The Fifth Quarter: Week 2 Rewind

As is the case each and every season, each and every week, any omission below is not on purpose, it’s merely intentional.

WINNERS

A true American hero
If you don’t know the story of Daniel Rodriguez, you are truly missing out on one of the most inspirational narratives of the 2012 college football season. Short version: Rodriguez’s father passed away mere days after his son graduated from high school, a tragic turn of events that pushed the aspiring college football player into a military career.  Rodriguez ultimately served two tours of duty in the Middle East — one in Iraq in 2007 and another in Afghanistan in 2009 — and received the Bronze Star Medal of Valor and the Purple Heart for his time during the latter tour.  After leaving the military, he worked his way into becoming a walk-on wide receiver at Clemson.  On Saturday, Rodriguez caught the first pass of his collegiate career [/goosebumps], a mere four-yard reception during the No. 12 Tigers’ 52-27 beatdown of Ball State that was the culmination of well over five years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.  God bless you, Daniel Rodriguez, for what you’ve done for this country and for the inspiration that you’ve surely become to the countless individuals who’ve become aware of your uplifting story over the past few months.

No. 1 holds serve. No. 2? Meh
No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 USC were favored by a combined 64.5 against Western Kentucky and Syracuse, respectively; only the former truly held up its end of the bargain.  The Tide, which vaulted past the Trojans into the top spot in the polls following its season-opening thumping of Michigan, had little trouble with 39-point underdog Western Kentucky, easily handling the Hilltoppers 35-0 in posting its fourth shutout in the past 15 games.  Quarterback AJ McCarron was again his quietly productive and efficient self, passing for 219 yards and four touchdowns in the win, while the Tide defense limited WKU to 224 yards and just 1.6 yards per rush attempt.  The Trojans, on the other hand, struggled mightily for 45 minutes against Syracuse in a “neutral-field” game in New Jersey.  Leading just 21-16 after three quarters of play, the Trojans ultimately pulled away from the unranked Orange in what became a 42-29 win.  Matt Barkley tied a school record — his own school record — with six touchdown passes, although he may have lost his starting center to injury for an extended period of time in what would prove to be a significant development given USC’s NCAA-related depth issues.  Add the two results together, and it’s very likely the Tide will do nothing but extend its lead over the Trojans when the next set of polls are released early Sunday afternoon.

Buckeyes’ Braxton ballin’
Braxton Miller accounted for 296 of Ohio State’s 411 yards of offense in the 31-16 win over UCF, the second win in as many tries for first-year OSU head coach Urban Meyer.  And, in those first two games, Miller has essentially been the entire offense for the No. 14 Buckeyes.  The sophomore quarterback has accounted for exactly 70 percent  (664 yards) of OSU’s 949 yards of offense the first two games, and has scored seven — three passing, four rushing — of the Buckeyes’ 11 touchdowns.  Once again, there was a reason Meyer has been downright giddy over the opportunity to coach Miller, and the player has shown exactly why the first two weeks of the season.

Klein’s Cats clobber ‘Canes
Yes, it’s Alliteration Day here at CFT.  And, yes, this very easily could’ve put Miami in the opposite category, what with it being the Hurricanes’ worst loss since the final game at the Orange Bowl in 2007.  Instead, however, Bill Snyder and Kansas State deserve some plaudits and recognition.  Simply put, the No. 21 Wildcats took The U to the woodshed and throttled their non-conference opponents 52-13.  KSU nearly doubled-up the ‘Canes in total offense (498-262); held a Miami offense that had rushed for 208 yards in the opener to just 40; and possessed the ball for nearly 15 minutes more than its competition.  Add in another productive day for quarterback Collin Klein — keep him in mind as the Heisman race creeps into the latter portion of the season — and it totaled a evisceration of the once-mighty U.  It also signaled to Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, et al that, when it comes to the race for the Big 12 title, do not overlook Snyder’s Wildcats.

RichRod rises
Hide your eyes, West Virginia and Michigan fans.  He’s back… with a vengeance.  After turning his back on his home state, and after nearly running one of the most storied programs in college football history straight into the ground, Rich Rodriguez landed on his feet on the other side of the country, taking over for Mike Stoops at Arizona.  And, in just two games, RichRod has scored the signature win of his brief desert tenure.  In a victory that was as dominating as it was surprising, the Wildcats took control of No. 18 Oklahoma State early on and never lifted its foot off the throat, whipping the Cowboys 59-38.  OSU actually outgained Arizona by nearly 100 yards, but four turnovers and 14 penalties for 157 yards ultimately ended up being the Cowboys’ undoing.  Regardless of how or why, though, the magnitude of the win for Rodriguez and the football program cannot be overstated.

