Pete Flutak has ten reasons why Texas will beat Alabama.
NationalChamps.net has put out 2010 rankings and the Horns come in at No. 7.
Their 2010 preview already is out. Texas at No. 7 is the highest ranked team in the early poll.
Ranked ahead of the Longhorns, starting from the top, are Alabama, Boise State, Oregon, Florida, Ohio State and TCU.
Other Big 12 teams ranked in the top 25 are Nebraska at No. 12, Oklahoma at No. 16 and Missouri at No. 25.
The average resale price of a ticket to the BCS title game is $1500.
Dennis Dodd looks at the 2009 bowl landscape.
Alabama cancels classes. Mack Brown gets a $2 million raise.
Ya think football is big at these two football factories? Look what happened when they made the BCS title game. The combined salaries of the two coaches in this game -- $9 million -- is worth half the payout ($18.3 million). Colt McCoy is the leading passer in Texas history. Ingram is the top single-season rusher in Alabama history.
You can't look away even though you're disgusted at the BCS. There will be great plays by great players. Somewhere, Bear Bryant and Darrell Royal are smiling. The legacies are bright and shiny.
Hallelujah! Jai Lucas is finally eligible.
"Jai’s personality has been a big kick for us," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "He’s already made an impact even though he hasn’t played yet.
As much as Barnes enjoys being around the sophomore-in-eligibility transfer point guard, he’s eager to add him to the Longhorns’ backcourt rotation beginning Saturday against 10th-ranked North Carolina in the first basketball game played in JerryWorld.
It is time to think about the Tar Heels.
"I always think of Michael Jordan because he's the greatest," said freshman guard Avery Bradley. "They've always been an elite program and it's exciting to play them. I can't even remember the last time Texas played North Carolina."
As for the rest of it, Texas' most famous North Carolinian is ready for some new blood as well. Rick Barnes had no illusions of Tuesday's 104-42 bloodletting over the Broncs. These blowouts are no picnic for him or his players. It's happening all over the place. The Heels polished off Presbyterian 103-64 earlier this week while Duke dogged the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Dogs 113-68. It's called paying the bills.
But Saturday's game will not be about bills but billing, and Barnes is excited to see how his youngsters will react before a large crowd, a nationally televised audience, and most important, against their first ranked opponent.
Jerry World is getting ready for the big game.
Workers started installing 350 maple panels this morning to create the floor for Saturday’s game between the University of Texas and University of North Carolina, the first basketball game at the new $1.15 billion stadium.
Because the floor sits atop a 25½-inch aluminum platform, the hardwood surface will be much larger than most basketball floors, said Doug Hamar, president and CEO of Horner Sports Flooring.
"We don’t want the guys running right off and having to jump down two feet," Hamar said.
Aggie freshman running back Christine Michael talks about Georgia.
Iowa State or Missouri are the logical choices to join the Big 10. But then who will replace the team that leaves?
The Big 12 could add Texas Christian. That would hurt the Big 12 on television sets — TCU adds none; Missouri’s departure would cost the league some viewers — and basketball, but not football. TCU’s 10-year run has solidified that program. The Frogs are not flashes; they are a legit program.
No one else in Texas should appeal to the Big 12. Truth is, New Mexico would be a better addition than Houston or anyone else. The Lobos are capable of playing big-time basketball and capable of producing a football following in a state that craves big-time sports.
Chances are, the Big 12 remains the same. But you’ve always got to be prepared.
Barry Tramel better be ready for some hate mail from the Froggies.
So, what should we call the Big 10 Conference after expansion?
The divisions would have to be called the Schembechler and Grange.
Get ready for Michigan and Ohio State playing twice each season.
Then there would be the whole mess about the Big Ten's new name. Big 12 is already taken.
Large Dozen anyone?
If invited, Missouri might just leave.
Missouri officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the Big 12 Conference bowl selection process, which they feel has undercut the accomplishments of the MU football team in each of the last three seasons.
