Conference Championship Weekend and Birthday Drinks

Happy conference championship weekend everybody.

And happy birthday to me.

Here's what this weekend's line up looks like:

ACC

#5 Virginia Tech vs. #20 Clemson

I'm going to take underdog Clemson here. Virginia Tech is a team that simply disappoints me year in and year out. They underachieve. Clemson, though probably still licking their wounds from losing 3 out of the last 4, is going to want to bounce back from those loses and show Virginia Tech that they can beat them twice in one season.

Big 10

#15 Wisconsin vs. #13 Michigan State

Wisconsin is out for for revenge in this one. They lost by a touchdown back in October, and save for an upset loss to Ohio State, have dominated every contestant before and after the loss to Michigan State. A jacked up Russell Wilson and Monte Ball running behind those big hogmolly offensive linemen is going to be tough to compete with. Michigan State looks to be out of luck this time. I'm taking the Badgers

SEC

#14 Georgia vs. #1 LSU

Georgia has played a relatively weak, by SEC standards, schedule this season and have lost in their only formidable games to Boise State and South Carolina. Sure they're 10-2 but it's a soft 10-2. Sure they're rebuilding but it's this year, not the future. LSU has brushed past everyone with ease, except for Alabama (rematch national championship game??) and I don't see it being any different in this contest. LSU wins by a landslide.

Pac-12

UCLA vs. #9 Oregon

whoops....uhhh....I mean

UCLA is only in the conference championship game because USC is bowl ineligible. Oregon and LaMichael James run past the Bruins with systematic ease.



What a great birthday present. Great games, great rivalries, great traditions. And great liquor. Yeah that's right. For my birthday I'm not only going to be watching game after game, but I'll be swigging beer after beer and taking shot after shot to celebrate the glorious day 23 years ago (shit, I'm getting old) when the world was graced by the presence of me. Someone's got to keep the liquor stores in business during these tough economic times. Get your hangover cures ready because shit's about to get real.

Urban Meyer and Something to Ease the Stress

It's ok if most of you don't know who Urban Meyer is.

Compared to most, his tenure as a major college football head coach hasn't been very long; only about 10 years.

But he's accomplished quite a bit. He brought to obscure programs (Bowling Green University and University of Utah) to national prominence in only 4 short years and won 2 national championships at University of Florida in another 4 year span. He retired for the 2010 and 2011 seasons due to health concerns.

Urban Meyer is the reason that Tim Tebow is a household name. At BGU, Utah, and Florida, Meyer was the most innovative and creative coach in the country, adapting his game-plan to his players rather than using inapt players for his schemes. He's highly regarded in the college football realm and achieved more success in 10 years than some coaches do in their entire career.

I used to love this guy as a head coach.

And now I hate him.

Let me quickly make something clear to you about college football rivalries. They're more than just about bragging rights. They're about pride, and prestige. They're the definition of what it means to "leave it all on the field."

The greatest rivalry in the entire athletic domain is the University of Michigan vs. Ohio State University. I'm a Michigan fan. Hardcore. I bleed maize and blue. I was happier than a pig in shit when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 2003 last Saturday. So when I see that Urban Meyer has become Ohio State's newest headcoach, it makes me question the meaning of life.

This adds another dimension to the most storied rivalry in the game. Michigan is currently breaking in first year head coach Brady Hoke rather successfully. The Wolverines are boasting a 10-2 record under Hoke, their best since the 2006 season. Now Ohio State as a proven winner in a head coach, a guy who's been to the big games and came out the other side unscathed.

This doesn't make me want to drink. Stress from school does but that's a blog for another day. But I might have a few more than usual to try and get over the fact that a coach I was once a big fan of has sold out to the other side. Time to raid the liquor cabinet.

More Upsets and a Hangover Cure

#2 Oklahoma State was upset by Iowa State on Friday night.

This gave me plenty of reason to start slugging that tequila I was talking about during the week.

There goes Brandon Weeden's Heisman campaign. Poor kid doesn't have a shot now. It's Andrew Luck's show. Even with a Stanford loss to Oregon last week, it's his trophy to lose.

Speaking of Oregon, after an early-season loss to #1 LSU, they clawed their way back up to the top 5 only to be upset by USC last night. Another week of upsets. Crazy. I love this game.

