Hey, this is Eric from the blog Saturday Sound Offs.  I’m glad to have joined the crew over here at In the Bleachers!

Here, we have, at least what I consider to be, the ten most underrated non-conference games of the 2008 season.  So, yeah, most on the list will consist of non-BCS programs.  These games are listed mainly due to a mixture of the meaning of the game, how good it will actually be, and the hype surrounding it.  So let’s begin:

10.  Central Michigan @ Georgia

This is a game that could have larger implications than you might think.  First off, Central Michigan isn’t going to win.  Let’s get that out of the way.  The Chippewas, ever since Butch Jones took control of the program, have forgotten how to play defense.  But, that doesn’t mean the Chips won’t put up a fight.  This has the potential to be Dan LeFevour’s coming out party.

If you’re not familiar with LeFevour, you have obviously shied away from anything Mid-America football-related.  He’s basically, as I’ve said on my blog, a poor man’s Tim Tebow which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  He’s only one of two quarterbacks to ever throw for 3,000 yards and rush for another 1,000 (Vine Young being the only other).  He has a chance to shine in week two against a nasty Georgia defense.

Realistically speaking, the Chippewas won’t be capable of hanging with the Bulldogs if they can get Knowshon Moreno going.  He’ll probably run through Central’s defense like a hot knife through butter and it might remind fans of that night Between the Hedges that Boise State was supposed to put up a fight.  But the reason this game is important is the fact that LeFevour hasn’t had a huge stage to show off his skills.  He’s played solid games in the MAC championships, had great games in both Motor City Bowls, almost beat Boston College, and got hammered by Michigan in 2006.  That’s about his resume on a national scale.  A competitive showing against the Bulldogs could launch his college career even further.

9.  Ball State @ Indiana

The Cardinals don’t have a rigorous schedule this year and if they can navigate it well enough, this could be a BCS team.  Don’t laugh!  The Cards are lead by budding superstar QB Nate Davis.  He doesn’t have a superfluous amount of help on the other side of the ball, but if you look at the fact that Indiana is the only BCS conference team they play this year, it’s not all that nutty to think that Ball State does have a chance.  Their defense is great at creating turnovers (fourth in the nation) and they get just about everybody back on offense.  They seriously return everybody.  If that’s not enough to get you excited, eight guys come back on a sub-par defense.

As for Indiana, the Hoosiers are in a bit of a daze after the Insight Bowl shellacking that Oklahoma State handed to them.  It was never close.  Last year was an emotional rollercoaster ride for sure, but the players handled it in a professional manner and would have made Coach Hep proud.  This year, Bill Lynch is the man and he’ll have to ward off a team as stingy as Ball State.  It will be crucial to their bowl hopes as well.

8.  Louisville @ Memphis

Why is this game important?  Well, it’s important in a sense that Steve Kragthorpe’s future may be affected by the outcome of this game.  These two former C-USA rivals will meet again at the Liberty Bowl.  The last time Louisville went to the Liberty Bowl (regular season) was 2004 when Stefan LeFlors and Danny Wimprime slugged out a 56-49 final score in which the Cardinals prevailed.

What’s worse is that Memphis should remain pretty powerful on offense.  The defense returns plenty of guys that should only get better with more experience.  If Louisville pulls off another Middle Tennessee defensive performance, that might send a signal to the administration that the team has quite on Steve Kragthorpe and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him fired at the end of this year.  Of course that’s any game that can happen in.  Louisville has much tougher opponents on the schedule than Memphis, but another awful defensive game against a non-BCS foe would just be another hit this program doesn’t have to take.  The only reason I choose this game as being underrated is the fact that the recipes are there for disaster.

7.  Troy @ Ohio State

Appalachian State:  Part Deux.  If Buckeye fans are worried about this game, they would be right to harbor those particular emotions.  Troy is a dangerous team.  If we point to Exhibit A, we show Troy stunning Missouri.  Exhibit B shows Troy blasting Oklahoma State.  The problem?  Well, those two games were played at Movie Gallery Stadium and this is in the Horseshoe.  Well, Troy has done fine on the road in the past against LSU, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Florida State.

They aren’t going to win though.  Mainly because of the losses on the offensive side of the ball.  Kenny Catthouse, Gary Banks, and Omar Haugabook are all missing and that presents a problem.  The defense isn’t experienced enough to pull off an upset of this magnitude.  But I’d watch for the Trojans to really compete with the Buckeyes and make it a game.

