Big Ten Bowl Review: Alamo

So it will come down to Iowa. The Big Ten now rests at 3-3 this bowl season following Michigan State's valiant but losing effort against Texas Tech last night. The Spartans held a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Red Raiders' offense was too much. I'd say I'm disappointed by the result, but actually it was much more competitive than anyone had thought, considering Michigan State was without 14 players. Here's what "they" had to say after the loss.

• ESPN's Adam Rittenberg was just as shocked at last night's game as anyone. It was a good fight by the Spartans, but the season overall wasn't how things were supposed to shape out.

• Unfortunately, that's it for the MSM coverage of the Alamo Bowl. Sure, there were the wire stories; but I couldn't really find a single bit of analysis by anyone not working for TWWL. Of course, if you want to know more about Mike Leach's firing, that's a different story...

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Mike Leach fired

Yeah, real surprising. Texas Tech has reportedly fired head coach Mike Leach. He had been accused of mistreating a player. Michigan State fans must be wondering how this could affect their opponent. We'll see.

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ZN's CFB Top 25 2008 :: Week 13

Not much controversy this week. Well, except for LSU sucking, along with the rest of the SEC.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Texas Tech (2), [10-0, DNP]
2. Alabama (1), [11-0, Won vs Miss St 32-7]
3. Florida (3), [9-1, Won vs South Carolina 56-6]
4. Texas (4), [10-1, Won at Kansas 35-7]
5. Oklahoma (5), [9-1, DNP]
6. Penn State (6), [10-1, Won vs Indiana 34-7]
7. Utah (7), [11-0, Won at San Diego St 63-14]
8. USC (8), [9-1, Won at Stanford 45-23]
9. Ohio State (10), [9-2, Won at Illinois 30-20]
10. Boise State (9), [10-0, Won at Idaho 45-10]
11. Oklahoma State (11), [9-2, Won at Colorado]
12. BYU (13), [10-1, Won at Air Force 38-24]
13. Texas Christian (12), [9-2, DNP]
14. Missouri (14), [9-2, Won at Iowa St 52-20]
15. Michigan State (17), [9-2, DNP]
16. Georgia (15), [9-2, Won at Auburn 17-13]
17. Oregon State (19), [7-3, Won vs California 34-21]
18. Ball State (16), [10-0, Won at Miami, OH 31-16]
19. Oregon (24), [8-3, Won vs Arizona 55-45]
20. Cincinnati (22), [8-2, Won at Louisville 28-20]
21. Pittsburgh (21), [7-2, DNP]
22. Miami, FL (NR), [7-3, Won vs Virginia Tech 16-14]
23. Northwestern (NR), [8-3, Won at Michigan 21-14]
24. Maryland (NR), [7-3, Won vs North Carolina 17-15]
25. North Carolina (18), [7-3, Lost at Maryland 17-15]

Dropped Out:
Florida State (20), [7-3, Lost vs Boston College 27-17]
LSU (23), [7-3, Won vs Troy 40-31]
Tulsa (25), [8-2, Lost at Houston 70-30]

On the Cusp:
Georgia Tech (NR), [7-3, DNP]
Boston College (NR), [7-3, Won at Florida St 27-17]
Florida State (20), [7-3, Lost vs Boston College 27-17]
LSU (23), [7-3, Won vs Troy 40-31]
Tulsa (25), [8-2, Lost at Houston 70-30]

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ZN's CFB Top 25 2008 :: Week 12

If parity was the goal, then I think college football has achieved it. The bottom half of the top 25 is just a nightmare. Anyway, Rose Bowl here we come. Well, hopefully.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Alabama (1), [10-0, Won at LSU 27-21 (1OT)]
2. Texas Tech (4), [10-0, Won vs Oklahoma St 56-20]
3. Florida (3), [8-1, Won at Vanderbilt 42-14]
4. Texas (6), [9-1, Won vs Baylor 45-21]
5. Oklahoma (5), [9-1, Won at Texas A&M 66-28]
6. Penn State (2), [9-1, Lost at Iowa 24-23]
7. Utah (8), [10-0, Won vs TCU 13-10]
8. USC (9), [8-1, Won vs California 17-3]
9. Boise State (11), [9-0, Won vs Utah St 49-14]
10. Ohio State 12), [8-2, Won at Northwestern 45-10]
11. Oklahoma State (7), [8-2, Lost at Texas Tech 56-20]
12. Texas Christian (10), [9-2, Lost at Utah 13-10]
13. BYU (13), [9-1, Won vs San Diego St 41-12]
14. Missouri (14), [8-2, Won vs Kansas St 41-24]
15. Georgia (15), [8-2, Won at Kentucky 42-38]
16. Ball State (16), [9-0, Won vs Northern Illinois 45-14]
17. Michigan State (17), [9-2, Won vs Purdue 21-7]
18. North Carolina (18), [7-2, Won vs Georgia Tech 28-7]
19. Oregon State (NR), [6-3, Won at UCLA 34-6]
20. Florida State (25), [7-2, Won vs Clemson 41-27]
21. Pittsburgh (NR), [7-2, Won vs Louisville 41-7]
22. Cincinnati (NR), [7-2, Won at West Virginia 26-23]
23. LSU (19), [6-3, Lost vs Alabama 27-21 (1OT)]
24. Oregon (NR), [7-3, Won vs Stanford 35-28]
25. Tulsa (NR), [8-1, DNP]


