Posts Tagged ‘College football’

As some of you know, we at the ol’ AJC were having technical issues with our blogs on Thursday, and I was shocked to learn the glitchy computers had somehow taken  my prediction for the BCS title game and had somehow garbled it to the point that I had Texas winning.

Yes, I’m kidding. This was all pilot error. As usual.

No need to wait for the annual Accountability Scoreboard — due in December 2010 — for this one. I was wrong. I won’t use Colt McCoy’s injury as an excuse. I just went temporarily insane and picked a team coached by a guy who went temporarily insane at the end of the first half.

When Joe Gibbs wakes in the middle of the night, the first words that come to his mind are, “Jack Squirek!” (Super Bowl, 1984, screen pass intercepted at the end of the first half by Raiders linebacker Squirek for a touchdown.) Whenever I wake in the middle of the night from here on, the first two words to spring to this feeble mind will be, “Shovel pass!””

Memo to self: Don’t pick …

Continue reading OK, about that Texas pick … and that SHOVEL PASS! »

It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been wrong. Heck, it’d be the third time in three days. (Picked Georgia Tech to win Tuesday in both basketball and football.) But here goes:

I like the Longhorns tonight.

It’s nothing against the SEC. I’ve covered the conference for 30 years and I know full well it’s the best there is. But over those 30 years I’ve learned a little something else, and it’s this: Pay particular attention to an excellent team that’s being given no shot at winning.

Four years ago an undefeated Texas went to California to play for the BCS title and was dismissed out of hand. Because Southern Cal was shooting for a third consecutive national championship. Because the Trojans had not one but two Heisman holders on their roster. Because SC was regarded by us media types as the greatest team ever and therefore invincible.

But it’s a funny thing: Not many teams truly are invincible. Against the wrong opponent on the wrong day, anybody can be unhorsed. And the Trojans …

Continue reading Attention! Some nut here thinks Texas will beat Alabama »

We get interested in college football pretty early down here. (AJC photo by Sunny Sung)

For reasons unclear, I’m occasionally called to converse via radio with an audience in some other town. Invariably I’m asked, “Why is Atlanta such a bad sports city?” And invariably I’ll say this:

“Actually, Atlanta isn’t a bad sports city.”

When folks in other places think of Atlanta sports, they see the empty seats at Braves playoff games or they recall the Falcons and their wild mood swings. (Sometimes they even think of the Hawks. Not the Thrashers, though.) But there’s more to Atlanta sports than the teams that carry the word “Atlanta” on their jerseys. We’re about to see it yet again.

Georgia Tech opens its season against Jacksonville State on Saturday. Georgia, which technically isn’t based in Atlanta but which has something of an Atlanta following, plays Oklahoma State in Stillwater that day. And that night Alabama and Virginia Tech, each ensconced in the top 10, meet under the …

Continue reading This just in: Atlanta, Ga., is NOT a lousy sports city! »

Rule 1 of list-making: Any rundown worth its bullet points must stir discussion. Here’s one that goes above and beyond. Matt Hayes of Sporting News rates the top five coaches in college football. We’ll gloss over the top two because it’s just too depressing to note that No. 1 works six hours down I-75 and No. 2 works 3 1/2 hours west on I-20. Let’s skip to No. 5:

Brian Kelly of Cincinnati.

The front four — the Urban Crier, Coach Satan, Pete Carroll and Big-Loss Bob Stoops — have won a total of five BCS titles. Brian Kelly has never won a BCS game. But I’m not saying Hayes made a bad choice. I’m saying he made a great choice. Because he’s guaranteed to get a ton of e-mail from north of Cincinnati, where there’s a coach who wears a sweater vest and who has won a BCS title and played for two others and who isn’t in Hayes’ top five.

Jim Tressel is listed third among “five on the outside.” The other four: Mack Brown, Les Miles, Chris Petersen of Boise State and Frank Beamer.

Jim …

Continue reading The top coach is Urban Meyer; Richt has unlisted number »