing, it's rare to see."

Michigan is seeking its first Big Ten title, since 2004, as is Iowa.

#1 Alabama has won three of the last four BCS titles, but finished 4-9 in 2003 and 6-7 in 2006.  #2 Ohio State was 6-7 in 2011. 

Cycles do happen as Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder went 4-7 and 5-6 in 2004 and 2005, respectively.  They welcomed a new coach for three years with little success or improvement, but with Snyder's return finished 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons, after 6-6 and 7-6.

After another wave of conference realignment hit in 2012-13, Delany says current expansion talk is calm.  Maryland and Rutgers will begin conference play in 2014.

"People are spending their time on integrating and building," he said. "All of us have responsibility now that most of us are in two regions to build our conferences and fan base.

"(Big Ten) is feeling good about the growth and recognition in the eastern corridor. We have a lot of alums in that corridor."

Iowa and Nebraska have competed in The Heroes Game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) in each of the past two seasons, and will meet on the same day through the 2017 season.

"We like to use that Friday if we can find a good game to put in it," said Delany. "Both Iowa and Nebraska have been willing to play, and I hope they stay open and flexible to it. I don't know where it goes in the future."

With increased television exposure, Delany says college football players are under more scrutiny in today's landscape than they have ever been in the past.

"I said make good decisions for yourself, make them for your teammates and family, have fun and take advantage of the great opportunities, both educational and athletics, the Big Ten provides," said Delany. "It will be the greatest time of your life, but realize, there will be a lot of scrutiny.

"You try to teach, lead and encourage them to make the decisions, and that's part of growing up, part of playing Big Ten football."

Iowa opens the regular season Aug. 31, hosting Northern Illinois inside Kinnick Stadium beginning at 2:30 p.m. (CT).

Make or break Saturday for many College Football programs?

Is Iowa State a Top 25 program in '12?  Beat #6 Kansas State on Saturday and jump to 5-1; and the Cyclones would clearly be worthy of Top 25 consideration, despite the coaches premature approval, after win over TCU.  By the way, the coaches still had TCU ahead of ISU in the Top 25 and no Texas Tech.

Iowa is coming off a bye week.  In 2011, it wasn't pretty heading to Penn State, but in 2010, Iowa coming off a bye week ended in a win @ Michigan.  On Saturday, Iowa heads to #24 Michigan State to begin a seven week journey in the B1G to close out the regular season.

Red River Rivalry: Which team hits two losses first?  #11 Oklahoma vs. #16 Texas in Dallas on Saturday!

The Big Ten Leaders may have the game of the year on Saturday, with Wisconsin @ Purdue?

What gives in Week 7: Make or Break anyone in College Football?


Saturday, October 13th

• #19 Louisville at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m. on ESPNU (HD) - The Cardinals open Big East play on the road, against a Pitt team with only one solid win of note, in the OOC in '12.

• Iowa at #24 Michigan State, 11 a.m. on ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3 - The over/under is 31 today; can Iowa pull out the 20-19 win in East Lansing to move to .500 on the road in this series?

• #6 Kansas State at Iowa State, 11 a.m. on FX (HD) - The Wildcats are lead by senior QB Collin Klien.  Could ISU coach Paul Rhoads be ready to notch another profile victory, like the Oklahoma State win in '11?

• Kent State at Army, 11 a.m. on CBSN (HD) - Does the MAC with the Golden Flashes notch another OOC win on the season?

• Northwestern at Minnesota, 11 a.m. on ESPN2 (HD) / espn3 - The Golden Gophers were flat at Iowa in returning Floyd to the Hawkeyes, so can coach Jerry Kill pull off a B1G win over a Northwestern team heading to the road again, after first loss @ PSU last year?

• #11 Oklahoma at #16 Texas (Dallas), 11 a.m. on ABC (HD) - The Longhorns have gone down to the wire two straight weeks in the Big 12, while the Sooners are coming off a solid win in Lubbock!

• Syracuse at # 20 Rutgers, 11 a.m. on SNY / MASN / CSCA / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn 3 - The Orange have been up and down in '12, while the Rutgers are looking to get to bowl eligible on Saturday.

• UAB at Houston, 11 a.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - A C-USA game... 