So what does this mean? First thing it means is that I'm a genius because I went 2 for 2 with my upset picks. No big deal. Don't worry 'bout it. Secondly, it means the BCS is in complete disarray and we'll likely see a rematch between #3 Alabama (soon to be #2) and #1 LSU in the national championship. So, #2 Oklahoma state lost, #4 Oregon lost, and #5 Oklahoma lost. That puts #6 Arkansas in the likely #3 slot which is huge because they play LSU next week. *upset alert*. #7 Clemson lost, sadly. They were the little team that could. So that lets #8 Virgina Tech move up to the possible #4 slot, unless they get leapfrogged by #9 Stanford after VaTech's non-convincing win over UNC last night. Stanford would make for better competition and drama, having a better team than VaTech and the Heisman frontrunner.

Bottom Line. The BCS rankings are shaken up again. For better or for worse.

Tequila. Ughh. Why do I put myself through these things? Everyone has their own idea of the perfect hangover cure; I've heard Big Mac's work, putting butter in coffee, and of course, eating as much greasy food as you can. But mine is simple. Orange Juice. I don't know what it is about this elixer of the God's but it is the only reason I can stand to blog right now. Cheers.

Stay Tuned for my analysis for next weeks matchups.

Week 12 and Tequila

I'm moving past the Joe Paterno/ Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Not to belittle it, but it's just too disgusting and depressing to talk about.

So it's on to week 12 and tequila.

Brandon Weeden and my boys down at #2 Oklahoma State are finally being taken seriously. Everyone has known that their offense is high-powered, but Weeden is steadily moving up voters' Heisman lists. It's about time. The Cowboys play friday night at Iowa State. The week after that is the big rivalry game between them and #5 Oklahoma University. I wish it was next week so we could talk about that game. *sigh*

Anyway, theres a big Big 10 matchup between # 16 Nebraska and # 18 Michgan. I'm happy that Nebraska pulled out a win against Penn State last week, but we're not talking about them anymore. Nebraska is a formidable team but they've seemed to shy away in the big games when it matters most. They're not really finishers. Which is why I'm picking the Maize and Blue in this one. Playing at Michigan, The Big House, in front of over 100,000 wolverine fans, I've got to go with Michigan who has played with conviction this year. Coach Brady Hoke respectably turned around a reeling program and is bringing them back into the national spotlight. I'm okay with their two losses. It's his inaugural season after all. Have to expect a few bumps and bruises along the way. But they're going to want to make a big "We've arrived" statement and they can do it this weekend.

For my upset alert, I'm taking Virginia over #25 Florida State in Tallahassee. Virginia has been a ball-busting team this year, upsetting Georgia Tech, Miami, and Maryland and I don't see them letting the Seminoles getting the better of them in this one. This is a classic trap game for FSU. Watch yourselves.

Tequila

I'm not a big tequila person. But I figure the alliteration of week twelve and tequila kind of warrants me to give it a shot. My budget is only going to allow me to buy something cheap (like that post when I bough Kappy's brand whiskey). But my parents are away so I might sneak into their liquor cabinet and take a shot or two (10) of their Patron. Don't tell anyone!

A Sad Day For College Football

I was hoping all of the scandals were over.

I can live with the fact that Rich Rodriguez had a few extra practices or that Jim Tressel turned the other way while players sold merchandise on the side. I lived with all of the allegations surrounding Cam Newton last year. Hell, we all lived (and still live) with the general publicity surrounding Tim Tebow.

But the latest scandal at Penn State is simply sickening. Let me get one thing straight. I condone drinking and watching football on this blog. It's part of the fun, it adds to the atmosphere. But this scandal makes me want to drink because it's just so depressing.

I'll break it down for you.

Former Penn State assistant coach Jim Sandusky has been charged with sexually abusing 8 boys over a 15 year period. Disgusting. Horrible. Sickening.

Hopefully this guy gets what's coming to him. I think everyone will agree. Now, not to belittle the matter at hand, let me put my college football blinders on and explain what this does for the sport. Joe Paterno is arguably the most powerful man in college football. This guy basically built Penn State University himself, let alone the football program. He's the face of the game. He's a living legend. And now over 60 years of contributions to athletics and to teenagers' growth into men has been tarnished. In a matter of hours.

