Don’t write off N.O. as ‘ghost town’

Quite as kept, the recent BCS Championship game in New Orleans was an ultimatum of sorts or the city: “If New Orleans can’t show it can handle the game,” said one Bowl Championship Series administrator, “we have to move on.”
This article does a great job of explaining how Nola came through big time.

Baton Rouge Turns Out For LSU Parade

It's pretty cold, but it's pretty sweet, too.
About 25,000 fans braved chilly temps tday to celebrate LSU's national football championship.
"I got chills when I was carrying that flag," star defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey said after the 75-minute event Saturday afternoon in Tiger Stadium. "Today was a day of closure for my four years at LSU. It has been unbelievable."
Dorsey hadn't had a bad year.
Dorsey won the Outland Trophy (interior lineman), the Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman), the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player), and the Lott Trophy (on-field performance and personal character).
He was the last player introduced at the party to celebrate the Tigers' 38-24 victory over Ohio St. on Jan. 7. All but three members of the 2007 team - Jacob Hester, Chevis Jackson and Andrew Decker - were there.

“To come out here in the cold, it says a lot as a whole,” LSU defensive end Kirston Pittman said. “I don’t think I would have come out here in this cold weather, but it shows the love of the people of LSU and how much they appreciate us — and how much we really appreciate them.”
The 2007 national championship flag was raised at the end of the ceremony. National championship trophies from four organizations were presented to LSU coach Les Miles and team captains Dorsey, Patrick Fisher, Matt Flynn and Craig Steltz.
The four trophies were the MacArthur Bowl National Championship, the Football Writers Trophy, The Associated Press Trophy and the BCS National Championship Trophy.
Southeastern Conference commissioner and BCS co-ordinator Mike Slive made the presentation for the BCS trophy and his league's championship trophy.
"This is the third time I've had the privilege of sharing the podium with these great athletes and these great coaches," Slive told the crowd. "I can tell you there is a special aura about them. They have earned your respect and your admiration as they have mine."
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden also appeared at the event.

New Orleans Hard Heads Murdering City's Image

New Orleans police have identified an 18-year-old man they think is responsible for killing at least one person in a Christmas night shooting that left two dead and four wounded in Central City.
Also 27 months after Hurricane Katrina, a crime wave is creating headaches for tourism officials.
Just over half of respondents to a University of New Orleans poll released Dec. 10 rated the city a 1, 2 or 3 in crime on a scale of 10, with 1 being “the worst city in the U.S.” The poll of 775 people was taken Nov. 29-Dec. 4 and gauged the impressions of Americans outside Louisiana. Its margin of error was plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
Roughly one-third of respondents to the UNO poll said they were “extremely unlikely” to visit the city for “business or pleasure” in the next two years.
The country is getting another look at New Orleans with college bowl games, Mardi Gras coming up in February and then the National Basketball Association All-Star game.
In the Christmas murders, a warrant for has been issued for Eldrin George, 18, according to a news release issued late Friday by police spokeswoman Shereese Harper. Police are continuing to gather information to identify other suspects.
Police earlier this week identified George as one of a trio of young men behind a rash of armed robberies that gripped Uptown last month. Police working that case said George has a scar on his forehead and a mole under his right ear, and most recently lived in the 3000 block of Touro Street. They said he is known to frequent the University area.
On Dec. 25, police responded around 6:30 p.m. to the 2400 block of Josephine Street near Freret Street, where they found dozens of bullets from an assault rifle scattered on the ground.
One man was dead at the scene, slumped to the ground against the house, his chin on his chest. Another man was also pronounced dead with gunshot wounds. The victims have been identified as James Jones, 17, and Wendell Millro, 18.
Four others, including a 19-year-old woman, a 17-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and a man in his late teens, were wounded. Their names have not been released.