• Wisconsin at Purdue, 11 a.m. on BTN (HD) - The winner on Saturday owns tiebreaker for the Leaders ticket in the '12 race to the Big Ten title game.  Holy Boilermakers are in the race in '12?

• Auburn at Ole Miss, 11:21 a.m. on SEC Network / ESPN-GP / espn3 - Who hits the bottom of the SEC West on Saturday?  It may get a little more hot in the seat for Gene Chizik in Auburn?

• Duke at Virginia Tech, 11:30 a.m. on (ESPN-GP / espn3) / ACC Network (HD) - The Hokies are not playing well, while the Blue Devils are in '12.

• SMU at Tulane, 12 p.m. on (CSBA / CSBAa) / CSS (cable) - Another C-USA game ...

• North Carolina at Miami-FL, 1:30 p.m. on ESPNU (HD) / espn 3 - The Hurricane are undefeated in ACC play in '12, but two ugly losses vs. Top 10 Kansas State and Notre Dame on the road.

• Maryland at Virginia, 2 p.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / ESPN-GP - The ACC is not going to represent in the BCS title hunt in '12 and these two teams were not candidates to begin with.

• Utah at UCLA, 2 p.m. on FOX (HD) - Do the young Bruins rebound, after ups and downs in Pac 12 play in '12?

• #1 Alabama at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. on CBS (HD) / cbssports.com - This game should be a blow out, as defending BCS champs come off bye week...

• Buffalo at Northern Illinois, 2:30 p.m. on CSNC / ESPN-GP - The Huskies have won, since opening season loss in Soldier Field by 1.

• Fresno State at #23 Boise State, 2:30 p.m. on NBCSN (HD) - The Broncos look to remain in the Top 25 and on top in the MWC race as they close out final year in conference.

• Illinois at #25 Michigan, 2:30 p.m. on (ABC / ESPN) (HD) - The Wolverines look to get to 2-0 to stay a top in the Legends ahead of in-state game with Spartans next week.

• Oklahoma State at Kansas, 2:30 p.m. on FSN Affililates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - The Cowboys are young at QB, but the Jayhawks continue work to climb up from the bottom of the Big 12.

• #10 Oregon State at BYU, 2:30 p.m. on ABC (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - The out of conference battle featuring each teams #2 QB... history favors home team in this one?

• #13 Stanford at #7 Notre Dame - The Fighting Irish are in the Top 10, so a win today puts them in the BCS Top 10, which will be released at the end of Week 7 on Sunday night.

• UTSA at Rice, 2:30 p.m. on FCSP (cable) / DirecTV: 623 - A WAC vs. C-USA game in Houston, with the UTSA Roadrunners coming into this one undefeated in '12!

• #4 West Virginia at Texas Tech - Could back to back trips to the State of Texas in two weeks lead to upset alert in Lubbock on Saturday?  Does Texas Tech lose back to back home games in Big 12?

• Utah State at San Jose State, 3 p.m. on ALT / MASN / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3 - The WAC battle unfolds... 

• Memphis at East Carolina, 3:30 p.m. on (CSBA / CSBAa) / CSS (cable) - Our third C-USA game on Saturday!

• Boston College at #15 Florida State, 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2 (HD) - The Seminoles title game will not be in the BCS in '12, but an ACC title is realistic for '12.

• #5 Florida at Vanderbilt, 5 p.m. on ESPNU (HD) - The Gators travel to Nashville, as the Commodores are coming off big road win @ Missouri.

• Air Force at Wyoming, 6 p.m. on RSRM / RSNW - The MWC doesn't have the luster of the past, as programs like BYU, Utah and TCU have moved on...

• Idaho at Texas State, 6 p.m. on ALT (HD) / ESPN-GP / cable / espn3 - Can the Vandals pick up a W, after plenty of frequent travel miles thus far in '12?

• Kentucky at Arkansas, 6 p.m. on Fox Sports South *6 (HD) / ESPN-GP - Can the Razorbacks and coach John L. Smith pick up back to back conference wins in the SEC?

• TCU at Baylor, 6 p.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - These teams used to battle in the old SWC, but in '12 it has moved to the Big 12... welcome back Horned Frogs!

• #14 USC at Washington, 6 p.m. on FOX (HD) - The Trojans hit the road to Seattle, which wasn't pleasant last go around!

