The policy governs use of institutionally-controlled artificial noisemakers in a similar manner.

The Conference’s new policy permits an institution’s traditional artificial noisemakers to be in the football stadium for one year. Compliance with the new policy and application of penalties will be reviewed following the season.

In June 2011, the SEC membership will review this new policy to determine if it will continue in the future.

Kyle Veazey's Blog

9/3/10

Week 1: Did you know?.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that as we point toward first full day of college football this season in the SEC:

•Over the past five seasons, Florida has the SEC’s best record with a 57-10 mark. LSU is second at 51-15, Alabama third at 49-17, Georgia fourth at 48-17 and Auburn fifth at 42-21.
•Georgia has won eight or more games in each of the past 13 seasons. No other FBS school can match that streak over that same span.
•The SEC’s six BCS national championships are as many as the other conferences combined.

espn.com 9/3/10

Winners and Losers from college football's opening night

Winners:

South Carolina's offense. It showed great potential in a 41-13 rout of Southern Miss by gaining 447 yards. Much-maligned quarterback Stephen Garcia and true freshman running back Marcus Lattimore each ran for two scores. Next up is a visit from Georgia. Win that and talk could begin about the Gamecocks making a legit run at their first SEC East title.

Miami QB Jacory Harris. Playing just the first half, Harris threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-0 rout of Florida A&M, the Hurricanes' first shutout since 2006.

Rivals.com
9/3/10

College Football's Higher Prices,U.S. Open's Shorter Skirts
The priciest college ball ticket averages $523

A newly released NCAA report shows that just 14 of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools made money from campus athletics in the 2009 fiscal year, down from 25 the year before. That's certainly not college football's fault, as the gridiron typically generates more revenue for athletic departments than any other sport. Sixty-eight FBS schools reported turning a profit on football, with a median value of $8.8 million, while the 52 FBS schools that lost money on football reported median losses of just $2.7 million.

BusinessWeek.com
9/3/10

Greed is the most powerful tradition in college football

The same university presidents who tell us that we can't have a postseason playoff in division I-A because that would be too many games for the student-athletes have contrived a system in which many big-time programs routinely play 14 games: 12 in the regular season, a conference championship and a bowl game. The 12th regular season game was created several years ago for one reason: so the power schools could schedule another home game, usually against a completely overmatched opponent, and collect another lucrative gate.

WashingtonPost.com
9/3/10

SEC, ESPN pleased with Year 1 of unique marriage but want more

From ESPN's perspective, the biggest success story was ESPNU. Prior to the SEC deal, ESPNU was in approximately 25 million homes. Today, the network is in 73 million households and, as Slive points out, has moved up from Channel 614 on DirecTV to Channel 208 -- right near ESPN and ESPN2.

"I think the SEC is the primary factor," Magnus said. "I launched ESPNU five years ago, and we've had great content on it, but the SEC was always sort of missing from our lineup. I don't think it's any coincidence that as soon as we did this deal, we got serious traction in a lot of our distribution conversations."

AL.com
9/3/10

With Masoli, NCAA plays image-first game

Basically, the NCAA did exactly the same thing you probably did when you heard Masoli wanted to pursue a graduate degree in parks and recreation at Mississippi. In other words, the NCAA laughed in his face.
Although the NCAA did everything in its power to successfully prevent Masoli from playing this year, the NCAA did everything in its power to allow Tebow to play in 2009.

MiamiHerald.com
9/3/10

MSU has high Relf-esteem

And this season, Mullen has two young quarterbacks to mold. The front-runner is Chris Relf, who struggled with MSU’s spread offense most of last season. But the 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior put everything together in the season finale, rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown and throwing for two more scores in a 41-27 upset of Ole Miss. And if Relf should stumble, No. 2 quarterback Tyler Russell is a capable reserve.

No matter who is under center, he’ll be operating behind a veteran offensive line and have the talented Chad Bumphis as a target. Throw in an upgraded defense and the Bulldogs should go bowling for just the second time this century.
MSU is favored by 21 tomorrow over Memphis, a bad team in the weak Conference USA. New Tigers coach Larry Porter may improve on last season’s 2-10 mark, but not by playing SEC foes on the road. Go Bulldogs!

BostonHerald.com
9/3/10

Rebels must fill void left by defensive end Lockett

Lockett is in Ohio undergoing tests for a heart rhythm problem and will be out for at least Saturday's season opener against Jacksonville State.
But what exactly will the Rebels miss the most with Lockett's absence?
The answer to that just depends on which member of the Ole Miss defense you ask.
Linebacker Joel Kight: "His experience."
Defensive end Gerald Rivers: "His charisma."

ClarionLedger.com
9/3/10

Stage fright hits Eagles

One problem that plagued the Golden Eagles on defense last season appeared again Thursday as the Gamecock quarterbacks ran 12 times for 69 yards and USC's oversized receivers snagged passes over the USM defensive backs.

"We came up short in eliminating big plays," USM linebacker Korey Williams said. "We gave up four explosive plays that were true game changers and accumulated a lot of yardage. I felt like that was a big key."

"We were in the right position," said safety Justin Wilson. "We just didn't make plays."

ClarionLedger.com
9/3/10

Three-point stance: Masoli decision 'arbitrary and unfair'

1. Eni Faleomavaega, the delegate to the U.S. Congress from American Samoa, has written a letter to the NCAA decrying the “arbitrary and unfair” decision denying Ole Miss quarterback Jeremiah Masoli a waiver that would make him eligible this fall. Masoli is of Samoan descent. Faleomavaega called the ruling “grossly inappropriate” for the way in which it ignored the fact that Masoli complied with the legislation as written. The appeals committee is expected to rule Friday.

ESPN.com
9/3/10

Alabama to appeal Dareus suspension

Dareus will miss the first two games, and the NCAA said in its ruling that mitigating circumstances actually carved Dareus’ suspension down from four games to two games.

Now, Alabama faces the likelihood of going up against Penn State the second week of the season without its best offensive player and its best defensive player.

Heisman Trophy running back Mark Ingram will definitely miss the opener against San Jose State after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this week. Getting him back in time to play against the Nittany Lions is probably a stretch.

