Maryland Terrapins

Oct. 20---College Football---
Virginia Tech 28 ... Maryland 9---College Football---
Marcus Vick ran for 133 yards and a touchdown and Mike Imoh ran for two scores as Virginia Tech took over in the second half for the win over the fired up Terps. Maryland was able to move the ball in the first half, but only converted one of three chances in the red zone managing a 38-yard field goal until late in the fourth quarter on a ten-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Fenner. The Hokies outgained the Terps 286 to 96 on the ground.---College Football---
Player of the game: Virginia Tech QB Marcus Vick completed 14 of 23 passes for 211 yards and three interceptions, and ran 16 times for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: Virginia Tech - Passing: Marcus Vick, 14-23, 211 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Marcus Vick, 16-133, 1 TD. Receiving: David Clowney, 3-76---College Football---
Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 14-30, 158 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT---College Football------College Football---
Rushing: Lance Ball, 15-75. Receiving: Vernon Davis, 4-48---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Maryland had its chances early on against Virginia Tech, but couldn't take advantage and never got the momentum needed to beat a team this good. As good as the Terp linebackers are, they couldn't match the speed of Marcus Vick, while the offense was never quite right after QB Sam Hollenbach dinged up his shoulder. With a road trip to Florida State next, taking advantage of every opportunity will be important, while the offense simply has to be more efficient.---College Football---
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Oct. 8
Maryland 38 ... Temple 7---College Football---
Maryland overcame a sloppy first quarter, and a 7-3 deficit thanks to a two-yard Umar Ferguson touchdown run, to get three touchdown runs from Mario Merrills, a one-yard scoring run from Sam Hollenbach and a five-yard touchdown run from Lance Ball. The Terps forced four turnovers and amassed 472 yards of total offense. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Maryland RB Mario Merrills ran 12 times for 66 yards and three touchdowns. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 19-29, 228 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Mario Merrills, 12-66, 3 TD. Receiving: Vernon Davis, 5.79
Temple - Passing: Mike McGann, 8-14, 116 yds---College Football---
Rushing: Umar Ferguson, 25-96, 1 TD. Receiving: Brian Allbrooks, 4-63
What to take away from this game: The first quarter against Temple was as sloppy as Maryland could've been. The same type of start against Virginia Tech in the next game likely means a 21-0 deficit. Even so, the defense kept its cool not letting Temple do a whole bunch after the one scoring drive. The performance of Mario Merrills, along with another nice day from Lance Ball, shows the Terps have a serious 1-2 punch that should continue to shine as the ACC season continues. They complement each other well. ---College Football---
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Oct. 1
Maryland 45 ... Virginia 33---College Football---
Three fourth quarter touchdown runs, including two from Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore's second scoring run of the day, were enough for Maryland to get by Virginia. The Cavaliers got four Connor Hughes field goals, two Marques Hagans touchdown runs and a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown by Chris Cook, but the defense couldn't slow down a Terp attack that rolled up 570 yards of total offense. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Maryland RB Lance Ball ran 17 times for 163 yards and two touchdowns. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 25-33, 320 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Lance Ball, 17-163, 2 TD. Receiving: Danny Melendez, 9-125, 1 TD
Virginia - Passing: Marques Hagans, 17-35, 270 yds, 2 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Marques Hagans, 17-55, 2 TD. Receiving: Deyon Williams, 5-62
What to take away from this game: Where did this offense come from? Sam Hollenbach was phenomenal throwing the ball, even if he did throw two interceptions, while the ground attack blasted through the Cavalier defense like it wasn't even there. This was a huge statement game for Ralph Friedgen and his club with a nice scrimmage next week against Temple before getting the showdowns against Virginia Tech and Florida State. If the Terps play as well as they did this week, they have a shot, but they have to be as effective on third downs converting seven of 11.
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Sept. 24---College Football---
Maryland 22 ... Wake Forest 12---College Football---
Maryland held Wake Forest to 111 rushing yards and got a 20-yard fumble recovery for a score early in the second quarter on the way to a 13-0 lead before the Demon Deacons got on the board with a 25-yard Dan Ennis field goal as time ran out. Wake Forest got within 16-10 on a four-yard Chris Barclay touchdown run, but the Terps put it away with a three-yard Keon Lattimore touchdown run.
Player of the game: Maryland SS Milton Harris made seven tackles and forced two fumbles. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 12-22, 169 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Keon Lattimore, 15-76, 1 TD. Receiving: Danny Melendez, 3-52
Wake Forest - Passing: Ben Mauk, 18-35, 133 yds---College Football---
Rushing: Chris Barclay, 20-86, 1 TD. Receiving: Nate Morton, 5-45