• Florida Atlantic at Louisiana-Monroe, 7 p.m. on (ESPN-GP / espn3) *2 / Sun Belt Network - A little Sun Belt flare anyone?

• #8 Ohio State at Indiana, 7 p.m. on BTN (HD) / btn2go.com - The Buckeyes hit the road in the Big Ten Network prime time game, after IU missed vs. Spartans last week!  Urban Meyer looks to get to 7-0, but no bowling in '12.

• #3 South Carolina at #9 LSU, 7 p.m. on ESPN (HD) - This game is the biggest game on Saturday, in the SEC and overall in College Football!

• Southern Miss at UCF, 7 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - Our fourth C-USA game of the day!

• Tennessee at #12 Mississippi State, 8 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - Can the Bulldogs get bowl eligible in just 6 games and remain undefeated in the SEC and overall for '12?

• #22 Texas A&M at Louisiana Tech (Shreveport), 8 a.m. on ESPNU (HD) - The Aggies are having a good start as new members of the SEC, while LA Tech looks to remain undefeated in '12 and earning a slot in the Top 25.

• California at Washington State, 9:30 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com - Winning on the road is often never easy, but can the Golden Bears get over the hurdle ahead at Wazzu?

• New Mexico at Hawaii, 11 p.m. on RSRM / Oceanic PPV - The Bob Davie era is on at UNM, while the Warriors look for first win in year one in MWC.

• Akron at Ohio U., 1 p.m. on epsn3 - Coach Frank Solich seeks to remain undefeated in '12.

• Colorado State at San Diego State, 5:30 p.m. on (KTVD / TW) (cable) - The Aztecs look get above .500 in the MWC on Saturday!

• Miami-OH at Bowling Green, 2:30 p.m. on espn3 / BCSN - The visiting RedHawks are undefeated in MAC play, while Bowling Green can get to 2-1, with a win at home.

• Middle Tennessee at Florida International, 5 p.m. on Video (not sure if free) - Can MTU get to above .500 in the Sun Belt race in '12 on Saturday?

• Nevada at Nevada-Las Vegas, 2 p.m. on (TW / Charter / Cox (NV)) (cable) / espn3 - Both teams are undefeated thus far in the MWC, so one is jumping forward...

• South Alabama at Arkansas State, 6 p.m. on $ Video - Sun Belt Alabama vs. Sun Belt Arkansas is not quite to same as SEC play!

• Temple at Connecticut, 12 p.m. on espn3 - The Owls are 1-0 in conference play, while UConn fell in the Big East opener.

• Toledo at Eastern Michigan, 12 p.m. on Video? - MAC football can be good, bad and ugly!

• Western Michigan at Ball State, 2 p.m. on epsn3 - A key game to remain relevant in the MAC West in '12?

The BCS ratings are announced on Sunday night for the first time in '12.  Game on!

Week 5 Recap and CIDSports Top 25, as we close out September in College Football

 College Football closed out September with some surprises and another week of interesting games ...

• Former #4 Stanford falls on Thursday night @ Washington 17-13!
• Friday night football was a yawn, as BYU blanks Hawaii 47-0!
• The Big Ten opened play with five games from the battle for Floyd of Rosedale to Wisconsin @ Nebraska on ABC in prime time on Saturday night!
• West Virginia 70, Baylor 63 as Mountaineers welcome the Big 12 era!
• Another FCS win as Stony Brook beats Army 23-3!
• Iowa State falls for the first time, as Texas Tech come into Ames and beat the Cyclones 24-13!
• Texas @ Oklahoma State wins 41-36 to open Big 12 play!
• #3 Oregon beats Washington State 51-26 in Pac 12 play!

CIDSports Top 25 after Week 5 and the close of September play:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 SEC West) 1 - The defending BCS champions closed out September undefeated with a 33-14 win over Ole Miss.  Week 6: Bye week, as Crimson Tide head to the Show Me State in Week 7 @ Missouri.

2. LSU Tigers (5-0, 1-0 SEC West) 2 - The defending SEC champions closed out September undefeated with a lackluster win over FCS Towson 38-22.  Week 6: @ Florida, as the meat of the schedule begins for the Tigers.

3. Oregon Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Pac 12 North) 3 - The defending Pac 12 champions closed out September undefeated with a 51-26 win @ Washington State.  Week 6: vs. #22 Washington, as Ducks attempt to stay on top in the Pac 12, in search of fourth straight Pac 12 title.

