Clemson Tigers---College Football---

Oct. 29---College Football---
Georgia Tech 10 ... Clemson 9---College Football---
Georgia Tech got a three-yard touchdown run from P.J. Daniels in the fourth quarter and Travis Bell connected on a 33-yard field goal in the first half. Clemson lost three first half fumbles and only managed three Jad Dean field goals. The Tigers had the ball on its own 41 with three seconds to play, but QB Charlie Whitehurst was picked off.
Player of the game: Georgia Tech RB P.J. Daniels ran 21 times for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 19-29, 180 yds, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Reggie Merriweather, 23-128. Receiving: Chansi Stuckey, 8-89---College Football---
Georgia Tech - Passing: Reggie Ball, 14-24, 126 yds, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: P.J. Daniels, 21-100, 1 TD. Receiving: Damarius Bilbo, 5-68---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Charlie Whitehurst didn't secure the ball well enough in the first half against Georgia Tech, and he couldn't make any big plays in the second half. The defense did a good job of keeping the Yellow Jacket offense under wraps and Reggie Merriweather ran the ball extremely well, but the opportunities were there to come up with a big road win and the Tigers couldn't close. Only converting three of 11 third down chances was part of the problem. ---College Football---
---College Football---
Oct. 22
Clemson 37 ... Temple 7---College Football---
Clemson rolled up 514 yards of total offense starting off the scoring on a 41-yard touchdown catch from Kyle Browning on the first drive of the game and helped by a 21-yard Reggie Merriweather touchdown run. Charlie Whitehurst finished with 307 passing yards and two touchdown passes. Temple didn't get on the board until late in the fourth quarter on a four-yard touchdown pass from Mike McGann. Clemson outgained Temple 155 yards to 19 on the ground.---College Football---
Player of the game: Clemson QB Charlie Whitehurst completed 19 of 27 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 19-27, 307 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Reggie Merriweather, 17-108, 1 TD. Receiving: Aaron Kelly, 7-155, 1 TD---College Football---
Temple - Passing: Mike McGann, 23-38, 298 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Umar Ferguson, 17-48. Receiving: Bruce Gordon, 8-120---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Clemson didn't come up with a perfect performance against Temple, but it didn't have to. The running game got working early, showing it can still work without James Davis, and Charlie Whitehurst had an easy time playing pitch and catch against the lousy Owl secondary. Now the key will be to keep the ground game rolling next week at Georgia Tech. If the offensive line plays as well as it did over the last two weeks, the Tiger backs will once again have huge holes to run through.---College Football---
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Oct. 13
Clemson 31 ... NC State 10---College Football---
Clemson, led by James Davis, ran for 243 yards jumping out to a 21-0 first half lead on the way to the stunning blowout. Davis ran for touchdown runs of 12 and six yards out before leaving the game with a broken wrist, but the Tiger defense took care of the rest not allowing any NC State points after a 25-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Charlie Whitehurst started out the scoring for the Tigers with two short touchdown passes. NC State got on in the end zone on an impressive 20-yard Darrell Blackman run late in the second quarter. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Clemson RB James Davis ran 12 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 22-31, 246 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: James Davis, 12-143, 2 TD. Receiving: Chansi Stuckey, 8-103---College Football---
NC State - Passing: Jay Davis, 15-31, 133 yds, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Darrell Blackman, 10-46, 1 TD. Receiving: Lamart Barrett, 4-78---College Football---
What to take away from this game: The time off appeared to reenergize the Tigers. The running game rolled as well as it had all year long thanks to an offensive line that dominated the NC State defensive line, but now the running back spark plug, James Davis, is out for the year meaning Brandon Merriweather has to regain his pop and workhorse production. With a tune up game against Temple next week before the Georgia Tech game, the offense can figure out how it's going to explode without Davis. The defense was tremendous not allowing Wolfpack QB Jay Davis to push the ball deep, while only allowing one by run. ---College Football---
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Oct. 1---College Football---
Wake Forest 31 ... Clemson 27---College Football---
Set up by a stuffed fake field goal attempt, Wake Forest drove 66 yards in eight plays taking the lead with :33 to play on a six-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Marion. But the Demon Deacons had to hold on for dear life as Clemson roared down the field and completed a pass down to the three-yard line as time ran out. Cory Randolph, who moved back to quarterback after playing receiver all year, threw three touchdown passes, including a 74-yarder to Kenneth Moore, and ran for another, but Clemson rallied with a 20-point run highlighted by a 14-yard touchdown run from Reggie Merriweather. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Wake Forest QB Cory Randolph completed 20 of 25 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns with an interception, and he ran 12 times for ten yards and a score. ---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 28-42, 304 yds, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Reggie Merriweather, 17-92, 1 TD. Receiving: Chansi Stuckey, 7-74---College Football---
