Random Thoughts on a Thursday

- You know, Rule 3-2-5e has gotten all the attention this season, and I'll admit that it sucks, but not many people have noticed the impact of rule 4-2-0c, which states that "if a team wins a big game at home and then has to immediately play another big game on the road, especially if they have to play on short rest or at night, that team shall fall apart in the second half in a crushing loss." Florida was the first to feel 4-2-0c's effects, losing at Auburn after their big win over LSU. A few weeks later The Clemson Tigers fell victim to the new rule when they followed up a dominant victory over Georgia Tech by getting owned by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Tonight 4-2-0c claimed its latest victim when Louisville, fresh off a huge win over West Virginia, saw its National Title hopes die when Brian Ito's mulligan FG split the uprights. I guess that's the danger of playing a game in which emotion plays such a crucial role. It's not easy to maintain the kind of intensity needed to beat a fired-up opponent, as several contenders have learned so far.

- "Excuse me, Coach Schiano? You have a call from a Mrs. Shalala. She says it's urgent...."

- Arrelious Benn to Illinois?!? Ron Zook is an unintelligible, unintelligent mess who's absolutely useless on gameday. And yet he pulls in big recruits every year! And you know what? That's fine with me now that he's not at UF. Obviously I would have preferred if Benn had signed with FSU, but since the alternative was watching a 5-star receiver sign with Notre Dame I'm glad he decided to waste four years with the Zooker. Enjoy winning tenth-place in an eleven-team league every year, Arrelious.

- Thank God North Carolina did the smart thing and wrapped up Butch Davis. Sure, he's going to use them like a dish rag and bolt as soon as he gets a better offer, but in the meantime he should make the Tarheels a competitive team again. He's a great recruiter and he's got the talent-rich Tidewater area of Virginia just to the North and all ofhis contacts in Florida to the South.

- Speaking of Florida, it's just another kick in the nads that FSU and Miami are sucking this year when one-loss Louisville and undefeated Rutgers are stocked with Florida-born players the Big 3 didn't want. Ouch.

- Back on that topic, Louisville's offensive line was a sieve in the second half. Greg Schiano's defense did a tremendous job bring blitzers from all angles, but many times the pressure was simply due to Rutgers' undersized linemen outhustling the Cardinals' front five.

- How under the radar is Cal? They were written off for dead after the Tennessee game, then they received a ton of pub when they bounced back blowing out team after team, and now they're invisible again. If they beat Southern Cal - and they should - they could win the Pac-10 and head to the BCS 11-1. And no one east of the Mississippi will give a crap.

- Okay if each of the following teams was to win out who do you give the edge to for a spot in the National Title game? It should be based on schedule and quality of wins, right? So who do you pick out of this group (with their four toughest games in parentheses):
1. Florida (LSU, @Auburn[L], @FSU, Arkansas)
2. Auburn (LSU, Arkansas[L], Florida, @Alabama)
3. Southern Cal (@Oregon State[L], Oregon, Cal, Notre Dame)
4. Notre Dame (@Georgia Tech, Penn State, Michigan[L], @ Southern Cal)
5. Cal (@Tennessee[L], Oregon, UCLA, @Southern Cal)
6. Texas (Ohio State[L], @Oklahoma, @Nebraska, Texas A&M)
7. Arkansas (Southern Cal[L], @Auburn, Tennessee, LSU)

That's a tough one. It should be fun finding out!