IU will only get better

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The Hoosiers got their first shot at Duke on their home court. Although they didn't win the game, you can see that they are going to improve as the season goes on. What people have to remember is IU has a lot of new faces, and it will take a while for those guys to get used to each other. D.J. White was injured last year. Mike White, Lance Stemler, Armon Bassett, and Joey Shaw are all newcomers to the university. Then you have Earl Calloway, Rod Wilmont, and A.J. Ratilif who were all a part of the team last year. So you have players with different situations, but once they get the chemistry down this team can be REALLY good. They have a bunch of talent and the potential to surprise some people late in the year. It is too early to tell, but if you're an IU fan don't give up hope. This team is not done yet.

Who is the Best Team in the NFL?

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- After seeing 12 weeks of football, several teams have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. But that never ending question remains, who is really the best?
There are a couple of good teams from each conference, but lets face it the AFC is superior to the NFC. Baltimore, San Diego, Indianapolis, and New England can all make an argument for the best team, while only Chicago and Dallas can really make that argument in the NFC. Let me tell you what I think. Right now the best team in the NFL is the Indianapolis Colts. That does not mean that I think they will win the Super Bowl because I don't. Peyton Manning has never proven himself in postseason play, and until he does the Colts will not be a favorite for the title. My choice for the Super Bowl champion is the New England Patriots. Not many people feel the same way, but that is just my gut feeling right now. They were able to knock off a 9-1 Bears team yesterday despite their 5 turnovers. I'd give the Pats a 45% chance to win the Super Bowl, Baltimore 25%, San Diego 10%, Dallas 8%, Chicago 6%, and Indy 6%. Overall though the 4 teams that I mentioned from the AFC are all better than the two teams I mentioned from the NFC. It should be a solid run, but there are a couple of things that each of these teams must worry about.
Baltimore
The Ravens seem to have it all. They have always had a steller defense, but after bringing in Steve McNair in the offseason they now have a better than average offense. With Jamal Lewis in the backfield it appears that they could never lose. Their weakness is their wide receivers. What is going to happen when they play a team with physical corners that beat the tar out of their receivers? Also McNair is getting old, so one hit and he is done.
San Diego
The Chargers are a solid team and definatley a title contender. They have the most explosive running back in the league with LT, and a pretty good defense. The reason why I don't see them winning the Super Bowl is because of QB Phillip Rivers lack of experience. He has never played in a postseason game before, and it will be tough for him in his first year.
New England
The Patriots were not expected to have a great team this year. They lost 2 of their top receivers in the offseason, and their defense was banged up. Now they are 8-3 and have looked good of late. Brady is making due without the best receivers, but once again what if they play a team with a defense built to stop the run? When Brady HAS to throw, things seem to go down hill.

Indianapolis
The Colts have it all every season, but their downfall is their defense. Everybody always says defense wins championships and I am a strong believer in that. The Colts have to prove that they can win in the playoffs with a below average defense.

Dallas
The Cowboys have an excellent offense with Tony Romo, and their defense has overachieved all year long. The question is going to be how well can Romo perform in the playoffs? We are just going to have to wait and see.

Chicago
Rex Grossman has struggled in his last 6 games and I don't think the Bears can win a championship with him at QB. They are going to have to make a change.

USC gets best of the Irish AGAIN

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- It was not what Charlie Weis or any other member of the Irish nation needed to see on Saturday. The offense never got on track, and the defense gave up big play after big play in a 44-24 defeat before a crowd of 91,800 at the Coliseum.

The Irish started slowly, but what else is new. They have battled back to beat Michgian State and UCLA this season, so it would seem as if a rally would not be difficult. Notre Dame drove down to the USC 30 yard line on their first drive, but they turned the ball over on downs. On their first drive the Trojans went 71 yards on 8 plays and got into the end zone on a 9 yard pass from John David Booty to Dwayne Jarrett. Notre Dame was unable to do anything on their second drive, and USC made the best of their opportunity. John David Booty hit Dwayne Jarrett again, this time for a 5 yard touchdown. With 5:16 remaining in the opening quarter USC already led 14-0. On the ensuing Irish drive they showed that they could move the ball. They went 71 yards in 14 plays, but the drive stalled and they were forced to settle for a field goal. Notre Dame faced an 11 point deficit going into the second quarter.

The Trojans wasted no time getting on the board in the 2nd quarter. John David Booty capped off a 9 play 59 yard drive with a 1 yard TD run. USC had a 21-3 lead with 11:37 left in the half. The Irish were unable to get anything going on their next offensive possession, but they caught a big play on special teams. USC was unable to score, and they had their punt blocked. Notre Dame took full advantage, scoring on only 1 play, an 8 yard pass from Brady Quinn to Marcus Freeman. The Irish would get another golden opportunity when John David Booty threw an interception, but they failed to capitalize. USC went into the locker room with a 21-10 lead.

USC came out in the 3rd quarter with a perfect drive. They traveled 65 yards on 10 plays and scored on a 2 yard Chauncey Washington run. That drive took all the energy out of Notre Dame, and gave the Trojans a comfortable 18 point cushion. The rest of the quarter was uneventful, except for a huge drive by Notre Dame in the final minutes. Quinn led them down the field on a 10 play 58 yard drive that ended with a 2 yard TD pass to Rhema McKnight. The lead was once again 11 going into the final quarter of the game.