What to take away from this game: The win over Wake Forest might not have been the prettiest performance, but it's a vital ACC road win with Virginia coming up. Nothing much is working consistently on offense with Sam Hollenbach failing to make enough big plays downfield, but Keon Lattimore is a decent rushing threat to revolve the offense around, at least for the moment. The defense was hitting hard against the Demon Deacons, and can beat the Cavaliers if it plays against the run like it did this week.---College Football---
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Sept. 17---College Football---
West Virginia 31 ... Maryland 19---College Football---
West Virginia scored 24 points in a wild fourth quarter with touchdown runs from Owen Schmitt, Pernell Williams and Jason Gwaltney on a 15-yarder with just under five minutes to play to put the game away. Maryland's offense had a hard time getting going finishing with only 50 rushing yards, but got a 73-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jo Jo Walker in the fourth quarter. West Virginia gained 301 rushing yards. ---College Football---
Player of the game: West Virginia's offensive line paved the way for 301 rushing yards with five players rushing for over 30 yards.---College Football---
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Adam Bednarik, 5-6, 57 yds---College Football---
Rushing: Owen Schmitt, 6-80, 1 TD. Receiving: Brandon Myles, 3-52---College Football---
Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 20-31, 291 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Mario Merrills, 9-35. Receiving: Derrick Fenner, 6-48---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Running game? Where is it? West Virginia has a good team, but Maryland should've been able to rumble for more than 50 yards. On the plus side, QB Sam Hollenbach looked good as he continues to progress into a playmaker, and Vernon Davis showed there might not be a more explosive tight end in America. The defense has to learn how to close; this is the second straight game the team lost at home in the fourth quarter. No there's almost no margin for error if the Terps want to get to a bowl. ---College Football---
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Sept. 10---College Football---
Clemson 28 ... Maryland 24---College Football---
Down 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Clemson came back with a 53-yard bomb to Curtis Baham and a 38-yard Reggie Merriweather touchdown run to win its ACC opener. Maryland got a big day from QB Sam Hollenbach who threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, but he couldn't keep the offense moving in the fourth quarter and Clemson took advantage. Merriweather started off the scoring for Clemson with a one yard touchdown, and Baham, along with his fourth quarter score, caught a six yard scoring passing in the third quarter. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Clemson RB Reggie Merriweather ran ten times for 75 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 18-22, 178 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Reggie Merriweather, 10-75, 2 TD. Receiving: Aaron Kelly, 4-25
Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 18-28, 288 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Keon Lattimore, 7-45. Receiving: Vernon Davis, 6-140, 1 TD---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The loss to Clemson might be crushing considering how well the Terps were playing, but there are some very positive signs. QB Sam Hollenbach looks like a real player pushing the ball deep and making several key passes under pressure. It would've been nice if the running game did more, but that'll come as the season goes on. TE Vernon Davis showed once again why might be one of the nation's best kept secrets showing off his deep speed.
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Sept. 3---College Football---
Maryland 23 ... Navy 20---College Football---
Sam Hollenbach threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Drew Weatherly with just over a minute to play to finally put Navy away. The Midshipmen took a 14-3 first quarter lead on Matt Hall and Marco Nelson short touchdown runs, and the defense held up keeping the Terps to two Daniel Ellis field goals before Mario Merrills put Maryland ahead on a 12-yard fourth quarter touchdown run. Navy got the lead back on a six-yard scoring run from Hall, but Hollenbach was able to rally the Terps on an 82-yard drive finishing with the decisive score. Navy rushed for 247 yards to Maryland's 196. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Maryland RB Mario Merrills ran 30 times for 149 yards and a touchdown---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 19-30, 217 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Mario Merrills, 30-149, 1 TD. Receiving: Jo Jo Walker, 5-53
Navy - Passing: Lamar Owens, 5-12, 97 yds, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Lamar Owens, 19-122. Receiving: Jason Tomlinson, 3-72
What to take away from this game: Maryland has to be disturbed that it couldn't outphysical Navy and control the game from the start. Instead, the Midshipmen were able to keep its offense moving while giving the Terp attack a surprisingly hard time. On the positive side, QB Sam Hollenbach came of age with his final game-winning drive. He wasn't sharp all game long, but he did a great job of spreading the ball around. The team will have to be far, far better to beat Clemson next week.
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2005 Schedule---College Football---