Louisiana Love: Feels Good To Be No. 1

YEY! LSU WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

After falling behind 10-0 early in the first quarter, LSU scored 24 consecutive points to lead by two touchdowns at the half. Ohio State never quit, but the Buckeyes couldn't really threaten the lead against LSU's vaunted defense. The Tigers turned up the heat on Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman and forced him to hurry too many throws. The Tigers also did a good job of containing Beanie Wells after the tailback ran for 119 yards in the first half. Once Ohio State fell behind by three touchdowns early in the third quarter, the Buckeyes couldn't use Wells much to get them back into the game. LSU forced Ohio State into a couple of costly mistakes -- the Tigers blocked a field goal and intercepted a pass down the left sideline to set up touchdowns in the first half.
What didn't reserve safety Harry Coleman do for LSU's defense? In the first quarter, the sophomore from Baldwin, La., recovered a muffed punt return by LSU's Chad Jones at the Tigers' 16. In the second quarter, Coleman blitzed and hit Boeckman, forcing him to underthrow a pass down the left sideline. Cornerback Chevis Jackson intercepted the pass and returned it 34 yards to the Ohio State 24, setting up the touchdown that put LSU ahead 24-10 at the half. Coleman added another fumble recovery early in the fourth quarter, after linebacker Ali Highsmith drilled Boeckman on a fourth-down play. "To go to a national-championship game two years in a row and lose like this is incredible. It hurts tremendously," Ohio State running back Beanie Wells said.As much as they might have wanted to, the Buckeyes couldn't even escape the memory of the Gators here in New Orleans. By chance, Florida Coach Urban Meyer was one of the analysts on the Fox broadcast crew Monday night. At one point during the halftime show, Ohio State legend Eddie George, another one of the Fox commentators, turned to Meyer and said, "This feels like déjà vu all over again. Are we still in Arizona? This game has the same feel as last year."

Too easy. No. 2 LSU danced, dodged and darted its way into the end zone Monday night, turning the BCS national championship game into a horrible replay for No. 1 Ohio State. It was over early, with Matt Flynn throwing four touchdown passes in a 38-24 win.
Playing at their home-away-from-home in the Big Easy, the Tigers (12-2) became the first two-loss team to play for the title.
Shouts of "SEC! SEC!" bounced around the Superdome as the Tigers won their second BCS crown in five seasons. They are the first school to win a second title since BCS rankings began with the 1998 season.
"My team is the No. 1 team in the land," said All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who passed up the NFL draft to return for his senior season.
And in a season of surprises, this was hardly an upset: Ohio State once again fell apart in college football's biggest game. A year after the Buckeyes were routed by Tim Tebow and Florida 41-14 in the Arizona desert, they barely did better.
"We just didn't do the things you need to do to win a ballgame of this nature. We're very aware that LSU's a deserving champion," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
Jacob Hester bulled for a short touchdown, Early Doucet wiggled loose for a touchdown and Dorsey led a unit that outplayed the top-ranked defense in the nation.
Ohio State (11-2) had little to celebrate after Chris "Beanie" Wells broke loose for a 65-yard TD run on the fourth play of the game.
Yet while LSU coach Les Miles got to hoist the $30,000 crystal trophy, certainly many fans around the country were peering into their crystal balls, wondering if someone else was worthy of the title. Southern California, Georgia, West Virginia, Kansas and Missouri all put on impressive shows in bowl games, and will be among the favorites in 2008.
The final Associated Press poll was to be released early Tuesday.
LSU, whose two losses both came in triple overtime, became just the fourth favorite to win in 10 BCS championship games. The Tigers added to the crown they won in 2003 — their other title came in 1958.
Miles probably got a little extra satisfaction, too. Though he turned down a chance to return home to Michigan, he did something his alma mater hasn't done recently — beat the Buckeyes.
The loss left Ohio State at 0-9 overall in bowl games against teams from the Southeastern Conference. The SEC delights in whipping Big Ten teams in what's become a rivalry that steams up fans on both sides.
The Tigers rallied from an early 10-0 deficit, taking a 24-10 halftime lead that held up. Two big plays on special teams kept them ahead — they blocked a field goal, and later took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker penalty.

Whatever Happens Tonight Between LSU-Ohio State I Just Wanna Say ...

I have thoroughly enjoyed the LSU Tigers' 2007 football season! Thanx for the ups, the downs (only 2 downs and the BCS Gods corrected those in one week!), and the topsy-turvy, gutsy season that you turned in!

I remember before the season started,

I told Les to SHUT UP, and he did.
I will forever be grateful, Les, if you would just beat Ohio State. You got Saban for us. You got Tuberville. Now, get the Buckeyes!
GEAUX TIGERS!

5 Reasons Why LSU Beat Ohio State

It was a close game, for about 1 quarter, but LSU made more plays than Ohio State. Check the top 5 reasons why LSU beat the Buckeyes.

