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| Tuesday, September 12 Dawgs needed more than pickle juice By Gene Wojciechowski ESPN The Magazine | ||||||||
| We dare you to find a better Saturday than this last last one.
20 -- Pickle juice Georgia's Jim Donnan ordered his team to drink the briny stuff after learning it somehow prevents cramping. What the Bulldogs really needed was something to prevent gagging. Nothing against South Carolina, which recorded its first victory against a top 10 team since 1988 (Georgia, again), but there's no way the Bulldogs should have lost this game -- not if you're serious about taking advantage of semi-rebuilding seasons for perennial SEC East Division powers Tennessee and Florida. By the way, Georgia just sold its bulldog mascot naming rights to a big corporation. No more Uga VI. From now on, it's Vlasic I. 19 -- Quote of the week "I don't think they're that good." -- Notre Dame cornerback Brock Williams when asked for his midweek assessment of No. 1 Nebraska. Final score: Not That Goods 27, Not That Smarts 24. Maybe it was coincidence or just poetic justice, but Williams was beaten by Bobby Newcombe for a 36-yard gain on Nebraska's first offensive play. And it was Williams who got pancaked on Eric Crouch's game-winning touchdown run in overtime. That said, nobody can think this is the same Notre Dame team of a season ago. Problem is, now it's not even the same team as a few days ago, what with quarterback Arnaz Battle out indefinitely with a broken wrist and defensive lineman Grant Irons out for the season because of a dislocated right shoulder. 18 -- Second best quote of the week "We are not a good team yet." -- South Carolina coach Lou Holtz a few days before waxing Georgia. 17 -- Ole Miss fans
The Nittany Lions beat Louisiana Tech, 67-7, for their first victory of the season. Outspoken running back Larry Johnson gets the game ball. . . stuffed in his mouth. 15 -- University of Nebraska-South Bend The Irish players deserve better fans than the chowderheads who sold their tickets to the invading Husker nation. In one of the more embarrassing scenes in Notre Dame football history, there was more red than plaid in the stadium. 14 -- Fired LSU coaches never die, they just. . . . . .become XFL employees. Gerry DiNardo, who was canned last season in favor of Michigan State's Nick Saban, is the head coach of the XFL's Birmingham Thuderbolts. Also on his Birmingham staff is Curley Hallman, who was canned at LSU in favor of DiNardo. We're guessing DiNardo didn't have anything to do with the official Thunderbolt colors, which just happen to be purple and gold. 13 -- Bowl subsidies USA Today reports that 11 of 25 bowls are receiving public funds to help underwrite operating costs. Think that would happen if there was a playoff system? 12 -- Texas quarterback controversy If Chris Simms hadn't reneged on his oral commitment to Tennessee, he'd be the Vols' starting quarterback right now. Instead, he botched his big starting chance against Louisiana-Lafayette and got pulled early in favor of Major Applewhite, who completed 18 of 26 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns. Simms came in with the mop later in the game. Texas' Mack Brown, who has given Simms every opportunity to win the job outright, now must finesse a weekly quarterback question. The Longhorns keep putting a happy face on the situation, but no coach wants to deal with that mess. Bottom line: Applewhite, who has made an amazing recovery from ACL surgery in January, should be the guy. 11 -- Coach of the first month A tie: Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez and South Carolina's Lou Holtz. It just wouldn't be Wisconsin if there wasn't some sort of annual crisis. Last year it Alvarez's health and the Badgers' quarterback situation. This year it's Sneakergate and 26 player suspensions. Somehow Alvarez steers them to a 2-0 record. All you need to know about Holtz's season: two games, four goal posts torn down. 10 -- Cincinnati Reds Not counting the immediate family, there is no bigger fan of Michigan quarterback John Navarre than the Reds organization. The Reds just happen to own the rights to injured Wolverines quarterback Drew Henson, who might have a tough time reclaiming his starting position from the surprisingly effective Navarre. 9 -- Indiana Not a good few days in Hoosierland. First, Bob Knight has a Sidney Poitier/"In The Heat of the Night" moment with an IU student ("They call me Mister Knight!") and gets canned. Then North Carolina State comes in and steals one from the Cam Cameron's team. An emotional Cameron was peeved at the ACC officiating crew, and said so in his postgame news conference. But it wasn't the crew that blew a 12-point lead in the last 4:29 of the game. It wasn't the crew that got a game-tying IU field goal attempt blocked in the waning seconds. And it wasn't just the crew that Indiana fans were booing at game's end. Leave it to star IU quarterback Antwaan Randle El to provide a little perspective: "We blew that game." 8 -- Wisconsin running back Michael Bennett
Ask Miami if the Pac-10 is back. Late, great Heisman candidate Santana Moss had one reception for seven yards against Washington in Miami's loss Saturday. 6 -- Heisman Trophy race Going up: Purdue's Drew Brees, Florida State's Chris Weinke, Michigan's Navarre, TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson, Nebraska's Crouch, Ole Miss' Deuce McAllister, Texas' Major Applewhite, Michigan's Anthony Thomas, Wisconsin's Michael Bennett, Southern California's Carson Palmer, Auburn's Rudi Johnson, UCLA's DeShaun Foster. Staying same: Virginia Tech's Michael Vick. Needs help: Miami's Moss. Thanks for stopping by the booth: Georgia's Quincy Carter. 5 -- Tennessee quarterback situation The Volunteers coaching staff probably would love to redshirt highly regarded freshman Casey Clausen, who was shut down for a few weeks because of tendinitis. But first-game starter Joey Mathews' knee is hurting and when it wasn't, Mathews has played just OK. Replacement A.J. Suggs also has been on the inconsistent side. Florida comes to Knoxville this week, leaving Phillip Fulmer with a killer decision. Will Clausen see some playing time? As late as last week, Clausen supposedly was limited to throwing passes no longer than 30 yards or so. 4 -- Big Ten Toledo beats Penn State a couple of Saturdays ago, and now Ohio beats Minnesota and Western Michigan beats Iowa. Can the MAC get a Rose Bowl bid? 3 -- Alabama running back Brandon Miree Ahmaad Galloway had a wonderful game against Vanderbilt, but keep track of Miree as the season develops. The redshirt freshman is Bama great Shaun Alexander's personal pick to have a breakout year. He had 70 yards on nine carries and one touchdown. 2 -- Georgia Tech's new defense Looks as if Virginia Tech caught a break by getting thundered-out against the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech, which finished 100th in total defense last season, is using a different defensive scheme these days. We were at FSU earlier last week and quarterback Chris Weinke and offensive coordinator Mark Richt were concerned about Georgia Tech's new look. Nothing about FSU's win against the Yellow Jackets came easily. One hack's weekly elite Nebraska (2-0) Florida State (2-0) Michigan (2-0) Wisconsin (2-0) UCLA (2-0) Clemson (2-0) Texas (1-0) Kansas State (2-0) Southern California (2-0) Florida (2-0) Waiting list: Tennessee (1-0), Virginia Tech (2-0), Purdue (2-0), Toledo (2-0), Washington (2-0). Honorary elite team: South Carolina (2-0). Gene Wojciechowski's Movers and Shakers appears every Monday. | ALSO SEE Harig: Georgia's, Miami's title hopes damaged | |||||||
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