Joe Paterno is the head coach. He may as well be the president of the university. That's how clout this guy has. So to think that this kind of heinous abuse took place without his knowledge is ignorance. Think John Calipari and Marcus Camby. Same basic principles.

I'm not saying I'm sorry for Paterno, who will probably be fired if he doesn't resign first. I'm saying I'm sorry for the fact that a man once considered the model for integrity and moral fiber is not.

So who's left? Who is going to be, or can be, the pillars of character and virtue in a great athletic tradition? How is the NCAA going to respond? How is Penn State going to respond? What can people do to prevent these kinds of unspeakable act from occurring again?

These are just a couple of the mind-numbing questions that we, not only as sports fans but as members of the human race, have to ask ourselves.

And it's a sad day that we have to.

We Still Cool, Though....

Ok, so Alabama lost to LSU.

We still cool, though.

LSU has proven to me that they're a top contender team. But I'm sorry, I'm still not sold. They got lucky over Alabama. Lucky. And while luck goes a long way in this game, I still think Bama would win in a rematch. I'll tell you why.

Alabama missed 4 field goals. 4!!! It's got to suck to be the kicker. My sympathies bro. There's not a single person in the great state of Alabama that has positive feelings towards that guy. But I digress. Alabama was in scoring range 4 times and they got unlucky. That's at least 12 points. 28 if they went four touchdowns and kicked the extra point. Did the Tide get unlucky. Yes. I'd still take them over LSU any day.

With the beauty of the BCS system, this might actually happen. 'Bama fell 1 lousy spot from #2 to #3. And as much as I have a terribly inappropriate crush on the #2 Oklahoma State Cowboys, Brandon Weeden specifically, I'm not sure they'll hold up well against in-state rival Oklahoma. In fact, even if they win, they might drop in the standings below 'Bama if their win isn't convincing enough. Those BCS voters are a fickle folk.

BUT...

If OSU loses, 'Bama could get jumped by Stanford and Boise State. This scenario is unlikely seeing as how 'Bama's schedule is tougher than those two teams combined, but a college football fan and BCS anarchist can dream.

Here's my point. I am still convinced that Alabama is the best team in the country. LSU, as I've stated many a time before, has great athletes but they're raw. I don't really know what will convince me otherwise.

Probably if they meet Alabama in the National Championship and beat them a second time.

Day Drinking and Game of the Century

It's 10:25 am.

Time to start day drinking.

I got a trusty 30 of Coors Light and College GameDay on the tube. Bama's going to LSU for dinner. WHAT DO WE EAT? TIGER MEAT. Coors Light is ok, a little boring but goes down smooth.

STOP READING THIS AND DRINK AND WATCH COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

Game of the Century

#1 LSU is taking on #2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on saturday.

I'm already excited.

Excited is an understatement.

I'm so jittery that I look like I'm coked-out.

Besides the obvious fact that the top two teams in the country are squaring off in a game with monster national championship and Heisman implications, these two teams are bitter rivals. Let me throw some stats at ya.

These two teams began playing way back in 1895. LSU took the inaugural game 12-0 but the teams didn't start playing annually until 1964. Alabama owns the rivalry pretty substantially with 45 wins to LSU's 24, but both teams have gone through periods of severe beating by the other. And strangely enough, it would occur on their home turf. From 1971-1999, LSU went 0-14-1 in Baton Rouge. Likewise, 'Bama went 3-10 from 1982-2007.

Here's a curveball for ya. Current Alabama coach Nick Saban actually coached at LSU from 2000-2004 winning the school's second National Championship in 2003 with a convincing victory over Oklahoma.

So, who's going to win?

I'm going with Alabama. LSU has thoroughbred athletes but Alabama's are more disciplined and refined. Saban is also a better coach than Les Miles. He's more creative and has much better game management capabilities. But history dictates that the home team is most likely to lose, giving this game an added mystique.

But as we've seen in the past few weeks, anything can happen. Any team can pull a rabbit out of their hat and take a game by surprise. Just sit back, relax, and grab a cooler full of your favorite beer. I'm not even going to suggest something to drink this week. Because anything with alcohol compliments this game perfectly.

Roll Tide

Upset Central

I try not to swear in my blogs.

But FUCK ME.

In my last post, I basically said "oh yeah, this week is going to be a bit of a snooze, don't bother looking for any upsets."