6.  SMU @ Navy

This game is interesting on so many levels.  First off, you can’t get two more diametrically opposed offenses on a football field than the Run n’ Shoot and the triple option flexbone.  It can’t be done.  And we sorta saw this with North Texas and Navy last year, but the whole June Jones thing brings another element to this ballgame.

We all saw what Jones did with Hawaii.  The Warriors couldn’t even beat the lowliest of the low opponents but the instant Jones got there, they were competitive.  He won a WAC title in his first year, one of the most stunning turnarounds in college football history.  Now, an SMU team that flat out stunk will be turning to him for guidance to the postseason and it’s a real possibility.  Navy on the other hand will be without Paul Johnson and that brings Ken Niumatalolo into the picture.  The rookie head coach will try to keep the momentum that Johnson gained during his stay going.  This game is so important to both schools and their aspirations.

5.  Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State

If there’s any moment for Howard Schnellenberger to get his biggest win with the program that he’s managed from the get-go, this is it.  Michigan State in East Lansing will be no easy task, but Rusty Smith and the Owl offense are up to it.

FAU not only should be the best team in Sun Belt history, they should be able to compete with some BCS schools.  We saw how Minnesota was defeated by Florida Atlantic and how USF was pushed to the absolute brink.  This game will be a lot tougher because it will be away from the friendly confines of Boca Raton.  Mark Dantonio preaches tough defense and that just happens to be Florida Atlantic’s forte.   Anyway, if there’s a moment for the Sun Belt to really gain some national commendation, it could come in the form of an almost brand new program knocking off a mainstay in the Big 10.  Don’t count the scrappy Owls out of it.

4.  BYU @ Washington

At least for non-BCS teams, this non-conference game could have the most impact on the entire Bowl Championship Series.  Brigham Young figures to have everything in place for a run towards the coveted BCS slot that Utah, Boise State, and Hawaii have played in before.  But Washington is no pushover.

We saw what happened when Boise State traveled to the Huskies home field.  Personally, I thought the Broncos were the better of two teams but the start they got off to threw everything else off.  BYU might be susceptible to that.  I’ve long said that there would be so many more upsets if non-BCS schools got opportunities to host, but this game does not fit that description.

Jake Locker was borderline potent at different times in the season and should come into 2008 at full strength.  I actually like Washington’s defense coming into this year.  BYU’s strength is also on that side of the ball, so those may equal each other out.  Anyway, a tough road game against a BCS conference foe could be the make-or-break game for the Cougars’ BCS designs.

3.  USF @ UCF

UCF has a tuneup game against South Carolina State to start, but the season kicks off with a bang in week two against in-state rival USF.  The Bulls have already risen to prominence in the state with Jim Leavitt creating the program into a Big East conference contender.  Central Florida on the other hand is still trying to become one of the big boys and that’s even more difficult now that Florida Atlantic is surging.

This game has a load of importance for both schools.  For USF, another win against UCF would assert their dominance in the series and a win for UCF would mean the Golden Knights are capable of taking the next step in their quest to become one of Florida’s state powers.

The only problem here is that UCF is short a QB with experience and Kevin Smith.  Smith was one of the better backs in the entire nation and he was basically George O’Leary’s offense.  Even so, they are one of the better teams in C-USA and the fact that they got drilled last year against the Bulls should only add fuel to the fire.  Hopefully, a change of scenery will allow for a more competitive game.  Hey, we saw what happened to Texas, right?

2.  North Texas @ Rice

Here’s a game I’d pay the price of admission for.  I was hoping for a New Mexico State/North Texas game earlier this year when both teams had an opening on the slate, but most fans of high-octane passing attacks will settle for this.

Neither of these two teams are that great right now.  North Texas struggled to stop anybody and had the worst defense in the nation by far, I don’t care what the stats say regarding total defense.  Okay, maybe not.  Perhaps it was Rice with the worst defense in the nation.  Either way, it doesn’t matter because these omnipotent passers of potency (Chase Clement and Giovanni Vizza/Riley Dodge) should have their way with two pass defenses that don’t even have a prayer.  North Texas ranked 18th in passing offense and lit up multiple Sun Belt teams.  Rice’s was actually better statistically (15th) even though the Mean Green passing game may have gotten more publicity.

Basically, if you like passing and points, this game may shatter the records.  If you thought the 74-62 scoring fest of Navy and North Texas was fun (to at least read about, tough to watch it), this game could be even better.