The Irish defense bent but did not break on the first drive for the Trojans in the 4th quarter. The drive ended with just a field goal and Notre Dame was still within 2 touchdowns. When the Irish were unable to score on their next possession, things looked bad for the visitors. They looked even worse when John David Booty led his team down the field for a backbreaking touchdown. He hooked up with Dwayne Jarrett for a 43 yard score, Jarrett's 3rd touchdown catch of the game. After a missed extra point, USC led 37-17. Notre Dame would answer with a touchdown, but they took nearly 5 minutes off the clock in the process. Then they tried to kick an onside kick, USC ran it back for a touchdown to put the Irish away for good.

Key Performers: Notre Dame

Brady Quinn 22/45 274 yards 3 TD 0 INT, 9 rush 74 yards

Darius Walker 14 carries 56 yards 0 TD

Rhema McKnight 6 rec 109 yards 1 TD

Jeff Samardzija 6 rec 79 yards 1 TD

Key Performers: USC

John David Booty 17/28 265 yards 3 TD 2 INT

C.J. Gable 20 carries 107 yards o TD

Dwayne Jarrett 7 rec 132 yards 3 TD

Steve Smith 3 rec 35 yards 0 TD

Grading the Irish

Rush Offense....................D+

It was pathetic. I blame it on head coach Charlie Weis. He wanted this game so bad that he failed to establish the run before the pass. Walker only had 14 carries, it was simply unacceptable. You can't do the same play every time. It was play action after play action. They were not fooling anybody. It was very ugly to watch.

Pass Offense.....................C

They may have passed it more than 40 times, but they were not very successful in doing it. Quinn looked lost, and did not have open receivers on any plays. Once again I let the blame lie with Charlie Weis. His play calling was not good, USC knew exactly what was coming. They are going to need a lot of work before they are ready to play in a bowl game.

Overall Offense................C

Even though the Irish offense struggled the entire game, they put up 24 points. In most cases 24 points should be good enough to win you a ball game, but not when you have the secondary that Notre Dame does. They needed to put more points up there on the board and they were unable to do that. It was almost like watching them play Michigan again.

Rush Defense...................C

USC didn't have great success on the ground, but they had enough to keep the defense honest. Gable was able to go over 100 yards so it was not a great performance for Notre Dame either. They really need to get more of a push up front if they want to disrupt anything against good teams. This is why you play tough competition.

Pass Defense....................D

Except for a short stretch in the second quarter when the Irish picked Booty off twice, the defense was abominable. They let Dwayne Jarrett catch ball after ball, and they showed no sign of being able to stop the SC offense. The secondary was terrible all night long, a long way from being ready for a BCS bowl.

Overall Defense...............D+

It's simple. You cannot give up 44 points and expect to win a game. It just will not happen. You can have the best offense ever, but if your defense can't stop anybody then you won't win a game. I'm not putting the loss solely on the defense because they gave the offense chances. They intercepted Booty twice and both times the Irish turned it over on downs. They struggled all night long and deserved to lose the game.

WHAT IT MEANS

It appears that USC did enough on Saturday night to move in front of Michigan and into the BCS championship game. As for Notre Dame, they may fall out of a BCS bowl because they lost by such a large margin. If I were in charge I would not put them in a BCS bowl because they don't deserve it. They have played 2 quality teams all year, and both times they were blown away.

HOW THE TOP 25 FARED

# 5 Arkansas 26 #9 LSU 31

#7 West Virginia 19 South Florida 24

#8 Louisville 48 Pittsburgh 24

#11 Texas 7 Texas A&M 12

#12 Boise State 38 Nevada 7

#13 Oklahoma 27 Oklahoma State 21

#15 Rutgers 38 Syracuse 7

#16 Georgia Tech 12 Georgia 15

#17 Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 0

#18 Boston College 14 Miami (FL) 17

#19 Tennessee 17 Kentucky 12

#20 Wake Forest 38 Maryland 24

#21 BYU 33 Utah 31

#24 Clemson 28 South Carolina 31

#25 Hawaii 42 Purdue 35

Week 9 College Pickem Scoreboard

1. Rich- 125 points out of 180 possible
2. Terry Hutchens- 121 points out of 180 possible
3. Marcia- 120 points out of 180 possible
4. Chris- 118 points out of 180 possible
5. Justin-117 points out of 180 possible
5. Vicki- 117 points out of 180 possible
7. Don- 113 points out of 180 possible

Steelers continue quest for playoffs

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied back to take a game from divison rival Browns, and continue their quest for the playoffs. The Steelers (4-6) have now captured a season high 2 game winning streak, and although it may not seem like much, it has them back in the playoff picture. They will be in a battle with Jacksonville, New York, Cincinnatti, and Kansas City for a wild card position.
It feels so great to see something good happen to Ben Roethlisberger. That guy has been through so much, from a motorcycle accident to an appendectomy to throwing interception after interception. Speaking of which he threw three first half interceptions on Sunday, however only one was his fault. The guy just couldn't catch a break, but he shoveled a game winning touchdown pass to Willie Parker to get his team on the winning track. It was a feel good story all around.
In my opinion the game at Baltimore next week will be the most important game of the year. If they can win that game, then it will show themselves that they still belong amongst the elite in the NFL. They would be 5-6 and in a decent position to make a wild card push. Everybody has been counting them out for weeks, but watch out. If they get on a roll they are a tough bunch to stop. WARNING TO INDIANAPOLIS: The Steel City Boys will be ready in January when it matters. They'll take you out again if given the chance.