Wake Forest - Passing: Cory Randolph, 20-25, 222 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Chris Barclay, 22-105. Receiving: John Tereshinski, 5-24---College Football---
What to take away from this game: You'd think Clemson would be used to playing in tight games by now. The team didn't play all that poorly in the loss to Wake Forest, but it wasn't the sharpest performance, either. Charlie Whitehurst threw two interceptions, there was the poor execution on the fake field goal, and the defense couldn't come through with a big stop after the field goal gaffe allowing the Demon Deacons to drive for the winning score. With three straight heartbreaking losses, next week's game at NC State becomes vital if the Tigers have any hopes of going to a bowl game.---College Football---
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Sept. 24
Boston College 16 ... Clemson 13 OT---College Football---
Brian Toal ran for a one-yard score in overtime after the Eagle D held Clemson to a 25-yard Jad Dean field goal. The Eagles got up early on a 33-yard Ryan Ohliger field goal and a one-yard Matt Ryan touchdown run, but Clemson came back with a 36-yard Dean field goal and a one-yard Charlie Whitehurst touchdown run. The defenses held in the second half, but BC had a chance to win in regulation on a 48-yard Ohliger field goal attempt that fell short with just over a minute to play.---College Football---
Player of the game: Boston College RB Andre Callender ran 22 times for 116 yards.---College Football---
Stat Leaders: BC - Passing: Matt Ryan, 24-42, 221 yds, 2 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Andre Callender, 22-116. Receiving: Will Blackmon, 5-43---College Football---
Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 19-28, 149---College Football---
Rushing: Reggie Merriweather, 15-75. Receiving: Aaron Kelly, 5-38---College Football---
What to take away from this game: It's hard to blame the loss to BC on a hangover effect after the Miami loss, but the team didn't look nearly as crisp on offense as it had earlier in the year. Give credit to BC, Clemson needed this home win with three road games in the next four, but the offense couldn't keep the chains moving going a horrific 0-for-11 on third downs conversion attempts. After four straight gut-wrenching games, Clemson needs an easy blowout win over Wake Forest next week, and that will only happen if the passing game can push the ball downfield batter than it did against BC.---College Football---
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Sept. 17
Miami 36 ... Clemson 30 3OT---College Football---
In the second overtime, Miami's Tyrone moss ran for a 25-yard touchdown diving into the end zone for the final few yards. Clemson's chance fell short when Kenny Phillips picked off Charlie Whitehurst ending the thriller. Whitehurst was nearly perfect up until the final pass throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for a one-yard score with less than three minutes to play, and then led the Tigers to a game-tying field goal drive culminating in a 27-yard Jad Dean kick. In the first overtime, Moss scored on a six-yard run for the Cane, but Clemson answered with a five-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Baham on fourth down. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Miami RB Tyrone Moss ran 31 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns.---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 16-26, 152 yds, 1 TD---College Football---
Rushing: Tyrone Moss, 31-139, 3 TD. Receiving: Ryan Moore, 4-54---College Football---
Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 31-55, 288 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Charlie Whitehurst, 5-58, 1 TD. Receiving: Chansi Stuckey, 7-71---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Forget that Clemson lost to Miami, this was the third straight game that the team showed tremendous heart and will coming back from being all but dead late in the game. The crowd provided a big boost with the emotion and noise, but it was the sharp play of Charlie Whitehurst that got the Tigers in position to win. It was simply a case of Miami getting one more big play than Clemson. On defense, there was finally some consistent pressure in the backfield for the first time all year. It's vital for the Tigers to get over this now, or it'll be a two game losing streak with a solid battle with Boston College next week. ---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---College Football---
Rushing: Reggie Merriweather, 10-75, 2 TD. Receiving: Aaron Kelly, 4-25---College Football---