But just about everyone was upset yesterday. And the team I picked to upset, didn't.

I should be pissed. I look like an idiot all over the internet, eating my words the way I usually drink anything alcohol. But I'm not. I love this shit. This is what college football is all about. This is what makes it fun.

Here's the rundown. Syracuse upset #15 West Virginia, Texas Tech upset # 3Oklahoma, #16 Michigan State upset #6 Wisconsin, Miami (Florida) upset #22 Georgia Tech, and Purdue upset #23 Illinois.

This is truly a week to remember. Oklahoma was thought to be invincible. Michigan State pulled off one of the greatest upset OF ALL TIME, on one of the most exciting plays EVER. Wisconsin rallied behind stud QB Russell Wilson but couldn't quite hold on. This is Doug Flutie-esque. Beautiful. A work of art. Watch it right here...

If you heard me last night, you'd think I was an eight year old girl squealing over a new Barbie.

What's going to be most interesting is seeing the BCS standings tomorrow after this monumental shake-up. Stanford and Boise State are probably going to benefit the most from this. Both teams will shoot up the ladder. Novembers game of #1 LSU and #2 Alabama is going to have ridiculous implications for these two BCS little guys. I can't wait. WOOO.

Somebody get me beer!

Week 8 Upset Alert and... What Do You Think I Should Drink?

There are a lot of great games tomorrow.

#20 Auburn's playing at #1 LSU, #9 Arkansas' playing at Ole Miss, #4 Oklahoma State.'s playing at Missouri, and #6 Wisconsin's playing at # 16 Michigan State.

The two marquee matchups are between Auburn and LSU, and Wisconsin and Michigan state. If this were week 2 or 3, I would put both LSU and Michigan State on upset alert.

But I just don't see it this week. While Auburn has already upset a couple of teams thus far, they're playing too inconsistently to be considered the David to LSU's Goliath. Plus, they're playing in Baton Rouge, so it seems like a hopeless contest for the Tigers of Auburn.

Though Wisconsin is traveling to East Lansing to take on the Spartans, I don't see them pulling out an upset win over the Badgers. Wisconsin is too good. Top to bottom. From brick wall-like offensive line to Heisman hopeful QB, the Badgers are too dominant to be tripped up by a team that lost to Notre Dame. Even with last weeks convincing fourth-in-a-row victory over instate rival Michigan, MSU doesn't have the horses to keep up with Wisconsin. Even though I'm for the Spartans on this one.

Northwestern QB Dan Persa 

(don't mind the cheesy Eminem background music)

The upset I am foreseeing, though, is a game a lot less touted. #21 is traveling to Evanston, IL to take on the Wildcats of Northwestern. And they're going to lose. Despite being 6th in the nation in points against defense, Penn State is going up against a fierce competitor in Northwestern QB Dan Persa, and an able coach in Pat Fitzgerald. Northwestern is 0-3 in conference play and riding a 4-game losing streak. But I have complete faith in Persa. This guy is tough. TOUGH. He can take his team on his shoulders and let them ride him to a ardent victory. I love his style of play, instilled in him no doubt by Fitzgerald. Look for Northwestern to snap their losing streak and chalk up their first Big 10 victory of the year over the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Now for the booze. I have to drink while watching college football. If I didn't, it'd be like burning the American flag. It's just not patriotic. So this week, I'm opening up my palette to you eager readers. What do you suggest for drinking this weekend? Anything from shots to, mixed drinks, to beers, to wines, to anything you can think of that's original and delicious. Post your suggestions in the comment box and I'll review the one that sounds most appealing.

Happy drinking.

The First BCS rankings and Some Black and Blue

Yeah, I'm going to drink a little bit on a Monday.

I deserve it. I need it.

Rather than thinking of it as a means to getting a little drunk after a pretty rough whiskey weekend, I consider it a means of easing into the tensions of a new school week.

Black and Blues are delicious and perfect for the looming Fall weather. All you need is a hearty Guinness and a zesty Sea Dog Blueberry Ale and you have your self a Black and Blue.

Mix half and half.

You get the creamy and slight mocha taste of the Guinness with a hint of blueberries. What more can you ask for? It's like a chocolate covered fruit desert. In liquid form. With alcohol.

