by Amy Lamare

Well, I’d say we’re going down to the wire with the previews except since I’ve got Arizona State-Mizzou on in the background, clearly I am writing this preview on September 9, 2011. BUT, in my defense, the Pac-12 season hasn’t technically started until USC and Utah kick off at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum tomorrow. (Note, though Cal and Colorado play in Week 2, that game was scheduled before conference realignment and does not count as a conference game.)So, let’s do this, shall we?

The Pac-10 was previously one of the longest continuous conferences in the country. (I think Ivy is longer) Meaning, the conference hadn’t added or subtracted members for many many many years. In fact, ASU and Arizona were invited to join the then Pac-8 Conference in 1978. And for 32 years, they remained a very balanced conference. Two Southern California schools, Two Northern California Schools, Two Washington Schools, Two Oregon Schools and Two Arizona schools. Perfect symmetry with built in rivalries.

Now we’re 12. Utah and Colorado joined us this season.  The divisions are North – the Washingtons, Oregons and NorCal schools and South – the SoCals, Arizonas, Utah and Colorado. Um, OK.  And of course, who knows what we’ll look like next year with potentially Oklahoma and Oklahoma State?

But this is 2011, so we won’t worry about that. In the North, it’s clearly all about Oregon and Stanford. In the South, it’s more of a toss-up, and of course USC is not eligible to play in the inaugural Pac-12 championship should they win the South. Whatever. Bygones. We’ll getcha next year, Pac-12.  The South looks to be, frankly ASU’s or Utah’s to win or lose.  That said, the Utes struggled in their opener versus Montana State and ASU is holding off Missouri as we speak, so…

Let’s just get into it. We’ll start with the South, from Worst to First, as is my habit.  (Also, I am assuming ASU is winning tonight and Utah is losing tomorrow)

2011 Pac-12 South Division:

COLORADO

The new kid on the block also has a new coach and frankly, things look rather dismal for the Buffaloes. This program has been in need of an overhaul for YEARS, but is new head coach John Embree the man to do it?   The Buffs return a chunk of their offense from last year including RB Rodney Stewart, QB Tyler Hansen, WR Paul Richardson, WR Toney Clemons, TE Ryan Deehan,  andG Ryan Miller – now obviously there’s a bit of talent there, it is, after all, still COLORADO.

However, when you line the Buffs up against the talent in the rest of the Pac-12? It doesn’t look so great for them.  The biggest differences in talent come at the QB position and on defense.  The Pac-12 boasts several of the NCAA’s top QBs in Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley and Nick Foles.  Who is the last truly great Colorado QB you can remember? Kordell Stewart? Yeah and that was a lifetime ago.

If Colorado focuses their season on getting Bowl eligible, they have a chance. But the Buffaloes will be an underdog in their last seven games and has nonconference games against Cal and at Ohio State. CU plays at Stanford, at Arizona State, at UCLA, at Washington and at Utah and gets Oregon, Arizona and USC at home.

Yeah, six wins might be optimistic. There’s… Washington State! And Colorado State! (They’ve already lost to Hawaii.)

UCLA

Oh UCLA, what are we going to do with you?  Rick Neuheisel was supposed to be your great hope, but what has he done for you not just lately, but ever?  As a Trojan, I hope his reign over Westwood is long, as Bruin mediocrity is as the world should be (from my Cardinal and Gold colored lenses at least).  But seriously, it doesn’t look much better for the Bruins than it did last year. And we all know how that “revolutionary” pistol offense went over.

The Bruins continue to have fragile quarterbacks. How else to explain their near constant injuries, often before the season ever starts?  There are a lot of players back on offense including: QB Kevin Prince, QB Richard Brehaut, RB Johnathan Franklin, WR Taylor Embree, WR Nelson Rosario, WR Randall Carroll, WR Ricky Marvray,  and TE Cory Harkey. For any other team, that would be good news. But this is the same UCLA team that went 2-7 in the Pac-10 with the worst passing offense in the entire country. So, yeah.  Good luck.

Then, there’s the quarterback issue. The Bruins haven’t had a competent QB since when? Cade McNown?

Defensively –well OLB Sean Westgate, MLB Patrick Larimore, S Tony Dye, DE Damien Holmes, CB Aaron Hester, DT Cassius Marsh, and CB Sheldon Price are back. But again, they were all a part of a team that went 2-7 last year.

And got beat, badly, by Houston in Week 1.

