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  • LSU 38, Ohio State 24: The Day After

    Number of comments: 144
    Les Miles admires his newfound hardware.APNEW ORLEANS -- I can't speak for everyone, but I know one of the first things I inevitably do after covering a championship game is read what everybody else wrote. One thing stood out to me about the coverage of Monday night's game: People just [...]
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    Posted: January 08, 2008, 1:52pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Halftime: LSU 24, Ohio State 10

    Number of comments: 61
    LSU QB Matt Flynn (left) played a brilliant first half, throwing a pair of touchdown passes.Doug Benc/Getty ImagesNEW ORLEANS -- The first half of Monday night’s BCS Championship Game was itself a tale of two halves.Early on, Ohio State looked like the sharper, faster, better-prepared team, starting with Beanie Wells’ [...]
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    Posted: January 07, 2008, 9:56pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Yep ... It's Game Day

    Number of comments: 6
    Ohio State fans have made their presence felt in New Orleans.APNEW ORLEANS -- At long last, the game is here.What’s felt like the longest, most turbulent season in college football history (to me, at least) will come to a (hopefully) climactic end tonight at the Superdome. While it’s been unusually [...]
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    Posted: January 07, 2008, 6:38pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Ready, Set Smile: The Game's Almost Here

    Number of comments: 13
    Jim Tressel (left) and Les Miles were all smiles some 30 hours before kickoff.APNEW ORLEANS -- On the day before their teams are set to duel for the biggest prize in college football, LSU coach Les Miles and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel stood together behind the crystal coaches trophy, [...]
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    Posted: January 06, 2008, 5:29pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Media Day Mystery: 'Where's the Hat?'

    Number of comments: 54
    Les Miles' hat -- or a lack thereof -- was a hot topic Saturday.APNEW ORLEANS -- In nine years of attending BCS title-game Media Days, I've found that 90 percent of the questions fall into one of two categories: The most obvious, beaten-to-death storylines (Saturday morning, I watched Ohio State [...]
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    Posted: January 05, 2008, 3:27pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Hester a Cult Hero; OSU Wrinkle?

    Number of comments: 68
    As one of the hardest runners in the nation, LSU's Jacob Hester has averaged five yards a pop this season.Doug Benc/Getty ImagesNEW ORLEANS -- It’s Day Seven for me here in the Big Easy, and I kind of feel like one of these LSU players here talking about how refreshed' [...]
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    Posted: January 04, 2008, 5:42pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • West Virginia Outdoes Itself; OSU-LSU Talk

    Number of comments: 93
    Bill Stewart went 8-25 as the head coach at VMI from 1994-96.APNEW ORLEANS -- I’ll get to Ohio State-LSU (the reason I’m here) in a second, but I have to take a moment to comment on West Virginia’s incredibly bizarre decision to promote interim coach Bill Stewart to head coach [...]
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    Posted: January 03, 2008, 4:50pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Transitioning From Sugar to Title Game

    Number of comments: 184
    Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday.APNEW ORLEANS -- On the day after what Georgia coach Mark Richt appropriately dubbed “the longest game in the history of college football that didn’t go to overtime,” a changing of the guard was underway here at the Marriott. Moments [...]
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    Posted: January 02, 2008, 5:10pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • The Scene Before Kickoff

    Number of comments: 12
    NEW ORLEANS – We’re about a half-hour from kickoff here at the Sugar Bowl, but the Sugardome is already full and loud. Despite the impressive turnout from Hawaii, it’s still an overwhelmingly pro-Georgia crowd and they got mighty loud when the band played the school’s fight song.Warriors fans got pretty [...]
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    Posted: January 01, 2008, 8:25pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • More New Year's Observations

    Number of comments: 331
    Michigan players carried Lloyd Carr off the field following Michigan's 41-35 upset win over Florida.APNEW ORLEANS -- If ever you wondered just how much the BCS has affected college football, you should have been at the Gordon Biersch down the street from my hotel here during the second half of' [...]
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    Posted: January 01, 2008, 7:11pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • New Year's Observations Part I

    Number of comments: 89
    Mike Hart and the Wolverines were heavy underdogs coming into the Capital One Bowl.APNEW ORLEANS -- Well, this has been an unusual -- and pleasant -- New Year’s Day for me so far.Most years, I’m covering the Rose Bowl, which requires leaving the hotel about five hours early and is [...]
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    Posted: January 01, 2008, 3:35pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Sugar Bowl Set-Up: Is Moreno's Ankle OK?

