College Football 2006 - Week 9: Celestial Theater

You could say that this week's theme has to do with nighttime and the night sky. This is the final full week of 2006 in which Daylight Savings Time is in effect. College football is full of stars. Only a select few will be able to outshine others. All teams are galaxies and nebulae (plural of "nebula"). But for each galaxy or nebula, there are those stars that outshine the others and provide the beauty for the galaxy or nebula they are a part of. NCAA football is a universe of many, many stars and star bodies. Only a certain few will actually shine as bright than the sun. It's time to find those teams this week.

Just because the title has to do with nighttime doesn't mean that all the games this week are night games. Let's start the final full week of Daylight Savings Time.





WEEK 9 - SUNDAY SYNOPSIS
Two Big East schools collided on Sunday as Week 9 got underway. This one game saw a convincing, easy win become a bit less convincing.





DIVISION 1-A GAMES
"Take No Bull" South Florida at Cincinatti
Wouldn't you know it? NO Sunday Night Football this weekend! So that means that you get your Sunday Night football fix in college. So too bad, players! This is the Univerisity of South Florida playing at the University of Cincinatti. It's a Big East showdown who sees South Florida lose EVERY LAST BIG EAST GAME in basketball, and a school whose men's basketball team had a controversial firing of Bob Huggins. South Florida's football team is 5-2 as Cincinatti can pull to an even .500 with a win as they are 3-4. The pro ranks seen the Cincinatti Bengals win their game in Cincy. Now it's time for Cincinatti's collegiate team to get a win over a good South Florida unit. I always thought Cincinatti was a fairly good college team. Cincinatti has been to a number of Bowl Games, but no National Championship teams in the 135+ year history of the game. The Bearcats are looking to give themselves a chance playing in their lovely stadium. The University of South Florida usually plays at Raymond James Stadium- home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The USF boys had to go on the road so the Bucs can try to beat the Philadelphia Eagles (which they did). No problem. The USF Bulls are only one win away from being eligible to play in a Bowl game. In fact, they may make a Bowl Game in successive seasons after they lost to North Carolina State 14-0 in the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl. Pedal to the metal! Let's get this rock rolling! This is the ninth season of USF football. Cincinatti has one of the few Asians you'll see in American football as they have Haruki Nakamura in the Bearcats' secondary. And sadly enough, he got whacked after I typed up this entry about him. Cincinatti's man under center is Dustin Grutza from Marysville, KY as they play under the lights at lovely Nippert Stadium. Cincinatti picked up a safety to go up by an early basketball score- 2-0. That would be the score as Cincinatti is trying to draw to .500 and prevent South Florida from bowl eligibility. It's halftime. Get a soda, take a shower, do whatever it is you do when it's Halftime. Late in the third quarter, one of the Cincinatti players took a BIG hit trying to convert on 3rd Down. He didn't get it, but he got WHACKED! This guy's helmet popped off, his mouthguard was knocked out of his mouth, and maybe his teeth may have gotten rearranged. It's a hockey or soccer score right now. Then Cincinatti opened the flood gates on scoring. They racked up 23 points and looked to end it 23-0. But South Florida gets a consolation touchdown late in the game. But they still got just a consolation as Cincinatti draws to an even .500. (23-6; CINCINATTI)





DIVISION 1-AA GAMES
-none reported-





DIVISION 2 GAMES
-none reported-





DIVISION 3 GAMES
-none reported-





JOHN'S EXTRAS

--- A VERY LATE THANKS TO EVERYONE ---
I don't know if I've ever got to say this, but let me say it now. I'd like to thank everyone for their interest in my college football reports. I am more than glad that your support has been welcomed. I know I can be a virtual ESPN to try to be as diverse and detailed as possible. But in my view, stats and stuff take time. It's why I try to limit thats to a minimum because I'll care in these reports are scores. You want 'em. I got 'em. And more. I've always said that I want to grow an audience by bringing up as much content as possible. It's what I would love to do for fans of the game. I am a college football fan even though I do have some NFL love. I just feel that college is as fun (if not more) than the NFL. Salaries and endorsements usually dominate the NFL. College is very fun no matter what teams are out throwing the pigskin around. I also wanted to make the deal fun so that I can get some people involved. It's why I sometimes bring up GTPlanet folk to go talk football. It's what I want to do and do to perfection. I hope my formula has been to your liking. I hope to continue this as long as I'm a GTPlanet member. I can't guarantee that I'll be the finest in doing all of this, but I will definitely try.


--- MY WINGS OVER HOUSTON AIR SHOW EXPERIENCE ---
On Saturday, I was at the the Houston Air Show. I had a bit of a horrible personal day there, but I've had to dodge drizzle (which became rain later), and all kinds of other stuff. I've seen some wonderful stunts from biplanes as well as the oh-so-wonderful F15 Eagle aircraft. Bad weather was the story despite the fact the skies were mostly clear at one point. There was even the "Tora! Tora! Tora!" event in which the attack on Pearl Harbor was re-enacted featuring WWII aircraft from both the United States and the Japanese. There were also old-style war planes in the air as a few more battles were re-enacted. The feature show was the Thunderbird exhibit where they make exciting aerial stunts. They are damn loud! But it's great entertainment.

Something else provided at this show was a beautiful tribute featuring over three generations of Air Force aircraft. Featured was a WWII plane (I think it's called the Thunderbolt or something), a more advanced F14 Tomcat from the Vietnam War era, and the modern F15 Eagle. It was a beautiful tribute. One thing I didn't get to see on Sunday was the wonderful Harrier



--- MORE ON THE F15 EAGLE ---
Kids are fascinated about planes like this for big reason. The F15 Eagle has AMAZING ability. It can be incredibly fast in the air. It also has some low-speed pass capability. The thing can also handle in the air like a Formula One race car (coincidentally, I'm watching the Grand Prix of Brazil as of the date of this typing (12:51 PM CDT, Sunday)) in the air. It is able to turn in the air at full speed and be ready to go another direction if at all possible. It's perhaps one of America's most advanced aircraft. We couldn't be any more happier to have this plane (and its F16 counterpart) defend our skies. Thanks, boys! Thanks for keeping us all safe in the skies from terror.



--- THE 2006 GRAND PRIX OF BRAZIL: TRACK AND RACE ---
Interlagos is sort of a mix of an oval-type track and a technical paradise. The speeds around Interlagos is wonderful. I normally like Monza for a mix of technical cornering and high speed, but Interlagos is a wonderful challenge. Most of 1/3 of the circuit is speed. The rest is a gut check through and through.

The race saw Michael Schumacher put on a great performance even in a losing effort. Felipe Massa was just too powerful, blowing out everyone on track... including 2006 World Champion, Fernando Alonso. This isn't a spoiler since the date of this typing and posting is much later than this college football report. Congratulations to Brazil's Felipe Maasa (GP of Brazil winner (in a blowout)), Spain's Fernando Alonso (2006 World Champion), and even Germany's Michael Schumacher.

Next year's championship is going to be incredibly different with the retirement of Michael Schumacher as well as the shuffling around of teams and drivers. I'm sure Fernando Alonso is going nowhere but up and is pretty much a favorite to possibly win again next season.



--- SURFER'S PARADISE ---
This isn't so much about race results here. I just want to say that Surfer's Paradise is a wonderful street course. It's the perfect blend of tropical and urban aspects.