Maryland - Passing: Sam Hollenbach, 18-28, 288 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Keon Lattimore, 7-45. Receiving: Vernon Davis, 6-140, 1 TD---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Can Clemson play a dull game? The team has an attitude now knowing it cam pull off wins when things are tight. On the road, and with Maryland playing well, Clemson could've easily have faded way late in the third quarter, but didn't and now has to be considered a real player in the ACC race. QB Charlie Whitehurst looks night-and-day sharper than he was last year, and he has a consistent running game to help him out. What's the difference? Turnovers. Whitehurst didn't make any while the Tigers were mistake free. Maryland committed two turnovers. ---College Football---
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Sept. 3
Clemson 25 ... Texas A&M 24 Instant Analysis---College Football---
Jad Dean nailed his school-record sixth field goal of the game on a 42-yard kick with two seconds left to give Clemson the win. In a fun see-saw game with a controversial coaching decision from Dennis Franchione, Texas A&M took a 23-22 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 31-yard touchdown pass to Chad Schroeder. Instead of going for two, Franchione chose to kick the extra point to go up two instead of, possibly, three leaving the door open for Clemson to win with a field goal. The Tiger offense moved the ball with almost 400 yards of total offense, but had couldn't get into the end zone with the only touchdown coming on a Chansi Stuckey punt return for a touchdown. Courtney Lewis ran for two scores for the Aggies. ---College Football---
Player of the game: Clemson PK Jad Dean hit all six of his field goal attempts connecting from 21, 21, 25, 18, 44 and 42 yards---College Football---
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Reggie McNeal, 8-16, 110 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT---College Football---
Rushing: Reggie McNeal, 9-100. Receiving: Jason Carter, 3-24---College Football---
Clemson - Passing: Charlie Whitehurst, 14-20, 187 yds ---College Football---
Rushing: James Davis, 19-101. Receiving: Aaron Kelly, 4-48---College Football---
What to take away from this game: Clemson sure knows how to find ways to beat good teams in the regular season. The Tigers lost to Georgia Tech in a heartbreaking game early last year and never recovered. Will this tough win over Texas A&M lead the way to a confident, consistent season? It's possible as long as Charlie Whitehurst is fine after getting his bell rung. Yeah, the offense has to learn how to get into the end zone and yeah, the defense has to tackle much better, but this is a great win with the Tigers finding a way to get the job done relying on several different non-spotlight players. ---College Football---
---College Football---
2005 Schedule Analysis---College Football---
Sept. 3 - Texas A&M (7-4, 5-3 in Big 12 South) – Offense: The offense put up decent numbers finishing 20th in the nation and averaging 28.4 points per game, but it wasn't nearly as effective as it should've been running the ball against run defenses with a pulse. QB Reggie McNeal spread his throws around enough to come up with a big season, and now he needs his backfield to provide more help as Courtney Lewis has to stay healthy and steady backups need to emerge. There's experience on the line, but it'll be a juggling act to find the right combination. The whole of the receiving corps is better than the sum of its parts.---College Football---
Defense: While the defense made great strides from 2003's disaster, there were still problems that all came to a head in the Cotton Bowl loss to Tennessee. This is an experienced D with several solid players, but it's not all that fast and is missing sure-thing pass rushers and pass defenders. There's good size in the front seven and big hitters in the secondary. Now this group has to be much better against the pass and can't be pushed around against the run. There are too many veterans to ask for anything but even more improvement.---College Football---
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Sept. 10 – at Maryland (6-5, 3-5 in ACC) - Offense: The Terp offense was non-existent for most of last year averaging a mere 298 yards and 17.7 points per game. Take out the 45-point explosion against woeful Temple and the 55-point destruction of Duke and Maryland would've averaged a mere 10.6 points per outing. Things won't be much better unless there's more production at quarterback. Sam Hollenbach will get the first look, but mobile Jordan Steffy and last year's starter, Joel Statham, will be in the hunt. There's little proven production from the rest of the skills spots, but there's a world of speed and athleticism. The line should be far better; the coaching staff raves about this group.
Defense: Despite some huge losses (Shawne Merriman, Chris Kelley, Dominique Foxworth), last year's 21st best defense should turn out to be fine thanks to D'Qwell Jackson and a sensational linebacking corps. The back seven can move, and there might not be a faster cornerback pair in America than Gerrick McPhearson (4.28 40) and Josh Wilson (4.35). Pass rush is a concern without a true dominator to rely on, so the D will have to manufacture pressure early until young prospects like Trey Covington and Omar Savage can come through.---College Football---
