I--IOGANSVILLE HOME NEWS - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009
PAGE 7
College Football News, Analysis and Prognostications
i
]: Gridiron Gazette * 1690 Calls Creek Circle, Watkinsville GA, 30677* gridirongazette@bellsouth.net • 706-255-0222
QB, KELLEN MOORE, BOISE STATE
The sophomore th=_ , Ibr 3,325 yards, 39 touchdowns,
and only 3 INTs. He finished the season ranked first
m passing effici¢:i%, and led the Broncos to an
undefeated, season
RB, £ARK INGtCM, ALABAMA
[ngram, a sophomore, rushed for an SEC-best 1,542
yards and 15 touchdowns on his way' to leading the
Crimson Tide to a perfect season•
RB, C.J. SPILLER, CLEMSON
Spiller gamed 2,508 all-propose yards, averaging
192 yards per game and 9.52 yards per play. He has
accounted for 7,448 career all-purpose yards.
WR, JORDAN SttlPLE; TEXAS
Shipley scored 13 touchdowns and averaged 104
yards per game and 12.86 yards per catch..
WR, DENARIO ALEXANDER, MISSOURI
Alexander averaged 137 yards per game, and led the
counry with 1,644 yards receiving tlfis season.
TE, DENNIS PI'FTA, BRIGHMAM YOUNG
Pitta averaged over 14 yards per reception for 784
yards and seven touchdowns.
OL, RUSSELL OKUNG, OKLAHOMA STATE
Okung is rated as the top tackle m college football
the will likely be the first offensive lineman taken in
the draft
OL, MIKE IUPATI, IDAHO
Six-toot-six, 330-pound senior guard has helped
the Vandals average over 30 points per game. He is
projected as a high NFL draft pick.
C, MAURKICE POUNCe, FLORIDA
Pouncy was the center piece of an offensive line that
helped the Gators average 442 yards per game.
OL, SERGIO RENDER, VIRGINIA TECIt
Render helped pave the way for the Hokie freslunan
Ryan Williams to gain 1,538 yards rushing, tops m
the ACC.
OL, MIKE JOHNSON, ALABAMA
Jolmson is the leader of an offensive line that might
be the most dominating in college ibothall and opened
holes fbr Alabama running backs all season.
DEFENSE
DL, VON MILLER, TEXAS A&M
Miller was 'one of the @w bright ots on a defense
that, fanked'i !C7th ,iatignal!z,, Miller led. the nation
with 17 sacks' and had 21 TFL.
DL, NDAMUKONG SUH, NEBRASKA
Sub was the most dominating defeasive lineman m
the country, and led a Cornhusker defense that raed
3rd nationally in point allowed. He is the likely No. 1
overall pick in the NF'L draft.
DL, TERRENCE CODY, ALABAMA
'Mount'" Cody as he came to be known because of
his se and immovabiliW led a Alabanm defense that
ranked 2nd nationally against the rmL
DL, DERRICK MORGAN, GEORGIA TECH
Morgan had 12.5 cks, 18 TFL and he was named the
ACe's Defmive P!ayer Of The Year.
LB, ROLANDO MCCLA1N, ALABAMA
McClain was the linchpin of the nation's stingiest
defense. He collected 101 tackles, 2 INTs, 4 sacks,
and 12.5 TFL.
LB, GREG JONES, MICHIGAN STATE
Jones ranked tltird nationally with 141 total tackles.
He also accounted for 9 sacks and 13.5 TFL.
LB, CARMEN,MESSINA, NEW MEXICO
ALL-AMERICANS CONT.
DB, JOE IIADEN, FLORIDA
Haden made four intereptions m 2009, and had
13 passes defended, despite the unwillingness of
quarterbacks to throw to his side of the field.
DB, EARL THOMAS, TEXAS
Thomas ranked 2nd nationally with 8 INTs for 149
,ards in returns and one touchdown. He also had 10
defended.
DB, ERIC BERRY, TENNESSEE
3erry might be 'the most versatile and talended
defensive back m the country. He is skilled at defending
the pass and physical agam the run.