Dropped Out:
West Virginia (20), [6-3, Lost vs Cincinnati 26-23]
Georgia Tech (21), [7-3, Lost at North Carolina 28-7]
Northwestern (22), [7-3, Lost vs Ohio St 45-10]
Minnesota (23), [7-3, Lost vs Michigan 29-6]
California (24), [6-3, Lost at USC 17-3]

On the Cusp:
Virginia Tech (NR), [6-3, Won vs Maryland 23-13]
Air Force (NR), [8-2, Won vs Colorado St 38-17]
West Virginia (20), [6-3, Lost vs Cincinnati 26-23]
Georgia Tech (21), [7-3, Lost at North Carolina 28-7]
Northwestern (22), [7-3, Lost vs Ohio St 45-10]
Minnesota (23), [7-3, Lost vs Michigan 29-6]

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ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 11

The final stretch just got really interesting. Penn State fans: don’t worry. It’s still very early.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Alabama (3), [9-0, Won vs Arkansas St 35-0]
2. Penn State (2), [9-0, DNP]
3. Florida (5), [8-1, Won vs Georgia 49-10]
4. Texas Tech (6), [9-0, Won vs Texas 39-33]
5. Oklahoma (4), [8-1, Won vs Nebraska 62-28]
6. Texas (1), [8-1, Lost at Texas Tech 39-33]
7. Oklahoma State (8), [8-1, Won vs Iowa St 59-17]
8. Utah (9), [9-0, Won at New Mexico 13-10]
9. USC (10), [7-1, Won vs Washington 56-0]
10. Texas Christian (11), [9-1, Won at UNLV 44-14]
11. Boise State (12), [8-0, Won at New Mexico St 49-0]
12. Ohio State 13), [7-2, DNP]
13. BYU (14), [8-1, Won at Colorado St 45-42]
14. Missouri (15), [7-2, Won at Baylor 31-28]
15. Georgia (7), [7-2, Lost vs Florida 49-10]
16. Ball State (18), [DNP]
17. Michigan State (20), [8-2, Won vs Wisconsin 25-24]
18. North Carolina (21), [6-2, DNP]
19. LSU (22), [6-2, Won vs Tulane 35-10]
20. West Virginia (24), [6-2, Won at UConn 35-13]
21. Georgia Tech (NR), [7-2, Won vs Florida St 31-28]
22. Northwestern (NR), [7-2, Won at Minnesota 24-17]
23. Minnesota (16), [7-2, Lost vs Northwestern 24-17]
24. California (NR), [Won vs Oregon 26-16]
25. Florida State (17), [Lost at Georgia Tech 31-28]

Dropped Out:
Tulsa (19), [8-1, Lost at Arkansas 30-23]
Oregon (23), [6-3, Lost at California 26-16]
Notre Dame (25), [5-3, Lost vs Pittsburgh 36-33]

On the Cusp:
Maryland (NR), [6-2, DNP]
Pittsburgh (NR), [6-2, Won at Notre Dame 36-33]
Cincinnati (NR), [6-2, Won vs South Florida]
Oregon State (NR), [5-3, Won vs Arizona St 27-25]

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Penn State in the Polls :: Searching for No. 1

Everyone's rankings are out. Texas Tech is siphoning way some of the votes from Penn State. A big win at Iowa, and a loss by Texas Tech, would go a long way in resolving that matter.