Sept. 3 - Navy (predicted finish: 5-6) – Offense: It's Navy, so you know what you're going to get: run, run, run. The nation's number three rushing attack last year loses almost all of the key parts with only two starters returning. Lamar Owens has to rock and roll right away as the likely new starting quarterback, but he'll have competition this fall. The bigger problem is at fullback where Kyle Eckel needs to be replaced; it'll take a few backs to do it. There won't be much more of a passing game, but Jason Tomlinson is a good enough receiver to get more throws his way. The line will need time to jell.---College Football---
Defense: Only four starters return, but there shouldn't be too much of a drop-off after only allowing 351.5 yards and 19.93 points per game. The secondary will be the strength with Jeremy McGown moving from safety to corner and Hunter Reddick growing into a star on the other side. The loss of Lane Jackson and Bobby McClarin at inside linebacker hurts, and the graduation of free safety Josh Smith really hurts, but the replacements appear to be capable. Despite only one returning starter on the line, expect more of a pass rush.
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Sept. 10 - Clemson (6-5, 3-5 in ACC) – Offense: Former Toledo offensive coordinator Rob Spence will take over for Mike O'Cain after the Tiger attack finished 110th in the nation in offense and averaged a mere 21.45 points per game. The key will be an improvement on the line as the talent is there in the backfield and the receiving corps, even with the loss of top pass catcher Airese Currie, to see a night-and-day improvement. QB Charlie Whitehurst has to rebound after a lousy season, but he needs time to throw. The running game will be better with the expected emergence of RB Reggie Merriweather as a star for a full season.---College Football---
Defense: New defensive coordinator Vic Koenning should be able to keep things rolling after a fantastic 2004. Plenty of experience returns, but there are some huge losses hurt most by the departure of LB Leroy Hill and CB Justin Miller. The run defense should be solid with a good front four and solid, deep linebacking corps. Even with the early defection of Miller to the NFL, the secondary will be good if CB Sergio Gilliam can play well right away. CB Tye Hill and F---College Football---S Jamaal Fudge will be among the ACC's best.
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Sept. 17 - West Virginia (7-4, 5-2 in Big East) – Offense: Expect a major step back from Big East's number two offense of last year with almost all the skill positions going through a major overhaul hurt by a woeful lack of experience at quarterback and receiver. The running game will be up to the normally high Mountaineer standards with three good backs (Jason Colson, Pernell Williams and Erick Phillips) operating behind a good, veteran line. The winner of the three-man quarterback derby will have to be razor-sharp until the receiving corps comes around.---College Football---
Defense: The defense had a strong year, but it has to replace some major players including all-everything corner Adam "Pac Man" Jones. Even so, the secondary is the strength of the defense with three solid All-Big East candidates in FS Jahmile Addae, S Mike Lorello and CB Anthony Mims. The front three will be a rock with 295-pound veterans ready to hold the line. The question mark is at linebacker where tough backups have to become reliable starters. There's solid depth everywhere.---College Football---
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Sept. 24 – at Wake Forest (5-6, 3-5 in ACC) - Offense: You know what you're getting from Wake Forest. It'll be another great rushing attack led by Chris Barclay and strong backups Micah Andrews and De'Angelo Bryant working behind an experienced, but inconsistent line. The passing game has weapons with most of the top receivers coming back, so now the key is finding a quarterback to get them the ball. Ben Mauk and Cory Randolph are average passers at best and will be in a battle for the starting spot up until the opener.
Defense: The front seven will be the best in the Jim Grobe era with plenty of speed and good depth at almost every spot. The secondary will be the concern losing stars Eric King and Marcus McGruder from a group that wasn't all that great anyway. The safeties will have to be the strength early led by junior Josh Gattis, but the corners will have a hard time with several young players looking to find time.
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Oct. 1 - Virginia (7-4, 4-4 in ACC) – Offense: The Cavaliers had one of the nation's best offenses ... against average teams. Lack of a deep threat receiver and inconsistency in the backfield led to problems against teams like Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech. That should change now that quarterback Marques Hagans has a year of starting experience. The big, fast receivers should be better with more of a focus on the passing attack. The ground game will still be outstanding with Wali Lundy and Michael Johnson working behind a line that'll have to find a way to overcome the loss of Elton Brown and Zac Yarbrough.---College Football---
Defense: The defense won't be quite the killer it was last year, but it'll be strong led by future millionaires Ahmad Brooks and Kai Parham on the inside. Even though there aren't the stars of recent Cavalier defenses, there are plenty of great athletes and plenty of good, steady playmakers like Brennan Schmidt on the end and Tony Franklin at corner. There's decent depth everywhere.
