Draft Day 2: Busy Day In Cleveland

Texas QB Colt McCoy finally was drafted, 85th overall, by the Cleveland Browns. That was one slot after his favorite target with the Longhorns, Jordan Shipley, went to the Cincinnati Bengals.

On hand to make the announcement about his four-year starter and the winningest QB in NCAA history: Texas coach Mack Brown.

How's that for a special guest star appearance...???
TBH wanted to know if she was dreaming when she thought she heard Mack Brown's voice- so, no, she wasn't dreaming...

"It has been a long day," McCoy said after speaking to Browns president Mike Holmgren. "I told him, 'You won't regret it and we'll win a lot of games.' "

Tony Rizzo anchors coverage from in front of a shiny monitor...
((HT: Fox8Cleveland))
 

The rest of the Browns' early draft can be looked at here: Florida's Joe Haden, Tennessee's Montario Hardesty, and Oregon's TJ Ward...

Crimson Tide Blacken The Eyes Of Texas, Win BCS Championship

[HT: collegepressbox.com]

Congratulations to jolly ole St. Nick. Your 3 year plan to bring the Alabama Crimson Tide back to the top of the college football podium is complete. Thursday night in Pasadena the Tide rolled in the first half then got lucky in the 2nd half taking advantage of Texas costly turnovers to win the BCS National Championship Game 37-21.

You know Texas was playing with 2 hands behind their backs when quarterback Colt McCoy went down in the 1st quarter when he took a lick from Alabama's Marcell Dareus and never returned.

"I really have no pain in my arm, I just can't feel my arm." McCoy said after the game. "That's a hit I've taken over and over in my life and playing this game I know you're going to get hit, but I guess I got hit the right way. Like I said, I'm not in pain, but my arm's dead. Feels like I slept on my arm, woke up and it's just dead.">

"Marcell Dareus, I think, got the hit on him, and it certainly changed the game." Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "We thought we had a pretty good game plan for if he played, what they did, and until later in the game, they didn't really do that. So it sort of threw us off a little bit, as well.">

Texas freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert got thrown into the fire and in the first half Gilbert looked overwhelmed, as if his head was spinning. Facing that Alabama defense will make you soil your britches.

Give the kid credit though, his Texas teammates rallied around the young Gilbert and in the 2nd half, he started to make some plays and got the Longhorns within 3 points. Those of us at the OSG HQ were impressed with Garrett Gilbert. Mack Brown was to.

"Here's a guy standing there on the sidelines cold as can be, and all of a sudden in the National Championship Game, it's like, ‘okay, son, you've got it.’" Texas head coach Mack Brown said. "I can't even imagine. It's a credit to him, the kids around him and Coach (Greg) Davis for putting him in a position where he came back and actually had a chance to win the game.">

Late in the game Gilbert threw a critical interception late in the game that Alabama took advantage of scoring a touchdown and Texas' fate was sealed.

So the Alabama Crimson Tide wins its 13th National Championship. Those are Alabama's numbers not ours. The SEC can boast about winning the conference's 4th straight BCS National Championship. Nick Saban can start planning his museum next door to Paul W. Bryant's and the Crimson Tide nation can breath a sigh of relief that all is right in the world. Alabama is the king of college football again.

Here's a post game report from CBS Sports.com with Dennis Dodd and FOSG Tony Barnhart.



Let's add the work from our friends at NBC13 in Birmingham...


And the work from our friends, including Brian Sanders, at KXAN-TV in Austin...


Photo Courtesy: Bill Starling/The Birmingham News

TWTW: So, It's Texas and Alabama...

((HT: KVUE-TV))

Those of us at OSG HQ were talking about this...

The only way for Nebraska to have a chance in the Big 12 Championship was to (for using a horse racing phrase) turn this one into a mudder...

They had to slow the pace of the game down considerably and keep the Texas offense either completely off the field or force the Longhorns into a lot of mistakes and third down-and-long situations...

If this wasn't a game to show why Ndamukong Suh needs to be considered for more than just defensive trophies, we don't know what is...

Nebraska had a 12-10 lead with 104 seconds left, but Texas only needed 103...
Hunter Lawrence snuck his 46-yard field goal inside the left upright for the 13-12 win and Texas is headed to the BCS Championship...

Here's your wrap, thanks to our friends at KVUE-TV in Austin...

TWTW: Bradford Down Again, So Are The Sooners 16-13

((HT: KOTV/Tulsa))

Aaron Williams knocked out Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford on a first-quarter sack, then he and Earl Thomas picked off backup Landry Jones in the fourth quarter to send No. 3 Texas to a 16-13 victory Saturday over the No. 20 Sooners.

The 104th edition of the Red River Shootout was one of the ugliest, with the teams combining for eight turnovers and only a single touchdown from each of their supposedly high-scoring offenses.

But for McCoy and the Longhorns (6-0, 3-0 Big 12), all that matters is the W. It's their fourth in five years against the Sooners and it keeps alive their hopes of winning the national championship.

Oklahoma (3-3, 1-1) lost this game last year yet still managed to win the conference and play for the national championship. That won't happen this year.

