Defense:
Ray Bass, FS, San Diego State
4 tkls, 2 INT, 2 TD
Notable Injuries
Alabama FS Marcus Carter --- Out 3 weeks (sprained elbow)
BYU OG Dallas Reynolds --- Out 9 weeks (dislocated ankle)
California WR Lavelle Hawkins --- Out 3 weeks (sprained wrist)
Georgia C Fernando Velasco --- Out 3 weeks (strained back)
Notre Dame TE John Carlson --- Out 10 weeks (torn bicep)
Purdue WR Dorien Bryant --- Out 2 weeks (abdominal strain)
Texas QB Colt McCoy --- Out 9 weeks (broken wrist)
USF DE George Selvie --- Out 2 weeks (hip pointer)
Vanderbilt RB Cassen Jackson-Garrison --- Out 8 weeks (broken jaw)
[Reply]
kblu54 12:05 AM 10-22-2009
ACC Week 7 Results
#10 Florida State 34, Wake Forest 17
Notre Dame 26, #16 Boston College 21
#4 Virginia Tech 44, Duke 7
Connecticut 24, Virginia 20
North Carolina 36, South Carolina 7
#20 Miami 27, Georgia Tech 10
Defense:
Ray Herring, SS, Notre Dame
5 tkls, INT, TD
Independents Standings (after Week 7)
1) Army --- 5-2
2) Navy --- 3-3
3) Notre Dame --- 3-4
MAC Week 7 Results
#7 Ohio State 24, Kent State 7
Miami (OH) 31, Bowling Green 24
Central Michigan 16, Army 10
Toledo 21, Buffalo 17
Ball State 42, Western Kentucky 3
Western Michigan 24, Northern Illinois 14
Akron 48, Temple 45 (OT)
Eastern Michigan 42, Ohio 14
Defense:
Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise State
2 INT, TD
WAC Standings (after Week 7)
1) #24 Hawai'i --- 6-0 (4-0)
2) Fresno State --- 4-2 (3-0)
3) #13 Boise State --- 6-0 (2-0)
4) Utah State --- 1-5 (1-1)
5) Louisiana Tech --- 2-4 (1-2)
6) San Jose State --- 2-5 (1-2)
7) Nevada --- 2-4 (0-2)
8) New Mexico State --- 1-5 (0-2)
9) Idaho --- 2-5 (0-3)
[Reply]
kblu54 01:07 AM 10-22-2009
Florida State, Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech set to clear up ACC title race ACC News
As the college football season reaches its midway point, the race in the ACC is just starting to heat up. Four teams, all ranked in the Top 25, stand out in the ACC with unbeaten conference marks and some outstanding matchups planned ahead.
#4 Virginia Tech, #9 Florida State, #18 Miami and #22 Boston College are all set to make a final dash for the finish line. All 4 squads are currently 3-0 in ACC play, but several games are on tap to truly decide who will represent the Atlantic and Coastal divisions in the ACC Championship. Miami and Florida State will renew their rivalry very soon, and the Hurricanes also have to play the Hokies. Boston College and the Seminoles are also due for an important contest, so the hard-to-predict ACC should clear up in the next few weeks.
Let's take a look at each team's performance so far, graded accordingly, and a peak at the near future.
#4 Virginia Tech ---> A
The Hokies have had no issues so far, blowing out Duke, North Carolina and Clemson to open their conference schedule. They still have some tough games ahead, but so far they have been untouchable. RB Branden Ore is emerging as a possible Doak Walker Award candidate, and their defense has been outstanding.
#9 Florida State ---> A
The Seminoles have also played well, but the thing that sticks out for them was their ability to stay unbeaten despite some injuries on the offense. QB Drew Weatherford missed 3 weeks, but backup Xavier Lee filled in nicely. Florida State needs to prove their worth against Miami and Boston College to capture the Atlantic title.
#18 Miami Hurricanes ---> A+
Miami has been one of the pleasant surprises in college football this season. The perennially-dominant program has recently fallen on some hard times, but it is good to see them back near the top again. They have started the year 7-0, despite losing senior QB Kyle Wright to injury for a few weeks. The offense is very good, but they will need to stay the course against the ACC big shots.