JOHN'S EXTRAS - NFL FOCUS
--- CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOUSTON TEXANS ---
Now for some NFL focus. The Houston Texans have finally won back-to-back home games. I still like that money touchdown by Andre Johnson in double coverage. Johnson picked up about 7 more receptions in their blowout win over Jacksonville. The Texans are done with the Jaguars. But next week, it's a three-game road trip as it all begins at Tennessee. That's right. Old Houston hosting new Houston. Should be a great game if Houston keeps up the good work. Texans now improve to 2-4. In terms of collegiate players, I really like Wali Lundy of Virginia. North Carolina State's (and #1 Draft pick) Mario Williams picked up a sack or two. Fresno State's David Carr had about eight straight completions at one point. You can hate the Texans, you can belittle the Texans, just don't doubt their ability to turn up the heat when they are on a roll.



--- 60+ YARD FIELD GOAL? YOU BET! ---
Buccaneers beat the Eagles at home with a hellacious 60+ yard field goal to upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs seen Mr. Bryant kick a money field goal from 62 yards out. You have to have a big leg to kick a (if there's a such thing) Home Run kick. That kicker was ice-cold killer! The Eagles are now 4-3 with this loss.

-end "NFL FOCUS"



--- DO YOU PREFER BLUE OR MAIZE WITH MICHIGAN'S UNIFORMS? ---
I prefer the classic blue colors over maize. I don't really like maize as the primary color of most other Michigan teams. I love blue. I've been thinking about this as a result of seeing Michigan's basketball and hockey teams and the maize colors. If they wore maize outfits with blue accents in football, I'd have a tough time figuring out if Michigan's making a play or if the refs throw a penalty flag. I just prefer the blue more than the maize in terms of primary outfit colors.

Here is a random fact about Michigan. I mentioned Michigan hockey earlier. Between 1948 and 2002, here are the championship years Michigan has won:

***Michigan's Championship Years in Division 1 Hockey Between 1948 and 2002***
1948, 1951-1953, 1955 and 1956, 1964, 1996, and 1998

Michigan lost the championship game in the following seasons: in 1957 to Colorado College and in 1977 to Wisconsin



--- WHAT'S THE BETTER COMBINATION OF BLUE AND YELLOW/GOLD: WEST VIRGINIA OR CALIFORNIA? ---
This continues discussion on school colors. My "scheme" of colors is blue and gold. Two combinations I've liked were between West Virginia and California. I had a special lined up for one this, but didn't really complete my section on this. So I'll leave it to you. Which combiation of blue /w yellow accents is better: West Virginia, or California?



--- SHOUTOUT TO THE HOUSTON DYNAMO ---
I heard the Houston Dynamo made the MLS Playoffs in the team's first year in existance. When I learned the game was on, Chivas USA led Houston 1-0 at the Half. The winner of this Western Conference match gets to meet FC Dallas in the Western Conference Finals. And can you imagine an all-Texas final for the West? Sadly, Houston lost 2-1 to Chivas USA.



--- AND ANOTHER ONE... ---
My hat is off to Sebastien Bourdais, turning into a one-man dynasty in Champ Car. He made a controversial move in the Lexmark Indy 300, but still won the title. Nelson Phillipe won the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfer's Paradise (for some reason, I mistakenly typed "Seattle" instead of "Surfer's Paradise").





More games to come as the week progresses. You ready for the upcoming games? Atta boy!/girl!

All I have right now is a brief BCS late update. Ohio State and Michigan (hated rivals) are #1 and #2 respectively. Michigan leapfroged Southern California to take this position. We'll see if Louisville and/or West Virginia are for real when they face each other on November 2nd.

No extras this time. This was just a quick message I wanted to send out to you wonderful people.

I've decided to come back with a few extra reports and extras.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INJURY REPORT AND OTHERS
* Drew Tate (QB, Iowa) will undergo thumb surgery and will miss the Saturday game against Northern Illinois. The Hawkeyes came off of a blowout loss at Michigan last weekend.

* The troubled Miami Hurricanes reinstated Ryan Thomas (WR), but his starting status at Georgia Tech is unknown.





JOHN'S EXTRAS

--- MORE ON THIS WEEK ---
As I've stated earlier, the theme for this week is on nighttime and/or stars. I live in the big city, so I don't know of too many places where I can enjoy a clear night with many stars in the sky around here. I actually had a tough time coming up with an appropriate subtitle for this week's games. I wanted it to have something to do with nighttime and stars.



--- ILLINOIS-CHICAGO TALK ---
The University of Illinois-Chicago doesn't have a football team, but I visited the website earlier today. The UIC Flames have a Top 25 men's soccer team. Their website has a Realplayer version of the Illinois-Chicgo fight song. It was pretty cool. In most conferences, the University of Illinois-Chicago plays in the Horizon League (a non-football conference). The Horizon League has only one member that has a football team, which is Youngstown State. If you have Realplayer, copy and paste this link to the Realplayer browser or (maybe) just click on it:

http://www.ocsn.com/ram_server/play...om/9192/cso/uic/audio-uicfightsong.rm&bumper=

The only real college or university in Chicago (not in the greater Chicago area) with an existant football team is the University of Chicago and its Maroons under head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg. The University of Chicago won the National Championship in college football all the way back in 1905. They now play in Division 3 under the UAA. Other in-conference members include Carnegie Mellon, Case Western Reserve, and Washington University (St. Louis, MO)



--- HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL SHOUTOUT ---
Anyone who has the ESPNU channel will be able to see a special high school football game from the Lone Star State and in... actually, within the general vincinity of Houston. But it will be a game between #4 Lufkin and The Woodlands. I believe the game will be on Thursday Night on ESPNU. So enjoy some Texas high school action later this week.


--- ALLMENDINGER TO NASCAR ---
The only star to put up a real fight to Sebastien Bourdais was A.J. Allmendinger. Reports indicate that he's going to NASCAR after signing a multi-year deal with Team Red Bull. So he'll go from a series where not many ovals are raced, to a series where ovals are raced almost all the time. Whether you think this is stepping up or stepping down is your call. I said "stepping up or stepping down..." since there was a segment by Autoweek. I think someone asked Steve Park (or someone) if he wanted to race in Formula One. The guy says, "why would I want to step down to Formula One?" So it's your call.


--- HIGHEST-PAID COACHES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL ---

Football: Charlie Weiss - $3,200,000
Men's Basketball: Tubby Smith - $2,450,000
Women's Basketball: Pat Summitt - $1,125,000



--- OFFENSE TO "NANOOKS" NICKNAME? ---
The only two ways you've heard of the University of Alaska system is if you follow basketball or hockey. There's no problem with the flagship university in the Last Frontier, the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves. You may know of Alasaka-Anchorage if you follow the Great Alaska Shootout. But the University of Alaska-Fairbanks has their nickname as the Nanooks. For what I know, Nanooks has to do with polar bears. So it isn't as much on any type of Indian race. Or at least I think Nanooks has nothing to do with any Indian race. It would violate the offensive nickname deal if either school was nicknamed "Eskimos" or "Inuits."



--- QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE STATE OF ALASKA ---
Have I run out of ideas for extras? Maybe I just want to share this with you. The state of Alaska's flag is a blue flag with seven gold stars and one big star in the northeastern end of the flag. The seven stars resemble the Big Dipper. Their state bird is called the Willow Ptarmigan. The state flower is the Forget-Me-Not. Their state tree is the Sitka Spruce. The capital of Alaska is Juneau. East of Alaska is the Canadian province of Yukon. The southeastern end of Alaska is connected to the northwesternmost corner of British Columbia. I mentioned the University of Alaska system. There are three universities, but only Alaska-Anchorage and Alaska-Fairbanks are the two universities involved in college sports. The other university is Alaska Southeast. Popular events in Alaska include the Idatrod Dog Race and the Great Alaska Shootout in college basketball. The Great Alaska Shootout is held on the campus of the University of Alaska-Anchorage. Think of event as the Maui Invitational of Alaska. Alaska-Anchorage pulled a major upset in the 1993 event when they upset Wake Forest. More information (via Wikipedia) can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

Cities in Alaska: Juneau (capital), Anchorage, Fairbanks, College, North Pole, Nome, Unalaska, Barrows (northernmost city in the United States - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow,_Alaska )



--- PROFILES OF ALASKA'S TWO MAJOR SCHOOLS ---

- Alaska-Anchorage Profile

Official Name: The University of Alaska at Anchorage
Motto: "Preparing Educators to Transform Lives."
Established: 1954
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
School Colors: green and gold
Website: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/ ; Athletics: http://www.goseawolves.com/

^ there is also: http://www.alaska.edu for the entire U. of Alaska system.

Collegiate Conference: Great Northwestern Athletic Conference (Division 2); WCHA in Hockey (Division 1)
Nickname/Mascot: Seawolves
Basketball Arena: Sullivan Arena <- host site of the Great Alaska Shootout 11/21 - 11/25
(visit: http://www.goseawolves.com/shootout/ for more information on 2006 Great Alaskan Shootout)
Seating Capacity: ???

Last Football Season: -never sponsored-


DID YOU KNOW...

(1.) ...that the University of Alaska system is the second-largest land grant in America? The largest of them is Rhode Island.

(2.) ...that Anchorage has a maximum of 19 hours and 21 minutes daylight in June, and only 5 hours and 28 minutes of daylight in December?


FAMOUS ALUMNI
Noelle Meyer - Miss Alaska USA for 2006.



- Alaska-Fairbanks Profile

Official Name: The University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Motto: "A 360+ Million-Acre Classroom."
Established: 1917
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
School Colors: blue and gold (like the state's flag ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Alaska.svg ))
Website: http://www.uaf.edu/ ; Athletics: http://www.goseawolves.com/

^ there is also: http://www.alaska.edu for the entire U. of Alaska system.

Collegiate Conference: Great Northwestern Athletic Conference (Division 2); CCHA in Hockey (Division 1)
Nickname/Mascot: Nanooks (Eskimo word for "polar bear." Original spelling is "nanuq.")
Basketball Arena: Patty Center <-host site of BP Top of the World Classic.
^ (for more information on this event, visit: http://alaskananooks.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/alaf-tournaments-towc.html )
Seating Capacity: 2,000

Last Football Season: -never sponsored-


DID YOU KNOW...

(1.) ...that the University of Alaska-Fairbanks won college basketball's Top of the World Classic in 2002?

(2.) ...that the Nanooks have beaten their rivals, Alaska-Anchorage, in hockey for five years in a row? This year's game ended in a 1-1 overtime tie at UAF's Carlson Center. That five-game winning streak will be on the line when the the Nanooks take on the Seawolves at Alaska-Anchorage this December.

(3.) ...that Alaska-Fairbanks is America's northernmost land, sea, and space grant institution?

(4.) ...that Alaska-Fairbanks was once called the "Flying Nanooks" because of all the plane rides to travel elsewhere?


FAMOUS ALUMNI
-none known-



And that covers Alaska-Anchorage and Alaska-Fairbanks.



--- LATER THIS WEEK... ---

* After a blowout win over Georgia Tech at home, Clemson takes on Virginia Tech this Thursday evening. Will Clemson win again?

Let the stars shine tonight! It's not just football, it's COLLEGE football. This is a chance to see stars of the future in the NFL and perhaps even stars shining in life.





WEEK 9 - THURSDAY SYNOPSIS
The big winner of a Saturday night game returned to action against a tough conference foe this past Thursday evening. Also of note was a 1-AA match between two black colleges. This match felt more like a tune-up game after sixth minutes were logged. Two Division 1 games ended in blowout losses including an upset.




DIVISION 1-A GAMES
"" #10 Clemson at Virginia Tech

This game was basically the football version of being grounded. You get on an emotional high until something brings you all the way down. Sad. (24-7; VIRGINIA TECH) *upset!*





DIVISION 1-AA GAMES
"Rout Canal" North Carolina A&T at Bethune-Cookman
This is a game in the Black College Football-rich MEAC. Some boys from North Carolina decided to hit up NASCAR country for a little football- Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, FL. Which stars would shine brightest? North Carolina A&T has been as bright as the backlighting of the PlayStation 2 when you turn it on. They've been pretty bad. They are probably the second-worst black college football team as the Aggies just can't seem to win. They are 0-7 this year. That record isn't going to get any when they go down to Daytona Beach and ride the high banks of Daytona. Actually, they just want to try to slap around Bethune-Cookman College. Believe me when I say that Bethune-Cookman is a great MEAC team. They are probably the second or third best team in the MEAC behind the team that was upset last weekend, Hampton. The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats may have somewhat of an ugly logo, but their football is ugly as well... at least in terms of taking on a powerful team. You can basically make the case that Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M are two of the best black college football teams in the state of Florida. Florida A&M won the 1-AA National Championship in 1978. BCC hasn't won any big title that I know of. But they did win this game by nine touchdowns. Bench the field goal unit as 3's weren't needed here. North Carolina A&T may want to find a new coaching staff before this gets any uglier. Or has it? The other divisions may not be able to surpass this ownage. Or will some team do it? Find out in my "Winners and Losers" segment at week's end. Bethune-Cookman turned North Carolina A&T into a supernova while the Wildcats shine as bright as the stars of Pleiades. (70-7; BETHUNE-COOKMAN) *ownage nominee*





DIVISION 2 GAMES
* Arkansas Tech at Southern Arkansas (Rivalry Game?) (36-29; Arkansas Tech)





DIVISION 3 GAMES
-none reported-





JOHN'S EXTRAS
Let me just take you for a ride here.

---WHAT ARE THE STARS OF PLEIADES? ---
You may have seen me mention the stars of pleiades earlier in this game report. And as you all may know, this week is themed around stars and space. The stars of Pleiades are sometimes called the Seven Sisters. This is a beautiful collection of stars in space. Don't think it's beautiful enough? Check out this website for more on the stars of pleiades. And for trivia, these stars are the inspiration for the Subaru car company's logo.



--- EVER TAKEN ASTRONOMY CLASS? ---
Back around 2005 or so, I've taken an Astronomy class at my community college. The beautiful thing about taking such a class is that you really learn to appreciate known space. Did you know that Venus has VERY thick clouds above the surface of Venus? You may know that Mars and Earth sort of have the same amount of gravity. I'm still pretty fascinated about all that Mars has in which we are trying to discover. I think that it takes about 19 years to reach Jupiter from Earth. It will take another 19 years to return to Earth. So you'll miss about 38 Super Bowls and get all old and wrinkly. I think at the time, I was about 21 or 22 taking that class. I'd be about 60 years old if I went to and fro Jupiter. By this time, Martians would probably be able to access GTPlanet.net while the PlayStation 12 would have "Gran Turismo 15," the ultimate driving and hyperspace simulator. If you need a Science class which doesn't have a lab, perhaps look into Astronomy. It's a wonderful class.