While I sip my luscious beverage, I finally found time today to check out the latest BCS rankings. While the other rankings (namely the AP poll and USA Today Coach's poll) are factors in deciding how high or low a team ends their season, the BCS is the king. It determines who plays for a National Championship and which team plays in which major bowl.

This is how the top 10 looks as of this week.

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Oklahoma State
5. Boise State
6. Wisconsin
7. Clemson
8. Stanford
9. Arkansas
10. Oregon

Congratulations to those teams. Woo hoo. Do I have concerns with this poll? Not really. LSU, despite my constant hatred towards them, is deserving of the number 1 spot. For this week anyways. All of the other teams seem to fall in line well. Aside from Oregon, everyone is undefeated and has played for some tough wins. Which is why other genius-level aficionados (like myself) will surely be voicing their concerns. If they haven't already.

Wisconsin fans are probably the biggest haters. In every other poll, they sit stoically at number 4. I'll be the first to admit they have a great team. They beat my boys Nebraska, whom I picked to win the conference. But Wisconsin has strength of schedule working against them. I'll explain.

The BCS rankings are computer generated based on the other major polls, strength of schedule, and a Borda count system to arrive at their result. Now, there are five major BCS bowl games that each automatic qualifying conference winner plays for: The Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and National Championship. The winners ACC, Pac-12, Big-12, Big-10, SEC, and Big East all play for the rights to a major bowl game. These conferences were determined by some bureaucratic money-generated television-exposure ideal. Also, Notre Dame gets an automatic bid if they break the top 8 because they are Notre Dame. Special treatment. Lame.

So for a team like Wisconsin, if they were to go undefeated (hypothetically) they get shunned to a bowl game thats NOT the national championship. Sucks for them. They win their conference, out of schedule play, and don't get to hold up that diamond-clad trophy at the end of the season. I'd be pissed to.

A team like Boise State, however, is probably ecstatic. They represent a non-BCS qualifying conference but they can't be ignored by the pollsters if they climb up to number 2 or even 1.

Thus is the flaw of the BCS system. This is why I think simply bracket system like they use in March Madness would work. Playoffs. We shall see with this impending chaos ahead.

Anyway, I love Oklahoma State this high. They have been commanding in a tough conference. Their last season game against rival Oklahoma will have enormous implications on both teams vying to be the champs. Clemson has proved to be tough to put away, pulling out victories when people haven't given them credit. They're a tough team playing with a chip on their shoulder, and will continue to want to prove themselves to the country.

I can't say I like Stanford this low, though. QB Andrew Luck is the best overall player in the nation leading an undefeated team. How they play against Oregon, last year's only loss, will prove consequential.

Tough to get your head around, I know. So much politics, so many statistics. That's why I choose to drink, not only when watching games, but when talking about them too.

I suggest you do the same.

Great Moments in College Football National Championship History

Week 7 and 7&7's

This was a pretty decent week for college football. While the upsets were few, the teams that were supposed to win ultimately did. And, I took advantage of the poetic symmetry in drinking 7&7's during week 7.

Let me start by talking about my favorite drink. It's perfect in its simplicity. Technically, you need Seagrams 7 whiskey and 7 up, but there's plenty of room for change. You can pretty much just mix any whiskey with any lemon-lime flavored drink. Boom. Its so simple and so delicious. However, I can tell you that my experience with my favorite indulgence holds true to the old proverb: Too much of any good thing, is a bad thing. Whiskey hangovers are not friendly. Sure, they're not as bad as rum hangovers but it still hurts. Its 2:45 p.m. and I'm ready for another nap.

But before I rest my eyes for an hour or two, lets talk about yesterday's games.

Week 7 Highlights

The biggest upset was Michigan State beating rival University of Michigan. I'm not happy about this-I'm maize and blue, through and through- but would you believe me if I said I called this one? True, there's no proof and I didn't write it down but take my word for it, I saw this one coming. I'll tell you why. First of all, the success of Brady Hoke's inaugural season as head coach for the Wolverines had to slow down eventually. His team doesn't possess the talent that Mike Stoops did in his national championship first year at Oklahoma, or Larry Coker did at Miami. Still, he's turned his team around significantly. Second of all, it was a home game for Michigan State. Playing at home is the single defining edge when two relatively equal teams are lined up. Michigan State took advantage.