#22 Boston College ---> A-
Boston College is still a main contender in the ACC, thanks mostly to the play of senior QB Matt Ryan, but last week's loss to Notre Dame raised some concerns. Their defense, which had played so well to start the year, didn't show up and they lost. They can't do that against the other ACC contenders.
Georgia Tech ---> B
The Yellow Jackets have been another solid team so far, but failed to pull the upset many experts were predicting last week against Miami. RB Tashard Choice leads an excellent running attack, but QB Taylor Bennett needs to be more consistent. With 2 conference losses they are probably out of the conference race, but could cause some problems if they upset Virginia Tech later.
Virginia ---> B-
Virginia got off to a great start but has floundered recently. Last week's loss to Connecticut sparked some anger from their fans, and has Virginia almost back to .500. The Cavaliers still have to play Virginia Tech, Miami and Florida State --- not a very promising schedule.
Maryland ---> B
Maryland could be a sleeper in the ACC. They have gone 4-2 so far, and have only played 2 conference games. Their run game is solid behind RB Keon Lattimore, and they have won despite losing sophomore QB Chris Turner. Turner is expected to return soon, so Maryland could make some noise.
Clemson ---> C
The Tigers have caught the injury bug --- bad. RBs James Davis and C.J. Spiller are out and have been out for a significant amount of time, meaning the Clemson offense has suffered. Spiller is out for the year, but Davis should return late in the season. Unfortunately for them, it might be too late to get into a bowl.
Wake Forest ---> D
For the defending conference champions, they didn't put up much of a fight. The Demon Deacons have struggled to a 2-4 mark and it doesn't look any brighter, considering the loss of two starting o-lineman and RB Micah Andrews to injury. This might be a rough year for Wake Forest.
North Carolina ---> C
The Tar Heels are 0-3 in ACC play, but they have faced Miami and Georgia Tech already. North Carolina is very young, but a 36-7 non-conference win over South Carolina showed there's still some life in them. A bowl game is not out of the question.
N.C. State ---> D
The Wolfpack have had a brutal schedule so far, but they have challenged some teams along the way. They gave Florida State a serious fight, and held then-#6 Louisville to zero points until the 4th quarter. Still, at 1-5 they seem unlikely to make a bowl, but the strides they've made are essential for next season.
Duke ---> C-
Duke is 3-0... outside of the ACC. The Blue Devils beat UConn, Navy and Northwestern so they have shown they can get some wins. Plus, they have already played Miami and Virginia Tech so a few conference wins could be in store. A bowl game still seems unlikely though.
ACC Stat Leaders (through Week 7)
Passing
Sean Glennon, Virginia Tech --- 1,391 yds, 17 TD, 7 INT
Kirby Freeman, Miami --- 799 yds, 10 TD, 5 INT
Matt Ryan, Boston College --- 1,614 yds, 17 TD, 6 INT
Thaddeus Lewis, Duke --- 1,348 yds, 8 TD, 9 INT
Drew Weatherford, Florida State --- 1,096 yds, 8 TD, 7 INT
Receiving
Jomar Wright, Duke --- 502 yds, 1 TD
Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland --- 495 yds, 5 TD
Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech --- 462 yds, 9 TD
Greg Carr, Florida State --- 440 yds, 4 TD
Brandon Robinson, Boston College --- 431 yds, 7 TD
Tackles
Charles Robinson, OLB, Duke --- 45
Mike Tauiliili, MLB, Duke --- 43
Vince Hall, MLB, Virginia Tech --- 42
Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia --- 42
Chris Long, DE, Virginia --- 42
Sacks
Vince Hall, MLB, Virginia Tech --- 7
Chris Ellis, DE, Virginia Tech --- 7
Carlton Powell, DT, Virginia Tech --- 6
Darryl Richard, DT, Georgia Tech --- 5
Alex Boston, DE, Florida State --- 5
Interceptions
Trimane Goddard, SS, North Carolina --- 5
DaJuan Morgan, SS, N.C. State --- 4
Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State --- 4
Stephan Virgil, CB, Virginia Tech --- 3
Anthony Reddick, FS, Miami --- 3
[Reply]
kblu54 01:45 AM 10-22-2009
Michigan, Ohio State seem headed for Big Ten title collision Big Ten News
Michigan and Ohio State have one of the longest and most hate-filled rivalries in college football. This season, these two rivals might be headed for a repeat of last year's "Game of the Century".
