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Arkansas arrests: Is the Razorbacks program spinning out of control?

Written by Aaron Torres on .

Marquel-Wade

Is Arkansas a program spiraling out of control? Or is what’s going on in Fayetteville right now just par for the course in major college football? Those are the questions that all Razorbacks fans are asking themselves this morning, as another major off the field distraction has hit at Arkansas.

First, the news:

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported yesterday that three players- wide receivers Marquel Wade and Maudrecus Humphrey and tight end Andrew Peterson- were charged with felony residential burglary; one count for Wade, nine for Humphrey and Peterson each. The trio swiped over $4,800 worth of cash, DVD’s, textbooks and other assorted items from university dorm rooms, starting on May 1, and concluding with their arrest yesterday.

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Florida St. trustees blasts ACC; realignment talk gains credence

Written by Allen Kenney on .

fsuuniWhile chatter about the possibility that Florida St. has been looking to leave the ACC has swirled on message boards and blogs for months, the theories no longer seem so conspiratorial after the head of the school's board of trustees lambasted the conference Saturday and indicated the Seminoles are interested in the Big 12.

In an interview with Warchant.com, Florida State Board of Trustees Chairman Andy Haggard said the latest media deal with ESPN demonstrated the ACC's favoritism for its basketball powers in North Carolina. If you've been scoffing at the idea that the 'Noles would ever move to the Big 12, allow Haggard to disabuse you of that notion: "On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest."

The ACC's supposed trump card in the classroom doesn't sound like such a big selling point to Haggard, either: "No FSU graduate puts on his resume or interviews for a job saying they are in the same conference as Duke and Virginia. Conference affiliation really has no impact on academics."

With the FSU athletic department looking for ways to fill the $2.5 million hole in its budget, a conference that can offer $3 million more per year from its TV deal to go along with revenue from third-tier rights and a conference championship game. Additionally, assuming the new postseason model incorporates some kind of strength of schedule component, the Big 12 would appear to be in better shape than the ACC to achieve consistent access to college football's pending "final four" tournament.

As we saw with the recent defections of Nebraska, Missouri, Texas A&M and Colorado from the Big 12, these kinds of moves can gather steam quickly. On the other hand, there's still a long road to go before something like this progresses from real talk to really happening. Less than a year ago, most of the sporting world assumed Oklahoma and Texas would be ditching the Big 12 for the West Coast.

Either way, get ready for yet another realignment-licious summer.

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Jim Delany and Nick Saban turn into college football's Biggie and Tupac

Written by Aaron Torres on .

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If you’ve been paying close attention to college football’s push toward a playoff (and believe me, I haven’t), you’ll know that Big Ten commissioner is the proverbial thorn in the side of the rest of the conference commissioners.

Originally, Delany called for a playoff to consist of only conference champions; and yeah, nobody liked that. Then he called for a system where fifth or sixth place finishers could leapfrog teams ahead of them, if the lower ranked teams won their conference and the teams in front of them didn’t. That didn’t go over too well either.

Still, undeterred, Delany is back at it again, this time with another grand plan: In his quest to take all the fun out of any conceivable college football playoff, Delany now wants to ensure any team that doesn’t win its own division (in their conference) makes his beloved four-team playoff.

Speaking to the AP yesterday, Delany said the following:

"I don't have a lot of regard for that team," Delany told The Associated Press. "I certainly wouldn't have as much regard for that team as I would for someone who played nine conference games in a tough conference and played a couple out-of-conference games on the road against really good opponents. If a poll doesn't honor those teams and they're conference champions, I do.”

While it’s impossible to say who Delany might be referencing when he says “that team” it seems like for all intents and purposes he is talking about the Alabama Crimson Tide, who- as you may remember- did not win the SEC West last year. Still, they finished 11-1 and the BCS determined them to be a worthy participant to face LSU in the BCS title game. And as you may also remember, the Crimson Tide stomped out the Tigers pretty good in New Orleans.

Regardless, this is all pretty thinly-veiled by Delany, to limit the power of the SEC.