4. Florida State Seminoles (5-0, 2-0 ACC Atlantic) 5 - The Seminoles hit the road and took care of a Big East opponent in an OOC game @ South Florida 30-17.  Week 6: @ North Carolina State (3-2, 0-1 ACC Atlantic), as the Seminoles return to conference play on the road.

5. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-0, 3-0 SEC East) 6 - The Gamecocks continue winning ways with a 38-17 road win @ Kentucky.  Week 6: vs. # 6 Georgia, as the 3-0 Gamecocks and Bulldogs look to move to 4-0 and top position in the SEC East.

6. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0, 3-0 SEC East) 9 -  The Bulldogs beat Tennessee 51-44 in an important SEC East game.  Week 6: @ #5 South Carolina, as Bulldogs look to get back a victory in this series, after losing two straight!

7. Kansas State Wildcats (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) 7 - The Wildcats enjoyed a bye week, after picking up a conference road win @ Oklahoma the previous week. Week 6: vs. Kansas (1-3, 0-1 Big 12), as Kansas schools square off in little Manhattan.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) 8 - The Mountaineers rolled to victory in a 70-63 shootout with former #19 Baylor in the Big 12 debut.  Week 6: @ #10 Texas, which should provide more of contrast between offense and defense.

9.  Florida Gators (4-0, 3-0 SEC East) 10 - The Gators enjoyed a bye week to close out September, as second year under coach Will Muschamp is off to a good start.  Week 4: vs. #2 LSU, in a key SEC East vs. West match up for the Gators.

10. Texas Longhorns (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) 15 - The Longhorns win @ then #21 Oklahoma State 41-36 to open Big 12 play.  Week 6: vs. #8 West Virginia, which will clearly be the biggest test to date for the Longhorns, who continue the third year of a rebuilding project, after participating in the BCS title game at the end of the '09 season.

11. Stanford Cardinal (3-1, 1-1 Pac 12) 4 - The Cardinal dropped a Thursday night Pac 12 showdown @ Washington 17-13 to fall for the first time in '12.  Week 6: vs. Arizona (3-2, 0-2 Pac 12), as the Cardinal work to get back to winning in the Pac 12.

12. USC Trojans (3-1, 1-1 Pac 12) 11 - The Trojans enjoyed a bye week to end September.  Week 6: @ Utah (2-2, 0-1 Pac 12), in an important road test in the Pac 12 South.

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0) 13 - The Fighting Irish closed out September with a bye week.  Week 6: vs. Miami-FL (4-1, 3-0 ACC Coastal) - the game will be in Chicago at Soldiers Field, with both looking to get a nice win in the ND-ACC match up.  The Irish beat the Hurricane 33-17 in the 2010 Sun Bowl.

14. TCU Horned Frogs (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) 12 - The Horned Frogs concluded September undefeated with a bye week ahead of continuing Big 12 play in October.  Week 6: vs. Iowa State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12), as the Cyclones dropped the Big 12 opener 24-13 at home vs. Texas Tech.

15. Oklahoma Sooners (2-1, 0-1 Big 12) 14 - The Sooners have only played three games to open September, with two bye weeks, including one to close the month.  Week 6: @ Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12), in a key match up in Lubbock for both teams.

16. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten Leaders) 16 - The Urban Meyer era enjoys Juice @ Michigan State, with a 17-16 win to open Big Ten play for '12.  Week 6: vs. #21 Nebraska, as the Buckeyes look to continue on the plus side in the Leaders, as the Cornhuskers want the same in the Legends division.

17. Clemson Tigers (4-1, 1-1 ACC Atlantic) 17 - The Tigers rebounded in conference play with a 45-31 win @ Boston College.  Week 6: vs. Georgia Tech (2-3, 1-2 ACC Coastal), who are coming off a 49-28 loss at home vs. Middle Tennessee.

18. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0 SEC West) 22 - The Bulldogs closed out September undefeated with a bye week.  Week 6: @ Kentucky (1-4, 0-2 SEC East), as the Bulldogs look to have strong October in coach Dan Mullen's fourth season.