Bring on the Trojans

By Justin Albers


basketballss132002@yahoo.com


INDIANAPOLIS- Notre Dame did what they were expected to do on Saturday, and now look forward to playing once beaten USC next week. Quinn put up great numbers, and had the offense rolling all afternoon in an easy 41-9 Notre Dame victory before a crowd of 80,795 at Notre Dame stadium.


The first quarter was the last thing that Notre Dame wanted. The Irish failed to score on Army in the quarter, and the Black Knights led 3-0 after one.


What Notre Dame didn't do in the first, they made up for in the second. The Irish scored just 5o seconds after the start of the 2nd quarter on a 10 yard Darius Walker run. The drive covered 65 yards in 6 plays and gave Notre Dame a 7-3 advantage. The Notre Dame defense stepped up and stopped Army on the next drive, and the offense got it done again. With 8:15 remaining in the first half Brady Quinn hooked up with Jeff Samardzija for a 16 yard touchdown. This drive covered 78 yards in 9 plays, but Carl Gioia missed his 4th extra point in the last 2 weeks. For the rest of the first half the Irish defense continued to step up, hardly allowing Army across the line of scrimmage. The Black Knights learned again that you shouldn't allow Brady Quinn to touch the football, and Notre Dame added another score with 1:01 left in the half. They put together a long drive of 9 plays for 69 yards with an 8 yard pass from Quinn to Rhema McKnight to cap it off. The Irish had a 20-3 halftime lead.


Notre Dame got the ball first in the second half and took full advantage. David Grimes scored from less than a yard out to finish off a 6 play 78 yard drive. The scoring drive took less than two minutes off the clock. The Army offense continued to struggle, and once again they were forced to punt. It was one of their 4 punts on the day. Quinn got the ball back and Charlie Weis kept firing. This time Brady Quinn hit Rhema McKnight on a 24 yard TD pass. Notre Dame had a 34-3 lead with 9:46 still to play in the 3rd quarter. Neither Notre Dame nor Army was able to add any more points in the quarter, and the Irish went into the 4th with a commanding lead.


Just when you thought Weis would pull his starters out, Quinn led his team to one more touchdown drive before his Notre Dame faithful. Walker finished of a 6 play 42 yard drive with a 7 yard run. Army was finally able to find the end zone in the final seconds when David Pevoto hit Tim Dunn for a 12 yard touchdown. When the final whistle sounded Notre Dame showed the respect they have for the Black Knights in a very heart-warming performance. It's time to bring on the Trojans.



Key Performers: Notre Dame
Brady Quinn 22/30 218 yards 3 TD 1 INT
Darius Walker 24 carries 162 yards 2 TD
Jeff Samardzija 9 rec 87 yards 1 TD
Rhema McKnight 3 rec 50 yards 2 TD

Key Performers: Army

David Pevoto 7/13 76 yards 1 TD 1 INT

Wesley McMahand 11 carries 41 yards

Grading the Irish





RUSH OFFENSE...........A


It may have been another weak opponent for Notre Dame, but the running game has picked it up. The Irish picked up 221 yards on the ground, which is a great improvement over what they were able to do earlier in the season. Darius Walker is looking like the back of old, and should be ready for the showdown next weekend.





PASS OFFENSE.............A-


Brady Quinn threw his first interception in the last 7 games in the first quarter, but was able to pick it up after that. Quinn threw for 218 yards and 3 more touchdowns. His confindence should be soaring going into Pasadena. There is really not much more Quinn could have done.





OVERALL OFFENSE...........A-


The only reason why I would give them an A- is because of Brady Quinn's interception. The Irish put up 41 points and really looked as if they could not be stopped except for that first quarter. The offense has looked great ever since that Michigan game. Next week will be the real test at how much it has improved.





RUSH DEFENSE...............A


Notre Dame gave up only 51 yards in the game. Fifty one yards against a team who loves to run it. The Irish defense has improved throughout the season, and they really showed that on Saturday. Once again next week is the real test, can they stop the Trojans?





PASS DEFENSE.................A-


The pass defense was pretty good all day long, giving up a lone touchdown in the closing seconds. The secondary has really looked better after being burnt to a crisp by Mario Manningham in week 3. They will have their hands full when they have to cover Dwayne Jarret and Steve Smith next week.





OVERALL DEFENSE...............A


How can I not give them an "A" when they gave up only 152 yards and 9 points in the game. Six of the points were in the last seconds of the game, the Irish defense really stepped it up on the afternoon. How will they react in a week?