    Number of comments: 16
    Thomas Brown will be the Bulldogs' starting tailback in the Sugar Bowl.Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesNEW ORLEANS -- The Sugar Bowl head coaches held their final pregame press conferences here Monday afternoon, and Georgia’s Mark Richt raised a couple of eyebrows with a bit of “news” regarding redshirt freshman sensation Knowshon Moreno.While' [...]
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    Posted: December 31, 2007, 6:16pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Bowl Blog

    Number of comments: 82
    NEW ORLEANS -- Happy bowl season, everybody.I come to you from the New Orleans Marriott/Convention Center, media headquarters for Tuesday's Sugar Bowl and next Monday's BCS Championship game -- and, in turn, my home for the next 10 days.My connecting flight from Houston on Saturday night was packed with giddy, [...]
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    Posted: December 30, 2007, 2:28pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Michigan Scores Home Run with Rodriguez

    Number of comments: 261
    Rich Rodriguez is leaving his native West Virginia to succeed Lloyd Carr at Michigan.APHow big is Rich Rodriguez to Michigan? In terms of the ramifications for both program and sport, it's college football's most significant hire since Florida landed Urban Meyer. Michigan, one of the last bastions of smash-mouth football [...]
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    Posted: December 16, 2007, 7:05pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Arkansas: Know What You're Getting Into

    Number of comments: 94
    From the outset, almost everything that could go wrong for Bobby Petrino in Atlanta did.APThere is much cause for celebration in Arkansas tonight. Eleven months of tested patience -- of star quarterbacks transferring and offensive coordinators resigning, of nasty e-mails and leaked cell-phone records, of one high-profile coaching rejection after [...]
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    Posted: December 11, 2007, 9:04pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Where Does Michigan Turn Post-Miles?

    Number of comments: 239
    Did Michigan athletic director Bill Martin botch the Les Miles situation on purpose?Tony Ding/Icon SMIThis week's Mailbag turned into an all-BCS edition, but there was at least one other newsworthy topic that generated plenty of questions like this one:Inquiring minds want to know: What the heck happened between Michigan and' [...]
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    Posted: December 05, 2007, 5:59pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Who Should Be No. 2?

    Number of comments: 124
    It's the question everyone's going to be debating for the next several days (and maybe longer than that). To find out who I think should face Ohio State in New Orleans, read my Inside College Football column.In the meantime, some closing thoughts on this most apocalyptic of Championship Saturdays:∙ If [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2007, 3:12am EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Champ. Saturday Observations, Part IV

    Number of comments: 314
    Well … we’ve officially seen it all.The No. 2 ranking truly has been a curse all season. USC. Cal. USF. Boston College. Oregon. All of them lost to unranked teams.But the No. 2 team losing to Rutgers in mid-October is one thing. No. 2 West Virginia losing at home to [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2007, 11:22pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Champ. Saturday Observations, Part III

    Number of comments: 203
    Last week, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, referring to the implications of Saturday’s Pittsburgh game, remarked, “we’re in the semifinals.”He wasn’t kidding.As I write this, it’s halftime of the Mountaineers-Panthers game, middle-second quarter of the Oklahoma-Missouri Big 12 title game -- and it feels like I’m watching two Final Four [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2007, 9:30pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Championship Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 83
    Les Miles and star DT Glenn Dorsey celebrate LSU's third conference title since 2001.APAfter all the pregame theatrics, it would have been pretty embarrassing if college football’s newest (rumored) $3 million man lost the SEC championship game. He can thank outgoing defensive coordinator Bo Pelini for keeping that from happening.With' [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2007, 8:11pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • The Scene from Morgantown

    Number of comments: 2
    We here at SI.com present you "team coverage" this Championship Saturday. My colleague Luke Winn is in Morgantown, W. Va., for tonight's West Virginia-Pittsburgh Backyard Brawl. Below are a couple pictures he sent of the pregame scene and some commentary. ...I spent about 45 minutes roaming around the lots outside' [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2007, 6:43pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Championship Saturday Observations, Part I

    Number of comments: 41
    It was a wild Saturday for LSU coach Les Miles, even before the SEC title game began.Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesThe first bombshell of Championship Saturday took place not on a field, but in the bowels of the Georgia Dome. And it’s already sent shockwaves across the sport.Mere hours after a former [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2007, 5:01pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Championship Saturday: A Look Back