ESPN.com
9/3/10

SEC East 2010 Expectations, In a Nutshell

GEORGIA

Georgia's problem the past two years has largely been a porous defense. Mark Richt did something about that by clearing out nearly all of his defensive staff, and new coordinator Todd Grantham has brought in an entirely new scheme. Adjusting to the new 3-4 defense will cause some headaches, but the general expectation is that being unfamiliar with a great scheme is still better than the broken system the old staff used. On the other side of the ball, freshman QB Aaron Murray is surrounded by great offensive weapons and is protected by a great line. If Murray lives up to his four-star rating and the defense gels around mid-season, Georgia could have 10 wins by the time all is said and done.

TeamSpeedKills.com
9/3/10

So Steve Spurrier's happy, right? Of course not

There's one thing everyone should know by now about Steve Spurrier: His offense is never good enough.

"We had 41 points with 11 minutes left," Spurrier said. "They sort of milked the clock on us. I was thinking, maybe, for the first time, we might score 50.

"We need to score 50 sometime. I think it's good to score 50 if you can. We couldn't do it tonight."

TeamSpeedKills.com
9/3/10

Little latest Tar Heel suspended for opener

Little would be the second player that UNC has officially suspended. Earlier in the week, coach Butch Davis suspended defensive tackle Marvin Austin. Both players have been linked to the NCAA's investigation this summer into players having illegal contact with agents. Little and Austin have also been practicing with the second team while the NCAA continues its investigation.

The investigation grew further when the university self-reported possible academic improprieties involving a tutor. It is unknown how many other players could possibly be suspended for the first game and beyond, but ESPN.com's Joe Schad reported earlier in the week the number could be as high as 16.

SportingNews.com
9/3/10

Can Boise State's BCS title hopes survive a tough opener vs. Va. Tech?

Virginia Tech has emerged as the ACC's signature program by developing a reputation for stability and consistency. Texas is the only other FBS team to win at least 10 games each of the past six seasons.

Along the way, the Hokies also have earned a much less enviable label. They're the team that opens each season with high expectations, only to slip up early in the year.

Virginia Tech has lost at least once in September in four consecutive seasons and has stumbled in each of its past two season openers. And in three of the past six seasons, the Hokies have fallen to the eventual national champion in the first two weeks of the season.

Rivals.com
9/3/10

Mark Ingram 'doing extremely well' so far in recovery

"Mark is doing extremely well," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said after practice Wednesday. "He didn't have a lot of swelling, which is a good sign. That has a lot to do with how quickly he can come back."
Saban wouldn't guess how long last season's Heisman Trophy winner will be out other than again confirming that he won't play for top-ranked Alabama in Saturday's 6 p.m. opener against San Jose State. Ingram has returned to meetings with the team but has not been present at practice the past two days.

AL.com
9/3/10

NCAA hypocritical in enforcement of controversial transfer waiver

Welcome to the maddening world of the transfer athlete at the mercy of the NCAA, where the rules apply as written -- unless they don't.
We'll start with Masoli. The NCAA is probably 100 percent correct in its assertion that Masoli used the rule to avoid sitting out a year at his new school after he was tossed off Oregon's football team in June following his second legal scrape in less than six months. The NCAA's decision to delay the granting of the waiver until 2011 probably would be considered a noble act if no one Googled the names Kenneth Cooper or Eniel Polynice.

SI.com
9/2/10

Agent oversight continues to vex college sports

Stoops said the problem with agents is worse than at any time he can remember in his 12 years as a head coach. There are more agents and financial advisers seeking out college athletes, and trying to reach them at an earlier age, than ever before, he believes.
But with NCAA rules set up to penalize the schools and athletes — rather than the agents — that cuts the incentive for colleges to launch investigations.
"The only way to really start having a chance to clean it up would be for the NCAA to allow players to come forth and say, 'These guys and these guys and these guys are doing this, this and this,'" Stoops said.

Google Sports
9/2/10

Thirteen games to watch for during the college football season

Sept. 11 - Florida State at Oklahoma: Power programs coming off subpar seasons.

Oct. 2 - Florida at Alabama: The winner might have to beat the loser again in the Southeastern Conference title game.

USAToday.com
9/2/10

Coaches say tough college football openers have risks

Schools from conferences with national championship aspirations that are in conferences without automatic BCS berths (such as Boise, TCU and Utah) have to play a rugged non-conference schedule to remain in the title conversation. But there are top-25 programs that embrace a tough non-conference a regular basis. Pittsburgh, for example, has Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame and Utah on this year's schedule; FSU plays Florida and BYU in addition to Oklahoma.

While these high-caliber showdowns can benefit a school's financial bottom line and national profile, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, who opens Saturday at Kansas State and plays at Texas Sept. 25, thinks they are counterproductive if the only goal is to rise in the national polls: "Looked at from the standpoint of having your team as highly ranked as possible, there is no advantage to these games. You don't need to play these games, and it doesn't make any sense to do it."

USAToday.com
9/2/10

LSU players want to keep Les Miles 'off the hot seat'

LSU coach Les Miles enters Saturday's Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against North Carolina (8 p.m. ET) after two underachieving seasons in which his team finished 8-5 and unranked and 9-4 and ranked 17th along with an 8-8 mark in the Southeastern Conference after top 10 preseason rankings and lofty expectations. That followed a 34-6 record and 19-5 run through the SEC in his first three seasons with a national championship and SEC title in 2007 and an SEC West title in 2005.

USAToday.com
9/2/10

SEC Football by the Numbers: Teams (except Georgia) streak into season-opening games

MISSISSIPPI STATE: The Bulldogs broke a three-game losing streak in season openers by beating Jackson State last year. Mississippi State's record streak for victories in season-opening games is 15, the third-longest in SEC history, between 1933 and 1948. (Mississippi State did not field a team in 1943.)

AL.com
9/2/10

Will South Carolina struggle with Southern Miss?

For a couple of weeks now nobody has been talking about what’s going to happen on the field when the Gamecocks finally play a game. Thanks to a couple of NCAA investigations, nobody knows exactly who is going to show up tonight at Williams-Brice Stadium against a team that could win its division of Conference USA. The exception to that is tight end Weslye Saunders, who has already been suspended. It’s hard to believe that this is the first time these two teams have ever met. South Carolina needs to get off to a good start because Georgia comes to Columbia on Sept. 11. We also want to know if Steve Spurrier will have a quick hook when it comes to quarterback Stephen Garcia. Freshman Conner Shaw (from Flowery Branch) is waiting in the wings.

AJC.com
9/2/10

MSU's Dan Mullen faces must-win game vs. Memphis

But nearing the 21st month of his tenure, Mullen could be facing the most important moment of his young career. After all the rallies and speeches and barbs thrown toward "The School Up North," the boiling frenzy he has created at Mississippi State will shift Saturday to the football field for the season opener against the University of Memphis.