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Oct. 8 – at Temple (predicted finish: 1-10) – Offense: The loss of do-it-all QB Walter Washington is a good and a bad thing. He was the Big East's best player, but the offense became too reliant on him. Pure passer Mike McGann will retake his starting job, but there's no depth whatsoever. The backfield and offensive line will lead to a strong rushing attack, but the new receiving corps has to make the offense more explosive.---College Football---
Defense: Injuries, inexperience and inconsistency led to a miserable season from the defense allowing 439 yards and 36 points per game. Despite the loss of the two best players, LBs Rian Wallace and Troy Bennett, things should be better with a solid front wall helped by the return of Antwon Burton in the middle and an experienced secondary helped by the healthy return of CB Ray Lamb.
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Oct. 20 - Virginia Tech (9-2, 6-2 in ACC) – Offense: The offense was efficient last year, but it didn't move the ball much averaging almost 31 points per game despite only averaging 366 yards. Now this should be a devastating attack as long as Marcus Vick plays like he's supposed to. There are two great quarterback prospects (Sean Glennon and Cory Holt) also in the mix, but Vick is the type of player who can make this loaded attack special. There's too much talent at running back and receiver for one football, and the line is big and will be fine in time. Expect big, explosive numbers, but the question is whether or not someone can pick up the leadership slack left by Bryan Randall.
Defense: While this probably won't be the killer defense it was last year when it finished fourth in the nation and second in scoring defense, it'll still be impressive with a tremendous front four, an experienced linebacking corps, and All-America corner Jimmy Williams leading the secondary. Depth is a bit of a problem in the back seven with decent, but mostly inexperienced prospects being shuffled around to find the right fit. Like always with the Hokies, expect plenty of great athletes, lots of big plays, and another good year.
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Oct. 29 – at Florida State (projected finish 8-3, 6-2 in ACC) – Offense: Is this the weakest Florida State offense in since 1981? The starting quarterback situation is a potential mess with Xavier Lee not looking ready for primetime this spring, Wyatt Sexton suspended and Drew Weatherford hurt. The best receivers are true freshmen, and the line doesn't appear to be anything special. What the Noles do have are two fantastic running backs with Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker needing to carry the offense until Lee gets his feet wet. Talent-wise, there's enough here to be explosive after fighting through a ton of growing pains, but the jury is out on whether or not Jeff Bowden is enough of a top-shelf offensive coordinator to be able to lead the attack to a better season after finishing 61st in the nation in total offense.
Defense: The linebacking corps is among the best in America and safety Pat Watkins is a first round draft pick, but the rest of the defense is a major question mark after finishing seventh in the nation and fourth in scoring defense. The loss of rising star NG Clifton Dickson to academic problems and CB Antonio Cromartie to a knee injury is a huge hit for the rest of the D. The secondary will turn out to be fine if the star recruits of last year can quickly progress.
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Nov. 12 – at North Carolina (3-8, 3-5 in ACC) – Offense: Coordinator Gary Tranquill did a masterful job last year helping the Tar Heels to a big season finishing second in the ACC in total offense. The line is outstanding and the receiving corps is deep and underrated. There are concerns in the backfield needing new quarterback Matt Baker to be consistent, while inexperienced running backs Vince Wilson and Barrington Edwards need to pick up the slack for injured junior Ronnie McGill.---College Football---
Defense: Nine starters, not including top tackle Chase Page, return to a defense that finished 109th in the nation allowing 446.5 yards and 31.83 points per game. The most work has to be done in the run defense with the veteran linebacking corps needing to make far more plays to allow the safeties to play pass defense. The young, inconsistent line has to generate more of a pass rush and the secondary has to pick off more passes.---College Football---
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Nov. 19 - Boston College (8-3, 5-3 in ACC) – Offense: The Eagle offense will be tough to stop in every phase if the receiving corps comes around. Larry Lester has to go from being a nice secondary target to a go-to receiver, while star corner Will Blackmon has to be a big-time threat. Quarterback Quinton Porter is back and ready to roar after redshirting last year using his experience and decision making ability to be a strong leader of the veteran attack. L.V Whitworth and Andre Callender form a strong 1-2 rushing punch behind the ACC's best line that returns all five starters.---College Football---
Defense: The Eagles will once again have a stingy defense after allowing a mere 333 yards and 17 points per game. The linebacking corps is terrific with all three starters returning led by weakside star Brian Toal. The line has tremendous potential working around All-American and future NFL millionaire Mathias Kiwanuka. Size is the only concern in a very productive secondary.---College Football---