Missouri has historically been considered a candidate for moving to the Big Ten, with proponents seeing the school as a good fit academically and athletically.
Jayhawk assistant coaches were asked to pack up. Wide receivers coach David Beaty is the only coach being considered for a position by Turner Gill.
Kansas QB Todd Reesing received an $18,000 scholarship from the National Football Foundation.
Nice work if you can get it. Mark Mangino gets $3 million dollars just for leaving.
Former Kansas football coach Mark Mangino will be paid $3 million as part of a settlement both sides signed last week.
The university announced the payout on Wednesday and said the settlement will be paid through private funds raised by the athletics department, with no taxpayer money involved.
More on the Darrell Scott drama. Colorado AD Mike Bohn said Scott has not asked for a release from his scholarship or permission to contact other schools and coaches.
Bohn conducted an exit interview with Scott in early November after the former five-star recruit announced he was leaving coach Dan Hawkins' program. At the time, Bohn said he would not comment on any possible scholarship release until the end of the semester.
Now that the end of the semester is near with finals ending on Thursday and commencement on Friday, Bohn said he hasn't had any recent discussions with Scott and doesn't know when he might.
0 recs | 48 comments
That 2010 top 10 is a joke
Boise St. and TCU above Texas? Florida at #4, after losing almost everybody, including Jesus? The rest is just random conjecture that doesn’t seem to have any basis behind it either, but those three picks especially are way out there. I’m all for allowing “mid-major” teams to be ranked highly when they’ve built the resume, but it seems like talent scouting is being completely ignored in polls these days. Are these people suggesting that if USC and BSU played during week 1 next season, that would be a 2 vs. 13 game, with BSU being the #2? Yeah, I get it, BSU and TCU are really good at not losing to teams worse than them, but you should have to earn that respect that gets you that kind of ranking, and I don’t know what they’ve done to deserve this elite status.
circa1015 - December 16, 2009
Preseason rankings and respect that has been earned
If the person putting together those rankings looked at Boise State and all the players they’re returning and made the subjective judgment that they could be the second best team in the country next season, that person should refrain from actually ranking them that highly because they haven’t “earned the respect” to in fact get that ranking?
I’m not necessarily saying that Boise should or should not be that high — I haven’t paid too much attention to “next season” yet — but arbitrarily ranking the 2010 team lower because of not earning respect in past years seems wrong.
On the flip side, if earning respect is one of the criteria for preseason rankings, hasn’t Florida, over the last four seasons, “earned the respect” to start off that highly?
Hopkins Horn - December 17, 2009
I guess I didn't articulate that very well
and the point of my post is that, if you look at Boise State, if you look at the athletes they have at every position and how deep they are, there is absolutely no way you call them the #2 team in the country. Describing it as “earning respect” was probably a little misleading; I suppose what I meant was that if a team wants to be considered one of the best teams in the country, it should demonstrate an ability to regularly beat not only the crappy teams on the schedule, but also the ranked ones. If Florida begins next season ranked #2, I would have issues with it for obvious reasons, but I would consider it at least marginally fair, considering who they played this year and the fact that they only lost to the #1 team in the country.
Boise State can only hang their hat on the Oregon win in week 1 when Oregon clearly didn’t know what the hell they were doing. If you remember just how poorly UO played, and look at the final score, the win wasn’t even that good. Other than that, they did enough to navigate their way through a shitty WAC schedule. Their current ranking right now of #6 is, in my opinion, right at their ceiling. I would rank them lower if it weren’t for the bizarre absence of 1-loss teams. Starting them off at #2, in this stupid system where the top teams don’t have to play each other, is basically saying “if you can beat all of the worthless WAC teams on your schedule, then you are clearly good enough to play in the National Championship”. To me, that is bogus.