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Sept. 17 - Miami (10-1, 7-1 in ACC) – Offense: The Cane offense is long on great prospects, but short on proven production. Unlike last year when the attack relied on experience over potential, players like QB Kyle Wright, RB Tyrone Moss and WR Lance Leggett have more excitement around them and have more NFL potential. Moss and Leggett have given a glimpse of what they can do, but Wright, or Kirby Freeman, has to show the maturity and poise to handle one of college football's most glamorous and highly scrutinized positions. The offensive line will be more than solid, but it needs Eric Winston and Tyler McMeans to return to pre-injury form.---College Football---
Defense: This will be one of the best defenses in the country, if not the best. The only concern is with a run defense that was surprisingly soft last year allowing 155 yards per game. If that's tightened up, this will be a killer with 11 players returning who started six or more games last year. That doesn't include superstar Devin Hester taking over the full-time job at one of the corners. The linebacking corps has the potential to be one of Miami's best ever.
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Sept. 24 - 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---
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Oct. 1 – 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.---College Football---
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Oct. 13 – 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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Oct. 22 - 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.
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.---College Football---
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Oct. 29 – at Georgia Tech (7-4, 5-3 in ACC) – Offense: The offense's job will be to simply hold serve so the fantastic defense can win games. That could be a problem. QB Reggie Ball has been too erratic over his first two years throwing 18 interceptions last season. But unlike the talented backup quarterbacks, Ball is mobile making him more valuable playing behind an infant line that needs a ton of work. The running backs are among the best in the country if P.J. Daniels can stay healthy. Sophomore WR Calvin Johnson has future first-round draft pick written all over him, but there isn't a proven number two man to take the heat off.---College Football---
Defense: It'll be a shock if this isn't one of the nation's best defenses. Nine starters (11 if you include DT Mansfield Wright who moved to offensive guard and CB Dennis Davis who returns from shoulder problems) come back from a defense that was a brick wall against the run and only allowed 18.9 points per game. The defensive front is tremendous with four starters who can do it all and four reserves ready to step into the rotation. Gerris Wilkinson leads a good linebacking corps that's missing experienced depth. The secondary will be better than ever with Chris Reis moving from linebacker to safety and Davis returning to man the corner spot opposite of Reuben Houston.
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Nov. 5 - Duke (3-8, 0-8 in ACC) – Offense: The Blue Devils can go nowhere but up after finishing dead-last in total offense averaging 266 yards per game and averaging 16.6 points per outing. There's experience returning among the skill players with quarterback Mike Schneider returning for his third year as a starter getting two fantastic tight ends, Andy Roland and Ben Patrick, to work with. The backfield will be a strength as long as Cedric Dargan can stay healthy, but they won't produce much behind a rebuilding offensive line that returns one starter.
Defense: The defense couldn't stop anyone's running game finishing 113th in the nation and allowed 426 yards per game of total offense. Expect that to change as the line has gone from a weakness to a strength with star tackle recruit Vince Oghobaase taking over in the middle along with the hopeful return of end Phillip Alexander from a broken leg. The secondary will be fine led by corner John Talley, but the linebackers will be a concern early until two new starters get their feet wet.---College Football---
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Nov. 12 - 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.---College Football---
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.
---College Football---
Nov. 19 – at South Carolina (5-6, 3-5 in SEC) – Offense: Don't expect any fun or gun right away from an offense that will need every practice this fall to get ready for the season, but there will be far more downfield throws than there were at any time under Lou Holtz. The main issue is quarterback where no one has staked a claim to the starting job. The rest of the talent is better than it'll get credit for with a strong offensive line, two serviceable backs in Daccus Turman and Cory Boyd, and a receiving corps that has the potential to be decent. Incoming freshmen like RB Mike Davis and lightning fast WR O.J. Murdock will be expected to play big roles.
Defense: While the defense struggled late in the season, it was generally strong and should be good once again led by the secondary and with a good looking front seven. The line has to overcome inexperience and the loss of all the starters, but it has good potential against the run. Getting into the backfield on a regular basis could be another story. The linebacking corps is full of good-looking prospects.---College Football---
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Perspective Piece
Auburn vs. LSU, Oct. 22---college football---