    Number of comments: 18
    Colt Brennan and unbeaten Hawaii will hold the BCS hostage until the conclusion of their game against Washington, which kicks off at 11:30 p.m. EST.Jordan Murph/Icon SMIChampionship Saturday.In only nine years’ time, this new-age college football “event” has become synonymous with suspense and controversy. Surely there will be more by [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2007, 12:17am EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 329
    Chase Daniel threw for 361 yards and three touchdows in the Tigers' win over previously unbeaten Kansas.G. Newman Lowrence/Getty Images1) That these are heady times for the spread offense. About three series into Saturday night's Kansas-Missouri game, I found that I was having trouble keeping up. The ball would be [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2007, 5:53pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Halftime: Missouri 14, Kansas 0

    Number of comments: 50
    Chase Daniel was 21-of-26 for 167 yards and two TDs in the first half.Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesKANSAS CITY, Mo. -– The team that never makes mistakes made a host of them in the first half here Saturday. That No. 2 Kansas only trailed No. 4 Missouri 14-0 at halftime was due [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2007, 9:47pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 47
    Erik Ainge threw seven touchdown passes in leading Tennessee to an SEC title game berth.AP KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Arrowhead Stadium might not be either Kansas or Missouris regular venue, but that didnt stop the teams' fans from making themselves at home. The parking lots were packed as far as the eye [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2007, 7:18pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part I

    Number of comments: 29
    Missouri fans have never experienced a Border War of this magnitude.Scott Sewell/Icon SMI KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- So, I tried diligently to provide you guys a taste of the pregame Border War scene here, but unfortunately, Ive not had much luck. Presumably, there are 80,000 Kansas and Missouri fans in this [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2007, 3:56pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Who's Next for the Huskers?

    Number of comments: 92
    Jim Grobe has done a fabulous job turning around Wake Forest. Could he be next up at Nebraska?Marc Serota/Getty Images KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Michigan and Nebraska. Theyre two of the top-four all-time winningest programs. And theyre both now looking for a coach. Acting Nebraska AD Tom Osborne wasted no time announcing what [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2007, 1:42pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Fran Steps Down; Will A&M Land Tubs?

    Number of comments: 54
    Dennis Franchione stepped down after going 32-28 in five seasons.AP KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In the span of an hour Friday, the college football coaching carousel began spinning at dizzying speed. First, LSU lost to Arkansas, presumably moving up the date of Les Miles' anticipated departure for Michigan. Then, at a press [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2007, 9:17pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • LSU Goes Down; Border War Gets Bigger

    Number of comments: 239
    Darren McFadden and Arkansas tossed the latest wrench into the national title race.Chris Graythen/Getty Images KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- About the same time I landed here Friday to cover college football's improbable Game of the Year, the Arkansas Razorbacks stamped out what little strand of predictability remained of this 2007 season. The [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2007, 7:52pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • LSU-Arkansas Has Upset Potential

    Number of comments: 102
    LSU's all-everything DT Glenn Dorsey has not been fully healthy in weeks.Doug Benc/Getty Images Kansas and Missouri are playing for the biggest stakes. Boise State and Hawaii are playing for the biggest potential paycheck (for their conference). And rivals around the country are playing in more Iron Bowls and Apple Cups [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2007, 5:51pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 175
    Tim Tebow became the first I-A player to have 20 rushing and 20 passing touchdowns in one season.AP 1) That youth will be served this Heisman season. During 12 hours of channel-flipping Saturday, I heard numerous talking heads proclaim that Tim Tebow "distanced himself" from the other Heisman contenders with his [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2007, 5:22pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part III

    Number of comments: 176
    Pat White and West Virginia figured to benefit from Oklahoma's loss in Lubbock.Andy Lyons/Getty Images So long, Oklahoma. Welcome back, West Virginia. In the latest wrinkle to this year's ever-changing national title race, the 9-1 Mountaineers not only got a much-needed road win at Cincinnati on Saturday night but benefited greatly from [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2007, 12:16am EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 58
    Nick Saban will enter his first Iron Bowl with a three-game losing streak.AP Welcome to Iron Bowl week, Nick Saban. Now ... you better win. The honeymoon is officially over for Alabamas celebrated first-year coach, whose now 6-5 team suffered an inexplicable 21-14 loss to Louisiana-Monroe -- yes, youre reading that right [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2007, 7:57pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations: OSU the Victors