All that being said, some of this may be stemming from my growing hatred of Boise State, who will be, after Tebow leaves (and ignoring OU and aTm), my least favorite thing about college football. They have been masquerading as a top-teir team for the last few years by dominating the 2nd worst conference in FBS and claiming that because they beat an OU team who was both in a down year and also didn’t want to play them at all (and still almost won after they decided at half time that losing to BSU might be embarrassing) that they should eat at the big boy table. At least TCU had the decency to play multiple BCS opponents and blow out all of the bad teams on their schedule before they started talking.
circa1015 - December 17, 2009
Why hate the little guy so much?
And why specifically BSU, instead of Utah or TCU? Honestly, Boise State is a great little program, and I always like to see them do well. They’re doing the best they can. I’d love it if Kellen Moore were to somehow not break Colt’s QB wins record, but otherwise I don’t know any reason to root against them. They’re winning with unheralded recruits, unappreciated coaches, very little money, and they’re willing to play anyone. The only issue is that very few legitimate programs are willing to play non-conference games against them, but how can one fault them for that? And how can one fault them for not playing in a real conference when neither the Big 12 nor Pac 10 would consider inviting them?
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
Boise St
For what it is worth Boise St, I believe plays both Virginia Tech and Oregon State next year. Also, I believe there is something like 2-3 seniors that are starting on that team. They bring back a bunch of players.
It is extremely early, but if there was ever a year for a team like Boise to actually move into the talk of BCS national title game, it would probably be next year. I do not think there will be any prohibitive favorite to start the season, and plenty of teams will be rebuilding.
Kenny483 - December 17, 2009
There'll be Alabama love, make no mistake
McElroy may not be very good, but he’s returning, and Ingram probably is as well. They’ll miss Cody and Arenas, but poll voters tend to forget about those types of losses (think OU after losing the OL and WRs).
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
Alabama...
…will probably be number one, but Alabama is losing almost certainly 8 starters on defense. Even if Alabama is number one it would probably not be anything close to the prohibitive favorite that Florida was coming into this year.
Also, there would probably not be any other teams like Texas and Oklahmoa were coming into this year. I know it is easy to forget but both those teams were considered loaded going into the season. They both brought back record setting quarterbacks and good skill players. Also, both teams brought almost everyone back on defense. Obviously, Oklahoma had a lot of injuries the derailed their season.
To me it just seems like the elite college football teams will be rebuilding next season.
Alabama – defense starters
Florida – defense and offense starters
Texas – QB, OL
Oklahoma – defense
USC – still dealing with staff changes and inconsistency
The team the probably brings back the best players at the right positions, is the team that noone has any faith in, Ohio State. They bring back most of their players on defense and offense, and bring back their starting quarterback.
Kenny483 - December 17, 2009
I was surprised to see Oregon so highly rated
Isn’t Masoli a senior now? He was a juco transfer, so unless he only played one season of juco, he’d have to be a senior after playing last year and this one at Oregon.
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
QB Jeremiah Masoli is.....
…… listed on Oregon’s roster as a junior. They have a good core of players returning and definitely are worthy of that ranking.
HornChamps - December 17, 2009
I saw that
But I assumed they had just neglected to update his class. It’s happened with other guys in the past.
Anyway, it does look like he may have just played his freshman season at CC of SF.
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
This sentence from the article sums up its value
This secondary is very stout, and if Earl Mitchell decides to stick around, the potential to win another Big 12 crown is likely.
thanos - December 16, 2009
That Earl Mitchell is one great player.
NationalChamps.net does exhaustive research on each team.
BDR doesn’t filter the crap that is out there. We just link to it.
dimecoverage - December 16, 2009
and you are fabulous at it
My comment was not at all directed at your awesome updates. Sorry, if not clear.
thanos - December 16, 2009
I didn’t take it as such. :-) Yes, this site is less than credible. What is amazing is that Tim Griffin actually linked to this. Did he not read through and notice the Earl Mitchell?