Nov. 26 – at NC State (6-5, 3-5 in ACC) - Offense: All the offense had to do was be competent and not screw up so the defense could win games. It didn't happen with little consistent run production and 16 interceptions thrown from the quarterbacks. Things should be better as the line returned experienced and potentially much, much better after injuries struck just about everyone last year. The running game should shine with speedsters Darrell Blackman and Bobby Washington complementing power running Reggie Davis. The concern is the passing attack as QB Jay Davis has to be more consistent and a number one wide receiver has to emerge to take the place of Richard Washington.
Defense: The defense was number one last year in the nation in total defense, number two in pass defense and number nine is pass defense. Even though most of the starting back seven is gone, this will still be an ultra-productive group thanks to the outstanding front four. Mario Williams and Manny Lawson form the nation's best defensive end pair, while tackles John McCargo and Tank Tyler are solid veterans. There's speed and athleticism in the back seven, but there has to be proven production early. This will be a much better defense in October than it will be in September.---College Football---
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Perspective Piece
USC vs. Notre Dame, Oct. 15

By Matthew Zemek---college football---

Believe the hype. Moreover, cherish it.---college football---

Anyone not convinced of Notre Dame’s quality, along with anyone convinced of USC’s superiority, should still relish the off-the-charts buzz surrounding this game.---college football---

Why is Trojans-Irish receiving through-the-roof publicity? If you love and care about college football, you shouldn’t have to ask.---college football---

Let’s remember: lost amidst the Gerry Faust Error, Lou Holtz’s total dominance of Troy, and the sad sagas of Paul “I Can’t” Hackett and Ty Willingham, this is college football’s greatest intersectional rivalry. SC-Notre Dame has carried a deeply-rooted place in the histories of these two decorated football schools. The rivalry blossomed and flourished precisely when television coverage of the sport was beginning to catch on. When Ara Parseghian and John McKay commanded these two programs, they mesmerized a nation and defined a sport from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s. Yes, Alabama was big stuff in the same electric era of college football history; ditto for Bob Devaney’s Nebraska clubs, Darrell Royal’s Texas teams, and other great squads from Michigan State, Ohio State, and UCLA. But the rivalry that made college football from 1964-1974 was USC-Notre Dame. ---college football---

During the Parseghian-McKay Era (or was it Ara?), the American Ireland and the Tinseltown Troy played games that almost always carried a major impact on the chase for the national championship. And even when the games didn’t have title implications, you still had everything else: the great coaching personalities, the sexiness of an intersectional battle’s colorful contrasts, and the inevitable fascination that comes with wondering: just how well do the West Coast and Midwest stack up against each other? USC-Notre Dame, one could legitimately say, was—in its glory days—the regular-season Rose Bowl in college football, with one difference: every other year, the Midwest would actually get to play host. Everything else, though, was the same, and this enduring presence of color and pageantry has never left Trojans-Irish:---college football---