19. Oregon State Beavers (3-0, 2-0 Pac 12) 23 - The Beavers have won back to back Pac 12 road games to open the season, with the most recent a 38-35 win @ Arizona.  Week 6: vs. Washington State (2-3, 0-2 Pac 12), as the Beavers get to open conference play at home vs. Cougars.

20. Louisville Cardinals (5-0) 20 - The Cardinals survive a rain storm and 21-17 win @ Southern Miss.  Week 6: Bye week, as they prepare for Big East opener @ Pitt in Week 7.

21. Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten Legends) 25 - The Cornhuskers opened their second year in the Big Ten with a comeback win over Wisconsin 30-27.  Week 6: @ Ohio State, in a key road test for coach Bo Pelini, as he enjoys an opportunity to get another notch against his alma mater.

22. Washington Huskies (3-1, 1-0 Pac 12 North) nr - The Huskies beat then #4 Stanford 17-13 to notch another big win in the fourth year of the Steve Sarkisian era.  Week 6: @ #3 Oregon, in a huge Pac 12 North game, after beating the other giant in the North to close September.

23. UCLA Bruins (4-1, 1-1 Pac 12 South) nr - The young Bruins appear to like playing on the road, with a 42-14 win @ Colorado, after losing Pac 12 home opener a week before.  Week 6: @ California (1-4, 0-2 Pac 12 North).

24. Boise State Broncos (3-1, 1-0 MWC) 24 - The Broncos closed September with a road win to open MWC play, with a 32-29 win over New Mexico.  Week 6: @ Southern Miss (1-3), as the C-USA host the MWC Broncos in an OOC showdown.

25. Northwestern Wildcats (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten Legends) nr - The Wildcats opened B1G play with a 44-29 home win vs. Indiana 44-29 to stay undefeated and earn a slot in the Top 25.  Week 6: @ Penn State (3-2, 1-0 Big Ten Leaders), as the Wildcats hit the road in Happy Valley to face the Nittany Lions pulled off the win in Evanston last season.

Out of Top 25 after Week 5:

Former #18 Michigan State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten Legends) - the Spartans lost at home 17-16 in Big Ten opener to #16 Ohio State.  Next up: @ Indiana (2-3, 0-1 Big Ten Leaders), as they work to get back up into the Big Ten title race and Top 25.  Former #19 Baylor (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) - the Bears lose shoot out @ #8 West Virginia 70-63 to fall for first time in '12.  Next up: Bye Week!  Former #21 Oklahoma State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) - the Cowboys lost at home in the Big 12 opener to then #15 Texas 41-36.  Next up: Bye week!

FCS upsets for Week 5:

Independent Army (0-4) falls to an FCS program, as Stony Point beats the Cadets 23-3 to continue the woes at Army.

Breakdown of OOC records in Week 5 by conference and Notes:

SEC - 2-0 vs. OOC opponents, with a FCS win and a C-USA win.  The SEC East is lead by 3-0 Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.  The SEC West is lead by Alabama at 2-0, with LSU and Mississippi State at 1-0.

Big Ten - 1-0 vs. OOC opponents, with win over C-USA.  Northwestern, Nebraska and Iowa open 1-0 in the Legends division, while Ohio State and Penn State open 1-0 in the Leaders division in '12.

Big 12 - 1-0 vs. OOC opponent, with win @ C-USA.  Big 12 has five teams at 1-0, with Kansas State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia, so very early race, like most conferences.

Pac 12 - Strictly Pac 12 play as Oregon and Oregon State lead the North at 2-0, while Arizona State is 2-0 to lead South heading into October.

ACC - 2-3 vs. OOC opponents, with wins over WAC and Big East wins, but losses vs. Sun Belt, WAC and Big East.  The Atlantic division is lead by Florida State at 2-0, while the Coastal division is lead by Miami-FL at 3-0, with Duke and Virginia Tech at 1-0.

Big East - 3-1 vs. OOC opponents, with wins over MAC, ACC and @ C-USA, with lone loss vs. ACC.  No conference games in Week 5, as Rutgers and Cincinnati take 1-0 lead in Big East to close out September.

MWC - 1-2 vs. OOC opponents, with win @ WAC, but losses @ Independent and @ WAC.  Nevada, Boise State, Fresno State and UNLV are all 1-0 as the MWC closes out September play.