1.  Tulsa @ Arkansas

This game would be a lot of fun to watch, wouldn’t it?  The much-awaited return of Gus Malzahn.  After getting ousted from Arkansas after a dismal passing attack led by Mitch Mustain and/or Casey Dick, the former Razorback offensive coordinator returns to Fayetteville with his ideal offense developed at Tulsa.  The Golden Hurricane might rely on Jacob Bower without Paul Smith, but there should be no halt in progress for the Tulsa offense.

Arkansas is another story.  They’ll be without the head coach at the time, Houston Nutt.  Bobby Petrino had a much-maligned exit from the NFL when he returned, basically without saying goodbye, to the college game.  Petrino’s team doesn’t have a whole lot going for them as of right now besides the fact that Ryan Mallett is waiting in the wings.

This game could be one of the most entertaining all year and it certainly has the storylines and potential drama to back up that prognostication.  These reasons make the Tulsa/Arkansas game the most underrated non-conference game of 2008.

Be sure to check out my blog, Saturday Sound Offs-The Blog for the College Football Junkie.

DB Andrew Sendejo, Rice- A rock at 6’1, 213, Sendajo is also one of Conference USA’s best kept secrets. Incredibly active, he’s one of the most versatile defensive backs in the entire country, intercepting five passes (one returned for a touchdown) and notching up 107 tackles in 2007 as a true sophomore. Sendejo is one of the rare combinations of a guy with great range who also happens to be a ferocious hitter, and looks primed to lead what figures to be a much improved Rice Owl defense is 2008.

DE Larry English, Northern Illinois- NIU may have struggled through an injury plagued 2007 campaign, but for the second consecutive year defensive end Larry English was all but unstoppable for opposing offensive lines. The rising senior recorded 10.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in 2007. At 6’3, 254 he figures to be a classic tweener at the next level, but for now he remains one of the most relentless defensive ends in the game. With NIU rebuilding under new head coach Jerry Kill, I look for English to lead a refocused defense in 2008.

OLB Clayton Mullins, Miami (Oh)- The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Mullins played like a man possessed in 2007 for the Red Hawks, totaling 143 tackles (69 solo, 16 tfl), four sacks, and six passes defended. At 6’2, 235 he has next level size for his position at outside linebacker, and more than enough speed and recognition ability to make plays both between the lines and on the perimeter. The leader of the MAC’s best defense, Mullins and Miami should contend for the MAC title yet again in 2008.

LB Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic- A big part of FAU’s unlikely turnaround in 2007, Joseph finished 28th in the country in tackles per game last year with just over 10 per contest. He also led the Sun Belt conference in tackles for loss (17) while recording two interceptions and two and a half sacks. Originally a transfer from Boston College, Joseph is a tremendous competitor with great range and instincts who should have FAU back in contention for the Sun Belt crown in 2008.

LB Adam Leonard, Hawaii- A first team all WAC selection in 2007, Leonard is not only one of the WAC’s hardest hitters, but one of its biggest defensive playmakers. Second on the team with 105 tackles last season (53 solo, 11.5 tfl) Leonard also took two interceptions back for touchdowns and broke up four passes. Not the tallest player, he nevertheless has a great feel for the game and the always underrated ability to shed blocks with ease. He’s a versatile player can play either the “mac” or “buck” linebacker positions as they’re known in Honolulu, and should be a major asset in new head coach Greg McMackin’s efforts to keep the program competitive.

DT John Fletcher, Wyoming- One of the major factors in Wyoming’s defensive dominance over the past two years, Fletcher is the 6’6, 275-lb stonewall that anchors the Cowboy defensive line. A dominating force inside with long arms and a powerful upper body, Fletcher registered an unusually high 10.5 sacks from the defensive tackle position last year, in addition to 14 tackles for a loss. His size and athleticism makes him a potential NFL sleeper down the road, but for now he remains the anchor on one of the country’s best and most underrated defensive lines.

FS Ryan Downard, Eastern Michigan- When commentators use the term “playing center field” to describe the actions of a free safety, their explaining the way rising sophomore Ryan Downard played in 2007 to a tee. Downard is one of those guys who has the uncanny ability to just make plays on the football, picking off six passes as a redshirt freshmen last year. I love his feel for the game at free safety, and he shows maturity beyond his years in reading quarterbacks. His continued progression gives perennial MAC bottom feeder Eastern Michigan a chance to be competitive in the MAC next season.

CB Joe Burnett, Central Florida- A rising senior who originally declared for the 2008 NFL draft, Burnett instead chose to return to Central Florida for his senior season after a monster junior campaign in 2007. An aggressive corner who excels against both the pass (12 career interceptions) and the run (148 career solo stops), Burnett also doubles as one of the nation’s most explosive punt returners with three career touchdown returns. His versatility and nose for the football make him not only one of the best defenders in the conference, but also a potential Day 1 draft pick in next year’s draft.

