Class No Longer in Session at Lincoln

That Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry that everybody said had lost all pizazz? Well, thanks to Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, the hatred is back and it's better than ever. Callahan denies it, but he clearly makes a throat-slash gesture toward a referee minutes after Oklahoma's final touchdown. Oklahoma fans are in a lather over this, even though the gesture is not directed at the Sooners. To see the video, you can click here. To see stills courtesy of the Lincoln Star-Journal, click here. The Big 12 Conference has reviewed the tape and action against Callahan is expected. One curious note: In eight games, Nebraska opponents have been called for holding only once.

If Crewcut Loses, N.D. Wins in Long Run

Now that Crewcut Charlie Weis has that fat new contract and won't be going anywhere until 2015 (yea, right), it's time to turn to a more weighty matter, namely Crewcut's body fat. A new site, weiswatchers.com, has been established to help the man become less of one. "The overall health of our program is excellent but the health of our coach is not so good." The site continues: The "next time you see Coach W. grabbing a Whopper at the BK in The Huddle, why not steer him over to the LaFortune Center Subway counter." Already, countless brave souls (including The Wizard at No. 53) have signed an online petition to encourage the man who shaped up Notre Dame football to shape up himself. Even Tyrone Willingham has signed the petition (No. 68), with some advice for Crewcut: "They love you now, Charlie. But trust me, it doesn't last."

Halloween Special: This Is Pretty Scary ...

It's a story never seems to die, but since everybody seems to be in the business of rankings these days, we bring you the top four teams according to Collegiate Memorials, a Georgia-based company that manufactures college-themed caskets for die-heard fans. Oklahoma currently is No. 1 in sales, followed by Alabama, Kentucky and Auburn. Seems like fans are just dying to get one of these $4,595 beauts, with Collegiate Memorials designing caskets for 46 schools.

... and This Is Scary, Too

If you were ushered in to pick America's newest gazillionaire out of a lineup, who would you choose? The guy on the right? You are a winner! Notre Dame announced Saturday that Crewcut Charlie Weis had signed a 10-year extension, despite losing two of his first seven games. That was quick. Didn't Tyrone Willingham start 8-0? Where was his 10-year extension? Hmmm. Only a week ago, word leaked that NFL general managers were sniffing around South Bend. And despite what those in the shadows of the South Bend are saying, this was more about closing a loophole in Crewcut's original deal that had a buyout of only $1.5 million. Does anybody with common sense really think Weis will be Notre Dame coach in 2015? Only once voice seems to understand what is going on (scroll down to see item).

Columnists' Corner

Pete Thamel, New York Times: How does national champion UCLA sound to you? The Bruins have positioned themselves for a run at all the marbles (registration).

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: College football is perhaps the only sport in which emotion, or lack thereof, drives the engine.

Art Thiel, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Who turned in Rick Neuheisel to the NCAA? We still don't know the answer.

Reporters' Notebooks

Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger: Under warden Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech has become a team that's hard to root for.

Chris Low, Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee offensive coordinator Randy Sanders' days — maybe hours — could be numbered.

John Henderson, Denver Post: USC's Matt Leinart might be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, but he could be the second-best quarterback in the Pac-10.

Zack McMillin, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Tommy Tuberville should be flagged for his outburst last week against ESPN (registration).

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: Might an 8-3 Oklahoma be more attractive to the Cotton Bowl than say, a 9-2 Texas Tech? (registration).

Do We Take Tips? You Betcha!

If you come across a newsy, humorous or offbeat item that you think would be of interest, do not hesitate to let us know. Send an email with a URL, photo, video — you name it — to dawizofodds (at) aol (dot) com.

Week 10

Again, the early odds are posted at Covers.com. A big week, starting with Tuesday night's Alabama Birmingham-Memphis game and finishing with Saturday night's Stanford-USC matchup. Five glorious days of college football!

It's Now a Game Devoid of Personalities

A new generation of coaches appears to be following a strait-laced, politically proper path to success. They almost never wink and smile at the camera the way Barry Switzer did after Oklahoma "hung half a hundred on 'em," or offer philosophical insights as did the late Woody Hayes, left, who once explained Ohio State's reaction to losing with: "There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."

A Costly Loss of Style Points for Texas

Make no mistake. The Big 12 basement-dwelling Cowboys of Oklahoma State scared the bejeebers out of Texas, racing to a 28-9 lead. But even Fortune 500 millionaire and Oklahoma State alumnus T. Boone Pickens had to be making a phone call to check out the halftime line (or had one of his associates do it for him). How do you think he got all those chips? Texas recovered, covered their behinds and covered the second-half line, but this will cost them style points, the ones that factor into the BCS. Can you say Virginia Tech? And it also ended the Longhorns' string of covering the spread, so if you were riding that gravy train, we feel your pain (registration).

Wizard Is Humbled Again

The Wizard is staggered once again and finishes 1-5-1. For the first time in recorded history, his record has dropped below .500. The heck with moving into that double-wide in the south county. His new residence will be under the freeway overpass. He stands 29-32-2 (47.5%). His winner was Ohio. His losers were Nebraska, Toledo, UCLA, TCU and Hawaii. He got a push with Georgia.

If They Lose, It Would Just Plane Stink

Sorry Virginia Tech, the matter already has been decided. The Hokies can win the rest of their games, but Texas is playing in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4. Longhorn fans are so confident that they have booked every seat on every Southwest Airlines flight between Austin and the four L.A.-area airports for Jan. 3. And every return flight on Jan. 5 is booked (registration).

Recruiting Game Has Gone High Text

There are limits imposed by the NCAA on the number of times a coach can call or visit a prospect, but access through e-mail, instant messaging and text messaging is virtually unfettered. No wonder coaches are spending more time in front of computers. A survey found that 87% youths between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet. But the current rage is using a cellphone to text message recruits. USC's Pete Carroll said sending a text message on his cellphone was "my latest accomplishment." (some registration).

The Wizard and Week 9

His confidence is shaken, but the man is determined not to let last week's disastrous 1-6 record beat him again. So he started the week by stocking up on Wheaties, doubling his consumption of vitamins and maintaining a strict diet of Power Bars and chocolate shakes. All this while spending countless hours breaking down games, emerging only twice on the west balcony to wave to admirers who had gathered below. His Magnificent Seven can be found by clicking on the comments label.

USC Bands Together Against Fresno State

Postings on Fresno State's bark board say USC officials will limit the number of Bulldog band members to 60 for the Nov. 19 game between the teams at the Coliseum (the band has 250-plus members). Predictably, Trojan fans have spat back, so the matter has digressed into the usual juvenile board banter that is commonplace on scout and rivals. But considering the capacity of the Coliseum (92,000-plus), it does seem a tad unneighborly of the Trojans. And thanks to MDG for getting a jump on this.

Who Will Win This Pissing Match?

To answer the question, it's the guy with the bigger microphone. In this case, ESPN newsreader Dan Patrick, who must have been having a bad hair day or something. Patrick was in a dither over comments made by Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who said that the network's "College GameDay" wields too much influence. Patrick, speaking from his throne at the "worldwide leader," warned Tuberville, "You're biting the hand that feeds. ESPN does more for college football than any other entity." After the recorded interview with Tuberville was broadcast, Patrick went off on the coach. "He said ... that he wasn't going to have anything to do with ESPN. I tell you, I don't have much to do with him anymore."

World's Greatest Outdoor Cocktail Party

It's Georgia and Florida in Jacksonville. Need we say more? Law enforcement officials throughout the region are on the highest alert now that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has published favorite Cocktail Party recipes. For example: Coca-Cola (1 teaspoon) Jack Daniels Whiskey (4-6 cups) ... stir slightly, your done! We dare Emeril, or better yet, Rachael Ray, to come up with something better (registration).

Reporters' Notebooks

Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Bulletin: It has been a string of Halawa horrors that began in 1995 for Fresno State, when Hawaii clipped the Bulldogs, 42-37.

Andrew Logue, Des Moines Register: The Big Ten will not take any action regarding officiating during Iowa's overtime loss to Michigan.

Jim Spadafore, Detroit News: Central Michigan has had one winning season in 10 years. Saturday, the Chippewas can move into a tie in the Mid-American Conference's West Division.

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: It used to be a battle of titans. Now Nebraska and Oklahoma are battling to become bowl eligible (registration).

Ron Morris, The State (Columbia): Forty years ago, Steve Spurrier was a hotshot recruit in Johnson City. Now the Tennessee native is the Volunteers' worst nightmare.

Crystal Ball

Jeff Schultz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Something called Tereshinski is Georgia's quarterback. Take Florida and give the points (registration).

Double D, Boston Herald: Here's another vote for the Gators, whose fans will have reason to celebrate at the "World's Biggest Outdoor Cocktail Party."

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: Who does he like in the Georgia-Florida game? You guessed it, Georgia.

Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal: Halloween is just around the corner and Nevada has to play Boise State on that blue turf, but don't let that scare you.

Lenn Robbins, New York Post: After a strong 4-1 last week, he's jumping on the Minnesota bandwagon this week (registration).

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Hopefully no relation to Bill Bennett, a notorious bad gambler. Besides, aren't they known for betting horses in Kentucky?

Columnists' Corner

Bud Withers, Seattle Times: Thirty-eight days ago, Arizona State walloped Northwestern, 52-21. Now the Sun Devils have hit rock bottom and the Wildcats are in position to win the Big Ten.

Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: Northwestern, that pest of a team, is about to take out Michigan, 64-61.

Jake Curtis, San Francisco Chronicle: Welcome to the Drew Carries Show, starring the best running back in L.A. not named Bush.

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Former SEC coaches Pat Dye, Gene Stallings and Jackie Sherrill assess what's behind Florida's offensive struggles.

John Henderson, Denver Post: New Mexico State's Hal Mumme is in the center of a controversy again, and it doesn't involve the NCAA.

Miami Vice or Miami Twice for Bunting?

He's back, and talented Flash animator Grey Blackwell of the Raleigh News & Observer has a new target: North Carolina coach John Bunting, who suddenly is all the rage on the Wizard. Blackwell's animation comes just in time for the Tar Heels' game against Miami, a team Bunting's troops beat last season, 31-28. Can Bunting beat Miami Twice? Earlier, Blackwell took a swipe North Carolina State's Chuck Amato. A link to that animation is available by clicking here (registration required, but it's worth it).