Besides this game, pretty much all of the teams that won were the ones that were supposed to. Unranked Ohio State beat number 16 Illinois, but I haven't been sold on Illinois all year. They play in a conference that isn't quite as strong as it used to be. And despite Ohio State's lack of overall leadership and a strong head coach, they still have talent.

I'm interested to see how the first BCS poll look tomorrow, as all of the top 10 teams won. There are whispers going around that the BCS is in for its most chaotic year, as all of the top 8 teams are undefeated. It might simply come down to strength of schedule, and that will give an edge to all SEC conference teams.

Things are starting to look interesting.

Andrew Luck for Heisman Campaign

How do you not give the Heisman to a QB who can throw, run, AND CATCH?!

Remind you of anyone?

Wine Called Red Guitar, Why the AP Has Its Top Ten Wrong, and How The Early Heisman Watch is Incorrect

Sure, I only went 2/4 on my picks in my last blog. 

But I am a college football aficionado.

I'm not a wine connoisseur.

I'm not the guy who insightfully analyzes a wine's bittersweet savor, its wholesome red body, and the dexterous aroma that can only wafted after a couple swirls of the glass while.

The wine I'm currently sipping is called Red Guitar.

Awesome name.

It's not too bitter, not too sweet.

Yum.

That's the extent of my wine knowledge and interpretation. You want a wine with a cool name and mediocre taste? Get Red Guitar.

This is probably the last time I'll be featuring wine on this blog but its mediocrity is very reflective of the Associated Press' (AP) job ranking the Top 25 teams (I'll just be correcting the Top 10)  for the beginning of week 6. Same goes for those updating the early Heisman Trophy race.

Just some quick background on the rankings. The BCS ranking system, the one that counts for playing in bowl games, is made up of the AP poll, the USA Today Coaches poll, and a bunch of other useless stats and formulas. So when the AP poll gets it wrong, it could ruin a team's season.

Here is the current AP (left) and Coahes (right) poll
1. LSU                              1. Oklahoma

2. Alabama                       2. LSU

3. Oklahoma                     3. Alabama
4. Wisconsin                    4. Stanford
5. Boise State                   5. Wisconsin
6. Oklahoma State            6. Boise State
7. Stanford                       7. Oklahoma State
8. Clemson                       8. Clemson
9. Oregon                         9. Oregon
10. Arkansas                    10. Texas

The coaches have a more realistic view of how the polls should look. Come on AP, get with it. Stop conforming to what all the longwinded "experts" on TV have to say. Open your eyes and watch a game once in a while. If you're reading this post then I'll assume you've read the previous one explaining how much LSU doesn't deserve the number 1 spot. This is how the polls should look at this moment, right now.

1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. LSU
4. Boise State
5. Oklahoma State
6. Wisconsin
7. Stanford
8. Clemson
9. Georgia Tech
10. Michigan

I'll explain quickly. Alabama is flawless on offense and defense with the best head coach in the nation. Oklahoma would be but their QB is overrated, though he still gets the job done. LSU is lucky to get this spot but I will give them props for beating three ranked opponents in their first five games. Boise State has a top three QB in the country with the most creative coach; they reload every year and will silence the critics this season. Oklahoma State's offense fires on all cylinders. Brandon Weeden is my Heisman favorite (we'll get to this later) and is also a top three QB, though he's been the consensus number 1 the last two games. Wisconsin beat my Big 10 pick Nebraska and has the meanest offensive line in the game. Stanford has the third of the top QB trifecta. Andrew Luck is a hall of fame player-in-the-making and his first real test won't come until the Cardinal host the Oregon Ducks on 11/12. Clemson is also a big winner thus far in the season beating back-to-back-to-back ranked opponents in Auburn, Florida State, and Virginia Tech. Wild card picks Georgia Tech and Michigan round out my top 10 because their respective offensives are the most explosive in the country. GT runs the exciting triple option game and cannot be stopped. They have the top rushing offense and second highest scoring total in the land. Michgan's defense has surprisingly allowed the second least amount of points. On offense,  QB Denard Robinson is another Heisman hopefull racking up 1,396 total yards so far.

Hey, AP writers and various coaches. Learn from this.

The Heisman watch is also mediocre. Do your homework ESPN. Watch a game. There is no official ranking system for early Heisman candidates, so I'm using ESPN's picks as my frame of reference. Up to and including week 5, here is their list (L) compared to my accurate list (R).