NEXT GAME: @ USC on ABCHD

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

#1 Ohio State 42 Michigan 39

#3 Florida 62 West Carolina 0

#4 USC 23 #17 California 9

#5 Arkansas 28 Mississippi St. 14

#7 Rutgers 11 Cincinnati 30

#8 West Virginia 45 Pittsburgh 27

#9 LSU 23 Ole Miss 20

#10 Louisville 31 South Florida 8

#12 Wisconsin 35 Buffalo 3

#13 Boise State 49 USU 10

#14 Wake Forest 6 #19 Virginia Tech 27

#15 Auburn 22 Alabama 15

#16 Oklahoma 36 Baylor 10

#18 Georgia Tech 49 Duke 21

#20 Boston College 38 #21 Maryland 16

#22 Tennessee 39 Vanderbilt 10

#23 BYU 42 New Mexico 17

Week 8 College Pickem Scores

By Justin Albers
basketballs132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The scores have become even closer, but you have to remember that we still have championship week coming up so anything is still possible.

1. Rich- 110 points out of 160 possible
1. Marcia- 110 points out of 160 possible
3. Terry Hutchens- 109 points out of 160 possible
4. Justin- 107 points out of 160 possible
5. Vicki- 107 points out of 160 possible
6. Chris 104 points out of 160 possible
7. Don- 102 points out of 160 possible

An overview of Rivalry Week

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let me start by admitting that I was wrong about last night's game. I really thought that Pittsburgh could pull it out, but that Steve Slaton is a special player. You can't miss a play because when you come back he probably put 6 more points up on the board. Congratulations to the Moutaineers.

Army (3-7) @ #6 Notre Dame (9-1)
I wish I could tell you that this is going to be an exciting game that comes down to the wire, but I can't. This will be another game in which Brady Quinn can pat his stats and get the Irish offense in gear for a meeting with USC next week. It is important for the defense to improve against a weak opponent, and build some confidence in preparation for the "big game" next week.
Final Score: Notre Dame 41 Army 13

#7 Rutgers (9-0) @ Cincinnati (5-5)
This may appear to be a game for Rutgers to run away with, but don't be surprised if this game is closer than advertised. A fact to keep in mind is Rutgers has not blown anybody in the conference out this season. They beat South Florida by 2, Pittsburgh by 10, UCONN by 11, and Louisville by 3. Cincinnati has stuck with some teams this year that nobody thought they would hang with. This WILL be a good game. Rutgers pulls it out in the end because of their stout defense and brilliant running game.
Final Score: Rutgers 27 Cincinnati 21

Ole Miss (3-7) @ #9 LSU (8-2)
Ole Miss is a tough team, even with there awful record. They play in the toughest conference in football and have hung with some of the elite teams in America. I don't think this will be an instant classic, but the Rebels will be true to their name. In the end strong play from JeMarcus Russel will lead LSU to their ninth win of the season.
Final Score: LSU 24 Ole Miss 14

South Florida (7-3) @ #10 Louisville (8-1)
South Florida is one of those teams that has sort of flown under the radar this year. They are 7-3, only lost to Rutgers by 2, and beat Pittsburgh and Syracuse handily. This is a team that is capable of an upset, just not this week. The Cardinals are going to play like the determined football team that they are in their quest for a BCS bowl bid. Louisville has one 3 point loss right now, imagine how good they would be if they had star RB Michael Bush. This could be a national championship team.
Final Score: Louisville 35 South Florida 14

#19 Virginia Tech (8-2) @ #14 Wake Forest (9-1)
Now this is what I call a college football game. Two top twenty teams playing for a chance in the ACC title game. For some reason I like the Hokies in this game. They are an underdog on the road, but they are the favorite in my mind. I think the pressure will finally get to the Demon Deacons, and they will fall in the late stages of this one.
Final Score: Virginia Tech 34 Wake Forest 31

#15 Auburn (9-2) @ Alabama (6-5)
Let me start by saying what an excellent team Alabama is. In any other conference they would be 8-3 or better, but they are in the SEC. They were defeated by just 1 point against #6 Arkansas, two touchdowns at Florida, and 3 points at Tennessee. You better believe that they will fighting with everything they've got in hopes of making a good bowl game. The bad thing for them is Auburn was blasted last week, and they will be out to get revenge. Both teams will be giving everything they have and it should be a splendid game. It is really a toss up, but I think Auburn will answer the call and win a close one.
Final Score: Auburn 20 Alabama 17

#21 Maryland (8-2) @ #20 Boston College (8-2)
Yet another great matchup in the ACC. This one should be a classic, but Maryland has the better football team. I know that is surprising when you look at the schedules, but that is what I believe. I think Maryland will pull the upset on the road in a tough domed environment. It will be close, probably coming down to the last series.
Final Score: Maryland 28 BC 24

#22 Tennessee (7-3) @ Vanderbilt (4-7)
UPSET ALERT! This will be the upset of the day. Vanderbilt is going to pull off the unthinkable and end Tennessee's season with yet another disappointment. Here is why. The game is at Vanderbilt, something that is very important in this rivalry. The second factor is that Vandy has played under control all year, and they are finally ready to pull the big upset. Tennessee's weaknesses were exposed last week, and they will be again this week.
Final Score: Vanderbilt 17 Tennessee 13

Indiana (5-6) @ Purdue (7-4)
My prediction in this game may be a little bias, but that's okay. I'm taking the Hoosiers to win in a shootout. The reasons why I am worried about that pick are obvious. Purdue has controlled the Old Oaken Bucket and the series for several years, and always play well when IU comes to town. I think James Hardy and Kellen Lewis will both have big games for the Hoosiers, Lewis going for a minimum of 4 total TD's. In the words of Terry Hutchens: "This should be a very exciting 60 minutes at the least."
Final Score: Indiana 31 Purdue 27

