Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 31

Jan 13 2008 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2008 WWW.POST-GAZETTE.COM D-5 COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS (All Times EST) SATURDAY, DEC. 29 Meineke Bowl At Charlotte, N.C. Wake Forest 10 LIBERTY BOWL At Memphis, Tenn. Mississippi State 3 ALAMO BOWL At San Antonio Penn State 17 SUNDAY, DEC. 30 Independence Bowl At Shreveport, La.

Alabama 24 MONDAY, DEC. 31 Armed Forces Bowl At Fort Worth, Texas California Force 36 Sun Bowl At El Paso, Texas Oregon Florida 21 Humanitarian Bowl At Boise, Idaho Fresno State Tech 28 Music City Bowl At Nashville, Tenn. Kentucky State 28 Insight Bowl At Tempe, Ariz. Oklahoma State 33 Chick-fil-A Bowl At Atlanta 20 TUESDAY, JAN. 1 Outback Bowl At Tampa, Fla.

Tennessee 17 Cotton Bowl At Dallas Missouri 7 Capital One Bowl At Orlando, Fla. Michigan 35 Gator Bowl At Jacksonville, Fla. Texas Tech 28 Rose Bowl At Pasadena, Calif. Southern California 17 Sugar Bowl At New Orleans Georgia 10 WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2 Fiesta Bowl At Glendale, Ariz.

West Virginia 28 THURSDAY, JAN. 3 Orange Bowl At Miami Kansas Tech 21 SATURDAY, JAN. 5 International Bowl At Toronto Rutgers State 30 SUNDAY, JAN. 6 GMAC Bowl Mobile, Ala. Tulsa Green 7 MONDAY, JAN.

7 BCS National Championship At New Orleans LSU State 24 SATURDAY, JAN. 12 Hula Bowl At Honolulu Aina (East) (West) 7 SATURDAY, JAN. 19 East-West Shrine Classic At Houston East vs. West, 7 p.m. (ESPN2) SATURDAY, JAN.

26 Senior Bowl At Mobile, Ala. North vs. South, 4 p.m. (NFLN) GAME Hula Bowl Aina 38, Kai 7 Aina 7 3 Kai 0 7 7 First Quarter 1 run (Carmody kick), 9:57. 6 run (Carmody kick), 4:10.

Second Quarter 3 pass from Morris (Carmody kick), :08. Third Quarter Carmody 38, 10:24. 15 pass from (Aguoyo kick), 5:36. Fourth Quarter 1 run (Carmody kick), 10: 42. 1 run (Carmody kick), 3: 00.

The other day, like millions of Americans, I watched college national championship game. Alas, I must have been watching on a broken TV. I saw a team, Ohio State, outgain its opponent by two yards per play. I saw that same team lose anyway because its opponent, Louisiana State, played a much more disciplined, fundamentally sound game. I saw LSU commit only one turnover while Ohio State committed four: three that were official and one on a roughing-the-punter penalty that allowed LSU to keep the ball.

Based on all that, I had no doubt that LSU deserved to win. Now, two days later, still annoyed by that stupid broken TV. Apparently, I see the same game as many of my colleagues around the country. They saw: 1. Conclusive proof that the Big best teams do not have as much talent as the best Southeastern Conference teams.

2. Evidence that Ohio State, which got creamed by Florida in last title game, does not belong in any championship game. Well, now, maybe they are right. The SEC, after all, is 11-4 in Bowl Championship Series games and the Big Ten is 8-9. But I think they are right.

I think they have all bought into the SEC Myth. If you think the SEC is usually the best conference in the country, that is not the SEC Myth. a perfectly reasonable opinion. No. The SEC Myth is the argument that the SEC is far superior to other conferences; that it is the best league in the country every year The SEC Myth states that Ohio State simply does not have the talent to beat teams like Florida and LSU.

You probably know some SEC Mythologists. They are all over the place except, apparently, in the NFL. Since 2000, the 11 Big Ten teams have produced an average of 26.8 draft picks per school. The 12 SEC teams have produced 27.3 picks per school. That is half a player per school over an eight-year period.

So basically a wash. The logic behind the SEC Myth is self-perpetuating. When Kentucky beats LSU, it is held up as proof of SEC depth. When Northwestern beats Michigan, the Big Ten is weak. If you believe in the SEC Myth, you believe that SEC teams face an unfair path to get to the national championship game because their conference is so demanding that almost impossible to get through it unscathed.