1. TEAM SPEED SHMEED: "You can't tell me it's a speed thing; I'm stubborn about that," OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "If it was a speed thing we would have been getting caught from behind. They out-physicaled us and that's why we lost the game." I agree totally, there was no difference in team speed. LB James Laurinaitis, DE Vernon Gholston and CB Malcolm Jenkins for the Buckeyes were just as fast as Jacob Hester, Early Doucet and Brandon LaFell. But at the skill positions, (Hartline?) LSU had a fiesty, violent edge. It's not just speed, it's violent speed. That running-at-you-at-full-tilt-to-hit-you-in-the-mouth speed, that's what LSU had. The Big Ten, certainly the elite programs like OSU and Michigan, have more than a little bit of the same speed that dominates the SEC (Did you see what Michigan did the Florida?). Ohio State has learned its lesson from last year and will try to spread LSU out, and not let them pursue plays from in front of them. OSU has been practicing the fame "Tiger Drill" to prepare for the tiring ordeal the game will become in the 4th quarter. Boeckman does have two athletic, speedy wideouts in Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline who have great hands and know how to get open.


2. QUARTERBACK PLAY (OR LACK OF): Todd Boeckman is a big, lanky quarterback at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, but hew wasn't nearly mobile enough to withstand the athletic heat that LSU put on him. By the time LSU's Ali Highsmith clotheslined Boeckman and the ball squirted out the rout was on. Boeckman joins a distinguished list of quarterbacks, Sean Glennon, Tim Tebow, John Parker Wilson, that have been hit really hard by the Purple and Gold defensive line. Flynn, who didn't play in the SEC Championship Game because of a strained shoulder, completed 19 of 27 passes for 174 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

3. BUCKEYES DEFENSE DIDN'T SHOW UP: The Buckeyes were No. 1 in the nation against the pass with 148.17 yards allowed, but Flynn carved them up for 4 touchdowns and 174 pretty much in 2 quarters (2nd & 3rd) with an assortment of awkward throws and laser-sharp daggers. The OSU defense seemingly was content to let him throw, playing the run more heavily than it should. As good as the Buckeyes front four is, the LSU secondary, even without All-American safety Craig Steltz (stinger) made its presence felt to turn the game around, especially when Harry Coleman blitzed and hit Boeckman, forcing him to underthrow a pass down the left sideline. Cornerback Chevis Jackson intercepted the pass and returned it 34 yards to the Ohio State 24, and the Tigers were in business.

4. HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE: To say the scales were tipped in LSU's favor is an understatement. The LSU campus is only 80 miles away in Baton Rouge. "We know the dome," LSU running back Jacob Hester said. "We're in the same hotel. We know the city. Half the team is from New Orleans, and the other half has been here so many times they know where everything is." The crowd was loud a(but curiously quiet after Beanie Wells' touchdown run). OSU just couldn't keep the hush in effect as their lead turned into a deficit as the Tigers reeled off 31 straight points.

5. BUCKEYES OFFENSE DIDN'T HAVE CONSISTENCY: A comedy of weird errors by the Buckeyes, including five personal fouls and three turnovers, enabled LSU to erase a 10-0 deficit and roll to a 31-17 lead before a garbage TD made the score look respectable. The Buckeyes were'nt able to establish consistency: OSU's Chris "Beanie Wells turned in the half of a lifetime after he steam 64 yards up LSU's gut on the game's second play from scrimmage. The problem was, sooner or later, OSU had to pass the ball. LSU, an absurdly deep team, had the consistency it usually had all season: start off slow, take a blow then release a barrage of players and formations at the oppenent to shatter their will. They have six running backs, two quarterbacks and defensive playmakers waiting in the wings. LSU had been especially adept at

murdering quarterbacks and it happened Monday night all over again.

LSU 2007 Football Season Recap: How They Got There

The most awesome, captivating, exhilerating LSU football season in history came to a close last night, culminating in a 38-24 victory over Ohio State for the BCS championship. It was LSU's second title in 5 years. This is how they got there:

Thurs, August 30
Starkville, Miss. 8:15 p.m.
LSU opened up the season by picking off the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville, Miss. The game was broken open in the second half when LSU got 4 interceptions (6 overall) and put the Tigers offense in easy scoring positions. Senior LSU safety Craig Steltz picked off 3 all by his lonesome and in stood atop the NCAA standings in interceptions for the first two weeks.