BCS Poll - PSU No. 3 (NC)

USA Today/Coaches Poll - PSU No. 2 [No. 1 votes: 14/61(+11)] (+1)

Associated Press (via ESPN) - PSU No. 3 [No. 1 votes: 6/65(+6)] (NC)

The Sporting News - PSU No. 2 (+1)

CBS Sportsline - PSU No. 3 (NC)

College Football Poll - PSU No. 1 (NC)

Jeff Sagarin's Rankings - PSU No. 1 (+1)/No. 4 (-1)-"ELO Chess," used in BCS formula

College Football News -

4. Penn State (9-0) (Last Week: 5)
Didn't Play This Week
next game: at Iowa
The Ranking Should Be Higher Because … the defense, in a one game shot, is good enough to beat anyone in the country. If the Texas offensive line could blast away late on Texas Tech, and the Alabama offensive line had problems with a few defensive fronts like Mississippi's and Kentucky's, then Penn State's lines could certainly show up and produce.
The Ranking Should Be Lower Because ... could the offense keep up with any of the top Big 12 attacks, and could it do much against the Alabama and Florida defenses? The Ohio State game didn't exactly inspire confidence, even in the win.

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Penn State jumped by Texas Tech in AP Poll

Well, it happened. We all had a feeling it would. The newest No. 2 team in the AP poll, Texas Tech, jumped over idle Penn State today. With the fall of previously-No. 1 Texas, Penn State now received six first-place votes in the AP. No. 1 Alabama got 46, No. 2 Texas Tech got 12, and now-No. 4 Florida got one.

On the sane, rational, BCS-relevant side of the polls, the USA Today Coaches Poll saw through the sensationalist fog, and voted Penn State No. 2, bumping Texas Tech up to No. 3. Alabama got 40 first-place votes, followed by Penn State's 14, then Texas Tech's six, and Oklahoma took the No. 4 slot, and one first-place vote.

Why don't I agree with this? This is why.

I'll have the complete weekly "Penn State in the Polls" post up later today, with all the rankings and where Penn State landed.

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Why Penn State should now be No. 2

As No. 1 Texas lost tonight in Lubbock, coupled with No. 8 Florida's demolition of No. 6 Georgia, I immediately started the inevitable argument: Who should be No. 2 now? I came up with a few reasons why Penn State shouldn't get jumped by any other team this week, specifically Texas Tech or Florida.

1. Texas Tech's win wasn't as impressive as Penn State's in Columbus. Tech won a night game, at home, against a Texas team that was a bit overrated overall, and very overrated on defense. State won a night game, away, in a stadium where the home team only lost three games since 2001, against an Ohio State team that wasn't overrated overall, but definitely underrated on defense coming into the game. Texas Tech also made several costly mistakes, like turnovers, penalties and gave up many big plays for scores. Penn State played a very clean game, away remember, without turnovers, no penalties and never gave up even a touchdown.

2. Florida already lost a game, at home, to a very mediocre Mississippi squad. In college football, you must win your games first, then argue for a spot in the National Championship game. Until there aren't any undefeated BCS-conference teams (Alabama, Penn State and Texas Tech are the only three left), you have no place in the title picture. Should Bama, PSU or Tech fall, then Florida can reenter the race.* And if the final polls come down to which team's loss was "better" or "worse," then the check list goes: 1. Home loss, or away loss? 2. How good or bad was the other team? 3. Was the game result close, and was the entire game close?

3. Penn State's schedule is tougher than the doubters suggest. Have you noticed that every time anyone (ahem, Mark May, Desmond Howard & Co.) runs down Penn State's "soft" non-conference schedule, they always leave out that pesky team from Corvallis? Yeah, Penn State embarrassed that same Oregon State team which beat Southern California. Throw in Ohio State, Wisconsin (yes, still a tough place to play) and Illinois, and you've got a decent schedule. Florida lost to Ole Miss, and beat very clearly overrated LSU and Georgia teams, neither of which were true road wins. I'm not saying Florida's schedule was easier than Penn States, just not hard enough to jump an undefeated Penn State in the rankings.

So there you go. Argue all you want. That's what college football is about, "every week is a playoff," right?

*This situation should actually remedy itself. Should Bama go undefeated, and Florida wins out, they'll meet in the SEC title game, eliminating one of them from NC consideration. Plus, Texas Tech will have to run the table, which would be very impressive, earning the Red Raiders their spot in the NC game above any one-loss team.

**On Alabama: while I do believe Penn State could beat Alabama, the Crimson Tide gets my nod for No 1 right now. That's not due to the lack-luster win over Arkansas State (which Penn State bumped from its 2008 schedule in favor of Oregon State, just saying), but because they have a slightly better resume, right now, than the Nittany Lions.

