TCFGs' Tenth Poll of the Season

In a week where the BCS has been asked to break a three way tie in the Big 12 South, the College Football Guys poll has the closest margin of all the polls/BCS, and fittingly it is a tie. We are not sure what our tie breaker is, but maybe it is the number of first place votes. In that case Oklahoma would move on to the Big 12 Championship Game.

I know that two of our voters/hosts would adamantly disagree with OU moving on and they will argue their case on our Week 15 podcast.

1. Alabama 73 (2)
2. Florida 69
3. Oklahoma 65 (1)
3. Texas 65
5. USC 61
6. Utah 60
7. Boise State 57
8. Penn State 56
9. Texas Tech 55
10. Ball State 52
11. Ohio State 47
12. TCU 40
13. Oklahoma State 37
14. Cincinnati 35
15. Missouri 31
16. BYU 29
17. Georgia Tech 25
17. Oregon 25
17. Georgia 25
20. Pittsburgh 15
20. Boston College 15
22. Mississippi 14
23. Virginia Tech 9
23. Michigan State 9

Others receiving votes - Northwestern 2, Tulsa 2, West Virginia 1, Troy 1

Why Should You Care If Cowboys Win?

Bedlam.

How can one word have so much meaning?

To the college football fan, bedlam is a rivalry game played between two schools from the plains of Oklahoma.

However, according to Webster's Dictionary bedlam is "a place, scene, or state of uproar and confusion."

Saturday night in Stillwater, OK the Cowboys of Oklahoma State have the chance to truly release bedlam on college football and unleash a storm on the BCS.

How is this possible you ask? If OSU is victorious Texas Tech will represent the Big 12 South in the conference championship game next weekend in Kansas City. That's right folks, Texas Tech would finish the season 11-1, the same record as Texas. Thanks to a last second touchdown by Michael Crabtree a couple weeks ago the Red Raiders have a tie breaker advantage.

With a victory Saturday night, OSU leaves title contenders Texas and Oklahoma sitting on the sidelines, unable to play for their own conference title, and essentially locked out of the BCS Championship Game.

Who then is your national title match up? Until now it has been assumed that the BCS Championship game would come down to the champions of the SEC and Big 12, this year's best conferences. But, lets assume Texas Tech defeats Missouri in the Big 12 Championship, would the BCS really accept a team that lost by 43 just last week? We think not.

Bedlam.

What match up then, in this new "Big 12 champion free world," makes the BCS Championship Game legit?

Assuming Alabama and Florida make it into the SEC Championship without incurring any other loses this weekend, the BCS will place them as one participant, but who shall they play?

If Oregon State defeats Oregon, USC experiences the same fate as Oklahoma and Texas, no conference championship.

This leaves us with just one option, Penn State. Another one loss Big Ten team sitting in the clubhouse watching and waiting for someone to pull a "Greg Norman" as the leaders finish.

Deja Vu all over again! A slow, Big Ten team that most will say an undefeated Utah and Boise State stand a better chance against the SEC foe. How much more of this can we take as college football fans?

The choice is yours this weekend. If you are a fan of a college football playoff, then you need to see the Cowboys set bedlam loose this weekend by defeating Oklahoma. If you love your BCS then a Sooner victory allows for the perpetuation of the system with minimal damage.

Will "uproar and confusion" prevail late Saturday night in Stillwater, or will the BCS bring "clarity" to the outcome of college football?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is hoping you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Week Fourteen Podcast for TCFGs

A storm is brewing in college football...

It is blowing in like a tornado through an Oklahoma city.

In this week's podcast, find out what the College Football Guys think about the Sooners bringing a storm back to college football. Who should be the winner of the Big 12 South? Who will be in the BCS Championship? Is Utah deserving of a BCS Championship bid? Is there really only 3 SEC teams in the top 25? Find out who will win Bedlam in Stillwater. Who will bring home the prized Milk Can in Boise?

Click here.

Press play.

ENJOY!