Sat, Sep 08
Virginia Tech - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 8:15 p.m.
The massacre last semester at Virginia Tech weighed heavily as LSU's band played the Tech song before the game. I thought the Hokies would sneak out a win here (I predicted 21-13), but LSU dominated from start to finish for a 48-7 victory. In the process,
Hokies senior QB Sean Glennon lost his starting job to freshman Tyrod Taylor, and the LSU defense got even more praise than before. Quarterback Matt Flynn in two games at this point has completed 29 of 46 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 77 yards and another score. But the biggest theme so far has been Michigan's failure to enter the win column after two tries at the beginning of the season. The speculation has started that Les Miles may leave LSU and go to U-M, his alma mater.

Sat, Sep 15
Middle Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 7:00 p.m.
The key of the game was that Matt Flynn didn't play due to a sore ankle; backup and next-year starter Ryan Perrilloux was 20 for 25 for 298 yards and 3 touchdowns. 55-17 LSU

Sat, Sep 22
South Carolina - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 7:00 p.m. LSU beat No. 12 South Carolina 28-16 in front of 92,530 in Death Valley.

"Ole Ball Coach" Steve Spurrier showed his scorn after LSU kicker Colt David ran around the right end for a 15-yard touchdown on a fake field goal (an instant SportsCenter highlight), and his point-after kick made it 21-7 with 1:10 to play in the half. South Carolina gained only 89 yards of offense in the first half and finished with 261. The Tigers sacked quarterback Blake Mitchell twice and held him to 70 passing yards. The Gamecocks ran for only 17 yards on 27 attempts.

Sat, Sep 29
Tulane - at New Orleans, La. (Louisiana Superdome) LSU (5-0) scored 24 unanswered second-half points in a 34-9 victory on Saturday. Matt Flynn was sacked six times, throwing for 258 yards. His passing was inconsistent in the face of constant pressure and he was intercepted once, finally showing chinks in his armor. But he stayed upright just enough for LSU to take a 10-9 halftime lead in the surprisingly tight game. If not for a pair of Tulane turnovers, Matt Forte's fumble and Anthony Scelfo's interception, the game might have been closer. The next day, LSU moved into the No. 1 spot, prompting Les Miles to famously say "Anybody that voted us No. 1 obviously didn't see the Tulane game." He was right.


Sat, Oct 06
Florida
- Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 7:00 p.m. In arguably the most exciting game ever played in LSU’s storied Tiger Stadium in front of the largest crowd in its history, the No. 1-ranked LSU Tigers overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat ninth-ranked Florida, 28-24, in front of record 92,910 emotionally spent fans. The major footnote in the game was Les Miles calling for and the Tigers going 5 for 5 on fourth-down conversions — including two that went for touchdowns.

The Tigers trailed 24-14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter but mustered a 4-yard touchdown pass from Matt Flynn to Demetrius Byrd with 10:15 left in the game on an improbable fourth-down play. The touchdown capped a 5-play, 27-yard drive that was sparked by a crucial interception of a tipped Tim Tebow pass by defensive end Kirtson Pittman at the Florida 27. There was a decibel-level cheer when the public-address announcer informed the 92,910 fans that Stanford had upset No. 2 Southern California in Los Angeles, meaning LSU would take the top spot.


Sat, Oct 13
Kentucky - at Lexington, Ky. (Commonwealth Stadium)LSU was able to cover mistakes by good defense and fortunate execution for weeks before the bottom fell out behind a blue background. No. 17 Kentucky upset the Tigers 43-37 in triple overtime after Charles Scott was stopped on 4th and 2 in the final extra period.
Earlier, LSU came at Kentucky in waves, sending in third- and fourth-string running backs to rack up yards, first downs, and points. With a 27-14 third-quarter lead against a wavering Wildcat defense, as the sun set it seemed like another test passed. With LSU just one pass away from getting into secure field-goal range in the final 30 seconds of regulation, Kentucky's defense — gashed on screens and flat passes all game long in third-down situations — finally reacted to a screen and forced a 57-yard Colt David field goal that just missed on the final play of the fourth quarter.