Give Him Candy or Face a Five Count

Halloween is just around the corner and Jeff D'Alessio of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution knows there is a kid in all of us. So he asked four coaches what their favorite costume was for trick or treating. North Carolina's John Bunting came flying off the top rope for this one, saying he used to dress up like former WWF star King Kong Bundy, the Master of the Five Count. Bunting's Halloween name? King Kong Bunting, of course (registration).

Columnists' Corner

Dave Dye, Detroit News: OK, let's get straight to the facts regarding Michigan State. Up, then down. What kind of a beast are we dealing with?

David Climer, Nashville Tennessean: You thought it was a kinder, gentler Steve Spurrier. Ha! He was just looking for Volunteers.

Chuck Culpepper, Newsday: How about that upcoming SEC title game, pitting unbeaten No. 4 Georgia against unbeaten No. 5 Alabama with neither invited to the Rose Bowl?

John Gambadoro, Arizona Republic: The wheels have fallen off Arizona State's bandwagon and it might be time for Dirk Koetter to take the next train out of Tempe.

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: Chris Leak either has to get with the program or find a seat on Florida's bench.

Reporters' Notebooks

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: How does an Iowa State-Tulsa matchup sound in the Fort Worth Bowl? Mr. Duarte has some projections as to where Big 12 teams will be spending the holidays.

Brian J. Pedersen, Arizona Daily Star: Buried in his Pac-10 column is this gem: Arizona State's Dirk Koetter is 0-9 in conference games played in California.

Deseret News: The staff is lined up in the shotgun formation and is ready to fire quick takes from the Mountain West.

Jim Mashek, Biloxi Sun Herald: With defense the king in the SEC, having a clutch kicker makes a world of difference.

Did L.A. Times Have a Hand USC's Fall?

Blogger Ken Reich, a former staff member of the Los Angeles Times, says former editor John Carroll — no relation to Pete Carroll — is to blame for USC's fall to No. 2 in the BCS rankings. Carroll revised the paper's ethics policy before his recent departure. The new policy prohibited three members of the Times sports staff from voting in polls used to help compile the BCS rankings. But another blog, LAObserved.com, says Reich is off-base with his argument.

DeBerry Reprimanded for Comments

Air Force Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. John Regni, who stepped into the post Monday, has reprimanded Falcon coach Fisher DeBerry for his comments related to minority recruiting. DeBerry, who will not lose his job, also issued a public apology. A video link is available by clicking here.

Firing Up the Faithful in Blacksburg

With the release of the first BCS rankings, it's time to play political football. Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer says regardless of what USC and Texas do, his team should have a spot in the title game at the Rose Bowl if it wins out. Tony Barnhardt of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Beamer has a strong case. The veteran coach also said this is the last comment he will make on the matter. We will see about that.

Experts Rank USC Among the Great Teams

Texas' Vince Young might be doing the Heisman pose, but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is posing a question to a panel of experts: How would USC — if it were to win out — rank among the top-10 teams of all-time? Opinions vary, but the reviews are favorable for the Trojans. One of the experts ran a computer simulation pitting Heisman winner Matt Leinart and the 2005 Trojans against James Street and the 1969 Longhorns and it has USC routing Texas, 42-10.

DeBerry Again at Center of Controversy

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry is under the microscope again after his comments about black athletes. This isn't the first time DeBerry, in his 22nd season as Falcon coach, has been under fire. Last November, when the academy was dealing with issues of religious intolerance, DeBerry put up a banner with the words, "I am a Christian first and last. ... I am a member of Team Jesus Christ." The banner was removed two days later. You can see a video clip of DeBerry's comments made Tuesday by clicking here.

Columnists' Corner

Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press: Just ask the bookies who the best team in the country really is. After all, their opinions are driven by the mighty dollar.

Carter Strickland, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Speaking of bookies, let's talk to a "sports consultant" and see why Georgia is now an underdog to Florida (registration).

David Locke, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Maybe Isaiah Stanback isn't the quarterback to lead Washington out of its doldrums.

Terry Wood, Northwest Arkansas Times: Seriously, does anybody think Southeastern Conference frontrunners Alabama and Georgia are that good?

Mick McGrane, San Diego Union-Tribune: Is "Air Craft" about to be grounded? San Diego State's Tom Craft is ignoring calls for his ouster.

Reporters' Notebooks

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A look at what is happening around the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference (registration).

Charles Polansky, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Breaking down the ups and downs in the Big 12 Conference (registration).

Bob Clark, Eugene Register-Guard: His Pacific 10 Conference notebook focuses on Arizona State's dramatic fall from grace.

Pat Harty, Iowa City Press-Citizen: He takes a pause from the cause and hands out midseason grades for the Big Ten Conference.

Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: If Penn State earns the Big Ten's automatic berth to a BCS game, it could mean a revival of its rivalry with Pittsburgh or West Virginia.

DeBerry on Hot Seat After Comments

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry, 67, will have some explaining to do after saying the Falcons lost to No. 20 Texas Christian, 48-10, because the Horned Frogs have more black players who "can run very, very well." DeBerry told Denver television station KWGN: "It just seems to be that way, that Afro-American kids can run very, very well. That doesn't mean that Caucasian kids and other descents can't run, but it's very obvious to me they run extremely well." Academy officials said they were aware of the remarks and plan to investigate.

Spread 'em Longhorns, You're Under Arrest

The charge? Fraud, and the evidence is overwhelming. You've not only touted the strength of schedule in what clearly is a down season for the Big 12, but then parlayed it into the No. 1 ranking in the BCS. Well, the gambling gods have spoken. Pinnacle Sports has released a line for the Rose Bowl and USC, winner of 29 in a row, currently is a six-point favorite (and rising) over Texas. The choice as to which side to be on is clear as picking a winner from the above fray. How do you plead, Texas? We will now submit Exhibit No. 1, aka the release announcing the Pinnacle lines, as evidence. It is located in the comments section.

You Won't See This in Your Morning Paper

In what arguably was the most impressive display of open-field running on Saturday, a streaker races untouched past the 50-yard line during the Cal Poly-Montana game at Missoula. No word yet on the man's identity or if he might have any eligibility left in case you're a college coach reading this, but at least Rial Cummings of the Missoulian had some fun with it.

Columnists' Corner

John Helsley, Oklahoman: A year ago, Texas rallied from a 35-7 deficit to rout Oklahoma State, 56-35. The two teams haven't been the same since (registration).

Jason Whitlock, Kansas City Star: Can you say fraud? Take a look at Missouri's schedule and you will understand its sudden run to respectability (registration).

Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News: All that is left for Texas is to rout the second-best team in the land, USC, in the Rose Bowl (registration).

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Register: Alabama's victory over Tennessee will be remembered as the day good finally won out over evil.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jake Curtis, San Francisco Chronicle: Kellen Clemens was one of four quarterbacks in their third season as a starter in the Pac-10, but now Oregon must go forward without its difference-maker.

J.P. Giglio, Lorenzo Perez, Raleigh News & Observer: These guys sound like a WWE tag team. They come flying off the ropes to give you the ups and downs from last week (registration).

Curt McKeever, Lincoln Journal Star: The Big 12 stock report. I wonder if Alan Greenspan reads this?

Sean Keeler, Des Moines Register: When you try to tie one on, like Iowa did against Michigan, you'll end up losing.

Chad Hartley: Reno Gazette-Journal: It takes Fresno State 14 hours to get to Hawaii, which might explain Pat Hill's 0-4 record at Aloha Stadium.

Texas, Do You Really Want Some of This?

In celebration of Texas rising to the top of the Bowl Championship Series rankings, ahead of USC, which has won 29 in a row, we want to point all you late-arriving Longhorn fans to a Flash presentation that is second to none. It is done by Ken Romig, who has done this for the past six years. Here is a link to his past efforts, plus a dig at rival UCLA. Requires bandwidth.

Keeping Their Horns Sharp in Texas

Todd Heustess' mission? To make tailgate pilgrimages to five college football games for Be Gay Tours and then write about his experiences for Outsports.com. He most recent trip was to Austin to catch the action at the Texas-Colorado game. He also has sampled the festivities at Boulder (New Mexico State-Colorado), were he partied in the Buff, er, with the Buffs, and Gainesville (Tennessee-Florida), and has trips planned for Seattle (Oregon State-Washington) and Berkeley (USC-California).

Columnists' Corner

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: Does the Big East belong in the BCS? Absolutely not. Next question, please.

Pete Thamel, New York Times: Those prognosticators never saw Northwestern or Brett Basanez coming (registration).

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Texas and USC in the Rose Bowl? How about Texas and UCLA?

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: Some longshots are in contention as the season heads for the home stretch (registration).

Barker Davis, Washington Times: Texas has been gaining on USC, but now the Longhorns have to worry about Virgina Tech.

Reporters' Notebooks

Doug Segrest, Birmingham News: This past weekend created a lot of buzz. Some of it good, some of it bad.

Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger: Rutgers — yes, Rutgers — is positioned for its first winning season in 13 years.

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: Figuring out the Big 12 bowl picture is not that difficult (registration).
Zack McMillin, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Alabama's season is beginning to look like a fine piece of art (registration).

John Henderson, Denver Post: And the 2006 Heisman trophy goes to ... Brady Quinn of Notre Dame!

Week 9

Odds are up at Covers.com. It starts Thursday with an attractive matchup between Boston College and Virginia Tech at Blacksburg. And don't forget the big cocktail party in Jacksonville when Georgia and Florida come to town.

Is It One and Out for Crewcut Charlie?

OK, Crewcut Charlie Weis isn't the most attractive human in the galaxy and quite possibly is the lovechild of the late Rodney Dangerfield and Art Donovan, but he's an attractive catch for NFL teams. How attractive? Weis' contract at Notre Dame includes a modest $1.5 million buyout, a number that caused one NFL coach to remark, "That's it?" Are you implying that Crewcut might be jumping back into the NFL waters after one season? You betcha. Reportedly, at least one NFL team has been quietly exploring that possibility.

Trying to Give These Dawgs Some Bite

OK, so maybe Adam Carolla has an easier job doing his "project," but credit Tyrone Willingham and his staff for giving hope to the dreadful situation they inherited at Washington. How bad was it? Offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said of quarterback Isaiah Stanback, "When you don't know what cover 2 and 3 are, and you're a junior in college. ..." OK, we get it. This isn't a quick fix. It's grinding an unglamorous and you don't smash the champagne on the house before you lay the foundation. But progress is being made, even if you can't draw a full house for USC — the biggest show in college football.