And for the first time since arriving in Starkville, Mullen will coach a game he absolutely, positively must win.

CommercialAppeal.com
9/2/10

Ole Miss coach optimistic QB will win appeal

OXFORD — University of Mississippi football coach Houston Nutt said Wednesday he is optimistic his quarterback will win his appeal because other players have been granted waivers after being dismissed from teams.

The NCAA on Tuesday ruled Jeremiah Masoli ineligible for the season because he had been kicked off the team at the University of Oregon.

"I have seen 12 different cases that are very similar," Nutt said after practice.

ClarionLedger.com
9/2/10

Eagles amped up over date with Gamecocks

The Golden Eagles step on the big stage at 6:30 tonight when they take on South Carolina in what is the marquee game on ESPN for the opening night of the major college football season.

Several Eagles have told stories this month of how they've envisioned what will take place tonight.

"In the mock scrimmage, I picked up a fumble and I took it back," defensive tackle Anthony Gray said. "I was thinking last night that it would be amazing if I could do that in the game.

ClarionLedger.com
9/2/10

How Excited Should Mississippi State Fans Be?

WHO MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE WINS?

Just so the context is clear, we asked which SEC West team was Mississippi State most likely to defeat. And a repeat victory in the Egg Bowl wins in a landslide, with six in ten votes going for another triumph against the Rebels. Part of that is probably because the other four teams -- Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn and LSU -- are expected to be significantly better than either State or Ole Miss. The next most popular choice was Auburn; I suppose anything is possible in a game where both teams might break 70.

TeamSpeedKills.com
9/2/10

Complete SEC Football Week 1 TV Schedule

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2
Southern Miss at South Carolina, 7:30 PM Eastern, ESPN

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4
Miami (OH) at Florida, 12:00 PM Eastern, ESPN
UL-Lafayette at Georgia, 12:21 PM Eastern, SEC Network
Kentucky at Louisville, 3:30 PM Eastern, ABC
Jacksonville State at Ole Miss, 3:30 PM Eastern, CSS

TeamSpeedKills.com
9/2/10

NCAA wrong on Masoli ruling

The NCAA has refused to grant former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli a waiver to be eligible to play at Ole Miss this season. Ole Miss has appealed the ruling but it is unlikely that the appeal will be successful. I reached out to Coach Houston Nutt this morning and I would have to say that he is not optimistic.

Here is what I see: You can make an ethical argument over whether or not Masoli, who was kicked off the Oregon team, should be allowed to play right away at Ole Miss. The fact is he got a second chance from Oregon coach Chip Kelly and he blew it. So if you want to take the position that Ole Miss should not have taken the kid in the first place, I respect that point of view.

AJC.com
9/2/10

Austin suspended for Tar Heels opener vs. LSU

Embattled North Carolina football player Marvin Austin has been suspended from the team, the school announced.
"This decision is not a result of the ongoing NCAA review," Tar Heels football coach Butch Davis said in a statement released by the school. "Marvin has violated team rules and has neglected his responsibilities to the team."
Austin will not play Saturday in North Carolina’s opener against LSU in Atlanta.

SportingNews.com
9/2/10

Bring on the games: Opening night shifts focus back to the field

South Carolina
(vs. Southern Miss, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
The question: Will controversy kill the Gamecocks?
South Carolina started the summer as a popular sleeper pick to win the SEC East. Now, eligibility questions surround several players who lived in a hotel near campus, and talented tight end Weslye Saunders, part of the NCAA's investigation of player conduct with agents, won't play because of a disciplinary suspension.

SportingNews.com
9/2/10

Big Ten splits without creating division

So, maybe we'll see Michigan-Ohio State in the inaugural league title game Dec. 3, 2011, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Then again, maybe not.

Remember the ACC's insistence on having Miami and Florida State in opposite divisions, hoping the two would meet in the league title game? It has yet to happen.

Rivals.com
9/2/10

Preseason Top 10? Don't Get Too Comfy

Fantastic Flops

BCS-era teams that did poorly after being in the preseason AP top-10 .

Team/Year PresEasoN Rank Final
Record
LSU 1998 #9 4-7
Arizona 1999 #4 6-6
Ohio State 1999 #9 6-6
Alabama 2000 #3 3-8
Nebraska 2002 #10 7-7
Tennessee 2005 #3 5-6
Louisville 2007 #10 6-6
Auburn 2008 #10 5-7
Just because your school is starting out in college football's preseason top 10 doesn't mean it belongs there. In fact, there's a fair chance it won't finish anywhere near there. Of the 120 teams ranked in the Associated Press's preseason top 10 since 1998, 21—nearly two per season—finished completely outside the final top-25 poll.
The biggest flop of the BCS era, hands down, was Alabama in 2000. Ranked third before the season, coach Mike DuBose's Crimson Tide went 3-8, setting in motion the school's blundering series of coaching moves (Dennis Franchione, Mike Price, Mike Shula) before the school finally landed Nick Saban.

WSJ.com
9/2/10

Ole Miss appeals NCAA ruling that Jeremiah Masoli can't play this year

The NCAA gave two reasons for the denial, according to Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone.
"First was that Jeremiah would have not been eligible for the 2010 season at his previous institution (Oregon)," said Boone. "The second was the time frame discrepancy between the previous institution and Jeremiah regarding when the institution said they dismissed Jeremiah and when he decided to transfer."
Boone said the school has appealed the decision.
"We had to get it in by 1 p.m. today in order to hopefully get a ruling by Friday by the subcommittee of appeals," said Boone.
The latest the subcommittee could rule is one week

USAToday.com
9/2/10

Not a lot of guarantees at QB in the SEC

It’s safe to say that Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett has a pretty good handle on his job after throwing 30 touchdown passes in his first season in the league a year ago.

The same goes for Alabama’s Greg McElroy after leading the Crimson Tide to a national championship last season. After all, the guy hasn’t lost a game as a starting quarterback since the eighth grade.

But after the top two, there’s a little bit of uncertainty, a little bit of newness and a little bit of mystery elsewhere when you look at the quarterback position in the SEC.

Of course, it was the same way this time a year ago with Florida’s Tim Tebow and Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead. But Snead wound up throwing 20 interceptions and Mallett took the league by storm in his record-setting debut season. McElroy also went from a huge unknown to one of the pillars of Alabama's national championship team.

