Athlon Sports News
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 13
Mitch Light predicts the outcome of 10 of the week's biggest games in the Week 13 edition of his 2009 Weekend on Tap column.Texas (-22) at Texas A&M (Thu)
So it’s quite simple for Texas: Beat Texas A&M this week and beat Nebraska in the Big 12 title game and it’s on to the national championship showdown with FloriBama. But, as any Texas fan can tell you, beating Texas A&M is not always as “simple” as it seems. Two years ago, the Horns lost to the Aggies, 38–30, in College Station and back in 2006, A&M won a defensive struggle, 12–7, in Austin. With so much at stake this season, don’t expect another Aggie upset — but this one should be closer than the boys in Vegas are predicting.
Texas 34, Texas A&M 23
Alabama (-11) at Auburn (Fri)
One of these years, the Iron Bowl will have a ton of meaning for both teams. This is not one of those years. Sure, Auburn has plenty to play for — a .500 record in the SEC, potentially a better bowl game, a chance to ruin Bama’s season — but the Tigers don’t need to beat the Tide to make the first year of the Gene Chizik era a success. Alabama, on the other hand, needs to win this game. Losing is not an option for Nick Saban’s club.
Alabama 20, Auburn 10
Nevada (+12) at Boise State (Fri)
They dropped off the national radar with losses in their first three games, but the Nevada Wolf Pack have been one of the hottest teams in the nation over the past two months. The Pack have won eight straight — most in dominating fashion — led by a devastating rushing attack. Not only is Nevada the first Division I team ever with three 1,000-yard rushers in a single season, but consider the following: The Wolf Pack’s three-headed monster ranks first, second and third in the nation in yards per carry — Colin Kaepernick (1st, 8.55 ypc), Vai Taua (2nd, 8.01 ypc) and Luke Lipincott (3rd, 7.73 ypc). And on the strength of this ground game, look for the Pack to pull off the upset and buck the Broncos out of the BCS mix.
Nevada 34, Boise State 30
Pittsburgh (-1.5) at West Virginia (Fri)
Cincinnati has gotten all the pub — and deservedly so — but there is another Big East team enjoying a very solid season. Pittsburgh, like Cincinnati, is undefeated in the Big East and ranked in the top 10 nationally. But unlike the Bearcats, Pitt has a loss — a 38–31 come-from-ahead setback at NC State back in September. Had the Panthers won that game, they, like UC, would be one of several undefeated teams searching for a way to squeeze into the national title game. That, obviously, is not the case. The best Pittsburgh can hope for is a Big East title and a second-ever trip to a BCS game. And that goal should remain alive for one more week.
Pittsburgh 24, West Virginia 20
Florida State (+23) at Florida
It’s Tim Tebow’s final game in the Swamp, but more important, it’s the Gators’ final regular-season hurdle en route to a second straight national title. Florida has dominated this series of late, winning five straight overall by an average of 20.8 points per game. And while Florida State has shown some signs of life — four wins in its past four games — there is not much evidence to suggest that the Seminoles can win this game. When your run defense is ranked 105th in the nation, how can you expect to slow down a Florida offense that is leaning on its ground attack more now than at any time during the Urban Meyer era? It’s a rhetorical question.
Florida 27, Florida State 14
Georgia (+7.5) at Georgia Tech
For only the fifth time in the past 20 years, Georgia Tech is favored in this annual intrastate showdown. And if you’ve seen these two teams play this year — or if you saw Georgia Tech’s 45–42 win over the Dawgs in Athens last season — it’s clear why the Jackets are more than a touchdown favorite. Paul Johnson’s team is 10–1, ranked in the top 10 in the nation and headed toward the ACC title game. Georgia, on the other hand, is fresh off a disturbing loss at home to Kentucky. The Bulldogs are 6–5 overall and in danger of their first non-winning regular season since 1996.
Georgia Tech 44, Georgia 20
Tennessee (-3.5) at Kentucky
There’s plenty at stake for both teams. Tennessee would love to secure a winning season in the first year of the Lane Kiffin era, while Kentucky, with a win, can finish ahead of the Vols in the SEC standings for the first time since 1977. That’s right: UK has not finished with a better SEC record than Tennessee in over 30 years. For that to happen, the Wildcats will have to do something else that doesn’t happen very often — beat Tennessee. The last time that happened was in 1984, and the last time UK beat the Vols in Lexington was in 1977. Will it happen this year? The guess here: No.
Tennessee 24, Kentucky 20
Clemson (-3) at South Carolina
These two teams are headed in opposite directions. Clemson has won six straight and is on the way to its first-ever ACC title game. South Carolina, meanwhile, has lost three straight and four out of five and is hoping to avoid hitting the six-loss mark for the third straight season. To be fair, two of the Gamecocks’ last four losses have come against Alabama and Florida, the top two teams in the nation, but they also have an 18-point loss at Tennessee and a 17-point loss at Arkansas during this stretch. Carolina is simply struggling to put points on the board; over the last five games, the Gamecocks are averaging 12.6 points and have not scored more than 16 in any of those games. That won’t cut it against Clemson — even in Columbia.