The Bruins will surely pull off a handful of wins, they usually find a way to. But bowl eligibility may be a pipe dream this year.

ARIZONA

It speaks to the strength of the Pac-12 South that this fairly talented Arizona team looks to finish fourth in their division. (Who’s a strong conference now, eh SEC?!)  With such outstanding offensive players as
QB Nick Foles, WR Juron Criner, RB Keola Antolin, WR David Douglas, and WR David Roberts returning, one would think Wildcat fans would be excited. There’s only really one teeny weeny problem.

Alright, so maybe not teeny weeny. The entire offensive line is brand new.

GULP.

And it isn’t much better on the D-Line, either.

There are exactly ZERO starts on the O-line and at defensive end. NONE.  Foles, Criner and Antolin are amazing, but how much are they going to be able to do if the offensive line can’t block anyone.

On defense, injury has devastated the squad. LB Jake Fischer and FS Adam Hall went down with torn ACLs during spring ball.

There are a couple of redshirt freshmen — Fabbians Ebbele and Mickey Baucus—who, if they can step up and play with a maturity that belies their actual experience, this Arizona team could be exceptional.  But, expecting the level of play this team will need out of two unproven players –that’s not a lot to hang hope on, you know?

Plus, there was the whole Oklahoma State debacle. Twice. In a row.

UTAH

Kyle Wittingham and Utah have put together a few remarkable seasons. Wittingham took over for uber coach (sarcasm) Urban Meyer when he bolted for greener (I’m talking about cold hard cash) pastures. Since taking over at Utah, Whittingham is 59-20 overall and has had three consecutive 10-win seasons: 13-0 in 2008, 10-3 in 2009 and 2010.

Here’s the issue. No doubt this team has talent. However. While Utah was an elite team in the land of mid-majors, they are now playing with the big boys. And the level of competition they are going to face week in and week out in the Pac-12 is going to be a gigantic step up from Mountain West competitors.

That said, Norm Chow is the Utes Offensive Coordinator. And he’s got QB Jordan Wynn under his wing. Do you know what other QBs Chow has mentored? Oh only: Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Of course Chow did literally nothing for the Bruins, so it’s easy to dismiss him and think he lost his touch. That would be unwise.

Defensively – well the entire secondary lacks experience which could cause massive issues in a league where they face quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, Nick Foles, Matt Barkley and Brock Osweiler.

The Utes struggled mightily against FCS Montana State in Week 1. The game at USC this weekend will tell us a lot about this team and their ability to compete in the Pac-12 South.

ARIZONA STATE

Oh man, well, regulation time just ran out and ASU-Mizzou is heading into OT. The Sun Devils let a 14 point lead midway through the third quarter AT HOME evaporate. So in some ways, same old ASU. But, Mizzou is not Washington State. Or even Arizona. Remember last season ASU nearly beat Wisconsin at Camp Randall. And I watched QB Brock Osweiler and WR Aaron Pflugrad put together a drive in the third quarter that was GORGEOUS.

So this Sun Devil team has what it takes. Unfortunately, they are also still penalty prone, shooting themselves in the foot, and from the looks of it, not quite adept at finishing the game as strong as they started it.

HOWEVER, this team has a lot more talent and experience than those Sun Devil teams of the past that started well and imploded.  Offensively, the Sun Devils return QB Brock Osweiler, RB Cameron Marshall, RB/WR Deantre Lewis, WR Mike Willie, WR Gerell Robinson, WR Aaron Pflugrad, as well as the entire offensive line.

Defensively the Sun Devils have a MONSTER MLB in Vontaze Burfict – possibly the best in the country. Also returning is DE Junior Onyeali, DE James Brooks, OLB Brandon Magee, S Eddie Elder and CB Osahon Irabor.

ASU has the talent. Do they have the discipline and follow through and ability to CLOSE OUT THE GAME WITH WINS?

This Mizzou game is telling us A LOT but also, it is coming down to the wire.  Much like I expect ASU’s season to.

USC

Oh, what can I say about my men of Troy? They didn’t look great last week.  (Well Barkley to Woods, certainly looked good, but we’ve got to have more offensive options than that.) However, I don’t think that was the players. I think that was the coaching.

Offensively, the majority of the O-Line is young, inexperienced and shaky. However we’ve got experience in QB Matt Barkley, RB Marc Tyler, WR Robert Woods, TE Rhett Ellison, OT Matt Kalil and two other starting linemen.  The passing game looks to be humming along delightfully. The running game is a mystery, but without an o-line to actually create gaps, that may continue to sputter.