LOSERS

Woo pig phooey!!!
With Tyler Wilson on the field, Arkansas was comfortably in control of its game with Louisiana-Monroe, cruising along with a 21-7 first-half lead that grew to 28-7 early in the third quarter.  After Wilson was injured and missed the final two-plus quarters?  All hell broke loose, shattering any hopes the Razorbacks had entertained in pushing its way into the BcS title game picture.  The Warhawks scored the final 21 points of regulation, including a touchdown with 47 seconds left, to send the game into overtime.  After holding the Razorbacks to a field goal on their first possession, ULM scored on a fourth-and-one, a 16-yard touchdown run by Kolton Browning — he of the 481 yards of total offense and four scores — that stunned all of Fayetteville and the whole of college football.  As Ben deftly noted, the 34-31 loss is far from a death knell for UA’s SEC title hopes, but it certainly doesn’t portend anything other than the Razorbacks once again being a West division also-ran — especially if Wilson is out for any length of time. Oh, remember, Arkansas hosts mighty Alabama next week.

College football
Last week, Savannah State was dropped 84-0 by Oklahoma State.  This weekend, the FCS school entered its game with Florida State as 70-point underdogs — and promptly lost 55-0 in a game that featured a running second-half clock and was then halted in the third quarter because of, ahem, inclement weather.  It was yet another insult to any fan with a lick of common sense.  And it’s the kind of scheduling crap that must stop, even as I’m fully aware that the Seminoles had almost no choice after being ditched by West Virginia.  The scheduling of overmatched teams by perennial Top 25 football programs is an embarrassment to the game, especially ones that involves FCS-level teams.  It’s a disservice to the sport and to the school’s fans, fans who are forced to pay regular-season prices for tickets, concessions, parking, etc. in an in-the-toilet economy for what amounts to nothing more than a glorified scrimmage.  Fortunately, the new playoff system that will be in place following the 2014 regular season, provided the new system as expected has a strength-of-schedule element, should go a long way toward ending the abomination that is games such as this one.  Until then, fans have no choice but to deal with the unsightly gorging on cupcakes in which many a program partakes.  And all the while paying full price as they choke on it.

2012 Big 10 football
The start of the new season hasn’t been kind to the Midwestern football conference.  Michigan was taken to the woodshed in front of a national television audience by Alabama, dropped by the defending BcS champions 41-14 in the opener in a game that wasn’t even remotely as close as the final scored may have indicated.  A week later, No. 13 Wisconsin, the odds-on favorite to represent the Leaders division in the Big Ten title game, was stunned by unranked Oregon State in Corvallis, a 10-7 loss that further dented the conference’s image nationally.  Not only that, but No. 16 Nebraska was decisioned 36-30 by UCLA of all teams, making the Big Ten the only conference this season to have three ranked teams go down in defeat.  Arguably the most impressive team in the conference two games in has been Ohio State, but the Buckeyes are ineligible for the 2012 postseason thanks to NCAA sanctions.  Add in Penn State’s off-field “issues” that have morphed into on-field struggles of epic proportions, and it appears 2012 could be a tough row to hoe for the Big Ten.  Speaking of which, Michigan State, the Big Ten hoe’s in your hands apparently.

New kids on the SEC block
It wasn’t the debuts for which either Missouri or Texas A&M were hoping.  Both schools were handed home dates for their new-conference openers, and kicked that gift horse square in the mouth.  The Aggies jumped out to a 17-7 first-half lead against No. 24 Florida before channeling their inner Mike Sherman, allowing 13 unanswered points en route to dropping its first-ever game in SEC play.  Likewise, Mizzou held a 17-9 lead in the third quarter before No. 7 Georgia ripped off 24 straight points to spoil the Tigers’ inaugural foray into the SEC.  There was a silver lining, however: both teams showed, at least for one game, they can hang with some of the best the East has to offer.  The other division, though, might be a different matter entirely, particularly for West member A&M.