Last season, #1 Ohio State defeated #2 Michigan in their annual season-ending rivalry matchup, sending the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship. This year, #1 Michigan and #6 Ohio State have reached the midway point with impeccable 7-0 records, and are heading for another Big Ten and possibly BCS title-implicated matchup.
Of course, both squads will have to fend off Michigan State, who is also 3-0 in Big Ten play, and upstarts like Minnesota and Iowa to ensure their places.
#1 Michigan ---> A
Michigan has been nothing short than spectacular so far. They haven't gone crazy with the scoring, but they have played solid games and look poised to run the table. RB Mike Hart is a serious Heisman candidate, and the Wolverines proved their worth by beating then-#12 Penn State in the Game of the Week segment earlier this season. Of course, their eventual contest with Ohio State could change everything.
#6 Ohio State ---> A
If anything could separate Michigan and Ohio State right now, it could be that the Buckeyes have won in more convincing fashion. For example, Ohio State crushed Purdue 42-7... Michigan only won 35-21. Still, the Buckeyes shouldn't have much trouble in the Big Ten (save for a tight 31-27 victory over Minnesota) and should meet Michigan in a battle of undefeated squads.
Michigan State ---> A
This grade could be an A+ if it wasn't for their loss to Pittsburgh. Still, the Spartans have looked impressive otherwise, outlasting Notre Dame in overtime and upsetting then-#13 Wisconsin. The run game, paced by RB Javon Ringer, looks solid but they have matchups with Ohio State and Michigan still on tap.
Minnesota ---> A
When a 31-27 loss to Top-10 ranked Ohio State is the only blemish on your schedule so far, you definately deserve a high rating. The Golden Gophers have gotten off to a hot start, thanks to the surprising play of redshirt freshman QB Adam Weber. Minnesota has a pretty potent offense, but they still have tough squads like rivals Wisconsin and Michigan left to play.
Iowa ---> A
When your only loss is a thrilling 49-42 shootout to a ranked Penn State team, you also deserve a solid mark. The Hawkeyes have been impressive so far, but they also haven't really played anybody. QB Jake Christensen currently leads the Big Ten in several passign categories... but can he still produce against better teams? The Hawkeyes have caught a little bit of the injury bug, but it hasn't affected them... yet.
#19 Penn State ---> B
When Penn State suffered a close 35-32 loss to #1 Michigan a few weeks ago, everybody gave them the benefit of the doubt and they didn't drop very far in the rankings. After last week's 28-24 debacle against Wisconsin, who had yet to win a Big Ten game, the glimmer has now worn off. The Nittany Lions need to really step it up to finish in the top half of the conference, but still has to play Ohio State.
Illinois ---> B
Illinois is a hard team to figure out. They upset then-#23 Wisconsin, but got crushed by Penn State and lost to Iowa last week. Are they a good team or not? QB Juice Williams is a great runner (leads team with 665 yards) but needs to make better decisions when throwing (8 TDs, 9 INTs). The truth will come out next week when they play #1 Michigan.
Wisconsin ---> D+
They started the year ranked #7 in the nation. Then began their Big Ten conference schedule 0-3. Then beat then-#11 Penn State last week. What do we make out of the Badgers? They have a lot of talent, especially in the backfield with the Big Ten's leading rusher in RB P.J. Hill, but they need QB Tyler Donovan to step up if they are to turn the season around.
Purdue ---> C-
It's hard to give Purdue a bad grade, considering they lost starting QB Curtis Painter for the season and have played (and lost to) Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Minnesota in consecutive weeks. They are a decent team but I'm not sure if they have enough left to get back into bowl contention.