#5 Arkansas (9-1) @ Mississippi State (3-7)
Mississippi State might have a good team, but they have ABSOLUTELY no chance against Darren McFadden and the the Arkansas Razorbacks. This game will not be close, probably one of the biggest blowouts of the year in the SEC.
Final Score: Arkansas 38 Mississippi State 13

Arizona (5-5) @ Oregon (7-3)

#17 California (8-2) @ #4 USC (8-1)
This should be a good night game for ABC, but I see the favorite Trojans prevailing. Cal has an excellent team, but USC is determined to remain in the BCS title hunt, and with just one loss for the Notre Dame game next week. John David Booty and Dwayne Jarrett will hook up several times for big gains, and the defense will step it up.
Final Score: USC 27 Cal 17

#2 Michigan (11-0) @ #1 Ohio State (11-0)
And finally, the game that everyone has been waiting for. It has been one of the most anticipated games in a long time, and has many people all fired up. The thing is I don't think the game will live up to all that hype. Ohio State has been such a dominant team all year long, and I don't see that changing on Saturday. If Mario Manningham was completely healthy for the Wolverines, I would give them a chance. Ohio State will win in a pretty low scoring battle.
Final Score: Ohio State 20 Michigan 10

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Will Backyard Brawl live up to expectations

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The last two Thursday night college football games have been classics. First it was #5 Louisville vs. #3 West Viriginia. Then it was #3 Louisville vs. #15 Rutgers. This week poses a long standing rivalry between teams that are not that far apart. Pittsburgh and #8 West Virginia will play tonight in the Backyard Brawl.
Many Pitt fans, including myself, are worried that the Panthers will be blown out and the game will be a giant disappointment after the last 2 games we have had. The more I think about, the more I think it won't be. What you have to remember is Pitt was 6-1 before losing 3 straight, and looked like they had the potential to go to a BCS bowl. It seems that their 20-10 loss to undefeated Rutgers took the heart out of the team. Since then they have had losses to South Florida and UCONN, both games that they SHOULD have won. They were defeated 46-45 in double overtime against UCONN, a game that they led late. Another thing to remember is the fact that Pittsburgh is 2-0 on national TV this season, outscoring their opponents 85-22 in those two games. I think the Panthers will step up to the challenge tonight and make this a very interesting game. In fact, I am choosing them to win it for a couple of reasons.
First, Pitt has one of the most experienced quarterbacks in all of college football. Tyler Palko, a 5th year senior, has started the last 3 1/2 years for Pitt, improving all the time. Palko has the second highest QB rating in the nation this year, and has thrown for 2223 yards with 22 TD's and just 6 INT's. The second reason why I would choose Pitt is because of their outstanding running game. Their two backs have combined for over a thousand yards this season, and have really helped to keep the defense honest. Watch out for the Panthers tonight, West Virginia will be on upset alert.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 34 West Virginia 30

Say a prayer for a deserving teen

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
As you go to bed tonight, say a special prayer for Marcus Walker. Walker is a sophomore at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Indiana, and is on the JV basketball team. During practice Tuesday afternoon, Walker collapsed on the floor and apparently stopped breathing. He was taken to the hospital and was scheduled to come home today. I do not know the details of the story, but I do know that he is very deserving of a prayer tonight. Please take a minute and pray that this young man has a speedy recovery.

Does ND have a chance at the national title?

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Last week was the greatest week of the season for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, and several other teams. Notre Dame jumped from 9th to 5th in the BCS bowl, increasing the likelihood of them playing for a national championship in January. With losses from Auburn, Cal, Louisville, and Texas, Notre Dame was quite fortunate to have an easy 39-17 win against Air Force. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if South Carolina finished what they started in the Swamp, a game Florida won 17-16. If that would have happened and the Irish won out, then Notre Dame would be the next team in line for the big game. Now they are going to have to hope the Gators falter down the road, and they themselves can beat the Trojans.
The game this Saturday will have a lot to do with the question above. When #2 Michigan takes on #1 Ohio State, millions will be watching around the country. What Notre Dame needs is an ordinary game or a blowout. If the game is an instant classic, then there is a chance of a rematch for the BCS title game. Michigan would probably get the nod ahead of Notre Dame in that scenario because of their 47-21 butt whooping of the Irish earlier this season.
These are some of the possibilities for the BCS championship game. The most likely scenario in my mind would be Ohio State vs. Arkansas. The reason for that is I think Florida will be beaten by the Razorbacks in the SEC championship, and because of the tough schedule, they will leap frog over the Irish and the Scarlet Knights. The second scenario would be Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, which would only happen if Florida was beat, and Notre Dame was able to find a way to win in Pasadena. The next in line would probably be Ohio State vs. USC, if the Trojans beat the Irish. I just don't see anyway that Florida is going to end up with only one loss, or anyway that Michigan can beat Ohio State.
The big game for Notre Dame will not be this Saturday against Army, but rather next week against USC. The Irish will be without their starting tight end, John Carlson, for the remainder of the regular season, which could have a major factor in that game. Carlson is 3rd in the country amongst tight ends with 46 receptions for 621 yards and 4 touchdowns. With him out WR's Rhema McKnight and Jeff Samardjiga will have to be even more impressive for the Irish. Marcus Freeman will have also have to step up as he will be the starting TE for the last 2 games. The game will be broadcast on national TV, and if the Irish can pull out a victory then they have a legitimate shot at the BCS championship game. We will see.