Defensively – GOD last year was painful. And it came down to a lack of depth. Our D was tired at the end of the game and that’s when we lost three of them, at the end, by a small margin, because our defense wasn’t fresh.  Well  with returning players DE Nick Perry, MLB Devon Kennard, LB Chris Galippo, DT Christian Topou, DT Armond Armstead, DT DaJohn Harris, CB Nickell Robey, S T.J. McDonald, S Jawanza Starling, S Marshall Jones and DE Wes Horton – well, we no longer have a depth issue.  The only starter from last year not at USC now is new San Diego Charger Shareece Wright.

Despite sanctions and not being able to play for anything but Pride (and Arrogant Nation), this is the most talented team in the Pac-12 hands down.  Whether they can actually prove that on the field is the test. Remember, these are 18-22 year old BOYS and not being able to play for the conference championship, the Rose Bowl. The National Championship does affect their motivation.

ASU wins the Pac-12 South by Default.

ACC Preview 2011 Coastal Division

by Amy Lamare

I bet you all thought this wasn’t going to happen, right?! Ha ha Psych! (As we used to say in high school.)

Well here I am with your ACC Coastal Division Preview for 2011. Here is the Atlantic Division Preview, where I had a longish intro about the state of the conference this year, and blah blah blah what it comes down to is:

Virginia Tech and Florida State

However, it occurred to me this morning that this Seminole team is largely an unknown quantity and will be until Week Three when the Oklahoma Sooners roll their pioneer wagon into Tallahassee. And this worries me, because I am pulling for Florida State. Yet Jimbo Fisher’s team has played Louisiana-Monroe and this week faces Charleston Southern.  Are they really going to be adequately prepared for the total attack the Sooners will bring? Landry Jones and Justin Blackmon are a scary combo to face. Will the Seminoles D be up to the task?

Anyway, enough Atlantic Division talk.

Let’s take a look at the Coastal division, from worst to first.

Note: I am not taking Week 1 into consideration.

DUKE

Do we need to discuss this? Duke is the perennial bottom feeder in the ACC.  The Blue Devils, like Indiana, are a basketball school. They’ve won 13 games in the past five seasons.  But, let me tell you a story about a similar school out west. They too were a perennial bottom feeder with academic requirements for admission that often ruled out the best athletes. But now look at Stanford.  All it took was a hot shot coach (Jim Harbaugh) and things fell into place.  Duke’s head coach, David Cutcliffe, believes the talent is getting better and they are building depth. Whether this means they will start winning is yet to be determined. Doubtful though. There are some cultures you just can’t beat and Duke’s losing one in football might be one of them.

That said, Blue Devil QB Sean Renfree is the only QB in the ACC that passed for 3,000 yards last year and is still in college t

his year.  Renfree has a pair of wideouts to pitch to in Conner Vernon and Donovan Varner (what? That’s confusing.)  Five experienced running backs return for the Blue Devils, led by Desmond Scott.

Last year, Duke’s D finished last in all categories but one. DT Charlie Hatcher and S Matt Daniels have the experience, but can they hold his defense together ?

I wouldn’t call Duke pitiful. But it’s not going to be an 8 or 9 win season, either, so…

Georgia Tech

Y’all, I literally have nothing to say about the Yellow Jackets. Sad, isn’t it?  The offense is going to be young. QB Tevin Washington had limited playing time last year. As for weapons, it looks bleak. RB Roddy Jones fills the A-back slot well, but at wideout they’ve got a couple of guys that have issues with holding onto the ball. (I’m looking at you Tyler Melton and Stephen Hill)

Defensively , all three linemen return but the entire secondary needs to be replaced.

Last season GA Tech lost five of their final six games, and if the D can’t pull it together, and the O can’t find a way to move the ball… well, it could be a grim season for Georgia Tech.

Virginia

The offense is a wreck. The QB and RB positions need to be replaced. The good news is the Cavaliers  have a pair of senior wide receivers to throw to in Matt Snyder and Kris Burd.

STOP. I have to take a moment here folks. One of my dearest and best friends was a proud UVA (and Delta Gamma) alumna. She passed away in April. She was an amazing woman and a beautiful soul and not a day goes by that I don’t think about her.  So, to say I have a soft spot for Virginia is an understatement.  And, for the love of all you hold dear, get screened for cancer! My friend was only 42.

