South Florida Continues to Disappoint

Can we ever take South Florida seriously as a Big East contender year in and year out? Every time South Florida enters the rankings, it seems as if the team loses the very next week and is unable to prove the skeptics wrong. Last year, the Bulls climbed all the way to second in the nation before losing three in a row. This season, the Bulls started 5-0 and were ranked tenth in the country, but have now lost three of their last four games. I love the tenacity and the moxy of Matt Grothe, but the QB threw three interceptions last night in a 24-10 loss to Cincinnati. Grothe now has seven picks in his last two games against the Bearcats, who beat a ranked opponent for the fourth time since last season and have defeated the Bulls three straight times. The worst part for Grothe is that he lost to a guy playing with a broken arm. Bearcats QB Tony Pike, despite wearing a soft cast on his non-throwing left forearm, completed 20-of-28 passes for 281 yards and a couple of touchdowns against one of the best defenses in the Big East. I really thought that the Kansas victory earlier in the season would propel the Bulls to the Big East title, but it could be these tenacious Bearcats--undergoing a QB carousel all season long--that come out on top at the end. The no-huddle spread attack employed by coach Brian Kelly is giving teams fits--and giving AD's across the nation looking for a football coach a reason to give this guy a call.

Phantastic Phillies Capture World Title

Finally, the Philadelphia Phillies captured a world championship for the city of Philadelphia again. In one of the most bizarre final games of a baseball season, the Phillies won a three-night extravaganza 4-3 over the Tampa Bay Rays, exuding a mental toughness that they have displayed throughout the postseason. Shrugging off past playoff disappointments, the Phillies won 24 of their final 30 games to close the regular season and continued their stellar play through October, never losing a home playoff game to become the first team since the 1999 Yankees to accomplish the feat. It was the city of Philadelphia's first major championship for any pro sports teams since the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers claimed the NBA crown.

Phillies, Rays Hope to Continue Series Tonight

The Philadelphia Phillies will finally--hopefully--be able to attempt to earn the franchise's second World Series championship in its 125-year history and first since 1980 tonight when they resume their series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The weather is still dreary in Philly with strong, heavy winds, but the teams are expected to be able to continue their game that began on Monday night. The one thing we know for certain is that Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir will not be returning to the mound to restart the game, though Hamels is due up for the Phils in the bottom of the sixth. In all likelihood, we will see a relief pitcher throw the "first pitch" to a pinch hitter in what has been one of the most unique World Series in recent memory.

By the way, did the NBA season really open up last night?

Willingham Out As Huskies Head Coach

Two days after falling to 0-7, Tyrone Willingham was fired as Washington's head football coach effective at the end of the season. The Huskies were coming off a 33-7 home dismantling at the hands of Notre Dame, the team Willingham previously coached for three seasons before coming to Seattle with hopes of restoring the program to national prominence. But Willingham could not break through and resurrect the program. Since the Huskies defeated Boise State to move to 2-0 in 2007, Washington is just 2-16 in its last 18 games. He never surpassed five wins in a season, and the Huskies have also lost 13 of their past 15 home games as attendance has dwindled at Huskie Stadium while the boo-birds have increased.

Georgia and Florida meet this Saturday afternoon in (oops, I'm gonna say it) The World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville with both teams peaking at just the right time. Georgia absolutely dominated LSU this past weekend, scoring 54 points at Tiger Stadium and thoroughly outplaying the defending national champions. Florida has really hit its stride, though, as Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey are finally providing Tim Tebow with backfield options he can count on. The Gators are also seeking revenge for the end zone celebration after the Dawgs' first touchdown last season, so there's no question that both teams will be fired up for this one. I think the Gators have too much firepower for a defense that misses too many tackles, and the young Georgia offensive line still scares me. The winner most certainly will be playing Alabama for the SEC championship in December.

And wasn't there supposed to be a baseball game last night?

Penn State Clamps Down Against OSU

I know that everyone is penciling in Penn State for a spot in the BCS Championship Game now that the team has disposed of incumbent Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State, but I would caution against this as anything can happen in the Big Ten in November. While I think that the Nittany Lions have a great chance to run the table and finish as undefeated league champions, Kinnick Stadium is a very dangerous place to play anytime, albeit in November. Kirk Ferentz has his Iowa Hawkeyes playing some pretty good football, and there's no question that the black-and-gold clad fans will be at a fever pitch if an undefeated team is coming into town. Just don't take the Hawkeyes too lightly...

But it was great to see Joe Paterno finally able to take a Penn State team into Columbus and get a win. Since joining the conference in 1993, the Nittany Lions were 0-7 at the Horseshoe in Big Ten play.