DB Wyatt Middleton, Navy- While I’m willing to admit that this is a blatently homeristic call on my part, I truly believe Middleton is the second coming of former Navy great Josh Smith, who recorded about a bazillion tackles for the Mids between 2002-2004 and was basically a one-man wrecking crew who I swear could have made it in the NFL had he wanted to. Middleton isn’t overly flashy (at least not yet) but he does do what 95% of college defenders can’t- he tackles with proper form. In a day and age where defenders almost always leave their feet, forget to bring their arms, and most of the time get truly and disgustingly high pad level, Middleton displays proper form and good courage against much bigger players. While my esteemed colleague has often noticed his habit of being out of position in the passing game, a solid spring should pay dividends on the field in 2008.

Note: UCF cornerback Johnell Neal was to be included in this list until a recent shooting on May 10th left him injured and put his status in jeopardy for the 2008 season. Neal, who recently graduated early from UCF, picked off six passes in 2007 and broke up another ten. We wish him a speedy recovery and return to the field, whether it be on the college level or the next.

Ten non-BCS conference players who could make or break their team’s chances in 2008. Click the links to view highlight clips.

RB Harvey Unga, BYU- Big, physical, and athletic, Unga was the lead horse in a very good stable of running backs at BYU last year, and already looks primed for an even bigger 2008. Earning both Mountain West Conference Freshmen of the year and Freshmen All-American honors, Unga powered his way to 1,227 yards on the ground (5.0 avg) and an incredible 655 yards through the air in 2007 en route to BYU’s second consecutive Mountain West Title. Joined by All-MWC performers Max Hall at quarterback and Austin Collie at wide receiver, Unga has a very real shot of leading BYU to a BCS bowl game in 2008.

RB James Starks, Buffalo- Starks is an intriguing case because he might be the most talented skill player at the University at Buffalo since Drew Haddad in the late 90s. At 6’2, 210 he’s big enough to be an effective inside runner, but he has uncanny straight line speed for a guy his size in the open field. He’s a duel threat guy out of the backfield and has great ball skills, catching 41 passes in 2007 while not fumbling once in 251 carries. One of the key role players in Buffalo’s recent turnaround, Starks looks ready to lead the Bulls to a bowl eligible season in 2008.

QB/SB/PR Jarod Bryant, Navy- It’s not often that the buzz around a given team’s spring practice revolves around the backup quarterback, but in the case of the Naval Academy that’s exactly what happened this April. A multi-faceted athlete from the famed Hoover High program, backup quarterback Jarod Bryant spent last year in spot relief duty of Kaipo-Noa Keheaku-Enhada before new Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo added slotback and punt returner to his list of duties this offseason. With Vick-like quickness and feet in the open field, Bryant has the natural ability to just flat out make people miss whenever he has the ball in his hands, and will likely play a key role in Navy’s quest to make it to a sixth consecutive Bowl game.

WR Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas- A bigtime playmaker in every sense of the word, Fitzgerald thrived in his first year under Head Coach Todd Dodge, leading a resurgent Mean Green offense in reception (111), receiving yards (1322) and receiving touchdowns (12.) His 11.9 yard average doesn’t jump out on paper, but catch and runs of 99 and 69 yards sure do on tape. While he has the physical skills of speed and body control that make him an NFL prospect, it’s his recognition ability and route running which make him the dominant receiver in the Sun Belt conference. I’m expecting Dodge and North Texas to be at the top of the Sun Belt in 2008, and this guy is a big reason why.

QB Chase Clement, Rice- Clement may very well be the best duel threat quarterback in the country you’ve never heard of, and he’s got the numbers to prove it. Hitting 60% of his passes in 2007, Clement threw for 3377 yards and 29 touchdowns, while rushing for 535 yards and eight touchdowns. He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the world but at the same time he doesn’t have to, as he’s incredibly accurate and has the ability to make mid range throws with consistency. With some stability finally coming to the Rice coaching staff Clement has the ability to take the Owles back to the postseason this season.

RB Luke Lippincott, Nevada- Another physical runner, Lippincott literally ran through WAC defenses last year en route to a 1420 yard (5.3 avg) year on the ground in 2007. Well trained in Coach Chris Ault’s pistol offense, Lippincott is the perfect compliment for speedy quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who himself gave Nevada’s offense a much needed spark last year. With a wide open WAC this year I look for Nevada to use Lippincot aggressively and return to the postseason.