Clemson 23, South Carolina 16
Notre Dame (+8) at Stanford
It’s looking more and more like this will be Charlie Weis’ last game as the head coach of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame’s once-promising season has taken several wrong turns, the most recent a 33–30 loss in overtime at home to Connecticut. Stanford is trending upward, despite the loss at Cal last week in the Big Game. The Cardinal are 7–4 overall and 6–3 in the Pac-10 on the strength of a devastating rushing attack powered by senior Toby Gerhart. In Notre Dame’s recent three-game losing streak, five different ball-carriers have topped the 100-yard mark vs. the Irish — two for Navy and UConn and one for Pittsburgh. It figures to be a productive game for Gerhart.
Stanford 30, Notre Dame 20
Oklahoma State (-9) at Oklahoma
How much respect do the boys in Vegas have for Oklahoma? The 6–5 Sooners, fresh off a 41–13 loss to Texas Tech, are a nine-point favorite against an Oklahoma State team that is 9–2 overall and 6–1 in the league. Yes, O-State quarterback Zac Robinson might not play, but the Cowboys have proven to be a very solid football team throughout the course of the 2009 season. So does this mean I am picking the Pokes? With Robinson in the lineup, the answer would be a resounding yes. But with his status up the air, I’m going to play it safe and go with the home-standing Sooners.
Oklahoma 24, Oklahoma State 20
Last week — 6–4 overall (4–6 against the spread)
Season — 77–43 overall (51–66–3 against the spread)
HEADLINE ARCHIVE
2010 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 12009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 14
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 13
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 12
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 11
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 10
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 9
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 8
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 6
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 5
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 4
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 3
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 2
2009 CFB Weekend On Tap: Week 1
2009 Heisman Watch: Sam Bradford
"Wow, what a great honor it is to receive an award named after Johnny Unitas, one of the greatest football players ever,” McCoy said. “I had a chance to talk to John, Jr. and Raymond Berry last night when they told me I was this year's winner and I was pretty speechless.
“With all of the great quarterbacks around the country it’s definitely humbling to be picked as the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. But, like I told them last night, this is an honor I can't wait to share with my teammates and coaches. Without them I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything, so this is an award that reflects the success we've had as a team and is a tribute to all of them."
“With all of the great quarterbacks around the country it’s definitely humbling to be picked as the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. But, like I told them last night, this is an honor I can't wait to share with my teammates and coaches. Without them I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything, so this is an award that reflects the success we've had as a team and is a tribute to all of them."
Often times college football fans and the media become so enthralled with touchdown passes, elusive runs, ferocious tackles and quarterback sacks that we lose sight of other important matters of college athletics. The Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the top senior quarterback by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Foundation encapsulates all that is positive in college sports. The award acknowledges performance on the field for sure. But it goes beyond completion percentage and touchdown strikes. The award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game.
"The winner of the Golden Arm Award is recognized not only for his athletic accomplishments, but also for his character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, leadership qualities, and athletic abilities," says John Unitas, Jr., President of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award bears the name of the man many refer to as the finest quarterback ever to play the game of football.
In addition to honoring a player with the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc., has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to deserving scholar-athletes from local area high schools both in Maryland and Kentucky.
"Despite my Dad's outstanding accomplishments, he never forgot his humble beginnings, and this won him a permanent place in the hearts of all who ever knew him," notes Unitas, Jr. "Giving life to his commitment to 'give back,' the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. was established to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young athletes."
GOLDEN ARM WATCH LIST
Jarrett Brown
West Virginia earned its 15th consecutive victory over Rutgers, holding on for a 24–21 win in New Jersey. Brown completed 10-of-20 passes for 116 yards, as the Mountaineers punched their ticket to the Gator Bowl, where they will face Florida State and former WVU coach Bobby Bowden in his final game.
Daryll Clark
Penn State rolled to a 42–14 win at Michigan State in the Big Ten season finale. Clark completed 19-of-27 passes for 310 yards, four scoring strikes and zero interceptions in the final regular season game of his Nittany Lion career.
Armanti Edwards
Appalachian State rallied for an impressive 35–31 win at defending FCS champion Richmond in the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Edwards completed 21-of-33 passes for 216 yards, one touchdown — a game-winning four-yarder to Matt Cline with 10 seconds remaining — and zero picks, while scrambling on 12 carries for 51 yards and two trips to the end zone.
Matt Grothe
South Florida lost 29–27 to Connecticut, but Grothe did not play due to a season-ending ACL injury suffered against Charleston Southern on Sept. 19.