By Matthew Zemek---college football---

Remember how the weight of the world seemed to rest on the shoulders of Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley entering the Dawgs’ huge game at Tennessee a few weeks ago? That weight now falls on Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox this week, as the unproven quarterback heads to Baton Rouge in the SEC West’s typically pivotal annual Tiger-fight.---college football---
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When Cox struggled against Georgia Tech in the season opener, Auburn fans realized how good they had it with Jason Campbell... and that quarterbacks blessed with a full package of skills—combining intangible gifts along with raw physical potential—don’t just materialize immediately. Great quarterbacks don’t come along very often to begin with, but even if they do emerge, it takes time for that ripening process to unfold.---college football---
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After several low-profile games—including a contest against an Arkansas team that isn’t an SEC threat anymore—Brandon Cox finally re-enters the spotlight, as America gets to see, seven weeks after Georgia Tech, how far Al Borges’ newest project has truly progressed. The extent to which Auburn’s field general responds to the singularly unique noise of a Death Valley night game (Auburn fans know this all too well from 1988) will in large part determine this always-critical battle for SEC West supremacy. The winner knows that a date with Alabama will decide the division; the loser knows it will either be out of the running (if LSU is the team that falters) or have no margin for error (Auburn will have to win at Georgia to make the Iron Bowl relevant to their SEC West title hopes). Those are pretty high stakes for Cox’s first substantial baptism by SEC West fire.---college football---
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Cox surely knows how this game can make or break Tiger quarterbacks from both Louisiana and the Central Alabama Plains. In the previous four stagings of this game, LSU-Auburn has decided the SEC West (2001), knocked the Bayou Bengals out of Atlanta (2002), propelled LSU to Atlanta and the national title (2003), and catapulted Auburn to an undefeated season and No. 2 ranking (2004). Cox has to be particularly aware of how this game became the turning point for Jason Campbell’s Auburn career last season. For the first 57 minutes, Campbell was his typically small self in a big game, failing to meet the moment with clutch throws and good decision making. Auburn seemed headed for another crushing early-season defeat and another unfulfilling college football campaign.---college football---
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But just when things were at their bleakest, Cambpell decided to change the trajectory of his career and the life of Auburn football. ---college football---
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On a 4th and 12 play from the LSU 29 with around three minutes left—and after having used its last timeout—Campbell, hesitating slightly, drifted to his right under furious pressure from three hard-charging LSU pass rushers. Getting crunched as he threw the pass, Campbell nevertheless had the downfield vision and intestinal fortitude to get his wobbler safely into the mitts of Courtney Taylor, the receiver who got open in LSU's secondary. Two plays later, Campbell calmly and coolly delivered a smoother strike to Taylor in the back of the end zone.
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Lord knows, it took him long enough... not only in terms of the progression of this one game, but in terms of the trajectory of his Auburn career. But Jason Campbell finally did show the true grit and late-game gallantry that he could never quite seem to do on so many previous occasions over the past few years as Auburn's top signal-caller. After that moment of catharsis, Campbell was a changed man, and his combination of leadership and excellence under pressure carried Tommy Tuberville’s team to a 13-0 season, an SEC championship, and a Sugar Bowl victory. All of Auburn’s accomplishments last year flowed from the LSU game, the team’s ultimate crucible in 2004. After that point of passage, all the burdens that brought down Auburn the year before were suddenly eliminated, and Campbell played with the confidence of a reborn man.---college football---
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Saturday in Baton Rouge, Brandon Cox will try to jump-start his career the way Campbell got his own Auburn tenure off the ground. The stakes are high, but so are the rewards. The need to perform well is high, but ball security—given LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell’s propensity for committing turnovers—could be good enough to win. At any rate, Cox will be squarely in the spotlight for a game that has a way of either elevating or exposing young QBs. If Cox is up to the challenge, this game gets a lot more interesting... and Auburn has a chance to set up an Iron Bowl of apocalyptically delicious proportions. If Auburn’s signal caller flubs, however, Les Miles and Company will have legitimately passed their October gauntlet, and will be able to face Alabama for the undisputed SEC West title in November.---college football---
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Auburn and Brandon Cox haven’t had a high-intensity game since Sept. 3. Saturday night, we’ll see if Tommy Tuberville’s team has learned anything in the intervening seven weeks.---college football---
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Engineers boot record to 4-2

Late field goal gives Rose-Hulman16-13 road SCAC victory over Rhodes

Trbune-Star staff report/Memphis, Tenn.

Rose-Hulman senior Cory Wright booted a 28-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to lift the Engineers to a 16-13 victory over RhodesCollege in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football game on Saturday. - College Football -

The field goal completed a 73-yard, eight-play march in the final minute of the game and lifted the Engineers (4-2, 1-1 in SCAC) to their first win in Memphis since 1981.

Junior Cameron Hummel connected with freshman Justin Meade on a 32-yard pass to open the final drive. Hummel then hit junior Ryan Robinson with passes of nine and eight yards to put the Engineers in range for Wright's last second field goal.

”This is the first time we've been 4-2 in our tenure. Our guys fought to the end. We didn't come out very good in the first half, but the guys made plays when they had to. Justin Meade with the catch to start the final drive and Cory Wright with three big kicks were the difference in the game,“ said Rose-Hulman Coach Ted Karras Jr. - College Football -

Hummel finished 14 of 25 passing for 162 yards through the air and rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown. Senior Charlie Key surpassed the century mark for the third time this season with 104 yards on 29 carries. Meade led the receivers with 55 yards on three catches, while senior Dan Downey had 50 yards on three receptions for the Engineers.

A solid Rose-Hulman defensive effort was led by senior Josh Clark with nine tackles, including one sack and two quarterback hurries. Freshman Paul Spreen and junior Mike Alto had eight stops each. - College Football -

”The maturity of this team is head and shoulders above where we were. We travel well and are proud to be 3-0 on the road this season,“ said Karras.

For Rhodes (1-4, 0-2), Justin Sealand was just 8 of 27 through the air for 122 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 64 yards. Tyler Lake added 77 yards on 18 rushes.

The first half featured a decidedly defensive tone, with Rhodes leading 3-0 at the break. The Lynx took advantage of an interception by Keller Bankston in the final minute of the first half, then drove 20 yards in six plays to take the lead. Hunter Tigert capped the drive with a 42-yard kick with 0:06 left in the first half. - College Football -

Rose had a pair of possessions that ended in Lynx territory. The second drive of the game reached the Rhodes 49-yard line, before the defense forced an Engineer punt.