But if you believe that, you have to ignore this: The Big Ten and SEC play two bowl games against each other every year, in Orlando and Tampa. This is where the conferences send their top two non-BCS teams. If the SEC is really so much deeper, then that conference should dominate those two games. Yet in the BCS era, the Big Ten has won 11 of those games, the SEC nine. Anyway, congrats to Louisiana State, the 2007 BCS champion.

And congrats to the SEC, which I mean this sincerely is probably the best conference in America, by a small margin. MICHAEL ROSENBERG Detroit Free Press NOTEBOOK Magazine criticizes Stewart From wire dispatches We doubt writer Matt Hayes made many friends in Morgantown or most any place in West Virginia this week with the first four paragraphs of his commentary in The Sporting News on West Virginia naming Bill Stewart as Rich Rodriguez replacement. Wrote Hayes: I want to throw a sopping blanket on the feel-good story of the college football postseason. But what in the world is West Virginia doing? a program-defining coach, gain Gomer Pyle Stewart is a nice man and by all accounts a coach who will give his all to West Virginia. But instead of hiring the best man available, the administration hired the best fan available.

surprise, Arkansas The father of tailback Darren McFadden denied a report that he has sent paperwork to the NFL so his son can enter the upcoming draft. ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Graylon McFadden provided the relevant paperwork early this week. hate to be saying anything because all these false stories and everything are floating Graylon McFadden said yesterday. no I and all got to A university spokesperson said he anticipate an announcement on McFadden before tomorrow. Darren McFadden, a junior tailback, was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2006 and 2007.

His entry into the NFL draft would come as no surprise. second on the Southeastern single-season and career rushing lists after running for 1,830 yards this past season and 4,590 during his three-year career. The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft is Jan. 22. Felix Jones other talented junior tailback, has said he will announce his intentions tomorrow.

Washington A university booster offered $200,000 for law school scholarships if coach Ty Willingham and athletic director Todd Turner were fired, The Seattle Times reported late this week. The offer made by Ed Hansen a multimillionaire lawyer and former three-term mayor of Everett, to university president Mark A. Emmert was included in approximately 1,000 e-mails obtained by The Times in a public records request. Turner was credited with restoring integrity to the athletic programs before he resigned Dec. 11, six days after Emmert retained Willingham, who has an 11-25 record in three seasons with Washington.

Turner was an ardent backer of Willingham. Emmert told The Times he recall e-mail and routinely disregards financial threats or offers based on personnel decisions as and kind of commentary I take seriously at Hansen said he never thought Willingham would stay and Turner would leave. Edinboro Senior tight end Kyle Witucki caught an 8-yard touchdown pass his only reception of the game as the East defeated the West, 42-13, in the Division II all-star Cactus Bowl Friday night at Texas Kingsville. Elsewhere Duquesne receiver Bruce Hocker caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Marshall Bernard Morris in the second quarter to lead the Aina to a 387 victory against the Kai in the Hula Bowl in Honolulu. Hocker finished with three receptions for 32 yards and Pitt Darrell Strong had five catches for 50 yards for Aina (East).

Chris Images Coach Les Miles celebrates with his players and the rest of the Southeastern Conference in the aftermath of their 38-24 win Monday night in New Orleans. All season long, the grip on the No. 1 ranking in college football had been a precarious one. As the leaders stumbled and fell and, in some cases, rose again it became apparent that no one team was destined to be invincible in the 2007 season. Greatness would have to be in the eyes of the beholder.

In a season, therefore, where No. 1s stumbled in triple-overtime and No. 2s seemed to fall like autumn leaves, it have been surprising that in college championship game Monday night, the top-ranked team began the night as a four-point underdog to the twice-defeated No. 2. Late Monday night, as purple and gold confetti rained in the Superdome LSU coach Les Miles held aloft the BCS crystal trophy.

At the end of college greatest season, somebody finally had a firm grip on No. 1. To be able to clutch the trophy, the Tigers defeated seven top-25 teams during the season and nine opponents who played in postseason bowls. They became the first team to be BCS champion twice. LSU also successfully negotiated the gauntlet of college toughest league, the Southeastern Conference.

Big 12 fans can feel free to roll their eyes here. The truth is that the SEC has the best coaches, the most sold-out stadiums and the best-balanced league from top to bottom. SEC teams won seven bowl games this season. One exception was a three-loss Florida team, one year removed from its own BCS title, that failed to be sufficiently inspired by the Capital One Bowl and succumbed to Michigan. Arkansas, meanwhile, proved that the winning formula for the Cotton Bowl is definitely not an interim head coach and no enforced curfew.