Al Groh has done a masterful job of salvaging--and awakening--the season for his Virginia Cavaliers. The Cavs, who were slaughtered by USC, Duke and Connecticut this season, went into Atlanta and stole a huge game from Georgia Tech to move to 3-1 in the ACC and 5-3 overall. Could the Virginia Tech-UVA game at the end of the year be for a spot in the ACC Championship game? This is the same group of players that lost to 'SC 52-7, UConn 45-10 and Duke 31-3! Groh certainly has quieted his critics with this impressive four-game run led by returning tailback Cedric Peerman and suddenly pretty good quarterback Marc Verica.

After thoroughly dismantling the Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Tech will now host top-ranked and hated rival Texas on Saturday night, as Mike Leach's squad finally gets the chance to prove the doubters wrong and show that the Red Raiders deserve to be on the national stage. Graham Harrell had his usual big day with 386 yards passing and five touchdowns, but it was the dominant defense that made Todd Reesing look brutal that was the story on Saturday. The Red Raiders scored 49 straight points to dismantle the Jayhawks 63-21 in Lawrence. Texas Tech's Darcel McBath picked off three of Reesing's first four passes of the second half, single-handedly preventing any comeback hopes for a disappointing Kansas team coming off an Orange Bowl appearance.

Did anyone see that Navy did not attempt a pass in its 34-7 victory against SMU on Saturday? The academy became the first major college team in 11 years to not throw a single ball. Then again, can you blame 'em? Coming into the game, the team was fourth in the nation in rushing, averaging 296 yards per game. Against SMU, the Midshipmen ran 77 times for 404 yards. The last team to withold from throwing a pass was Ohio U. against Akron on October 25, 1997. Great stuff.

And not to forget about the World Series (but you see that football holds the key to my heart in October)...the Philadelphia Phillies are one win away from becoming World Series champions after Joe Blanton allowed just two runs in six innings in a 10-2 victory last night. Ryan Howard clubbed two home runs and drove in five and even Blanton himself went yard to put the Phils up 3-1 in the series with a potential series-clinching game tonight.

West Virginia Extends Misery for Auburn

Pat White threw three touchdowns, Noel Devine ran for a career-high 207 yards and West Virginia rallied from a 17-3 deficit to score 31 straight points and beat Auburn 34-17 last night in Morgantown. The Tigers, who fell to 4-4, managed just 33 second-half yards, were shut out over the final 40 minutes and now have a three-game losing streak for the first time since 1999, coach Tommy Tuberville's first season. The heat will certainly turn up on Tuberville, as the team still must navigate its way through a brutal SEC and is in danger of finishing below .500. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers may have just saved their season with an inspired second-half performance, displaying the kind of explosive offense we have been accustomed to seeing in recent years.

On Saturday night in Tempe, Dennis Erickson's disappointing Arizona State Sun Devils look to avoid a five-game losing streak against the high-powered Oregon Ducks. At 2-4, ASU is in must-win mode. The Sun Devils rank third-to-last nationally in rushing and will look to senior tailback Keegan Herring to provide a boost, as he will start for the first time this season.

If you haven't had a chance to see Boise State in action yet, tonight is a great opportunity to do so, as the BCS-busting Broncos will visit San Jose State in a matchup of the top two teams in the WAC. Kellen Moore has played exceptionally well for the Broncos, quarterback has become a position of stability for the Broncos no matter who steps in for a graduating senior...and they of course still have tailback Ian Johnson.

The last two times Boise visited San Jose State, the Broncos nearly lost their quests for undefeated seasons. In 2004, they needed two overtimes before escaping with a seven-point victory. Two seasons ago--the year they beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl--they scored 10 points in the final six minutes to win 23-20.

On the baseball beat, James Shields pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in outdueling Brett Myers and the Tampa Bay Rays salvaged a split of the first two games of the World Series in Tampa. Games Three and Four are scheduled for this weekend in Philadelphia.

Hamels Continues Dominance, Phils Up 1-0

Cole Hamels continued to be the best pitcher in the 2008 playoffs and Chase Utley homered in his first World Series at-bat as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 last night to capture Game One of the Fall Classic. Hamels allowed just two runs in seven innings and Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge were perfect in relief as the Phils opened up a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Ten of the last 11 winners of Game One have gone on to win the World Series.

Scott Kazmir found himself in multiple jams during his six innings of work for Tampa, but managed to allow just three runs on six hits and four walks. The Rays' offense could not get untracked, with their best opportunity against Hamels coming in the third. The Rays loaded the bases with one out, but B.J. Upton hit into a double play to end the threat. Upton left five men on base in the game.

The Rays now find themselves down 1-0 as they were after Game 1 of the ALCS, so they certainly have proved before that they can rally under adversity. James Shields will take the hill for the Rays against Philadelphia's Brett Myers tonight in Game Two.