Welcome Back Koetter? Not So Fast

Dirk Koetter was the darling of Arizona State fans four weeks ago after the Sun Devils pushed USC to the brink. Now, after his team behind, 45-7, and lost to Stanford, 45-35, he is public enemy No. 1. The Sun Devils were 9-3 in 2004 and now, with the loss at Palo Alto, the best-case (and unlikely) scenario is 7-4. This isn't progress and Koetter's record in four-plus seasons is two games over .500. He's due for a contract extension, but if the freefall continues, there could be trouble for Koetter.

Black Saturday for the Wizard

A state of emergency has been declared. A disastrous 1-6 record has the man considering downsizing to a double-wide in the south county, next to a residence that neighbors say was recently used as a meth lab. He is 28-27-1 (50.9%) against the spread. His winner was Northwestern. His losers were Iowa, Indiana, Brigham Young, Alabama, Louisiana State and Nebraska.

Trojan Fans Have the Write Stuff

USC and Notre Dame have since moved on, each avoiding a hangover on Saturday to win, but letter writers to the Los Angeles Times continued to talk about the memorable Trojan-Fighting Irish game from the previous week, most taking one last shot at Notre Dame.

Eye of the Tigers on Baton Rouge

You may have caught Auburn's opening game against Georgia Tech — a loss that ended the Tigers' 15-game winning streak — and given little thought since to the Tigers. You are not alone and Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville is begging for attention, evidenced this week by his making what has to qualify as the dumbest comment of the year. Tuberville can resume his desired role in the center of the universe with a win at Louisiana State. His team has won 15 SEC games in a row and a victory at Baton Rouge would be impressive, considering the home team has won the last five meetings in the series.

No Wonder the Damn Dishes Are Piling Up

"With the first pick in the 2005 FFL draft, I select Eva Longoria of 'Desperate Housewives.' " Yes, in most circles, the initials FFL stand for Fantasy Football League. But let me tell you, that is so last week! FFL now stands for the Fantasy Fashion League, created by New Jersey mother and former magazine editor Erica Salmon, who became a fantasy football widow three years ago. "All of a sudden, he was glued to the computer watching four games at once," Salmon said of her insignificant other. Hence, the new FFL. Closet junkies pay $18 to become active members of the fashion world and over 4,000 people have signed up in just over a month.

The Wizard and Week 8

After being flogged for a 2-5 week, the man is back with his Magnificent Seven. He is he 27-21-1 (56.3%) against the spread, but if his track record is any indication, expect something good to happen. Selections are in comments.

Fear Factor, Alabama-Style

Alabama fans hate Phillip Fulmer. They hate the way he walks. They hate the way he talks. They hate the way he looks. And they hate the way he refused to appear at Southeastern Conference media days two summers ago to avoid being issued a subpoena in lawsuits Alabama fans and former Crimson Tide assistants filed against him. They hate Fulmer more than rival Auburn. Why all this venom? Fulmer is the snitch who turned Alabama in to the NCAA for recruiting violations. What goes around comes around, and Saturday is the day Fulmer will walk out of Bryant-Denny Stadium to lead the Volunteers against the Crimson Tide (some registration).

The Joy of Six (and Oh!)

Welcome to Los Angeles, the center of the college football universe. USC and UCLA are each 6-0 and appear headed for a Dec. 3 showdown, but in the topsy-turvy world of Hollywood, anything can happen. This week is no different. Something is clearly wrong with Matt Leinart. Is USC covering something up? Maybe it has something to do with Leinart's relationship with maneater Shannen Doherty. And electrifying Reggie Bush missed practice because of a bruised hip. Is this the end of his chances for the Heisman? Even a former Trojan quarterback who was criticized for his work during the telecast of the Notre Dame game is defending himself. Over in Westwood, the concerns are many. How does a team go undefeated with a rushing defense that ranks 114th in the nation? And can the Bruins continue to spot opponents big leads? (some registration).

Columnists' Corner

Rick Bozich, Louisville Courier Journal: So you think Rich Brooks deserves to be back as Kentucky coach? Mr. Bozich has two words for you: Idaho State.

Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: He stares into the makeup mirrors in the visiting pink locker room at Iowa and tries to make sense of the Big Ten race.

Brian Rosenthal, Lincoln Journal Star: Isn't it odd that a Nebraska defense with 34 sacks has yet to draw an offensive line holding penalty? It's true.

Crystal Ball

Double D, Boston Herald: D had a tough week, going 4-8, and is 35-37. After careful study, he's all over Alabama Birmingham tonight.

Fab Five, Detroit News: This crowd can never agree on anything, but this week they all like Wisconsin over Purdue.

Jeff Schultz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Skip the rant about the NBA and get to the main course: Alabama fans roll out the red carpet for Phil Fulmer (registration).

Betting Fool, San Francisco Chronicle: He is a kinder, gentler Fool. A 34-32 record will do that.

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: Disappointing 17-23, but he's a brave man, taking the Washington Huskies and those 30 points.

Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger: Back up the Brinks truck because he's putting it all on Michigan.

How to Confuse a Voter in the Harris Poll

Have you ever run across that loud-mouth fan who says his Team X is better than your Team Z? Who hasn't? You need to have one of those Uncle Fester moments to put him or her in their place. Well, thanks to a gentleman named Patrick Gaule, we have just the tool you need. It's called the College Football Victory Chain Linker and it's nothing short of brilliant. We've included an example of the possible work you can do with this handy tool. In honor of "The Addams Family," here is the argument you can make for Adams State being superior to Tha U, aka Miami of Florida, the No. 6 team in the AP poll.

So Exactly What Is Going On With Leinart?

Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart said it himself: he could be playing better. But according to Leinart and USC coach Pete Carroll, the burden of expectations and mental exhaustion have set in, and the quarterback has been struggling of late. But one columnist isn't buying the "Leinart is under pressure stuff." So is something going on we don't know about? Does Leinart have a physical problem, a mental one, a combination? NFL scouts appear to be wondering, too. Some already have put Notre Dame's Brady Quinn ahead of the Trojan standout in the draft pecking order (some registration).

Columnists' Corner

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: The prediction business is tough. Just look back at all those preseason magazines stacked on the coffee table.

Bud Withers, Seattle Times: Our man says Reggie Bush is the best player he has ever seen in the Pac-10, and he has been covering the conference for three decades-plus.

Chuck Culpepper, Newsday: What will an intoxicating game like USC-Notre Dame do to you? It leaves one helluva hangover.

Crystal Ball

Lenn Robbins, New York Post: The Pigskin Profit, with a 14-20-1 record, is loading up on favorites (registration).

Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal: The leader in the Great Handicap Challenge not only likes Army to cover, but win.

Reporters' Notebooks

Michael Pointer, Indianapolis Star: Blunders by special teams played a pivotal role in three Big Ten Conference games last Saturday.

Ted Miller, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Matt Moore and UCLA went through a divorce two years ago. Saturday, the sides see each again.

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: Bringing Baylor back to respectability was a Bear of a job, but it has the right Guy in Morriss.

30 Million Watched USC-Notre Dame

USC's last-second win over Notre Dame was the most-watched regular-season college game in nine years. One has to wonder with so many watching, how did most miss the Push by Bush? Oh yes, that includes the officials who had a front-row seat.

Department of Some People Never Learn

Daren Leverenz said he made a fortune in the dot.com market in the 1990s, then got turned on to Las Vegas. Or in his case, Lost Vegas. He lost $3 million in a gambling frenzy over a three-year period. So how does one recoup such a loss? Turn to Hollywood, of course. Leverenz is the centerpiece of a series titled, "Man Vs. Vegas," which debuts Friday. He returns to Sin City with $1 million, this time sharing it with tourists grabbed at random. He hands them several thousands of dollars to play on his behalf. "If they win, I give them some of the profits." Vegas must be licking its collective chops.

He Knows How to Plan for Times Like This

Marvin Sanders was an emergency planner for a Nebraska nuclear power plant in the early 1990s. He taught people how to decontaminate and wrote a manual with 356 scenarios on what to do if disaster struck. Sort of sounds similar to his job as defensive coordinator at North Carolina, doesn't it? (registration).

Are the Commodores Back?

What's the difference between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the R&B crooners the Commodores? The singing sensations have been selling out bowls for years. Vanderbilt would just like to go to one. But it needs two victories — two victories! — in order to become bowl eligible, and Bobby Johnson's troops have only four games remaining. The reality is Saturday's game at South Carolina is Vanderbilt's most important of the season. A loss at Columbia and that dream of a bowl is just about over.

Columnists' Corner

Dave Curtis, Florida Sun-Sentinel: Why is Urban Meyer crying? Let's bring in Joel Fish, the director of the Philadelphia-based Center for Sports Psychology, to explain why. Mr. Fish, welcome to The Wizard of Odds!

Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Chan Gailey was run out of Dallas. Now Mr. Bradley is trying to run him out of Atlanta (registration).

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Register: Hey buddy, can you spare a dime? Or how about $600, which is what some scalpers are getting for a ticket to the Tennessee-Alabama game.

Lynn Henning, Detroit News: Michigan is a run-of-the-mill team, but no matter how you break it down, Michigan State can't compare.

Reporters' Notebooks

Michael Vega, Boston Globe: ACC notebook, with this gem: When North Carolina State's penalty-prone team made its "Walk of Champions" through the crowd into Carter-Finley Stadium for the game against Clemson, one fan tossed a yellow flag in the Wolfpack's path (registration).

Sean Keeler: Des Moines Register: Is Dan McCarney's job on the line at slumping Iowa State, which has blown second-half leads against Nebraska, Baylor and Missouri?

Bob Clark, Eugene Register-Guard: His Pac-10 notebook starts with the Push by Bush and ends by ranking California as the sixth-best team in the conference.

Chad Hartley, Reno Gazette-Journal: Fresno State Coach Pat Hill opens up about his team's poll position.

Pete DiPrimio, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel: The Big Ten record for pass attempts in a game is 83. Might Indiana's Blake Powers be preparing to break that mark against Ohio State?

Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Southeastern Conference notebook, breaking down the Eastern and the Western divisions (registration).

Natalie Meisler, Denver Post: There is parity in the Mountain West Conference, but it could come at a steep price.

Paul J. Letlow, Lafayette Advertiser: Louisiana Monroe can enjoy being in first place in the Sun Belt Conference. It is starting a 20-day stretch between games.

Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger: West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez is busy trying to prevent another late-season collapse by the Mountaineers.