C-USA - 0-5 vs. OOC opponents, with losses @ SEC, @ Big Ten, vs. Sun Belt, vs. Big 12 and vs. Big East.  To end September in C-USA, UCF and Marshall are 1-0 in the East, while Tulsa is 2-0 and Houston 1-0 in the West.

Independents - 1-2 vs. OOC opponents, with win over MWC, while losses at home vs. FCS and vs. WAC.  Only one game has been played in September between fellow Independents, with Notre Dame's win over Navy.

WAC - 3-2 vs. OOC opponents, with wins over @ ACC, @ Independent and vs. MWC, while losses @ MWC and @ ACC.  UTSA is 1-0 to open WAC play in September with the lead.

MAC - 1-1 vs. OOC opponents, with win over FCS, while lost @ Big East.  MAC leaders to end September were Kent State and Miami-OH at 2-0, with Ohio U. at 1-0 in the MAC East; while Toledo at 2-0 and Northern Illinois at 1-0 to lead MAC West.

Sun Belt - 2-0 vs. OOC opponents with wins @ ACC and @ C-USA to close out September.  At the end of September, Louisiana-Lafayette leads the conference race at 2-0, with Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee at 1-0.  Troy is 2-1., with Arkansas State and North Texas 1-1.

Red River Rivarly Game: #7 Oklahoma vs. #18 Texas in Week 5

This should be an interesting game on Saturday in Dallas, as another Red River Rivalry game is on tap. Oklahoma (4-0) hasn't beat Texas, since '07. Texas (3-1) enters the game like '07, coming off a big home loss, after UCLA beat the Longhorns 34-12 in Austin. In '07, the Longhorns, were -14 favorites in Austin, but lost by 20 points to Kansas State. The next game was the RRR game and the Sooners prevailed by eight. Is coach Mack Brown headed to another defeat vs. coach Bob Stoops in Dallas on Saturday?

peace

It's College Gameday: Week 3

Saturday, September 18Th
Times are Central Time

Sorry, but we see two Top 25 match-ups, not one, in Week 3. Most talk has been about #4 Iowa (2-0) @ #21 Arizona (2-0), but #5 Texas (2-0) @ #13 Texas Tech (2-0) is a Top 25 match-up, as well. Texas Tech, with new coach Tommy Tubberville, has been in our Top 25, since the preseason, coming off the heals of their Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State. Both games should be two of the best in Week 3 of the 2010 College Football season.

• #17 Arkansas at Georgia, 11:00 a.m., ESPN (HD)
• Ball State at Purdue, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Connecticut at Temple, 11:00 a.m., SNY / MASN / ESPN-GP / ERTV (cable)
• Georgia Tech at North Carolina, 11:00 a.m., ESPN-GP *2 / Raycom (HD) *3
• Iowa State vs. Kansas State (Kansas City), 11:00 a.m., FSN (HD)
• Kent State at #23 Penn State, 11:00 a.m., ESPN2 (HD)
• Maryland at #25 West Virginia, 11:00 a.m., ESPNU (HD)
• North Texas at Army, 11:00 a.m., CBSC (HD)
• Northern Illinois at Illinois, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Ohio at #2 Ohio State, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• UMass at # 24 Michigan, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Vanderbilt at Ole Miss, 11:21 a.m.,SEC Network / ESPN-GP
• Air Force at #9 Oklahoma , 2:30 p.m., FSN (HD)
• #1 Alabama at Duke, 2:30 p.m., ABC *1 / ESPN-GP *2
• Arizona State at #10 Wisconsin, 2:30 p.m., ABC *1 / ESPN2 *7
• BYU at Florida State, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU (HD)
• Colorado State at Miami (Ohio), 2:30 p.m., STO *8 / ESPN-GP
• #6 Florida at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m., CBS (HD) / cbssports.com
• Hawaii at Colorado, 2:30 p.m., DirecTV - 623 or 617 / FCS Central (cable)
• #12 Nebraska at Washington, 2:30 p.m., ABC *1 / ESPN2 *7 / ESPN-GP *2
• #19 USC at Minnesota, 2:30 p.m., ESPN (HD)
• Washington State at SMU, 2:30 p.m., CBSC (HD)
• Baylor at #7 TCU, 3:30 p.m., Versus (HD)
• Indiana at Western Kentucky, 4:00 p.m., BTN (HD)
• Louisville at Oregon State, 4:30 p.m., FSNW / FCS Pacific (cable)
• Akron at Kentucky, 6:00 p.m., FSS / SUN / FSNO / FSAZ / ESPN-GP
• Central Florida at Buffalo, 6:00 p.m., ESPN-GP / (Time-Warner / BHSN) (cable)
• Clemson at #18 Auburn, 6:00 p.m., ESPN (HD) / ESPN 3D
• Furman at #16 South Carolina, 6:00 p.m., ESPN-GP *2 / PPV (SC)
• Marshall at Bowling Green, 6:00 p.m., ESPN-GP / WASZ (cable)
• Mississippi State at #14 LSU, 6:00 p.m., ESPNU (HD)
• San Diego State at Missouri, 6:00 p.m., PPV (HD)
• Maine at Syracuse, 6:30 p.m., SNY
• #3 Boise State at Wyoming, 7:00 p.m., CBSC (HD)
• Fresno State at Utah State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN-GP / WAC Sports Network
• Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN-GP *2 / (CSS & CST) (cable)
• Notre Dame at Michigan State, 7:00 p.m., (ABC or ESPN2 *7) (HD)
• #5 Texas at #13 Texas Tech, 7:00 p.m., (ABC or ESPN2 *7) (HD)
• #11 Utah at New Mexico, 7:00 p.m., MTN (HD)
• #20 Houston at UCLA, 9:30 p.m., FSN (HD)
• #4 Iowa at #21 Arizona, 9:30 p.m., ESPN (HD)
• UNLV at Idaho, 9:30 p.m., ESPNU (HD)
• Wake Forest at #22 Stanford, 10:15 p.m., ESPN2 (HD)