What We Learned Week Thirteen

Oklahoma's destruction of Texas Tech on Saturday didn't help the College Football Guys figure out the best team in the Big-12 South, or the country, for that matter. However we did learn something this week and we feel that it is our duty to pass the knowledge on to you.

FSN's national broadcast of the Apple Cup, a battle of two teams with a combined 1-20 record, confirmed what your local news already knows - Americans LOVE train wrecks!

NBC knows this too! That's why they continue to renew their TV contract with Notre Dame. What is still unknown is which Notre Dame contract will last longer - Charlie's or NBC's?

Even though San Diego State fired head coach Chuck Long, his words from the beginning of the year may have served as prophesy. Wisconsin, playing at home, on Senior Day, needed a missed extra point attempt to beat Cal-Poly in OT, 36-35. This begs the question, "Is Cal-Poly better than Notre Dame?"

This weekend we figured out how the ACC should crown their champion.

1. Write the name of each program mathematically alive for an ACC division title on separate pieces of paper.
2. Fold them up and place them in a hat.
3. Have Doug Flutie draw a single piece of paper out.
4. The name of the program revealed will represent the ACC in a BCS game. No need for an ACC championship. It would muddy the water further and it doesn't make money anyway.
5. Then it is up to the chosen program to beg for mercy from the BCS bowl selection committee to be match against the Big East champ. This will be the ONLY way to prevent the ACC from losing another BCS game (1-9 since the BCS was created).

Not even the meteorologist in Mike Leach could predict the storm that hit the Red Raiders in Norman.



Did you know Joe Pa is getting hip replacement? Didn't know if you knew since it was only mentioned 412 times before, during, and after the Penn State/Michigan State game.

Minnesota showed us that the only way to close a stadium is the "Golden Gopher Way." After starting the season 7-1, Minnesota has dropped their last four games. Three of which were played in the Metrodome. A stadium that will no longer be the home of the mighty Golden Gophers as they move into their new digs on campus in '09. Iowa's 55-0 victory in Minneapolis, on Saturday was a COLD reminder of the team Gopher fans want to leave behind as fast as the empty Metrodome.

Andrew Aguila, kicker for the CMU Chippewas, is really Inigo Montoya. All six fingered men should be on high alert!


It is official, with a 2/OT loss to the Washington State Cougars, the Washington Huskies became the WORST 2008 team in NCAA Division I-A (FBS) football!

Speaking of NCAA worsts: Another week, another terrible uniform in college football. Vegas Gold? Can anyone tell us why?

TCFGs Ninth Poll of the Season

Here is The College Football Guys poll for the 13th week of the season. Oklahoma made a big impression on us all with their huge victory over Texas Tech, vaulting to number 2 in our poll. Dorf's heavy emphasis on undefeated teams puts Utah at #5 and Boise State #7.

The bottom of the poll is all over the place. It has been extremely difficult to rate 20-25. Cas' ballot puts Ol' Miss at #22 and LSU at #25 and NO ACC teams in the top 25.

1. Alabama 73 (2)
2. Oklahoma 69 (1)
3. Florida 68
4. Texas 62
5. Utah 60
6. USC 59
7. Boise State 58
8. Texas Tech 57
9. Penn State 54
10. Oklahoma State 46
11. Ball State 45
12. Missouri 44
13. Georgia 40
14. Ohio State 39
15. TCU 34
16. Cincinnati 32
17. BYU 26
18. Oregon State 20
19. Michigan State 15
20. Georgia Tech 12
21. Oregon 9
21. Northwestern 9
23. Western Michigan 8
24. West Virginia 7
24. Florida State 7

Others receiving votes - Tulsa (6), Pittsburgh (6), Ol' Miss (5), Boston College (3), LSU (1).

Dare to Accept A Friendly Wager?

Have a friendly wager with the guy from accounting this week? You know, the guy you can't stand, who is so confident that his rival school is going to beat yours this weekend.

If you do let us know. We would love to help you embarrass your co-worker, wife, friend or family on our blog. Let us know what the wager is and send pictures of the results to email@thecollegefootballguys.com.