Charles Polansky, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: A look at the Big 12 Conference, from top to bottom (registration).

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: The process of elimination is well under way in the Big 12 North.

Michael Pointer, Indianapolis Star: Struggling Purdue is starting to lose in-state recruits to improving Indiana and Joe Tiller doesn't like it.

Hottest Dance Craze in Provo

First there was ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" with the delightful Kelly Monaco. Then came the Fox spinoff, "So You Thing You Can Dance?" It's clear dance fever is sweeping this great nation of ours. Not to be outdone, the Cougars of Brigham Young have gotten in the swing of things, performing their new routine just before kickoff. It's called the Maori Haka. There's a long story behind all of this and we will leave that up to others (story also in comments). But if you want to see a performance you can click here to view what everybody is talking about along the Wasatch Mountains.

Call Leads to Alternative Energy Source

We can all agree on one thing: fuel costs are out of control. Energy conservation is advised, but what is one to do when you're just flat-out cold in this modern day and age of fossil fuels? How about getting the referees to make a game-changing call and spark West Virginia to an improbable triple-overtime victory over Louisville. Yea, you know where I'm going with this. Yet another rampage in Morgantown, home of the burning sofa. We can all gather around and get warm now, can't we? Even the firefighters.

We're Getting to the Bottom of This

Our criminal investigation into what transpired Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium continues. Although it is our policy not to discuss specifics, we can comment on what we know to this point: Reggie Bush broke the rule by pushing Matt Leinart into the end zone for the winning touchdown. The evidence is indisputable: eyewitness accounts, photos and video footage to name a few. "It would have been more blatant only if Bush had delivered a flying drop kick to Leinart's chest." But now our attention is turning to NBC as a possible co-conspirator. It appears the network fumbled this one, failing to show a replay for nearly three minutes and then uttering nary a word about the push afterward (registration).

OK, It All Makes Perfect Sense Now

Meet Tom Pounds, the man who not only took the flag and ran with it, but made it. Pounds came up with a crazy idea in October 2003. He made a Washington State flag, drove from Albuquerque to Austin, then before a national TV audience on ESPN's "GameDay," waved the sucker in the background. One problem: Washington State was playing in Pullman. But Cougar fans took note. Two weeks later, the same flag was being waved during a "GameDay" telecast from Madison while the Cougs were in Palo Alto. The following week, with "GameDay" in Bowling Green, it appeared again, even though the Cougs playing back in Pullman. Pound's crazy idea had snowballed and now the flag is Fed-Ex-ed around the country, from Cougar fan to Cougar fan, proudly displayed when possible at the site of ESPN's "GameDay."

Stink Over Pink Is Officially Over

Officials at Iowa have solved their problem over the pink visitor's locker rooms at Kinnick Stadium being sexist and homophobic by forwarding the issue to "an appropriate university committtee" for further study. Speaking of further study, whatever became of Molly Ringwald?

Columnists' Corner

Reggie Hayes, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel: Us sportswriters. We are so lucky. Notre Dame football is back.

Jason Whitlock, Kansas City Star: Missouri has a quarterback controversy, Kansas State may have found a quarterback and Kansas, well, it needs a quarterback (registration).

David Whitley, Orlando Sentinel: In college, cheerleaders look like somebody your mother would approve of. In the NFL, they look like somebody your father would approve of.

John Levesque, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Washington is 1-5, but it's a good 1-5. Right? Well, it better be. No. 1 USC is coming to town.

Reporters' Notebooks

Mike Baldwin, Oklahoman: It's six games into the Mike Gundy experiment at Oklahoma State. Version 1.0 is full of bugs (registration).

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: The critically acclaimed Hlist. As Steven Wright said: You can't have everything. Where would you put it? (subscription, so story is located in comments).

Chris Dempsey, Denver Post: Team Video Game, aka Texas Tech, enters the real world with a trip to Austin to play Texas.

Dick Harmon, Deseret Morning News: Brigham Young Coach Bronco Mendenhall said he has requested the use of instant replay at Notre Dame.

Dave Dye, Detroit News: For the first time in history, we actually had an end-of-the-half interview with substance.

Lorenzo Perez, Raleigh News Observer: You've heard of taking it one game at a time. Chuck Amato is telling his North Carolina State players to take it one practice at a time.

Crewcut Charlie: Officials Missed the Spot

As posted here Saturday night, the Pac-10 crew working the USC-Notre Dame game not only missed the infraction by Reggie Bush, but also the spot of the ball the previous play when Matt Leinart fumbled. Irish coach Charlie Weis said as much today. He also brings a new infraction into play: Pete Carroll's son, Brennan, signals for a timeout after Leinart's fumble when the Trojans didn't have any remaining. "They are out of the coach’s box and they are calling timeouts with no timeouts left. Now that's a penalty and that alone puts them out of touchdown scoring range and to field goal range," Crewcut said.
Update: Thanks to reader Mike for pointing this out in the NCAA Football Rules Book: When a team's timeouts are exhausted and it requests a timeout, the official should not acknowledge the request. Which is exactly what happened. Weis and AP got it wrong, there is no penalty. His on-the-money post is in comments.
Update II: We need to clarify Weis' comments. After reading an item in the South Bend Tribune, it's clear Weis was asking for a penalty for coaches being out of the box, not for trying to call a timeout they didn't have. Sorry, Charlie.

USC Wins When Push Comes to Shove

Yet another reason to have a former NFL coach guiding your college team. Officials say yes, Reggie Bush's push of Matt Leinart into the end zone (above) was a violation of the rules, as reported here Saturday. Coach Pete Carroll tells the Los Angeles Times he had seen the penalty called in the NFL, but not in the college game (wink, wink). So what was it like to be in Notre Dame Stadium in the final seconds? An enterprising fan (a future attorney, of course) smuggled a video camera into the stadium and the footage has found its way onto the Internet. It is shot from the Notre Dame student section, on the opposite side of the closing act. There are two clips. The first shows the play before Leinart scores and fans streaming onto the field, only to be ushered off. The second shows the stunned reaction when Leinart scores with the assist from Bush. Be careful of clip No. 2. It contains profanity, punishable by having to recite 10 Hail Marys.

Columnists' Corner

Norman Chad, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: If the new gambling movie, "Two for the Money" came out, say, 10 or 15 years ago, it might've ended Al Pacino's and Rene Russo's careers.

Andrew Bagnato, Arizona Republic: How painful was the Arizona-Stanford game to watch? Press row emptied to see the end of the USC-Notre Dame game.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Here's the bad news: Saturday's thrilling plate of games strengthens the reason for not having a playoff in the college game.

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: Everybody is fawning over USC, but there are plenty of reasons to be concerned if you're a Trojan fan (registration).

Pat Dooley, Gainesville Sun: The Florida offense is so bad it's enough to bring tears to the eyes of coach Urban Meyer.

Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star: Hey, maybe this Bill Callahan guy is a good coach after all.

Doug Segrest, Birmingham News: No relation to Ryan Secrest, but his collection of goodies should keep the buzz going from Saturday.

Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger: With all the parity there is now, teams deserve a second chance. It's time for a playoff.

Reporters' Notebooks

John Henderson, Denver Post: That crazy BCS poll returns today, and the man who has cracked the code says USC No. 1, Texas No. 2.

Bob Thomas, Florida Times-Union: Youth will be served. In this case, the youth of Florida State was served — with defeat.

Zack McMillin, Commercial Appeal: You should have been watching end runs instead of running errands for the wife.

Carl DuBois, Baton Rouge Advocate: It is better to receive than give, something Louisiana State needs to learn.

Rob Biertempfel, Tribune-Review: How bad is the Big East? The league's teams are 18-12 in nonconference play, with only 12 of the victories against Division I teams.

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: And you thought the Big 12 game of the season was Texas-Oklahoma. Ha! Fooled you again! (registration).

Chico Harlan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Where does a deflated Penn State go from here? "We go to Illinois," Joe Paterno says.

Week 8

It's going to be difficult to match this past week from the standpoint of drama, but why not give it a shot? USA Today lines are not up as of this posting, so the link to Covers.com is here.

It's Sunset on Arizona's Season

Although Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star sees hope for the hometown Wildcats, colleague Greg Hansen has a different view, saying Arizona now has "five meaningless games against Pac-10 opponents that smack their lips in anticipation of playing Mike Stoops' team." Hansen is not finished, saying "the junior college recruiting class was a total bust; wasted time and money in the recruiting budget. That failure falls on Stoops and no one else." His forecast: a 1-10 season.

The Pacific Northworst? Try Washington

It started in 1948, when Washington orchestrated the 1948 conference vote that sent California to the Rose Bowl instead of Oregon, screwing over their Northwest neighbor and spawning the bitterness that has marked the rivalry. It continued Saturday in a theater overflowing with full-throated supporters. The Ducks' Kellen Clemens put the Huskies in their place in a 45-21 rout at Autzen Stadium, the rowdiest venue in the Pac-10. Just make sure you don't wear a sweatshirt touting your love the for Ducks' opponent.

There's Just No Defense for This

Speaking of turning around a program, how about the job that Mike Gundy has done at Oklahoma State, taking a team that won 24 games the previous three seasons into one that likely won't win again until 2006. Texas A&M, given up for dead, pounded the Cowboys, 62-23, rolling up 694 yards. Oklahoma State fans are livid. So is Gundy, but he started it by running off several talented players when he took over for Les Miles (registration).

Safety Was the Best Course of Action

Glen Mason didn't look for safety on Saturday, but he no doubt was seeking it on Sunday. How else could you explain Minnesota's loss to Wisconsin? The Golden Gophers ran all over the Badgers, but instead of taking an intentional safety with 35 seconds remaining, Mason decided to punt the ball. The kick was blocked and the Badgers rumbled into the end zone for a winning touchdown. Mason didn't do a good job of explaining his logic afterward. Now the Badgers, known as the Big Ten's kingpin of negative recruiting, have plenty of ammo for another season. Oh, they have Paul Bunyan's Axe, too (registration).

You Might Have to Take This Sitting Down

Welcome to Morgantown, where per capita more sofas are burned after victories than any place in the galaxy. Don't leave this activity to amateurs. Oh no, this takes the hand of a skilled professional. Refining the practice can take years. And after West Virginia's stunning rally to defeat Louisville, the local Sofa King no doubt had a two-for-one sale. Left in the ashes are the Cardinals, whose season is officially a footnote.