The Engineers then recorded a 13-play, 38-yard drive that reached the Rhodes 34-yard line, before the Lynx sacked Hummel to force the end of the drive.

Tigert pushed the lead to 6-0 with a 32-yard field goal on the first Rhodes drive of the second half, culminating an eight-play, 50-yard drive.

Rose took the lead on its second possession of the third quarter, a five-play, 32-yard march, their drive shortened by a 20-yard punt from the Lynx. Hummel scored from 16 yards out, and the point after by sophomore Jeremy Sharp put the Engineers ahead 7-6 with 3:57 left in the third quarter. - College Football -

Rose pushed its lead to 10-6 early in the fourth quarter, courtesy of a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Senior Bryce Beckstrom forced a fumble by Chris Calamese that was recovered by sophomore Bill Guiney on the Lynx 32-yard line.

Seven plays later, senior Cory Wright booted a 32-yard field goal to give the Engineers the 10-6 edge with 14:09 left in the game.

The Engineers relied on a 40-yard run by Key on its next possession to earn a 13-6 edge. The third-down run moved the drive into field goal range, before Wright booted a 43-yard field goal with 4:27 left. - College Football -

Rhodes marched 73 yards in 12 plays to tie the score at 13-13 with 1:06 remaining. Justin Sealand hit Jeff Freyder on a 31-yard, fourth-down pass to keep the drive alive, then connected with Chris Castleberry on a 7-yard touchdown strike, before Tigert booted the extra point to tie the score.

Copyright © 2005 Tribune-Star

College Football: Penn State, Nebraska, Alabama regain their positions among elite

Return to glory

By Ray Fittipaldo

Penn State, Nebraska and Alabama began the season unranked. These three schools, all among the top seven in all-time victories, were on the outside looking in as programs such as Louisville, Boise State, Texas Tech and Fresno State garnered more respect and national acclaim among pollsters. - - College Football - -

The trio entered the season a combined four games over .500 in their previous three seasons and none was considered a serious threat within its own conference. - - College Football - -

My, how things can change. All three enter games this weekend undefeated, three of only 12 remaining unbeaten teams in Division I-A. And they're not harboring just conference title aspirations now. All three can dream of playing in a Bowl Championship Series bowl game and maybe even a national championship.

For those without a sense of the history of college football, this is the way it used to be. From 1970-97, these three schools combined to win 10 national championships as they dominated the landscape of college football. - - College Football - -

Now each school is attempting a comeback after trying times the past couple of years.

Nebraska is in the process of changing from an option team to a West Coast offense team. There is still a long way to go, but Cornhuskers quarterback Zac Taylor set school records for completions and yards in a 27-20 overtime victory Saturday against then-No. 23 Iowa State. Taylor was 36 for 55 for 431 yards. - - College Football - -

This has the potential to be a turnaround season for coach Bill Callahan. The Huskers play No. 15 Texas Tech Saturday in Lincoln. If they can win that game, they don't face another ranked opponent the rest of the regular season.

As unimpressive as Nebraska's 4-0 record is -- the Huskers are not ranked in either poll -- an eight- or nine-win season is definitely within reach given the suspect competition in the Big 12 North division. - - College Football - -

Penn State had fallen further than Nebraska or Alabama. The Nittany Lions were 16-20 in the past three seasons with only three victories against Big Ten foes the past two seasons, two of those coming against Indiana. But as they prepare for their biggest game in three seasons this week against No. 6 Ohio State, the Lions own the third-longest winning streak in Division I-A with seven wins in a row. Only Southern California (26) and Texas (11) have longer winning streaks. - - College Football - -

Penn State has a much more difficult remaining schedule than Nebraska, with four games against teams that are currently ranked. But because of the 5-0 start, the Lions are looking as if they'll have their first winning season since 2002 and return to postseason play.

While Nebraska and Penn State have had their fair share of trying times the past few years, Alabama is returning to the national stage after overcoming much more. Mike Shula is Alabama's fourth coach since 2000 and is still on NCAA probation. - - College Football - -

Mike Dubose was fired after a 3-8 season in 2000. It was Dubose who disgraced the program on and off the field. Alabama agreed to pay Dubose's secretary $350,000 to settle accusations of sexual harassment, and it was violations under his watch that led to the probation.

After Dubose, Dennis Franchione took over for two seasons, leaving abruptly for Texas A&M after the '02 season. Then came the Mike Price affair.

Price never coached a game for the Crimson Tide. In the spring of 2003, he spent time at a topless club and was dismissed a few weeks later. - - College Football - -

Shula was brought in to resurrect the program. And he had problems his first two seasons. The Tide was 4-9 in '03 and 6-6 last season, with just six wins vs. SEC competition those two years.