1. Andrew Luck~ Stanford QB                      1. Andrew Luck
2. Russell Wilson~ Wisconsin QB                2. Kellen Moore
3. Kellen Moore~ Boise State QB                  3. Brandon Weeden~ Oklahoma St QB
4. Trent Richardson~ Alabama RB                4. Robert Griffin III
5. Robert Griffin III~ Baylor QB                     5. Marcus Lattimore
6. Landry Jones~ Oklahoma QB                   6. Denard Robinson
7. Marcus Lattimore~ South Carolina RB      7. Michael Dyer~ Auburn RB
8. Tyrann Mathieu~ LSU CB                          8. Russell Wilson
9. Denard Robinson~ Michigan QB               9. LaMichael James~ Oregon RB

As you can see, the professionally done poll contains players from 6/10 top ten teams. For all you noobs, this is because the Heisman is subtly a team award as much as it is for individual achievement. Bluntly, you have to be on a winning team to win it. That's part of what the voters use as criteria (voters consist of past winners, AP writers, and various coaches). I don't look at stats or records like ESPN is doing. I turn to something more valuable; instinct. I look for explosion and intangibles. I'm looking for a guy who's going to carry his team across the goal line. My numbers 1,2,3,5,6,7 do exactly that. They are the above and beyond players who might not win, but have distinguished themselves physically and mentally. Numbers 4,8,9 are almost there, but their stats are off the charts. Oh, and I'm calling it now. Michael Dyer and Marcus Lattimore are going to be next year's top two Heisman contenders throughout the entire season.

Hey, Heisman voters. Learn from this


Hey, eager audience. Learn from this

Week 5 and Shipyard Pumpkin Head

This weekend is week 5 of the college football season. I'm psyched. Every weekend is like opening weekend to me. I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl. I'm like a kid in a candy store. Really, it's more like me in a liquor store. But we'll get into that in a few.

To recap the season briefly, lets start with the number one rated team in the country. Louisiana State University (LSU) has been the biggest winner in the month of september. Not only have they won each game thus far but they've beaten three top 25 ranked opponents, most notably number three ranked Oregon. But I'm an LSU hater. I've never liked them. I've never liked their coach Les Miles. He's the worst game manager I've ever seen and his teams rely solely on raw talent. He doesn't develop them. Seriously. Can you even name one LSU product who has produced in the NFL? Think JaMarcus Russell.

LSU dethroned Oklahoma last week to top the rankings, but I still feel Oklahoma is a more complete team. From top to bottom, their roster is stacked. And they have a proven coach.

Big win from Oklahoma State last week over Texas A&M. These two teams battled it out to the bitter end. More importantly, out of this brawl came a  legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in Brandon Weeden. This guy is hands down in the top three QB's in the country right now alongside Boise State's Kellen Moore and Stanford's Andrew Luck. Nobody's giving this guy props, though, because he doesn't play for a sexy, big-named school. He'll silence the critics soon enough when he dismantles Texas in two weeks.

Games to watch this weekend

#10 South Carolina vs. Auburn

While Auburn fell out of the top 25, they're still tough. Anyone from the SEC can beat anyone. South Carolina is too one-dimensional, relying enormously on my man sophomore Marcus Lattimore. But he's a stud and has proven he can carry the opposing defense, and his own team, into the end zone.

#4 Boise State vs. Nevada

Boise State is looking for revenge. The Broncos put together a championship caliber season last year. That is, until they were upset by Nevada and losing on a last second field goal. The Boise boys have a chip on their shoulders and they are looking to prove to the country that they are the best. Lets see how they handle it.

#11 Virginia Tech vs. #13 Clemson

Clemson is riding high after wins against powerhouses Florida State and Auburn. Virginia Tech has been my dark horse national championship contender for years but they always seem to underachieve. Frank Beamer leads a tough defense every year in VaTech, but I think Clemson will scrape together another big victory in this ACC matchup in Vicksburg, VA.

MARQUEE MATCHUP


#7 Wisconsin vs. #8 Nebraska

This game has BCS implications. Nebraska, first year in the Big 10, was my pick to win the conference in their inaugural season. Wisconsin, though, boasts the best offensive line in the country. They also have transfer QB Russell Wilson who has been slingin' the ball like nobody's business. Still, I think the combination of runner and gunner QB Taylor Martinez and coach Bo Pelini is too much for Wisconsin. Huskers take this one.