Nittany Lions kicking themselves… or the kicker
I really hate to put Sam Ficken in the “Losers” category, but, damn son.  In the 17-16 loss to Virginia, the kicker missed a total of five kicks — four field goal attempts and one point after try.  Included in that total was a 42-yard attempt with no time left that would’ve given Bill O’ Brien his first win as Nittany Lions head coach; almost as soon as it left Ficken’s foot, however, it was destined to sail wide left, leaving O’ Brien and the Nittany Lions at 0-2 on the young season.  The way the loss transpired highlights just how devastating the NCAA sanctions were for the football program.  As part of those sanctions, any current player or incoming freshman was permitted to transfer without sitting out a season.  One of the handful of players to take advantage of those liberal transfer policies?  All-conference kicker Anthony Fera, who left for Texas shortly after the penalties were announced earlier this year.

Northeast football fans
The New York/New Jersey area absolutely loves its NFL football.  College football?  Yeah, not so much apparently.  The No. 2 team in the country, USC, and Syracuse played a game Saturday at MetLife Stadium — the new Meadowlands — in East Rutherford, N.J.  Not that you could tell a game was being played by taking a look at the stands, though:

(Photo credit: Los Angeles Daily News’ Scott Wolf)

The official attendance was announced at 39,507, which likely included anyone within a quarter-mile radius of the stadium.  Yes, the weather was bad — the game was delayed for more than an hour by storms — but the combination of one of the best teams in the country plus a team from the state of New York warranted a stadium that was, at bare minimum, three-quarters full, not one that was at best at a third of its capacity.

0-2=Uh-Oh
In games at Auburn that Gene Chizik has had Cam Newton under center, the Tigers are 14-0.  In games without Newton, AU is 16-12, including a 0-2 start to the 2012 season.  The latest post-Newton loss came at the hands of Mississippi State, which came away with a 28-10 win in the SEC opener for both schools.  The rumblings were there before the start of this season, and will certainly grow louder with the winless start: can Chizik win at Auburn without Newton?  Add in Chizik’s two-year Iowa State tenure, and the coach is 21-31 in games in which the 2010 Heisman winner has not been at his disposal.  It may not be a fair question, but it is a question that many, many individuals will ask in growing numbers if the losing continues.

Did you say “Utes?”
You ever have one of those days where you just knew you never should’ve even remotely considered getting out of bed?  Friday was that day for Utah.  Not only did the Utes loss to in-state little brother Utah State 27-20 in overtime, but — again — lost starting quarterback Jordan Wynn to yet another shoulder injury.  Wynn missed the the last two months of the regular season last year with an injury to the same non-throwing shoulder.  The loss to the Aggies, incidentally, was the Utes’ first since 1996, a streak of 12 straight wins that was snapped by the road defeat.

The state of Colorado
FCS-level Sacramento State 30, Pac-12 member Colorado 28.
FCS-level North Dakota State 22, MWC member Colorado State 7
CFT correspondent Max Cady, take it away…

TOP 25 TOO-CLOSE-FOR-COMFORT
How ranked teams endured close shaves vs. unranked opponents

– No. 19 Michigan 31, Air Force 25: An Alabama Slammer hangover?  Whatever the case, the Wolverines were fortunate to come out of the home game without a second-consecutive loss to start the season, with the Falcons giving up the ball twice on downs in the last five minutes.

– No. 22 Notre Dame 20, Purdue 17: With Tommy Rees coming off the bench in his first game back from suspension, the Irish kicked a 27-yard game-winning field goal with seven ticks left on the clock to escape with the win.

– No. 24 Florida 20, Texas A&M 17: Unlike the previous two games, the Gators were expecting a tussle in the Aggies’ first-ever SEC game.  And that’s exactly what UF got, falling behind 17-7 in the first half before scoring 13 unanswered points to remain unblemished on the young season.

CFT TOP FIVE
A snapshot look at how my ballot would look Monday if I, ya know, had a real vote instead of a measly and meaningless preseason poll.