ESPN.com
9/1/10

Ole Miss Fans Should Calm Down a Bit

Remember, Masoli didn't go looking for a school that had a graduate degree he wanted and then decide which football program was the best for him. He went looking for a school that had a football program he wanted to join, then selected the graduate degree that was best for him. That's not what the rule is there for.
And if Masoli and Nutt and Co. are suggesting that Masoli won't play next year and would instead go to the NFL Draft -- well, they're just proving the point, aren't they?
You can disagree with the NCAA's decision. But to go crazy and say that the decision was completely unreasonable is going way too far. Methinks you doth protest too much.
It might be selective enforcement. But selective enforcement of some sort of bottom-line standard on this sort of thing is better for the game than no enforcement at all.

TeamSpeedKills.com
9/1/10

Prove It, SEC Schools… Prove It

Auburn

So Kirk Herbstreit believes Auburn will unseat Alabama and win the SEC West? They might. Their defense has some depth this year and Cameron Newton should be a better fit for the spread offense than anyone AU has had at quarterback the last two years. But is Gus Malzahn’s offense really all it’s cracked up to be? The Tigers averaged more than 35 points per game in their first two SEC games a year ago (both wins). They then went 1-5 in their final six conference games and that scoring average plummeted to less than 21 points per contest. Auburn needs to prove that Malzahn is a genius… and that all those high-paid defensive coordinators in this league didn’t already figure out his vulnerabilities.

MrSEC.com
9/1/10

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Don-t-panic-Bama-but-Mark-Ingram-just-got-out?urn=ncaaf-266396


running back Trent Richardson is even better than reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram, Saturday will be their chance for vindication, when Ingram takes the afternoon off to rehab a knee injury he suffered in Monday's practice. From the Mobile Press-Register on Tuesday:

Alabama's Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Mark Ingram underwent arthroscopic surgery this morning on his left knee, according to a statement by Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. Ingram will be out for Saturday's game against San Jose State and evaluated on a week-to-week basis after that. Alabama hosts Penn State on Sept. 11 and visits Duke on Sept. 18.

"It was a situation where everyone involved thought it would be better to take care of now, so he would not have any issues with it later in the season," Saban said. [...]



rivals.com
9/1/10

http://www.sbnation.com/2010/8/31/1661754/jeremiah-masoli-waiver-appeal-ncaa-denial-ole-miss-football-oregon


The NCAA has issued a statement regarding its denial of Jeremiah Masoli's waiver request, which will prevent him from playing football for Ole Miss in 2010 barring a reversal of fortunes:
In its decision, the staff noted the student-athlete was unable to participate at the University of Oregon based on his dismissal from the team, which is contrary to the intent of the waiver. The waiver exists to provide relief to student-athletes who transfer for academic reasons to pursue graduate studies, not to avoid disciplinary measures at the previous university.


sbnation.com
9/1/10

Mississippi State Will Go Bowling

If Mullen can find a QB to run his offense effectively, they may not miss Dixon that much.

Defensively, Diaz was bantered around for higher profile jobs than Miss State so I think he will continue the tradition of good defenses in Starkville. I know UGA fans liked him too.

I see Miss State finishing last in the West, the toughest division in college football this season, but still good enough to garner a bowl bid.

BleacherReport.com
9/1/10

Boise State vs. the SEC

Andrea Adelson: Chris, nobody at Boise State or anywhere else thinks the WAC schedule is as tough as the SEC. Hence the reason for trying to schedule marquee games against major BCS powers in nonconference play. It's not the Broncos' fault nobody wants a piece of them. Why should Boise State be penalized because it has to play the schedule in front of it? The Broncos have proved they can beat good BCS teams. They have proved they can win BCS games. When are they going to get credit for winning all the games on their schedule? Everybody loves the Butlers of the world come NCAA tournament time, but everybody thinks Cinderella is the wicked stepsister in college football. Just give these guys a chance.

ESPN.com
9/1/10

Soph Stanley says he's prepared to lead Rebs in Masoli's absence

Maybe Friday night as he tries to get some sleep. Perhaps Saturday as he walks through the Grove with his teammates. Or maybe just as he runs onto the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for Ole Miss' season opener against Jacksonville State.

But the sophomore quarterback doesn't mind one bit.

"I have waited this long to be the starter, so I'm looking forward to it," said Stanley. "It's exciting. I have been a backup for two years, so I can't wait."

ClarionLedger.com
9/1/10

Nine coaches that better win this season to save their jobs

Mark Richt, Georgia: The Southeastern Conference gets tougher every year, and the shake-up in the Bulldogs staff after last season needs to result in something better than 8-5.

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan: The 8-16 two-year record is bad enough. An NCAA investigation adds to the feeling of unease.

USAToday.com
9/1/10

NCAA got it right; now Masoli has chance, too

Look at the bright side, Ole Miss fans: This will give Jeremiah Masoli that much more time to focus on his graduate studies in parks and recreation. That's why he transferred to Ole Miss, remember?

"I'd love the chance to eventually play professional football, but that may or may not happen," he wrote on his website. "I like the outdoors and I like dealing with kids, especially young athletes. Getting a master's degree in parks and recreation management should open up a number of opportunities."

CommercialAppeal.com
9/1/10

Big Ten may unveil division setup on Wednesday

Nebraska assistant athletic director Jeff Jamrog said in a radio interview Tuesday that he expected the alignment to be revealed on Wednesday. Nebraska will become the conference's 12th member next year.
The Big Ten Network has scheduled a one-hour special beginning 7 p.m. ET Wednesday, though it did not announce the subject matter.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Aug. 2 that an announcement would be made in 30 to 45 days. Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune notes Wednesday would be Day 30 in that timetable.

SportingNews.com
9/1/10

Bama will be 'OK' without Ingram

Richardson was arguably Saban’s biggest recruit to Alabama, an elite tailback from Pensacola, Fla., whom everyone wanted and who the Tide eventually held off rival Florida to sign. He showed flashes all season as Ingram’s backup, and then officially arrived with 109 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in the BCS championship game win over Texas.
“He showed what he was all about on the biggest stage,” said Alabama linebacker Don’t’a Hightower.
Earlier this summer Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy was talking about Ingram and Richardson and searching for any distinct difference between the two. One of the smartest players in college football, a player who will apply for the Rhodes Scholarship, came up with this answer:
“About one inch and five pounds,” McElroy said.