Northwestern ---> D+
The Wildcats seem to be way off their mark this season, and their remaining schedule does not look promising. WR Ross Lane leads the conference in receiving, and QB C.J. Bacher (1,417 yds, 13 TD) and RB Tyrell Sutton (501 yds, 5 TD) lead a solid offensive attack, but their defense sucks.
Indiana ---> D
The injury bug hit Indiana hard when they lost starting tailback and #1 playmaker Marcus Thigpen for the season due to injury. QB Blake Powers and WR James Hardy will do their best to cover the loss, but last week's 38-14 beatdown from Michigan State proved they aren't ready to contend yet.
Big Ten Stat Leaders (through Week 7)
Passing
Jake Christensen, Iowa --- 1,827 yds, 22 TD, 3 INT
Chad Henne, Michigan --- 1,784 yds, 18 TD, 7 INT
Adam Weber, Minnesota --- 1,388 yds, 13 TD, 6 INT
Curtis Painter, Purdue --- 1,354 yds, 15 TD, 9 INT
Anthony Morelli, Penn State --- 1,522 yds, 15 TD, 8 INT
Rushing
P.J. Hill, Wisconsin --- 1,050 yds, 11 TD
Javon Ringer, Michigan State --- 846 yds, 9 TD
Beanie Wells, Ohio State --- 836 yds, 9 TD
Mike Hart, Michigan --- 798 yds, 13 TD
Austin Scott, Penn State --- 797 yds, 9 TD
Tackles
Dan Bick, OLB, Purdue --- 55
SirDarean Adams, OLB, Michigan State --- 43
Mike Klinkenborg, MLB, Iowa --- 41
Keyon Brown, DE, Purdue --- 39
Dan Connor, OLB, Penn State --- 39
Sacks
Jason Chapman, DT, Wisconsin --- 6
Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio State --- 6
Shawn Crable, OLB, Michigan --- 6
Dan Bick, OLB, Purdue --- 5
Josh Ferguson, MLB, Purdue --- 4
Interceptions
Jack Ikegwuonu, CB, Wisconsin --- 5
Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State --- 4
Diego Oquendo, CB, Michigan State --- 4
Shawn Crable, OLB, Michigan --- 4
Torri Williams, SS, Purdue --- 3
[Reply]
kblu54 08:20 PM 10-22-2009
Can Texas hold on without McCoy? Big 12 News
It has been an interesting first half for the Big 12, but the biggest storyline hasn't even been played out yet. #3 Texas has rolled through the competition so far, including a 48-21 rout of rival Oklahoma, and remain the conference's only unbeaten team. But the Longhorns did suffer a loss during last week's victory over Iowa State --- sophomore QB Colt McCoy will miss the rest of the regular season due to injury.
McCoy, who currently leads the Big 12 in pass efficiency, has been the catalyst for Texas' productive offense, but will now watch from the sidelines as the Longhorns attempt to stay on top without him. Backup Sherrod Harris will take over the QB job for now, but Texas needs their defense and Heisman candidate RB Jamaal Charles to step up if they are to capture the Big 12 title.
Texas has tough matchups ahead in Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, both of which are ranked. If Texas falls, then either of those squads or even Oklahoma, who is still in the thick of the title race despite their loss to Texas, could replace them.
#3 Texas ---> A+
The Longhorns have been absolutely unstoppable so far. They struggled a bit against Kansas State and had to mount a huge comeback, but they responded well the next week by crushing Oklahoma 48-21. They still have huge South games ahead, and they will have to win without McCoy leading the way. It all depends on their defense.
#15 Oklahoma ---> B
The Sooners are a dark horse candidate to repeat as Big 12 South champions, but will need a lot of dominoes to fall for that to happen. They still have Oklahoma State and Texas A&M on the schedule, and Texas could be in for an upset without McCoy, The biggest thing for Oklahoma to worry about is ball protection. Redshirt freshman QB Sam Bradford is an excellent young passer, but he has thrown 18 interceptions so far this season. If Bradford can cut back on the picks and step up in their big games, Oklahoma could shock everyone.