The Song Girls and their white sweaters, representing modern California cool. The Leprechauns and their green garb, plus plaid-wearing old-timers bespeaking old-school Catholic tradition and timeless solidity in the face of change.
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In even years, the Thanksgiving weekend pilgrimage from Irish Nation to the sun-kissed beauty and noisy largeness of LA. In odd years such as this one, the mid-October trek for the Left Coasters to the statues, marble and haunting ghosts of an Indiana town cloaked in ancient glories and echoes aching to be awakened.
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Modernity versus tradition. Suntan versus the Son known as Touchdown Jesus. Triumph and Conquest versus the 1812 Overture. The lovely ladies of Los Angeles versus Our Lady. Traveler—the mother of all Trojan Horses (forget ancient Greece)—against the Four Horsemen.---college football---
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Fight On against the Fighting Irish.---college football---
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All this is always present when USC and Notre Dame get it on. But when the boys from LA and South Bend are also highly ranked and playing well; when you have two coaches who have restored the glory, luster and aura of these tradition-drenched schools; and when you consider how forces such as the Bowl Championship Series are consistently eroding college football’s traditions, charms and romantic elements, you should be able to understand why this game is deservedly a very...... big..... deal. Even more instructively, one should appreciate why the avalanche of hype surrounding this game is good for the sport of college football. It needs larger-than-life buildups to games that capture the sporting fan’s imagination. ---college football---
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The key word is that last word: imagination. This game might live up to the hype, but even if it doesn’t, what matters is the mere fact that you can imagine the game meeting the expectations. It might not happen, but it’s intellectually honest to believe it could.---college football---
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As the sport of college football has evolved over the decades, and as the strategic machinations involved in modern football have become ever more complex, the football lexicon has come to include this particular phrasing: “Never give (insert coach here) two weeks to prepare.” This is a term that has become increasingly commonplace in college football discussions surrounding big regular-season games. For bowl games, the phrasing changes “two weeks” to “one month,” but the same principle is involved.---college football---
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Joe Paterno became one of the first coaches to be regularly associated with the “never give him two weeks to prepare” line. Penn State became a team that would pick you apart systematically if JoePa had the chance to examine (and subsequently undress) you over an extended period of time. Since JoePa, other coaches have become associated with this dynamic. Bobby Bowden’s record in bowl games made him someone you didn’t want to be scrutinized by for a terribly long while. Steve Spurrier enjoyed such success beating Georgia when at Florida because he regularly had a bye week before the Cocktail Party. In very recent years, Bob Stoops became the “it” guy among college coaches who were dangerous with extra time on their hands, and in the past two seasons, USC’s very own Pete Carroll has become Father Time, the man who maximizes extra avenues for preparation and film study.
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But now, college football will see if Charlie Weis—whose Super Bowl performances with the New England Patriots made him a damn good “two-week man” at the professional level—can put two weeks to good use against the sport’s reigning Goliath. Aside of the colorful, lavish, tradition-rich history that always soups up Trojans-Irish, and forgetting for a moment the quality of the visitors and the Christ-like resurrection of a previously floundering Notre Dame program, what makes this game sing with intrigue, drama and possibility—accounting for the justified hype—is this one question: what will Weis do with two weeks to prepare? ---college football---
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That’s the central question of this game. Weis is as businesslike a coach as there is, so when he said last week that his team will be “exponentially more prepared” for USC because of an extra week of practice, you have to take him seriously. It’s not a recklessly uttered and hyperbolic spillage of braggadocio, but a calm statement of natural football sense and reality. This game—possessing more sex appeal, color, contrasts, and superstars than any single sporting event has a right to own—is a game that isn’t just for the occasional sports fan or the interested bystander who normally wouldn’t give a hoot about sports. This game—because Charlie and the Touchdown Factory have had an extra week in their mad-scientist pigskin laboratory, intensely drawing up schemes and plays to solve USC on every possible level—is also a football purist’s game, an ultimate test of coaching intelligence and cleverness in the face of a dauntingly awesome and athletically gifted opponent.---college football---
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How will Charlie do it? How will a very Weis man try to topple mighty Troy? The question has to make any lover of football, football coaching, and football strategy go absolutely wild with intellectual and emotional ecstasy. One can barely hold in the energy associated with the anticipation of the football coaching chess match of the year: Irishman Pete Carroll in one corner, genius behind USC’s defense, versus Irish coach Charlie Weis in the other corner, mastermind of a rejuvenated Notre Dame offense---college football---.
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It’s too much for any passionate college football fan to handle.---college football---
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And oh, that’s not including the trivial little fact that USC’s national title hopes and Notre Dame’s January 1 bowl hopes are on the line.---college football---
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And oh, that’s not including all the history and color that go into this, the greatest of college football’s intersectional rivalries.---college football---
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And oh, that’s in addition to the fact that this game is the biggest SC-Notre Dame game played since 1989, with a chance to be the most remembered Trojan-Irish encounter since the Anthony Davis game of 1974.
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It’s too much: the coaching matchup, the Charlie Weis challenge, the No. 1 behemoth, the resurgent upstart on its way back to power.---college football---

It’s all too much: The bands playing, the skirts—SC white or ND plaid—swaying, the enormity of what’s at stake, the Irish’s two-week break.---college football---
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Believe the hype. Cherish the hype. It’s all there, it’s all justified. USC-Notre Dame, in the full totality of its greatness, is back as the kind of uber-event that makes college football the king of American sports.---college football---
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College Football Notebook

Penn State makes big jump in AP poll

By The Associated Press

Penn State is in the top 10, Michigan is out again and UCLA is on the rise in The Associated Press Top 25. - College Football -

The eighth-ranked Nittany Lions (6-0) are off to their best start in six years and have their highest ranking since they were No. 6 in the Nov. 7, 1999 poll.

Southern California is No. 1 for the 25th straight poll, receiving 58 first-place votes in the media rankings released Sunday, with Texas and Virginia Tech holding onto the next two spots. The Longhorns received seven first-place votes, one more than last week.

Florida State is fourth followed by a pair of Southeastern Conference teams, Georgia and Alabama. - College Football -

Miami is No. 7 and Penn State, Notre Dame and LSU round out the top 10.

Penn State, which started the season unranked, beat Ohio State 17-10 on Saturday night in State College, Pa., to jump eight spots in the AP poll. Ohio State fell nine spots to 15th.

Michigan had a streak of 114 straight weeks in the rankings snapped when the Wolverines fell out of the rankings two weeks ago after their second loss of the season. Michigan jumped back into the Top 25 after beating Michigan State last week, but the Wolverines fell to 3-3 with a last-second loss to Minnesota and were dropped from the rankings again.

Penn State, the only Big Ten team without a conference loss, plays at Michigan on Saturday.