SportingNews.com
9/1/10

Locker has unfinished business

And Jake Locker could have gone away. The senior quarterback of the Washington Huskies didn’t need to stay for this. The NFL made it clear that he was welcome in its draft last spring. Teams loved the way he fired his passes downfield. They admired his elusiveness. One draft expert said he would have been the first overall pick. Others suggested he might not have gone in the first round, but there is little doubt he could have made at least $10 million once the bonuses were added up.

Rivals.com
9/1/10

Supposed UNC breakout season begins amid turmoil

The ongoing probe comes a little more than a month after the school and NCAA began looking into whether defensive lineman Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little received alleged impermissible benefits from agents. It's not known how many players might be held out Saturday because of the academic investigation, or if Austin or Little will play.
The team didn't release a depth chart Monday before Davis' weekly news conference, a departure from normal procedure. School officials have said they might not know about the players until game time, forcing Davis to use a "fluid" informal depth chart in practice this week.
But with an imposing schedule bearing down on Carolina right from the start, there's not much room for error or experimentation. After taking next week off, the Heels will host defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion and 17th-ranked Georgia Tech in the second game, then travel to Rutgers.

USAToday.com
9/1/10

Colt McCoy 'knows he had them' before injury against Alabama

"What most angers Colt ... is that he knows he had them. The Crimson Tide were lining up in the beatable formations he'd studied for weeks. Colt knows, with an athlete's self-assuredness, how his arm and his brain would have carved them up."
That's what Fort Worth native Bryan Curtis writes in the September issue of Texas Monthly in a cover story entitled, "Arms Race."

AL.com
9/1/10

Jeremiah Masoli's request for a waiver to play football for Ole Miss in 2010 has been denied by the NCAA. The school is appealing the decision. More as it unfolds.

Urban Meyer is eating right and exercising, but he will work just as much during game-week

GAINESVILLE — Following a health scare in December, Gators coach Urban Meyer made some changes in his life.

He took a leave of absence as head coach that lasted more than three months, in which he rarely worked and spent most of his time with his family. He traveled significantly less on recruiting trips, instead delegating to his assistants. And he pledged to change his lifestyle by exercising more, eating better and attempting to better handle the stress of his taxing job.
When he came back to coaching, he vowed to work out every day at noon and eat several meals per day. He turns off his Blackberry when he goes to sleep or attends church or dinner with his family, getting away from work.

orlandosentinel.com
8/30/10

Cushy opening week schedule for SEC

But this opening weekend? The SEC has outdone itself this time.
Seriously, outside of Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, it’s difficult to pinpoint what we might find out about SEC teams this first week.
If you like glorified scrimmages at $40 and $50 a head, then you’re going to have a blast this weekend.
If not, then you might want to tread lightly.
Seven of the SEC’s 12 opponents this week didn’t have a winning record last season.
Arkansas, Ole Miss and Tennessee will be trying to get a leg up in the Ohio Valley Conference race, as all three teams open the season against FCS opponents from the OVC.

ESPN.com
8/31/10

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10th annual Herbie Awards

MOST UNDERVALUED TEAMS

1. Michigan State
2. UCLA
3. Northwestern
4. Rutgers
5. Ole Miss

ESPN.com
8/31/10

Relf's fan day absence stirs up Dogs' QB situation; Mullen says 2 will play Murky waters

So, tell us, is Relf OK?

"Chris, he's good," Wright said. "He's just got a little hurt finger, but he should be out there on Saturday."

That's what passed for news on Mississippi State's quarterback situation Monday, when the drama seemed less about the two-quarterback system and more about whether Relf, the junior who is the presumptive starter in a two-quarterback system, would play in Saturday's season opener against Memphis.

ClarionLedger.com
8/31/10

With time short, Rebs still optimistic new QB will get waiver

"I wish I could feel as good as Jack does about it," said the Rebels coach. "I truly don't know."
And neither does anyone else.
Nutt and the Rebel faithful continue to await the NCAA's decision on Masoli, who has yet to be cleared after his highly publicized transfer from Oregon, where he was dismissed from the team after two run-ins with the police.
Masoli is seeking a waiver to bypass the NCAA's one-year residency requirement for transfer students.

ClarionLedger.com
8/31/10

Danielson: No SEC team will go undefeated

New York–Gary Danielson is about to enter his fifth season as an analyst for the SEC game of the week on CBS. I caught up with Gary during a recent trip to New York where we were putting together a preseason show for CBS. I asked him for five good SEC story lines as we approach the start of the 2010 season.

1. Nobody in the SEC will go undefeated: People are saying there is a gap between Florida and Alabama and everybody else. I don’t agree with that. I think the league will be a little more compact this season because the middle has gotten better. Auburn, LSU, Arkansas and Ole Miss will be better. South Carolina will be better. Georgia will be better. Nobody is going to run away from it and everybody in the conference will lose at least one game. I think the SEC will be the only conference in the country where a one-loss team could reach the national championship game.

AJC.com
8/31/10

Plenty of competition left on Mississippi State's depth chart

Starting left tackle Derek Sherrod said the Bulldogs feel comfortable with either quarterback in the game -- and with true freshman Dylan Favre, for that matter.
"I have a lot of confidence in all three of our quarterbacks," Sherrod said. "Our coaching staff has done a great job preparing all of them for this game week."
Mullen added that redshirt freshman LaDarius Perkins will also get his share of carries at running back as the Bulldogs look to replace Anthony Dixon by committee.

AL.com
8/31/10

7 questions for a new season

7. Which coaches might land better coaching jobs?

It’s probably time for Houston’s Kevin Sumlin to move up after this season. He’s been seamless succeeding former Cougars coach Art Briles and loses star quarterback Case Keenum after this year. If Texas A&M tanks this season under third-year coach Mike Sherman, the Aggies might want to bring back Sumlin, who was their offensive coordinator in 2002.
Temple’s Al Golden also deserves to be in the running for top jobs after his miraculous turnaround of a program that was arguably the worst in college football when he arrived four seasons ago. But the former Penn State tight end might be holding out in hopes of succeeding legendary Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno.

FoxSports.com
8/31/10

A brief look at SEC football dominance

Since SEC expansion in 1992, the SEC has the most national championships (AP, USA Today) with eight. During that time, the SEC has had more teams with national titles than any other conference (4).

The SEC has the most wins (14) and the highest winning percentage of any conference that has three-or more appearances in BCS bowl games. The SEC is 14-5 in BCS bowls, including 6-0 in BCS National Championship Games.