1. Alabama — The Tide has outscored its first two opponents 76-17, showing no signs of a 2010-style, post-title malaise. (Last week: No. 1)
Up next: at No. 8 Arkansas

2. USC — The ho-hum three quarters of play vs. Syracuse notwithstanding, the Trojans are clearly one of the best teams in the country.  (Last week: No. 2)
Up next: at No. 25 Stanford

3. LSU — Following an impressive waxing of a quality opponent in Washington, I was tempted to move the Tigers ahead of the Ducks.  And I ultimately gave into that temptation. (Last week: No. 4)
Up next: vs. Idaho

4. Oregon — All you need to know about Oregon in Week Two is the Ducks rolled up 383 yards of offense and 35 points in the first half of its win over Fresno State.  Still, I had no choice but to drop the Ducks down a spot. (Last week: No. 3)
Up next: vs. Tennessee Tech

5. Georgia — You go into an SEC member’s house — even a sparkling new one — and come out with a party bag that includes a 21-point win, you earn a spot at the big-boy table. (Last week: unranked)
Up next: vs. FAU

HE SAID IT
“It took him seven years and two wars to get his first college reception. But he has no bigger fans than his teammates.” — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, speaking of a true American hero.

GAMEDAY SIGN OF THE DAY
(via KegsnEggs)

FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY

– Denard Robinson rushed for 218 yards, threw for 208 more and scored four touchdowns in Michigan’s win.  It was the third time he’s topped 200 yards in rushing and receiving in the same game, becoming the first player to accomplish that feat since at least 1996.  Texas’ Vince Young did it twice last decade.

– Making his first collegiate start in place of an injured Connor Shaw, Dylan Thompson threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns in No. 9 South Carolina’s 48-10 non-conference romp over East Carolina.  Knowing the Ol’ Ball Coach’s penchant for “shifting directions” at the position, is a quarterback change in the offing for the Gamecocks?

– Clemson’s Spencer Benton booted a 61-yard field goal in the Tigers’ win over Ball State, setting an ACC record in the process.  Benton bested the old conference mark of 60 yards by Florida State’s Gary Cismesia in 2007.  He also broke the school record, which had been 57 yards by two different players.

– Quarterback Collin Klein scored four touchdowns — one passing, three rushing — in Kansas State’s rout of Miami.  He also threw for 210 yards on just nine completions.  In the past 15 games, incidentally, Klein has rushed for 30 touchdowns.

– Yes, it came against an FCS-level opponent, but Tennessee’s Tyler Bray completed 18-of-20 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns in the Vols’ 51-13 rout of Georgia State.  Justin Hunter, returning from a season-ending injury a year ago, was Bray’s top target, catching three of those touchdowns among his eight receptions and 146 yards.

– Damien Williams rushed for 154 yards and scored four touchdowns in Oklahoma’s 69-13 win over Florida A&M.  Williams became just the fourth player in school history to rush for more than 100 yards in each of his first two games.

– Wide receiver Andre Davis broke USF’s single-game receiving record with 12 catches for 191 yards and two scores, including a 56-yarder from quarterback B.J. Daniels with :38 left that gave the Bulls a come-from-behind 32-31 win at Nevada.

– In Minnesota’s drubbing of FCS-level school New Hampshire, Marquies Gray passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more — in the first half.  As the Gophers were up 30-0, the quarterback watched from the sidelines the second half.

– Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez (no relation) had a career-long 92-yard run for a touchdown in the second quarter of the loss to UCLA, a run that was the longest by a Nebraska player since Eric Crouch’s school-record 95-yard touchdown run at Missouri in 2001.  On his other 12 carries, by the way, Martinez totaled just 20 yards.

– Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater passed for a career-high 344 yards in the No. 23 Cardinals’ 35-7 win over Missouri State.

– Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo accounted for 405 yards of total offense – 271 passing, 134 rushing — in the loss to USF.

– TCU quarterbacks Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin combined for 17-of-17 passing in the Horned Frogs 56-0 win over Grambling State. Those numbers represent an NCAA record for most team attempts without an incompletion. The previous-best mark was 12-of-12 in 2002.

– With one against Stephen F. Austin Saturday, SMU’s Margus Hunt has now blocked nine field goals in his career, a new NCAA record.  In addition to the fied goals, the 6-8 defensive end has also blocked six extra point attempts.

– Ohio State senior cornerback Travis Howard intercepted three passes in the first six quarters of the young season — two in the opener against Miami of Ohio, one in this weekend’s win over UCF.