Sat, Oct 20
Auburn - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) A cardiac clinic of a game, LSU defeat No. 18 Auburn 30-24 behind a harrying-last second touchdown from Matt Flynn to Demetrius Byrd. Instead of calling a timeout with under 25 seconds remaining and running one last play before giving kicker Colt David a chance to win the game, LSU decided to pocket its last timeout and let the clock roll. The game turned in the second half: LSU’s offense was sluggish and out-of-sync in the first half, but recovered to gouge Auburn in the second half, finishing with 488 total yards, 319 of those coming from Flynn’s sharp passing. He completed 22-of-34 including three touchdowns and an interception that wasn’t his fault. He also rushed for 34 crucial yards, mostly in the second half.


Sat, Nov 03
Alabama - at Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Bryant-Denny Stadium)
The third-ranked Tigers did it again, scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes to stay in the thick of the national championship race with a heart-stopping 41-34 win over No. 17 Alabama.
The game turned when Chad Jones caused a key fumble late and Jacob Hester cashed in moments later with the go-ahead touchdown. With No. 2 Boston College losing 27-17 to Florida State, it let LSU move up another slot in the rankings and the BCS standings.

Sat, Nov 10 Louisiana Tech - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)
7:00 p.m. Matt Flynn passed for 237 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 2 LSU to a comfortable 58-10 triumph over Louisiana Tech that could lift the Tigers back to the top of the national rankings. "I'll be shocked if they're not the national champions at end of the year," Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley said. "They put it to us tonight." Flynn's scoring strikes included a career-long 71-yarder to Terrance Tolliver, which also was a career long reception for the freshman receiver. That was LSU's longest play from scrimmage this season until Tech's secondary over-pursued on a trap play and Jacob Hester broke loose for a career-best 87-yard touchdown run.


Sat, Nov 17 Ole Miss - at Oxford, Miss. (Vaught-Hemingway Stadium)
After a stylish start, forcing two turnovers on goal-line stands in the first half, the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC) defense faltered against the last-place Rebels, giving up a season-high 466 yards. Trindon Holliday returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and the Tigers came up with a couple of pivotal turnovers to hold off Mississippi 41-24 and keep the national championship in their sights. The Tigers clinched their first outright Southeastern Conference Western Division title and set a school record with 10 or more wins for the third straight season.

Fri, Nov 23
Arkansas - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 1:30 p.m.
It was the Darren McFadden Heisman show: The Razorback runner's rushing touchdowns went for 16 yards in the second quarter, 73 yards in the third period and 9 yards in the second OT as Arkansas stunned the Tigers 50-48 in triple overtime on the Friday after Turkey Day. His TD pass was a flawlessly executed 24-yarder over the middle to Peyton Hillis after McFadden froze the defense with a play-action fake. Peyton Hillis scored four TDs, the last in the third overtime for Arkansas. In the first OT LSU had Arkansas with a 4th and 10 at the 25 but they converted. LSU responded when Matt Flynn found Brandon LaFell for a 9-yard TD, but Matterral Richardson intercepted the 2-point conversion attempt, and Arkansas' bench emptied onto the field in triumph, having ended the nation's longest home winning streak at 19 games.

Tennessee - Atlanta, Ga. (SEC Championship Game) With Flynn banged up and on the sidelines, the Tigers turned to oft-troubled heir apparent Ryan Perrilloux. He didn't win the game, didn't lose it.
Tennessee senior QB Erik Ainge did that, throwing two fourth-quarter interceptions, the first of which LSU's Jonathan Zenon returned for the game-winning 18-yard touchdown with 9:54 left to play for a 21-14 Tigers' victory in the SEC's 16th annual title game. The second interception hurt almost as much. Ainge was driving the Vols toward the game-tying score when he forced a short pass into double coverage and it was picked off by LSU linebacker Darry Beckwith at the LSU 7 with 2:42 left. Les Miles was forced to make an almost-tearful vow to remain at LSU after media reports confirmed he had accepted the job at Michigan.

A win away from playing for the national championship, the West Virginia Mountaineers (10-2, 5-2 Big East) lost to rival Pittsburgh (5-7, 3-4) 13-10.

NO. 4 Missouri beat No. 2 Kansas 36-28, handing the Jayhawks their first loss.

No. 9 Oklahoma beat No. 4 Missouri, 38 -17.