CapstoneReport.com
8/31/10

Mullen: QB Chris Relf not injured

There’s nothing like a little mystery surrounding the starting quarterback going into the season opener.
According to teammates, Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf has an injured finger, but coach Dan Mullen wasn’t interested in expanding on that during his press conference Monday.
In fact, he offered up an injury report toward the beginning of his press conference and didn’t include Relf. When asked specifically about Relf, Mullen said, “I gave the injury report, and he’s not injured.”
Relf wasn’t available to the media Monday during interviews, and he also missed Fan Day last Saturday. But Mullen said he excused Relf to go home because of a “personal family deal.”

ESPN.com
8/31/10

Week 1 college football kickoff

Notre Dame (Saturday, vs. Purdue). Preseason talk about the Irish has dripped with optimism. Charismatic Brian Kelly has replaced Charlie Weis, quarterback Dayne Crist debuts as a starter in Kelly’s spread scheme, and a better-conditioned defense with a new scheme should slow opponents. “We’re stronger, and we’re going to play faster,” linebacker Manti Te’o. “There’s a completely different attitude this year.” Like Connecticut, Purdue’s talent matches up with ND. And the Boilers easily could spoil the momentum Kelly has built since December.

South Carolina (Thursday, vs. Southern Miss). Again this year, Steve Spurrier seems on the brink of lifting the Gamecocks to its first SEC East crown. But Southern Miss’ All-American-caliber playmaker DeAndre Brown will test the Gamecocks defense. And some quarterback — incumbent Stephen Garcia or freshman Connor Shaw — must stay consistent all fall.

SportingNews.com
8/31/10

Rodriguez knows there are no guarantees

How many wins does Rodriguez need to ensure his return for a fourth season? No one is saying. But it's safe to assume a losing record would spell doom for Rodriguez, and a 6-6 record also may be fatal. But is a 7-5 or 8-4 record good enough, especially if it includes a win over Michigan State or Ohio State -- teams Rodriguez has yet to beat in his two seasons in Ann Arbor? A 9-3 record or better almost certainly would mean Rodriguez returns.

But, again, who knows?

Rivals.com
8/31/10

Is Big 12 overrated this year?

Since its inception in 1996, the Big 12 has won three football national titles and played in five national championship games on the losing end.
That's more title game appearances in that span than even the vaunted Southeastern Conference, although the SEC has distinguished itself by winning the national championship the last four years — including the last two at the expense of the Big 12.

STLToday.com
8/31/10

SEC Primer: Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are Actually Underpaid

Meyer and Saban have already cemented themselves as top 10 coaches in SEC history, but outside of those two, who else is a great coach in this league? In other words, if you needed a coach for one game and couldn't select Meyer or Saban, who would you pick and feel certain that your pick could match wits with the greatest coaches in the rest of the country?

The third best coach in the SEC isn't an easy choice, right? And it's not because there are so many great options. It's because there are so few.

Lost amid the hubbub of the conference's reign is this fact: the SEC has become a duopoly. Florida and Alabama are a combined 52-4 the past two seasons, and two of those four losses have come against each other. The rest of the mighty SEC has gone a combined 1-16 the past two years against Alabama and Florida. The only team to beat either program these years? Ole Miss by a single point, 31-30 in 2008.

NCAAFootball.Fanhouse.com
8/30/10

A review of the Saban movie

Saban is home
One of the biggest impressions you come away with is this: Nick Saban loves college football. To say he prefers college to the NFL is like saying a fish prefers being in the water over being on the bank. The man loves recruiting, but more than X’s and O’s, he just enjoys impacting the lives of student athletes. The film offers the unique perspective that investing himself in the lives of young men, making them better, giving them a chance to make it in life and do well, is the fuel that gives him a reason for living.

CapstoneReport.com
8/30/10

Alabama to Lose 4 Games this Season?

Alabama is preseason #1, as they should be. That said, looking at the losses of personell on defense, they may well stand to lose 4 games this season. Looking at the schedule they have the following possible loss scenarios:
Sept 25 @ Arkansas: This could be the first loss on the Alabama schedule.
October 2 Florida: This one could be the revenge game for Florida. Florida lost Tebow, but they could become more of a passing team that could light up the Alabama defense.
October 9 @ S.Carolina: The Gamecocks could pull off the upset at home.
October 23 @ Tennessee: With the new coach in place, Tennessee doesn't lack talent. This could be an interesting in mid season
November 6 @ LSU: LSU could easily win this game in the Bayou

CBSSports.com
8/30/10

Passion for SEC rivalries unmatched

"The tradition and success of college football in the SEC dates back to the '20s when there were some cultural, economic and societal issues that the entire nation was struggling with and this part of the U.S. became somewhat of a focus," said Slive. "College football was always one area of pride."
Auburn-Georgia is the South's oldest rivalry, having been played 113 times (Auburn leads 53-52-8). Ole Miss and Mississippi State have the Egg Bowl. But the rivalry that has risen like Lindsay Lohan's legal fees is Florida-Alabama. The Gators won national titles in 2006 and 2008, the latter after overcoming Alabama in the SEC title game. The Tide won it last year after pulverizing Florida in an SEC rematch.

NYPost.com
8/30/10

Picking college football's No. 1 ever-controversial

Bowl Championship Series: 1997-present

Controversy, rule breakers and scandal

Among the more bizarre incidents in sports history came courtesy of a trumped-up resume. In 2001, five days after leaving Georgia Tech to coach Notre Dame, George O’Leary resigned from the job after it was revealed he had provided the school with erroneous information on his resume, including a master’s degree.

A scandal in summer 2010 shined a light again on the game’s seedy side. The NCAA docked USC 30 scholarships and gave the school a two-year bowl ban after it found that star running back Reggie Bush received housing, cash and a car from agents. It brought attention to the issue of agents enticing players with gifts while they are still competing.

AJC.com
8/30/10

Similarities between Jake Locker, Carson Palmer are striking

Like Locker, Palmer was the local phenom high-school quarterback (at Rancho Santa Margarita High, outside Los Angeles) who went to the nearby former powerhouse college, hoping to restore its tradition. USC for Palmer, Washington for Locker.

Like Locker, Palmer had some early success (his first start came in a win over the Huskies in 1998), only to see his career stunted.

Like Locker, Palmer missed most of a season due to an injury. Palmer broke his right collarbone in the third game of his second year as a starter; Locker broke his thumb in the fourth game of his second year as a starter.