"We're not done," Nittany Lions quarterback Michael Robinson said after the Ohio State win. "We've got ourselves a tough Michigan game coming up next weekend."

In the USA Today coaches' poll, the top five was unchanged from last week — USC, Texas, Virginia Tech, Georgia and Florida State. - College Football -

In the AP Top 25, No. 11 is Florida and UCLA is No. 12, moving up eight spots after beating California 47-40.

The Bruins (5-0) haven't been ranked this high since the last poll of October 2001 when they were ninth.

No. 13 Texas Tech is followed by Boston College, Ohio State, Michigan State and Tennessee, which fell nine spots to No. 17 after losing 27-14 to Georgia at home.

Cal dropped eight spots to No. 18, and is followed by Louisville and Oregon. No. 21 Auburn gives the SEC six ranked teams, the most of any league. - College Football -

The bottom four has two teams (Minnesota and TCU) moving back into the rankings this season and another (Colorado) making its 2005 debut in the Top 25.

Minnesota returns at No. 22, and No. 23 Wisconsin gives the Big Ten five ranked teams.

No. 24 Colorado is in the rankings for the first time since early in the 2003 season.

No. 25 TCU was in the Top 25 for one week after beating Oklahoma to start this season, then lost to SMU the next week and fell out. The Horned Frogs have since won four straight.

Falling out of the Top 25 along with Michigan were Georgia Tech and Arizona State.

Oklahoma's Peterson expected to play

Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson is expected to play next week at Kansas, coach Bob Stoops said Sunday, one day after the tailback was limited by a sprained right ankle in a loss to Texas.

Stoops said Peterson did not play enough during the 45-12 loss to the second-ranked Longhorns to make the injury worse and should be closer to full speed on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

Peterson, who aggravated the ankle injury Oct. 1 against Kansas State, had only three carries for 10 yards against Texas. - College Football -

The runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last season, Peterson has 402 yards on 88 carries this season with eight touchdowns.

West Virginia's Gwaltney out four weeks

West Virginia freshman running back Jason Gwaltney will miss a minimum of four weeks with a sprained knee ligament suffered late in Saturday's 27-14 win over Rutgers. Gwaltney is third on the team with 186 yards this season. - College Football -

© 2005 Associated Press — All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

College football: Green Knights bully Blueboys

Press-Gazette

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Illinois College’s first possession of Saturday’s Midwest Conference football game against St. Norbert College ended with a blocked field goal and its second drive died on downs at the SNC 10-yard line.The Blueboys wouldn’t come close to scoring again, getting shut out by the Green Knights 28-0. - College Football -

After Nick Briesch blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt, the Green Knights stormed down the field to take a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The 71-yard drive was capped by the first of Casey Meehan’s three touchdown runs. Cody Craig completed 3-of-4 passes for 47 yards on the drive to set up Meehan’s 5-yard score. - College Football -

Illinois College tried to answer, with Pete Jennings completing six consecutive passes to move the ball to the SNC 13. One unproductive running play and three incompletions later, the Blueboys turned the ball over on downs.The Green Knights extended their lead to 14-0 on Meehan’s 4-yard run midway through the second quarter, and his 57-yard scoring dash on the first play of the third quarter made it 21-0. - College Football -

A minute later, Dan Dohr intercepted a Jennings pass, setting up a five-play, 30-yard drive that ended with a Craig-to-T.J. George 7-yard touchdown that put SNC up 28-0 with 10:57 left in the third. - College Football -

Dohr had a team-high 12 tackles and two interceptions.The Blueboys’ five second-half possessions ended with an interception, two punts, and two more interceptions. Their 30 plays gained just 109 yards.

Held in check in the first four games of the season, Meehan ran 22 times for 186 yards Saturday. Craig was on target, completing 14 of 19 passes for 177 yards to help keep SNC in the thick of the MWC race. First-place Monmouth is 4-0 in the league, with Carroll and SNC tied for second at 3-1. SNC hosts Carroll on Oct. 15. - College Football -

Jarid Crain rushed 33 times for 152 yards for Illinois College (2-2, 1-2).

Green Bay Press Gazette

Michigan ranked third in AP college football poll.