WR Kevin Jurovich, San Jose State- If this is your first time hearing about Jurovich then don’t worry, you’re not alone. Maybe the lone bright spot on San Jose State’s anemic offense last season, Jurovich has a chance to be one of the most prolific skill position players in the WAC next season. A very smooth route runner with good quickness and decent long speed, Jurovich went from being a backup safety in 2006 to the team’s leading receiver in 2007. With a new quarterback coming into SJSU this year it’s going to be critical for SJSU to get the ball into Jurovich’s hands as much as possible, especially if the Spartans wish to return to their 2006 season form.

TE Bear Pascoe, Fresno State- You don’t often think about possession tight ends when you talk about the one most important player on an offense, but in the case of Fresno State’s offense you might have to. The rising senior has ideal size (6’5, 265) and tremendous body control, which makes the fact that he was an option quarterback in high school all the more insane. He almost single-handedly obliterated Texas A&M’s secondary last season (7 catches, 3 TDs) and figures to be an iatrical part of Fresno State’s loaded offense in 2008.

RB Eugene Jarvis, Kent State- The leading returning rusher in the country, Jarvis ran for 1669 yards (6.0 avg) and ten touchdowns in 2007 to very little national acclaim. A scat back with tremendous vision and change of direction ability in the open field, watching Jarvis is like watching former MAC great Garrett Wolfe out of a zone running based offense. The challenge for Jarvis will be whether or not he can help get Kent State over the hump in a MAC title race in which one team’s chances seem to be as good as the next’s. If he can, then don’t be surprised to see him replicate Wolfe’s minor Heisman Run from a few years ago in 2008.

RB Ian Johnson, Boise State- After eclipsing 1700 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns in 2006 it seemed like Johnson was a viable contender for the Heisman in 2007, but a retooled Boise State offense transferred much of the load to fellow running backs Jeremy Avery and DJ Harper last season. Still, Johnson is one of the elite start-stop runners in all of college football, and surpassed the 1000 yard rushing mark last season. After a quiet year in 2007 expect Johnson and Boise State to make another run in the WAC, where the departure of Colt Brennan and June Jones at Hawaii has suddenly left the conference wide open.

Memphis 7-5 (6-2), 2nd Conference USA - East
vs
Florida Atlantic 7-5 (6-1), 1st Sun Belt

December 20th 8:00PM EST ESPN2

Florida Atlantic pulled a bit of a shocker and beat Troy to win the Sun Belt Conference title this year. Howard Schnellenberger has built this Owls team up for scratch and made them bowl eligible in 9 years. Memphis comes into the bowl game riding a three game winning streak, but did not play a team the entire season that was ranked in the Top 25.

The Tigers have a passing offense that is ranked 12th in the country, led by quarterback Martin Hankins who has thrown for almost 3000 yards with 22 touchdowns. Hankins has some big receivers to throw the ball to, which present match up problems for most of the teams in the NCAA. Their rushing offense would rank below average with Joseph Doss and his 715 yards for the year leading the way. Memphis struggles on defense against the run giving up over 209 yards per game and almost 440 yards total.

Florida Atlantic is almost as potent passing the ball as the Tigers are ranking 19th in passing and 83rd rushing the ball. Rusty Smith is the Owls quarterback and he has tallied over 3300 yards in the air with 27 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions. Their running back, Charles Pierre, has similar numbers to his counterpart on the Tigers team. Defensively the Owls are 74th against the pass but have the highest turnover margin in the country. Since these two teams are so close in stature, turnovers could become a key part of this game.

I think this has the potential to be a really good game. Memphis has slightly better stats on the offense and defensive team stats, but I think Florida Atlantic has played much better competition since the Owls have played four teams in bowl games to Memphis’ two. Florida Atlantic defense is going to come up with a key turnover which will turn the tide in this game. Although, I don’t expect this one to get out of hand either way. Florida Atlantic 28 Memphis 24

Picking Memphis to Win (55%)
MizzouRAH, Corn Nation, Sportsbone TV, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, Rizzo Sports, ITB Ron Juckett, The Enlightened Spartan, Sunny Verma, Jason Stiver, Rodney Polston, Richard Dixon, Cyril Tircuit, Pete Boivin, Mrs Corn Nation, Logan Jaffe, Brant Chruscial, Timmy B