OK shake it off.

Offensively, the Wahoos have two 4-star recruits (good for them!) that should give the Cavaliers both speed and a deep threat.  The bit of good news is that the O line has experience, which should give the QB time to settle in, eh?

Defensively, things look a bit better, Seven starters return for the second year of the 4-3 scheme that was installed in Charlottesville last year. If the D can bring more pressure and close the gaps – UVA could be in decent shape.

North Carolina

UNC  lost 14 players to graduation and the draft, not to mention longtime head coach Butch Davis. Their QB is a sophomore (Bryn Renner- dude, can we talk about that name, does it conjure a certain image for you? HA! Just googled him- spot on!) but he has a pair of WRs in Dwight Jones and Jheranie Boyd to make his job a bit easier.

Defensively the Tarheels do have All-American DE Quinton Coples, which is good especially considering the secondary is crazy inexperienced.

Yeah, that’s all I’ve got for UNC.

Miami

Well now, isn’t the situation down in Coral Gables interesting?  Without talking about last week, which almost doesn’t count since so many starters had to sit out NCAA suspensions… Jacory Harris didn’t have a great year last year, yet great things are expected of him.  There is talent on this Hurricane team and it will be up to brand new head coach Al Golden to keep them focused and on track. WRs LaRon Byrd and Travis Benjamin had a habit of making a lot of mistake last year, including wrong routes and dropped passes, but RB Lamar Miller will lead a crop promising running backs.

Defensively, the Canes lack critical depth. LB Sean Spence, DE Olivier Vernon and S Vaughn Telemaque return and are both experienced and talented. Beyond that – it is dicey. The Canes also have a very rough road schedule this year, playing at Virginia Tech, Florida State, South Florida and UNC.

Virginia Tech

Well, it’s going to come down to the Hokies and the Seminoles for the ACC title. And by the way, VA Tech head coach Frank Beamer should easily cruise his way into win number 200 for the Hokies this fall. The Hokies are breaking in a new starting QB (Logan Thomas) and RB (David Wilson) but this is a team that is pretty good at reloading. Sure Tyrod Taylor and his tandem backs (Williams and Evans) will be missed but the towering (6’6) Thomas can look to WR Jarrett Boykin for assistance.

Defensively, this is a young unit. The leadership of returning LB Bruce Taylor and CB Jayron Hosley should help carry and gel the defense a bit. Hosley led the NCAA in interceptions last year with nine – so that’s a big help to an inexperienced D. The plus side is that the Coastal division isn’t that tough, to be honest, and VA Tech should not have a problem running the table in their own division.

Of course a signature of Virginia Tech is special teams and this year should not be any exception. The Hokies have a great home schedule that includes Miami, Clemson and UNC, so, like I said it will be VA Tech vs. FSU for the ACC crown.

And that concludes the official Gridiron Goddess 2011 ACC Preview. Holy Crap, only one more to do.

by Amy Lamare, Gridiron Goddess, head Cheese around these parts.

Last week USC faced off against Minnesota on a blazing hot day at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.  It was supposed to be a cake walk for these “much improved’ Trojans. And it was, for two quarters.  The second half, as you all know by now, was not pretty for Troy.  And neither were those two point conversion attempts. Nor Lane Kiffin’s failure to make significant adjustments in the second half, making the Trojans dependent on a late interception to preserve the win. USC 19, Minnesota 17

On the bright side, if USC can win games with the Matt Barkley to Robert Woods play alone, the offense doesn’t look bad. Seriously. Was Jeremy Bates calling this game? It seemed every single call was Barkley to Woods.  In fact, both the QB and the WR set USC records last Saturday afternoon. Woods caught a school-record 17 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns, breaking a record formerly held by Trojan Great Johnnie Morton.

Most Receptions in a  Single Game – USC All-Time

by Kieryn Graham, Cal correspondent

At least for this week, Bear backers savor the exquisite satisfaction of saying, “We’re undefeated.”  The local press reported “Cal cruised  to a 36-21 victory over Fresno State at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.”  The Daily Californian also reported “the Bears defense shut down the Bulldogs’ offense.”  This is not exaggeration; this is literature.  And in the study of literature, we call this figure of speech “hyperbole,” which means we are representing things as slightly bigger than they really are for the sake of emphasis.  Or maybe we are just exaggerating.

