Just when you think LSU is done, Tigers prove they won’t go away

31 Comments
By Ben KerchevalOct 14, 2012, 12:09 AM EDT

The always quotable Les Miles said it right after the game. “This is truly a place where opponents’ dreams go to die.”

For No. 3 South Carolina, that would be the dream of an undefeated season, though we should make an amendment to Miles’ proclamation after his ninth-ranked Tigers held off the Gamecocks 23-21 Saturday night. South Carolina can still win the SEC East.It can still win the SEC championship and it can still in theory compete for a BCS championship with a little bit of help.

All of those goals are still within sight, but the path to Miami for the 2013 BCS title got a tad fuzzier for the Gamecocks. For LSU, there’s still hope after a 14-6 loss to No. 4 Florida in the Swamp in Week 6. Not much really changes for both of these teams, but yet another win in Death Valley shows that, no, you can never count out LSU no matter what happens to be ailing the team that week.

In fact, Miles has nearly a perfect record following a loss. Rebounding is as much a tradition for Miles and LSU as Mike the Tiger and tailgating. Not to mention the tradition of a great defensive line. South Carolina ran all over Georgia a week ago, but was only able to put up 34 yards on the ground against the Tigers tonight. In fact, LSU’s offense outgained South Carolina’s by almost 200 yards (406-211) on almost 20 more plays.

It was a tight game, but LSU controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides.

The Tigers’ next three games don’t provide any time to celebrate. Next up is surprising Texas A&M, which is currently taking care of business against Louisiana Tech. Then comes the Nov. 3 home game against top-ranked Alabama before another home game against Mississippi State. LSU then ends the year with two rivalry games against Ole Miss and Arkansas.

Based on all of that, nothing would seem guaranteed for LSU, but Miles’ team is nevertheless in a position to get back to Atlanta for the SEC championship; a loss to the Gamecocks would have put a major damper on those goals.

Speaking of USCe, a critical game at Florida awaits next week. Though Georgia is still in the mix for a SEC East title, Week 8’s match-up in the Swamp could prove critical for the two East division favorites.

Tonight was no doubt a huge win for LSU — it was certainly a bigger win for the Tigers than it was a loss for the Gamecocks — but with the overall level of football these two teams are playing, mainly on defense, it may not be the last time they meet this season.

Colorado AD says Denver won’t be option for future CU-CSU games after 2020

Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
Leave a comment
By Kevin McGuireAug 20, 2017, 6:00 PM EDT

Colorado and Colorado State are scheduled to wrap up their current scheduling agreement in 2020, and the future of the in-state rivalry remains in question beyond that. Both schools are in talks to continue the series beyond 2020 once scheduling vacancies are available, but there is no target date currently in sight. What is known, however, is any such scheduling arrangement will not include games being played in Denver if Colorado’s athletics director has his say.

“We won’t have any future games in Denver with CSU in any kind of new relationship,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said in a story published by The Daily Camera.  George did state he and his counterpart at Colorado State, Joe Parker, share an interest in keeping the series going on in the years beyond the current deal in place.

As it stands right now, Colorado State will host the final game in the current arrangement in 2020. No games will be possible in 2021 and 2022 because Colorado’s non-conference schedule is currently booked. The Buffs will face UMass, Texas A&M, and Minnesota in 2021 and TCU, Air Force, and Minnesota in 2022. Colorado currently has scheduling vacancies in 2023 and beyond, making 2023 the earliest possible year the series could be rekindled. The concern, at least for Colorado, will be overexerting the strength of schedule with games against TCU and Nebraska already lined up in 2023.

“With this College Football Playoff game now, there’s a lot of discussion on strength of schedules,” George said. “We certainly don’t want to over-schedule ourselves, but at the same time, we want to be in a position as we continue to compete on a yearly basis for championships, we want to be in the conversation. We don’t want the schedule to be a deterrent to us longer term.”

Geroge has previously expressed his interest in continuing the series if it could be agreed to play the games on campus sites instead of neutral fields. George has said it is not in Colorado’s best interest to continue the series. His latest statements about the strength of schedule keep in line with that logic. Having a potentially very good Group of Five program on top of previously announced games against power conference opponents in addition to a nine-game Pac-12 schedule becomes quite challenging. Having a less threatening opponent from the FCS provides a better chance to keep making money on a home game and increasing the chances for a win to rely on.