Dean Blevins is outside the Cotton Bowl to deliver the bad news...
Thanks to our friends at KOTV and newson6.com

Colt McCoy's Heisman Hype Adventure

The last 2 Heisman Trophy winners have been quarterbacks, 2007 Tim Tebow from Florida and last year Sam Bradford of Oklahoma. That duo returns for a 2009 Heisman battle royale however, like all campaigns who ever spends the most money or can receive the most exposure usually wins and the University of Texas is letting the nation know that Colt McCoy is still around and ready to strike the pose.

This off-season McCoy has graced as many magazine covers he can, has made many trips to Bristol, Conn. to appear in the 4-letter word and accepted mass quantities of speaking engagements. Makes you wonder if McCoy has squeezed in any pre-season workouts.

According to the Austin American-Statesman McCoy's whirlwind schedule has 3 aims:

1. Garner the national exposure needed to help McCoy in a Heisman Trophy race that's sure to be between him, Florida's Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford of Oklahoma. Since Tebow (2007) and Bradford (2008) already have Heismans, the more we see of Colt, the better. Plus, keeping the face of the program on a national stage gives Brown a built-in recruiting weapon.

2. Give McCoy a chance to develop his public speaking skills, given that he's the unquestioned leader of a team expected to contend for a national title. College football voters watch television in the off-season as well. It can't hurt.

3. Allow McCoy to include his own interests in this blitz, making for a well-rounded off-season for a Longhorn who has a great chance to play pro football.

So instead of sending Heisman voters and media members trinkets and fancy slogans Texas is allowing the nation to check out the real McCoy.

"It's been a good experience,'' McCoy said. "I get to meet a lot of new people and make relationships with people you wouldn't be able to meet otherwise. I've been able to speak to a lot of kids and talk to them about our experiences and tell them how I got to where I am today."

With Texas' first 5 games against Louisiana-Monroe, at Wyoming, then hosting Texas Tech, UTEP and Colorado before the Red River Shootout, Colt should be firing on target and have gaudy numbers for the Heisman Hype to reach over saturation proportion.

Photo Courtesy: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The Dirty Dozen Return (with Picks too!)

Starting to Settle

Well, as we approach the end of October and the beginning of November, things are finally beginning to shake out. We have some clarity as to who may be playing in Miami in December, who is just looking for Conference glory and also who probably will be looking for new coaches.

Just so you all know last week's picks I was 12-1 (with one future pick in the bottom that doesn't count yet). That makes us/me 26-8, not bad for an Internet geek, eh? Here's a look at Halloween Weekend:

1. Texas (Just look at how good Colt McCoy has been, that will answer any and all questions. Perhaps McCoy will dress as Superman this week. This Weeks Game: Texas 45, Texas Tech 31)

2. Alabammie (I'm pretty sure Nick Saban's costume will be the Devil...oh wait, I'm kidding...well not really. This Weeks Game: Alabammie 40, Arkansas St. 10) *how does this get on the schedule at this time of year?*

3. State Penn (Ok, so they beat Ohio State. It's the conference people, they are really bad. Gosh, there are so many jokes I could make about Joe Pa's costume, what ever should I do? This Week: State Penn 27, Iowa 14)

4. Oh..klahomer (These guys have been kind of quiet, but are sitting and waiting for an undefeated to lose. Perhaps Bob Stoops will be Batman this year? This Week: Oklahoma 41, Nebraska 23)

5. Florida (I'm still waiting to be convinced about this Track Team. Saturday should be interesting. I don't think they will counter-celebrate against Georgia, but you never know. Perhaps Urban Meyer could be The Joker? This Week: If they score 1st Florida 48, Georgia 27)

6. Georgia (Very good win at LSU last week. This is make or break week for there season and I think that they know it. Picture Mark Richt as Elvis Presley for Halloween! This Week: If they score first UGA 35, Florida 31)

7. Southern Callie (They are not as good as the pollsters think damn it! The PAC 10 may be worse than the big 10. Picture Pete Carroll dressed as Bo Derek in the movie 10! This Week: USC 51, Washington 10)

8. Texas Tech (A good team, not a great team. They will be exposed this week. They will end up with at least 2 losses. Perhaps Mike Leach can be Kenny Rogers as the Gambler? This Week: See #1)

9. Oklahoma State (I kind of like the Fighting Mike Gundy's. As a matter of fact all of OSG likes the Mike Gundy's. However, they weren't quite ready to beat Texas. Maybe Mike Gundy can go dressed up as J-Dub for Halloween? This Week: The Mike Gundy's 37, Iowa State 20)

10. Utah (How'd they get in here? Do they play football? They must be OK if they are undefeated, but like all WAC teams, they will lose eventually. Is it wrong that I don't know who the Coach is. If I did he could dress up like Chrissy Hynde of the Pretenders-good one eh? This Week: Utah 41, New Mexico 12)

11. Boise State (The Fiesta Bowl win seems so long ago, yet Ian Johnson still plays here? Who is he trying to be, Freddy Weygand? Perhaps Chris Peterson can dress up as Ian Johnson? This Week: Boise State 24, New Mexico State 7)