#21 Oklahoma State ---> A-
Oklahoma State appears to be the only true threat to Texas... at this point. They have had a solid season so far, but their loss to Texas A&M puts them in a tough spot. They must win out to have a shot, but they can't handle anymore 3 OT games like they won last week. QB Bobby Reid is a awesome dual-threat and a Heisman candidate, but he kinda struggled in the Nebraska game despite scoring the game-winning TD. The Cowboys have big matchups ahead... can they win them?
#23 Texas A&M ---> A
The Aggies are the only other Big 12 squad besides rival Texas that is unbeaten in conference play so far. Their only loss came at the hands of Miami, who also beat Oklahoma and has proven themselves worthy. The Aggies have a bruising running game and upset Oklahoma State already, but their real tests will come against Oklahoma and Texas.
Nebraska ---> B
Nebraska opened the year ranked #14 but has fallen out of the Top 25 due to a bunch of losses. Their only Big 12 loss was to Oklahoma State, and they needed 3 overtimes to decide it anyway. The Cornhuskers have the early edge in a weak Big 12 North, so barring any huge collapses they will probably play the South champion in the Big 12 Championship.
Kansas ---> C+
This Kansas team is hard to figure out. Honestly, they should be 5-1 right now, but they suffered unacceptable losses to lowly FIU and Central Michigan, and only beat Baylor by 1 point last week. The Jayhawks have the benefit of playing in the North and have only played 2 conference games, but they will need to right the ship quickly if they want a true shot.
Baylor ---> C+
I'm not gonna lie --- Baylor isn't having that bad of a season so far. Granted, they have Texas and Oklahoma just waiting to destroy them, but 3 wins for this program at the halfway point is impressive. A bowl game seems unlikely with their remaining schedule, but who knows?
Colorado ---> C
Colorado was looking like they were heading for an off year until they upset Kansas State last week. Now they have something to build off of, but they will need to pull more upsets against way better teams to get anything substantial.
Kansas State ---> C
The Wildcats actually looked pretty good to start the year, emerging as a possible threat to Nebraska in the North. Unfortunately, their loss to Colorado last week showed they might not have what it takes. They will really need to step it up behind QB Josh Freeman (1,761 yds, 17 TD) to compete.
Iowa State ---> C-
The Cyclones upset Texas Tech in overtime and haven't been completely hopeless despite the loss of their best two seniors on offense (QB Bret Meyer, WR Todd Blythe). Still, last week's 54-7 beatdown by Texas proved they still aren't going anywhere.
Missouri ---> D
Missouri has been a colossal disappointment so far. The Tigers were supposed to challenge Nebraska for the North title, but so far have looked weak. They lost to Western Michigan, got crushed by Oklahoma last week and are currently 0-2 in the conference. They really need to turn it around and QB Chase Daniel needs to protect the ball (11 TD, 13 INT).
Texas Tech ---> D+
Texas Tech had a great start to the year and was looking like a possible South disrupter, but kicked off the Big 12 schedule on the wrong foot. The Red Raiders are 0-3 in conference play, including an embarrassing OT loss to Iowa State. They have enough non-conference wins but they need at least 2 Big 12 victories to make a bowl.
Big 12 Stat Leaders (through Week 7)
Passing
Colt McCoy, Texas --- 1,710 yds, 20 TD, 7 INT
Bobby Reid, Oklahoma State --- 1,522 yds, 25 TD, 5 INT
Stephen McGee, Texas A&M --- 1,243 yds, 14 TD, 5 INT
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech --- 2,237 yds, 20 TD, 10 INT
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma --- 1,715 yds, 19 TD, 18 INT
Big East surprising experts with several winning teams Big East News
Who says the Big East is slowly becoming a mid-major conference not worthy of an automatic BCS bid?
The Big East has been surprising many experts around the nation so far, as 7 out of 8 members have winning records. And not only that, but 4 of them only have one loss and none of those winning squads have more than 2 losses. You can't beat success like that.
Perennial powers West Virginia, Rutgers and Louisville are still ranked in the Top 25 and seem to have the inside edge for the title race, but upstarts like Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are also jockeying for position. Not only that, but both Connecticut and USF have only played 1 conference game each.
It will be an exciting challenge out East.