BEST WISHES…
… for a speedy recovery to Tulane safety Devon Walker, who suffered a fractured spine in a horrific teammate-on-teammate collision during the loss to Tulsa.  The senior was on the field for several minutes before being taken to a local hospital for further treatment.  In a statement, Tulane stated that Walker “is in traction with a lot of swelling in his neck” and “the current plan is for him to have surgery in the next one to two days.”  From all of us here at CFT, from Ben and I to our readers, many prayers and much positive energy are extended for a full recovery for the young man.

AP

Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– The Phillip Sims “situation” at Virginia could be winding to its conclusion, one way or another.

– The mother of Donte Newsome, the Marshall football player shot and killed outside of a Huntington nightclub in 2008, not entitled to compensation for her son’s unpaid student loans, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled.

– Keep your NCAA dos-and-don’ts manual at the ready: it’s Big Cat Weekend once again at Auburn.

– Michigan State looking for somebody, anybody, to step up at the tight end position.

– Speaking of tight ends, that’s one of the biggest question marks on Colorado’s depth chart.

– Given the impression he’s making on the local high school circuit, maybe first-year Buffs head coach Mike MacIntyre can improve that position without going far from home.

– Improvements at the football stadium part of the planned facility upgrades at Western Michigan.

– In non-football news*, Michigan kicker Brendan Gibbons is on the verge of breaking the program’s all-time record for most consecutive field goals made.

(*it’s a joke; lighten up)

Getty Images

Less than a week after leaving Texas Tech, Delvon Simmons already has one visit under his belt and another in the offing.

According to Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com, the defensive lineman will take a trip to Miami this weekend and visit the Hurricanes.  Last weekend, Simmons visited USC, which was one of his finalists coming out of high school a couple of years ago.

Simmons is also reportedly interested in a pair of FBS programs from his home state of Pennsylvania — Penn State and Pittsburgh.  There’s been no official word yet on if/when a visit to one or both of those schools will take place.

A four-star member of North Carolina’s 2011 recruiting class and rated as the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania at any position, Simmons was released from his Tar Heels scholarship a little over a month after National Signing Day and ultimately landed at Texas Tech.  He started all 13 games for the Red Raiders in 2012 after playing in 10 games as a true freshman in 2011.

Simmons, who will be forced to sit out the 2013 season if he stays at the FBS level, will have two years to use two seasons of eligibility beginning in 2014.

Instead of focusing on preparing and rehabbing for what will be his final season of college football, Dyron Dye will be forced to prep for a meeting with the NCAA.  Again.

Citing a source close to the situation, the Miami Herald is reporting that the Miami defensive lineman will be interviewed by the NCAA regarding the investigation by the sport’s “governing body” into the Hurricanes football program.  This latest meeting, expected to take place at some point this coming week, will be Dye’s third with the NCAA in relation to the Nevin Shapiro scandal.

Because of this latest sit-down, Dye has retained counsel.  While the NCAA is seeking to have what they perceive to be a contradictory affidavit from Dye clarified, it also appears that the player may have others willing to submit their own corroboration for what Dye has previously sworn under oath.  From the paper’s report:

…the governing body of college sports believes an affidavit signed by Dye that supports ex-UM receivers coach Aubrey Hill contradicts statements made in at least one of Dye’s former interviews, a source close to the situation told The Miami Herald.

The Herald also learned that former UM quarterback Jacory Harris wrote an affidavit referencing Hill and supporting some of the statements made in Dye’s affidavit. An affidavit is a sworn statement made under oath.

The source said there are other former UM players who are also prepared to corroborate what Dye stated in his affidavit.

Dye was suspended for the four games of the 2011 season in connection to his involvement in the Shapiro scandal.  It was shown by the NCAA in August of that year that Dye received from Shapiro and “UM athletics personnel” $738 in impermissible benefits during a recruitment that led to the player signing on as part of the Hurricanes’ 2009 recruiting class.  Those benefits included five nights of impermissible lodging from institutional staff during their unofficial visits — an allegation directly tied to Hill — transportation, multiple meals and entertainment at a gentleman’s club.

With the suspension served and monetary restitution made, Dye returned to play in six games in what was his redshirt sophomore season after making the switch from the defensive line to tight end.  He then played 12 games at that position in 2012.