    Number of comments: 148
    Ohio State sophomore RB Chris Wells broke a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.AP An 11-1 record and a trip to the Rose Bowl? Not bad for a supposed rebuilding season. Ohio States fourth straight victory over archrival Michigan clinched the programs third straight Big Ten title, further solidifying coach Jim [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2007, 4:00pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • OSU-Michigan Still Big, Could Get Bigger

    Number of comments: 45
    It really looks like this could be the last showdown between Lloyd Carr and Jim Tressel.Bob Rosato/SIThough I may have poked a little fun at a pair of overzealous Ohio State and Michigan fans in this week's Mailbag, the truth is, I, like many people, consider theirs the greatest rivalry [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2007, 5:42pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Dixon's Injury Dooms Ducks' Title Hopes

    Number of comments: 52
    Quarterback Dennis Dixon re-aggravated his knee injury midway through the first quarter.AP We knew there would be more twists to both the BCS and Heisman races before this season was over. How unfortunate that the first one came on a twisted knee. From the moment Oregon QB Dennis Dixon's leg gruesomely buckled [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2007, 12:58am EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 290
    In addition to throwing four TD passes, Illini QB Juice Williams rushed for 70 yards on 16 carries against Ohio State.AP 1) That the Big Ten isn't the "Big Two" after all. It may sound contradictory, considering one of its teams, Ohio State, may have just blown its national title hopes, [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2007, 5:40pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part III

    Number of comments: 71
    Todd Reesing's scrambling ability Saturday night gave one individual flashbacks to the days of Doug Flutie.AP Well, color me impressed. As was presumably the case for a lot of folks, Saturday nights Kansas-Oklahoma State game was my first chance to really watch the Jayhawks closely, and Mark Manginos team was every bit [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2007, 11:51pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 276
    Brian Robiskie (80) and the Buckeyes played themselves out of the national title game for now.AP At long last, our national nightmare is over. You made it abundantly clear over the past month, America. You did not want to see another Ohio State national-title appearance. Not because of some inherent aversion [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2007, 6:55pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part I

    Number of comments: 51
    Led by Zach Brown (108 yards, two touchdowns), the Badgers racked up 232 yards rushing on Michigan.Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Promise me this much, ABC/ESPN: Please, no Ohio State-Michigan countdown clock this year. Technically, the Wolverines 37-21 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday does not affect the stakes of next weeks showdown in the [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2007, 4:03pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • It's Saturday: Let the Craziness Begin

    Number of comments: 4
    Can Rashard Mendenhall guide the Illini to a huge upset over Ohio State?Chuck Rydlewski/Icon SMI I regret to inform you that this weekends Blog could be considerably less eventful than previous weekends. No reports from the tailgate lot at Autzen Stadium. No reports about the skimpy Halloween outfits in State College. [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2007, 12:23pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Dreaming of a Pasadena 'Replay'

    Number of comments: 168
    In last season's Oregon-Oklahoma game, the officiating crew botched a call on an onside kick and cost the Sooners the game.APLooking at the current landscape, there are no shortage of potentially intriguing BCS matchups. Ohio State vs. LSU in another Big Ten-SEC national title showdown? Les Miles Tigers partaking in [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2007, 2:47am EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 234
    With his epic 323-yard performance against South Carolina, Darren McFadden may have jumped to the front of the Heisman race.Wesley Hitt/Getty Images 1) That Darren McFadden is back (not that he ever left). He started the season as the undisputed player to beat for the 2007 Heisman Trophy, but the way [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2007, 5:37pm EST
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Halftime: Oregon 21, Arizona State 13

    Number of comments: 78
    Oregon wide receiver Jaison Williams scored two touchdowns against Arizona State in the first half.AP EUGENE, Ore. -- I dont know if its because I just attended a basketball game last night, or the breakneck speed with which Oregon runs its offense, but the first half of Saturdays Arizona State-Oregon showdown [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2007, 8:29pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part III

    Number of comments: 27
    Navy's Ram Vela made the play of the game, sacking Notre Dame QB Evan Sharpley on a critical fourth down.AP EUGENE, Ore. -- Im guessing there were a whole lot of newfound Navy fans around the country Saturday. And Im guessing there were a whole lot of people smiling and celebrating [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2007, 7:06pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 6
    EUGENE, Ore. -- One of the things Ive always loved about college football is the way it bridges generations. Wander around any stadium parking lot on a Saturday and youll see fans from toddlers through twilight years, all brought together by the common bond of a favorite team. My new Oregon [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2007, 6:30pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part I