Max Hall
BYU won the Holy War over Utah, with a 26–23 overtime thriller in Provo. Hall’s stats were not overly impressive, as the senior signal-caller completed just 12-of-32 passes for 134 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. But his 25-yard scoring strike to Andrew George clinched the victory in overtime after the Cougars defense held the Utes to a field goal.
Tim Hiller
Western Michigan was shocked by Ball State, 22–17, in Kalamazoo. Hiller struggled in defeat, completing 33-of-62 passes for 354 yards, one score and four picks.
Mike Kafka
Northwestern pulled off a season-ending upset of Wisconsin, 33–31. Kafka played mistake-free football, completing 26-of-40 passes for 326 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in his final home game.
Dan LeFevour
Central Michigan rolled to a 20–10 win over Ohio in the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit. LeFevour completed 28-of-39 passes for 255 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in CMU’s third MAC title in four seasons. In the process, LeFevour broke the FBS record for career total touchdowns (passing, rushing, receiving), previously shared by Hawaii’s Colt Brennan (2007) and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell (2008), with 148 scores (101 passing, 46 rushing, 1 receiving).
Corey Leonard
Arkansas State won its season finale, 24–20, against Western Kentucky. Leonard, however, was unable to play due to a knee injury.
Thaddeus Lewis
Lewis became the 60th player in FBS history to pass for 10,000 career yards during his final game at Duke. Unfortunately, the Blue Devils could not defeat Wake Forest, suffering a 45–34 loss.
Colt McCoy
Texas found a way to outfight an aggressive Nebraska team led by defensive tackle Ndumakong Suh, winning 13–12 on a 46-yard field goal that went through the uprights as time expired — for a second time. One second was added to the clock following an incomplete McCoy pass that sailed out of bounds before the game-winning kick. Under pressure all night, McCoy completed 20-of-36 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns, but did secure the most important stat of all — a victory that capped a perfect regular season, Big 12 championship and a trip to Pasadena for the BCS title game against Alabama.
Tony Pike
Cincinnati pulled off an amazing 45–44 win in the snow at Pittsburgh in the de facto Big East title game. Pike completed 22-of-44 passes for 302 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Trailing 31–17 at halftime, Pike threw three second-half scoring strikes — a 68-yard bomb to star receiver Mardy Gilyard, an 8-yarder to D.J. Woods and a 29-yard over-the-shoulder spiral to Armon Binns to take a one-point lead the Bearcats would not relinquish with 33 seconds to play.
Patrick Pinkney
East Carolina knocked off Houston, 38–32, to clinch its second straight Conference USA title and a trip to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Pinkney completed 21-of-34 passes for 262 yards, one touchdown and zero turnovers in a clutch win at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C., where the Pirates have not lost since falling to the Cougars last year.
Todd Reesing
Kansas could not hold on to a late lead in the 117th Border War with Missouri. The Jayhawks lost 41–39 despite a career outing from Reesing, who completed 37-of-55 passes for a school-record 498 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Zac Robinson
Oklahoma State lost out on a shot at a BCS berth by losing 27–0 at Oklahoma. Robinson fought through a shoulder injury to complete just 9-of-21 passes for 44 yards, no scores and one interception in the disappointing shutout loss to unranked OU.
Tyler Sheehan
Bowling Green took care of business against Toledo, winning 38–24 in the season finale. Sheehan completed 19-of-31 passes for 137 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in victory.
Riley Skinner
Wake Forest cruised to a 45–34 win over Duke, as Skinner completed 28-of-38 passes for a career-high 372 yards, a school-record five touchdowns and zero interceptions. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Demon Deacons.
Rusty Smith
Florida Atlantic held on to beat Florida International, 28–21, in Miami. Unfortunately, Smith did not play due to a season-ending shoulder injury suffered in a Halloween loss to Middle Tennessee.
Tim Tebow
Superman ran into Crimson kryptonite, as Florida fell to Alabama 32–13 in the SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. In a disappointing effort, Tebow completed 20-of-35 passes for 247 yards, one touchdown and one interception through the air, while tucking the ball on 10 carries for 63 yards. The Gators will not compete for their third national title in Tebow’s four seasons. Instead, UF will play Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Chris Turner
Maryland lost its seventh straight game, falling 19–17 to Boston College. After missing two weeks recovering from a knee injury, Turner completed 11-of-17 passes for 101 yards during his final college start.
Joe Webb
UAB’s one-man offense was not enough to avoid a 34–27 loss to UCF. Webb did all he could, completing 20-of-35 passes for 322 yards, three touchdowns and one interception through the air, while adding 18 carries for 137 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
Juice Williams
Illinois lost a heartbreaker to Fresno State in a 53–52 shootout in Champaign. Williams completed 8-of-16 passes for 211 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, but was unable to lead the Fighting Illini to victory, as Illinois was outscored 22–14 in the fourth quarter of a one-point loss on Senior Day.