Let us help you up the ante this rivalry week!

Think hard and be creative. You never know what might be at stake...


Currently waiting for payment on a wager from earlier this year? Let us know how we might be of service.

In Need of Rivalry Smack?

"Rivalry Week" is here! The best two weekends of the year when your alma mater plays your hated rival. The time when the rest of the year disappears and the success of your season rests on the outcome of a single game.

A time to find that co-worker in your office that attended your rival school and start bombarding him with emails, prank phone calls, and text messages of all the most original rivalry jokes you have ever heard.

Many of these jokes seem so original and witty until you open your eyes to the world outside your state and see that most are just generic rivalry jokes used by every single school in the country.

So for those of you that don't have any good jokes, we are here to help. The following should get you through the morning, that is assuming these aren't used on you first! After lunch you are on your own...

Q: What does the average (hated university) student get on his SAT?

A: Drool
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Q: How do you get an (hated univ.) Graduate off your front porch?

A: Pay him for the pizza.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: What did the (hated univ.) grad say to the (beloved univ.) grad?

A: "Welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order please?"
----------------------------------------------------------
(Hated Univ.) Player Finds Suspicious Powder

(Hated univ. city) News Report: Football practice in hated city was delayed on Monday for nearly two hours. One of the offensive players, while on his way to the locker room, happened to look down and notice a suspicious looking, unknown, white powdery substance on the practice field. The head coach, (insert name), immediately suspended practice while the FBI was called in to investigate. After a complete field analysis, the FBI determined that the while substance unknown to the players was the goal line. Practice was resumed when the FBI decided that the team would not be likely to encounter the substance again.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: How do you get to (hated city) from (beloved city)?

A: You go north until you smell it and west until you step in it.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: Did you hear about the (Hated univ.) terrorist sent to blow up the (beloved univ.) team bus?

A: Burned his lips on the tailpipe.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: What's the only sign of intelligent life in (hated city)?

A: (Beloved City), (Correctly calculated # of) Miles.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: What do (hated univ.) cheerleaders and (hated univ.) quarterbacks have in common?

A: They're always on their backs.
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Q: What do you get when you breed a (hated mascot) and a groundhog?

A: Six more weeks of bad football.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Q: What do you call a good looking girl in (rival city/campus)?

A: A Tourist.
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Then of coarse my favorite of all rivalry jokes:

(Rival Coach), after living a full life, died. When he got to heaven, God was showing him around. They came to a modest little house with a faded (hated univ.) flag in the window. "This house is yours for eternity, Coach," said God. "This is very special; not everyone gets a house up here."

(Hated Coach) felt special, indeed, and walked up to his house. On his way up the porch, he noticed another house just around the corner. It was a three-story mansion with a black and gold sidewalk, 50-foot tall flagpole with an enormous (beloved univ.) flag and, in every window, a (beloved univ.) logo.

(Hated Coach) looked at God and said "God, I'm not trying to be ungrateful, but I have a question. I was a good coach, I won (insert any accolades). So why does (beloved coach) get a better house than me?"

God chuckled, and said "(Hated coach), that's not (beloved coach)'s house, it's mine!"

Crapple Cup Time is Here!

ATTENTION: BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER INTO THIS BLOG ENTRY YOU MUST PRESS PLAY ON THE VIDEO BELOW!



There has been PLENTY of articles bashing the 0-10 Huskies and the 1-10 Cougars the last couple of days, weeks, and months. In the words of Cougar alum, Keith Jackson, this Saturday's Apple Cup is sure "...to go down as an all-time, all-timer." We here at The College Football Guys do not wish to pile on further. We know, we know, your asking "Are you guys feeling OK?"

Yes.

Honestly how much more can you pour on to two programs that have fallen from national prominence faster than a pair of crocs on anyone besides Tim Tebow? In 2001 Washington was Rose Bowl champions and finished number 3 in the country. From 2001-2003, Washington State finished each season with ten wins and a top ten ranking. This included a 28-20 defeat of #6 Texas in the 2003 Holiday Bowl.