This week, Alabama finds itself ranked No. 7 with a 5-0 record. The Tide crushed Florida, 31-3, at Bryant-Denny Stadium, for its first victory against a top-5 team at home since 1982, and just the second win by Shula against a ranked team in 10 tries.

When asked after the game if it was a signature victory, Shula replied, "There's only one signature win, but I'll put my initials on this one." - - College Football - -

Student gets a kick out of contest

Ida Baker freshman hopes for return to finals in January

By DAVE KEMPTON
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

Brooke Bursiek received the perfect gift on Christmas Eve in 2004 — a letter from the National Football League informing her she was one of the finalists for the annual NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competition. - NFL Football -

Bursiek is expecting another letter this December, and she intends to uphold her end of the deal.

The 14-year-old Ida Baker High School freshman took the first step in returning to the finals Sunday morning at the Storm Football Complex, where she won her 14-15 age division.

Bursiek advances to the sectionals at 1 p.m. Oct. 9, at Franz-Ross Park in Port Charlotte. One more win and she moves on to the regionals at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers home game in November. - NFL Football -

The finals will be at the home field of an NFL team in January during the divisional playoffs. This year, Bursiek competed in Pittsburgh's Heinz Field before 65,000 spectators who were waiting on the start of the Steelers-New York Jets game.

More than 3.5 million children and teenagers competed in the 2004 competition, and only 32 qualified for the all-expenses-paid trip to the finals.

Bursiek won the local competition with a combined 301-foot, 4-inch effort. She had a 95-foot punt, a 112-foot-8-inch pass and a 93-foot-8-inch kick. She won a year ago with a total of 296 feet and then 312 feet in Port Charlotte. Her Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh efforts totaled 276 and 270 feet, respectively. - NFL Football -

Cory Schroat finished with the best overall performance — 344 feet, 1 inch — to win the boys 14-15 division.

"Cory's pass was 150 feet, equal to a 50-yard toss, which is very impressive," said Eric Cartmell, a senior athletic supervisor with the Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Department.

"I have a goal of returning to the nationals and improving on my second-place finish," Bursiek said. "I haven't worked out so much, just tossing the ball around with my cousins.

"Passing is my best event, while I need to work on the kicking. The secret once you start the competition is accuracy, aiming for the correct lines."

Since Bursiek first picked up a football at age 9, boys have razzed her and told her time after time she wasn't supposed to play the sport. - NFL Football -

"It's a boys game," they would tell Bursiek, who was sporting a ponytail and camouflage shorts for the competition.

She, of course, would have none of that talk. And the chatter had quieted since making the trips to Raymond James Stadium and Heinz Field.

"Some still think I should stay away from football, but for the most part they have been really quiet after what happened last year," Bursiek said. "Now, more often than not, people at school come up and say 'good luck.'" - NFL Football -

Her mother, Jan Bursiek-Furdell, thinks Bursiek is headed in the right direction.

"Brooke is a very athletic young lady, but she doesn't like all sports," Bursiek-Furdell said. "I think she might focus on the basketball team at Ida Baker in the future."

"I encouraged her to think about playing football, but she said the pads were heavy," Bursiek-Furdell said. - NFL Football -

Copyright 2005 , The News-Press.

Monday night college football not so appealing

Craig Handel
Gannett News Service

It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

Labor Day. Monday Night football. The University of Miami and Florida State. Two of college football's most successful programs playing in prime time on national television.

Sounds delicious, doesn't it? Well, after two years, the idea is not nearly as appealing to the Hurricanes and Seminoles as it is to television executives.

A 12th regular-season game in 2006 adds even more scheduling difficulties. What if an actual hurricane creates another postponement? How do the schools fit in a Thursday night game?

While coaches and players still enjoy being in the national spotlight to start the season, the approval isn't as unanimous as it once was.

"You have to weigh that against all these other factors," said FSU athletic director Dave Hart. "That's what I've been doing these last three months and I know (Miami athletic director) Paul Dee is doing the same thing."

There are those on the Miami and FSU sides who want to play on Monday night.

"You have a big game right off the bat and it keeps everyone focused all through the summer," FSU senior DE Kamerion Wimbley said. "Even in the spring, you know you had to get ready because it was Miami. I think it drives players all summer to stay ready and work out. And it's such an emotional game, I like playing it as the first game. I hope they don't change it."

Miami punter Brian Monroe said, "It's the big game, big show, national TV. You want to show the nation what you got."

Miami coach Larry Coker - irritated that not playing on Saturdays early in the season took his team out of rhythm - also doesn't like playing a great team to open the season.

"We're not like the NFL, we don't get preseason games," Coker said. "The idea is that your team gets better as the season goes along."

FSU coach Bobby Bowden said he likes the fact that millions of people are watching the game.

Bowden said he wouldn't be opposed to playing on Monday if an open date could be found somewhere in the schedule.