    Number of comments: 17
    Although it only holds 54,000 people, Autzen Stadium is one of the nation's loudest venues.Tom Hauck/Icon SMI EUGENE, Ore. -- Hello again, dear readers. After we parted ways last night, I had a chance to sample some of Eugenes nightlife with my new Oregon buddies Goss and A.J. It was fun, but [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2007, 4:01pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • On the Oregon Trail, Part IV

    Number of comments: 2
    Jonathan Ferrey/Getty ImagesThe Oregon student section has been known to turn McArthur Court into one tough place for visiting teams.EUGENE, Ore. Last March, just by coincidence, I happened to cover Oregon's Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in St. Louis (the region from which Florida advanced to the Final [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2007, 11:34pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • On the 'Animal House' Trail

    Number of comments: 6
    Yes, the iconic 1978 fraternity flick Animal House was filmed on the Oregon campus.EUGENE, Ore. -- So how cool is this? I am writing this blog entry from a table in the same cafeteria where Bluto shouted those two infamous words: "Food fight!" OK, I lie. I'm writing from a Starbucks [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2007, 8:58pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • On the Oregon Trail, Part II

    Number of comments: 8
    EUGENE, Ore. -- Ladies and gentlemen, I can tell you this much: If youre unfortunate enough to suffer a football injury, you want to suffer it as an Oregon Duck. Early Friday afternoon, I got a personal tour of Oregons state-of-the-art football facilities from none other than Ducks receiver Cameron Colvin. [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2007, 6:05pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • On The Oregon Trail

    Number of comments: 21
    Oregon fans set a decibel record for crowd noise last week against USC.Jonathan Ferrey/Getty ImagesSPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Last weekend, I heard from a lot of readers who said they enjoyed my chronicles of the pregame scene in State College. As discussed in this weeks Mailbag, that trip got me thinking [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2007, 3:24am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • The Game You Almost Didn't Get to See

    Number of comments: 87
    Oregon's highly anticipated game against Arizona State almost was lost in the television shuffle.APSo, are you as excited as I am for this weeks showdown between No. 4 Oregon and No. 6 Arizona State? With both national and Pac-10 title hopes on the line for both teams, and potential Heisman [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2007, 7:48pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 177
    Note: Because I covered the Ohio State-Penn State game in detail last night, this column will primarily focus on other topics. 1) That Matt Ryan is a man playing among boys. In the immediate aftermath of Boston Colleges stirring rally to beat Virginia Tech 14-10 Thursday night, I received a deluge [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2007, 4:45pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Halftime: Ohio State 17, Penn State 7

    Number of comments: 50
    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. My Ohio State-Penn State prediction was 16-6. Both teams exceeded that by halftime. I was impressed with how smoothly Todd Boeckman (11-of-17, 189 yards, two TDs) operated the Buckeyes offense for most of the first half. His offensive line has given him great protection, and more often [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2007, 9:45pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part III: 'The Scene'

    Number of comments: 3
    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Ladies and gentlemen, I simply have to share with you the scene Im witnessing here. Ive been in my share of loud stadiums (Florida, LSU), Ive seen my share of pageantry (Notre Dame, Ohio State) and beautiful backdrops (Air Force). I can honestly say Ive never experienced [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2007, 8:02pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 42
    Playing with a sore shoulder, Florida QB Tim Tebow came back down to Earth against Georgia.AP STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- It turns out Tim Tebow is in fact human. And bye weeks do in fact provide an advantage -- at least in the Florida-Georgia rivalry. The Dawgs finally turned the tables on [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2007, 7:36pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part I

    Number of comments: 10
    West Virginia QB Pat White ran for 156 yards and a touchdown and threw for 144.AP STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- You may have forgotten about them following their late-September loss to USF, but Pat White and Steve Slaton are still doing their thing, folks -- and West Virginia is right back [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2007, 3:56pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Scary Saturday in State College

    Number of comments: 42
    Penn State students have planned another "White Out" for Saturday night's game against No. 1 Ohio State.Tom "Mo" Moschella/Icon SMI STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Well, Friday night in State College was kind of scary. The Penn State student body -- in particular the females -- take Halloween pretty seriously. Walking [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2007, 1:18pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • No. 1 Priority: Scouting Trip to State College