What has gone wrong since has been the subject of MANY media articles this week. Today we want to give the fans of the Cougars and Huskies a release from the negative and a feeling of hope again. A sense of pride and a reminder of how great it is to be a Dawg and a Coug. With that said it is time to take a look at some of the "Glory Days!"

Cougars




Cougar fans will want to go to 2:23 for full enjoyment!

Huskies





Cheer up fans! Glory Days haven't passed by yet!

Mr. President Elect, "Get a Life!"

That does it!

You have been warned!

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez tells all of us to "Get a Life!" In his weekly press conference this week, R-Rod suggested the following, "It's amazing some of the things that people would say [on a message board] or yell at you of a personal nature. You almost want to tell them, 'Get a life.'"

He went on to suggest that there are a lot more important things out there to talk about, like the economy. That might be so, but it seems that even the president-to-be finds time to talk a little college football. Perhaps he should "Get a Life."


Watch CBS Videos Online

Those wishing for a college football playoff better hope he doesn't. Without Obama "throwing his weight around," change in the way college football ends its season isn't going to happen anytime soon.

How is that you ask?

In case you haven't noticed, ESPN just acquired rights to the BCS bowl games through 2014. The BCS has money through 2014 and we can go ahead and stop talking about this playoff thing actually happening before 2014.

What we can talk about now is if ESPN "management" will muffle any of its commentators who actually want a playoff... Only time will tell.

Week Thirteen Podcast for TCFGs

Join The College Football Guys for this week's podcast as we ride out the calm before the storm.

Find out what TCFGs thought of this weekend's action. Who will win Texas Tech/Oklahoma? What will happen in Happy Valley? Does Boise State, Utah, and Ball State really have a shot to stay undefeated for another week? What is the most meaningless rivalry game scheduled for this "Rivalry Weekend?"

All this and soo much more in less than 30 minutes!

Just click here. Press Play and Enjoy!

What We Learned Week Twelve

While it was a relatively quiet weekend of college football, we here at The College Football Guys still learned some things about the sport. Now we would like to pass that knowledge on to you!

We now know that one of Phil Knight's cars must be a classy '78 Firebird. That is the only explanation we will accept for these Duck uniforms. Oregon you make this blog too easy for us.

Michigan fans, Relax! Just because you have lost 8 games for the first time in program history doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Lots of football power houses have lost eight games in a season. Washington, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, SMU, have and look how far they have come from the depths of defeat...

Colorado fans thought they were at a WWE match this weekend, as someone thought it would be cool to bring a laser pointer to the game and actually use it. I think Buff fans thought they were playing Tech this weekend.

Every weekend Notre Dame wins, they are "turning the corner" in the minds of the pundits and fans. Every weekend the Irish lose, it is "the end of the world! Charlie should be fired!" Make up your minds people!

Though not as thrilling as last year, the USC/Stanford game still came with a quirky ending. Down 45-17, Jim Harbaugh decided to use the last play of the game to kick a field goal. Seeing this USC coach, Pete Carrol called a time out to "ice the kicker." After the break Harbaugh trotted the offense back on to the field and Cardinal QB Alex Loukas threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to make the final score 45-23. The spread for the game just happened to be 23 points. Do you think someone might have reminded Jim that there are plenty of Stanford boosters and alumni that had Stanford to cover?

College TV announcers still don't know the difference between college and NFL replay rules! NCAA coaches have no red "hankies" to throw at officials. All reviews come from the replay booth, regardless if it is the last or the first two minutes of the game. Announcers, if you need to study up, here is a guide that might help.

If you look in the dictionary under jerk most SEC fans will tell you that Steve Spurrier's face is the only entry the book needs. It must be extremely gratifying for those same fans to watch Spurrier, the inventor of "style points," receive the largest beat down of his career this weekend. The defeat came at the hands of none other than his alma mater and the program responsible for his reputation. Look on the bright side Steve, plenty of golf courses have great winter rates right now!