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National Picks, Week 10

I figured since I have some extra time this week, I'd take some shots around college football. Mind you, these picks were formulated from about 10 percent research, 90 percent gut feel.

Outright Upsets:
Tennessee over South Carolina
Pitt over Notre Dame

Does not cover/watch for outright upset:
Florida St. over Georgia Tech
Utah over New Mexico

Does not cover:
Texas over Texas Tech
Oklahoma over Nebraska

Covers:
Oklahoma St. over Iowa St.
Florida over Georgia

*Ed-Yeah, I know I didn't do Joe Pa's presser. But hey, you've already read about it everywhere else, so why would you care about reading it here? Plus, beating up on ESPN is more fun.

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ZN's Top 25 2008 :: Week 10

The top three is really boring this year, isn't it? Not for Penn State fans. We are quite happy right now.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Texas (1), [8-0, Won vs. Oklahoma St 28-24]
2. Penn State (2), [9-0, Won at Ohio State 13-6]
3. Alabama (3), [8-0, Won at Tennessee 29-9]
4. Oklahoma (4), [7-1, Won at Kansas St 58-35]
5. Florida (6), [7-1, Won vs Kentucky 63-5]
6. Texas Tech (7), [8-0, Won at Kansas 63-21]
7. Georgia (12), [7-1, Won at LSU 52-38]
8. Oklahoma State (9), [7-1, Lost at Texas 28-24]
9. Utah (11), [8-0, DNP]
10. USC (5), [6-1, Won at Arizona 17-10]
11. Texas Christian (13), [8-1, Won vs Wyoming 54-7]
12. Boise State (14), [5-0, Won at San Jose St 33-14]
13. Ohio State (8), [7-2, Lost vs Penn St 13-6]
14. BYU (18), [7-1, Won vs UNLV 42-35]
15. Missouri (20), [6-2, Won vs Colorado 58-0]
16. Minnesota (21), [7-1, Won at Purdue 17-6]
17. Florida State (25), [Won vs Virginia Tech 30-20]
18. Ball State (23), [8-0, Won vs W. Michigan 38-16]
19. Tulsa (24), [8-0, Won at Central Florida 49-19]
20. Michigan State (NR), [6-2, Won at Michigan 35-21]
21. North Carolina (NR), [6-2, Won vs Boston College 45-24]
22. LSU (10), [5-2, Lost vs Georgia 52-38]
23. Oregon (NR), [6-2, Won at Arizona St 54-20]
24. West Virginia (NR), [5-2, Won vs Auburn 37-17]
25. Notre Dame (NR), [5-2, Won at Washington 33-7]

Dropped Out:
South Florida (15), [6-2, Lost at Louisville 24-20]
Georgia Tech (16), [6-2, Lost vs Virginia 24-17]
Pittsburgh (17), [5-2, Lost vs Rutgers 54-34]
Northwestern (19), [6-2, Lost at Indiana 21-19]
Cincinnati (22), [5-2, Lost at UConn 40-16]

On the Cusp:
Connecticut (NR), [6-2, Won vs Cincinnati 40-16]
Maryland (NR), [6-2, Won vs NC State 27-24]
South Florida (15), [6-2, Lost at Louisville 24-20]
Georgia Tech (16), [6-2, Lost vs Virginia 24-17]
Northwestern (19), [6-2, Lost at Indiana 21-19]

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Article of the day - Coaching Succession Plans

I generally try to feature an article each day from another site. Usually they're from Penn State or Big Ten blogs, sometimes from other sites. Please check out the author's Web site. I always supply the link in the introduction.

You knew it was only a matter of time before some columnist had his rant on the new trend of choosing a head coach's successor. The first one I saw was from our dear old friend over at ESPN.com, Pat Forde. Actually, this one isn't as bad as the Ohio State bash-fest he wrote a while back. This article has some semblance of thought to it. So, without boring you anymore, here is Pat Forde's take on the coaching succession fad.

Those newfangled succession plans shouldn't be just for coachesBy Pat Forde
ESPN.com

Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for coming for this announcement. I've decided it's time to reveal my succession plan here at ESPN.com:

When I retire from column writing, it has been arranged for my 12-year-old son, Mitchell, to take over. (This is me now, but ESPN.com couldn't get a better shot of Forde's daught--er, I mean, son.)

All the suits in Bristol have signed off on it. I'd introduce you to the Columnist-in-Waiting, but I can't get the Wii control out of his hand long enough to put on his clip-on tie and pose for pictures.

I know you'll be excited about this. Many of you already think I write at a seventh-grade level, especially readers from the great state of Ohio, so the transition should be seamless. But it won't be immediate.