SeattleTimes.com
8/30/10

Alabama tries to go where no SEC team has been before

0 Times that an SEC team has completed two consecutive seasons with overall undefeated, untied records. Alabama went 14-0 last season. The SEC has had undefeated, untied teams in consecutive seasons four times, but each instance involved a pair of schools -- in 1979 and 1980, when Alabama, then Georgia were perfect; in 1961 and 1962 with Alabama and Ole Miss; in 1957 and 1958 with Auburn and LSU; and in 1945 and 1946 with Alabama and Georgia.

AL.com
8/30/10

Chris Dufresne's preseason college football top 25: No. 4 Alabama

Alabama will be a marked team this season, the nonconference schedule is tough — with Penn State coming to Tuscaloosa — and the SEC West is even tougher.

"I think Mississippi State is going to be better," Saban said. "I think Ole Miss is going to be better. I think Auburn is going to be better. I think everyone on our end of it is going to improve."

It's easy to get excited. Last season, the Crimson Tide won it all despite having to replace its starting quarterback and offensive line. Greg McElroy stepped at quarterback and continued his streak — dating to middle school — of never having lost a game as a starter.

LATimes.com
8/30/10

Relf's ready to be Bulldogs' QB

STARKVILLE -- Chris Relf has had a year to study Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen's spread offense and he's come to an important conclusion. "I think it's perfect for me," Relf said.

Just how perfect will go a long way to determining whether the long-suffering Bulldogs will go to a bowl for the first time since 2007 -- and just the second time since 2000. Relf was a part-time player who struggled in Mullen's first year as coach before a breakout game against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl that gave him confidence going into the offseason.

That confidence helped him mount an offseason campaign to become Mullen's latest multitalented, headline grabbing quarterback.

GulfLive.com
8/30/10

The Countdown: No. 4: Oklahoma

How could Oklahoma possibly benefit from last season’s injuries? It’s simple, really. At quarterback, for instance, last year’s injuries yielded starting experience for sophomore Landry Jones, who now enters 2010 as a game-tested quarterback, not an unknown. He was the nation’s best freshman passer last fall, even if his statistical output paled in comparison to Sam Bradford’s Heisman-winning 2008 campaign. On the year, Jones threw for 3,198 yards in 10 starts, throwing 26 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. He completed 58.1 percent of his passes; again, numbers short of his predecessor, but a very good rookie season nonetheless. His numbers look far better if we take away a dreadful performance against Nebraska, when Jones completed 26 of 58 attempts for 245 yards and 5 interceptions. Look for a better season from Jones in 2010, though I hesitate to say he’s a Heisman contender, as some have suggested.

PreSnapRead.com
8/30/10

ESPN College GameDay 2010 Preseason Predictions

SEC

Howard: Alabama (over Georgia)

Corso: Florida (over Alabama)

Herbstreit: Florida (over Auburn)

TeamSpeedKills.com
8/30/10

College football Countdown: No. 5 Florida

Our confidence level in this pick: Iffy. The Gators have enough talent to beat any team on the schedule, but there are too many questions that could swing the season either way. Florida is just about a lock to reach the SEC championship game for the third straight year, and the possibility of more depends on two critical areas on the defense: Can one or two ends create pressure (maybe even Powell), and does redshirt freshman MLB (and former mega recruit) Jelani Jenkins make an impact and continue the stout play of the past from the position (Spikes, Brandon Siler, Channing Crowder)?

SportingNews.com
8/30/10

Week 1 college football kickoff

South Carolina (Thursday, vs. Southern Miss). Again this year, Steve Spurrier seems on the brink of lifting the Gamecocks to its first SEC East crown. But Southern Miss’ All-American-caliber playmaker DeAndre Brown will test the Gamecocks defense. And some quarterback — incumbent Stephen Garcia or freshman Connor Shaw — must stay consistent all fall.

SportingNews.com
8/30/10

South Carolina ready to end preseason drama

“We really haven’t been distracted,” Spurrier said late last week. “Things happened all the time and some unforeseen things happened this year at preseason practice.”

The biggest has involved Saunders, a solid tight end considered a high NFL draft pick next spring. He has met with the NCAA about a party in Miami last May and was among those players living at the hotel.

Spurrier suspended him Aug. 23, two days after he led all South Carolina receivers during a scrimmage. The coach said Saunders’ suspension was not connected to NCAA issues or his hotel stay.

Rivals.com
8/30/10

Local media, coaches riled by ESPN attitude

According to some of those involved, the worst part of Friday's prep football showcase on ESPN was that ESPN was there.
Coaches said the sports network barged into Folsom this week, flexed its biceps and took control of seemingly every working detail of the Folsom-Grant encounter, turning a lot of heads and stomachs.
It wasn't the broadcasters or reporters or the grunt crew that laid down yards of cable or put in portable lights that muddled matters.

sacbee.com
8/28/10

One more national title, and Saban's halfway to Bryant

Nick Saban never met Bear Bryant.
Share You would think, as a young coach, that Saban might've run across the legend at a clinic or a convention or a speech, but no.
Even though Saban had been an assistant for a decade by the time Bryant passed too soon in January 1983, their paths never crossed.
"I read several of his books," Saban said, "but never had the opportunity to meet him."

al.com
8/29/10

Alabama's most influential 11 in the NFL

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The state of Alabama may be known for college football, but it has had a seismic influence on the National Football League since the birth of pro ball.

Here are the 11 men who either were born in Alabama or played here with the greatest impact on the NFL this season, in order of influence:
Share 1. Ozzie Newsome, Baltimore exec. VP: The Muscle Shoals native and ex-Alabama tight end is the architect of a Super Bowl contender.

2. Philip Rivers, San Diego QB:

al.com
8/29/10

Auburn hoping Newton's big presence pays off

AUBURN, AL - He talks louder.
"Definitely more vocal," Auburn wide receiver Kodi Burns said. "He's a funny guy."
He stands taller. Only one player on the Tigers' roster, left tackle Lee Ziemba at 6-foot-8, can claim to look down on him. Barely.
He throws harder. "You never know what to expect," wide receiver Terrell Zachery said. "His ball is so hard. I guess it's because he's so big."

al.com
8/29/10

Better Dogs won't mean more wins

STARKVILLE - Projecting a team's record is an ominous enough task to begin with, and not one I'm fond of attempting. Especially this year, with this Mississippi State football team.
Here's the thing: I think Dan Mullen is a really, really good coach. There's an air about this team that wasn't present two years ago, Sylvester Croom's final season in Starkville. The offense is no longer as offensive as an Eminem track. I mean, MSU just went 5-7 and yet has (once again) set a school record for season ticket sales (42,000-plus).

nems360.com
8/29/10

Callaway's Bell commits to Rebs

Callaway offensive lineman Justin Bell had his mind made up last month. But the 6-foot-3, 325 pound offensive tackle had a special reason to wait until Friday to make his verbal commitment to Ole Miss.

clarionledger.com
8/29/10

The Down and Distance College Football Crystal Ball

In less than a week, college football teams across the country will put themselves and their reputations on the line. Therefore, so should we.