If you paid any attention to college football this weekend you learned of a great story of Florida State's Myron Rolle and his attempt to win a Rhodes Scholarship. FSU and the NCAA have worked out a way for Rolle to attend the interview and play against Maryland on Nov. 22nd. Congrats to both for figuring this out, now it's time to come up with your best interview questions to ask Rolle.

Here is ours: "It has been said that a man's reputation is formed by the company he keeps. Explain to the committee how a brilliant man like yourself justifies playing on a team that has widespread academic fraud and teammates that recently thought it was acceptable to beat up students in the school cafeteria?"

Myron Rolle reminds us of this old Sesame Street skit:



Oregon wasn't the only ones that had some ugly black uniforms this weekend. FSU had their own ugly black uni's as well. BTW, Florida State, blackouts are only cool if black is one of your official school colors and Oregon next time you try a blackout let your fans know that they need to wear black as well.

TCFGs Eighth Poll of the Season

Our eighth poll of the season is here for your enjoyment and debate. As you can tell from the numbers Dorf is back and with him he brings his crazy rating system of grouping undefeated teams, one loss teams, two loss teams and so on. Things are a bit more skewed than last weekend, but not too much.

Major difference in this week's rankings compared to the rest is the emergence of the Pac Ten and MAC into the top 25. This is because NO ONE knows what is going on in the ACC. While the only upsets this weekend of ranked teams all happened in the ACC, were they really upsets? Probably not.

1. Texas Tech 75 (3)
2. Alabama 71
3. Florida 67
4. Texas 62
5. Oklahoma 59
5. USC 59
7. Penn State 54
8. Boise State 53
8. Utah 53
10. Oklahoma State 49
11. Ball State 46
12. Missouri 45
13. Ohio State 40
14. Georgia 39
15. BYU 35
16. Michigan State 30
17. TCU 27
18. Cincinnati 26
19. Pittsburgh 21
20. LSU 17
21. Oregon State 11
22. Maryland 7
23. Oregon 7
24. Boston College 6
24. Central Michigan 6

Others receiving votes, Western Michigan - 5, Miami - 4, UNC - 1

Jets and Sharks FSU Style

It appears that the Jets and Sharks are at it again.

ESPN is reporting that there was a brawl in the student union Wednesday afternoon involving members of the Florida State football team and the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

We here at The College Football Guys just happened to have hidden cameras in the Florida State Student Union and captured the fight on the following video.



We are still trying to figure out why Michael Jackson was just standing around singing.

Ty vs. Chuck Update!

It seems the warm winds of autumn have changed to bitter cold in South Bend. Discontent among Irish fans has spurred several reports and rumors about the possible dismissal of the offensive genius and head coach Charlie Weis. This coupled with the "resignation" of Tyrone Willingham gives us the opportunity to update an article we published a couple weeks ago relating fan enthusiasm in Seattle and South Bend to the time each coach has spent with their programs.

Here is your updated graph:


i. Notre Dame hasn't beat a winning program in almost two years. They are 1-15 in the last 16 games against top 25 teams. Fans are getting worried that things might not be headed in the right direction. Can you imagine what the above graph will look like if the Irish lose to Navy, AGAIN!

On the opposite end of the country, Washington fans have breathed a sigh of relief as they begin the process of moving forward without Ty. Optimism is high as the chance to start over again is now a reality.

Week Twelve Podcast for TCFGs

"Yes we can, Iowa! Yes we can!"

The state that brought us "change" in the White House, brings the country change to college football! A Big Ten team will not be in the BCS Championship game this year!

Celebrate good times!

Join The College Football Guys in this week's podcast as we discuss life without a Big Ten team. How good did Texas Tech look? They also talk about the playoff that the Big 12 schedule and SEC championship has given us. It is indeed a great time to be a fan of college football.

Don't forget, Stanford fans, this is the last weekend to receive a refund for those season tickets. That and SOO much more!

Just click here. Press play and ENJOY!

Taking This Game a Bit Too Far

If you thought that LSU fans were crazy for finding John Parker Wilson's cell phone number and leaving him stupid voice mails, or burning Saban in effigy was a bit over the top, you haven't seen nothin' yet.