Sometime in the next 20 years, I'll shut down the old laptop and turn it over to my kid. When in the next 20 years? I have no idea. Probably when they pry my stiff, dead fingers off the keyboard, but don't ask because I won't tell.

Determining a timetable is not the point. The points are these:

A. For me to exert control past the termination of my tenure and into the next.

B. To force my employer to buy into it.

C. To show how much political capital I've earned during my tenure.

This is the hottest trend in Sportsworld -- naming your own successor without naming a succession date. Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts did it this week, establishing assistant Jim Caldwell as the next coach of the Colts at whatever point Dungy decides to join his family in Tampa.

(I know it's almost sacrilege to say anything bad about Dungy, but does anyone else find it a bit odd that the alleged No. 1 family man in the NFL sent his family to Florida while he stays in Indy to chase another championship?)

Succession Mania is all over the place in college. Especially basketball: Bob Knight will be succeeded at Texas Tech by Pat Knight, time TBD; Lute Olson will be succeeded by Kevin O'Neill at Arizona, time TBD; Jim Boeheim will be succeeded by Mike Hopkins at Syracuse, time TBD. Sean Sutton, Tony Bennett and Keno Davis already have taken over for their dads at Oklahoma State, Washington State and Drake, respectively.

In college football, Kentucky just named offensive coordinator Joker Phillips as the heir apparent to Rich Brooks. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher has been slotted to replace Bobby Bowden at Florida State, should Bowden eventually decide he doesn't want to coach until he's 100. Purdue just hired Eastern Kentucky coach Danny Hope as an apprentice to replace Joe Tiller.

The Purdue deal at least comes with a finite retirement date, effective after next season. The rest of them? Whenever the old buzzard in charge feels the urge.

Hey, lots of kids and/or other handpicked successors take over family businesses. But in most of those cases, the guy turning over the top job owns the business. In sports, there allegedly are school presidents and team owners calling the shots -- but apparently not all the shots.

Washington State's Tony Bennett is one successor who has been as good as promised.
Some of these agreements have worked out splendidly. Tony Bennett has dramatically improved the product at Washington State, and Keno Davis has done the same in a breakthrough season at Drake.

But the open-ended succession scenarios are probably worth about as much as the paper used for the press releases. They might last as long as a ninth-grader's oral commitment. Coaches already walk out on contracts and commitments all the time; what makes you think this will be any different?

For instance: Fisher came to Florida State last year for a handsome sum. On Dec. 7, the school announced that Fisher was its choice to succeed Bowden at a later date. About two weeks later, Fisher listened to West Virginia's overture about becoming the next head coach of the Mountaineers. He decided to stay in Tallahassee, but the succession agreement hardly deterred him from looking at another job almost immediately.

(One other thing about Fisher: He has a great rep in coaching circles, which helped earn him superstar coordinator pay at FSU. But in his first season the Seminoles deteriorated from 45th nationally in scoring offense and 70th in total offense under the excoriated Jeff Bowden to 90th in scoring offense and 80th in total offense under the sainted Fisher. Hm.)

Kentucky could be facing a similar situation with other schools making runs at Phillips. Brooks' oft-stated goal in Lexington is to become the longest-tenured head coach of the Wildcats. That would be 10 years on the job, and Brooks is halfway there. If Kentucky's offense keeps lighting up scoreboards the way it has the past two years under Phillips' command, do you really think he's going to sit around until 2013 waiting for a job?

My suspicion is that Kentucky and FSU were trying to pre-empt other job offers, while assuaging recruits at the same time. Most of these collegiate succession arrangements are used to convey continuity on the recruiting front -- so commit now, kid, and quit worrying about who your coach will be.

There probably are or have been other succession arrangements that went unannounced. Nobody was shocked when Bill Guthridge took over for Dean Smith at North Carolina, for example. But as Michigan football is likely to find out with Rich Rodriguez, breaking out of a familial mold can eventually serve a stale program well.

Change is often good. Job searches that expand beyond the usual suspects with ties to a school or a beloved coach can be beneficial. (See: Rick Pitino at Kentucky, Pete Carroll at USC, Urban Meyer at Florida, and so forth.)

But quite frankly, that kind of thinking is for other suckers. Here at ESPN.com, I'm riding the succession wave. My 12-year-old kid is taking over this space -- just as soon as he learns how to type faster than 18 words a minute.

Pat Forde is a national columnist for ESPN.com. He can be reached at ESPN4D@aol.com.

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