Dye moved back to the line following the 2012 season.  He suffered an Achilles injury during the first scrimmage this past spring and is out indefinitely, leaving his status for the 2013 season up in the air even prior to this latest attempt by the NCAA to save some type of face in what’s gone well beyond a FUBAR situation.

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The Middle Tennessee State football program has been hit with some personnel attrition a couple of months ahead of its official move from the Sun Belt to Conference USA, head coach Rick Stockstill confirmed Thursday.

According to Stockstill, quarterback Shaun White and offensive lineman Roberto Loya have been dismissed from the Blue Raiders team.  As is ofttimes the case, the publicly stated reason for the twin dismissals is violations of unspecified team rules.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be on this football team and represent Middle Tennessee,” Stockstill said in a statement. “Our program has high standards both on and off the playing field and Shaun and Roberto will not be with us after failing to live up to those expectations. We wish both players well in their future endeavors.”

Both White and Loya were listed as backups at their respective positions.  The former played in four games last season as a redshirt freshman while the latter played in all 12 games, mostly on special teams.

Even more damaging than those dismissals, though, is the loss of a player due to injury.

Part-time starting Justin Jones (pictured), Stockstill, said, will miss the 2013 season due to a toe injury suffered during spring practice.  The surgery and subsequent rehab will keep him away from football for up to eight months, sidelining the player for what would’ve been his senior season.

“Justin has to undergo surgery which will require him to be out for six to eight months,” MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said. “He has been a valuable member of this program the past four years, and we wish him a very speedy recovery.”

Jones started 11 of the 37 games he played during his MTSU career.  He was on track to earn a starting job until the spring injury derailed what was left of his collegiate career.

AP

But of course.

A member of the Nebraska football program, defensive end Avery Moss (pictured, No. 94), has a trial date set for late July for an incident that occurred late last year, the Omaha World-Herald is reporting.  Moss is facing a July 23 bench trial on charges of public indecency, disturbing the peace and failing to appear.

The soon-to-be sophomore has pleaded not guilty to the three charges, all of which are considered misdemeanors.  The failure-to-appear charge stemmed from a missed court date back in January

In mid-December, a female employee of a convenience store accused Moss of twice exposing himself to her in the span of four hours.  The alleged victim filed a complaint with the university police department, and subsequently picked Moss out of a photo lineup.

Cornhuskers head coach Bo Pelini is aware of the situation involving Moss, who could face up to six months in jail if convicted.

As a three-star member of NU’s 2012 recruiting class, Moss played in three games before using his redshirt as a true freshman due to a shoulder injury.  Moss was expected to continue competing for a starting job in summer camp, although it’s unclear what if any impact his legal situation will have on that front.

Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– Washington Post: No ruling in ACC’s motion for dismissal of Maryland lawsuit.

– Tulsa World: College transfer rule that limited Wes Lunt must be changed.

– Athletic director Mark Hollis explains Michigan State’s process that resulted in the hiring of Mark Dantonio.

– Here’s a position-by-position recap of Auburn’s spring, courtesy of al.com.

– The Iowa City Press-Citizen takes a look at how Big Ten realignment will impact fans’ pocketbooks.

– Virginia Tech’s trip to the Russell Athletic Bowl cost over $1.6 million, but the athletic department still expects to come out in the black financially.

– Syracuse’s post-spring depth chart reveals some position changes.

– UT-San Antonio head coach Larry Coker lauded by the Texas legislature.

– USC All-American receiver Marqise Lee fails to advance beyond the semifinals in the long jump at the NCAA West Regionals.

– Snoop Lion/Dogg’s football-playing son receives another offer, this one from LSU.

– Clemson’s pruning of the Peach State on the recruiting trail is setting up a solid football future for the Tigers.

– Ohio State lands an in-state verbal commitment from four-star linebacker Dante Booker, who was also considering Michigan and Notre Dame.

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The Big Ten may be swearing off scheduling cupcakes, but at least one Pac-12 school will continue gorging itself on the delectable football treats for the foreseeable future.

Oregon announced Thursday that it has scheduled three games with opponents from the FCS level – South Dakota on Aug. 30, 2014: UC Davis on Sept. 3, 2016: and Southern Utah on Sept. 2, 2017.  Obviously, all three games will be played in Autzen Stadium.

The South Dakota game completes the Ducks’ 2014 non-conference slate.  It’s 2015 three-game slate is also complete.