DB, DEANDRE MCDANIEL, CLEMSON
McDaniel had 8 INTs for 182 yards in returns and
TD He led a Clemson defense that ranked llth
In handling Florida 32 - 12, Alabama's offensive line gashed the Gators defensive front, allowing the
Crimson Tide to gain 490 yards. Alabama quarterback Greg McEIroy went 12 for 18 for 239 yards.
..... T}" 'a s "ci[mp o'a'lp" w;eekend on tie "coiie ge'g}liron: "ant'iie "g'es "Id;i'disaploi'nil No" ]" )klalaa" and
INo. 2 Florida lhet in the SEC Championship Game, described as a national semifinal, and the Crimson
Tide dominated the Gators 32 - 12. The Alabama offensive line pushed the nurnber one ranked defense in college
football all over the Georgia Dome to the tune 490 yards, including 251 yards rushing. Alabama running back
Mark Ingrain made a strong case lbr the Heisman Trophy by rushing for 113 yards and 3 TDs, and made a 69-yard
catch-and-run to set up a fourth touchdown in the biggest game of the season.
The other national semifinal of college football was the Big 12 Championship, where No. 3 Texas needed a
last-second 46-yard field goal by Hunter Lawrence to get past No. 22 Nebraska 13 - [2. The story of, this game
was the Cornhusker defense, which held the explosive Longhorn offense to 202 yards. Nebraska DT Ndumakong
Suh sacked Texas All-Americma quarterback Colt McCoy 4 ½ times despite being repeatedly double and triple-
teamed. Suh put on the most dominating and disruptive performance by an interior defensive lineman that we
have witnessed in years, tossing Longhorn linemen like they were Raggedy Ann dolls, and he might be the best
defensive tackle the college game has seen since the days Reggie White ,'it Tennessee.
So, No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Texas will meet in the BCS Championship in Pasadena on January 7, 2010.
Pasadena is the site of Alabama's first ever bowl game played in 1926, and of Texas' 2006 BCS Championship. We
will have much more on Alabama's 1926 trip to Pasadena in next week's issue of The Gridiron Gazette.
The Longhom's one-point, last-second victoB means that No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Cincinnati, and No. 6 Boise
State, all undefeated, have no chance to win college football's crown jewel, and will no doubt reignite the debate
for a playoff.
In the ACC championship No 11 Georgia Teeh defeated Clemo, 39 - 34 on an 86-yard drive that
culminated m a 1 -yard touchdown bx Yellow Jacket rtnu-m-- "back, oi]n 13a;etwatk,l:20 remammg. The wm
overshadowed, another amazing perfommnce by' Clemson's" C.J. Siflldr, ;ti5 gffrpe.gr0uiad the field on a sore
a.¢ ...............
SPECIALISTS
P, DREW BUTLER, GEORGIA
Butler punted fifty times for a total of 2,441 yards. He
averaged 48.84 yards per punt
PK, BLAIR WALSH, GEORGIA
Walsli has made .905 percent of his field goil attempts,
and he was a perfect 4 for 4 from beyond 50 yards.
Also he is a perfect 34 - of 34 m PATs.
PR, GREG REID, FLORIDA STATE
Reid leads the mtion in punt returns, averaging 18.42
yards for 350 yards and one touchdown.
KR, C.J. SPILLER, CLEMSON
Spiller averaged 33.71 yards per kickoff return, 4th m
college football, and scored four touchdowns.
MARK INGRM, RUNNING BACK, ALABAMA
Ingrain, just a sophomore, rushed for 1,542 yards
and ,scored a 18 total touchdowns, including (5 on
the ground. He was extra special m big games. He
gained 248 yards against South Carolina, 145 yards
against I, SU, and l 15 yards and ,scored 3 TDs in the
SEC Championship. What makes Ingram even more
amazing is was tackled for a total loss of only 20 yards
during the entire season.