Picking Florida Atlantic to Win (45%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, Kansas Football-It’s Business Time, The LSC Scoop, Football Frontier, MidWest Coast Bias, Pitch Right, Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician, ITB Charlie Swager, Jeff Brancolini, Lou Nemec, Lorena the Dodgerchick, Dan Schoonover, Greg Gowins, Brian Isaacson

Week five was, perhaps, the most damaging week that the Big East has had during the past two seasons. The two highest and most well-positioned teams in the conference, West Virginia and Rutgers, took losses. And, while the West Virginia loss was to a very good USF team, the ugly play in the game, in front of a national audience, did little to enhance the image of the conference. Rutgers loss to Maryland was far more damaging, as the Scarlet Knights had been looked upon as a top tier team in the Big East, and losing to mid-level ACC team, at home by 10 points, was very damaging to the credibility of both Rutgers and the BE. Pittsburgh was also humiliated by another middle tier ACC team, getting destroyed by Virginia. On top of that, Syracuse took one on the chin to a MAC team, losing to Akron. The four Big East teams that won their games last week (USF, Louisville, Cincy, and UConn) have only been in the Big East for a combined nine full seasons.

This week, we have a light schedule, featuring two conference matchups and just two out of conference games, as UConn and Pitt take the weekend off:

Utah at Louisville (Fri. 8:00 PM EST — ESPN) — This is a very dangerous game for Louisville. Utah has been up and down this season, but they are a very adept passing team, which has been an area of weakness for the Louisville defense. The Utes are only 2-3, but one of those victories came, in a dominating manner, over UCLA. This is an absolute must-win for the Cardinals, as they still have enough season ahead of them to recover from their early season swoon and put together a top 20 or top 15 season, BUT they must get their defensive problems resolved before they get back into conference play next week. Behind another huge Brian Brohm game and using their strong home-field advantage, I suspect they will begin to get things back in order in this game. Louisville 44, Utah 24

West Virginia at Syracuse (Sat. 12:00 PM EST — ESPN Gameplan) — On paper, West Virginia should bulldoze through Syracuse, but there are some pretty strong parallels between this game and the Orange’s victory over Louisville two weeks ago, as both the Mountaineers and Cardinals were coming off brutal losses. However, West Virginia’s defense looks to be much improved over its counterpart from a season ago. Mountaineer quarterback, Patrick White, is questionable for this game, but back up Jarrett Brown is capable of moving the ball effectively and will give the WVU the added dimension of throwing the ball downfield. I think the Mountaineers may come out a bit sluggish, but should be able to win handily. West Virginia 48, Syracuse 7

South Florida at Florida Atlantic (Sat. 3:30 PM EST — ESPNU) — I suppose there is a chance that this could turn into a hangover game for the Bulls, but they got some assistance in remaining focused and an additional rallying point this week, from out of leftfield, when Alabama head coach Nick Saban was quoted as saying, “There are a significant amount of players who don’t qualify and they end up being pretty good players at some other schools,” Saban said in an interview with the Birmingham News. “I think there are six guys starting on the South Florida defense who probably would have gone to Florida or Florida State, but Florida and FSU couldn’t take them.” USF head coach Jim Leavitt and his team are, if nothing else, fighters and Saban’s comments gives the Bulls an opportunity to continue to be motivated by the “lack of respect” and underdog card. I suspect that Leavitt, although personally angry at Saban’s quote, is probably also pleased to have some bulletin board material to keep his team from getting too big headed, following their biggest ever victory and receiving their highest ever poll ranking. And, I also suspect that the FAU staff will not be sending Saban any kind regards due to his timing. USF 30, FAU 6

Cincinnati at Rutgers (Sat. 8:00 PM EST — ESPN2) — This is one of our ITB Operation Pick Em games of the week, as well as one of the games we discussed on our weekly podcast, so I will keep it short. I think the big factors in this game will be how well Rutgers recovers from their traumatic loss to Maryland a week ago. The Knights, quietly, had the expectation that they could again remain undefeated late into the season and, perhaps, sneak into the national title picture. So, the upset loss to Maryland could, potentially, be a big emotional setback for the team. They will quickly need to refocus their goals on the Big East title. Cincinnati has been cruising along this season, without much challenge from their first five opponents, so it will be interesting to see how they fare against a tough, physical defense and a hearty, ball-control offense for the first time this season. I think this game will be determined by how well Cincy is able to spread the field/get their guys into open space and how well Rutgers is able to control possession and the clock. I believe it will be a close game, and for the Big East’s sake, I hope it is a fundamentally sound, well-played game that makes the conference look good. I like Cincy in a minor upset. Cincinnati 27, Rutgers 24

Last Week Record (4-3); Season Record (28-7)

7-5 (6-1), 1st Sun Belt
vs
9-4 (7-1), 1st Mid-American - West

The Motor City Bowl matches up the winners from the Sun Belt and Mid American Conferences. The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders’ 5 losses have all come to bowl teams (Maryland, Troy, Oklahoma, Louisville, and South Carolina). This will be the Blue Raiders first bowl appearance in school history.