With the season nearly upon us, here are a half dozen predictions about how 2010 will go:
Texas won't play in a Bowl Championship Series game this season.
Texas has one of the youngest teams in the Big 12. The Longhorns ranked only third-best in the conference in yardage margin last season. Their star quarterback and most effective rusher (who, of course, were the same guy) graduated. Yet there they are, ranked fifth in the Associated Press poll and fourth in the coaches' ranking.

wsj.com
8/27/10

Athletics Offer Glitter But Little Gold For Universities

Often times both the casual sports fan and non-sports loving observers get the impression that there is an embarrassment of riches in college athletics.
The reality is far different for the majority of schools, and the deal breaker is whether or not a school excels in college football.

forbes.com
8/25/10

Revising history the only college football game that matters

I did something silly. I read the comments at the bottom of Comrade Dodd's item about the Football Writers Association of America taking back its 2004 Grantland Rice Trophy from Southern California, and it occurred to me that college football fans would rather argue incessantly about a past they cannot change than just about anything else in life.
And that's why the FWAA decision is so palpably silly. It purports to change the past, which is always an idiot's game.
Did Reggie Bush and his friends work the system? Yes. Did USC know, and actually help him do it? Yes again. Is this the way of college football since about forever? Oh very yes indeed. Did the football writers help in any way? As far as we know, no.

CBSSports.com
8/27/10

Underrated? LSU football is out to prove its worth

BATON ROUGE — Consider the recent No. 21 ranking LSU received in the Associated Press preseason poll as another slap in the face. File it next to that prediction of fourth in the Southeastern Conference West by SEC media last month.
"I think we all recognize that that's not a compliment to us," LSU coach Les Miles said Monday on a national radio show. "I think we're in position to achieve very great things in this year. So I think our guys are looking to play and maybe make a point and prove that they're a little under ranked this year."

thenewsstar.com
8/24/10

Chris Relf ready for big role in Miss St's offense

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Chris Relf has had a year to study Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen's spread offense and he's come to the conclusion it's perfect for him.

Just how perfect will go a long way to determining whether the long-suffering Bulldogs will go to a bowl for the first time since 2007 and just the second time since 2000. Relf was a part-time player who struggled in Mullen's first year as coach before a breakout game against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl that gave him confidence going into the offseason.

KitsapSun.com
8/27/10

3 QBS STILL SPLITTING SNAPS AT OLE MISS

Nutt has said that he won’t unveil his 3-QB plan until Masoli receives clearance from the NCAA.
It could be that Nutt will use Stanley in more of a traditional package (a la Jevan Snead), Mackey in more of a Wild Rebel package (a la Dexter McCluster) and Masoli in a hybrid of the two.
Of course, it’s also possible that Nutt makes a mess of things.
Last year the Rebels struggled early in the season while Nutt leaned heavily on a quickly-regressing Snead. When he finally made McCluster the focus of the offense, that unit clicked much more efficiently.

MrSEC.com
8/27/10

Top College Football Programs Should Unite and Leave the NCAA

As conference realignment's never-ending musical chairs game continued among the non-automatic qualifying BCS leagues last week, it became clear -- or to quote Col. Nathan R. Jessep "crystal clear" -- what needs to be done in college football.
With each new speculated conference expansion plan emerging from sea to shining sea, it's never been more obvious what should be the next move for college football's elite football programs.
Leave the NCAA.
Just ditch it. They don't need college sports' governing body anymore. They've outgrown the NCAA's archaic system and rules.

fanhouse.com
8/23/10

Numbers game suggests Brian Kelly will win a national title at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame will win a national championship under Brian Kelly. That is, if you believe numerology.
The magic number is 23, according to Blue and Gold Illustrated.
"It started with Knute Rockne in 1918," the magazine wrote. "Twenty-three years later (1941) it was Frank Leahy who took the reins, and then 23 years after that (1964), it was Ara Parseghian. Twenty-three years later (1987), Lou Holtz was in the process of building a champion, even though he was hired in 1986. But even Halley's Comet is off a year one way or the other from its scheduled 76-year appearances, so we'll excuse that.

usatoday.com
8/26/10

Jerry Reinsdorf calls Jay Mariotti a 'pissant'

Jerry Reinsdorf finally fired back at Jay Mariotti.
The White Sox and Bulls chairman was a favorite target of Mariotti, the ESPN personality who was arrested in Los Angeles last weekend on suspicion of felony domestic assault, when Mariotti wrote a column for the Sun-Times.
Reinsdorf was on a panel with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts on Friday at a WGN Radio event called The Business of Sports at a downtown Chicago restaurant when host David Kaplan asked him about his former media nemesis.

chicagobreakingsports.com
8/27/10

Stockpiling talent? 'We've got room for lots more,' Saban says

"Because most guys that come to college do not know what it takes to be a good player in college. A lot of guys who came to the NFL as rookies didn't know what it took to be a good player in the NFL either. They have to go through some growing pains. ... And when they do that, then they have talent.
"I don't know where we're stockpiling all this stuff at, but we've got room for lots more."

AL.com
8/27/10

Six SEC players on Kiper's Big Board

However, four of the top 10 prospects on the Big Board are from the SEC, which is more than any other conference.

Here's how Kiper has the SEC players ranked:
No. 4 -- Georgia receiver A.J. Green
No. 7 -- Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett
No. 8 -- Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus

ESPN.com
8/27/10

Rebels' 'D' headed for 'special' season?

“I hope it’s the defense was that good. That’s what I’m hoping,” said Nutt, acknowledging that the offense has to get better.

Senior nose tackle Jerrell Powe can probably help his coach out with that quandary. Since before preseason practice began, Powe has been saying this defense has a chance to be special.

Based on what’s transpired this preseason, in particular the way junior college newcomer Wayne Dorsey has pushed to become a more complete player at end, this is shaping up to be perhaps the strongest Ole Miss defense yet under Nutt and defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix.

ESPN.com
8/27/10