GARY PATTERSON, TCU
Patterson led the Homed Frogs to a 12 - 0 record that
includes wins at ACt2 ''Atlantic Division Champion
Clemson, No. 16 BYIJ,'ffNb'.'I'6'LffaR.'TCU'I'tked" 7
4th nationally in total offens and-3.gthafi0flally in
total defense.
OFFENSIVE
TIM TEBOW, QB, FLORIDA
Tebow ranked second in the SEC with 3,272 total
yards and scored 31 total touchdowns on his way to
leading Florida to a 12 - 1 regular season record.
DEFENSIVE
ROLANDO MCCLAIN, LB, ALABAMA
McClam is the leader of a Crimson Tide defense that
finished first of second nationally in every major
defensive catagory.
OFFENSIVE
4-4 8.4 RYAN WILLIAMS, RB, VIRGINIA TECH
.'5 7'5 " Nohar01in 4-4 : 8;4 Williams, a freshman, led the ACC with 1,538 yards
3-5 7-5 Duke 325 527 rushing, 128 yards per game, and scored 18 TDs.
DEFENSIVE
averaged 13.50 tackles per game. He had 19 tackles
twice this season, tte also had 8 TFL and 3 sacks.
College Football News and Notes
Temple will play either Army or UCLA in the
EagleBank Bowl on Dec. 29 at RFK Stadimn m the
nation's capital. If Amy beats Navy, the Cadets will
play in their first bowl game since 1996. If Army loses,
Temple will play UCLA (6-6). It is the Owls' first bowl
invitation in 30 years... Idaho'is headhg back to a
bowl game for the first time m more than a decade and
will play Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl.
The Vandals (7-5) amounced Sunday they'll stay
in their home state to face the Eagles on Dec. 30 m
Boise, Idaho. Idaho's last bowl appearance was also in
the ttumanitarian Bowl - m 1998... Charlie Wets has
apologized to Southern California coach Pete Carroll
for connnents that he says were taken out of context In
an interview transcript posted on kishIlluslrated.com
Saturday, the tbrmer Notre Dame coach was quoted
internping a question featuring Carroll's name with
a lengthy answer that suggested Carroll doesn't live
with his wife, yet the media never mentions it. Carroll
told the Los Angeles Times that Weis' comments were
Messina led the coantry with an amazing 162 total LUKE KUECHLY, LB, BOSTON COLLEGE
tackles, 20 more than the second place fmislier. He ................................................................................................................................................. Kuechly ranked 2nd nationally with 142 tackles and
ranked 5th in the ACC with 12.5 TFL. He recorded 19
The Gridiron Gazette To:00 25
tackles against Noah Carolina.
Tales From The Gridiron
Ranking Power Rating Ranking Power Rating November 16, 1957 Bud Wilkinson's Oklahoma
1. Alabama 157.0 14. Northwestern 133.7 Sooners were on a 47-game winning streak, ranked
No. 2 in the nation, and an 18-point favorite over
................................................................................................ .......... ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ visiting Notre Dame, It was such a mismatch that
3. TCU 155.4 ! 16. Iowa 133.0 one sports writer wrote, "The sellout crowd of 62,000
came out for a Roman holiday." But Terry Brennan's
5. Florida 151.8 i 18. Stanford 131.6 Fighting Irish squad had something else in mind.
Notre Dame's defense held the Sooners to a paltry'
145 total yards and ended Oklahoma's winning streak
and 123-game scoring streak, shattering the Sooners'
chances of a third straight national title in the process.
9. LSU 137.7 i 22. Houston 123.9 Irish fullback Nick Pietrosante steamrolled for 169
yards, and halfback Dick Lynch scored the game's
only touchdown on a three-yard pitch with 3:50 to
play in the game. The Sooners desperate final dive
ended with an interception, and Notre Dame prevailed
13. Pittsburgh 13 7.5 : Proostications mad rankings updated weekly 7 - 0. Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak remains a
"untrue" and "irresponsible." modem-day record.
[llllll[lllll[lll[lll[ll [ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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