Did we mention the poloBears are 2-0 on the young season—as in “undefeated”?

The new guy suffered a little stage fright, causing considerable consternation among the bayside bleacherati  when he threw his first tightly spiraled pass right into the waiting arms of a defender.  They speculated it might be a reading problem: Zach Maynard’s intended receiver wore a jersey emblazoned with the name Jones—as in Marvin Jones, while Fresno State’s defensive back wore a jersey adorned with the same name—as in L.J. Jones.  Later in the game, when the boi from Buffalo got his game going, passing for almost 270 yards and running for 52 more, the name-game confusion simply added to the overwhelming mound of evidence proving Cal fans have a decided tendency to over-think the game.

Did we mention our field hockey women are 5-1-0—as in “undefeated”?

Students of Coach Tedford’s wide-open offense had worried about running back Isi Sofele, who had crossed the plane of the goal line only twice in his two previous Cal campaigns.  On Saturday, Sofele assuaged their concerns, gaining 83 yards on 24 carries, and scoring twice in his first career start.  Those same offensive researchers—yes, that is a double entendre—found ample justification for their confidence in the Bears’ wide receivers.  As our friends at the Daily Californian properly noted, “Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones combined for 230 yards receiving — 112 and 118, respectively — marking the first time Cal had two receivers with more than 100 yards receiving since Lavelle Hawkins and DeSean Jackson accomplished the feat in 2006.”  Jones also defied gravity and the Bulldogs’ defense, snagging a 23-yard touchdown pass on Cal’s first third-quarter possession.  He tallied two scores on the day.

Did we mention the women’s cross country team brought the winners’ trophy back across the Bay from Saturday’s USF Invitational—as in seriously undefeated?

Yes, boys and girls, all that and well-informed locker room sources say all the Bears’ scholar-athletes submitted their math homework right on time.

In the footnotes…

From Rivals.com: “BIGGEST SURPRISE, TEAM: California. Cal was a mystery team, as it was coming off a 5-7 season, has no home games because its stadium is being renovated and is breaking in a new quarterback. The Bears turned in a strong opening performance behind new QB Zach Maynard, a transfer from Buffalo, and knocked off Fresno State 36-21.”

From the sportswire: “The game between now Pac-12 foes Colorado and Cal this weekend likely will confuse many fans because it won’t count as a conference game. It was originally scheduled as a nonleague game — a rematch of last year’s 52-7 Cal win over CU in Berkeley — and after Colorado joined the Pac-12, the teams failed to find suitable replacements.

by Allison Newman, ASU writer for Gridiron Goddess

Step anywhere near ASU’s campus and you cannot miss the warning to “Fear the Fork” and a promise from ASU Athletics that “It’s Time.” Part of ASU’s new branding campaign; the feisty icon of Sparky is replaced with a fiery pitchfork. All a part of a campaign in conjunction with Nike that aims to bring a new, cutting edge image to Arizona State.

The new uniforms debuted last spring with an over-the-top announcement, including a fashion show, as ASU looks to keep up with the Oregons of the NCAA.  The epitome of this will come on Friday for the official “Black Out” game when ASU will host No. 21 Missouri, (ESPN, 10:30 p.m. EST) and the Devils will debut their alternate black uniforms. Because wearing all black in the desert is always a fun idea. Fans are also encouraged to sport the official “Black Out” t-shirt so everyone can sweat as much as the players.

When it comes to the debate over the new look, I’ve heard all sides of the argument. The old vs. new school, same old story- How can they take away Sparky? A school with no tradition removes the one image that people recognize? Who do we think we are, Oregon? Is this a fashion show or a football game? It’s even gone to an extent of rumors that some boosters wanted Sparky removed as it portrays the image of the devil. Really?

And how does this really have anything to do with football?

We all know a uniform cannot make you run faster, jump higher or throw further. But for us women, it’s like a good pair of heels- when you look good, you feel good and naturally get a boost of confidence. Could the adrenaline rush we women feel through stilettos and a great pair of jeans be the same encouragement to help the team? There’s probably not a scientific way to prove it, but with the confidence the Devils are carrying now, the black is only going to make them look even better when they pounce on the Tigers.

You also cannot deny the recruiting factor and how the new look is bringing attention to not only the team, but also the University. We all know how the recruiting game goes- putting on the biggest dog and pony show imaginable to convince a 17 year old why they should choose your team. Of course, a failing program is not going to entice top players, but a good program with hot gear could be a swaying factor.