While I'm watching this game, I'll be enjoying a nice six pack (cough 12 cough) of Shipyard Pumpkin Head Ale. Hey, it's October tomorrow after all. Time to get festive. While this beer isn't going to knock you on face like its evil twin Smashed Pumpkin (9% APV), Pumpkin Head is light enough to have more than a few yet flavored enough that you want to leave it at that. Got to love those spices and pumpkin flavor. Think Coors light drinkablility (yeah I know thats a Bud Light term but you know what I'm going for ) with a classic October taste.

Have fun drinking and watching.

Conference Cavorting..... Oh, and Don't Drink Kappy's Brand Whiskey

There are 11 conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The FBS is more commonly referred to as Division 1-A. These are the big-name teams you might here on the radio or see on ESPN if you're as big of a fanatic as I am, like Boston College, University of Miami, Penn State University, Ohio State University, etc. The means in this subdivision are the ones who play for the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) National Championship. Of the 11 conferences in the FBS, six of them are BCS automatic qualifiers, meaning that if a team were to win it's respective conference, it automatically gets a shot at one of the major headliner bowl games.

Since I really became invested in college football around 2001-2002 up until this year, the teams in the 11 conferences have all stayed relatively in place. This years marks the biggest conference shake-up I have ever seen. And I love it.

In 2004 I saw Virginia Tech and Miami move from the Big East conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In 2005, Boston College did the same. Three teams switched conferences. This year five teams have already switched, almost every conference has put out an invitation for another team to join, and minutes ago I just read an article saying that Texas A&M will be switching conferences next year as well. Oh, and four teams will be moving up from the Football Championship Subdivision, more commonly 1-AA to the FBS.

So if you're mildly interested in college football and you watch a game or two on saturdays with the boys and throw down a couple of cold ones (or Kappy's brand whiskey which I'll get to in a minute), you're probably asking, "Why all the moving?"

The answers aren't as exciting as you might hope. Reasons range from television exposure to lucrative contracts to recruiting pipelines. Some teams, like Boise State, moved from an non-automatic qualifying conference to another. Why? It is simply more competitive. Boise State is a preseason top 10 team every year and are hoping to get a little more street cred by playing in a tougher conference.

You should really look at college football games as conference vs. conference rather than team vs. team. Each conference has it's own style of play and it's own reputation. The Big 10 is historic with a conservative style of play and smash-mouth reputation. The South East Conference (SEC) is known to play the best overall football, have some of the most innovative coaches, and produce the best athletes. They have had a team win the national championship for the past five years. The Pac 10 has a very fast-paced and contemporary style of play. The list goes on and on. Some teams want a chance to prove themselves against the real contenders. Some want more national spotlight. Some want revamp their look and prestige. They are looking for an extra edge.

So now that you've gotten my little spiel about teams changing conferences, you're probably curious about the Kappy's brand whiskey. Well, I drank a bottle of Kappy's brand whiskey this weekend. Kappy's, as you might know unless you're that guy who doesn't drink, is a chain of liquor stores. Hey, I'm on a budget. It cost me $7.59. Can't beat that. Can you beat the taste and the smoothness and the hangover it causes? Yes. If you've got the cash to spend, go a little higher-end. With all seriousness, Kappy's brand is probably the shittiest whiskey I've ever dared to put down my throat and I'm still trying to recover from it. If you're pinching your pennies, than good luck to ya. But this is your fair warning. Don't be afraid to splurge when it comes to this.

Inaugural Post

Alright everyone,

This is the inaugural Swigs, Shots, and College Football blog post.

The premise of this blog is to give commentary on the marquee matchup college football games while giving my esteemed opinion on the respective liquor I decide to drink while watching.

It was my initial thought to start the commentary today but, alas, I have partaken in more of the drinking than watching so I decided to just give an eloquent introduction as to what I'm hoping to accomplish.

Here's the jist. This blog is dedicated to you students-pulling-all-nighters-and-studying-into-the-wee-hours AND you young-professionals-working-your-asses-off-for-an-entry-level-salary just so you can do exactly what I'm doing now and getting course credit for; blogging and watching America's new pastime, college football.

Stay tuned and enjoy the unbiased commentary that will follow soon.