Colorado and Colorado State have faced off 88 times since 1893, with the Buffs holding a 64-22-2 edge in the all-time series. Colorado won last year’s meeting in Denver by a score of 44-7 for its most lopsided victory in the series since a 47-7 victory in Boulder in 1956. Colorado and Colorado State have played annually since 1995.

Mark Richt tweets his best wishes to Georgia

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
2 Comments
By Kevin McGuireAug 20, 2017, 5:00 PM EDT

A new college football season is just about here (there will be actual college football played this week), and Miami head coach Mark Richt has plenty to look forward to with the Hurricanes. A show at coaching Miami to its first appearance in the ACC Championship Game is right in front of him, but Richt spent a quick moment on Twitter to extended his best wishes to his former program; the Georgia Bulldogs.

Richt recruited the majority of the players currently on Georgia’s roster, and by all accounts, Richt had as healthy a relationship with Georgia’s players than any coach could hope to have. With that in mind, there is no shock in seeing a coach of one program offer this kind of warm and fuzzy feeling to his former program. This is also not the first time Richt has wished Georgia well under new head coach Kirby Smart. In May 2016, Richt was praised for his classiness toward Smart and Georgia for the upcoming season just months after being fired.

Georgia parted ways with Richt following the 2015 season despite a long and successful tenure as head coach (although without as many SEC titles as some would have liked, and a lack of national title appearances during a run that saw the SEC dominate the BCS era). Richt was quickly hired by Miami, and this season Richt is expected to help lead the Hurricanes forward another step toward national prominence.

If there is a college football god watching from the skies above, then we will be blessed with a bowl matchup between Miami and Georgia. Richt said in December 2015 that he believes the two programs are on a collision course for a national championship.

There is a solar eclipse tomorrow, but Nick Saban has work to do

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
1 Comment
By Kevin McGuireAug 20, 2017, 3:00 PM EDT

Stores may be sold out of special solar eclipse glasses for what some are dubbing the Great American Eclipse on Monday, but Alabama head coach Nick Saban may be more likely to be found in his office preparing for a mega matchup to open the season next week.

Besides, Saban has seen how an eclipse works already because he is a devoted fan of The Weather Channel.

“I watch the Weather Channel every day,” Saban said Saturday, according to AL.com. “They’re already saying what it’s going to look like in every city in America. So, what’s going to be significant? Watch the Weather Channel and you’ll see what it’s going to be like in Portland, Oregon.”

That Saban sure is a curmudgeon, isn’t he? But that’s part of the legacy of Saban. Unless the eclipse can help Alabama win a game against Florida State in Atlanta next week, Saban has little time to worry about such nonsense. Otherwise, it is business as usual for Saban and Alabama. However, Saban will allow his players to take advantage of what is, for some, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“We’ll set it up so if the players want to go out there and get some sunglasses, I guess they can,” Saban said.

The eclipse is having a slight impact on some football practices around the country, including in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans, for example, have modified their practice schedule for Monday due to the eclipse and will organize a team party around the event.

“I thought what a cool thing to do, but then I thought I’d like them to finish practice and give them time to put the glasses on and really enjoy the experience,” Titans head coach Mike Mularkey said (per ESPN.com). “I wanted to be on the field when it happened, as a team, I thought it’d be a neat memory for these guys.”

Clearly, Mularkey is not watching the Weather Channel on a daily basis.

Kansas surprised four walk-ons with scholarships at Royals-Indians game

Getty Images
1 Comment
By Kevin McGuireAug 20, 2017, 1:00 PM EDT

There has been no shortage of videos and stories about walk-ons at various college football programs receiving scholarships by surprise. It is an annual tradition around college football during the offseason, and the fun and pure joy of the moment never gets old.

The Kansas Jayhawks took the game to a whole new level, and a whole new playing field this weekend.

Kansas took its football team out on Friday night to enjoy a Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians. During the course of the game, four walk-on players — defensive end Mazin Aqi, offensive lineman Beau Lawrence, punter Cole Moos, and running back Reese Randall — were shown sitting next to each other on the video screen in Kauffman Stadium. As they were shown on the screen, a message popped up congratulating them on being awarded a scholarship.

Video of the players soaking in the moment and realizing they had just had their lives changed was captured by the Royals.

It sure beats the heck out of a stadium proposal.