As a matter of fact, if you’ll allow me to, I’d like to quote the great Bomani Jones, and say “Jim Delany, you sir, are a 'meat peeper.'" And honestly, it’s not a good look my man.

Look, it doesn’t take a man with Mike Leach’s IQ to see what Delany is doing here. Simply put, he’s afraid any system that simply chooses the four “best” teams will not only include an SEC champion, but also in many seasons, a second SEC team as well. And frankly, why wouldn’t it? Right now, the best football is being played in the southeastern part of the country, and if there are two worthy teams out of four, why shouldn’t they have the right to play for a title? If this whole four team playoff is an attempt to truly determine who college football’s “best” team is, why would you do anything to compromise getting those four best teams together?

It seems silly, and there is apparently one man who seems to see right through Jim Delany. That man? Mr. Nick Saban, who he called Tim Brando’s radio show today, and pulled out the heavy artillery himself.

He told Brando:

“The big complaint about the system is the fact that there are only two teams who get into the championship game the way we’ve been doing it, and when there’s a good third team or fourth team, they don’t have a chance to get into the game.” Saban said. “So if we had a four-team, plus one type deal, we’d always be able to get it right.”

“Well now, alright, for I guess self-preservation purposes in terms of what some of these people in these leagues are coming up with, you gotta be a conference champion to do it. So we’re gonna get the No. 1 team, the No. 6 team, the No. 7 team and the No. 12 team that happen to be the conference champions playing in the championship. So do we accomplish what we want to accomplish?”

And the best part? Before Brando could answer Saban’s question, Saban responded to himself, with a “hell no!”

Hmm, while I wouldn’t quite call the two Biggie and Tupac, I do think we have college football’s next great rivalry.

As for all of Delany’s goofy plans, well, we’ll find out if they come to fruition when the conference commissioners get together to further discuss the playoff on June 20.

But before we wrap up, I would like to discuss one irony however, which I have yet to hear anyone else mention.

That irony? Well, as you may remember, the Big Ten received two BCS bowl bids last year, when Wisconsin won the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game, and then later, Michigan back-doored their way into the Sugar Bowl.

And for those who were wondering, no Michigan did win not their division, finishing one game behind Michigan State in the Legends. Granted, I know that the Wolverines weren’t playing for a potential championship at the time but still. I didn’t see Delany turn down Michigan’s Sugar Bowl check either.

Jim Delany, you sir, are a hypocrite.

For all his insight, analysis and opinion on college football, be sure to follow Aaron Torres on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.

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Breaking down the list of college football's best coaches

Written by Aaron Torres on .

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It’s no secret that the boredom of college football’s off-season lends writers to find pretty unique and interesting ways to pass the time. And well, the guys over at the Sporting News have definitely taken that to the extreme this week, when they released their rankings of the best coaches in college football. No, no, this wasn’t a list of the Top 5 or Top 10, but instead, a soup-to-nuts, No. 1-No. 124 ranking.

Fans, get your pitchforks ready!

Now before we go any further, I want to make one quick note and give the guys at the Sporting News a little credit here. There is no easy way to put together a list like this; as a matter of fact, I’d call it darn near impossible. And the truth is, no matter how much time you spend on it, no matter how many outside sources you speak with, you’re never going to make the majority of the fans happy. Actually, there’s a pretty good chance that 123 team’s fans are going to feel spited, and the fans of the top ranked coach are simply going to look at the list, andsay “Psht, we already knew our coach was the best!” before moving on.

 

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Meeting of the Minds: What are the changes ahead for college football?

Written by The Crystal Ball Run Staff on .

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Slate organized a panel on the state of college football earlier this week, and the question of whether the sport should be banned on the collegiate level. Junior Seau's suicide last week has added fuel to the fire regarding player safety, but reformers are also pointing to the relationship between major sports and the academic mission of higher education.

I don't think anyone sees major college football going away any time soon, but what kind changes do you see coming, if any?