Either way you look at it, the campaign is succeeding – people are talking about ASU. And people are buying black shirts, not to mention every other new item of clothing with the pitchfork.

As Friday draws near, my black t-shirt is ironed and ready. What can I say? Practice sucks, but I love the shoes!

by Matt Lowry, ASU correspondent

Thursday Night College Football Finally Arrived but UC Davis probably wishes it never happened after they walked into Sun Devils Stadium and got the beating that most of us expected to see. A season full of expectations unfolded as Arizona State went right to work and easily handled the UC Davis Aggies 48-14. Watching this game, I have to say I was impressed by the Sun Devils even though it was against an FCS team that went 6-5 last year. The team looked impressive  - they had a lot of intensity and swagger as well as  speed. Here are my thoughts on the team Unit by Unit.

Defense

 The Defense was out on the field first so I figured why not start with them. The Defense was getting to the Quarterback at will the whole night. Arizona State didn’t hold back by blitzing Vontaze Burfict (Who managed 2 Sacks) and the rest of the Linebackers. The defensive line was also creating pressure for the QB and stopping the run game. The secondary was impressive even though not many throws were made due to pressure. Talent depth on this defense was pretty impressive even though they gave up two touchdowns in the 2^nd half.

Offense

his was the Unit that I hyped up all spring and they performed very well. QB Brock Osweiler came out and absolutely impressed. 19/26 262 Yards 2 TDs and 3 Cramps. Cameron Marshall was impressive as well. In the first drive had a lot of big gains that lead to him rushing for a Touchdown. As if the loss of Deantre Lewis would affect them. Kyle Middlebrooks and Jamal Lewis stepped it up big time for Arizona State. At wide receiver everyone managed to step up and at least get one catch a piece. The offensive line kept pressure off of the QB regardless of who was in. There appeared to be a lot of depth on offense as well. Mazzone wants this team to move at a faster pace and with the speed of the offense they just may do it.

Special Teams

This was the area where a lot of questions were asked. Alex Garoutte was missing kicks in camp but when it was game time he was spot on going two for two and hitting a 49 yard FG. The return game looked very amazing with Jamal Miles electrifying Tempe.  Rashad Ross returning punts was also a sight to see. The one issue I saw was that UC Davis got pressure on the kicker for FG and PAT’s.  Kickoff coverage has to be fixed as well. Arizona State will run into Special Team threats and with that type of coverage they will end up getting burned.

Overall: This team looks promising but things must be fixed before the Big Blackout Game vs Missouri. Some Injuries (Mainly Cramping) but that’s expected. The Sun Devils passed the cupcake test –  now they have to prepare for the real test in Missouri –who brings in a good defensive line and secondary on defense and a very good receiving core. If the Sun Devils can beat the Tigers, well watch out.

Hey Football Fiends!

IT’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON!!!! Can you believe it? I’ve got 200 Jell-O shots in my refrigerator, getting ready for the first tailgate and game of the season.

This week, well, I’ve failed to finish the ACC or do the Pac-12 previews due to being swamped with, you know, PAID work. Silly thing, those rent, car payments and other bills and their needing to be paid.

I am staying in tonight and finishing the ACC and Pac-12. Before the first Saturday game of the 2011 College Football season kicks off, they will be up. Which reminds me, I am out of Diet Coke.

The news I have to share is pretty cool:

I am a voter in a top 25 College Football poll, officially!!!!

Bleacher Report is launching their own poll to compete with the other major polls. It will come out at 9amET on Sunday mornings (Tuesday this week).  I will link to it when it is up and running.

Check me OUT, with a poll vote!

OK my football fiends, I have to get back to work on the ACC and Pac-12 previews.

Have fun this weekend!

By Matt Lowry – ASU writer for Gridiron Goddess

Arizona State is ready to play and prove to the Nation that they are for real but in three of the four games they will have to prove a point. Throwing out the UC Davis Game, (Why worry about an FCS Team that went 6-5) the Sun Devils will have three games to prove to the Nation that are for real.  Lately Arizona State been hit with a lot of injuries that could hurt their long term chances at the Pac-12 South title, but this team remains confident.

Still, there is a question that I find myself asking. What can we watch for in this upcoming season? Well there are three things we have to watch for with this Sun Devils team.