UP NEXT: LSU (11-2) vs. Ohio State (11-1)for All The Marbles aka the National Championship.
LSU rallied from an early 10-0 deficit, taking a 24-10 lead at halftime that held up. Two key plays on special teams helped shift the game — Ricky Jean-Francois blocked a field goal, and LSU took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker penalty. Matt Flynn threw four touchdown passes and LSU made it look easy with a 38-24 win over No. 1 Ohio State, turning the title game into a horrible replay for the Buckeyes. Still, LSU was a runaway No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll. The Tigers received 60 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel. Georgia, Southern California, Missouri and Ohio State rounded out the top five. Georgia had three first-place votes while Southern Cal and No. 7 Kansas each had one.

Why the Saints Season Sucked

They had good reasons you know.
And I won't call say "injuries" because, hey, every team suffers the hurts. It's the nature of the beast.
But the Saints had some devastating ones that absolutely killed their chances.
All-world receiver Marques Colston was left coughing up blood after some nasty hits against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15.
To whom much is given, much is expected. And Reggie Bush had raised expectations tremendously after a hot finish in his inaugural season. He got roughed up pretty good too as the season wore down, ending in a mysterious knee injury
that may have been damaged weeks earlier.
Not to mention the injuries of all injuries this season, the end of Deuce McAllister's season.
Along the way, rookie and fan favorite Pierre Thomas got so savagely beaten that he had blood in his stool and a damaged kidney pierre_thomas_misses_practice.html toward the end of the season. He still put together the third-best yards from scrimmage by a Saint in team history in the season finale at Chicago.
Perhaps indemic of the season was the loss (torn ACL) of the best-playing defender, cornerback Mike McKenzie, the week before Christmas. And it's saying alot when Mckenzie is your best-playing defender, but without him the Saints secondary was little more defenseless than a baby in the jungle.
Saints coach Sean Payton never did like Pierre Thomas for some reason, and played him only out of desparation despite what he says. Thomas' start in the last game was actually cemented the week before against Philadelphia Reserve tailback Jamaal Branch suffered a broken leg on the opening kickoff against the Eagles and that crippled an already depleted running corps. That left the Saints with only Aaron Stecker and Pierre Thomas in the backfield. And shortly after, Stecker went down with a foot injury in the second quarter. At that point it was either Thomas or the trooper on the sidelines.
In any event this season was a referendum on Payton's true coaching abilities: He failed. Period. He failed to see early enough what he should have known. That the Saints have to have a plan D, plan Bs aren't good enough anymore (ask Arthur Blank, and dem Falcons). So, I leave you with that familiar refrain, and sigh: Maybe next year.

Why Bush's Season Sucked

Reggie Bush and galpal Kim Kardashian party on New Year's Eve in Miami.

OUCH: Florida second SEC Team to Fall in Bowl Games

Okay, battle lines have been drawn the sand: The SEC has got to win the rest of their bowl games, showing the nation that the Southeastern Conference is where college football lives.
Florida just got whacked by Michigan a few minutes ago (I feel sick to my stomach.). The Gator defense made Chad Henne look like Tom Brady. In New England.
I kinda thought Florida would hold up its end of the bargain when the Gators (9-4) scored on Percy Harvin's 10-yard run to take a 35-31 lead with 5:49 remaining. If you woulda told me Florida would give up over 530 yards to the Wolverines I woulda showed you a delusional sucker, but, boy, was I wrong. I like Michigan, but, to run up and down the field like that on UF? NO WAY.
Alas, yes way.

The SEC, supposedly the rock-hard poster child of "real" college football, gets owned in not one, but TWO games today. Missouri pounced all over Arkansas, the same Arkansas team that ran my LSU Tigers ragged. Tony Temple (WHO?) rushed for Cotton Bowl records of 281 yards and four touchdowns. Darren McFaddy got a buck-0-5 on 21 carries, and a new Escalade, but who cares? He's a pro by next fall anyhoo.

In Tampa, Tennessee's Eric Ainge completed passes to nine different receivers as the No. 18 Volunteers finished their season at 10-4 by putting an SEC whipping, 21-17, on No. 16 Wisconsin of the Big Ten. P.J. Hill led the Badgers (9-4) with 132 yards rushing on 16 carries.
I've still got hope Georgia can expand the legend by wrapping a hula hoop on Colt Brennan and the Hawaii Warriors.