Is your life worth your favorite team? It appears that LSU's loss on Saturday night had something to do with the death of this couple...

Something tells me that they didn't go to school at LSU, Alabama, or even a nearby JC.

Be careful out there! Sad, sad day.

What We Learned Week Eleven

We here at the College Football Guys learned many things this weekend in college football. Chief among them was the odds of seeing ANOTHER Big Ten team in the BCS Championship game dropped to almost zero! The nation, including FOX executives, BCS Sponsors/Advertisers, and anyone who enjoys watching a competitive football game, rejoiced!!



This week we learned that Joe Pa can't figure out the BCS. We think he solved the puzzle on Saturday. It's real simple Joe, JUST WIN!



After John Parker Wilson scored Alabama's first touchdown Saturday, in "Death Valley," against LSU. He earned a "celebration penalty" for making the "Call me" motion with his hand. It appears that LSU idiots, er fans, once again found the cell phone number of an opposing SEC player, posted it on the Internet, and called repeatedly. That made us wonder what Tiger fans had to say to JPW, that was so important. The following are the ten most creative messages left by genius Tiger fans.

10. "Is Mike Hunt there?"
9. "Parker, Is your refrigerator running? Better go catch it."
8. "John Parker Wilson? More like Sara Jessica Parker."
7. "This is Nicolas Sarkozy, and I love that Sara Palin!"
6. "Do you have Fat Albert in a can?"
5. "You wouldn't happen to have a spare roll of toilet paper would you?"
4. "Hi. This is Jeni. You remember me from this weekend right? You don't?! (sniffle) Well I went to the doctor today (sob) and he ran a bunch of tests and said I am (bawl) pregnant, and it's (weep) yours."
3. (Deep breaths) "Luke I am your father! Luke!"
2. "Why do you keep calling me! You called me! What do you want!"
1. (After one bottle of bourbon) "John Parker Wilson, you ain't nuttin' but a bunch of Tiga' Bait! We goin' beat that Tide A** on Sata'day!"

Speaking of smart people from Louisiana, did anyone else find it interesting that Brett Helms (Center for LSU), was CBS' Scholar of the Game with a whopping 3.0 GPA? Seriously? There was no other player on either the Alabama or LSU sidelines with a higher GPA?

We still haven't learned why the SEC hates USC so much. This year the Trojans show all the classic signs of an SEC team - great defense. Minus the "Fluke in Corvallis," USC has allowed opposing offenses to score ONLY 33 points! The Trojan defense ranks 1st in the nation in Passing Defense, Total Defense and Scoring Defense, allowing less than a touchdown a game (6.67)! If that doesn't scream SEC football, we will never know what does.

We learned last week that beating Michigan, in "The Big House," was no longer enough to keep Toledo Tom's job. Now we wonder if beating Tennessee, in Neyland Stadium, is going to be enough to save Wyoming Coach Joe Glenn's job? Maybe his Cowboys' performance is just expected these days in Laramie, as Coach Glenn is 3-1 verse the mighty SEC in his tenure at Wyoming.

Will someone please inform Mountaineer fans that the game of football is 60 minutes long! With Cincinnati leading 20-7 and less than 4 minutes remaining in the game, WVU turned the ball over on downs inside the Cincinnati 10 yard line. Mountaineer fans hit the exits. They didn't get far. When the Mountaineers scored 13 points in the final 1:11 of the game fans began pouring back into the stands for overtime. Remember WVU fans, "It ain't over until, the fat lady sings!"

Whoever still believes that recruiting magazines and web sites don't embellish Notre Dame's prospects and national rankings to sell subscriptions to rabid Irish fans hasn't watched a game of college football lately.

We think Wake Forest's gold uni's should have stayed back in 1956, but we will let you decide.

TCFGs Seventh Poll of the Season (11/09/08)

This week our poll might look a little strange. The reason it does is because one of our hosts, Jon Mundorf, spent the weekend in the hospital awaiting the birth of his little girl. Therefore he didn't get a lot of time to watch college football this weekend.