Quinn picks apart Air Force Defense

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- On a day when 3 other 1 loss teams were defeated, Notre Dame made sure they were not a fourth. Brady Quinn got the offense going early and often to lead Notre Dame to a rout of Air Force before a crowd of 49,367 at Falcon Stadium.

It didn't take long for the Irish to get on the board in this one, 54 seconds to be exact. Notre Dame traveled 80 yards in 2 plays, both passes from Quinn to Samardzija, for a touchdown. The scoring play came on a 51 yard pass from Quinn to Samardzija. The Irish defense held and gave Notre Dame the ball back. They then put together a 3 play, 56 yard drive for another touchdown, a 1 yard pass from Brady Quinn to Jeff Carlson. Air Force began to run their option offense, and running time off the clock. They were able to manage a field goal after a 6 play, 50 yard drive and cut the lead to 14-3. Notre Dame wasn't done in the first quarter. With 1:19 to go Quinn found Rhema McKnight for a 24 yard touchdown pass, and with the extra point blocked, the Irish led 20-3 at the end of one.

The second quarter consisted of a lot of the Air Force offense, and none of Notre Dame's. In fact, the Irish offense never touched the football until there was just a minute remaining in the half. However, that didn't stop Notre Dame from scoring. CB Terrail Lambert returned a blocked FG 76 yards for another Irish touchdown. Notre Dame led 27-3 at the half.

Notre Dame wanted to make sure that the Falcons weren't going to make a miracle come back, so they continued to play their starters in the second half. Quinn put together a 9 play, 87 yard drive, including a 23 pass to TE Marcus Freeman to give Notre Dame a 33-3 lead. The extra point was blocked for the second time in the game. The Falcon offense would take the last 8 minutes off the clock in the 3rd quarter, but were able to manage their first touchdown of the game at the end of the drive. The scoring play was a 12 yard pass from Shaun Carney to Beau Sudar. The Irish led 33-10 after 3 quarters.

Notre Dame would score in a hurry on their first drive of the fourth quarter. It took just a little under 3 minutes for Darius Walker to get his first touchdown of the game on a 4 yard run. The run finished off a 7 play, 65 yard drive for the Irish. This time the extra point was missed, so Notre Dame led 39-10. Air Force answered however when they went 70 yards in just 7 plays to cut the Irish lead to 39-17. Notre Dame got some backups in the game and ran out the clock to record their 9th win of the season. Notre Dame will host Army next week before their season finale at USC.

Key Performers: Notre Dame

Brady Quinn 14/19 207 yards 4 TD 0 INT

Darius Walker 15 carries 153 yards 1 TD

Jeff Samardzija 6 rec 106 yards 1 TD

Rhema McKnight 3 rec 53 yards 1 TD

Key Performers: Air Force

Sean Carney 14/17 205 yards 2 TD 0 INT

15 carries 42 yards

Chad Hall 20 carries 67 yards 0 TD

Mark Root 5 rec 110 yards 0 TD

Beau Sudar 3 rec 44 yards 1 TD

Grading the Irish

Rush Offense.......... A

It was extremely important that the Notre Dame rushing game get going a bit before the USC game in a couple of weeks, and this performance was just what they needed. Walker went over 150 yards on just 17 carries, a positive sign of things to come. In the past few weeks Walker has started to find his way through the holes a lot better then he did at the beginning of the year. Air Force doesn't have a great defense, but it was still a good performance for Notre Dame to have under their belt.

Pass Offense.......... A

I don't think the pass offense could have been a whole lot better. Notre Dame came out passing early in the game, and picked apart the Air Force defense. If they passed the ball every play, they probably would have scored every play. Brady Quinn was very dominant, just another performance to boost his confidence and his Heisman chances.

Overall Offense.......... A

The offense was absolutely dominant. I don't know a better way to describe it. They ran just 46 plays in the game and scored on 6 of them. They averaged over 8 yards per play for the game, something they had not accomplished all season. If the offense can keep this up, I think the can roll right over the Trojans of USC.

Rush Defense.......... B

Even though they gave up 200 yards on the ground, I thought the defense did a pretty good job against the run. This is a team that is very good at running the option, a play that is tough to defend. Notre Dame only gave up 3.3 yards per carry, and failed to give up the big play. Also, Air Force failed to score a touchdown in the rushing game, which tells you that it was in no way dominant.

Pass Defense.......... B-

Notre Dame's pass defense struggled a little bit on Saturday, but I don't know how it can't when you are looking for the option every play. The Irish gave up a couple of big plays in the passing game, and at 10.8 yards per pass play, too many big plays. I think that the Notre Dame defense is still improving, but they are still not where they need to be at this point in the year. The thing is they seem to be bending but not breaking. They gave up over 400 yards, but only 17 points were put up there on the scoreboard.

Overall Defense.......... B

No matter how many yards they gave up, Notre Dame only gave up 17 points. Most of those points came when the game was already way out of reach in the second half. A couple more weeks of work and they should be ready for the showdown in the Rose Bowl.