That's the rub. To avoid an early-season off week next year, Miami and FSU plan to play games five days later against Florida A&M and Troy.

Then there is the Thursday dilemma. Atlantic Coast Conference schools are required to play at least one Thursday night game every other season. With the 12-game regular season - 13 if the teams play in the ACC title game - teams have only one off week during the season.

"The season has been compacted," Hart said. "When you begin to look at all those factors, you got one open date, you're playing 12 games, we got a 12-team league, do you want to be playing on Mondays and Thursdays? That's a serious issue in my mind.

"The dynamics are different when we signed to play on Monday nights. Had this not unfolded, I would have a different position."

Hart said he relayed these concerns to Loren Matthews, ABC vice-president for programming.

"I think we're going to see on this Monday night, given cooperation from weather, a tremendous atmosphere and a full house," he said.

(Bill Vilona of the Pensacola News-Journal contributed to this report.)

Copyright ©2005 The Daily Advertiser. All rights reserved.

Much has changed since last season in college football
By BLAIR KERKHOFF

Kansas City Star

College football always calls audibles between seasons, but this seemed a little more hectic than most, so let's get a few things straight as we approach 2005.

Tyrone Willingham is coaching at Washington and not Notre Dame, and if he wants to win one game this season, it's on Sept. 24 when the Irish visit. Urban Meyer is coaching at Florida and not Utah, and in Chris Leak he has a quarterback talented enough to make the spread-option work.

The new Ron at Illinois is Zook, who replaces Turner. The Buddy (Teevens) system failed at Stanford, which brought in Walt Harris. That opened up Pittsburgh, which hired Dave Wannstedt late of the Dolphins, who hired Nick Saban from LSU, which allowed Les Miles to upgrade from Oklahoma State, which promoted former star quarterback Mike Gundy. The dominoes had to stop somewhere.

Maurice Clarett is finally in the NFL, but Matt Leinart isn't, although he would be the 49ers' starting quarterback had the Southern Cal phenom taken the money and run.

Boston College owns an ACC membership. The league was nine teams two years ago, 11 last season and now is 12. It covers about every exit off of Interstate 95.

Virginia Tech is one for one in winning ACC championships. Wake Forest looks for its first ACC crown in 36 years. Happy hunting, Deacs.

Same for you, Iowa State, looking for your first conference championship since 1912.

Louisville picks up in the Big East where it left off in Conference USA, as the league favorite.

ESPN has removed its sponsorship from the coaches poll, leaving USA Today without a slash. The coaches have agreed to reveal their final votes, which scared off a few potential voters. The poll is better off without them.

The Associated Press took its poll and went home. The AP said it no longer wanted to be associated with the Bowl Championship Series because its business is to report the news and not make it.

We'll remind the AP of that when one of its bureau chiefs smiles for the AP photographer and hands out the AP national championship trophy.

The Harris Interactive Poll will start late and end early. The new BCS component won't kick in until late September, and the poll will end with the final BCS standing. So, no Harris national champion, which is kind of a shame. They could have gotten Franco Harris or Emmylou Harris or, if a Florida team wins it, Katherine Harris to present the trophy.

Here's a quiz. Guess which person is a Harris voter: Gene Bartow, Terry Bradshaw or Rocket Ismail? Give up? They all are. And they're my panel-mates. So is Kevin Duhe, who, according to a Louisiana newspaper, is a territory manager for Blue Bell Ice Cream Inc. Snicker if you will, but any former college football player who has anything to do with Blue Bell's Moo-llennium Crunch is qualified to separate Arizona State from Boston College.

Note to poll nitpickers: It's just football, folks.

In a late development, Florida State gets to keep calling itself the Seminoles. Cases are pending for the Fighting Illini of Illinois and Utah Utes, among others, although it's not clear if the NCAA wants those schools to rid themselves of the Native American-based state names as well.

But the more things change, the better Southern Cal seems to get. The Trojans swing into the season as a convincing favorite to become the first program in modern times to win three straight national championships. But history isn't on the side for a program attempting to make history. And not simply because it hasn't been done.

This is 2005, and if anniversaries mean anything, it's a Big 12 year. Five years ago, Oklahoma won the national championship. Five years before that, Nebraska dominated the sport. In 1990, Colorado shared the national championship, and five years earlier the Sooners won the last of Barry Switzer's crowns.

Somehow, a school now in the Big 12 didn't win it 1980 (Georgia), but Oklahoma was the 1975 champ, and the Cornhuskers and Texas shared the 1970 title.

The Sooners started the trend, finishing first in 1950 and 1955.

Is it Texas' turn? If so, the Longhorns will have pulled off the biggest makeover of all, winning a conference championship for the first time in Mack Brown's career.

Game on.