Seriously where are your priorities?

Just kidding! CONGRATULATIONS and hurry back!

1. Texas Tech 50 (2)
2. Florida 47
2. Alabama 47
4. Texas 44
5. Oklahoma 42
6. USC 40
7. Penn State 36
8. Oklahoma State 34
9. Boise State 34
10. Utah 34
11. Georgia 31
12. Ohio State 28
13. Missouri 27
14. Ball State 23
15. Michigan State 22
16. TCU 20
17. BYU 19
18. UNC 14
19. Cincinnati 13
20. LSU 12
21. Pitt 10
21. Florida State 10
23. South Carolina 5
24. WVU 4
25. Georgia Tech 2

Other receiving votes: Tulsa 1, Cal 1

Hate Runs Deep in These Here Parts

Do you think Baton Rouge is ready for St. Nick's return?


All we can say is bring your buns and wienies on Friday night as Tiger fans pretend to be Philly fans and torch the Tiger Manor Condominiums in the name of revenge!

More signs the housing market sucks everywhere.

Change

Change.

A buzzword that has been at the forefront of our presidential election for well over a year now and with the election of Barack Obama as our 44th president last night, the word change might just become the most used word of 2008.

Hope.

With the ousting of, Tommy Bowden at Clemson, Ty Willingham at Washington, and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, change and hope for a brighter future have become buzzwords around campus in Clemson, Seattle, and Knoxville.

"The only thing that remains constant in life is change." While this is true, there are some important things to think about when facing change within a college program.

In some cases change has proven to be a good thing.

In Gainsville, Gator fans decided enough was enough with Zooker, lets give young Urban a chance. One title and a Heisman trophy winner later, Myer's spread option has turned college football upside down.

In Tuscaloosa, Tide fans said no more to Alabama native Shula in favor of a coach with no Crimson in his blood. Some may argue that only the color of money flows through Saban's veins. None the less, so far, so good.

Trojan fans chose an unsuccessful NFL wash out, Pete Carroll, over a former NFL coordinator in hopes of change. We all know the success that has brought LA.

Sometimes the answer is no change at all. A storm is recognized for what it is, a weather system, not the inhalation of the sun and the end of life as we know it.

Players involved in off the field incidents in the off season combined with the apparent lack of success on the field, Joe Pa was questioned repeatedly before the season began if this would be his last year. A 9-0 Nittany Lion title contender has shut those rumblings up.

During the off season, plans were made in Tallahassee to ensure a successor was in place to replace their legend. The question was no longer who is next, but when. A quick start to the 2008 season has silenced those questions.

Sometimes change just isn't the answer.

Squeaky voiced Chuck Amato was asked to leave NC State in 2006. What Wolfpack fans really should have done is signed Phillip Rivers to a long term deal.

The administration at Colorado State thought their program was bigger than it is and asked long time coach Sonny Lubick to step down. Needless to say the Rams still play on Sonny Lubick field, but not to the level they have grown to expect.

Arizona State relieved themselves of a coach that couldn't "win the big games" and replaced him with one that hasn't won a big game yet. Dennis' Sun Devils have lost 6 in a row for the first time in program history.

Once the decision has been made to change, two important things must be addressed.

The first is the easiest to figure out. Recognize who you are. What have you done in the past and why you want change? Is change really necessary? The move of firing a coach can be so simple sometimes that the root of the problem is never discovered and never addressed.

The second issue is the most important; assessing who you want to be as a program and putting a plan together to get there. This involves goal setting, developing strategies and setting standards that will usher in the desired results. This is most difficult phase of the process, because without it, the change you seek ends up being no change at all.

So remember Clemson, Seattle, and Knoxville, if you do not fully understand who you are, why you want a change and where you want to go, you might end up fulfilling another famous prophesy. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results."

Week Eleven Podcast for TCFGs

The 2008 Election Edition of The College Football Guys!

Change.

