2001 Week 6
October 23, 2001
I have to open up this week's column by congratulating JoePa on getting that elusive 323rd victory. Joe is now tied with the Bear as the winningest coach of all time, and, by sometime in 2003, Joe should have the all-time record. He might get it sooner if he can convince the Penn State athletic director to put that lousy football team from France, La Tech, back on the schedule.
The big upset of the week was when FSU played the David Boies State Boils. For some reason they moved this game to a neutral site in California. FSU lost in a stunning upset, but their All-American punt coverage player LaVelle Edwards Jr showed he's one of the toughest hitters in the business, plowing one of the Boies State guys into the turf. That was a real red meat hit and I'm sure Coach Bowden was proud.
Last year at this time they announced the first BS rankings. Nebraska and Oklahoma were #1 and #2 and they met for the title that weekend. That rendered the rest of the season anti-climatic, because once Oklahoma beat Nebraska for the title, the Okies were named national champions and the rest of the season was just like a bunch of NFL exhibition games, with very little on the line.
Well, this year's BS ratings were announced on Monday. And, just like last year, Nebraska and Oklahoma are #1 and #2 and will meet for the BS title this Saturday in Lincoln. I still don't understand this system where a national champion is crowned with several weeks left in the season. Heck, it's not even time to change our clocks (what is that motto anyway, "trench coat, fall over, Summer Sanders, spring up, gross indecency charges"?). Or change our Depends (apparently those are on a 12-month cycle, so I've got 4 months to go).
Nebraska narrowly averted an upset last week against a feisty Texas Tech team. Tech has really turned things around after firing Spike Dyke and ending her interesting training methods (the "doubleheaded" drill was pretty interesting, especially when the drill was plugged in).
Sports Illustrated wrote recently about disciples of Woody Hayes doing well as coaches, so it was great to see Tech hire an old OSU pal of Woody's.
Of course it was a bit surprising that the OSU grad that they hired was Bobby Knight, but he's done a great job. He did learn the hard way that coaching football is different from coaching basketball at Indiana. He didn't like one call by the ref and nearly wrenched his back before realizing that football benches are bolted to the ground.
Speaking of Indiana, I see that they're part of the Thursday night ESPN game this week. Kansas City State will be traveling to play the Hoosiers. I saw the TV advertisement for this game and there was no mention of Indiana star (and "Odd Couple" offspring) Tony L. Randall. What's even more exciting is that apparently Peyton Manning has some eligibility left and will be playing quarterback for Indiana in their brand-spanking new uniforms. I'm looking forward to it.