|
| ||
Sport Sections |
||
|
|
||
| | |||||
| Friday, September 15 Lee-mail: SEC is the best conference By Lee Corso Special to ESPN.com | |||||
| Time to open up the mailbag and check the Lee-Mail:
What's your favorite matchup this weekend that everyone ISN'T talking about? -- Fightin Gobbler from Atlanta, Ga. Pittsburgh-Penn State. This is a tremendous rivalry that's been going on for a hundred years and it's Pittsburgh's opportunity to catch Penn State in a weakened position. This has all the makings of the weekly upset special. Air Force sneaks up on teams every year. This year they've added a proficient passing game to their always potent option attack. Mark it down, Coach: Air Force vs Colorado State on November 11 will have national implications. Do you agree? -- Dan C. from Harrisburg, Pa. Forget about it. Neither one of those teams has the defense nor the manpower to run the table. For the Mountain West to have a national title type of game, they have to run the table and go undefeated, and I don't think that is going to happen in a long time, because the other teams are so tough. Air Force-Colorado State will be a good game, but not nationally recognized. Does Travis Minor have the desire to lead FSU's rushing attack? -- Brian McKenna from Tallahassee, Fla. FSU doesn't have a rushing attack. They've got Chris Weinke to throw the football and a bunch of solid receivers. Every once in a while they'll give it to Minor, but their lack of a real rushing attack is one of the reasons Florida in Tallahassee or Miami in the Orange Bowl might beat them. They must get some more balance and they must run the football in the red zone or they are in big time trouble. Do you think South Carolina can be a winning team this year? -- Derrel N. from Jacksonville, Ala. This was a team that didn't win a game last year so 6-5 would be a magnificent record for Lou Holtz this year. He has 40 of the top 44 players coming back next year; this is a young football team. Beating Georgia was a miracle. Do you think a lack of leadership is the reason for Bama's mediocre play so far this season? -- Confused in UA from Tuscaloosa, Ala. I said before the season, you don't lose Chris Samuels and Shaun Alexander and have a great team unless somebody steps up right away. They ran into a buzz saw out in California -- nobody knew UCLA was that good. I don't think it's lack of leadership, the leadership just isn't as strong without Samuels and Alexander; those to guys were valuable for more than just their on-field talent.
-- John H. from Barstow, Calif. Every time Mack Brown plays Chris Simms, it takes a little away from the team. Major Applewhite, the Co-Big 12 offensive player of the year last year, should be the quarterback every play of every game for Texas. I saw him beat Nebraska with my own eyes. Applewhite should be the Texas quarterback. Period. With newcomer Marcus Houston, will Colorado rebound from two tough losses to become a Big 12 contender? -- Rob A. from Denver, Colo. I think they're going to be better, but Marcus Houston isn't the key. They've got to play better defense, especially as the clock winds down. They let USC get down the field with a couple of passes at the end of the game and ended up with a loss. They need solid quarterback play and defense. Houston is a good young prospect but he's not the difference. Which conference is doing better so far this season, the Big Ten or the Big 12? -- Lonnie C. from Mooreland, Okla. The SEC. Top to bottom, they are the best conference in football. The Big Ten lost two games to the Mid-American--YO! If you're looking for props for the Big 12, too bad! The Big 12 is very good, but not balanced. I said Kansas State would win the Big 12 and go to the national championship game. Nebraska and Texas are good too, but that's not enough depth to compete with the SEC. With the exceptional play of freshman John Navarre, do you think he'll remain the Michigan starter at QB even after Drew Henson comes back from his foot injury? -- Colin M. from Lake Forest, Ill. Lloyd Carr has said that when Drew Henson comes back, he'll be the quarterback. But you can mark it on your calendar, John Navarre may be one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of Michigan football. He's as good, if not better, than Henson. Henson will get his job back, but Navarre will eventually lead this team to victory. Are the Badger's suspensions going to catch up with them at some point or do they in some strange way help harden the team for what's ahead in October? -- Steve from Appleton, Wis. The suspensions will hurt the Badgers, but going to Ann Arbor to play Michigan is going to hurt them even more. How do you think UNC will do this year against the 'Noles? -- Bobby from Dayton, Ohio I think they'll play better than people think because I think they are a lot better with Ronald Curry at quarterback. He'll give them more offense, but Florida State will still dominate them on both sides of the ball. How is it possible that Notre Dame isn't even in the Top 20 after taking the No. 1 team in the nation into overtime and virtually coming within one play of beating the Huskers? -- Steve B. from Weymouth, Mass. They lost. You don't get moral victories; you usually drop ten spots. Look at Georgia and Miami; when teams lose, I don't care who it is, they drop. The press doesn't care one way or the other. It's the subway alumni who expect more miracles from the Notre Dame quarterback than they do from the Pope. If Game Day followed the Gators around each week, how many Gator heads would you put on this year? -- Brady S. from Orange, Calif. No comment....Put it this way, one less than they play. Lee Corso is an analyst on College Gameday and his column appears weekly. | ALSO SEE Wojciechowski: Movers and Shakers AUDIO/VIDEO | ||||
|
Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Click here for a list of employment opportunities at ESPN.com. |