--- ROCKETS NARROWLY LOSES AT MAGIC ---
Now for some NBA talk. The Orlando Magic, Tracy McGrady's former team, defeated the Houston Rockets 94-90 after the Rockets were done b:censored:slapping Miami 90-seomthing to 76. I believe Yao Ming put up 13 points and had to leave the game with an ankle injury. The Rockets will play their first game of the season at the Utah Jazz on November 1st.



--- NASCAR READY FOR ATLANTA ---
Many of you will know that I'm not the biggest oval fanatic. But did you know that I am a fan of the Atlanta Motor Speedway? The Atlanta Motor Speedway is a wonderfully fast race course. It is an easy-flowing oval course with some good speeds to work with. Jeff Gordon is my favorite driver in the Nextel Cup series, but I may give the title hope to his proteg&#233;, Jimmie Johnson. I'm not saying that the torch has been passed, but J. Gordon needs a miracle to happen if the #24 team wants to climb back into the points chase.



--- COLLEGE SOCCER UPSET ---
Either yesterday or two days ago, the #1 Southern Methodist Mustangs got upset on the road at unranked Alabama-Birmingham. The Blazers won 1-0 in shocking the #1 team in Division 1 Men's Soccer.




I'll have Friday results forthcoming.

I can actually talk aobut stars and starry skies since skies have cleared here in Houston. Things have gone from cloudy and rainy all the way to clearing and... cool. The theme of stars continues as some future stars will need to make sure they don't SEE stars above their heads when their respective secondaries smack the crap out of them. We're gearing towards a sparkly Saturday of college football. Read on, players!





WEEK 9 - FRIDAY SYNOPSIS
The penultimate day of the week saw a conference division leader try to stay unbeaten and head-and-shoulders above other teams in that conference. Divisions 1-AA and 2 were inactive, but Division 3 saw five Friday games take place including one winless team losing again. One Division 3 had to be settled in Overtime.





DIVISION 1-A GAMES
"Get 'Cha Shine On!" UTEP at Tulsa
The University of Tulsa may be able to control its own destiny if they defeat the University of Texas-El Paso. We are in northeastern Oklahoma to decide who takes all the chips. These two teams have stars all ready to get their shine on in primetime. You dig? I hope you do. Last I checked, hurricanes don't happen in Oklahoma. What the weathermen and weatherwomen fail to realize is that Tulsa plays at home as they have Mother Nature on their side. The Golden Hurricane are sparkling with happiness as they have a chance to pull away in C-USA West over Houston. Speaking of Texas, let's meet some west Texas stars. UTEP's football field is where the Sun Bowl is held. The moon shines on UTEP as they made their way across the Red River to meet the Tulsa boys. The Miners sense gold in Tulsa and are relentless to dig it out. It's time to see which team's stars shone brightest. Unfortunately for Tulsa, their gold was losing a lot of karats as UTEP was blowing out Tulsa after the First Half. Halftime can really change things for both teams. It isn't like baseball in which you can sit out for some time and go back out to pitch or try to get some hits. You have to be good in BOTH halves. Sadly, UTEP saw gold... and Tulsa defended it with authority. Tulsa is 4-0 in Conference USA and never shone any brighter. (30-20; TULSA)





DIVISION 1-AA GAMES
-none reported-





DIVISION 2 GAMES
-none reported-





DIVISION 3 GAMES
* Blackburn at Martin Luther (21-17; Blackburn)
* Principia at Trinity Bible (19-13; TRINITY BIBLE) *disappointing loss nominee*
^ Principia is 0-9! Sad... What's worse is that Trinity Bible is part of the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association). Are Principia the Savannah State of Division 3?

* Marantha Baptist at Crown (43-12; Marantha Baptist)
* Westminster (of Missouri) at Northwestern (of Minnesota) (38-19; NORTHWESTERN OF MINNESOTA)
* Rockford at at Minneota-Morris (27-20, OT; MINNESOTA-MORRIS)





JOHN'S EXTRAS

NOTE: Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday. Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend.

--- ANY FANS OF STAR GAZING? ---
I don't get out the house much. But I do love nighttime. I'd probably be interested in what the Capricorn constellation is like since I'm a Capricorn. I have a picture on my PC of the Orion constellation. But anyhow, anyone love star gazing? What's the most beautiful thing you've seen if you are indeed a star gazer?



--- THE SWING OF CHARLIE BROWN HOLIDAY CARTOONS HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN! ---
The classic Peanuts comic strip has come with wonderful and timeless cartoons. Believe me when I say that there's nothing like watching and enjoying a Charlie Brown cartoon. ABC has shown the Halloween cartoon in which the character Linus was looking for a being called The Great Pumpkin. Charlie Brown was trying to get candy when trick or treating. He kept getting rocks from the parents. Now that this cartoon has been shown, two more holiday-related cartoons remain. The other two involve Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving and ends with Charlie Brown's Christmas cartoon.

While that was funny, my all-time favorite Halloween cartoon is the Garfield cartoon in which Garfield and Odie end up in a haunted house. My favorite line from Garfield was: (indirect quote?)"Me thinks you're a bit stingy with your candy, Miss. If you don't reconsider your contribution, I'll give your living room drapes a taste of me broad sword!"



--- "WHO NEEDS HUMMERS?" ---
During the UTEP/Tulsa game, there was a brief segment on how Tulsa players got around on campus. I forgot what Tulsa called it, but it was a three-wheeled golf cart that about three players used to get around on campus and to games. One drove the cart while two others hung on from the back. I'd literally say "who needs Hummers?" in the first place since I see no practical (in terms of day-to-day use) usage of these miltary-grade-turned-civilian machines.



--- JOE NIERKO DIES ---
Sadness falls upon Houston Astros fans when legendary pitcher, Joe Nierko, passed away from a brain annurism(?). He was 61 years old and was instrumental in pitching the Astros' way to their first-ever postseason appearance. The Astros aren't in the 2006 World Series, but their NL Central rival, St. Louis Cardinals, are definitely in. J. Nierko was planning on being with his daughter to see her get married in December. He has a son playing baseball (I believe). Unfortunately, we've lost a good man who brought our team to the MLB postseason for the first time way before Roger Clemens jumped aboard.



--- STUPID INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CROCODILE HUNTER ---
A guy on local network 104.9 FM wanted to dress up as Steve Irwin. One of the DJ's of 104.9 "The House Party" joked if the guy was going to dress up as the living Steve Irwin or the dead Steve Irwin. If that offense wasn't enough, the controversial "South Park" cartoon series (which I had no idea it was celebrating its tenth anniversary) made a controversial cartoon poking fun of Steve Irwin. The creators say that they've been offending many different people with this one being no different. So see what I mean when I would say that if you think "ricing" cars is bad, there's stuff much worse. Have some respect, mates!



--- WILL YOU STILL CALL IT "THE WORLD'S LARGEST OUTDOOR COCKTAIL PARTY? ---
Someone at CBS or someplace wanted people to stop calling the game as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party." I don't work for CBS. I don't work for anyone. I'd still call this game that only because it's the name that I've remembered for this game and (perhaps you'll agree) sounds a bit more creative than the "Florida/Georgia Game." What, you want to call the Texas/Oklahoma game as "The Texas/Oklahoma Game" and not the "Red River Shootout?" Only one game needs no creative titile because you know what you're getting out of it- the Army/Navy game.