    Number of comments: 144
    It should be a pretty crazy Saturday night in State College.David Bergman/SIThey are the two words that spell music to the ears of any seasoned college football fan. Road trip! Ive stocked up on beverages. Ive printed out my Mapquest directions. By the time you read this on Friday afternoon, I will [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2007, 1:46am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 360
    Kentucky's Andre Woodson threw for 415 yards and five touchdowns but lost his duel with Florida's Tim Tebow.Jim Owens/Icon SMI 1) That two of your Heisman finalists played in Lexington yesterday. Much like the national title race, sorting through the Heisman candidates this season has often felt like a process of [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2007, 6:24pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part III

    Number of comments: 135
    After his gutsy call Saturday night, one has to wonder if Les Miles (center) is a reckless mad man or a true genius?Doug Benc/Getty Images In this the craziest of college football seasons, Les Miles may just be the perfect protagonist. He is quickly establishing himself as the Dennis Hopper of [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2007, 1:35am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part II

    Number of comments: 89
    Heisman Trophy candidate Tim Tebow put on quite a show against Kentucky.AP Youve got to hand it to the SEC. For all the hype (including my decreeing this years edition to be "the toughest conference in history"), for all the smack talk, for all the bizarre letters its elicited from rival [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2007, 8:06pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations, Part I

    Number of comments: 35
    Vanderbilt's defense stuffed Steve Spurrier's offense all day long.AP Its official. Ive quite obviously become desensitized to college football upsets, because the No. 6 team in the country, South Carolina, just lost to 17-6 Vanderbilt, yet I cant seem to elicit even the slightest sense of surprise. Think about that for [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2007, 4:21pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Rice Represents USF's Stiffest Challenge

    Number of comments: 70
    Rutgers RB Ray Rice has rushed for at least 175 yards in three games this season.Damian Strohmeyer/SIYet again, it seems ESPN and the Big East were privy to some sort of psychic information when they made out the schedule for this season. Just four days after upstart South Florida debuted [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2007, 4:43pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Nebraska Wisely Pulls Plug on Pederson

    Number of comments: 84
    Bill Callahan (right) figures to follow Steve Pederson out the door soon enough.APThe first hammer in football's annual coaching carousel dropped Monday -- only the casualty wasn't actually a coach. It was an athletic director whose botched coaching change four years ago has helped turn one of college football's proudest [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2007, 5:01pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • BCS: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like '03

    Number of comments: 137
    Matt Grothe and the Bulls debuted at No. 2 in the BCS Standings.APNormally, the release of the season's first BCS standings officially establishes the first set of "favorites" to reach the national title game. The way this season has transpired so far, however, all Sunday's release probably did was help [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2007, 7:53pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 113
    1) That Les Miles luck finally ran out -- but not his class. A week after needing every one of five fourth-down conversions to survive Florida -- and after going 9-for-9 on fourth downs for the season -- LSU lost the No. 1 ranking on ... a 4th-and-2 running play. [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2007, 3:01pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part III

    Number of comments: 118
    Julian Arthur and Cal missed out on an opportunity to jump to No. 1.APIf anyone would like to fill out my AP ballot for me tonight, I would be greatly appreciative. Despite considerable resistance, my head finally exploded at about 10:30 tonight. How could it not? When your job entails [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2007, 12:55am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part II

    Number of comments: 122
    Ali Highsmith and the Tigers became the seventh top-10 team to lose this season.APKentucky celebrated the start of basketball season with its annual Midnight Madness event in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Saturday night, the Wildcats football team provided an ultra-thrilling kickoff to another season: BCS Madness. For the first [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2007, 8:51pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part I

    Number of comments: 51
    Oklahoma State handed Nebraska its worst home loss since 1958.APSo what do you have to say now, Steve Pederson? For four years, Nebraskas egotistic athletic director has pledged his undying faith to head coach Bill Callahan, despite little-to-no evidence the ex-NFL retread would ever return the once-proud Huskers to national prominence. [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2007, 4:21pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Examining The Latest Reggie Bush Twist

    Number of comments: 76
    Lloyd Lake's information could finally confirm widespread suspicion that Reggie Bush was ineligible when he won the 2005 Heisman Trophy.Shelly Castellano/Icon SMI Just when it appeared the 18-month old probe into Reggie Bush's tenure at USC had hit a dead end -- actually, it's appeared that way for almost the entire [...]
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    Posted: October 11, 2007, 12:23am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 178
    John David Booty played the entire game despite injuring his finger in the first half.Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images1) That Pete Carroll is facing his first true crisis. Following the most stunning defeat imaginable (in its own stadium, no less) USC must deal with more than just the humiliation of losing fingers. [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2007, 4:16pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part III