Missouri toyed with the disinterested Hogs. Still, the SEC finished 7-2 in the postseason. Deep, multi-talented LSU proved to be a worthy representative of the conference. can tell you Miles said. SEC is a very competitive league.

not a league where going to have dominant games week after week. going to have to play competitively, play from behind and take risks. The No. 1 Tigers likely will have no better epitaph than that. Week after week, as title game contenders toppled around them, LSU found a way Miles was blessed to have, in no particular order, a senior quarterback, a wise and mature senior No.

1 running back, an award-winning senior defensive tackle, and a senior strong safety who could be one of four Tigers picked in the NFL first round. Great players, without question, make great plays. But great seniors win championships. LSU will lose 11 seniors who started Monday game against Ohio State. The departures sound too numerous to consider LSU a factor in next No.

1 hunt. But be so sure of that, Miles said Tuesday. For the second time in five seasons, the BCS crystal trophy was going home to Baton Rouge Not a great team. But in this great and memorable college football season, LSU was great enough. SEC vs.

BIG TEN SEC vs. BIG TEN What did we learn Monday night? A BCS post-mortem from New Orleans GIL LeBRETON Fort Worth Star-Telegram COLLEGE FOOTBALL cess continued. The pull for Holliday to come home remained strong. very, very excited to get what we think and most people think is the top-notch recruiter in college football Stewart said. personally am very excited that Doc has decided to come back to his alma mater.

He will be a tremendous, tremendous asset to the West Virginia football program, the city of Morgantown and the entire state of West Virginia and Mountaineer Holliday spent 20 of the past 25 years as a full-time assistant on the offensive side all coaching wide receivers and Stewart called him valuable asset to this offensive still in the making after Chris hiring Friday as running receivers coach. While Stewart has talked to coaches at Division I-AA Appalachian State and other places and levels, he still is looking to hire a strength and conditioning coach, a line coach and an offensive coordinator where Charlie Taafe remains a possibility. Taafe, an option proponent and a 2006 Pitt assistant among many other jobs, remains under contract for two more seasons with the Canadian Football Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which is a sticking point. He apparently wants to return stateside to coach because of a high school-aged son who is a quarterback, but the CFL management is either holding him to his contract or some sort of separation terms. General manager Bob told The Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator that Taafe to talk it over with his first and characterized it as a 50-50 proposition that Taafe stays or goes to West Virginia.

Chuck Finder can be reached at or 412-263-1724. Doc just what WVU ordered WVU, FROM PAGE D-1 Holliday Highest-paid assistant in WV history DUI KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CALL Attorney Terry Ging Patberg, Carmody Ging Pittsburgh, Murrysville, Bridgeville Franklin Park 412-232-3500 nitely Worth The Quick Quotes at www.baierl.com West Penn Billiards West Penn Billiards 1 MILLION DOLLAR 1 MILLION DOLLAR After Christmas After Christmas SALE SALE 3221 Babcock Blvd. 3221 Babcock Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Pittsburgh, PA 15237 1-800-464-5198 1-800-464-5198 LOWEST PRICES OF THE YEAR! Financing Available! 2 Locations To Serve You Better 2 Locations To Serve You Better 2520 Washington Road 2520 Washington Road Route 19 South Route 19 South Canonsburg, PA 15317 Canonsburg, PA 15317 N. Strabane Twp.

Center N. Strabane Twp. Center 724-743-3720 724-743-3720 Professional Sales Service UP TO UP TO OFF OFF WE WILL NOT WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD BE UNDERSOLD Serving The Tri-State For Over 40 Years! Number 1 in USA www.cardello.com ARDELLO LECTRIC UPPLY PITTSBURGH 701 North Point Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15233 (412) 322-8031 MONROEVILLE 125 Seco Road Monroeville, PA 15146 (412) 457-0108 CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP 20580 Route 19 Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724) 742-9777 CASTLE SHANNON 4136 Library Road (RTE. 88) Castle Shannon, PA 15234 (412) 942-0297 LOADCENTER VALUE 200 AMP 40 CIRCUIT MAIN BREAKER 6-20 amp single pole breakers Includes copper bus $130.00 ROMEX CABLE $61.50 per 250' Coil Lead Free PVC Insulated and Jacketed 5000' Limit.