Bobby Petrino's smashed motorcycle is for sale!

Written by Aaron Torres on .

Petrino-Bike

Want a piece of modern college football history? Well, it can be yours, if the price is right!

What piece of history might we be talking about?

Could we possibly being talk about a few blades of grass from the epic 2010 Iron Bowl? Nope. A couple chards of the broken crystal ball Alabama won last January in New Orleans that was smashed to smithereens a few weeks ago? Not a chance. A weekend retreat with Les Miles? Well, that’s not really historic, but no, that’s not your option anyway. Unfortunately.

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Barry Alvarez has an idea for college football's upcoming playoff

Written by Aaron Torres on .

Barry-Alvarez

Over the course of his storied career in college athletics, Barry Alvarez has proven to be pretty darn good at anything he puts his mind to. Alvarez won a National Championship as a rising, young defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, led Wisconsin to three Rose Bowls in his time as a head coach, and now as the Athletics Director, he oversees one of the most powerful athletic departments in the country in Madison. Simply put, when Barry Alvarez speaks, you better be listening.

That’s why, when Alvarez did in fact speak yesterday, it caught our ears. Barry Alvarez has an idea for the college football playoff which is on the way, and his idea makes too much sense to not be considered. That idea? Rather than letting abstract and confusing computer rankings determine the four teams in a college football playoff, why not get together a selection committee?

Alvarez told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Tuesday:

"I like a committee and I like a committee that might be diverse enough that maybe you have some national sportswriters in it," he said recently.

In the words of those old Guinness commercials, “Brilliant!”

Actually, you know what the idea of a selection committee is? Common sense.

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Mike Leach answers fan questions. Hilarity ensues

Written by Aaron Torres on .

Leach_redditRegardless of how you feel about new Washington State coach Mike Leach, it’s hard not to argue that the man is one of a kind. From his “Air Raid” offense, to affinity with pirates and everything in between, there is no one in college football (or anywhere for that matter) quite like him. After all, this is a man that Urban Meyer recently referred to as a “certified nut job”… and the crazy thing was that Meyer meant it in the most complimentary way possible.

Of course Leach is also never afraid to share his own opinion or answer a tough question, and on Monday afternoon he found the perfect forum for just that. Yup, Mike Leach had a Q&A with fans on the social media website Reddit.com, and as you may have guessed, hilarity did ensue.

The questions ranged from serious to funny, football-related to dating advice and everything in between. Here is a sample of a few fan interactions…

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Michigan State legend Andre Rison going back to school in East Lansing

Written by Aaron Torres on .

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When former San Diego Chargers All-Pro linebacker Junior Seau took his own life last week, one of the biggest concerns raised was how football players transition out of the sport after retirement. After all, when your entire life has been structured since you were a young child, it isn’t always easy knowing how to handle yourself when someone isn’t there to tell you when to eat, when to sleep and where to be at all times.

Well for at least one former college and NFL superstar, he’s making sure his plate will be filled, and his time occupied going forward. That player is Andre Rison, and he’s going to school!

That’s right, the former first round NFL Draft pick and Super Bowl winner has decided to return to his alma mater at Michigan State, where he’ll both coach on Mark Dantonio's staff and finish up the degree he never completed before leaving school in 1988. According to a report MLive.com, Rison is roughly 30 credits short of a communication arts degree, and will start classes this summer and continue them into the fall.

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For $4.50 who wouldn't want to see a game

Written by Tom Perry on .

bobcats-tickets

Going head-to-head with Ohio State is never an easy task on the football field.

It's even tougher trying to pry fans away to watch a game that doesn't involve the Buckeyes, who have a waiting list of people just wanting the honor of paying around $750 for one season ticket.

So I'm going to give pesky Ohio University and the Bobcats' ticket operations some credit for their new marketing campaign to drum up support.

After winning the Mid-American Conference East championship, reaching three consecutive bowl games and edging Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the Bobcats have posted billboards in southeastern Ohio touting the bargain-basement prices of attending games at Peden Stadium.