    Number of comments: 63
    Florida QB Tim Tebow finished with 67 yards and a touchdown on the ground.Doug Benc/Getty ImagesBATON ROUGE, La. -- In what was supposed to be a classic, SEC defensive struggle, the story of the Florida-LSU first half was both teams offenses -- particularly that of the Gators, which lead 17-7 [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2007, 10:07pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part II

    Number of comments: 7
    Electric RB DeMarco Murray could help Oklahoma fans get over the loss of Adrian Peterson pretty quickly.APBATON ROUGE, La. -- In Chapter 2 of Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls, I explain the many reasons why sportswriters often find themselves in the worst possible position to be ranking football teams. Today [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2007, 7:16pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part I

    Number of comments: 13
    In his third season at Illinois, Ron Zook has the Illini in the thick of the Big Ten race.AP BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Blog is coming to you live from Walk Ons Bistreaux and Grill, where Sports Illustrated is holding a huge promotional event for its 75 years of SEC [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2007, 4:20pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Showcase: Woodson vs. No. 1 Pass Defense

    Number of comments: 9
    Kentucky QB Andre Woodson threw for 289 yards and a touchdown in a 24-17 loss to South Carolina last season.APWhen Steve Spurrier talks, people listen. The guys entertaining. When Steve Spurrier talks quarterbacks -- people listen and take notes. The guy knows a thing or two about that particular position. [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2007, 1:02pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 151
    Cal's Robert Jordan celebrates with fans after the Golden Bears' wild win over Oregon.AP 1) That them boys out West can play some football. In terms of excitement level, quality of play and the high rankings of both participants, Saturday's Cal-Oregon game was easily the season's most compelling to date. Unfortunately, [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2007, 5:19pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part IV

    Number of comments: 70
    Will Muschamp (left), Patrick Lee and Auburn had reason to celebrate after giving Florida its first home loss under Urban Meyer.Doug Benc/Getty ImagesFrom Appalachian State beating Michigan to Colorado beating Oklahoma, from Notre Dame starting 0-5 to South Florida emerging as a national title contender, the clich anything is possible [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2007, 12:57am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part III

    Number of comments: 49
    Kansas State had reason to celebrate in handing Texas its worst loss in Mack Brown's 10 years as coach.Brian Bahr/Getty ImagesAll college football weekends involve some degree of craziness and chaos. It's pretty rare that one packs as much of both as this one. Four top 10 teams (Oklahoma, West Virginia, [...]
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    Posted: September 29, 2007, 7:50pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations Part II

    Number of comments: 22
    Regus Benn burned Penn State for a pair of scores in the Illinois victory.APSomebodys got to win the Big Ten this year. Why not Illinois? Watching the Illini these days, I almost forget they went 2-10 last year. Part of that is because I dont remember them being all that bad [...]
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    Posted: September 29, 2007, 4:15pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Saturday Observations I (Friday's game)

    Number of comments: 26
    Speedy West Virginia barely had any room to run all night.Marc Serota/Getty Images Saturday's action hasn't even begun and already the college football world has been turned ... over. West Virginia and Louisville, the Big Easts two most recognizable torch bearers of the past three years, have been all but eliminated from [...]
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    Posted: September 29, 2007, 2:37am EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • FSU Could Meet NCAA's Wrath

    Number of comments: 22
    While the NCAA is largely powerless to police the often shady academic practices -- jock majors, athlete-friendly teachers, etc. -- that are believed to take place at most football or basketball powerhouses, deliberate fraud is one area it takes quite seriously. With that in mind, the report Florida State issued Wednesday [...]
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    Posted: September 27, 2007, 1:22pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel

  • Five Things We Learned This Weekend

    Number of comments: 96
    Tim Tebow set a school record for quarterbacks with 166 yards rushing and accounted for four touchdowns Saturday.AP 1) That Bob Davie has a point (sort of). During the first half of Friday nights Oklahoma-Tulsa game, ESPNs visiting analyst -- who mentioned that hed recently spoken with Arkansas coach Houston Nutt [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2007, 3:49pm EDT
    by Stewart Mandel
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