UNDATED Michigan is ranked third in this week's Associated Press college football poll.The Wolverines opened the season last weekend with a win over Northern Illinois. They play host this Saturday to number-20 Notre Dame.Southern Cal remains number one after winning its opener. Texas remains number two and Ohio State is number four. The Buckeyes host the Longhorns on Saturday night.Michigan's Big Ten rivals Iowa and Purdue are ranked eighth and sixteenth, respectively.Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan State also got votes, but not enough to crack the top-25.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Fanfare Greets Spurrier's College Return
Spurrier's College Coaching Career Resumes Thursday Night, and Columbia, S.C., Plans to Celebrate

PETE IACOBELLI
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. Aug 30, 2005 — Cue the TV cameras and dig out the new visors. Steve Spurrier is back. Spurrier begins his South Carolina coaching career Thursday night against Central Florida. And befitting the return of one ofcollege football's most charismatic personalities, a joyous party is planned for sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium. - College Football -

ESPN is basing its College GameDay show in town, along with profiling the Palmetto State in the network's continuing feature highlighting all 50 states. The country band Big & Rich will perform before the game.

The main attraction, though, comes before kickoff when the 60-year-old Spurrier steps onto the field after three years away from thecollege game where his Florida teams once consistently contended for the national title. - College Football -

"We realize we have not done anything to earn the spotlight, but we'll take it," Spurrier said. "Hopefully, our play will prove that maybe we deserve it. So that's what we'll try and do Thursday night." - College Football -

Spurrier was involved the last time South Carolina enjoyed this sort of attention. Then, he was a bitter rival as Florida came to town and, with a 54-17 victory, ended the Gamecocks' bid for an SEC Eastern Division title in 2001.

He left in true Spurrier style, poking fun at South Carolina's efforts to "Black Out Florida" fans dressed in black to show unity when he said one of his receivers mentioned it was "nice of them to wear all black so we can pick the ball out of the sky."

Those same Gamecock supporters who angrily crumpled up Spurrier's jabs after reading the next day's newspaper have turned out in record numbers to support their newest star. The stadium has been sold out for weeks, fans came by the hundreds to watch routine summer practices and Spurrier has been cheered at every appearance.

His new players are eating it up.

Defensive end Orus Lambert says Spurrier's legacy in the SEC is the excitement and passion he generates. "We love it and we can't wait to play," he says. - College Football -

Spurrier has increased the school's exposure as well. He has been a one-man publicity machine for South Carolina this offseason, putting a happy face on the team's numerous problems including criminal charges against several players and NCAA probation for violations during predecessor Lou Holtz's tenure. - College Football -

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Waldorf ready to hit someone else

FOREST CITY — The four Waldorf College football players answered the question in unison earlier this week. - College Football -

Are you ready for two-a-day practices to be over? "Oh yeah," Cort Ahrens, Roy Banks, Andy Herrick and T.J. Mayer said together. All four were grinning, too. They were tired smiles, but smiles nonetheless.

But as much joy as they found to end of twice-daily practices, which came on Wednesday, they long for something more. They yearn to play someone else besides their fellow teammates. Saturday, they and the Warriors get that chance as Waldorf opens its 2005 season with a game against Dakota State at Bolstorff Field. - College Football -

"I’ve had enough of beating up on each other," said Ahrens, a 300-pound senior offensive lineman.

The much-smaller Banks, a 190-pound junior defensive back nodded his head in agreement. "It’s time to play a game," he said. "I think we’d all play anyone right now."

Of course, Waldorf certainly isn’t alone in that respect. Just ask veteran coach Dave Bolstorff.

"You can ask that of any team in the United States right now, and they’d tell you they want to play a game," he said. "Of course, coaches always want more time to prepare, but I think we need to play someone and see how we stack up." - College Football -

The Warriors are coming off a 3-6 season, one in which they broke a 23-game losing streak that dated back to Waldorf’s junior college days. And regardless of how many games Waldorf wins this fall, Bolstorff believes his Warriors will be an improved football team this fall.

The reason is simple. Waldorf may once again field a young team, yet the Warriors will put their most experienced team onto the field since it went to four-year competition in 2003.

"I’d rather be experienced and young than young and inexperienced," said Bolstorff, who will begin his 38th season as Waldorf’s head coach. "The whole thing since we went to the four-year status is we weren’t going to do it with a quick fix. We wanted to build this thing with good students, good people, good citizens." - College Football -

Slowly but surely, the program is being rebuilt. Waldorf had just 40 players on its roster two years ago; Saturday, 60 Warriors will dress for the game against Dakota State. Included among them are eight seniors — a small senior class for most college football teams but a colossal one for Waldorf.

Bolstorff said his team will have more speed and more depth this year, two areas in which Waldorf came up wanting a year ago. Granted, freshmen and sophomores will provide much of that depth, but that’s OK with the Waldorf coach. - College Football -

"Last year, we just didn’t have that option of running people in and out, so the kids got tired," he said. "And tired football players make mistakes. I really think you’ll see us play more consistently this year."

BOB FENSKE, For The Globe Gazette