--- NOW I'VE HEARD EVERYTHING! ---
Forgive me if I already did an extra on this. In the college basketball ranks, I've learned of one of the weirdest nicknames for a collegiate team. There is a Division 3 team (Independent?) known as the University of California-Santa Cruz. Get this: the University of California-Santa Cruz Banana Slugs! GTPlanet divas looking for a nice nickname? How about the All-Stars? It's the nickname of some women-only college. Speaking of women-only colleges, there is a team in Spartansburg, SC known as the All-Stars of Converse College. No relation to the sneakers I can't stand all that much.





--- TOMORROW... ---

Here are some of tomorrow's games...

* Tennessee at South Carolina
* Northern Illinois at Iowa
* Florida vs. Georgia
* Texas at Texas Tech
* Central Florida at Houston

Get ready for a wild ride this Saturday!

This is the final day of Daylight Savings Time. By the time I give you this report, it will already be the resuming of Standard Time. The theme for this week will be stars. Don't think I'll theme things all that often. Stars shine in the daytime as well as at night. Don't believe me? Check out these games.





WEEK 9 - SATURDAY SYNOPSIS
A multiple-game loser finally picks up a big win in 1-A football as well as many other games took place. A Division 1-AA game was decided by a field goal... which would end up the only result. Only Divisions 2 and 3 seen respective Top 5 teams not get upset. Speaking of upsets, a critical upset in Division 1-A will mean that someone will be in good company once the updated rankings are out. A lot of home games saw their teams win in 1-A. Division 3 saw a Top 10 unit fall to an unranked opponent. This has been all the makings of a highly-surprising and highly-interesting Saturday of football.





DIVISION 1-A GAMES
"Bowden to Your Master!" Florida State at Maryland (GAME OF THE WEEK)
Bobby Bowden has been mad as hell after boosters wanted the Florida State coach fired. A win in College Park would help disgruntled Florida State fans feel better about Bobby Bowden as his backside would be safe. However, a loss on the road will mean a long trip home. The talk about firing Bowden has me to believe that this game is pretty important. Thereafter, I've named this game as the Game of the Week. Florida State University is nestled in the Floridian capital of Tallahassee. This city is home to the unbeaten 1999 National Champions. Long ago, Florida State was an Independent. Now, they are a powerful force in the ACC. There are some troubles with Florida State in recent times. The Seminoles haven't been at their absolute best including a loss at home to Boston College. Maryland is a good team, but not a great team. This school seen their women's basketball team win the National Championship as well as their men winning the men's championship in 2002. Even Speed Channel NASCAR commentator, Steve Byrnes, was once a quarterback for Maryland (I believe). The Terrapins are looking to hammer in a few more nails into Florida State's coffin. Touch gloves and come out fighting. It seemed like Florida State was playing for Overtime in a hellaciously long field goal. But it was blocked as Maryland picked up a HUGE win. Now Tallahassee isn't going to be able to sleep at night after seeing its biggest team lose. (27-24; MARYLAND)

"Party Time!" #9 Florida vs. Georgia (Rivalry: "The World's Largest...Party" - Alltel Stadium - Jacksonville, FL)
Come and get your college football love! We're at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida for the people want CBS (and maybe us too) to stop calling "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party." No matter what you call it, it's a classic SEC showdown between two bordering states that just don't like each other. Florida hates Georgia. Georgia hates Florida. Both of them can't get along. So how do you settle this? Simple. On the football field. The Georgia Bulldogs are rugged creatures. But so are Florida. The Gators will bite through anyone's ass. Time to put the clamps dow and get to footballing. When that actually did happen, it was Florida who got it done in state. Imagine if this game was played in the Georgia Dome. Would Georgia be favored more? (21-14; Florida)

"Tough Guys Wear Yellow" Miami at #20 Georgia Tech
We got someone on GTPlanet who loves Georgia Tech. I forget his screenname, but I hope I'll make him happy if I report that GT wins. Miami has been a bigtime football star. They have some great history in South Beach with college and pro action. Whoever can forget the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the NFL? Well, the [University of] Miami crew is very far from anything resembling Miami dominance. They haven't been this way since maybe the 2001 Miami team. Hurricanes were ready to strike Atlanta as Miami's Hurricanes looked to shock the GT program and keep Larry Coker's job alive. Miami at Atlanta in the NFL would be Dolphins at the Falcons. And while Georgia Tech doesn't have Michael Vick, they do have a nice stadium where you can see parts of downtown Atlanta. The city lights will prevent you from seeing too many stars in the sky. But there's a reason for that. It's because the Georgia Institute of Technology has stars in almost every NCAA-sanctioned sport they compete in. What'cha gonna do when the Yellow Jackets run wild on you? Real Yellow Jackets will likely sting the crap out of you. Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets are ready to sparkle and shine on the football field to further dismay Miami's season. I believe this game was 14-14 at the half. Afterwards, the two rivals (Miami and FlSU) both lost in the same weekend. Yellow Jackets swarmed Miami until they all fell apart like 1980s Jaguar cars. (30-23; #20 GEORGIA TECH)

"Sleepless in Seattle" Arizona State at Washington
It's time for me to shout out to kylenhat and his boys in Seattle. Arizona State's ocming to Husky Stadium to give Washington something to handle. Arizona State University is the best college football team in the state of Arizona. Unfortunately, their football team this year is playing like their men's basketball team- horrible and usually losing. The Sun Devils can still play football even if they can't cut the mustard like this year. Tyrone Willingham did his best at Notre Dame. But he's created a monster in Washington. Wait... monsterous Huskies? You damn right, player! The Huskies are much improved from the past two seasons. Remember that this was a program which has won a share of the National Championship back in 1990. The only recent National Championship they have scored was in Division 1 Women's Volleyball (because volleyball is a girl's game. I stink at V-ball). Arizona State has the Sun at their side. Washington has their stars in purple and gold (I've always thought they were navy blue and gold). Washington also has one of my favorite fight songs, "Bow Down to Washington." Will Arizona State bow down? It seemed like it until Overtime. Arizona State escaped the Emerald State with a win. Sorry, kylenhat. (26-23, OT; Arizona State)

"Saturday Night Alive" #8 Tennessee at South Carolina
Tennessee's first win of the year was at home against (then) #9 California. Tennessee was #23 then. Now the orange boys are #8 and looking to keep a good thing going when they go to South Carolina. The Knoxville, TN unit have plenty of stars. Maybe their biggest star is Pat Summitt, the legendary Tennessee women's basketball coach. Tennessee is lightyears ahead of their competition because Volunteers don't quit. Conversely, neither do Gamecocks. And South Carolina is no pushover. Tenessee's flight through space encountered an asteroid belt of South Carolina defenders trying to take down Tennessee. And for a moment, it worked. That moment wasn't long enough as Tennessee denied any upset opportunities later in the game. Give the win light to Tennessee. (31-24; #8 Tennessee)


--- Top 3 Pack ---
* Minnesota at #1 Ohio State (T3P - Gold)
Let's head to Ohio's capital city of Columbus for this game. Minnesota has been dismal without some of their big play makers. The Minneapolis unit has been snowed on with losses. The Golden Gophers aren't the brightest stars in the sky. And though it was cloudy, Ohio State let all their stars shine. The Buckeyes need not be unbeaten if they want to have a critical matchup between them and Michigan as being unbeaten. THE Ohio State led, led, and led some more. Where were the Minnesota stars? Ohio State beats down Minnesota in horrid fashion. (44-0; #1 OHIO STATE)