SCENARIOS TO PONDER............................

At 9-1, Notre Dame is one of the few one loss teams remaining. After Louisville, Texas, Auburn, and Cal all lost, Notre Dame will be about 5th in the rankings this week. That means that if they beat USC, the only other team that will be in front of them will be Florida. If Florida falters in on of their final games, Notre Dame could possibly be playing in the BCS championship game. It is going to be a fun finish.

Next Week: (H) vs. Army

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

#1 Ohio State 54 Northwestern 10

#2 Michigan 34 Indiana 3

# 3 Louisville 25 #15 Rutgers 28

#4 Texas 42 Kansas State 45

#5 Auburn 15 Georgia 37

#6 Florida 17 South Carolina 16

#7 USC 35 #21 Oregon 10

#8 California 20 Arizona 24

#10 West Virginia 42 Cincinnati 24

#11 Arkansas 31 #13 Tennessee 14

#12 LSU 28 Alabama 14

#14 Boise State 23 San Jose State 20

#16 Wisconsin 24 Iowa 21

#17 Oklahoma 34 Texas Tech 24

#18 Wake Forest 30 Florida State 0

#19 Georgia Tech 7 North Carolina 0

#20 Virginia Tech 23 Kent State 0

#22 Boston College 28 Duke 7

#23 Maryland 14 Miami (FL) 13

#24 Texas A&M 27 Nebraska 28

#25 BYU 55 Wyoming 7

Week 7 College Pickem Scores

INDIANAPOLIS- Everybody is still extremely close as we near the end of the season.

1. Terry Hutchens- 98 points out of 142 possible
1. Rich- 98 points out of 142 possible
3. Justin- 97 points out of 142 possible
4. Marcia- 96 points out of 142 possible
5. Vicki- 95 points out of 142 possible
6. Don- 91 points out of 142 possible
6. Chris- 91 points out of 142 possible

Are Pacers a contender?

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- The Indiana Pacers come into this season with a new roster, and plenty of questions. The Pacers had a disappointing season last year, a season filled with injuries and under achieving. After being sent home following the first round of the playoffs, Larry Bird expressed how upset he was.

"There is no reason in the world for us to play like this," Bird said. "If I don't see an improvement in the attitudes of these guys, there will be a change in atmosphere next season."

And a change there is. The Pacers have acquired 5 new players, but the 2 guys everybody thought would be gone are still around, Stephen Jackson and Jamaal Tinsley. Nobody wanted to take on either of their contracts, and after what happened the week before the preseason I can see why. Tinsley and Jackson of course were involved in the incident outside of Club Rio in October.

Indiana has started the regular season with a 3-2 record, and have shown signs of being really good, but also signs of being really bad. The Pacers beat the Bobcats, Sixers, and Knicks by an average of 11 points per game, and lost to the Wizards and Hornets by an average of 22 points a game. This is a team that could be streaky, but I tend to believe they won't be as streaky as a year ago considering the deep bench that they have. Marquis Daniels, Darrel Armstrong, Sarunus Jasekevichus, David Harrison, and Rawle Marshall will all continue to come off the bench this season. And after regaining Al Harrington, the Pacers look to have a powerful inside combo of power and touch.

It seems like an exciting team to watch, and should be. Once this group of youngsters has a chance to play with each other for a period of time, they should have a solid season and be a playoff contender. I have them going to the Eastern Conference Finals and then losing which might be a stretch but it is what I believe. This team is for real.

THE NEW MEN IN BLUE & GOLD

Darrel Armstrong 2.1 ppg 1.4apg 1.3rpg

Marquis Daniels 10.2ppg 2.8apg 3.6rpg

Al Harrington 18.6ppg 3.1apg 6.9rpg

Orien Greene 3.2ppg 1.6apg 1.8rpg

Rawle Marshall 3.1ppg 0.4apg 1.3rpg

Josh Powell 3.0ppg 0.2apg 2.2rpg

Shawne Williams (rookie)

Maceo Baston (rookie)

How High will Rutgers fly?

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Rutgers won the biggest game in their 100+ year history on Thursday night when they beat #3 Louisville 28-25 in an instant classic. However, the big question remains. "How high will Rutgers move up in the polls?"
My answer to that question is not enough. Some people don't realize it, but Rutgers is 9-0, and has won the games on their schedule. They cannot beat teams that are not on their schedule, that is just a simple fact. I believe if Rutgers wins @ West Virginia next week they deserve to be playing for a BCS national championship, but they won't be. Rutgers came into this week ranked #13 in the BCS polls, meaning they would have to move up 11 spots, passing quality one loss teams, to play in the championship game. There is not way in the world that is going to happen. The pollsters look at Rutgers non-conference schedule and see weak opponents and some close calls. Regardless of if they beat West Virginia, people are not going to give the Rutgers Scarlet Knights the respect they deserve.
When the new polls come out on Sunday, I expect Rutgers to be ranked in the top 10 in the BCS, but not by much. They might be #8, or #9, but no higher than that. You have to remember that Florida, Auburn, Texas, USC, Cal, and Notre Dame are all up there in front of them, and those are teams that they are just not going to past. They have earned the right to be ranked highest of Big East teams, but that is about all in the eyes of the pollsters. Rutgers will not be in the BCS championship game, and that's a fact.