Wizard Is a Loser With 2-5 Record

There were promises of grandeur, but now the losses are piling up and the bank account is dwindling after his second losing week of the season. If this keeps up, the man will be gambling, er "investing," the rent money in a couple of weeks. For the season, he stands a pedestrian 27-21-1 (56.3%) against the spread. To recap, his winners: Oklahoma, Nebraska. The losers: Michigan, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana State and Louisville.

Did USC Cheat and Win at Notre Dame?

It's history now, but did USC's Reggie Bush, left, commit an infraction when he helped push Matt Leinart into the end zone for the winning touchdown with three seconds left in the Trojans' 34-31 victory? According to the NCAA Football Rules Book, he did. Bush even acknowledged as much afterward. “I used all 200 pounds of my body to push Matt in,” he said. Rule 9, Section 3, Article 2B states: "The runner shall not grasp a teammate; and no other player of his team shall grasp, push, lift or charge into him to assist him in forward progress." The penalty for such an infraction is five yards from the basic spot. And on the previous play, what was up with the spot of the ball? Instead of being at the three-yard line (where the ball appeared to fly out of bounds after being fumbled by Leinart), it was put inside the one. We hear it was a Pac-10 crew, by the way.

Franchione Gets No Pat on Back From Dye

So what does Pat Dye, the former Auburn coach, think of the job Dennis Franchione has done at Texas A&M? Not much. "Are they pitiful? Those players stand around like they got lice falling off them. Alabama folks ought to be saying their prayers (Franchione is) in Texas." Dye said he watched part of the Aggies' loss to Colorado and couldn't believe Franchione's demeanor during the game: "They're being taken to the woodshed and he squatted down there on the sideline like he's watching a bobber in some creek bank somewhere. ... I don't understand that. If they go on and play like they're playing, I would say they will have a new football coach at Texas A&M next year."

This Weekend, Lawrence Is Going to the Dogs

Thank your mighty stars for the Lawrence Jayhawk Kennel Club's annual dog show. At least there will be something to do in town this weekend. After all, the hometown Jayhawks decided to move their home game with Oklahoma to another state! Although the athletic department will pocket $3 million more by moving the game to Arrowhead Stadium, local merchants will lose $1 million. Nothing quite like turning your back on the home folk.

Ducks Are No Longer Flying South

For a period of 10 years, Oregon fans had come to expect eight-to-11 win seasons. Then came last season, a crushing 5-6 campaign. But to his credit, coach Mike Bellotti identified the problem: Two of his former coordinators were now Pac-10 head coaches — Arizona State's Dirk Koetter and California's Jeff Tedford — and other former Duck assistants were scattered throughout the conference. Word was out on his old schemes. So Bellotti hired former BYU coach Gary Crowton the two went about installing a spread-option offense. Now Oregon, which averaged 25.6 points a game last season, is averaging 35 this season. And the Ducks are 5-1 and back in the rankings.

Someone Is Using Their Head

North Carolina is one of three universities, along with Virginia Tech and Oklahoma, using the Head Impact Telemetry system to study concussions. The system works like this: Six tiny sensor chips are embedded in the padding of a helmet. They measure the acceleration and deceleration of the head to determine the location and magnitude of any impact. A small radio imbedded in the helmet sends the information to a sideline unit, where a laptop computer analyzes and saves the data.

The Wizard and Week 7

His season record is 25-16-1 (60.9%) against the spread. Moments ago, he emerged from parts unknown with promises of financial gain for all. So click on the comments tab below and see how he plans to enrich our lives beyond our wildest imaginations.

Crewcut Charlie Fires Up the Troops

Why does Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis strike us as a guy who would size you up and ask, "What can I do today to get you in a LeSabre?" Well, old Crewcut himself made an appearance Friday night at Notre Dame Stadium and instructed the flock on how to cheer. "Don't be phonies. Don't just do it when you're prompted." Gee, how long have these people been watching football? Do they really need lessons? Crewcut then cranked it up a notch and offered a few lessons from the book of advanced cheering: Make noise when the Trojans have the ball and to be quiet when the Irish are on offense. "It will give us a chance at one of the best, greatest moments in Notre Dame history." But what might be the biggest factor (would we expect anything less from a used car salesman, er, coach) is the ankle-deep grass. Who is willing to bet that the sprinkler system accidentally will be left on overnight? By kickoff, the field could resemble New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Some might call it cheating.

Is It a Subtle Transfer of Power?

Penn State and Florida State are a combined 11-0. What has been the secret to success? It appears the Nittany Lions' Joe Paterno and the Seminoles' Bobby Bowden have delegated more responsibilities to assistant coaches than ever before. "I suppose I'm like most coaches now, standing on the sideline hoping somebody asks them a question," Bowden said. But each retains veto power. "There's this perception Joe has stepped back. But believe me: What Joe thinks is hands-off is not even close to hands-off," quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno said (some registration).

Columnists' Corner

Steve Kirk, Birmingham News: Alabama is back, but does it have staying power now that the Sports Illustrated jinx is in full force?

John Henderson, Denver Post: He has toured 64 campus, but one stands head and shoulders above them all.

Bud Withers, Seattle Times: A small class in 2003 and a brain-drained 2004 group has robbed Washington State of depth.

Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: These are strange times in the Big Ten, with the new "School Up North" being Michigan State.

Greg Hansen, Arizona Daily Star: The magnitude of USC's 39-first down, 724-yard hit against Arizona is finally settling in.

Reporters' Notebooks

John Henderson, Denver Post: "Beating USC For Dummies." In five easy steps, your team can knock the Trojans off their No. 1 perch.

Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A breakdown of Saturday's games in the Big Ten.

Orlando Sentinel (staff): A midterm look at Florida State, Miami, Florida and Central Florida. What about South Florida?

Crystal Ball

Double D, Boston Herald: Why are you even thinking about it? Lay the points and take the No. 1 team in the land, USC.

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: Something is amiss with that Utah State pick, but something has been amiss with his picks all season.

Jeff Schultz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: An impressive 5-1 last week and 22-16 for the fiscal year. Nice work! (registration)

Fab Five, Detroit News: We have a tie for the lead at 51-39. Note that the Michigan beat writer picks Penn State.

Betting Fool, San Francisco Chronicle: Pity the Fool! Coming off a 5-1 week, but is off to a rough start already.

Matt Youmans, Las Vegas Review-Journal: Give him the 12-0 lead and he'll take Notre Dame to cover.

His Name Is Urban Liar, Not Urban Meyer

Mike Freeman of the Jacksonville Times-Union said as much in a Sunday column about the Florida coach, who wasn't forthcoming about injuries to his players. "Was he playing me? Has he been playing all of us? Before Saturday, I would have said no. Now, after he fibbed with the ease of a boxing promoter, I don't know." Well, when Freeman returned to the office, he found that the Gator fans were quick to show their teeth, filling his voicemail and email boxes.

FBI: No Terror Link in Sooner Blast

Although no formal press conference has been held, the FBI is telling officials that it has found no connection between Joel Hinrichs, the student who died Oct. 1 from an explosion outside of Oklahoma's Memorial Stadium, and any terrorist organization. Although there are several things that will never be known about Hinrichs, the Oklahoma Daily is ready to put the story to rest. But the Jawa Report isn't convinced that Hinrichs acted alone. The impact reaches beyond Oklahoma, as officials at Arkansas will increase security at Razorback Stadium

Journalistic Objectivity Gets the Boot

ESPN has embedded veteran reporter Shelley Smith with the USC Trojans this fall, but she found herself in an awkward position in Oregon, having to don the green and yellow of the Ducks. "I was just hoping the USC bus didn't go by." Smith's 19-year-old daughter, Dylann Tharp, is a starting sophomore defender for the Oregon soccer team, and she had a rare opportunity to cheer her on.

Meet the Villain, Played by Brad Butler

Three seconds. Apparently, that's all we need now. Just click it, watch it, label it and move on. In his 22 years, Virginia offensive tackle Brad Butler had established a lifetime of good will. On Saturday, he had his three seconds of ignominy, a lunge at the back of a Boston College defender's legs. It's an act that has been replayed over and over again, dissected and criticized on a national level. It threatens to become his legacy. We shouldn't let it.
Earlier coverage: Our link to the video and the report that Mathias Kiwanuka will miss Saturday's game.

Columnists' Corner

Chico Harlan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Quite possibly the best sportswriting name since Don Drysdale of the old Sacramento Union. Oh yeah, he administers a midterm to Penn State.

Thomas George, Denver Post: Here's a guy with two first names! He says you've heard of Vince Young, but maybe after Saturday you will recognize slow and old Joel Klatt.

Andrew Bagnato, Arizona Republic: The list of unbeaten teams is down to nine, but given matchups, no more than five can survive to Dec. 4.

Dick Weiss, New York Daily News: The secret is out: Reggie Bush once dreamed of playing for Notre Dame.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: State of the art in the college game means to hire a pro coach like Pete Carroll or Crewcut Charlie Weis.

Chuck Culpepper, Newsday: It takes hours to find this gem in the paper's clunky site, but is presented in pristine condition here on the Wizard.

Reporters' Notebooks

Ted Miller, Seattle Post Intelligencer: You heard it here first, ladies and gentleman: Notre Dame is going to beat USC on Saturday.

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: Texas A&M and Oklahoma want to go bowling, but they might end up in the alley.

Deseret News (no byline): Who invited Texas Christian to the Mountain West party? The Horned Frogs already have leapfrogged the competition.

Jim Masilak, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Conference USA is still searching for an identity after losing the likes of Louisville, TCU and South Florida.

Michael Pointer, Indianapolis Star: It could be one of those seasons where a 6-2 conference record is good enough to win the Big Ten.

Brian J. Pedersen, Arizona Daily Star: Team Hollywood, aka USC, is getting bad reviews for its latest project, a pedestrian 42-21 win over Arizona.

Crystal Ball

Lenn Robbins, New York Post: The Pigskin Profit's deficit continues to grow. He is 12-17-1 against the numbers (registration).

Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal: Here is a vote for taking Kansas and the points in the Great Handicap Challenge.

Victim of Cheap Shot Is Likely Out

Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka is unlikely to play against Wake Forest because of a right knee injury. The injury, which is described as a sprained or slightly torn medial collateral ligament, may have been the result of a cheap shot by Virginia's Brad Butler. Kiwanuka also said he was upset that Butler was given only a one-game suspension. “There’s nothing that could have satisfied me.” Eagle coach Tom O'Brien also told the Boston Herald that he spoke Monday to Virginia counterpart Al Groh about the incident before Butler was suspended. After watching Butler's cheap shot, an incensed Boston College offensive line led a punishing nine-play, 72-yard scoring drive that turned around the game.

