Sep. 25, 2009

Top 10: Lane and Urban, Miami's return, poor USF

By Tony Barnhart | Special to CBSSports.com

I could spend a lot of time talking about LAST week.

I could talk about the blowout (Tennessee-Florida) that wasn't.

I could talk about USC's uncanny ability to win the Big One (Ohio State) and lose the little one (Washington).

I could talk about how in just one game (a 54-28 loss to Florida State) BYU went from BCS championship contender to the inside track for a berth in the Poinsettia Bowl.

But I won't, because I am in a hurry to get to the last Saturday in September. Why? Because if October is anything like September, I'm going to need some oxygen.

1. Kiffin, Meyer are called to the principal's office. This time last week, I was convinced that Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin had used his mouth to write a check that his football team could not possibly cash. But to his credit, Tennessee went into The Swamp with a great game plan. Tennessee ran the ball to shorten the game and we again saw why Monte Kiffin is considered to be the best defensive mind of his generation. When it was over, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had to bail his team out by running it 24 times and the Gators had a less than satisfying 23-13 victory. So, we thought, the sniping between Kiffin and Florida's Urban Meyer was finally over. Not a chance. These guys are the gift that keeps on giving.

Meyer was asked about his conservative offense and said, in so many words, that he was not taking any chances because it was obvious (to him) that Tennessee was just playing to keep it close instead of trying to win. Meyer also mentioned that some of his guys had the flu. Not to be outdone, Kiffin fired back that the next time Tennessee has a less-than-satisfying victory, he'll just mention that all of the Volunteers were sick. And so it goes.

It wasn't long before Meyer and Kiffin were called to the principal's office. SEC commissioner Mike Slive picked up the phone and told the two boys to knock it off. Remember that back in May, Slive had what we in the South call a "Come to Jesus" meeting with all of his football coaches and told them, in very stern language, he didn't want to hear any more back-biting in the press. The commissioner, a former judge, was not pleased to have to make those calls this week.

2. BCS Busters. And now there are three. And maybe just one. Or maybe none. A week ago, those who wish nothing but havoc for the BCS (like my CBS colleague Tim Brando) were absolutely salivating at all of the "flies in the ointment." There were at least five teams -- BYU, TCU, Utah, Houston, and Boise State -- which could possibly run the table and dare the voters to leave them out of the title game. But BYU just got demolished by Florida State (54-28) and Utah -- who went 13-0 last season -- fell to Oregon (31-24). So now there are three and before the close of business Saturday, the ranks could get thinner.

TCU takes another great defense (213.0 ypg) on the road to play Clemson at Death Valley.

Houston's Kevin Sumlin, one of the best young coaches out there, puts quarterback Case Keenum against gunslinger Taylor Potts and Texas Tech. Potts leads the nation in passing with a ridiculous 427 yards per game while Keenum is third at a pedestrian 362.5 yards per game.

Boise State (3-0) goes on the road to play at Bowling Green (1-2). Dave Clawson, the former head coach at Richmond and short-time offensive coordinator at Tennessee, opened the season with a 31-14 win over Troy and then the following week played Missouri to the wire before losing 27-20. Boise should win but the Broncos will be without running back D.J. Harper who is out for the season with a knee injury.

3. What option does Georgia Tech have? After the Yellow Jackets rolled up over 400 yards rushing to beat archrival Georgia last November, the Yellow Jackets' fan base was absolutely giddy about the future. But then Georgia Tech got steamrolled by LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. This season, after beating Jacksonville State to open the season, Georgia Tech blew a 24-0 lead at home to Clemson but held on to win 30-27. Then last Thursday night, Georgia Tech's offense was all but shut down by Miami.

So as North Carolina comes to Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday, Georgia Tech fans are starting to get a little nervous. Is the Georgia Tech offense like a knuckleball pitcher? The first time around the batting order, nobody can hit him. But what about after that, do you catch up to it? Coach Paul Johnson said that his team just needs to execute the offense better.

But it's clear that teams with fast, athletic defensive lines will have an advantage when it comes to slowing down the option. North Carolina, which is 3-0 for the first time since 1997 (Mack Brown's last year as coach), has a fast, athletic defensive line. A year ago, when the rest of the league was just learning about Johnson's offense, the Tar Heels allowed Georgia Tech to run only one play inside the North Carolina 23-yard line in a 28-7 victory.

4. Is Miami all the way back? When Miami just dismantled Georgia Tech last week (the 33-17 score does not indicate how the 'Canes dominated) there were people who were quick to proclaim that the Hurricanes were now the 'Canes of old.

Just hold on there, coach Randy Shannon said. "We are starting to understand better what it takes to be successful on a consistent basis," Shannon told me. "But I think we've still got a long way to go."

A big step in that process could be taken Saturday when No. 9 Miami (2-0) goes to No. 11 Virginia Tech.

The Hokies won a nail biter against Nebraska (16-15) last Saturday when QB Tyrod Taylor finally made a big play at the end of a game.

Here is why this is the best game on the board: You will not see a better coaching matchup this week or any other week than Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple against Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster. The two know how to zig and zag with the best of them. Miami is not really back until it can go on the road and win a game like this. FYI: Miami has lost in five of its last seven trips to Blacksburg.

5. Why not Alabama? Don't look now but after Florida's less than impressive win over Tennessee, we have to wonder if the Gators are the best team in the country. We may even have to wonder if they are the best team in the SEC.