#12 West Virginia ---> A-
The Mountaineers lost a shocker in Week 1, an overtime loss to Western Michigan. But instead of letting it ruin their season, West Virginia has responded well in every week since and are getting some mileage out of the loss now that the Broncos are in the Top 25. Last week's upset of Cincinnati over Louisville has rocketed West Virginia back to the top of the standings, where they expect to stay.
#14 Louisville ---> A-
The Cardinals appeared like the clear favorite in the Big East after both West Virginia and Rutgers suffered early-season losses, but they came crashing down after losing last week to rival Cincinnati. Senior QB Brian Brohm was out for the game due to injury, and Louisville couldn't win without him. Brohm returns this week and should stay healthy the rest of the way, giving Louisville hope.
#16 Rutgers ---> A-
The Scarlet Knights are deep in the Big East title race, but they need to prove themselves against the heavyweights. They have beaten Cincinnati and last-place Syracuse so far, but need to perform well against West Virginia and Louisville to really have a shot. Their only loss came to an intriguing Maryland squad, so they don't get too much flak for that.
Pittsburgh ---> A-
The Panthers have looked really good so far, but their loss to Virginia really puts a damper on an otherwise great year so far. Pittsburgh lost junior QB Bill Stull for the season, but their true freshman backfield of QB Pat Bostick and RB LeSean McCoy has saved them so far. They will need to pull some big upsets to remain a threat.
Cincinnati ---> B+
The Bearcats have had an impressive start, and last week's upset of then-#6 Louisville raised eyebrows everywhere. Sophomore QB Tony Pike was having a great year (16 TD, only 2 INT) until an injury, but backup Dustin Grutza engineered the upset last week. If Grutza can stay hot until Pike recovers, the Bearcats could be a dark horse.
Connecticut ---> B+
It's not every year you watch a team that has perennially struggled blossom and win clutch games... without their star tailback. RB Donald Brown broke his jaw and has missed several weeks and isn't expected to return yet, but somehow the Huskies find themselves holding a 4-2 record. The Huskies have big conference matchups ahead, but a bowl game is not out of the question at all.
USF ---> B
USF got the ball rolling early when they upset then-#12 Auburn, but tough losses to UCF (13-7 score) and West Virginia (50-7) have hindered their potential. Still, the Bulls are 4-2 and have plenty of chances to improve on that record. Sophomore QB Matt Grothe needs to protect the ball better (6 TD, 9 INT) but they should be able to rely on their defense.
Syracuse ---> D+
The Big East's only losing team has had some tough competition so far, so you can't blame them that much. Still, the Orange need to improve quickly to get out of the cellar.
Big East Stat Leaders (through Week 7)
Passing Mike Teel, Rutgers --- 1,225 yds, 17 TD, 5 INT
Tony Pike, Cincinnati --- 1,574 yds, 16 TD, 2 INT
Brian Brohm, Louisville --- 1,603 yds, 18 TD, 8 INT
Andrew Robinson, Syracuse --- 973 yds, 6 TD, 6 INT
Patrick White, West Virginia --- 1,174 yds, 10 TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Butler Benton, Cincinnati --- 726 yds, 8 TD
Ray Rice, Rutgers --- 660 yds, 6 TD
Steve Slaton, West Virginia --- 616 yds, 7 TD
LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh --- 600 yds, 5 TD
Patrick White, West Virginia --- 537 yds, 5 TD
Tulsa emerges as favorite in C-USA, but rest of conference is toss-up Conference USA News
So far, the Conference USA season can be summed up in one simple phrase: Boy, were the experts wrong.
Preseason conference favorites Southern Miss and Houston have struggled, while lower-picked squads like Tulsa, Memphis and Marshall have emerged as true contenders. There has been plenty of "upsets" and every week is a crapshoot within the conference. For example, Rice beat Southern Miss two weeks ago. Then just last week, struggling Houston dominated Rice, and Southern Miss crushed SMU 40-16. It seems that no team is safe.
Tulsa is the #1 favorite at the midway point, at 5-1 overall and unbeaten in conference play. The Golden Hurricane needs to watch out for defending champ Houston, who has just crawled back into the race. In the East division, several teams are deep in and there's no way to predict the finish.