Oregon had previously scheduled games against FCS programs Nicholls State (2013) and Eastern Washington (2015).

It’s not all creampuffs for the Ducks, though, as UO has games scheduled against Tennessee (2013), Michigan State (2014 and 2015), Virginia (2016), Texas A&M (2018 and 2019) and Ohio State (2020 and 2021).  The Ducks are on the hunt for a marquee game in 2017, possibly at a neutral site in a one-off-type deal.

AP

Houston may have lost its leading rusher from the 2012 season to transfer, but the Cougars are apparently bringing in a player on the other side of the ball with the potential to start.

Lee Hightower announced on his Tumblr account that he will be transferring to Houston and will play for the Cougars.  The move comes after the defensive back had visited the school last weekend.

“Really dope city and school and I’ll be here for the next 3 years,” Hightower wrote.

Hightower was indefinitely suspended in early February for violating unspecified team rules and subsequently released by Boise State head coach Chris Petersen.  It was Hightower’s second suspension in less than four months.

The initial suspension came after Hightower had started the first seven games of the 2012 season at strong safety.  He did not play again last season.

Hightower becomes the second Broncos transfer to land at an FBS program in Texas this week.  Defensive lineman Sam Ukwuachu, dismissed earlier this month, announced that he will be enrolling at Baylor.

(Tip O’ the Cap: Idaho Statesman)

The mini-deluge of departures continues Thursday afternoon, with Michigan State the latest to see its football roster thinned.

In a press release, the Spartans announced that wide receiver Juwan Caesar has asked for and been granted a release from his MSU scholarship.  There’s no word on where the Miami, Fla., native may transfer.

A three-star member of the Spartans’ 2011 recruiting class, Caesar was rated as the No. 67 receiver in the country and the No. 77 player in the state of Florida.

Caesar’s true freshman season was derailed by a foot injury and he took a redshirt.  He did not play as a redshirt freshman in 2012, and was moved to tight end during bowl practices.

(Photo credit: Michigan State athletics)

AP

Following up on Steven Bench‘s self-reporting earlier today, USF has confirmed the addition of a new player to its football program.

The Bulls announced via a press release that the quarterback is indeed transferring to the school.  Bench announced late last month that he would be transferring from Penn State, and USF has been considered one of the front-runners to land the Cairo, Ga., product.

“We’re definitely excited that Steven decided to join the USF family,” head coach Willie Taggart said in a statement. “He is a coach’s son, who brings a lot of toughness to the game. His addition will also elevate the competition at quarterback, which will be good for all the players at the position. We’re looking forward to his arrival on campus so he can start working out with the guys, while getting acclimated to the way we do things.”

The release further noted that Bench is allowed to play in 2013 due to the Nittany Lions’ NCAA sanctions and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Bench, a three-star member of the Nittany Lions’ 2012 recruiting class, told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times that one of the biggest reasons for opting for the Bulls was that the coaching staff made it clear they not only “needed a quarterback, but they made me feel like they needed me to be their quarterback, and that goes a long way.”

AP

Some links from around college football on a Thursday…

• Matt Hayes of the Sporting News does think there’s inequality in the SEC’s scheduling model… and that Alabama is benefitting.
• Arizona State head coach Todd Graham has close ties to Oklahoma as well. Naturally, he was worried when Monday’s events unfolded.
• Toledo is also looking into selling beer and wine at football games.
• Rarely-used defensive end Ricardo Williams and receiver Robert Lockhart are no longer at Miami.
• Checking in with Tulane safety Devon Walker as he faces life with paralysis. An outstanding update from Yahoo! Sports.
• Former Rutgers quarterback Ryan Hart can pursue a lawsuit against EA Sports after winning an appeal in federal court. Similar to the O’Bannon lawsuit.
• Former Alabama athletic director Mal Moore was posthumously named Athletic Director of the Year by the Sports Business Daily.

AP

Nearly a month to the day it was announced that he would be transferring from Penn State, Steven Bench has found a new home to continue his playing career.

On his Twitter account Thursday morning, the quarterback revealed that he has “decided to attend the University of South Florida and become a [B]ull!!”  USF was one of a handful of schools that Bench had considered since leaving the Nittany Lions last month.

The Bulls have not yet officially announced Bench’s addition to the football program.