I just post all the crap out there and let the discussions start. Literally. And there is a lot of crap.
dimecoverage - December 17, 2009
And I don’t write my sarcasm as well I can dish it out in person. I’m still laughing at the Earl Mitchell. If Thomas stays around next year, we can start calling him Earl Mitchell.
dimecoverage - December 17, 2009
DC, your work is very much appreciated
I make some snarky remarks about some of the things you’ve linked, but I never, ever mean them to be snarky towards you, but rather toward the authors. I’d like to take this moment to clarify that, and that I think a lot of other comments people have about some of the links/quotes in the BDR are of similar intent. Please don’t ever think we’re criticizing you and the wonderful job you’re doing with BON, or that we don’t appreciate your volunteer work!
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
I link to some of those articles for the discussion and entertainment aspect. I never take offense at any comments.
dimecoverage - December 17, 2009
Have We Told You Merry Christmas Yet
And I ditto BOH. You are awesome DC as are all the BON contributors… ya’ll more than rock, you Hook ’Em!
orangetower - December 17, 2009
Love that signature quote.
dimecoverage - December 17, 2009
thank you
thanos - December 18, 2009
is earl mitchell
the mystery recruit?! hahahahaha
superden - December 17, 2009
2 things
The pre-preseason poll is a joke. Florida loses Tebow and most likely a handful of early departures to the NFL.
Missouri at #25 ?!? Would this be the same Missouri club that gets hype in the preseason, comes out of the gate in fine fashion, but then folds halfway through the season?? Pinkel always….always finds a way to trip over his own feet.
Ohio State this high?? The only way that happens is if Tressel loosens the reins on Pryor. In my opinion, Pryor has not shown improvement – none…at all and I think Tressel is under-utilizing him.
As for the Big 10…
….I don’t see them going for Iowa St. ISU adds nothing of value and certainly doesn’t add t.v. viewers. ISU isn’t even on television for starters and secondly, the Hawks own Iowa.
…Missouri could be a decent fit and certainly adds the television aspect (KC and St Louis). Plus they are more of a basketball school anyway and the Big 10 (11) would benefit from a more well-rounded athletics program (as compared to ISU).
…..finally, from a curiosity standpoint – how would they divide the schools into two divisions?? If they have some sort of East/West, then the East would be pretty dominant – in terms of football – Penn St, Michigan, Ohio St and the West gets ? Iowa and Wisconsin Looks pretty lopsided – at least on “paper” – but then we could say the same thing about the Big 12 South. Or a North/South arrangement would probably only be in name only – how do you come up with a North/South division when most of the schools are on the same horizontal level??
If Missouri isn’t the school, then most experts say it will be Syracuse, Pitt, or Rutgers. I doubt Neutered Dame even gets asked – a couple of the coaches, like Paterno, have indicated ND had their chance.
Go Bevo - December 16, 2009
Pryor's done nothing much at all
He has potential, but as I’ve been saying all season, that’s all he has going for him. He hasn’t come close to using it well on a consistent basis. It just so happens he did a great job of using it on a few occasions, not the least of which was in the Fiesta Bowl. I think he’ll probably progress a bit leading up to and during his third season as a starter, but it’s hard to imagine a 2004-VY-like progression.
On Big Ten expansion, I think the whole problem has been NBC. The contract they hold with ND makes ND better off staying independent. Now that Comcast has a controlling interest in NBC, I think Comcast could make a big play to combine that interest with other Comcast channel options to put together a package that would actually make it advantageous for ND to join without rankling the existing Big Ten members too much.
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
The week 1-4 polls are jokes
Not to mention the preseason. That this poll even exists is just ludicrous. To even critique it further gives it too much legitimacy in my book.
billycthulhu - December 17, 2009
Earl Mitchell is one badass dude...
He eats a bowl of Scott Ware for breakfast every morning.
ArcticLonghorn - December 17, 2009
He may someday rival Chris Everett
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
+1
NYCHorn - December 17, 2009
Larger Dozen would be more PR
than the “Irrelevant 12”
Longhorn in MO - December 17, 2009
They'd be adding one to the Big 10
So clearly it’d be the Big 11. The real question is, which team currently in the conference doesn’t count?