12. Free Shoes University (I couldn't resist. The fighting Bowden's are back and I don't think they've stolen anything this year...have they? Perhaps Bobby can dress up as a Store Clerk this year. This Week: FSU 23, Ga.Tech 19)

The Bottom of the Barrel:

5. Meech-again (I just like the thought of this. Maybe they'll recover next year, but its fun while it lasts. Perhaps Rich Rodriguez can dress up as a guy with Regrets. This Week: Purdue 31, Michigan 21)

4. Syrie-Cyuuuse (Rumor has it the Bye Week beat them last week. Contractual obligations require me to repost this weeks score. Greg Robinson is rumored to be dressing as the invisible man. This Week: Louisville 31, Syracuse 10)

3. SMU (No truth to rumor that they were going to be renamed the Shmoo, cause that would mean they'd be a bad 70's cartoon. Though they are a bad football team. Maybe June Jones will dress as a coach for another team? This Week: Memphis 27, Shmoo 14)

2. Washington State (I just wanted to alternate them with Washington. I'm still waiting for them to announce they are moving...to the NAIA. Ooops, I put this game on last week board too, but don't change the pick. Again, I can't think of the Coaches name, but then again, does it matter? This Week: Stanford Tree 31, Washed State 3)

1t. Washington (Ty Willingham should just walk away. So should college football fans in Washington State. This is a bad football team without much hope. Perhaps Ty can dress up as a Horror Movie Victim this year. This Week: See the USC listing above)

*special sorry note* North Texas. Just look at the story earlier on the blog.

The Damn Dirty Dozen Again!

More Conference Fun Ahead...

This is like the greatest time of the year for College Football, isn't it? We are getting deep into the conference schedules and we are finding out, kinda like Santa Claus, who's been naughty and who's been nice (ok, so good and not so good might work better-chalk it up to the cooler weather).

Last Week 10-3, Overall 16-7. Expect the Dozen to shift further after this week:

1. Texas (Yes, they deserve it. If Colt McCoy keeps completing 81% of his passes, these guys may never lose. This Week: Texas 41, Ok. State 24)

2. Alabama (The best 1st Half team in the country. The 2nd half...not so much. This Week: Alabamie 16, Tennessee 9)

3. State Penn (Looks like they are here to stay. Win this week and they can coast. Maybe if they get to the BCS, JoePa will finally go away. This Week: State Penn 20, Ohio St. 13)

4. Oh..klahoma (Where the sweeps down the plains. Probably the best 1 loss team out there, can they stay that way? This Week: Oklahoma 47, K-State 27)

5. Oh..klahoma...State (The fighting Mike Gundy's are pretty good. Saying Mike Gundy mulitple times is good for OSG business. This Week: Poor Mike Gundy, See #1)

6. Florida (Not totally sold yet, the next couple of weeks will tell. I can't wait until next week in Jacksonville-((i'll be there)) This Week: Florida 23, Kentucky 13)

7. Texas Tech (Again, not buying this. They will lose, it's just a matter of when, they still have no "D". This Week: Texas Tech 41, Kansas 34)

8. Georgia (I'm still waiting for a breakout performance from these guys. They've underachieved, but they also have had a major injury bug hit them. This Week: Georgia 23, LSU 20)

9. USC (I don't know why they jumped so high after killing Wash. State, everyone smashes them. They are good, I don't think they are great+the PAC 10 sucks. This Week: USC 41, Arizona 20)

10. Ohio State (The most confusing team in the NCAA. They are never as good as they appear. That hasn't changed for the 59th year in a row. This Week: See #3)

11. LSU (The personnel turnover is finally catching up with LeSmiles. Beating South Carolina isn't all that great now, is it? This Week: See #8)

12. Georgia Tech (I don't know how, but they are 6-1. Don't sell these guys short. They aren't always pretty but they play hard and have a helluva "D". This Week: Ga.Tech 20, Virginia 6)

The Bottom of the Barrel:

5. SMU (Paging June Jones, June Jones, please pick up the white courtesy phone, it's last year in Hawaii calling. This Week: Navy 41, SMU 14)

4. Syrie-cuse (Will someone please put them out of their misery? Paging Dr. Kevorkian, Dr. Kevorkian? This Week: Louisville 35, Little Orange 10)

3. North Texas (Do we really need to say anything else. I'm suprised the State of Texas hasn't expelled them from the state. This Week: Troy 38, North Texas 6)

2. Washington (This kind of explains why they never get sunshine in the Pacific Northwest this time of year. Has anyone checked to see if there is a Shleprock on the roster? This Week: Notre Dame 27, Washington 17) ed. note-these guys must really suck if I pick ND to beat them

1. Washington State (USC's 4th team scored at will, Elon's 3rd team scored on them, Valdosta States 2nd team scored on them and Shorter's scout team scored on them. God they suck! This Week: Stanford 31, Wash.St. 3 ((bless the trees!))

That is all we've got. If you are a fan of the Bottom of the Barrel, well, Basketball season is on the way soon. Have a Great Day!