Games not selected for nationally available networks.

• Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 3:00 p.m.
• East Carolina at Virginia Tech, 12:30 p.m., espn3.com
• Florida International at Texas A&M, 6:00 p.m.
• Middle Tennessee at Memphis, 6:00 p.m.
• Navy at Louisiana Tech, 6:00 p.m., espn3.com
• New Mexico State at UTEP, 8:00 p.m.
• Northwestern at Rice, 6:00 p.m.
• Portland State at #8 Oregon, 5:15 p.m., Comcast OR & WA (cable)
• Southern Utah at San Jose State, 7:00 p.m.
• Toledo at Western Michigan, 6:00 p.m.
• Troy at UAB, 3:00 p.m.
• Tulsa at Oklahoma State, 6:00 p.m.

FCS Game Watch

• Stephen F. Austin (1-1) @ Northern Iowa (1-0)
  The Panthers host a strong passing team in FCS play at the Dome!

peace

One Week Left: 2008 College Football season kicks off

Iowa State will host one of the first games of the 2008 college football season from Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. The ISU Cyclones face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, a FCS school, with a 7 pm start on August 28, 2008.

One week from today, the 2008 college football season will begin. Also, in the State of Iowa, high school football will begin, with the first week of action.

The Cyclones are coming off a 3-9 (2-6 in Big 12 in '07) season under second year head coach Gene Chizik. The Jackrabbits were 7-4 last year and will join the University of Northern Iowa in the new Missouri Valley Football Conference (formerly known as the Gateway) for 2008.

This will be a huge game for the Jackrabbits, who last year did not face a FBS opponent. As Jackrabbits head coach John Stiegelmeier points out in this "big time" game:

‘‘Normally we talk about a game three, four days before we play it. So we
started six, seven months early,’’ Stiegelmeier said Monday. ‘‘We did that
because things have changed. It’s a higher level. We need to have that focus.’’

Iowa State is on a one game losing streak to FCS programs, after losing to UNI at home in '07. However, the Cyclones are on a two game winning streak at Jack Trice, with back to back Big 12 wins over Colorado and Kansas State in '07.

One week from today... we will kick off the 2008 college football season!

peace

Iowa Basketball 2008-09: Solid slate in Las Vegas

The University of Iowa men's basketball team will face West Virginia in the Las Vegas Invitational this season. The Hawkeyes will close the Invitational facing either the University of Kentucky or Kansas State.

Coach Todd Lickliter will enter his 2nd season as Iowa's head coach in '08-'09. Lickliter's Hawkeyes will benefit this season with six new scholarship players on the roster for the Hawkeyes.

peace