The first thing to watch for is to see if Arizona State can stay consistent. ASU had too many seasons where they flat out imploded.  This ASU team has the talent to win the Pac 12 South and even the whole Pac 12 but they can’t afford let downs or meltdowns — especially with so much on the line and all this hype they’re getting.  If this team wants to make  big things happen they’re going to have to prove that they can stay consistent against USC, Missouri, and Oregon. Last year Arizona State had plenty of close games but couldn’t finish (Do the Oregon & Wisconsin games ring a bell?). My Point is that CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS FINISH GAMES! If Arizona State wants to be that team they have to finish.

The Sun Devils secondary will have to show they can’t be taken lightly. They have already taken a huge hit  with losing Omar Bolden in the spring.  Arizona State’s DB’s Must Step Up. Playing teams like Missouri and USC that have talented Receivers spell big trouble for Arizona State’s Defensive Backs. The Missouri game will tell the tale about the DB Unit.  If they are strong, well watch out Arizona State could be very dangerous on defense. If they give up big plays in the air then they’ll be in a whole lot of trouble.

Another thing that needs to gel is the leadership and play of Brock Osweiler. Yes the last two games Brock came out and did an absolute great job. Now Brock will have a full season to do something. He wants to be the guy to bring ASU to the top. He reminds me of Mark Sanchez (SC fans are going to kill me for that) during his SC years with his leadership (Something ASU lacked). Last Year Osweiler completed 50% of his passes. During the spring? 70% — so we know Brock can really sling the ball.

If these things come into play watch out for Arizona State. This year’s Sun Devils are looking to prove a point and show the nation that this isn’t the ASU team that gets pushed over. Will they be Pac 12 contenders or a just another letdown?

Heather is back with a handy dandy guide to tailgating… yeah, that’s it, tailgating!

———————————————————————————————–

When I was in college, my university was one of only three schools
that served beer at collegiate sporting events. You know what that
means, people? That means you could use your meal plan dollars TO BUY
BEER AT SPORTING EVENTS! Not that I ever did that. But I know plenty
of people who did.

Four years after I graduated, the president of the university decided
he didn’t like all the income generated from alcohol sales. Or maybe
he didn’t like all the drunks at sporting events. I dunno, one of the
two. He also raised the price of non-alcoholic beverages. I figured
something out about myself after the first dry football game: I don’t
like football as much when I can’t drink beer. I also realized I
needed another student loan to pay for all the soda I had to drink
once my tailgate buzz started to wear off. Clearly, something had to
be done.

And then, divine inspiration hit. BRING IN MY OWN BEER AND SODA. But
not in a bag or purse, that’s not allowed. No, I had to get creative.

See me up there? I look like your typical football fan. But I have
eight cans and one airplane-size bottle on my person – just like every
football game I’ve gone to for the last three years. Pull up a chair,
grasshopper. I’m going to teach you how.

Hiding Place #1 – Socks
Yield: Two Cans
Skill Level – Beginner
Make sure you have stretchy socks, but NOT loose socks. Otherwise, you
could lose your precious cargo as you walk into the stadium.

When your pants are rolled down, you can hardly tell anything is there.

Hiding Place #2 – Small of Back
Yield – One to Two Cans
Skill Level – Beginner
Anyone can do this, but having a sweatshirt tied around your waist can
only help.

Hiding Place #3 – Bra
Yield – One Can
Skill Level – Intermediate
This really works better with a proper bra – especially if it’s
padded. But a picture of that would be like porn, so use your
imagination.

Hiding Place #4 – Hat
Yield – One Airplane Bottle
Skill Level – Intermediate
You have to be blessed with a small head, or own an over sized beanie
to make this work.

Hiding Place #5 – Hoodie
Yield – Four to Five Cans
Skill Level – Advanced
This method has two hiding places. Obviously, a hooded sweatshirt is
required for this. You’ll have to tie your sweatshirt securely around
your waist with the hood on the inside and the pouch facing in. It is
imperative your hood have a string. You’ll want to stick cans in the
hood, then tie the string tightly. The amount of cans you can fit in
the hood is dependent on that string.

The second place you can hide cans is in the pouch. DON’T GET GREEDY!
Nothing is securing the cans in the pouch, which is why this has such
a high difficulty level.

Yeah, I’m cheap, but I have $120,000 in student loans to pay off!