Middle Tennessee averages almost as many rushing yards as they do passing yards. They are lead by running back Eugene Gross with 845 yards and 10 touchdowns and DeMarco McNair 563 yards and 6 touchdowns. Their QB Clint Marks has a little over 1600 yards passing but only 8 touchdowns. If the Raiders are going to beat you it is going to be through the air.

Central Michigan will be coming into the game sporting a new head coach in Jeff Quinn. Quinn took over for Brian Kelly who took the Cincinnati job. If you have watched any of the Chippewas’ games you can’t help but notice their starting quarterback Dan LeFevour. LeFevour has thrown for 2869 yards with 25 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. His two favorite targets are Bryan Anderson (816 yards) and Damien Linson (799 yards) with each 5 touchdowns.

Central Michigan isn’t a passing only team because they do average over 125 yards on the ground per game. I believe that the Chippewas’ balance offensively will be the reason they win this game. Dan LeFevour might be the best QB in the MAC and he will show everyone why. Central Michigan 31-18

Brian -Central Michigan
Husker Mike - Central Michigan
Ron - Central Michigan
Mountain Lair - Central Michigan
Mr. Cornnation - Central Michigan
Brian from CFR- Central Michigan
Charlie - Central Michigan
Chris -
Otto- Central Michigan
Mrs. Cornnation - Central Michigan

7-5 (6-2), 2nd Conference USA - West
vs
7-5 (6-1), 1st Sun Belt

The Rice Owls are riding a six game winning streak and will play in a bowl game for the first time since 1961. This season wasn’t always as good as it looked for Rice as they lost their first 4 and 5 of their first 6 games. They took beatings by Florida State and Texas by a combined score of 107-14.

The Owls rely on a passing scheme that is lead by quarterback Chase Clement and ITB All American receiver Jarett Dillard. Dillard has caught 20 touchdown passes in 82 receptions and 1176 yards. Rice does balance that passing attack with running back Quinton Smith who has over 1000 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.

The Sun Belt champion Troy Trojans have won 6 of their last 7 games to win the conference. Earlier in the year you might remember the Trojans pushing the Florida State Seminoles to the brink before falling by 7 points. If you look at the team stats for both teams, one piece of information immediately jumps out. They both give up more yards than they gain. That isn’t a sign of a good team.

Running back Kenny Cattouse and quarterback Omar Haugabook are the key pieces to the offense. Haugabook has over 2100 yards passing with 17 TDs but his 16 interceptions can cause turnover issues. To be honest I think this game is going to be a crap shoot. I am going to go with Rice because of their balance on offense and the fact that Jarett Dillard is a difference maker. Look for him to have two touchdowns in this game. Rice 27-24

Brian (2-0) - Rice
Husker Mike (2-0) - Troy
Ron (2-0) - Rice
Mountain Lair (1-1) - Rice
Mr. Cornnation (1-1) - Rice
Brian from CFR (1-1) - Troy
Charlie (1-1) - Rice
Chris (1-1) - Rice
Otto (1-1) - Rice
Mrs. Cornnation (0-2) - Troy

One of my favorite lines in a movie comes from Hoosiers: “There are two kinds of dumb. A man who gets naked goes outside and barks and the moon, and a man who does the same thing in my living room.” Well that statement can be made to a few sportswriters this weeks as they blast Air Force for going for two against Tennessee but applaud JD Brookhart and Akron for going for two against NC State. Fellas, they both made the same decision but Akron was able to pull out the victory where as Air Force was stopped and lost. I applaud both coaches for taking the risk. When you are a non-BCS team playing at a BCS team’s home stadium, those are the risks you have to take to make a name for your team.

I sure hope the weather is good in Palo Alto because the team is not. The Stanford Cardinal are 0-2 and reeling after a loss to San Jose State. Do you think Walt Harris is wishing he stayed at Pitt? Stanford ranks last in the nation in rushing defense giving up a monumental 7.1 yards per carry. Not only does Harris have to worry about his defense but his receiver, Mark Bradford is out indefinitely with torn ligaments in his right foot. Walt better work on his tan because he might be looking for a TV job in the near future.