* Northwestern at #2 Michigan (Top 3 - Silver)
Northwestern goes northeast to Michigan. The Northwestern Wildcats want to start some trouble in Ann Arbor. The homeside were having none of that. The Wolverines stay unbeaten with this two touchdown win.(17-3; MICHIGAN)

* #3 USCal at Oregon State (Top 3 - Bronze)
Southern California has been the Michael Schumacher of the Pac-10 and in the nation. The analogy here is that they are more of the powerhouse loved by a lot, overrated by a few others. Perhaps Oregon State is the Fernando Alonso looking to take down Southern Cal. Alonso beat M. Schumacher for the title, right? So did Oregon State to Southern California. May not be too many stars shining on the shores of Venice Beach or wherever in Los Angeles tonight. (33-31; OREGON STATE) *upset!*

This USCal loss means these streaks are broken:

38 Regular season wins
27 Pac-10 Wins
18 Road wins
18 October wins
(some other streak I forgot)

-end, "Top 3 Pack



"If You Can't Take the Heat, Get Out of Houston!" Central Florida at Houston
My goodness! The weather gods smiled on Houston as BEAUTIFUL weather came to Houston. Sunny skies, lots of blue, not a cloud in sight. I don't think I've seen a cloud all day. And I'm thinking to myself... now THIS is what Houston in the Fall/Autumn is like! Houston hopes the sun will shine on their season after they've seen plenty of thunderstorms and rain on their season. Stars from the University of Central Florida is looking to give some rain to Houston's sky. It's a critical C-USA matchup for the Cougars as they can't afford to lose this game and trail in the C-USA West. UCF is up first. What lame duck? Central Florida is actually shining like stars. The Golden Knights are looking to become the brighest and most beautiful constellation in the sky. But they will need to outshine Houston to make that happen. Houston will take the beautiful weather after days of either rain or cloudiness the past few days here in America's Space City. By the way, how appropriate. I'm theming this week on stars and space, and I live in wonderful Houston. The most underrated big city in America. The Houston Cougars have never shone this bright in a while. Kevin Kolb is the brightest star in their sky. He is the brightest star, but head coach Art Briles is Houston's Sun. The rest of his players are either stars or planets that revolve around him. Houston trailed UCF 21-17 at the Half. UCF is 9-1 after leading at the half in two seasons. Remember that stat. Houston could be in trouble after a big win over UTEP last weekend. But no such worries for the Cougars as the beautiful Houston sky will sparkle with the Cougar constellation. Next week will be crucial for Houston because the Coogs welcome Tulsa- the C-USA West Division leader. A win here and in my view, Houston WILL be in the C-USA title game with a win here. (51-31; HOUSTON)

"Nothing Lasts Forever" Bowling Green at Temple
The MAC conference is up next. We got Bowling Green at 4-4 going to a 0-8 Temple. Temple is THE worst 1-A football team in history. When you're really good, it seems like you can't lose. When you're really bad, it seems like you can't win. Stars do shine in Philadelphia even if there aren't as many Philadelphia colege football teams as there are Philadelphia college basketball teams. I profiled Temple University before. One of the most famous alums was Bill Cosby. The Temple Owls are looking to light up the skies with a starry display on the football field. Temple's stars (or the lack thereof) will have to deal with a proven MAC power in Bowling Green. The Bowling Green State University can be found in Ohio. There is no relation between Bowling Green, OH and Bowling Green, KY (home to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers). But there is ONE relation- proud football teams. The Bowling Green Falcons know how to bring the pain. Judging by the title of this entry, you know who wins. Almost any Temple win is an upset. And Temple beat Bowling Green. No, that's not a misprint. I'm telling the by-God truth. Temple wins... by two touchdowns! Hello! Temple will start a brand new winning streak. You know what? I should have put this as the GAME OF THE WEEK since Temple finally wins a damn game. Good job! You still suck, but at least today, you didn't suck. Bring down the goal posts! (28-14; TEMPLE) *big win nominee*

"Fear the Wildcat" Kentucky at Mississippi State
Time to check into the alma mater of my good friend FoolKiller and Kentucky. But the Lexington Boys will be on their way to Starksville, MS to meet the Mississippi State boys. Most people will normally think this is a game between two of the SEC's sorriest teams. But this season, I'm following Kentucky this year to see if one of the five best high-school recruits will make a difference on the big stage in a bigtime conference like the SEC. Let's meet Mississippi State first. Mississippi State University has a great basketball team. Too bad their football still needs plenty of lube jobs to improve their shaky football team. Mississippi State is home to one of the few black head coaches in Division 1-A, not to mention (and I found this surprising considering the location of this conference) the first black head coach of the SEC. The Bulldogs are worst team in all of Mississippi Division 1 football. No stars shine in their sky Now on to a team somewhat regaining their swagger. The University of Kentucky has many stars. Stars in school as well as stars in athletics. You see those nebulas in Kentucky's galaxy? Those clusters of stars are all the different basketball stars that took Kentucky to glory in basketball. You say Kentucky isn't known for football talent? Well, they recently produced Tim Couch. I think they could have had Couch as a potential backup QB for the Green Bay Packers. Blue and white looks lovely on Kentucky. You can even say that about stars in the sky especially if you're a stargazer. The Wildcat constellation shines in the night skies when Kentucky athletics is doing their thing or if Kentucky's Formula SAE team is trying to smash Louisville on the track. But can Kentucky's stars knock Mississippi State out of orbit? It seemed like Kentucky was going to lose this game. But Kentucky has a basketball-style score to win. Talk about game-winning three-pointers! Kentucky should know about threes since that's all their basketball puts up against ANY opposition! (34-31; Kentucky)

"I Own You" #11 Notre Dame vs. Navy ((where the Baltimore Ravens play) - Baltimore, MD)
Notre Dame's Fighting Irish beat the Navy Midshipmen. This win continues the longest head-to-head winning streak in the NCAA.(38-14; #11 Notre Dame)


--- DISAPPOITING LOSS PACK ---
Two disappointing losses occured. Which one is worse?

* Michigan State at Indiana
Michigan State was a proud program. Now they are proud losers. I have respect for Michigan State even though Michigan is the premier power of the state of Michigan. The boys in green will meet the boys in scarlet. Michigan State University celebrated something of about 150+ years of existance. They can play a number of sports including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and many others. The green and white of Michigan State are their own constellation. Unfortunately, their stars are dying. Fizzling out. Not sparkling as much. The Spartans will have to hit the road and meet Indiana University. (46-21; INDIANA) *disappointing loss nominee*

* Colorado at Kansas
You know you stink in the Big XII if you lose to Kansas in football. Colorado has had as successful of a season as the "25 to Life" video game. Kansas got lucky and made a Bowl Game last year. The Jayhawks are one of two Big XII door mats. The Buffaloes of Colorado can't possibly stoop to a low of losing to Kansas now, can they? This is one of those "wake me up from the nightmare" moments. What the motherf:censored: happened to Colorado? They've become the Syracuse of the Big XII for now. I'm sorry to say this, but Colorado is pathetic. Cover your eyes for this score. (20-15; KANSAS) *disappointing loss nominee*

Both of these are bad. But which was worse? Find out in my "Winners and Losers" report.
-end "Disappointing Loss Pack"


OTHER 1-A SCORES/WINNERS...