As college football 2011 is on the literal VERGE of kicking off, I thought it would be fun to revisit what I think is one of the funniest posts of all time: My awesome friend Heather’s documented feud with Lee Corso a/k/a The Enemy of Fun, whereas WE we are FRIENDS OF FUN and, as you can see, freakishly devoted Trojan fans.

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You guys, my friend Heather is one of the most hilarious human beings you will ever encounter. Her sense of humor is wicked and quick and smart and so very awesome. Besides being a fellow die-hard Trojan fan, she is also a beloved sorority sister of mine. Check out Heather’s adventures raising her beautiful daughters at The Spohrs Are Multiplying.

This post is classic Heather, and originally ran on her site on September 15, 2008.

Corso vs Spohr

by Heather Spohr

Everyone needs an enemy, right? Some people are enemies with a neighbor, others with a boss or former classmate. My enemy? Lee Corso.

He wasn’t always my enemy. In fact, I used to find him charming and somewhat hilarious, acting like a crazy college kid even though he’s over 70 years old. We are big college football fans around these parts, so I watch him religiously every week.

It all started back in 2005, when the College GameDay crew came to the LA Memorial Coliseum for #11 UCLA vs. #1 USC . For those of you who don’t watch College GameDay, it’s filmed at a different college football town every week. The filming is open to all students and fans of either team. Pretty much everyone in attendance is die-hard for their chosen team, and many people bring signs to be seen on TV. I wanted to proclaim my ultimate fan status toward Corso. He is so enthusiastic and a little nutty, just like me. Clearly, we’re cut from the same cloth. I wracked my brain for a week, trying to think of a way to get his attention. And then it struck me the same way lightening struck Corso’s rental car:

This sign was on the broadcast several times (I didn’t have a DVR in 2005 so you’ll have to take my word for it). About 70 minutes into the show, a P.A. in sweat pants came over to me and said, “You’re going to have to take your sign down. It’s obscene. Corso doesn’t like it.” I said, “Obscene? What part of it is obscene? Wait…Corso saw my sign?! YAY!” My friend Chris (the one in the picture) then said, “There’s nothing bad written on this sign! It’s just implied. There is TOTALLY a difference.” The P.A. ran off, and we celebrated our victory. Until the P.A. came back with USC campus security. They tried to get me to hand them my sign. At this point, the crowd was egging me on. I refused to give them my sign, saying, “this isn’t the USC campus. You can’t confiscate my sign! It’s MY property! I’m not a student! You don’t have any jurisdiction over me!!!”

Then they got the L.A.P.D. The officers said something about discussing what my sign said down at the station. I gave them my sign. But my love for Corso? Destroyed. He was now Heather Enemy #1. Why didn’t he love me back?

The next year, Lee picked Cal to destroy USC in their meet up in Berkeley. Instead, USC dismantled Cal. The following week, the GameDay crew was at the Coliseum for #2 USC vs #6 Notre Dame. I made this sign, mocking Corso’s erroneous choice:

He didn’t have time to have me or my sign removed from the broadcast area – not that he had grounds for it – because as soon as my sign was on TV I got out of there.

In 2007, I was on bed rest during the entire football season, and I bet Corso breathed a sigh of relief. But this year, I am not on bed rest!! This past weekend, GameDay was once again at the Coliseum, this time for #5 Ohio State’s visit. For the weeks leading up to the game, everyone asked me what my sign would say. I knew I would have at least one sign – this one:

Even Flat Jackie! made an appearance!

It took me a while to think about my other sign. My tailgating crew and I wracked our tired brains, and then I decided to blame Corso for a crime I’d been the victim of nine years ago:

What? Can you prove he didn’t steal my bike? That’s what I thought.

My friends Brianne, Derek, Jack, Jeff, and Erin went over to the GameDay set, and we went for our usual spot behind Chris Fowler. When we got there we found a bunch of rowdy painted fraternity guys, so we knew we’d get on camera. And sure enough…

Another one of our signs (referencing the USC Quarterback’s slightly vulgar nickname) managed to make it on camera before it, too, was banned. Luckily my friend Derek was much more charming to the P.A., and he wasn’t threatened with legal action. Or maybe it was because Corso wasn’t afraid of his love. I prefer to think it’s the latter. If I know Corso (and I think I do), he’s already worried about the next sign I’ll greet him with.

When she is not stalking Lee Corso via College Game Day, Heather Spohr chronicles the adventures of raising her children  at her very popular website The Spohrs Are Multiplying.