I got to catch the end of the Syracuse/Iowa overtime thriller and got to see the Iowa defense stuff the Orange 7 times from inside the two yard line. Not only does that mean that the Orange’s offensive linemen need some strength condition but the play calling by Greg Robinson was horrible. Not one time did he try a QB sneak, just dumb. I don’t understand coaches when they need a yard or less not trying the sneak. You have a 6 foot plus quarterback and he just needs to fall forward to get the first down. Any sort of push from your offensive line gets the job done, plus you know the snap count so you get the advantage there. I wonder how much goal line offense was practiced at Syracuse this week?

Speaking looking for a new job, my whiner of the week award goes to NC State’s coach Chuck Amato. He complained after the loss that it is unfair that MAC schools use non-qualifiers while ACC schools don’t. Hey Chuck, why not look at your athletic and recruiting budget compared to Akron’s? Quit making excuses for you inability to get your players prepared for games.

Finally, we at ITB wish Indiana head football coach Terry Hoeppner a speedy and healthy recovery. Hoeppner is scheduled to have surgery Wednesday to remove a possible tumor and might miss the next four weeks of the season.

One of the new provisions in the new BCS deal was for conferences who are not contractually bound to a BCS bowl to be able to earn their way to automatic qualification status.  BCSFootball.org has finally posted more details about the process.  This process is only valid for the following conferences: Big East, Conference USA, Mid American, Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Western Athletic.  The other 5 conferences are contractually tied to a BCS bowl and as a result can not ever lose their bid (while the contract is in existance).

The Rules stipulate that each year there will be between 5 and 7 automatic bids.  To earn an automatic bid for a period of 2 years beginning in the 2008-09 bowl season conferences must meet the following standards:

1. Be in the top 6 of average BCS Standing rank of your highest ranked team.
2. Be in the top 6 of overall average conference strength (it is believed this measure will be an average of the CPU rankings used in the BCS standings for all conference member teams)
3. Be “similar” to the other automatic qualifier conferences in terms of number and ranking of teams in the final BCS standings.
4. OR Win an appeal.

For the first rating period the 2004-2007 seasons will be used.  After that the ratings will come every two years.  The rumor is that the #3 criterion will use a points system rating all teams in the top 25 and giving bonus points for teams in the top 12, with a modifier for conference size, to be similar a team would have to have 50% of the points of the highest rated team.  Inside the Bleachers has contacted BCSFootball.org for confirmation, but much like the system, the email server at BCSFootball.org appears to be broken.

Using this system at present it seems highly likely, barring a successful appeal that the Big East will be removed from the BCS automatic qualification status for the 2008-09 season, primarily due to a failure in the 3rd standard.  Also given that criteria, it is unlikely we’ll ever have a 7th team earn an automatic bid, as it would take an appeal (or a lot of ties for 6th).

Sparse crowds at UB Stadium in Buffalo have the Bulls on the list of teams facing NCAA sanctions for their attendence.

The NCAA warned 10 schools today that they face possible sanctions if they do not improve their attendence.  The Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News reported that Utah State was among 10 schools that need to improve their attendence or face being placed on “restricted” status and being ineligible for postseason football play.

NCAA Division 1A has an average attendence requirement of 15,000 fans per game, and the schools who were warned have a history of failing to meet the mark.  There were 5 MAC schools, plus future member Temple warned.  Three WAC schools received warnings, along with two Conference USA schools.  One Sun Belt member received a warning.  The unlucky 13:

• Eastern Michigan (5,219) MAC 
• Kent State (6,658) MAC
• Buffalo (8,914) MAC
• Rice (10,072) C-USA
• Akron (10,893) MAC
• Utah State (10,896) WAC
• San Jose State (12,506) WAC
• New Mexico State (12,557) WAC
• Temple (12,735) Ind/MAC
• Ball State (12,953) MAC
• Tulane (14,242) C-USA
• Louisiana-Monroe (14,617) Sun Belt
• Bowling Green (14,929) MAC

The warnings state that should any of these schools fail to maintain an average attendence over 15,000 for any one of the next ten years that the school may be placed on “restricted” status and thereby become ineligible for postseason play.  If any of these schools misses the mark twice more in the next ten years, it can lose its status as a Division 1A member.  Of the warned schools Akron sticks out, as the defending MAC champions are in serious danger of facing a bowl ban.   I would expect that Tulane will get a waiver do to the circumstances surrounding their attendence last year.