Meekrob - December 17, 2009
Someone in that conference cannot count because the Big 10 has eleven teams. So if they add one, it will be twelve.
dimecoverage - December 17, 2009
Right, so if you call 11 the Big 10, then add one, you can call 12 the big 11.
My vote is Northwestern not counting. Half the people in the nation think its the University of Chicago.
BoddickerIsClutch - December 17, 2009
Seems like it should be Penn State, since it was the Big 10 before they joined and the Big 10 after.
Meekrob - December 17, 2009
I dont think its that simple. It looks to me like there’s been a history of poor counting in the big 10 that goes deeper than I first imagined.
It appears they had 7 teams when the conference was first formed, which jumped up to 9 three years later.
They went another 13 years before tOSU joined, finally bringing their number up to 10.
The University of Chicago dropped out, but they remained the Big 10. MSU made this claim true 4 years later.
Then of course you have PSU joining 40 years later.
I think the only schools you can claim are truly counted in the Big 10 are Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin. I think any, or all of the others could be considered ancillary to the naming of the conference. My apologies to Northwestern.
BoddickerIsClutch - December 17, 2009
After further reading
The name Big 10 wasnt estabilshed until 1917, which would leave MSU or PSU as the irrelevants.
However the name wasnt officially taken on as an encorporated non-for-profit entity until 1987, right before the PSU merger.
So in essence, PSU is probably the non-counted one. But you could make an argument for MSU as well.
BoddickerIsClutch - December 17, 2009
PSU shouldn't count
There the t(elev)enth team. I think it’s cool how they incorporate the 11 into their logo.
Bob LaBlog - December 17, 2009
I vote for Big ???
or Big Whatever
future_longhorn_dad - December 17, 2009
They Can't Call it the Big 12
So I vote for the Frozen Dozen.
orangetower - December 17, 2009
that's pronounced (doe zun)...with the yankee accent and all
orangetower - December 17, 2009
My entire extended family comes from the north
And I’ve never heard any of them pronounce it “doe zun.”
Meekrob - December 17, 2009
I haven't heard that either
But I’ve never lived any farther north than Monterey, and that’s out in California. My yank professor, last name Cohen, says “all-ma mah-ta,” but now I have to trick her into saying “dozen” at some point.
burntorangehorn - December 17, 2009
Like, Frozen Dozin' ?
Magnificent Bastard - December 17, 2009
Let it be Texas who joins the Big 10!!
I live in Indianapolis! Ha!
JoeT63 - December 17, 2009
(Guess where the Final 4 is this season?!)
Go Hoop-Horns!
JoeT63 - December 17, 2009
haha, that would be awesome
the Big 10 network included in my Comcast package up here in northern Indiana would actually have a use.
BTW, why doesn’t Indy have a Texas Exes chapter? They need to get one.
LonghornEm - December 17, 2009
Volleyball Final Four Today
cheer on the Ladies!
nyclonghorngal - December 17, 2009
Everyone keeps mentioning TCU as the team that could replace Mizzou should they bolt for the Big 10, but I imagine that Arkansas would get the right of first refusal. TCU might be who the Big 12 would settle for but there’s no reason the Big 12 officials shouldn’t aim higher.
HawkeyedFrog - December 18, 2009
TCU is worthless in the cash and views department
That automatically excludes them. It’s not their fault exactly, but that doesn’t matter at this point. They can’t get fans to games, nor can they get people to tune in from all over. That’s why the TCU Boise Fiesta Bowl is going to be the lowest rated of all the bowls.
Darklust - December 18, 2009
I disagree for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s undefeated teams, which fans like. Second of all, the Orange bowl is as of this moment not going to reach most homes in Iowa. Finally, Iowa vs Georgia Tech. I love both of those teams, but nobody in the wider country really cares.
HawkeyedFrog - December 18, 2009
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