Week 11 College Football Preview

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- This week poses some interesting matchups, a couple of which could impact the BCS.

Thursday, November 9th
#3 Louisville (8-0) @ #15 Rutgers (8-0)
I have honestly been looking forward to this game all week. In this classic Big East battle, the winner could still possibly play in the national championship, especially if Louisville wins.
I look for Rutgers to pull the upset and win the biggest game in their team's history. The Scarlet Knights have an exceptional defense, something that Louisville has yet to face this season. And with a great running back in Ray Rice, Rutgers can play ball control and keep Louisville's offense off of the field. It should be a game for the ages, but Rutgers pulls it out in the end.
Final Score: Rutgers 34 Louisville 31

Saturday, November 11th
#1 Ohio State (10-0) @ Northwestern (3-7)
#2 Michigan (10-0) @ Indiana (5-5)
#4 Texas (9-1) @ Kansas State (6-4)
Georgia (6-4) @ #5 Auburn (9-1)

South Carolina (5-4) @ #6 Florida (9-1)
The Gamecocks are a better team then their record shows. You have to remember that they play in the toughest conference in football where they are playing teams like Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee in consecutive weeks. I think South Carolina will give the Gators everything they have, but I see Florida pulling it out in the end to keep their national title asperations alive. South Carolina is without an experienced quarterback which will hurt them against the ferocious Gator defense.
Final Score: Florida 31 South Carolina 20

#21 Oregon (7-2) @ #7 USC (7-1)
This Pac-10 matchup could very well be the game of the day. USC is still thinking about that tough loss to Oregon State, and should be playing with a bit of an edge at home. Oregon has proven to be a tough game all year long, ending Oklahoma's championship hopes with a contreversial win there. In the end I think that the athleticism of the Trojan wide receivers will be too much to handle, and USC will win a close one.
Final Score: USC 38 Oregon 28

#8 California (8-1) @ Arizona (4-5)
#9 Notre Dame (8-1) @ Air Force (4-4)

#13 Tennessee (7-2) @ #11 Arkansas (8-1)
This game is expected to be a close battle, but for some reason I don't think it will be. Tennessee's starting quarterback (Erik Ainge) is banged up and questionable for the game, but he won't be 100% regardless. The Razorbacks have played like one of the best teams in the country this season, and if they win the rest of their games I would say that they are the best 1 loss team out there. If there weren't so many other good teams I think they could be playing in the national championship. Anyway, I see Arkansas blowing the pants off the Vols in this one.
Final Score: Arkansas 27 Tennessee 7

Alabama (6-4) @ #12 LSU (7-2)
#16 Wisconsin (9-1) @ Iowa (6-4)

Texas Tech (6-4) @ #17 Oklahoma (7-2)
I think this will be one of the best games of the day even though it doesn't appear that way. I have been picking against the Sooners for weeks, and every week they have responded. I think that will end this week when the Red Raiders come to town. Despite a 6-4 record, Texas Tech has played everybody tough this year and have had some heartbreaking losses. Still without Adrian Peterson, I don't think the Sooners can hang with the high scoring Tech offense.
Final Score: Texas Tech 31 Oklahoma 21

#18 Wake Forest (8-1) @ Florida State (5-4)
Miami (FL) (5-4) @ #23 Maryland (7-2)

Nebraska (7-3) @ Texas A&M (8-2)
These two teams have to have the best records for unranked teams. Both the Aggies and the Cornhuskers have been impressive this season, but I have to go with the home team in this one. Texas A&M's defense is going to stop the Nebraska offense in a defensive struggle.
Final Score: Texas A&M 13 Nebraska 10

Pittsburgh (6-3) @ UCONN (3-5)

Colts continue to impress, yet still not respected

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- An 8-0 start is considered "unbelievable". Winning that many games in a row does not happen to often, unless you are the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts knocked off the 6-1 Patriots on Sunday night 27-20 to keep their perfect season going.
In case you forgot, the Colts were 13-0 last season before losing 2 of their final 3 regular season games and being bounced in the Divisional round of the playoffs by Pittsburgh. It has been since 1931 since a team has started a season with as many consecutive wins as the Colts. Even though the Colts continue to make history week after week, not many people are giving them the respect they deserve, and rightfully so. The Colts have always played well in the regular season, but they cannot get it done when it matters, in the playoffs. The Colts have never even made it to the a super bowl in the Peyton Manning era, yet every year they continue to be selected to do just that. National anyalists are starting to give up faith in the Colts, some of them saying "it is only a matter of time before they choke again."
Now don't get me wrong, I am not a Colts fan, but I am going to support them in this situation. I respect everything that the Colts have done this season, even though nobody else is giving them a chance. They lost Edgerin James and it was assumed that the Colts would have a much worse team than last year. That is not the case. Indianapolis has had a banged up defense all season, yet they still find ways to win the games. In order for them to make a super bowl run this season, it is key that they do not rest their starters at all during the season. Last year they rested Peyton and the boys for the last two games, and came into the game against the Steelers rusty, and unprepared. I think you will see a difference this year in their approach to the end of the season, but this is not a super bowl team. Not in the AFC.