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Bottoms Up to Louisiana State, Kansas State

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2009 list of "America's Best Colleges." Congratulations to those Division I-A football-playing universities that made the top 25 — Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Rice, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Virginia, UCLA, California — but let's get to the meat of the post: schools that didn't fare as well.

The associated ranking numbers of Tier I schools end at 130, so let's examine I-A universities in the bottom 25 of the 130. Louisiana State and Kansas State were ranked 130th, followed by Utah (127th).

Colorado State and Arkansas were tied at 125th, then came Arizona State (121st). Ohio, Kentucky and Washington State were grouped at 116, and Brigham Young and Texas Christian were tied at 113.

Rounding out the list were Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee, all tied at 108.

Arnold: Never Question My Hawk Loyalty

About that stop Tom Arnold made last week to an Alabama practice. The pride of Ottumwa, Iowa, now says he hasn't turned his back on the homestate Hawkeyes and that his trip to Tuscaloosa was in part because his girlfriend went to Alabama.

Arnold fired off an email to Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette to clear things up after Hlas had fun with Arnold's appearance in T-town, asking if the actor/comedian had become "Benedict Arnold."

Arnold wrote: "Okay, slam my work BUT NEVER question my Hawk Loyalty..my G-Friend went to Bama..she’s got a place there, Nick Saban used to coach in the Big 10..so I took my godson, his mom and sisters to a closed practice with the AD to watch and say hello to Nick. (I did remind him of the Capital One Bowl a few years back and he’s a great guys so.. My godson, who’s the best 8 year old quarterback in Brentwood California, is being forced to go to Alabama (unless he gets into Harvard) by is mother.

"Of course I’ve pitched Iowa City but as you all know, with women, you’ve got to pick your battles and since he’s only 8..well…and while I’m here, where’s the Hawk Loyalty for OUR COACH??? He could’ve dumped us years ago..could’ve been head coach of the NY Giants, World Champs, but no, he’s loyal, so let’s try to stay off the man’s butt…we’re better than that. Tom"

Kansas Tries to Plug Security Leak

Kansas' $31 million upgrade to its football facilities was the source of much excitement in Lawrence, but that quickly subsided earlier this month when Mark Mangino marched his players onto two new practice fields. The big guy apparently realized that anybody could watch what the Jayhawks were doing.

Now the athletic department is going to spend another $90,000 in an attempt to give the team more privacy. Officials plan to plant 100 pine trees — ranging in height from 10 to 20 feet — around the fields beginning this week.

Mangino said Friday night that this has nothing to do with security, but associate athletic director Jim Marchiony told the Lawrence Journal-World otherwise.

“The real reason,” he said, “is just to allow for more privacy during practice with respect to how much can be seen and heard.”

Reporters Notebooks

Bart Wright, Greenville News: The spread offense continues to gain popularity in the college game, but the NFL takes a different view of the offense. Spread quarterbacks are often passed up by NFL teams because pro teams don't want to invest the time in training a player to work under center.

Palm Beach Post: Yes, he said it. Florida Atlantic's Howard Schnellenberger denied he questioned Texas' toughness, but video shows otherwise.

Ryan Finley, Arizona Daily Star: Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught six touchdown passes in 2007, has been diagnosed with strep throat and is being tested for mononucleosis. He's questionable for the opener against Idaho and could miss a month or more should he test positive for mono.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: An Alabama fan who started going to games when he was 11 has calculated that the Crimson Tide's chances of winning improve by 8% when he is in attendance.

Caulton Tudor, Raleigh News & Observer: The Atlantic Coast Conference can talk a good game, but now it needs to win some, beginning Thursday when North Carolina State travels to South Carolina.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Tripper Johnson, 26, is giving up his dream of being a major leaguer and will walk-on at Washington. Coaches say he has a good chance of playing, either as a reserve safety or on special teams.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: Taylor Zarzour, the sports director of radio station WPTF in Raleigh, didn't put Auburn in his Associated Press preseason top 25 and has been threatened by Tiger fans. Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News left Wisconsin out of his top 25 and is hearing it from Badger fans. Fans need to remember that this is only a game.

Here is today's mystery link.

Southern Mississippi

The Larry Fedora era at Southern Mississippi kicks off Saturday night when the Golden Eagles play host to Louisiana Lafayette. Fedora replaced Jeff Bower, who was forced out after 17 seasons. Bower's departure was controversial, considering his tenure at Hattiesburg was longer than all but three coaches in Division I-A — Penn State's Joe Paterno (42), Florida State's Bobby Bowden (32) and Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer (21). Bower's only losing seasons came in 1991 and '93. Thanks to Zac at Old Hat Creative.