12/6/09

BEARCATS, MORE BEARCATS AND MORE

Having spent almost all day Saturday watching and listening to college football around the country, I have a few observations to share.

First, congratulations to the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats for their convincing D-2 semifinal victory over California (Pa.) that puts the second ranked Bearcats in the Division II Championship game for the fifth straight year. Maybe they can snap that 4-game losing streak in the title game. That's right; the Bearcats are the Buffalo Bills of college football, having lost the past four championship games. Mel Tjeerdsma's 'Cats will take on the Grand Valley (MI) State Lakers, ranked third, next weekend in Florence, AL. The Lakers defeated #10 Carson-Newman 41-27.

The game sets up a rematch of the 2005 and 2006 title games and a chance for a certain measure of redemption for the Bearcats. NWMoState won the D-2 championship in 1998 and 1999, the latter a four-overtime thriller over Carson-Newman, one of the most exciting football games I have ever seen.

The #5 Cincinnati Bearcats' come-from-behind 45-44 victory over #14 Pitt was the most entertaining game of the day; and the win clinched a second consecutive Big East title and BCS bowl game for Cincy. Yesterday, I posted a piece on Danario Alexander, Missouri's scintillating pass receiver. In that post, I mentioned Mardy Hillyard's stats, putting him on Pitt's roster. Pitt would have won had Hillyard been a Panther. He's a Bearcat.

With Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike struggling, Hillyard put the team on his shoulders and lifted it back into contention. Pitt scored late in the first half to stretch its lead to 21 points; but on the ensuing kickoff, Gilyard, a Biletnikoff semifinalist, took it 99 yards for a touchdown and gave the Bearcats some momentum going into halftime. For the game, Gilyard had five catches for 118 yards, including a catch for a 2-point conversion, and seven kickoff returns for 256 yards. He was the just about the best football player I saw Saturday.

Ndomukong Suh was the best player I saw. He will win the Outland Trophy; and he would win the Heisman if I were the only voter. The Nebraska defensive lineman had a monster game Saturday night against the Texas Longhorns in the Big XII Championship game. He led the Bugeaters in a near upset of #3 Texas with 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 12 for the game. He tossed Colt McCoy around like a rag doll. He dragged down running backs with one hand. He clogged the passing lanes. Had he blocked Texas' last second field goal, he would have been bronzed on the spot. Suh didn't corral the 'Horns all by himself; but Texas' focus on the man-beast opened up rushing lanes for his defensive mates, who tallied 12 sacks.

This brings me to the Heisman Trophy candidates. Before Saturday's games, the frontrunners were McCoy, Toby Gerhart, Tim Tebow, Mark Ingram, and Kellen Moore. Suh was on the watch list, too.

McCoy, probably the frontrunner going into the game against Nebraska, has the most wins by a quarterback in NCAA history, finished second in last year's voting and will probably be playing for a national title January 7; but he laid an egg on national television last night. He hit some key passes, but without two costly NU penalties in the final minutes, Texas was going down to defeat. The Longhorn QB looked dazed and confused most of the game, thanks to the 'Huskers' vicious pass rush; but his most questionable play was his last when he nearly ran out the clock trying to pick up a few yards to set up a last second field goal. Instant replay saved his and the Longhorns' collective asses when replay officials put one second back on the game clock, enough for one snap and the game winning kick. He's out of the running but should get another trip to New York for the award ceremony. He will probably finish second again.

Gerhart, Stanford's outstanding running back, didn't play Saturday, opening the door for other hopefuls. He's probably one of the best backs in the country; but playing on the West Coast hurts his chances with the East Coast media. He'll get a trip to the Big Apple and finish fourth.

Tebow's chances for a second trophy went down the tubes with Florida's hopes for a second consecutive BCS title. He posted some impressive numbers (20 for 35 for 247 yards, one TD and one interception and 10 rushes for 63 yards) against a strong Alabama defense; but the pick came in the end zone with the game still in doubt. Tebow may go down as the best college quarterback ever; but he failed to get the Gators on the scoreboard in the second half. He, too, will be in NYC to congratulate this year's winner. He could finish ahead of McCoy, but I think he'll finish third again this year.

Ingram was on the winning side of the SEC title tilt. He rushed 28 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 76 yards, including one for 69 yards to set up 'Bama's third touchdown of the first half. This season Ingram has carried the ball 277 times for 1,660 yards and 18 TDs. He is the son of former New York Giants receiver Mark Ingram, one of the heroes of Super Bowl XXV. The elder Ingram is in a New York prison facility awaiting sentencing on federal charges of money laundering and bank fraud. Dad's troubles may garner some sympathy votes from East Coast voters; but his merits stand on their own. Yesterday's game on a big national stage makes him the frontrunner for this year's award.

Kellen Moore is the Boise State quarterback and has remarkable passing statistics for an undefeated team. He has as much of a chance at the Heisman as a goose has for a safe landing on the blue turf in Boise.

This brings me back to Suh. He will be the first player taken in next year's NFL draft.

That makes him the best player in college football. That said, he will finish fifth in Heisman voting.

Just one more comment: Pete Carroll sure knew what he was talking about when he said Mark Sanchez needed to come back for another year at USC. Without the Jets' quarterback, the Trojans dropped their season finale against Arizona to finish sixth in the Pac-10. I just love it.

The Real Don Steele

12/6/09