To date, the most impressive team that I've seen has been No. 3 Alabama (3-0), which has gotten progressively better each week. The two biggest questions about Alabama going into this season were whether or not the Crimson Tide could replace three starters from one of the best offensive lines in its history and if Greg McElroy could develop into a reliable starting quarterback. After three games, the answer to both questions appears to be a strong yes.

After a shaky first half against Virginia Tech on Sept. 5, McElroy settled down and led the Crimson Tide to a comfortable 34-24 win. Two weeks ago against FIU, McElroy completed a school-record 14 consecutive passes. Last week against North Texas, he opened the game by completing 10 of his first 11 passes. Granted the competition wasn't the best but Alabama played at an impressive level of efficiency.

By the way, I think Alabama rolls Saturday against Arkansas and quarterback Ryan Mallett. Last Saturday, Mallett had all night to throw against a very porous Georgia defense and put up 41 points and 408 passing yards. He will have no time to throw against Alabama.

6. Jahvid is simply the Best. Somebody asked me the other day where all the great running backs had gone? Where are the Herschel Walkers, Bo Jacksons and Darren McFaddens? We have found him in California's Jahvid Best. Best scored all five California touchdowns in a 35-21 road victory at Minnesota last Saturday. He has rushed for 412 yards in California's first three games. He is third nationally in rushing and first nationally in scoring with nine touchdowns. With questions now surrounding USC, Best looks like he could lead the Bears on a serious challenge at ending the Trojans' run of seven straight Pac-10 championships.

Before the season started, the conventional wisdom was that the Heisman Trophy was a lock to go to a quarterback for the ninth time in the last 10 years. No one was supposed to crack the trifecta of Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, and Sam Bradford. But Best could earn a trip to New York in December, especially if he comes up big on Saturday at Oregon and does something special on Oct. 3 when the Bears host USC.

7. Have Miles, LSU, been playing possum? There is a rumor going around the SEC that LSU coach Les Miles has yet to show us what the Tigers really have under the hood. LSU has not been all that impressive in its first three wins against Washington (31-23), Vanderbilt (23-9), and Louisiana-Lafayette (31-3). Some feel Miles hasn't shown his true hand because, quite frankly, he hasn't had to.

Well, we are getting to the "have to" part of the LSU schedule. Mississippi State (2-1), which hosts LSU on Saturday, got a really good win last week against Vanderbilt (15-3). Dan Mullen, the former Florida OC, is in his first season in Starkville and could use a signature win. Next week LSU travels to Georgia and then the Tigers host No. 1 Florida in the mother of all SEC showdowns.

8. A tough week for Grothe, South Florida. There are injuries, which are part of the game, and then there are devastating injuries that change the face of an entire season. South Florida had such an injury last week when senior quarterback Matt Grothe was lost for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Ironically, Grothe probably should not have been in the game with Charleston Southern when he suffered the injury. With USF up 21-0, Grothe suffered an AC joint sprain (the same injury as Oklahoma's Sam Bradford) in his right shoulder. Grothe was about to tell his offensive coordinator that he didn't want to go back in the game because of the shoulder, but USF got a quick turnover and Grothe decided to go back in. That's when the injury came.

When the season began, USF, which elevated its program to a No. 2 national ranking in 2007, was no doubt looking forward to Saturday's trip to Florida State. When Jim Leavitt began building the program at USF, it was his stated goal to eventually belong in the same room with the state's big three -- Florida, Florida State and Miami.

"We're in the room," Leavitt said this week. "But we're in the back of the room."

Without Grothe, things look pretty bleak, especially after watching the Seminoles just destroy BYU 54-28.

9. Just when you really need them, ladies and gentlemen, here are the Washington State Cougars. It has not been a fun week at USC. That happens when, for the fourth straight year, you lose a game you're supposed to win and it might cost you a shot at the national championship. Our Dennis Dodd says the USC dynasty's seven-straight seasons of 11 wins or more is coming to an end. Mike Lupica said on ESPN's The Sports Reporters that USC had underachieved under Pete Carroll. And that was before the 16-13 loss at Washington.

But one of the great things about the Pac-10 is that just when things seem bleak, you can count on good old Washington State (1-2). This is worth noting -- last season after USC stubbed its toe against Oregon State, the Trojans beat Oregon by 34 in their next game. USC destroyed Washington State 69-0 last season.

Freshman quarterback Matt Barkley, who sat out the Washington game with a bad shoulder, said he's prepared to play with pain. Carroll will need to play this one smart with a trip to California coming up next week.

10. Can the Hawkeyes find the magic again? Okay, I'll admit it. When Iowa needed two blocked kicks in the final seconds to beat Northern Iowa (17-16) on Sept. 5, I pretty much gave up on the Hawkeyes. I've picked Iowa as my dark horse in the Big Ten too many times only to be disappointed. But in the past two games against Iowa State (35-3) and Arizona (27-17) I've seen some signs of life in Iowa.

Is there enough pulse to beat No. 5 Penn State at Happy Valley? Probably not, but nobody is forgetting last year's game at Iowa where the Hawkeyes got a field goal from Daniel Murray with only one second remaining to hand the Nittany Lions their only loss (24-23) in the regular season and crush their hopes of a national championship.

It's important to note that Iowa has not lost since it beat Penn State on Nov. 8, 2008. The Hawkeyes, in fact, were the only Big Ten team to win their bowl game. It is also worth nothing that Penn State coach Joe Paterno does not believe that revenge is a motive in this game. Right, Joe Pa.

One last thing. The Iowa defense, which gave up 13 points a game last season (best in the Big Ten), is really good. If Hawkeyes quarterback Ricky Stanzi can play two good halves of football in the same game, this could be very interesting.