USC or Notre Dame? Notre Dame or USC?

Because outspoken analyst Trev Alberts is no longer making crazy predictions on ESPN, UNLV coach Mike Sanford is quickly moving up the ranks as one of the foremost authorities on the USC-Notre Dame rivalry. He played at USC, coached at both schools and his daughter was a cheerleader at Notre Dame. So which team is he cheering for? Click here to find out.

Credit Us With an Unassisted Tackle Please

What in the name in Jim Thorpe is going on? Here's another example of why we dislike awards. Northwestern linebacker Tim McGarigle has just been named the Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week. OK, he did have 25 tackles against Wisconsin, one shy of the NCAA single-game record, but his team gave up 48 points! And while we're on the case, the Big Ten has put its foot down, saying no more postgame taunting of an opponent. This after Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney tried to plant a huge Minnesota flag in the FieldTurf at Michigan Stadium. That's FieldTurf, as in the carpet stuff, not natural grass. No wonder it didn't stick.

Reality Check: One Final Insult From Butkus

Dick Butkus has had enough of these shenanigans. The Hall of Fame linebacker, who became the pseudo head coach of Montour High for the ESPN reality show "Bound for Glory," has called it quits after a 1-6 start. Actually, he told Montour's real head coach he was bailing because he had fulfilled his contract for the show. "He wouldn't really talk to us at all during practice, then he'd come out and start yelling at us at the end," said senior linebacker Morgan Singletary, who we can only hope is no relation to Mike Singletary, someone who really could do something about this national outrage.

They Look Forward to Facing the Axe

Let me get this right. Minnesota already has the Little Brown Jug, now it wants Paul Bunyan's Axe? What's next, Floyd of Rosedale, that bronzed pig? It can't have the Axe and the Pig at the same time, can it? They might as well start filming "Lethal Weapon 5" if that happens. College football is filled with odd traditions, but one of the more unusual comes when rivals face off for something more tangible than bragging rights. They play for trophies that appear as if they should be hidden in someone's attic or sold for next to nothing at a garage sale.

Columnists' Corner

Dick Harmon, Deseret Morning News: Upon further review, the Mountain West needs to add cameras on the goal lines for replay.

Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: We know the price of gas is high, but now comes word that West Virginia is running on fumes as it prepares for Louisville.

Tim Prister, Indianapolis Star: Crewcut Charlie Weis appears to be fawning over USC, but he's just sending up smoke signals.

Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: What do Johnny Majors and the Mid-Majors have in common? They're both out of it.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Register: What we've seen, what we've missed and what we can expect to see in the second half of the season in the SEC.

Reporters' Notebooks

Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Who says time heals? Notre Dame wants revenge from USC for those bitter losses of 1948 and 1964 (Ray is a busy man today).

Chad Hartley, Reno Gazette-Journal: It's clear Boise State is not the feared team it once was and can be had, even on the dreaded blue turf.

Anthony Hanshew, Huntington Herald-Dispatch: Central Florida, which had lost 17 in a row, has now won three in a row and is the team to beat in Conference USA.

Jeff D'Alessio, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: We wonder if he gets paid double for doing an SEC and an ACC notebook in the same day (registration).

Andrew Bagnato, Arizona Republic: Who Drew this up? UCLA's Maurice Drew is worthy of Heisman consideration.

Natalie Meisler, Denver Post: Tired of those TBAs in the MWC? It's about to come to an end. We had the same initial reaction, too.

Bob Clark, Eugene Register-Guard: The Pac-10 is a conference known for its offense, but two coaches find themselves on the defensive.

ESPN's 'GameDay' Sets Viewing Record

The network said its "GameDay" telecast from the Penn State-Ohio State game averaged 1,861,000 households, a record for the show. As for the game itself, it averaged 4,435,000 households to become the second-most watched regular-season college football telecast in the network's history. Only the Florida State-Miami game of Oct. 8, 1994 drew a bigger audience.

So Why Can't Kentucky Get It Going?

You're telling me Baylor is 4-1? That's as ludicrous as saying Vanderbilt is 4-2! Wait, Vanderbilt is 4-2. What is going on here? Baylor was 0-37 in Big 12 Conference road games until Saturday, and now the coach, Guy Morriss, is saying the Bears should be 5-0? All this yet Morriss' former team, Kentucky, remains just plain awful. Maybe it's time for the Wildcats to humbly stand at the altar of the gridiron gods with an apology for all past affronts (some registration).

Just Another Game in the Silver State

You have been able to wager on games involving Nevada and UNLV for a couple of years now in Nevada, so what impact has it had on the gaming public? "None," said Ray, the guy working the sportsbook at the Eldorado in Reno. "People just aren't into it."

Columnists' Corner

Art Thiel, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: There is tooth decay and there is talent decay. Can you guess which one the Washington Huskies are battling?

Jenni Carlson, Oklahoman: When Baylor beat Iowa State, reality set in: Oklahoma State is the worst team in the Big 12 (registration).

Pat Dooley, Gainesville Sun: If you're in a sports bar and see the Florida score crawl across the bottom of a TV screen, don't get all giddy and rush to judgment.

Nashville Tennessean (no byline): Tennessee couldn't stop Georgia, but I betcha those BCS computers sure as heck can.

Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star: A loss feels better than a win? Strange as it seems, that appears to be the case in Lincoln.

Reporters' Notebooks

Chris Dempsey, Denver Post: There are many great mysteries in the world, but none more challenging to solve than the collapse of Texas A&M.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: We're not sure what drives this guy to such madness each week, but if he keeps writing, we'll keep posting (subscription, so story is posted in comments).

George Schroeder, Oklahoman: Now there are questions if Oklahoma, once thought to be national title contender, can become bowl eligible (registration).

Reggie Hayes, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel: Crewcut Charlie Weis guarantees an upset by Notre Dame if USC's Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White miss the flight from L.A.

It's Getting Really, Really Ugly in Ann Arbor

You know you have trouble when the Michigan Daily has the "other" team on its cover, holding the Little Brown Jug — our jug — no less! Yes, Wolverine cornerback Leon Hall said some teammates may have been loafing on the play that led to the loss to Minnesota, but Michigan hasn't lost two in a row since 1999. Now the Wolverines are getting ready for a visit from Penn State. How about Joe Paterno against Bobby Bowden in the Rose Bowl for all the marbles? And who cares if Paterno cost Penn State a recruit for getting uptight before the Ohio State game. The Nittany Lions are 6-0. That's all that matters, right? (some registration).

Is All Normal in Norman?

Despite a flow of reports that Joel Hinrichs, the Oklahoma student who died in a blast outside of Memorial Stadium on Oct. 1, acted alone, the legion of skeptics continues to grow. The Oklahoma Daily, the university's independent campus paper, has called on the FBI to open its files and tell the public what it knows. Good luck with that one. And an internet publication in Nebraska has an interesting piece telling what it was like to be in the stadium during the explosion. All the attention might be catching the interest of the mainstream media, as CBS says it is checking into the story.

Cavaliers' Butler Suspended for One Game

Virginia's long-awaited decision on discipline for Brad Butler was announced: one game. The offensive tackle will sit when the Cavaliers play host to Florida State on Saturday. Is one game enough for trying to end the playing career of Boston College's Mathias Kiwanuka? Said Butler: "I've never been one to play outside of the rules. ... I regret this event occurred and have put the incident behind me." Some apology, eh? Butler didn't sound sorry after the game, either. It took Virginia more than 48 hours to make a decision, and coach Al Groh still doesn't seem to get it.

Video of One of the Dirtiest of Plays

Simply put, this is as cheap of a shot as you'll ever see. Virginia tackle Brad Butler takes down Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka during the third quarter of Saturday's game at Chestnut Hill. Click here to see the video, thanks to our friends at atleagle blog. Virginia officials have yet to discipline Butler and Boston College coach Tom O'Brien is sending the video to the ACC. Tom Luicci of the Newark Star-Ledger has called on the conference to come down hard on Butler. We couldn't agree more. And the game officials really missed on this one, keeping Butler in the game and ejecting the Eagles' Alvin Washington. Update: Click here to see the You Tube video.

Columnists' Corner

Pete Thamel, New York Times: A strong entry breaking down the nine unbeaten teams, with the toughest game remaining and a synopsis of what each has accomplished (registration).

Norman Chad, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: He breaks from the World Series of Poker to let us know that although USC has covered in 20 of its last 29, he plans to wager on Notre Dame.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Last season, Texas knocked Cal out of a BCS bowl. Might a similar fate be awaiting the Longhorns this season?

Andrew Bagnato, Arizona Republic: Whispers out of the desert suggest that Fiesta Bowl officials are hoping to get a shot at Penn State.

Carl Dubois, Baton Rouge Advocate: Don't look now SEC, but LSU is 3-1 with its next four games at home.

John Shipley, St. Paul Pioneer Press: It's a new world disorder in the Big Ten, with some bullies you haven't seen before (registration).

Doug Segrest, Birmingham News: Unless you had three TVs and two radios going Saturday, you probably missed some of this.

Hinrichs' Father Issues Apology

The father of Joel Hinrichs III, the Oklahoma student who died in a blast outside Memorial Stadium on Oct. 1, said he wanted to specifically apologize to the Muslim students who were shackled and questioned during the investigation, apartment residents who had to be evacuated, and "the hundreds of thousands of future OU sporting event attendees who will now endure even more rigorous, restrictive search and carry restrictions." Joel Hinrichs Jr. also said his son was mesmerized with bombs and that he bought artillery shells on eBay. The Enid News says the beefed up security and searches at Oklahoma games is a necessity (some registration).

New Rules and a Lawsuit in Orlando

Central Florida played its first home game since the tragic shooting death of campus police officer Mario Jenkins, and officials had their first test of new policies designed to cut down on illegal drinking. Witnesses have now given a chilling account about the timeline leading to Jenkins' death. It appears police and tailgaters have been at odds for many years in Orlando. A woman has filed suit against the city and two officers alleging they engaged in false arrest and malicious prosecution during a Central Florida tailgate on Oct. 25, 2003. Police used a Taser on the woman after knocking her to the ground. The Orlando Sentinel provides photos from a video of the incident. Unfortunately, at this posting a video link of the incident is broken.