* Northern Illinois at Iowa (24-14; IOWA)
* Iowa State at Kansas State (31-10; KANSAS STATE)
* New Mexico State at Nevada (48-21; NEVADA)
* UNLV at Utah (45-23; UTAH)
* Memphis at Marshall (41-23; MARSHALL)
"Un-Holy Toledo!" Akron at Toledo (35-20; TOLEDO)
* Portland State at #25 Oregon (55-12; #25 OREGON)
* #20 Nebraska at Oklahoma State (-; OKLAHOMA STATE) *upset!*
* Auburn at Mississippi (23-17; Auburn)
* Pennsylvania State at Purdue (12-0; Pennsylvania State)
* Army at Tulane (42-28; TULANE)
* Florida International at Alabama (38-3; ALABAMA) (FIU is 0-8 with this loss)
* Wyoming at TCU (26-3; TEXAS CHRISTIAN)
* Buffalo at #18 Boston College (41-0; #18 BOSTON COLLEGE)
* Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan (RIVALRY GAME) (18-15; WESTERN MICHIGAN)
* #19 Oklahoma at #23 Missouri (26-1?; #19 Oklahoma)
* #5 Texas at Texas Tech (RIVALRY GAME) (35-31; #5 Texas)
* East Carolina at Southern Mississippi (20-17, OT; East Carolina)
* Washington State at UCLA (37-15; Washington State)
* Cal Poly at San Diego State (16-14; California Polytechnical) *most disappointing loss nominee*
* North Carolina State at Virginia (14-7; VIRGINIA)





DIVISION 1-AA GAMES

* Brown at Pennsylvania
Let's begin 1-AA scores by checking in with the Ivy League. This is a battle of Providence, RI and Philadelphia, PA.
(30-27, OT; Brown)

* Maine at Rhode Island
This was a defensive classic. Sad thing is that the Rhode Island Rams outclassed the Maine Black Bears. Who said football had to be about high-octane offense? This is a hockey score as Rhode Island gets more than a Hat Trick. (3-0; RHODE ISLAND)

* Alabama A&M at Alabama State (Rivalry: Magic City Classic)
Nothing like black college football. No, really. Where else will you see competition both on the field and in the stands? In fact, the first game I've ever been to was a black college game between Prairie View A&M and Southern a year or two ago. Southern beat down Prairie View A&M 42-14 that night at Reliant Stadium. Now let's look at perhaps the best SWAC football (and even basketball) team- Alabama A&M. Alabama A&M is one of the great teams in conference. The Bulldogs are looking to take down their rivals from Alabama State. Alabama State University can also be found in Birmingham, AL. The Hornets are ready to take down their hated rivals from across the city. But that didn't happen. Alabama A&M stays sharp. (21-13; Alabama A&M)


--- Gateway Football Conference Look-In ---

* Youngstown State at Illinois State
Youngstown State of Ohio met Illinois State at Illinois State. Youngstown State would be last in line in terms of alphabetical order of schools. First in alphabetical order would be Air Force. Youngstown State isn't last in football as the Penguins are a talented bunch. These little birdies are looking to knock off the conference-leading Illinois State crew. They are based in Illinois and live in a city called Normal. Nothing normal about Normal's prideful football team. The Illinois State Redbirds are not going to back down to anybody. Not even Youngstown State. And after 60, Illinois State improves to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in conference. Illinois State gets Missouri State next.

* Indiana State at Western Kentucky
Indiana State was ready to meet Western Kentucky as WKU looks to keep a good season going. Indiana State is horrible. They went winless last year in football. Indiana State (which has a fight song with a cool intro) is only 1-7. The Sycamores of Terre Haute, IN (famous city for a "short" track called "Terre Haute Action Track." Or for short, "THAT Action track." (Set me straight if I mixed this data up)) Only action Indiana State has been doing was losing. Now for a change of pace. Let's meet Western Kentucky. Western Kentucky has wins over Chattanooga, Western Illinois, at Missouri State, and at Southern Illinois. The Hilltoppers want to add another win to go 3-1 in conference and 4-3 overall. The 2002 1-AA National Champs sort of resembled their 2002 winning ways by putting a hurtin' on Indiana State. The Hilltoppers toppled Indiana State. Next for WKU are two potentially tough games- next Saturday at Northern Iowa, then at home vs. Youngstown State. They are fourth in conference (Pioneer Football League) and trailing Youngstown State, Northern Iowa, and Illinois State (conference leader). Illinois State is unbeaten in conference. This wasn't even close. (41-3; WESTERN KENTUCKY)

* Western Illinois at Northern Iowa (24-13; Western Illinois)

-end "Gateway Football Conference Look-In"


OTHER SCORES/WINNERS

--- Texas Pack ---
* Texas State at Northwestern State (19-10; NORTHWESTERN STATE)
* Grambling State at Texas Southern (33-28; TEXAS SOUTHERN)
* McNeese State at Sam Houston State (31-18; McNeese State)
* Stephen F. Austin at Southeast Louisiana (35-10; Stephen F. Austin)
* Prairie View A&M (TX Team) at Mississipppi Valley State (14-10; MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE)

-end "Texas Pack"


* Morehead State at San Diego (44-21; SAN DIEGO)
* South Carolina State at Delaware State (10-9; DELAWARE STATE)
* Towson at Delaware (49-35; Towson)
* Charleston University at Austin Peay State (49-10; AUSTIN PEAY STATE)
* Georgia Southern at The Citadel (24-21; THE CITADEL)
* Southeast Missouri State at Murray State (24-17; Southeast Missouri State)
* Western Carolina at Wofford (35-7; WOFFORD)
* VMI at Gardner-Webb (35-31; GARDNER-WEBB)
* Jacksonville State at Tennessee Tech (17-10, OT; Jacksonville State)
* Georgetown at Charleston Southern (24-10; CHARLESTON SOUTHERN)
* Robert Morris at Stony Brook (21-6; Robert Morris)
* Morgan State at Florida A&M (24-23; FLORIDA A&M)
* North Dakota State at Southern Utah (31-7; North Dakota State)
* California-Davis at South Dakota State (22-21; SOUTH DAKOTA STATE)
* Winston-Salem at Hampton (13-3; HAMPTON)




DIVISION 2 GAMES
* #1 Grand Valley State at Ferris State (28-6; #1 Grand Valley State)
* #2 Northwest Missouri at Central Missouri (Rivalry Game?) (31-14; #2 Northwest Missouri State)
* #13 Valdosta State at #3 North Alabama (31-24; NORTH ALABAMA
* Butler at Missouri-Rolla (35-20; MISSOURI-ROLLA)
* Tarleton State at Abeline Christian (37-36; #11 ABELINE CHRISTIAN)
* West Texas A&M at Angelo State (26-10; West Texas A&M)
* Southwest Minnesota at Bemidji State (23-15; BEMIDJI STATE)
* Virginia Union at Bowie State (9-7; Virginia Union)
* Kentucky Wesleyan College at Central State (34-15; CENTRAL STATE)
* Kutztown at Cheyney (28-6; Kutztown)
* St. Joseph's (not the Philadelphia school) at Fairmont State (19-11, 3OT; Saint Joseph's)
* St. Cloud at #7 Nebraska-Omaha (21-17; #7 NEBRASKA-OMAHA)
* Colorado School of Mines at Nebraska-Kearney (20-14; Colorado School of Mines)
* Albany State vs. Morehouse (16-6; Albany State)
* #20 Carson-Newman at Presbyterian (28-7; PRESBYTERIAN) *upset!*
* West Virginia Wesleyan at #6 Shepherd (41-0; #6 SHEPHERD)