Tulsa ---> A-
Tulsa has somehow risen above the battle royal and emerged as a true contender, mainly behind the strong play of QB Paul Smith. They need to watch their backs, because Houston is knocking on the door and hungry to defend.
Houston ---> C+
The defending C-USA champs got off to a horrible start, losing big to non-conference powers Oregon and Alabama, and dropping their first conference game to Tulane. Losing senior RB Anthony Alridge for the season hasn't helped either. But since then, the Cougars have bounced back with 2 straight conference wins and look ready to compete. Redshirt freshman QB Case Keenum (991 yds, 11 TD) needs to develop fast to put them back in the driver's seat.
UAB ---> B+
This is one team that knows how to get over injuries. UAB lost senior QB Sam Hunt for several weeks due to injury. Then only a week later, they lost sophomore QB Joe Webb. But instead of falling apart, the Blazers have stayed competitive and 3rd-string QB Rodney Bivens has emerged as one of the conference's best passers. Bivens threw 5 TDs last week in their 35-13 thrashing of Tulane, putting them atop the East. Hunt returns this week, so UAB could have the edge.
Marshall ---> C+
Marshall is an intriguing squad. They are only 2-4 overall, but they are tied with several other squads for the East lead. They gave Tulsa all they could handle last week before falling 21-14, so we know they can compete. But the big question is, can they finish?
Memphis ---> B
Like UAB, Memphis lost an important offensive weapon and have still remained competitive. Sophomore WR Duke Calhoun is gone for the year, but the Tigers are near the top of the East thanks to the play of senior QB Martin Hankins. Hankins leads the C-USA in pass efficiency and has made the most of his limited weapons. They need to get some big wins to stay on top.
UCF ---> B
UCF may have the best potential in the East, but they need to win a statement game to prove it. Last week they upset USF 13-7, proving they can win beyond the conference. They really need to concentrate on winning within it to challenge their competition. RB Kevin Smith leads the conference in rushing, but needs to find the end zone (only 5 TD) more often for them to reach their goals.
SMU ---> B-
SMU looked like a legit threat in the West, but their 40-16 implosion against struggling Southern Miss raised some concerns. With Tulsa and Houston emerging as the teams to beat, SMU might be one of the odd teams out. They need to turn it around quickly.
Rice ---> C+
WR Jarett Dillard is one of the conference's most exciting players, but he really needs some help. Rice dropped an important game to Houston last week, putting them in a difficult spot. In a heated West division, you can't lose to rivals like that if you're vying for the title. They need to stay consistent if they want to challenge.
Tulane ---> C
Tulane's upset of Houston earlier in the year looked so promising. But since then, the Green Wave have just been disappointing. RB Matt Forte is a great rusher, but Tulane needs to help put him in the end zone more (only 4 TD). Losing QB Scott Elliott to injury will hurt deeply, making Forte's job all that more important.
UTEP ---> C+
The Miners seem to have all the offensive tools to compete, but something's holding them back. Is it their redshirt freshman QB, who has thrown 10 INTs? Is it the big loss to injury on defense (SS Braxton Amy)? Is it too much competition in the West? Something is keeping UTEP from challenging, and they need to find it and fix it soon.
Southern Miss ---> D
The Preseason favorites in the East have fallen way short of expectations so far. The biggest problem is the injury to senior QB Jeremy Young, which has limited their offensive opportunities. RB Damion Fletcher is a bruising force, but he needs tons of help if they are to turn it around before it's too late.
ECU ---> D
ECU upset Southern Miss early in the conference schedule, but since then have not done anything impressive. ECU should concentrate more on giving the ball to speedster RB Chris Johnson (615 yards, 4th in C-USA), and taking it out of QB Patrick Pinkney's hands (7 TD, 11 INT). They are a long shot to win the division, but might pull another upset or two before it's all over.
