1. Charlie Weis can’t handle the fire
When Weis took the job at Notre Dame, his opening press conference was full of big talk and promises to wake up those long-dormant echoes. His almost-guaranteed last act as the head football coach of the Fighting Irish was a profile in cowardice.
After Notre Dame’s 45-38 loss to Stanford in Palo Alto, a loss that dropped the Irish to 6-6 and all but signed off on Weis’ pink slip, the much-maligned coach refused to speak to the media, sneaking onto a team bus after having a transcript of a radio interview with the university-employed broadcast team dispersed in place of a press conference.
For a guy that has run his mouth so much, going out with such a whimper tells a great deal. Win or lose, job security or no job security, coaches should talk to the media and take responsibility. If they don’t, why should their players?
2. Tim Tebow deserves the Heisman Trophy
Colt McCoy had a great Thanksgiving night. Toby Gerhart is a tremendous running back. I understand that. However, their accomplishments should be recognized with the Davey O’Brien and Doak Walker Awards. The Heisman Trophy belongs to Tim Tebow.
With five touchdowns against Florida State, the Heisman race should no longer be a debate. Tebow is the best college football player in the nation. Tebow is the best college football player of all time. After next weekend, he will have Florida one win away from the first undefeated season in the school’s history and its third national championship in four seasons. He has had an impact on collegiate football that we have never seen before, and likely will never see again. Sometimes, intangibles outweigh raw stats. The man deserves the trophy. Period.
3. Southern Cal and UCLA don’t like each other
The Battle of Hollywood was between two pretty mediocre teams this year, but that didn’t stop emotions from boiling over Saturday night in the Coliseum.
Up 21-7 with less than a minute left in the game, the Trojans and coach Pete Carroll opted to kneel down and run out the clock. UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel contrarily called a timeout, and Southern Cal responded with a 48-yard touchdown pass from Matt Barkley to Damian Williams, sparking a wild Trojan sideline celebration and the Bruin bench to empty onto the field, almost starting a brawl.
Was it bush league of Carroll to run up the score? Yes. Was Neuheisel an idiot to call timeout with no hope of coming back? Yes. Is the hate between these two schools (and maybe these two coaches) great for college football? Without a doubt. Last year, we got the baby blue and scarlet jersey clash back in the game. Now we’ve got some bad blood. If Neuheisel’s recruits pan out, we may have the defining rivalry of this next decade.
4. Les Miles has figured out clock management
Get this: LSU had to put together a late drive to tie the game, time was of the essence and Les Miles didn’t epically screw up! And the Tigers won! Can you believe it? At 9-3, LSU is once again on track for the Capital One Bowl, and the death threats towards the Mad Hatter should end.
5. Houston Nutt is still Houston Nutt
First off, hats off to Dan Mullen and Mississippi State. After near-misses against LSU and Florida, the Bulldogs finally got a signature win, and the 41-27 Egg Bowl triumph is likely bigger than the previous two upsets could’ve been, as it will give them a leg-up in terms of in-state recruiting.
However, you have to wonder if Nutt’s Ole Miss tenure is going to go just like his one at Arkansas; winning the games he shouldn’t win and losing the games he should win. Does he just get bored when his teams are favorites? This is one of the sporting phenomenons that ESPN should consider when they do another documentary series in 2029. I can see it now — 50 at 50: I Love the Helmet: Houston Nutt and His Inability to Win Games as a Favorite.
6. The ACC: Still Shaky
Maybe Georgia Tech and Clemson were just saving everything for the conference title game in Tampa this weekend. Well, that’s what they’re telling themselves up at the ACC league offices in Greensboro.
7. Bobby Bowden deserves one more year
I’m sure the Board of Trustees can’t stand him, but FSU can’t throw Bobby Bowden out into the cold after this season. Bring him back, let Jimbo Fisher control all the staff hirings, and see what happens.
Remember, many wanted Penn State to run off JoePa after 3-9 and 4-7 seasons; they kept him and let him delegate the bulk of the day-to-day duties of the head coach, and it’s worked out pretty well — the Nittany Lions have five straight 9+ win seasons and likely will play in their third BCS bowl in as many years come January.
8. Oklahoma has great resiliency
The Sooners could’ve packed it in after losing the Texas game and Sam Bradford. Yet, here they are at 7-5 and having done the nation a great favor and killed the ridiculous possibility that Oklahoma State could’ve gone to the BCS with a 27-0 Bedlam Series beatdown. Bob Stoops has to get credit for keeping the team from a tankjob. Hopefully, OU and Southern Cal can meet in the greatest Brut Sun Bowl of all time in a few weeks.
9. The Holy War got nastier
First off, no rivalry in America has a better name than BYU and Utah’s. The Holy War is awesome. This year’s edition lived up to the billing, and then some. After BYU’s 26-23 overtime win, Cougar quarterback Max Hall made it clear how he feels about the Ute Nation.
“I don’t like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything,” Hall said. “It felt really good to send those guys home.”
Hall, who threw five interceptions in Utah’s 48-24 win in the 2008 edition of the rivalry, and burned Utah with the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime this year, kept rolling after that.
“I think the whole university and their fans and the organization is classless,” Hall said. “They threw beer on my family and stuff last year and did a whole bunch of nasty things. I don’t respect them and they deserved to lose.”
A nasty rivalry gets nastier. Those words will echo in Utah for decades to come.
10. The Top Ten should be...
1. Florida (NC — defeated Florida State 37-10)
Does anyone really think Tim Tebow will lose his last conference game?
2. Alabama (NC — defeated Auburn 26-21)
If Mark Ingram can’t play effectively, it’s going to be déjà vu all over again in Atlanta for the Tide.
3. Texas (NC — defeated Texas A&M 49-39)
The Longhorns better watch out — Nebraska is getting frisky as they head to Arlington.
4. TCU (NC — defeated New Mexico 51-10)
It’s “sit at home and pray for Texas to lose” time for the Horned Frogs.
5. Cincinnati (NC — defeated Illinois 49-36)
Pitt will be a real test, but the Bearcats should be able to ride home-field advantage.
6. Boise State (NC — defeated Nevada 44-33)
Will another 12-0 run end in a Poinsettia Bowl berth?
7. Ohio State (Up 2 — Idle)
8. Oregon (Up 2 — Idle)
If the Ducks can take care of Oregon State this weekend, these two will meet in the Granddaddy of them all on New Year’s Day in Pasadena.
9. Iowa (Unranked — Idle)
10. Penn State (Unranked — Idle)
The Big Ten may be the best top-heavy conference in the nation.
Dropped Out
No. 7 Georgia Tech (lost to Georgia)
No. 8 Pittsburgh (lost to West Virginia 19-16)
Look back to last week’s column — I called it.
BCS Bowl Projections
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
This Week: Texas vs. Florida
Last Week: Texas vs. Florida
ROSE BOWL
This Week: Oregon vs. Ohio State
Last Week: Oregon vs. Ohio State
ORANGE BOWL
This Week: Clemson vs. Iowa
Last Week: Clemson vs. Cincinnati
FIESTA BOWL
This Week: TCU vs. Cincinnati
Last Week: TCU vs. Penn State
SUGAR BOWL
This Week: Alabama vs. Boise State
Last Week: Alabama vs. Boise State
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