DIVISION 3 GAMES
* #4 Capital at #1 Mount Union (38-12; #1 MOUNT UNION)
* #2 Wisconsin-Whitewater at #6 Mary-Hardin Baylor (7-3; #2 Wisconsin-Whitewater)
* #3 St. John's (MN) at St. Thomas (27-7; #3 Saint John's of Minnesota)
* #5 Wesley at Salisbury (13-10; #5 Wesley)
* #7 Rowan at Montclair State (27-20; MONTCLAIR STATE) *upset!*
* #9 Occidental at California Lutheran (28-27; #9 Occidental)
* The College of New Jersey at #13 Cortland State (26-14; #13 CORTLAND STATE)
* #18 Christopher Newport at North Carolina Wesleyan (46-34; NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN) *upset!*
* Rhodes at #24 Trinity (TX) (41-7; #24 TRINITY)
* Chicago at Case Western Reserve (10-9; CASE WESTERN RESERVE)
* Widener at Juniata (35-13; Widener)
* Southern Virginia at Newport News (32-0; NEWPORT NEWS)
* WPI at RPI (Rivalry Game?) (26-0; RENSEELAER POLYTECHNICAL INSTITUTE)
* Becker at SUNY-Maritime (29-16; THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK - MARITIME)
* FDU-Florham at Susquehanna (21-16; Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham)
* Ohio Northern at Baldwin-Wallace (13-7; BALDWIN WALLACE)
* #19 St. John Fisher at Utica (64-0; #19 St. John Fisher)
* Pacific Lutheran at Lewis and Clark (41-20; Pacific Lutheran)
* Puget Sound at Colorado College (28-25; Puget Sound)
* Howard Payne at Louisiana College (47-45; Howard Payne)


JOHN'S WINNERS AND LOSERS
Don't be on my bad list. Try getting on the good list. Here are the Week 9 Winners and Losers voted by me. You are free to make your own selections with a reply. So let's cover the four bases.


BIGGEST WIN(S) OF THE WEEK
Temple Snaps 20-Game Losing Streak by Beating Bowling Green - Temple still sucks. This win for Temple is like the passing of the Hale-Bopp Comet- just one of those every-now-and-then deals. It happens. Just doesn't happen often. Bowling Green is sort of unimpressive this season compared to when Omar Jacobs was under center for the Falcons. Temple has a brand-new winning streak. They'll likely lose their next game considering their history of losing games. They haven't been to a Bowl Game in a long time (either in the 1970s or the 1950s).

MOST DISAPPOINTING LOSS(ES) OF THE WEEK
(tie) Indiana Embarasses Michigan State at Home - Does Michigan State have a history of losing to inferior Big Ten opponents? They were beaten down by Northwestern last year or two years ago. Now they lose to Indiana. This team has lost their swagger (if they haven't already). You can't expect to be a Big Ten competitor in losing like this. Michigan State is a much better team than the way they lost to Indiana- an almost guaranteed win. They've become a lame duck and are quacking to the high heavens. They first lose to Indiana. Then they lose by a larger margin than the game this bullet is tied with. Somebody needs to be fired or some shaping up of the roster needs to happen. They can't f:censored:ing lose like this.
(tie)Colorado Lost to Kansas... KANSAS For God's Sake! - You know, I'm going to be honest. What the hell is Colorado's problem? This was a team that lost to Montana State in Week 1. Most 1-A teams who play 1-AA or lower teams usually WIN their games. Colorado didn't. Colorado has now lost to two of the worst Big XII schools in America. They lose to Baylor in Triple Overtime. Now they lose to Kansas. The margin was only a field goal and a safety, but like I said. This team won the Big XII North last season. Maybe that blowout loss to Texas in last year's Big XII scrambled Colorado's brain cells. They haven't smelled the coffee in waking up. Their only win was to Texas Tech (I don't know how that happened). Colorado needs new coaches, new play makers, harder training... just try to get something going. Colorado is not Duke or Temple, okay? Hell, they probably could fire all of their First Team players and move them down to Second String. They should pick some new First Team players in their place thereafter. You can't lose to Baylor AND Kansas in the Big XII. I'm sorry. You can't possibly be the best team with all kinds of momentum... all to win a grand total of ONE game. Colorado is a complete disappointment. They are almost going to be the new Syracuse or the new Duke. Maybe even the next Savannah State or La Salle since they can't beat 1-AA teams. I bet they'd lose to Temple or Savannah State if they were on Colorado's schedule.

I had a tough time choosing. So I included both.


UPSET(S) OF THE WEEK (if any)
Oregon State Whips #3 Southern California's "Booty" in Corvalis - Southern California hasn't been as impressive as when Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush were the high-octane tandem. I'll be honest. I sometimes feel like their momentum was going to turn on them in an instant. And as it turned out, it did. This was the equivalent of the Stock Market crashing in the 1920s, triggering the Great Depression- just a nation on an all-time high and falls to the floor gasping for air. Oregon State took the wind out of Southern California's sails. The Trojans are still a good team, just not as good as they used to be. I can't belive I've actually said that USCal's momentum was going to lead them to a defeat. It's like racing a car in the rain with bad driving skills- you know you're trying to keep the car on the track, but you'll soon crash and burn. BIG win for Oregon State.

OWNAGE OF THE WEEK
North Carolina A&T Massacred by Bethune-Cookman College[/B][/I] - This week's OWNAGE OF THE WEEK goes to Bethune-Cookman College of Daytona Beach, FL in smashing pathetic North Carolina A&T.

North Carolina A&T = OWNED (by Bethune-Cookman 70-7)!




JOHN'S EXTRAS

--- Deaths to Report ---
Two people have died today. First off...

Arnold "Red" Auerbach dies at 89 from a reported heart attack. Red Auerbach has been responsible for:

* 9 NBA Titles (tied for First with Larry Brown)
* Coached 13 Hall of Famers
* 99 Playoff Wins (4th Most Ever)
* 1969 Hall of Fame coach

This is a completely saddening loss.


Now the second death. Actually, it was a homicide. The boxing world seen a person named Trevor Berbick. Trevor Berbick, an ex-Heavyweight champion, was killed in a homicide in Jamaica. More information here:

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/art...ICK.xml&WTmodLoc=SportsLanding-C1-Headline-12

My most sincere condolences go out to both people and the family and friends affected by these respective losses.



--- BUFFALO SABRES UNBEATEN NO MORE ---
In the NHL, the Atlanta Thrashers thrashed Buffalo's win streak. Bad day for Buffalo. First the Buffalo Bulls lose to Boston College 41-0, now the Buffalo Sabers lose in their game. So what's next- the Buffalo Bills (NFL) losing their game to whomever they play (granted they don't have a Bye)? The Sabres were 10-0 heading into this game.



--- DID YOU SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR? ---
Daylight Savings Time is OVER for 2006! But if your region doesn't have Daylight Savings Time, then no worries. You're clean. I have to find out as many things in my room that needs time changed. The times officially changed at 3AM EDT. I'm giving you this report at 1:43 AM CST (2:43 AM CDT). So imagine that. This just means that night will come sooner and daytime will be later.



I don't have too many more extras to share, so I'll end it here. Thank you, everyone! Thanks for your reading. I'll get next week's thread going because some games are going to be played on Sunday. Take care and stay safe!