Conference USA Stat Leaders (through Week 7)
Passing Martin Hankins, Memphis --- 1,539 yds, 17 TD, 7 INT
Trevor Vittatoe, UTEP --- 1,521 yds, 16 TD, 10 INT
Rodney Bivens, UAB --- 803 yds, 8 TD, 6 INT
Paul Smith, Tulsa --- 1,414 yds, 14 TD, 6 INT
Chase Clement, Rice --- 940 yds, 7 TD, 7 INT
Rushing
Kevin Smith, UCF --- 806 yds, 5 TD
Damion Fletcher, Southern Miss --- 717 yds, 9 TD
Matt Forte, Tulane --- 702 yds, 4 TD
Chris Johnson, ECU --- 615 yds, 4 TD
Joseph Doss, Memphis --- 612 yds, 5 TD
Sacks
Clinton McDonald, DE, Memphis --- 6
Jerome Lyons, OLB, Southern Miss --- 5
Sean Merrill, DT, Southern Miss --- 5
Charles Ofili, DT, UTEP --- 4
Keith Shologan, DT, UCF --- 4
All 3 independents eyeing bowl games Independents News
It's hard to really talk about the Independents as a conference, considering they aren't. But according to their Preseason projections, it seems like everyone has flip-flopped.
Army was supposed to struggle, but thanks to some tough play and a weak schedule they find themselves just 1 win short of bowl eligibility. Navy is sitting pretty decent at 3-3, while Notre Dame has fired back from an 0-4 start and are now looking at reaching a decent bowl game.
Army ---> B+
The Black Knights reverted back to their old-school triple-option style offense, after struggling through a year without it. And so far, it has paid big dividends. Army is 5-2, just one win short of qualifying for a bowl game. The Black Knights still have some tough games ahead and have benefitted from a cupcake schedule so far, so the 2nd half of the year will really tell the truth about them.
Navy ---> B-
The Midshipmen have been pretty good, but tough losses to beatable teams like Duke could come back to haunt them. Looking at their remaining schedule, the Army-Navy game may have interesting implications: winner is in a bowl, loser is out. QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada may rush for more yards than what he passes for.
Notre Dame ---> C+
Three weeks ago, this grade would have been an F, possibly a D- at the most. But after 3 straight wins, including two straight upsets of Top 25-ranked squads, the Fighting Irish are showing major improvement. True freshman QB Jimmy Clausen has made impressive strides over the past 3 weeks, engineering comeback upsets of Purdue, then-#11 UCLA and then-#16 Boston College last week. They need to avoid the injury bug, which has bitten their seniors hard (DT Trevor Laws, SS Tom Zbikowski and TE John Carlson are all out for a long time). Notre Dame still has a few tough games left, like #2 USC next week, but they have enough weaklings left to make a serious push for a good bowl game.
Independents Stat Leaders (through Week 7)
Passing Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame --- 1,575 yds, 13 TD, 12 INT
David Pevoto, Army --- 752 yds, 6 TD, 7 INT
Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, Navy --- 772 yds, 4 TD, 5 INT
Rushing
Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, Navy --- 768 yds, 8 TD
Jamal Robinson, Army --- 654 yds, 6 TD
Wesley McMahand, Army --- 455 yds, 4 TD
James Aldridge, Notre Dame --- 452 yds, 2 TD
Reggie Campbell, Navy --- 280 yds, 4 TD
Receiving
David Grimes, Notre Dame --- 389 yds, 6 TD
Golden Tate, Notre Dame --- 372 yds, 2 TD
O.J. Washington, Navy --- 327 yds, 2 TD
John Carlson, Notre Dame --- 269 yds, 2 TD
Todd Olson, Army --- 222 yds, 5 TD
Tackles
Maurice Crum, MLB, Notre Dame --- 58
Luke Mazgaj, MLB, Army --- 41
Joe Brockington, OLB, Notre Dame --- 40
John Wright, DE, Army --- 40
Charlie Rockwood, OLB, Army --- 36
Sacks
John Wright, DE, Army --- 5
Justin Brown, DE, Notre Dame --- 4
Maurice Crum, MLB, Notre Dame --- 4
Joe Brockington, OLB, Notre Dame --- 3
Jordan Stephens, DT, Navy --- 3
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