Week 7

What is it with the corporate media? Don't they know we have games to study in order to fatten our Swiss bank accounts? Once again, behemoth USA Today is slow getting the lines posted, so we are providing the link to the numbers from Covers.com. The action starts Thursday. Go get 'em, boys!

Iowa Could Be Team to Beat in Big Ten

You don't really think Penn State is going to go undefeated now, do you? Ron Maly, in his excellent blog, doesn't buy it and makes an argument for Iowa to emerge as the Big Ten champion. Only two weeks ago, the Hawkeyes were demolished at Ohio State, but have completed the most rigorous portion of their schedule. Penn State has three of its final five games on the road, including trips to Ann Arbor and East Lansing.

This Loss Is Nearly Un-Bearable

How did California lose to UCLA, considering the Golden Bears blew leads of 14-0, 27-14 and 40-28? Perspective doesn't come easy after the 47-40 loss at the Rose Bowl. But the Bears' fate now rests in the hands of others if they hope to play in a BCS game. A season with sky-high aspirations may have to be scaled back.

It's 13 and Oh-No for the Crimson Tide

Don't think for a minute that undefeated teams don't have problems. Alabama, like Auburn last season, could finish 13-0 and be left out of the BCS title game. What's preventing the Crimson Tide from going to Pasadena? USC and Texas for starters, then there is Virginia Tech. And don't forget Florida State.

How Low Can It Go? Ask the Cougars

Washington State was strutting its stuff with a 3-0 record and looking at 5-0 with games against struggling Oregon State and Stanford. Now it is 3-2 and the Cougars are arguably are the worst team in the Pac-10. And to make matters worse, a team with a real swagger, UCLA, is coming to Pullman, followed by games at California and USC.

First, You Must Admit You Have a Problem

Therapists could have made a killing outside of Michigan Stadium, where 100,000-plus filed out in a state of depression after the Wolverines lost to Minnesota. Michigan is 3-3, its worst start since 1990. The offense seems clueless, the defense is beat up and Wolverine pride is shredded. And to add insult, the Golden Gophers celebrated their first win over Michigan since 1986 (and the rights to the Little Brown Jug) by planting a flag at midfield.

Wizard Finishes a Disappointing 4-3

UCLA scores on the last play to cover, sending the Wizard to a bitter loss and a 4-3 week. He sits at 25-16-1 (60.9%) against the spread. Winners: Indiana, Colorado, Missouri and Baylor. Losers: California, New Mexico and Washington State.

Ring One Up for the SEC

Remember the old, carefree days of college, when all you had to worry about was growing another strain of penicillin amongst the dirty dishes in the sink of your messy apartment? My, how times change. Now you're all grown up and have a steady job as an official in the Southeastern Conference. Oh sure, those shirts with the optic-white stripes and V-neck, double-stitched collars aren't going to make a fashion statement (I mean, who would be caught dead wearing that down the catwalk in Paris? Pleaasse!) But you have a job with meaning, with substance over style. Yes, you are required to enforce the SEC rule that bans cowbells at games.

The Sunshine Law Still Shines in Hawaii

Now everybody, raise your glass and toast the Hawaii Office of Information Practices. The governing body has stepped in and told the Stadium Authority that it has violated the state's "Sunshine Law" by voting to proceed with a ban on drinking alcohol in the parking lot of Aloha Stadium for Hawaii home games. As a result, the authority will have to vote again on the ban at its next public meeting on Oct. 27, meaning the earliest that a ban could take effect would be after Hawaii's last home game, Dec. 3 against San Diego State. We'll drink to that!

One Issue, Two Sides

Three arguments you can never win: 1. religion; 2. politics; 3. the NCAA's decision to crack down on "hostile or abusive" nicknames or logos. That said, the Reno Gazette-Journal decided to take on issue No. 3 this week. Nothing was solved, but much like "Crossfire," the late, great CNN standard, the Wizard enjoyed the fight. Now if only CNN would cut Wolf Blitzer's daily airtime back to a single digits, maybe "Crossfire" could make a triumphant return.

Tapes Offer Few Clues, Stories Differ

More conflicting information out of Oklahoma. The Oklahoman reports that FBI investigators have finished a review of security tapes around Memorial Stadium and they do not show Joel Hinrichs trying to gain entrance during the Kansas State-Oklahoma game. At the same time, WorldNetDaily reported that the warrant used to search Hinrichs' apartment has been sealed by a federal court at the request of the Justice Department. So if there is nothing to fear, what gives? The Oklahoman story contains an interview with a bus driver who had just walked past Hinrichs when the blast occurred that killed the student. No other individuals have been linked to the blast, but officials continue to investigate possible ties to Islamic groups after learning Hinrichs' roommate is from Pakistan. The Muslim community is fearing association with Hinrichs and is reaching out to the community. But when the Sooners return to Memorial Stadium on Oct. 22 to play Baylor, expect security measures to be tightened. The Counterterrorism blog also has picked up the story, as has The Jawa Report. (some registration required).

The Wizard and Week 6

His season record is 21-13-1 (61.7%) against the spread. He has tightened the chinstrap after his first losing week and sneers at anybody who dares peek inside his cage. Click on comments for his selections.

More Disturbing Information on Bomber

Colorado Springs' KKTV reports that Joel Hinrichs tried several times to enter Memorial Stadium but was turned away when he refused to allow officials to search his backpack. The station also reports that the bomb Hinrichs carried was radio controlled. You can see the report by clicking here and then selecting "OU Bombing Update" from the featured videos on the right-hand side.

Oklahoma Officials Try to Quell Fears

Did Joel Hinrichs, the Oklahoma student who committed suicide by apparently blowing upself up outside the Kansas State-Oklahoma game, try to get a ticket into Memorial Stadium? Officials say no, and FBI agents have found nothing to indicate Hinrichs tried to enter (registration).

Columnists' Corner

Carter Strickland, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A must-read. He finally tracks down Phil Fulmer and learns he doesn't know a thing about X's and Os (registration).

Ted Lewis, New Orleans Times-Picayune: Brian Bosworth and Cedric Benson agree: Texas approaches the Oklahoma game trying not to lose.

John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader: How long do coaches hold a grudge? If the topic is Steve Spurrier, that grudge can last a lifetime.

Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The loss to North Carolina State will turn up the heat on Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey (registration).

Reporters' Notebooks

Chad Hartley, Reno Gazette-Journal: Yet more discussion about a Hawaii-Fresno State game in Japan in his look at the WAC.

Andrew Bagnato, Arizona Republic: Who needs a playoff? The Pac-10 has its own version, with a semifinal Saturday between Cal and UCLA.

Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Mack Brown is trying to downplay the importance of Texas-Oklahoma. Check back late Saturday to see how he feels (registration).

Crystal Ball

John P. Lopez, Houston Chronicle: Could he possibly be related to George Lopez? Nah, George could do better than 20-18 for the season.

Fab Five, Detroit News: Let's just hope the paper didn't violate any NCAA rules when putting this team together.

Double D, Boston Herald: Who said the spread is dead? D will lay the points and take the Gators.

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: He claims to have gone 5-1 last week. We looked back on his picks and he was 1-5. Can you say correction?

FBI Looking for Clues Into Bombing

The FBI is continuing its investigation into Joel Henry Hinrichs III, the Oklahoma student who committed suicide by apparently blowing himself up outside Memorial Stadium last Saturday during the Kansas State-Oklahoma game. According to the Oklahoman, Hinrichs raised suspicions of a Norman feed store manager and an off-duty Norman police officer Sept. 28 when he tried to buy the type of fertilizer used in the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building. The paper earlier reported that other bomb material was found in the student's apartment. The student newspaper, the Oklahoma Daily, profiles Hinrichs (some registration required).

Report: NCAA Probes UNLV Transfers

What better place to recruit than off USC's talent-laden roster? Sources tell the Daily News of Los Angeles that the NCAA has opened an investigation into the transfers of former USC players Rocky Hinds and Eric Wright to UNLV.

Has Paterno Restored Lions' Roar?

It started Sunday night. A group of students pitched tents outside of Gate A at Beaver Stadium so they can have front-row seats for Saturday's game against Ohio State. The new community is dubbed "Paternoville." An influx of speed (registration) has helped Joe Paterno's team race to a 5-0 start, but is it all a mirage? (subscription, so story is located in comments).

Crystal Ball

Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal: Week 5 of the Great Handicapper Challenger, and the author is falling far off the pace.

Lenn Robbins, New York Post: He's 10-14-1. Maybe the safe bet here is to look at his picks and take the other side (registration).

Columnists' Corner

Chuck Culpepper, Newsday: Did USC spend too much time at the pregame mirror last Saturday. He'll tell you the answer.

Jim Mashek, Biloxi Sun Herald: Alabama, the beast of the Southeast, is back. God help us all.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: First is Texas-Oklahoma, followed by an item on the use of "trimming" by the Harris Poll.

Greg Hansen, Arizona Daily Star: The fans have spoken. Consider Mike Stoops' honeymoon over at Arizona.

Bud Withers, Seattle Times: Play it again, Pac-10. The conference is leading the way in use of instant replay. No wonder games are so long.

Caulton Tudor, Raleigh News & Observer: N.C. State's Chuck Amato is only 20-22 against ACC foes, with eight of those wins against Duke and Wake Forest.

Are They Talking About This Site?

You be the judge. From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick almost got away with his bad-boy act during the Hokies' 34-17 victory over West Virginia last Saturday. He forgot about the internet. Immature behavior captured in an image and lifted onto the internet is a new concern facing college coaches and their star athletes." Read all about it by clicking here.

'They Would Bet on a Cockroach Fight'

Slightly off topic, but the Wizard enjoyed both of these pieces. The first deals with the hypocrisy of the NFL. The league continues to blackball Las Vegas when it comes to expansion talk and even fights to keep the city's tourism ads off its telecasts. Yet the NFL holds a game in Mexico, where sports betting is legal. Do you think 100,000 Mexicans packed Azteca Stadium to see Kevan Barlow run off tackle? Next up for the NFL? London, where gambling parlors are as common as McDonald's. And then there is Mississippi. Religious leaders have protested moving casinos to land, arguing that they foster gambling addiction. But now with the economy battered because of Hurricane Katrina, the state is bending the rules. Of course, casinos in Mississippi employ almost 29,000 people and bring in $500,000 a day in state revenue.