Never has one word ever meant more than in the world of college football. Listen to The College Football Guys latest podcast as they discuss Texas Tech's last second upset of #1 Texas. Florida's big win over Georgia. Could a one loss TCU team find its way into a BCS game? Will Tech be able to hold up against Okie State? Can Bama win in the "Return of Saban Bowl?" Finally, what advice does Captain Compete have for us this week?

All that and so much more!

Just click here and press play!

Happy Election Day!

Today is Election Day!

FINALLY!

Now celebrate by voting some more!

Who should be this year's Heisman Award winner? Cast your ballot on the right hand margin of this blog.

But before you vote, review some last minute campaign ads that will help you make your decision. The last video makes us think that Colt McCoy took his '.45 and shot every Soldja Boy record he could find.





In case you missed this last year... "Crank that Crabtree!"

What We Learned Week Ten

What another crazy weekend in college football! Just when you think you have everything figured out Michael Crabtree went and turned the college football world upside down with the most electrifying plays of the year.

While America is having a hard time figuring out who is the best team in college football after Crab's last second stunt, there are some things we learned this weekend in college football.

It seems that USC bores easily when preparing for a 46 point conference underdog. But never fear, Captain Compete was there to save the day and help the Cardinal and Gold maintain their focus. Gamblers rejoice! Trojans cover!



We didn't believe it at first. It was too crazy to be true! Is that really sections of bleachers coming down from the student section? Yahoo confirms what our eyes did see! The student section in Lubbock passing their bleachers forward during the fourth quarter of Texas Tech/Texas game. Bobby Knight must be soo proud! Who needs tortillas when bleachers work just fine, thank you very much!

Overtime of the Pitt/Notre Dame game brought an unwelcome event. Sprinklers that were timed to go off at the end of regulation began to soak the field at Notre Dame Stadium. Assistant Groundskeeper Daniel Ruettiger would NEVER have let this happen! What is going on at Notre Dame these days?



What is going on at Michigan these days? After losing on a hook and lateral play to Purdue on Saturday, the Wolverines are guaranteed their first losing season since 1967. Stop making winter travel plans Michigan fans, the Wolverines will miss a bowl game for the first time in 33 years!

A win against Michigan, in the Big House, isn't even enough to keep a coach's job these days. Toledo coach Tom Amstutz is stepping down after a 2-6 start to the '08 season. A season that includes leading the Rockets to the first MAC victory ever, over the once storied Michigan program.

"The Eyes of Texas" are indeed upon us! The Mean Green of North Texas find a way to squeak out their first victory of the season against Big Red and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. However, more proof might be needed as Missouri sneaks out of Waco with a 'W'.

At 6'7", 350 lbs, Texas Tech's offensive lineman Brandon Carter, aka Mankind, scares us as much as Lattimer did in "The Program."

At least the USC Song Girls still look good at 40!

Just when we thought Oregon had the ugliest uniforms in college football, Cal had to go and do them one better.

TCFGs Sixth Poll of the Season (11/02/08)

What a difference a day makes.

Heck what a difference one second makes! With one second left in the game, Michael Crabtree changed the landscape of the college football season, AGAIN! Texas Tech is now our number one team as Texas and Chuck Norris' nemesis slipped after their loss in Lubbock. One member of our panel continues to rank teams with unblemished records above all others. This explains why Oklahoma State is ranked tenth in our poll.

1. Texas Tech 74 (2)
2. Penn State 71
3. Alabama 70 (1)
4. Florida 64
5. Texas 59
6. Oklahoma 56
7. USC 55
8. Boise State 54
9. Utah 53
10. Oklahoma State 52
11. Ball State 42
12. Georgia 40
12. TCU 40
14. LSU 36
15. Missouri 34
16. Ohio State 31
17. BYU 29
18. Michigan State 22
19. WVU 19
20. Georgia Tech 18
21. Tulsa 14
22. Cal 11
23. UNC 9
24. Cincinnati 7
25. Kansas 5

Others receiving votes - Florida State 3, Minnesota 3, Maryland 3, Northwestern 1

As always, if you have any thoughts or issues, place your comments below!