As has been previously noted, Bench will be eligible to play immediately in 2013 because of Penn State’s NCAA sanctions.  He will have three years of eligibility remaining plus a redshirt season.

Along with the Bulls, Bench had also visited Mississippi State and North Carolina State. Both FIU and Temple were reportedly in the mix at some level.

As a true freshman last season, Bench appeared in two games and attempted seven passes.

AP

‘Tis the season for transfers, apparently.

Following up on some hints from Kansas coach Charlie Weis on Wednesday, Kansas announced that evening that former Miami (OH) wide receiver Nick Harwell would be joining the program. Harwell was dismissed from the school last week by the dean’s office following an arrest in March that also resulted in his suspension from spring practices. As a result, he was no longer considered part of the football team.

Harwell pleaded guilty to one count of attempted theft on May 9 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 89 days suspended for the incident.

Despite his off-the-field issue, Harwell was an extremely productive receiver for the RedHawks. He led the team in receiving yards (870) and touchdowns (eight), and finished second in receptions (68) — all while missing three games with injuries. Harwell was also the NCAA’s second-leading receiver in 2011 with 129.6 receiving yards per game, finishing his sophomore campaign with 97 receptions for 1,425 yards and nine touchdowns.

Harwell leaves Miami as the school’s second all-time leading receiver in career receptions (229) and yards (3,166), as well as third in receiving touchdowns (23).

It’s not clear if Harwell will be eligible to play right away for the Jayhawks, but Weis has stated he’s looking for players who can make an immediate impact (much of KU’s 2013 signing class was made up of JUCO players).

And keep in mind that no Kansas wide receiver caught a touchdown last year.

AP

Though Aaron Murray will be looking to the likes of Arthur Lynch and Jay Rome to make plays at the tight end position, Georgia’s depth at that spot has taken a bit of a hit.

The school confirmed Wednesday that sophomore  Ty Flournoy-Smith was transferring from the program. It’s not exactly certain where he’ll go, but it appears the JUCO route is the early favorite. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt even said there’s a possibility Smith could return to the team at a later point.

Smith had some off-the-field trouble this past February when he was arrested for falsely reporting a crime. Smith claimed his textbooks were stolen, whereas police found out he tried to sell them back to the bookstore.

Smith played in eight games last season, but did not record a reception.

(Hat tip: Athens Banner-Herald) 

AP

In January, Houston running back Charles Sims announced he would bypass the NFL draft and return for his senior season with the Cougars. Now it appears that plan may not be in the cards for Sims.

According to Rob Sellers of CougarsDen.com (giggity), Sims is leaving the program, though exactly why isn’t clear. In a release from the school a short time later, UH said Sims was simply weighing his future options. One thing the release made clear was that Sims has not asked for his release, something he’d have to do if he wished to transfer. Sims has already graduated from Houston and would be eligible to play immediately if he decided that was the route he wanted to go.

“We congratulate Charles on receiving his degree last week and becoming a Cougar for life,” coach Tony Levine said in a statement, adding Sims “has been a leader for our program both on and off field with number of accomplishments.”

Another option for Sims could be the NFL’s supplemental draft in June. Obviously, this is all a bit out of the blue considering he’s just months removed from electing to return to UH for another year.

Wherever he ends up, some team, whether at the college or pro level, is getting an excellent running back. Sims was a first-team All Conference USA selection in 2011 and a second-team selection last season. Despite nagging injuries, he still finished 2012 with 851 yards rushing and six yards per carry — still good enough to lead the team. He’s also a noted pass-catcher and can be a versatile weapon for any offense.

Updated 9:15 p.m. ET: In a statement released to CougarsDen.com, Sims confirmed he is departing Houston. As you’ll read below, what the running back’s future holds still remains unclear.

“It is with regret and deep humbling, that I am ending my playing career at the University of Houston. I have a lot of great memories that I will carry with me forever. I want to thank the University of Houston for allowing the opportunity to be a part of its football program.

I have worked extremely hard while I have been here at U of H and made every attempt to carry myself in a manner that would reflect the utmost integrity upon the school and this program.

I don’t know what my next step will be. I have one more year of eligibility, therefore I may look to play (1) more year of college football or I may enter the NFL Supplemental Draft later this year.

My family and I will continue to discuss my options and we will make a decision in the near future.”