Father: NCAA Needs to Tackle This Issue

The college career of Texas El Paso's Chris Mineo likely is over and the father of the Miners' standout defensive lineman is upset at NCAA for allowing blocks below the waist. Mineo was the victim of a cut-block in the loss to Memphis. A chop-block, similar to a cut-block, is illegal.

New Hash Marks on Iowa's Home Turf

Someone apparently sneaked past security last week at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium and used herbicide to carve a message into the turf. "This is pretty infuriating actually. I just don't understand why someone would do that on the middle of the field."

Crackdown on Tailgating Continues

Count Hawaii among the schools getting tough with tailgaters. The Stadium Authority in Honolulu has voted to recommend a ban on alcohol at tailgate parties, which includes Hawaii games at Aloha Stadium. What makes this interesting is that you can still purchase alcohol inside the stadium. So if you can't have an adult beverage in Hawaii, what is one to do? How about schedule a game in Japan? Hawaii and Fresno State officials have been talking about this, but it might be a year or two off.

Columnists' Corner

David Teel, Newport News Daily Press: Saturday's Washington-UCLA game will go down as the only matchup this season between African-American Division I coaches.

Barry Tramel, Oklahoman: Meet Bob Stoops, the Oklahoma coach paid $2.4 million a year to beat Texas (registration).

Andrew Bagnato, Arizona Republic: All of a sudden Joe Paterno, the man in the Coke-bottle glasses, is a genius again.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Register: How did Mike Shula and the Crimson Tide become the most feared team in the SEC?

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: Who is to blame for Florida's 31-3 loss to Alabama? Ron Zook, of course.

Reporters' Notebooks

Bob Clark, Eugene Register-Guard: That creampuff nonconference schedule could give California the edge over Arizona State if the Pac-10 were to get a second berth to a BCS bowl.

Natalie Meisler, Denver Post: Texas Christian could put an early end to the Mountain West race with a victory at Wyoming.

Craig Smith, Seattle Times: Washington State coach Bill Doba, upset over losing linebacker Will Derting, said games are taking too long and contributing to injuries.

John Gambadoro, Arizona Republic: Arizona State must learn to run the ball if it ever hopes to be a team the caliber of USC.

Department of We Won't Get Fooled Again

Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune is angry over the Golden Gophers' 44-14 loss at Penn State, saying Glen Mason's players didn't try (ouch!). Says Reusse: "If Mason's athletes go into Michigan on Saturday, roll over and submit to another pounding, then it will be clear that a Sun Bowl, a Music City Bowl or an Insight Bowl is as far as Mason can take the Gophers." (registration).

In Corvallis, They'll Read It and Sheep

Oregon State defensive tackle Ben Siegert was arrested last March and cited for DUI. That's only part of the story. Siegert was driving around Corvallis with a ram in the back of his pickup. This wasn't any old ram. It was taken from the Oregon State Sheep Center and was involved in a 10-year-old study on homosexuality in sheep. Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has a humorous column about the incident. Thanks to MWC for pointing out this beaut.

Opponents Are Covering the Spread

No fullback to knock down blitzing linebackers or corners. Receivers forced to block linebackers. Eighteen sacks, most given up in the SEC. The Gators have one touchdown in games against quality teams (Tennessee and Alabama), that coming on a trick play. It has become painfully evident that Urban Meyer's spread offense isn't working and may never work in the SEC, where the players are bigger and run faster than they do in the Mountain West or Mid-American conferences.

Actually Marcus, Virginia Tech Is No. 3

Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick is caught brandishing his middle finger at West Virginia fans after running out of bounds in the third quarter of Saturday's game. The image, taken from the ESPN telecast, happened after a second-quarter incident where Vick delivered a forearm to the back of a West Virginia assistant coach's head. Virginia Tech said Vick, who has a history of troublesome behavior, will not be disciplined. Mountaineer fans experienced a similar episode last season when Chris Henry flipped off Rutgers fans. Now they are wondering if Vick's actions will be treated with the same national outrage.

Where Is the FCC When You Really Need It?

John Feinstein, whose writing credits include "A Season On The Brink," used a "highly profane word" directed at referees during a broadcast of the Navy-Duke game. Feinstein, who is in his ninth season as a color commentator for Midshipmen broadcasts, offered to resign afterward, but Navy officials rejected it (registration).

Reporters' Notebooks

Jim Moore, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: He names names, even if Washington doesn't on its jerseys. Also, check out the shot a Husky coed delivers to Washington State coeds over the upcoming "spread" in Playboy.

Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Bulletin: Hawaii is trying to shore up its not-so-special teams after numerous errors in the loss to Boise State.

Bryan Mullen, Nashville Tennessean: This isn't the kind of hard-nosed football we've come to expect from Vanderbilt.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: It's a journey into the past, and Penn State's Joe Paterno has stood the test of time (subscription, so story is in comments).

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Oh, the horror! And it's not even Halloween. What if the ACC and SEC champions, both undefeated, get locked out of the BCS title game? (registration).

Michael Vega, Boston Globe: Boston College coach Tom O'Brien makes Virginia sound like the second coming of USC (registration).

Can Tide Keep It Rolling Without Prothro?

Most Alabama fans appear to be backing coach Mike Shula's decision to keep his first team in with a 31-3 lead against Florida. But the Crimson Tide's season could take a turn after gamebreaking receiver Tyrone Prothro suffered a gruesome break of his left leg. Quarterback Brodie Croyle was lost last season under similar circumstances. Because fewer than nine minutes were left in Saturday's game, Shula has received a hailstorm of criticism.

Plenty of Questions, but Few Answers

Officials at Central Florida are considering new policies in the aftermath of the Sept. 24 shooting death of campus police officer Mario Jenkins. Jenkins was working an undercover operation aimed at stopping illegal drinking before the Knights' game against Marshall when he was shot and killed by a reserve officer for the Orlando Police Department. Student leaders say university officials are blaming underage drinking for Jenkins' tragic death and that the policy of using undercover agents should be examined, a viewed back by an editorial in the Orlando Sentinel. Jenkins' funeral was Saturday.

Hokies' Vick Appears to Hit Coach

Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick appears to hit the back of a West Virginia assistant coach's head with his right a forearm during Saturday's game in Morgantown. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Vick also made an obscene gesture to Mountaineer fans and had a run-in with West Virginia cornerback Dee McCann in the third quarter. Vick issued an vague apology Sunday, but will not be disciplined. Here is a link to the video from the ESPN telecast in slow motion. Here is a link to the entire play as it was telecast. If anybody knows the whereabouts of a photo of Vick making the alleged gesture, please let us know.

What Did Cal Players Know?

Sources tell the San Francisco Chronicle that law enforcement officials are examining the level of cooperation by California players into their knowledge of the July 17 shooting death of a Dartmouth student on College Avenue.

Columnists' Corner

Dick Weiss, New York Daily News: Florida's Urban Meyer suddenly appears to have quarterback problems.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Just like old times. Alabama, Penn State, Notre Dame and Nebraska are a combined 18-1.

Tom Luicci, Newark Star-Ledger: His piece leads off with a comment about Marcus Vick's conduct in Morgantown.

Mike Huguenin, Orlando Sentinel: It's a showdown Saturday, with no less than seven games that will have enormous impact.

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: The Big One and the Little Eleven. He sizes up the Big 12 race (registration).

Week 6

The season is marching along. Once again, the USA Today lines are not up as of this posting, so you can click here and get a head start with the numbers from Covers.com. Games start Tuesday. If anybody has any wisdom or insight, click comments and fire away.

No Rave Review for This Sequel

Regardless of the circumstances, every team has an opponent it always struggles with. For Washington, that team is UCLA. The Huskies outplayed the Bruins for much of the game and held a 17-7 lead entering the fourth quarter, only to lose when UCLA scored with 1:08 left for a 21-17 victory. Washington fans have seen this repeated over and over again against the Bruins. And Washington fans aren't the only ones upset. An editorial in the Daily Bruin, UCLA's student newspaper, expresses outrage over a steep hike in ticket prices for students.

Make That 26 in a Row and Counting

Why pass when you can run? USC spotted Arizona State a 21-3 lead, then methodically went about its business of winning by putting the ball in the hands of LenDale White and Reggie Bush and dismantled the Sun Devils, 38-28. The outcome might have been different if, say, Arizona State had a runner the caliber of Bush. In the meantime, the USC song girls can dance the night away. They will just have to deal with it along Mill Avenue in Tempe.

Strange Going-Ons in Norman

Kansas State, in coach Bill Snyder's words, got its "fannies waxed" by Oklahoma, 43-21, a performance that included a gift safety when the Wildcats snapped the ball out of the end zone because punter Tim Reyer was watching the play develop from the sideline. To add to the bizarre evening, an explosion outside the stadium during the second quarter killed a person. A second explosive device was later found and detonated (registrations).

Yet Another Case of Fraud Exposed

Alabama put a good, old-fashioned beating on Florida, 31-3, giving Urban Meyer his first loss in 21 games. The bad news for Meyer, the architect of the cutting edge spread offense? He was severely outcoached by Mike Shula (some registration required).

What Goes Around Comes Around

A Paris Hilton engagement lasts longer than this. Steve Spurrier, once the darling of South Carolina fans, gets booed and the Gamecocks get drilled by Auburn, 48-7. How bad was it? Before South Carolina ran its first play, it had to call a timeout. Then after its first play, an incomplete pass from first-time starter Antonio Heffner, the Gamecocks called another timeout. This time they set up a one-yard loss (registration).

Wizard Goes 3-4 for First Losing Week

It happens to the best of them. The man falls to 21-13-1 (61.7%) against the spread. Winners: Oklahoma, Alabama Birmingham, Baylor. Losers: Miami, Michigan State, Minnesota, Washington State.

Good Things Happen to Those Who Believe

Although it looks like Benny Hinn is ready to signal touchdown Pittsburgh, he's not. We actually think he's trying to raise some cash. One can only hope it will be used to buy out the contract of Panther Coach Dave Wannstedt, who in record time has taken a team that played in a BCS bowl and sent it back to the dark ages. Oh yes, there were people who doubted Wannstedt had such ability, but those were the same souls who said Hinn couldn't find a cure for the common cold. Ha! The fools! Look who's laughing now! The Scarlet Knight faithful certainly are. And why not? It's arguably the biggest win for the program since that memorable 6-4 victory over Princeton in 1869.

The Wizard and Week 5

After another exhaustive search for any edge in this competitive business, the man emerges with his Magnificent Seven. He is 18-9-1 (64.2%) against the spread. Click on the comments tab for his selections.